______________________________________
Q.How can you drop a raw egg onto a concrete floor without cracking it?
A. Concrete floors are very hard to crack
Q.If it took eight men ten hours to build a wall, how long would it take four men to build the same wall?
A. No time at all it is already built
Q. How can you lift an elephant with one hand?
A. It is not a problem, since you will never find an elephant with one hand.
Q. How can a man go eight days without sleep?
A. No Probs , He sleeps at night.
Q. What looks like half apple?
A : The other half.
Q. What can you never eat for breakfast?
A : Dinner.
Q. What happened when wheel was invented?
A : It caused a revolution.
Q. Bay of Bengal is in which state?
A : Liquid
Finally Interviewer said ..... I shall either ask you 10 easy questions or 1 really difficult one ? Think well before you make up your mind!
" The boy thought for a while and said, "my choice is one really difficult question."
Well, good luck to you, you have made your own choice! Now tell me this - What comes first, The Day or Night?
The boy was jolted into reality as his admission depends on the correctness of his answer, but he thought for a while and replied ... "the DAY Sir"
"How" ? The interviewer asked.
Sorry sir, the deal was to ask ONLY ONE DIFFICULT QUESTION? Therefore, NO SECOND QUESTION PLEASE.
No doubt he has to get the job ..... he was selected.
______________________________________
Sunday, June 28, 2009
Sunday, June 21, 2009
Are Money Back Policies "PRODUCTIVE" ? ? ? ? ?
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‘Save a little money each month and at the end of the year, you will be surprised at how little you have’ – Confused??? Aren’t you..... Time and again, financial advisors have propagated the rewards one can reap by saving little by little. And here, we are contemplating otherwise!!! Well, you need not be Ernest Haskins to believe the truth behind this aphorism. Simply analyse the returns likely to accrue from the money back (insurance) policy you have invested in, and the above adage would flash like a golden truth, literally.
Money back policies are one of the most traditional insurance cum investment policies and have been widely promoted and distributed by the INSURANCE COMPANIES. Unlike a regular endowment plan, where the policy amount (sum assured) is receivable either on death or at the end of the policy term, money back policies ensure that the survivor receives a certain percentage of sum assured regularly during the term of the policy. This ensures periodic cash inflows in the hands of the survivor to meet various financial needs that might crop up with time.
The unique selling point (USP) of this product however lies in the fact that in the event of the unfortunate death of the insured, the nominee shall be eligible to receive the entire sum assured irrespective of the payments already made as “MONEY-BACK”. To simplify this USP, assume a 30-year old youth with a money-back policy of Rs 10 lakh for a period of 20 years. Now assuming a 20% pay-out (of the sum assured) every five years, this individual would have received Rs 6 lakh by the end of the fifteenth year, with the remaining Rs 4 lakh to be received on maturity. But if the individual dies before the end of the 20th year, the nominee shall be entitled to the entire sum assured of Rs 10 lakh, resulting in total pay-out of Rs 16 lakh by the insurance company.
Sounds interesting, really, but probably for those who wish or plan to die early in life leaving their wealth for their heirs to enjoy! And for those who are in no hurry to meet the ‘Yamraj’ , a little pondering and analysis of the premiums payable on money back plans would help to structure their prospective investments.
Money back policies are probably one of the costliest traditional insurance produces available in the market. And this is obviously because the insurance companies are unable to milk the premiums received by them for the entire investment tenure. To have a gist of the cost structure of a money back policy - a simple 20 year money back policy from LIC calls for a premium of over Rs 6,300 per one lakh sum assured for a healthy individual aged 30 years as against Rs 4,900 charged by a pure endowment plan. A term plan, on the other hand, shall be available at 1/20th of this cost.
Thus, though money back plans are usually promoted as schemes taking care of both insurance and investment needs of the insured, a deeper look into these schemes is bound to unsettle the investors. An ETIG study of 10 popular money back policies reveals that the sum total of premiums paid during the entire policy tenure are either higher than or equal to the total receivables from these schemes. This is despite the fact that most of these schemes promise guaranteed additions upon maturity (See Table).
While we have not considered the proportion of variable pay-outs or bonuses which may be declared by the INSURANCE COMPANIES from time to time - as the same are not guaranteed - even if the same are incorporated , they are not likely to make a significant difference to the probable pay-outs by insurance companies. Thus, while these money back schemes do justify their insurance features, they grossly fail to answer the thesis behind the investment structure of the policy. An investment, after all, implies growth of capital and not its diminution.
The insurance companies are likely to argue that since they periodically repay a part of the sum assured, the same can then be reinvested by the investors in other investment avenues. While the point is valid and well noted, it definitely calls for a counter argument.
If the investor ultimately has to seek other investment avenues in the middle of the policy tenure, why not do so in the beginning itself and invest the amount in instruments that yield returns rather than use it for paying premiums. And as far as the insurance needs are concerned, a pure term plan would do just the same at a premium, which is nearly 1/20th of that paid for money back.
(A term plan from LIC would charge Rs 3,227 per annum for Rs 10 lakh policy vis-àvis Rs 62,796 per annum levied by a money back policy.)
The hefty premiums demanded by the various insurance cum investment policies make one ponder over the productivity of such investments. While both insurance and investment are equally important and need to be provided for fairly early in life, it is advisable to split the two objectives. Let insurance companies take care of insurance needs and there are opportunities aplenty as far as investments are concerned.
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Steven Spielberg's JAWS
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On this day, 20June1975, Jaws, a film directed by Steven Spielberg that made countless viewers afraid to go into the water, opens in theaters. The story of a great white shark that terrorizes a
The film starred Roy Scheider as principled police chief Martin Brody, Richard Dreyfuss as a marine biologist named Matt Hooper and Robert Shaw as a grizzled fisherman called Quint. It was set in the fictional beach town of
With a budget of $12 million, Jaws was produced by the team of Richard Zanuck and David Brown, whose later credits include The Verdict (1982), Cocoon (1985) and Driving Miss Daisy (1989). Filming, which took place on
Jaws put now-famed director Steven Spielberg on the
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Friday, June 19, 2009
SEVEN SPORTS SEEK TO JOIN THE OLYMPIC
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Seven sports presented their vision for inclusion in the Olympic Games programme today in a series of briefings for the International Olympic Committee (IOC) Executive Board. The seven sports — baseball, golf, karate, roller sports, rugby, softball and squash — are vying for two programme slots at the 2016 Games.
After reviewing the merits of all seven, the Executive Board should recommend two for inclusion at its next meeting in August. The IOC Session will make the final decision at its meeting in October, scheduled in conjunction with the Olympic Congress.
“All seven sports made interesting and informative presentations. All have something to offer. In the end, the decision will come down to which are the best fit for the Olympic Programme,” said IOC President Jacques Rogge.
Reforms strengthen the Olympic programme
The presentations to the Executive Board are part of a broader effort by the IOC to strengthen the Olympic programme and improve the evaluation process.
The reforms began with the decision, in 2002, to conduct a systematic review of the Olympic programme after every edition of the Games to ensure that it remains exciting and relevant. Sports have to show merit to join the programme and to remain on it. At the time the reforms were adopted, no sport had been dropped from the programme since 1936.
The IOC also agreed, in 2002, to limit the number of sports in the Games of the Olympiad to 28. There are currently 26 sports on the programme, leaving two slots open.
Other changes approved two years later added more transparency and fairness to the evaluation process. The IOC established 33 criteria, with an emphasis on universality, popularity and image.
Programme Commission oversees process
The Olympic Programme Commission, composed of IOC members, representatives of International Federations and National Olympic Committees as well as experts, developed the criteria and oversees the evaluation process. The examination of sports seeking to join the programme also includes on-site visits to actual competitions. The Commission will deliver a report assessing the candidate sports to the Executive Board in August.
“The fact that so many sports want to be on the Olympic programme reflects the global appeal of the Games. It is important to have a well-defined, transparent evaluation process that is fair to all,” said Franco Carraro, Chairman of the Olympic Programme Commission.
PHOTOS:
To see photos from today's meetings on flickr.com, please click here
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India Inc Has Contributed $105 Bn to US Economy.
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India Inc has contributed $105 Billion to US Economy: Anand Sharma
Indian firms have contributed $105 billion (Rs 5.25 lakh crore) to the
In his address at the US-India Business Council (USIBC) summit, Sharma cited the findings of a study on India Inc's role in the
He also released the study, "Contribution of the Indian industry to the US economy", which has been prepared for the India Brand Equity Foundation, an organisation set up by the commerce ministry and the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) to build positive economic perceptions of India globally.
According to a commerce ministry statement on Thursday, Sharma said
At the same time, he said the existing level of trade and economic engagement did not match the potential, "which exists due to
The ministry statement said that in his interaction with US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, who also addressed the summit, Sharma discussed the effect of the economic downturn on the two economies and the way ahead for trade talks.
"While a perfect solution may be elusive, it should be possible to find a fair solution acceptable to all parties, while keeping in mind that development was central to the Doha Round (of trade talks)," Sharma told Clinton.
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Thursday, June 18, 2009
British Airways Staff - Work Without Pay
British Airways Asks Employees To Work Without Pay
Thursday, 18 Jun, 2009 | 06:37 AM PST
British Airways PLC is struggling to come up with ways to save cash after reporting its biggest full-year loss since the former national airline was privatised in 1987.
BA chief Willie Walsh has said he would not draw a salary for the month of July, and urged other employees to work for blocks of time without being paid.
“I am looking for every single part of the company to take part in some way in this cash-effective way of helping the company’s survival plan. It really counts,” Mr Walsh said in a company publication.
BA said the option meant employees would effectively volunteer to take a cut in base pay. The company had said last month it would ask employees to consider working without pay.
The UNITE union, which represents thousands of BA ground and cabin crew, gave the proposal a chilly reception. The union said that while Mr Walsh might be able to afford working a month for free, its members could not.
BA said last month that it had lost 375 million pounds in the year ending March 31—AP
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Small investors Don’t Need PAN
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Small investors now don’t need PAN to invest in MUTUAL FUNDSs
After much pleading and cajoling, the government has finally agreed in-principle to let small investors park their savings in mutual funds without the mandatory requirement of quoting one’s permanent account number (PAN). However, investors will have to invest the money through systematic investment plans (SIP) of mutual fund houses, the limit for which has been fixed at Rs 50,000 per year.
“It is a good thing, it will let the industry grow. There is a strong need to harmonise statutory and regulatory norms for the mutual fund industry,” said Association of Mutual Funds of India (AMFI) chairman A P Kurian. The industry had for long been persuading the government to relax know-your-customer (KYC) norms to elevate its reach. Though it comes as a welcome step for the industry, market regulator Sebi is not too keen on relaxing KYC guidelines any further.
“I am a bit perplexed," said Sebi chairman C B Bhave on Wednesday, reacting to the industry's continued demands to relax KYC. Bhave stressed on increasing retail participation in the industry and said KYC was in the interest of both investors and MF houses. Reacting to a question on whether MFs should emphasise less on corporate investments and take more measures to increase retail participation, Bhave said, “We do not want to drive away corporate investors. However, the industry will have to take proactive measures to bring in more retail investors”.
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Small investors now don’t need PAN to invest in MUTUAL FUNDSs
After much pleading and cajoling, the government has finally agreed in-principle to let small investors park their savings in mutual funds without the mandatory requirement of quoting one’s permanent account number (PAN). However, investors will have to invest the money through systematic investment plans (SIP) of mutual fund houses, the limit for which has been fixed at Rs 50,000 per year.
“It is a good thing, it will let the industry grow. There is a strong need to harmonise statutory and regulatory norms for the mutual fund industry,” said Association of Mutual Funds of India (AMFI) chairman A P Kurian. The industry had for long been persuading the government to relax know-your-customer (KYC) norms to elevate its reach. Though it comes as a welcome step for the industry, market regulator Sebi is not too keen on relaxing KYC guidelines any further.
“I am a bit perplexed," said Sebi chairman C B Bhave on Wednesday, reacting to the industry's continued demands to relax KYC. Bhave stressed on increasing retail participation in the industry and said KYC was in the interest of both investors and MF houses. Reacting to a question on whether MFs should emphasise less on corporate investments and take more measures to increase retail participation, Bhave said, “We do not want to drive away corporate investors. However, the industry will have to take proactive measures to bring in more retail investors”.
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Jai Ho versus Web 2.0
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It's Jai Ho for Web 2.0, the 1 millionth English word
Hinglish [Hindi+English] term jai ho along with other Indian entry 'slumdog' failed to make it as the 1 millionth word or phrase in English lanuguage with web 2.0 clinching the honours, a US-based language monitoring group said on Wednesday.
The Global Language Monitor announced that Web 2.0 has bested Jai Ho, N00b and Slumdog as the 1,000,000th English word or phrase.
Web 2.0 is a technical term meaning the next generation of World Wide Web products and services. It has crossed from technical jargon into far wider circulation in the last six months.
Jai ho -- a song composed by A R Rahman -- and 'slumdog' achieved English-language popularity through the multiple Academy Award Winner film 'Slumdog Millionaire.' 'Slumdog' refers to those residing in the slums of India while 'cuddies' used to refer to ladies' underwear or panties.
The Indian terms -- Jai ho and Slumdog -- finished no. 2 and no.4 respectively.
The Global Language Monitor, which uses a math formula to track the frequency of words and phrases in print and electronic media, said web 2.0 appeared over 25,000 times in searches and was widely accepted, making it the one millionth word.
Number of words in each language
English 10,00,000
Chinese 500,000+
Japanese 232,000
Spanish 225,000+
Russian 195,000
German 185,000
Hindi 120,000
French 100,000
Toki Pona 197
Source: Global Language Monitor, 2009
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It's Jai Ho for Web 2.0, the 1 millionth English word
Hinglish [Hindi+English] term jai ho along with other Indian entry 'slumdog' failed to make it as the 1 millionth word or phrase in English lanuguage with web 2.0 clinching the honours, a US-based language monitoring group said on Wednesday.
The Global Language Monitor announced that Web 2.0 has bested Jai Ho, N00b and Slumdog as the 1,000,000th English word or phrase.
Web 2.0 is a technical term meaning the next generation of World Wide Web products and services. It has crossed from technical jargon into far wider circulation in the last six months.
Jai ho -- a song composed by A R Rahman -- and 'slumdog' achieved English-language popularity through the multiple Academy Award Winner film 'Slumdog Millionaire.' 'Slumdog' refers to those residing in the slums of India while 'cuddies' used to refer to ladies' underwear or panties.
The Indian terms -- Jai ho and Slumdog -- finished no. 2 and no.4 respectively.
The Global Language Monitor, which uses a math formula to track the frequency of words and phrases in print and electronic media, said web 2.0 appeared over 25,000 times in searches and was widely accepted, making it the one millionth word.
Number of words in each language
English 10,00,000
Chinese 500,000+
Japanese 232,000
Spanish 225,000+
Russian 195,000
German 185,000
Hindi 120,000
French 100,000
Toki Pona 197
Source: Global Language Monitor, 2009
.
Wednesday, June 17, 2009
Richest LORD of Kaliyuga
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made to the deity at Tirumala .....
The Rs 42 crore diamond-studded 2.5 feet tall crown gifted by Karnataka tourism minister Gali Janardhan Reddy on Thursday could be the most significant contribution to Lord Venkateswara's ever growing wealth of gifts but the Lord of the Seven Hills has by now become so familiar with these riches that few are surprised by this latest offering. His riches are such that they are guarded by armed security personnel in a treasury, the location of which remains a closely guarded secret by top of the temple . With the total worth of the offerings made to the Lord estimated to be somewhere between Rs 30,000 crore to Rs 50,000 Crore, the deity's title of the 'Richest Lord of Kaliyuga' is not without reason.
Devotees enrich Tirumala treasury
While Gali's gift was the seventh crown offered to the Lord, the earlier crowns in his glittering kitty were no small gifts either. In the past, Sri Venkateswara Hatcheries ' owner had gifted a gold crown weighing 13 kg and another business tycoon gifted a 10 kg gold crown. In 2001, an industrialist from Pune had donated a pure gold crown weighing about 14.3 kg costing nearly Rs 1 crore.
Gold and diamond-studded gifts have been streaming into the Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanam's coffer regularly, more so in the last three to five years. From a diamond parrot to a golden prawn, the 'Srivari Hundi' is glittering like never before since the beginning of this millennium. The Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanam (TTD) officials say that the donations have touched an all time high mark since 2005.
In 2005, a businessman from Tamil Nadu donated a valuable golden crown studded with precious American diamonds to the processional deity of Lord Malayappa Swamy, the cost of which was estimated as Rs 2 crore. In 2006, Lord Venkateswara received his most precious set of ear rings (Karnaabharanaalu) when a devotee from Chennai, Alagappa Chettiyar offered diamond studded Karna Patralu worth Rs.1.01 crore and if this offering wasn't enough he went on to give a 'Sahasranamakasulaharam' , golden chain worth over Rs 50 lakh to Goddess Padamavathi.
And in April 2009, when the world was reeling under the meltdown and real estate activity was still at a standstill, a cement baron donated Rs 5 crore worth gloves, Kati and Varada Hastam, to Lord Venkateswara. Not too long ago, a business tycoon from Pune offered a diamond studded parrot and 'Nagabharanams' worth Rs 1.5 crore. Not to be left behind, the King of good times, UB Group Chairman Vijay Mallya donated Rs 7 crores towards the gold plating inside the sanctum sanctorum about three years ago. And last year, when gold prices went through the roof, a Hyderabad-based businessman Rajendran offered Rs 1.7 crore worth Lakshmi Haram (a garland of gold coins) to the deity while another Bangalore-based businessman donated a diamond crown to Goddess Padmavati which was worth Rs. 1 crore.
The not-so-rich, small humble gifts are also quite a booty at TTD. Devotees promising replicas of their limbs in gold if their wish of a cure to an ailing hand or leg is fulfilled, or businessmen dropping gold and silver replicas of cigar packets, liquor bottles, watches, shoes (offerings reflective of the work they do) in the hundi are fairly common. Even smaller offerings such as gold chains etc are collected and sent to the Bombay Mint and the gold melted and sent back to TTD. Some gold is converted into a given number of coins, which is then sold by the temple at the market rate.
Jewel's Day Out
While there are no exact estimates of the value of the jewellery of Lord Venkateswara, since many of these gifts have a high antique value, temple sources peg the entire jewellery property to be worth anywhere between Rs.30,000 crore and Rs 50,000 crore.
All these precious jewels are safe guarded inside the sanctum sanctorum at a sacred hall called Bokkasam (Jewel Gallery), which is guarded by half a dozen armed security personnel and has CCTV cameras installed to monitor every movement in arguably one of the world's richest treasury. There is, in fact, a Thiruvabharanam (holy jewels) register meant to list out the jewellery items. The register has been maintained strictly for gold and diamond studded offerings from the time TTD took over charge of the temple in 1933.
The precious jewels leave the treasury only on special occasions - auspicious days when the Lord is adorned in the diamond-studded love of his devotees. For such auspicious days, the temple priests give the list of jewels needed for the Lord's decoration a day in advance to the
P Save Trees ... "PLEASE" Don't Print This, Whole or Part, Unless It's Must ..........
Jai Ho versus Web 2.0
.
It's Jai Ho for Web 2.0, the 1 millionth English word
Hinglish term jai ho along with other Indian entry 'slumdog' failed to make it as the 1 millionth word or phrase in English lanuguage with web 2.0 clinching the honours, a US-based language monitoring group said on Wednesday.
The Global Language Monitor announced that Web 2.0 has bested Jai Ho, N00b and Slumdog as the 1,000,000th English word or phrase.
Web 2.0 is a technical term meaning the next generation of World Wide Web products and services. It has crossed from technical jargon into far wider circulation in the last six months.
Jai ho -- a song composed by A R Rahman -- and 'slumdog' achieved English-language popularity through the multiple Academy Award Winner film 'Slumdog Millionaire.' 'Slumdog' refers to those residing in the slums of India while 'cuddies' used to refer to ladies' underwear or panties.
The Indian terms -- Jai ho and Slumdog -- finished no. 2 and no.4 respectively.
The Global Language Monitor, which uses a math formula to track the frequency of words and phrases in print and electronic media, said web 2.0 appeared over 25,000 times in searches and was widely accepted, making it the one millionth word.
Number of words in each language
English 10,00,000
Chinese 500,000+
Japanese 232,000
Spanish 225,000+
Russian 195,000
German 185,000
Hindi 120,000
French 100,000
Toki Pona 197
Source: Global Language Monitor, 2009
.
It's Jai Ho for Web 2.0, the 1 millionth English word
Hinglish term jai ho along with other Indian entry 'slumdog' failed to make it as the 1 millionth word or phrase in English lanuguage with web 2.0 clinching the honours, a US-based language monitoring group said on Wednesday.
The Global Language Monitor announced that Web 2.0 has bested Jai Ho, N00b and Slumdog as the 1,000,000th English word or phrase.
Web 2.0 is a technical term meaning the next generation of World Wide Web products and services. It has crossed from technical jargon into far wider circulation in the last six months.
Jai ho -- a song composed by A R Rahman -- and 'slumdog' achieved English-language popularity through the multiple Academy Award Winner film 'Slumdog Millionaire.' 'Slumdog' refers to those residing in the slums of India while 'cuddies' used to refer to ladies' underwear or panties.
The Indian terms -- Jai ho and Slumdog -- finished no. 2 and no.4 respectively.
The Global Language Monitor, which uses a math formula to track the frequency of words and phrases in print and electronic media, said web 2.0 appeared over 25,000 times in searches and was widely accepted, making it the one millionth word.
Number of words in each language
English 10,00,000
Chinese 500,000+
Japanese 232,000
Spanish 225,000+
Russian 195,000
German 185,000
Hindi 120,000
French 100,000
Toki Pona 197
Source: Global Language Monitor, 2009
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Tuesday, June 16, 2009
Blood Groups & Few Facts
There is a site http://www.indianblooddonors.com where in you can search for a particular blood group.
You will get hundreds of donor Addresses within your city. Please pass this on to everybody you know.
We never know when an emergency will knock our life. It's about SAVING A LIFE.
According to a Japanese institute that does research on blood types, there are certain personality
traits that seem to match up with certain blood types.
ACCEPTORS & DONORS
| | O- | O+ | B- | B+ | A- | A+ | | |
| AB+ [ 3 %] UNIVERSAL ACCEPTOR | YES | YES | YES | YES | YES | YES | YES | YES |
| AB- [ 1 %] | YES | | YES | | YES | YES | | |
| A+ [34 %] | YES | YES | | | YES | YES | | |
| A- [ 6 %] | YES | | | | YES | | | |
| B+ [ 8 %] | YES | YES | YES | YES | | | | |
| B- [ 1 %] | YES | | YES | | | | | |
| O+ [40 %] | YES | YES | | | | | | |
| O- [ 7 %] UNIVERSAL DONOR | YES | | | | | | | |
How do you rate?
| TYPE O | You want to be a leader, and when you see something you want, you keep striving until you achieve your goal. You are a trend-setter, loyal, passionate, and self-confident. Your weaknesses include vanity and jealously and a tendency to be too competitive. |
| TYPE A | You like harmony, peace and organization. You work well with others, and are sensitive, patient and affectionate. Among your weaknesses are stubbornness and an inability to relax. |
| TYPE B | You're a rugged individualist, who's straightforward and likes to do things your own way. Creative and flexible, you adapt easily to any situation. But your insistence on being independent can sometimes go too far and become a weakne ss. |
| TYPE AB | Cool and controlled, you're generally well liked and always put people at ease. You're a natural entertainer who's tactful and fair. But you're standoffish, blunt, and have difficulty making decisions. |
Saturday, June 13, 2009
Buckle Up, INDIANS & Chinese Are Coming
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Buckle Up, INDIANS & Chinese Are Coming: Obama to Americans
WASHINGTON: US President Barack Obama has exhorted his countrymen to
buckle up as the Indians and Chinese are catching them fast, as Americans have now settled into mediocrity.
"Our kids are falling behind when it comes to science. We have kind of settled into mediocrity when we compare ourselves to other advanced countries and wealthy countries," Obama said in a town hall speech on health care in Green Bay, Wisconsin.
"That's a problem because the reason that America over the last hundred years has consistently been the wealthiest nation is because we've also been the most educated nation," he said.
"It used to be by a pretty sizable factor we had the highest high school graduation rates, we had the highest college graduation rates, we had the highest number of PhDs, the highest number of engineers and scientists," Obama said.
The President said though the Americans used to be "head and shoulders above" the people of other countries, especially in the field of education, they were fast losing that position.
"So even with the good schools, we have got to pick up the pace, because the world has gotten competitive. The Chinese, the Indians, they are coming at us and they're coming at us hard, and they're hungry, and they're really buckling down," Obama said.
Ever since he started his presidential campaign more than two years ago, Obama has been urging people in the US to gear up to match the increasing talent of the Chinese and Indian students. "Their kids watch a lot less TV than our kids do, play a lot fewer video games, they are in the classroom a lot longer," Obama said amidst applause.
"So here's the bottom line. We've got to improve, we've got to step up our game -- which brings me to the next point in your question, which is, how do we do that? I agree with you that if all we're doing is spreading around a lot of standardised tests and teaching to the test, that's not improving our education system," he said.
"We do need to have accountability, however. We do need to measure progress with our kids. Maybe it's just one standardised test, plus portfolios of work that kids are doing, plus observing the classroom. There can be a whole range of assessments, but we do have to have some kind of accountability," Obama said.
Secondly, Obama said there is need to upgrade the professional development for teachers. "we have got a lot of teachers who are well-meaning, but they are teaching science and they didn't major in science and they don't necessarily know science that well," he said.
.
Buckle Up, INDIANS & Chinese Are Coming: Obama to Americans
WASHINGTON: US President Barack Obama has exhorted his countrymen to
buckle up as the Indians and Chinese are catching them fast, as Americans have now settled into mediocrity."Our kids are falling behind when it comes to science. We have kind of settled into mediocrity when we compare ourselves to other advanced countries and wealthy countries," Obama said in a town hall speech on health care in Green Bay, Wisconsin.
"That's a problem because the reason that America over the last hundred years has consistently been the wealthiest nation is because we've also been the most educated nation," he said.
"It used to be by a pretty sizable factor we had the highest high school graduation rates, we had the highest college graduation rates, we had the highest number of PhDs, the highest number of engineers and scientists," Obama said.
The President said though the Americans used to be "head and shoulders above" the people of other countries, especially in the field of education, they were fast losing that position.
"So even with the good schools, we have got to pick up the pace, because the world has gotten competitive. The Chinese, the Indians, they are coming at us and they're coming at us hard, and they're hungry, and they're really buckling down," Obama said.
Ever since he started his presidential campaign more than two years ago, Obama has been urging people in the US to gear up to match the increasing talent of the Chinese and Indian students. "Their kids watch a lot less TV than our kids do, play a lot fewer video games, they are in the classroom a lot longer," Obama said amidst applause.
"So here's the bottom line. We've got to improve, we've got to step up our game -- which brings me to the next point in your question, which is, how do we do that? I agree with you that if all we're doing is spreading around a lot of standardised tests and teaching to the test, that's not improving our education system," he said.
"We do need to have accountability, however. We do need to measure progress with our kids. Maybe it's just one standardised test, plus portfolios of work that kids are doing, plus observing the classroom. There can be a whole range of assessments, but we do have to have some kind of accountability," Obama said.
Secondly, Obama said there is need to upgrade the professional development for teachers. "we have got a lot of teachers who are well-meaning, but they are teaching science and they didn't major in science and they don't necessarily know science that well," he said.
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Friday, June 12, 2009
Interview Mistakes
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.
You decided that you want a job. You made a high impact resume, applied for multiple jobs and got a few interview calls. Interview is the most important step in the whole process. You don't have too much time to create an impact and show that you are the best candidate for this position.
How to face an interview? That’s a difficult question to answer. It depends on so many factors. However, it is much easier to identify common mistakes and make a conscious effort to find them and avoid those during an interview,
Couple of them are mentioned here, if you can avoid these mistakes, there is a fair chance of favourable outcome -
Hygiene Factors – Most hiring managers make the decision in first few minutes of the interview. Rest of the time is spent in validating and justifying the decision. It means that basic hygiene factors become far more important than most people think. It includes – dressing appropriately, reaching the venue on time, firm handshake, positive eye contact, etc. Err on the side of caution and dress up professionally even if the company encourages casual dressing.
It doesn’t take a lot of effort to be able to do most of these things effectively. There is no upside in not getting these things right. It’s just a matter of discipline and must be enforced during the interview.
Badmouthing Previous Employer – This is one of the most common mistakes people commit in a job interview. While justifying job switches, a vast majority of candidates say negative things about their previous managers or employers. This shows negative attitude of the candidate and could also imply that he/she doesn’t work well with colleagues and seniors.
Everybody faces issues with a bad manager/employer at some stage in their careers. Make sure you don’t mention that in a job interview. Reasons for job switches should always be positive – talk about growth or better opportunities you got elsewhere
Not Preparing Enough – It is your responsibility to read about the company’s business – products, competitors, opportunities, challenges, etc and make sure that you bring it up during the interview. These discussions will give interviewer the confidence that you can hit the ground running and will start contributing much before some of the other candidates. Nothing communicates your interest in the job more than your preparation
Not Listening – Don’t make it a one way street. Your success doesn’t depend upon how much you speak. A short and crisp response shows confidence and depth of your kowledge. Try to engage the interviewer with questions based on your understanding of their business. Listen and then respond appropriately. Try not to ask too many questions either. Never interrupt an interviewer while he is speaking
Talking Money Too Soon – Lot of candidates start asking questions about salary and benefits during the first interview. It’s never a good idea to discuss salary before intent of hiring has been communicated to you. Do not do it unless you are specifically asked your salary details. More you delay these discussions, easier it’ll be for you to negotiate a higher salary.
These are some of the mistakes generally candidates make during the interview process. Could be few more .................. What mistakes did you make?
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You decided that you want a job. You made a high impact resume, applied for multiple jobs and got a few interview calls. Interview is the most important step in the whole process. You don't have too much time to create an impact and show that you are the best candidate for this position.
How to face an interview? That’s a difficult question to answer. It depends on so many factors. However, it is much easier to identify common mistakes and make a conscious effort to find them and avoid those during an interview,
Couple of them are mentioned here, if you can avoid these mistakes, there is a fair chance of favourable outcome -
Hygiene Factors – Most hiring managers make the decision in first few minutes of the interview. Rest of the time is spent in validating and justifying the decision. It means that basic hygiene factors become far more important than most people think. It includes – dressing appropriately, reaching the venue on time, firm handshake, positive eye contact, etc. Err on the side of caution and dress up professionally even if the company encourages casual dressing.
It doesn’t take a lot of effort to be able to do most of these things effectively. There is no upside in not getting these things right. It’s just a matter of discipline and must be enforced during the interview.
Badmouthing Previous Employer – This is one of the most common mistakes people commit in a job interview. While justifying job switches, a vast majority of candidates say negative things about their previous managers or employers. This shows negative attitude of the candidate and could also imply that he/she doesn’t work well with colleagues and seniors.
Everybody faces issues with a bad manager/employer at some stage in their careers. Make sure you don’t mention that in a job interview. Reasons for job switches should always be positive – talk about growth or better opportunities you got elsewhere
Not Preparing Enough – It is your responsibility to read about the company’s business – products, competitors, opportunities, challenges, etc and make sure that you bring it up during the interview. These discussions will give interviewer the confidence that you can hit the ground running and will start contributing much before some of the other candidates. Nothing communicates your interest in the job more than your preparation
Not Listening – Don’t make it a one way street. Your success doesn’t depend upon how much you speak. A short and crisp response shows confidence and depth of your kowledge. Try to engage the interviewer with questions based on your understanding of their business. Listen and then respond appropriately. Try not to ask too many questions either. Never interrupt an interviewer while he is speaking
Talking Money Too Soon – Lot of candidates start asking questions about salary and benefits during the first interview. It’s never a good idea to discuss salary before intent of hiring has been communicated to you. Do not do it unless you are specifically asked your salary details. More you delay these discussions, easier it’ll be for you to negotiate a higher salary.
These are some of the mistakes generally candidates make during the interview process. Could be few more .................. What mistakes did you make?
.
Solar Powered Handset
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Samsung Launches Solar Powered Handset in India
Samsung India has just announced the global launch of their first solar-powered mobile phone, the “Solar Guru” (Guru E1107 - Price Ind. Rs. 2799) in Indian
market. It enables users to charge the battery anywhere via sunlight.
Samsung launched the phone at a ceremony organized by the company at its manufacturing complex at Noida. The Solar Guru has been developed keeping in mind the needs of Indian consumers, especially customers residing in areas where the electric supply is unstable.
With an extended solar-powered battery, the Samsung Solar Guru solves the problem of unavailable or unstable electric supply, particularly in far flung areas. The phone has the capacity to provide around 5-10 minutes of talk time with one hour of solar charging.
Solar Guru comes in a compact design with features such as an FM Radio, MP3 Ring Tones, Embedded Games, Torch Light & Mobile Tracker, which automatically alerts when the SIM card is changed or sends out an SOS message in an emergency.
Also, Solar Guru provides “Mobile Prayer”, a specialized feature for different religions that includes religious prayers and wall papers.
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Samsung Launches Solar Powered Handset in India
Samsung India has just announced the global launch of their first solar-powered mobile phone, the “Solar Guru” (Guru E1107 - Price Ind. Rs. 2799) in Indian
market. It enables users to charge the battery anywhere via sunlight.Samsung launched the phone at a ceremony organized by the company at its manufacturing complex at Noida. The Solar Guru has been developed keeping in mind the needs of Indian consumers, especially customers residing in areas where the electric supply is unstable.
With an extended solar-powered battery, the Samsung Solar Guru solves the problem of unavailable or unstable electric supply, particularly in far flung areas. The phone has the capacity to provide around 5-10 minutes of talk time with one hour of solar charging.
Solar Guru comes in a compact design with features such as an FM Radio, MP3 Ring Tones, Embedded Games, Torch Light & Mobile Tracker, which automatically alerts when the SIM card is changed or sends out an SOS message in an emergency.
Also, Solar Guru provides “Mobile Prayer”, a specialized feature for different religions that includes religious prayers and wall papers.
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Tuesday, June 9, 2009
Rare Conjoined Twins
Abigail and Brittany are truly two souls in one body
I know that it must be hard for them to struggle through all the look when people first saw them. After all, we are only human.
May God bless them with a happy and healthy life?
Parents Must Be Extremely Cautious
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Absolute “NO-NO” In Front of Li’l Kids
Our children are our biggest imitators. And very often they emulate the practices they see in their parents.
Tara Sharma, a home maker recalls her mistake, “Once when I was experiencing a fit of anger I slapped the maid in our house over breaking our expensive cutlery set in front of my two-year-old. Little did I realize that I was setting the stage for my child's subsequent bad behaviour. What followed subsequently took me by surprise. My son started repeating my act. He was actually mimicking me and I was ashamed of the way I had behaved.”
Child psychologist Dr Manish Chopra points out, “Kids who are exposed to aggression in their homes are very likely to exhibit the same kind of violent behaviour at an early age.”
Children inculcate certain habits and behavioural traits from their parents and their surrounding environment. So, it's quintessential that you keep your child away from practices and influences that can affect their physical and mental growth in the future. We explore what are those ‘no-no’ moves:
1. Fighting and arguing
Sonia Bhasin, a Bangalore-based home maker says, “Since my husband is the sole earner in our family, money has always been in short supply. And this often leads to disagreements which turn ugly and result in violent fights with my husband. My teenager son, who has grown up seeing the two us fighting, has consequently become ill tempered over the years. He usually keeps it to himself, but when he gets agitated, he erupts like a volcano”
A recent report carried out by researchers at the University of Washington and the University of Indiana revealed that most children who witness domestic violence become bullies themselves.
Parenting Tip: “When parents fight, scream or insult each other, children who are witness become aggressive, anxious and withdrawn. How you two handle disagreements in your relationship will directly impact how your kids learn to equip theirs, once they grow up,” says Dr Chopra.
2. Getting cosy.
“My husband is very romantic and sometimes he gets very intimate with me in front of our 10-year old son. I have observed that our son notices our intimate acts and behaves in an unusual way. I have asked my husband to keep a restrain," shares Neha, a school teacher.
Experts suggest that a clear line be drawn between sexual and affectionate behaviour. While the former is harmful, the latter is beneficial. As a parent it’s your duty to strike a balance and behave responsibly in front of your kid.
Parenting Tip: Child psychologist, Dr Chopra states, “Certain gestures like hugging, holding hands, placing your head on your partner's shoulder are positive signs that the parents share a healthy relationship. But sexual display of love between a couple often acts like sexual abuse in the child’s tender mind. The damages done can be grave and the natural growth of the child can get tampered."
3. Cursing/swearing
Rajesh Pandey, a journalist says, “We often hear our next door neighbour abusing his wife. Me and my wife were worried how it was likely to impact their children. Our fear came true as one day we heard his son, who was in college, cursing his mother in a similar way”.
How many times have you dropped the F-bomb in front of your children? Swear words are not always easy to evade, especially if you are used to saying them in your daily vocabulary.
Parenting Tip: Dr Chopra warns against the use of swear words in front of kids. “If you use profanities in front of your children, they will think that it's acceptable to use such words.”
4. Watching violence and nudity on screen
Pratima Ishpunani, an interior designer opines, “We make it a point to drop our two kids at my parents’ place, when we go out every weekend for a movie. We feel that they are too young to handle violence and nudity that is shown in most of the movies today. However, we do take them out to amusement parks, museums and zoological park to make it up for lost time."
Modern age children are exposed to the TV/Internet at a very early age, so it is imperative to ensure that they do not watch violent and vulgar shows as they has a lasting impact on their mind.
Parenting Tip: “There have been many incidents reported in the media where children have hurt themselves copying daring stunts shown in ads, particularly those which exhibit motorbikes stunts. There is always a potential risk of your child becoming aggressive if they watch too much of violence on the TV, while sleazy and vulgar scenes can make them inquisitive and confused. So, it is important to hold back kids from such exposure till the child reaches an age where he/she can differentiate between what is wrong and what is right,” adds Dr Chopra.
5. Drinking/Smoking
“The other day my fourteen-year-old son returned late from his friend’s birthday party. I was shocked to see him in an inebriated state. When I questioned him he bluntly snubbed me by reminding me of my drinking habits,” says Pranjal Joshi, a businessman.
Parenting Tip: Relationship expert, Mahima Mathur points out, “If parents themselves engage in drinking or smoking in front of their children, they lose the moral right to stop their kids from indulging in the same, once they grow up. Besides, it’s a known fact that passive smoking can affect children’s respiratory system. So, if you want that your child does not imbibe these bad habits, then try to be an ideal role model by becoming a teetotaler or at least do not drink/smoke in front of them."
6. Lying
“To decline unwanted calls, I have often made up several excuses and have relayed them through my 11-year-old daughter. Lately I have observed that she cooks up some story to hide her misdoings,” said Trideep, a radio artiste.
“Parents often find themselves lying to their children to avoid confrontation, explanations and tears. Most parents lie to keep inquisitive and difficult questions at bay which they find tricky to handle or answer. Since children rely on adults to explain the world to them, it is not recommended that parents present a different picture to them from what actually is,” suggests relationship expert, Mahima Mathur.
.
Absolute “NO-NO” In Front of Li’l Kids
Our children are our biggest imitators. And very often they emulate the practices they see in their parents.
Tara Sharma, a home maker recalls her mistake, “Once when I was experiencing a fit of anger I slapped the maid in our house over breaking our expensive cutlery set in front of my two-year-old. Little did I realize that I was setting the stage for my child's subsequent bad behaviour. What followed subsequently took me by surprise. My son started repeating my act. He was actually mimicking me and I was ashamed of the way I had behaved.”
Child psychologist Dr Manish Chopra points out, “Kids who are exposed to aggression in their homes are very likely to exhibit the same kind of violent behaviour at an early age.”
Children inculcate certain habits and behavioural traits from their parents and their surrounding environment. So, it's quintessential that you keep your child away from practices and influences that can affect their physical and mental growth in the future. We explore what are those ‘no-no’ moves:
1. Fighting and arguing
Sonia Bhasin, a Bangalore-based home maker says, “Since my husband is the sole earner in our family, money has always been in short supply. And this often leads to disagreements which turn ugly and result in violent fights with my husband. My teenager son, who has grown up seeing the two us fighting, has consequently become ill tempered over the years. He usually keeps it to himself, but when he gets agitated, he erupts like a volcano”
A recent report carried out by researchers at the University of Washington and the University of Indiana revealed that most children who witness domestic violence become bullies themselves.
Parenting Tip: “When parents fight, scream or insult each other, children who are witness become aggressive, anxious and withdrawn. How you two handle disagreements in your relationship will directly impact how your kids learn to equip theirs, once they grow up,” says Dr Chopra.
2. Getting cosy.
“My husband is very romantic and sometimes he gets very intimate with me in front of our 10-year old son. I have observed that our son notices our intimate acts and behaves in an unusual way. I have asked my husband to keep a restrain," shares Neha, a school teacher.
Experts suggest that a clear line be drawn between sexual and affectionate behaviour. While the former is harmful, the latter is beneficial. As a parent it’s your duty to strike a balance and behave responsibly in front of your kid.
Parenting Tip: Child psychologist, Dr Chopra states, “Certain gestures like hugging, holding hands, placing your head on your partner's shoulder are positive signs that the parents share a healthy relationship. But sexual display of love between a couple often acts like sexual abuse in the child’s tender mind. The damages done can be grave and the natural growth of the child can get tampered."
3. Cursing/swearing
Rajesh Pandey, a journalist says, “We often hear our next door neighbour abusing his wife. Me and my wife were worried how it was likely to impact their children. Our fear came true as one day we heard his son, who was in college, cursing his mother in a similar way”.
How many times have you dropped the F-bomb in front of your children? Swear words are not always easy to evade, especially if you are used to saying them in your daily vocabulary.
Parenting Tip: Dr Chopra warns against the use of swear words in front of kids. “If you use profanities in front of your children, they will think that it's acceptable to use such words.”
4. Watching violence and nudity on screen
Pratima Ishpunani, an interior designer opines, “We make it a point to drop our two kids at my parents’ place, when we go out every weekend for a movie. We feel that they are too young to handle violence and nudity that is shown in most of the movies today. However, we do take them out to amusement parks, museums and zoological park to make it up for lost time."
Modern age children are exposed to the TV/Internet at a very early age, so it is imperative to ensure that they do not watch violent and vulgar shows as they has a lasting impact on their mind.
Parenting Tip: “There have been many incidents reported in the media where children have hurt themselves copying daring stunts shown in ads, particularly those which exhibit motorbikes stunts. There is always a potential risk of your child becoming aggressive if they watch too much of violence on the TV, while sleazy and vulgar scenes can make them inquisitive and confused. So, it is important to hold back kids from such exposure till the child reaches an age where he/she can differentiate between what is wrong and what is right,” adds Dr Chopra.
5. Drinking/Smoking
“The other day my fourteen-year-old son returned late from his friend’s birthday party. I was shocked to see him in an inebriated state. When I questioned him he bluntly snubbed me by reminding me of my drinking habits,” says Pranjal Joshi, a businessman.
Parenting Tip: Relationship expert, Mahima Mathur points out, “If parents themselves engage in drinking or smoking in front of their children, they lose the moral right to stop their kids from indulging in the same, once they grow up. Besides, it’s a known fact that passive smoking can affect children’s respiratory system. So, if you want that your child does not imbibe these bad habits, then try to be an ideal role model by becoming a teetotaler or at least do not drink/smoke in front of them."
6. Lying
“To decline unwanted calls, I have often made up several excuses and have relayed them through my 11-year-old daughter. Lately I have observed that she cooks up some story to hide her misdoings,” said Trideep, a radio artiste.
“Parents often find themselves lying to their children to avoid confrontation, explanations and tears. Most parents lie to keep inquisitive and difficult questions at bay which they find tricky to handle or answer. Since children rely on adults to explain the world to them, it is not recommended that parents present a different picture to them from what actually is,” suggests relationship expert, Mahima Mathur.
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