Tata abandons cheapest car plant

Tata abandons cheapest car plant
Advertisement
The Tata Nano was unveiled at India's biggest car show in Delhi in January

India's Tata group has abandoned plans to build the world's cheapest car in the eastern state of West Bengal.

Tata group chief Ratan Tata said: "We have little choice but to move out of Bengal. We cannot run a factory with police around all the time."

He was speaking after protests in a row over land acquired from local farmers.

The car, the Nano, is expected to cost about 100,000 rupees ($2,130). It was due to be launched in October and will be ready "this year", Mr Tata said.

We will have to make the best of the deadline that we have

Tata group chief Ratan Tata

The BBC's Subir Bhuamik in Calcutta says the company is initially expected to produce several thousand Nanos this year at other sites in India.

It had planned to make 250,000 cars a year at the Singur plant in West Bengal, rising to 350,000.

A number of other car firms also plan vehicles to compete with the Nano but have not yet begun production.

The dispute in West Bengal highlights a wider problem between India's growing industry - which needs land - and its farmers who are unwilling to give it up.

'Offers'

Work at Tata's Singur plant has been suspended since the end of August following protests led by the state's opposition Trinamul Congress party.




Exclusive look at the Tata Nano

Mr Tata said the Nano will be built "within this year but I can't tell you where".

"We are going to do everything possible to come close to the deadline we had established," he told journalists in Calcutta.

"We have got offers from several Indian states but we have not yet finalised where to produce the Nano... All these issues we will announce in the next few days when we have a clearer picture."

Mr Tata said his group would still consider West Bengal as an investment destination in future.

"I value the considerable intellectual resources this state has, but something will have to change here," he said.

He was speaking after meeting the West Bengal chief minister Buddhadev Bhattacharya and his colleagues.

"This is a black day for Bengal. We will have so much more difficulty getting investments now," said the state's industry minister, Nirupam Sen.

Compensation

The West Bengal government acquired 1,000 acres of land for the Nano project two years ago.

More than 10,000 farmers accepted compensation for their land, but just over 2,000 of them refused and demanded land be returned.

During the protests Tata's engineers and workers were attacked, prompting the group to stop work.

Our correspondent says the Bengal governor then intervened and tried to mediate a deal between the government and the opposition but that did not work.

The plant was seen as a key part of industrialisation efforts in what is one of India's least developed states.

Tata abandons cheapest car plant

Tata abandons cheapest car plant
Advertisement
The Tata Nano was unveiled at India's biggest car show in Delhi in January

India's Tata group has abandoned plans to build the world's cheapest car in the eastern state of West Bengal.

Tata group chief Ratan Tata said: "We have little choice but to move out of Bengal. We cannot run a factory with police around all the time."

He was speaking after protests in a row over land acquired from local farmers.

The car, the Nano, is expected to cost about 100,000 rupees ($2,130). It was due to be launched in October and will be ready "this year", Mr Tata said.

We will have to make the best of the deadline that we have

Tata group chief Ratan Tata

The BBC's Subir Bhuamik in Calcutta says the company is initially expected to produce several thousand Nanos this year at other sites in India.

It had planned to make 250,000 cars a year at the Singur plant in West Bengal, rising to 350,000.

A number of other car firms also plan vehicles to compete with the Nano but have not yet begun production.

The dispute in West Bengal highlights a wider problem between India's growing industry - which needs land - and its farmers who are unwilling to give it up.

'Offers'

Work at Tata's Singur plant has been suspended since the end of August following protests led by the state's opposition Trinamul Congress party.




Exclusive look at the Tata Nano

Mr Tata said the Nano will be built "within this year but I can't tell you where".

"We are going to do everything possible to come close to the deadline we had established," he told journalists in Calcutta.

"We have got offers from several Indian states but we have not yet finalised where to produce the Nano... All these issues we will announce in the next few days when we have a clearer picture."

Mr Tata said his group would still consider West Bengal as an investment destination in future.

"I value the considerable intellectual resources this state has, but something will have to change here," he said.

He was speaking after meeting the West Bengal chief minister Buddhadev Bhattacharya and his colleagues.

"This is a black day for Bengal. We will have so much more difficulty getting investments now," said the state's industry minister, Nirupam Sen.

Compensation

The West Bengal government acquired 1,000 acres of land for the Nano project two years ago.

More than 10,000 farmers accepted compensation for their land, but just over 2,000 of them refused and demanded land be returned.

During the protests Tata's engineers and workers were attacked, prompting the group to stop work.

Our correspondent says the Bengal governor then intervened and tried to mediate a deal between the government and the opposition but that did not work.

The plant was seen as a key part of industrialisation efforts in what is one of India's least developed states.

House backs $700bn bail-out plan

House backs $700bn bail-out plan

The moment the rescue package was approved in the House of Representatives
The US House of Representatives has passed a $700bn (£394bn) government plan to rescue the US financial sector.

The 263-171 vote was the second in a week, following its shock rejection of an earlier version on Monday.

The package is aimed at buying up the bad debts of failing financial institutions on Wall Street.

US President George W Bush praised lawmakers for their "spirit of co-operation" before signing the bill into law later on Friday.

The House adopted the new version after the Senate added about $100bn in new tax breaks to win Republican votes.

Intervention

The Dow Jones Industrial Average had been buoyant ahead of the vote, surging up 250 points, but those gains were pared back amid profit taking and continued uncertainty, and it closed down 1.5%.

The passing of the bail-out plan is just the first stage and it will be several months before anyone can tell whether it is working

Greg Wood,
BBC business correspondent


How will the rescue work?
Stocks trim gains after vote
Q&A: US $700bn bail-out plan

In a televised response after the House vote, President Bush said: "In coming together we have acted boldly to prevent a crisis on Wall Street becoming a crisis in communities across the country."

Mr Bush acknowledged there were concerns about the government's role and the cost of the plan.

He said he believed in intervention only when it was necessary - but "in this situation, action is clearly necessary".

However, he warned the package would take time to have an effect on the economy.


Despite traders' celebrations, the Dow Jones finished down

His Treasury Secretary Henry Paulson vowed speedy action to get the rescue package up and operating.

And Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke applauded Congress, saying the bill was a critical step toward stabilising financial markets.

BBC North America business correspondent Greg Wood says the passing of the bail-out plan is just the first stage and it will be several months before anyone can tell whether it is working.

Avoiding 'catastrophe'

Legislators were hugely divided on the bill during the House debate.

Some who had voted "No" on Monday said they were switching because of the improvements to the bill but many of them still expressed serious reservations.



President Bush thanks Congress after the bail-out bill is approved
Others maintained their opposition, saying the bill was still a bail-out benefiting mainly Wall Street.

But House Speaker Nancy Pelosi was one of many to refer to those suffering on America's Main Street and said that urgent action was needed "to avoid economic catastrophe".

"The bright light of accountability will protect the taxpayer," she vowed.

Democrat majority whip James Clyburn said: "We came together in a very strong, bipartisan way to deliver this decisive victory for the American people."

Georgia Democrat John Lewis reflected the views of many when he said: "I have decided that the cost of doing nothing is greater than the cost of doing something."


NEW MEASURES IN BAIL-OUT BILL
Increased protection for saving deposits
Increased child tax credits
More aid for hurricane victims
Tax breaks for renewable energy
Higher starting limits to alternative minimum tax


Congress vote reveals divisions
In quotes: Bail-out vote reaction
Send us your comments

South Carolina Republican J Gresham Barrett added: "No matter what we do or what we pass, there are still tough times out there. People are mad - I'm mad. We have to act. We have to act now."

But Texas Republican Jeb Hensarling asked: "How can we have capitalism on the way up and socialism on the way down?"

Friday's vote showed 172 Democrats in favour and 63 against. A majority of Republicans still opposed the bill - 91 voted for it and 108 against.

The House rejected the earlier version by 228 votes to 205 on Monday.

The Senate passed an amended bill on Wednesday that raised the government's guarantee on savings from $100,000 to $250,000.

It also included tax breaks to help small businesses and to boost alternative energy, expanded the child tax credit and extended help to victims of recent hurricanes.

The US had experienced more evidence of the financial volatility ahead of the vote on Friday.

The Wells Fargo bank announced it would buy troubled rival Wachovia in a $15.1bn (£8.5bn) deal, while the US also reported its biggest monthly job loss in more than five years.

House backs $700bn bail-out plan

House backs $700bn bail-out plan

The moment the rescue package was approved in the House of Representatives
The US House of Representatives has passed a $700bn (£394bn) government plan to rescue the US financial sector.

The 263-171 vote was the second in a week, following its shock rejection of an earlier version on Monday.

The package is aimed at buying up the bad debts of failing financial institutions on Wall Street.

US President George W Bush praised lawmakers for their "spirit of co-operation" before signing the bill into law later on Friday.

The House adopted the new version after the Senate added about $100bn in new tax breaks to win Republican votes.

Intervention

The Dow Jones Industrial Average had been buoyant ahead of the vote, surging up 250 points, but those gains were pared back amid profit taking and continued uncertainty, and it closed down 1.5%.

The passing of the bail-out plan is just the first stage and it will be several months before anyone can tell whether it is working

Greg Wood,
BBC business correspondent


How will the rescue work?
Stocks trim gains after vote
Q&A: US $700bn bail-out plan

In a televised response after the House vote, President Bush said: "In coming together we have acted boldly to prevent a crisis on Wall Street becoming a crisis in communities across the country."

Mr Bush acknowledged there were concerns about the government's role and the cost of the plan.

He said he believed in intervention only when it was necessary - but "in this situation, action is clearly necessary".

However, he warned the package would take time to have an effect on the economy.


Despite traders' celebrations, the Dow Jones finished down

His Treasury Secretary Henry Paulson vowed speedy action to get the rescue package up and operating.

And Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke applauded Congress, saying the bill was a critical step toward stabilising financial markets.

BBC North America business correspondent Greg Wood says the passing of the bail-out plan is just the first stage and it will be several months before anyone can tell whether it is working.

Avoiding 'catastrophe'

Legislators were hugely divided on the bill during the House debate.

Some who had voted "No" on Monday said they were switching because of the improvements to the bill but many of them still expressed serious reservations.



President Bush thanks Congress after the bail-out bill is approved
Others maintained their opposition, saying the bill was still a bail-out benefiting mainly Wall Street.

But House Speaker Nancy Pelosi was one of many to refer to those suffering on America's Main Street and said that urgent action was needed "to avoid economic catastrophe".

"The bright light of accountability will protect the taxpayer," she vowed.

Democrat majority whip James Clyburn said: "We came together in a very strong, bipartisan way to deliver this decisive victory for the American people."

Georgia Democrat John Lewis reflected the views of many when he said: "I have decided that the cost of doing nothing is greater than the cost of doing something."


NEW MEASURES IN BAIL-OUT BILL
Increased protection for saving deposits
Increased child tax credits
More aid for hurricane victims
Tax breaks for renewable energy
Higher starting limits to alternative minimum tax


Congress vote reveals divisions
In quotes: Bail-out vote reaction
Send us your comments

South Carolina Republican J Gresham Barrett added: "No matter what we do or what we pass, there are still tough times out there. People are mad - I'm mad. We have to act. We have to act now."

But Texas Republican Jeb Hensarling asked: "How can we have capitalism on the way up and socialism on the way down?"

Friday's vote showed 172 Democrats in favour and 63 against. A majority of Republicans still opposed the bill - 91 voted for it and 108 against.

The House rejected the earlier version by 228 votes to 205 on Monday.

The Senate passed an amended bill on Wednesday that raised the government's guarantee on savings from $100,000 to $250,000.

It also included tax breaks to help small businesses and to boost alternative energy, expanded the child tax credit and extended help to victims of recent hurricanes.

The US had experienced more evidence of the financial volatility ahead of the vote on Friday.

The Wells Fargo bank announced it would buy troubled rival Wachovia in a $15.1bn (£8.5bn) deal, while the US also reported its biggest monthly job loss in more than five years.

Russia call to halt Somali piracy

Russia call to halt Somali piracy

Pirates wants a $20m ransom for the Ukrainian ship and its cargo
Russia's foreign minister has called for joint international action to halt pirate attacks off the Horn of Africa.

"Russia aims to stop the outrageous actions of Somali pirates," Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said.

A Russian warship has already been despatched to Somali waters following last week's seizure of a Ukrainian ship laden with 33 Russian-made tanks.

The pirates are demanding a $20m (£11m) ransom for the vessel which is surrounded by US navy warships.

On Thursday, the European Union agreed to establish an anti-piracy security operation off the coast of Somalia to become operational in November.

Mr Lavrov said the Russians would participate in international efforts to halt the piracy and called for a UN resolution to tackle the problem.




Life in Somalia's pirate town
Somali piracy costs $30m
Tanks 'were for Sudan arms race'

He said Malaysia was also sending frigates to join the US warships surrounding the pirates.

According to Russia's Itar-Tass news agency, the Russian warship Neutrashimy is to commence patrols in the Gulf of Aden on 6 November.

The warship is reported to be carrying marines and commandoes on board.

The Ukrainian vessel - the Faina - was carrying T-72 tanks, rifles and heavy weapons when it was seized last week and is being held off the coast, near the town of Hobyo.

Most of the 20 crew are Ukrainian or Latvian; one Russian has reportedly died of illness.

The ship is surrounded by US warships, which is not allowing the heavy weapons to be taken off the ship.

Piracy off the coast of Somalia has cost up to $30m (£17m) in ransoms so far this year, a report has said.

Russia call to halt Somali piracy

Russia call to halt Somali piracy

Pirates wants a $20m ransom for the Ukrainian ship and its cargo
Russia's foreign minister has called for joint international action to halt pirate attacks off the Horn of Africa.

"Russia aims to stop the outrageous actions of Somali pirates," Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said.

A Russian warship has already been despatched to Somali waters following last week's seizure of a Ukrainian ship laden with 33 Russian-made tanks.

The pirates are demanding a $20m (£11m) ransom for the vessel which is surrounded by US navy warships.

On Thursday, the European Union agreed to establish an anti-piracy security operation off the coast of Somalia to become operational in November.

Mr Lavrov said the Russians would participate in international efforts to halt the piracy and called for a UN resolution to tackle the problem.




Life in Somalia's pirate town
Somali piracy costs $30m
Tanks 'were for Sudan arms race'

He said Malaysia was also sending frigates to join the US warships surrounding the pirates.

According to Russia's Itar-Tass news agency, the Russian warship Neutrashimy is to commence patrols in the Gulf of Aden on 6 November.

The warship is reported to be carrying marines and commandoes on board.

The Ukrainian vessel - the Faina - was carrying T-72 tanks, rifles and heavy weapons when it was seized last week and is being held off the coast, near the town of Hobyo.

Most of the 20 crew are Ukrainian or Latvian; one Russian has reportedly died of illness.

The ship is surrounded by US warships, which is not allowing the heavy weapons to be taken off the ship.

Piracy off the coast of Somalia has cost up to $30m (£17m) in ransoms so far this year, a report has said.

Russians killed in Georgia blast

Russians killed in Georgia blast
Advertisement
Smoke rises from the scene of the explosion

A blast in Georgia's breakaway region of South Ossetia killed seven Russian soldiers, a Russian commander says.

The soldiers died when a car full of explosives blew up near a Russian military base in the regional capital, Tskhinvali, local officials said.

Georgia said Russia organised the explosion as a pretext to delay withdrawing troops from South Ossetia.

But Russia blamed Georgia, saying it was an attempt to undermine a ceasefire agreement between the two sides.

Tension remains high in the region following the conflict between Russia and Georgia over the summer.

Seven other soldiers were injured in the blast, the Russian military commander in South Ossetia said.

According to a statement from the South Ossetian breakaway government, Russian troops had confiscated the vehicle that blew up from an ethnic Georgian village because it was carrying weapons.

Russian television footage showed a black plume of smoke rising from behind metal gates at the base.
Russia says it plans to keep thousands of troops in South Ossetia

An unidentified Russian foreign ministry official said forces "striving to destabilise the situation" were behind the blast, Russian media reported.

South Ossetian leader Eduard Kokoity went further, describing it as "a deliberate terrorist act prepared by the Georgian Security Ministry", Russia's Itar-Tass news agency said.

Georgian Interior Ministry spokesman Shota Utiashvili rejected the allegation.

"I think this is a provocation with the aim of keeping Russian forces in Georgia," he told the AFP new agency.

EU monitors

The BBC's James Rodgers, in Moscow, says it is the most serious incident in South Ossetia since Russia and Georgia fought over the territory two months ago.


Q&A: Conflict in Georgia

Fighting began there on 7 August when Georgia tried to retake South Ossetia by force after a series of lower-level clashes.

Russia launched a counter-attack and the Georgian troops were ejected from South Ossetia and another region, Abkhazia, several days later.

Earlier this week, European Union monitors entered a Russian-controlled buffer zone around South Ossetia, as part of a French-brokered peace deal between the two sides.

Russia says it will pull out from the buffer zone and another around Abkhazia by 10 October.

But it has recognised the two breakaway regions as independent and says it will keep nearly 8,000 troops in the two areas.

The EU wants its observers to have access to the breakaway regions, but Russia has repeatedly refused to guarantee that

Russians killed in Georgia blast

Russians killed in Georgia blast
Advertisement
Smoke rises from the scene of the explosion

A blast in Georgia's breakaway region of South Ossetia killed seven Russian soldiers, a Russian commander says.

The soldiers died when a car full of explosives blew up near a Russian military base in the regional capital, Tskhinvali, local officials said.

Georgia said Russia organised the explosion as a pretext to delay withdrawing troops from South Ossetia.

But Russia blamed Georgia, saying it was an attempt to undermine a ceasefire agreement between the two sides.

Tension remains high in the region following the conflict between Russia and Georgia over the summer.

Seven other soldiers were injured in the blast, the Russian military commander in South Ossetia said.

According to a statement from the South Ossetian breakaway government, Russian troops had confiscated the vehicle that blew up from an ethnic Georgian village because it was carrying weapons.

Russian television footage showed a black plume of smoke rising from behind metal gates at the base.
Russia says it plans to keep thousands of troops in South Ossetia

An unidentified Russian foreign ministry official said forces "striving to destabilise the situation" were behind the blast, Russian media reported.

South Ossetian leader Eduard Kokoity went further, describing it as "a deliberate terrorist act prepared by the Georgian Security Ministry", Russia's Itar-Tass news agency said.

Georgian Interior Ministry spokesman Shota Utiashvili rejected the allegation.

"I think this is a provocation with the aim of keeping Russian forces in Georgia," he told the AFP new agency.

EU monitors

The BBC's James Rodgers, in Moscow, says it is the most serious incident in South Ossetia since Russia and Georgia fought over the territory two months ago.


Q&A: Conflict in Georgia

Fighting began there on 7 August when Georgia tried to retake South Ossetia by force after a series of lower-level clashes.

Russia launched a counter-attack and the Georgian troops were ejected from South Ossetia and another region, Abkhazia, several days later.

Earlier this week, European Union monitors entered a Russian-controlled buffer zone around South Ossetia, as part of a French-brokered peace deal between the two sides.

Russia says it will pull out from the buffer zone and another around Abkhazia by 10 October.

But it has recognised the two breakaway regions as independent and says it will keep nearly 8,000 troops in the two areas.

The EU wants its observers to have access to the breakaway regions, but Russia has repeatedly refused to guarantee that

Russia call to halt Somali piracy

Russia call to halt Somali piracy

Pirates wants a $20m ransom for the Ukrainian ship and its cargo
Russia's foreign minister has called for joint international action to halt pirate attacks off the Horn of Africa.

"Russia aims to stop the outrageous actions of Somali pirates," Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said.

A Russian warship has already been despatched to Somali waters following last week's seizure of a Ukrainian ship laden with 33 Russian-made tanks.

The pirates are demanding a $20m (£11m) ransom for the vessel which is surrounded by US navy warships.

On Thursday, the European Union agreed to establish an anti-piracy security operation off the coast of Somalia to become operational in November.

Mr Lavrov said the Russians would participate in international efforts to halt the piracy and called for a UN resolution to tackle the problem.




Life in Somalia's pirate town
Somali piracy costs $30m
Tanks 'were for Sudan arms race'

He said Malaysia was also sending frigates to join the US warships surrounding the pirates.

According to Russia's Itar-Tass news agency, the Russian warship Neutrashimy is to commence patrols in the Gulf of Aden on 6 November.

The warship is reported to be carrying marines and commandoes on board.

The Ukrainian vessel - the Faina - was carrying T-72 tanks, rifles and heavy weapons when it was seized last week and is being held off the coast, near the town of Hobyo.

Most of the 20 crew are Ukrainian or Latvian; one Russian has reportedly died of illness.

The ship is surrounded by US warships, which is not allowing the heavy weapons to be taken off the ship.

Piracy off the coast of Somalia has cost up to $30m (£17m) in ransoms so far this year, a report has said.

Russia call to halt Somali piracy

Russia call to halt Somali piracy

Pirates wants a $20m ransom for the Ukrainian ship and its cargo
Russia's foreign minister has called for joint international action to halt pirate attacks off the Horn of Africa.

"Russia aims to stop the outrageous actions of Somali pirates," Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said.

A Russian warship has already been despatched to Somali waters following last week's seizure of a Ukrainian ship laden with 33 Russian-made tanks.

The pirates are demanding a $20m (£11m) ransom for the vessel which is surrounded by US navy warships.

On Thursday, the European Union agreed to establish an anti-piracy security operation off the coast of Somalia to become operational in November.

Mr Lavrov said the Russians would participate in international efforts to halt the piracy and called for a UN resolution to tackle the problem.




Life in Somalia's pirate town
Somali piracy costs $30m
Tanks 'were for Sudan arms race'

He said Malaysia was also sending frigates to join the US warships surrounding the pirates.

According to Russia's Itar-Tass news agency, the Russian warship Neutrashimy is to commence patrols in the Gulf of Aden on 6 November.

The warship is reported to be carrying marines and commandoes on board.

The Ukrainian vessel - the Faina - was carrying T-72 tanks, rifles and heavy weapons when it was seized last week and is being held off the coast, near the town of Hobyo.

Most of the 20 crew are Ukrainian or Latvian; one Russian has reportedly died of illness.

The ship is surrounded by US warships, which is not allowing the heavy weapons to be taken off the ship.

Piracy off the coast of Somalia has cost up to $30m (£17m) in ransoms so far this year, a report has said.

the meanings of sex

It may seem like a silly question for an adult to ask: What is sex? But after speaking and corresponding with thousands of people over the years I’ve come to believe that many of our problems about sex are actually problems of definition. As such every search for information, tips and techniques, or answers to sexual problems can benefit from taking a moment to make sure we know what we’re talking about when we talk about sex.
Definitions of Sex
Anna Freud famously wrote that “sex is something you do, sexuality is something you are.” This way of understanding sex highlights the difference between the act of sex and the individual experience of sexuality, which is an intrinsic part of who we are, one that can’t be separated out of ourselves any more than our ethnicity or religious/spiritual beliefs.Dictionary definitions of sex tend to be less literary, offering several definitions including:
1. Sex is a way of distinguishing male and female members of a species, usually by referencing their reproductive functions.
2. Sex refers to coitus or intercourse, an act that can result in reproduction.
3. Sex refers to the genitals.
The answer you get to the question “what is sex” depends largely on who you ask. A doctor might tell you that sex is defined by hormones in your body; a therapist might say that sex is all in your head; a guru may tell you that sex is about getting closer to God. Given such broad definitions, it can be helpful to narrow your focus and figure out what aspect of sex you want to learn more about.
* Famous Quotes about Sex and Sexuality
* Sex Definitions and Glossary
Statistics about Sex
One way to define sex is to find out what others are doing in the name of sex, and try to count and categorize these behaviors. It can be informative and reassuring to discover the kinds of sexual diversity in the world (indeed many researchers choose to look at sexual behaviors in other animal species, not just humans). But always keep in mind that statistics can only capture one aspect of sex, and for the thousands of individuals who are counted, millions are not.
* Where to Find Statistics about Sexual Behaviors
* Statistics on Teen Sexual Behavior
Sex Is Our Body
The most obvious and most frequently talked about part of sex is the physical part that involves our bodies. The sexual parts of our bodies are usually considered to be the parts that relate to reproduction: the genitals. But every part of our body can play a role in sex. We may use our feet to physically get us to where we’re going to have sex, we might use our elbows, thighs, or eyelashes during sex play, our earlobes may be involved in unexpected ways. Learning more about how your body works when having sex, and how you can work it more, and better, can expand your definition of sex exponentially.
* Sexual Anatomy and Response
* Sex How Tos and Sex Tips
* Sex Beyond Intercourse
Sex Is Our Mind
It’s often said that the greatest sex organ is the mind. How we think and feel about our bodies and ourselves, and how we interpret the physical contact we have with others is really what distinguishes good sex from bad. While some people worry about “over thinking” sex, the fact is that exploring our sexual thoughts and feelings may be much more important than trying on the latest sex position or role play outfit.
* Body Image and Sexuality
* How to Talk about Sex
* What Makes a Great Lover?
Sex Is Our Spirit
Sex and religion may appear to be unlikely bedfellows, but most major religions have a lot to say about sexuality (). And besides, saying that sex can be defined in spiritual terms doesn’t have to include organized religion. For some, sex is spiritual because they do feel like it brings them closer to a “higher power.” For others it is their personal religious beliefs that guide their sexual behaviors. Regardless of how it impacts you, your religious or spiritual beliefs and convictions make up part of your personal definition of sex, and exploring them is another way of exploring sex.
* Spiritual Sex
* Abstinence-only Sex Education
Sex Is Our Health
Expanding a definition of sex to include sexual health is a good way to bring all these different parts of sex together. Over 30 years ago the World Health Organization defined sexual health as:
“…a state of physical, emotional, mental and social well-being in relation to sexuality; it is not merely the absence of disease, dysfunction or infirmity. Sexual health requires a positive and respectful approach to sexuality and sexual relationships, as well as the possibility of having pleasurable and safe sexual experiences, free of coercion, discrimination and violence. For sexual health to be attained and maintained, the sexual rights of all persons must be respected, protected and fulfilled.”

the meanings of sex

It may seem like a silly question for an adult to ask: What is sex? But after speaking and corresponding with thousands of people over the years I’ve come to believe that many of our problems about sex are actually problems of definition. As such every search for information, tips and techniques, or answers to sexual problems can benefit from taking a moment to make sure we know what we’re talking about when we talk about sex.
Definitions of Sex
Anna Freud famously wrote that “sex is something you do, sexuality is something you are.” This way of understanding sex highlights the difference between the act of sex and the individual experience of sexuality, which is an intrinsic part of who we are, one that can’t be separated out of ourselves any more than our ethnicity or religious/spiritual beliefs.Dictionary definitions of sex tend to be less literary, offering several definitions including:
1. Sex is a way of distinguishing male and female members of a species, usually by referencing their reproductive functions.
2. Sex refers to coitus or intercourse, an act that can result in reproduction.
3. Sex refers to the genitals.
The answer you get to the question “what is sex” depends largely on who you ask. A doctor might tell you that sex is defined by hormones in your body; a therapist might say that sex is all in your head; a guru may tell you that sex is about getting closer to God. Given such broad definitions, it can be helpful to narrow your focus and figure out what aspect of sex you want to learn more about.
* Famous Quotes about Sex and Sexuality
* Sex Definitions and Glossary
Statistics about Sex
One way to define sex is to find out what others are doing in the name of sex, and try to count and categorize these behaviors. It can be informative and reassuring to discover the kinds of sexual diversity in the world (indeed many researchers choose to look at sexual behaviors in other animal species, not just humans). But always keep in mind that statistics can only capture one aspect of sex, and for the thousands of individuals who are counted, millions are not.
* Where to Find Statistics about Sexual Behaviors
* Statistics on Teen Sexual Behavior
Sex Is Our Body
The most obvious and most frequently talked about part of sex is the physical part that involves our bodies. The sexual parts of our bodies are usually considered to be the parts that relate to reproduction: the genitals. But every part of our body can play a role in sex. We may use our feet to physically get us to where we’re going to have sex, we might use our elbows, thighs, or eyelashes during sex play, our earlobes may be involved in unexpected ways. Learning more about how your body works when having sex, and how you can work it more, and better, can expand your definition of sex exponentially.
* Sexual Anatomy and Response
* Sex How Tos and Sex Tips
* Sex Beyond Intercourse
Sex Is Our Mind
It’s often said that the greatest sex organ is the mind. How we think and feel about our bodies and ourselves, and how we interpret the physical contact we have with others is really what distinguishes good sex from bad. While some people worry about “over thinking” sex, the fact is that exploring our sexual thoughts and feelings may be much more important than trying on the latest sex position or role play outfit.
* Body Image and Sexuality
* How to Talk about Sex
* What Makes a Great Lover?
Sex Is Our Spirit
Sex and religion may appear to be unlikely bedfellows, but most major religions have a lot to say about sexuality (). And besides, saying that sex can be defined in spiritual terms doesn’t have to include organized religion. For some, sex is spiritual because they do feel like it brings them closer to a “higher power.” For others it is their personal religious beliefs that guide their sexual behaviors. Regardless of how it impacts you, your religious or spiritual beliefs and convictions make up part of your personal definition of sex, and exploring them is another way of exploring sex.
* Spiritual Sex
* Abstinence-only Sex Education
Sex Is Our Health
Expanding a definition of sex to include sexual health is a good way to bring all these different parts of sex together. Over 30 years ago the World Health Organization defined sexual health as:
“…a state of physical, emotional, mental and social well-being in relation to sexuality; it is not merely the absence of disease, dysfunction or infirmity. Sexual health requires a positive and respectful approach to sexuality and sexual relationships, as well as the possibility of having pleasurable and safe sexual experiences, free of coercion, discrimination and violence. For sexual health to be attained and maintained, the sexual rights of all persons must be respected, protected and fulfilled.”

Hot Cambodian Asian girl

Hot Cambodian Asian girl

Asian sexy girls

Download Clip Here

Asian sexy girls

Download Clip Here

Teen problem

Associated Press Writer.

The unlikely stars of Ice Cube's new video are the grieving relatives of a 17-year-old high school football star who was shot to death outside his home.

The song "Why Me?" speaks out against senseless violence and gun crime devastating communities. Cube says Jamiel Shaw Jr.'s family is a powerful illustration of the pain that lingers after a murder.

"It just was a tragic, tragic story of why," Cube says. "Young people are dying for no reason all over the world that don't know why. It's ugly, everywhere."

Shaw had been on track for a college sports scholarship when he was gunned down in March a few yards from his house in a working-class neighborhood south of downtown Los Angeles. His mother was serving in the Army in Iraq at the time.

Pedro Espinoza, an illegal immigrant and suspected gang member who had been released from jail a day earlier on weapons charges, has pleaded not guilty to murder.

Prosecutors say Espinoza drove to Shaw's neighborhood and shot him after asking him about his gang affiliation. Police have said Shaw was never in a gang.

The rap video begins with the tightly framed, sorrow-filled faces of Shaw's parents and aunt. His father recounts a final conversation with his son.

"To drive this home, it was only right to use real family and not use a bunch of actors," Cube says.

His video features photographs of dozens of other crime victims blowing from a tree, then across the sand in the desert. It also depicts a young man in a football jersey being gunned down on a street. As he lays dying, he asks, "Why me homie, why me?"

Espinoza's early release from jail led the Shaws to call for the passage of "Jamiel's Law," which would push Los Angeles police to crack down on illegal immigrant gang members.

Cube says the video is not meant as an endorsement of the move.

"It ain't really a commentary on that," he says. "You've got a person being killed by a person he don't know for a reason he don't know ... Who cares if it was an immigrant or if it was a taxpaying citizen?"

For the Shaws, appearing in the video was a chance to further their petition drive to qualify the proposed law for the November ballot.

"Every time I start watching it, I start crying," Jamiel Shaw Sr. says. "At the same time, I feel good that we are getting the word out."

Teen problem

Associated Press Writer.

The unlikely stars of Ice Cube's new video are the grieving relatives of a 17-year-old high school football star who was shot to death outside his home.

The song "Why Me?" speaks out against senseless violence and gun crime devastating communities. Cube says Jamiel Shaw Jr.'s family is a powerful illustration of the pain that lingers after a murder.

"It just was a tragic, tragic story of why," Cube says. "Young people are dying for no reason all over the world that don't know why. It's ugly, everywhere."

Shaw had been on track for a college sports scholarship when he was gunned down in March a few yards from his house in a working-class neighborhood south of downtown Los Angeles. His mother was serving in the Army in Iraq at the time.

Pedro Espinoza, an illegal immigrant and suspected gang member who had been released from jail a day earlier on weapons charges, has pleaded not guilty to murder.

Prosecutors say Espinoza drove to Shaw's neighborhood and shot him after asking him about his gang affiliation. Police have said Shaw was never in a gang.

The rap video begins with the tightly framed, sorrow-filled faces of Shaw's parents and aunt. His father recounts a final conversation with his son.

"To drive this home, it was only right to use real family and not use a bunch of actors," Cube says.

His video features photographs of dozens of other crime victims blowing from a tree, then across the sand in the desert. It also depicts a young man in a football jersey being gunned down on a street. As he lays dying, he asks, "Why me homie, why me?"

Espinoza's early release from jail led the Shaws to call for the passage of "Jamiel's Law," which would push Los Angeles police to crack down on illegal immigrant gang members.

Cube says the video is not meant as an endorsement of the move.

"It ain't really a commentary on that," he says. "You've got a person being killed by a person he don't know for a reason he don't know ... Who cares if it was an immigrant or if it was a taxpaying citizen?"

For the Shaws, appearing in the video was a chance to further their petition drive to qualify the proposed law for the November ballot.

"Every time I start watching it, I start crying," Jamiel Shaw Sr. says. "At the same time, I feel good that we are getting the word out."

Asian teenager...Click to see more Pictures

Your score on their sexual lovemap. We fancy people who look or act like other people we love or have loved. From the moment we're born, our brain continuously feeds us physical data about people close to us. It divides these characteristics into 'people I like and were nice to me' and 'people I don't like who hurt me', then it tries to generalize. If two-thirds of the people you've disliked had bushy eyebrows, you'll be suspicious of everyone who has a hair or two extra. If it was the opposite, your tongue will be on the floor at the sight of them. When we meet a potential partner, our subconscious checks against the 'liked people' list in our heads and tries to find the closest match. The more 'chemistry' we feel, the more matches we've found. We do the same with gestures. The way she brushes the hair from her neck, the dimple he gets when he smiles, all affect our opinion of who's sexy, who's not. Lesson: Don't take rejection personally. It's not just about you, it's about their past. (All the more reason to take risks and go for what you want!)

















• You've perfected one supersexy look Some people seem born knowing how to turn legs and loins to jelly with one look. The best look I've ever received was from a guy sitting opposite me in a restaurant. I was having a business lunch, he was there with friends and I noticed him because he had the sexiest mouth I've ever seen in my life. Over the next two hours he drank 3 glasses of wine, ate salmon fishcakes but skipped dessert (doesn't have a sweet tooth), divulged plans to buy a house on the river, would love to come to Peter's place for dinner next week and if the neighbour's cat pees on his front porch one more time it's history. Not that I was looking at him or eavesdropping or anything. I was hardly noticed he was there. OK, in between staying supremely focused on the work issues I was discussing with a colleague (not), I might have darted a few (65 billion) little glances at him. He looked at me just once. His eyes slid up, caught mine and then, maintaining eye contact, he sat back, put down his knife and fork and simply stared at me. His lips curled in a half-smile which made me drop my eyes to look at his mouth and that's when he caught his bottom lip with his teeth, released it slowly and then, when my eyes went back up to his, smiled. It wasn't a 'Would like to get to know you' smile. It wasn't even an 'I've watched you watching me' smile. This was predatory: a we-both-know-I-could-make-you-faint-with-pleasure smile. I suspect he was right because I damn near fainted on the spot, without him even touching me. Now, that's what I call sexy.

Mr Sexy Stranger had it down pat. Happily, it's something everyone can learn. Practise in front of a mirror. Yes, you will feel like a right twit but who cares if you can waltz around making people swoon all over the place.

Lesson: Copy what he did or invent your own. Choose from the many eye contact techniques in the book, then add your own individual mouth, hand or hair movements until you've come up with your own signature 'sex look'.

• You've chosen your moment Certain events and situations make us more attractive to someone. If someone's just been dumped, lost their job or been through a rough time, they're much more likely to find you sexy than when life's going well. When your self-esteem is low, you underestimate your own attractiveness and over-estimate other people's. You're vulnerable, need a cuddle and are less fussy about who gives it to you! Being scared also has the same effect - but for different reasons. Research shows when our bodies are flooded with adrenaline, we're more likely to fancy whoever is with us at the time. Which makes mountain climbing or skydiving a damn good option for a date (though a rollercoaster ride or seeing a good thriller will also do the trick). Lesson: This also means it pays to be around immediately before and after things like job interviews and dreaded public speaking events. If you fancy them, volunteer to hold their hand.

• You don't go overboard on the compliments Once, while making a TV show, I had to be filmed walking in and out of the front doors of a busy bar. Needless to say, this took rather a long time since it's pointless even bothering to ask big groups of drunk people not to look at someone repeatedly making an entrance surrounded by three whopping great cameras. Anyway, the first time I walked in, a guy sitting near the bar said to me, 'I read somewhere that you're 35 but there's no way you are. You're having us all on.' Given that I was 39 at the time, I was obviously flattered and the next walk was a lot bloody jauntier, let me tell you. Problem was, he insisted in telling me the same thing every single time I came through the door. All 10 takes were ruined by his you-don't-look-your-age line, to the point where you had to assume he wasn't the sharpest tool in the shed. My suspicions were confirmed (and ego dashed to the ground) when another man came bursting through the doors to claim him. 'He escaped,' he said, 'He's not meant to be unaccompanied'. Excellent.

You get my point though. When someone tells us we're sexy, young-looking, funny, clever - whatever - it has the optimum effect the first time it's said. Keep harping on about it and you not only dilute the compliment, you get the opposite reaction to the one intended: instead of liking you, they find you annoying.

Lesson: Only compliment people once on that particular attribute.

• They know you fancy them We fancy people who fancy us. If you know someone thinks you're brilliant, you instantly up their attractiveness to make it more of a compliment. It also forces you to consider them as a prospective partner and - perhaps most importantly - provides some (often much-needed) feedback. You've got to have hope or you give up. There's no point in being attracted to someone when we know without a doubt, there isn't a chance in hell of ever waking up to find their face beside yours on the pillow.

Lesson: Let people know if you think they're sexy.

• You're happy to get your gear off Few of us are completely happy with our body and proud to prance around naked. Yet nothing is sexier when it's let's-get-naked time than someone who shows off their bits and let's their lover admire them, rather than cowering under the covers. There's loads on getting over a bad body image on pX, but I just want to have a little word here about size hang-ups. Most particularly that size hang-up guys. I know you've heard it before but I'm going to tell you again (and you have to listen to me because I'm a 'sexpert' remember?): people don't fall in love with bits, they fall in love with the person they're attached to. Make this your personal mantra if you are concerned you're too small. There's loads you can do to even it all up - any good sexual manual will fill you in on the specifics - so do your homework, but then forget about it. (To solve any misconceptions once and for all, here are all the statistics you could possibly want. An average flaccid (relaxed) penis is about 4 inches long, 1 ¼ inches in diameter and has a circumference of 3 ½ inches. An average erect penis is about 6 inches long, 1 ½ inches in diameter, with a circumference of 4 ½ inches. While we're on the topic, penises don't seem to be proportionate to body size either. The tall, muscle-bound body builder doesn't necessarily have a large penis. If anything, there appears to be an inverse connection. Evidence suggests small, slender men often have proportionally larger genitals.)• You stick your bum out Women spend their lives trying to reduce the size of their buttocks - yet the more pert and rounded they are, the stronger the sexual signal to men. Bottoms are so integral to sex appeal, zoologist Desmond Morris believes they're even more important than the two matching bumps on our front. Females of all other primates send sexual signals via the colour and smell of their bottoms, which, since they walk on all fours, are in full view of potential mates. Humans have evolved to walk upright and we tend to face people, which means our bottoms aren't on constant display. Breasts provide us with a front-on sexual signalling device. Not only do they mimic our buttocks to attract a partner, our nipples tend to stiffen with desire to show we fancy them. (Unfortunately, a cold breeze has the same effect which confuses things somewhat, but the thought was there).

To show your bottom off to its best advantage, turn your back to someone you fancy, put your hand on one hip, shift your body weight so the hip with your hand on it juts out furthest, then turn your upper torso around and make eye contact. Just as good: put your hand in the back pocket of a tight-fitting pair of jeans or (absently) slide both hands over your hips. The overall show-off-your-bottom award though goes to… high heels. Heels lengthen legs and shorten bottoms. According to the Harper's Index (yes, bizarre as it sounds, there is an index for measuring this), the average increase in the protrusion of a woman's buttocks wearing heels is 25 percent. (This, remember, is a good thing.) They might not have their own ass-index, but a tight, toned male bottom also rates extremely high on the 'Cor!' sex scale for women.

Lesson: Stop asking 'Does my bum look big in this?' and start asking, 'Does my bum look big enough?'

Asian teenager...Click to see more Pictures

Your score on their sexual lovemap. We fancy people who look or act like other people we love or have loved. From the moment we're born, our brain continuously feeds us physical data about people close to us. It divides these characteristics into 'people I like and were nice to me' and 'people I don't like who hurt me', then it tries to generalize. If two-thirds of the people you've disliked had bushy eyebrows, you'll be suspicious of everyone who has a hair or two extra. If it was the opposite, your tongue will be on the floor at the sight of them. When we meet a potential partner, our subconscious checks against the 'liked people' list in our heads and tries to find the closest match. The more 'chemistry' we feel, the more matches we've found. We do the same with gestures. The way she brushes the hair from her neck, the dimple he gets when he smiles, all affect our opinion of who's sexy, who's not. Lesson: Don't take rejection personally. It's not just about you, it's about their past. (All the more reason to take risks and go for what you want!)

















• You've perfected one supersexy look Some people seem born knowing how to turn legs and loins to jelly with one look. The best look I've ever received was from a guy sitting opposite me in a restaurant. I was having a business lunch, he was there with friends and I noticed him because he had the sexiest mouth I've ever seen in my life. Over the next two hours he drank 3 glasses of wine, ate salmon fishcakes but skipped dessert (doesn't have a sweet tooth), divulged plans to buy a house on the river, would love to come to Peter's place for dinner next week and if the neighbour's cat pees on his front porch one more time it's history. Not that I was looking at him or eavesdropping or anything. I was hardly noticed he was there. OK, in between staying supremely focused on the work issues I was discussing with a colleague (not), I might have darted a few (65 billion) little glances at him. He looked at me just once. His eyes slid up, caught mine and then, maintaining eye contact, he sat back, put down his knife and fork and simply stared at me. His lips curled in a half-smile which made me drop my eyes to look at his mouth and that's when he caught his bottom lip with his teeth, released it slowly and then, when my eyes went back up to his, smiled. It wasn't a 'Would like to get to know you' smile. It wasn't even an 'I've watched you watching me' smile. This was predatory: a we-both-know-I-could-make-you-faint-with-pleasure smile. I suspect he was right because I damn near fainted on the spot, without him even touching me. Now, that's what I call sexy.

Mr Sexy Stranger had it down pat. Happily, it's something everyone can learn. Practise in front of a mirror. Yes, you will feel like a right twit but who cares if you can waltz around making people swoon all over the place.

Lesson: Copy what he did or invent your own. Choose from the many eye contact techniques in the book, then add your own individual mouth, hand or hair movements until you've come up with your own signature 'sex look'.

• You've chosen your moment Certain events and situations make us more attractive to someone. If someone's just been dumped, lost their job or been through a rough time, they're much more likely to find you sexy than when life's going well. When your self-esteem is low, you underestimate your own attractiveness and over-estimate other people's. You're vulnerable, need a cuddle and are less fussy about who gives it to you! Being scared also has the same effect - but for different reasons. Research shows when our bodies are flooded with adrenaline, we're more likely to fancy whoever is with us at the time. Which makes mountain climbing or skydiving a damn good option for a date (though a rollercoaster ride or seeing a good thriller will also do the trick). Lesson: This also means it pays to be around immediately before and after things like job interviews and dreaded public speaking events. If you fancy them, volunteer to hold their hand.

• You don't go overboard on the compliments Once, while making a TV show, I had to be filmed walking in and out of the front doors of a busy bar. Needless to say, this took rather a long time since it's pointless even bothering to ask big groups of drunk people not to look at someone repeatedly making an entrance surrounded by three whopping great cameras. Anyway, the first time I walked in, a guy sitting near the bar said to me, 'I read somewhere that you're 35 but there's no way you are. You're having us all on.' Given that I was 39 at the time, I was obviously flattered and the next walk was a lot bloody jauntier, let me tell you. Problem was, he insisted in telling me the same thing every single time I came through the door. All 10 takes were ruined by his you-don't-look-your-age line, to the point where you had to assume he wasn't the sharpest tool in the shed. My suspicions were confirmed (and ego dashed to the ground) when another man came bursting through the doors to claim him. 'He escaped,' he said, 'He's not meant to be unaccompanied'. Excellent.

You get my point though. When someone tells us we're sexy, young-looking, funny, clever - whatever - it has the optimum effect the first time it's said. Keep harping on about it and you not only dilute the compliment, you get the opposite reaction to the one intended: instead of liking you, they find you annoying.

Lesson: Only compliment people once on that particular attribute.

• They know you fancy them We fancy people who fancy us. If you know someone thinks you're brilliant, you instantly up their attractiveness to make it more of a compliment. It also forces you to consider them as a prospective partner and - perhaps most importantly - provides some (often much-needed) feedback. You've got to have hope or you give up. There's no point in being attracted to someone when we know without a doubt, there isn't a chance in hell of ever waking up to find their face beside yours on the pillow.

Lesson: Let people know if you think they're sexy.

• You're happy to get your gear off Few of us are completely happy with our body and proud to prance around naked. Yet nothing is sexier when it's let's-get-naked time than someone who shows off their bits and let's their lover admire them, rather than cowering under the covers. There's loads on getting over a bad body image on pX, but I just want to have a little word here about size hang-ups. Most particularly that size hang-up guys. I know you've heard it before but I'm going to tell you again (and you have to listen to me because I'm a 'sexpert' remember?): people don't fall in love with bits, they fall in love with the person they're attached to. Make this your personal mantra if you are concerned you're too small. There's loads you can do to even it all up - any good sexual manual will fill you in on the specifics - so do your homework, but then forget about it. (To solve any misconceptions once and for all, here are all the statistics you could possibly want. An average flaccid (relaxed) penis is about 4 inches long, 1 ¼ inches in diameter and has a circumference of 3 ½ inches. An average erect penis is about 6 inches long, 1 ½ inches in diameter, with a circumference of 4 ½ inches. While we're on the topic, penises don't seem to be proportionate to body size either. The tall, muscle-bound body builder doesn't necessarily have a large penis. If anything, there appears to be an inverse connection. Evidence suggests small, slender men often have proportionally larger genitals.)• You stick your bum out Women spend their lives trying to reduce the size of their buttocks - yet the more pert and rounded they are, the stronger the sexual signal to men. Bottoms are so integral to sex appeal, zoologist Desmond Morris believes they're even more important than the two matching bumps on our front. Females of all other primates send sexual signals via the colour and smell of their bottoms, which, since they walk on all fours, are in full view of potential mates. Humans have evolved to walk upright and we tend to face people, which means our bottoms aren't on constant display. Breasts provide us with a front-on sexual signalling device. Not only do they mimic our buttocks to attract a partner, our nipples tend to stiffen with desire to show we fancy them. (Unfortunately, a cold breeze has the same effect which confuses things somewhat, but the thought was there).

To show your bottom off to its best advantage, turn your back to someone you fancy, put your hand on one hip, shift your body weight so the hip with your hand on it juts out furthest, then turn your upper torso around and make eye contact. Just as good: put your hand in the back pocket of a tight-fitting pair of jeans or (absently) slide both hands over your hips. The overall show-off-your-bottom award though goes to… high heels. Heels lengthen legs and shorten bottoms. According to the Harper's Index (yes, bizarre as it sounds, there is an index for measuring this), the average increase in the protrusion of a woman's buttocks wearing heels is 25 percent. (This, remember, is a good thing.) They might not have their own ass-index, but a tight, toned male bottom also rates extremely high on the 'Cor!' sex scale for women.

Lesson: Stop asking 'Does my bum look big in this?' and start asking, 'Does my bum look big enough?'