Women wearing red send signals that attract men

Women wearing red send signals that attract men - Women dressed in red are more sexually attractive to men as the colour transmits "powerful" messages about how interested they might be, scientists have found.

A new study has found that men are more attracted to women wearing red compared to other colours because they believe they are less likely to be rejected

It seems men really do prefer the lady in red.

A new study has found that men are more attracted to women wearing red compared to other colours because they believe they are less likely to be rejected.

Psychologists behind the research claim the colour red carries subtle but powerful messages about how receptive a woman might be to romantic advances and so men find it more alluring.

The findings might explain why women in red dresses have become such a provocative image in modern culture, inspiring Chris de Burgh's 1986 love song The Lady in Red.

The researchers found that men who were shown photographs of women wearing a red shirt found them more attractive compared to when they saw the same women wearing green or white garments.

The study, which tested 96 men from the United States and Austria, also found that the men felt the women would respond positively to their advances.

Adam Pazda, a social psychologist at the University of Rochester, in New York state, who led the research along with colleagues at the University of Innsbruck, said the response may be hangover from humans' evolutionary past, as animals such as female baboons display patches of bright red skin to indicate they are ready to mate.

He said: "We find it fascinating that merely changing the colour of a woman's shirt can have such a strong influence on how she is perceived by men.

"It is possible that women actually wear red clothing more when they are interested in sexual encounters. We are currently investigating this possibility, and preliminary evidence suggests that this is indeed happening."

The study, which is published in the Journal of Experimental Social Psychology, asked three groups of men to rate the attractiveness of "moderately attractive young woman" with brown hair in three separate experiments.

They were shown identical photographs where the colour of the shirt she was wearing had been changed to either red, white or green. They were also asked how sexually receptive they believed the woman to be.

Mr Pazda added: "From a pragmatic standpoint, our results suggest that women may need to be judicious in their use of red clothing.

"More generally, our finding that female red carries sexual meaning will likely be of considerable interest to fashion designers, marketers, and advertisers." ( telegraph.co.uk )

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Don't speak to these friends

Don't speak to these friends - Women have a tendency to vent about every detail to their pals. This habit can do more harm than good. We tell you more.

When a group of friends get together, in most cases their current relationship status always comes up as a topic of discussion. The male species is dissected, studied and condemned for any wrong doing, and details of their private lives are laid bare to be examined by a regular hair dresser, mother, sister and bosom buddies.

However, having a heart-to-heart about all your relationship problems won't make them go away or throw up miracle solutions. In fact, in most cases it can leave you feeling more confused and clueless about what to do next. We tell you why you should avoid sharing details of your life with these friends.

Don’t speak to these friends (Thinkstock photos/Getty Images)

The judgmental type

When in love, some people prefer wearing blinkers and don't want to be advised even if they are about to fall off the deep end. Nothing scares us more that a friend who will judge us for our so called flaws. Hence, while we may share certain details about our lives with such a type, we may choose not to disclose everything. This can spell disaster, as you may act on their advice.

The one who settled for less

Not everyone has the courage to navigate the choppy waters of singledom. Even few know what they want of it. So, if you are one of the few lucky ones to know exactly what they want and are not willing to settle for anything less, avoid going to the one friend who has gone ahead and done just the opposite. She will only ask you to compromise and accept everything that fate hands out to you and to latch on to the next guy who goes down on his knees even though he may be the worst choice for you.

The ex-files

If your former flame is still a good friend but is holding the torch for you. It's best to avoid discussing your current relationship with him. He may try to sabotage it or use the information to his advantage.

The one who lives in la la land and flatters your ego

Some friends would rather flatter your ego than tell you the truth to avoid bad blood. If you have a friend like this, it's best to keep your lips sealed than take his/her advice and sound the death knell for a budding romance.

Your bitter, single friend

She has had a traumatic relationship, and that colours her perception of any man in a 10 mile radius. She will abuse the male species in every sentence and expect you to join in, in male bashing. A waste of precious time

Your gold digger friend

She only understands money talk, and unless you are speaking the language of finance everything else will fall on deaf ears. Do you really want advice from someone who is not even listening to what you have to say?

Frenemy

Since this term refers to an enemy disguised as a friend the implications of seeking advice from such a person are clear. Since this person does not have your best interests at heart, he/she will only try to influence you to get what he/she wants. In some cases making a play for the guy you like or planting seeds of disastifaction, unhappiness and unrest to make sure that you are not happy. At times, it's just about wanting to have what you have.

So stay clear from a frenemy and take whatever she says with a pinch of salt. Your better off not relying on her for any advice. ( indiatimes.com )

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What women love in men

What women love in men - There are certain qualities in men that women absolutely dig. It's not just about being tall, dark and handsome. There are certain 'manly' qualities about guys that can make any woman go weak in her knees. And while you may think it's all about the looks, guess what? There's more. It's a potent mix of both, physical attributes and of course, that all important emotional touch. Here, we tell you about six points you need to heed.

Well groomed

Yes, we said tall but the reality is that height is really not as important a factor as how you present yourself. Just like guys like a women who is well turned out, women too dig guys who ensure that they are perfectly groomed a la Leonardo DiCaprio. The basic funda women believe in is that if you are careful enough to take care of yourself, they can trust you to take care of them. So, remember guys, sloppy dressing, uncombed hair, dirty nails, smelly socks, stained shirts or jeans and the likes are an absolute no-no when you are trying to make that all important impression on someone from the opposite sex.

A sense of style

Women would rather have you splurging on them than on obscenely priced designer wear. So, even if it's a typical roadside purchase that you swear by, make sure you adopt a certain classy and stylised look and maintain it. Women don't really expect you to be a picture copy of a Pierce Brosnan or a David Beckham, but trying to imitate their style will surely up your popularity quotient. Keep yourself updated on the latest trends. Also, just as you have your reservations against the 'nun-type' dressers, women too hesitate when it comes to the boring office type dresser.

Laugh it out

One of the most important trait that woman dig is a sense of humour. Women have more than enough problems to deal with and don't really need the company of another equally depressed soul. Yes, you have your bad days, but it does go a long way if you have a good sense of humour, and clean humour at that. Beware, taking a dig at others and constantly putting others down do not really spell fun for women. And we can't tell you enough how much women love people who can laugh at themselves and their own mistakes.

Show them you care

Women need to be constantly reassured that they are loved and cared for. Acts like holding their hand while walking down the road, watching the sunset, an occasional hug and peck on the cheeks and making sure that they cross the road safely mean that you are proud to be seen with them and care for them. Remember, not displaying your affection openly is a sign that you are ashamed of who you are with. However, beware of being crass while displaying you affections.

A sexy smile/wink

There's a reason why women absolutely adore Richard Gere or Hugh Jackman and it has a lot to do with the way that they smile or that glint in their eyes. Believe us when we tell you that if you look at them and smile like that, it does make them feel very special, like they are one in a million.

Be calm

Woman are known to be harrowed and frenzied. Yes, they do tend to get hyper very easily and that is the precise reason why you need to be the calming factor in their lives. It really doesn't help if you too get stressed out or fly off the handle at any and every incident. Your sex appeal lies as much in your looks as it does in your attitude - women dig guys with a cool and peaceful attitude, the one who is able to calm them down and reassure them that all is well. ( indiatimes.com )

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How to Prevent a ‘High Heel Hangover’

How to Prevent a ‘High Heel Hangover’ - Holiday parties that require dressing up, shopping for gifts and New Year’s Eve dancing can all take a hefty toll on our feet, and even result in long-term damage, according to one expert.

Katy Bowman, a biomechanist and director of the Restorative Exercise Institute in Ventura, Calif., who wrote the recently released Every Woman’s Guide to Foot Pain Relief: The New Science of Health Feet, said footwear is one of the most common culprits behind debilitating foot pain.

“Certain qualities of footwear, such as height of the heel or how narrow the toe of the shoe is, can influence how likely it will be that person experiences foot pain,” Bowman said, adding that even small heels can create problems.

“High heels affect the geometry of the body as soon as you put them on,” she said. “They create a forward displacement. One to three inch heels don’t seem like very much, but the angle is actually pretty high.

Additionally, body posture and gait pattern can affect pain by putting pressure on sensitive tissues near the toes of the feet.

“Ideally, body weight should be carried over the heel, but while people are walking, they tend to have their pelvis out, or they lean forward,” Bowman said. “This puts weight over the middle or the front of the foot.”

Over the long-term, heels can cause more damage than people may expect, including osteoarthritis in the knees and hips, which can in turn increases the risk of knee or hip replacements or balance issues, she added.

Besides making smarter footwear decisions, Bowman said there are certain things women can do to prevent or reduce pain and strengthen feet.

“There are exercises that undo the effects of shoes by strengthening muscles in the foot and the calves,” Bowman said. The most effective exercises include:

• Calf and hamstring stretches
• Spreading toes out away from each other
• Lifting toes individually

These exercises stretch out the muscles most affected by high heels and offset the weakness that these shoes can cause.

“Do these foot exercises 15 minutes before putting shoes on, and as soon as you get out of the shoes; I’d say spend three minutes exercising for every hour you spent in the shoes,” Bowman said.

If you forget or don’t have time to do these exercises and wake up the morning after a party with achy, fatigued feet, which is referred to as a high heel hangover, Bowman said there are a few other ways to mitigate the pain, including:

• Wearing tennis shoes and toe-spacing socks
• Rolling a frozen water bottle over the soles of your feet
• Getting an oil massage
• Soaking your feet in a warm bath

Because foot pain can interfere with daily activities, especially walking or exercising, and lead to serious consequences as we age, Bowman said it’s important to keep foot health in mind during the holidays and year-round.

“I usually recommend that if you’re going to a party, think about footwear like you think about dessert – save up your calories,” Bowman said. “Don’t wear your heels to work that week, just limit your time to when it’s an absolute necessity to wear high heels. Other times, be sensible.” ( foxnews.com )

READ MORE - How to Prevent a ‘High Heel Hangover’

Why are there so many female spies on television?

Secret Agent Woman - Why are there so many female spies on television? - “The greatest thing would be if Felicity was recruited by the CIA,” J.J. Abrams once said about the protagonist of his late-’90s, coming-of-age campus drama. “[T]hen she could be going on these secret missions, living this life that she couldn’t tell [her boyfriends] about, dismantling bombs.” This quote, which I came across in a book by Entertainment Weekly’s Ken Tucker, reveals the genesis of Abrams’ follow-up to Felicity, the Jennifer Garner hit Alias. It’s also an excellent explanation for why there are so many female spies on television. The first scene in Alias’ first episode shows a red-wigged Sydney Bristow being tortured and interrogated by Chinese-speaking operatives.* Danger, deception, foreign travel, colorful hair—what’s not to love?

Clandestine operatives have been the stuff of hit films and thrillers for decades, and women like The Avengers’ Emma Peel and even Get Smart’s Agent 99 have always been part of the scene. But ever since Alias hit the airwaves in 2001, TV writers have been particularly fascinated with the female of the species. By my count, three current American TV shows—USA’s Covert Affairs (Tuesdays at 10 p.m. ET), Showtime’s Homeland (Sundays at 10 p.m. ET), and the CW’s Nikita (Fridays at 8 p.m. ET)—focus on the lives of female spies. A pair of spy shows with male leads, USA’s Burn Notice (Thursdays at 10 p.m. ET) and NBC’s Chuck (Fridays at 8 p.m. ET), also feature prominent female operatives. If television is an accurate guide—and it probably isn’t—women are taking over the security services.

Piper Perabo as Annie Walker in Covert Affairs. Piper Perabo as Annie Walker in Covert Affairs

Matt Corman and Chris Ord, the creators and executive producers of Covert Affairs, told me they were drawn to spycraft because “it’s all about secrets and identity.” Those themes make for intriguing narratives generally and lend themselves especially well to television, where events have more time to unfold. Corman and Ord chose to base their show at the CIA because they wanted to look at Langley as a workplace, “a building where people go to work every day, the same way people go to IBM or McDonald’s. They face many of the same problems as people at other jobs … as well as some others that are very specific to being a spy.”

For a television showrunner, the world of espionage offers a host of advantages over other TV settings. An espionage show can make massive continuity leaps—a character who usually reports to work at an office park in Northern Virginia can zip off to Berlin or Bogotá, Colombia—with no more justification than “chatter on the wires.” Undercover work also permits a host of narrative shortcuts. Once the phrase read me in has been uttered, characters can spew out great globs of undiluted exposition. And no other genre makes it easier to turn a hero into a rogue—all you need to do is declare that she’s a double agent.

There are plenty of career paths for female TV characters who lack secret identities: police officer, doctor, lawyer, advertising copywriter, forensic anthropologist, inn keeper. Spycraft, though, confers the advantage of adaptability. In a single episode, Covert Affairs’ rookie CIA agent Annie Walker (played by Piper Perabo) uses the skills of a linguist, a bodyguard, an investigator, a psychiatrist, and a diplomat. Corman and Ord told me that flexibility wasn’t the reason they made Annie a spy, but they agreed that “it allows us more storylines than just being a cop.”

The ratings failure of NBC’s Prime Suspect reboot, I’d argue, suggests that female cops—rooted in the not-so-whimsical world of Miranda warnings—hold less appeal for viewers than flirtatious, scheming secret agents. While real-life members of the clandestine services typically spend their days digging through documents, their film and TV analogues enjoy a glamorous life of cocktail parties and high-stakes interrogations. When it comes to portraying the spy life, Corman and Ord say they strive to find a tone that’s “grounded in reality but gives all the escapism and fun you should get from a TV show.”

Spy shows aren’t popular on account of their realism, though. Today’s TV Mata Hari is a superhero who appeals to both men and women—a toned and well-trained young woman who regularly outwits and outscraps brawny dudes. It’s hard to imagine a TV cop busting out her Krav Maga moves and coming out alive, but female spies are almost indestructible, even if their social lives aren’t.

The current crop of small-screen spies display great emotional range, wobbling weekly between toughness and vulnerability. In Homeland, Claire Danes’ Carrie Mathison is a CIA operations officer so devastated by the agency’s failure to prevent 9/11 that she is endangering her life by self-medicating rather than admit her brain chemistry is wonky and risk losing her job. She has also sacrificed her social life—when another character asks why she hadn’t married, she replies, “It just hasn’t felt right quite yet … or as important as what I do for a living.” That makes for an isolating and lonely existence.

It’s odd that Carrie’s atypical brain chemistry might render her ineligible for service in the CIA, since its main manifestation is excessive commitment to her work. (Well, that and insufficient impulse control.) At Covert Affairs, Corman and Ord, who, it must be noted, strenuously resisted my efforts to lure them into gender generalizations, said that spies are typically seen as cold-hearted and manipulative—indeed, that froideur is the defining trait of characters like James Bond or the Saint. Annie Walker, on the other hand, is emotional, intuitive, and empathic; she sees the good in people, and struggles to balance that with the parts of her job that require her to be manipulative. The show’s creators argue that’s not necessarily because she’s a woman—Auggie, her male handler, is also optimistic and emotional. And indeed, TV spooks of both sexes seem to be a monogamy-loving, emo bunch: The eponymous hero of Chuck and Burn Notice’s Michael Westen have been mooning over their great loves ever since their shows debuted.

It’s female spies in particular, however, who seem to have a much better chance of being killed by a terrorist than of dating a decent guy. (Occasionally, they find a way to risk both events at the same time—on Homeland, Carrie was so determined to keep her eyes on a suspected al-Qaida operative that she jumped into bed—and the back of a car—with him.) Not only must the ladies of Langley deal with some serious trust issues—is he cute, will he cheat, is he deep undercover?—but some men are absolutely off-limits. Annie is often reminded that she can’t date foreigners, and on Chuck, CIA agent Sarah Walker’s early feelings for the everyman protagonist were complicated by workplace considerations (she was his handler—a position of power) and the unwritten rule that spies can only date other spies. In the end, though, Sarah turned out to be the rare agent who found her perfect match, albeit after four seasons of quirky trials and tribulations.

The Covert Affairs showrunners told me that, especially since real spies often trade on sexuality, they’ve decided that “it’s OK to acknowledge the sex appeal of our characters.” But as opposed to the creators of the short-lived, syndicated She Spies, at least they’re equal-opportunity objectifiers—just as likely to show buff male characters unencumbered by shirts as Annie in a skimpy outfit. They also play with viewers’ expectations: On this week’s episode, Annie seduced a handsome Israeli spy—but just as things were getting serious, she zip-tied him to the bed, thus preventing him from undertaking a suicide mission. It was sexy, and it was smart spycraft—and the viewers will still respect Annie in the morning. ( slate.com )

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In a Brazilian Town, a Rogue Gene and a Boom in Twins

In a Brazilian Town, a Rogue Gene and a Boom in Twins - For years, so many twins have been born in the small southern Brazilian town of Cândido Godói that residents wonder whether something mysterious lurks in the water, or even if Josef Mengele, the Nazi physician known as the Angel of Death, conducted experiments on the women there.

But a group of scientists now says it can rule out such long-rumored possibilities. Ursula Matte, a geneticist in Porto Alegre, Brazil, said a series of DNA tests conducted on about 30 families since 2009 found that a specific gene in the population of Cândido Godói appears more frequently in mothers of twins than in those without. The phenomenon is compounded by a high level of inbreeding among the population, which is composed almost entirely of German-speaking immigrants, she said.

Tânia Moelmann, in 2009, with her 3-month-old twins, Kiara, left, and Yasmin, in the Brazilian village of São Pedro in Cândido Godói.

“We analyzed six genes and found one gene that confirms, in this population, a predisposition to the birth of twins,” Dr. Matte said.

She was the first scientist to document, in a study published in the 1990s, that the rate of twin births in the town was unusually high. It was especially high in São Pedro, a village of about 350 residents that is part of Cândido Godói. Dr. Matte found that from 1990 to 1994, 10 percent of the births in São Pedro were twins, compared with less than 1 percent for Brazil as a whole.

The high concentration of twins has stirred outlandish theories. Residents say Mengele moved around southern Brazil in the 1960s, posing as a veterinarian, at about the time the twin births were thought to have really taken off. An Argentine journalist suggested in a 2008 book that Mengele conducted experiments on women in Cândido Godói that resulted in a baby boom of twins, many of whom have blond hair and light-colored eyes.

Mengele, who died in Brazil in 1979, was notorious for his often-deadly experiments on twins at Auschwitz, ostensibly in an effort to produce a master Aryan race for Hitler.

But the study led by Dr. Matte analyzed 6,615 baptism certificates dating back 80 years in the predominantly Roman Catholic town and found that the twins phenomenon existed in the 1930s, “long before Mengele’s period,” she said.

“In the initial stages of our research we immediately disproved any involvement with Mengele,” Dr. Matte said.

Her team of 20 researchers also analyzed the town’s water supply — residents believe a mysterious mineral may be responsible for the high rate of twin births — and uncovered no abnormalities.

While studying the baptism certificates, the scientists confirmed that the highest concentration of twins has been in São Pedro, with 33 pairs out of 436 births from 1959 to 2008, all living in a one-and-a-half-square-mile area.

In São Pedro, they concluded their research by analyzing last names and conducting genetic tests on women. “With a small population of about 80 families, it was a challenge to find women that did not have twins within a first-degree relation,” Dr. Matte said.

The scientists believe that a small number of immigrant families living in São Pedro may have brought the variant gene to the region. “This does not mean that it is a universal gene,” Dr. Matte said. “If I take twins from New Zealand and test them, it will probably generate a different result.”

Dr. Matte has yet to publish the results of her findings but was set to present them in Cândido Godói on Friday.

“The entire city supports this study, and they have great hopes of finding out why they have so many twins, and to better understand what is behind their story,” said Daniela Junzvier, the culture coordinator at the mayor’s office. ( nytimes.com )

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17th century witch chronicles put online

17th century witch chronicles put online - A 350-year-old notebook which documents the trials of women convicted of witchcraft in England during the 17th century has been published online.

The notebook written by Nehemiah Wallington, an English Puritan, recounts the fate of women accused of having relationships with the devil at a time when England was embroiled in a bitter civil war.

The document reveals the details of a witchcraft trial held in Chelmsford in July 1645, when more than a hundred suspected witches were serving time in Essex and Suffolk according to his account.

"Divers (many) of them voluntarily and without any forcing or compulsion freely declare that they have made a covenant with the Devill," he wrote.

"Som Christians have been killed by their meanes," he added.

Of the 30 women on trial in Chelmsford, 14 were hanged.

Wallington also recounts the experiences of Rebecca West, a suspected witch who confessed to sleeping with the devil when she was tortured because "she found her selfe in such extremity of torture and amazement that she would not enure (endure) it againe for the world." Her confession spared her.

Carol Burrows, who managed the notebook's digitization, on Thursday told Reuters that Wallington's journal was important because of its connections to the civil war.

"It's a personal account and it tells us a lot about the time -- they were troubled times," she said.

"It's in English and it's very easy to read so it's going to be of interest to the general public as well as scholars," she added.

The manuscript is one of Wallington's seven surviving notebooks. The woodturner wrote 50 journals about religion, the civil war and witchcraft trials during the course of his life.

A team at The University of Manchester's John Rylands Center for Heritage Imaging and Collection Care spent two weeks photographing the notebook kept at Tatton Hall in Cheshire so they could make it available online. (Reuters)

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Tax Guru: tie the knot and pay less tax

Tax Guru: tie the knot and pay less tax - The tax system already favours the institution of marriage – and the Coalition may deliver further tax breaks in the Budget .

It is hard to believe, but barely 20 years ago married women were not treated as real people by the tax system, merely adjuncts to their husbands.

It was the husband's responsibility to complete a tax return showing income for both himself and his wife, and she was obliged to provide him with the information to do so. The law was brought kicking and screaming into the 20th century on April 5 1990.

Norman Lamont, who, as chancellor, piloted independent taxation, did so with the following words to Parliament: "Independent taxation is bound to mean some couples will transfer assets between them with the result that their total tax bill will be reduced. This is an inevitable and acceptable consequence of taxing husbands and wives separately. We expect income splitting."

Once married, Prince William and Kate Middleton will be able to transfer assets between them tax free

This gave a blessing for couples to save tax by relatively straightforward planning. The rules specifically allow spouses, and civil partners, to transfer assets between themselves without it being treated as a disposal for capital gains tax or inheritance tax, provided the recipient is UK domiciled.

The starting point is to ensure both spouses use up their income tax personal allowances. From April, this will be £7,475 for people up to 65, £9,940 for pensioners between 65 and 74 and £10,090 for those aged 75 and over. If one spouse is working and one is at home with the children, it makes sense for investments to be held in the name of the non-working spouse. This will apply to bank and building society deposits in particular and any property they own that is let.

From next month the amount of income you can earn before you become a higher-rate taxpayer drops from £43,875 to £42,475, but there will be a £35,000 band available to each spouse with only 20pc income tax applying. So, if you have one spouse paying higher-rate tax and the other not earning or a basic-rate taxpayer, it makes sense for investments to be transferred to maximise the income taxed at basic rate. In this example, shares come into the picture because dividends can suffer higher-rate tax, effectively at 25pc of the cash dividend.

What applies to income applies similarly to capital gains, because everybody has an annual capital gains exemption, currently £10,100. If sitting on shares with a profit of £20,000, it may make sense to give half to your spouse before they are sold so you use both annual capital gains tax exemptions.

How about single premium insurance policies, often referred to as bonds? The tax rules are complicated, but when you finally cash in the bond or draw more than the 5pc per annum allowed, the excess will be subject to income tax if you are a higher-rate taxpayer. Assigning a policy to a basic-rate taxpaying spouse can save a big tax bill and if the proceeds push them into higher rates of tax, ''top slicing relief'' is available to reduce the liability.

A particular problem can affect pensioners. This is because they can pay a higher tax rate if their income exceeds the age-related allowance limit which, for next year, will be £24,000. It means that a pensioner earning between £24,000 and £28,930, (£29,230 at age 75 and over), will pay an effective tax rate of 30pc on their income because of the way their personal allowances are reduced.

The same principle applies if one spouse is earning between £100,000 and £114,950, because here the effective tax rate becomes 60pc as personal allowances are phased out altogether.

You need to pay particular attention to joint bank accounts. HMRC will treat the income from these as equal unless steps have been taken legally to change the basis on which the account is held. Joint accounts are useful for older couples because if one dies, the other one can still access it, whereas individual accounts are only accessible once probate is granted. So, if you want a joint account, but for your spouse, for example, to have 90pc of the income, you should have a deed to evidence that the legal basis of ownership has changed. This new basis can then be used for tax purposes on completion of HMRC form 17.

Avoid the temptation to give an asset to your spouse on the understanding that, if you want it back, it will be returned, as Norman Lamont made clear: "Provided that the gift of assets between husband and wife is free from conditions and is a complete and irrevocable transfer of the underlying capital as well as the income, we see absolutely no case for imposing a tax penalty on the income of those assets."

One of the disadvantages of marriage is that a couple is only allowed one principal private residence CGT exemption at a time, although, as I explained two weeks ago, it is possible to have a degree of doubling up using the election and the three-year rule. On the whole, however, the tax system favours marriage and it is thought that the coalition Government is generally favourable to further improvements, some of which may be announced in the Budget on March 23. ( telegraph.co.uk )

READ MORE - Tax Guru: tie the knot and pay less tax

Prince William and Kate Middleton could afford to buy 'just a caravan'

Prince William and Kate Middleton could afford to buy 'just a caravan' - Prince William and Kate Middleton could barely afford to buy a caravan if they depended solely on their salaries, a high street bank reveals today.

More accustomed to the surrounds of St James Palace, Prince William’s RAF salary of £37,170 means the couple could only obtain a mortgage of £142,000, according to the Spanish banking giant Santander.

It found a selection of properties valued at this amount across the country, many of which it described as ‘less than regal’.

Prince William and Kate Middleton could afford to buy 'just a caravan'

They include a two-bedroom bungalow in Windsor which is a rebuilt mobile home, measuring just 50 square foot, and a parking space close to Westminster. The money could also buy them a one-bedroom flat where they first met.

However, if they traveled further north, they could consider a two-bedroom semi in Glasgow.

Experts described the prospect of getting a foot on the property ladder as “daunting”.

Nigel Lewis, of property website FindaProperty.com, said: “If William and Kate were an average young couple, without the additional sources of finance they enjoy in reality, they’d be able to find comfortable if modest homes in most areas of the country.

“If they wanted to live in London or the South East however, this would be much more of a stretch. It’s clear from the findings that what a modest budget will afford varies considerably between regions, which is why it’s always helpful if there is a bit of flexibility in terms of where and when people hope to buy. For those that are prepared to shop around, there are still some real bargains to be had, even if the overall budget isn’t vast.” ( telegraph.co.uk )

READ MORE - Prince William and Kate Middleton could afford to buy 'just a caravan'

Rising status of women linked to more smoking

Rising status of women linked to more smoking - Millions of women in developing countries risk disease and early death in the coming decades as their rising economic and political status leads them to smoke more, researchers said Tuesday.

An analysis in 74 countries found that men are five times more likely to smoke than women in countries with lower rates of female empowerment, such as China, Indonesia, Pakistan, Saudi Arabia and Uganda.

In countries with relatively high female empowerment, such as Australia, Canada, Norway, Sweden and the United States, this gap is small and women smoke almost as much as men do.

In countries with relatively high female empowerment, such as Australia, Canada, Norway, Sweden and the United States, this gap is small and women smoke almost as much as men do

Douglas Bettcher, director of the World Health Organization's (WHO) tobacco free initiative, said the findings showed the need for authorities to act quickly to curb smoking rates among women, particularly in poorer countries.

"The tobacco epidemic is still in its early stages in many countries but is expected to worsen," he said in a statement with the study, which was published in the WHO journal Bulletin.

"Strong tobacco control measures such as bans on tobacco advertising are needed to prevent the tobacco industry from targeting women."

Tobacco kills up to half its users and is described by the WHO "one of the biggest public health threats the world has ever faced." The annual death toll linked to tobacco is more than five million, experts say, and could rise beyond eight million by 2030 unless action is taken to control smoking.

According to the study, it is estimated that men smoke nearly five times as much as women worldwide, but the ratios of female-to-male smoking prevalence rates vary dramatically.

In China, for example, 61 per cent of men are reported to be current smokers, compared with 4.2 per cent of women, while in many rich nations roughly equal numbers of men and women smoke.

Women's empowerment is measured by the United Nations Development Program using data such as representation in parliament, voting rights and comparisons of male and female income.

"Our study makes a strong case for implementing gender-specific tobacco control activities ... such as more higher tobacco taxes, more prominent graphic health warnings, smoke-free laws, and advertising and promotion bans," said Geoffrey Fong from the University of Waterloo in Ontario, Canada, who led Tuesday's study.

Fellow researcher Sara Hitchman said authorities should look closely at "the ways in which the tobacco industry is capitalizing on societal changes to target women, such as marketing cigarettes to women as a symbol of emancipation."

The researchers also said a useful step could be to monitor how price and tax measures affect uptake of smoking among women in countries where tobacco is not yet widely used by them.

"Further research into patterns of uptake could help governments take more effective action and reduce adoption rates for smoking among women in the future," said Hitchman. ( Reuters )

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