Forgotten Etiquette

There are certain etiquette rules that people are meant to follow. In the past, these rules bound society together so that it was safe. But, it is safe to say that they have pretty much been forgotten today.

Men’s Wedding Clothing

The rule here is that you are getting married in the evening, you should wear a morning suit or a formal suit and not a tuxedo. In addition to that, you should give a tie to the men that are taking part in the wedding and make sure that the shade is similar to the one you will be wearing.

Opening The Door

Men are supposed to open the door for ladies- whether they know them or not. It was the done thing in the past but over the years, this etiquette rule has been pushed out. What’s more, women today seem to get embarrassed to start smirking if the man has enough sense to open the car or building door for her.

Writing Thank-you Notes

It is only decent to write a thank-you note after receiving a gift- no matter how close or distant the giver is. About 3 or 4 decades ago, parents made it a point to teach their children how to write these notes at a very early age. Today the very idea is laughed at.

It is Rude to Ask for Gifts

Today it is normal to receive weddings invitations that mention exactly what the bride would like to receive as a gift. This would be okay if she wanted cheap gifts but they tend to take advantage of the situation and ask for gifts that are worth at least a thousand dollars! Actually, it is never okay, so don’t do it.

Leaving at the Right Time

Guests are supposed to leave a party once the guest of honor (the oldest guest, basically) has left. People today come and go as they please- they decide to leave once they have had enough to drink at the open bar or when they catch a glimpse of the sunrise.

Arriving on Time

According to this etiquette rule, guests are supposed to arrive at the given time and not wait about at home till they are sure that they will either make a grand entrance or be fashionably late. In the olden times, if you arrived at a dinner part even 15 minutes late, you would be expected to eat in the kitchen with the staff and join the rest of the guests only when they were done eating.

Eating Together

Etiquette rules at the dinner table are happily ignored today. The family members are supposed to dress for the meal and eat only if everybody is at the dinner table.

Parental Unity

These rules should be followed by parents all around the world. Firstly, they should never argue in front of their children and they should never try to turn the child against the other. Secondly, if the child’s father tells him to do something, the mother must make sure that he goes through with it.

Discretion on the Street

In the past, if people were walking on the street, they would talk in hushed tones, dress well and refrain from doing anything that would could be termed as attention-seeking. Today people walk about practically in their underwear and scream on their mobile phones on their way to the grocery store.

Money Matters

A gentleman is not supposed to borrow cash from a lady, he should pay back the borrowed amount as soon as possible and he should not talk about money.

Countries With Low Marriage Rates

How many of us wondered which countries have the most singles? This is your lucky day. If you go on vacation to one of the following countries, do look for someone there. You will likely find that someone.The survey was taken in 2011

Colombia:

This country in South America has 2.4 marriages per 1000 people living in the country. This is surprising since 70% of the country is urban.

Venezuela:

This South American country has 2.8 marriages per 1000 people, according to 2006 statistics. All marriages must comply with laws in Venezuela.

Dominican Republic:

Dominican Republic had 2.8 marriages per 1000 people in its country. It does not stop tourists from getting married on the beach in the country and having a honeymoon there too. Many Americans also get a quickie divorce from the Dominican Republic

Georgia:

Georgia had 2.9 marriages per 1000 people in its country. This is the country that still widely operates bride kidnapping. The groom is able to kidnap the woman he wants and marries her.

Saudi Arabia:

Saudi Arabia had 2.9 marriages per 1000 people in its country. This is in a country where arranged marriage is popular. Traditionally arranged marriages take place between families which know one another and believe their children would be compatible.

Slovenia:

According to 2007 statistics, there were 3.2 marriages per 1000 people in Slovenia. They have the lowest marriage and divorce rates in EU. For every 6,373 marriages in Slovenia in the year 2007, 2,617 got divorced.

Qatar:

There are 3.2 marriages per 1000 people in this oil rich country. Many are opting for single life and/or life as common laws.

Andorra:

Marriage is quite low in this country which allows Spanish and French citizens. 3.6 out of 1000 people get married, according to 2010 statistics. Divorces are outlawed in the country.

Sweden:

According to the 2002 Economist statistics, there are 4.7 marriages for every 1000 people.

UAE:

2005 Statistics found that 4 out of 1000 people get married in UAE. The highest rates are in the AlAin region and vary amongst the 3 regions

Reasons not to get married

Surveying 100 people, here are the top reasons why people choose not to get married. Do you feel the same way? Share your feelings.

Isolation can lead a person into a speedy marriage.
A speedy marriage is not a solution to many problems. Some feel they are even more bored and lonely and will not want to be married.

Less Stress.
Some believe that marriage causes stress and that living a single life can increase your chances of living a longer life.

Many people just do not have enough funds to get married.
A wedding costs around $30-75,000 to prepare. They thus wait or live as common-law.

Some people love living on their own and cherish their alone time.
They simple are not ready to commit to a relationship and sharing with another person their lifestyles.

Previous marriages and divorce discourages others from remarrying.
The whole idea of soul mates and till death do we part has been shredded to pieces. Many have also come from abusive homes and are not yet trusting of another person in their lives.

No one snores.
My friend gave me this as an excuse: no one snores. He has a problem with the other person snoring. I believe that is partly the reason for not marrying.

Expenses are doubled once you marry.
Birthdays,Valentines Day, Gifts, Anniversaries etc. Some people cannot and do not want to think about this. Many think they will be in bigger debts while married.

No need to worry about food items that you buy.
Many people who are single just buy and eat the foods they like. When married, they have to make concessions.

Some people just have a hard time sharing.
My philosophy is that sharing is caring. If you cannot share or care, your actions are speaking louder than words.

Partying, social life is more important.
One of my friends does not want to get married yet. She wants to enjoy single life. She wants to travel, hangout and party. She is almost 27 and said she would not marry until 30.

Best Selling Books

Let us have a look at the compilation of the bestselling books of all time based on the combined sales of all the editions of the books covered in the list.

The Bible

Author- many contributed; 2.5-6 billion copies sold (inconclusive)

Although we may not be able to get material evidence to ascertain the exact number of copies sold, The Bible is easily the most widely read Book of the human race. When the Printing Press was first invented during the Renaissance, the Bible was the first to be printed.

Quotations from the Works of Mao Tse-Tung

Author- Mao Tse-tung; 800 million copies sold

It is also known as The Red Book. Its claim to second spot in the circle of 10 most popular books is mainly due to the large population of its captive readership.

A Tale of Two Cities

Author-Charles Dickens-200 million copies sold

The book is set in Paris and London before and during the French Revolution. It also examines the strife of Third Estate against the aristocracy.

Lord of the Rings

Author: J.R.R. Tolken-150 million copies sold

The books are high fantasy epics that are beloved 50 years later by fans all around the world. It is a continuation of the Hobbit which was another fantasy novel written by the same author.

The Guinness Book of Records

Author- unknown; 115 million copies sold

This bestseller made it to the top because of our penchant for the outrageous and even the bizarre extremes. If you care to learn about the largest ball of ear wax then this book should be on your bookshelf.

American Spelling Book

Author- Noah Webster; 100 million copies sold

This bestseller is an American classic and is the most popular tool of many Americans in honing up their spelling skills. Most Americans give their two thumbs up to this classic bestseller.

The Hobbit

Author-J.R.R. Tolken; 100 million copies sold

This work of fantasy fiction was a predecessor to the Lord of the Rings written by the same author. It was nominated for the Carnegie Medal and won the award from the New York Times Tribune.

The Lion the Witch and the Wardrobe

Author-C.S. Lewis-85 million copies sold

It was ranked by Times as one of 100 Best English Language Novels from 1923 to 2005. The book was published in 47 languages and surrounds the story of a family torn by war in London (WWII).

World Almanac

Author- unknown; 80 million copies sold

This book has become one of regular fixture of book collection of the typical American family and is a ready reference for a quick look at important facts and figures of countries around the globe.

The Davinci Code

Author: Dan Brown; 80 million (2009)

This book was eventually adapted into a movie starring Tom Hanks. It really put conspiracy theories to the test on Davinci and the meaning of his paintings. You’ll never look at each painting with the same eye and the same look after reading this book. It has been translated into 44 languages

Fastest Trains in the World

There are trains which are the fastest. Some of them are noted because they are the largest. Some trains do not fall into any of these categories but are known to carry the largest number of passengers. Newer versions of such super fast trains have started making their appearance around the length and breadth of several countries. They have made travel faster and easier for human beings. The following is the list of the fastest trains in the world!

China
The CRH2 is a modified E 2-1000 series Shinkansen design and is one among the fastest train models in China. It is also the second Shinkansen model of train that was exported. The other one was the 700T series.

Taiwan
The Taiwan High Speed Rail is roughly 335.50 kms and runs along the west coast of Taiwan. It runs to Kaohsiung city from Taipei City and is said to have started its operation on January 5, 2007.

Korea
South Korea’s high-speed rail system, the Korea Train eXpress (KTX) is operated by Korail. It has a high speed of 350km/hr and its technology is based on the French TGV system. Its speed can be limited to 300 km/h for safety during normal service. This super fast train reached a great speed of 352.4 kms per hour on December 16, 2004.

Japan
A network of super fast trains connects Honshu in Japan with other major cities. It also connects Fukuoka on the island of Kyushu and Tokyo. The super fast trains of Japan are known as shinkansen. These trains of bullet types are run by Japan Railways.

Spain
AVE is an abbreviation for Alta Velocidad Española meaning High Speed. It can also imply bird in Spanish. Ave is a network of high speed trains that operate at speeds of up to 300 km/h and connects all important towns and cities in Spain.

UK
A high speed train service in Western Europe, Eurostar connects London and Kent in the United Kingdom, with Brussels in Belgium and Paris and Lille in France. There are also seasonal trains to France and limited services to Disneyland Resort Paris.

France
A high speed train service of France, the TGV rail service was developed by the French national rail operator, SNCF and GEC-Alsthom (now Alstom). The TGV rail network connects Paris with other important cities of France and also nearby countries.

Japan
This is an older version of the maglev Shinkansen and it ran at a speed of 320 mph (515 km/h) in 1990. This was a fastest train in Japan during the 1990’s.

Germany
The TR-07 was a German maglev train which ran from Hamburg reaching a speed of 270.3 mph in 1989. Its noise level was very much reduced owing to the engine design. Transrapid is a German monorail which is presently amongst the quickest of all the trains in the world. It is run by magnetic levitation. During its trial, the train was able to reach speed upto 450 km/hour. The newer and latest versions even reach a speed of over 500 km/hour.

Japan
The MLU001 was a Japanese Maglev Train which ran at a speed of 248.9 mph (400.4 km/h) in 1987. This marked the way for other super fast trains that made its appearance in the 1990’s and 2000’s.