you are the light of the world

Lucian Freud's portrait for sale

2010-01-20T22:20:00.001-08:00

A self-portrait of artist Lucian Freud sporting a black eye could fetch £4m when it is auctioned next month. The re-discovered 1978 work is described by Sotheby's as the artist's most important self-depiction ever to appear at auction.

Self-Portrait With A Black Eye is one of five works by Freud being offered at the London Evening Sale of Contemporary Art, on 10 February. The auction also features work by Andy Warhol and Gerhard Richter.

Self-Portrait With A Black Eye depicts Freud with a swollen eye which resulted from a fight with a taxi driver in which the artist was punched in the face.

The work, which has never been displayed in public before, has remained in the same private collection for more than 30 years.

Golden Globe awards

2010-01-18T19:50:00.000-08:00

Blockbuster sci-fi epic Avatar has been named best film drama at the Golden Globe awards, boosting its chances of further glory at the Oscars in March.

Its director James Cameron was also honored at the event, held at the Beverly Hilton Hotel in Los Angeles.

Sandra Bullock and Meryl Streep won the best actress prizes, with Jeff Bridges and Robert Downey Jr taking home their male equivalents.

Ricky Gervais hosted the event, the first of 2010's major Hollywood awards.

Presented each year by the Hollywood Foreign Press Association, the Globes often indicate who and what will go on to receive Academy Awards.

Belgian beer dispute hits supply

2010-01-15T19:46:00.000-08:00

Disaster may be brewing - or not - in beer-loving Belgium, where supplies of two of the country's most famous beers may be down to the last dregs.

An industrial dispute over planned job cuts means a blockade is threatening supplies of Stella Artois and Leffe.

A week-long blockade has stopped any beer from leaving the Leuven headquarters of Anheuser-Busch InBev, the world's biggest brewing company.

Belgian supermarkets and bars have warned stocks are running low.

The unions are protesting against the company's plans to cut more than 250 of 2,700 jobs in Belgium, and so far talks aimed at resolving the dispute have got nowhere.

But there is no need for beer-lovers to panic just yet says and there are probably around 125 breweries in Belgium producing around 800 standard beers.

Add in special one-off brews, and some experts believe there could be more than 8,000 beers.

Ancient map with China

2010-01-12T19:12:00.000-08:00

A historic map of the world, with China at its centre, has gone on display at the Library of Congress in Washington. The map was created by Italian missionary Matteo Ricci in 1602. It is one of only two copies in existence in good condition.

Because of its rarity and fragility - the map is printed on rice paper - the map has become known as the Impossible Black Tulip of Cartography.

This is the first time it has been on public show in North America.

Ricci created the map at the request of Emperor Wanli who wanted it to help scholars and explorers.

Casinos

2010-01-12T03:55:00.000-08:00

Good news for all you gamblers out there. Now you don't have to search for casino to gamble. You can save on the online casino and have a great gambling in a casino experience sitting in your home. This is online casino guide for the beginners. All you have to do is go to the online casino to satisfy all your gambling urges. It is a wonderful opportunity for all of you people to gamble from the comfort of your home. This site is like no other and it is one of kind opportunity for all your gamblers out there. You can learn and find which online casino is safe for gambling. This online Casino Games is a site for all the people. It is appealing to the normal public who wants to know about casino and also to the big time players who can't get enough of it. It is such a wonderful site which provides all the information that you need to know of the online casino. It certainly is appealing to all the casino addicts there are and also to the novices who are looking to learn this wonderful game. So don't wait just go to this site and play your online casino.

UK 'close to leaving recession'

2010-01-11T21:42:00.000-08:00

The British Chambers of Commerce (BCC) says there have been improvements in many areas of the British economy, most strikingly in manufacturing.

Its economic survey for the fourth quarter of 2009 says the UK economy appears to be on the brink of leaving recession.

But it warned that, despite exports in the service sector strengthening, the industry was still struggling.

And it warns there needs to be easier access to capital for businesses.

The BRC says UK productivity could be hit if sharp falls in business capital spending are not reversed.

It also says the 1% increase to employers' National Insurance Contributions planned for 2011 should be scrapped.

Inside an Indian Jain faith temple

2010-01-08T23:52:00.000-08:00

Palitana is a sleepy town in the western Indian state of Gujarat. Perched high on a hill overlooking the town is a network of 1,500 exquisite temples. For followers of the Jain faith this is a place of major significance.

It is the world's highest concentration of Jain temples - they are packed in dense clusters to enable barefoot pilgrims to move around easily. Every year more than half a million Jain pilgrims (of approximately 10 million Jains worldwide) make the journey to the stone and marble shrines at Palitana.

Non-violence and compassion towards every living being is at the core of Jain belief. And this year their spiritual quest in Palitana has manifested itself in a project which will help some of India's 20 million people with disabilities.

A group of Jains has set up a vast medical camp in the town for people with disabilities.

Daboon Ratnani 2010 calendar

2010-01-07T19:23:00.000-08:00

Ace photographer Daboo Ratnani is back with his star-studded calendar for 2010. Featuring hotties like Deepika Padukone, Katrina Kaif, Aishwarya Rai and a Vidya Balan like you've never seen before, the 2010 edition promises more oomph than last year.

Other Bollywood celebs include Amitabh Bachchan, Kajol, Shah Rukh Khan, Salman Khan Kareena Kapoor, Saif Ali Khan and Sonam Kapoor. The black and white showcase also has photographs of Genelia and Asin, for the very first time.

The calendar was launched recently at an exclusive party that was attended by some of the biggest names in the industry.

Russell Brand engaged to katy perry

2010-01-06T21:06:00.000-08:00

Russell Brand has become engaged to US singer Katy Perry while on holiday, the comedian's publicist has confirmed. Brand, 34, proposed in India on New Year's Eve before their relationship was blessed by a "love guru", according to the Sun newspaper. Brand and Perry, 25, whose hits include I Kissed A Girl, have been celebrating their engagement in Thailand.

In November, Perry said the couple had "a special thing" that they wanted to keep away from the media spotlight. The wonderful thing is we both have our own kind of separate talents, careers and lives and we really respect each other, she told Radio 1's Newsbeat. She said she was not surprised by the attention their relationship had received.

We both equally get our fair share, so if you put the two of us together then maybe it will multiply, she said.

Solution for your Marketing needs

2010-01-05T19:46:00.000-08:00

Are you looking to pump up your brand? Are looking for the much needed exposure for your brand. Then you don't have to look any further. Marketing Company is here. It gives your brand the much needed exposure for your brand. To is important for your brand to reach the people. brandidentityguru has helped many brands to reach the people. brandidentityguru has made the brands to reach its customers. It gives your brands the much needed pump. brandidentityguru has helped many brands to reach its customers. brandidentityguru is the one stop solution for all your marketing needs. brand identity guru is a wonderful solution to find customers. If you are looking for customers then brand identity guru will provide the much needed exposure. brand identity guru is the best way to reach the customers. brand identity guru is the solution to all the marketing needs for your brand. It is amazing opportunity to make use of the brand identity guru and give your brands the much needed exposure and pump. The brand identity guru is the one stop solution to all your marketing needs. If you are looking for exposure and customers for brands then brandidentityguru is the right place for you. This is a sponsored review.

BeautifulPeople.com axed 5,000 members

2010-01-05T02:44:00.000-08:00

Dating and social network site BeautifulPeople.com has axed some 5,000 members following complaints that they had gained weight. The members were singled out after posting pictures of them that reportedly showed they had put on pounds over the holiday period.

The site allows entry to new members only if existing members vote them as sufficiently attractive to warrant it. The US, the UK, and Canada topped the list of excluded members. The site has always been unrepentant about its selection process, calling itself the largest network of attractive people in the world.

The move was reportedly prompted by members themselves, who police the membership of the site to maintain a high - if highly subjective - standard of attractiveness. As a business, we mourn the loss of any member, but the fact remains that our members demand the high standard of beauty be upheld, said site founder Robert Hintze.

Letting fatties roam the site is a direct threat to our business model and the very concept for which BeautifulPeople.com was founded.

Worlds Tallest Building

2010-01-03T19:34:00.000-08:00

In recent years Dubai has grabbed the headlines with audacious offshore islands, rotating buildings and a seven star hotel. On Monday it opens the world's tallest building, Burj Dubai. It's about twice the height of the Empire State Building, you can see its spire from 95km away and the exterior is covered in about 26,000 glass panels, which glisten in the midday desert sun.

The design of the building posed unprecedented technical and logistical challenges, not just because of its height, but also because Dubai is susceptible to high winds and is close to a geological fault line. You have the solutions for it but you always wonder how it will really work, Mohamed Ali Alabbar, chairman of Emaar, the developer behind Burj Dubai.

We have been hit with lightning twice, there was a big earthquake last year that came across from Iran, and we have had all types of wind which has hit us when we were building. The results have been good and I salute the designers and professionals who helped build it.

Music therapy

2009-12-30T05:18:00.000-08:00

Individually designed music therapy may help reduce the noise levels experienced by people who suffer from tinnitus, say German researchers. They altered participants' favourite music to remove notes which matched the frequency of the ringing in their ears. After a year of listening to the modified music, individuals reported a drop in the loudness of their tinnitus.

The researchers said the "inexpensive" treatment could be used alongside other techniques to relieve the condition. It is thought that around 1-3% of the population has chronic ringing in their ears which is significant enough to reduce their overall quality of life.

Writing in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, the researchers said although the cause of tinnitus remains unknown, it has been shown that the part of the brain that processes sounds is frequently disrupted in people with the condition. The theory behind the new technique is that removing the spectrum of noise associated with tinnitus from the music reduces activity in the brain relating to that frequency, alleviating the condition.

Spears on top 75 'absurd' stories of 2009

2009-12-25T19:54:00.000-08:00

Singer Britney Spears has hit back at the gossip columns, listing the top 75 "most ridiculous" or "patently absurd" stories written about her in 2009. Published on her website, The Year in BS said there were more than 13,000 stories written about the 28-year-old.

The list includes various reports of new boyfriends, emotional breakdowns and one claiming her family was once so poor they ate squirrels. At number one was a story about Spears dating choreographer Sandip Soparrkar.

In January, the Daily Mirror reported Spears was dating Soparrkar and that she had hosted a private New Year's Eve party to introduce him to her friends and parents.

Venice under water

2009-12-23T20:06:00.000-08:00

More than half of the Italian city of Venice is flooded, after water levels rose to their highest point this year. Strong winds and heavy rains, as well as the lagoon city's changing tide levels, have contributed to the high water levels, officials said. The waters in some parts of the Renaissance city reached 143cm (56in) above sea level.

This is the 11th highest level since records began and experts fear it may rise even further early next year. As well as the rain, which played a big part, strong sirocco winds swelled the flood tide, combining to bring one of the biggest recent events, an expert quoted by Italian news agency Ansa said. Levels in January may reach as high as 150cm above sea level, according to some estimates.

The record for high water levels, known as "acqua alta", dates from 1966 when waters surged to almost two metres above sea level in the city, causing great damage to its buildings. The city is no stranger to flooding; residents don rubber boots and cross streets and squares on a series of wooden walkways erected each time the waters rise. A system of responsive flood barriers is also being built.

Messi wins FIFA best player award

2009-12-22T03:42:00.000-08:00

Barcelona star Lionel Messi has been named Fifa World Footballer of the Year to complete a stunning 2009 for the Argentine forward. The 22-year-old, who helped Barca win the Club World Cup on Saturday - their sixth trophy of the year - also, won the Ballon d'Or award this year.

A magnificent year for me and Barca has ended in the best way, said Messi. He beat off competition from last year's winner Cristiano Ronaldo, Xavi, Kaka and Andres Iniesta. In a vote by captains and head coaches of the men's and women's national teams, Messi won 1,073 votes, Ronaldo 352, Xavi 196, Kaka 190 and Iniesta 134.

Messi becomes the first Argentine to win the award, which was inaugurated in 1991, and it completes a stunning year for the brilliant winger.

Modern Furnitures

2009-12-22T03:36:00.000-08:00

If you are looking to buy furniture for your home, then eroomservice furniture’s is the place to be. It is such a wonderful place. The main thing that the furniture store offer is the variety of furniture’s they have. They target all possible areas of customers. They cater to a wide variety of people. It is a wonderful site which offers the best deals to the people. They have a wide array of different themed furniture’s. This is the thing that makes it different from other vendors. You will definitely be satisfied if you buy at the modern bedroom furniture. It is the most trust worthy and most economical of the sites. The reason that this vendor has gained the popularity in such a short time shows the people the dedication that people at eroomservice towards the customers. You may have different choices in buying the furniture’s, but if you have chosen eroomservice furniture’s then you can rest assure that you have made the right choice.

Avatar at the top

2009-12-21T20:30:00.000-08:00

Sci-fi epic Avatar has topped the North American box office, taking $73m (£45.3m) on its opening weekend. James Cameron's much-hyped 3D film also took an estimated $232.2m (£144.1m) worldwide - the ninth biggest opening to date, 20th Century Fox said. Disney's The Princess and the Frog slipped to second, with $12.2m (£7.6m).

Drama The Blind Side dropped to three while the Hugh Grant and Sarah Jessica Parker romantic comedy Did You Hear About the Morgans? Came in at four. The top five was rounded off by The Twilight Saga: New Moon. Avatar - set in the 22nd Century on a distant planet, Pandora, inhabited by a humanoid race - reportedly cost up to $400m (£248.2m) to make and market.

20th Century Fox's head of distribution, Chris Aronson, said there was "no question" the studio had made a good investment. "The word of mouth is something that I don't know I've ever seen in this business before," he said. Paul Dergarabedian, box office analyst for Hollywood.com, said: "What they spent on this movie was totally justified and they're going to more than earn it back."

Avatar's weekend haul was the sixth biggest of the year in the US and Canada. The record for 2009 was set last month by The Twilight Saga: New Moon while the biggest opening weekend of all time in North America was $158m (£98m) for last year's The Dark Knight.

online shopping

2009-12-21T19:53:00.001-08:00

Shopping online has become very popular all over the world. It has become the largest trend since the revolution of the internet. Many people prefer to buy products through online than to buy at local stores. The important benefit of online shopping is that you can do it at your leisure. This type of shopping is very famous for buying clothes, accessories and many more. But before buying clothes and other products online, we must know all the advantages and disadvantages of online shopping. Shopping online makes our work very easy and many discounts are available on products that are sold online. People can also compare the prices of a product at different online stores. But, selecting the right store from thousands of online stores available in the net is not an easy matter. So it is better to choose Urbanexcess.com, which is the famous online shopping site that is well known for its quality. They sell many products like T-shirts, Caps, Mens Bags, other accessories and many more. Please visit www.urbanexcess.com, to know more about this online store.

Brittany Murphy dies

2009-12-20T19:08:00.000-08:00

Actress Brittany Murphy, who starred in films such as Just Married, Clueless and 8 Mile, has died at age 32. The actress died on Sunday morning at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center near Beverly Hills, a hospital spokeswoman has confirmed. The LA Times said Murphy went into cardiac arrest, but hospital sources would not release the cause of death. Murphy was married to British screenwriter Simon Monjack. The couple lived in Los Angeles.

Reports said the LA fire department responded to a medical call at Murphy's home in West Hollywood at 0800 local time (1600 GMT). Two hours later, she was pronounced dead at hospital. Murphy grew up in New Jersey but moved to Los Angeles with her mother to pursue acting. She got her start in the sleeper hit Clueless and rose to stardom in 8 Mile alongside rapper Eminem. Her on-screen roles declined in recent years, but Murphy voiced characters for the hit US television series, King of the Hill, and animated movie Happy Feet.

She is due to appear in Sylvester Stallone's film, The Expendables, set for release next year. Murphy once dated Ashton Kutcher, who co-starred with her in the 2003 romantic comedy, Just Married. Kutcher tweeted Sunday morning about Murphy's death: "2day the world lost a little piece of sunshine." My deepest condolences go out 2 Brittany's family, her husband, & her amazing mother Sharon, his tweet said.

Water shortage in Cherrapunji

2009-12-19T19:10:00.000-08:00

Once the worlds wettest places, Cherrapunji is getting up to 20% less rain every year - and is suffering water shortages. Residents say their heavenly abode in the clouds is hotter and drier than ever before - and they blame it on global warming.

Cherrapunji - or Sohra in the local Khasi language - is located in the West Khasi Hills of India's north-eastern state of Meghalaya. Never were there very big forests around Cherrapunji and many of those that are there are sacred to us, says Millergrace Symlieh, a senior member of Sohra Science Society.

We never cut a branch in these sacred forests. So you cannot say this adverse weather change is our creation. We are affected by what's happening all over the world, he said. This hot weather and less rain here is not due to huge deforestation or massive industrialization, says Mr. Symlieh. We only have a cement plant near here.

Leaders must strike deal - Obama

2009-12-18T05:03:00.000-08:00

US President Barack Obama has called on world leaders to come together at the UN climate summit in Copenhagen as time runs out to strike a deal. President Obama told delegates the international community's ability to take collective action was in doubt. Leaders have gathered for the final day of the summit amid uncertainty over the shape of any eventual deal.

A draft political agreement drawn up by a small group of countries was rejected during overnight discussions. Addressing the summit on Friday, President Obama said, while the science of climate change is not in doubt, I think our ability to take collective action is in doubt right now, and it hangs in the balance. He said he had come to Copenhagen "not to talk, but to act".

Unchecked, he said, climate change would pose unacceptable risks to international security, the world economy and the planet.