MUMBAI, India —Astrologers were consulted, the gods gave their blessings, the white stallion was ready and delirious fans milled around the marigold-bedecked home. The stage was set for Bollywood’s “wedding of the century.”

Film-crazy India held its breath Friday as two of its biggest stars, the emerald-eyed former Miss World Aishwarya Rai and Abhishek Bachchan, a romantic hero and son of an Indian cinema legend, celebrated their wedding.

The affair, hyped by Indian media as “the wedding of the century,” was filled with the melodrama so beloved in Bollywood, India’s flamboyant Hindi film industry: secrecy, dance routines and even a suicidal fan who claimed to be the groom’s jilted lover.

Hundreds of fans cheered as Bachchan, wearing a gold and cream turban — his face covered with a traditional veil of white flowers — emerged onto the streets outside his home astride a white stallion, giving his admirers a thumbs-up sign while his friends danced around him.

Bachchan bobbed his head and punched the air with his hands in time to a Bollywood tune played by an accompanying band of red-turbaned musicians.

He then made his way to a huge, flower-filled, air-conditioned tent encircled by gold curtains in the garden adjoining the Bachchan family home — where to the sound of trumpets, drums and clanging cymbals, he and Rai reportedly exchanged garlands and wedding vows.

A super sari
Rai remained hidden inside the barricaded venue, but the Indian media was split down the middle with reports that she either wore a red-and-gold, intricately embroidered sari, or a gold-and-cream creation.

Hundreds of fans lined the roads, climbed trees or scaled buildings, hoping to catch a glimpse of the wedding party.

Despite the intense interest in the fairy tale wedding, details — from the clothes the couple would wear to the guest list — have been shrouded in secrecy. Dozens of police officers kept overeager fans away from the stars.

However, the festivities were marred when a young woman slit her wrists outside the Bachchan home in Mumbai early Friday.

Identifying herself as Jhanvi Kapoor, she said Bachchan had promised to marry her after they met when she was one of the dancers in a promotional music video for a movie “Dus” (”Ten”), in which Bachchan starred two years ago.

“He is not talking to me,” she told reporters. “I want to know why he doesn’t talk to me.”

Arrested for suicide attempt
She was taken to a nearby hospital for treatment, then arrested by police for attempting to commit suicide — a crime in India.

“This is a stunt,” said police officer A. Mohite. “She seemed to have done this purely to catch the attention of the media.”

She was later released on bail of 10,000 rupees ($238).

Heading out solo to another party? If you want to be noticed, you’ll need to learn how to work the room.

* Time your arrival so that you show up about an hour after the party has started. Early party goers will inquire about why you’re not there, and they’ll really take notice when you finally arrive (be sure that it’s not an event that’s critical that you arrive on time).

* Mingle with the host, and other guests. Moving about the room and talking to everyone will give a great impression that you’re open-minded and not stuck with a certain clique.

* Don’t know what to say? Bring up anything that has to do with current events or celebrity gossip. Don’t always ask people what they do for a living, you’ll seem only interested in comparing your status. Do ask them what their interests and hobbies are. People will remember the ones that are genuinely interested.

* Hold a drink in your hand to avoid fiddling, stand with your legs slight apart and your feet pointing out and be sure to keep your arms uncrossed. You’ll project a more open and trusting image.

* Be well groomed. Try a fun new look that fits your personal style. Everyone takes notice of a trend setting man.

* Smile and have a good sense of humor. The positive vibes smiling and laughing gives off will make everyone around you more comfortable and you’ll be more approachable. Laughs usually attract a nice crowd and you’ll be remembered as fun guy to be around.

The Japanese are such technological innovators! For years, they’ve been using hooking up by way of proximity dating. Using advanced mobile-phone technologies like GPS and bluetooth, your cell phone alerts you when a compatible single girl comes within a few blocks of your location. How awesome is that?! No more having to logon to sites like Match.com where you need a computer for access! Maybe you’re bored at your local bar with no one to buy a drink for? just check your cell phone for any single women nearby!

You were charming enough to get her to go out with you, now don’t screw it up with these common first date mistakes.

Forgetting to Call

The date starts before you even pick her up. Be a gentlemen and assure her that the date you have is still on. If she thinks you might have forgot or that you’re standing her up, she may make plans to go out with her friends instead. Best time to call is in the early afternoon so she has ample time to plan and get ready for your evening date together.

Acting Like a Rich Bastard

Don’t toss money around like it doesn’t matter. If you’re trying to buy her with your wealth, it’s probably not going to happen unless she’s a gold digger (goodluck to you if she is btw). Affection isn’t something that can be bought, so work your dating skills and not your wallet. Do be a gentlemen and pick up the tabs on your first few dates. After about the third date, you should be comfortable enough with each other to share expenses – You pay for the movie and she buys the popcorn.

Talking About Your Ex

She doesn’t need to hear about your baggage. Many guys like to brag about their past dating experiences to make themselves sound in demand, but in reality it’s boring for her to listen to. Avoid talking about your past conquests, unless she asks you about them herself. Even then, keep your answers short and simple. You don’t want to sound like a player.

Enough With the Compliments

Of course you’re awed by her beauty and personality but keep the compliments to a minimum. A couple of sincere compliments will go a long way. Anymore than that, and it’ll prove that you’re out of her league.

Not Opening Her Doors

Having a nifty car alarm that unlocks the car doors is great and all, but show her that chivalry isn’t dead. Walk her over to the passenger side of your car, and actually open and close it for her. This will be the first of many doors that you’ll need to open for her on date night.

Location. Location. Location.

Your first date dinner shouldn’t be at a fast food joint or a fancy restaurant where entrees start at $50. Find a nice place that falls in between to show her you’re neither cheap nor trying to be a show off. Don’t spend hours deliberating what to eat. You should have a restaurant reservations made well ahead of time to show that you’re confident and have things handled. Do be open to suggestions, if she has a particular venue in mind.

Talking on the Phone

Turn the damn cell phone off. That means no phones calls and no text messages for the entire date. Show her that she’s important enough that you can forget the rest of the world when she’s with you.

I believe guys should always pay for the bill on a first date, especially if they’re the ones asking us out. I’ll always reach for my purse at the end of dinner — and in most cases — the guy will usually say something like “thanks, but I’ve got it.” From my personal experience, guys find it quite refreshing when a woman offers to pay. It’s an impressive proactive gesture that is very appreciated, and goes long way in their score book even if they still end up picking up the tab.

There’s no written rulebook for splitting the bill when you’re on dates, but below are simple guidelines to follow.

How to Split the Bill on a Date

• First Date: Offer to pay.
  Most men I know will want to treat on the first date. It’s one of the small things they can do, to show us that chivalry isn’t dead. When the bill comes, offer to help cover part of it, or at least pay the tip. If he refuses, and insists on paying, then let him pay and offer a thank you in return.
• Second and Third Dates: Try to pay for part of the date.
  If you’re truly interested in the guy, find a way pay for one of the activities on your date. If the two of you attend a movie, and he pays for the tickets, offer to pay for the popcorn. Or after dinner, offer to treat him to dessert. Most guys will still insist on covering the entire date, and if he does, thank him as usual and he’ll make a mental note of your kind offers. It’ll show that your interested in more than just what’s in his wallet.
• Fourth Date and Beyond: Pay for the date.
  It’s time to insist on paying for the night to show him you’re not looking for a sugar daddy. Reject any offers to pay when the bill comes. This gesture will show how much you appreciated his generosity during the first few dates, but that you’re independent and willing to contribute to the relationship.
• Caveat
  Like I said above, “most men” will offer to treat on the first couple of dates, but there are many who will readily take your offers to pay. Heck, there are even some that insist that you pay your half, or even the whole bill. If so, be sure to have your wallet on hand. I can’t speak for these ungentleman-like men, and hopefully you ladies won’t have to either.If you do end up dating such a guy, look the other way and find a man that knows how to be a gentleman. Dating can be a little tough on the bank account, but there’s no excuse for being cheap — unless he’s in some kind of financial hardship — and if he is, he should be smart enough to figure out other ways to win your heart other than trying to wine and dine you!

You’re cute, you’re hot, you’re sexy, you’re fun, you have a cool personality and a big circle of friends — in other words, you’re the whole package. Then why the hell can’t you meet a guy? Maybe it’s because you have a stale routine.

Step 1 – Venture Out

There are plenty of good men in this world, you just need to create opportunities to meet them. Venture out from simply flirting at the same gym or bars, and introduce yourself to new activities where single men are likely to be.

Tip: Break out of your comfort zone and head down to a convention for Star Wars junkies or game night at the local sports bar. These places attract amazing amounts of testosterone, which increases your chances of meeting that ever-elusive critter, the single male.

Step 2 – Catch His Attention

The goal is to show him you’re available without throwing yourself at him. Sexy yet subtle signs can work wonders. A little smile, a glance in his direction, and a friendly touch like placing your hand on his forearm is usually more than enough to cue a guy that you’re interested.

Tip: When you’re out partying, avoid staying in a pack which makes you unapproachable. Men have a great fear of being rejected, and an even bigger fear of rejection in front of others. Take a step away from your overprotective posse waiting to give him the once-over, and work different parts of the room on your own. Flying solo will make you much more approachable. To be on the safe side, be sure to have a rendezvous point with the girls you came with.

Step 3 – The Chase

The key is for him to suspect you’re interested, without knowing for sure. Men love a chase, so give it to them!

Tip: Never make yourself too available. Although he’s a welcome addition into your life, you need to make it clear that you’re independent and still have friends to attend to. That means your date with the girls this Friday night is still on!

Step 4 – Don’t Forget Who You Are

Guys want an independent woman that has a life of their own. Ladies, this means take care of yourself, pay attention to your personal style and find time to hang with your fabulous friends and family.

Tip: No man wants a girl that doubles as a shadow. It’s suffocating, and is a surefire way that’ll get you kicked to the curb.

Step 5 – Together Forever

Men want a woman who’s positive, upbeat, and simple blast to be around.

Tip: Although there are different things that make men happy — when all is said and done, and the honeymoon stage on cloud nine has past, all men really want is love… and maybe a bit of sugar too!

Online dating is something that more and more people are looking into because it is relatively risk free dating. Instead of wasting your time out on the town with a date that may or may not work out, you can now look for people online and choose to interact with them for a period of time before you actually meet! Online dating is fun, safe, and a dating resource that can get you maximum exposure with minimum effort. Young and old are having a great time with online dating because you can make it a customized experience.

Online dating is usually done through dating websites, of which there are hundreds. A couple of the most popular dating websites are Yahoo Personals and www.match.com both of which have thousands of users that can all post profiles about themselves, what they are looking for, as well as the ability to interact with one another until they find a person that is just right for them. The great thing about these websites is that everyone can find someone here, as you dont have to be looking for a long term relationship to fit in, youll find people that are looking for serious and not so serious relationships on these websites.

What is great about online dating is that even when you are not online you are promoting yourself. Once you post your profile and set up your membership, your information will be available to others that are looking for a date 24 hours a day. This means that even if you and your Mr. or Ms. Right would have never crossed paths before, youll have a great chance of checking out one anothers profiles and getting to know one another online. You could be living just miles away from the one but because you dont hang out in the same places or with the same crowds, you might not meet if it werent for online dating.

While many relationships today progress much faster than most of us are comfortable with, with online dating you can choose to advance your interactions as quickly or as slowly as you are comfortable with. If you like to take your time and want to get to know people really well, you can take your time simply exchanging emails with possible online matches as long as you want, and then you can move to the phone, and then eventually you can meet in person. Online dating is a high tech and modern way to date, but it brings back some old school elements because the relationships dont advance so quickly.

Online dating doesnt cost a lot of money or take a lot of time, which makes it appealing for many. If you want to date more but you dont have time to hit the bars and clubs to meet people, meeting people online is a great way to meet people and even create lasting relationships. With so little to lose and potentially so much to gain, it is no wonder why online dating has become so popular.

Except for Love.

Love was the only one who stayed. Love wanted to hold out until the last possible moment.
When the island had almost sunk, Love decided to ask for help.

Richness was passing by Love in a grand boat. Love said,”Richness, can you take me with you?”

Richness answered, “No, I can’t. There is a lot of gold and silver in my boat. There is place here for you.”

Love decided to ask Vanity who was also passing by in a beautiful vessel. “Vanity, please help me!”

“I can’t help you, Love. You are all wet and might damage my boat,” Vanity answered.
Sadness was close by so Love asked, “Sadness, let me go with you.”

“Oh . . . Love, I am so sad that I need to be by myself!”
Happiness passed by Love, too, but she was so happy that she did not even hear when Love called her.

Suddenly, there was a voice, “Come, Love, I will take you.” It was an elder. So blessed and overjoyed, Love even forgot to ask the elder where they were going. When they arrived at dry land, the elder went her own way. Realizing how much was owed the elder,Love asked Knowledge, another elder, “Who Helped me?”

“It was Time,” Knowledge answered.

“Time?” asked Love. “But why did Time help me?”

Knowledge smiled with deep wisdom and answered, “Because only Time is capable of understanding how valuable Love is.”

So I was baffled when the women at college accused me and my sex of having cornered the world’s pleasures. I think something like my bafflement has been felt by other boys (and by girls as well) who grew up in dirt-poor farm country, in mining country, in black ghettos, in Hispanic barrios, in the shadows of factories, in Third World nations—any place where the fate of men is as grim and bleak as the fate of women. Toilers and warriors. I realize now how ancient these identities are, how deep the lug they exert on men, the undertow of a thousand generations. The miseries I saw, as a boy, in the lives of nearly all men I continue to see in the lives of many—the body-breaking toil, the tedium, the call to be tough, the humiliating powerlessness, the battle for a living and for territory.

When the women I met at college thought about the joys and privileges of men, they did not carry in their minds the sort of men I had known in my childhood. They thought of their fathers, who were bankers, physicians, architects, stockbrokers, the big wheels of the big cities. These fathers rode the train to work or drove cars that cost more than any of my childhood houses. They were attended from morning to night by female helpers, wives and nurses and secretaries. They were never laid off, never short of cash at month’s end, never lined up for welfare. These fathers made decisions that mattered. They ran the world.

The daughters of such men wanted to share in this power, this glory. So did I. They yearned for a say over their future, for jobs worthy of their abilities, for the right to live at peace, unmolested, whole. Yes, I thought, yes yes. The difference between me and these daughters was that they saw me, because of my sex, as destined from birth to become like their fathers, and therefore as an enemy to their desires. But I knew better. I wasn’t an enemy, in fact or in feeling. I was an ally. If I had known, then, how to tell them so, would they have believed me? Would they now?