bright coloured tops in vogue -...

FOR BEST DEALS AND INFORMATION SEE PAGE 36

Canadian home salesedge slightly higher

in March

BRIGHT COLOURED

TOPS IN VOGUE

Chevrolet Returns to the BigScreen This Summer in

Michael Bay’s “Transformers:Age of Extinction”

ROHIT BAL COLLECTION FOR JABONG

METEORITE IMPACT CRATERS MAY HAVEHOSTED EARLY LIFE ON EARTH

A new study from Western University explores the possibility thatEarth's earliest life forms may have been cultivated by a meteoriteimpact event.The research team from Western's Faculty of Science and theCentre for Planetary Science and Exploration (CPSX), whichincluded post-doctoral fellow Haley Sapers and professors GordonOsinski and Neil Banerjee, investigated rocks from Nördlinger Ries,a 24-kilometer-wide depression located in Bavaria, Germany, anddiscovered what is purportedly the first-ever microbial trace fossilsfrom within an impact crater. Trace fossils, also called ichnofossils,are geological records of biological activity.The energy required to create an impact crater like Ries is esti-mated to equal the power generated by 1.8 million atomic bombsand, as a result, a meteorite possessed the necessary strength tomelt many cubic kilometres of rock covering the Earth at thislocation about 14.6 million years ago. Once melting occurs, rockcools quickly forming impact glass, or impactite, which containsvarious microscopic structures and crystals.In studying the Ries rocks, the Western researchers found unusualtubular features - approximately one-millionth to three-millionths of

ROHIT BAL AND SHRADDHA KAPOOR

a meter in diameter - believed to be the first putative microbial tracefossils hosted in meteorite impact glass.The findings were published this week by Geology in a paper titled,"Enigmatic tubular features in impact glass.""The simplest and most consistent explanation of the data is thatbiological activity played a role in the formation of the tubulartextures in the Ries glasses, likely during post-impact hydrothermalactivity," says Sapers, a 2010 Vanier Scholar and first author on thepaper."As impact glass is ever-present on rocky bodies throughout theSolar System and likely common on the early Earth, the preserva-tion of biological activity in impact glass has significant astrobiologi-cal implications for life on early Earth, as well as for the search forlife on other planets," says Osinski, who serves as CPSX AssociateDirector.The Western researchers conducted optical and scanning electronmicroscopy, energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy, and Fouriertransform infrared spectroscopy on the Ries rocks to confirm thefindings.Source - Western University (www.UWO.ca )

OTTAWA: According to statistics released today by The CanadianReal Estate Association (CREA), national home sales activity edged up on amonth-over-month basis in March 2014Highlights:" National home sales rose 1.0% from February to March." Actual (not seasonally adjusted) activity stood 4.9% above March 2013 levels." The number of newly listed homes edged up 0.5% from February to March." The Canadian housing market remains in balanced territory." The national average sale price rose 6.0% on a year-over-year basis in March." The MLS® Home Price Index (HPI) rose 5.2% year-over-year in March.The number of home sales processed through the MLS® Systems of Cana-dian real estate Boards and Associations edged up one per cent from Febru-ary to March 2014. This builds on the monthly gain of 0.6 per cent the previ-ous month, but leaves activity closer to the low reached in January2014 than to the most recent peak reached in August 2013.

I CONTD. ON PAGE 28

‘PASTELS HAVE PROVEN TO BE TRENDYTHIS SPRING, BUT IT IS TIME TO ADD SOMEBRIGHT SHADES TO YOUR CLOSET.

Orange, blue, green, yellow and reds are some of favouritecolours and they will look stylish if teamed with other brightshades as well as denim or white, repor ts femalefirst.co.uk.Actress Kate Hudson was seen spor ting the bright blouse whenshe attended the BVLGARI par ty in California earlier this year.Wearing a yellow silk v-neck blouse, the actress was shiningbeautiful in the bright hue.One also pair bright blouse with a white leather skir t and whiteaccessories for a clean and crisp look. Teaming it up with whitejeans and comfor table wedges is ideal for dressy daytime look.

DETROIT:Chevrolet and a Camaro that conver ts into the iconicBumblebee will once again turn heads when the Transformers moviefranchise returns to screens around the globe in the upcoming “Trans-formers: Age of Extinction” from director Michael Bay, in theatersJune 27.The latest film also features Chevrolets sold around the world includ-ing a Corvette Stingray that conver ts to Autobot Crosshairs, a Traxand a Sonic outfitted as a Rally Car.The fifth-generation Camaro conver ted into Bumblebee in the 2007film “Transformers,” the 2009 film “Transformers: Revenge of theFallen” and the 2011 film “Transformers: Dark of the Moon.” Thelatest edition features two Camaros specifically built for the film, onea heavily modified vintage 1967 Camaro SS and the other a futuristicconcept Camaro.“The Transformers movies have been a great partnership for Chevroletby allowing us to introduce our vehicles to new fans, young and old,around the world,” said Tim Mahoney, chief marketing officer, GlobalChevrolet. “Now for the four th time, you’ll see a Camaro as a heroicAutobot, a fitting role for one of the stars of Chevrolet’s lineup.”Said LeeAnne Stables, executive vice president of Worldwide Mar-keting Par tnerships for Paramount Pictures: “The Chevrolet par tner-ship with this iconic Michael Bay movie franchise has become one ofthe longest-running and most innovative movie-brand relationshipsin film history. This new Chevy campaign will definitely bring newand exciting elements to a global audience of Transformers moviefans around the world.”

26 MidWeek MIDWEEK NEWS WEEKLY

TUESDAY, APRIL 22, 2014auto

MidWeek 27MIDWEEK NEWS WEEKLY

TUESDAY, AUGUST 28, 2012

MIDWEEK NEWS WEEKLY

TUESDAY, APRIL 22, 2014 auto


TUESDAY, APRIL 22, 2014real estate

Canadian home sales edgeslightly higher in March

CONTD. FROM PAGE 25Sales rose in more than half of all local housing markets in March, led by gains ina number of large urban markets in British Columbia, Alberta, and Ontario. Whileactivity in BC's Lower Mainland posted a monthly decline, sales there remainedwell above year-ago levels. "Sales in many housing markets continue to recoverfrom winter's deep freeze," said CREA President Beth Crosbie. "At the same time,activity softened in some of Canada's West Coast housing markets. This showshow local and national housing market trends can be very different. Talking to yourlocal REALTOR® is your best bet to understand how the housing market is shapingup where you currently live or might like to in the future."Actual (not seasonally adjusted) activity stood 4.9 per cent above levels posted inMarch 2013. Sales were up from last March in 60 per cent of local markets withGreater Vancouver, Calgary, and Greater Toronto providing the largest contributionsto the national increase. While up from last year, actual (not seasonally adjusted)activity in March ran 8.2 per cent below its 10-year average for the month of March.Results were similar for actual activity for the first quarter: up 2.8 per cent com-pared to the first quarter of 2013, but 7.5 per cent below the 10-year average for thefirst quarter period. "There's little doubt that winter's icy grip prompted manypotential home buyers to put off house hunting," said Gregory Klump, CREA's ChiefEconomist. "That said, we'll have to wait and see what happens in April becausewhile overall sales improved in March, there was little evidence of a flood of pent-up demand being released." "It's important to keep in mind the distinction betweensales activity and housing demand," he added. "Some markets, like Toronto andCalgary, are seeing multiple offer situations for some listings where each ulti-

mately results in a single sale. This means national sales are being constrained bya lack of supply despite strong demand in some markets, since Greater Torontoand Calgary combined account for a one-quarter of national activity."The number of newly listed homes was little changed in March, rising 0.5 per centfollowing a monthly gain of equal magnitude in February. New supply nationallyhas been running at lower levels since it dropped sharply in December 2013.The national sales-to-new listings ratio was 52.5 per cent in March - virtuallyunchanged from 52.3 per cent in each of the two previous months. Since early2010, the ratio has remained firmly entrenched within the range from 40 to 60 percent that marks balanced market territory. Two-thirds of all local markets posted asales-to-new listings ratio in this range in March. The number of months of inven-tory is another important measure of balance between housing supply and de-mand. It represents the number of months it would take to completely liquidatecurrent inventories at the current rate of sales activity. There were 6.3 months ofinventory at the national level at the end of March 2014, compared with 6.4 monthsat the end of February and 6.5 months at the end of January. As with the sales-to-new listings ratio, the months of inventory measure continues to point to a well-balanced housing market nationally. The actual (not seasonally adjusted) nationalaverage price for homes sold in March 2014 was $401,419, an increase of six percent from the same month last year. The slowdown in year-over-year growthcompared to a range between eight and 10 per cent since last summer largelyreflects a decline in Greater Vancouver's sales as a proportion of national activity.The MLS® Home Price Index (MLS® HPI) provides a better gauge of price trendsbecause it is not affected by changes in the mix of sales activity the way that

average price is. The Aggregate Com-posite MLS® HPI rose 5.19 per cent ona year-over-year basis in March 2014,up slightly from the 5.05 per cent gainrecorded in February. Year-over-yearprice growth picked up among all prop-erty types tracked by the index.Year-over-year price gains were led bytwo-storey single family homes (+5.97per cent) and one-storey single familyhomes (+5.47 per cent). This wasclosely followed by price increases fortownhouse/row units (+4.09 per cent)and apartment units (+3.91 per cent).Year-over-year price growth in theMLS® HPI varied among local hous-ing markets tracked by the index, withthe biggest gains again having beenposted by Calgary (+9.48 per cent) andGreater Toronto (+7.37 per cent). Mean-while, Greater Vancouver's MLS® HPIrecorded a fifth consecutive year-over-year increase (+3.73 per cent).Source - CREA.CA

Let these vastu tipsusher in good energies

ACTIVATE THE RIGHT ENERGIES BY FOLLOWINGVASTU TIPS FOR YOUR MAIN DOOR.Vastu Shashtra begins with the entrance to your house. Themain door of any house is the dwelling place Gods and God-desses. It must be accurately located for the activation ofbeneficial energies.Select an auspicious day when you want to fix the main doorof your house. Divide the width of the building in nine equalpar ts. The main door should be fixed from the four th sectionon the right side to the sixth section on the left while facing thehouse.Experts recommend the east, west and nor th direction to bemore beneficial for the dwellers though each has its own ben-efits. Nor th and west brings wealth in your life, east is all forgood benefits and South resembles liberation.Avoid locating the doors in the corners of the room. And themain door should be the largest in compared to the otherentrance doors of the house.If there are two external doors in a building, it is recommendedto fix them in a straight line.Decorating the doors with auspicious signs and pictures orLord Ganesha and Goddess Lakshmi brings good luck to thefamily.It is better to avoid directly facing of the opposite house andthe front door must not face any demolished or abandonedproper tyThere should not be any underground tank under the mainentrance.Avoid self closing doors which are available in the marketnowadays.Instead of wood from Peepal and Coconut, wood from Teak,Honne and Matti must be used for the main door.Anything which brings peace and happiness in your life isgood. Apply Vastu tips in designing the entrance of your homeand once that is perfectly built according to the rules, it's abetter life that begins thereafter.



MIDWEEK NEWS WEEKLY



TUESDAY, APRIL 22, 2014real estate

9 ESSENTIALS FOR A HOME GYMFancy a happening home gym but don't have thedough to finance it? Not everyone has the kind ofbudget a fancy home gym needs but that doesn'tmean you cannot own one! Here are a few basicpieces of exercise equipment that are relatively in-expensive and can make for a home gym you wouldlike to spend time in.EXERCISE MATThis is a basic. Use it for ab workouts, toning exer-cises, yoga or Pilates. If you don't have carpet,make sure you choose a no-slip mat.AN AEROBIC STEPCan be used for step aerobics or as a weight bench.They can be fun to work to music and give your legmuscles a nice workout.BOSU BALLThis works very well for your abdominal workoutand also improves your balance and core strength.You can use it for push-ups, back extensions, orlower-body exercises or as a weight bench.BARBELLS

This is for lifting heavier weights.Buy these onlyif you have been into weights at your regulargym.ADJUSTABLE WEIGHT BENCHYou'll need this for chest and back exercises,and you can even use it for a quick ab workoutor some triceps dips.ANKLE WEIGHTSFor working the stability muscles of the lowerbody invest in a quality pair of ankle weights formoves like standing leg lifts or leg extensions.RESISTANCE BANDS AND TUBESResistance bands can give you a full body work-out no matter where you go.A DUMBBELL SETExtremely versatile and a good investment. Se-rious about burning fat and gaining muscle thenthis is a must-have.AN AEROBIC STEPCan be used for step aerobics or as a weightbench.

A kitchen garden in your roomA kitchen garden inside

your room? Yes, that'swhat the new concept of

'vertical landless farming'promises where you can growtomatoes, chillies and smallplants inside rooms - and withoutany hassles too. New York-based Britta Riley, a woman artistand technologist has devisedthis system for people living inapartments. Using discarded plastic bottlesto grow plants, Riley claims hertechnology can produce over 25kinds of in-house plants. Thegarden set up was demonstratedat Deutsche Bank pavilion at theongoing Indo-German UrbanMela (fair) in Indraprastha park

in Delhi. The device is attractingmany curious visitors. "It is called the window farmshydroponic farming system," avolunteer said while showcasing

the system. The plastic bottleshave clay balls inside which helpthe plants stand erect. Thebottles, one placed on top of theother, are housed in a longtransparent plastic containerwith a tall 'reservoir' at thebottom. The reservoir is filledwith water mixed with liquidnutrients for the plants, andtubes leading from it connect tothe plastic bottles containing theplants.

A pump periodically shootsup the water from the reservoir,which then trickles down frombottle-to-bottle bathing theroots along the way. Water andnutrients that are not absorbed,collect in the reservoir.



MIDWEEK NEWS WEEKLY




Starting at Just $9,998, 2015 Nissan MicraMarks New Era of Unbeatable Value in Canada

Exclusive Accessories add to Micra’s Personalization and European stylingMISSISSAUGA, ON. – After much anticipation, today Nissan an-nounced a star ting Manufacturer's Suggested Retail Price (MSRP) ofjust $9,998 CDN for the all-new 2015 Nissan Micra, making it Canada'slowest MSRP. The price is just par t of Nissan's tremendous valueequation for Micra though, which is loaded with value features, builtwith Japanese quality and designed with European styling."As the only high-volume car to be offered in Canada and not theUnited States, Micra is here to give Canadian drivers an affordable,high-value entry point into the Nissan brand," said Christian Meunier,President, Nissan Canada, at the Canadian International Auto Show inToronto. "At Nissan, we understand the need in Canada for small,urban-friendly cars that are fun to drive and express their driver'spersonality. With Micra, we're delivering a proven global vehicle at avery attractive price – it's going to make a huge impact on the mar-ket."When it goes on sale this spring, Micra will demonstrate Nissan'scommitment to bringing the right car to the right Canadian drivers atthe right time. Sold in more than 160 countries around the world,Micra is a proven success and has now been tailored specifically,and tested extensively for the Canadian market.Self-expression is also a key feature that will set Micra apar t from thecompetition in Canada, with unique options that will allow the car tobe "personalized" to the owner's individual tastes and favourite colourpalate. Several trim items are available, including mirror covers,door handle finishers, a rear hatch finisher, wheel caps and interiortrim finishers, in five distinct colours – red, white, black, orange andpurple, as well as chrome. These accessories will be an 'a la car te'selection, allowing the customer to choose a little dash of colourwhere desired, with coordinating side stripes also available in eachcolours.These accessory packages will star t at less than $200 and there arealso various lifestyle accessories available, such as bike, ski andeven kayak carriers. Practical items like cargo organizers, wintermats and trunk protectors are also available on the 2015 Nissan Mi-cra, making it one of Canada's most customizable cars as well as the

country's greatest value. "We want Micra to excite car buyers of allages and we're doing everything we can to make sure we do justthat," said Meunier. "Whether you just want a small, reliable, high-value car for urban life or a fun little car with great personality for yourcommute to school or work, Micra has a model and accessory foreveryone."Micra promises to provide Canadians with more fun, more attentionto detail and more value than they've ever expected in a small car.With great visibility, impressive agility and excellent turning radius,Micra is designed for Canadian drivers and will offer a small and fuel

efficient, yet spacious and fun choice.Available in three models, the Micra S, SV and top-of-the-line SR willbe available with either a 5-speed manual transmission, or a 4-speedautomatic transmission. Each model is equipped with an advanced1.6-litre DOHC 4-cylinder engine with dual fuel injection and TwinCVTC. With no plans for the United States, Micra will truly be a Cana-dian car and has been extensively tested and perfected for the Cana-dian driver with features like heated outside mirrors, rear heater ducts(to keep backseat toes warm), 60/40 split rear seats and either 15 or16 inch wheels – sizes that are widely available as snow tires.



MIDWEEK NEWS WEEKLY

TUESDAY, APRIL 22, 2014

VOLVO CAR GROUP TESTS ROAD MAGNETS FORACCURATE POSITIONING OF SELF-DRIVING CARS

auto

Volvo Car Group has completed a research project using magnets inthe roadway to help the car determine its position. The research,which has been financed in strategic cooperation with the SwedishTransport Administration (Trafikverket), is a potential key to the imple-mentation of self-driving vehicles.Reliable and highly accurate positioning is one of the crucial issuesin the development of self-driving cars.While established positioning technologies such as GPS and cam-eras have limitations in cer tain conditions, road-integrated magnetsremain unaffected by physical obstacles and poor weather condi-tions.“The magnets create an invisible ‘railway’ that literally paves theway for a positioning inaccuracy of less than one decimetre. We havetested the technology at a variety of speeds and the results so far arepromising,” says Jonas Ekmark, Preventive Safety Leader at VolvoCar Group.Volvo Cars plays a leading role in a large-scale autonomous drivingpilot project in which 100 self-driving Volvo cars will use public roadsin everyday driving conditions around the Swedish city of Gothenburg.“Our aim is for the car to be able to handle the driving all by itself.Accurate, reliable positioning is a necessary prerequisite for a self-driving car,” explains Jonas Ekmark. He adds: “It is fully possible toimplement autonomous vehicles without changes to the present in-frastructure. However, this technology adds interesting possibilities,such as complementing road markings with magnets.”Helps prevent run-off road accidentsIn parallel with the potential in the field of autonomous driving, road-integrated magnets open up a number of other possibilities:* Incorporating magnet-based positioning in preventive safetysystems could help prevent run-off road accidents.* Magnets could facilitate accuracy of winter road mainte-nance, which in turn could prevent damage to snow-covered objects,such as barriers and signs, near the road edge.* There is also a possibility of more efficient utilization of roadspace since accurate positioning could allow lanes to be narrower.Accurate, reliable and cost-effectiveVolvo Cars’ research team created a 100-metre long test track at thecompany’s testing facilities in Hällered outside Gothenburg, Sweden.A pattern of round ferrite magnets (40x15 mm) was located 200 mm

below the road surface. The car was equipped with several magneticfield sensors.The research program was designed to evaluate crucial issues, suchas detection range, reliability, durability, cost and the impact on roadmaintenance.“Our experience so far is that ferrite magnets are an efficient, reliableand relatively cheap solution, both when it comes to the infrastruc-ture and on-board sensor technology. The next step is to conduct tests

in real-life traffic,” explains Jonas Ekmark.Claes Tingvall, Traffic Safety Director at the Swedish Transpor t Ad-ministration, agrees: “The test results are very interesting, especiallywhen adding the potential for improved safety as well the advantagesfor the development of self-driving vehicles. A large-scale imple-mentation of road magnets could very well be par t of Sweden’s aimto pioneer technology that contributes to sustainable mobility,” saysClaes Tingvall.


TUESDAY, APRIL 22, 2014

REYNU TAANDON'S'GODDESSES' HEAD FOR NYCCollection and detailing: Unusual trims and unexpected pop ofcolour and texture added an element of surprise to the collection.The show star ted off with chiffon kaftans, shor t tunics in jungleprints teamed with nude leggings and hot pants. The silhou-ettes were largely flowy, asymmetrical and displayed a wealthof workmanship in the form of sequins, embroidery, Kashmiristitches and zari work among others. Some of the prominentoutfits from the collection included the orange and black leop-ard print chiffon dress, the satin silk maxi dress with flowysleeves, and the shor t halter neck dress. As the show pro-ceeded, animal prints with shor t asymmetrical hemline be-came characteristic of the collection. Another outfit wor th anote was the beige and white Georgette one shoulder dress.The orange embroidery work on the nude kur ta top worn overgolden hot pants was remarkable for its detailing. As the nudesand oranges gave way to charcoal black, the silhouettes gotmore elaborate and edgy symbolising the competitive spirit ofwomen, and the struggle to survive. In black we saw a generoususe of lace, satin, fine net and even a dash of velvet, such as thelittle black dress in lace and the black velvet coat and pant withnature-inspired embroidery designs on the coat. Reynu used alot of embroidery on her tops, coats and tunics and all of thempor traying the beauty of the jungles. A lot of birds were used asmotifs through her range which the designer perhaps used to symboliseour roots. She even used leaf-work of golden leather to make the collarsof her black showstopper dress with a floor-skimming net train. Fab-rics: The collection was an intelligent interplay of French chif-fons, embroidered Georgettes, cotton lycra, satin nets and silksto name a few. Colours: The journey of the jungle woman to NewYork City was manifest in black, beige, peach, orange, gold andblack silhouettes.

Drape your sari with a twistGOWN SARIBollywood beauties like Katrina Kaif and Kareena Kapoor havesported the gown style sari at many events; no wonder this modernsilhouette has become a must-have in a woman's wardrobe. Extremelysensual, this glamorous silhouette comes in interesting styles andforms of goddess gowns. Wear these with backless blouses, as theymake the sari look like a gown with a one-shoulder drape.ANGRAKHA JACKET STYLEYou can dress up your classic sari with a Mughal-inspiredangrakha jacket. Layer the basic bandeau with a strikingjacket of your choice, for a modern yet regal option, if you'reputting together a festive ensemble.MERMAID SARIA very sexy way to wrap your sari, this style, often seen onbrides, will accentuate your body shape and your curves.The downside: Just be sure you plan on walking with smallsteps because while this style looks fabulous it will limityour range of motion.GET CREATIVECut a sariinto two and combine contrasting colours tocomplete one saridrape. Drape one as a skirt and one as adupatta. "To add a casual touch, one can wear a well-fittedsheer top over a sari. Wearing a cropped shirt above a blousealso gives an edgy look," says designer Megha Garg."Wear a thin pleated pallu, where your blouse and waist line isvisible. Add an accessory: sport a thin chain belt to accentuateyour waistline. If you want to add some glamour, opt for aheavily embellished belt," says designer Mrunal Yangad.

KIA CUB SPRINGS A SURPRISEAT SEOUL MOTOR SHOWThe CUB’s nose has a broad wrap-around ‘mouth’ and there is a‘dip’ in the top of the windshield – a motif that is featured onOptima, Sportage and Cadenza models. The latest interpretationof Kia’s signature grille is a shallower design incorporating theturbocharger’s air intake, highlighted in body colour.The headlamps feature two-point LED lights – similar to thosewhich first appeared on the Kia Quoris large flagship sedan lastyear. Large 19-inch alloy wheels fill the wheelarches and the frontdoors have aerodynamic ‘turning-vanes’ at sill level to streamlineand add definition the CUB’s flanks. At the rear, LED tail lightscomplete the premium feel of the exterior and the nose treatmentderived from Kia’s Kee concept car is replicated at the tail toaccentuate the width of the vehicle. The super-smooth exterior,with its flush glazing, minimum-drag wing mirrors and automatictouch-type door handles, promises ultra-low aerodynamic drag.A two-colour paint finish with sporty stripe hints at the CUB’shigh-performance potential, while the car’s broad track gives it animposing stance. Four-seater luxury cabin: With four individualseats, the CUB’s interior presents a unique ambience. The cabincreates the sensation of a luxurious coupe and is trimmed inblack leather with yellow colour accents around the seats, doorarmrests and steering wheel.

Asha Chowdary

Smart or sexy? Pretty or pedantic? This is the big questionthis season as looking brainy takes precedence over salon-perfect prettiness on the fashion front. Therefore, if you've

not yet bought a pair of thick rimmed eyeglasses or added someserious shirts in subdued plaid and structured trousers to yourwardrobe, you might need a bit of sartorial help to stay ontrend.

From celebrities like Anne Hathaway, Kourtney Kardashian,Justin Timberlake to Bollywood actors like Sonam Kapoor andSoha Ali Khan — there are many beautiful people who are nowopting to look brainy instead of working at looking gorgeous,as the geek chic look, as it is now called, is about lookingsharp, studious and stern, instead of oozing sex appeal aswas the case some seasons ago.

The idea of "brainy being the new sexy" has come aboutbecause women are tired of looking pretty and perfect, saysfashion expert Sheetal Sharma. "Even top designers are doingclothes that look good with eyewear and are using spectaclesas a fashion accessory," she says, adding, "The geek look canbe achieved by mixing casuals with formals, for example, a flouncydress with grunge boots and a formal waistcoat. Or you can weara crazy floral dress with a formal waistcoat."

"As I see it, the beautiful look is completely out at the moment.Men want to look a second time at a woman who has anintellectual look and is quirky too. They feel she has somethingmore to her than just beauty." As the first step in getting thegeek look right, it is important to find an attractive pair ofspectacles (even non prescription glasses if needed). But it isimportant that you look good in them because experts saythat this is where people go wrong. A nerdy pair of glassesmay have you looking frumpy, instead of stylish. Accordingto luxury brand consultant, Varuni Mohan, the geek-chic

GEEKY IS NOW SEXYThe geek chic look is hot and happening across the world

look has been the season's inspiration for manycouture designers. "It's a look which suggests thatthe wearer is smart and intellectual, and whowouldn't want to be perceived as smart? I think men

have always admired women for their intellect,but today it's not an either/or situation. Youcan be both smart and stylish. It's the idea ofa complete package that is appealing," shesays.

The best way to work at being geek chic,is to begin with a bulky sweatshirt or sweater,says Varuni. "It is a reliable staple to helpyou achieve this look — and should be pairedwith a plaid or houndstooth pencil skirt andfinished with brogues with ankle socks," sheexplains, and adds that another option would

be to go with skinny slacks and athletic-inspired shoes. "For an easy one-piece way to

try this trend, invest in a plaid jumper or high-necked sweaterdress to pair with items alreadyin your closet, like a proper button-up blouse orwaist-accenting belt. An angular, bold spectacleframe, ideally in black completes the look. Thislook is pretty versatile and can be worn by anyone.

The trick is to accessorize it well," she says. Thekey therefore, is to mix classy and professional with

casual, say fashionistas, but the secret is not to looktoo formal as you need to look carelessly bookish.

Fashion expert Anita Dongre, however, has the lastword when she says, "I still feel that fashion is moreabout feminine. A woman can be brainy but need notlook like a nerd. But if the geek chic look works foryou, that's great. I am all for individuality."

FLAUNT YOUR FEETIN SEXY HIGH HEELS!High heels. Enough said. The word says it all. A girl can neverhave enough of these beauties to enliven her life; it’s the highheel shoes rather than the diamonds that are indeed a girl’s bestfriend, or so I like to believe. Self confidence comes with theperfect pair of stilettos. Stilettos are high heel shoes on womenthat are thinner than spiker heels. They are the standard againstwhich all high heel fashion trends are measured. A woman’s ward-robe is incomplete without having the perfect pair of stilettos to flaunther feet in. The best thing about high heel shoes is that they make yourfeet look sexier and miraculous. Another type of high heels is platformshoes. They are shoes, boots or sandals with thick soles at least fourinches in height. Platform shoes are also available in wooden heel andare known as clogs. Many celebrities around the world are seen to beadorning platform high heels and they have become the new trend inhigh heel fashion.

Health benefits of almondsYou may have heard'almonds are healthy'from your parentsand eaten them,knowing that they aregreat sources ofvitamins. But do youknow the exact healthbenefits of thesetasty nuts?

We enlighten you with afew...

- Did you know, almonds provideyou with brain power? Theycontain many essential nutrients,which can actually help youimprove the way you think!- They are great for the skin. Ifyou add almond oil or almond

milk to your skincare regime, itwill make your skin softer, moresupple and flawless. You can alsomassage almond oil into yourskin.- Almonds contain minerals likepotassium, folic acid, protein,monosaturated fats and vitamin E.Hence eating them can

significantly reduce your chancesof heart diseases.- If you are in the habit ofconsuming cups of coffee andenergy drinks to get a boost ofenergy, try eating almonds instead!Riboflavin, copper and manganesein the nuts will give you stamina.- Like blueberries and pomegranates,

almonds are superfoods that canhelp reduce weight significantly.Drink unsweetened almond milk forfaster weight loss.- Last but not the least, almondsregulate your blood pressurebecause they are high in potassiumand low in sodium. They also help inkeeping your cholesterol levels incheck.

Fruits, veggies harbour skin cancer cureGossypin, a naturally-occurring substance found infruits and vegetables, has been for the first timefound effective against melanoma, which causes themajority of deaths from skin cancer.

For the first time, scientistshave demonstrated the

mechanism of action ofgossypin, a naturally-occurringsubstance found in fruits andvegetables, as a treatment formelanoma, which causes themajority of deaths from skin cancer.Texas Biomed''s Hareesh Nair, Ph.D,stated that they identified gossypinas a novel agent with dual inhibitoryactivity towards two commonmutations that are the ideal targetsfor melanoma treatment. At themoment, there is no singletherapeutic agent or combination

regimen available to treat allmelanomas, of which about 76,000new cases are diagnosed annually,according to the American CancerSociety. "Our results indicate thatgossypin may have greattherapeutic potential as a dualinhibitor of mutations calledBRAFV600E kinase and CDK4,which occur in the vast majority ofmelanoma patients. They open a newavenue for the generation of a novelclass of compounds for the treatmentof melanoma," Nair added. Nair andhis colleagues found that gossypininhibited human melanoma cell

proliferation, in vitro, in melanomacell lines that harbor the twomutations. Gossypin stuntedactivities of the mutated genes,possibly through direct binding withthem. It also inhibited the growth ofvarious human melanoma cells. Inaddition, gossypin treatment for 10

days of human melanoma celltumours with the mutationstransplanted into mice reduced tumorvolume and increased survival rate.Further studies are planned by Nair'steam to understand how the bodyabsorbs gossypin and how it ismetabolized.

Fruits, veggies harbour skin cancer cure

Why you should switch over to brown riceWhile parboiled rice in addition to the white rice has been finding its usein Indian food since ages, the health conscious in India is now slowlyinching towards exploring the health benefits associated with brown rice.One thing that makes brown rice score a brownie point is the sweet aftertaste that it leaves on your palate after you savour it. Not to mention thefibre rich prperties. But replacing the white rice with the brown rice takessometime till one gets used to the aroma, flavour and taste.Here's what can be tried with brown rice:- If you feel the regular brown rice takes much time to cook and needs tobe soaked for a while, try the long grained brown rice which equally tastes

good.- Kheer with brown rice won't be abad idea at all.- Replacing the parboiled rice withbrown rice while making dosa oruttappam, will also yield goodresults.- One can also try making thecurd rice using brown rice. It will make for a delectable treat. Andit would add a dash of variety too.

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