Two more days to go, until we come to the end of yet another year, in our double-sided life. For me, 2006 has been a combination of challenge, excitement and constant change, resulting in many unforgettable experiences! Among which, one I value very highly is entering the world of blogging.
I startedEnhance Life on the 25th of September 2006 as an outlet to spread my incidental gleanings. To be quite honest, I didn’t begin with the end in mind. (I know, I violated ‘Practice what you peach’. Please pardon me on this one!)
Anyway, three months down the line and I am still posting! (May be not as regularly as I want to.)
With out further delay, let me introduce my nominees for the year 2006.
Most commented post - My Humble Christmas Request
Most linked post (source: Technorati)- Ways to make you feel good (when the going gets tough)
Most visited post (source: Google Analytics )- 7 Ways – How NOT to Annoy People
Favorite post - Who borrowed your time?
Debatable post - Are we blogging for attention ?
Blogging post -How to create a blog
Unorthodox post –Songs to Ponder
Humor post - Written by kids
Health post - Posture Matters
Book review post - Re-imagine
‘Such is Life’ post - 5 Reasons Why Letting Go Is So Difficult
Living simplified post - Best Practices In Naming And Managing Files
Nonsense post - The recipe of the ideal person
Seasonal post – So this is Christmas
Please leave a comment and make your vote heard!
I can’t part this year, with out sprinkling an attitude of gratitude.
So please accept by heartfelt ‘thank you’ going out especially to you. ‘Thank you’ for stopping by, ‘Thank you’ for featuring my posts in your blog, ‘Thank you’ for your comments, ‘Thank you’ to everyone who emailed me with words of encouragement, and if you have subscribed to Enhance Life, ‘Thank you’.
YOU have made my year of 2006 a lot more worthwhile. THANK YOU for letting me be a part of your lives.
Jumat, 29 Desember 2006
Kamis, 28 Desember 2006
6 Things about me, you don’t already know
I have been tagged by Ms.Qand I am summoned to reveal 6 things about me, you don’t already know.
Ok. So here goes.
#1. When I was 12 years old, I slipped, fell and knocked my face on a chair, while playing with my dog, Casper. The fall chipped off parts of my teeth and had to be replaced with fillings!
#2. I can play five musical instruments (Organ, piano, guitar, clarinet and the recorder) with dignity intact! I didn’t count the trumpet and drums because I drive people nuts when I play them!
#3. My birthday is on the 2nd of Dec. Happy belated birthday to me! If you really want to know my age, you will have to tag me again!
#4. I can uplift my spirits by listening to music. My main preference, Michael Learns to Rock, Chicago and Brian Adams.
#5. My family consists of me, myself and I. In other words, I am the only child. (No, that does not mean I am spoilt. Grrrr)
#6. I hail from the techno junky industry. Jargon aside; I work for a software company. (Now you know why some of my posts are technology savvy!)
Ok. So here goes.
#1. When I was 12 years old, I slipped, fell and knocked my face on a chair, while playing with my dog, Casper. The fall chipped off parts of my teeth and had to be replaced with fillings!
#2. I can play five musical instruments (Organ, piano, guitar, clarinet and the recorder) with dignity intact! I didn’t count the trumpet and drums because I drive people nuts when I play them!
#3. My birthday is on the 2nd of Dec. Happy belated birthday to me! If you really want to know my age, you will have to tag me again!
#4. I can uplift my spirits by listening to music. My main preference, Michael Learns to Rock, Chicago and Brian Adams.
#5. My family consists of me, myself and I. In other words, I am the only child. (No, that does not mean I am spoilt. Grrrr)
#6. I hail from the techno junky industry. Jargon aside; I work for a software company. (Now you know why some of my posts are technology savvy!)
Jumat, 22 Desember 2006
Advocates Gather to Make Human Rights a Fact in Massachusetts
BOSTON – Members of several human rights groups met at St. Paul’s Cathedral in downtown Boston Tuesday, December 19th, to strategize how to strengthen support for House Bill 706 (http://www.mass.gov/legis/bills/house/ht00pdf/ht00706.pdf) that calls for statewide hearings into the human rights conditions affecting Massachusetts residents and how to best protect and fulfill the human rights of all who live in the Commonwealth.
The coaliton which has over 50 human rights groups supporting it, was chaired by Laura Roskos, Ph.D. of the Massachusetts CEDAW (Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women) Project. The purpose of the coalition is to make human rights a reality in Massachusetts using legislation, public hearings, grassroots efforts and any other means necessary to improve the quality of life of people in the state.
During the meeting, Dr. Roskos stressed how the group was part of an international effort that included implementing the principles laid out by the United Nation’s Univerals Declaration of Human Rights which has been ratified by nearly all the world’s nations.
“I am pleased to be able to assist such a positive and influential group of human rights advocates,” said Gerard Renna of the Church of Scientology of Boston. “I feel that we may be of assistance by utilizing a public service announcement campaign that has put each of the United Nation’s accepted human rights into concise video form www.youthforhumanrights.org
Rabu, 20 Desember 2006
My Humble Christmas Request
I know I am a total stranger to some of you. However, if you have browsed through my site and feel like giving me a Christmas present, (without spending any dollars!), there is a little something you can do for me.
It’s been around four months since I started Enhance Life and I really could use your assistance to spread the news of my blog. You can help me spread the news by favorite-ing me over at Technorati (Just click the link) or add a link to Enhance Life to your blog.
(If you want me also to link to your blog, just leave a comment and I will give the same Christmas present to you too. It’s a win-win situation!.)
Thanks a lot.
It’s been around four months since I started Enhance Life and I really could use your assistance to spread the news of my blog. You can help me spread the news by favorite-ing me over at Technorati (Just click the link) or add a link to Enhance Life to your blog.
(If you want me also to link to your blog, just leave a comment and I will give the same Christmas present to you too. It’s a win-win situation!.)
Thanks a lot.
So This is Christmas....
On my way to work today, I heard this song by John Lennon on the radio. I am half way down the day and I still find my self humming the tune.
“So this is Christmas, And what have you done?”
This question reminds me that within the next five days, I still have a lot more to do for Christmas!
Changing times, changing lives, creating memories…. “Another year over”, Oh yes, sometimes we all do wonder, how time does fly. It seemed like yesterday, I was celebrating this year’s New Year. Was it pleasant and rewarding? Do you have moments have taken your breath away?
“I hope you have fun, The near and the dear one, The old and the young”. To you and your family, I am wishing good cheer, good health, and fun family reunions.
“A very Merry Christmas
And a happy New Year
Let's hope it's a good one
Without any fear”
Merry Christmas!
Kamis, 14 Desember 2006
Rabu, 13 Desember 2006
Meat workers health problems
Meat is not just bad for the animals slaughtered, of course, and for the humans who consume it. It’s bad for the humans who work in the meat industry too.
Few people realize that, in a country like the USA, meatpacking is the most dangerous occupation.
In the year 2000, about 25 percent of all employees of American meatpacking plants had non-fatal occupational injuries or job-related illnesses: that is as many as 4 times the national average for all private industry sectors.
In addition, serious injuries and illnesses (measured by lost workdays) in the meatpacking sector are almost 5 times the national average in all private industry sectors (14.3 percent versus 3 percent).
The frequency of disorders associated with repeated traumas, mainly back problems and tendinitis, is an astonishing 30 times higher than the private-industry national average. This is the effect produced by the working pace of some modern slaughterhouses, which “process” as many as 400 cattle per hour, and in which some workers make up to 10,000 repetitive knife cuts every day.
So much for the idea that man is a “natural” meat-eater. Meat seems to be associated with diseases and unnatural lifestyles wherever it occurs.
Few people realize that, in a country like the USA, meatpacking is the most dangerous occupation.
In the year 2000, about 25 percent of all employees of American meatpacking plants had non-fatal occupational injuries or job-related illnesses: that is as many as 4 times the national average for all private industry sectors.
In addition, serious injuries and illnesses (measured by lost workdays) in the meatpacking sector are almost 5 times the national average in all private industry sectors (14.3 percent versus 3 percent).
The frequency of disorders associated with repeated traumas, mainly back problems and tendinitis, is an astonishing 30 times higher than the private-industry national average. This is the effect produced by the working pace of some modern slaughterhouses, which “process” as many as 400 cattle per hour, and in which some workers make up to 10,000 repetitive knife cuts every day.
So much for the idea that man is a “natural” meat-eater. Meat seems to be associated with diseases and unnatural lifestyles wherever it occurs.
Humor central:Written by kids
Its been far too long since my previous humor central post. Let me end that by presenting to you, What kids had to say! (Source: Email)
Q:HOW DO YOU DECIDE WHOM TO MARRY?
You got to find somebody who likes the same stuff. Like, if you like sports, she should like it that you like sports, and she should keep the chips and dip coming.
-- Alan, age 10
No person really decides before they grow up who they're going to marry. God decides it all way before, and you get to find out later who you're stuck with.
-- Kristen, age 10
Q:HOW CAN A STRANGER TELL IF TWO PEOPLE ARE MARRIED?
You might have to guess, based on whether they seem to be yelling at the same kids.
-- Derrick, age 8
Q:WHAT DO YOU THINK YOUR MOM AND DAD HAVE IN COMMON?
Both don't want any more kids.
-- Lori, age 8
Q:WHAT DO MOST PEOPLE DO ON A DATE?
Dates are for having fun, and people should use them to get to know each other. Even boys have something to say if you listen long enough.
-- Lynnette, age 8 (isn't she a treasure)
Q:On the first date, they just tell each other lies and that Usually gets them interested enough to go for a second date.
-- Martin, age 10
Q:WHAT WOULD YOU DO ON A FIRST DATE THAT WAS TURNING SOUR?
I'd run home and play dead. The next day I would call all the newspapers and make sure they wrote about me in all the dead columns.
-- Craig, age 9
Q:WHEN IS IT OKAY TO KISS SOMEONE?
When they're rich.
-- Pam, age 7 (smart girl)
The rule goes like this: If you kiss someone, then you should marry them and have kids with them. It's the right thing to do.
-- Howard, age 8
Q:IS IT BETTER TO BE SINGLE OR MARRIED?
It's better for girls to be single but not for boys. Boys need someone to clean up after them.
-- Anita, age 9 (bless you child)
Q:HOW WOULD YOU MAKE A MARRIAGE WORK?
Tell your wife that she looks pretty, even if she looks like a truck.
-- Ricky, age 10
Senin, 11 Desember 2006
Christmas Anti-Fur Week at Harrods
CAFT (Coalition to Abolish the Fur Trade UK) is organising a fur week of action in the run up to Christmas next week at Harrods, in Knightsbridge, London, Europe's largest department store, and the last one in the UK to still sell real fur.
Harrods has over a million square feet of floor space, and has large amounts of real fur throughout the store, made from a wide variety of animals including fox, beaver, mink, chinchilla, wolf, coyote, rabbit and squirrel.
In recent years, CAFT has successfully campaigned to persuade the few remaining department stores in the UK selling fur, Harvey Nichols, Selfridges and then Liberty, to adopt fur-free policies.
That left Harrods as the only department store selling fur. In October last year CAFT launched the Harrods campaign, and within two months, Harrods went to the High Court to obtain an injunction against CAFT and three named individuals, applying to have the protests moved away from the store.
Anti-Fur activists have been carrying out regular protests outside Harrods.
Now, to persuade Harrods to stop selling fur, the campaign intensifies and there will be protests every day in the week leading up to Christmas, a vital time of the year when the store makes a large proportion of its annual profits.
Whether or not you can make the protests, please politely email, phone, fax, write to Harrods during anti-fur week (see below for details) to request that it takes the compassionate decision to stop the sale of all real animal fur and adopt a fur-free policy. Remember to point out that fur farming is illegal in the UK, so the store should come into line with the wishes of the British public and the democratic will of Parliament.
Harrods Ltd 87-135 Brompton Road
Knightsbridge London SW1X 7XL
Telephone 020 7730 1234
Fax 020 7581 0470
customer.services@harrods.com
Harrods Corporate Service
corporate.service@harrods
+44 (0)20 7225 5843
Other email addresses
Ladies.fashion@harrods.com
service@harrods-casino.com
direct.mail@harrods.com
If you get any replies please forward them to:
CAFT
PO Box 38
Manchester M60 1NX
0845 330 7955
caft@caft.org.uk
Harrods has over a million square feet of floor space, and has large amounts of real fur throughout the store, made from a wide variety of animals including fox, beaver, mink, chinchilla, wolf, coyote, rabbit and squirrel.
In recent years, CAFT has successfully campaigned to persuade the few remaining department stores in the UK selling fur, Harvey Nichols, Selfridges and then Liberty, to adopt fur-free policies.
That left Harrods as the only department store selling fur. In October last year CAFT launched the Harrods campaign, and within two months, Harrods went to the High Court to obtain an injunction against CAFT and three named individuals, applying to have the protests moved away from the store.
Anti-Fur activists have been carrying out regular protests outside Harrods.
Now, to persuade Harrods to stop selling fur, the campaign intensifies and there will be protests every day in the week leading up to Christmas, a vital time of the year when the store makes a large proportion of its annual profits.
Whether or not you can make the protests, please politely email, phone, fax, write to Harrods during anti-fur week (see below for details) to request that it takes the compassionate decision to stop the sale of all real animal fur and adopt a fur-free policy. Remember to point out that fur farming is illegal in the UK, so the store should come into line with the wishes of the British public and the democratic will of Parliament.
Harrods Ltd 87-135 Brompton Road
Knightsbridge London SW1X 7XL
Telephone 020 7730 1234
Fax 020 7581 0470
customer.services@harrods.com
Harrods Corporate Service
corporate.service@harrods
+44 (0)20 7225 5843
Other email addresses
Ladies.fashion@harrods.com
service@harrods-casino.com
direct.mail@harrods.com
If you get any replies please forward them to:
CAFT
PO Box 38
Manchester M60 1NX
0845 330 7955
caft@caft.org.uk
Minggu, 10 Desember 2006
5 Reasons Why "Letting Go" Is So Difficult
My earliest memory of "letting go" something takes me back to my toddler years. I was so used to the feeding bottle, and I couldn't understand why my parents insisted that I get used to a cup.
I am an adult now. (I sometimes have to convince my self this!) During the years that have gone by, I have had to "let go" of many things. I am sure that you too, must have had your share. It could be shifting houses, migrating to another country, changing jobs, relationship break-ups, the death of a loved one ..... The list goes on. The reality is that Change - is The Only Constant In Life. Life is such that sooner or later we have to "let go" something or someone we have become attached to.
If you asked someone for advice on a "let go" matter, you probably have got lectures. Something in the lines of "Take my advice, I don't use it anyway". "Leave", "get over it", "move one", "You will get used to it". Have you gotten any of that lately? I am sure they all mean well. However, these are the very things that you might not want to hear. Yes, it is easy for a by-stander to give advice. I, on the other hand believe in,Practice What You Peach.
Think of the last time you were in a "letting go" situation. Did you enjoy it ? Was the decision to "let go" easy? Of course, it depends on what (or whom) you let go of and how emotionally attached you were. Have you every wondered why it is so difficult? If "letting go" was part and parcel of life, then shouldn't it be a little more easy? Does it get easy with experience? Does it get better with age ? Perhaps not.
So why is "letting go" so difficult? In one sentence, I can say "we make it difficult" or rather, "our way of thinking makes it difficult". Now, for more elaborate reasons.
#1.Transition from known to Unknown
When your in your "comfortable zone" its comfortable! You like it. It is convenient, and you are used to it. It doesn't require additional risk.
#2.Fear
I believe that fear is due to the uncertainty. Uncertainty of the future. "How will I manage without him/her ?", "Will I be able to learn the new skills need for the new job?" Basically, fear of change and the adjustments that follow. The truth is, most people want to change. But they want results, without any effort.
#3."Why"
You keep wondering "why did this happen to me?". As I have mentioned in previous posts, I think only God has the answers to all “why” questions. In the meantime, you can ask a different question. “What did I learn?”
#4. Wait and See
You keep thinking, "I will hang around a bit and see", "May be things will be better”, “May the next financial year my boss will give me a raise". Sounds familiar? You might be trying to figure out what is the "right time" to let go.
#5. Guilt
"Is this the right thing to do?", "Will I hurt him/her by doing this?", "How will the company manage without me?"
Do you agree with me?
Kamis, 07 Desember 2006
Who Borrowed Your Time Today?
I was at a lecture last evening. In case you are wondering I am studying for my MSc. (A juggle of work and studies! Arhhhhh!)
We were given some homework the previous week and the lecturer asked how many actually completed it. The majority of the class said, "No, I didn’t complete". Yours truly included ! To our utter surprise he started asking "why" from every student. When the first culprit answered, "I didn’t have time" the lecturer asked, "Who borrowed your time?". At the time, everyone burst out laughing at the cynical statement. However, it got me thinking and here I am writing a post about it.
I am aware that there are many books and articles that offer many helpful advice on how to save time. This post though, is to highlight a different approach.
Who borrowed you time today? When your at home, it might be the television. When at work, it might be an annoying colleague. When your on the road it might be the traffic. Yes, there is a point I am trying to make. Here it is. Identifying the cause of time wasters. Once you are aware of the factors that drain you time, you might be able to take preventive measures to avoid or reduce it.
Now is the time. Who borrowed you time today? Start making the list and analyze more feasible solutions. Practice it for a few days, and let me know if it made a difference.
Rabu, 06 Desember 2006
Vegetarian dogs
Can dogs be vegetarian? Judging from the fact that in England more than 50,000 best man's friends are fed on the vegan product Happidog Supermeal, the answer should be 'yes'. Among them, are many dogs of celebrities.
Everyone knows that Paul and the late Linda McCartney's dogs were vegetarian. And what about the pop singer Howard Jones, who says: "I spoke to my vet before I put my dog Benny on a non-meat diet and we worked out his meals together. Benny was seven then, and he's certainly as fit as any other dog".
Script-writer Carla Lane, who dreamed up British TV's The Liver Birds, Solo, Butterflies and Bread, is another case. A vegetarian for 40 years, she said: "I've always had vegetarian wolfhounds. My previous wolfhound Egor lived on a vegetarian diet from the age of five onwards. The vet advised the diet after he had a haemorrhage and a stomach complaint. "Wolfhounds normally live for six to nine years, but Egor lived a very long and full life and was healthy right to the end. His eyesight and teeth were perfect. For two years he lived with a rather racy heartbeat, which is all the more reason why it was exceptional that he should have lasted. He loved being a vegetarian dog. He never showed any interest in bones at all".
Not everyone agrees, though. Desmond Morris, the animal behaviour expert, is opposed: "It's not only wrong; it's cruel and stupid too. Dogs are natural carnivores, and to deny them meat and substitute vegetables means that they lack a vital part of their diet". His opinion is shared by many.
Yet, to base the argument purely on the concept of "carnivore", both in the sense of belonging to this order of mammals and of meat eater, does not help because this concept, taken as an absolute barrier beyond which it's impossible to go, does not mean much. The Encyclopaedia Britannica, for example, explains: "Although the word "carnivores" means meat eaters, the diet of these animals ranges from an exclusively meat-eating one to an almost totally vegetarian one. Some Ursidae (bears), Procyonidae (racoons) and Canidae (dogs) depend very much on vegetation, and the giant panda lives almost entirely on bamboo sprouts". For jackals, close relatives of our Fidos, fruits form an important part of their diet; coyotes, wolves and foxes consume great amounts of fruits and berries even in times of the year when it's not difficult to find something to eat, which indicates a genuine predilection for these foods.
The idea that domestic dogs are perfectly healthy on a vegetarian diet is now, anyway, the most commonly accepted by vets and pet experts. The RSPCA is fully in favour. Its chief veterinary officer agrees that it is quite possible to feed a dog on a vegetarian diet: "However, you do have to be careful to get the right balance of protein, vitamins and minerals. If you are proposing to turn a dog from a meat and biscuit diet to a vegetarian one, it is best to consult your own vet and to introduce the change gradually".
Neil Wolff, American vet and Chairman of the Association of Veterinarians for Animal Rights, says: "Dogs and cats on vegetarian (or close to vegetarian) diets often do better in terms of coat condition, kidneys, liver and heart. With geriatric animals we often supplement with additional vitamins, amino acids, anti-oxidants or herbs".
The UK Vegetarian Society has received so many requests of advice on dogs' menus, that it has published an information sheet on the subject. A typical day should be divided into two meals: breakfast (morning or midday) and dinner (afternoon or evening). For breakfast, dogs should be given wholegrain cereals (for example muesli) with milk, adding, if necessary and according to taste, honey or dried powdered yeast. For dinner, pulses like baked beans or cooked lentils, or textured vegetable protein, or nutmeat, or else, for lacto-vegetarians, eggs or cheese, adding to the whole lot raw or cooked vegetables. The guidelines remind owners that dogs need some hard foods to chew to exercise their gums and jaws: suitable for this purpose are raw whole carrots, cabbage stumps and apples, and hard wholemeal dog biscuits.
Dr. Alan Long, of the Vegetarian Society, warns: "You must know your dog and what he likes to eat and follow his liking. A dog does not have a vast stomach area for fibrous foods, so watch he doesn't get fat. Try him with vegetables, wholewheat bread or toast, and make sure he has oil in his diet for a shiny coat and keep him fit by giving him lots of walks. "It's easier to start a puppy off. At eight weeks old introduce sloppy baby foods, cereals, gruel and mixed savouries. You can then introduce eggs, milk and cheese, remembering a puppy needs more food in proportion to its weight than a dog".
There are cases in which a vegetarian diet is recommended by the vets themselves. Skin allergies and digestive problems are often caused by meat. The ingredients used in the preparation of some dog foods are slaughterhouse by-products unsuitable for human consumption, such as diseased or damaged parts of the slaughtered animal, chicken feathers, horse hair and other refuse. Recent research has shown that the consumption of great quantities of these impurities contribute to gastro-intestinal and allergic diseases. Some skin disorders, such as itch and loss of hair, have been effectively cured simply by improving the animal's nutrition. The American product Nature's Recipe, for instance, has been formulated just for dogs with skin disorders. It contains soya flour, rice flour, potatoes, carrots, salt, spices, with a number of vitamins and minerals added.
Minggu, 03 Desember 2006
Life is double-sided
Life is double-sided;
There’s a wrong side and a right side; A sad side and a happy side.
There’s a good side and a bad side; A black side and a bright side.
So if things seem dark to you, just change your thoughts about.
Life will look quite different if you turn it best side out.
Source: pravsworld
There’s a wrong side and a right side; A sad side and a happy side.
There’s a good side and a bad side; A black side and a bright side.
So if things seem dark to you, just change your thoughts about.
Life will look quite different if you turn it best side out.
Source: pravsworld
Kamis, 30 November 2006
Best Practices In Naming And Managing Files
Word documents, Excel documents, images files, presentation files ... the list goes on.
Have you ever had the feeling that you have spent too much time searching for what you wanted? Did you search for a file you just worked on last week, for far too long than you would have imagined?
Depending on your profession, managing files on a daily basis can be quite a hazard. Specially, if you don't have an organized way of storing files.
I recently exchanged my computer for a better one. I had to copy all files I needed from the old machine to the new. The transfer felt more like a house cleaning project! I am ashamed to say that there were many files with names such as test,temp,test1 etc. Needless to say that I had to open each of these files to find out the content.
So, I made a resolution to better organize the files/folders, in my computer hard drive. After all, if paper filing systems were kept efficiently in the yester years, the new age filing cabinet couldn't be so difficult. I figured it would require a little bit of organizing and self-discipline!
With that in mind, I made a list and I am sharing it with you. I hope you would benefit from it too. I've been practicing this list for the past 2 days and found it to be practical and efficient.
#1. Use abbreviations
I use abbreviations to group certain files. For example, If I write a post to for Enhance Life, I would save the document as "BLOG_". Likewise, I use an abbreviation that I recognize (and remember!) to group related documents.
#2. Use descriptive name
Yes, Obviously! Something I can read once, and relate to!
#3. Specify the date
There are a loads of documents that I come across which don't have a version. Rather than checking the date specifically I prefer an "at a glance view" of which document is latest. Also, keep a note that following a consistent date format is important too.
#4. Combine with underscore
Well, It doesn't really matter whether its a underscore or dash. Something to distinguish the abbreviations, name and the
date would do. Underscore works for me.
#5. Keep one copy only
When there are multiple files with the same name in different directories it can be a major hassle to figure out "which is what". Thus, I do my best to keep one copy of the file.
#6. Save temparary files on the desktop
This way I won't forget to delete the files, when the temporary lifespan is over!
#7. Use Sender name for email documents
There may be documents which are sent over the net for verification and modification. I choose to keep the sender name associated with the file.
Do these work for you? What are your current conventions for naming files?
Please leave a comment and let me know more tips.
Selasa, 28 November 2006
Singer's ambiguity on vivisection is damaging to animals
The BBC programme Monkeys, Rats and Me: Animal Testing, shown on 27 November 2006, does not, as one could have easily predicted, fulfill any of the promises declared in its press releases.
It does not “attempt to determine if these experiments are effective”: it actually rather takes their effectiveness for granted, blindly accepting the words of experimenters without any search for independent evidence.
And it, or its presenter, does not “have a ring-side seat at the heart of the conflict”, especially it does not have a balanced, unbiased position giving equal weight to both sides of the “debate”.
Throughout the programme we heard only one voice arguing the case for the animals, that of animal rights activist Mel Broughton.
Other than that, and the occasional shouting of demonstrators, the show consisted in a long succession of pro-vivisection voices.
Among the latter, unfortunately, one has to list that of Peter Singer.
It was not entirely a surprise, knowing Singer’s utilitarian position that, to put it simply, “the end justifies the means”, that is, if an experiment can demonstrably save more lives of higher value by sacrificing fewer lives of lower value (and the calculation of suffering is similarly in favour of the experiment being performed), then it should be carried out.
The rights’ view in ethics is certainly superior to the utilitarian one, in my opinion.
So, Singer has made statements that have resulted in headlines like “Animal guru gives tests his blessing” in The Observer of November 26, 2006, which says:
“Monkey research has benefits, equal rights philosopher admits.
“One of the most important figures in the animal rights movement has publicly backed the use of living creatures in medical experiments. The endorsement - by the philosopher Peter Singer, who coined the phrase Animal Liberation and whose Seventies book on the subject led to the creation of the animal rights movement - has surprised observers.
“Singer, professor of bioethics at Princeton, is renowned for insisting animals should have equal rights with humans but is quoted, on camera, backing research in which experiments on monkeys are carried out to develop surgery for Parkinson's and other patients.
“'It is clear at least some animal research does have benefits,' Singer admits on Monkeys, Rats and Me: Animal Testing, which will be screened on BBC2 tomorrow. 'I would certainly not say that no animal research could be justified and the case you have given sounds like one that is justified.'
“The admission has delighted scientists, including the Oxford surgeon Tipu Aziz, the doctor involved in this work. 'It is a very encouraging sign,' he said.”
The Tipu Aziz in question, the programme forgets to mention but we’d better remind people, is the same man who, in an interview with The Guardian on March 4, 2006, defended cosmetics tests on animals:
“In an interview with the Guardian, Tipu Aziz said: "People talk about cosmetics being the ultimate evil. But beautifying oneself has been going on since we were cavemen. If it's proven to reduce suffering through animals tests, it's not wrong to use them. To say cosmetics is an absolute evil is absurd."”
Obviously for Aziz, the only ethical question about cosmetics testing on animals seems to be the Islamic problem with women’s wearing make up and similar ways of “beautifying oneself”. The moral issue of the treatment of animals is so far away from his frame of mind as Islamabad is from London. He is so remote from this type of problem that he has totally misunderstood it, and believes that the battle to fight is against people who think that “cosmetics is an absolute evil”.
So, when he started one of his many utterances during yesterday’s programme with “I don’t think there’s an issue”, I knew exactly what he meant. Animal welfare is not an issue for him.
And this is the kind of man whose words Singer took at their face value, without a challenge, when he said something to this effect: “You are the expert, so you will know whether your experiments are useful and justified”.
It took Singer two minutes to make up his mind on the matter. Wow! What a philosopher! What about saying “You are presumably an expert, but you are also the person with powerful vested interests in the continuation of your experiments”?
As for the other two most recurrent pro-vivisection voices in the show, one, Laurie Pycroft, is a school drop-out. The other, Colin Blakemore, is notorious for having carried out “experiments” in which he blinded kittens by sewing their eyes shut from birth: needless to say, those experiments never led to any “medical breakthrough”.
An in-depth study of his vision research on animals concludes:
“we found no evidence that our understanding amblyopia's causes or treatments have improved as a consequence of this research”.
I just hope that Singer’s views were misrepresented by selective quoting, a well-known journalistic and propagandistic tool. He may have added something which in fact he has written many times, ie that Aziz should not perform on non-human primates experiments that he would not be prepared to perform on humans of equal or inferior intellect and/or sentience, perhaps orphaned infants. That at least would avoid the speciesist bias.
Either way, Singer’s opinions are easily misreprented in this way, and he’s giving the media and the vivisection lobby powerful weapons.
Peter Singer’s ambiguity on the issue of vivisection is extremely damaging to the animals’ case.
The fact that Singer was given a voice on this programme, but none of the many people who have strong medical arguments to oppose vivisection were heard, makes one think who is tame and who is a powerful enemy of the vivisection lobby.
It does not “attempt to determine if these experiments are effective”: it actually rather takes their effectiveness for granted, blindly accepting the words of experimenters without any search for independent evidence.
And it, or its presenter, does not “have a ring-side seat at the heart of the conflict”, especially it does not have a balanced, unbiased position giving equal weight to both sides of the “debate”.
Throughout the programme we heard only one voice arguing the case for the animals, that of animal rights activist Mel Broughton.
Other than that, and the occasional shouting of demonstrators, the show consisted in a long succession of pro-vivisection voices.
Among the latter, unfortunately, one has to list that of Peter Singer.
It was not entirely a surprise, knowing Singer’s utilitarian position that, to put it simply, “the end justifies the means”, that is, if an experiment can demonstrably save more lives of higher value by sacrificing fewer lives of lower value (and the calculation of suffering is similarly in favour of the experiment being performed), then it should be carried out.
The rights’ view in ethics is certainly superior to the utilitarian one, in my opinion.
So, Singer has made statements that have resulted in headlines like “Animal guru gives tests his blessing” in The Observer of November 26, 2006, which says:
“Monkey research has benefits, equal rights philosopher admits.
“One of the most important figures in the animal rights movement has publicly backed the use of living creatures in medical experiments. The endorsement - by the philosopher Peter Singer, who coined the phrase Animal Liberation and whose Seventies book on the subject led to the creation of the animal rights movement - has surprised observers.
“Singer, professor of bioethics at Princeton, is renowned for insisting animals should have equal rights with humans but is quoted, on camera, backing research in which experiments on monkeys are carried out to develop surgery for Parkinson's and other patients.
“'It is clear at least some animal research does have benefits,' Singer admits on Monkeys, Rats and Me: Animal Testing, which will be screened on BBC2 tomorrow. 'I would certainly not say that no animal research could be justified and the case you have given sounds like one that is justified.'
“The admission has delighted scientists, including the Oxford surgeon Tipu Aziz, the doctor involved in this work. 'It is a very encouraging sign,' he said.”
The Tipu Aziz in question, the programme forgets to mention but we’d better remind people, is the same man who, in an interview with The Guardian on March 4, 2006, defended cosmetics tests on animals:
“In an interview with the Guardian, Tipu Aziz said: "People talk about cosmetics being the ultimate evil. But beautifying oneself has been going on since we were cavemen. If it's proven to reduce suffering through animals tests, it's not wrong to use them. To say cosmetics is an absolute evil is absurd."”
Obviously for Aziz, the only ethical question about cosmetics testing on animals seems to be the Islamic problem with women’s wearing make up and similar ways of “beautifying oneself”. The moral issue of the treatment of animals is so far away from his frame of mind as Islamabad is from London. He is so remote from this type of problem that he has totally misunderstood it, and believes that the battle to fight is against people who think that “cosmetics is an absolute evil”.
So, when he started one of his many utterances during yesterday’s programme with “I don’t think there’s an issue”, I knew exactly what he meant. Animal welfare is not an issue for him.
And this is the kind of man whose words Singer took at their face value, without a challenge, when he said something to this effect: “You are the expert, so you will know whether your experiments are useful and justified”.
It took Singer two minutes to make up his mind on the matter. Wow! What a philosopher! What about saying “You are presumably an expert, but you are also the person with powerful vested interests in the continuation of your experiments”?
As for the other two most recurrent pro-vivisection voices in the show, one, Laurie Pycroft, is a school drop-out. The other, Colin Blakemore, is notorious for having carried out “experiments” in which he blinded kittens by sewing their eyes shut from birth: needless to say, those experiments never led to any “medical breakthrough”.
An in-depth study of his vision research on animals concludes:
“we found no evidence that our understanding amblyopia's causes or treatments have improved as a consequence of this research”.
I just hope that Singer’s views were misrepresented by selective quoting, a well-known journalistic and propagandistic tool. He may have added something which in fact he has written many times, ie that Aziz should not perform on non-human primates experiments that he would not be prepared to perform on humans of equal or inferior intellect and/or sentience, perhaps orphaned infants. That at least would avoid the speciesist bias.
Either way, Singer’s opinions are easily misreprented in this way, and he’s giving the media and the vivisection lobby powerful weapons.
Peter Singer’s ambiguity on the issue of vivisection is extremely damaging to the animals’ case.
The fact that Singer was given a voice on this programme, but none of the many people who have strong medical arguments to oppose vivisection were heard, makes one think who is tame and who is a powerful enemy of the vivisection lobby.
3 Simple WaysTto Foster An Attitude Of Gratitude
#1. Acknowledge Your Blessings
It is a human tendency to want more. In the search for "more", we forget to be thankful for things, that we take for granted. As I mentioned in 6 Ways To Make You Feel Good, there are others, who are in a much worse position than you or me. So, make list of all the things that you are thankful for. Count them, one by one! Make a note to regularly revisit that list.
#2. Appreciate Others
A colleague of mine, left our company recently. It is a company norm that we give a card/gift, host a farewell and bid goodbye. Imagine my surprise, when she gave me a card that read something like this
"…I have come to admire you professionally and as a person, and it has been a privilege that you extended your friendship to me…"
Reading this, I was speechless. In a way I felt glad that I had touched someone's life. (Even though I couldn't pin point what I had done to deserve such kind words!)
The truth is that, if she didn't tell me, I wouldn't have known that I made a positive impact in her life.
#3. Practice 'Thank you'
Ok. Anyone can say it. It doesn't cost a thing now does it?.
Warning: If you are not someone who is usually used to saying 'thank you', you might find this a bit difficult at first. People around you might give wired looks too! Eventually they will realize that you are genuine about your 'Thank you's and that you don't have a hidden agenda that follows with it.
It is a human tendency to want more. In the search for "more", we forget to be thankful for things, that we take for granted. As I mentioned in 6 Ways To Make You Feel Good, there are others, who are in a much worse position than you or me. So, make list of all the things that you are thankful for. Count them, one by one! Make a note to regularly revisit that list.
#2. Appreciate Others
A colleague of mine, left our company recently. It is a company norm that we give a card/gift, host a farewell and bid goodbye. Imagine my surprise, when she gave me a card that read something like this
"…I have come to admire you professionally and as a person, and it has been a privilege that you extended your friendship to me…"
Reading this, I was speechless. In a way I felt glad that I had touched someone's life. (Even though I couldn't pin point what I had done to deserve such kind words!)
The truth is that, if she didn't tell me, I wouldn't have known that I made a positive impact in her life.
#3. Practice 'Thank you'
Ok. Anyone can say it. It doesn't cost a thing now does it?.
Warning: If you are not someone who is usually used to saying 'thank you', you might find this a bit difficult at first. People around you might give wired looks too! Eventually they will realize that you are genuine about your 'Thank you's and that you don't have a hidden agenda that follows with it.
Minggu, 26 November 2006
Book Review : The Essential Drucker
What I like about the book:
* The book is a collection of Drucker's writings that span his sixty years of managerial reflections. It seemed like an MBA in a nutshell.
What I dislike about the book:
* The book sometimes was a bit too theoretical.
My favorite excerpt:
Management is about human beings. Its task is to make people capable of joint performance, to make their strengths effective and their weaknesses irrelevant. This is what organization is all about, and it is the reason that management is the critical, determining factor. These days, practically all of us work for a managed institution, large or small, business or nonbusiness. We depend on management for our livelihoods. And our ability to contribute to society also depends as much on the management of the organization for which we work as it does on our own skills, dedication, and effort.
Rabu, 22 November 2006
Must-Have Things That Should be on Your Blog's Side Bar
In my previous post Change-The Only Constant In Life, I did mention that I have done a major layout and structure change. You surely must have noticed the
three column layout with two sidebars on either side!. I knew I needed to put more information, but was unsure about what I should include.
That's when I came across 10 Must-Have Things That Should be on Your Blog's Side Bar at SEO For Bloggers . Out of these ten, I only have nine. Can you guess which one I left out?
#1. RSS Buttons
I am not a RSS fan. I have added a few RSS buttons though.
#2 Your Other Projects/Blogs
To be honest, I don't have any other projects or blogs. However, I do have a few articles, which have been published in magazines. I made a section titled "features" and added the links to the articles.
#3 Short About Section
I didn't have this one before. I took a fragment of my very first post, Welcome to Enhance Life and placed it in the about section.
#4. Contact Info
I didn't think that contact information was that important. SEO For Bloggers convinced me otherwise. Now my email is located in the side bar, top right corner. You can write to me directly!
#5. Most Popular Posts
I analyzed a few reports from sitemeter and google analytics and figured out the most popular posts.
#6. Blog Categories
I wanted to categorize my posts from the day I started blogging. However, blogger's workaround way of categorizing seemed a bit too much of a hassle for me. Now that I have switched to
blogger beta, I try to make good use of the labels.
#7. Recent Comments
Blogger beta has a widget, to add recent comments. However, it can't be done directly with the classic template. No, I don't want to switch to their customized template. So, I had to restrict to showing just the user and the date. If any of you know how to add recent comments (more descriptive than I have here) to blogger beta, please let me know.
#8. Blogroll
This is nothing new to me. I have had the blogroll since the day I started the blog.
#9. Archives
Blogger gives the archives as default. No worries here.
#10. Site Search
I thought the search should have been given more prominence. Why is it the 10th?
If I were to write my list of 10 Must-Have Things That Should be on Your Blog's Side Bar I would have also included Email subscription. I have a moderate amount of users that have subscribed to Enhance life. (Then again, it won't be 10 things! )
All of the above mentioned side bar content, mainly depends on the blog. Or rather the blog type. For example, if I were to keep a personal blog, all 10 of these may not be "Must have" side bar features.
Hopefully this post helped shed a little light on how you can customize your sidebar, to improve your blog's usability and gain you more readers.
three column layout with two sidebars on either side!. I knew I needed to put more information, but was unsure about what I should include.
That's when I came across 10 Must-Have Things That Should be on Your Blog's Side Bar at SEO For Bloggers . Out of these ten, I only have nine. Can you guess which one I left out?
#1. RSS Buttons
I am not a RSS fan. I have added a few RSS buttons though.
#2 Your Other Projects/Blogs
To be honest, I don't have any other projects or blogs. However, I do have a few articles, which have been published in magazines. I made a section titled "features" and added the links to the articles.
#3 Short About Section
I didn't have this one before. I took a fragment of my very first post, Welcome to Enhance Life and placed it in the about section.
#4. Contact Info
I didn't think that contact information was that important. SEO For Bloggers convinced me otherwise. Now my email is located in the side bar, top right corner. You can write to me directly!
#5. Most Popular Posts
I analyzed a few reports from sitemeter and google analytics and figured out the most popular posts.
#6. Blog Categories
I wanted to categorize my posts from the day I started blogging. However, blogger's workaround way of categorizing seemed a bit too much of a hassle for me. Now that I have switched to
blogger beta, I try to make good use of the labels.
#7. Recent Comments
Blogger beta has a widget, to add recent comments. However, it can't be done directly with the classic template. No, I don't want to switch to their customized template. So, I had to restrict to showing just the user and the date. If any of you know how to add recent comments (more descriptive than I have here) to blogger beta, please let me know.
#8. Blogroll
This is nothing new to me. I have had the blogroll since the day I started the blog.
#9. Archives
Blogger gives the archives as default. No worries here.
#10. Site Search
I thought the search should have been given more prominence. Why is it the 10th?
If I were to write my list of 10 Must-Have Things That Should be on Your Blog's Side Bar I would have also included Email subscription. I have a moderate amount of users that have subscribed to Enhance life. (Then again, it won't be 10 things! )
All of the above mentioned side bar content, mainly depends on the blog. Or rather the blog type. For example, if I were to keep a personal blog, all 10 of these may not be "Must have" side bar features.
Hopefully this post helped shed a little light on how you can customize your sidebar, to improve your blog's usability and gain you more readers.
Post hoc, propter hoc - a common fallacy of vivisection apologists
The reason why so many claims made by defenders of vivisection are unfounded or plainly false is, I think, the following.
They make the mistake of thinking that "post hoc, propter hoc" (after that, therefore because of that).
For example, they may say that a certain cure or drug has been found "because" of animal experimentation, when in fact it could be that it was simply found "after" (unfortunately) time and money was devoted to animal experimentation.
The example of effective rehydration for diarrhea (mentioned some time ago in a letter to Peter Singer in The New York Book Review) seems a good one.
Bruce Max Feldmann says in answer to the letter to Singer:
"Rothman claims that oral fluid rehydration of Third World diarrheas is a treatment ‘based on many years of animal experimentation.’ To the contrary, in the three seminal papers on oral fluid rehydration for severe human diarrhea there is not a single reference to oral fluid rehydration experiments in laboratory animals with diarrhea. What really happened was that some more-creative-than-average health professionals said to themselves: ’Hey, wait a minute. Third World people are dying right and left from diarrheas. And intravenous fluids and fluid administration equipment necessary to save their lives are not affordable. So why not at least try oral fluids, even though we've been taught that they aren't much use in severe diarrhea. Maybe they'll help.’
"Well, oral fluids did help—a lot; tens of thousands of lives have been saved as a result. So Rothman's example to argue the importance of animal research illustrates precisely the opposite point — Singer's point: more of the world's limited medical resources should be allocated to immediate human life-saving efforts and to non-sentient animal research; less resources should be expended on animal research of questionable ethics and dubious value."
Here's a good example of how probably someone had jumped to the conclusion that a treatment had been found due to animal experimentation, because maybe there had been considerable resources devoted to animal experiments, but the actual solution was found in another way.
So a link which did not exist was established.
I suspect many cases will be of the same kind.
Post hoc, propter hoc is a very common fallacy.
We tend to assume that, if a fact follows another fact, the second was caused by the first.
See, for example, the idea that psychotherapy "cures" only because people after some time feel better: they probably would anyway (spontaneous remission).
The way vivisection apologists talk about animal experiments sometimes is a bit like this.
Suppose that someone, a traveller, has taken a long and tortuous route to get somewhere, not knowing that there was in fact a simpler, direct, shorter one.
He may then say that it was only thanks to that long route that he got to his destination.
Well, it's true. But the fact that he actually got to his destination through that route says nothing about alternative routes he might have taken which could have been more effective.
In the case of animal experimentation, furthermore, in many cases the link between the route taken and the results achieved is not so obvious but is on the contrary highly speculative.
When alternative methods are looked for, they are often found: I said “often”, but I would say “always”.
A well known example. Years ago the campaigner Henry Spira tackled Revlon over their use of rabbits to test cosmetics for potential eye damage, and exerted enough pressure to persuade the company to put $750,000 into the search for alternatives. Having seen the public relations disaster that Revlon had narrowly averted, Avon, Bristol-Myers and other major American cosmetics corporations soon followed suit. Though it took ten years for the research to yield the desired results, they did find what they were looking for: alternative methods. And so many cosmetics corporations can now truthfully state that their products are not tested on animals.
They make the mistake of thinking that "post hoc, propter hoc" (after that, therefore because of that).
For example, they may say that a certain cure or drug has been found "because" of animal experimentation, when in fact it could be that it was simply found "after" (unfortunately) time and money was devoted to animal experimentation.
The example of effective rehydration for diarrhea (mentioned some time ago in a letter to Peter Singer in The New York Book Review) seems a good one.
Bruce Max Feldmann says in answer to the letter to Singer:
"Rothman claims that oral fluid rehydration of Third World diarrheas is a treatment ‘based on many years of animal experimentation.’ To the contrary, in the three seminal papers on oral fluid rehydration for severe human diarrhea there is not a single reference to oral fluid rehydration experiments in laboratory animals with diarrhea. What really happened was that some more-creative-than-average health professionals said to themselves: ’Hey, wait a minute. Third World people are dying right and left from diarrheas. And intravenous fluids and fluid administration equipment necessary to save their lives are not affordable. So why not at least try oral fluids, even though we've been taught that they aren't much use in severe diarrhea. Maybe they'll help.’
"Well, oral fluids did help—a lot; tens of thousands of lives have been saved as a result. So Rothman's example to argue the importance of animal research illustrates precisely the opposite point — Singer's point: more of the world's limited medical resources should be allocated to immediate human life-saving efforts and to non-sentient animal research; less resources should be expended on animal research of questionable ethics and dubious value."
Here's a good example of how probably someone had jumped to the conclusion that a treatment had been found due to animal experimentation, because maybe there had been considerable resources devoted to animal experiments, but the actual solution was found in another way.
So a link which did not exist was established.
I suspect many cases will be of the same kind.
Post hoc, propter hoc is a very common fallacy.
We tend to assume that, if a fact follows another fact, the second was caused by the first.
See, for example, the idea that psychotherapy "cures" only because people after some time feel better: they probably would anyway (spontaneous remission).
The way vivisection apologists talk about animal experiments sometimes is a bit like this.
Suppose that someone, a traveller, has taken a long and tortuous route to get somewhere, not knowing that there was in fact a simpler, direct, shorter one.
He may then say that it was only thanks to that long route that he got to his destination.
Well, it's true. But the fact that he actually got to his destination through that route says nothing about alternative routes he might have taken which could have been more effective.
In the case of animal experimentation, furthermore, in many cases the link between the route taken and the results achieved is not so obvious but is on the contrary highly speculative.
When alternative methods are looked for, they are often found: I said “often”, but I would say “always”.
A well known example. Years ago the campaigner Henry Spira tackled Revlon over their use of rabbits to test cosmetics for potential eye damage, and exerted enough pressure to persuade the company to put $750,000 into the search for alternatives. Having seen the public relations disaster that Revlon had narrowly averted, Avon, Bristol-Myers and other major American cosmetics corporations soon followed suit. Though it took ten years for the research to yield the desired results, they did find what they were looking for: alternative methods. And so many cosmetics corporations can now truthfully state that their products are not tested on animals.
Senin, 20 November 2006
Health Watch: Posture Matters!
I sit in front of a computer nearly 16 hours a day…. some days. So I couldn't ignore the slight neck pain that occurs from time to time. I was wondering whether the birth of the pain had anything to do with my new office chair.
This led me to read a bit on sitting posture and I ended up finding some helpful and informative articles on posture. I hope you find them useful as well.
"What if someone told you there was a way to add height to your frame, trim some flab from around your middle, and look more vibrant -- instantly, and without spending a cent? You'd sign up, right away, of course."
Tempting introduction huh? That was an excerpt from Your guide to better posture at WebMD
Posture at work by Spine-Health features an article on the correct Posture for standing, sitting in office chairs or driving.
If you were just focusing on sitting in front of a computer, then How To Keep Good Posture When In Front Of A Computer is a definite read.
This led me to read a bit on sitting posture and I ended up finding some helpful and informative articles on posture. I hope you find them useful as well.
"What if someone told you there was a way to add height to your frame, trim some flab from around your middle, and look more vibrant -- instantly, and without spending a cent? You'd sign up, right away, of course."
Tempting introduction huh? That was an excerpt from Your guide to better posture at WebMD
Posture at work by Spine-Health features an article on the correct Posture for standing, sitting in office chairs or driving.
If you were just focusing on sitting in front of a computer, then How To Keep Good Posture When In Front Of A Computer is a definite read.
Minggu, 19 November 2006
Change - The Only Constant In Life
My regular readers will notice a major layout revamp. Apart from changing my original blog template, I also moved to blogger beta. All in the process of enhancing my blog!
What do you think of the new layout and structure?
I have been making a few changes in my life lately. (The visible change for you, would be my blog!) So, I thought it would be appropriate to pen a few thoughts on Change.
It is a common belief that people hate change. However, on a regular basis people do change. They change cloths, technology, hairstyles, jobs ..... and even spouses! Change, has become a part of our lives, we cant live without.
What makes change, so difficult?
#1. Fear factor
Moving from known, to unknown. Leaving the comfort sort. I am sure there are enough examples from your life, which could be added here.
#2. Accepting change originating from someone else.
When someone else suggests an idea (a change!), we sometimes tend to resist it.
We despise the suggestion even if we feel its the logical thing to do.
Change may not be a necessity always. Depending on circumstances, we have the option of staying where we are or say come what may. Sometimes, we tend to look at change from all negative angles, whilst ignoring the positive effects the change would bring.
From life experiences, I know that in order to change, the magic action is re-adjust. Re-adjust our viewpoint, re-adjust our mindset. Ernest Holmes couldnt have said it better.
Think Tank:"Change your thinking . . . change your life" ~ Ernest Holmes
What do you think of the new layout and structure?
I have been making a few changes in my life lately. (The visible change for you, would be my blog!) So, I thought it would be appropriate to pen a few thoughts on Change.
It is a common belief that people hate change. However, on a regular basis people do change. They change cloths, technology, hairstyles, jobs ..... and even spouses! Change, has become a part of our lives, we cant live without.
What makes change, so difficult?
#1. Fear factor
Moving from known, to unknown. Leaving the comfort sort. I am sure there are enough examples from your life, which could be added here.
#2. Accepting change originating from someone else.
When someone else suggests an idea (a change!), we sometimes tend to resist it.
We despise the suggestion even if we feel its the logical thing to do.
Change may not be a necessity always. Depending on circumstances, we have the option of staying where we are or say come what may. Sometimes, we tend to look at change from all negative angles, whilst ignoring the positive effects the change would bring.
From life experiences, I know that in order to change, the magic action is re-adjust. Re-adjust our viewpoint, re-adjust our mindset. Ernest Holmes couldnt have said it better.
Think Tank:"Change your thinking . . . change your life" ~ Ernest Holmes
Selasa, 14 November 2006
We Have Today
A friend of mine forwarded this poem to me. Generally, I read and then delete. This one though, I thought of sharing with you. It is a bit long, but please take the time to read the full length!.
(Sorry, I don't know who the author is.)
Sometimes I think when I'm alone how life can change so fast,
We realize so many times that nothing ever lasts.
When we are young it seems as if the world will never change,
The world just keeps on spinning and our lives don't rearrange.
When I was just a teenager my whole life was ahead,
Having fun and living life with nothing yet to dread.
Yes, I had some problems but I never dwelt on sorrow,
I knew then that everything would work out by tomorrow.
Then I reached my twenties and I felt that I was grown,
I could handle anything in my direction thrown.
I had my life ahead of me and nothing in my way,
I was so enjoying life in work and also play.
Then I reached my thirties and my outlook changed again
Now the world was not so carefree as it once had been.
New responsibilities became a part of life,
Caring for a family now my children and my wife.
Then a new horizon loomed as I reached middle age,
I then paid more attention to the headlines on the page.
I was so much more aware of worldly news events,
Middle age awakened me to such a broader sense.
The carefree life I knew was gone of being worry free,
Suddenly it seems that all events affected me.
Worry of a world gone mad and worries of myself,
Worries of a stable life and worries of my health.
Worries of the future and just what it all will be,
Worries of the ones I love that mean so much to me.
Worry will not help a thing it only hinders health,
But it seems as I get older I can't help myself.
So as I sit and watch the world that has raced by so fast,
I crave to have that carefree youth that I had in my past.
As the years pile up on me they stop me in my tracks,
Making me just realize what this old world still lacks.
It lacks the love of life we had when we were young and free,
It lacks the human kindness that we once knew it to be.
So in this world of chaos as we struggle to maintain,
With so many worries it could drive us all insane.
Stop to smell the flowers and don't dwell on negative,
Take each day as it comes by and don't forget to live.
For if we live in fear and worry thinking of the sorrow,
We will miss the day we have by thinking of tomorrow.
(Sorry, I don't know who the author is.)
Sometimes I think when I'm alone how life can change so fast,
We realize so many times that nothing ever lasts.
When we are young it seems as if the world will never change,
The world just keeps on spinning and our lives don't rearrange.
When I was just a teenager my whole life was ahead,
Having fun and living life with nothing yet to dread.
Yes, I had some problems but I never dwelt on sorrow,
I knew then that everything would work out by tomorrow.
Then I reached my twenties and I felt that I was grown,
I could handle anything in my direction thrown.
I had my life ahead of me and nothing in my way,
I was so enjoying life in work and also play.
Then I reached my thirties and my outlook changed again
Now the world was not so carefree as it once had been.
New responsibilities became a part of life,
Caring for a family now my children and my wife.
Then a new horizon loomed as I reached middle age,
I then paid more attention to the headlines on the page.
I was so much more aware of worldly news events,
Middle age awakened me to such a broader sense.
The carefree life I knew was gone of being worry free,
Suddenly it seems that all events affected me.
Worry of a world gone mad and worries of myself,
Worries of a stable life and worries of my health.
Worries of the future and just what it all will be,
Worries of the ones I love that mean so much to me.
Worry will not help a thing it only hinders health,
But it seems as I get older I can't help myself.
So as I sit and watch the world that has raced by so fast,
I crave to have that carefree youth that I had in my past.
As the years pile up on me they stop me in my tracks,
Making me just realize what this old world still lacks.
It lacks the love of life we had when we were young and free,
It lacks the human kindness that we once knew it to be.
So in this world of chaos as we struggle to maintain,
With so many worries it could drive us all insane.
Stop to smell the flowers and don't dwell on negative,
Take each day as it comes by and don't forget to live.
For if we live in fear and worry thinking of the sorrow,
We will miss the day we have by thinking of tomorrow.
Jumat, 10 November 2006
Book Review : Live in the moment
Live in the moment By Julie Clark RobinsonWhat I like about the book:
* Julie speaks from the heart. She gives advice by highlighting examples of her life.
* The book was short and sweet.
What I dislike about the book:
* The advice given is more suited for women.
* The book didn’t have any psychology theory foundation.
My favorite excerpt:
During one particularly unhealthy romantic relationship years and years ago, I felt like a dog waiting for a pat on the head. I could actually feel myself revving up with excitement as my “master” came through the door. I would then put myself through the human version of running circles around his legs and shaking my tail so hard that my hips had no choice but to follow.
While much of that time is pretty much a blur to me now, I do remember a persistent and disturbing image that formed in my mind at the time: of myself as a dog that lies with his jaws flat on the floor, eyes following the object of his love in hopes of any sign of affection. I never want to feel that way again.
The good thing which came out of this experience was that one day I work up and realized that the only person I could count to make me feel good was me. I can’t tell you how liberating that revelation was to me-to this very day. I feel sort of like a Swiss army knife-everything I need is tucked away, ready to putt out when needed. Of course I need my family and friends to complete my happiness, but I will never ache from emptiness again, because I have learned how to comfort myself.
Are we blogging for attention ?
Yesterday, a colleague of mine implied that people blog for attention.
The line of reasoning was some make up stories to grab attention; some neglect their families to blog; some dont have anything better to do, so they blog etc
Excuse me, If I may interject my opinion here.....
All of those reasons could be affiliated to online-chatting, e-mail and many other things as well right? In every aspect of our world, we come across the genuine and the deceitful. Blogging world isn't any different.
In a previous post 7 reasons-Why I started blogging , one reason I stated was- "The simple fact that I am reaching a global audience". True, I feel good, when I look at the site meter summary, and realize that the average number of page visits have increased. I feel good, when people write comments and contribute to the post. ....
Does that stereotype me as Blogging for attention?. My answer is partially yes, and partially no. If you are a blogger, I would like to hear your point of view. Do you agree with me?
As for me and my blog being genuine... I write, you decide!
The line of reasoning was some make up stories to grab attention; some neglect their families to blog; some dont have anything better to do, so they blog etc
Excuse me, If I may interject my opinion here.....
All of those reasons could be affiliated to online-chatting, e-mail and many other things as well right? In every aspect of our world, we come across the genuine and the deceitful. Blogging world isn't any different.
In a previous post 7 reasons-Why I started blogging , one reason I stated was- "The simple fact that I am reaching a global audience". True, I feel good, when I look at the site meter summary, and realize that the average number of page visits have increased. I feel good, when people write comments and contribute to the post. ....
Does that stereotype me as Blogging for attention?. My answer is partially yes, and partially no. If you are a blogger, I would like to hear your point of view. Do you agree with me?
As for me and my blog being genuine... I write, you decide!
Selasa, 07 November 2006
10 Types of Bosses You Need to Avoid
The american inventor spot has a creative article along with some funny pictures on 10 Types of Bosses You Need to Avoid!
#1. Avoid the Boss That Will Eat You Alive
#2. Avoid the Boss That Constantly Flirts!
#3. Avoid the Boss That's Always on the Go
#4. Avoid the Boss That's All Talk
#5. Avoid the Boss That Is Always Competing With You
#6. Avoid the Boss That Constantly Blows His Own Horn
#7. Avoid the Boss That Struggles to Stay Afloat
#8. Avoid the Boss That Constantly Clowns Around
#9. Avoid the Boss That Wants to Piss All Over You
#10. Avoid the Boss That Has No Personal Life.
In the real world though, one can't quite avoid the boss without having any repercusions. Can you ?
#1. Avoid the Boss That Will Eat You Alive
#2. Avoid the Boss That Constantly Flirts!
#3. Avoid the Boss That's Always on the Go
#4. Avoid the Boss That's All Talk
#5. Avoid the Boss That Is Always Competing With You
#6. Avoid the Boss That Constantly Blows His Own Horn
#7. Avoid the Boss That Struggles to Stay Afloat
#8. Avoid the Boss That Constantly Clowns Around
#9. Avoid the Boss That Wants to Piss All Over You
#10. Avoid the Boss That Has No Personal Life.
In the real world though, one can't quite avoid the boss without having any repercusions. Can you ?
Sabtu, 04 November 2006
6 Ways to make you feel good (when the going gets tough)
Our journey to the lost destination is never a smooth ride to say the least. It could be a bad day at work, an argument with a friend, relationship problems ... the list goes on.
Life smacks us hard when we least expect it. How well equipped are we to handle such incidents?
While we have friends and family to get us through these periods, it requires a fair amount of effort on our part as well. So what can you do ?
#1. Pamper yourself
Have you ever noticed that pampering your self goes a long way towards making you feel good? For some people, its going shopping, working on the car, playing the guitar, taking a long bubble bath, exercising, eating ice cream .....
What makes you feel comforted?
#2. Remember good times
When we go through a rough patch, it is the bad memories that keep hunting us. Take a stroll down memory lane (use a photo album if you have to!) and remember the good old days when life was less weary.
#3. There is no point in asking yourself 'Why'
Have you been running round in circles in your mind, wondering why. Why Me, why , oh why. True, it's hard not to.
I think only God has the answers to all why questions. In the meantime, you can ask a different question. 'What did I learn?'
#4. Help someone
Happiness is a by product of an effort to make someone else happy.
Helping someone will make you feel needed. I'm sure whoever it is, will be appreciative of your effort. It will also help, to keep you occupied.
#5. Remember the less fortunate
A few months ago, I used to visit a neurology ward twice a day, everyday for nearly three weeks. Walking through the beds on either side made me feel very lucky. Mainly because, I was the visitor not the patient! Most of the patients warded, couldn't walk and/or talk. Additionally, some even had eyesight problems.
Anyway, that was a couple of months back when my father underwent brain surgery. I still think about some patients, which I came to know within that time. I wonder what their fate at the moment is.
Every time I feel down, I do my best to recall my time at the ward. It reminds me, there are others, who are in a lot worse position, than I am.
#6 Tough times don't last, but tough people do
'Time heals all wounds' is a popular advice. Have you ever felt like slapping anyone
who gave this advice? I am sure they all mean well. Somehow, when we have sunk real deep, its difficult to come to terms, that one day it will be alright. Even though at the time you dont admit it or even consider the possibility, from life experiences I can say that it is true. I bet if you were to recap your past, you can too! One day at a time, takes us to happy land, eventually.
Life smacks us hard when we least expect it. How well equipped are we to handle such incidents?
While we have friends and family to get us through these periods, it requires a fair amount of effort on our part as well. So what can you do ?
#1. Pamper yourself
Have you ever noticed that pampering your self goes a long way towards making you feel good? For some people, its going shopping, working on the car, playing the guitar, taking a long bubble bath, exercising, eating ice cream .....
What makes you feel comforted?
#2. Remember good times
When we go through a rough patch, it is the bad memories that keep hunting us. Take a stroll down memory lane (use a photo album if you have to!) and remember the good old days when life was less weary.
#3. There is no point in asking yourself 'Why'
Have you been running round in circles in your mind, wondering why. Why Me, why , oh why. True, it's hard not to.
I think only God has the answers to all why questions. In the meantime, you can ask a different question. 'What did I learn?'
#4. Help someone
Happiness is a by product of an effort to make someone else happy.
Helping someone will make you feel needed. I'm sure whoever it is, will be appreciative of your effort. It will also help, to keep you occupied.
#5. Remember the less fortunate
A few months ago, I used to visit a neurology ward twice a day, everyday for nearly three weeks. Walking through the beds on either side made me feel very lucky. Mainly because, I was the visitor not the patient! Most of the patients warded, couldn't walk and/or talk. Additionally, some even had eyesight problems.
Anyway, that was a couple of months back when my father underwent brain surgery. I still think about some patients, which I came to know within that time. I wonder what their fate at the moment is.
Every time I feel down, I do my best to recall my time at the ward. It reminds me, there are others, who are in a lot worse position, than I am.
#6 Tough times don't last, but tough people do
'Time heals all wounds' is a popular advice. Have you ever felt like slapping anyone
who gave this advice? I am sure they all mean well. Somehow, when we have sunk real deep, its difficult to come to terms, that one day it will be alright. Even though at the time you dont admit it or even consider the possibility, from life experiences I can say that it is true. I bet if you were to recap your past, you can too! One day at a time, takes us to happy land, eventually.
Do you have anything more to add ? Feel free to leave comments.
14 YEAR-OLD VOICES UNITED NATION’S HUMAN RIGHTS DECLARATION AT THE COOLIDGE CORNER THEATRE
You could hear the proverbial pin drop while 14-year old Chris Luis performed a song based upon the United Nation’s Declaration of Human Rights last Tuesday at the unveiling the UN human rights being put to video form in a film-screening at the historic Coolidge Corner Theatre in Brookline.
“The song was based upon the United Nation’s Human Right article 18 which is Freedom of Thought,” said Luis, a Brockton High School singer and performer. “I believe that my newfound knowledge of these human rights will allow me and other youth to make a more positive difference in the world.”
The event was a film screening, hosted by Youth for Human Rights International (YHRI) New England chapter, whose mission is to encourage young people to learn and champion human rights. Youth for Human Rights International was founded by former school principal and educator Mary Shuttleworth and is now sponsored by the Church of Scientology. In attendance were musicians, artists and dignitaries from nations such as Ethiopia and Venezuela.
“Chris’ performance of the song “I have the Right” was spectacular,” said Kelly Riley, local coordinator for YHRI, “as the words surrounding Freedom of Thought were vital considering the persecution of people throughout the world due to their thoughts and beliefs.”
Chris who attends Brockton High School, is a talented young singer and performer. He is currently working, on scholarship, with vocal coach Jennifer Truesdale at Jeannie Deva Voice Studios in Boston. “I never cease to be amazed and awed by this young man,” said Jennifer. “It isn’t just his talent, which is undeniable – it’s his dedication and work ethic that I find most inspiring.” Truesdale, who also represents Chris through her management company, feels strongly that he will have a successful career. Added Jennifer, “I see such confidence in Chris, confidence that I know will take him as far as he wants to go.”
For more information on Youth for Human Rights, please visit www.youthforhumanrights.org. For more information about Chris Luis, please contact Jennifer Truesdale at Jeannie Deva Voice Studios (www.DevaStudiosBoston.com), jennifer@DevaStudiosBoston.com or 617-536-4553.
Rabu, 01 November 2006
Songs to ponder
There are so many songs out there. Some you can sing in the shower, some you can dance to and a few with rhyme and rhythm. Have you ever heard a song and wondered whether they took the lyrics out of your life? Have you ever heard a song that changed the way you think? If not, here are a few.
#1. Happiness Is An Option (Pet Shop Boys)
It is not easy
But dont give up now
(so dont give up)
It is not easy
Happiness is an option
Its a strong statement and one I whole-heartedly subscribe to.
Happiness is an option, Lets see.
My day began with rain. I can be happy that the grass is getting watered for free or I can grumble because irrespective of the umbrella I was drenched.
That was a straightforward and trivial example in my script of life. If only all life matters were that simple!
#2 Do You Have A Little Time (Dido)
Do you have a little time
If you're feeling low and lost today
You're probably doing too much again
You spend all your hours just rushing around
Do you have a little time
Do you have a little time for me?
We all live in a mad rush. Have you considered asking God for an extension to 24 hours?
Daily demands make it difficult (if not impossible!) to make time for others. But sometimes, thats the best gift possible.
#3 Stupid Mistake (Gareth Gates)
It can happen to...
Anyone of us, anyone you think of
Anyone can fall
Anyone can hurt someone they love
Hearts will break
'Cause I made a stupid mistake
heart break, loneliness, anger, hate -oh the stupid mistake
Temptation the only thing you cant resist huh ?
#4 If I Let You Go (Westlife)
But if I let you go
I will never know
what my life would be
holding you close to me
will I ever see
you smiling back at me
oh yeah
how will I know
If I let you go
Should you try a bit more? Is it the right time to let go? Oh the questions of the heart.
#5 Too Much Love Will Kill You (Queen)
Too much love will kill you
Just as sure as none at all
It'll drain the power that's in you
Make you plead and scream and crawl
And the pain will make you crazy
You're the victim of your crime
Too much love will kill you
Every time
Hm..........
#6 Until I Find You Again (Richard Marx)
How many dreams will end?
How long can I pretend?
How many times will love pass me by,
Until I find you again?
Don't listen to this song if you want to uplift your spirits!
#7 I Will Survive (Gloria Gaynor)
I will survive
As long as I know how to love
I know I will stay alive
I've got all my life to live
I've got all my love to give
And I'll survive
Life provides enough built in roadblocks. Yet the journey continues. I will survive! So will you!
Do you have a collection of songs like this?
#1. Happiness Is An Option (Pet Shop Boys)
It is not easy
But dont give up now
(so dont give up)
It is not easy
Happiness is an option
Its a strong statement and one I whole-heartedly subscribe to.
Happiness is an option, Lets see.
My day began with rain. I can be happy that the grass is getting watered for free or I can grumble because irrespective of the umbrella I was drenched.
That was a straightforward and trivial example in my script of life. If only all life matters were that simple!
#2 Do You Have A Little Time (Dido)
Do you have a little time
If you're feeling low and lost today
You're probably doing too much again
You spend all your hours just rushing around
Do you have a little time
Do you have a little time for me?
We all live in a mad rush. Have you considered asking God for an extension to 24 hours?
Daily demands make it difficult (if not impossible!) to make time for others. But sometimes, thats the best gift possible.
#3 Stupid Mistake (Gareth Gates)
It can happen to...
Anyone of us, anyone you think of
Anyone can fall
Anyone can hurt someone they love
Hearts will break
'Cause I made a stupid mistake
heart break, loneliness, anger, hate -oh the stupid mistake
Temptation the only thing you cant resist huh ?
#4 If I Let You Go (Westlife)
But if I let you go
I will never know
what my life would be
holding you close to me
will I ever see
you smiling back at me
oh yeah
how will I know
If I let you go
Should you try a bit more? Is it the right time to let go? Oh the questions of the heart.
#5 Too Much Love Will Kill You (Queen)
Too much love will kill you
Just as sure as none at all
It'll drain the power that's in you
Make you plead and scream and crawl
And the pain will make you crazy
You're the victim of your crime
Too much love will kill you
Every time
Hm..........
#6 Until I Find You Again (Richard Marx)
How many dreams will end?
How long can I pretend?
How many times will love pass me by,
Until I find you again?
Don't listen to this song if you want to uplift your spirits!
#7 I Will Survive (Gloria Gaynor)
I will survive
As long as I know how to love
I know I will stay alive
I've got all my life to live
I've got all my love to give
And I'll survive
Life provides enough built in roadblocks. Yet the journey continues. I will survive! So will you!
Do you have a collection of songs like this?
Minggu, 29 Oktober 2006
Respectful ways to say "NO"!
I am generally someone who has difficulty saying "NO" to anything or anyone. Thus, I tend to take too many things at once and sometimes get myself buried.
I'm sure there are others like me out there. Hope you benefit (as much as I did) from an article titled 20 Ways to tell someone NO By Ramona Creel
Among these, here are my favorites:
"I can't right now, but I can do it later"
"I can't, but let me give you the name of someone who can"
"I've learned in the past that this really isn't my strong suit"
"I'm sure you will do a wonderful job on your own"
(However, none of these would help, if you were looking for a way to say "No", when a guy proposes!)
I'm sure there are others like me out there. Hope you benefit (as much as I did) from an article titled 20 Ways to tell someone NO By Ramona Creel
Among these, here are my favorites:
"I can't right now, but I can do it later"
"I can't, but let me give you the name of someone who can"
"I've learned in the past that this really isn't my strong suit"
"I'm sure you will do a wonderful job on your own"
(However, none of these would help, if you were looking for a way to say "No", when a guy proposes!)
Jumat, 27 Oktober 2006
Blogging motivation!
I received a few blogging motivation vitamins during the past couple of days!
* I am honored to be the blog of the day !
* My post on 7 Ways - How not to annoy people was recently featured on Top 7 Business.
* I am honored to be the blog of the day !
* My post on 7 Ways - How not to annoy people was recently featured on Top 7 Business.
Kamis, 26 Oktober 2006
Begin with the end in mind
I had my phone with me to capture this hilarious sight. It’s a picture of a washroom I recently visited. (For my security reasons, I shall not mention where!) I couldn’t resist the temptation to write a post about this.
Clearly, the door has been fixed first. I believe that the plumber has fitted the rest, with the door opened! I’m guessing, he realized that the door couldn’t be closed, only after completion. Initially, I thought some rectification operation would follow. However, it has been a few weeks, and the state sill remains the same.
Let me analyze this a bit.
Obviously, there must have been a business need, to install an additional toilet.
* Was a feasibility study done?
* Did an architect get involved in the design?
* Was the task deadline so slim, that there wasn’t time to do these things?
* Does project management consider this a 100% complete task? (After all, the plumber completed his “job”.)
I really don’t have any answers to those questions. However, how useful is a toilet, if one can’t close the door? ha ha! So, No the business need wasn’t met.
I didn’t write this post to criticize anyone. I wanted to take this example (incidental gleaning aha) to illustrate the fact that, we usually start something, without giving much thought about the expected end result.
Think Tank : "Great is the art of beginning, but greater is the art of ending"
~ Henry Wadsworth Longfellow
Clearly, the door has been fixed first. I believe that the plumber has fitted the rest, with the door opened! I’m guessing, he realized that the door couldn’t be closed, only after completion. Initially, I thought some rectification operation would follow. However, it has been a few weeks, and the state sill remains the same.
Let me analyze this a bit.
Obviously, there must have been a business need, to install an additional toilet.
* Was a feasibility study done?
* Did an architect get involved in the design?
* Was the task deadline so slim, that there wasn’t time to do these things?
* Does project management consider this a 100% complete task? (After all, the plumber completed his “job”.)
I really don’t have any answers to those questions. However, how useful is a toilet, if one can’t close the door? ha ha! So, No the business need wasn’t met.
I didn’t write this post to criticize anyone. I wanted to take this example (incidental gleaning aha) to illustrate the fact that, we usually start something, without giving much thought about the expected end result.
Think Tank : "Great is the art of beginning, but greater is the art of ending"
~ Henry Wadsworth Longfellow
Rabu, 25 Oktober 2006
5 Tips - To create your own blog
Before the launch of my blog, I had to swim through several search engines to obtain necessary information. So today, being the first month anniversary of my blog, I thought it would be appropriate to share my blogging gleanings with you.
These were the steps I took, to get my blog up and running.
#1. Find a blog publishing service
To me, the battle was between blogger, typed and wordpress. If you are willing to spend a few dollars there are other contenders! The following articles helped me decide, on one.
* How to blog has a comparison between MovableType vs TypePad vs Blogger vs b2evolution vs WordPress.
* Blogging on the free web has a few thoughts built upon How to blog.
* Andy Wibbels discuss the structure of a few popular blog platforms.
* Kingsley Tagbo has an interesting post on how to compare blog software
#2. Choose a template
There are number of fancy templates out there. I did browse through the under mentioned sites, even though in the end choose to stick to the simple blogger template.
* Thur's Templates is a templates showroom, with a good selection.
* Blog Fashions has some free blog templates are compatible with Movable Type.
* Blogger Templates offers templates dedicated to Blogger.
#3. Write!
I'll admit, writing the first post was very difficult. It took a considerable amount of time and effort. I have written several posts thus far and I can honestly say that writing has become a lot easier and enjoyable along the way.
Most blogs are dedicated to a specific area. I would advice you to find an area that you are curious and interest about. Once you get started it will be like typing email!
* Lifehack.org has a post on 50 tools which can help you in writing. I highly recommend that you visit this one!
* website101 has Top 10 Blog Writing Tips
* How to write for the web contains a few short and sweet tips.
#4. Motivate yourself
Isn't that the case with most things these days! You need to identify the factors that motivate you to keep writing. E.g. comments, the number of visitors
* A-Z-of-professional-blogging is a list of valuable resource links.
#5. Hibernate
Try always to provide the visitors with content worthy of their time. However, adhering to that, is not easy! There comes a period where you just run out of ideas. Ideas will eventually return, until then don't post anything. Basically, don't write any posts, if you think they are not "up to the standard".
Think Tank: "What we have to learn to do, we learn by doing" ~ Aristotle
These were the steps I took, to get my blog up and running.
#1. Find a blog publishing service
To me, the battle was between blogger, typed and wordpress. If you are willing to spend a few dollars there are other contenders! The following articles helped me decide, on one.
* How to blog has a comparison between MovableType vs TypePad vs Blogger vs b2evolution vs WordPress.
* Blogging on the free web has a few thoughts built upon How to blog.
* Andy Wibbels discuss the structure of a few popular blog platforms.
* Kingsley Tagbo has an interesting post on how to compare blog software
#2. Choose a template
There are number of fancy templates out there. I did browse through the under mentioned sites, even though in the end choose to stick to the simple blogger template.
* Thur's Templates is a templates showroom, with a good selection.
* Blog Fashions has some free blog templates are compatible with Movable Type.
* Blogger Templates offers templates dedicated to Blogger.
#3. Write!
I'll admit, writing the first post was very difficult. It took a considerable amount of time and effort. I have written several posts thus far and I can honestly say that writing has become a lot easier and enjoyable along the way.
Most blogs are dedicated to a specific area. I would advice you to find an area that you are curious and interest about. Once you get started it will be like typing email!
* Lifehack.org has a post on 50 tools which can help you in writing. I highly recommend that you visit this one!
* website101 has Top 10 Blog Writing Tips
* How to write for the web contains a few short and sweet tips.
#4. Motivate yourself
Isn't that the case with most things these days! You need to identify the factors that motivate you to keep writing. E.g. comments, the number of visitors
* A-Z-of-professional-blogging is a list of valuable resource links.
#5. Hibernate
Try always to provide the visitors with content worthy of their time. However, adhering to that, is not easy! There comes a period where you just run out of ideas. Ideas will eventually return, until then don't post anything. Basically, don't write any posts, if you think they are not "up to the standard".
Think Tank: "What we have to learn to do, we learn by doing" ~ Aristotle
Minggu, 22 Oktober 2006
The recipe of the ‘ideal’ person
I am going to exercise your imagination a bit today. Imagine that you are given a recipe to create an ideal person. (Please, imagine this with me, how absurd this may sound!)
If in case you are wondering the meaning of ideal, the oxford dictionary defines it as:
a. satisfying one’s idea of what is perfect. –n. person or thing regarded as perfect or as a standard to aim at.
Here we go, the recipe. Take note.
Ingredients:
1 dummy person (given to you!)
10 people you really know (you can select anyone!)
Method:
Select each person (out of 10) and copy his/her good traits and paste on the dummy person.
Resources:
The power necessary to execute the method!
Time: 10 minutes only
Ready, Set, GO ….the clock ticks….
10 minutes up! OK. Come back from la la land!
Now let’s move on to the rationale of this imaginary exercise. Were you able to create the ‘Ideal’ person within the time? If you did, you are probably among the minority. Perhaps this is so because some people are not fully aware of good traits in others.
(Even the ones that they really know well)
The birth of this (silly) exercise was brought to life by a silent wish or rather a sigh!
“I wish person X had the qualities of person Y” or
“Why can’t person X be more like person Y?”
Sounds familiar?
Sadly, in reality we can’t copy and paste qualities from one person to another. Life would be very easy if it was, right? True, but would it be interesting and exciting, if everyone was an ‘Ideal’ person?
Anyway, what I wanted to highlight through this post was:
Of those people you know really well, how aware are you, of their good qualities?
(Sometimes, momentary incidents make us forget the things, that we once considered as “good qualities” of a person.)
If in case you are wondering the meaning of ideal, the oxford dictionary defines it as:
a. satisfying one’s idea of what is perfect. –n. person or thing regarded as perfect or as a standard to aim at.
Here we go, the recipe. Take note.
Ingredients:
1 dummy person (given to you!)
10 people you really know (you can select anyone!)
Method:
Select each person (out of 10) and copy his/her good traits and paste on the dummy person.
Resources:
The power necessary to execute the method!
Time: 10 minutes only
Ready, Set, GO ….the clock ticks….
10 minutes up! OK. Come back from la la land!
Now let’s move on to the rationale of this imaginary exercise. Were you able to create the ‘Ideal’ person within the time? If you did, you are probably among the minority. Perhaps this is so because some people are not fully aware of good traits in others.
(Even the ones that they really know well)
The birth of this (silly) exercise was brought to life by a silent wish or rather a sigh!
“I wish person X had the qualities of person Y” or
“Why can’t person X be more like person Y?”
Sounds familiar?
Sadly, in reality we can’t copy and paste qualities from one person to another. Life would be very easy if it was, right? True, but would it be interesting and exciting, if everyone was an ‘Ideal’ person?
Anyway, what I wanted to highlight through this post was:
Of those people you know really well, how aware are you, of their good qualities?
(Sometimes, momentary incidents make us forget the things, that we once considered as “good qualities” of a person.)
Kamis, 19 Oktober 2006
Chain mail, Chain mail Go Away
I was out of office yesterday and needless to say, I had an overload of emails to check. Among which, there were seven chain mails. (sigh)
If in case you are wondering what chain mails are, they are the emails which have the line “post to x number of people in y number of minutes or else”. It’s a common belief that these messages promise good luck if you forward them to others and bad luck if you don’t. If that was true, I should be dead by now! (If I go missing in action forever, it would mean that the chain mail bad luck has finally caught up with me.)
Please do everyone a favor and stop forwarding chain mail. Just delete it! I am sure you can find more useful things to do with your time.
Now, that you read my post you are required to tell about it to 10 friends in within 10 minutes. If you do, something good will happen to you within the next few days. If you don’t…………. wait and see. Just kidding!
If in case you are wondering what chain mails are, they are the emails which have the line “post to x number of people in y number of minutes or else”. It’s a common belief that these messages promise good luck if you forward them to others and bad luck if you don’t. If that was true, I should be dead by now! (If I go missing in action forever, it would mean that the chain mail bad luck has finally caught up with me.)
Please do everyone a favor and stop forwarding chain mail. Just delete it! I am sure you can find more useful things to do with your time.
Now, that you read my post you are required to tell about it to 10 friends in within 10 minutes. If you do, something good will happen to you within the next few days. If you don’t…………. wait and see. Just kidding!
Rabu, 18 Oktober 2006
Did You Know : The three fingered salute
NO, I didn't make that one up!This is the first post in my "Did You Know" series. (From time to time, I plan on giving informative facts as well.)
The three fingered salute is better known as the Control-Alt-Delete key combination. It is a popular keyboard shortcut for rebooting a Windows PC, NT logon or for invoking the Windows Task Manager in XP systems. Other humorous synonyms include the "Vulcan nerve pinch" or "Vulcan death grip" from the original Star Trek TV series.
The three key sequence was developed by David Bradley. You can watch his amusing talk on Ctrl-Alt-Del at youtube.
He said, “I may have invented it (control-alt-delete), but I think Bill (Gates) made it famous."
He also goes on to say that it was a 5 minutes job! Hm...
References:
Ctrl-Alt-Delete – Tech target
Ctrl-Alt-Del Inventor Makes Final Reboot - The Register
Thank this guy for 'control-alt-delete' - Gannett Online
Vulcan nerve pinch - Answers
Senin, 16 Oktober 2006
Quarter life crisis
This one is an old favorite of mine. It’s from my “noteworthy newspaper clipping” scrap book. It didn’t have an actual author name, but was signed as Twenty something. Update: I was told that it was written by Brenda Della Casa
They call it the “Quarter life Crisis.” It is when you stop going along with the crowd and start realizing that there are many things about yourself that you didn’t know and may not like. You start feeling insecure and wonder where you will be in a year or tow, but then get scared because you barely know where you are now.
You start realizing that people are selfish and that, may, those friends that you thought you were so close to aren’t’ exactly the greatest people you have ever met, and the people you have lost touch with are some of the most import ones. What you don’t recognize is that they are realizing that too, and aren’t really cold, catty, mean or insincere, but that they are as confused as you.
You look at your job, and it is not even close to what you thought you would be doing, or maybe you are looking for a job and realizing that you are going to have to start at the bottom and that scares you.
Your opinions have gotten stronger. You see what others are doing and find yourself judging more than usual because suddenly you realize that you have certain boundaries in your life and are constantly adding things to your list of what is acceptable and what isn’t. One minute, you are insecure and then the next, secure. You laugh and cry with the greatest force of your life. You feel alone and scared and confuse. Suddenly, change is the enemy and you try and cling on to the past with dear life, but soon realize that the past is drifting further and further away, and there is nothing to do but stay where you are or move forward.
You get your heart broken and wonder how someone you loved could do such damage to you. Or you lie in bed and wonder why you can’t meet anyone decent enough that you want to get to know better. Or may be you love someone but love someone else too and cannot figure out why you are doing this because you know that you aren’t a bad person.
You go through the same emotions and questions over and over, and talk with your friends about the same topics because you cannot seem to make a decision. You worry about loans, money, the future and making a life for yourself and while winning the race would be great, right now you’d just like to be contender!
What you may not realize is that everyone reading this relates to it. We are in our best of times and out worst of times, trying as hard as we can to figure this whole things out.
They call it the “Quarter life Crisis.” It is when you stop going along with the crowd and start realizing that there are many things about yourself that you didn’t know and may not like. You start feeling insecure and wonder where you will be in a year or tow, but then get scared because you barely know where you are now.
You start realizing that people are selfish and that, may, those friends that you thought you were so close to aren’t’ exactly the greatest people you have ever met, and the people you have lost touch with are some of the most import ones. What you don’t recognize is that they are realizing that too, and aren’t really cold, catty, mean or insincere, but that they are as confused as you.
You look at your job, and it is not even close to what you thought you would be doing, or maybe you are looking for a job and realizing that you are going to have to start at the bottom and that scares you.
Your opinions have gotten stronger. You see what others are doing and find yourself judging more than usual because suddenly you realize that you have certain boundaries in your life and are constantly adding things to your list of what is acceptable and what isn’t. One minute, you are insecure and then the next, secure. You laugh and cry with the greatest force of your life. You feel alone and scared and confuse. Suddenly, change is the enemy and you try and cling on to the past with dear life, but soon realize that the past is drifting further and further away, and there is nothing to do but stay where you are or move forward.
You get your heart broken and wonder how someone you loved could do such damage to you. Or you lie in bed and wonder why you can’t meet anyone decent enough that you want to get to know better. Or may be you love someone but love someone else too and cannot figure out why you are doing this because you know that you aren’t a bad person.
You go through the same emotions and questions over and over, and talk with your friends about the same topics because you cannot seem to make a decision. You worry about loans, money, the future and making a life for yourself and while winning the race would be great, right now you’d just like to be contender!
What you may not realize is that everyone reading this relates to it. We are in our best of times and out worst of times, trying as hard as we can to figure this whole things out.
Truth About Drugs, Boston Style
New web blog on The Truth About Drugs , Boston Style keeps you updated on activities in and around Boston. Check it out and become involved.
You can also go directly to the international site and down load the materials you can use to help.
You can also go directly to the international site and down load the materials you can use to help.
Kamis, 12 Oktober 2006
7 Reasons - Why I started blogging
Over the past few days, several people have asked me "Why do you blog?". (It seemed a natural question since my blog is new.) So far I’ve just given a one sentence answer and escaped. Can you guess? "To enhance my life and others"!Anyway, I couldn't get the question out of my head. Now, here I am, posting the elaborate answer.
#1. In order to write things, there's a fair amount of background reading that I need to do. In the end, I too learn a lot about the subject.
#2. I want to improve my writing. I spend a lot of time writing, and even more time erasing! The right word would be, refining what I write.
#3. I like to know what others think, about areas that intrigue me.
#4. Putting thoughts into words, puts things into perspective.
#5. Freedom! To write what I want, at my own pace.
#6. The simple fact that I am reaching a global audience. Every time I look at the bottom right panel, it puts a smile on my face.
#7. I like to make a difference -for the better! If my entries, help you enhance your life, then I've achieved the goal i've set out for.
If you are not a blogger, I hope these reasons motivate you, to start your own blog. Do you still think its a waist of time ?
If you are a blogger, why did you start your blog ? Are the reasons, same as mine ?
Think Tank: “Anybody can have ideas--the difficulty is to express them without squandering a quire of paper, on an idea that ought to be reduced to one glittering paragraph.” ~ Mark Twain
Selasa, 10 Oktober 2006
Book Review: Re-imagine By Tom Peters
What I like about the book:
- Very informative. (The magnitude of time and energy spent writing the book is evident.)
- It has thoughts and ideas which are backed by good industry examples.
- The writing style has attitude!
- The picture selection and quality is good.
- It doesn’t take that much of intellectual effort to read. (That’s a compliment Mr. Peters)
What I dislike about the book:
- The dazzling layout. It includes background images, flashy colors and footnotes on either side. What happened to the KISS Principle when designing the layout?
My favorite Excerpt:
Engineers are such idiots. (I should know … I am one.)
I attended a top management “retreat” for a large aerospace company. The firm was up to its eyeballs in doggy doo-doo. At the end of two days, about a dozen pressing issues had emerged, and it was time to assign responsibility for “ameliorative initiatives.”
The Biggest Cheese, an engineer himself, allowed as how “the fix” should be pretty straightforward. After all, he added nonchalantly, all these problems are “simple communication issues.” (I kid you not.)
“Only an engineer could say that,” I muttered to myself. Well, not quite to myself. The HR Vice President sitting beside me looked at me, and couldn’t suppress a grin.
The Israelis and the Palestinians. “Only a communications issue.” NYC’s Fire Department and Police Department. “Only a communications issue.”
Finance and Marketing. “Only a communications issue.”
Mom and Dad in divorce court. “Only a communications issue.”
The issue is the issue.
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