Dawn Till Dusk

Happy Diwali !!!!!!

2010-11-03T23:30:00.001+05:30

One day I decided to quit... I quit my job, my relationship, my spirituality... I wanted to quit my life......

2010-09-09T11:58:00.001+05:30

I went to the woods to have one last talk with God.

"God", I said. "Can you give me one good reason not to quit?" His answer surprised me...

"Look around", He said. "Do you see the fern and the bamboo?" "Yes", I replied.

When I planted the fern and the bamboo seeds, I took very good care of them. I gave them light. I gave them water. The fern quickly grew from the earth. Its brilliant green covered the floor. Yet nothing came from the bamboo seed.

But I did not quit on the bamboo. In the second year the Fern grew more vibrant and plentiful.

And again, nothing came from the bamboo seed. But I did not quit on the bamboo. He said.

"In the third year, there was still nothing from the bamboo seed. But I would not quit. In the fourth year, again, there was nothing from the bamboo seed. "I would not quit." He said. "Then in the fifth year a tiny sprout emerged from the earth.

Compared to the fern it was seemingly small and insignificant... But just 6 months later the bamboo rose to over 100 feet tall. It had spent the five years growing roots.

Those roots made it strong and gave it what it needed to survive. I would not give any of my creations a challenge it could not handle."

He said to me. "Did you know, my child, that all this time you have been struggling, you have actually been growing roots."

"I would not quit on the bamboo. I will never quit on you. " Don't compare yourself to others .." He said. " The bamboo had a different purpose than the fern ... Yet, they both make the forest beautiful."

Your time will come, " God said to me. " You will rise high! " How high should I rise?" I asked.
How high will the bamboo rise?" He asked in return. "As high as it can? " I questioned.
" Yes. " He said, "Give me glory by rising as high as you can. "

I hope these words can help you see that God will never give up on you.. Never regret a day in your life.

Good days give you happiness
Bad days give you experiences;
Both are essential to life.

A happy and meaningful life requires our continuous input and creativity. It does not happen by chance. It happens because of our choices and actions. And each day we are given new opportunities to choose and act and, in doing so, we create our own unique journey." Keep going...

Happiness keeps you Sweet, Trials keep you Strong, Sorrows keep you Human, Failures keep you humble, Success keeps You Glowing, but Only your attitude keeps You Going!

Can you solve this????

2010-09-05T12:34:00.002+05:30

Below is a small puzzle I came across. Check if you can solve this..

4 criminals are caught and are to be punished. The Judge allows them to be freed if they can solve a puzzle. If they do not, they will be hung. They agreed.....

4 criminals are lined up on some steps (shown in picture). They are all facing in the same direction. A wall separates the fourth man from the other three.
So to summarize :-
Man 1 can see men 2 and 3.
Man 2 can see man 3.
Man 3 can see none of the others.
Man 4 can see none of the others.

The criminals are wearing hats. They are told that there are two white hats and two black hats. The men don't know what color hat they are wearing. They are told to shout out the color of the hat that they are wearing as soon as they know for certain what color it is.

They are not allowed to turn round or move.
They are not allowed to talk to each other.
They are not allowed to take their hats off.

Who is the first person to shout out and why??

Comment if you can find the answer.... :O

The Humble Lungi

2010-07-22T20:33:00.001+05:30

The Legendary Lungi

Just as the national bird of Kerala is Mosquito, her national dress is 'Lungi' (ലുന്ഗി) . Pronounced as 'Lu' as in loo and 'ngi ' as in 'mongey', a lungi can be identified by its floral or window-curtain pattern. 'Mundu' is the white variation of lungi and is worn on special occasions like hartal or bandh days, weddings and Onam.

Lungi is simple and 'down to earth' like the mallu wearing it. Lungi is the beginning and the end of evolution in its category. Wearing something on the top half of your body is optional when you are wearing a lungi. Lungi is a strategic dress. It's like a one-size-fits- all bottoms for Keralites.

The technique of wearing a lungi/mundu is passed on from generation to generation through word of mouth like the British Constitution. If you think it is an easy task wearing it, just try it once! It requires techniques like breath control and yoga that is a notch higher than sudarshan kriya of AOL. A lungi/mundu when perfectly worn won't come off even in a quake of 8 on the richter scale. A lungi is not attached to the waist using duct tape, staple, rope or velcro. It's a bit of mallu magic whose formula is a closely guarded secret like the Coca Cola chemicals.

A lungi can be worn 'Full Mast' or 'Half Mast' like a national flag. A 'Full Mast' lungi is when you are showing respect to an elderly or the dead. Wearing it at full mast has lots of disadvantages. A major disadvantage is when a dog runs after you. When you are wearing a lungi/mundu at full mast, the advantage is mainly for the female onlookers who are spared the ordeal of swooning at the sight of hairy legs.

Wearing a lungi 'Half Mast' is when you wear it exposing yourself like those C grade movie starlets. A mallu can play cricket, football or simbly run when the lungi is worn at half mast. A mallu can even climb a coconut tree wearing lungi in half mast. "It's not good manners, especially for ladies from decent families, to look up at a mallu climbing a coconut tree"- Confucius (or is it Abdul Kalam?)

Most mallus do the traditional dance kudiyattam. Kudi means drinking alcohol and yattam, spelled as aattam, means random movement of the male body. Note that 'y' is silent. When you are drinking, you drink, there is no 'y'. Any alcohol related "festival" can be enjoyed to the maximum when you are topless with lungi and a towel tied around the head. "Half mast lungi makes it easy to dance and shake legs" says Candelaria Amaranto, a Salsa teacher from Spain after watching 'kudiyaattam' .

The 'Lungi Wearing Mallu Union' [LUWMU, pronounced LOVE MU], an NGO which works towards the 'upliftment' of the lungi, strongly disapprove of the GenNext tendency of wearing Bermudas under the lungi. Bermudas under the lungi is a conspiracy by the CIA. It's a disgrace to see a person wearing burmuda with corporate logos under his lungi. What they don't know is how much these corporates are limiting their freedom of movement and expression.

A mallu wears lungi round the year, all weather, all season. A mallu celebrates winter by wearing a colourful lungi with a floral pattern.

Lungi provides good ventilation and brings down the heat between legs. A mallu is scared of global warming more than anyone else in the world.

A lungi/mundu can be worn any time of the day/night. It doubles as blanket at night. It also doubles up as a swing, swimwear, sleeping bag, parachute, facemask while entering/exiting toddy shops, shopping basket and water filter while fishing in ponds and rivers. It also has recreational uses like in 'Lungi/mundu pulling', a pastime in households having more than one male member. Lungi pulling competitions are held outside toddyshops all over Kerala during Onam and Vishu. When these lungis are decommissioned from service, they become table cloths. Thus the humble lungi is a cradle to grave appendage.

[Source : Email forward]

Facebook is a Stupid Idiot

2010-07-01T22:18:00.002+05:30

Men and Difficult Woman

2010-07-01T11:15:00.002+05:30

A brand new store has just opened in New York City that sells Husbands. When women go to choose a husband, they have to follow the
instructions at the entrance:

"You may visit this store ONLY ONCE!" There are 6 floors and the value of the products increase as you ascend the flights. You may choose any item from a particular floor, or may choose to go up to the next floor, but you CANNOT go back down except to exit the building! So, a woman goes to the Husband Store to find a husband.

On the 1st floor the sign on the door reads:

Floor 1 - These men have jobs.

The 2nd floor sign reads:
Floor 2 - These men Have Jobs and Love Kids.

The 3rd floor sign reads:
Floor 3 - These men Have Jobs, Love Kids and are extremely good looking.

"Wow," she thinks, but feels compelled to keep going.

She goes to the 4th floor and the sign reads:
Floor 4 - These men Have Jobs, Love Kids, are Drop-dead Good Looking and Help with Housework.

"Oh, mercy me!" she exclaims, "I can hardly stand it!"

Still, she goes to the 5th floor and sign reads:
Floor 5 - These men Have Jobs, Love Kids, are Drop-dead Gorgeous, help with Housework and Have A Strong Romantic Streak.

She is so tempted to stay, but she goes to the 6th floor and the sign reads:

Floor 6 - You are visitor 31,456,012 to this floor. There are no men on this floor. This floor exists solely as proof that women are
impossible to please. Thank you for shopping at the Husband Store. It's not over yet, To avoid gender bias charges, the store's owner
opens a New Wives store just across the street.

The 1st floor has wives that love sex.

The 2nd floor has wives that love sex and have money.

The 3rd through 6th floors have never been visited.

The world's tallest tower, 'Burj Khalifa'

2010-01-06T01:50:00.012+05:30

The world's tallest tower, developed by Emaar Properties, was unveiled at Dubai on January 4th 2010.

The official height of the tower, unveiled as 'Burj Khalifa', was announced as 828 metres (2,716.5 ft).

Burj Khalifa is the tallest building in the world according to the three main criteria of the Council on Tall Buildings and Urban Habitat (CTBUH). The CTBUH ranks the world’s tallest buildings based on ‘Height to Architectural Top,’ ‘Height to Highest Occupied Floor’ and ‘Height to Tip.’

At 828 metres (2,716.5ft), Burj Khalifa is 320 metres taller than Taipei 101, which at 508 metres (1,667 ft) had held the record for the world’s tallest building measured to the architectural top since 2004, the year the project was announced.

Burj Khalifa achieved the distinction of being the world's tallest structure – surpassing the KVLY-TV mast (628.8 metres; 2,063 ft) in North Dakota, USA – 1,325 days after excavation work started in January 2004.

The tower also beats the 31-year-old record of CN Tower, which at 553.33 metres (1,815.5 ft) had been the world’s tallest free-standing structure on land since 1976.

Burj Khalifa employs a record-breaking 330,000 cubic metres of concrete, 39,000 metric tonnes of steel rebar and 142,000 square metres of glass; and it took 22 million man hours to build.

Other world records for Burj Khalifa include the highest occupied floor in the world, at over 550 metres (1,800 ft); the highest outdoor observation deck in the world – At the Top on Level 124; and the tallest service elevator, which travels to a height of 504 metres (1,654 ft).

150 minutes of 3D Fantasy...

2010-01-04T00:28:00.006+05:30

It was a never before experience for me to watch the movie Avatar on a 3D screen.

The epic is set in the year 2154 on Pandora, a fictional Earth-like moon in a distant planetary system. Humans with the help of US Marine are engaged in mining Pandora's reserves of a precious mineral, while the Na'vi—the sapient and sentient race of humanoids indigenous to the moon—resist the colonists' expansion, which threatens the continued existence of the Na'vi and the Pandoran ecosystem. The US Army sends few remotely controlled, genetically engineered human-Na'vi bodies which they call Avatars to Pandora to study them and find the reserves of precious mineral.

This movies is a treat to your eyes with the awesome 3D and Animation experience. Due to the 3D effect, I felt being one amoung the Na'vi standing with them and fighting along with them.

Though the movie goes on for 150 minutes (it is little unusal for hollywood movies), I was never bored or blinked my eyes even for a minute in between.

The way they have created the Pandora forests are just more than words can explain and the animations are superbly done that one would wish to visit such a place atleast in their dreams. (I would definitely would love to be a part of Na'vis and live at such a location)

I could have never asked for a better way to start a New Year than this movie and you should all go and experience this revolution atleast once and make sure you watch in 3D. (I surely am planning to watch it second time... ;) hehehe )

I wish I could watch this on an IMAX 3D!!!!!

An Evening with the Arabian Sea

2010-01-03T00:04:00.012+05:30

These are few pictures I clicked during my recent vacation back home. It was a beautiful evening on the shores of Arabian Sea watching the sun when it goes down into the sea. But it was a bit unfortunate that I could not see a full sunset that day. Got to see only a partial dusk due to clouds in the sky.

Still I managed to click few pictures down there. Have a look..... hope u will like it...

The Best Free Software that I frequently use....

2009-12-16T14:43:00.015+05:30

I thought of sharing few of the best FREE software that I have used. May be it would help few of you guys too..

1. Paint.NET
http://www.getpaint.net/
Paint.NET is free image and photo editing software for computers that run Windows. It features an intuitive and innovative user interface with support for layers, unlimited undo, special effects, and a wide variety of useful and powerful tools. An active and growing online community provides friendly help, tutorials, and plugins.

2. WorldWide Telescope

www.worldwidetelescope.org/Home.aspx

WorldWide Telescope (WWT) enables your computer to function as a virtual telescope, bringing together imagery from the best ground and space-based telescopes in the world. Experience narrated guided tours from astronomers and educators featuring interesting places in the sky.

3. Visual Web Developer 2008 Express Edition

http://www.microsoft.com/express/vwd/

Visual Web Developer is a tool for creating and working with web sites in a variety of configurations. An easy solution for creating webpages.

4. Circle Dock

http://www.circledock.wikidot.com/

Who says a dock has to actually... dock? To the side of the screen, that is. Circle Dock brings up a spiraling launcher interface with all the icons you want to click. Rotate it with the wheel on your mouse and change the skin to suit your desktop.

5. ObjectDock

http://www.stardock.com/

Replace the Windows Taskbar and Quick Launch toolbar with this Mac-like animated toolbar of icons for all your programs. It comes with a few "docklets" for displaying info like the time, weather, and a Web search form.

6. Audacity

http://www.audacity.sourceforge.net/

On a par with any commercial audio editor, Audacity is the free sound editor of choice. The latest beta (1.3.6) even supports MPEG-4, Dolby Digital, and Windows Media.

7. iTunes

www.apple.com/itunes

Do I have to explain iTunes as the (so far) ultimate media player, coupled with online store and the primary way to get media—from music to video to games to podcasts, which plays most file formats (except, unsurprisingly, Windows Media formats)—and puts them on your iPod or iPhone.

8. MozyHome Free

http://www.mozy.com/

Don't even think about backing up: MozyHome will do it for you, in the background, for up to 2GB of data (you can pay to get unlimited space). Perfect for office docs, but you'll want to pay for more storage to back up pictures, music, or videos. Soon it will sync between PCs, too.

9. Safari

www.apple.com/safari

Fast page load times are a hallmark of this browser, the default for Mac and also available for Windows now. Safari offers private browsing which is a cool feature. And one of the best web browser that I have used.

10. uTorrent

http://www.utorrent.com/

Still the best—and smallest—BitTorrent client in existence, uTorrent will have you downloading big files in no time. Very fast and consumes less memory footprint compared to other torrent clients.

A Famous Divorce....

2009-08-05T18:09:00.003+05:30

Few Useful Websites You Probably Didn't Know About

2009-07-26T19:31:00.008+05:30

Here are some super useful websites that you've probably never heard of that can help make your life easier, richer, and more enjoyable!

How Stuff Works: If you ever need to know how something works from computer related queries to health to business and more, check out How Stuff Works.
Online Family Tree: Geni.com - This is a very cool online application that has many features! You can fill in your whole family tree going backwards and outwards. In addition you can set up profiles, set reminders, and more. It is a private social network for your family.
Free Books: Also check out Full Books for free books.
Scribd.com : Upload, Publish and Search for documents online.
Learn a Foreign Language: Mango can get you started in 12 different languages. FSI does the same and maybe even a little better. You can choose, they are both free.
Weight Management: caloriesperhour gives Free calorie counter, weight loss calculators and weight loss tutorials.
Photographic Inspiration: interes.tingness.com - A daily dose of interesting Photographic Inspiration from Flicker.
CrystalXP: Graphics and customisation for Windows. - crystalxp.net
Computer Backups: Backup your computer online for free with either Mozy or Carbonite. Both sites have free offers but the larger packages and durations will need to be paid for.

THIRST for WATER!

2009-04-30T20:56:00.003+05:30

Uploaded on authorSTREAM by Myrl

Earth Hour 2009 - The Big Picture

2009-04-07T23:59:00.003+05:30

Earth Hour 2009 - The Big Picture - Boston.com

Posted using ShareThis

10+ Microsoft Office add-ins to simplify your work

2009-03-30T19:38:00.003+05:30

Add-ins are special COM files that extend the functionality of a program. In other words, they make your work simpler. Office’s popularity — and occasionally, its limitations — makes it a perfect candidate for add-ins. Microsoft provides a number of them, but most add-ins are third-party products, and many are free. Here’s a list of some of the most popular add-ins for Microsoft Office.

1: Save as or print to PDF or XPS
Without a doubt, one of the questions I receive most often is how to save an Access report as a PDF file. Adobe Systems created the PDF format more than a decade ago. Because of its flexibility and universal appeal, it’s now an open standard.
XML Paper Specification (XPS) is an XML-based specification that supports device and resolution independence, developed by Microsoft. In other words, content isn’t at the mercy of the client’s browser and local settings.
Microsoft offers a free add-in for Office 2007, Microsoft 2007 Save as PDF or XPS. You might also try,PDF995, CutePDFWriter, and PrimoPDF.

2: MathType with Word
MathType is an interactive equation editor that creates mathematical notations in Word. It’s flexible enough to handle Web pages, desktop publishing tools, PowerPoint presentations, and more. It’s a must for anyone writing scientific, engineering, and mathematical papers.
Microsoft also offers Microsoft Math, an add-in that eases the task of creating graphs, performs calculations, and solves for variables in Word 2007.

3: Lookeen for Outlook 2003 and 2007
This search tool integrates into your local system to search all Outlook folders, including archived folders, and it’s quick! You can search mail, attachments, appointments, tasks, notes, and contacts, all at the same time.

4: Search Commands
Do you support frustrated users who can’t find commands and features in Office 2007? Install Search Commands on their local systems. This innovative add-in drops in a new tab that allows users to enter their own words to find commands. It’s easy to implement and it works great.

5: MZ-Tools
If you write your own VBA solutions, you need MZ-Tools. This customizable add-in has a number of features that will make the time you spend coding more productive and efficient:
Write better code and find existing code faster.
Apply default properties with a single click.
Quickly document code by inserting custom headers into modules.
Automatically add line numbers and error handlers to procedures.

6: Total Access Analyzer
Total Access Analyzer analyzes your Access database objects to expose hidden problems, forgotten objects, and more. It cross-references objects and creates data flow diagrams. Use this add-in to document your code, find missing objects and variables, and uncover scoping issues. Total Access Analyzer finds errors, suggests changes, and offers tips for improving performance. It’s a bit pricey, but developers who use it say it’s worth it.

7: SimplyVBA Global Error Handler
SimplyVBA Global Error Handler displays effective information about each error:
The procedure and module where the error occurred
A traceable iteration through the call stack to the error
VBA developers will appreciate this add-in’s robust error handling.

8: Office Live
Office Live lets you open (and save) documents in Office Live Workspace directly from Word, Excel, and PowerPoint. Mozilla Firefox users will need an additional plug-in. Be careful, though, as this is more than a simple add-in. It requires specific updates and will download and install them, if you haven’t already.

9: Personal Folders Backup
Outlook stores all your mail, calendar items, contacts, and so on in a PST file. If something happens to it, you could lose all of your correspondence, tasks, appointments, and contact information. Backing up this file is a vital part of any maintenance routine. Personal Folders Backup is an add-in that backs up PST files at regular intervals. (If you’re on Microsoft Exchange Server, this add-in probably isn’t necessary, as your administrator is backing up PST files.)

10: Mail Merge Toolkit
Merging documents is a huge feature with a few limitations. Mail Merge Toolkit extends the existing merge capabilities in Outlook, Word, and Publisher so you can:
Personalize the subject.
Attach files to messages.
Send HTML or RTF messages, regardless of security settings.
Send messages from Publisher in GIF format.

11: Mail Merge for PowerPoint
It’s hard to think of merging a PowerPoint presentation, but if you need that capability, you’ll appreciatePPTools Merge. This add-in merges data from Excel tab- or comma-delimited files into PowerPoint text boxes, pictures, notes, and hyperlinks. You can merge data, pictures, movies, sounds, and external text files. For instance, you could use this add-in to print award certificates for members of your audience at the end of your program instead of printing them later and mailing them.

12: Narration Timing Tweaker
PowerPoint lets you record an audio narration to enhance (or guide) a slide show. However, it’s a winner-take-all type of feature. If an event needs tweaking, you have to start from scratch and it’s difficult to get it right the first or even the second time. Narration Timing Tweaker allows you to fine-tune the narration portion of a slide show.

13: OLAP PivotTable Extensions for Excel 2007
There’s more to Excel 2007’s PivotTables feature than Excel lets on. This add-in extends the OLAP PivotTable Extensions to include Analysis Services cubes. It doesn’t actually offer more functionality, it just provides an interface to use what’s already there.

14: Access 2007 Developer Extensions and Runtime
The Access 2007 Developer Extensions and Runtime add-in helps developers get a solution to market. This add-in supplies tools for packaging, deployment, licensing, and distribution agreements.

15: Blueprint for Outlook
Printing is a bit limited in Outlook, even Outlook 2007. Blueprint for Outlook adds a few printing features that Outlook ought to offer but doesn’t. You can print a single page or selected text, quickly automate a custom print task, or print an attachment.

16: CrossEyes for Word
If you work with long documents, you know that formatting can take on a life of its own. CrossEyesdemystifies Word’s formatting codes so you can identify problems and resolve them.

17: Microsoft Outlook SMS
With the help of Microsoft Outlook SMS, you can send SMS text messages through most Global System for Mobile Communications (GSM) mobile phones, connected to a PC using Outlook 2003 or Outlook 2007. You enter the message in an Outlook-type message form and then send that message to a mobile phone without third-party software or a subscription to a mobile network service if you connect the phone to a PC.

18: AddInSpy
Use AddInSpy to develop new add-ins for Office and to troubleshoot existing Office add-ins. Although Microsoft offers this free download through Microsoft Developers Network (MSDN), it doesn’t support it. Despite that, it’s one of my favorites.

Source: TechRepublic , Author: Susan Harkins

Virtues of Sleep

2009-03-16T15:46:00.006+05:30

Sleep: the natural panacea

Just imagine this: Science tells us that the normal human being is supposed to spend about one third of his life in sleep! Ever wondered why nature programmed us that way if it had not been absolutely necessary? In fact, cell regeneration and cell growth is known to occur only during periods of rest, and many hormones essential to proper functioning of the human body are produced only when the body is at its deepest sleep stage.

Sleep plays a vital role in our life, in fact, it is an essential ingredient for our well-being, and it manifests both externally and internally — revitalizing both our physical health and emotional health. Doesn’t it feel nice when the hollows under your eyes plump up, the eyes sparkle and the eye-whites instead of pink remain white after a night of undisturbed, relaxed sleep? Don't you feel absolutely wrecked the morning after a night without sleep and rest?

The advantages of good sleep
There is nothing like a good night’s sleep. When you wake up refreshed and energized you are ready to take on the world. In fact, scientists have proved that people who are taught mentally challenging tasks do better after a good night’s sleep.

Not getting a good night’s sleep?
Sleep deprivation is due to the high-paced lifestyle which causes a lack of time for the sleep we need. Skimping on sleep has a price. When you sleep less even by one hour, it can make it tough for you to focus the next day and can slow your response time. Also you are more likely to make bad decisions and take more risks.

So what happens to us?
When we do not get the amount of sleep we need we accumulate a sleep debt. Therefore, the body rhythm gets disrupted. This sleep debt has to be paid back or sleepiness will continue to worsen. Many people try to pay back the debt on the weekends resulting in the disruption of their circadian rhythm. If we are not getting enough sleep or getting poor quality sleep on a regular basis, the risk increases of having high blood pressure, heart disease, and other medical conditions.

Some common causes of sleep deprivation:

not allowing enough time for sleep
sleep disorders
excessive worry
depression
repeated awakenings from noise or trips to the bathroom
anything that causes insomnia or poor quality of sleep
medication that may interfere with sleep
lack of exercise

Some common effects of sleep deprivation:

increased fatigue
depression
difficulty with social relationships
decreased productivity
breathing disorders
heart disease
motor vehicle accidents

You may find some good tips below:

Sleep is as necessary as the air we breathe and the food we eat both quantity and quality-wise. Most adults need between 7.5 to 8.5 hours of uninterrupted sleep.
Be regular. Going to bed at the same time and getting up at the same time every day. Getting up at the same time is most important. Getting bright light, like the sun, when you get up will also help. Try to go to bed only when you are sleepy. Bright light in the morning at a regular time should help you feel sleepy at the same time every night.
Avoid alcohol one to two hours before bedtime as it is a depressant. Although it makes a person drowsy and falling asleep becomes easier, but with the use of alcohol, a person sleeps lighter and wakes up more frequently. It can also reduce sleep so that a person does not sleep for as long as needed.
Avoid stimulants like caffeine. This will help you get deep sleep which is most refreshing. If you take any caffeine, take it in the morning. Avoid all stimulants in the evening, including chocolate, caffeinated sodas, and caffeinated teas. Caffeine also acts as a diuretic and will result in an increased need to get up during the night due to a full bladder. Although caffeine is considered safe, moderation is recommended. This is considered 300 mg per day or about two cups of coffee.
Avoid eating large meals and high fat foods before bed time. But don't go to bed hungry. Have a light snack. If you need to eat right before bedtime, try eating carbohydrates (bread, crackers, and cereal). Avoid drinking large amounts of fluids before bedtime. Empty your bladder right before going to bed.
Perform some form of daily exercise that is right for you. If you are not able to stand or bear weight, stretching and some aerobics can be performed from a sitting position. Exercise early in the day to promote sleep at night. Avoid exercise right before bedtime. If you cannot sleep, do not exercise. Instead, try engaging in a quiet activity.
Find or create a quiet environment. Avoid an area that has bright light. Avoid watching stimulating television shows or using laptop just before bedtime. Consider moving the TV out of the bedroom. If it helps to read before sleep make sure you use a very small wattage bulb to read. A 15 watt bulb should be enough.
Don't stress yourself if you feel you are not getting enough sleep. It will just make matters worse. Know you will sleep eventually. If you have any concerns see your doctor.
Relaxation helps relieve fatigue, anxiety and tension.

Therefore, good night, sleep tight and don’t let the bed bugs bite!

Source: ApolloDKV

Unveiling the "Sixth Sense"...!!!

2009-03-15T23:46:00.000+05:30

Stroop Effect - Let's test how good you are at this!!!

2009-02-23T01:13:00.009+05:30

You may have heard of the Stroop effect..
In psychology, the Stroop effect is a demonstration of the reaction time of a task. When a word such as blue, green, red, etc. is printed in a color differing from the color expressed by the word's semantic meaning (e.g. the word "red" printed in blue ink), naming the color of the word takes longer and is more prone to errors than when the meaning of the word is congruent with its ink color. The effect is named after John Ridley Stroop who first published the effect in English in 1935.

In case you're not familiar with the effect, it occurs when you try to say the color a word is printed in, while the word itself names a color (so if you see "RED" you should say "green.") Try it with these short lists. Remember, say the color the word is PRINTED in, not the color named by the word.

Let me make this a poll. Tell us which column was most difficult for you to read??
Use the poll section below to vote..

The basic Stroop effect predicts that Columns 2 and 3 will be much harder than Column 1, since reading the name of a different color makes it more difficult for us to say the color of the letters.

But, the interesting fact here is that, Column 3 should be more difficult than Column 2. Why? It's a process called "negative priming." In Column 3, the color of the letters in a word is named in the word above it ("Black" is printed in purple, "Red"is printed in black, and so on).

The Best Photos Of 2008

2009-01-16T23:21:00.005+05:30

Condom Protects You From Viruses!

2009-01-09T02:04:00.001+05:30

Ding ding, yes it’s true. Condoms can significantly reduce the likelihood of you catching some nasty virus except this condom is designed for the digital kind. Computer viruses are just as virulent as the biological variety, just as insidious, and just as detrimental. The Condom USB is a device that acts as a stopgap between any USB enabled device and your computer.

As soon as the Condom USB detects a virus, built-in software shuts off USB access, verifies the problem, removes the nasty bug, then reopens the communication bridge to your computer. Snazzy but would this really work in the real world?

Source: Internet

Happy New Year - 2009!!!!

2009-01-09T00:36:00.006+05:30

Another year has come to an end. We might have gone through good times and equally bad times during the past year. Forget all those bad moments we had and cherish the beautiful things that happened in the gone year.

We don’t know what’s cooking for tomorrow. Still we welcome the New Year and go ahead with new hopes, hoping we can achieve our dreams this year!

On the flip side, tomorrow is just another day. Things get the importance we give them.

Ring out the old, ring in the new,
Ring, happy bells, across the snow:
The year is going, let him go;
Ring out the false, ring in the true.

I wish everyone a very Happy and Prosperous New Year-2009!!!!

Weakness of attitude becomes weakness of character!

2008-12-15T19:31:00.003+05:30

The Japanese have always loved fresh fish. But the water close to Japan has not held many fish for decades. So to feed the Japanese population, fishing boats got bigger and went farther than ever. The farther the fishermen went, the longer it took to bring the fish. If the return trip took more time, the fish were not fresh. To solve this problem, fish companies installed freezers on their boats. They would catch the fish and freeze them at sea. Freezers allowed the boats to go farther and stay longer. However, the Japanese could taste the difference between fresh and frozen fish. And they did not like the taste of frozen fish.

The frozen fish brought a lower price. So, fishing companies installed fish tanks. They would catch the fish and stuff them in the tanks, fin to fin. After a little thrashing around, they were tired, dull, and lost their fresh-fish taste. The fishing industry faced an impending crisis!

But today, they get fresh-tasting fish to Japan. How did they manage? To keep the fish tasting fresh, the Japanese fishing companies still put the fish in the tanks but with a small shark.

The fish are challenged and hence are constantly on the move. The challenge they face keeps them alive and fresh!

Have you realized that some of us are also living in a pond but most of the time tired and dull? Basically in our lives, sharks are new challenges to keep us active. If you are steadily conquering challenges, you are happy. Your challenges keep you energized. Don't create success and revel in it in a state of inertia. You have the resources, skills and abilities to make a difference. Put a shark in your tank and see how far you can really go!

When I read through this, there is one quote that comes to my mind:
"Weakness of attitude becomes weakness of character" - Albert Einstein.

The Coming Wireless Revolution

2008-11-17T19:17:00.003+05:30

If you believe some radio researchers and engineers, within the next couple of years, high-bandwidth, far-reaching wireless Internet signals will soon blanket the nation. Thanks to a decision by the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) last week, megahertz frequency bands that were previously allocated to television broadcasters will be opened to other device manufacturers. The frequency liberation means that future wireless gadgets will be able to blast tens of megabits per second of data over hundreds of kilometers. They will cover previously unreachable parts of the country with Internet signals, enable faster Web browsing on mobile devices, and even make in-car Internet and car-to-car wireless communication more realistic.

The FCC announcement essentially lets wireless take advantage of unused frequencies in between channels used by broadcast television, so-called white spaces. With the FCC decision, however, researchers and companies finally have the opportunity to turn prototypes into products, knowing that the gadgets could hit the market in the next couple of years. Companies including Motorola, Phillips, and Microsoft have all tested prototypes with mixed results and hope to have robust white-space devices soon.

Source: Technology Review

ONE PARAGRAPH THAT EXPLAINS LIFE!

2008-11-09T13:58:00.003+05:30

Arthur Ashe, the legendary Wimbledon player was dying of AIDS which he got due to infected blood he received during a heart surgery in 1983.
From world over, he received letters from his fans, one of which conveyed: "Why does GOD have to select you for such a bad disease"?

To this Arthur Ashe replied:
" The world over -- 50 million children start playing tennis, 5 million learn to play tennis, 500,000 learn professional tennis, 50,000 come to the circuit, 5000 reach the grand slam, 50 reach Wimbledon, 4 to semi final, 2 to the finals,
When I was holding a cup I never asked GOD 'Why me?'.
And today in pain I should not be asking GOD 'Why me?' "

"Happiness keeps you Sweet,
Trials keep you Strong,
Sorrow keeps you Human,
Failure keeps you humble and
Success keeps you glowing,
But only Faith & Attitude Keeps you going..."

Launching a new Blog Site - "GLADIATOR TV" !!!

2008-10-22T15:59:00.007+05:30

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For a long time I was thinking of creating another blog site with something different. Finally I have come up with an idea of a video blog. I call it 'GLADIATOR TV'.

In this Blog I am trying to share all the videos on the web that catch my attention. I am sure you will enjoy this new work of mine.
Thank you everyone for the support, comments and suggestions that I have been receiving for my blog all these time.

Have a look at my new Blog -- Gladiator TV and dont forget to share your thoughts!!

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Rodrigo & Gabriela

2008-09-22T22:47:00.003+05:30

Rodrigo and Gabriela are two fast-fingered, Dublin-based, Mexicans with a unique sound created on acoustic guitars. The fire in it comes from their life-long passion for metal music.

Rodrigo is a deft finger-picker who can move from raging speed to sensual soul in the space of a fret, while Gabriela employs fast, rhythmic techniques. Her percussionist's thrashing of strings and drumming of the instrument's body inevitably raises comparisons with flamenco.

Rodrigo and Gabriela describe their style as 'Fusion music'. Their works are really amazing. I am really shocked and stunned by the way they both perform. Look at the speed and the passion they have in playing the music.

Watch it yourself. I have been really inspired by them!!!!!! And I am sure anyone who likes music would love these!! WOWWWWWWW is how I would describe them!!

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Firefox optimization/power tips

2008-09-10T13:24:00.012+05:30

We have large different range and variety of web browsers available now. Each one tries to compete with other by introducing more usablilty and security features.Some browsers have nice looking interface, some with good security features, few have better compatibility or are easily custamizable.Amoung all these browsers Mozilla Firefox have always been the fastest and secure web browser and is prefered by most number of people around the world.

Also, need not mention that Mozilla Firefox now hold a Guinness World Record for the most software downloaded in 24 hours. From 18:16 UTC on June 17, 2008 to 18:16 UTC on June 18, 2008, 8,002,530 people downloaded Firefox 3 and are now enjoying a safer, smarter and better Web.
But since version 2, it is not the quickest or most optimized version. Increasing number of features have led to unusually high system requirements, not to mention frequent hang-ups and consequent loss of data. Such problems are frustrating for any user. Hence, here are some tips to tweak Firefox's performance:

Prefetch: (WinXP only) Firefox’s latest versions take some time to launch. In order to decrease the launch time,we can instruct Windows XP to prefetch Firefox into memory. Right click the Firefox shortcut, and add “/Prefetch:1″ (without quotes) to the end of target field. If Firefox is installed in the default C: drive, then the target field should look like this: "C:\Program Files\Mozilla Firefox\firefox.exe" /Prefetch:1. This tweak is built-in for Vista.

About:Config: You can access a variety of settings by entering about:config into the address bar. If you hate getting dirty with code, you can install Configuration Mania, an addon which does the same thing. Here are some tweaks to get started (all of these assumes that you have opened a new tab and entered about:config into the address box):

Limit RAM usage: I have already ranted about RAM usage. RAM usage can go upto 250 MB when you have several tabs open. In the about:config filter, enter browser.cache.disk.capacity or browser.cache.memory.capacity (either of them works). Double click the value that comes up, and enter a value of 5000 for those of you with 512 MB or less memory. Enter a value of 15000 for memory of 512MB to 1 GB.
Disable prefetch: Firefox’s annoying feature of prefetching links makes it resource-hogging. Enter netwok.prefetch-next, and change the value to False.

Change the option of continuing tabs from last time. If you had opened several tabs previously and set it up to remember and load those tabs at startup (via Tools > Options), this can result in a dramatic increase of launch time. Go to Tools > Options, and change “When Firefox starts:” to “Show a blank page”.

Install Fasterfox addon to tweak various settings.

Source: Techzilo

Search torrents, mp3s, videos and ebooks easily with Filewin

2008-09-10T13:24:00.005+05:30

I got to know about FileWin which search through all files on the internet to find any filetype! FileWin.com can find torrents, mp3s, videos, images, ebooks, roms, zip files, or anything else you can think of. Filewin is a front end for searching on the internet to find files any specific type. FileWin is powered by custom Google Search. This search utilize Google hacking.
When you search for something, Filewin also shows the search query it used - so you can learn to search directly with Google using the complex commands if you like to.

Visit FileWin to try this.. I felt it amazing and helpful.

Disclaimer: I neither encourage nor discourage using Filewin. This content is solely for the information purpose. Usage is at your own discretion.

George Constanza's WORDS OF WISDOM

2008-08-27T19:51:00.010+05:30

When I read this for the first time, it did not intrest me much may be coz I did not understand what exactly he was trying to convey.... The I went deep into it and gave another thought.... ha!! I felt it great and thought would be an amazing experience... :D!!!! Read on guys!!!! I felt it interesting...

Vande Matharam!!

2008-08-13T20:54:00.004+05:30

BMW's Shape-Shifting Car

2008-07-22T03:06:00.002+05:30

BMW's GINA Light Visionary Model, a two-seater concept car, wears a flexible, virtually seamless skin made of a textile fabric and stretched over a metal wire structure enforced with carbon fiber. What this does is to give the owner flexibility to change the shape of the car as he fancies, from within and without. All at the touch of a button. Just too bad this will sit in the research labs for another decade before BMW design chief Chris Bangle reckons such cool tech will hit the roads.

Nail watch: The future of telling time

2008-07-22T02:45:00.003+05:30

In the year 2154, no one will want to wear wrist watches anymore. They'll probably be out of fashion or too bulky for our hands. The in-thing will be the nail watch, known as the TX54. Well, that is what Timex and Core77.com think will be the future in their 150th anniversary of the global design competition themed "2154: The Future of Time".

TX54, the runner-up in the event, is a concept by three Americans designers: Napoleon Merana, Steffen Schubert and David Takacs. The nail watch is designed to be hooked to our thumbnail. The user should be able to view the time in the dark just by pressing the tip of the thumbnail. There's also the ability to switch between colors available. It is also disposable. One hopes it's waterproof as well, just in case you forget to take it off while you are in the shower.

Although the TX54 is a good concept, I can't imagine how small the numbers are going to be, probably putting a strain on your eyes.

Source: Crave- A blog from CNet Asia

Top 5: Most powerful computers

2008-07-22T01:51:00.002+05:30

Taj Mahal - An Ultimate Epitome of Love

2008-07-20T23:18:00.004+05:30

World's Mort Expensive Saree

2008-07-20T02:51:00.004+05:30

World's Mort Expensive Saree -

How often have you come across a Rs. 40 lakh ($100,000) silk saree?

Chennai Silks, a textile unit has come up with one of its kind and it is seeking an unmistakable entry into the Guinness Book of World Records for being the most unique and expensive saree.

The exceptionally stunning saree is meticulously woven with 12 precious stones and metals to depict 11 of Raja Ravi Verma's popular paintings. Explicitly projected is 'Lady Musicians', one of the painter's very famous works that displays women belonging to diverse cultural backgrounds.Besides, the border of the saree pictures 10 other paintings of the artist that pays tribute to 20th century artist.

The best part of the saree being that the women in the paintings are intricately hand-woven and beautified with jewels of gold, diamond, platinum, silver, ruby, emerald, yellow sapphire, sapphire, cat's eye, topaz, pearl and corals.

Already in the Limca Book of Records, this 40 lakh saree will be the first silk saree that required the use of 7,440 jacquard hooks and 66,794 cards during the weaving process. Moreover, a group of consummate workers took nearly 4,680 hours.

101 fantastic freebies

2008-07-20T02:43:00.003+05:30

Who doesn't like free stuff? Recently I came across an article that has listed 101 of the best free online services and downloadable programs to keep you productive, entertained, and more secure. Hope will be helpful for you.

View Article...

World's First Dynamic Architecture - FUTURE OF CONSTRUCTION!

2008-07-07T21:04:00.010+05:30

Dr. David Fisher's revolutionary Dynamic Tower, the first building in motion which is the first skyscraper to be entirely assembled in a factory from prefabricated parts, factory made buildings will offers the advantages of any modern industrial product, it saves energy, reduces construction time and dramatically cuts building costs.

Virtual HairCut - Listen with your headphones on to experience the difference!

2008-07-01T21:26:00.016+05:30

Surreal, mind-blowing, crazy and insane mind trick performed with only a set of headphones! DO NOT USE SPEAKERS, use headphones or you will blow this amazing sound illusion! Listen to this with headphones you will defintely enjoy!!!

Check more 3D Sounds:

Kerala - GOD's Own Country

2008-07-01T02:59:00.004+05:30

Mystic INDIA

2008-06-30T02:11:00.004+05:30

The new iPhone is calling

2008-06-30T00:35:00.007+05:30

Mark your calendars. On July 11, Apple’s new 3G iPhone hits stores worldwide. (Well 22 countries at first, 70 by the end of the year.) If you believe the hype, this could be the device which really kicks open the door to Internet mobility.

For those of you who missed the highlights, the phone, which was unveiled at Apple’s Worldwide Developers’ Conference, will be thinner, faster, and perhaps most importantly cheaper. Two hundred dollars cheaper!

During the presentation in San Francisco, Jobs admitted the first generation iPhone was too expensive for some customers. He said that about half of the customers who wanted an iPhone but hadn’t bought one said it was due to the high price. That has certainly been the case for me.

As a result, the new phones will sell for $199 dollars for an 8-gigabyte model, $299 for a 16-gigabyte model. (one note - in some cases the monthly service may be higher.)

Some say the price cut is a sign that iPhone sales have been disappointing. Maybe. But I give Apple credit for acknowledging it got it wrong and acting quickly to fix the problem.

The other major development is from the developers. Jobs and other Apple executives showed off some of the third-party applications that will be available in the iPhone software store on iTunes.

There was a blogging platform called Typepad, a friend finder social network called Loopt, medical apps, games … to name just a few. Many of the demos were met with applause from the audience, according to the bloggers who were streaming live from the event.

The other major announcement is that the Apple is now taking direct aim at Blackberry’s strangle-hold on the corporate market. The new iPhone will have push e-mail, contacts and calendars.

Jobs says 35 percent of Fortune 500 companies have participated in beta testing. This confirms what I blogged about a few weeks ago. Research firm, Yankee group and others have been saying that corporate IT departments are starting to take a serious look at Apple. If Apple is now reaching out to them and making inroads, this could be a lucrative new area for the company.

Interestingly, the reaction on Wall Street was very tepid. Apple’s stock dropped 2 percent. Some are worried the cheaper price will hurt profitability. Others are skeptical that Apple can take on Blackberry.

I don’t share their pessimism. Yes, there may be some who early iPhone buyers who may feel they overpaid now that the price has been slashed. And we have to see how all these new third-party applications actually work.

But the faster more powerful connection and the innovative programs being developed offer huge promise. I held off on buying one the first round, but at $199 my willpower is fading. Apple says it expects to sell 10 million this year. Are you biting?

Posted by: CNN business anchor, Maggie Lake

Cleopatra Ghita

2008-02-23T02:18:00.005+05:30

3 yr old Romanian Singer Cleopatra Stratan… her dad Pavel Stratan is a famous singer ……. he was in the studio recording when his daughter was playing there....she suddenly picked up the mike and started singing ……… everybody was stunned ………… and she ended recording the whole album!

The last stanza is in Romanian language ….

Steve Jobs Stanford Commencement Speech 2005

2007-12-15T01:20:00.003+05:30

Are we addicted to gadgets?

2007-12-10T02:16:00.002+05:30

The human brain uses a complex system of senses, thoughts, and feelings to help us survive our environment. Feelings, in particular, play a critical role in warning us that something may be wrong. The brain interprets all these signals and determines what, if any, action should be taken.

What do you think would happen if that delicate system ceased to function properly? I'm not a shrink, but I'm relatively sure it would be a real mess. Well, you know what? I think we're beginning to see the signs of that mess all around us. And that's because we're all becoming addicts. Gadget addicts.

Instead of processing our thoughts and feelings and doing something about them, we shoot up a gadget. Think that's crazy? Well, it's not, and it's happening.

The mechanism is simple enough. Your boss slams you, your kid annoys you, your co-worker pisses you off, you have an argument with your spouse, whatever. From time to time, each of us feels small, wronged, helpless. That's part of the human condition.

Under normal circumstances, you spend time comprehending, interpreting, and overcoming these feelings. But what if, instead of listening to your feelings and processing your thoughts, you play a video game, listen to your iPod, text or phone somebody, IM, e-mail, or check out the latest Hollywood train wreck or some moronic reality show or YouTube video?

In short, you escape; at least you think you're escaping. But you're not. The original problem continues to manifest and nothing gets resolved. Unresolved feelings don't simply go away. They're part of the human survival mechanism; they're designed to be difficult to ignore.

If those issues are ignored on a consistent basis, they fester like a wound that's not allowed to heal. They begin to leak out. When we're reminded of them and can't get our fix, we get offended easily, point fingers, become enraged, sue each other, blame everything and everybody. That's addictive behavior.

Does any of that sound familiar? Undoubtedly, there's a lot of weird stuff going on these days.
Gadget addiction may cause such diverse conditions as road rage, teenage violence, learning disorders, even political correctness. It explains why we seem to overreact to everything, as if we believe that simply reacting solves anything. I mean, that's how all the gadgets work, right? You click a few buttons and you're instantly distracted; all your problems go away. It's just like taking a pill. But nothing really goes away, does it?

I've read other posts and comments that touched upon this theme, if not from a different perspective. Many of them blame everybody from electronics companies to corporate America to the opposing political party. That's bull. That's part of the problem. Addicts never look at themselves. They instead act like victims, blaming and pointing fingers at everyone else. That's how this problem manifests. It's an endless cycle. The blame game is an insidious method of avoiding the problem.

And just to be clear, I'm not blaming the gadgets, the gadget makers, or anyone else. We live in a free society and a free enterprise economy. Cigarettes, alcohol, drugs, gambling, pornography, they're all out there. Each and every one of us gets to choose to partake or not. It's the same thing with the gadgets.

We're human beings with free will. Each of us chooses to deal with our problems or avoid them. Each of us chooses how we behave. And that behavior determines the quality of our lives. No gadgets, companies, or political parties can change that. It's entirely up to each one of us.

Never in the history of the human race have people had so many choices. Choices are a wonderful thing. But one of the most important choices you can make is to decide when to use the gadgets and when to spend a little quiet time listening to your thoughts and feelings.

Don't be a gadget addict.

WORD Meanings

2007-11-18T13:33:00.000+05:30

Tips - Looking Younger

2007-11-11T01:55:00.000+05:30

Anti Aging Skin Care - 7 Tips On Looking Younger

By: Ana-Stella Kahlon

Do you want to look younger? Let’s face it, nowadays, who doesn't? Once it was just celebrities and those in the public eye who worried about looking older everyone else grew old gracefully! Now 40 is the new 30 and men as well as women care about their appearance, there is even a trend in society to discriminate against the older generation.

What can you do to stay looking younger? There is no Anti Aging Magic Potion that will clear your wrinkles overnight, but with discipline and a good Anti Aging Skin Care routine in place you will be on your way to looking younger for longer.

There are many drastic solutions available for anti aging skin care to help you look younger, from the traditional cosmetic face lift to injecting chemicals like Botox into the skin to provide a temporary wrinkle smoothing effect. Not everyone is willing, or financially able to go to these extremes. So what can you do on a day to day basis that will help you feel and look younger? By following the 7 steps below, you will be on your way to a more youthful appearance for longer. And remember it is never too late (or too early!) to start a good anti aging routine.

Seven tips on looking after your body and mind -

Drink plenty of water every day - most doctors recommend 7 to 10 glasses a day. Water flushes out toxins, keeping your body and skin clean. Also your skin will look clearer and plumper if it is not dry. Definitely the first step for "anti aging skin care" to look younger.

Eat a healthy balanced diet, include something from all the major food groups each day in your diet. Eat plenty of fibre and fresh fruit and vegetables. The UK government recommends five portions of fruit and vegetables are eaten daily, however this should be the minimum amount you eat. Fruit and vegetables contain many essential vitamins and minerals that help maintain and repair the skin and cells. Not only will your skin look younger but your body will age better and you will be less prone to many common diseases of old age. The prefect "anti aging skin care solution" Also avoid eating fatty and oily foods which increase your weight but do not give you anything nutritionally. Overweight people generally look and feel much older than they are.

Aim to lead a stress free, calm existence. If you are stressed the body releases chemicals which years ago would have helped you to deal with the problem with "fight" or "flight". Since these are not a solution to most of life today’s problems, the chemicals will stay in your body and cause you to become mentally or physically ill. Ensure that you sleep well and exercise regularly. Use whichever techniques help you to relax - taking a long warm bath, massage or aroma therapy are just a few to try. Remember, extreme stress will just cause your hair to go white and your face to look tired and lined. Enjoy life!

Regular exercise, taken at least 3 times a week and daily if possible, will work wonders in helping you look and feel younger. Ensure the exercise is vigorous enough to make you break out in a sweat and your skin will look younger as toxins are flushed out. Remember to contact your doctor before drastically changing your exercise regime.

Avoid UV radiation as it is the major cause of premature skin aging and wrinkles. Ensure you always have adequate sun protection for the climate and your skin type. Buy facial moisturisers which contain UV protection for daily use. Use of a good quality high factor sun cream should be part of your daily routine. A tan might look good for a while but you will age and wrinkle quickly and be more prone to skin diseases such as cancers.

Try to cut out nicotine and alcohol consumption. Smoking will age you as chemicals in the smoke are aging to the skin and will reverse your anti aging skin care process. Additionally, if you are forever squinting through smoke, crow’s lines around the eyes will appear all too quickly. Alcoholic drinks contain many toxins which are harmful to your health. Excessive drinking will mean your liver no longer copes with ridding your body of these toxins.

Look for skin care products which are anti aging (those containing the ingredients Vitamin C, retinol and ceramides are very good). Try different anti aging skin care products to see which works best for you and moisturise daily. Remember, if you feel good about yourself, you will look good.

Job Winning Resume Tips

2007-11-11T01:31:00.001+05:30

Ten Tips for an Interview Winning Resume -
From Susan Heathfield

About: Susan Heathfield is a management consultant specializing in human resource related systems, issues, and opportunities. Susan has 30+ years of experience in human resources, training, organization development, consulting, facilitating, coaching, and writing. For the past 18 years, Susan has operated her own consulting company. In this capacity, she has served 150+ organizations. She is the editor and writer for the About Human Resources site.
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Four Tips for a Winning Resume -

An employer can receive hundreds of resumes in response to an advertised position. For every hundred resumes an employer receives, only a few resumes stand out from the crowd. Want your resume to shine in the eyes of the employer you want to attract? Start by including a well-written resume cover letter with the resume. Then, follow these resume guidelines to create an interview winning resume that is head and shoulders above the crowd.

1. Formatting and feel, on a mailed-in resume, matter - Your resume, at first glance, can impress or depress the employer. Lots of open space, a clear, easy-to-read font such as 12 point Arial, and easy-to-find and skim information, entice the employer to read on. With electronic publishing, every mailed resume should be freshly printed on high quality paper. And don’t even think of sending your application to my company in your current employer’s envelope, or with metered postage. Think about what this says about the integrity of the candidate. I receive, at least, one of these a week. Envelopes do matter.

2. You will likely grow tired of hearing this but correct spelling, appropriate grammar, no missing words, and no typing mistakes make your resume an employer-pleaser right out of the starting gate. An error-free resume is rare. Indeed, some hiring managers will not further consider your candidacy if they find even one mistake. Every mistake makes me pause and think. Every mistake makes me question your carefulness, care, and attention to detail. Don’t make me pause; don’t make me think.

3. Contact Information - In this era of instant messaging, email, and cell phones, there is absolutely no reason to make contacting you difficult for the potential employer. Yet, over half the resumes I receive have no contact information except a home phone number. And guess what? You’re never home. Give the potential employer your cell phone number, even if you have to buy a mobile for your job search. Avoid the dreaded phone tag that may make you miss out on an interview altogether.

4. Write and customize an “objective” for each job and employer - The objective is your opportunity to connect your skills, experience, traits, and job requirements with those the employer is seeking. Read the job posting carefully and you can pick out exactly what the employer believes he needs. Don’t settle for a lame, “I seek a challenging opportunity to utilize my skills with a progressive employer who will provide opportunities for growth.”In response to an ad for a marketing specialist, I received this customized objective: “I am seeking a position as a marketing specialist in a growing, environmentally conscious company that will utilize my current skills in the development of advertising and other marketing materials and website design and writing. At the same time, I hope to gain experience in market research, Internet competitive analysis, and market segmentation.” Who do you think I called?

Here are six more tips for an interview winning resume.

1. Include a customized section called “Career Highlights / Qualifications.” This section of the resume is usually a series of bulleted points that emphasize your most important career experience, your skills, your personality traits and characteristics, and some key accomplishments from your work history as they relate to the job for which you are applying.

2. For each former employer, clearly indicate the company name, your position, and the dates of your employment. Provide a brief overview statement that tells me about what the company does, its sales, products, and customers. This helps me assess your experience. Then, tell me exactly what you did for the company in a brief statement. Don’t make me look for information, read between the lines, or try to I won’t and your resume will end up in the dreaded job file for the required year. (You don’t really think anyone takes the time to sort through all those aging resumes, do you?)

3. For each employer, include a list of “key contributions” or “key achievements.” Don’t make the mistake of stating, “I answered a multi-line phone system. I provided customer service.” You want to highlight key measurable achievements and successes such as: “I reduced the time for order fulfillment from 2 days to 12 hours.” “I reduced accounts collectible by 80 percent.” “My marketing campaign for the new product won two industry awards for effectiveness.”

4. Education statements matter - State dates of attendance, majors, minors, and degrees. Don’t make me guess whether you have a degree or just took a few classes. I will figure it out and it ticks me off to have to figure it out.

5. Do include a section that lists awards and other recognition - President of the Junior Class, Secretary of the Synchronized Swim Team, four year merit scholarship winner, or college economics prize winner will catch my eye much faster than a resume without awards and recognition. (Of course, you’d include this section on a resume only if you have an award or recognition to list.)

6. Do include a personal section that highlights accomplishments, and anything else that will raise the value of you, as a potential employee, in the eyes of the employer. In this section, catching my eye recently are: volunteerism; involvement with philanthropic causes; publications; team and individual sports participation; leadership positions in school or community organizations (especially in resumes without an “Awards and Recognition” section) or even, “I self-funded my college education by working part-time during all four years of school.”

Well, this is my best advice about what catches my attention – positively – in a resume. I can’t speak for every employer, but know that you can’t go far wrong – & you may go far in the right direction - if you heed these recommendations. When your resume is competing with hundreds of others for attention, you need to do the right things right to be heard above the noise. You can create a winning resume.

Do you fart in bed?

2007-11-11T01:09:00.001+05:30

*If this story doesn't make you cry from laughing so hard, let me know and we'll send someone right over to check your pulse. *

This is a story about a couple who had been happily married for years. The only friction in their marriage was the husband's habit of farting loudly every morning when he awoke. The noise would wake his wife and the smell would make her eyes water and make her gasp for air. Every morning she would plead with him to stop ripping them off because it was making hersick. He told her he couldn't stop it and that it was perfectly natural. She told him to see a doctor; she was concerned that one day he would blow his guts out. The years went by and he continued to rip them out! Then one Christmas morning as she was preparing the turkey for dinner and he was upstairs sound asleep, she looked at the bowl where she had put the turkey innards and neck, gizzard, liver and all the spare parts and a malicious thought came to her. She took the bowl and went upstairs where her husband was sound asleep and, gently pulling back the bed covers, she pulled backthe elastic waistband of his underpants and emptied the bowl of turkey guts into his shorts. Some time later she heard her husband waken with his usual trumpeting which was followed by a blood curdling scream and the sound offrantic footsteps as he ran into the bathroom. The wife could hardly control herself as she rolled on the floor laughing, tears in her eyes!

After years of torture she reckoned she had got him back pretty good. About twenty minutes later, her husband came downstairs in his bloodstained underpants with a look of horror on his face. She bit her lip as she asked him what the matter was. He said, "Darling, you were right. All these yearsyou have warned me and I didn't listen to you." "What do you mean?" askedhis wife. "Well, you always told me that one day I would end up farting my guts out, and today it finally happened. But by the grace of God, Vaseline and these two fingers, I think I got most of them back in.

World's Greatest Driving Road

2007-11-11T00:58:00.001+05:30

Just have a look what they have created in a desert... The Jebel Hafeet Mountain Road in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) is the greatest driving road in the world. Stretching for 7.3 miles and climbing nearly 4,000 feet, it boasts 60 corners and a surface so smooth that it would flatter a racetrack. It could easily be described as the eighth wonder of the world, but almost nothing is known about its creation.
The road is cut into the Jebel Hafeet Mountain, the highest peak in the United Arab Emirates, the oil-rich Persian Gulf state. The mountain spans the border with Oman and lies about 90 minutes' drive southeast of the thriving city of Dubai. It looks down upon a dusty, desert landscape that belies a nation of astonishing wealth.

New Ferrari - Tu Nero

2007-11-10T23:49:00.000+05:30

A Friend's Promise

2007-11-10T21:57:00.001+05:30

It meant a lot for me when I was going through a bad time.

When times get tough and you feel down,

good friends are hard to come by.

But down worry when I see you frown,

I'll be right by your side.

It may be a girl that breaks your heart,

I promise, the pain will fade away.

But don't you worry I will do my part,

To be there for you every day.

But perhaps its your parents that made you cry,

they are the ones who have you upset,

they don't mean to make you have tears in your eyes,

And on that I am sure to bet.

And some times you just feel down and out,

Just need a friend ot on whom you can rely,

Don't worry we can talk about,

Whatevers on your mind.

You can call me even if it's late,

Or if I'm busy with my work,

Even if you know, that I am on a date,

To help I will do my best.

Because your my friend you can rely on me,

To get you through those bad times

anytime anywhere!!!!!

Diwali Wallpapers

2007-11-08T06:29:00.001+05:30

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Thought for the day....

2007-11-08T06:27:00.000+05:30

A Real Touching Story!

2007-11-05T15:02:00.000+05:30

I received this story as an e-mail. But when I read this, I felt it very touching and true! I am sharing it here for all the special people in my life... Please read it!!

One day a teacher asked her students to list the names of the other students in the room on two sheets of paper, leaving a space between each name.

Then she told them to think of the nicest thing they could say about each of their classmates and write it down.

It took the remainder of the class period to finish their assignment, and as the students left the room, each one handed in the papers.

That Saturday, the teacher wrote down the name of each student on a separate sheet of paper, and listed what everyone else had said about that individual.

On Monday she gave each student his or her list. Before long, the entire class was smiling. "Really?" she heard whispered. "I never knew that I meant anything to anyone!" and, "I didn't know others liked me so much." were most of the comments.

No one ever mentioned those papers in class again. She never knew if they discussed them after class or with their parents, but it didn't matter. The exercise had accomplished its purpose. The students were happy with themselves and one another. That group of students moved on.

Several years later, one of the students was killed in Viet Nam and his teacher attended the funeral of that special student. She had never seen a serviceman in a military coffin before. He looked so handsome, so mature.

The church was packed with his friends. One by one those who loved him too a last walk by the coffin. The teacher was the last one to bless the coffin.

As she stood there, one of the soldiers who acted as pallbearer came up to her. "Were you Mark's math teacher?" he asked. She nodded: "yes." Then he said: "Mark talked about you a lot."

After the funeral, most of Mark's former classmates went together to a luncheon. Mark's mother and father were there, obviously waiting to speak with his teacher.

"We want to show you something," his father said, taking a wallet out of his pocket. "They found this on Mark when he was killed. We thought you might recognize it."

Opening the billfold, he carefully removed two worn pieces of notebook paper that had obviously been taped, folded and refolded many times. The teacher knew without looking that the papers were the ones on which she had listed all the good things each of Mark's classmates had said about him.

"Thank you so much for doing that," Mark's mother said. "As you can see, Mark treasured it."

All of Mark's former classmates started to gather around. Charlie smiled rather sheepishly and said, "I still have my list. It's in the top drawer of my desk at home."

Chuck's wife said, "Chuck asked me to put his in our wedding album."

"I have mine too," Marilyn said. "It's in my diary."

Then Vicki, another classmate, reached into her pocketbook, took out her wallet and showed her worn and frazzled list to the group "I carry this with me at all times," Vicki said and without batting an eyelash, she continued: "I think we all saved our lists."

That's when the teacher finally sat down and cried. She cried for Mark and for all his friends who would never see him again.

The density of people in society is so thick that we forget that life will end one day. And we don't know when that one day will be.

So please, tell the people you love and care for, that they are special and important. Tell them, before it is too late.

Remember, you reap what you sow. What you put into the lives of others comes back into your own.

May Your Day Be As Blessed As You Are Special.

LEAVE OUT YOUR DREAMS

2007-11-05T02:41:00.001+05:30

Living your Dream is not just about attaining the results
It is about who you become along the way
Like a rosebud that starts out tight and closed
And opens into a beautiful flower…..Or a caterpillar
That evolves into a beautiful butterfly
And you……Become the person you were always meant to be

What is a Mother?

2007-11-05T01:51:00.001+05:30

A mother is someone who loves you
Who cares for you in every way
She sits down and listens
to what you have to say

She always thinks your beautiful
Never puts you down
She always has a smile
To wipe away your frown

A mother is someone who believes in you
Always pushes you to go far
Tells you to believe in yourself
No matter who you are

A mother is like an angel
Although without the wings
She tells you to enjoy
Lifes most smallest things

I really love my mother
She means so much to me
Mommy I really love you
And that's how it always will be.

Pretty Boy

2007-11-05T01:43:00.001+05:30

A melodious soothing composition that I can never forget...!!!!!!

Best days of my life!!!

2007-11-04T23:44:00.000+05:30

Remembering my classmates, after few years,
My eyes were filled with tears,
Everyone now is busy a lot,
No one escaped destiny’s plot.

Saw the girl, whom once I thought as my best friend,
Oops! Today she is somebody else’s girlfriend,
After months, remembered about her for a little while,
Heard she is happy, that made me smile.

Project reviews to campus interviews,
Nicknames to last bench games,
Cultural rehearsals to love proposals,
Short term crushes to class room blushes.

Everything is fresh in my mind,
Wish life could just rewind,
Let’s laugh, play and rejoice,
Once again become college guys.

Chatting and laughing, we all were in elation,
Till the painful moment of separation,
When it was time to part,
We returned with heavy heart.

Today life is full of commitments,
And too many worries,
But those cherished moments,
Will live forever in our memories!!!!