CREATIVE DREAMS 4 real

60 Ways To Make Life Simple Again BY MARC

2011-02-05T17:17:00.000-08:00

I loved these. Thanks Marc!!

Don’t try to read other people’s minds. Don’t make other people try to read yours. Communicate.
Be polite, but don’t try to be friends with everyone around you. Instead, spend time nurturing your relationships with the people who matter most to you.
Your health is your life, keep up with it. Get an annual physical check-up.
Live below your means. Don’t buy stuff you don’t need. Always sleep on big purchases. Create a budget and savings plan and stick to both of them.
Get enough sleep every night. An exhausted mind is rarely productive.
Get up 30 minutes earlier so you don’t have to rush around like a mad man. That 30 minutes will help you avoid speeding tickets, tardiness, and other unnecessary headaches.
Get off your high horse, talk it out, shake hands or hug, and move on.
Don’t waste your time on jealously. The only person you’re competing against is yourself.
Surround yourself with people who fill your gaps. Let them do the stuff they’re better at so you can do the stuff you’re better at.
Organize your living space and working space. Read David Allen’s book Getting Things Done for some practical organizational guidance.
Get rid of stuff you don’t use.
Ask someone if you aren’t sure.
Spend a little time now learning a time-saving trick or shortcut that you can use over and over again in the future.
Don’t try to please everyone. Just do what you know is right.
Don’t drink alcohol or consume recreational drugs when you’re mad or sad. Take a jog instead.
Be sure to pay your bills on time.
Fill up your gas tank on the way home, not in the morning when you’re in a hurry.
Use technology to automate tasks.
Handle important two-minute tasks immediately.
Relocate closer to your place of employment.
Don’t steal.
Always be honest with yourself and others.
Say “I love you” to your loved ones as often as possible.
Single-task. Do one thing at a time and give it all you got.
Finish one project before you start another.
Be yourself.
When traveling, pack light. Don’t bring it unless you absolutely must.
Clean up after yourself. Don’t put it off until later.
Learn to cook, and cook.
Make a weekly (healthy) menu, and shop for only the items you need.
Consider buying and cooking food in bulk. If you make a large portion of something on Sunday, you can eat leftovers several times during the week without spending more time cooking.
Stay out of other people’s drama. And don’t needlessly create your own.
Buy things with cash.
Maintain your car, home, and other personal belongings you rely on.
Smile often, even to complete strangers.
If you hate doing it, stop it.
Treat everyone with the same level of respect you would give to your grandfather and the same level of patience you would have with your baby brother.
Apologize when you should.
Write things down.
Be curious. Don’t be scared to learn something new.
Explore new ideas and opportunities often.
Don’t be shy. Network with people. Meet new people.
Don’t worry too much about what other people think about you.
Spend time with nice people who are smart, driven, and likeminded.
Don’t text and drive. Don’t drink and drive.
Drink water when you’re thirsty.
Don’t eat when you’re bored. Eat when you’re hungry.
Exercise every day. Simply take a long, relaxing walk or commit 30 minutes to an at-home exercise program like the P90X workout.
Let go of things you can’t change. Concentrate on things you can.
Find hard work you actually enjoy doing.
Realize that the harder you work, the luckier you will become.
Follow your heart. Don’t waste your life fulfilling someone else’s dreams and desires.
Set priorities for yourself and act accordingly.
Take it slow and add up all your small victories.
However good or bad a situation is now, it will change. Accept this simple fact.
Excel at what you do. Otherwise you’ll just frustrate yourself.
Mature, but don’t grow up too fast.
Realize that you’re never quite as right as you think you are.
Build something or do something that makes you proud.
Make mistakes, learn from them, laugh about them, and move along.

Flame Painter | online paint program

2011-02-05T17:07:00.000-08:00

Flame Painter | online paint program

Microsoft .NET vs Java Trailer

2011-02-05T17:02:00.000-08:00

Dylin Prestly: Microsoft .NET vs Java Trailer
Uploaded by Dylin_Prestly. - Explore more science and tech videos.

How to Write a 20 Page Research Paper in Under a Day

2009-10-24T04:40:00.000-07:00

So you've procrastinated again. You told yourself you wouldn't do this 2 months ago when your professor assigned you this. But you procrastinated anyway. Shame on you. It's due in a few hours. What are you going to do?

Pick a Topic

The more "legally-oriented" your topic is, the better. You'll see why.
It has to be something you feel strongly about. Strong as in it makes you want to open your window and yell and shake your fist about it at joggers passing by. That strong.
It also has to be something that you already know some stuff about.
It also needs to have some depth to it. It can't be like "We should have free pizza in lecture every Friday". That's lame. Unless you're really creative, then that could possibly work if your professor has a sense of humor and you really can write 20 pages about something silly like that.

Make a list

...of every possible outcome that this issue could cause in
- ...the near future
- ...the far future
...of every person that this topic affects.
...of any instances where this topic has come in the news.
...what you would do about this topic if you had the chance/power/enough-sugar
...any little detail you can think of

The important thing about this is to think of ABSOLUTELY EVERYTHING, no matter how silly or far-fetched. It'll make your professor go "hmm, didn't think about that one". You can even get your friends to help you with this one. The more the merrier. It's best to do this on a computer, because...

Reorder everything.

Put your most obvious argument first.

Then put weird off the wall stuff, regardless of importance.

Put the strongest argument for your case next.

Now list the incidents that will help argue for your point. Don't know of any incidents in the news to help argue your point? That's ok. Make up some, except keep it really really generic. When it comes time to quote the source, remember this: There are over 6 billion people in the world. There are countless newspapers and other sources that document people doing...stuff. If you list incidents that are generic enough and your topic isn't extremely weird, at least one person out there has done something notable/stupid/crazy enough to make it to the news. Also, people have sued each other over everything imaginable. Find a court case database. Your topic has SOMEHOW manifested itself in court at some point in history. I can almost guarantee it. Just make sure that the situations you come up with are physically possible.

Now, list everything that could be construed to be the answer to the question "if elected, what would you do about this issue?"

It's best to keep all this in the form of an outline.

Spaces

Now add several lines of space under each bullet. Keep adding spaces until your text document has reached the goal size of your paper.

Now print it out.

Get the hell away from your computer

I'm serious.
No really, get away from the computer.
Go outside and sit under a tree. If you hate outside, or if it's too cold for humans to survive, or if there's a band of rabid dogs roaming your neighborhood, good. It'll help you write faster.

The reason why you should do this is because everyone magically becomes ADD when they are near a computer. You can check your AIM messages later.

Write

Write a fiery rant in each of the spaces you alloted. Get pumped. Just don't begin every paragraph with "I swear upon my father's grave..." Also try not to repeat yourself too much. Be very specific. Talk to your reader as though they've never heard of your subject before. Write at about the same size that your typed version will be. Don't worry too much if you don't fill in all the spaces. But if you feel strongly enough about your topic, then this really shouldn't be a problem. If you're like me and can't think linearly you can skip around as much as you want.

Go Back Inside

Type everything. You'll also notice more things occur to you as you type. Go ahead and throw them in in the corresponding categories. Don't jump around too much at this point though. Maintain focus and bash out that essay as fast as possible. Although you should do this as fast as possible, be a typo nazi. Those little things really make it evident you did this at the last minute.

Time for that whole "research" part

Believe it or not, nothing you said was original. Remember what I said earlier about 6 billion people? Apply now. Pick each topic/case/scenario/subpoint. Anything you had to say about those has already been said by some scholar or professor or newspaper. Google it up. It won't take long. Take a few key words from your main argument of each section and see what you get. Paraphrase their main argument or quote a few lines. Add the proper citations. Do NOT plagiarize.

Formatting

Some word processors are capable of non-integer spacing. Try 2.1 or 2.2 spacing.
There's also the Good ol' Margin trick
Title page
Did your professor specify to use MLA citations? She/he didn't? Good. APA citation guidelines are much more friendly with website sources. Check it out.

Print.

Turn in.

Good job. Have a cookie.

Diwali 2009

2009-10-24T04:17:00.000-07:00

October 17th marked the celebration of Diwali among Hindus and other groups around the world. Diwali is also known as the "Festival of Lights" (the name translates as "row of lamps" in Sanskrit). The festival marks the homecoming of Hindu God Rama to Ayodhya after a 14-year exile in the forest following his victory over Ravana, and signifies the victory of good over evil, of light over darkness. Celebrants observe Diwali with fireworks, colorful lanterns, lamps, garlands, sweet treats and worship. Collected here are a handful of photographs of Diwali this year.

Schoolgirl Bhargavi, 7, arranges garlands made from marigold flowers at a roadside stall on the eve of the Hindu festival of Diwali in the southern Indian city of Hyderabad October 16, 2009. Flowers are offered to Hindu gods and goddesses on the occasion of Diwali, the annual festival of lights that was celebrated across the country on Saturday, October 17th. (REUTERS/Krishnendu Halder)

A worker's hands are covered with gunpowder as she fills cardboard cylinders at a firecracker factory on the outskirts of the eastern Indian city of Siliguri October 9, 2009. Firecrackers are in great demand ahead of Diwali. (REUTERS/Rupak De Chowdhuri) #

An Indian potter makes earthen lamps for the Diwali festival, in Allahabad, India, Sunday, Oct. 11, 2009. People buy the earthen lamps to decorate their homes during celebrations of Diwali. (AP Photo/Rajesh Kumar Singh) #

A potter makes clay lamps for Diwali in Mumbai, India on October 9, 2009. (REUTERS/Arko Datta) #

An artisan paints an earthen lamp at a workshop before Diwali in the eastern Indian city of Kolkata October 6, 2009. (REUTERS/Jayanta Shaw) #

Volunteers work inside a candle and lamp making workshop at a blind school ahead of the Hindu festival of Diwali in New Delhi, India on October 8, 2009. (REUTERS/Parth Sanyal) #

A rickshaw puller passes in front of unfinished idols of Hindu goddess Kali outside a workshop in the eastern Indian city of Kolkata October 14th, 2009. (REUTERS/Jayanta Shaw) #

An artisan applies finishing touches to an idol of Hindu Goddess Kali at a workshop in the eastern Indian city of Kolkata on October 12th, 2009. Idols of the Hindu goddess of power Kali are worshipped during the annual Hindu festival of lights, Diwali. (REUTERS/Jayanta Shaw) #

A girl carrying a child walks past clay sculptures kept on display at a roadside shop ahead of the Hindu festival of Diwali in New Delhi, India on October 16th, 2009. (REUTERS/Parth Sanyal) #

A woman colors clay lamps for Diwali in Mumbai, India on October 15th, 2009. (REUTERS/Arko Datta) #

A boy arranges handmade lamp shades at a shop before the Diwali festival in Hyderabad, India on Wednesday, Oct. 14, 2009. (AP Photo/Mahesh Kumar A) #

A policeman stands guard as thousands throng a market on the last Sunday ahead of Diwali, in Ahmadabad, India on October 11th, 2009. (AP Photo/Ajit Solanki) #

A child sits near idols of Hindu Goddess Lakshmi, the Goddess of wealth, on the eve of Diwali in Hyderabad, India, Friday, Oct. 16, 2009. (AP Photo/Mahesh Kumar A.) #

A Malaysian of Hindu faith, Thevamalar Nadarajah, 12, recites a prayer during Diwali celebrations at a temple in Kuala Lumpur October 17, 2009. The Hindu community, which consists of 7 percent or 1.82 million out of Malaysia's 26 million population, on Saturday celebrated Diwali. Hindus decorate their homes and places of worship with lamps or candles during Diwali (locally known as Deepavali) which literally means "rows of lights". (REUTERS/Bazuki Muhammad) #

Fireworks light up the sky in celebration of Diwali in New Delhi, India, Saturday, Oct.17, 2009. Diwali was celebrated across India on Saturday with prayers and fireworks. (AP Photo/Manish Swarup) #

Children watch fireworks during the Hindu festival of Diwali in New Delhi, India on October 17, 2009. (REUTERS/Reinhard Krause) #

Children wave sparklers at night, during Diwali in New Delhi, India on October 17, 2009. (REUTERS/Reinhard Krause) #

Hindu worshippers pray during the festival of Diwali at Shivm Kovi temple in Colombo, Sri Lanka on October 17, 2009. (REUTERS/Andrew Caballero-Reynolds) #

U.S. President Barack Obama lights a traditional oil lamp as Sri Narayanachar Digalakote, Hindu Priest from the Sri Siva Vishnu Temple in Maryland, chants in observance of Diwali, in the East Room at the White House October 14, 2009 in Washington, DC. Obama signed an executive order restoring the White House Advisory Commission and Interagency Working Group, which addresses issues concerning the Asian American and Pacific Islander community during the ceremony. (Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images) #

Jagdish Capoor, non executive chairman of the Bombay Stock Exchange (BSE) makes an offering to the Hindu Goddess Lakshmi (Goddess of Wealth) prior to a special holiday trading session on the occasion of Diwali, inside the BSE in Mumbai, India, on Saturday, Oct. 17, 2009. Brokers and investors at the BSE made token stock purchases during a one-hour trading session on Diwali. (Prashanth Vishwanathan/Bloomberg) #

In this long-exposure photograph, two girls spin sparklers in the air on October 15th, 2009, ahead of Diwali, the Hindu festival of lights, in Ahmadabad, India. (AP Photo/Ajit Solanki) #

Onlookers stand beside lit earthen lamps during celebrations on the eve of the Hindu festival of Diwali in the northern Indian city of Chandigarh October 16, 2009. (REUTERS/Ajay Verma) #

A devotee lights a lamp at Akshardham temple during celebrations to mark the annual Hindu festival of Diwali at Gandhinagar in the western Indian state of Gujarat October 17, 2009. (REUTERS/Amit Dave) #

Children decorate their front yard with lamps as they celebrate Diwali at the Sanatan Dharm Children's Home in Paramaribo, Suriname on October 17, 2009. Hindus decorate their homes and places of worship with lamps or candles during Diwali which was celebrated on Saturday by 20 percent of Suriname's population that are of Indian origin. (REUTERS/Ranu Abhelakh (SURINAME SOCIETY RELIGION) #

A priest watches worshippers during the festival of Diwali at Shivm Kovi temple in Colombo, Sri Lanka on October 17, 2009. (REUTERS/Andrew Caballero-Reynolds) #

A girl lights an earthen lamp during celebrations on the eve of the Hindu festival of Diwali in the eastern Indian city of Siliguri October 16, 2009. (REUTERS/Rupak De Chowdhuri) #

An Indian Border Security Force (BSF) soldier lights a candle inside a bunker on the occasion of the Hindu festival of Diwali, at the India-Bangladesh border on the outskirts of Agartala, capital of India's northeastern state of Tripura October 17, 2009. (REUTERS/Jayanta Dey) #

A boy lights fireworks on the Hindu festival of Diwali in New Delhi October 17, 2009. (REUTERS/Reinhard Krause) #

Indian Border Security Force (BSF) soldiers light candles to celebrate Diwali, at the India-Bangladesh border on the outskirts of the eastern Indian city of Siliguri October 17, 2009. (REUTERS/Rupak De Chowdhuri) #

People set off fireworks outside their home in celebration of Diwali in Bangalore, India, Saturday, Oct. 17, 2009. (AP Photo/Aijaz Rahi) #

A woman prepares earthen lamps to be put in and around her house, during Diwali, the festival of lights, in New Delhi, India, Saturday, Oct.17, 2009. (AP Photo/Manish Swarup) #

A boy dressed as Hindu Lord Krishna participates in the annual procession on the eve of Diwali, or the Festival of Lights, in Paramaribo, Suriname on October 16, 2009. (REUTERS/Ranu Abhelakh) #

A woman lights an earthen lamp during the celebrations on the eve of the Hindu festival of Diwali in the western Indian city of Ahmedabad October 16, 2009. (REUTERS/Amit Dave)

Top 15 Attractions & Things To Do In Scotland

2009-10-24T02:43:00.000-07:00

While the major cities overflow with glorious architecture, whisky tasting shows and frenetic art festivals, the Highlands invoke the legend of King Arthur, pierce with the sound of bagpipes, enchant with the romanticism woven into the tartan pattern, sooth with abundantly grassy hills and hypnotize with mysteriously steamy lakes. A sense of enigma lurks in the countless fortresses scattered all over the country, rests up high on the spires of magnificent cathedrals, plummets from the edges of treacherous cliffs, and hovers over tranquil archipelagos.

Following a research into the preferences and opinions posted by users of various social media sites, such as Twitter and Facebook, as well as own resources and reviews by the most popular travel sites, Open Travel has compiled a list of top 15 things to see or do on your Scotland Vacations. Let yourself be mystified!

1
Old Town of Edinburgh

Location: Edinburgh, United Kingdom

Photo by Tilmandralle

No other European capital could provide a canvas for The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde. On arrival you come to see the respectable figure of the Old Town's medieval tenements robed in the New Town's neoclassical chic. Heels tap rhythmically on the frigid cobblestones of the Royal Mile and the Nelson's Monument keeps a watchful eye on the restrained city life from top of Calton Hill - Edinburgh's acropolis and the headquarters of the Scottish Government. John Knox House lets you come up close to the most dramatic events in Scotland's history, while Literary Pub Tours impart with you the city's infectious decadence. But dip a little bit deeper and you'll be hit with the primeval magnitude of the craggy cliffs that cast an awe-inspiring shadow over the refined monuments. Edinburgh is a town where the reserved face of enlightenment and tradition is oxygenated with real blood and distorted with animalistic grimaces. Here civilization and nature fight a battle for dominance within one body, but being so intimately interlaced, one cannot exist without the other. And now imagine all that when the Edinburgh Festival floods the city with artistic frenzy and color.
Neist Point

Location: Isle of Skye, United Kingdom

Photo by David and Lynn

The Island of Skye, situated off the West coast of Mainland Scotland and with its 350 miles of coastline, is the largest and best known of the Inner Hebrides. Often referred in Gaelic poetry as Eilean a' Cheò, the Misty Isle, the place is famed for stunning natural beauty and wildlife. The dramatic area of majestic mountains, moorlands and lochs was sculpted by the violent volcanic activity over 1 million of years ago. The island is highly popular with trippers, holidaymakers and naturalists alike. Climbers shall find the Red Cuillins an enjoyable experience while nature lovers will be astonished with the abundance of birds here. Probably one of the best places to do some bird-watching is Neist Point, the most westerly point of Skye. This spectacular headland will also give you great opportunity to observe whales, dolphins, porpoises and basking shark. Explore other of the Inner Hebrides such as Islay, famed for superb malt whiskey distilleries, or Jura, off-the-beaten-track hiking paradise, for even more of your island adventure
3
Glasgow Merchant City

Location: Glasgow, United Kingdom

Photo by John Lindie

Here in the heart of Glasgow, where tobacco traders once came to settle down, do business and build their warehouses, you will find a hermetic environment consistent with its historical roots and proud of its mercantile background. Overflowing with galleries, fine historic buildings, some of the most eclectic eateries in Scotland and infectious pub culture, it is one of those places we typically say have souls. And if you're in for some night time revelry, Merchant city caters for all scenes till the break of dawn. Also, make sure you don't miss Kelvingrove Art Gallery and Museum, which boasts one of the finest civic collections in Europe, even if it takes crawling out of a bar the night before a little earlier than you'd love to.
4
Loch Ness

Location: Loch Ness, United Kingdom

Photo by Shadowgate

Dark-watered, deep and mysterious, the Loch Ness is the instantly recognized lake not only in Scotland but worldwide. It stretches for over 20 miles along the natural geological cleft from Fort William in the west to Inverness in the north. Reaching as deep as 740 feet, the lake is the largest one in Scotland by volume. It's probably in the abysmal depths that the scary but much beloved monster, Nessie, dwells. Although numerous sightings of the creature have been reported over the centuries, first one in 585, strangely enough very little evidence exists to give some credence. With or without the gigantic monster, Loch Ness is a magnetic destination of rugged hills climbing steeply, luscious greenery and somewhat misty and elusive charm present in places like Urquhart Bay with the Castle Urquhart, Scotland's largest stronghold or enticing spots of Invermoriston and Fort Augustus. Enjoy!
5
Dunnottar Castle

Location: Aberdeenshire, United Kingdom

Photo by Hossein Mansouri

It doesn't take much effort to stumble upon gloomy medieval fortresses in Scotland, but frankly, Dunnottar beats them all with its evocative and dramatic location. Perched at the edge of a cliffy headland about 3 kilometers south of Stonehaven, the castle is now heavily ruined, but its former glory and magnificence is echoed in every single brick still resting in the crumbling walls. Amble through the barracks, lodgings, and stables imagining that they were once graced with the presence of William Wallace and Mary Queen of Scots, have a sit on the nicely manicured lawn, gape down the cliff, and when you're done here, jump to youthful Aberdeen for a considerable dose of urban buzz in a bustling student community of the city that has won the Britain in Bloom competition a record breaking ten times, and it was certainly deservedly!
6
Beaches of Outer Hebrides

Location: Hebrides, United Kingdom

Photo by Gordon Hatton

Rising majestically from the sea at the northwest edge of Europe, this 150 mile-long island chain of beaches, culture, wildlife and adventure is a paradise for activity-packed summer stays and a wonderful place to unwind. The Outer Hebrides have some of the most breathtaking straps of golden sands, not just in Europe but in the world as well as impressive mountain ranges and vast moorland. Much of the west side is one virtual long deserted and pristine beach. Find your sunny spot on Barra, South or North Uist, Harris or Lewis. What you shall be faced with there are peaceful and unspoiled areas of unsurpassed beauty. Fresh water and sea lochs will provide a great resource for fishermen and bird watchers and for even more nature-spying have a boat trip to spot whales, dolphins, seals or puffins. Unforgettable.
7
Shetland Islands Hopping

Location: Shetland Islands, United Kingdom

Photo by John Winterbottom

Soothing golden beaches, mesmerizing cliffs and a world of truly wild nature where seals and otters frolic in quiet coves and the air is filled with the sound of wild birds. That's Shetland Islands. The group consists of over one hundred islands north of Scotland and astonishes with dramatic ice carved landscape as well as 6,000 years of history treasures. The archipelago is windswept and often treeless with a uniquely Scottish flavor of empty glens surrounded by steep hills, shimmering, sky-blue lochs and, of course, sheep, sheep, sheep. Shetland's scenery is surprisingly diversified for such a small piece of land. The islands offer everything from rocky crags and heather hills to fertile farmland, from sand dunes and pebble beaches to stupendous rocks. A postcard perfect destination. Enjoy!
8
Glen Coe

Location: Lochaber, United Kingdom

Photo by ben matthews :::

Called the last great wilderness , the Scottish Highlands mesmerize with grand mountain scenery, shimmering lakes, solitary inns, spooky ruins and a wealth of legends. It's a realm of your childhood fantasies, an oasis of tranquility, a paradise for walkers and rare fauna watchers. If you're in for some ascent, honor Ben Nevis, which is the highest mountain in the British Isles at mere 1,344 meters. If you're not much of a climber, head southwards towards magical, rolling Glen Coe, hailed to be one of the most heart-throbbing places in the whole Scotland. There, in the village of Glencoe, you'll be told a grim story of a 1692 massacre which adds a dramatic, historical dimension to the scenic beauty of this Highlands' emerald treasure.
9
St. Kilda - The Cliffs Of Hirta

Location: Hebrides, United Kingdom

Photo by CaptainOates

The archipelago is a World Heritage Site that has managed to preserve ecosystems for thousands of years. These distant and solitary islands are home to the highest cliffs in Europe nesting the most important colonies and breeding sites of birds in the north-eastern Atlantic. A birdwatcher's paradise you might think. Yes, but not only. The largest in the St Kilda archipelago is the scenic Hirta, a 3 by 3 km Hebrides island with spectacular cliffs rising up to 1000 feet straight out of the Atlantic and remnants of an isolated community. Visit the island to find out more about the islanders' tough struggle with the churned up waters of the ocean, harsh environment and disease.
10
Rannoch Moor

Location: Pitlochry, United Kingdom

Photo by Mahir Sayar

Uninhabited and barely accessible, the Rannoch Moor has a sense of a legend and mystery interwoven into its heavy mists. The windswept expanses of peat bogs, sweeping moorland clad with heather, granite tors, and gnarled pines make for the spot's simple, yet beguiling beauty. Difficult to navigate by car and particularly recommended for long, undisturbed treks, Rannoch Moor is a place where vastness makes you feel at home and solitude cheers your heart. Take to nature in its most primeval form. Mind your step, though.
11
Heart of Neolithic Orkney

Location: Orkney Islands, United Kingdom

Photo by Shadowgate

The Orkney Islands cut the water's surface where the North Sea and the Atlantic Ocean meet , that is at the very northern tip of Scotland. The pristine archipelago includes roughly 70 islands, 21 of which are currently inhabited. Deservedly, the Orkney is a little paradise for holidaymakers that pampers with quiet sandy beaches, marvelous scenery and fresh quality cuisine. When exploring, hit the islands' capital, Kirkwall as its huge and impressive red sandstone St Magnus Cathedral shall definitely not be passed over. The church, known as the ‘Light in the North', was founded in 1137 by the Viking, Earl Rognvald and tells the tale of Viking invasions. Owned by the burgh of Kirkwall, not church, the cathedral has been justifiably described as "one of the finest and best preserved medieval cathedrals in Scotland" and it is not hard to understand why. Moving even further back in time and pleasing the eyes of archeology enthusiasts is the Skara Brae, a stone-built Neolithic settlement on the west coast of Orkney mainland hidden for centuries under solid sediments and discovered after a storm in 1850.The town is made up of ten houses that were occupied roughly from 3100 to 2500 BC. The remnants are so intact that they gained UNESCO World Heritage Site status as the Heart of Neolithic Orkney. Put it on your must-see visit straight away!
12
Speyside Whiskey Distilleries

Location: Scotland, United Kingdom

Photo by foxypar4

When you think of Scotland you see romantic castles, dramatic rugged landscapes and men in kilts maybe. But there is one more thing that should definitely not be left out, the whisky. Whisky, Uisghe Beatha, The Water of Life as it is often referred to, has changed and evolved for more than 500 years to please its connoisseurs with rich single malts, complex pure malts and distinctive Scotch blends we know today. To explore the secrets of the magic potion, have a tour of Speyside Whisky distilleries and follow the world-famous Malt Whisky Trail to discover the distilleries' own traditions, lore and unique recipes for everything from malting the barley to the height and size of its stills.
13
Firth of Clyde

Location: Scotland, United Kingdom

Photo by Robert Watson

Held to be Britain's Most Beautiful Estuary, the Firth of Clyde stretches from its upper tidal limits in Glasgow to the outer firth in Argyll and Ayrshire, feeding a wealth of bustling towns and idyllic villages nested along its banks. The natural charm of numerous sea-loch, wild beaches and adorable islands is a whole world to explore, weather permits, both by road and from the waters. Mount Stuart House on the Isle of Bute will delight enthusiasts of Neo-Gothic, and trekking on the Isle of Arran will certainly spur the imagination of nature lovers. So pure and welcoming is the firth that even dolphins have been spotted in its upper reaches. Grey seals and harbor porpoises are, on the other hand, a fairly commonplace sight.
14
Melrose Abbey

Location: Melrose, United Kingdom

Photo by Akinom

Melrose Abbey sits somewhere along the scenic St Cuthbert's Way - a 62-mile (100 km) walk through the highly diversified countryside between the Scottish Borders town of Melrose and Lindisfarne (Holy Island) off the coast of Northumberland. The trail commemorates the life of a 7th century monk, St Cuthbert, who took the spiritual message of Christianity from Scotland to England. Walking from village to village you broaden your knowledge of how Christianity developed in northern parts of the island. The walk is compelling not only for fervent believers but also general historians or just nature admirers as the views of the beautiful countryside are breathtaking. Melrose, where St Cuthbert started his life of religious devotion, is a definite must on the way. The building stuns with the delicacy of carved stone, decorative details and other impressive features of English Perpendicular style.
15
Forth Bridge

Location: North Queensferry, United Kingdom

Photo by George Gastin

Regarded as an engineering marvel, the Fourth Railway Bridge has been Scotland's world-famed landmark since it was opened in 1890 by the Prince of Wales. The steel construction of three separate double cantilevers linked together by 350ft long girder spans joined to the main structure of the bridge by huge pins makes you awe agape at the building genius of its constructors. The bridge's construction lasted 7 years and proved to be a hazardous enterprise that devoured the life of about 60 people and injured many more in numerous accidents. Reminiscent of the Eiffel Tower, the bridge dominates the landscape with its majesty and the power of human engineering thought.

கதைத்து பிரியோசனம் இல்ல

2009-10-04T14:34:00.000-07:00

கேட்டேன்.

கேள்வி என்ன?

மாட்டேன்.

இப்ப மாட்டவா என்ன?

தமிழும் புரியவில்லை.

தலை காலும் புடியவில்லை.

கொழும்புத் தமிழாம்.

கொஞ்சம் நான் அவனைக் கேட்டபோது.

தமிலுக்கென்ன கொழும்பு கோட்டை?

காதலுக்கென்ன கண் கண்டறியாத கேள்வி?

சரி என்றேன், சரிந்தேன்.

சந்தத்தில் சிலகாலம் சக சகி பந்தத்தில் சிலகாலம்.

சரிவை சரிசெய்ய சர்வமும் சாட்சியாய் திருமணம்.

காதல் திருமணம், காதில் திருமணம்.

கடைசியில் சீதணம்.

சரிவிடு கலிகாலம்.

சீதணக்காசில சிங்கன்

இங்க இருந்து இங்கிலாந்துக்கு.

இருக்குற என்னை ஈரொரு வார்த்தை கேகலை.

அப்பாவுக்கும் அண்ணாவுக்கும் நான்

இங்கிலாந்து வந்தது சரி சதோசம்.

இவருக்கு சரி சந்தேகம்.

காதல் காவியங்கள்

கால் வாரிய

கானல் நீர்.

கதைத்து பிரியோசனம் இல்ல

கண நேரம் கனமான என் காதலை.

10 obscure things you must know before watching Watchmen

2009-03-14T20:15:00.000-07:00

Posted: March 05, 2009, 5:01 PM by NP Editor

Movies, Lists, Watchmen

By Matt Coutts, National Post

1. Vigilante superhero Rorschach wears a trench coat, fedora and a mask that is blank except for what appears to be an inkblog from a Rorschach test on the front. The mask is made from two viscous liquids (one black and one white) that continually shift in response to heat and pressure to form
symmetrical patterns.

2. The smiley face imagery found throughout the graphic novel comes from a badge worn by the Comedian. The character originally wore a belt buckle
adorned with the theatrical comedy mask some time after leaving the original superhero group, The Minutemen. The badge's origin is unknown, but had been part of his costume since the Vietnam War.

3. In 2005, Time Magazine included Watchmen on its list of 100 best English-language novels from 1923 to the present -- a list that also included Infinite Jest, The Catcher in the Rye and To Kill a Mockingbird -- describing the graphic novel as "a watershed in the evolution of a young medium."

4. Creator Alan Moore originally pitched the Watchmen story concept featuring an unused line of characters DC Comics had bought off of a failing
comic book company, Charlton Comics. The idea would have made the characters unusable in the future, so DC asked Moore to create new characters loosely based on the Charton castoffs, notably Nite Owl (Blue Beetle), Dr. Manhattan (Captain Atom) and Rorschach (The Question).

5. The Question, credited as being the motivation for Rorschach, is a TV newscaster who fights crime wearing a suit and a special mask that makes his face appear blank. In Question #17 (published in June 1988), the hero picks up a copy of Watchmen at an airport terminal and critiques Rorschach in this way: "a little bigoted and he sure as hell is angry, but he does have moves."

6. Watchmen is set in a universe where the actions of costumed superheroes have been deemed illegal vigilantism by the government. Before this, a team of costumed heroes existed, called The Minutemen. It was helmed by a once-sickly former marine acting under the name Captain Metropolis. In the graphic novel, it is implied that Captain Metropolis had a relationship with fellow gay teammate Hooded Justice.

7. Both Captain Metropolis and Hooded Justice are reportedly dead by the time the Watchmen story begins. But a number of Watchmen theorists believe an intriguing panel early in the comic, where two openly gay men are seen in a fancy restaurant, suggests the two are alive and happily living together.

8. Nite Owl II takes his name from an original member of the Minutemen and shares similar crime fighting styles, save for one. Dan Dreiberg, Nite Owl II, uses his large inheritance to develop fancy gadgets and crime fighting gear, including an owl-shaped flying vehicle called the Owlship and nicknamed "Archie." That nickname derives from Archimedes, the name of the mythical wizard Merlin's pet owl.

9. Bernard, an elderly newspaper vendor who appears throughout the graphic novel, was married to a woman named Rose before she passed away. On the television show Lost, Bernard and his wife Rose are two minor characters who crash on a mysterious deserted island after trying to find a cure for Rose's terminal illness. It is one of the few spoiler-free coincidences that link Watchmen and Lost.

10. Hollywood treatments of the graphic novel have been buzzing around Hollywood for decades. At one point, Arnold Schwarzenegger was approached to play the glowing blue, nuclear-powered superhero Dr. Manhattan, the only one who has any actual supernatural powers. The current Governor of California was asked if he would be willing to shave his head and paint himself blue for a film, which he was apparently willing to do if it made sense.

Source: network.nationalpost.com

Actual McDonald’s Application For Employment

2009-01-21T11:47:00.000-08:00

These are actual answers on a McDonald’s application submitted by a 17 year old kid someplace in america. They actually hired him too.

NAME: Greg Bulmash.

SEX: Not yet. Still waiting for the right person.

DESIRED POSITION: Company’s President or Vice President. But seriously, whatever’s available. If I was in a position to be picky, I wouldn’t be applying here in the first place.

DESIRED SALARY: $185,000 a year plus stock options and a Michael Ovitz style severance package. If that’s not possible, make an offer and we can haggle.

EDUCATION: Yes.

LAST POSITION HELD: Target for middle management hostility.

SALARY: Less than I’m worth.

MOST NOTABLE ACHIEVEMENT: My incredible collection of stolen pens and post-it notes.

REASON FOR LEAVING: It sucked.

HOURS AVAILABLE TO WORK: Any.

PREFERRED HOURS: 1:30-3:30 p.m., Monday, Tuesday, and Thursday.

DO YOU HAVE ANY SPECIAL SKILLS?: Yes, but they’re better suited to a more intimate environment.

MAY WE CONTACT YOUR CURRENT EMPLOYER?: If I had one, would I be here?

DO YOU HAVE ANY PHYSICAL CONDITIONS THAT WOULD PROHIBIT YOU FROM LIFTING UP TO 50 LBS?: Of what?

DO YOU HAVE A CAR?: I think the more appropriate question here would be “Do you have a car that runs?”

HAVE YOU RECEIVED ANY SPECIAL AWARDS OR RECOGNITION?: I may already be a winner of the Publishers Clearing house Sweepstakes.

DO YOU SMOKE?: On the job no, on my breaks yes.

WHAT WOULD YOU LIKE TO BE DOING IN FIVE YEARS?: Living in the Bahamas with a fabulously wealthy dumb sexy blonde super model who thinks I’m the greatest thing since sliced bread. Actually, I’d like to be doing that now.

DO YOU CERTIFY THAT THE ABOVE IS TRUE AND COMPLETE TO THE BEST OF YOUR KNOWLEDGE?: Yes. Absolutely.

SIGN HERE: Aries.

internet neutrality

2008-12-10T19:14:00.000-08:00

what is this? what the 'F' is "internet neutrality". I couldn't really get this. Why, so many people are really worrying about this? Is that a big issue nowadays?

People! I had to argue with one of my good friends about this topic. She is doing a research project on it, so she was talking about this too much. I couldn't really understand why these people worrying too much about this internet neutrality thing, where so much of other things are there to worry about. Wars, Terrorism, Global worming, World economy & so much new diseases are out there to worry about. Sometimes, I wonder why the hell is these people, specially Americans, spending too much money on internet neutrality conferences. If you ask me, it's just a wast of money.

Who really care about internet neutrality?

Teens who buy/sell drugs and those, who access porn stuff via internet.
People who share legal information via invisible network layers.
Those, who plagiarize things to their own works using internet resources.
This list just goes on like this.

I don't really think, any good people do worry about this much. I'm just expressing my personal view about this matter. You guys just think about this and log your ideas in your blog. If possible, let me know your blog URLs. Thank you.

Interesting Tricks of the Body

2008-07-22T22:00:00.000-07:00

by womenofstrengthonline.com

1. If your throat tickles, scratch your ear.

When you were 9, playing your armpit was a cool trick. Now, as an adult, you can still appreciate a good body-based feat, but you're more discriminating. Take that tickle in your throat; it's not worth gagging over. Here's a better way to scratch your itch: "When the nerves in the ear are stimulated, it creates a reflex in the throat that can cause a muscle spasm," says Scott Schaffer, M.D., president of an ear, nose and throat specialty center in Gibbsboro, New Jersey. "This
spasm relieves the tickle."

2. Experience supersonic hearing!

If you're stuck chatting up a mumbler at a cocktail party, lean in with your right ear. It's better than your left at following the rapid rhythms of speech, according to researchers at the UCLA David Geffen School of Medicine. If, on the other hand, you're trying to identify that song playing softly in the elevator, turn your left ear toward the sound. The left ear is better at picking up music tones.

3. Overcome your most primal urge!

Need to pee? No bathroom nearby? Fantasize about Jessica Simpson. Thinking about sex preoccupies your brain, so you won't feel as much discomfort, says Larry Lipshultz, M.D., chief of male reproductive medicine at the Baylor College of Medicine. For best results, try Simpson's "These Boots Are Made for Walking" video.

4. Feel no pain!

German researchers have discovered that coughing during an injection can lessen the pain of the needle stick. According to Taras Usichenko, author of a study on the phenomenon, the trick causes a sudden, temporary rise in pressure in the chest and spinal canal, inhibiting the pain-conducting structures of the spinal cord.

5. Clear your stuffed nose!

Forget Sudafed. An easier, quicker, and cheaper way to relieve sinus pressure is by alternately thrusting your tongue against the roof of your mouth, then pressing between your eyebrows with one finger. This causes the vomer bone, which runs through the nasal passages to the mouth, to rock back and forth, says Lisa DeStefano, D.O., an assistant professor at the Michigan State University college of osteopathic medicine. The motion loosens congestion; after 20
seconds, you'll feel your sinuses start to drain.

6. Fight fire without water!

Worried those wings will repeat on you tonight? "Sleep on your left side," says Anthony A. Star-poli, M.D., a New York City gastroenterologist and assistant professor of medicine at New York Medical College. Studies have shown that patients who sleep on their left sides are less likely to suffer from acid reflux. The esophagus and stomach connect at an angle. When you sleep on your right, the stomach is higher than the esophagus, allowing food and stomach acid to slide
up your throat. When you're on your left, the stomach is lower than the esophagus, so gravity's in your favor.

7. Cure your toothache without opening your mouth!

Just rub ice on the back of your hand, on the V-shaped webbed area between your thumb and index finger. A Canadian study found that this technique reduces toothache pain by as much as 50 percent compared with using no ice. The nerve pathways at the base of that V stimulate an area of the brain that blocks pain signals from the face and hands.

8. Make burns disappear!

When you accidentally singe your finger on the stove, clean the skin and apply light pressure with the finger pads of your unmarred hand. Ice will relieve your pain more quickly, Dr. DeStefano says, but since the natural method brings the burned skin back to a normal temperature, the skin is less likely to blister.

9. Stop the world from spinning!

One too many drinks left you dizzy? Put your hand on something stable. The part of your ear responsible for balance— the cupula—floats in a fluid of the same density as blood. "As alcohol dilutes blood in the cupula, the cupula becomes less dense and rises," says Dr. Schaffer. This confuses your brain. The tactile input from a stable object gives the brain a second opinion, and you feel more in balance. Because the nerves in the hand are so sensitive, this works better than
the conventional foot-on-the-floor wisdom.

10. Unstitch your side!

If you're like most people, when you run, you exhale as your right foot hits the ground. This puts downward pressure on your liver (which lives on your right side), which then tugs at the diaphragm and creates a side stitch, according to The Doctors Book of Home Remedies for Men. The fix: Exhale as your left foot strikes the ground.

11. Stanch blood with a single finger!

Pinching your nose and leaning back is a great way to stop a nosebleed—if you don't mind choking on your own O positive. A more civil approach: Put some cotton on your upper gums—just behind that small dent below your nose— and press against it, hard. "Most bleeds come from the front of the septum, the cartilage wall that divides the nose," says Peter Desmarais, M.D., an ear, nose, and throat specialist at Entabeni Hospital, in Durban, South Africa. "Pressing here helps stop them."

12. Make your heart stand still!

Trying to quell first-date jitters? Blow on your thumb. The vagus nerve, which governs heart rate, can be controlled through breathing, says Ben Abo, an emergency medical-services specialist at the University of Pittsburgh. It'll get your heart rate back to normal.

13. Thaw your brain!

Too much Chipwich too fast will freeze the brains of lesser men. As for you, press your tongue flat against the roof of your mouth, covering as much as you can. "Since the nerves in the roof of your mouth get extremely cold, your body thinks your brain is freezing, too," says Abo. "In compensating, it overheats, causing an ice-cream headache." The more pressure you apply to the roof of your mouth, the faster your headache will subside.

14. Prevent near-sightedness!

Poor distance vision is rarely caused by genetics, says Anne Barber, O.D., an optometrist in Tacoma, Washington. "It's usually caused by near-point stress." In other words, staring at your computer screen for too long. So flex your way to 20/20 vision. Every few hours during the day, close your eyes, tense your body, take a deep breath, and, after a few seconds, release your breath and muscles at the same time. Tightening and releasing muscles such as the biceps and glutes can trick involuntary muscles—like the eyes—into relaxing as well.

15. Wake the dead!

If your hand falls asleep while you're driving or sitting in an odd position, rock your head from side to side. It'll painlessly banish your pins and needles in less than a minute, says Dr. DeStefano. A tingly hand or arm is often the result of compression in the bundle of nerves in your neck; loosening your neck muscles releases the pressure. Compressed nerves lower in the body govern the feet, so don't let your sleeping dogs lie. Stand up and walk around.

16. Impress your friends!

Next time you're at a party, try this trick: Have a person hold one arm straight out to the side, palm down, and instruct him to maintain this position. Then place two fingers on his wrist and push down. He'll resist. Now have him put one foot on a surface that's a half inch higher (a few magazines) and repeat. This time his arm will fold like a house of cards. By misaligning his hips, you've offset his spine, says Rachel Cosgrove, C.S.C.S., co-owner of Results Fitness, in Santa
Clarita, California. Your brain senses that the spine is vulnerable, so it shuts down the body's ability to resist.

17. Breathe underwater!

If you're dying to retrieve that quarter from the bottom of the pool, take several short breaths first—essentially, hyperventilate. When you're underwater, it's not a lack of oxygen that makes you desperate for a breath; it's the buildup of carbon dioxide, which makes your blood acidic, which signals your brain that somethin' ain't right. "When you hyperventilate, the influx of oxygen lowers blood acidity," says Jonathan Armbruster, Ph.D., an associate professor of
biology at Auburn University. "This tricks your brain into thinking it has more oxygen." It'll buy you up to 10 seconds.

18. Read minds!

Your own! "If you're giving a speech the next day, review it before falling asleep," says Candi Heimgartner, an instructor of biological sciences at the University of Idaho. Since most memory consolidation happens during sleep, anything you read right before bed is more likely to be encoded as long-term memory.

The Best Packing Tips

2008-07-11T09:07:00.000-07:00

Hi There! I'm back to Sri Lanka, I'm getting married next month and going to live happily ever after. I'm very very excited about that. All my family members are coming home this month. I found an interesting packing tip on mainstreet.com. I think, It'll surly be helpful for you to travel Sri Lanka. If you know any other tips regarding this, please put it as a comment down there.

15) Don't overpack
Yes, this sounds simple. But the reality is that most people do overpack. When you're throwing stuff into your suitcase for that two-day business trip, ask yourself, "Do I really need this, or can I live without it till I get back?"

14) Leave the towels at home
If you're staying at a hotel, your room will be stocked with towels. And those things take up a lot of space.

13) Limit your shoes
Shoes don't just take up a lot of room; they're also heavy. Remember, you're going to have to hoist this suitcase into the overhead container, carry it up airport stairs and the like. Try to limit yourself to a few pairs, and wear your bulkiest pair on the plane.

12) Leave the laptop
Not only are laptops a pain to get through security, but other Internet-access options might be just as good. This goes for electronics in general. You may want to take a noise-canceling headset and an iPod, but consider whether you really need the GameBoy and all that other stuff you might be inclined to toss into the suitcase.

11) Pack versatile clothing
If you've got a black dress or a khaki/shirt combo that's suitable for both the business meeting and the evening party, pack it. If your wardrobe plan involves lots of changes, you'll use a lot more space.

"Bring outfits that go with everything, and strip it down to the absolute essentials," says Anne Banas, executive editor of SmarterTravel.com. "Pack separates, and look for wrinkle-free clothing." Places such as TravelSmith offer lots of wrinkle-free options.

10) Think twice about gifts
Will Uncle Ken really want that huge bust of Lenin you bought for him? Possibly, but sometimes gifts just end up as clutter, and you'd do better just to send a postcard. At any rate, consider space-saving options when you're purchasing presents for the folks back home.

9) Ditch the reading material
How many times have you taken books and magazines on a plane trip, only to fall asleep midflight and find yourself no farther along when you return? They take up space and are also heavy. You've already packed your iPod, so why not download a book on tape and listen to your fiction instead? Or, maybe pack an Amazon (AMZN) Kindle.

8) Get a pill container
If you've got prescription drugs, save some space by using a pill container rather than packing each individual bottle.

A caveat: Some security people may want to check on the legitimacy of the prescriptions.

"It's helpful if you bring the prescription and/or packaging," Banas of SmarterTravel.com says. So, instead of all the bottles, you could perhaps bring a pharmacy page that describes the medication and its purpose, in case the security people ask about it.

7) Use a smaller suitcase
People tend to pack the suitcase full, so just try using one that will have less room. You're more likely to be able to carry it on the plane (airlines have limits to carry-on size), and the smaller it is, the easier it will be to cram it into an overhead bin.

If you must check luggage, use suitcases that don't weigh very much to reduce the risk of being charged for overweight luggage.

6) Wear your biggest and heaviest clothes
Even if it'll be a bit warm, wear your jacket on the flight so you don't have to pack it. Planes tend to get cold midflight anyway, so you might need your coat along the journey.

5) Stuff stuff into shoes
Shoes have empty space in them, which is perfect for socks, underwear and the like. Use other hollow spaces, too.

4) Limit toiletries and makeup
Hotels will have shampoo, soap and other basic items. Unless you need your own special stuff, consider leaving it behind. Use two-in-one shampoo and conditioner combos, and keep the makeup to a minimum.

3) Roll up your clothes
The simple act of rolling up clothes makes them more compact and helps prevent wrinkles.

2) Get compression bags
You can put your clothes into bags that help compress them down into a manageable space.

1) Send a package in advance
This can save you money and headaches, depending on your situation. It's a particularly good idea if you want to send presents already wrapped, or if you don't want the hassle of checking a bag or risk it getting lost by the airline.

How creativity is being strangled by the law

2008-06-30T11:19:00.000-07:00

Is Your Jar Full?

2008-06-27T02:27:00.000-07:00

When things in your life seem almost to much to handle, when 24 hours in a
day are not enough, remember the mayonnaise jar......and the beer.

A Professor stood before his philosophy class and had some items in front
of him. When the class began, wordlessly, he picked up a very large and
empty mayonnaise jar and proceeded to fill it with golf balls. He then
asked the students if the jar was full. They agreed that it was.

So the Professor then picked up a box of pebbles and poured them into the
jar. He shook the jar lightly. The pebbles rolled into the open areas
between the golf balls. He then asked the students again if the jar was
full. They agreed it was.

The Professor next picked up a box of sand and poured it into the jar. Of
course, the sand filled up everything else. He asked once more if the jar
was full. The students responded with an unanimous "Yes."

The Professor then produced two cans of beer from under the table and
poured the entire contents into the jar, effectively filling the empty
space between the sand. The students laughed.

"Now," said the Professor, as the laughter subsided, "I want you to
recognize that this jar represents your life.

The golf balls are the important things - your family, your children, your
health, your friends, your favorite passions - things that if everything
else was lost and only they remained, your life would still be full.

The pebbles are the other things that matter like your job, your house,
your car. The sand is everything else - the small stuff."

"If you put the sand into the jar first", he continued, "there is no room
for the pebbles or the golf balls. The same goes for life. If you spend all
your time and energy on the small stuff, you will never have room for the
things that are important to you. Pay attention to the things that are
critical to your happiness. Play with your children. Take time to get
medical checkups. Take your partner out to dinner. Play another 18. There
will always be time to clean the house, and fix the disposal. Take care of
the golf balls first, the things that really matter. Set your priorities.
The rest is just sand."

When he had finished, there was a profound silence. Then one of the
students raised her hand and with a puzzled expression, inquired what the
beer represented.

The Professor smiled. "I'm glad you asked. It just goes to show you that no
matter how full your life may seem, there's always room for a couple of
beers."

Thanks: http://www.oceancityfools.com/text/jar.htm

Got distinction/MS Surface/Your Comments please

2008-06-25T04:14:00.000-07:00

Hi! This is a really great day for me. Today, I got distinction for the subject "Character And Narrative Design". I don't have any homeworks to complete today and I'm surfing internet from the morning. I rang all my friends to go playground and play basketball, but no one is free. I think, all of them are busy with their project works, and fortunately/unfortunately, I have done all my projects. They have two more days to complete and submit the projects. Today, Tharshini's turn, so I don't have cooking work also. Tharshini is my room-mate and best friend here and normaly we have a cookining schedule to cook in turn. If any special meal, we cook together. So from the morning, I'm on the internet and browsing youtube videos, updating facebook profile, re-organizing my blog and checking my group mails.

For a very long time, I'm thinking of posting something on my own without coping youtube videos and other stuffs, but failed to get enough time to do so. So I thought in the morning to post a new blog entry and spent more than two hours thinking of what to post. I couldn't really find anything interesting till I read a group mail about microsoft Surface. As soon as I red it, I logged in to blogger and posting this.

It's an amazing thing you can ever find in the computer world. It does everything a super computer does and does its own things. I searched videos related to it on youtube and put it in my last post, check it. It supports for windows vista and you can move and interact all those software elements by you figures. Ok. Rather telling you what I know about it, I'll give you some links where you can check about it.
http://www.microsoft.com/surface/index.html
http://www.pcmag.com/article2/0,1895,2138251,00.asp
http://gizmodo.com/gadgets/touch-me/microsoft-surface-confirmed-touch+sensitive-10k-minority-report-table-264338.php
http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/business/317737_msftdevice30.html
http://arstechnica.com/articles/culture/surface.ars

Then again, I didn't write anything about microsoft surface on my own. Indeed, We all have to admit the fact that every single thing we do is done by stealing someone's work or property. I'm going to ask you excuse me by writing one of Albert Einstein's saying.

"A hundred times every day I remind myself that my inner and outer life are based on the labors of other men, living and dead, and that I must exert myself in order to give in the same measure as I have received and am still receiving..."
-Albert Einstein

We just change things, We don't create anything new. Friends! If anyone tell you that he/she created something or made something, just give a kick on their face in my account. We just changing things and making things useful to humans. That's all. Ok. I start to talk like a politician, so let me stop.

It's really boring to blog without any good/bad comments. I've installed a counter for my blog, it shows a big no of visitors, but no one left any comment in my blog. It's kinda sad thing for me and it really discourages me to blog. Please leave some comment, if you read this, so I know, there are real people reading my blog. Ok. I'll meet you back soon with some interesting topics, till that BYE!!

New tecnology by Microsoft "surface computing"

2008-06-25T03:51:00.000-07:00

See things slowly, beautifully

2008-06-22T10:28:00.000-07:00

The Apple "i"

2008-06-20T06:52:00.000-07:00

Dia Does Powerful Diagrams and Flowcharts

2008-06-17T00:14:00.000-07:00

Open-source application Dia is a robust flowchart and diagram tool. Like a free version of Microsoft Visio, Dia provides you with all the tools you need to create anything from a simple flowchart to a powerful and complex diagram, and files can be saved in many formats, including a Visio Drawing-compatible VDX filetype. Dia is free, Windows and Linux only.

75 Skills Every Woman Should Master

2008-06-16T08:32:00.000-07:00

May 15th, 2008 | by Mare |

(The “125 Piece Drill Bit Set” photograph is courtesy of nathansnostalgia).

I found Esquire Magazine’s “75 Skills Every Man Should Master” rather interesting, and I agree with the wisdom of men acquiring almost all of the skills listed therein. After searching for a similar list for women, and not finding any I particularly liked, I decided to create one and post it on my blog. After much deliberation, these are the skills I think it would be useful for women to learn:

1. Learn to take criticism. Women often respond to criticism in one of two ways: they jump to defend themselves and fail to consider whether they’re being offered constructive criticism which could help them, or they take the criticism to heart and feel poorly about themselves as a result. When criticized, pay attention to who the criticism is coming from, the motives the person may have for offering the criticism, and consider whether there is something you can learn from the criticism. If there’s nothing useful for you to learn, then simply brush it off; on the other hand, if you conclude that there may be some truth to what you’re being told, take corrective action.

“Criticism is something we can avoid easily by saying nothing, doing nothing, and being nothing”. — Aristotle

2. Basic car maintenance. Car maintenance is not the sole domain of men; you probably spend a lot of time in your car and should have at least a basic idea of what’s under the hood. Also, you should know how to change a tire and jump start your car. At the very least do the following: know who to call in case of an emergency; make sure you always have a spare tire that is properly inflated; don’t let the gas go below the one-quarter mark; know how to check the oil and radiator fluid; purchase a first aid kit for your car, as well as a flashlight, jumper cables, flares, and a car charger for your cell phone; also, take your car in for regular maintenance.

(The “Dorothy Sebastian changes a tyre” photograph is courtesy of spiralsheep).

3. Know how to invest intelligently in something, whether it’s stocks, bonds, real estate, precious metals, or whatever you think will be the next equivalent of having bought Microsoft or Google stock when these companies were just getting started.

4. Acquire the skill of communicating assertively. Communicating assertively means that you make sure you’re calm, you know what you want, you speak directly to the person concerned and not behind his/her back, and you communicate your needs and–when appropriate–your feelings in an honest, clear, and direct manner. Do not beat around the bush. At the same time, there’s no need to be confrontational.

5. Know how to use power tools. There are few things more empowering than being able to drill a hole in a wall and hang up pictures on your own.

6. Take a self-defense class that can teach you how to size up a situation and be able to act in the best manner to get away. Hopefully you’ll never, ever, have to use what you learn in the class but knowing that you can defend yourself gives you self-confidence that a would-be attacker can recognize, and which makes them view you as a difficult target.

7. Practice your poker face; don’t let them see you sweat. Emotions are an important component of most social interactions, and being able to communicate your emotions and read the emotions of others effectively will go a long way toward helping you succeed in life. However, there are times when it will be in your best interest not to let others read your emotions. Be prepared for those times by perfecting your poker face. Putting on a poker face doesn’t necessarily mean that you drain your face of all emotion and make it completely expressionless. It means that you act completely natural, as if whatever the situation is, it hasn’t caught you off-guard or thrown you off balance.

8. Learn to smile to show joy or amusement, not to please others. Smiling at the wrong time can signify to others that you’re a push over.

9. Breast self-exams have long been advocated as essential for early breast cancer detection. Learn how and perform one on a monthly basis.

10. Learn to delegate. Always ask yourself whether doing the task that’s in front of you will get you closer to achieving your goals, and whether you’re the right person to take care of said task. If it doesn’t get you closer to your goals and someone else can do it within the range of quality that is required for that particular task, hand it over to them.

11. Bounce right back after a hard fall. Resilience is one of the most important traits you can have to succeed in life. If you think that those who are very successful don’t fail, think again. Often, the higher up someone is, the greater the number of falls they’ve had on their way to the top. The less time you spend wallowing in your loss and the faster you get back up on the horse, the more quickly you can resume your ascent to the zenith.

12. Stick to your guns. They say that a new idea goes through three stages: first it’s ridiculed, then it’s violently opposed, and then everyone thinks that it was obvious. If you believe that you have a great idea, see it through to the end.

“All great truths begin as blasphemies.”
- George Bernard Shaw

13. Be informed. Glance through the newspaper each morning and read the articles that catch your attention more in depth; get CNN breaking news sent to your e-mail address; watch the news on your favorite news channel; and read a periodical such as “Time Magazine” or “Newsweek” every week.

14. Take a compliment: A lot of women respond to receiving a compliment by putting themselves down—“I don’t know how I did it, I guess I just got lucky”-, by pointing out their weaknesses—“Writing is something I do well, but don’t even think of asking me to do anything that involves math, I can barely add”–or by attributing the glory to somebody else—“It was really Jack’s input that made this possible”. Own your accomplishments and simply accept the compliment graciously.

15. Resist the urge to gossip. Gossiping is toxic. In addition, every time you open your mouth, even if you’re talking about somebody else, you’re telling the world who you are. If you gossip you’re telling others that you’re petty, hateful, and insecure.

16. Be passably good in at least one sport—whether it’s jogging, skiing, golf, ice skating, swimming, baseball, basketball, tennis, you name it.

17. Be worldly. Choose a country other than your own and learn not only the language that is spoken there, but also study their customs, their cuisine, their art, their folklore, and their history.

18. Be able to talk intelligently about the environment. At the very least watch “An Inconvenient Truth” , a documentary depicting Al Gore’s crusade to expose the devastating harm we’re doing to the environment, and start taking action to reduce your carbon footprint.

19. Know when, how, and how much to tip in different situations, ranging from taxi drivers and waiters, to bellhops and your hair dresser.

20. Be able to grow and care for something in the plant family, whether it be bonsai trees, roses, tulips, orchids, or even ferns.

21. Have a favorite author and know why he/she is your favorite. (It can be J.K. Rowling, but if you’re over twelve, think carefully about this one). Read every book he/she has ever written and be able to describe his/her writing style and favorite motifs.

22. Be able to do something artistic with your hands, whether it be drawing, creating mandalas, playing a musical instrument, sculpting, beading, knitting, making pottery, or making jewelry.

23. Be able to create a book proposal. Everyone has a book in them, whether it be a children’s book, the biography of someone you admire, a memoir, a collection of short stories, a novel, or even a book filled with interesting photographs you’ve taken with short captions to explain each one.

When she was in her early twenties, the author SARK (Susan Ariel Rainbow Kennedy), who has written books such as “The Bodacious Book of Succulence” and “Living Juicy”, put an ad in the newspaper that read, “If you make obscene phone calls, call me”. This was the way in which she conducted research for a book she was going to write on obscene phone calls. She even managed to get interviewed by the Washington Post and the New York Post about her “book”, have a meeting with Doubleday’s senior editor, and present a book proposal. Unfortunately, she then proceeded to spend her time partying instead of writing the book, but you get the idea: you can write a book on just about anything.

24. Learn basic CPR– cardiopulmonary resuscitation–and the Heimlich Maneuver. If someone were choking or going into cardiac arrest in front of you, wouldn’t you want to know what to do?

25. Play one card game really well: it can be poker, rummy, bridge, and so on.

26. Learn to sell yourself. Prepare a three minute infomercial about yourself highlighting your most important skills and accomplisments. Then practice it until it sounds natural and unrehearsed when you say it. Important people are very busy, and when you’re face-to-face with one of them you have a very small window of opportunity to make a good and lasting impression.

27. Have a stress management strategy. Studies have shown that almost 90% of illnesses can be traced back to stress. In addition, people who suffer from high levels of stress tend to have trouble sleeping, be overweight, have trouble concentrating, and are easily irritated. Stress management techniques can include: reframing the situation, learning to live in the now, humor, laughter yoga, repeating a mantra, creating rituals, having realistic expectations, and so on.

28. Don’t simply accept what you’re told, go see for yourself. A lot of people –and women are particularly prone to this–go through life without ever questioning what they’re told. Learn to look at everything from several different perspectives and ask yourself what you truly think. Where do you stand on important issues? How do you think things should be done?

29. Learn to be comfortable with ambiguity. The world is not black and white; people are not entirely bad or entirely good; you’ll often run across two proverbs that say exactly the opposite, and both will be right.

“The truth is rarely pure and never simple.” — Oscar Wilde

30. Be able to perform at least one dance style reasonably well: Tango, Merengue, Salsa, Waltz, Belly dance, Ballet, the Polka, Flamenco, Krumping, Lambada, Tap dance, the Foxtrot . . .

(The “Tango Legs” photograph is courtesy of dark_mephi).

31. Have knowledge of mayor artistic movements, major artists, and indispensable masterworks. Art is making a come-back.

32. Learn to regulate your own moods. Being able to self-regulate anger, to bounce back from disappointment, and to shift your focus to a more positive range of feelings when you’re feeling down is vital to your productivity and to your success.

33. Develop your interpersonal skills. Interpersonal skill is the ability to understand other people, to know what motivates them, and to be able to work cooperatively with them. It involves reading other people’s body language, their tone of voice, their gestures, and understanding their style of communication. Daniel Goleman explains in his book “Emotional Intelligence” that rapport “stems from emotional attunement, from the capacity for empathy.”

34. Project strength with your body language. Stand up straight. If you have a tendency to slouch, you can use the following dancer’s trick: run an imaginary cord from the base of your spine, through the spine, up through your neck, and out the top of your head; now pull the imaginary cord upwards and feel your spine straighten. Also, women should try to avoid tilting their head during business conversations since this can signify submission.

35. Hold other people’s gaze. People consider others who hold their gaze during a conversation to be more self-assured, trustworthy, and reliable than those who are constantly looking away. In addition, several coaches suggest the following trick:

Imagine a triangle with the base at the listener’s eyes and the peak in the middle of the forehead: that’s the “business gaze”. This is where you should be concentrating when you want to be taken seriously. On the other hand, if you’re at a social gathering and want to be more flirtatious, imagine an upside-down triangle with the base at the listener’s eyes and the apex at the mouth and concentrate your gaze in that zone.

36. A firm handshake helps make a good first impression. The features that characterize a firm handshake are the strength, duration, and completeness of grip. In addition, refer to #35 above: when you shake hands with someone you should also use eye contact.

37. Stop worrying about what others think of you. The American psychologist Abraham Maslow–noted for his conceptualization of a “hierarchy of human needs”–argued that the self-actualized person is independent of the good opinion of others. Do what you think is right for you and don’t alter your behavior simply to please others.

38. Have a reasonable knowledge of history. To get a good overview of how thought has evolved and how different inventions have affected humanity, I recommend you read “The Discoverers” by Daniel J. Boorstin, as well as “A History of Knowledge” by Charles Van Doren.

39. Know that there are predators. In “Women Who Run With the Wolves”, Clarissa Pinkola Estes explains that all creatures must learn that there are predators out there. In addition, she adds that early training to “be nice” causes many women to ignore their inner alarm system. She goes on to say: “To understand the predator is to become a mature animal who is not vulnerable out of naïveté, inexperience , or foolishness.”

(The “Wolf Menace” photograph is courtesy of Byrd on a Wire).

40. Have a basic knowledge of world geography. Many people have seen the YouTube video of Miss South Carolina during the 2007 Miss Teen USA pageant where she’s asked why she thinks polls show that one-fifth of Americans can’t locate the USA on a map. It’s actually hard to watch. Purchase a World Atlas or at the very least a book such as “Geography for Dummies” to get an adequate overview.

“U.S. high school graduates will: Sell to the world; buy from the world; work for international companies; manage employees from other cultures and countries; collaborate with people all over the world in joint ventures; compete with people on the other side of the world for jobs and markets; and tackle global problems, such as AIDS, avian flu, pollution, and disaster recovery… We need to open global gateways and inspire students to explore beyond their national borders.”” Vivien Stewart, Becoming Citizens of the World, Educational Leadership

41. Adopt a method for connecting with your inner self and getting centered. You can choose from several different methods, including journaling, meditation, tai chi, Qi Gong, yoga, or spending time in nature.

42. Know where your money is going. Create a spending plan (also known as a budget). Keep track of your expenses and make a conscious decision as to how you’re going to spend your money instead of spending it indiscriminately.

43. Learn how to develop a business plan. In “Rich Dad/Poor Dad”, Robert Kiyosaki compares the mindset of his father (”poor dad”)-who held several degrees and an important position in the government, but struggled financially–, with the mindset of his best friend’s father (”rich dad”)–who never even finished high school but left his son a financial empire. “Poor dad” saw his job as his source of income for life and he taught Kiyosaki to depend on his employer for his financial well being. On the other hand, “rich dad” taught Kiyosaki that he should get a job to learn and to acquire the necessary skills so that he could go on to start his own business and become financially independent. Learn to create a business plan so that you can start moving toward financial independence.

44. Learn how to create passive income. Passive income is income that does not require your direct involvement. You make a strong initial effort to get this type of income started, but then you do minimal work thereafter to keep it going. It can be income derived from royalties–for example, you write a book–, income derived from patents–you invent something–, income derived from real estate, and so on. Brian Lee at geniustypes.com swears by bulk candy vending machines to create passive income. There are many ways to create passive income and the key is to be on the look-out for passive income producing opportunities.

45. Learn to be flexible. An example that is often used to illustrate the benefits of flexibility is the bamboo and the oak tree. The strategy of the oak tree is to grow strong and solid to withstand the onslaught of strong winds. The strategy of the bamboo is to stay flexible and to bend with the force of the wind. In a fierce storm the oak tree is often destroyed, while the bamboo–having swayed with the force of the wind–survives.

46. Learn how to make mistakes. Many people attach great stigma to failure and are therefore afraid of making mistakes. However, we need to accept that failing is simply part of the process and we should learn from our mistakes and move on. Think of mistakes as stepping stones on the path to success.

“Punishing honest mistakes stifles creativity. I want people moving and shaking the earth and they’re going to make mistakes.” — Ross Perot

47. Be able to forgive yourself. As Maya Angelou so wisely said, “You did what you knew how to do, and when you knew better, you did better.”

48. Be able to tell if someone is lying (this was taken straight out of Esquire’s list).

49. Have some knowledge of economics, particularly how economic policy affects the wealth of a nation. A good source is the book and DVD, “The Commanding Heights of the Economy.”

50. Know when to cut your losses. The best poker player knows when and how to fold. When the odds say he probably won’t win, he just leaves his money in the pot and lays down his cards. He doesn’t go on throwing money into the pot desperately hoping to salvage the situation. There comes a point where the best thing you can do is to simply cut your losses and move on.

51. Have a Big Vision. No matter how small your domain may be at the present moment, you should set a big, long-term vision for yourself. Come up with a powerful statement of where you are headed and what your life will be about.

“We ask ourselves, who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous, talented and fabulous? Actually, who are you not to be? You are a child of God. Your playing small doesn’t serve the world. There is nothing enlightened about shrinking so that other people will not feel insecure around you. We were born to manifest the glory of God that is within us. It is not in just some of us; it is in everyone. And as we let our own light shine, we unconsciously give people permission to do the same. As we are liberated from our own fear, our presence automatically liberates others.” — Nelson Mandela

52. Learn to receive. Women are often masters at giving but have a difficult time receiving. The yin and yang of life is to give and receive. Practice receiving by focusing on your breath: everytime you breath in you’re receiving. Accepting gifts, help, and complements from others should be just as easy.

53. Protect Your Computer. Install a virus protection program and once a week do a virus scan and spyware check.

54. Learn to make quick decisions. Make as many on-the-spot decisions as you possibly can, and then move on to the next thing. If you keep postponing making decisions on small things, they’ll accumulate and will end up eating away more of your time than if you had simply made a quick decision for each one. The more decisions you make, the better you’ll get at making them.

55. Learn to negotiate. Negotiating is much more than knowing how to get a good price when you’re buying a car or how to ask for a salary raise; almost everything you do in life involves negotiation. You negotiate with your spouse, with your children, with your friends, with your boss, with your co-workers, and so on. If you learn how to negotiate effectively you can move away from confrontation and toward cooperation. At the same time, good negotiators look for constructive ways to make the pie bigger so that everyone wins in an argument, instead of either forsaking their piece of the pie in order to keep the peace, or taking the pie away from somebody else.

56. Learn to cook at least the basics. Planning your meals in advance and eating at home is good for your wallet and for your health.

57. Speed Reading. We’re all being bombarded with information on a continous basis, a lot of it in written form. There’s the newspaper, the blogs you subscribe to, reports, e-mails, magazines, books, newsletters . . . You need to develop a strategy to get through this reading material quickly with an acceptable level of comprehension and retention. I use PhotoReading which teaches a whole-mind reading system. Among other things, you go through the reading material quickly several times, using a different technique each time. You also read with a purpose so that your mind can help you pick out what is important to you.

58. Time Management Skills. There are countless systems and methods to organize your time. Pick one of the several methods available, learn it, and apply it. You can also study several of the methods available, mix and match, and come up with your own hybrid. Just as by creating a budget you take control over where your money goes, by creating a system for managing your time you take control over where your time goes.

59. Get organized. Getting organized includes decluttering, giving a “home” to each of our belongings, and creating processes so that we know where to put and what to do with all of the items that come into our lives.

“Organizing is the process by which we create environments that enable us to live, work, and relax exactly as we want to. When we are organized, our homes, offices, and schedules reflect and encourage who we are, what we want, and where we are going.” — Julie Morgenstern

60. Create a Sacred Space. In the book “Sacred Spaces”, Denise Linn explains that our homes are symbolic representations of ourselves. Create a sanctuary for yourself and for your loved ones, a place of healing and regeneration.

61. Don’t take things personally. Realize that what others say and do is not because of you, it’s simply a projection of their own reality.

62. Think “Yes” instead of “No”. Imagine “Yes” instead of “No”. Say “Yes” to life instead of saying “No”. The author SARK suggests that you make little signs that say “yes” and post them all over your house.

63. Develop the skill of goal setting. Numerous studies have shown that people who set goals achieve more in life than those who don’t. Use the “SMART” acronym when setting your goals:

- Specific: Don’t just say “I want to lose weight”. Instead, write down something like the following: “Lose 10 pounds in 2 months by following a diet of 2,000 calories a day, jogging for 40 minutes 5 times a week, and lifting weights at the gym 3 times a week.”

- Measurable: Each time you get on the scale you can measure your progress.

- Achievable: While losing 10 pounds in 2 months is achievable for most people, losing 50 pounds in 2 months probably is not.

- Rewarding: Make sure you establish goals because it’s something that you really want, as opposed to setting goals based on things other people want for you.

- Timeline: Things have a tendency not to get done unless there’s a clear deadline. In our example, “2 months” is a clearly delimited time period for accomplishing the goal of losing 10 pounds.

64. Think creatively. The world needs people who are willing to look at problems from a different perspective, to ask how things can be made better, to look for different alternatives, and to come up with new solutions and novel ways of doing things.

65. Take smart risks. I once read that most people don’t play to win, they play not to lose. What if you stopped playing it safe? What if you risked making a fool of yourself, being ridiculed, and perhaps falling a couple of notches down the ladder you’ve been steadily climbing, for the opportunity of winning at the game of life?

66. Nurture others. This is a skill that a lot of women have down pat. However, it’s an important skill and worth mentioning. Mother Theresa was a big proponent of the concept that people need to feel cared for as much as they need food, shelter, and water.

67. Nurture yourself. You’re not doing anyone any favors–least of all yourself–by failing to take good care of yourself. Make sure that you take time to eat well, exercise, and have some time to yourself to get in the tub and read your favorite magazine, go for a walk, or spend a couple of hours at a spa. When you get on an airplane the stewardess always explains during the safety presentation that, in case of an emergency, you should put your oxygen mask on first, and then help your children or those around you with theirs. Likewise, you have to take good care of yourself first, so that you can give your very best to your loved ones.

68. Set clear boundaries. Setting clear boundaries has many different connotations, two of the main ones being the following:

-First, there’s a time and place for everything. There’s a time for work, and there’s a time for relaxation. When you get home from work you should drop everything related to your work before you walk in the door. If you work at home you need to make the boundary between work and relaxation even stronger. You can create a ritual of washing your hands and face when you’re ready to transition from work to relaxation, changing your clothes, or anything else that helps send a signal to your mind that it’s time to shift gears.

-Second, set clear boundaries on your time. Do not allow yourself to be interrupted when you’re in the middle of important work and do not commit yourself to doing things you don’t want to do.

69. Learn to network. Networking is the most important way of fostering relationships and business contacts. Being a good networker means that you have a wide circle of people from whom to get information and call on for help, and with whom you can share ideas.

70. Trust your intuition. Intuition is when you know something without being sure how you know it. If you’re not comfortable with the notion of a sixth sense, then simply think of intuition as the triggering of the cumulative experiences and knowledge that you’ve gathered through the years.

71 - 75. Be authentic; Set your own agenda instead of being pulled into the agenda of others; Break the rules; Do the unexpected; Be unforgettable.

Barry Schwartz: The paradox of choice

2008-06-08T22:31:00.000-07:00

See this video; Really Nice

2008-06-08T12:49:00.000-07:00

Very Talented Bass Guitarist

2008-06-08T12:42:00.000-07:00

Ten Rules for Being Human by Cherie Carter-Scott

2008-06-08T12:39:00.000-07:00

You will receive a body. You may like it or hate it, but it's yours to keep for the entire period.
You will learn lessons. You are enrolled in a full-time informal school called, "life."
There are no mistakes, only lessons. Growth is a process of trial, error, and experimentation. The "failed" experiments are as much a part of the process as the experiments that ultimately "work."
Lessons are repeated until they are learned. A lesson will be presented to you in various forms until you have learned it. When you have learned it, you can go on to the next lesson.
Learning lessons does not end. There's no part of life that doesn't contain its lessons. If you're alive, that means there are still lessons to be learned.
"There" is no better a place than "here." When your "there" has become a "here", you will simply obtain another "there" that will again look better than "here."
Other people are merely mirrors of you. You cannot love or hate something about another person unless it reflects to you something you love or hate about yourself.
What you make of your life is up to you. You have all the tools and resources you need. What you do with them is up to you. The choice is yours.
Your answers lie within you. The answers to life's questions lie within you. All you need to do is look, listen, and trust.
You will forget all this.

Dalai Lama: Instructions For Life

2008-05-30T10:04:00.000-07:00

Take into account that great love and great achievements involve great risk.
When you lose, don't lose the lesson.
Follow the three res. Respect for self, Respect for others, and Responsibility for all your actions.
Remember that not getting what you want is sometimes a wonderful stroke of luck.
Learn the rules so you know how to break them properly.
Don't let a little dispute injure a great friendship.
When you realize you've made a mistake, take immediate steps to correct it.
Spend some time alone every day.
Open your arms to change, but don't let go of your values.
Remember that silence is sometimes the best answer.
Live a good, honorable life. Then when you get older and think back, you'll be able to enjoy it a second time.
A loving atmosphere in your home is the foundation for your life.
In disagreements with loved ones, deal only with the current situation. Don't bring up the past.
Share your knowledge. It's a way to achieve immortality.
Be gentle with the earth.
Once a year, go someplace you've never been before.
Remember that the best relationship is one in which your love for each other exceeds your need for each other.
Judge your success by what you had to give up in order to get it.
Approach love and cooking with reckless abandon.

Obituary

2008-05-26T21:27:00.000-07:00

Today we mourn the passing of a beloved old friend, Common Sense, who has been with us for many years. No one knows for sure how old he was since his birth records were long ago lost in bureaucratic red tape.

He will be remembered as having cultivated such valuable lessons as knowing when to come in out of the rain, why the early bird gets the worm, life isn't always fair, and maybe it was my fault.

Common Sense lived by simple, sound financial policies (don't spend more than you earn) and reliable parenting strategies (adults, not children, are in charge).

His health began to deteriorate rapidly when well intentioned but overbearing regulations were set in place. Reports of a six-year-old boy charged with sexual harassment for kissing a classmate; teens suspended from school for using mouthwash after lunch; and a teacher fired for reprimanding an unruly student, only worsened his condition.

Common Sense lost ground when parents attacked teachers for doing the job they themselves failed to do in disciplining their unruly children. It declined even further when schools were required to get parental consent to administer Panadol, sun lotion or a Band-Aid to a student but could not inform the parents when a student became pregnant or wanted to have an abortion.

Common Sense lost the will to live as the Ten Commandments became contraband, churches became businesses, and criminals received better treatment than their victims.

Common Sense took a beating when you couldn't defend yourself from a burglar in your own home and the burglar could sue you for assault.

Common Sense was preceded in death by his parents, Truth and Trust; his wife, Discretion; his daughter, Responsibility; and his son, Reason. He is survived by three stepbrothers; I Know My Rights, Someone Else is to Blame, and I'm A Victim.

Not many attended his funeral because so few realized he was gone.

If you still remember him, pass this on. If not, join the majority and do nothing.

Thanks: http://mbm.net.au/health/obituary.html

Music using ONLY sounds from Windows XP and 98!

2008-05-19T23:28:00.001-07:00

Water Filter

2008-05-19T23:24:00.000-07:00

World's Largest Swimming Pool

2008-05-19T23:17:00.000-07:00

If you like doing laps in the swimming pool, you might want to stock up on the energy drinks before diving in to this one.

It is more than 1,000 yards long, covers 20 acres, has a 115-foot deep end, and holds 66 million gallons of water.

The Guinness Book of Records has named the vast pool beside the sea in Chile as the biggest in the world.

But if you fancy splashing out on one of your own -- and you have the space to accommodate it -- then beware: this one took five years to build, cost nearly 1 billion, and the annual maintenance bill will be 2 million.

The man-made saltwater lagoon has been attracting huge crowds to the San Alfonso del Mar resort at Algarrobo, on Chile 's southern coast, since it opened last month.

Its turquoise waters are so crystal clear that you can see the bottom even in the deep end.

It dwarfs the world's second biggest pool, the Orthlieb -- nicknamed the Big Splash -- in Morocco , which is a mere 150 yards long and 100 yards wide. An Olympic size pool measures some 50 yards by 25 yards.

Chile's monster pool uses a computer-controlled suction and filtration system to keep fresh seawater in permanent circulation, drawing it in from the ocean at one end and pumping it out at the other.

The sun warms the water to 26c, nine degrees warmer than the adjoining sea.

Chilean biochemist Fernando Fischmann, whose Crystal Lagoons Corporation designed the pool, said advanced engineering meant his company could build "an impressive artificial paradise" even in inhospitable areas.

"As long as we have access to unlimited seawater, we can make it work, and it causes no damage to the ocean."

Enkin

2008-05-06T10:04:00.000-07:00

Enkin from Enkin on Vimeo.

Mario Theme Played with RC Car and Bottles

2008-05-06T10:01:00.000-07:00

Mario Theme Played with RC Car and Bottles - Watch more free videos

I'm wating

2008-05-01T06:14:00.000-07:00

I'm really really really really bored and I'm waiting my dad to come. What else, I can possibly do? I want to kill the person who made this world. ha ha. Today May 1st and I'm so bored in colombo. Hey. Why don't you people comment on my posts?

Labour Day

2008-05-01T05:39:00.000-07:00

I don't know how to celebrate this labours' day but I would like to congratulate all the real workers;

Workers of the world, awaken!
Rise in all your splendid might
Take the wealth that you are making,
It belongs to you by right.
No one will for bread be crying
We'll have freedom, love and health,
When the grand red flag is flying
In the Workers' Commonwealth.

I'm a hard worker, i guess. So took a leave today to celebrate this day.:P Ohhhhhhh That's a my kind of stupid joke. I'm just a jobless@ home:P

Top-50 Websites - Ranked by Unique Visitors

2008-05-01T05:37:00.000-07:00

Key Observations (Winners list):

The Emergence of Content Sharing: 5 of the top 10 gainers having something to do with sharing content (YouTube, Flickr, Facebook, Wikipedia, Digg).
Traffic to Facebook.com has increased by 14.6M, but hold on…traffic to MySpace.com has also increased by 10.2M during the same time period.
AdultFriendFinder.com continues to thrive with nearly 24M unique visitors (up 8.8M this year), but look out AFF, Fling.com is catching up with you quickly. Fling has gained a whopping 17.4M visitors in the past 12 months to reach 18.7M unique visitors in September.
Rebranding of Cingular to AT&T helped out ATT.com. All Cingular.com traffic is now channeled to wireless.att.com
Digg has been growing faster than Facebook!

Biggest gainers:	Sept ‘07 Unique Visitors	Sept ‘06	Change
1. youtube.com	47,417,527	25,860,510	21,557,017
2. flickr.com	25,278,501	7,382,573	17,895,929
3. fling.com	18,702,338	1,284,273	17,418,065
4. wikipedia.org	51,648,465	35,650,551	15,997,914
5. digg.com	18,401,139	2,854,646	15,546,493
6. google.com	124,544,834	109,080,418	15,464,416
7. att.com	17,984,849	3,221,543	14,763,306
8. facebook.com	24,211,448	9,545,359	14,666,089
9. turn.com	14,296,976	628,718	13,668,258
10. yahoo.com	130,078,549	116,961,340	13,117,209

Key Observations (Losers list):

Traffic declined to only 8 domains in the Top 50 (Sept ‘07).
Two Amazon properties on the list - IMDB.com and Amazon.com
Two Microsoft properties on the list - Passport.net and MSN.com. My guess is that most of their lost traffic went to Live.com, MSN’s new portal. Live.com is up 10.2M unique visitors during the same time period.

Biggest losers:	Sept ‘07 Unique Visitors	Sept ‘06	Change
1. aol.com	62,201,981	72,859,584	(10,657,602)
2. passport.net	16,605,856	23,056,010	(6,450,155)
3. msn.com	72,402,712	78,701,909	(6,299,197)
4. geocities.com	16,086,159	20,300,659	(4,214,500)
5. amazon.com	42,420,889	45,417,807	(2,996,918)
6. weather.com	16,002,964	18,709,799	(2,706,835)
7. expedia.com	13,564,006	14,087,085	(523,079)
8. imdb.com	16,390,522	16,705,447	(314,925)

Nice Drum Machine

2008-04-28T22:26:00.000-07:00

The World's most amazing Basketball Shot

2008-04-23T09:55:00.000-07:00

Hey! Did you see google's first server? Watch this!

2008-04-20T22:16:00.000-07:00

I'm starting to log my dreams on blogger

2008-04-16T20:44:00.000-07:00

hi people! this is really cool to blog everthing i think or everything i go through. now i'm one the them, millions of those who blog. i'm really excited! ok. let me explain myself. i'm jekananthini from sri lanka. my main interests are listen to songs, watching cartoons, playing table tennis, browsing internet, chatting with friends & graphic designing(mostly photoshop). i'm doing BSc in Multimedia Computing. now i'm in vacation.

i'm thinking to publish interesting things i do and interesting thing i find online. most importantly, my dreams and my efforts to make each of those true. please comment my each posts. your comments will encourage me to post more... thanks for your visit to my blog.

CREATIVE DREAMS 4 real

60 Ways To Make Life Simple Again BY MARC

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Pick a Topic

Make a list

Reorder everything.

Spaces

Get the hell away from your computer

Write

Go Back Inside

Time for that whole "research" part

Formatting

Diwali 2009

Top 15 Attractions & Things To Do In Scotland

Old Town of Edinburgh

Neist Point

Glasgow Merchant City

Loch Ness

Dunnottar Castle

Beaches of Outer Hebrides

Shetland Islands Hopping

Glen Coe

St. Kilda - The Cliffs Of Hirta

Rannoch Moor

Heart of Neolithic Orkney

Speyside Whiskey Distilleries

Firth of Clyde

Melrose Abbey

Forth Bridge

கதைத்து பிரியோசனம் இல்ல

10 obscure things you must know before watching Watchmen

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internet neutrality

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The Best Packing Tips

How creativity is being strangled by the law

Is Your Jar Full?

Got distinction/MS Surface/Your Comments please

New tecnology by Microsoft "surface computing"

See things slowly, beautifully

The Apple "i"

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75 Skills Every Woman Should Master

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See this video; Really Nice

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Obituary

Music using ONLY sounds from Windows XP and 98!

Water Filter

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Enkin

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I'm wating

Labour Day

Workers of the world, awaken! Rise in all your splendid might Take the wealth that you are making, It belongs to you by right. No one will for bread be crying We'll have freedom, love and health, When the grand red flag is flying In the Workers' Commonwealth.

Top-50 Websites - Ranked by Unique Visitors

Nice Drum Machine

The World's most amazing Basketball Shot

Hey! Did you see google's first server? Watch this!

I'm starting to log my dreams on blogger

Workers of the world, awaken!
Rise in all your splendid might
Take the wealth that you are making,
It belongs to you by right.
No one will for bread be crying
We'll have freedom, love and health,
When the grand red flag is flying
In the Workers' Commonwealth.