Shailen

Ant & the Grasshopper in the 21st century

2010-07-26T21:48:00.000-07:00

Old Story:
The Ant works hard in the withering heat all summer building its house and laying up supplies for the winter. The Grasshopper thinks the Ant is a fool and laughs & dances & plays the summer away.

Come winter, the Ant is warm and well fed. The Grasshopper has no food or shelter so he dies out in the cold.

Indian Version of this old story:
The Ant works hard in the withering heat all summer building its house and laying up supplies for the winter.

The Grasshopper thinks the Ant's a fool and laughs & dances & plays the summer away.

Come winter, the shivering Grasshopper calls a press conference and demands to know why the Ant should be allowed to be warm and well fed while others are cold and starving. NDTV, CNN-IBN, AAJ TAK show up to provide pictures of the shivering Grasshopper next to a video of the Ant in his comfortable home with a table filled with food.

The World is stunned by the sharp contrast. How can this be that this poor Grasshopper is allowed to suffer so?

Arundhati Roy stages a demonstration in front of the Ant's house.

Medha Patkar goes on a fast along with other Grasshoppers demanding that Grasshoppers be relocated to warmer climates during winter .

Mayawati states this as `injustice' done on Minorities.

Amnesty International and United Nations criticize the Indian Government for not upholding the fundamental rights of the Grasshopper.

The Internet is flooded with online petitions seeking support to the Grasshopper (many promising Heaven and Everlasting Peace for prompt
support as against the wrath of God for non-compliance) .

Another jerk starts a chain mail asking everyone to forward to 20 people, and Microsoft will pay 3 cents for every mail to the Grasshopper.

Airtel starts a chain SMS campaign, and rakes in 58 crores by the end of the day.

Opposition MPs stage a walkout. Left parties call for ' Bengal Bandh' in West Bengal and Kerala demanding a Judicial Enquiry.

CPM in Kerala immediately ask for a law preventing Ants from working hard in the heat so as to bring about equality of poverty among Ants and Grasshoppers.

Mamta Bannerji allocates one free rail coach to Grasshoppers on all Indian Railway Trains to attend a rally in Calcutta.....oops....KolKota.

Finally, Chidambaram drafts the ' Prevention of Terrorism Against Grasshoppers Act' [POTAGA], with effect from the beginning of the winter.

Kapil Sibbal makes 'Special Reservation ' for Grasshoppers in Educational Institutions & in Government Services.

The Ant is fined for failing to comply with POTAGA and having nothing left to pay his retroactive taxes, its home is confiscated by the Government and handed over to the Grasshopper in a ceremony organised exclusively by NDTV.

Arundhati Roy calls it ' A Triumph of Justice'.

Mamta calls it 'Socialistic Justice '.

CPM calls it the ' Revolutionary Resurgence of the Downtrodden '

United Nations invites the Grasshopper to address the UN General Assembly.

Many years later....

The Ant has since migrated to the US and set up a multi-billion dollar company in Silicon Valley, 100s of Grasshoppers still die of starvation despite reservation all over India, AND As a result of losing lot of hard working Ants and feeding the grasshoppers,India is still a developing country!!!

92 Ways to Keep Your Heart Healthy

2010-07-02T04:52:00.000-07:00

92 Ways to Keep Your Heart Healthy
"Sourced from www.apollolife.com”

The American Heart Association has citied that the primary cause of heart attack stems from inappropriate nutrition, low levels of activity, high levels of stress and smoking. These result in high blood pressure, diabetes and high blood cholesterols, which lead to a heart attack. Dr. Christian Barnard, credited with doing the first human transplant surgery in 1967, spent the latter years of his life preaching lifestyle change to avoid heart attacks. In this article are compiled some of his tips taken from several of his books, on how to have a healthy heart.

1	Eat in moderation. Stop eating while you are still hungry.
2	Diets depress and irritate you. Dieting often leads to nutrient deficiencies.
3	Weight reduction cannot happen without exercise activity – it is always long term.
4	More important than weight loss, is fat loss.
5	Don’t deny yourself the foods you like. Just eat them less often.
6	Have soup before a meal. You will then eat less. Eat less, but more often. This increases metabolism.
7	Fish meat contains omega fatty acids. These are good for the heart.
8	Eat fresh vegetables and fruits daily. Refrigerated vegetables lose between 50 to 60 percent of their nutrients.
9	Fruits and vegetables eaten daily lower the risk of cancer and heart attacks, while protecting against illness and infection.
10	The secret of a Mediterranean diet is lots of fruit, vegetables, wine, olive oil, activity and a stress-free life.
11	Eat balanced meals. Eat only if hungry. Do not snack.
12	Don’t reuse cooking oils.
13	Don’t get too worked up if your cholesterol levels are slightly high. Smoking and being overweight is probably worse than having moderately high cholesterol.
14	Garlic, fish, wine and exercise are weapons against cholesterol.
15	Tomatoes, lemon, spinach, carrots, broccoli, onions and garlic reduce cholesterol and fight free radicals damage.A mixture of a fruit and vegetable juice will give you the antioxidants you need to rid your body of free radicals and toxins.
16	You must have a multi-vitamin and multi-mineral pill daily.
17	Be relaxed while eating.
18	The night time meal must be light.
19	Alcohol should be used in moderation.
20	If you don’t like alcohol, you don’t have to have it.
21	Drinking red wine reduces the probability of heart ailments by up to 60 percent, and also protects against strokes.It is good for the blood, has a positive effect on cholesterol and also against atherosclerosis.
22	Alcohol helps in dissolving dangerous clots in the blood.
23	Alcohol can raise the level of good HDL cholesterol.
24	Wine cannot alter the consequences of smoking or not exercising.
25	90 percent of all situations that cause us stress are trivial and inconsequential.
26	Stress currently affects women more than it does men.
27	Stress can motivate and challenge us.
28	Be a dreamer, but set yourself attainable goals. Don’t be a perfectionist. Accepting that you are not perfect,reduces you blood pressure and stress.
29	Learn to delegate.
30	Show emotion (grief, anger, joy). By suppressing your emotions, you increase your risk of heart attack.
31	Those who hire and fire have the highest risk of heart attacks amongst executives. Those that fire take it more to heart, than those who have been fired.
32	The colder the season, the more the heart attacks.
33	Avoid televisions, computers and pets in your bedroom.
34	People with pets have less heart problems than those without pets.
35	Television is one of the main causes of obesity.
36	Cell phones are addictive, and cause stress.
37	Do not make your mobile your constant partner (at dinner, in the toilet, at the movies).
38	A cheerful, tolerant disposition reduces heart problems.
39	Laughter therapy has been scientifically proven as good for health. Laughter reduces blood pressure, stress,cancer and heart problems.
40	Having the courage to admit a mistake helps you gain confidence and conviction.
41	Women respond more calmly than men to aggression.
42	Share your problems by talking things over.
43	Think positively, be an optimist.
44	Happily married people are the least likely to have heart attacks.Lonely people run a greater risk of not surviving a heart attack.
45	Maintain old friendships and make new friends. The more your friends, the greater your health.
46	Anger can be fatal for cardiac patients. Anger counseling has helped reduce recurring hostility and stress by over 70 percent.
47	Faith can prolong your life – they strengthen the immune system. Active religious believers, live eight to ten years longer than non practicing persons.
48	Belief and a positive mental attitude can be the difference between success and failure in cancer and cardiac recovery.
49	Have an annual medical check-up. It is the most fundamental rule of good health.
50	While your week belongs to your office, your weekends belong to your family.
51	Your day belongs to your work; your evenings belong to you to do as you wish.
52	A stress filled job requires a lazy holiday. A monotonous job requires hiking and trekking in your vacation.
53	Having a two or three week holiday is good for your family and for your health.
54	Your work either satisfies you, or it will make you ill. More than 50% of employees suffer from job related stress.
55	People who are yelled at in the workplace take more sick leaves.
56	Stressful jobs are responsible for heart attacks. When your job depresses you – Quit.
57	Office politics and canteen gossip cause major stress to hardworking employees.
58	Feel free to praise yourself - very few others will.
59	Keep your job options open. Loyalty is old fashioned in this modern world.
60	Surround yourself with capable people at work.
61	An afternoon siesta is good for the heart and the brain. A 30 minutes nap improves memory and performance.
62	Too little sleep is bad for the heart. Too much sleep is indicative of depression.
63	A person who sleeps less will have higher levels of blood pressure. People who sleep less have up to 70 percent poorer health than those who sleep sufficiently. People, who suffer sleep deprivation, lose up to 25% of their intellectual capacity.
64	Lack of sleep reduces the body’s immunity. Eight to nine hours sleep a day is best. Sleep and get up at the same time all days. Never sleep with anger on your mind.
65	Set goals, targets and objectives, and strive to reach them collectively. Share your concerns and stresses- don’t bottle up.
66	Deep breathe while stressed. Counter office stress, by going for short walks every hour.
67	Flowers, plants and an aquarium relieve stress. Stretch and yawn often, this reduces stress.
68	Music is a balm for the soul and is good for the heart. Music reduces stress.
69	Accordingly to German research, sudden loud noise, or continuous low level irritating sound is an independent cardiac risk factor.
70	Traffic noise and machinery sounds increase adrenaline, affect blood composition, and increase the risk of heart attacks.
71	Nature’s sounds, water flowing and birds chirping are known to calm the heart.
72	Every 10 seconds, someone somewhere is dying of cigarette smoke. 35% of all heart related deaths are directly related to cigarette smoke.
73	Cigarette smoke contains 4000 different substances that are harmful to the body, brain and heart. Accordingly to World Health Organisation, smokers have a higher risk of cancer and cardiac ailments.
74	Smoking causes high blood pressure. The carbon monoxide in tobacco smoke inhibits the good cholesterol and raises the levels of bad cholesterol.
75	Women who smoke and are on contraceptive have a much higher risk of heart attacks.
76	Smokers who exercise increase their chances of surviving a heart attack. Coordinate your stop smoking regimen with a program of sports activity, and you will improve your chances of success.
77	Every hour your walk increases your lifespan by 60 minutes.
78	Sports help the body battle all diseases including cancer and heart attacks.
79	Exercise releases happiness endorphins in the body, keeping you trim and healthy, while also improving the quality and length of life.
80	Exercise reduces blood pressure, reduces cholesterol and reduces diabetes. It also battles stress.
81	Exercisers survive heart attacks. Exercise strengthens all the muscles of the body including the muscles of the heart.
82	Exercise for 30-60 minutes daily at a moderate intensity. One hour of exercise, utilises one meal.
83	Frequent blood donation every three to six months, is good for the heart.
84	Nothing is better for the heart than making love frequently. Sex relieves tension and release the feel good hormone in the body.
85	Sexually active men and women live longer, but sex outside of a loving relationship can be harmful to the body.
86	Like exercise, for sex to be beneficial, it must be regular. Twice a week is as good for the heart as exercising every day.
87	Every day activities such as climbing stairs, carrying the groceries, gardening etc are good for the heart. Daily household activities, such as making the beds, cleaning the house etc. cuts your risk of heart attack by half.
88	Laziness and being sedentary constitutes the same cardiac risk as high blood pressure and smoking. Regular exercise strengthens the heart, and reduces heart activity by a million heart beats each month.
89	Start exercise gradually (by warming up) and do not stop exercise abruptly (do a gradual cool down). This manages the heart rate and blood pressure.
90	Exercise improves circulation, reduces body fat, improves cholesterol, strengthens the bones, combats depression, reduces blood pressure, reduces stress, overcomes insomnia, and increases self confidence.
91	Swimming is as good, if not better than running as an exercise. Golf for executives balances the stresses of work.
92	Never delay a good health resolution (to reduce weight, quit smoking, exercise, etc). Always start immediately. Not tomorrow, or next week, or next year. Start NOW.

Job Hopper

2010-06-29T21:46:00.001-07:00

Don't miss last 2 Questions...

Some, rather most organizations reject his CV today because he has changed jobs frequently (10 in 14 years). My friend, the ˜job hopper™ (referred here as Mr. JH), does not mind it. well he does not need to mind it at all. Having worked full-time with 10 employer companies in just 14 years gives Mr.. JH the relaxing edge that most of the ˜company loyal™ employees are struggling for today. Today, Mr. JH too is laid off like some other 14-15 year experienced guys “ the difference being the latter have just worked in 2-3 organizations in the same number of years. Here are the excerpts of an interview with Mr. JH:

Q: Why have you changed 10 jobs in 14 years?
A: To get financially sound and stable before getting laid off the second time.

Q: So you knew you would be laid off in the year 2009?
A: Well I was laid off first in the year 2002 due to the first global economic slowdown. I had not got a full-time job before January 2003 when the economy started looking up; so I had struggled for almost a year without job and with compromises.

Q: Which number of job was that?
A: That was my third job.

Q: So from Jan 2003 to Jan 2009, in 6 years, you have changed 8 jobs to make the count as 10 jobs in 14 years?
A: I had no other option. In my first 8 years of professional life, I had worked only for 2 organizations thinking that jobs are deserved after lot of hard work and one should stay with an employer company to justify the saying ˜employer loyalty™. But I was an idiot.

Q: Why do you say so?
A: My salary in the first 8 years went up only marginally. I could not save enough and also, I had thought that I had a ˜permanent™ job, so I need not worry about ˜what will I do if I lose my job™. I could never imagine losing a job because of economic slowdown and not because of my performance. That was January 2002.

Q: Can you brief on what happened between January 2003 and 2009.
A: Well, I had learnt my lessons of being ˜company loyal™ and not ˜money earning and saving loyal™. But then you can save enough only when you earn enough. So I shifted my loyalty towards money making and saving “ I changed 8 jobs in 6 years assuring all my interviewers about my stability.

Q: So you lied to your interviewers; you had already planned to change the job for which you were being interviewed on a particular day?
A: Yes, you can change jobs only when the market is up and companies are hiring. You tell me “ can I get a job now because of the slowdown? No. So one should change jobs for higher salaries only when the market is up because that is the only time when companies hire and can afford the expected salaries.

Q: What have you gained by doing such things?
A: That's the question I was waiting for. In Jan 2003, I had a fixed salary (without variables) of say Rs. X p.a. In January 2009, my salary was 8X. So assuming my salary was Rs.3 lakh p.a. in Jan 2003, my last drawn salary in Jan 2009 was Rs.24 lakh p.a. (without variable). I never bothered about variable as I had no intention to stay for 1 year and go through the appraisal process to wait for the company to give me a hike.

Q: So you decided on your own hike?
A: Yes, in 2003, I could see the slowdown coming again in future like it had happened in 2001-02. Though I was not sure by when the next slowdown would come, I was pretty sure I wanted a ˜debt-free™ life before being laid off again. So I planned my hike targets on a yearly basis without waiting for the year to complete.

Q: So are you debt-free now?
A: Yes, I earned so much by virtue of job changes for money and spent so little that today I have a loan free 2 BR flat (1200 sq.. feet) plus a loan free big car without bothering about any EMIs. I am laid off too but I do not complain at all. If I have laid off companies for money, it is OK if a company lays me off because of lack of money.

Q: Who is complaining?
A: All those guys who are not getting a job to pay their EMIs off are complaining. They had made fun of me saying I am a job hopper and do not have any company loyalty. Now I ask them what they gained by their company loyalty; they too are laid off like me and pass comments to me “ why will you bother about us, you are already debt-free. They were still in the bracket of 12-14 lakh p.a. when they were laid off.

Q: What is your advice to professionals?
A: Like Narayan Murthy had said “ love your job and not your company because you never know when your company will stop loving you. In the same lines, love yourself and your family needs more than the company's needs. Companies can keep coming and going; family will always remain the same. Make money for yourself first and simultaneously make money for the company, not the other way around.

Q: What is your biggest pain point with companies?
A: When a company does well, its CEO will address the entire company saying, ˜well done guys, it is YOUR company, keep up the hard work, I am with you. But when the slowdown happens and the company does not do so well, the same CEO will say, It is MY company and to save the company, I have to take tough decisions including asking people to go. So think about your financial stability first; when you get laid off, your kids will complain to you and not your boss.

Appraisal Tricks from Management

2010-05-18T01:47:00.001-07:00

The Art of Appraisal

Big Boss: This year your performance was good, excellent and outstanding.

So, your rating is "average".

Kumar: What? How come 'average'?

Big Boss: Because...err...uhh...you lack domain knowledge.

Kumar: But last year you said I am a domain expert and you put me in this project as a domain consultant.

Big Boss: Oh is it? Well, in that case, I think your domain knowledge has eroded this year.

Kumar: What???

Big Boss: Yes, I didn't see you sharing knowledge on Purchasing domain.

Kumar: Why would I? Because I am not in Purchasing, I am in Manufacturing.

Big Boss: This is what I don't like about you. You give excuse for everything.

Kumar: Huh? *Confused*

Big Boss: Next, you need to improve your communication skills.

Kumar: Like what? I am the one who trained the team on "Business Communication", you sat in the audience and took notes, you remember?

Big Boss: Oh is it? Errr...well..I mean, you need to improve your Social Pragmatic Affirmative Communication.

Kumar: Huh? What the hell is that? *Confused*

Big Boss: See! That's why you need to learn about it.

Kumar: *head spinning*

Big Boss: Next, you need to sharpen your recruiting skills. All the guys you recruited left within 2 months.

Kumar: Well, not my mistake. You told them you will sit beside them and review their code, and most resigned the next day itself. Couple of them even attempted suicide.

Big Boss:*stunned* (recovers from shock) Err...anyway, I tried to give you a better rating, but our Normalization process gave you only 'average'.

Kumar: Last year that process gave me 'excellent'. This year just 'average'? Why is this process pushing me up and down every year?

Big Boss: That's a complicated process. You don't want to hear.

Kumar: I'll try to understand. Go ahead.

Big Boss: Well, we gather in a large room, write down the names of sub-ordinates in bits of paper, and throw them up in the air.

Whichever lands on the floor gets 'average',

Whichever lands on table gets 'good',

Whichever we manage to catch gets 'excellent' and

Whichever gets stuck to ceiling gets 'outstanding'.

Kumar: (eyes popping out) What? Ridiculous! So who gets 'poor' rating?

Big Boss: Those are the ones we forget to write down.

Kumar: What the hell! And how can paper bits stick to ceiling for 'outstanding'?

Big Boss: Oh no, now you have started questioning our 20 year old organizational process!

Kumar: *faints*

Nationalisation of IPL

2010-05-10T22:52:00.000-07:00

And this is what will happen when Lalit Modi is ousted......

The new Commissioner of the IPL, replacing Lalit Modi, will be an IAS officer, 1989 batch, transferred from the Food Corporation of India

Mayawati will demand, however, that the new Chairman should be her own candidate, Mr Dalit Modi.

The name of Mumbai Indians will immediately be changed to Mumbai Manus. It will, naturally, field only Maharashtrians (preferably Maharshtrian Brahmins). All other players will have their legs broken. Zaheer Khan will have his house burned down. So will Irfan Pathan, Yusuf Pathan and Mohammed Kaif.

The Chennai Super Kings team will be renamed Dravida Cricket Kazhagam. Subsequently one faction will break away and the team will split into DCK (DMK) and AIADCK, owing allegiance to Karunanidhi and Jayalalitha, respectively.

Each political party will have its own team: BJP Bandits, Congress Cobras, CPI Cadres, Samajwadi Strikers, CPM Challengers, Trinamul Tigers, et cetera.

Auction of players will be replaced by teams calling for tenders for players. The lowest priced players will be picked, subject to sufficient bribes reaching the right politicians in the selection committee.

Air India will replace Kingfisher as the official carrier. Thats the only way Air India can return to profitability.

Cheerleaders will be replaced by retired Air-India flight attendants.

The new cheerleaders will perform the folk dances of the states they represent during breaks.

Sonia Gandhi will insist that 30% of each team should be reserved for be women.

Mayawati will demand SC~ST players will need to run for only 18 yards instead of 22 yards between the wickets.

Third Umpire requests will have to be filled in triplicate and duly notarised.

All Third Umpire decisions will be referred to a Joint Parliamentary Commission.

IPL tickets will henceforth be available at all post offices and BSNL centres from 10 a.m. to 12:45 p.m. The facility to purchase tickets on your cell phone will immediately be withdrawn.

Replacing an injured foreign player can be done only through a Tatkal application submitted 48 hours after a government doctor examines him.

IPL matches will be shown only on Doordarshan. They will be telecast the day immediately following the match, from 4 a.m. to 7:30 a.m. and subsequently from 3:30 a.m. to 7 p.m, subject to satellite link-up availability.

Between each innings break Doordarshan will telecast the news in Hindi, followed by news for the hearing impaired.

Agricultural shots can be played only during the phase of the game termed "Krishi Darshan".

There will be no matches on weekends or on national/regional holidays.

The three stumps will be painted saffron, white and green.

The umpires will be sponsored by the Income Tax dept. The logo on their shirts will be 'Pay Income Tax before 30/6'.

Bowlers will have to bowl sarpatti and ghasssarkundi balls to the reserved category players.

Pakistan will immediately announce its intention to start its own version of the tournament called PPL, and Mr Zardari will make a visit to Washington to meet President Obama and seek an additional grant of $1 billion to fund it. He will also privately threaten Obama that if the funds are not provided, he will have no choice but to let loose the taliban and al-qaida.

WHY PEOPLE DO NOT SET GOALS

2007-10-26T00:04:00.000-07:00

WHY PEOPLE DO NOT SET GOALS

Here are eight common reasons why people fail to set goals.

1. Most people are not serious or committed... just words - no action. You need to reverse to "action taken," not just words written.

2. People do not accept RESPONSIBILITY for their life. They are still waiting for real life to just "happen," buying lottery tickets instead of taking positive action in their lives. They are "Waiting for their ship to come in," waiting for a lucky break... always WAITING for a more convenient time.

3. They hope someone else will take responsibility and "rescue" them.But, who else will take responsibility for your life, if not you?

4. They were raised in a negative atmosphere. "Can't" is the attitude of the household. "Oh, YOU can't do that!" "Don't even bother" or"Why do you think you are good enough to do that?"

5. They don't really understand or realize the importance of planning and setting achievable goals on a consistent basis.

6. They just don't know how to do it.

7. The fear of criticism ... fear of being ridiculed when trying to rise above the norm. Fear of sharing goals with others, which helps to doom success. What is needed is association with people who understand the importance of goal setting, and who will help them reach their goals in a healthy, positive manner.

8. FEAR OF FAILURE ... This greatest deterrent keeps most people in their "comfort zone." There, they are already successful, so there is little chance for risk, therefore, for failure.But that place doesn't teach any lessons and does not stretch the individual to find out what they are really capable of accomplishing.

HOW TO MAKE RESOLUTIONS THAT YOU'LL KEEP

What follows are 12 specific steps which will help you translate your Resolution(s) into solid, achievable worthwhile goals!

1. SET GOALS WHICH CALL FOR YOU TO "STRETCH" BEYOND WHAT YOU MIGHT NORMALLY BELIEVE YOU CAN ACCOMPLISH.

As Napoleon Hill said, "Whatever the mind of man can conceive and believe, it can achieve." Determine what you really believe you can accomplish ... then consider expanding what you think is possible For instance, if you earned $50,000 last year and know that you can easily repeat this success, what would be a real stretch for you? Would it be $60,000? $65,000? Can you see yourself earning $100,000? If so, challenge yourself to acquire this extra amount. There are no limitations except those you place on yourself and acknowledge.

2. SELECT AN AREA OVER WHICH YOU, YOURSELF, CAN EXERCISE CONTROL, RATHER THAN A SITUATION IN WHICH CHANCE HAS A LARGE INFLUENCE.

For example, a New Years Resolution that you're going to win the lottery would not be effective because you don't directly influence the outcome of the games. You do, however, control the quality of your work, the number of times you call on prospective clients, etc. Focus on these areas and improve your personal performance.

3. PUT YOUR GOAL IN WRITING.

When you write out your resolution, you'll find that you become much more serious about achieving it. You must also pay special attention to the way in which you write your goals (see steps 4-7).

4. ASSUME SUCCESS.

Avoid saying, "I want to start my own business" say "I WILL start my own business by..."

5. MAKE 1T SPECIFIC

For example, "I will start my own catering business, focusing on healthy ethnic ingredients"

6. MAKE 1T MEASURABLE

For instance, "I will start my own catering business, filling out all necessary legal papers, renting a location, purchasing kitchen equipment, hiring at least one worker and servicing my first client."

7. SET A TIME DEADLINE FOR ACCOMPLISHING YOUR GOAL.

Tack on a "by when" to the end of the above statement -- that is, "I will start my own catering business by March 1, 2008" This adds a sense of urgency and immediately puts you into a "state" of action.

8. LIST THE BENEFITS YOU INTEND TO RECEIVE BY ACHIEVING THIS GOAL.

This is crucial. For instance, will you have more influence in the community? Will your family be more secure? Would you have fulfilled a life's dream? (NOTE: If you ever find yourself growing too scared or losing focus on your goal, take another look at what you wrote for this step.)

9. SPEAK WITH OTHERS INVOLVED IN SIMILAR ACTIVITIES.

An effective way to build your confidence when sailing into uncharted waters is to associate with those who have already taken this or similar risks ... survived and succeeded.

10. ASK A COLLEAGUE OF PROFESSIONAL TO SERVE AS A PERSONAL "COACH"

Make sure you choose someone who is both healthy and positive, to help you keep your resolution. Share your goals and commitments with this person. Report to him or her often and ask your coach to hold you accountable for doing what you say you will do.

11. VISUALIZE YOURSELF ACHIEVING THIS GOAL.

Create a vivid mental picture of yourself (for example) presiding over a tremendously successful catering affair. Imagine your client smiling and thanking you for cooking such an exceptional meal. Allow yourself to experience the positive feelings e.g.. pride, happiness, satisfaction -- that go along with your accomplishment. The more you can "see" your success in your mind's eye the more likely you will be to create this success in reality.

12. ACT NOW.

Act on your thoughts now. Avoid putting off taking action because you feel that you need to be better trained or more prepared -- this is a form of procrastination. Again if you find yourself too scared to proceed refer back to step #8 and focus on the benefits you will receive making this resolution.

REMEMBER : "Life is what happens to you. Living is what you learn from...and how you respond to what happens to you" "While we can't change the past, we CAN fix the present and START living a better life right now, in order to make our future better

2007-10-25T04:20:00.000-07:00

An excerpt from Visual Selling: Capture the Eye and the Customer Will Follow by Paul LeRoux and Peg Corwin (Wiley, $24.95)

By Paul LeRoux and Peg Corwin

Mistake #1: Overlooking "Murphy"

If it can go wrong, it will go wrong. This mistake basically means that you walk into the room where you're going to present and something is wrong. LeRoux tells a story about a multimillion-dollar sales presentation to which "Murphy" paid a visit—in the form of missing curtains and a boardroom window overlooking a huge pool surrounded by bikini-clad swimmers (you can guess what the attendees looked at instead of the presenter).

Remedy: Visit important presentation rooms at least a day in advance. If that's not possible, have someone take pictures from different angles and email them to you.

Mistake #2: Delivering Split Presentations
It's difficult to read the subtitles of a foreign movie and follow the action. When sellers stand at a distance from the screen, they create a similar problem. You probably won't build rapport with someone whose focus is repeatedly divided.

Remedy: Stand next to the screen and present a united message.

Mistake #3: Positioning Yourself Incorrectly
Right-handed sellers usually stand with the screen to their right. This allows them to point more easily. However, people read left to right. Salespeople are unable to capitalize on this fact when the screen is to their right.

Remedy: Position a screen, flip chart, or easel stand to your left. Then people will naturally start with their eyes on you and return to you after glancing at the screen.

Mistake #4: Choosing the Wrong Screen Size and Position
In most meeting rooms, screens are two to three times bigger than necessary. The bigger the screen, the more it overshadows the presenter. Recessed ceiling screens are typically centered. This provides nice room symmetry, but it also diminishes the seller.

Remedy: Bring a portable screen. For two to fifteen people, a 4-foot by 4-foot screen is fine. Place yourself in the room's center or key focal spot, and then angle the screen about 25 degrees toward yourself.

Mistake #5: Seating Decision Makers in the Wrong Chairs
In important sales presentations, seating arrangements matter. The first chair to the presenter's left is the best viewing point for a decision maker and the first chair to the presenter's right is the least desirable.

Remedy: Obviously, place the decision maker in the first chair to your left. Plant your feet firmly perpendicular to your group and be conscious that your body will continuously try to rotate toward the screen. Don't let it, or you'll give more eye contact to the non-decision makers.

Mistake #6: Dimming the Lights
Darkness induces drowsiness and mental wandering. Plus it eliminates the best part of a presentation—you.

Remedy: Keep the room lights on or dim them slightly. If multiple light switches are available, turn the lights off directly above the screen. (Of course, since the lights are on, you will need to design slides that are visible at higher light levels.)

Mistake #7: Promoting the Screen
Too many presenters feel that the information on the screen is the real "star." But the audience needs to see you as well—you pull them into the story unfolding on the screen and bring the message to life. As an American Indian proverb goes, "Move closer to the campfire, so I can see your words."

Remedy: Bring the lights up enough so that both you and your visuals are clearly seen.

Mistake #8: Playing with Pointers and Other Toys
Anything you hold in your hands becomes a plaything with which you'll fidget. You might as well twirl a baton, since your hands gripping some object will distract people just as much.

Remedy: Keep your hands free to gesture by not holding a pointer, marker, or remote.

Mistake #9: Blocking the Screen
Do not turn toward the visual and point with your right arm. This causes you to partially block the screen from viewers to your right.

Remedy: Point at the screen with your fingers together, palm down and parallel to the floor. Point to the screen with only your left arm, but when you gesture, use both arms.

Mistake #10: Holding Remotes or Clickers

Remember, it's human nature to play with objects in your hands. If you're nervous, you'll speed up and change the slides faster than you should. Besides, holding a remote causes you to gesture less. You'll settle into the easier, boring role of a talking head instead of selling your ideas with your upper body.

Remedy: Place your laptop or remote on the lectern or a table under the screen.

Mistake #11: Positioning the Lectern to the Side
Usually, in high-dollar presentations, two items dominate the room—the screen and the lectern. Too many presenters place the lectern well away from the screen (causing the aforementioned split presentation), and then they hide behind the "box." To "take cover" defeats the whole idea of selling visually.

Remedy: Position the lectern, screen, and presenter together, so the presenter can interact closely with the screen and use the nearby lectern to hold content cue cards or the remote to change slides. If you're the presenter, stand in the center of the room or stage with the screen to the left and the lectern to the right.

Mistake #12: Reading Someone Else's Text Slides
If you take over someone else's text-heavy presentation at the last minute, you face an uphill battle. By just reading the text slides, you'll put your audience to sleep.

Remedy: Use different words from what appears on the screen. Be very enthusiastic. That will help viewers overlook the boring slides.

wooden apples

2007-10-17T10:33:00.000-07:00

There once was a happy monkey wandering the jungle, eating delicious fruit when hungry, and resting when tired.
One day he came upon a house, where he saw a bowl of the most beautiful apples.
He took one in each hand and ran back into the forest.
He sniffed the apples and smelled nothing. He tried to eat them, but hurt his teeth.
They were made of wood, but they were beautiful, and when the other monkeys saw them, he held onto them even tighter.He admired his new possessions proudly as he wandered the jungle.
They glistened red in the sun, and seemed perfect to him.
He became so attached to them, that he didn't even notice his hunger at first.A fruit tree reminded him of his hunger, but he felt the apples in his hands.
He couldn't bear to set them down to reach for the fruits.
In fact, he couldn't relax, either, if he was to defend his apples.
A proud, but less happy monkey continued to walk along the forest trails.The apples became heavier, and the poor little monkey thought about leaving them behind.
He was tired, hungry, and he couldn't climb trees or collect fruit with his hands full.
What if he just let go?Letting go of such valuable things seemed crazy, but what else could he do? He was so tired. Seeing the next fruit tree, and smelling it's fruit was enough.
He dropped the wooden apples and reached up for his meal. He was happy again.Letting Go Of Our Wooden ApplesLike that little monkey, we sometimes carry things that seem too valuable to let go.
A man carries an image of himself as "productive" - carries it like a shiny wooden apple.
But in reality, his busyness leaves him tired, and hungry for a better life. Still, letting go seems crazy.
Even his worries are sacred apples - they prove he's "doing everything he can."
But still he holds onto them compulsively.

Then we have our own "ego". Why should I bow to him? Why should I be the first one to talk to him?I am no ordinary being. I am rich. I am powerful. I am handsome. I am someone. Definitely, I am not an ordinary being.

This is a hard thing to see. We identify so strongly with our things that we even feel pain when our cars are dented.
Or when we loose our material things, or when we receive short change by mistake.
How much more powerfully do we identify with our beliefs and self-ideas?
Yet they don't always feed our souls, do they? And we become tired of defending them.
Why not let go of the wooden apple?
The monkey might be found dead of hunger, under a beautiful tree, with fruit within reach, but still grasping his wooden apples.Remember, let go of your wooden apples.
Pride, prejudice, self-image, ego, one-up-man-ship, only I am right and everyone else is wrong, these block the creative forces of nature reaching you.
God has made you the best, and he wants to give you the best. Open up and clear your hearts.
Because only with open hands and clean hearts can we receive these invaluable gifts.

Man thrives, oddly Enough, only in the presence of a challenging environment

2007-10-01T00:12:00.000-07:00

The Japanese have always loved fresh fish. But the waters close to Japan have 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 in the fish. If the return trip took more than a few days, the fish were not fresh. The Japanese did not like the taste. To solve this problem, fishing 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 and they did not like 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, the fish stopped moving. They were tired and dull, but alive. Unfortunately, the Japanese could still taste the difference. Because the fish did not move for days, they lost their fresh-fish taste. The Japanese preferred the lively taste of fresh fish, not sluggish fish.

So how did Japanese fishing companies solve this problem? How do they get fresh-tasting fish to Japan?

To keep the fish tasting fresh, the Japanese fishing companies still put the fish in the tanks. But now they add a small shark to each tank. The Shark eats a few fish, but most of the fish arrive in a very lively state. The fish are challenged.

As soon as you reach your goals, such as earning good money, getting a Good position, starting a successful company, paying off your debts or whatever, you might lose your passion. You don’t need to work so hard so you relax.

Like the Japanese fish problem, the best solution is simple. It Was observed by L. Ron Hubbard in the early 1950’s. “Man thrives, oddly Enough, only in the presence of a challenging environment.”

The Benefits of a Challenge

The more intelligent, persistent and competent you are, the more you enjoy a good problem. If your challenges are the correct size, and if you are steadily conquering those challenges, you are happy. You think of your challenges and get energized. You are excited to try new solutions. You have fun. You are alive!

Recommendations:

Instead of avoiding challenges, jump into them. Beat the heck out of them. Enjoy the game. If your challenges are too large or too numerous, do not give up. Failing makes you tired. Instead, reorganize. Find more determination, more knowledge, more help.

Don’t create success and lie in it. You have resources, skills and abilities to make a difference. Put a shark in your tank and see how far you can really go!

Life is not about how fast you run, or how high you climb, but how well you bounce.‘Make Your Own Way’

WHY MEN ARE NEVER DEPRESSED..

2007-08-19T09:14:00.000-07:00

Men Are Just Happier People-- What do you expect from such simple creatures?
Your last name stays put.
The garage is all yours.
Wedding plans take care of themselves.
Chocolate is just another snack.
You can be President.
You can never be pregnant.
You can wear a white T-shirt to a water park.
You can wear NO shirt to a water park.
Car mechanics tell you the truth.
The world is your urinal.
You never have to drive to another gas station restroom because this one is just too icky.
You don't have to stop and think of which way to turn a nut on a bolt.
Same work, more pay.
Wrinkles add character.
Wedding dress $5000. Tux rental-$100.
People never stare at your chest when you're talking to them.
New shoes don't cut, blister, or mangle your feet.
One mood all the time. !
Phone conversations are over in 30 seconds flat.
You know stuff about tanks.
A five-day vacation requires only one suitcase.
You can open all your own jars.
You get extra credit for the slightest act of thoughtfulness.
If someone forgets to invite you, he or she can still be your friend.
Your underwear is $8.95 for a three-pack.
Three pairs of shoes are more than enough.
You almost never have strap problems in public.
You are unable to see wrinkles in your clothes.
Everything on your face stays its original color.
The same hairstyle lasts for years, maybe decades.
You only have to shave your face and neck.
You can play with toys all your life.
One wallet and one pair of shoes -- one color for all seasons.
You can wear shorts no matter how your legs look.
You can "do" your nails with a pocket knife.
You have freedom of choice concerning growing a mustache.
You can do Christmas shopping for 25 relatives on December 24 in 25 minutes.No wonder men are happier.Feel free to add your penny's worth by replying back .......

FLAT FOR SALE IN GWALIOR

2007-08-05T01:56:00.000-07:00

sold

More Sardar Jokes....

2007-08-02T09:05:00.000-07:00

Prince Charles & Sardarji were having dinner.
Prince said, "Pass the wine you divine".
Sardar thinks "how poetic"
Sardar says, "pass the custard you bastard".
************ ********* ********* ********* ********

Sardar at bar in New York .
Man on his right says "Johny Walker single"
Man on his left says "Peter Scotch single"
Sardar says - "Baljith Singh Married"
************ ********* ********* ********* ********

Boss : am giving u job as a driver. STARTING salary Rs.2000/-, is it o.k
Sardar : U R great sir! Starting salary is o.k.......but? ?
how much is DRIVING salary...?
************ ********* ********* ********* ********

Sardar's theory : Moon is more impt than Sun, coz it gives light at
night when light is needed & Sun gives light during the day when light
is not needed!!!
************ ********* ********* ********* ********

2 sardars are driving a Car, one puts on the indicator and asks the
other to check whether its working, he puts his head out and says
YES...NO...YES. ..NO...YES. ..NO...
************ ********* ********* ********* ********
Sardar shouting 2 his girl friend " u said v will do register marriage
and cheated me, I was waiting 4 u yesterday whole day in the post
office....
************ ********* ********* ********* ********

A Tamilian call up sardar and asks " tamil therima??"
Sardar got mad, angrily replied.... "Hindi tera baap!!!"
************ ********* ********* ********* ********

2 sardarjis looking at Egyptian mummy.
Sar 1 : Look so many bandages, pakka lorry accident case.
Sar 2 : Aaho, lorry number is also written...BC 1760!!!....
************ ********* ********* ********* ********

A sardar on an interview 4 da post detective.
Interviewer : who killed Gandhi?
Sardar : Thank u sir 4 giving me d job, I will start investigating. ......
************ ********* ********* ********* ********

A sardar for an exam had studied only one essay 'FRIEND', but in the
exam the essay which came was 'FATHER' . he replaced friend with father
in the essay and it read: AM A VERY FATHERLY PERSON, I HAVE LOTS OF FATHERS,
SOME OF MY FATHERS ARE MALE AND SOME ARE FEMALE. MY TRUE
FATHER IS MY NEIGHBOUR.
************ ********* ********* ********* ********

Interviewar: what is ur qualification?
Sardarji : Sir I am Ph.d.
Interviewar : what do u mean by Ph.d?
Sardarji : (smiling) PASSED HIGHSCHOOL with DIFFICULTY.. ..
************ ********* ********* ********* ********

Amitab : In which state Cauvery flows?
Sardar : liquid state.....
Audience clapped.. Amitab stunned, looks behind, ALL WERE SARDARS..... ..

************ ********* ********* ********* ********

Forget Sardar jokes.................here's some Mallu ones!

2007-07-24T11:30:00.000-07:00

1) What is the tax on a Mallu's income called?IngumDaax
2) Where did the Malayali study?In the kol-liage.
3) Why did the Malayali not go to ko-liage today?He is very bissi.
4) Why did the Malayali buy an air-ticket?To go to Thuubai, zimbly to meet his ungle inGelff.
5) Why do Malayalis go to the Gelff?To yearn meney.
6) What did the Malayali do when the plane caughtfire?He zimbly jembd out of the vindow.
7) How does a Malayali spell moon?MOON - Yem Woh yet another Woh and Yen
8) What is Malayali management graduate called?Yem Bee Yae.
9) What does a Malayali do when he goes to America?He changes his name from Karunakaran to Kevin Curren.
10) What does a Malayali use to commute to officeeveryday?An Oto
11) Where does he pray?In a Temble, Charch and a Maask
12) Who is Bruce Lee's best friend ?A Malaya-Lee of coarse.
13) Name the only part of the werld, where Malayalis dont werk hard?Kerala.
14) Why is industrial productivity so low in Kerala?Because 86% of the shift time is spent on lifting, folding andre-tying the lungi
15) Why did Saddam Hussain attack Kuwait?He had a Mallu baby-sitter, who always used to say'KEEP QUWAIT' 'KEEP QUWAIT'
16) What is the Latest Malayali Punch Line?" Frem Tea Shops To Koll Cenders , We Are Yevery Where "
17) Why aren't Mals included in hockey and footballteams ?Coz Whenever they get a corner , they set up a tea shop.
18) Now pass it on to 5 Mals to get a free sample of kokanet oil.
19) Pass it on 10 Mals to get a free pack of Benana Chibbs.
20) Pass it on to 15 Mals to get a set of BROGUN bones....

2007-07-20T06:12:00.001-07:00

Sardar visits Chinese friend dying in hospital. The Chinese friend just says "CHIN YU YAN" and dies. Sardarji goes to China to find the meaning of his friend's last Words. And finds It means "U R STANDNG ON the OXYGEN TUBE!"
--------------------------------------------------------------------------
Sardarji was standing in front of the mirror with his eyes closed. His wife asked what you are doing. He said-I am seeing how I look while sleeping.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
Why did Sardar cut the sides of the capsule before taking it? Guess what... To avoid side effects!!!
--------------------------------------------------------------------
Man: Sardarji where were U born? Sardarji: Punjab . Man: Which part? Sardar: Oye part part kya kar raha hai, whole body Is born in Punjab Yaar".
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------¨Lawyer to Sardar: "Gita pe haath rakhkar kaho ke...... " Sardar :"Yeh kya, sita pe haath lagaya to court mein Bulaya. Ab fir gita pe haath!!"
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------A Sardar saw a beautiful girl... He went and kissed her.... Girl said- "What R U doing...?" Sardar replied- " B.COM from Khalsa college, Chandigar"
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Sardar: For the past one week a girl is disturbing Me. I don't know how she got my no, she interrupts whenever I call someone and says "please recharge your card"
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------A sardar was drawing money from ATM, The sardar behind him in the line said, "Ha! Ha! Haaa! I've seen ur password. Its 4 asterisks (****). " The first sardar replies, "Ha! Ha! Haaa! U R wrong, Its 1258"
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

2007-07-20T06:10:00.000-07:00

Sardar to his servant: Go and water the plants. Servant: It's already raining. Sardar: So what take an umbrella and go.
----------------------------------------------------------------
Sardar found the answer to the most difficult question ever - What will come first, Chicken or egg? O Yaar, what ever U order first, will come first.
---------------------------------------------------------------
A teacher told all students in a class to write an essay on a cricket match. All were busy writing except one Sardarji. He wrote "DUE TO RAIN, NO MATCH!"
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Postman: - I Have To Come 5 Miles to Deliver U This Packet Sardar: - why did U come so far. Instead U could Have posted it....
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
A Sardar & his wife filed an application for Divorce. Judge asked: How'll U divide your kids, U"VE 3 children? Sardar replied: Ok! We'll apply NEXT YEAR
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Sardar's wish: when I die, I wana die like my Grandpa who died peacefully in his sleep not Screaming like all d passengers in d car he was Driving.. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
A Teacher lecturing on population: "In Indi a after every 10 secs a women gives birth to a kid. " A Sardar stands up- "We must find & stop her!. "------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
A man: "Sardarji, tell me, why Manmohan Singh goes for a walk in the evening not in the morning?" Sardarji: ''Arey bhai Manmohan is PM not AM''. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------