Holy month of Ramadan begins today at sunset

Sunset today will mark the beginning of the month of Ramadan for the world’s 1.2 billion Muslims -- a special time of fasting, spiritual reflection and togetherness. For Muslims in Turkey, the advent of the month means an increase in worship, social gatherings and community events in addition to the perpetuation of age-old traditions and customs.

Ramadan is the holiest month of the year in the Islamic calendar, on the merits of it being the month in which the Muslim holy book, the Quran, began to be revealed by God through the Angel Gabriel to the Prophet Muhammad. However, the month is perhaps best known because for Muslims it is the month of fasting, one of the five pillars of Islamic practice.

As the Islamic (Hijri) calendar is lunar-based, Ramadan begins about 10 days earlier each year. This year the fast will begin amidst a scorching August, and the long summer days mean that the first fasts -- observed from dawn until sunset -- will be about 16 hours long. In the Islamic tradition, fasting involves abstention from food, drink (including water) and sexual intercourse from daybreak until sunset. It is also recommended that fasters put forth extra effort to avoid sins, such as lying and cheating, during the holy month. Muslims who are sick or have a medical or physical condition that would make fasting harmful for them (such as pregnancy, diabetes or mental illness) are religiously exempted from fasting Ramadan.

A typical day for a faster in Turkey begins before dawn with suhur, a pre-dawn meal eaten to fortify an individual for the upcoming day without food or drink. The fasting individual abstains from food, drink and sex until after the sun has set, whereupon they partake of a fast-breaking meal known as iftar. The iftar marks the end of a day’s fast and leaves the worshipper free of the restrictions of the daytime (except, of course, for sinning) until the next dawn. Suhur and iftar meals are generally eaten in company if at all possible, whether in family homes, school dorms or workplaces. In Turkey there are many special dishes and drinks that are traditionally prepared during Ramadan, such as güllaç and Ramazan pidesi.


For Muslims in Turkey, the advent of Ramadan means an increase in worship, social gatherings and community events in addition to the perpetuation of age-old traditions and customs.

Fasting is a physical act with deep intended spiritual meaning, as fasters take a step toward understanding people in need by depriving themselves of essentials -- like food and water -- for a brief period of time. In addition to fasting, many observant Muslims spend more time during this month focusing on the Quran and performing extra prayers, as Ramadan is known as well as a great time of forgiveness from God for transgressions.

At mosques, believers gather nightly for a special prayer performed only during Ramadan -- terawih. Preferably offered in congregation, the prayers precede each day of fasting. As days in the Islamic calendar begin at sunset, tonight will be the first night of terawih prayers at mosques, preceding tomorrow’s first fast.

Although focused around a serious spiritual element, in Turkey Ramadan is also a time of festivity. Friends and relatives visit one another frequently for iftar dinners and even suhur meals, and municipalities and civil society organizations organize iftars, festivals, book fairs and other activities for children and adults after the sun has set.

Charity is also a major characteristic of this month -- believers with sufficient financial resources must donate a minimum amount in charity (this year around TL 7), but many donate much more than this, and Turkish charity groups organize successful drives for monetary and food aid that is distributed in Turkey and around the world during Ramadan. Many individuals, businesses and even municipalities also host public iftars to feed those who are unable to afford a decent iftar meal.

Ramadan begins with the sighting of the new moon, and ends with the sighting of the new moon that marks the beginning of the next month in the Islamic calendar, Shawwal. The holy month culminates with a three-day holiday, Eid al-Fitr, known as Ramazan Bayramı in Turkish. On the first day, believers gather at mosques in the morning for a special prayer, before dispersing to visit family and friends. Small amounts of money and sweets are distributed to children, and in Turkey schools and official institutions have the entire break off, while many businesses are closed on at least one of the three days.

What should be your Priority: Build Muscle or Lose Flab?

You are so desperate to get rid of that abhorrent flab in the body.
Okay, this if fine. But now, you also want to put on muscle. And the problem is that you can't possibly achieve the two goals at the same time. So how do you go about the entire thing then?
Well the answer to this question can be a bit tricky. It totally depends on two things: a) your honest assessment of what you look like now and b) what you hope to look like in the not-too-distant future. Every guy wants to look like the award-winning bodybuilder on the day of the contest. But the fact is that even seasoned bodybuilders don't look the same every time of the year. Experts say that professional bodybuilders usually build up a lot of muscle before cutting down and dehydrating just before a contest.

Know your Goal
What you really want to do is carve a physique with which you can love day in and day out. It should be sustainable. Take a look at yourself in the mirror: Do you have a decent amount of muscle but too much fat? Or are you pretty defined but lack any real muscle? Once the goal has been determined, your next step is to kick-start a disciplined fitness-and-nutrition plan that will change your strength accordingly. If you have respectable strength, then go straight for a cutting programme. If you've got a six-pack but want to get bigger, you're going to have to put on some fat along with that new muscle.
First, Get the Diet Right
If your goal is to get lean, you must consume six small-and-balanced meals/snacks every two to three hours in a day. The meals should be rich in protein and should contain low-glycemic carbohydrates. Take extra care to incorporate fruits, lots of veggies, fiber-rich foods and plenty of water in these meals.
If your goal is to build some muscle, experts recommend at least 2 grams of protein per kilo of body weight. Those six meals per day must be sizable, and one should include a post-workout whey protein recovery shake. While you don't need to eat as clean (very less fat, no junk) as those trying to shed pounds, you must carefully aim for a nutrient-rich diet. Even if you're consuming calorie-rich foods, make sure that they also have some nutrients. For example, you should go for “paneer tikka” rather than “shahi paneer”. Make sure that you don't miss workouts because with all that food, your body will be generating both muscle and fat, and intense workouts will be instrumental in ensuring that much of it is the hard stuff.

Now: Build Strength or Burn Fat
Strength building is all about hoisting heavy weights approximately three workouts a week. A good (and balanced) idea will be to have a variety. You can do a push day (chest, shoulder and triceps), a pull day (back and biceps) and a leg day. Consider major compound moves (involving more than one muscle group), such as bench presses, incline presses, military presses and triceps presses on push days; pull-ups, deadlifts, back rows and straight bar curls on pull days; and squats and lunges on leg days. Make sure you rest for 2 to 3 minutes between sets. And we strongly recommend doing all this under the supervision of a well-qualified trainer, especially if haven't spent much time in the gym in the past.

Now the fat-burning programme is not so different from this, it's just that everything is done at a faster pace and with a higher rep rate (repetition rate). While you'll still do three workouts a week, the breakdown will be chest/back, shoulders/arms and legs, which more freely allows you to superset exercises. For example, if you're doing three supersets of push-ups/deadlifts, you'll do the two exercises back-to-back (one superset) and rest 45 seconds between each superset. Aim to get at least 15 reps per exercise, per superset.

MTV music awards gets record 12.4 million viewers

The buzz-heavy 2011 Video Music Awards scored the biggest audience in MTV's history, MTV said on Monday.
MTV, owned by Viacom, said that a record-breaking 12.4 million people watched Sunday's live performance and awards ceremony from Los Angeles, where Beyonce revealed she was pregnant with her first child, Lady Gaga appeared in drag, and the late British singer Amy Winehouse was remembered in a moving tribute.
Last year's MTV Video Music Awards ceremony -- where Gaga appeared in a dress made of raw meat -- drew 11.4 million viewers -- the biggest audience since 2002.
MTV said that 8.5 million of those watching Sunday's show were 12-34 year-olds, making it the most watched telecast of all time in that age group.
Katy Perry and Adele were the biggest winners, taking home three awards each, but it was Beyonce who was the story of the night.
"Beyonce stole everyone's thunder by revealing she was pregnant," said Billboard. Entertainment Weekly said the singer's baby bump was the "one defining moment" of the evening.
Other reviewers and online fans highlighted the salute by Bruno Mars, Tony Bennett and Russell Brand to Winehouse, 27, who died of still to be determined causes in London in July, and a simple, effects-free performance by Britain's Adele.
The Los Angeles Times said Chris Brown's "career rehab" performance -- following his 2009 conviction for assaulting his then-girlfriend Rihanna -- was also a strong moment in what was "a wildly inconsistent evening."
The VMA show was broadcast on Sunday without a traditional host linking the various acts and presentations, but few critics seemed to lament the omission.

MTV said its pre-show, featuring red carpet arrivals and celebrity interviews, also fared well with audiences, drawing 7.3 million viewers -- a 16 percent increase on last year.

MTV music awards gets record 12.4 million viewers

The buzz-heavy 2011 Video Music Awards scored the biggest audience in MTV's history, MTV said on Monday.
MTV, owned by Viacom, said that a record-breaking 12.4 million people watched Sunday's live performance and awards ceremony from Los Angeles, where Beyonce revealed she was pregnant with her first child, Lady Gaga appeared in drag, and the late British singer Amy Winehouse was remembered in a moving tribute.
Last year's MTV Video Music Awards ceremony -- where Gaga appeared in a dress made of raw meat -- drew 11.4 million viewers -- the biggest audience since 2002.
MTV said that 8.5 million of those watching Sunday's show were 12-34 year-olds, making it the most watched telecast of all time in that age group.
Katy Perry and Adele were the biggest winners, taking home three awards each, but it was Beyonce who was the story of the night.
"Beyonce stole everyone's thunder by revealing she was pregnant," said Billboard. Entertainment Weekly said the singer's baby bump was the "one defining moment" of the evening.
Other reviewers and online fans highlighted the salute by Bruno Mars, Tony Bennett and Russell Brand to Winehouse, 27, who died of still to be determined causes in London in July, and a simple, effects-free performance by Britain's Adele.
The Los Angeles Times said Chris Brown's "career rehab" performance -- following his 2009 conviction for assaulting his then-girlfriend Rihanna -- was also a strong moment in what was "a wildly inconsistent evening."
The VMA show was broadcast on Sunday without a traditional host linking the various acts and presentations, but few critics seemed to lament the omission.

MTV said its pre-show, featuring red carpet arrivals and celebrity interviews, also fared well with audiences, drawing 7.3 million viewers -- a 16 percent increase on last year.

MTV music awards gets record 12.4 million viewers

The buzz-heavy 2011 Video Music Awards scored the biggest audience in MTV's history, MTV said on Monday.
MTV, owned by Viacom, said that a record-breaking 12.4 million people watched Sunday's live performance and awards ceremony from Los Angeles, where Beyonce revealed she was pregnant with her first child, Lady Gaga appeared in drag, and the late British singer Amy Winehouse was remembered in a moving tribute.
Last year's MTV Video Music Awards ceremony -- where Gaga appeared in a dress made of raw meat -- drew 11.4 million viewers -- the biggest audience since 2002.
MTV said that 8.5 million of those watching Sunday's show were 12-34 year-olds, making it the most watched telecast of all time in that age group.
Katy Perry and Adele were the biggest winners, taking home three awards each, but it was Beyonce who was the story of the night.
"Beyonce stole everyone's thunder by revealing she was pregnant," said Billboard. Entertainment Weekly said the singer's baby bump was the "one defining moment" of the evening.
Other reviewers and online fans highlighted the salute by Bruno Mars, Tony Bennett and Russell Brand to Winehouse, 27, who died of still to be determined causes in London in July, and a simple, effects-free performance by Britain's Adele.
The Los Angeles Times said Chris Brown's "career rehab" performance -- following his 2009 conviction for assaulting his then-girlfriend Rihanna -- was also a strong moment in what was "a wildly inconsistent evening."
The VMA show was broadcast on Sunday without a traditional host linking the various acts and presentations, but few critics seemed to lament the omission.

MTV said its pre-show, featuring red carpet arrivals and celebrity interviews, also fared well with audiences, drawing 7.3 million viewers -- a 16 percent increase on last year.

Interesting Facts About Michael Jackson

It has been two years since Michael Jackson passed away but his glory has not at all faded from our hearts and minds.
Hailed all over the world as the 'King of Pop' Michael Jackson's fairytale life was always under the public scanner. Everything he did made it to the headlines while he lived, and he kept on making news even after his death. This can definitely be attributed to the impact he had and curiosity he generated on people.
On the eve of his 53rd birth anniversary, we take a look at some interesting facts about Michael Jackson.
1. Jackson was a vegetarian.
2. His iconic 'moonwalk' was inspired by street dancers. He had reportedly spotted them outside a hotel where he was staying.

3. Jackson's Billy Jean was the first video by a black artist to be aired on MTV.
4. Three of his albums, Dangerous, Thriller and Bad, are counted among the world's best-selling records of all time. Thriller still remains to be the biggest-selling album of all time.

5. He was inducted in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame twice. He was first inducted as a member of The Jackson 5 on May 6, 1997 and as a solo artist on March 19, 2001.
6. Jackson's famous pets were a chimp called Bubbles, a ram called Mr. Tibbs, a python called Crusher, a rat called Ben and a llama named Louie. The most famous of them all was Bubbles, who was adopted from a cancer research centre in Texas. Bubbles even sat in during Jackson's recording sessions for the album Bad and also accompanied the singer on his trip to Tokyo.

7. As a child, his favorite comics were 'Rip Van Winkle' and 'The Old Man and the Sea'. His favorite cartoon character was Pinocchio and his favorite superhero– Morph from the 'X-Men'.
8. Jackson allegedly used to sleep in a hyperbaric oxygen chamber in order to enhance his beauty and slow down the aging process.

9. In 1984, during the filming of a Pepsi advertisement, Jackson sustained second-degree burns to his scalp after his hair caught fire due to an explosion.
10. MC Hammer once challenged Jackson to a dance off. Michael retorted back saying, "I've seen your videos and every single dance move you use, you got off me."

11. Jackson's performance during the half-time of the 1993 Super Bowl attracted the largest TV audience in American history.
12. He had several nicknames like 'The Gloved One', 'Wacko Jacko', 'Jacko', 'The King of Pop', and 'MJ' given to him by the media. He was called 'Smelly' by his close friends. The one he detested was 'Wacko Jacko'.

13. Jackson drank Ricola candy dissolved in hot water as a pre-concert ritual. It apparently made his singing voice and throat clear.
14. An obsessed Jackson fan from France committed suicide in 1984 after his mother refused to allow him to undergo surgery in a bid to look like the star himself.

15. Michael Jackson owns the patent for the shoe device that allows performers to 'lean forward' appearing to defy gravity à la Smooth Criminal.

Now, Katrina is a Barbie Doll

British-born actress Katrina Kaif, whose face will now adorn Barbie dolls, says contrary to what people believe her Barbie is not an Indian counterpart of the international brand. She also feels that in many ways it's an endorsement of how kids connect with her.

I'd call it a fun honour. To have your face on dolls that you've played with from childhood is quite flattering. We've been in negotiation for nearly six months. It finally came together for the 50-year celebration of Barbie,' Katrina told IANS.

'Contrary to what people believe my Barbie is not an Indian counterpart of the international brand. It's an honour because I'm the first Indian to be the face of Barbie. I'll be dressed the way the Barbie is all over the world.

'Contrary to what people believe my Barbie is not an Indian counterpart of the international brand. It's an honour because I'm the first Indian to be the face of Barbie. I'll be dressed the way the Barbie is all over the world.

'And I think in many ways it's an endorsement of how kids connect with me. You can't be the face of an international doll unless kids like you. I like that. The thought that kids like me enough to make me a part of their doll collection is very gratifying,' the 24-year-old said.

With the Barbie image coming to the surface, Katrina is a little worried about the bubbly-girl image that she'd like to change.

The doll's look and dress were planned in collaboration with Katrina. 'It is quite something, if you think about it. But I'd rather not. I don't want my head to get swollen. For me, it's enough that I was chosen because I reflect a certain bubbly wholesome personality, quite contrary to the 'sexy' tag that I get in net polls and which I'm not very comfortable with,' she said.

It seems that originally it was to have been Aishwarya Rai Bachchan who was to take to the ramp as Barbie. But she has pipped by Katrina Kaif.