Lifestyle

Functionality, ergonomics key to a comfortable home office

Functionality, ergonomics key to a comfortable home officeBad Honnef, Germany  - An office at home is no longer unusual and is often used for everything from freelance work, telecommuting to more personal pursuits.

"Some people use these home offices for private correspondence, for online banking, tax returns or just to surf the internet," says Ursula Gieismann of VDM, the German Association for Office Furniture.

Regardless of its purpose, the home office should be planned and carefully furnished.

Sharing a room with your sibling can be nerve-wracking

Sharing a room with your sibling can be nerve-wrackingMunich  - Big sisters could write a song about it, and little brothers could too: Sometimes siblings truly get on each others' nerves, especially when they share a bedroom.

But with a few tricks, the room can be arranged so that both children feel comfortable.

"These days when belts have to be tightened, not everyone has enough space to give every child his or her own room," said author and style consultant Jana Jung of Munich. That does not have to be disadvantageous.

North Koreans hooked on South Korean-made film and TV drama DVDs

North Koreans hooked on South Korean-made film and TV drama DVDsSeoul  - North Koreans are watching South Korean-made film and TV drama DVDs in growing numbers, challenging the iron-fisted media control that has effectively isolated 23 million North Koreans from the outside world.

North Korea observers in Seoul estimate that a trickle of the media influx into the otherwise isolated North Koreans has become a stream, despite harsh penalties for those who violate censorship rules.

To text or not to text? How short messages have changed flirting

To text or not to text? How short messages have changed flirtingHamburg  - There is space for just 160 characters on that little cell phone screen, not much space for recounting disastrous misunderstandings, sleepless nights and awful embarrassments.

Text messages are both a curse and a blessing - above all when they are used in new relationships or to flirt.

Children's literature in US: From mean Democrats to gay penguins

Children's literature in US: From mean Democrats to gay penguinsWashington - Two school boys are trying to sell lemonade when they get their first lesson in politics in the children's book "Help! Mom! There Are Liberals Under My Bed."

The picture book features young Tommy and Lou, who have made their own lemonade and are selling it at a makeshift stand to earn a dime or two - as many American youths do during the hot summers. Then along comes the fat mayor, a Democrat, and takes half the boys' income as tax. The book demonstrates to the little ones what spoil sports liberals can be.

Calling all prospective yogis: Take heed

Hamburg  - Madonna practices yoga and so does Courtney Love. Even the German national football team swears by it.

The word yoga translates from Sanskrit into English roughly as "union with superiors" and originated in India. Through its growing popularity in the United States, it has been making a triumphant advance around the world.

The holistic exercise promises relaxation, flexibility and stability. However, anyone who would like yoga to bring their body, spirit and soul into alignment should pay attention to a few things. This begins with the selection of the right type of yoga the practitioners of which are called yogis.

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