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

'Double fertility risk' of women in 'O'blood group

Breakthrough: Research has discovered that women with blood group O are twice as likely to run out of eggs

Women with the most common blood type could be twice as likely to suffer fertility problems, scientists say.

Researchers found that those with blood group O are at much higher risk of running out of healthy eggs, so could have problems conceiving as they get older.

The breakthrough could lead to women basing their decision on whether to pursue a career or start a family on their blood type, experts said.

Almost half the population – 44 per cent – have blood type O. Another 42 per cent have type A and 14 per cent have type AB.

But many women do not know which group they are in and find out only when giving blood or during tests when pregnant or ill.

American researchers found that those with blood type O were twice as likely to have low ‘ovarian reserve’ – the number of healthy eggs left – than those with other types.

The size of a woman’s ovarian reserve gradually falls throughout her life. A newborn girl has up to two million eggs, but by the time she reaches puberty this has fallen to 400,000 and once she is over 40 she will have just a few hundred left.

Researchers from Yale University and the Albert Einstein College of Medicine, New York, looked at the blood type of 563 women under 45 who were undergoing fertility treatment.

They compared their levels of Follicle Stimulating Hormone – a chemical in the blood which, if high, indicates a woman has a poor ovarian reserve.

FSH levels greater than ten suggest a woman will have more difficulty conceiving. The study, which will be presented at the American Society for Reproductive Medicine in Denver, Colorado, found that those with blood type O were twice as likely to have FSH levels above ten.

Women with FSH levels higher than 20 are deemed infertile. The researchers said that in future women could make decisions on when to start a family based on their blood type.

But they acknowledged that many ‘type O’ women have successfully had children and that there are dozens of other factors affecting fertility such as age, body weight and alcohol consumption.

Experts will now carry out research to test whether those with blood type O have taken longer to conceive or are more likely to need IVF.

Blood type is determined by the make-up of certain proteins on the surface of the blood, known as antigens. Those with blood type O lack the A antigen.

Dr Edward Nejat, from the Albert Einstein College of Medicine, said: ‘We found that women with blood type A and AB – women with the A blood group gene – were protected from diminished ovarian reserve’.

‘Patients with blood type O seeking infertility evaluation have a higher likelihood to be diagnosed with elevated FSH and hence manifest diminished ovarian reserve.

‘Women with blood type O are lacking the A or B antigen – from what we understand.’

People with blood type A or AB are more likely to suffer heart disease and strokes, while those with type O are more at risk from arthritis and certain stomach infections such as E-coli.

There is even a blood group diet – advocated by celebrities including Cheryl Cole – based on the theory that different types find it easier to metabolise certain foods.

Tony Rutherford, chair of the British Fertility Society said: ‘This is the first time that I’m aware of that researchers have shown a link between blood group and potential for fertility.’

Gift her for her "Birthday !"

I was walking around in a Big Bazar store making shopping, when I saw a Cashier talking to a boy couldn't have been more than 5 or 6 years old..

The Cashier said, 'I'm sorry, but you don't have enough money to buy this doll. Then the little boy turned to me and asked: ''Uncle, are you sure I don't have enough money?''

I counted his cash and replied: ''You know that you don't have enough money to buy the doll, my dear.'' The little boy was still holding the doll in his hand.

Finally, I walked toward him and I asked him who he wished to give this doll to. 'It's the doll that my sister loved most and wanted so much . I wanted to Gift her for her BIRTHDAY.

I have to give the doll to my mommy so that she can give it to my sister when she goes there.' His eyes were so sad while saying this.

'My Sister has gone to be with God.. Daddy says that Mommy is going to see God very soon too, so I thought that she could take the doll with her to give it to my sister...''

My heart nearly stopped. The little boy looked up at me and said: 'I told daddy to tell mommy not to go yet. I need her to wait until I come back from the mall.' Then he showed me a very nice photo of him where he was laughing. He then told me 'I want mommy to take my picture with her so my sister won't forget me.' 'I love my mommy and I wish she doesn't have to leave me, but daddy says that she has to go to be with my little sister.' Then he looked again at the doll with sad eyes, very quietly..

I quickly reached for my wallet and said to the boy. 'Suppose we check again, just in case you do have enough money for the doll?''

'OK' he said, 'I hope I do have enough.' I added some of my money to his with out him seeing and we started to count it. There was enough for the doll and even some spare money.

The little boy said: 'Thank you God for giving me enough money!'

Then he looked at me and added, 'I asked last night before I went to sleep for God to make sure I had enough money to buy this doll, so that mommy could give It to my sister. He heard me!'' 'I also wanted to have enough money to buy a white rose for my mommy, but I didn't dare to ask God for too much. But He gave me enough to buy the doll and a white rose. My mommy loves white roses.'

I finished my shopping in a totally different state from when I started. I couldn't get the little boy out of my mind. Then I remembered a local news paper article two days ago, which mentioned a drunk man in a truck, who hit a car occupied by a young woman and a little girl. The little girl died right away, and the mother was left in a critical state. The family had to decide whether to pull the plug on the life-sustaining machine, because the young woman would not be able to recover from the coma. Was this the family of the little boy?

Two days after this encounter with the little boy, I read in the news paper that the young woman had passed away.. I couldn't stop myself as I bought a bunch of white roses and I went to the funeral home where the body of the young woman was exposed for people to see and make last wishes before her burial. She was there, in her coffin, holding a beautiful white rose in her hand with the photo of the little boy and the doll placed over her chest. I left the place, teary-eyed, feeling that my life had been changed for ever...

The love that the little boy had for his mother and his sister is still, to this day, hard to imagine. And in a fraction of a second, a drunk driver had taken all this away from him.

Please DO NOT DRINK & DRIVE.

Why only Indian are only reborn?

The angel Gabriel came to the Lord and said 'I have to talk to you. We have some Indians up here in heaven and they are causing problems. They're swinging on the pearly gates, my horn is missing, they are wearing Dolce and Gabana saris instead of their white robes, they are riding Mercedes and BMW's instead of the chariots, and they're selling their halos to people for discounted prices. They refuse to keep the stairway to Heaven clear, since they keep crouching down midway eating samosas and drinking chai (tea). Some of them are even walking around with just one wing!'

The Lord said, 'Indians are Indians. Heaven is home to all my children. If you want to know about real problems, give Satan a call.'

Satan answered the phone, 'Hello? Damn, hold on a minute.' Satan returned to the phone, 'OK I'm back. What can I do for you?'

Gabriel replied, 'I just wanted to know what kind of problems you're having down there.'

Satan says, 'Hold on again. I need to check on something.'

After about 5 minutes Satan returns to the phone and said, 'I'm back. Now what was the question?'

Gabriel said, 'What kind of problems are you having down there?'

Satan says, 'Man I don' t believe this .. Hold on.' This time Satan was gone at least 15 minutes. He returned and said, "I'm sorry Gabriel, I can't talk right now.. These Indians are trying to install air conditioning and making hell a comfortable place to live in by putting out the fire..fire is there to keep them uncomfortably hot!! Since they are so tech savvy, they were trying to start a telephone and IIT connection between heaven and hell between ME and GOD. I am having such a hard time controlling and dealing with them!! Some were trying to start a chai - pakora, Chole batura, channa,Dosa and samosa, barfi, Chakli and Dokla, Jalebi, Idli, Paan shops,  which I had to stop..I am requesting you OH LORD PLEASE send them back to earth as soon as they arrive for re-birth".

*So this is the story why Indians are the only ones that are re-born!!!*

Why learning corporate manners matters a lot today......

A nice article on Corporate manners....just wanted to share this with all of the users on the platform....

Sabira merchant is a busy woman. More than she would like to be. India’s first corporate trainer, Merchant has barely a free day left on her calendar.

She’s not a hotshot CEO but she can teach CEOs a thing or two about conducting their business. With India Inc realising the importance of corporate etiquettes in an increasingly global competitive environment, guru of graces like Merchant are in big demand.

Merchant, who’s claim to fame is teaching social graces and accent training to the Miss Indias, is fast finding corporate training workshops as her mainstay.  “We have just woken up to the fact that soft skills are as important as hard skills to get an edge in the current competitive environment,” she says.

Over half of India’s 3 mn graduates go to finishing schools

Analysts estimate that more than half of India’s three million graduates go to finishing schools, making it a growing, $60 million-a-year industry.  And it’s not just the corporates, there is demand even from the police force, excise services and other government agencies.

“It’s becoming difficult to keep up,” she laments. Keeping pace with growing demand is also Pria Warrick, executive director of the Pria Warrick Finishing School. “We Indians have a predilection towards education , caring little for manners,” she points out.

“It’s always been a case of study hard, get good grades and everything else will be taken care of.” Probably that, according to her, explains the lack of social graces even among some of the highest-placed Indian executives.

 

India has some of the world’s best-educated engineers, business majors and technology wizards but often it’s our lack of social polish and communication skills that puts us behind competitors.

It goes beyond looks in corporate world

Finishing schools are trying to remedy that. That’s why even companies like Infosys have woken up to it.  They have built a Global Education Center in Mysore, teaching more than 50,000 graduates leadership and corporate manners.

In her experience as an etiquette and grooming expert, Warrick has seen a twenty-fold increase in the kind of soft skills companies want. For her, it’s 15% technical skills and 85% business and social graces that account for your professional growth. In fact, it goes beyond looks in the corporate world.

“Companies need to address body language, posture, handshake and the age-old Indian pitfall, body odour,” says Shiv Agrawal, CEO, ABC Consultants.  Finishing schools are mushrooming today even in the bylanes of Bhopal and the galis in Patiala, addressing everything from voice and accents to dining etiquette to dressing up basics.

Give yourself an extra edge

A primer on conversation wreckers such as asking a person’s salary or weight is also in demand.  According to Warrick, the average Indian executive’s corporate wardrobe is almost a cry of help.

“Pens in the pockets and shoes are the major disaster areas,” she says. “So are colour combinations and decoding dress codes like Friday dressing, power dressing, business casuals , etc.”  Surprisingly, women are no better. From the use of jewellery to wearing right saris, everything is a problem area.

In this global economy, we are not isolated anymore. In short we are in the middle of the game and it’s best to play by the rules.

“It’s competitive. Why not give yourself an extra edge?” she says.

What do you think about this article people and the whole thing about corporate manners which is being neglected all the while.....

Sourse: Economic Times

Diabetics see the light with blood-sugar test

A light device that detects blood sugar levels by simply shining onto the skin could mean an end to finger prick tests for diabetics.

The technique, being tested at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology in the U.S., works by measuring glucose levels in a fluid found just beneath the skin.

A computer program then instantly calculates glucose in the bloodstream.

Researchers have devised a way to measure blood glucose levels by shining near-infrared light on the skin

Researchers have devised a way to measure blood glucose levels by shining near-infrared light on the skin

Diabetes develops when the pancreas either stops producing insulin altogether, or its output drops sharply.

Type 1 diabetes often begins in childhood, entailing a lifetime of daily blood tests and insulin injections.

Type 2 affects mostly older adults, and is associated with poor diet and inactivity.

Researchers are currently working on a desktop-style device to be used by doctors to check patients, but they also hope to condense the technology into a handy gadget that diabetics can carry with them.

Yet another development in measuring blood sugar without taking out even a single drop of blood. It is in final stage of trial in US. This will definetely be very handy and useful for diabetic patients.

7 Deceptive Marketing Tactics You're Falling For at the Grocery Store

Are you a budget-minded grocery shopper that always ends up with a few too many items after your shopping run? Or maybe you just can't seem to make that grocery budget week in, week out. Paco Underhill, the author of Call of the Mall, reports that almost 2/3 of our purchases were made without the intention of actually buying it before laving home.

Grocery stores are just one of the 'meccas' of mass marketing, a warehouse of opportunity for branding and advertising giants to capture those sales and entice you to spend, spend, spend. If you find yourself at the mercy of your neighborhood grocery store each week, here are just seven deceptive tactics that may be triggering that spending spree:

1. Endcap specials. Some grocery stores list the 'before' price of items on sale, and it's worth calculating the actual price you're paying per serving if it's not something you normally buy. Endcap specials at big retail stores like walmart, Metro, Tesco, Target, for example, sometimes knock off only $0.30 - $0.50 (15 - 20 Rs) of the original price. Would you buy it if it was sitting on the regular shelf at that price? In most cases, you wouldn't see it as much of a saving. Be a wise shopper and look at the real value of the product, not just the discount.

2. The bakery to greet you with. Walking into a warm and inviting bakery is one of the best ways to make you hungry. The smell of fresh bread alone can enhance your appetite, and many stores will be highlighting 'today's special' of freshly baked bread just for you - how convenient! It may take some firm self-discipline to steer you away from those beautiful cakes and pastries, but avoiding the bakery completely is simply the best way to save some money.

3. Free samples. Sure, you could use a snack of yogurt smoothies and free crackers with gourmet cheese while you shop. And now that happy moment is imprinted in your conscience, the ideal way to ensure you pick up a box or bag of the freebie on your next visit - or even your current one with the help of a coupon. Free samples are a direct marketing tactic that hardly seem deceptive, but it's one of the hardest purchases to resist - especially when the sample tasted quite good.

4. The bank. By having the confidence that money is within walking distance, you are much more likely to spend a little extra. The best way to get around this is simply not to bank at the same grocery store you shop in.

 Simply entering the grocery store multiple times per week to cash checks or manage your money can set you up to shop more -picking up flowers, the day's 'manager's specials', and that loaf of bread without thinking too much about it.

5. Specials on major brands. Grocery stores are in the business to make money, not to give you the gift of super-savings. They will take every step to highlight and showcase the major brands, and these are often linked to premium prices. It might take some digging to find generic equivalents or lower priced items, but you can easily save a few Rupees by shopping smartly. Skip those giant pyramids of cereal boxes, stacks of premium brand soup, and towers of the latest candy bars; they're all carefully positioned for you to shop like a kid in a candy store.

6. 'Clearance' stickers. While some items such as bakery and health and wellness products are marked down for a quick sale, some grocery stores go overboard with their sales and clearance racks by slapping bright red or yellow stickers on just about everything. Consider the original price whenever you reach for that markdown; in some cases, the markdowns only add up to more money spent by you, especially if you end up throwing out a portion of something that's near it's expiration date.

7. In-store TV entertainment. Did you catch a segment of the Food Network on your recent trip to WalMart or a cooking show demo at SuperTarget? You were probably far from the entertainment section, but the broadcast was set up right in the grocery aisle and checkout lines. More and more grocery stores are making attempts to entertain shoppers while they make their rounds, helping you 'relax and enjoy' your experience - the perfect state of mind to pummel you with advertising messages and product recommendations. And since you're already in purchasing mode, you're much more likely to just add a few items for that enticing new recipe you just 'found.'

It's no mystery that grocery stores are the perfect arena for marketers and advertisers; just don't succumb to these deceptive tactics by sticking with your list and heading to the grocery store solely to stock up on what you really need. Skip the samples, avoid those televisions, and steer clear of the bakery for the most successful trip!