Performance which ultimately counts...............

A Priest dies & is awaiting his turn in line at the Heaven's Gates.

Ahead of him is a guy, fashionably dressed, in dark sun glasses, a loud shirt, leather jacket & jeans.

God asks him: Please tell me who are you, so that I may know whether to admit you into the kingdom  of Heaven or not?

The guy replies: I am Pandi, Auto driver from New York ..!

God consults his ledger, smiles & says to Pandi: Please take this silken robe & gold scarf & enter the Kingdom of Heaven...

Now it is the priest's turn. He stands erect and speaks out in a booming voice:

I am Pope's Assistant so & so, Head Priest of the so & so Church for the last 40 years.

God consults his ledger & says to the Priest: Please take this cotton robe & enter the Kingdom  of Heaven ...

'Just a minute,' says the agonized Priest…

'How is it that a foul mouthed, rash driving Auto Driver is given a Silken robe & a Golden scarf and me, a Priest, who's spent his whole life preaching your Name & goodness has to make do with a Cotton robe?'

'Results my friend, results,' shrugs God.

'While you preached, people SLEPT; but when he drove his Auto, people PRAYED'

"It's PERFORMANCE& not POSITION that ultimately counts."

Some Funny Quotes

Hi, Just for fun. Don't take it seriously, as it is not posted for serious people .

You love someone,

You marry someone else !

The one you marry becomes your spouse !

And the one you loved becomes …………..

the password of your email id !!

There’s only one perfect child in the world and every mother has it.

There’s only one perfect wife in the world and every neighbor has it.

———————————————————

Three dreams of a man:

To be as handsome as his mother thinks

To be as rich as his child believes.

To have as many women as his wife suspects…

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Husband and wife are like liver and kidney.

Husband is the liver and the wife is the kidney.

If the liver fails, the kidney fails.

If the kidney fails ……… the liver manages with other kidney !!

———————————————————

Generation Next Motto:

Neither will I marry

Nor I will allow my children to marry !!

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What’s the difference between

Drug and Wine ?

Drug is like a girlfriend that comes with an expiry date.

Wine is like a wife, The older it gets, longer the chatter !

———————————————————

The Japanese have produced a camera that has such a fast shutter speed that it is capable of taking a picture of a woman with her mouth shut!!!

Price: Friend and Foe of Brands

People buy a brand because it stands for something. People buy commodities because they are the cheapest alternative available. It is worth pointing out that brands are not created that way, they all begin life as commodities.

Once upon a time Microsoft was just software, Nike was just running shoes and BMW was just a car manufacturer from Bavaria.

The challenge for any marketer is to expedite a transformation and take a commodity, like water, and turn it into a brand, like Evian. This process is called 'brand building' and involves associating a product with values and meanings that the target audience aspire to.

Advertising, sponsorships, endorsement, packaging and a thousand other techniques can be used to link product to meaning and thereby transform a commodity into a brand. Eventually the brand is built and consumers no longer consider it a commodity and are prepared to pay much more for it as a result.

Many marketers do not appreciate that this process can also be reversed.

Just as a commodity can be built into a brand by focusing on its values, a brand can be commodified back into its original form by focusing on its price. When companies overtly emphasise the price of their product or the amount of the product that the consumer will get for a certain price they are effectively commodifying their brand. All of the hard work and heavy investment that went into brand building is stripped away.

January is therefore a difficult time for brand lovers like me. The crescendo of shoppers and the timbre of ringing cash tills can never drown out the sound of brands being destroyed. The increased revenues that January sales usher in come at a price. That price is brand equity.

The more aggressively a company promotes its January sales, the more damage its does to its brand and thus its long-term future. January sales are essentially a de-branding mechanism. Companies are shouting to consumers: 'Don't buy our brands for what they stand for, buy them because they are cheap'. Sales promotions are thus a very attractive, but dangerous, tool.

Just have a look & check it out

LOOK UP YOUR BIRTHDAY AND SEE WHAT YOU ARE... 

FORWARD ON   TO PEOPLE THAT YOU THINK THAT WOULD GET A CHANCE TO KNOW ABOUT THEM BY THIS...! 
 

January 01 - 09 ~ Bird January 10 - 24 ~ Slug January 25 - 31 ~ Cockroach	February 01 - 05 ~ Parasite February 06 - 14 ~ Bullfrog February 15 - 21 ~ Skunk February 22 - 28 ~ Snake	March 01 - 12 ~ Ape March 13 - 15 ~ Cockroach March 16 - 23 ~ Slug March 24 - 31 ~ Parasite
April 01 - 03 ~ Bird April 04 - 14 ~ Snake April 15 - 26 ~ Slug April 27 - 30 ~ Skunk	May 01 - 13 ~ Slug May 14 - 21 ~ Bullfrog May 22 - 31 ~ Cockroach	June 01 - 03 ~ Slug June 04 - 14 ~ Skunk June 15 - 20 ~ Bird June 21 - 24 ~ Ape June 25 - 30 ~ Parasite
July 01 - 09 ~ Slug July 10 - 15 ~ Bird July 16 - 26 ~ Bullfrog July 27 - 31 ~ Parasite	August 01 - 15 ~ Ape August 16 - 25 ~ Slug August 26 - 31 ~ Skunk	September 01 - 14 ~ Bullfrog September 15 - 27 ~ Parasite September 28 - 30 ~ Bird
October 01 - 15 ~ Ape October 16 - 27 ~ Skunk October 28 - 31 ~ Snake	November 01 - 16 ~ Cockroach November 17 - 30 ~ Parasite	December 01 - 16 ~ Bird December 17 - 25 ~ Ape December 26 - 31 ~ Bullfrog

If you are a Bird: A very loyal and sweet person. Your loyalty can never be doubted. You are quite honest and sincere when it comes to your attitude towards working. You are a very simple person, indeed. Absolutely hassle free, humble and down-to-earth!! That explains the reason why your friends cling on to you! You have a good taste for clothes. If your wardrobe is not updated with what is trendy, you sure are depressed. Popular and easy-going. You have a little group of dignified friends, all of th em being quality-personified.

If you are a Slug : Always up to some sort of a mischief! The mischievous gleam in your eyes is what makes you so cute and attractive to everyone. You are an extremely fun-to-be-with kind of person. No wonder people seek for your company and look forward to include you for all get-together's. However, you are sensitive which is a drawback. People need to select their words while talking to you. If someone tries to fiddle around and play with words while dealing with you, it is enough to invite your wrath. God bless the person then!

If you are a Cockroach : Quite contradictory to your name, you are a peace loving person.. You best try to avoid a situation wherein you are required to fight.. An outdoor person, you disl ike sitting at one place for a long duration. You are a born leader, and have it in you how to tactfully derive work from people. You love being loved, and when you receive your share of limelight from someone, you are all theirs!!!! Well, well... Hence some people could even take an advantage, flatter you to the maximum and get their work done. So be careful.....

If you are a Parasite : An extremely lovable, adorable person, sometimes shy, with a passion for quick wit. At times, you prefer quietness. You love exploring various things and going into depth of each thing. Under normal circumstances you're cool but when given a reason to, you are like a volcano waiting to erupt. You're a fashion bird. People look forward to you as an icon associated with fashion. Basically, you mingle along freely but don't like talking muc h to strangers. People feel very easy in your company. You observe care in choosing your friends.

If you are a Skunk : You are near to perfect and nice at heart. The examples of your kindness are always circulated in groups of people. You, too, love peace. You wouldn't like to retaliate even to a person who is in the wrong. You are loved due to this. You do not wish to talk behind one's back. People love the way you always treat them. You can give, give and give love, and the best part is that you do not expect it back in return. You are generous enough. Seeing things in a practical light is what remains the best trait of you guys.

If you are a Bullfrog : You symbolize a very happy-go-lucky approach in life. Whatever the surroundings may be, grim or cheerful, you remain unaffected. In fact, you spread cheer wherever you go. You are the leader of your group of friends and good at consoling people in their times of need. You dislike hypocrisy and tend to shirk away from hypocrites. They can never be in your good books, no matter what. You are very methodical and organized in your work. No amount of mess, hence, can ever encompass you. Beware; it is easy for you to fall in love....

If you are a Snake : You are mysterious. You are someone who can handle pressure with ease, and can handle any atmosphere without going berserk. You can be mean at times, and love to gossip with your selected group. Very prim and proper. You like all situations and things to be in the way you desire, which, sometimes is not possible. As a result, you may lose out in some relationships. But otherwise, you love to help people out from difficult and tight spots when they really need you.

If you are a Ape : Very impatient and hyper!!! You want things to be done as quick as possible. At heart, you are quite simple and love if you are the centre of attraction. That way, you people are unique. You would like to keep yourself safe from all the angles. Shall your name be dragged or featured in any sort of a controversy, you then go all panicky. Therefore, you take your precautions from the very beginning. When you foresee anything wrong, your sixth sense is what saves you from falling in traps. Quite a money minded bunch you people are!!

Kids Lose Creativity to Technology

One of the major threats in society today is the loss of creativity in our youth. This fear was first created by the motion by states and local governments to remove many of the more artistic programs from their school curriculum. However, the cause runs far deeper and is built off of the entire structure of our society today.

The first major cause for concern about youth and creativity came when local and state governments pushed to remove artistic programs from the schools. Art and music were either removed entirely or significantly reduced in scope in the schools, in an effort to save money by removing what many people considered optional programs. However, in removing these programs, children lost one of the few times during the school day in which they were allowed to think freely and to express themselves in their own unique manners.

However, where this loss of creativity runs deeper is in children's activities after school. Where kids used to play outside regularly and use their imagination to supplement their games, kids today now have video games, cell phones and laptops to keep them occupied. As a result, kids now spend more time in a controlled environment where their actions are predefined and their thoughts limited. By entertaining these practices, children are thinking less for themselves and losing much of their creative thoughts.

Overall, we can't stem technology but we can try and promote a broader array of activities for our children. Try and get kids involved in more activities that require free thinking in addition to having them play their games and use their computers. In the end, we will have a more creative society that is better at expressing itself freely.

So people what do you think?????

Three last wishes!

Alexander, the great Greek king, after conquering many kingdoms, was returning home. On the way, he fell ill and it took him to his death bed. So, the mighty conqueror lay prostrate and pale, helplessly waiting to breathe his last. 

He called his generals and said, "I will depart from this world soon, I have three wishes, please carry them out without fail." With tears flowing down their cheeks, the generals agreed to abide by their king's last wishes. "My first desire is that," said Alexander, "My physicians alone must carry my coffin." After a pause, he continued, "Secondly, I desire that when my coffin is being carried to the grave, the path leading to the graveyard be strewn with gold, silver and precious stones which I have collected in my treasury." The king felt exhausted after saying this. He took a minute's rest and continued. "My third and last wish is that both my hands be kept dangling out of my coffin." Alexander's favorite general kissed his hand and pressed them to his heart. "

O king, we assure you that your wishes will all be fulfilled. But tell us why do you make such strange wishes." At this Alexander took a deep breath and said: "I would like the world to know of the three lessons I have just learnt. I want my physicians to carry my coffin because people should realize that no doctor can really cure any body. They are powerless and cannot save a person from the clutches of death. So let not people take life for granted. The second wish of strewing gold, silver and other riches on the way to the graveyard is to tell people that not even a fraction of gold will come with me. I spent all my life earning riches but cannot take anything with me. Let people realize that it is a sheer waste of time to chase wealth. And about my third wish of having my hands dangling out of the coffin, I wish people to know that I came empty handed into this world and empty handed I go out of this world." With these words, the king closed his eyes. Soon he let death conquer him and breathed his last.

Emotion Affects Your Performance - Be On Alert..

Emotional intelligence is the ability to perceive emotions in oneself and in others. (It is) awareness of body language, for example. It's also the ability to control and handle frustration and other emotions.

You know the type: coworkers who never have anything positive to say, whether at the weekly staff meeting or in the cafeteria line. They can suck the energy from a brainstorming session with a few choice comments. Their bad mood frequently puts others in one, too. Their negativity can contaminate even good news.

Emotions as Valuable Data

Emotional intelligence -- buzz words already familiar in psychology and education -- is now talked about in business circles as well. Business schools are teaching executives how to be emotionally intelligent, and how to manage the emotions of their employees.

The idea behind emotional intelligence in the workplace is that it is a skill through which employees treat emotions as valuable data in navigating a situation. Let's say a sales manager has come up with an amazing idea that will increase corporate revenues by up to 200%, but knows his boss tends to be irritable and short-tempered in the morning. Having emotional intelligence means that the manager will first recognize and consider this emotional fact about his boss. Despite the stunning nature of his idea -- and his own excitement -- he will regulate his own emotions, curb his enthusiasm and wait until the afternoon to approach his boss.

Emotions influence the task on which an employee is working, the efforts he puts and how he influences other employees around him. In other words, what employees feel and how they express their emotions affects their performance.

Effect on decision making : Studies have shown that positive mood leads to better and efficient decision making. However, this doesn't mean that decisions taken in a bad mood are disruptive. Studies have also found that negative emotions can lead to more effective decision making. Negative emotions, sometimes, may lead to more concentrated, detailed, and analytic processing of the facts.

Emotions and absenteeism: Positive mood is associated with reduced absence and intention to quit the job while negative mood increase absenteeism, intention to turnover, and actual turnover.

Effects on creativity: Positive emotions influence creativity positively as it creates a content state of mind which is open to all ideas. It also leads to a more complex and flexible thinking.

Interpersonal relations: Positive feelings induce helping behaviors while feelings of jealousy of hatred lead to poor relations with colleagues.

So, whats your call....plz share your views..

'Gender-bending' chemical used in plastic bottles linked to low sperm count in men for first time

Bisphenol-A is used to harden plastics and mimics the female sex hormone oestrogen

A 'gender-bending' chemical used in food containers, baby bottles and baked bean tins has been linked to male infertility.

Bisphenol-A is used to harden plastics and is found in baby bottles, CD cases, plastic knives and forks and the lining of food and drink cans.

Because the chemical mimics the female sex hormone oestrogen, scientists had long feared it would interfere with the way hormones are processed by the body.

Now U.S researchers have linked the BPA chemical to poor semen quality in humans for the first time.

They reported in the journal Fertility and Sterility that Chinese factory workers exposed to high levels of the plastics chemical had low sperm counts.

Dr De-Kun Li, at the Kaiser Permanente Division of Research in Oakland, California, said the troubling findings echoed studies in animals that linked the chemical with reproductive problems.

It follows his previous research in the same men that linked BPA exposure with sexual problems. His latest study was funded by The National Institute of Occupational Safety and Health.

Andrea Gore, a toxicology professor at the University of Texas who was not involved in the research, called it an important but preliminary study.

She said the results 'are at least suggestive of the possibility that BPA may be one of the compounds that are causing some of these changes' in sperm.

The study involved 130 Chinese factory employees who worked directly with materials containing BPA and 88 workers who didn't handle it and whose exposure was similar to that of typical western men.

Low sperm counts were found in workers who had detectable levels of bisphenol-A in their urine. Poor sperm quality was two to four times more prevalent among these men than among workers whose urine showed no sign of BPA.

The lowest sperm counts were in men with the highest levels of BPA.

BPA in urine was linked with lower-quality semen even in men who didn't work with the chemical, although their average BPA levels were much lower than in the other group.

It comes just months after Professor David Melzer from Exeter University called for an urgent review into the safety of bisphenol A (BPA ).

The leading academic also urged manufacturers to cut down on BPA in food packaging and containers.

Lear to love the pricks in your life

 

Fable of the porcupine It was the coldest winter ever. -  Many animals died because of the cold. The porcupines, realizing the situation, decided to group together.  This way they covered and protected themselves; but the quills of each one wounded their closest companions even though they gave off heat to each other. After awhile, they decided to distance themselves one from the other and they began to die, alone and frozen. So they had to make a choice: either accept the quills of their companions or disappear from the Earth. Wisely, they decided to go back to being together. This way they learned to live with the little wounds that were caused by the close relationship with their companion, but the most important part of it, was the heat that came from the others. This way they were able to survive.

 

The best relationship is not the one that brings together perfect people, but the best is when each individual learns to live with the imperfections of others and can admire the other person's good qualities.

The Moral of the story..........LEARN TO LOVE THE PRICKS IN YOUR LIFE

Child Development

Dear Friend's.

The early years of a child's life are crucial for social and emotional development.  Therefore, it is important that we take every step necessary to ensure that children grow up in environments where their social, emotional and educational needs are met.Children who grow up in environments where their developmental needs are not met are at an increased risk for compromised health and safety, and learning and developmental delays. Failure to invest time and resources during children’s early years may have long term effects.

Developmental delays can have future negative effects on your child, which may lead to speech and language difficulties, behavioral problems and learning problems.The intent of early child intervention is to lay a foundation, in conjunction with the family, to support infants as they grow and mature into healthy individuals. Healthy means the best possible outcome the physical, mental, and social functioning and well-being of an individual.

It is important to remember, however, that there is a range of what is considered normal development. Some babies may accomplish certain tasks or reach a specific developmental milestone sooner or later than others.

Research shows that children are more likely to overcome challenges and obstacles when their parents are involved and committed to providing a safe, strong base of support, it also aims to enhance the mother/child relationship by helping mothers to realize the importance of establishing a nurturing and responsive relationship with their child. The focus on this article is to  give a strong  signal to every married couple with children the sense of parental responsibility and feelings of competency as a parent.

I wish Good Health to all the children.

One of the best "Rags to Riches" story ever told...........

Dear friends,

The story of Patricia Narayan, winner of this year's 'Ficci Woman Entrepreneur of the Year' award is amazing.

She started her career 30 years ago as an entrepreneur, selling eateries from a mobile cart on the Marina beach amidst all odds -- battling a failed marriage, coping with her husband, a multiple addict, and taking care of two kids.

Today, she has overcome the hurdles and owns a chain of restaurants.

An entrepreneur by accident
I was always interested in cooking and passionate about trying out new dishes. But, the thought of becoming a business woman never came to my mind at all as I do not come from a business family. Both my parents were government servants.

But my marriage changed everything. Both the families opposed the marriage vehemently as my husband belonged to the Brahmin community; unfortunately my marriage did not work out as my husband was addicted to alcohol, drugs, etc. I could not bring him out of the addiction. As a young woman, I did not know how to cope with this and I was getting beaten up everyday.

Though my father, a very conservative Christian never forgave me, he gave me refuge when I had nowhere to go. I was thrown out with two very small children. It was a question of survival for me. I knew I should either succumb to the burden or fight; I decided to fight my lonely battle.

I did not want to be a burden on my parents. So, to be economically independent, I could only do what I knew and what I liked. I started making pickles, squashes and jams at home. I just took a couple of hundred rupees from my mother. I sold everything I made in one day and that gave me confidence.

I earned a good income. I invested whatever I earned to make more pickles, squashes and jams. It was quite lucrative in the sense, even ten rupees was a blessing for me.


     The first step as an entrepreneur
My father's friend, who was running a school for handicapped children, was handing out mobile carts or kiosks to people who would employ at least two handicapped people. They needed somebody who could run it and I was offered one such cart free. I had to train the handicapped children to make coffee and serve them to customers.

As I lived near the Marina beach, I decided to put the mobile cart at the Anna Square on the Marina beach. I had seen people thronging the beach in the evenings. But I had to make umpteen trips to the Public Works Department and wait for one year to get the permission.

Finally, I started working on June 21, 1982, a day I will never forget. The previous night itself, with the help of the local rickshaw drivers, I had rolled the mobile cart to the beach. It was a small move but thrilling as it was my own and I was going to be a business woman the next day.

While such carts sold only tea and cigarettes, I decided to sell cutlets, samosas, bajjis, fresh juice and coffee and tea. On the first day, I sold only one cup of coffee and that was for fifty paise!

I was very disappointed and came home crying. I told my mother, that I would not like to continue. But my mother consoled me saying, at least you sold one cup of coffee. That's a good sign. You will do well tomorrow. And, she was adamant that I go the next day also.

The next day, I made sold snacks for Rs 600-700 which was big money for me then! As I started making money, I added ice creams, sandwiches, French fries and juices too. I used to keep thinking of adding more items.

I ran it from 1982 to 2003, and the maximum I made from that mobile cart was Rs 25,000 a day. That was during the bandh days! We used to be open from 3 p.m. to 11 p.m. every day, and later, I started opening from 5 a.m. to 9 a.m. for the walkers.

I used to personally stand there and sell all the stuff I made. I never felt scared to stand there late at night. My only thought was to prove myself and move ahead.

There was a fire in me that made me believe that I could be successful without anyone's help. I did not want to be a failure. If you have that fire, nothing in the world can stop you from succeeding.

Offer to run a canteen
On seeing my work at the beach, within a year, the Slum Clearance Board gave me an offer to run the canteen at their office with a proper kitchen. The chairman met me during her morning walk. That is how I got the offer. The canteen was a huge success.

On Wednesdays, it was the public grievance day, so about 3000 people used to come there and I had a roaring business.

I used to get up at 5 a.m. in the morning, make idlis and go to the beach. From 9 a.m. I would be at the canteen. From 3.30 p.m. I would again be at the beach cart and would be there till 11p.m. By then, I had employed people to cook, and clean, and all the cooking was done at the canteen kitchen. My monthly income in those days was around Rs 20,000.

Later, I got an offer to run the Bank of Madurai canteen, I stopped running the canteen at the Slum Clearance Board canteen. At the Bank canteen, I served food to around 300 people daily.

The turning point
One day, after a fight with my husband who used to come to trouble me often, I boarded a bus and travelled till the last stop. I got down and saw the National Port Management training school run by the Central government.

On the spur of the moment, I told the security guard that I wanted to meet the administrative officer. I met him and told him that I was a caterer and that I heard they were looking for a one.

He said, to my surprise that they were indeed looking for one as they had problems with the current contractor. I still believe it was God who took me there.

I got the offer. I had to serve three meals to about 700 students. They gave us quarters to stay. It was a new life for me. I got into the groove in a day. It was successful from day one, and I took care of the canteen till 1998.

My first weekly payment was Rs 80,000. I felt so elated having seen only hundreds and thousands till then. During those times, I was earning almost a lakh a week.

In those days, I wanted to do everything personally as I felt only then, things would run smoothly. Now I know if I train people well, they will do the work the way you want.

Starting restaurants
My connection with restaurants started in 1998 when I met people from the Sangeetha Restaurant group. They offered me a partnership in one of the units. But my son, Praveen Rajkumar wanted me to start my own restaurant and build a brand of ours.

But destiny played truant with me again. I lost my daughter, Pratibha Sandra and son-in-law road accident, a month after their marriage in 2004. It shattered me, and I withdrew from all that I was doing.

Then my son took over and started the first restaurant 'Sandeepha' in my daughter's memory. It took some time for me to come out of the shock and start helping my son in the business. Now, I am fully involved in the business. The fire to succeed has come back to me now.

Ambulance to help the accident victims
I still cannot get over my daughter's death as I did all this for my children; to bring them up and give them a good life.

What shocked me was the way the accident victims were treated by the ambulance operators. When they found that all the four in the car were dead, they said they would not carry dead bodies. Finally, somebody carried all the dead bodies in the boot of a car. When I saw the bodies being taken out of the boot, I broke down.

No mother can bear such a scene. That is when I decided to keep an ambulance on that very spot to help people whether the victims are alive or dead. It is in memory of my daughter.

Ficci entrepreneur of the year award
I started my business with just two people. Now, there are 200 people working for me in my restaurants. My lifestyle has changed too. From travelling in a cycle rickshaw, I moved to auto rickshaws and now I have my own car. From 50 paise a day, my revenue has gone up to Rs 2 lakh a day.

The 'Ficci entrepreneur of the year' award is the culmination of all the hard work I have put in over the last 30 years. It came as a surprise as this is the first time I have received an award.

Till now, I had no time to think of what I was doing. But the award made me look back and relive the days that passed by. Now, my ambition is to build my Sandeepha brand.

Advice to young entrepreneurs

Do not ever compromise on quality. Never lose your self-confidence. Believe in yourself and the product you are making. Third, always stick to what you know. When you employ people, you should know what you ask them to do.

Crackers and hearing loss

Our hearing is precious.

Under ideal test conditions the normal ear (has threshold of or) can hear sounds as low as 20dB intensity. And to understand those sounds, the intensity needs to be about 40dB more, i.e. 60 dB, which is also the intensity at which we speak normally. 80dB of sound is little high in intensity and 100 dB is the threshold of pain.

If we compare this with sounds in our natural environment then 60dB is the intensity at which we talk, 80dB is the ring of the telephone, 90dB is the sound of a truck which just passed you, 100dB is the sound of a lawn-mower working, and 110dB is the intensity which the aircraft generates at the time of take-off. All these sounds are spread across various frequencies from 20Hz to 20,000Hz. This is the entire spectrum of frequencies which comprises of all the speech sounds, and the music.

Recently a rule was implemented and now the manufacturers of crackers have to mention the dB of sound which is generates.

Louder the intensity, louder the impact it makes on our hearing. Upon short-term exposure to very loud sounds we may get what professionals say ‘temporary threshold shift,’ (which could be reversed) and long-term exposure may cause ‘permanent threshold shift,’ or hearing loss (which may not be reversed).

Hearing loss could be of various type and degree depending upon the pathology. Due to hearing loss, the person can only hear at elevated intensities. One of the reasons then that he will have to wear hearing aid o hear at normal intensity. Actually the hearing aid would amplify the sounds and deliver it at higher intensity to the wearer.

So we should be cautious while playing with the crackers in the sense that what intensity of sound that they generate and also for how much duration that you keep the ‘celebration’ going! Crackers which generates less than 110 dB of sound and for less than 10-12 sec. will be on the safer side.

Teamwork an important part of every job

Hi, frnds greetings.....hope you are all doing well.....Today I would like share this information that speaks about the essence of  teamwork at workplace....


Today , teamwork is an important part of every job description.  Being a team player at the basic stage means that you can get along with your colleagues at the workplace — that you possess the social skills to have open, productive relationships with others so that collectively you can all get done what you need to get done.

Teamwork helps productivity

Team building and team work skills are quintessential for each and every employee because, at the end of the day, one usually works as a team and not independently.

Teamwork not only helps generate better productivity and goal accomplishment, but also is the founding stone of any successful organisation's work culture.

How to be a team player


All workplaces love to welcome employees who are responsible and dependable.

Taking up additional responsibilities every now and then also shows one is willing to work hard and learn more.When any assigned task goes wrong for just about any reason, it is very important to own up to it. Blaming circumstances or one's team members only creates a negative impression.

Being generous and sharing your knowledge with the team helps. This not only enhances your knowledge, but also ensures that when you need help, someone else is more than willing to return the favour. It's important to encourage free-thinking and
discussion.

Bear no pre-conceived notions about any team member, and don't ridicule an idea anyone may bring to the table. Most importantly, you should be open to feedback – positive or negative.

It is very petty to take undue credit, and also to hold back compliments where they are genuinely deserved by one's co-worker .

This only exposes a narrow-minded , shallow attitude that leads to a gradual distancing from the team. If one has suggestions on the manner in which certain things should happen, he/ she should take the initiative themselves and set an example for others to follow.


Successful team player

Open communication , trust, professionalism, healthy competition and self-motivation are the ingredients for a successful team player. Such a person is instrumental in building team responsibility and is also the driver for goal achievement .

Lastly, a new employee should strive doubly hard to cement relations with the team. Doing so makes the team bond better, and thus gives better results. Have a friendly disposition , and refrain from using expletives or gossiping idly – and half your work is done! It is important that the team members are made to understand that they will need to welcome a new member into the team.

  They should not be prejudiced; neither should they be resistant to helping someone new fit in.


So, be a team player & achieve a lot together!!!!

10 Dangerous Toothpaste Ingredients

10. Formaldehyde That same ingredient that coroners can't live without can be found inside of your toothpaste tube. Formaldehyde kills all of those small bacteria that climb onto your teeth after eating or sleeping. If a large amount of formaldehyde is accidentally ingested, the result could be fatal. Severe formaldehyde ingestion results in jaundice, kidney damage, liver damage, and death.

9. Detergent Foam, suds, activation! What would toothpaste be without that satisfying soapy feeling? Manufacturers use regular detergent in order to appease the masses that prefer bubbly toothpaste. While bubbles may be fun, be careful if you accidentally ingest a large amount of this stuff – swallowing detergent can cause digestive tract burning.

8. Seaweed Stretchy and slimy, seaweed holds that paste together. Without this green stuff, toothpaste would simply fall apart! The good news is that seaweed isn't toxic. In fact, seaweed has a number of nutritional benefits, though hitting the sushi bar is a better way of gaining those benefits.

7. Peppermint Oil Minty, minty, minty! Fresh breath can only be kept fresh with the help of peppermint oil! While refreshing when brushing your teeth, peppermint oil can cause a slow pulse, heartburn, and muscle tremors if it is consumed.

6. Paraffin As slick as the petroleum that it is derived from, paraffin creates a smooth paste that oozes onto your toothbrush. As you might imagine, paraffin wasn't meant to be eaten. If you happen to swallow this ingredient, you may end up with abdominal pain, nausea, vomiting, and severe constipation.

5. Glycerin Glycol Never heard of this ingredient before? Sure about that? Glycerin glycol is added to toothpaste in order to prevent the paste from becoming too dry – it’s also found in antifreeze. Even though glycerin is not toxic, this additive may cause nausea if swallowed.

4. Chalk That’s right – chalk. Thanks to the fact that chalk is made from exoskeletons, it’s hard enough to remove all of that caked on gunk from your pearly whites. Chalk dust may cause lung problems if inhaled, and swallowing a bit of chalk could cause bleeding.

3. Titanium Dioxide This is another common toothpaste ingredient, though it’s usually found in white paint. When added to toothpaste, titanium dioxide has the safe effect on your teeth as it does on walls – it keeps them nice and white (for a few hours, at least!). Ingesting titanium dioxide won't hurt you, but it isn't recommended either.

2. Saccharin Something has to combat that terrible detergent taste! Saccharin is sweet, but not too sweet – just the way that most people like their toothpaste! Saccharin has been a hot topic of debate every since Theodore Roosevelt was in the White House. The USDA tried to ban the substance in 1972, though it is considered “safe” to ingest today.

1. Menthol One last ingredient to add a minty note to your breath. Without menthol, toothpaste might taste like, well, chalk, glycerin, paraffin, detergent, titanium dioxide, and seaweed! Go ahead and ingest menthol if you like, but sipping some tea containing menthol is a far better idea than chewing on your tube of toothpaste.

Too stressed for sex!

Real estate agent Virender Rathod observed an interesting trend in his life. His sex life was up when the property prices peaked and nosedived when they came down! It didn't take the shrewd businessman much to calculate that when he was stressed, he was less frisky in bed. Funny it may be, but not every infertility story is humorous.

Stress and sex make for strange bedfellows! Although there are no exact figures, experts say infertility has gone up to almost 30 per cent in the last two decades. And stress remains the most important killer for activity between the sheets.

In a dog-eat-dog world, where work hours have expanded and leisure time shrunk, spouses hold each other's hand with cell phones stuck to their ears. Laptops and phones are must-haves on vacations. In a nuclear family, working couples who pick up their children on their way home to ready-to-eat dinners are ideal couples. Divorce rates have never been this high in history, yet there's no time to grieve or pick up the pieces.

Infertility experts and counsellors are shocked at the country's shrinking libido, thanks to stress! In a worrying trend, it's hitting as many women as men, and when they're still young. Gynaecologist Dr Meeta Shah says, "The compulsion to plan one's life down to minute details is playing havoc in urban relationships. Forget conception, both men and women are finding it difficult to even perform!"

A global survey on sexual well-being conducted by the condom manufacturer Durex shows that Indians are low on sexual satisfaction. Just 46 per cent of Indians orgasm, according to the study. And, while 55 per cent Indian males achieve orgasm, only 26 per cent Indian women can say the same.

Stress remains a constant in a country that has seen a worrying rise in male and female infertility over the years. But does stress lead to impotence? Clinically, stress can be directly responsible for erectile dysfunction. It is known to increase the production of adrenaline, while it decreases nitric oxide, which is a muscle relaxant. So, when you are stressed, nerve impulses constrict vessels and smooth muscles in the male organ, thereby reducing the blood flow that causes an erection.

According to a study by the American Psychological Association, 48 per cent of Americans report their stress levels have risen over the past five years. Surveys report that between 20 and 52 per cent of American women say their sex drive isn't what it used to be.

Says psychiatrist Dr Jitender Nagpal, "Stress is a double-edged sword. It's a key motivator, but also has a tremendous hold over our physical and psychological well-being, and therefore our sex lives."

Take this: A 2003 survey stated that Indians made love 138 times a year. The same survey put Indians at a respectable eighth place, behind a clutch of Slavic nations and the French as the nations. But, the numbers have slipped since! Today, 60 per cent Indians say that sex is fun, enjoyable, and a vital part of life. However, due to stress, only 44 per cent are fully satisfied with their sex lives.

Dr Prakash Kothari observes, "Work, family, kids, parties, networking... there's no end to hyper activities. Sexual priorities are changing for a stressed out nation. People are looking for the softer, more gentler side of sex — quality time with partners, romance and a sense of security within the bedroom."

It's surprising that with so much salacious sex happening around us, very less action is taking place in the conjugal bed! Marriage counsellor Pallavi B Gillani says, "t's true that feeling loved, respected and secure all impact strongly on our ability to achieve sexual satisfaction, but thrill is the main driver of dynamic sex."

Experts say that psychological impotence is the real killer of physical love. "Just snap out of it!" says Dr Kothari, adding, "Prevent it from ruining your sex life. Try stress management techniques — they are real and they work. Make some lifestyle changes if necessary — change your diet, exercise regularly, stop smoking and limit your alcohol intake. If your job is causing you undue stress, get a new one."

Make stress your slave, not your master. Chances are that it's all in your mind!

Source: Times Of India

Anger management in a marriage

"I am short-tempered and get angry at the slightest provocation. But fortunately there has never been any discord in our five years of martial relationship, because my husband is very level-headed and saves any sticky situation from getting worse," says Shruti, a home-maker.

"Excessive anger is one of the major reasons for marital dispute and it definitely helps if one of the partners tries to stay calm during a heated argument. Anger is a powerful emotion that can affect the happiness of marriage, if not controlled," says relationship expert Mahima Mathur.

"There's no dearth of issues between couples to fight about. What is important is that partners learn to respect each other," Mahima further adds. Anger in relationships is very common and there could be an array of reasons to fuel your anger. Yet there are always ways in which you can avoid conflict with your partner. It is imperative to recognise and understand the causes that can trigger bouts of anger. So what are the usual reasons that can push you over edge and what are the ways to handle anger, we explore...

Sexual dissatisfaction

"Our frequency of sex has drastically dropped after the birth our eight-month-old son. My husband keeps cribbing over it and we often end up fighting the issue. I fear if this situation continues for long, he might look for options outside our marriage to fulfill his sexual desires," exhorts Garima Chauhan, a web designer.

Expert Tip : "Absence of sex can often lead to dissatisfaction amongst partners. It even has the potential to land your marriage in rough waters. It is very important to communicate your feelings of sexual inadequacy to your partner frankly. Together try and explore the reasons that may be putting your partner off sex. If need be, consult an expert in the matter," Mahima says.

Suspicion of Infedility

Mandeep Singh is banker married to his girlfriend of five years, Shriya who works for an event management company. Things were going smooth between the two of them, until Shriya started coming home very late from work. "I noticed that she was returning home late regularly. I started suspecting her, because I was getting unsatisfactory answers for her late comings. As a result I started yelling at her, blaming her of betrayal."

Expert Tip : "Be careful while flinging insults at your partner. Insults whether justified or not have a way of creating disaster and causing friction in a relationship. Take time to identify what's bothering you and put your thoughts together in a descriptive manner which will be easy for your partner to understand," suggests Anu Goel, a relationship expert.

Stress

Swati Rana, a marketing executive says, "Juggling too many tasks simultaneously leaves me stressed out and irritated. I get annoyed easily if things are not working in my favour. If I have had a bad day at work, its aftermath is bound to affect my personal life. There are days when I return from work and start loosing it at my husband."

Expert Tip: "Job dissatisfaction, low self esteem, the pressure of bringing up kids all add to one's stress levels, leading to an eruption of emotions. Always ask yourself why are you angry and how is it hurting you? Then, step by step try to work with the very same emotions that evoke anger. You can look for options like yoga and meditation to de-stress yourself," Mahima adds.

Digging up old skeletons

"I was honest enough to share my past with my husband before we got married. But my honest confession worked to my disadvantage, because in the years to follow, my partner kept bringing up my past whenever we fought to provoke me further," shares Reshmi Pillai, a primary school teacher.

Expert Tip: "Anger in relationships can also be caused by a spouse bringing up old issues and reviving old wounds. You need to burry the past to make your present perfect. The best way to go about this is by first describing the behaviour that bothers you and the consequences that the behaviour has on you," explains Anu.

Money stressor

Vibhav works with ICICI bank bringing home a fat pay cheque. But he tries to control how much money Neha, his wife spends. "Even though we have more money to secure ourselves for the future, Vaibhav is constantly worrying that there won't be enough money, and often gets angry when we go out shopping and I intend to buy. His controlling behaviour about monetary matters causes frequent conflicts between us," confesses Neha.

Expert Tip: "Set common priorities and stick to them to avoid conflict over money. When both people move out of control or resistance, it restores compassion and intimacy, even when money is limited," says Mahima.

Source: Times Of India

Diet, exercises help heart patients

A new study has found that an intervention delivered in a primary care setting aimed at getting patients at risk for heart disease to increase their physical activity and improve their diet improves quality of life and is highly cost-effective compared with standard care.

"Extensive and intensive lifestyle intervention programs delay the onset of diabetes mellitus and reduce cardiovascular risk by increasing physical activity, reducing overweight and making changes in dietary habits," the authors said.

Researchers assessed the effect on quality of life and the cost-effectiveness of a three-year lifestyle intervention program among 151 men and women at moderate to high risk of cardiovascular disease visiting a primary care center in northern Sweden.

After six patients withdrew, 71 were randomly assigned to the intervention, which included progressive exercise training three times a week, diet counseling and regular group meetings. After an initial three-month intervention period, participants were invited to attend group meetings at regular intervals and encouraged to maintain at least 30 minutes per day of physical activity. The control group (74 individuals) was given verbal and written information about exercise and diet at one group meeting.

Differences between the two groups, intervention group and control group, over the three-year period were observed on most of the quality-of-life measurements taken.

The average number of visits to the family physician decreased by 0.28 per six months among individuals in the intervention group, whereas individuals in the control group made an average of 0.10 more visits per six months. This resulted in a savings of 384 dollars for health care use and a net savings of 47 dollars per intervention participant.

"These results should be viewed in the context of the favorable impact on physical activity, fitness, waist circumference, waist-to-hip ratio, blood pressure and smoking cessation over the three-year period," says the research.

Hence, the study concludes that high-intensity and long-lasting interventions can produce sustainable improvements in quality of life and can obviously be cost-effective.

The report appears in the September 13 issue of Archives of Internal Medicine , one of the JAMA/Archives journals.

Source: ANI, Times Of India, Yahoo Buzz, 

Demand for multi-skilled workers has led to stress

A change in the nature of workplace has badly affected the family life and health of the working people, even leading to marital discord, speakers at a seminar said on Monday.

The meet was jointly organised by Mahatma Gandhi Labour Institute and Friedrich-Ebert-Stiftung (FES) of Germany.

Dr Pravin Sinha, senior project advisors, FES, said the problem arose as a result of globalisation, which led to the demand for multi-skilled workers.

"India adopted this without realising that the West opted this because of less population. Two sets of people, the jobless and overworked, have been created in India because of this," he said, adding that Europe and other western countries are facing the adverse effects of work-life imbalance.

He said work pressure has reduced communication among family members to zero to the extent that they text each other over direct interaction.

Dr Varesh Sinha said the concept of "crying rooms" in call centres for employees to relieve stress served a very mechanical way of tackling work pressure.

MGLI director-general I S Singh underlined the importance of striking a work-life balance by distributing 24 hours between work, job and re-energising self.

Source: Yahoo News

Desktop jobs thrills but kills

For those with desk jobs, doing exercises while sitting can make a lot of difference, suggests a new study.

The research reported in Men's Health cautioned that those who sit for hours at a time - even if they regularly work out at the gym - are at an increased risk for an early death.

Marc Hamilton warned that sitting for long periods is bad for the heart, and that holds true for "exercising couch potatoes," reports the New York Daily News.

In other words, a person who jogs or goes on the elliptical five times a week, but hangs out at a desk all day other than that.

A study of the lifestyle habits of some 17,000 men and women revealed that those who sat for most of the day were 54pc more likely to have heart problems as those who rarely sat.

And it didn't matter how much the sedentary individuals weighed or how much they worked out.

Source: ANI, Yahoo News

A Railways TV ad for Indians - but where are the women?

Indian Railways's first television commercial - showing a 'human train' running through the streets and buildings of Kolkata - is a hit on YouTube. What hits you though, is that the Desh ka Mel train appears to have no seats for one half of India.

There is not a single girl or woman in the long train that snakes in and out of homes, up and down staircases - it is made entirely of men jogging along in single file, holding on to the shirt of the guy in front, as an adaptation of the popular track from the 1968 Ashok Kumar film Aashirwaad plays in the background, Rail gaadi chhuk chhuk chhuk chhuk.

Piyush Pandey, executive chairman and creative director of Ogilvy & Mather, the agency that created the ad that has now been watched over 45,000 times on YouTube, and has been listed on bestadsontv.com, said it wasn't a deliberate decision to leave women out.

"We tried to keep everyone. But this was a demanding shoot. We shot the footage nearly 70 times to get it right. We needed people who would be ready to jog around for hours and hours. And we barely had a couple of days to wind it up. It was a physically excruciating shoot," Pandey said.

"Maybe if we had more athletic women or sportswomen, we would have used them in the train."

Pandey did point out though that "if you see the ad, women, kids and old people are all watching the human train", and that in that sense, "they are all participating".

Pandey, who has done several ad films for governments before, including the famous Mile sur mera tumhara and the latest ads for Gujarat Tourism, argued that the Rail gaadi ad was about the symbolism of the Indian Railways rather than about the number of men or women who participated.

"I don't think I remember using only women or a particular number of women in the Fevicol ad, where everyone is stuck to the bus. It was a much talked-about ad, and what mattered was that the symbolism got across," Pandey said. "And why just women, you could have also asked me why the railway ad shows no Tamilians or no Kashmiris etc... But this ad has nothing to do with community or gender. We are taught analogies from childhood and we understand them very well. The symbolism in this ad works."

Pandey said he was happy with the way the ad has worked out. "Both men and women have said they like the ad. So it is better not to question the way things have turned out. Creativity goes beyond logic sometimes."

Prakash Varma, director, Nirvana Films, who directed the ad shoot, said there was "no plan to keep women out", but it wouldn't have made sense to use "just one or two" women. "We needed at least 50-60 women, and we fell short of people volunteering for this."

The Indian Railways campaign, consisting of two 60-second films with the lines, "The Magic of India, Indian Railways" and "Desh Ka Mel, Bharatiya Rail", debuted during the Commonwealth Games opening ceremony, and was also shown in Australia, New Zealand and South Africa.

"We were given over Rs 15 crore worth of free ad time as (Games) sponsors on Doordarshan, and the best way to utilise this was with a good ad," said a senior railway official."We got the details of the airtime very late, which is why we had to rush to the ad agency to get the ad prepared at short notice," the official said. "We did not want to say we have 70,000 trains and carry 20 million passengers etc. We only wanted to use our USP - the people who travel on the Indian Railways. And it worked for us."

Source: Yahoo News