5 myths about the male body exposed

here are many myths surrounding men and their physiques, right from the size of their feet to their sex lives.

Dr. Aaron Carroll of Indiana University and co-author of 'Don't Swallow your Gum: Myths, Half-truths and Outright Lies About Your Body and Health' reveals the truth behind the myths.

1. Men think about sex every 7 seconds

That is as many times as we breathe everyday. Nobody has that type of mental stamina," Live Science quoted Carroll as saying.n one of the most comprehensive surveys about sexual habits in the United states, completed by Edward Laumann and colleagues in 1994, 43 percent of men reported thinking about sex not even once a day, but rather somewhere between a couple times a week to a couple times a month.

2. Single guys have better sex lives than married guys

Conventional wisdom says married men get nothing but slumber in their bedrooms, while single studs are "closing the deal". But it is actually those with the vows that are getting it on.

A 2006 study by the National Opinion Research Center found that husbands get lucky between 28 percent to more than 400 percent more often than bachelors, depending on their age.

And it is not a ho-hum roll in the matrimonial bed; not only are married women more likely to be orgasmic, married men also give and get more oral sex.

3. Semen is loaded with calories

According to Dr. Rachel Vreeman, also of Indiana University and Carroll's co-author, seminal fluid is made up of water and nutrients such as vitamin C, calcium and magnesium.

It also contains the sugar fructose but only 5 to 7 calories worth per serving.

"It is unlikely to create a diet issue, but this should not be used in an argument for whatever," Live Science quoted Vreeman as saying.

4. If you shave your beard or head, the hair comes back faster, thicker, and coarser

"If that were true, we'd have a cure for male pattern baldness," Carroll said.

Stubble may look darker and coarser because it has not yet been exposed to sun and other wearing elements. Once it grows in, it looks identical to the hair that was shaved away.

5. Men with big feet also have big penises

It is true that the development of penises and toes (as well as clitorises and fingers) are influenced by the same gene. But the length of one does not predict the length of the other.

In a study of more than 3,000 men, no correlation was found between the self-reported size of feet and that of the crown jewels.

A 2002 study, headed by Jyoti Shah at St. Mary's Hospital in London, compared foot size to carefully measured privates (all 104 penises were stretched to their longest length for consistency.) No correlation was found. 

Tech that cures?

5 new technologies, 1 basic claim: The power to make your life easier. Do they deliver?

1. BlackBerry

The promise: Corporate email and phone in your pocket; anywhere can be your office.

The reality: At first: Ah, sweet freedom. Then: Let me catch up on some email before bed. Finally: Damn ball and chain.

Simplify-your-life grade: F ("A" for the rare person who actually skips out of the office periodically and turns it off at 6 pm)

2. In-home wireless network

The promise: A PC for each family member. One Internet connection. One printer. No wires.

The reality: The set up abuses you mentally for six weeks before magically working.

Simplify-your-life grade: B+

3. In-car navigation system

The promise: Never get lost again, thanks to audible turn-by turn directions.

The reality: Arguably more useful than a map. But real-time traffic with suggested alternate routes... Well, that's the killer app. Given Indian dug-up roads, we would much rather chart our own course depending on where you are likely to meet lesser traffic.

Simplify-your-life grade: C- (A+ someday)

4. Mini vacuum cleaners

The promise: Cleans up those hard-to-get places.

The reality: It keeps the place presentable. And sucks those breadcrumbs before your girlfriend can make a huge cry about it. But then so does your Kanta bai.

Simplify-your-life grade: D+

5. Wireless surround sounds

The promise: Full, rich, 5.1-channel surround sound, without running cords under the carpet.

The reality: Sure enough, great sound, no wires!

Simplify-your-life grade: A

Get angry easily? Beware of inflammatory diseases

'This could help explain why some people with high levels of stress experience chronic health problems,' said Judith Carroll, who conducted the study at the University of Pittsburgh.

The investigators asked healthy middle-aged individuals to complete a speech in the

lab in front of a video camera and a panel of judges, the journal Brain, Behaviour and Immunity reports.

During the speech, they monitored the physical responses to the task and then afterwards asked them about the emotions they had experienced, according to a Pittsburgh statement.

'Most people show increases in heart rate and blood pressure when they complete a

stressful task,' explained Carroll, 'but some also show increases in a circulating marker of inflammation known as interleukin-6.'

Inflammation is a process by which the body's white blood cells protect us from infection and foreign substances such as bacteria and viruses.

'Individuals who become angry or anxious when confronting relatively minor challenges in their lives are prone to increases in inflammation,' said study author Anna Marsland, associate professor of psychology and nursing at the University of Pittsburgh.

'Over time, this may render these emotionally-reactive individuals more vulnerable to inflammatory diseases, such as cardiovascular disease,' said Marsland.

Everything you need to know about the Cricket World Cup 2011

India is about to be hit by a work productivity loss of 768 million man hours. The reason? Cricket. 

At least 10-12 million peoples' attention is going to shift to the ICC Cricket World Cup co-hosted by India, Bangladesh and Sri Lanka from February 19 to April 2, according to a survey from the Associated Chambers of Commerce and Industry of India.

Here's how to be a part of this heady two-month South Asian sports party.

The big ticket

If you haven’t got your World Cup tickets yet, you need to pick up the pace.

Book fast-disappearing tickets on Kyazoonga.com, the official ticket hub online and be weary of fakers on the web.

Prepare to pay about 12 percent of the ticket fare in service, bank charges and taxes.

Kyazoonga writes a big “Woo hoo!” when your booking is confirmed. Nice touch.

There have however, been some complaints about overseas fans not having received their tickets yet. The reassuring bit is that the website has constant updates and email support for different crisis situations (but no way to track couriers) and getting in touch with the constantly congested helpline is a pain.  

If you don’t find good seats online, which is a possibility at this point, officially appointed travel agents (see travel deals below) are your best bet.

These guys aren’t allowed to sell tickets minus a package, so a way around that for Mumbaikars is to get the transfer package that comes with a match pass, and stadium transfer. This will cost you more than face value, but that’s the price you pay for being a slow coach.

If all else fails, every Mumbaikar knows someone who knows someone who can score tickets. Hint: find a member of the Garware Club -- they get one to two tickets based on a computerized lottery system -- and start sucking up now.

Travel deals 

If your World Cup watching involves travel, Cutting Edge Events (+91 9820027663/ +91 9819549724, www.cuttingedgeevents.info) is your best bet. Why? Most importantly, they have a ton of ticket packages available NOW, and tie ups with hotels that may appear to be out of rooms when you try booking online.

Also offering similar packages is Tui (+91 (0) 22 33005555, www.tui.in) which is pricier than the former. The base package for the final match at Cutting Edge Events starts at Rs 27,800, while the one at Tui is Rs 42,000.

If you’re travelling within India, book a domestic flight on Cleartrip.com and get the base fare free off your next domestic ticket (redeemable only on SpiceJet). Book before March 20 and use before April 11.

Online travel booking engine Yatra.com is running a similar deal with a free ticket redeemable on highly recommended budget airline IndiGo. Book before March 25 and use before April 15.

Travel agents say accommodation in smaller cities like Mohali and Nagpur is filling up fast, so if you have a ticket, figure out hotel arrangements quickly. 

Note: India is issuing six-month multiple-entry visas, but a new rule means once you leave the country, you have to wait two months before returning, so no hopping in and out on a whim. 

Best matches to attend 

The most fun games to attend are the ones involving the hosts because that's when the stadiums will be brimming with fans.

1. Bangladesh vs. India in Mirpur (the opening game), February 19. Bangladesh knocked India out of the World Cup in 2007, and the Indians have still not gotten over it.

2. Pakistan vs. Sri Lanka in Colombo, February 26. Pakistan was supposed to hold 14 matches, including one semi-final but were stripped of their World Cup hosting rights in the wake of the 2009 attack on the Sri Lankan national cricket team in Lahore. 

3. India vs. England in Bangalore (the game was moved from Eden Gardens

to Bangalore because the legendary Kolkata stadium was not prepared in time for this match. #FAIL), February 27. Pakistan might be India’s most hated rival, but it never hurts to stick it to India's former colonial overlords.

4.  Australia vs. Sri Lanka in Colombo, March 5. Sri Lanka beat Australia in the 1996 final. Australia trumped them in the 2007 final. And so it goes ...

5. Australia vs. Pakistan in Colombo, March 19. It's a weekend match between two of the most aggressively offensive sides in world cricket today.  

6. India vs. West Indies in Chennai, March 20. This is the last game in Group B and there is a chance one of the two sides will need to win it to guarantee a place in the quarterfinals.

7. Final in Mumbai, April 2. A World Cup final in Mumbai, the cradle of Indian cricket. And if India is playing Pakistan (the only opportunity for the two teams to meet), it will be madness. And Bal Thackeray’s head might explode. You won't want to miss it for the world.

Bar hopping in the best host cities

Here’s where to fill your soul with beer at the best host cities this World Cup.

New Delhi: What could be more perfect than Howzzat, a cricket-themed bar that brews its own beer and has ginormous TV screens? Alternatively, cozy Red Monkey Bar has all-day happy hours on Mondays and Tuesdays, discounts on beer and sangria and stadium-like, true live sound system.

You should know: Locals say you should watch the match with 500 plus fans on giant screens at the DLF promenade. For free!

Howzzat, Galaxy Hotel, NH-8, Sector 15, Part II, Gurgaon; +91 (0) 24 4565000; Red Monkey, 47 Defence Colony Market; +91 9910808653.

Chennai: Start drinking at noon considering all bars shut at 11 p.m. at 10 Downing Street (a 15-minute drive from the Chepauk stadium), where an afternoon deal of Rs 250 will get you beer, the chef’s special and dessert.

You should know: Respected cricketed website Cricinfo.com calls Chennai spectators “the most knowledgeable cricket fans in the country” so don’t go challenging them to a game of World Cup trivia at the pub.

No.50, Kences Inn Boutique Hotel, North Boag Road, T.Nagar; +91 (0) 44 28152152, 28113004 

Bangalore: A 10-minute walk from M. Chinnaswamy Stadium, Guzzlers Inn is a convenient pre and post match watering hole.

You should know: A 2010 DNA story reveals that the tech hub of India and a big student town is increasingly resorting to hypnosis to deal with stress. Don’t look directly into those crazy fan eyes.

48, Rest House Road, Brigade Road; +91 (0) 80 25587336, +91 9844096185 

Kolkata: Hookah, flavored shots, and a long, long bar at new club Nocturne that stays open later than most, until 3 a.m.

You should know: Kolkata is home to the largest Indian cricket stadium, Eden Gardens, and some notoriously fervid Indian cricket fans. Should you get into a pub brawl with a Bengali bloke, respectfully call him dada for instant calming effect.

Nocturne, 31, Shakespeare Sarani, HSBC Building, Elgin; +91 9831252442, +91 (0) 33 22903648

Mumbai: Special world cup offers and big TV screens at Sports Bar Express and Geoffrey’s.

You should know: Stroll through Shivaji Park for a glimpse into the birthplace of future pro Indian cricketers. Many greats including Sachin Tendulkar have been nurtured on this ground. 

Sports Bar Express, ground floor, Regal Cinema Building, Shahid Bhagat Singh Road, Colaba, +91 (0) 22 66396682; Geoffrey’s, Marine Plaza, 29 Marine Drive; +91 (0) 22 22851212

Colombo: Sir Donald Bradman's memorabilia and lots of beer at Cricket Club Cafe, a bar housed in a pretty bungalow.

You should know: Hit one of the many casinos in Colombo, especially if you’re heading to India next, where gambling is illegal.

Cricket Club Cafe, 34, Queens Road; +94 (0) 11 2501384, thecricketclubcafeceylon.com 

City to avoid: Ahmedabad. Two things: An alcohol-free, vegetarian Indian state. Enough said.

Trivia source: A new book on the history of world cup cricket  

CNNGo scored some excerpts prior to the release of "The History of World Cup Cricket" by James Alter, just so you can show off. Silly points? Not. 

1979: Viv Richards is the only person to have played World Cup football and World Cup cricket, having represented Antigua in qualifying matches for the 1974 finals.

1983: In 1983, a fielding circle was introduced, 30 yards away from the stumps. Four fieldsmen needed to be inside it.

1987: Courtney Walsh’s decision not to run out the last Pakistani batsman Salim Jaffer, who had completely backed out of his crease at the non-strikers end, potentially cost West Indies the World Cup that year.

1992: White balls and colored kits were not used until 1992. Prior to this, teams had dressed in white and used red balls.

1996: Ricky Ponting became the youngest World Cup centurion (21 years and 76 days) against West Indies at Jaipur.

CrickeTech: Podcasts, online gaming and live mobile streaming   

Listen to cool World Cup podcasts featuring quick bites from players; play the new Fantasy Cricket League online by Zapak; Vodafone subscribers can watch live streaming of the match coverage; Google users are invited to mark all important points around match venues using Google Map Maker.

Jersey shore: Personalized Team India jersey

How about a blue Team India jersey with your name and favorite number on it?

Myntra and Nike team up to bring you customized jerseys that you can order online, preview your personalized details and have delivered to your doorstep, for Rs 895.

Place your bets: Bookies say India

International Cricket Council chief Haroon Lorgat has suggested legalizing sports betting in India in order to curb corruption in the game of cricket. FYI: Bookmakers hold India clear favorites to win this World Cup as they believe this is the best Indian side ever, and are too difficult a team to beat at home.

Your love life, through your friends' eyes

Weird as it sounds, a study found that your friends are better at predicting whether your relationship will last than you are. According to researcher Christopher Agnew, Ph.D., department head and professor of psychological sciences at Purdue University, they have clearer judgment because they're less invested. But there are ways to access that info yourself—these tips will get you started.

   * 'Read' pictures of the two of you: It's tricky to be objective about your love life. Take a step back by looking at photos as if you're one of your friends viewing you. Consider how close you appear: if you look like you're really into each other or if there's a definite sense of ambivalence.

    * Notice what you edit out: The details you omit when talking to others about your man point to potential red flags. Haven't had sex in a month? Arguing more? Maybe you're afraid it'll sound bad, but it's key to look at these when assessing your bond.

    * Compare yourself to the Joneses: Your friends see you juxtaposed with other twosomes, so think about how you and your man differ from couples you know: do you make more or less physical contact? Do you smile and laugh as much as they do?

    * Decode your own body language: One reason friends can read your relationship so well is that they observe how you interact physically. You can do the same. Signs you're solid: your feet turn towards his; you mirror each other's movements.

    * Check out old e-mails: Another thing friends observe is how you communicate—whether your dialogue is natural and fun or strained. Get a sense of it by going through past e-mails and G-chats. These will give you valuable clues.

5 steps toward a strong and healthy relationship

f you think your romantic relationship is on the rocks, don't worry, for an expert has offered tips to keep it alive and happy.

"Keeping the love in a relationship is about understanding who the other partner is and working extremely hard to keep the lines of communication open," said Josh Klapow, of the University of Alabama at Birmingham.

Klapow said a relationship is doomed if the communication is not there. "Very often it's the little things, the daily hassles and decisions that couples need to make that lead to bigger problems; learning to make decisions together is critical for the survival of your relationship," he said.

Here are the five things Klapow recommends for making decisions together:

Set a specific goal

"What do each of you want? Make sure you are very specific. Eating dinner out is not a specific goal. Going to a restaurant where you can get a steak, your partner can get grilled shrimp and you both can relax in a quiet booth is specific. The more specific you are the better."

Monitor your discussion

"As you are discussing the decision at hand, make sure you are staying on track. Often couples will start discussing a goal and stray to some other topic, which can lead to frustration. So, if you notice yourself or your spouse getting off the subject, come back to the specific goal."

Arrange the situation for success

"Decision making doesn't work well when someone is tired, hungry, short for time or pre-occupied with other activities. Before you start the discussion, make sure each of you is in the right frame of mind and you have the time. If not, table the discussion as it is likely to go awry or fail."

Recruit support from one another

"A collective decision means that sometimes there will be compromise. If you are going into the discussion to win, then you are not making a collective decision; you are fighting a battle. Remind each other that you are a team and that you are in it to win collectively, not necessarily individually."

Treat yourselves

"Celebrate the success of a decision together. A hug, a celebratory reward, anything that acknowledges that together you have accomplished this task will help keep you motivated to make decisions together again."

Drinking milk every day 'keeps cancer at bay'

A new research has found that kids who drink milk are 40 per cent less likely to suffer bowel cancer as adults.

Scientists from New Zealand found that half a pint of milk a day had a powerful protective effect against the cancer.

The key to its anti-cancer effects lies in daily consumption over long periods.

"Our results suggest daily consumption of milk in childhood may reduce bowel cancer incidence, possibly by the action of calcium," the Daily Express quoted associate Professor Brian Cox, who led the research, as saying.

Experts believe calcium helps kill off cancer cells and accumulating a supply in the system can help to ward off the disease.

The team discovered pupils were 40 per cent less likely to suffer a tumour later in life if they had milk every day for six years or more.he study was published last week in the American Journal of Epidemiology. (ANI)

Mobile radiation is dangerous

The speculative fears of mobile phones being a danger to health in the long run, seem to be coming true. A latest government study talks about the harmful effects of not just using mobile phones but also the radiation from mobile phone towers. 

A Times of India report states that - 

Radiation from mobile phones and towers poses serious health risks, including loss of memory, lack of concentration, disturbance in the digestive system and sleep disturbances, according to an inter-ministerial committee formed by the ministry of communications and information technology to study the hazards posed by mobile phones.

One India also reported that the damages may not be lethal for humans, but they worse for birds and insects as well. The committee has attributed the radiation effects to the disappearance of butterflies, bees, insects and sparrows. 

The government report also says that  mobile towers should not be installed near high density residential areas, schools, playgrounds and hospitals. "The localized SAR value as per the Indian guidelines standard is 2 watt per kg, averaged over a six minute period and using a 10 gram average mass. With higher SAR values of mobile handsets the public could potentially receive much higher radiofrequency exposure. We have recommended that SAR levels to be lowered down to 1.6 watt/kg, as prescribed by the Federal Communication Commission of US," said a member.

The eight-member committee, which included representatives from the health ministry, department of biotechnology and member secretary, DoT, has recommended that mobile phones not adhering to standard levels of specific absorption rate (SAR) - a measure of the amount of radiofrequency energy absorbed by the body while using a phone -- should be barred.

Member scientist, ICMR R S Sharma said that compared to Europeans, Indian cellphone users are more at risk for adverse affect of radiation due the country's hot tropical climate, low body mass index, and low fat content. "We have recommended amendment in the Indian Telegraph Act 1885 and rules so that only mobile handsets satisfying radiation standards should be permitted in the country," he said.

In another report, citizens are scared of the radiation from mobile tower in Andheri. 

In the past five years, more than 15 housewives living in Sher-e-Punjab colony in Andheri (East) have suffered from various forms of cancer. Although there is no proof of a direct link, residents are drawing parallels between the appearance of the first cancer case and the installation of the first mobile phone tower in the society nearly seven years ago. Based on a Hindustan Times report.

Neha Kumar, who has been studying the biological effects of mobile phone towers, said, “All these women don’t have any family history of cancer. Plus, all of them are within a certain radius of those mobile towers. All this is not a coincidence.”

So how do we minimise the damage in view of such grave consequences. The report adds -   

“While talking on mobile, keep calls short or send a text message (SMS). This advice should be especially relevant keeping in mind the children, adolescents and pregnant women” said the report.  The advice should be printed in the user manual by handset manufacturers.  

“Whenever possible, use cellphone when the signal quality is good. People having active medical implants should keep their cellphone at least 30 cm away from the implant” said the report.

Many a times we find ourselves complaining of bad network in certain areas. Mobile companies raise towers at every nook and corner to beat each other at network coverage. Are we compromising our health for better mobile connections?

Why you want to study Abroad

LOOK around the average university library in the West, and among the faces fixed in concentration over their books and laptops, you will see globalisation in action. The students who have come from India, or a myriad other nations, are among what UNESCO estimated, in 2009, to be 2.8 million people studying on higher education courses outside their home countries. UNESCO predicts that number will rise to 8 million by 2020, with many experts seeing such students as part of a global circulation of knowledge through universities that brings benefits to all countries.

So what prompts millions of students to leave their home nations and their loved ones to live in a country they may never have seen before? And how do students and parents deal with the potentially frightening challenge of choosing a foreign university, a decision that could shape a student’s whole life?

As with other migrants, one of the main factors driving students abroad is the search for a better life. Getting a degree from a foreign university will boost their chances of getting a good job, students believe. And there is also the advantage of gaining a qualification in English, the language for so much of the international business, media and education worlds.

But there is so much more beyond the formal qualification. Wherever a student takes their degree, studying abroad gives them a golden chance to build confidence and initiative, set their own life experiences in a fuller context, and learn to deal with the differences that otherwise create barriers between people. In the UK, that could include experiencing life in cosmopolitan, historic and dynamic cities such as London, Manchester or Edinburgh, or the more traditional life of a smaller town. Or it could include learning to love British food – hard to do for some – and sampling famous delicacies such as fish and chips. After all that, there is the chance to start a career in your adopted country, or return home with a qualification that makes you stand out from your peers.

But how do students and their parents choose a university that will deliver good teaching and a degree with a decent reputation? They obviously need to beware of the small number of institutions in the world that focus on the money brought by overseas students, offering only poor standards in return.

One of the aims of the Times Higher Education World University Rankings, published last month, is to help undergraduate and postgraduate students around the world in choosing their university. Teaching accounts for 30 per cent of a university’s score, including the judgments of leading academics on which institutions offer the best teaching for their subject. There is also a score for each university’s staff-student ratio, and its international mix of students and staff.

Experts point to the fact that the fees paid by students, increasingly a fact given declining public investment in higher education in so many nations, will produce a more demanding consumer and more competition among universities to attract students.

If you come with deep pockets, and are willing to spend you have plenty of power to make sure you get the education you expect.