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Dogs figure prominently in divorce settlements (Go To Top)

     Washington: Pets seem to have become the bone of contention for their owners, who are prepared to launch a legal custody battle to retain ownership of their pet if they get divorced, if a new survey is to be believed. According to Daily Mail, the survey of 750 people by Direct Line Pet Insurance revealed that two out of five would be willing to pay off a partner to secure guardianship of a dog. Some even said they would be prepared to shell out #10,000 to keep their animal. One in six people have already discussed custody of their pet in the event of a divorce. "Splitting up with a partner is traumatic enough, but losing custody of a pet makes the break even harder to deal with. With these findings in mind, we're reviewing the legal liability in our insurance policy for dog owners to see if it needs to include pet custody battles." Chris Price, business manager at Direct Line Pet Insurance was quoted as saying.

New mums want Zeta Jones' top and Posh Spice's bottom (Go To Top)

     London: New mothers want to be like famous celebrity mums, namely Victoria Beckham, Catherine Zeta Jones, Madonna, Liz Hurley and Kate Winslet, and wouldn't mind opting for cosmetic surgery in their quest of the 'perfect body'. According to The BBC, a survey of 2,000 new mums revealed that they wished they had Catherine Zeta Jones' top half, and Victoria Beckham's bottom half. The survey conducted by 'Mother and Baby' magazine revealed that all new mums are unhappy about their bodies post-pregnancy, and seeing celebrities regain their figures in weeks or even days added to the pressure they felt. Most women said that they had not regained their pre-pregnancy figures 22 months after giving birth, and speedy celebrity weight-loss was put down to surgery by 80 per cent of women. The survey also revealed that 86 per cent of new mothers said they felt more attractive and confident before pregnancy, and 82 per cent said they were unhappy with their figure after pregnancy. Seventy-seven per cent said they had been shocked by the changes to their body post-pregnancy. Women said childbirth radically changed their bodies, altering the stomachs, arms, legs, breasts and bottoms, and not for the better. Sixty per cent said they believed they would be happier if they could improve their bodies, and said they would be most likely to opt for liposuction, tummy tucks or breast enlargements.

      Interestingly, 94 per cent of the men questioned by the magazine said they found their partners just as attractive as they had been before. "After having a baby mums should be revelling in the joy of their new baby and eating well so they can healthily breastfeed, not despairing about their body shape and semi-starving themselves," the report quoted Elena Dalrymple, editor of 'Mother and Baby editor' and mother of 16-month-old Kate. "But the pressure from super-slim celebrity mums to be a yummy mummy is so immense, ordinary mums feel they should have a film star body and be back in their jeans just days after birth," she added.

      The Top 10 celebrity bodies are as follows: 1. Catherine Zeta-Jones 2. Victoria Beckham 3. Davina McCall 4. Kate Winslet 5. Liz Hurley 6. Melinda Messenger 7. Gwyneth Paltrow 8. Elle Mcpherson 9. Madonna 10.Kerry McFadden

Orgasmatron hits women's G-spot 10 out of 11 times (Go To Top)

     London: A trial has shown that Orgasmatron, an electronic implant devised to help women increase their sexual satisfaction, has been highly successful. The device, implanted into the buttocks, was named after a machine in the 1968 Jane Fonda film 'Barbarella', and is said to produce an orgasm at the push of a remote-controlled button. "This is the first group research and I think we have demonstrated that it works," Ananova quoted inventor of Orgasmatron, Dr Stuart Meloy, as saying. During the trial, 10 out of 11 women, who tested Orgasmatron, reported an increase in sexual pleasure. Fifty-two-year old Mary Clegg, one of the women in trial, said, "It certainly did work for me. When I first used it my leg flew up in the air." Doctors said that patients could pay 9,000 pounds to have two electrodes implanted, which are connected by wires to nerves in the spinal cord. With a remote control they can send tiny pulses of electricity through their spinal nerves, which can lead to orgasm. Dr Meloy had originally used the device to ease back pain, but became aware of another function when a patient suggested he teach her husband how to do that.

Affleck may propose to Garner on Valentine's Day (Go To Top)

     Sydney: Ben Affleck is set to propose to his sexy actress girlfriend Jennifer Garner, if rumours are to be believed. According to News.com, this was revealed by one of his school friends to US People magazine. She added that the love-struck couple may get engaged as early as Valentines Day. "It's my understanding that he's going to give her a ring. They are "like high school sweethearts. They're very lovey-dovey," the source was quoted as saying. Affleck has reportedly splashed out on a five-bedroom, country- style mansion just 3km from Garners' Californian home.

Everyone's getting naughty at 40 (Go To Top)

    London: Some people might find their 40's plagued with mid-life crisis, but not for today's 40-somethings for whom it is a thing of the past. According to the Daily Mail, a new research commissioned by TV channel FX 289 found that today's 40-year-olds are now more active than ever, with 58 percent visiting a gym, 41 percent going dancing and 39 percent enjoying sex on a regular basis. Women are leading the way, with 61 percent going to the gym compared to 48 percent of men and 52 percent hitting the dancefloor, as opposed to 30 percent of men. Around 42 percent of those in their 40s feel that they are wiser about sex, and one in three men feel they also have a greater understanding of the fairer sex. "The forties are the new thirties. The research reflects the growing recognition that mid life does not have to be a crisis. At 40 we now feel comfortable in our own skin and are wise enough to know how to enjoy our lives." FX 289 Psychologist Robert Holden was quoted as saying.

Britney Spears doles out acne advice (Go To Top)

     London: Britney Spears is to appear in a new television commercial, campaigning for the anti-acne cream Proactive Solution. The ad film that airs tomorrow, shows Britney being interviewed by Vanessa Williams, who also talks to the likes of Jessica Simpson, Alicia Keys and P.Diddy about the problems they have had with acne. "I definitely had an acne problem", "I have to make sure my sexy image is all the way right", Diddy was quoted by the New York Post as saying.

George Clooney is an old-fashioned romantic (Go To Top)

     London: George Clooney has revealed that he is an old-fashioned romantic who likes to court women with flowers, candlelit dinners and wine. The 'Ocean's Twelve' star said that he loves to pursue women, but admitted that it is difficult because of his celebrity status. "I get a few phone calls or notes left for me but that's usually not going to lead to anything," Britain's Heat magazine quoted Clooney as saying. "But I'm more of the old-fashioned type - I would prefer to meet a woman in a more normal setting. I'm the kind of guy who doesn't like to feel that I'm the one being hunted down. I've always liked to do my own hunting when it comes to meeting women. The trouble is that there's no challenge if you walk into a room or a restaurant and everybody knows who you are," he added.

Eva Marie Saint to play Superman's mother (Go To Top)

     Washington: Eva Marie Saint is all set to play Martha Kent, the adoptive mother of Clark Kent in an upcoming "Superman" movie. According to Zap2it, the movie directed by Bryan Singer will concentrate on Superman's life after he's already established his superhero reputation, with his origin story told in flashbacks. This is her 50th year in the movies. The movie cast includes Brandon Routh as Superman, Kevin Spacey as Lex Luthor, Hugh Laurie as the newspaper's editor-in-chief Perry White, James Marsden as Richard White and Sam Huntington as Jimmy Olsen. Kate Bosworth is currently in talks to play Lois Lane.

Valentine's Day is good for your heart (Go To Top)

     Washington: Following the Valentine's Day traditions of chocolates, wine and romance may not only help you win over your partenr but are also a perfect way to a healthy heart, a University of Michigan Health System cardiologist has revealed. "The spirit of Valentine's Day, with intimacy, a little wine, some chocolate, bringing home flowers or sweets, is a tradition we should follow throughout the year. It's one day of celebration that we should continue on a daily basis," Melvyn Rubenfire, M.D., director of Preventive Cardiology, said. Rubenfire said that gifting your sweetheart with a box full of chocolates is a very good idea because chocolate contains good antioxidants that are cardiac, or vascular-protective. These antioxidants ,also known as flavonoids , are also found in fruits, vegetables, tea, and red and white wine, and they reduce the risk of blood clots and heart disease. "Wine and other spirits are actually associated with a better long-term prognosis in adults. Longevity is increased with moderate use of alcoholic beverages of all types," Rubenfire added.

    In particular, wine seems is a good choice because of its high antioxidant content and increases the amount of the 'good' cholesterol, or high-density lipoproteins ,' HDL cholesterol' in the blood. "All alcohols produce them to a similar degree. As you raise the levels of HDL cholesterol, the risk of heart attacks and strokes can decrease," Rubenfire explained. The intimacy and spiritual relationships or connections that one can have with their significant other are very important to one's health, cardiovascular and otherwise. Longevity and the feeling of health and wellness are all promoted by the Valentine's Day spirit, says Rubenfire. There's good evidence to show that regular sexual activity is beneficial for both men and women as research has shown that, for men, having sex at least three times per week cuts the risk of stroke and heart attack in half. In addition, a satisfying, emotionally intimate relationship seems to be a key ingredient in our overall health. "It's very important to realize that support systems and social relationships are very important to our wellness. We've all heard of the married couples who are married for many, many, years and when one of them dies, the other dies shortly thereafter,"he added.