Kamran Hashmi's blog

Logic and Computer Design Fundamentals, Mano, Kime

2009-12-08T18:49:00.003+05:00

Logic and Computer Design Fundamentals (4th Edition) Solutions manual only
By M. Morris Mano, Charles Kime

Publisher: Prentice Hall
Number Of Pages: 696
Publication Date: 2007-06-17
ISBN-10 / ASIN: 013198926X
ISBN-13 / EAN: 9780131989269
Binding: Hardcover

Product Description:

Featuring a strong emphasis on the fundamentals underlying contemporary logic design using hardware description languages, synthesis, and verification, this book focuses on the ever-evolving applications of basic computer design concepts with strong connections to real-world technology. Treatment of logic design, digital system design, and computer design. Ideal for self-study by engineers and computer scientists.

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Save the World - One Click At a Time

2009-03-14T14:47:00.001+05:00

Save The World - One Click At A Time!

On each of these websites, you can click a button to support the cause -- each click creates funding, and costs you nothing! Bookmark these sites, and click once a day!

Click here to post this on your page or 'blog

Drink more Water to stay Healthy

2008-07-21T05:31:00.003+06:00

If we observe a fact, we will be able to know the value of water. We know that there is two third of water and one third of land on the globe. Similarly, our body consists of two third of water. The rest is matter. So, intake of more water is useful but not harmful to the man. Depending on the weather roughly two liters of water is spent from our body everyday. The water content in vegetables and the water that we take while taking food will be more than two liters. But you may ask why should we take more water. You may also ask that whenever there is necessity body demands water, then, why should we take water when there is no demand from the body.

What water does in the body?

Man needs food for survival. But to satisfy taste buds man runs after food of various tastes. If it is just for survival we need not crave for taste. When we take spicy and tasty food, we consume more water. Is the body demanding this water or our inclination towards taste is demanding water? It means we are taking water even when there is no necessity. With this, the stomach expands. Such food does not give strength to the body. When we go for tasty food, much waste material goes into the body. To purge out that waste material two liters of water is not sufficient. What does water do after entering the body? It attracts the waste material in the blood vessels and purges it out through urine.

When we take food for taste we have to take five liters of water to purge out waste material. But we are not taking that much of water. We do not like to drink more water though it is useful since it doesn't taste like sodas and our mind is not inclined towards it. Water, which gives us health and keeps us happy, is not drawing our attention it deserves. It is unfortunate.

No water while eating

We should not take water while eating food. This is a good habit. When food enters the stomach chemical fluids generate from the walls of the stomach that help digestion. If we take water along with food these fluids are diluted and the digestion power is reduced. Then the undigested food material, which is useful, is purged out along with the excreta. That is why human excreta are becoming food for some animals. Did you ever come across an animal eating the excreta of another animal? No. Why? Animals do not drink water while taking food. They drink water leisurely when the stomach is empty. What is this paradox? Man who has intellect does not know the principles of health, what even animals know. It is not that human being does not know it. He errs even after knowing. Because of his intelligence! Animals do not possess intelligence and they do not violate the laws of nature. Nature always protects the birds and animals.

After two hours of eating

There are some more aspects worth discussing. We add more oil, tamarind, chili, salt and various ingredients to give taste to our food. But they are not easily digestible. More water is needed to digest them. That is the reason why we take water while eating. As soon as the tasty food, which includes chili, salt, sour etc enters the mouth more saliva is produced and the food slips into the stomach without proper chewing. We have to chew food properly till it becomes liquid. If you take boiled vegetables saliva is not produced in the mouth. Then we do not have to take water. After one and a half or two hours of eating food, we have to take at least a liter of water. It helps digested food get assimilated into blood and push the waste material into intestines.

What causes sneeze, asthma, and allergies?

We suffer from sneezes, asthma, allergies and sinusitis during winter and rainy seasons. We try to satisfy ourselves blaming the weather for it. During winter and rainy seasons we consume less water. When we do not take required water histamine level in the body increases. With this we sneeze and suffer from allergies. Anti histamine medicines are used to control the illness. When we stop medicines, again sneezes and allergies come back.

Five liters of water a day

It is better to take at least five liters of water a day to avoid any illness. In a way every disease in the body has something to do with water. If we take less water blood pressure goes down and we feel weak. Our heartbeat also slows down. And you will find other ailments appearing in your body. Be certain that five liters of water a day insures your body from any disease.

Schedule for drinking water

We should also know how this water is to be taken and what is the appropriate time to take it. After rising from the bed one or one and a half liters of water is to be taken. The pressure of water in intestines makes clearing your bowels easy. After another 45 minutes one more liter of water is to be taken. It is useful to take water on empty stomach. We wash our eyes, face and body with water and brush our teeth to clean the mouth. The two, three liters of water that is taken in the morning is very useful in purging out the waste material from intestines. We should never take water immediately after taking food. Half an hour early to food and after two hours of meal 1 liter of water should be taken. We should not think that since we have taken three liters of water in the morning and there is no necessity of water till evening. In between also we have to take water. In all five liters of water in a day is good for the body. Refrigerated water is never to be taken. With this, there will be swelling of tonsils. Those whose digestive system is abnormal it is better to take warm water.

Advantages from five liters of water

Let us analyze the advantages of drinking five liters a day:

Free motion.
Hypertension will decrease. Hypertension is the result of salt not being purged out from the body. If more water is taken, it absorbs salt and sends it out through urine.
Chronic headaches will decrease.
The density of blood will come down. The salt we take along with vegetables increases the density of blood. The water we take will reduce the density and blood flow to brain is smooth. With this headache will reduce.
Pains and swellings in joints will diminish. If there is more salt in our body, there will be a swelling of face, feet and hands. With the water we take, salt will go out and these swellings are controlled.
Drinking more water helps kidneys work efficiently. The stones formed in the kidneys will be purged out along with water.
When you are down with fever, temperature can be controlled with consumption of more water. Animals suffering from fever never eat grass. Instead they drink water.
Stomach pain, if any, disappears when waste material is purged out if we consume more water.
Urine will be clear. We become prone to urine infections if we do not take more water. Then you will find urine yellowish. This is an indication for low level of water in the body.
Water cleanses the liver. When we suffer from jaundice, it is advantageous to take more water.

Better than sodas

Intake of more water is advantageous but not harmful. You may think that sodas, butter milk, coconut water and fruit juices are better. No doubt all these liquids are good. On entering the tissues they give energy to the body. But Water helps further by purging out the waste material from the tissues.

Dry cloth absorbs water but not the wet cloth. Similarly, pure water absorbs the waste material but juices and other liquids cannot perform that job because they contain some salt that is not helpful in absorbing waste material. That is why we can say water cures all diseases.

Top Ten Turn Offs for employers on social networking websites

2008-06-19T21:07:00.006+06:00

In the modern age of internet and social networking, the online tools are commonly used by the employees worldwide to assess the eligibility of the candidates. Most of the employees search the candidate name on the internet and some use the social networking websites such as Facebook for this purpose.

According to a survey by Online Recruitment, this method is very useful for the Employers. Employers find nearly every important aspects of the candidate's eligibility by having a background search on the social networking sites. Employers look for evidence of job skills, career history, a range of interests, strong writing skills, as well as other qualities and characteristics such as a confident and friendly personality.

Following are some of the blunders that candidates make on the social networing sites that lead to their rejection without them knowing the actual reason.

1. References to drug abuse
2. Extremist / intolerant views, including racism, sexism
3. Criminal activity
4. Evidence of excessive alcohol consumption
5. Inappropriate pictures, including nudity
6. Foul language
7. Links to unsuitable websites
8. Lewd jokes
9. Silly email addresses
10. Membership of pointless / silly groups

Source: http://www.onrec.com/

Visit my Plurk.com page

2008-06-06T16:46:00.005+06:00

Plurk.com is another social networking site with a format of a social journal where you can publish and share your thoughts with your friends.
Its really cool. Take a look at the link.
http://plurk.com/redeemByURL?from_uid=37914&check=-96990152&s=1

14 Habits That Make You Fat

2008-05-01T20:29:00.001+05:00

1. TV Watching

Prolonged TV watching is a strong predictor for obesity1. Recent research2 has proved that people who watch around two hours of TV per day are much more likely to be overweight than those who watched only half an hour per day. When you watch TV you are virtually motionless. Your heart rate, blood pressure and metabolic rate decline, resulting in burning 20 to 30 calories less per hour. Research by Harvard University4 has shown that there is a link between the amount children eat and the amount of television they watch.

2. Eating Too Fast

It is a habit of most people living in a fast paced society. Eating fast lets you eat too much before you are fully aware of it. It takes the brain about 15-20 minutes to start signaling feelings of fullness. Scientists suppose that fast eating is a risk factor for the metabolic syndrome3, a combination of the symptoms such as high blood pressure, obesity, high cholesterol, and insulin resistance.

3. Task Snacking

Task snacking refers to eating while doing other activities. if you often eat meals or snacks while working by yourself in front of your computer, while driving, watching TV, or standing at the kitchen counter, shopping with a friend, or talking on the phone, it's likely that the "task snacking" eating style is increasing your odds of becoming overweight or obese.

4. Frequent Fast Food Consumption

One of the big reasons we’re seeing more obesity in our society these days is that we are too stressed and busy to make healthy dinners at home, often opting to get fast food at the nearest drive-thru instead. Fast foods compromise the quality of the diet by replacing more healthy foods. Fast foods are known for having high content of saturated and trans-fat, low content of fiber and massive portion sizes, which leads to obesity.

5. Eating To Manage Feelings

Emotional eating is the practice of consuming large quantities of food (usually "comfort" or junk foods) in response to feelings (such as depression, anxiety, or loneliness) instead of hunger.

Experts estimate that 75% of overeating is caused by emotions. How many times have you found yourself scouring the kitchen for a snack, or absently munching on junk food when you’re stressed, but not really hungry?

6. Too Busy To Exercise

With all the demands on your schedule, exercise may be one of the last things on your to-do list. If so, you’re not alone. Americans live a more sedentary lifestyle than we have in past generations, yet our minds seem to be racing from everything we have to do. Unfortunately, from sitting in traffic, clocking hours at our desks, and plopping in front of the TV in exhaustion at the end of the day, exercise often goes by the wayside.

7. Your Friends Can Make You Fat

If you're putting on weight, you might want to take a look at who you're hanging around with. A study7 published in the July 26, 2007 edition of the New England Journal of Medicine suggests that obesity may be "socially contagious." The study was conducted on more than 12,000 people over 32 years, and concluded that having an overweight friend, sibling or spouse increased one's risk of obesity by 37 to 57 percent.

8. Lack Of Sleep

Sleep deprivation can increase your risk of obesity by boosting ghrelin (an appetite stimulating hormone) and lowering leptin (an appetite suppressor). The study5 from the University of Bristol in the United Kingdom found that, compared to an eight hours of shut-eye, each one-hour decrease in sleep duration was linked to almost 3% more body fat.

9. Unaware Of Calories And Fat

Many people eat foods with no idea of the calorie or fat value. This leads to weight gain and unhealthy eating habits because you can easily consume twice the normal calories required to maintain your weight, let alone lose weight, if you don't know how many calories you are eating.

10. Credit Cards

Your plastic may be affecting more than just your credit score. Visa conducted a study of 100,000 fast-food restaurant transactions and found that people who pay for their food with a credit card spend 30% more than those who pay with cash. For the average woman, who visits a fast-food restaurant once a week, that adds an extra 17,160 calories, or 4.9 pounds, per year.

11. Missing Meals

Research shows that people who eat breakfast are less likely to be overweight, and that morning meals seem to help those who've lost weight keep it off. Denise Bruner, MD, obesity specialist and former president of the American Society of Bariatric Physicians, says that skipping meals of any kind results in a "tremendous bout of compensatory hunger."

12. Uncomfortable Clothing

Researchers from the University of Wisconsin, La Crosse6 found that casual and comfortable clothing workdays promote increased physical activity. Specifically, study participants took an average of 491 (or 8%) more steps on Jeans Day than on those days in which they wore normal business attire. It is also estimated that study participants burned an average of 25 additional calories on Jeans Day with the extra steps and miles walked. Wearing casual clothing every day for 50 weeks of work translates into burning an additional 125 calories per week and 6,250 calories per year.

13. Neglecting Scales

Recent study from the University of Minnesota found that dieters who weighed themselves daily lost about 12 pounds over two years, while those who never did shed only four pounds. Other research, published in The New England Journal of Medicine, concluded that those who have daily weigh-ins (along with face-to-face support) are 82% less likely to regain five pounds than a control group without weigh-ins or support.

14. Boredom

A survey by the Priory Group in the U.K. found that more people ate when bored than when stressed.

Sources & References

1. Hu FB, Li TY, Colditz GA, Willett WC, Manson JE. Television watching and other sedentary behaviors in relation to risk of obesity and type 2 diabetes mellitus in women. JAMA. 2003 Apr 9;289(14):1785-91. PubMed
2. Shanthy A Bowman. Television-Viewing Characteristics of Adults: Correlations to Eating Practices and Overweight and Health Status. Prev Chronic Dis. 2006 April; 3(2): A38. PubMed
3. Kral JG, Buckley MC, Kissileff HR, Schaffner F. Metabolic correlates of eating behavior in severe obesity. Int J Obes Relat Metab Disord. 2001 Feb;25(2):258-64. PubMed
4. Ads for Unhealthy Foods May Explain Link Between Television Viewing and Overweight in Children
5. Rontoyanni VG, Baic S, Cooper AR. Association between nocturnal sleep duration, body fatness, and dietary intake in Greek women. Nutrition. 2007 Nov-Dec;23(11-12):773-7. Epub 2007 Sep 20. PubMed
6. Casual And Comfortable Clothing Workdays Promote Increased Physical Activity American Council on Exercise
7. Nicholas A. Christakis, James H. Fowler. The Spread of Obesity in a Large Social Network over 32 Years Volume 357:370-379 July 26, 2007 Number 4 NEJM

LEXOPHILES (LOVERS OF WORDS):

2008-04-25T05:01:00.001+05:00

1. A bicycle can't stand alone; it is two tired.

2. A will is a dead giveaway.

3. Time flies like an arrow; fruit flies like a banana.

4. A backward poet writes inverse.

5. In a democracy it's your vote that counts; in feudalism, it's your Count that votes.

6. A chicken crossing the road: poultry in motion.

7. If you don't pay your exorcist you can get repossessed.

8. With her marriage she got a new name and a dress.

9. Show me a piano falling down a mine shaft and I'll show you A-flat miner.

10. When a clock is hungry it goes back four seconds.

11. The guy who fell onto an upholstery machine was fully recovered.

12. A grenade fell onto a kitchen floor in France resulted in Linoleum Blownapart.

13. You are stuck with your debt if you can't budge it.

14. Local Area Network in Australia : The LAN down under.

15. He broke into song because he couldn't find the key.

16. A calendar's days are numbered.

17. A lot of money is tainted: 'Taint yours, and 'taint mine.

18. A boiled egg is hard to beat.

19. He had a photographic memory which was never developed.

20. A plateau is a high form of flattery.

21. The short fortuneteller who escaped from prison: a small medium at large.

22. Those who get too big for their britches will be exposed in the end.

23. When you've seen one shopping center you've seen a mall.

24. If you jump off a Paris bridge, you are in Seine.

25. When she saw her first strands of gray hair, she thought she'd dye.

26. Bakers trade bread recipes on a knead to know basis.

27. Santa's helpers are subordinate clauses.

28. Acupuncture: a jab well done.

29. Marathon runners with bad shoes suffer the agony of de feet.

Source: http://www.bouldertherapist.com/html/humor/WordPlays/lexophiles.htm

My Playlist

2008-03-09T16:55:00.000+05:00

Beautiful Places of Pakistan

2008-02-23T15:19:00.001+05:00

Some of the photos of the beautiful places of Pakistan. Surely worth visiting places especially during the summer season.

read more | digg story

Electrical and Computer Engineering related Books

2008-02-17T05:10:00.009+05:00

Being a computer engineering myself, I always need to find some ebook online for one reason or another. Here I have assembled most of the links of the books I downloaded. Hopefully these will be helpful to many...

ELECTRICAL ENGINEERING BOOKS:

The Electrical Engineering Handbook. Megaupload

EMBEDDED SYSTEMS and DSP BOOKS:

Adaptive Filtering Using Matlab. Megaupload
Advanced FPGA Design. Megaupload
Real Time Systems Development. Megaupload
FPGA Implementation of Neural Networks. Megaupload
Linear Phase FIR Filter Design. Megaupload
Fourier Analysis on Finite Groups with Applications in Signal Processing and System Design. Megaupload
Signals and Systems, Shaum Series. Megaupload
Introduction to DSP and Filter Design. Megaupload
DSP Applications using ADSP 2100. Megaupload
DSP Applications using ADSP 2100, Vol-1. Megaupload
Real Time Digital Signal Processing. Megaupload
Fundamentals of Embedded Software. Megaupload
USB Mass Storage: Designing, Programming Devices and Embedded Hosts. Megaupload

CONTROL SYSTEMS BOOKS:

Embedded Control System Using Matlab. Megaupload

IMAGE PROCESSING and COMPUTER VISION BOOKS:

Fundamentals of Computer Vision, Shah. Megaupload
Image Processing Fundamentals, 3rd Edition. Megaupload
Digital Image Processing, PRAT. Megaupload
Computer Vision and Applications. Megaupload
Digital Image Processing, 2E, Gonzalez, Woods. Megaupload

COMMUNICATION and NETWORKING BOOKS:

ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE AND NEURAL NETWORKS BOOKS:

Kalman Filtering and Neural Networks. Megaupload
Fundamentals of Neural Networks. Megaupload
FPGA Implementation of Neural Networks. Megaupload
Neural Network Design, Hagan. Megaupload
Neural Network Modelling. Megaupload

MATHEMATICS BOOKS:

Linear Algebra And Its Applications (En Us) Strang. Megaupload
Advanced Mathematical Methods for Scientists and Engineers. Megaupload
Finite Element Method using MATLAB. Megaupload
A guide to Matlab for Beginners and Experts. Megaupload
Handbook of Exact Solutions for ODEs. Megaupload

Mood Foods: 6 Snacks to Kick Your Mind Into Gear

2008-01-08T06:36:00.000+05:00

By The Editors of Men's Health
Men's Health

Your Mood: Anxious
You need to stay sharp through a grueling job interview.

Your Meal: Half a grilled-chicken wrap at lunch, hold the mayo

Here's Why: Eating between 4 and 5 ounces of protein helps your brain create dopamine and norepinephrine, neurochemicals that keep you alert, says Judith Wurtman, Ph.D., author of The Serotonin Power Diet.

Your Mood: Stressed
You have to meet a deadline without being overwhelmed.

Your Meal: A handful of sesame seeds while you're working

Here's Why: Stress hormones can deplete your body's supply of magnesium, reducing your stress-coping abilities and increasing your risk of developing high blood pressure, says Elizabeth Somer, R.D., author of Food & Mood.

Your Mood: Restless
You need some serious shut-eye before the big day.

Your Meal: Nonfat popcorn half an hour before you go to bed

Here's Why: The carbs will induce your body to create serotonin, a neurochemical that makes you feel relaxed. "Make sure it's fat-free, because fat will slow the process of boosting serotonin levels," says Somer.

Your Mood: Depressed
Problems at home are doing you in.

Your Meal: Grilled salmon or sushi for dinner

Here's Why: A study in Finland found that people who eat more fish are 31 percent less likely to suffer from depression. And skip sweet, simple carbs — the inevitable sugar crash can actually deepen depression.

Your Mood: Insecure
Your confidence is waning as the night wears on.

Your Meal: A snack-size chocolate bar

Here's Why: Chocolate contains a host of chemicals to brighten your mood, Somer says, including anadamine, which targets the same receptors as THC, and phenylethylamine, which produces a cozy, euphoric feeling.

Your Mood: Flummoxed
You've forgotten your last two deadlines.

Your Meal: Pineapple chunks for a snack or a cup of berries in your oatmeal

Here's Why: Antioxidants from the most-colorful fruits and vegetables help pick off the free radicals that wear away at your memory. "Because your brain consumes so much oxygen, oxidants do heavy damage there," says Somer.

Foods that Cure
Minor tweaks in your diet can help fend off everything from splitting headaches to heart attacks. Three dietary tweaks from Joy Bauer, R.D., author of Joy Bauer's Food Cures:

Migraine Headaches
Migraines have many food causes. Keep a meal log for a month to see which triggers affect your head.

Eat This: Foods rich in healthy fats, such as olive oil, avocado, and salmon, help reduce inflammation, a catalyst for migraines. Riboflavin, found in lean beef and grains, helps cells maintain energy reserves, which can prevent the onset of migraines.

Not That: Nitrites, found in deli meats, bacon, and hot dogs; aspartame, the artificial sweetener found in diet soft drinks; caffeine

Irritable-Bowel Syndrome
One in five Americans is affected by IBS. A careful diet is the best cure.

Eat This: Soft foods and foods rich in soluble fiber, such as oatmeal, barley, bananas, and sweet potatoes

Not That: When symptoms are strong, limit vegetables, fruits, and whole grains, which are hard for the body to break down. Other common triggers: dairy products, spicy foods, alcohol, and caffeine

Cardiovascular Disease
A diet of heart-healthy fats may help prevent you from being one of the 1.5 million Americans who have heart attacks each year.

Eat This: Foods that boost good cholesterol (HDL), like canned tuna, mackerel, olive oil, avocado, and most nuts

Not That: Trans fat-laden foods, such as margarine; refined carbohydrates, which spike blood-thickening triglycerides; sugary soft drinks, juice, and white bread

Source: http://www.active.com/mindandbody/articles/Mood_Foods__6_Snacks_to_Kick_Your_Mind_Into_Gear.htm

University of Sussex Photos

2007-10-14T01:52:00.000+05:00

I am sharing a few of the photos of the landscape around the University of Sussex campus. I am doing my post-graduate in Embedded Digital Systems from the University.

Beautiful green meadows across the university residences

East Slope residences visible on the back of Park village flats

Arts Building

Library

Me on top of East slope

All rights reserved. No image may be used elsewhere without prior permission.

!! EID Mubarak !!

2007-10-14T01:47:00.000+05:00

I wish you a very very happy Eid Day.
EID MUBARAK

Ramadan Mubarak

2007-09-13T10:21:00.000+05:00

HAVE A BLESSED RAMADAN AND MAY GOD ACCEPT YOUR FAST, PRAYERS AND QURAN.
RAMADAN MUBARAK

Shoaib Akhtar in Yet another Pakistan Cricket Controversy!

2007-09-08T00:49:00.000+05:00

Its no surprise news that once again Pakistan cricket is in the middle of another controversy just before the start of another big ICC Tournament. Shoaib Akhar, the champion of controversies is once again the part of it. He was involved in a spat with Asif in the dressing room. No matter that he has reportedly apologized saying he made mistake in the heat of the moment, the point is that he is a representative of Pakistan around the world and a professional cricketer. At that level a man should be mature enough to control himself in such heat of moments.
In simple words, Shoaib Akhtar has disappointed us, the pakistan cricket fans yet again. He should be severely punished so that no other player could have courage to try this.

Leadership 101: How to Command Respect through Body Language

2007-08-25T11:41:00.000+05:00

Source: http://www.insidecrm.com/archive2/2007/04/leadership_101_.html

Some people are the center of attention wherever they go. They’re not glamorous movie stars, just ordinary people with excellent command over their body language. Here are some pointers to help you emulate these confident people and command respect from those around you.

Improve your standing…

Posture can say a lot about a person. Confident people seem to naturally stand tall, while those who slouch look like they’re down on themselves. Be sure that you’re presenting yourself in a way that commands respect.

What to do:

1. Stand tall, even if you’re the shortest person in the room. Keeping your shoulders pushed back will lend you an air of confidence.
2. Spread your weight evenly on both feet instead of leaning on one. You don’t need to stand at perfect attention, just keep your feet apart so you balance well.
3. Take your hands out of your pockets, or you may be seen like you’ve got something to hide. Hold them loosely by your side.
4. Stand with your arms crossed behind your back. Your shoulders will get pulled back automatically.

What not to do:

5. Don’t stand with your hands on your hips if you don’t want to come across as confrontational.
6. Don’t shuffle your feet. Pick your feet up and move like you know where you’re going.
7. Don’t fidget with your feet. Drawing patterns with one foot on the floor shows you’re not interested in what’s going on.
8. Don’t lean against walls or tables. You’ll appear tired and lazy.
9. Don’t turn away from the person you’re talking to in the middle of the conversation, otherwise you’ll show you’re not interested in continuing it.

Eye contact…

When holding a conversation, the person you’re speaking with should focus on your eyes. They indicate your emotions and can show whether you’re paying attention or not. Be considerate of what your eyes tell about you: show others respect and you’ll get respect in return.

What to do:

10. Look directly at the person you are talking to in order to exude confidence.

What not to do:

11. Don’t shift your attention to other people or things in the room. It shows deceit.
12. Be careful not to glare at the person talking to you. You may think you look intensely interested, but you just look mad.
13. Don’t blink excessively. People will be distracted and wonder if there’s something wrong with you.
14. If you wear glasses, don’t look over the rim. It makes you look condescending.
15. Never wear sunglasses inside, especially during a meeting. Others will wonder if you have something to hide.
16. Don’t look at your watch unless you want to appear as if you’re in a rush.
17. Don’t rub your eyes with your hands: it signals disbelief at the situation.
18. When you pinch the bridge of your nose with your eyes closed, you’ll come across in a negative manner.
19. Keeping your eyes on the door will show that you’re ready to leave the room.

Sitting pretty…

Your posture while sitting is just as important as standing. Your level of interest in a conversation can be easily read by the position you sit in. Be careful to position yourself in a way that shows you’re powerful and actively engaged in what others have to say.

What to do:

20. Sit straight so that your shoulders touch the back of your chair. Slouching promotes the image of laziness.
21. Rest your hands on the arms of your chair, place them on your knees, or fold them on your lap so that they are not a distraction.
22. Make sure your chair is positioned so you’re facing the person you’re talking to. This will show that you’re engaged in what they are saying.
23. Lean slightly forward to appear interested in a conversation and stress what you’re saying.

What not to do:

24. Don’t cross your ankles. Some people think it’s a sign that you’ve got something to hide. Sit with your feet on the floor to minimize distractions.
25. Don’t tilt your chair back so that it’s standing on two legs. This shows a very casual, laid back attitude and does not earn you respect. You also run the risk of looking silly when you accidentally fall backwards.
26. Don’t cross your arms across your body. You may come across as disinterested.
27. Stretching your legs out shows you’re too relaxed and may also invade others’ personal space.
28. Never put your feet up on the desk in front of you. You don’t want to come across as condescending.
29. Ladies, be cautious when crossing your legs. If you’ll expose things that are better left to the imagination, refrain from doing so.

Heading for victory…

The position of your head, the frequency of your breaths, even yawning are indicators of your level of interest in a conversation. Take care to avoid looking as if you’re bored or disinterested. If you seem to be involved in what others have to say, they will naturally offer the same to you and build mutual respect.

What to do:

30. Tilting your head to one side during a conversation shows you’re interested and thinking about what’s being said.
31. Take regular, even breaths. Heavy breaths are a sure sign that you’re nervous.
32. Be sure to nod your head so the person you’re speaking with knows you’re listening and interested.

What not to do:

33. Massaging your temples shows you’re either at your wits’ end or that you have a severe headache.
34. Don’t swallow too often; it gives away the fact that you’re not comfortable with the situation.
35. Yawning is an involuntary sign from your body saying that your brain’s bored. You may not have much control over it, but yawning in the middle of a conversation will give away the fact that you’d rather be somewhere else.
36. A blank face conveys either disinterest or a lack of understanding.

Walking into the limelight…

Carrying yourself in a confident manner is key to commanding respect. Give the impression that you’re walking with a purpose so that you’ll be admired by others.

What to do:

37. Walk, don’t run. Take even strides.
38. Look ahead or in front of you, not at the floor when you walk.

What not to do:

39. Don’t walk with a swagger; it indicates that you’re cocky and have an attitude.
40. Be careful not to shove people aside as you move across a crowded place: no one respects a rude person.
41. Similarly, avoid stepping on others’ toes.

Win, hands down…

Hand gestures are great for getting attention or making a point, but be sure that you’re not creating a distraction. You want attention to be on your eyes and face while speaking, not on what your hands are doing. Command respect and control the interest of the conversation by keeping your hands in check.

What to do:

42. Open, face-up palms signal honesty and straightforwardness.
43. Gesturing with your arms can help you make a point, but don’t do so much that it’s distracting.
44. When you stroke your chin, it shows you’re trying to make a decision. Be sure that you want others to know that’s what you’re doing.
45. Making a steeple out of your hands makes a good impression, as it demonstrates confidence.
46. Shake hands firmly: not too tight or too limp. You don’t want to crush the other person’s hands or come across as unsure of yourself.
47. If the situation calls for paperwork, be sure to keep your papers in order with easy access to avoid looking disorganized.
48. Make sure your palms are clean and dry. Sweaty palms indicate nervousness and are a turn off for most people.
49. If you’re trying to convince someone of your sincerity, touch your open palm to your heart.
50. Rolling up your sleeves signals a casual, get-down-to-work attitude. Roll them up or down according to the situation.
51. Removing your tie, top button, or jacket to indicate you’re getting comfortable in your surroundings.

What not to do:

52. Don’t clench your fists. You’ll come off as aggressive.
53. Never point at someone, be it the person talking to you or anyone else in the room. It’s rude.
54. Don’t play or fidget with your mobile phone when someone’s talking to you. It shows avoidance and a lack of interest.
55. Don’t wring your hands: it signals despair.
56. Don’t scratch your head. You’ll come across as being unsure of yourself.
57. Don’t touch your nose, play with your hair, or rub your eyes when you’re being asked for an honest answer. They’re all signs that say you’re lying.
58. Don’t tap your fingers on a table or arms of a chair; you’ll seem anxious.
59. Don’t run your fingers through your hair. It shows frustration.
60. Don’t doodle on the notepad in front of you, as this indicates boredom.
61. Closing an open mouth with your hands shows you’re shocked at what’s been said or what you’ve seen.
62. Never bite your nails. It will make you seem nervous.
63. Don’t fidget with objects lying on the table in front of you.
64. Don’t chew on a pencil or pen when talking to someone. It’s unattractive and distracting.
65. Don’t sit with your palms on your cheeks. It shows you’re deep in thought about something else.
66. Don’t clench the arms of your chair or your handbag too tightly. You’ll portray yourself as nervous.
67. Don’t rub your hands together: it shows you’re too eager.
68. Avoid a two-handed handshake. It’s usually connected to politicians who are not very sincere.
69. Do not wipe your palms on your clothing. Use a handkerchief instead.
70. If you pull at your ear, you may indicate that you’re lying.
71. Don’t shake your fists at someone, as it is extremely aggressive.
72. Clenched fists raised in the air will indicate that you’re overjoyed or thrilled. Avoid doing this when situations call for restraint.

A matter of manners…

Practicing common courtesy is a basis for earning respect from others. If you’re rude, people will avoid talking and working with you. Be polite to ensure you’re putting your best foot forward.

What to do:

73. When you need to offer comfort, a one-armed squeeze, gentle hug, or a pat on the shoulder helps, depending on how close you are to the other person.
74. Open doors and allow others to walk before you.
75. Cough and sneeze into your hands or a handkerchief, not into the face of the people around you.

What not to do:

76. A handshake that goes on for an extended period of time may be considered inappropriate.
77. Ruffling someone’s hair may seem like you’re being genuinely affectionate, but in a formal setting, it suggests you’re being condescending.
78. Don’t shout when you’re on the phone. Talk in a calm, volume-controlled voice.
79. Don’t huddle into a corner with your mobile phone while in a crowd of people. Get out and mingle instead. Keep your private conversations for a time when you’re alone.
80. Don’t mock someone’s mannerisms when you think they’re not watching.
81. Avoid taking a phone call when you’re in the middle of a discussion.
82. If you have a cold, don’t blow your nose loudly in public.
83. Never wipe your nose with your hands or sleeves.
84. Don’t scratch your itches, not matter how much you’re tempted to. You’ll make people wonder if you have a rash.
85. Don’t multi-task in the middle of a conversation. It doesn’t show dexterity, only callousness.
86. Don’t slam doors, no matter how angry you are.
87. Don’t snap or clap your hands to call someone over.
88. Don’t burp/belch loudly in public.
89. Don’t lick your lips too often. You may jut be wetting them, but it indicates nervousness, or worse, sexual aggression.
90. Don’t make faces or stick your tongue out behind someone’s back. It’s childish and rude.

Take a good look at yourself…

Carefully examining the way you present yourself can help you discover areas in which you may need improvement. Carefully groom your mannerisms and outward appearance to make your best impression and command respect.

What to do:

91. Practice your mannerisms in front of a mirror so that you can discover your weak areas.
92. Additionally, try videotaping your actions so you can find out where you’re going wrong.
93. Look at others who command respect and imitate their actions.
94. Look good. You don’t have to be conventionally handsome or beautiful; it’s enough to dress neatly in clothes that suit both you and the occasion.
95. Smell good. Use deodorant and perfume, but go easy on it. You don’t want to overpower the room with your scent.
96. Keep your fingernails clean. Close cropped nails show you’re neat and orderly, but if you prefer to wear them long, make sure they’re groomed neatly.
97. Wear footwear that allows you to walk comfortably to avoid making a fool of yourself.
98. Keep your work area and personal space neat and tidy. Avoid clutter and dust.

What not to do:

99. Avoid revealing, dirty or wrinkled clothing.
100. Don’t wear too much makeup. Keep it to a minimum.

101. And last, but not least, always smile. Smiles are contagious. When you smile, others can’t help but smile back and feel positively towards you.

Al Qaida never Existed!

2007-08-22T20:43:00.000+05:00

Famous Quotations !

2007-08-19T12:12:00.000+05:00

The most poignant quotes
What the rich and famous and wise said
Thoughtful and attentive world to contenplate learn from

Note: Throughout history the rich, famous and wise have said things that have been recorded in the form of quote. It is the study of these quotes that give insight into life. Anonymous
Reality can be beaten with enough imagination.
Happiness is a choice that requires effort at times.
The trouble with being punctual is that no one is there to appreciate it.
When all is said and done, a lot more is said than done.
Bad habits are like a comfortable bed, easy to get into, but hard to get out of.
A real leader faces the music, even when he doesn't like the tune.
Life is like a beautiful melody, only the lyrics are messed up.
Love is like a butterfly, hold it too tight, it'll crush, hold it too loose, it'll fly away.
Learn from yesterday, live for today, hope for tomorrow.
The mystery of love is greater than the mystery of death.
Enjoy life. There's plenty of time to be dead.
No one is listening until you make a mistake.
Opportunity may knock only once, but temptation leans on the doorbell.
If the dogs are barking at your heels, you know you're leading the pack.
He who laughs last thinks slowest.
As long as you can laugh at yourself you will never cease to be amused.
Many an opportunity is lost because a man is out looking for four-leaf clovers.
The early bird gets the worms, but the second mouse always gets the cheese.
A sense of humor is the lubricant of life's machinery.
If you can look into the mirror without laughter, you have no sense of humor.
To the world you might be one person, but to one person you might be the world.
Take life with a grain of salt.....a slice of lime, and a shot of tequila.
Philosophy is a study that lets us be unhappy more intelligently.
A poet is someone who is astonished by everything.
To succeed in politics, it is often necessary to rise above your principles.
Optimization hinders evolution.
The world is so fast that there are days when the person who says it can't be done is interrupted by the person who is doing it.
Money talks...but all mine ever says is good-bye.
Some people weave burlap into the fabric of our lives, and some weave gold thread. Both contribute to make the whole picture beautiful and unique.
Life is a cup to be filled not drained.
Luck is when opportunity knocks and you answer.
Success always occurs in private, and failure in full view.
Winners never quit and quitters never win.
Great minds think alike.
One thing you can't recycle is wasted time.
The real measure of your wealth is how much you'd be worth if you lost all your money.
Men show their character in nothing more clearly than by what they find laughable.
Never attribute to malice that which can be adequately explained by stupidity.
An expert is someone who knows more and more about less and less, until eventually he knows everything about nothing.
Good, better, best; never let it rest till your good is better and your better is best.
There are no shortcuts to any place worth going.
Silence is one great art of conversation.
A person who aims at nothing is sure to hit it.
Don't worry if you're a kleptomaniac, you can always take something for it.
I'm never wrong. I once thought I was wrong, turns out, I was mistaken.
Sometimes my mind wanders; other times it leaves completely.
The only reason time exists is to keep everything from happening all at once.
The real art of conversation is not only to say the right thing at the right time, but also to leave unsaid the wrong thing at the tempting moment.
Remember, people will judge you by your actions, not your intentions. You may have a heart of gold -- but so does a hard-boiled egg.
We are told never to cross a bridge until we come to it, but this world is owned by men who have 'crossed bridges' in their imagination far ahead of the crowd
The time to stop talking is when the other person nods his head affirmatively but says nothing.
Choose your friends by their character and your socks by their color. Choosing your socks by their character makes no sense, and choosing your friends by their color is unthinkable.
People have the right to be stupid. Some people abuse that privilege.
I am free of all prejudices. I hate everyone equally.
A sense of humor is the lubricant of life's machinery.
Age doesn't always bring wisdom. Sometimes age comes alone.
Truth is not always popular, but it is always right.
Discretion is being able to raise your eyebrow instead of your voice.
The whole world steps aside for the man who knows where he is going.
To steal ideas from one person is plagiarism, to steal ideas from many is research.
If you can look into the mirror without laughter, you have no sense of humor.
The best way to love is to love like you have never been hurt.
The fact that no one understands you doesn't make you an artist.

Source: http://www.stevenredhead.com/quotes/

Original Letters of Prophet Muhammad (SAW)

2007-08-19T11:56:00.000+05:00

Prophet Muhammad’s Letter to Christians

2007-08-19T11:28:00.000+05:00

Check this out; Really nice blog.

From the Page:
"In 628 C.E. Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) granted a Charter of Privileges to the monks of St. Catherine Monastery in Mt.Sinai. It consisted of several clauses covering all aspects of human rights including such topics as the protection of Christians, freedom of worship and movement, freedom to appoint their own judges and to own and maintain their property, exemption from military service, and the right to protection in war.
An English translation of that document is presented."

Read more here:

77 Brain Hacks to Learn Faster, Deeper, and Better

2007-08-19T10:46:00.000+05:00

Source: Online Education Database

If someone granted you one wish, what do you imagine you would want out of life that you haven't gotten yet? For many people, it would be self-improvement and knowledge.

New knowledge is the backbone of society's progress. Great thinkers such as Leonardo da Vinci, Thomas Edison, Benjamin Franklin, Albert Einstein, and others' quests for knowledge have led society to many of the marvels we enjoy today.

Your quest for knowledge doesn't have to be as Earth-changing as Einstein's, but it can be an important part of your life, leading to a new job, better pay, a new hobby, or simply knowledge for knowledge's sake — whatever is important to you as an end goal.

Life-changing knowledge does typically require advanced learning techniques. In fact, it's been said that the average adult only uses 10% of his/her brain. Imagine what we may be capable of with more advanced learning techniques.

Here are 77 tips related to knowledge and learning to help you on your quest. A few are specifically for students in traditional learning institutions; the rest for self-starters, or those learning on their own. Happy learning.

Health

1. Shake a leg. Lack of blood flow is a common reason for lack of concentration. If you've been sitting in one place for awhile, bounce one of your legs for a minute or two. It gets your blood flowing and sharpens both concentration and recall.

2. Food for thought: Eat breakfast. A lot of people skip breakfast, but creativity is often optimal in the early morning and it helps to have some protein in you to feed your brain. A lack of protein can actually cause headaches.

3. Food for thought, part 2: Eat a light lunch. Heavy lunches have a tendency to make people drowsy. While you could turn this to your advantage by taking a "thinking nap" (see #23), most people haven't learned how.

4. Cognitive enhancers: Ginkgo biloba. Ginkgo biloba is a natural supplement that has been used in China and other countries for centuries and has been reputed to reverse memory loss in rats. It's also suggested by some health practitioners as a nootrope and thus a memory enhancer.

5. Reduce stress + depresssion. Stress and depression may reduce the ability to recall information and thus inhibit learning. Sometimes, all you need to reduce depression is more white light and fewer refined foods.

Balance

6. Sleep on it. Dr. Maxwell Maltz wrote about in his book Psycho-Cybernetics about a man who was was paid good money to come up with ideas. He would lock his office door, close the blinds, turn off the lights. He'd focus on the problem at hand, then take a short nap on a couch. When he awoke, he usually had the problem solved.

7. Take a break. Change phyical or mental perspective to lighten the invisible stress that can sometimes occur when you sit in one place too long, focused on learning. Taking a 5-15 minute break every hour during study sessions is more beneficial than non-stop study. It gives your mind time to relax and absorb information. If you want to get really serious with breaks, try a 20 minute ultradian break as part of every 90 minute cycle. This includes a nap break, which is for a different purpose than #23.

8. Take a hike. Changing your perspective often relieves tension, thus freeing your creative mind. Taking a short walk around the neighborhood may help.

Perspective and Focus

9. Change your focus. Sometimes there simply isn't enough time to take a long break. If so, change subject focus. Alternate between technical and non-technical subjects.

10. Change your focus, part 2. There are three primary ways to learn: visual, kinesthetic, and auditory. If one isn't working for you, try another.

11. Do walking meditation. If you're taking a hike (#25), go one step further and learn walking meditation as a way to tap into your inner resources and your strengthen your ability to focus. Just make sure you're not walking inadvertently into traffic.

12. Focus and immerse yourself. Focus on whatever you're studying. Don't try to watch TV at the same time or worry yourself about other things. Anxiety does not make for absorption of information and ideas.

13. Turn out the lights. This is a way to focus, if you are not into meditating. Sit in the dark, block out extraneous influences. This is ideal for learning kinesthetically, such as guitar chord changes.

14. Take a bath or shower. Both activities loosen you up, making your mind more receptive to recognizing brilliant ideas.

Recall Techniques

15. Listen to music. Researchers have long shown that certain types of music are a great "key" for recalling memories. Information learned while listening to a particular song or collection can often be recalled simply by "playing" the songs mentally.

16. Speedread. Some people believe that speedreading causes you to miss vital information. The fact remains that efficient speedreading results in filtering out irrelevant information. If necessary, you can always read and re-read at slower speeds. Slow reading actually hinders the ability to absorb general ideas. (Although technical subjects often requirer slower reading.) If you're reading online, you can try the free Spreeder Web-based application.

17. Use acronyms and other mnemonic devices. Mnemonics are essentially tricks for remembering information. Some tricks are so effective that proper application will let you recall loads of mundane information years later.

Visual Aids

18. Every picture tells a story. Draw or sketch whatever it is you are trying to achieve. Having a concrete goal in mind helps you progress towards that goal.

19. Brainmap it. Need to plan something? Brain maps, or mind maps, offer a compact way to get both an overview of a project as well as easily add details. With mind maps, you can see the relationships between disparate ideas and they can also act as a receptacle for a brainstorming session.

20. Learn symbolism and semiotics. Semiotics is the study of signs and symbols. Having an understanding of the symbols of a particular discipline aids in learning, and also allows you to record information more efficiently.

21. Use information design. When you record information that has an inherent structure, applying information design helps convey that information more clearly. A great resource is Information Aesthetics, which gives examples of information design and links to their sources.

22. Use visual learning techniques. Try gliffy for structured diagrams. Also see Inspiration.com for an explanation of webs, idea maps, concept maps, and plots.

23. Map your task flow. Learning often requires gaining knowledge in a specific sequence. Organizing your thoughts on what needs to be done is a powerful way to prepare yourself to complete tasks or learn new topics.

Verbal and Auditory Techniques

24. Stimulate ideas. Play rhyming games, utter nonsense words. These loosen you up, making you more receptive to learning.

25. Brainstorm. This is a time-honored technique that combines verbal activity, writing, and collaboration. (One person can brainstorm, but it's more effective in a group.) It's fruitful if you remember some simple rules: Firstly, don't shut anyone's idea out. Secondly, don't "edit" in progress; just record all ideas first, then dissect them later. Participating in brainstorming helps assess what you already know about something, and what you didn't know.

26. Learn by osmosis. Got an iPod? Record a few of your own podcasts, upload them to your iPod and sleep on it. Literally. Put it under your pillow and playback language lessons or whatever.

27. Cognitive enhancers: binaural beats. Binaural beats involve playing two close frequencies simultaneously to produce alpha, beta, delta, and theta waves, all of which produce either sleeping, restfulness, relaxation, meditativeness, alertness, or concentration. Binaural beats are used in conjunction with other excercises for a type of super-learning.

28. Laugh. Laughing relaxes the body. A relaxed body is more receptive to new ideas.

Kinesthetic Techniques

29. Write, don't type. While typing your notes into the computer is great for posterity, writing by hand stimulates ideas. The simple act of holding and using a pen or pencil massages acupuncture points in the hand, which in turn stimulates ideas.

30. Carry a quality notebook at all times. Samuel Taylor Coleridge dreamed the words of the poem "In Xanadu (did Kubla Khan)...". Upon awakening, he wrote down what he could recall, but was distracted by a visitor and promptly forgot the rest of the poem. Forever. If you've been doing "walking meditation" or any kind of meditation or productive napping, ideas may suddenly come to you. Record them immediately.

31. Keep a journal. This isn't exactly the same as a notebook. Journaling has to do with tracking experiences over time. If you add in visual details, charts, brainmaps, etc., you have a much more creative way to keep tabs on what you are learning.

32. Organize. Use sticky colored tabs to divide up a notebook or journal. They are a great way to partition ideas for easy referral.

33. Use post-it notes. Post-it notes provide a helpful way to record your thoughts about passages in books without defacing them with ink or pencil marks.

Self-Motivation Techniques

34. Give yourself credit. Ideas are actually a dime a dozen. If you learn to focus your mind on what results you want to achieve, you'll recognize the good ideas. Your mind will become a filter for them, which will motivate you to learn more.

35. Motivate yourself. Why do you want to learn something? What do want to achieve through learning? If you don't know why you want to learn, then distractions will be far more enticing.

36. Set a goal. W. Clement Stone once said "Whatever the mind of man can conceive, it can achieve." It's an amazing phenomenon in goal achievement. Prepare yourself by whatever means necessary, and hurdles will seem surmountable. Anyone who has experienced this phenomenon understands its validity. [Related Article: How to Write Your Goals]

37. Think positive. There's no point in setting learning goals for yourself if you don't have any faith in your ability to learn.

38. Organize, part 2. Learning is only one facet of the average adult's daily life. You need to organize your time and tasks else you might find it difficult to fit time in for learning. Try Neptune for a browser-based application for "getting things done."

39. Every skill is learned. With the exception of bodily functions, every skill in life is learned. Generally speaking, if one person can learn something, so can you. It may take you more effort, but if you've set a believable goal, it's likely an achievable goal.

40. Prepare yourself for learning. Thinking positive isn't sufficient for successfully achieving goals. This is especially important if you are an adult, as you'll probably have many distractions surrounding your daily life. Implement ways to reduce distractions, at least for a few hours at a time, else learning will become a frustrating experience.

41. Prepare yourself, part 2. Human nature is such that not everyone in your life will be a well-wisher in your self-improvement and learning plans. They may intentionally or subconsciously distract you from your goal. If you have classes to attend after work, make sure that work colleagues know this, that you are unable to work late. Diplomacy works best if you think your boss is intentionally giving you work on the days he/she knows you have to leave. Reschedule lectures to a later time slot if possible/ necessary.

42. Constrain yourself. Most people need structure in their lives. Freedom is sometimes a scary thing. It's like chaos. But even chaos has order within. By constraining yourself — say giving yourself deadlines, limiting your time on an idea in some manner, or limiting the tools you are working with — you can often accomplish more in less time.

Supplemental Techniques

43. Read as much as you can. How much more obvious can it get? Use Spreeder (#33) if you have to. Get a breadth of topics as well as depth.

44. Cross-pollinate your interests. Neurons that connect to existing neurons give you new perspectives and abilities to use additional knowledge in new ways.

45. Learn another language. New perspectives give you the ability to cross-pollinate cultural concepts and come up with new ideas. As well, sometimes reading a book in its original language will provide you with insights lost in translation.

46. Learn how to learn. Management Help has a resource page, as does SIAST (Virtual Campus), which links to articles about learning methods. They are geared towards online learning, but no doubt you gain something from them for any type of learning. If you are serious about optimum learning, read Headrush's Crash course in learning theory.

47. Learn what you know and what you don't. Many people might say, "I'm dumb," or "I don't know anything about that." The fact is, many people are wholly unaware of what they already know about a topic. If you want to learn about a topic, you need to determine what you already know, figure out what you don't know, and then learn the latter.

48. Multi-task through background processes. Effective multi-tasking allows you to bootstrap limited time to accomplish several tasks. Learning can be bootstrapped through multi-tasking, too. By effective multitasking, I don't mean doing two or more things at exactly the same time. It's not possible. However, you can achieve the semblance of effective multitasking with the right approach, and by prepping your mind for it. For example, a successful freelance writer learns to manage several articles at the same time. Research the first essay, and then let the background processes of your mind takeover. Move on consciously to the second essay. While researching the second essay, the first one will often "write itself." Be prepared to record it when it "appears" to you.

49. Think holistically. Holistic thinking might be the single most "advanced" learning technique that would help students. But it's a mindset rather than a single technique.

50. Use the right type of repetition. Complex concepts often require revisting in order to be fully absorbed. Sometimes, for some people, it may actually take months or years. Repetition of concepts and theory with various concrete examples improves absorption and speeds up learning.

51. Apply the Quantum Learning (QL) model. The Quantum Learning model is being applied in some US schools and goes beyond typical education methods to engage students.

52. Get necessary tools. There are obviously all kinds of tools for learning. If you are learning online like a growing number of people these days, then consider your online tools. One of the best tools for online research is the Firefox web browser, which has loads of extensions (add-ons) with all manner of useful features. One is Googlepedia, which simultaneously displays Google search engine listings, when you search for a term, with related entries from Wikipedia.

53. Get necessary tools, part 2. This is a very niche tip, but if you want to learn fast-track methods for building software, read Getting Real from 37 Signals. The Web page version is free. The techniques in the book have been used to create Basecamp, Campfire, and Backpack web applications in a short time frame. Each of these applications support collaboration and organization.

54. Learn critical thinking. As Keegan-Michael Key's character on MadTV might say, critical thinking takes analysis to "a whole notha level". Read Wikipedia's discourse on critical thinking as a starting point. It involves good analytical skills to aid the ability to learn selectively.

55. Learn complex problem solving. For most people, life is a series of problems to be solved. Learning is part of the process. If you have a complex problem, you need to learn the art of complex problem solving.

For Teachers, Tutors, and Parents

56. Be engaging. Lectures are one-sided and often counter-productive. Information merely heard or witnessed (from a chalkboard for instance) is often forgotten. Teaching is not simply talking. Talking isn't enough. Ask students questions, present scenarios, engage them.

57. Use information pyramids. Learning happens in layers. Build base knowledge upon which you can add advanced concepts.

58. Use video games. Video games get a bad rap because of certain violent games. But video games in general can often be an effective aid to learning.

59. Role play. Younger people often learn better by being part of a learning experience. For example, history is easier to absorb through reenactments.

60. Apply the 80/20 rule. This rule is often interpreted in dfferent ways. In this case, the 80/20 rule means that some concepts, say about 20% of a curriculum, require more effort and time, say about 80%, than others. So be prepared to expand on complex topics.

61. Tell stories. Venus Flytrap, a character from the sitcom WKRP in Cincinnati, once taught a student gang member about atoms, electrons, and protons by saying that an atom was one big neighborhood, and the protons and neutrons had their own smaller neighborhoods and never mixed. Just like rival gangs. The story worked, and understanding sparked in the students eyes.

62. Go beyond the public school curriculum. The public school system is woefully lacking in teaching advanced learning and brainstorming methods. It's not that the methods cannot be taught; they just aren't. To learn more, you have to pay a premium in additional time and effort, and sometimes money for commercially available learning tools. There's nothing wrong with that in itself, but what is taught in schools needs to be expanded. This article's author has proven that a nine-year old can learn (some) university level math, if the learning is approached correctly.

63. Use applied learning. If a high school student were having trouble in math, say with fractions, one example of applied learning might be photography, lenses, f-stops, etc. Another example is cooking and measurement of ingredients. Tailor the applied learning to the interest of the student.

For Students and Self-Studiers

64. Be engaged. Surprise. Sometimes students are bored because they know more than is being taught, maybe even more than a teacher. (Hopefully teachers will assess what each student already knows.) Students should discuss with a teacher if they feel that the material being covered is not challenging. Also consider asking for additional materials.

65. Teach yourself. Teachers cannot always change their curricula. If you're not being challenged, challenge yourself. Some countries still apply country-wide exams for all students. If your lecturer didn't cover a topic, you should learn it on your own. Don't wait for someone to teach you. Lectures are most effective when you've pre-introduced yourself to concepts.

66. Collaborate. If studying by yourself isn't working, maybe a study group will help.

67. Do unto others: teach something. The best way to learn something better is to teach it to someone else. It forces you to learn, if you are motivated enough to share your knowledge.

68. Write about it. An effective way to "teach" something is to create an FAQ or a wiki containing everything you know about a topic. Or blog about the topic. Doing so helps you to realize what you know and more importantly what you don't. You don't even have to spend money if you grab a freebie account with Typepad, Wordpress, or Blogger.

69. Learn by experience. Pretty obvious, right? It means put in the necessary time. An expert is often defined as someone who has put in 10,000 hours into some experience or endeavor. That's approximately 5 years of 40 hours per week, every week. Are you an expert without realizing it? If you're not, do you have the dedication to be an expert?

70. Quiz yourself. Testing what you've learned will reinforce the information. Flash cards are one of the best ways, and are not just for kids.

71. Learn the right things first. Learn the basics. Case in point: a frustrating way to learn a new language is to learn grammar and spelling and sentence constructs first. This is not the way a baby learns a language, and there's no reason why an adult or young adult has to start differently, despite "expert" opinion. Try for yourself and see the difference.

72. Plan your learning. If you have a long-term plan to learn something, then to quote Led Zeppelin, "There are two paths you can go by." You can take a haphazard approach to learning, or you can put in a bit of planning and find an optimum path. Plan your time and balance your learning and living.

Parting Advice

73. Persist. Don't give up learning in the face of intimdating tasks. Anything one human being can learn, most others can as well. Wasn't it Einstein that said, "Genius is 1% inspiration and 99% perspiration"? Thomas Edison said it, too.

74. Defy the experts. Dyslexia, in a nutshell, is the affliction of mentally jumbling letters and digits, causing difficulties in reading, writing and thus learning. Sometimes spoken words or numbers get mixed up as well. In the past, "experts" declared dyslexic children stupid. Later, they said they were incapable of learning. This author has interacted with and taught dyslexic teens. It's possible. Helen Keller had no experience of sight, sound, or speech, and yet she learned. Conclusion: There is more than one way to learn; never believe you cannot.

75. Challenge yourself. People are often more intelligent than they realize. In a world that compartmentalizes and categorizes everything, not everyone is sure where they fit in. And genius can be found in many walks of life. If you honestly suspect that there's more to you than has been "allowed" to be let out, try an IQ test such as the one offered by MENSA. It's unlike the standardized IQ tests given in many schools. You know the kind — the ones which traumatize many young students into thinking they are stupid, simply because the tests don't really assess all student's knowledge and learning ability. And the ability to learn is far, far more important than what you already know.

76. Party before an exam. Well, don't go that far. The key is to relax. The worse thing to do is cram the night before an exam. If you don't already know a subject by then, cramming isn't going to help. If you have studied, simply review the topic, then go do something pleasant (no more studying). Doing so tells your brain that you are prepared and that you will be able to recall anything that you have already learned. On the other hand, if you didn't spend the semester learning the ideas you need, you might as well go party anyways because cramming at the last minute isn't going to help much at that point.

77. Don't worry; learn happy. Have a real passion for learning and want to share that? Join a group such as the Joyful Jubilant Learning community [via LifeHack].

This article was originally published at the Online Education Database

25 Signs That Computers and the Internet Rule Your Life

2007-08-12T13:46:00.000+05:00

by Beatrice Adams, Aug 6, 2007

Do you consider the Internet a basic utility? Do you have friends who know you better by your username than your real name? If somebody told you to “google it,” would you know what he wants you to do? Does your computer rule your life? Here are 25 signs that it does.

You can't remember the last time you wrote an entire paragraph using a pen and paper.
You consider Internet a basic utility.
Between your Internet and your TV, you would rather lose your TV.
Between your Internet and your phoneline, you would rather lose your phoneline.
The Internet IS your phoneline.
You carry a flash drive in your purse or pocket.
You carry a laptop with you wherever you go-or you wish you could.
You have a callous on your right wrist, where you rest your hand when you use your mouse.
Your “diary” is not protected with a lock and key, but with a username and password - and it is open to be read by anybody in the world.
You've joined an online forum and regularly post messages on it.
You are - or have been - a member of a Yahoo group.
You've watched 1,500 orange-clad prisoners dancing “Thriller” on YouTube.
You know the meaning of the word “google” - and if you don't, you simply Google it.
When you hear the word “spam,” you don't think of food.
You've bought and sold things on eBay.
You've had an online love affair.
Half your friends only know you by your username.
The other half know your real name AND your username.
You've mastered computing the time in several different time zones because of all those online meetings you schedule with your Internet friends.
You no longer buy greeting cards; you get them free online and send them through email.
You no longer buy newspapers; your morning news is regularly sent to your inbox.
You no longer buy calendars; you use the one in your email reader or taskbar.
If your wall clock suddenly disappeared, you wouldn't miss it very much either.
You don't keep pictures of your kids in your wallet, but you set them as your wallpaper and screen saver.
You need a computer to view your children's photos.

Disclaimer: This list is for entertainment purposes only. If you want a real assessment on whether or not you are addicted to the Internet, please go to netaddiction.com

Source: http://www.webupon.com/Web-Talk/25-Signs-That-Internet-Rule-Your-Life.37879

Gravity Ball

2007-08-11T14:00:00.000+05:00

Pretty Cool Stuff...

A DIALOGUE WITH SARAH, AGED 3: IN WHICH IT IS SHOWN THAT IF YOUR DAD IS A CHEMISTRY PROFESSOR, ASKING “WHY” CAN BE DANGEROUS

2007-08-08T22:43:00.000+05:00

By Stephen McNeil

- FROM THE ARCHIVES -

SARAH: Daddy, were you in the shower?

DAD: Yes, I was in the shower.

SARAH: Why?

DAD: I was dirty. The shower gets me clean.

SARAH: Why?

DAD: Why does the shower get me clean?

SARAH: Yes.

DAD: Because the water washes the dirt away when I use soap.

SARAH: Why?

DAD: Why do I use soap?

SARAH: Yes.

DAD: Because the soap grabs the dirt and lets the water wash it off.

SARAH: Why?

DAD: Why does the soap grab the dirt?

SARAH: Yes.

DAD: Because soap is a surfactant.

SARAH: Why?

DAD: Why is soap a surfactant?

SARAH: Yes.

DAD: That is an EXCELLENT question. Soap is a surfactant because it forms water-soluble micelles that trap the otherwise insoluble dirt and oil particles.

SARAH: Why?

DAD: Why does soap form micelles?

SARAH: Yes.

DAD: Soap molecules are long chains with a polar, hydrophilic head and a non-polar, hydrophobic tail. Can you say ‘hydrophilic’?

SARAH: Aidrofawwic

DAD: And can you say ‘hydrophobic’?

SARAH: Aidrofawwic

DAD: Excellent! The word ‘hydrophobic’ means that it avoids water.

SARAH: Why?

DAD: Why does it mean that?

SARAH: Yes.

DAD: It’s Greek! ‘Hydro’ means water and ‘phobic’ means ‘fear of’. ‘Phobos’ is fear. So ‘hydrophobic’ means ‘afraid of water’.

SARAH: Like a monster?

DAD: You mean, like being afraid of a monster?

SARAH: Yes.

DAD: A scary monster, sure. If you were afraid of a monster, a Greek person would say you were gorgophobic.

(pause)

SARAH: (rolls her eyes) I thought we were talking about soap.

DAD: We are talking about soap.

(longish pause)

SARAH: Why?

DAD: Why do the molecules have a hydrophilic head and a hydrophobic tail?

SARAH: Yes.

DAD: Because the C-O bonds in the head are highly polar, and the C-H bonds in the tail are effectively non-polar.

SARAH: Why?

DAD: Because while carbon and hydrogen have almost the same electronegativity, oxygen is far more electronegative, thereby polarizing the C-O bonds.

SARAH: Why?

DAD: Why is oxygen more electronegative than carbon and hydrogen?

SARAH: Yes.

DAD: That’s complicated. There are different answers to that question, depending on whether you’re talking about the Pauling or Mulliken electronegativity scales. The Pauling scale is based on homo- versus heteronuclear bond strength differences, while the Mulliken scale is based on the atomic properties of electron affinity and ionization energy. But it really all comes down to effective nuclear charge. The valence electrons in an oxygen atom have a lower energy than those of a carbon atom, and electrons shared between them are held more tightly to the oxygen, because electrons in an oxygen atom experience a greater nuclear charge and therefore a stronger attraction to the atomic nucleus! Cool, huh?

(pause)

SARAH: I don’t get it.

DAD: That’s OK. Neither do most of my students.

Source: http://www.scribd.com/word/html_iframe/1063?guid=27zta2fh7pppm

Key to Success!

2007-07-30T15:47:00.000+05:00

Engineering – What You Don’t Necessarily Learn in School

2007-07-24T19:17:00.000+05:00

Source: David C. Wisler, Ph.D., Manager, University Programs & Aero Technology Laboratories, GE Aircraft Engines

As young engineers progress in their careers, they begin to understand that there is far more to being an outstanding engineer than they might have thought during their days as an undergraduate. In fact, some of the things they need to know weren't necessarily learned in school. And this is understandable, given the relatively short time spent in school and the significant differences between the missions of academe and industry/government.

This paper focuses on twelve vital aspects in engineering that are usually learned after graduation but can make the difference between success and failure in one's engineering career. To succeed, engineers must: learn to be business oriented; expect tough, multi-disciplinary problems; learn to work and network in the new multi-cultural and multi-national environment; understand the differences between academe and industry; learn to differentiate all over again; understand the values and culture of their particular company or organization; be open to ideas from everywhere; have unyielding integrity; make their manager a success; support their university and technical society; have fun; and most importantly, manage their careers. Each of these aspects is discussed in detail.

In my particular job, I have the pleasure of interacting both with a large number of young engineers just beginning their careers at GE and with a lot of students at universities who are working towards their engineering degree. These are exciting times for them, and rightly so. I try to assure them that they have chosen a career path that can lead to great satisfaction.

Quite naturally, this interaction often spawns discussion about careers and the question invariably arises, "How can I succeed in engineering?". I wish I could give them a mathematical equation whose solution would guarantee their success. But I know of no such equation. I have, however, gained some insights about succeeding in engineering that my fellow engineers and I have learned over the years. I offer twelve insights, explained in detail in this paper, and hope they will be beneficial in helping young engineers focus and manage their careers.

These insights are not just 'one manager's opinion'. As expressed in the Acknowledgements, I had this paper critiqued by many of my colleagues in industry, academe and government, including chief technologists and senior engineers at the three major aeroengine companies, GE, Rolls Royce and Pratt and Whitney. There was overwhelming support from industry for the validity of these twelve insights.

1.0 LEARN TO BE BUSINESS ORIENTED
Being business oriented does not mean going out and getting an MBA degree. It does mean developing a mindset that understands some of the things that make businesses tick and then operating within that framework or new mindset. It means understanding the economics of your particular business and how this affects engineering decisions. It must quickly be pointed out that engineering professors are usually well tuned to the many business aspects of running their research programs, their department or a university; however, most undergraduate students are isolated from the business aspects of academe.

Engineers will need to:

1.1 Understand the "Cost of Doing Business."
That is, understand the total costs involved for your company or organization to produce their product. This basic concept is relevant for any engineering discipline, but the following example will illustrate the point. The gas turbine business, which those in IGTI have chosen as a career, is expensive to operate. Our product is very complex and expensive to develop. It can cost well over a billion dollars to bring a new, turbofan aircraft engine to the point of engine certification for airline use. Derivative engines can cost 300 to 400 million dollars to develop.

In addition, engineering labor is very expensive to a company. Typically it costs over $200,000 a year to employee a U.S. engineer because overhead and benefits cost a lot more than your salary. Downsizing five engineers can save over a million dollars. These facts, combined with the fact that the materials required are often exotic and the product is difficult to manufacture, makes the selling price high. In addition, the market for our product is limited and extremely competitive.

Imagine going to an investor and asking for a billion dollars to develop such a product with the risks involved. But these are the realities of the gas turbine profession. Consequently as you progress in your career, these aspects will likely become increasingly more important in your decision making process.

And these kinds of realities, in varying form, exist in almost all other industries. So we are not alone.

1.2 Realize that Today's Marketplace is Global.
Ready or not, you are part of the new global business world. The "Buy American" or "Buy European" mentality isn't reality today. Increasingly larger portions of our products are designed, manufactured, tested, serviced, etc. outside of our country. We must do this in order to reduce costs or to sell our engines, power turbines, automobiles, etc. in other countries. They want a piece of the pie too. Therefore engineers must have global brains and must think and act multi-culturally to build diverse and global teams. Those countries outside the traditional 'industrialized block' are becoming increasing more important and competitive.

Much to their credit, universities have long been on the forefront of global action in diversifying their student population and faculty. Your exposure to other cultures and interaction with diverse students is an excellent experience for entering the marketplace.

Yet it is important to keep in mind that this is just the beginning. Now you will actually have to work side-by-side or across the ocean with diverse engineers.

Globalization is a major theme for large companies, not only for marketing and selling products but also for securing engineering and other labor. Modern communication and computing capability is moving the workforce to be more internationally seamless. Your local call to a "help-line" may be answered on the other side of the earth. And engineering work in your company may be done there too.

Remember the adage, "Yesterday's competitive 'enemies' may become tomorrow's 'partners'". This adage is now multinational.

1.3 Understand the Relevance of Profit.
If you work for a company, it is important to realize that "Your Company is in business to make a profit and will eventually go out of business if it doesn't, at which point you will not have a job". The last phrase in that sentence is critical to your well being, regardless of your profession.

The shareholders investing in your company want to earn dividends and see your company grow. Profits are a sign of the health of your company. Therefore, you must realize that your company is going to adjust manpower and budget to meet profit and other business goals. So even if it does not go out of business, your company may downsize — and the downsized person may be you. But the good news is that you can take steps like those outlined in this paper to make yourself more valuable, thus minimizing your risk.

You are going to have to learn to work within a financial budget and time schedule. Typically these are imposed on young engineers, but as you progress, you will be responsible for setting and managing them. As you help your organization prosper, you in turn will prosper.

1.4 Learn to Diagnose and Manage Marketplace Change.
Modern business leaders like Jack Welch, past CEO of GE (Welch, J. F.), emphasize the critical importance of managing change in order for the business to survive and grow. This is particularly important for the aerospace and gas turbine industries, which have well documented business cycles that ebb and flow with airline passenger traffic, worldwide economic conditions, world crisis events, military procurement plans, etc.

Business leaders and engineers alike must diagnose and manage their business and their careers through this change. While specific catastrophic events such as September 11 or meltdowns like Enron are unpredictable, they must still be managed. These two events have had a major impact on world economics.

Change occurs as fierce competitive pressures can force companies to restructure their way of doing business, reduce workforce significantly and reduce the cost of their products, which reduces revenues. Change occurs when companies lose market share. Change occurs when the business becomes more cost-driven than technology-driven. Change occurs when engineers need to resolve complex technical issues within a framework of new ways of doing business, perhaps with fewer resources or the need to use outsource help in foreign countries. Positive change occurs when your business thrives.

Significant personal change can occur if you are told that your services are no longer needed. As devastating as this can be and hopefully it will never happen to you, if it does, you must still manage it to succeed elsewhere.

I suggest that you read the short book "Who Moved My Cheese?" (Johnson, S.). You can read the whole book in one airline flight. In this book, "cheese" is a metaphor for what you want in life (career, organization, promotion, family, etc.) and the "maze" is where you have to look for what you want. Two sets of characters 'Hem and Haw' and 'Sniff and Scurry' have to deal with unexpected change as their cheese is moved into different parts of the maze. One set of characters fails and the other set succeeds. In your career, someone will invariably move your cheese. The question is, which set of characters will you emulate?

Regardless of the change, failure to recognize it and respond to it can injure or kill your company and/or your career.

1.5 Beware of Your Competition.
Competition in today's engine and powerplant market and in most other industries is absolutely fierce. And success can breed failure if complacency sets in. To quote Art Adamson (Adamson, A.), a retired senior manager, "Outside competition, in its eternal effort to succeed, wants to snatch your success, wealth, markets, and affirmation...". Art goes on to say, "Inside competition between you and your fellow workers for recognition, advancement, etc. must be handled more deftly and on a different level".

You are undoubtedly aware of competition. You've seen it in college entrance, in exams, in sports, etc. But regardless of the source, competition must be recognized and handled. Failure to respond can damage your company and/or your career.

1.6 Learn the Color of Money.
Although all of it spends, there are many types of money in an engineering environment and these types often cannot be interchanged or co-mingled. The term for these different types of money is 'color of money'. This is especially important in dealing with the government. I can't count the number of times I have heard the phrase "That's a color-of-money issue". Some various types of money and their explanation are shown in Table 1.

Table 1. Types (color) of Money
Type of Money	Explanation or Use
Investment	Capital improvements (buildings, equipment, etc.)
Expense	General and administrative, (overhead) travel and living, developing something you don't sell, marketing, training.
IR&D	Advance state of the art, advance technology.
Profit (DA)	What's left after expenditures.
Contract	What others outside give you to do work.

Temptations to abuse the color of money can come about as engineers try to complete projects within budget. For example, an engineer is managing a fixed-cost U.S. government contract that is about to overrun costs and at the same time is managing an IR&D project that is under-running costs. In order not to overrun budget, the manager could be tempted to direct employees to charge the IR&D account when they are doing the government contract work. This is illegal. Both managers and engineers must understand that penalties can be assessed for mixing types of money. These penalties can be in the form of fines, companies being barred from government contracts, employee discipline or dismissals. Whatever the temptation, don't do it either as a manager or as a subordinate.

2.0 EXPECT TOUGH MULTI-DISCIPLINARY PROBLEMS

2.1 Tough Problems.
The problems that you will face in your engineering career are tough and will be more multi-disciplinary than those you faced in college. This makes life exciting, challenging and rewarding. Understand that the word 'multi-disciplinary' is used in the broad sense. That is, one must draw simultaneously on many technical and non-technical disciplines, like aero, heat transfer, bearings, materials, purchasing, manufacturing, legal, etc. to solve the problem. It doesn't mean that I use calculus learned in class A to solve the dynamics problem in class B.

It is my experience that professors do a very good job in educating students; however, both must work within the constraints of course schedule and limited classroom time. This is challenging. Consequently, many of the homework problems are designed to be worked in a matter of hours or days and thus cannot contain much of the kind of simultaneous, multi-disciplinary thinking described above.

But our product is very complex, requiring engineering skills from many disciplines. Most of the time you cannot say, "this problem isn't in my field" because many design issues overlap technical disciplines and problems are often caused by a chain of events. Therefore it is in your best interest to broaden your technical understanding across engineering disciplines as much as you can. Learn the basics of relevant specialties other than your own.

Leading universities give you some experience in this area through co-op programs and multi-disciplinary design courses. Some of the topical areas I have seen include building a formula one racer, a sailplane, a Mar's rover, a satellite stability system, etc. These projects require the kind of thinking that will serve you well in industry. If you participated in such a design or co-op activity, you should congratulate yourself.

Most of the easy problems are solved, no matter what your specialty. Fortunately our business is filled with thousands of small ways to improve, which when taken together can produce significant advancements.

2.2 Learn When to Stop.
There comes a point when further design, further analysis and further research does not add to the value of the product and drives in unnecessary cost. So engineers must learn not to:

• Over-design things because cost, manufacturing complexity, etc. increase.

• Over-research things. Do we really need to know that answer? This is a particularly difficult concept for advanced-degree holders to grasp because they are trained in Ph.D. research techniques, which strive for complete understanding of underlying principles.

• Over-analyze things because that last 0.05 points in efficiency may not be real. This pathology is aided by modern computer capability.

So find out what constitutes "value" as defined by your customer and drive this into the product in a manner that stops at the appropriate point. This is often described as listening to the 'Voice of the Customer' (VOC) and finding what is 'Critical to Quality' (CTQ). You will do well to make VOC and CTQ's an important part of your engineering experience.

2.3 Learn from Discrepant Events.
A discrepant event is encountered when information received is different from that expected, previously experienced or thought to be true. Educators tell us that we learn more from encountering a discrepant event than we do from encountering an event that we expect to find. Discrepant events force us to re-evaluate, learn new facts, new concepts and new generalizations and perhaps even change. That unexpected result you encountered on test may not be bad data.

Gerhard Neumann, past president of GE Aircraft Engines, told the story about the first test of his invention, the variable stator concept for axial compressors in the 1950's. The test results showed such good performance improvement that his management didn't believe the data. This was a discrepant event for them. They directed him to completely tear down the engine, re-build it and re-test it. Upon retest, the improved performance held. Much was learned from this discrepant event. Variable stators are now part of modern engine design.

3.0 LEARN TO WORK AND NETWORK IN A NEW ENVIRONMENT
Many young engineers inherently understand the value of working but do not yet appreciate the significant value of networking, i.e., the supportive system of sharing appropriate information and services among individuals and groups having a common interest. It takes time and much effort to "connect" with the local, national and international players in your field, but it will reap rewards in the end. Networking can help as you seek to advance your career through job change or promotion, through technical society work, etc.

3.1 Work and Network in a New Time Scale.
Most students that I encounter work very hard; nonetheless, college time-scales enable the student to have a clean slate each semester or quarter. By the real and necessary constraints of the educational process, classroom undergraduate assignments are usually posed and solved in a few hours, not unlike the very compressed time scales of an exciting theater or TV drama. Homework problems assigned in one class are hardly ever worked in conjunction with those assigned in another class taken at the same time. Ph.D. thesis time scales, by their very nature, can be glacial compared to industry needs. It simply takes three to five years to properly train Ph.D.'s and have them demonstrate sound research techniques in original work. This is the way it is.

On the other hand, industry time scales are different. Projects are multi-disciplinary, take much longer than homework assignments and are very much more faster-paced than Ph.D. thesis projects. There is a constant attempt to shorten concept-to-market time and there is explicit regimentation to meet the work schedule.

3.2 Work and Network as a Team Player.
This section must be explained carefully. The critique given by a few university colleagues is that they do create a team atmosphere amongst their graduate students and faculty, one that promotes interactive discussion and help as students try to work out best solutions. This is good and certainly useful. But it is usually conducted amongst like-minded (same discipline) colleagues. Although I certainly include this as an important teaming effort, it is not the kind to which I am referring here.

I am talking about functioning in a team atmosphere whereby groups of engineers in varying technical disciplines come to the design table with different and often conflicting needs, wants and solutions. Such an atmosphere is both exciting and testy, but you must learn to function well in it. For example, the aero designer wants a certain complex airfoil shape and thinness, the mechanical counterpart wants a much thicker airfoil, the aeromechanical designer says the complex shape has resonant frequencies, the materials engineer wants a certain material, marketing says its too expensive, and manufacturing says pox on all of your houses because I can't manufacture that. How do you reach consensus?

At a university, a Ph.D. thesis must be the original work of an individual. Classroom assignments are most often structured so that you must work by yourself. There are, of course, some creative professors and departments that give very well-posed university team projects; however on most assignments, you must hand in your own solution. This is appropriate.

But in industry you can accomplish practically nothing by yourself. You will need to work in teams in as nearly a boundaryless (seamless) manner as possible. This is often difficult, but you must do it. The tendency to perceive other engineers and other organizational groups as the enemy must be resisted. Rarely will a company promote or honor an uncooperative, non-team player.

3.3 Work and Network with Good Communication Skills.
Like it or not, you will have to document your work in all kinds of reports, design books and memos. You will have to make oral presentations and discuss things with peers, managers and customers, etc. Become good at it. Classes in effective presentation and communication may help. If you aren't good at it, you can damage or impede your career.

Learn how to give a good "elevator speech". The idea is that you walk into an elevator and the VP of engineering or your general manager is there and asks you how your project is going. You have a few floors of travel to explain the value of your work. These folks don't have time to listen to details. Can you be concise, cut to the kernel of your work and give them a good impression in 60 seconds?

Sometimes attempts to communicate in a clear manner can be humorous. The following is a quote taken directly from the operations manual for pilots of a major non-US airline. "There appears to be some confusion over the new Pilot Role titles. This notice will hopefully clear up any misunderstandings... The Landing Pilot is the Non-Handling Pilot until the decision altitude call, when the Handling Non-Landing Pilot hands the handling to the Non-Handling Landing Pilot, unless the latter calls "go-around", in which case the Handling Non-Landing Pilot continues handling and the Non-Handling Landing Pilot continues non-handling until the next call of 'land' or 'go-around', as appropriate." What is that again?

3.4 Work and Network in the New Multi-Cultural and Multi-National Environment.
The engineering and business world is vastly different from what it was a generation or two ago, as discussed in Section 1.2. Business is much more multi-national. Engineering and high-tech jobs are increasingly going to offshore locations where labor rates are lower or where some favorable commercial benefit is obtained. This will require you to work with people of vastly different cultures, languages and ethnicities located in vastly different time zones. Some have proposed a 'work around the clock' culture, where work is passed from one time zone to another in a 24-hour continuous loop. But beware; this climate is an ideal breeding ground for Not Invented Here (NIH), discussed in Section 7.2.

4.0 UNDERSTAND THE DIFFERENCES BETWEEN ACADEME AND INDUSTRY
I must tread carefully here because this section can easily be misunderstood. The overwhelming consensus is that there are real differences between university and industry cultures and that these two cultures have drifted apart over the years. Working to reverse this drift in certain areas provides value.

4.1 Real Differences.
The university culture in which you are training or have recently left is quite different from the engineering, business or government culture you will likely enter. Understanding this difference is important because you will need to make an adjustment in mindset as you enter your engineering job. It is particularly relevant for Ph.D. graduates and some master degree graduates who have been trained to do research in an academic, scientific environment rather than an engineering environment.

A number of key differences between academe and industry are given in Table 2. It must be strongly emphasized that one column is not right and the other column wrong. They are different for valid reasons. They are also generalization, which means that there are exceptions. However, be informed of these general differences and be prepared to acclimate to them.

*Table 2. Some Generalizations Showing Comparison of Academe and Industry*
Academe	Industry
1. More individual oriented	1. More team oriented
2. Is it original work?	2. Can we leverage existing work?
3. Does it contribute to science?	3. Does it contribute to the business?
4. Will it make archival publication?	4. Will it make it into production?
5. Is it interesting to do?	5. Is it worthwhile financially?
6. Develop the equations, analysis, etc. from first principles	6. Fit a curve through the data and/or anchor the existing analysis
7. Is it original and complete from scientific (physics) perspective?	7. Is it institutionalized into the system from an engineering perspective?
8. Graduate when thesis finished	8. Meet schedule and budget
9. Publish, publish, publish	9. Customer, customer, customer
10. Sound scientific process	10. Design practices, templates
11. Non-profit institution	11. Profit institution
12. Solve roadblock issues as they occur	12. Identify and manage risks carefully up front with risk abatement plan and critical path scheduling
13. Professors (especially tenured) are independent	13. Formal management process up to shareholders

Engineering professors tend to conduct research in an individualistic (independent might be a better word) style. This does not mean that they don't consult with others or don't have group meetings with other faculty or students, etc. It does mean that they are generally free to work independently on those areas of technology that are of interest to them (and for which they can also get funding). They thrive on generating original, creative scientific work.

Likewise, while consulting with others and all that goes with it, graduate students must, in the end, conduct independent, original research. And they must defend their thesis alone. In addition, professors operate under a set of metrics for their promotion and peer evaluation that rewards research quality (e.g., number of archival publications in the prestigious journals of their field) and the amount of research money they bring in. They tend to train their graduate students to develop the equations and analyses from first principles. They are usually employed by a non-profit institution.

Achieving tenure provides the degree of independence they seek for unfettered research that contributes to science. At this level they have no manager. This is the educational environment in which you probably trained.

On the other hand, engineers and engineering managers tend to form teams and do their work in a team environment that will likely be very different from any academic team you may have encountered. They are not free to work on whatever problems interest them or advance science. They operate under a set of metrics for their promotion and managerial evaluation that rewards contributions to the business and engineering excellence which in turn enables the company to beat the competition, fix a field problem or gain increased market share. They concentrate on creative engineering design and analysis work that leverages design templates and existing work or anchors findings in existing analyses. Archival publications often mean very little. They are usually employed by a for-profit company and tend to be customer-focused. There is a well-established chain of management command up to the shareholders. This is the environment in which you will likely be working.

4.2 Science and the Art of Engineering.
Over the past four or five decades, engineering departments at U.S. universities and colleges have gradually become more science and physics oriented, more research oriented and less art-of-engineering oriented. Industry on the other hand is very engineering oriented and has become much more business oriented. To be successful, the engineer needs to combine all of the above to have both technical capability and business acumen, and these need to be properly balanced. But there is more.

Of course engineering is high tech, is based on the principles of physics and uses the complex math that you learned in school. But it is much more than that and you must absolutely grasp this "more-ness". As you progress through your career, you will need to learn what some call the 'art of engineering'; that is, the art or science of making practical application of the knowledge of pure science, physics and math to construct useful things like engines, airplanes, bridges, buildings, etc.

Generally, you learn the science and math of engineering in school, but you do not learn the "art" of engineering. This takes years of experience. Yet, as you transition from academe to the workplace, it is vital that you do learn it. If you have not gotten your hands on the product and interacted with it in some way, you likely have not "experienced" engineering.

4.3 Freedom to Publish vs. Protecting Proprietary Information and Intellectual Property.
This topic highlights a very important difference between academe and industry and gets to one of the core operational philosophies of the two institutions. Although intellectual property and its ownership is very important to both institutions, the timing and manner in which it is released to the public are often different.

A cornerstone of academe is 'unfettered research and open publication'. Most universities have the policy that their faculty are free to choose what research areas they want to pursue and free to publish their research findings (intellectual property) unfettered in the open literature. Some universities (and professors) hold this view more strongly than others, but the general idea is a common theme that is important to their success and prestige.

On the other hand, a cornerstone of industry is strict control over and protection of design procedures, research findings, etc., (commonly called intellectual property and proprietary information). This is vital to a company's competitiveness. Thus, unfettered and open publication of results in the university sense is significantly controlled. This situation can lead to frustration especially for those new graduates who are used to an open publication environment.

Nevertheless, engineers must understand that protecting intellectual property and proprietary information constitutes a sacred trust with their company. You will not be free to publish or release information without an internal review process that usually involves legal, patent, export control, marketing and engineering. In addition, you will be expected to sign proprietary information agreements and patent ownership agreements with your company as a condition of employment.

These very complex issues come into sharp focus when universities and industry want to do collaborative research under contract. There is no "one size fits all" solution. Although I know of no professor anywhere who will knowingly publish company proprietary information, the process of reaching compromise on intellectual property in legal contracts is often a challenge of major proportions.

5.0 LEARN TO DIFFERENTIATE ALL OVER AGAIN

5.1 Learn a New Kind of Differentiation.
You learned to differentiate in calculus. That is not what I am talking about here. What I am talking about is the kind of differentiation discussed in Welch (see References), Pages 157-162. In it he says, "In manufacturing, we try to stamp out variance. With people, variance is everything." Differentiating people and differentiating their leadership and the impact of their work in an organization isn't easy, but it is a vital thing to do.

It comes down to sorting out the top, the vital middle and the bottom tier players. Your managers are going to do this in some way or another, so why not give yourself "edge" by beating them to the game. Learn to recognize what differentiates you from the crowd and market it. What are your strong AND your weak attributes? Enhance the former and fix the latter. Apply this same kind of differentiation thinking to your company, your associates, the technical papers you review, etc.

5.2 Capture the Four E's.
Outstanding people, including engineers, possess at least four common traits, expressed as the Four E's (ibid., Page 158).

• Energy — They have high energy levels and enthusiasm for their work. They are dynamos who accomplish things.

• Energize — They have the ability to energize others around common goals. Their enthusiasm is contagious.

• Edge — They have discernable characteristics that separate them from others in measurable, favorable ways. They can make tough yes-and-no decisions.

• Execute — They consistently deliver on their promises. It isn't that they don't ever make mistakes or take risks, but overwhelmingly they deliver.

Conduct your career with the Four E's as a goal and you will reap a multitude of dividends.

6.0 UNDERSTAND THE VALUES, CODE OF CONDUCT AND CULTURE OF YOUR PARTICULAR COMPANY
What are the values and code of conduct that your particular company or organization promotes and lives by? Learn them and live by them (provided they are legal and moral, of course). For me personally, they are called "GE Values", and they are published, promoted and insisted upon by management. You will have "your company or organization values" and culture.

It is a great thing to have a benchmark and code of conduct like this against which you can measure your actions and the actions of others. Companies take these very seriously. They relate to honesty, trustworthiness, conflict resolution, fairness, safety, diversity, etc. If you can improve them, try to do so. If they need changing, be a catalyst for this change. If you just cannot fit into them, move on. Otherwise you may be "moved on" faster than you think.

7.0 BE OPEN TO IDEAS FROM EVERYWHERE

7.1 Attitude, Attitude, Attitude.
In real estate transactions, they say there are three important things people consider about buying a piece of property — location, location, location. In your engineering career, there are likewise three important things people will notice about you — attitude, attitude, attitude. Nourish a positive, can-do attitude. It is an important key to success. There are few things, aside from downright incompetence, that can hinder you as rapidly as a bad attitude.

7.2 No NIH Attitude.
The concept of not-invented-here (NIH) refers to the rejection or discrediting of ideas because they come from sources outside the group. It is unfortunately more rampant than you might think and seems to be pathological with some people and organizations. You must overcome this mindset because an NIH attitude can kill you technically and cause ruin in your business and career. Other people and groups can have better ideas than you have, even if you are a manager.

You must learn to accept right ideas and reject wrong ones regardless of their source. And believe me, it is too easy to just reject a new idea because the person presenting it doesn't appear to you to have enough engineering experience or the idea came from another organization or company.

So persist with your ideas and be open to others. Invent something. Make something work. Be an "idea" person. But remember, Thomas Edison once said, "Invention is one-tenth inspiration and nine-tenth perspiration" (The Oxford Dictionary of Quotations).

7.3 History's Bold Forecasts.
History is full of detractors of new ideas. The following collection of bold forecasts about new ideas (Time Magazine) is amusing as well as educational.

• "This 'telephone' has too many shortcomings to be seriously considered as a means of communication. The device is inherently of no value to us." Western Union internal memo, 1876.

• "Heavier-than-air flying machines are impossible" Lord Kelvin, president, Royal Society, 1895.

• "Everything that can be invented has been invented", Charles H. Duell, Commissioner, US Office of Patents, 1899.

• "Airplanes are interesting toys but of no military value", Marshall Ferdinand Foch, Professor of Strategy, Ecole Superieure de Guerre.

• "Professor Goddard does not know the relation between action and reaction and the need to have something better than a vacuum against which to react. He seems to lack the basic knowledge ladled out in high school", New York Times editorial re Goddard's rocket work, 1921.

• "The wireless music box has no imaginable commercial value. Who would pay for a message sent to nobody in particular?", The associates of David Sarnoff in response to his urgings for investment in the radio in the 1920's.

• "Who the h— wants to hear actors talk", Harry M. Warner, Warner Bros. 1927.

• "I think there is a world market for maybe five computers", Thomas Watson, Chairman, IBM, 1943.

• "There is no reason for any individuals to have a computer in their home", Ken Olson, president, chairman and founder of Digital Equipment Corporation, 1977.

On the flip side of the coin, there are also those who have doggedly persisted in advancing new ideas that violate the second Law of Thermodynamics, so be alert.

8.0 HAVE UNYIELDING INTEGRITY
Admittedly, some integrity statements you will hear are market-driven and you may, over time, become numb to the constant messages. But this does not in any way detract from their validity and from the absolute necessity for you to maintain high integrity throughout your career. Whether you get caught or not, cheating is wrong. Character is important. The recent devastating effect that cheating and distorting the financial books has had on the corporate world and the US Wall Street should be ample evidence of the need for integrity.

But beyond this, the non-technical society is at the mercy of the technical person. Careless design and lazy analysis can cause social, economic and environmental damage to society and technical embarrassment to you and your company. It can even cause people's injury and death. You, as an engineer, must exercise unyielding integrity to do your best to prevent these things from happening.

One measure you can use is called the "Newspaper Test". Can your action or conduct stand the Newspaper Test, i.e., appear on the front page of the newspaper without legal or moral embarrassment to you or your company?

9.0 MAKE YOUR MANAGER A SUCCESS
A good manager wants to help you succeed, and you should in turn work to make him or her successful. Remember that your manager:

• Recommends high potential people for promotion

• Determines salary actions

• Writes performance appraisals

• Assigns work projects

• Recommends who to downsize.

Therefore, to regard your manager as your nemesis is a sure way to fail in your career. Don't do it. If you do not have respect for your manager or if you feel antagonistic towards him or her, transfer to another job. But remember the fault may be within you, so examine your reactions and motives carefully. Perhaps some real introspective thinking or attitude adjustment on your part is necessary.

Also, conduct your assignments so that you need little of the boss's attention. Be a "can do person".

10.0 SUPPORT YOUR UNIVERSITY AND YOUR TECHNICAL SOCIETY
You owe a great deal to your particular university and its professors who nurtured you and taught you the technical fundamentals of engineering. Support your university, visit it occasionally to give seminars, keep in touch with the faculty, talk to the students, give them some of the wisdom you have gained, encourage them. Both you and the students will find this personally rewarding. I guarantee, if your university wins a national championship, you will fly their banner proudly on your office door or cubicle.

Active participation in the technical society for your chosen field is an excellent way for you to grow and network. You will have the opportunity to meet and learn from highly skilled engineers, researchers and educators from other organizations. You will have the opportunity to present your own work at international forums and have it published in respected, refereed technical journals. As you grow, you will then be able to give back by helping younger engineers.

But this task will not be easy if you are in industry. Certainly you will be permitted to join the technical society, but attending major conferences, particularly overseas conferences, will likely be difficult. Travel and living budgets, time away from the job, limited number of persons permitted to go (i.e. slots allocated), etc. will be reasons you will hear for being denied permission to attend. But if you want to grow in this manner, you must persevere.

A suggestion is to ask a well-respected, well-known member of the technical society who works in a different company or agency to invite you to write a good technical paper or to organize a technical session at the conference. Then take this invitation letter to your boss. (Here is where networking helps, see Section 3). This is especially potent if your boss knows the outside member who is inviting you.

11.0 HAVE FUN
For goodness sakes, HAVE FUN in your engineering career. Enjoy your work. If you aren't really having fun, move on or change careers. I can't think of too many things more dismal than someone coming to work and hating it. Surely there will be some things about your work that you dislike. But on the whole, love your work. There are many exciting and challenging opportunities in engineering, so having fun can be easy.

12.0 MANAGE YOUR CAREER
Control your destiny or someone else will. Whether you work in industry, academe, government or as an independent agent, the primary responsibility for managing your career rests with you. What do you want? Where are you going? How are you going to get there? Neither the company nor your manager will "take care of you".

12.1 Myths about Career Development.
There are some general myths about career management that need to be dispelled. The myths presented below came directly from GE Human Resources to employees, both technical and non-technical alike. While all of the myths listed below are not true in all organizations at all times, they are generally valid regardless of your occupation, especially in today's business environment.

• Myth #1 — Do a good job and the company will "take care of you", or better yet, "take care of you for life". Nonsense. In reality no one will take care of you. You must take care of yourself. Do an outstanding job, better than anyone else. Even so, the days of companies providing lifelong employment are gone.

• Myth #2 — It's not what you know, but whom you know that counts. Baloney. What you know counts a lot. Whom you know and what they know about you also counts, but what you accomplish counts even more.

• Myth #3 — Career planning is my manager's job. No! Your manager's job is to lead. He or she often doesn't have the time, skill, ability or inclination to manager your career. Your manager could be a mentor and role model (good or bad). Only you know what you want and what you are willing to sacrifice to get it.

• Myth #4 — Nobody reads performance appraisals anyway. Not true. Many people do read performance appraisals — very closely. It may be the only thing they know about you and could be the ticket to a job interview. It is a written record that follows you.

• Myth #5 — You only get ahead if you work in the current "high visibility" area. Actually, it might or might not help you to work in such an area. Diversity in business experience is important. If your skills are better matched to another area, you could have better success there.

• Myth #6 — I would rather be lucky than good. Be good. No, be excellent or outstanding. Luck and timing are important, but your performance is the best influence on both. Results matter — again and again and again.

• Myth #7 — Just tell me the career path I need to be on to reach my goal. Sorry! There is no explicit career path or magic formula. Career management is an art, although central tendencies do exist. Seek help through your network (see Section 3.0) or your human resources representative.

12.2 Face Today's Realities.
A common answer I hear from young engineers is, "My goal is to be a manager". "That's fine,...but", I respond. Engineers need to realize that organizations are generally much flatter today with far fewer managerial positions available and fewer promotion grades from bottom to top. This means that you may have a difficult time achieving that goal.

On the encouraging side, leading edge companies are now making the much-discussed but previously impotent "dual career path" actually work. This will provide the opportunity for a non-manager (individual contributor) to achieve the same organizational level, salary and responsibility level of a manager. But whether you choose the management route or the individual contributor route as a career path, you will have to be proactive in managing your career to succeed.

12.3 You'll Likely Need a Mentor and a Champion. There is a difference between a mentor and a champion. A mentor is a wise and trusted counselor, someone from whom you can learn the ropes. A champion is one who will promote your career in management circles. Don't underestimate the importance of finding both. You will be helped substantially if you can find a champion who notices the Four E's about you (see Section 5.2) and can pull you up through the organization. The fact is that pushing up from below is frustrating and often futile.

12.4 Diversify.
Many young, graduating engineers are hired into a company, placed into a technology group, grow in the group and then want to make a life-long career of this narrow area. Or far worse is the Ph.D. graduate who wants to make a career out of his or her narrow thesis topic. The reality is that today's engineering problems are multi-disciplinary (see Section 2.0).

While being a strong technologist in a narrow specialty can be very fulfilling, provide significant value and be just right for you, it is usually wiser first to MCBMA (manage career by moving around). Seek diverse assignments. Broaden your experience and become more valuable. Stretch yourself and grow. Then, if you choose to specialize, you will be better able to do your job.

Some call this getting "vitality". It is more than technical strength and vigor. It can enhance your capacity for survival and for having more fun through diversity. You'll see the bigger picture.

12.5 Get an Engineering License.
Sometimes, but not always, it is necessary for you to have an engineering license to do your job. In a large company or in a government job, having a license is often not necessary. In a small company, it is often necessary. If you want to work as an independent, it is vital to have one.

12.6 NEVER Stop Learning.
One of the biggest mistakes you can make in managing your career is to think that college 'commencement' means education 'finished'. The word 'commencement' means beginning, and that is how you must view your learning commitment. Successful engineers adopt an attitude of life-long learning. There are now so many opportunities available to you that there is no excuse for not continuing to learn.

These opportunities include company-paid education benefits, company training programs, on-line web courses, technical conferences sponsored by professional societies, workshops, technical journals that publish leading edge technical papers, etc. Technology will continue to progress, and those bright-eyed, bushy-tailed new engineering graduates will continue to nip at your heels, so learn you must.

CONCLUSIONS
Although there are no magic recipes that will absolutely guarantee your success in an engineering career, I do think there are definitive actions you can take that will significantly increase your probability of succeeding. I have listed twelve of these actions in this paper and suggest that you study them, discuss them with your manager, teacher or senior engineer/ mentor and put them into practice in your career. It is important to understand that when it comes to evaluating you, your managers will look for these three overarching attributes.

1. Technical knowledge and engineering skill. What is the level of breadth and depth of your technical knowledge and understanding and how well do you apply these to provide creative ideas and solutions in support of the business efforts?

2. Teamwork and leadership. How well do you maintain flexible and effective team relationships in accomplishing organizational objectives? How effectively do you communicate and lead?

3. Execution and Productivity. How well do you apply knowledge, understanding, judgment and initiative across multiple disciplines in planning and executing programs so that your customers get timely results in an efficient manner?

I wish you good success in your career.

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
The author is deeply indebted to a multitude of his colleagues in many businesses, government and universities who have critiqued, provided valuable insight and supported the writing of this paper. Their assessments have provided confidence that the message is sound and can be of use to new engineers.

From GE Aircraft Engines: Fred Herzner, Chief Engineer; Dr. Mike Benzakein, General Manager, Advanced Engineering Programs Department; Barry Blackmore, Sr. Manager, Human Resources; Dr. Leroy Smith, consulting engineer and former manager of compressor aero; Jay Cornell, Chief Engineer's Office; Dr. John Blanton, Consulting Engineer; Patricia Cargill, engineering manager; Peter Wood, principal engineer; Dr. Fred Buck, Sr. Engineer; Dr. Brent Beacher, Sr. Engineer; Kevin Willis, export control;

From Rolls Royce: Dr. Nicholas Cumpsty, Chief Technologist and former Head of Whittle Laboratory, University of Cambridge, and many Rolls Royce senior engineers and technologists who provided feedback;

From Pratt and Whitney Aircraft: Dr. Om Sharma, Chief Technologist;

From Delta Airlines: Bill Kline, Vice President, Human Resources; David Garrison, General Manager, Propulsion Engineering;

From NASA Glenn Research Center: Dr. Tony Strazisar, Senior Technologist;

From universities: Dean Jim Williams, Dean of Engineering, The Ohio State University, Prof. Mike Dunn, Ohio State; Prof. Ted Okiishi, Iowa State University; Prof. Edward Greitzer, Massachusetts Institute of Technology; Prof. Dimitri Mavris, Georgia Institute of Technology; Prof. Reza Abhari, Swiss Federal Institute of Technology; Prof. Lee Langston, University of Connecticut; Profs. Ken Hall and Bob Kielb, Duke University; Prof. James Leylek, Clemson University; Prof. Paul Orkwis, University of Cincinnati.

The author is also indebted to GE Aircraft Engines for permission to publish this paper.

This paper was written by David C. Wisler of GE Aircraft Engines in Cincinnati, e-mail: dave.wisler@ae.ge.com. It was originally presented at the ASME/IGTI Turbo Expo 2003, which was held from June 16-19, 2003, in Atlanta.

Source: http://www.memagazine.org/contents/current/webonly/webex812.html

Chemical Weapons used in Lal Masjid Operation

2007-07-22T10:26:00.000+05:00

By Teeth Maestro on Jul 14, 2007 in Politics, Pakistan | Share This

Posted at Teeth Maestro:

On 12th July, AAJ Tv boradcasted a program of Live with Talat in which Talat Hussain visited Jamia Hafsa. While touring the bullet ridden compound a number of military personal hovered around, at a certain point Talat Hussain asked an accompanying Army personal about all the evidence of smoke around the area asking, “Why is there so much smoke?”, the solider replied “WP”, Talat put another question “Please explain WP?”, the solider answered “White Phosphorus.”

White Phosphorus is a flare / smoke producing incendiary weapon which is also used as an offensive Anti-Personnel flame compound capable of causing serious burns or death. White phosphorus weapons are controversial today because of its potential use against humans, for whom one-tenth of a gram is a deadly dose and according to the Geneva Convention which was later amended by the Convention on Certain Conventional Weapons signed into effect in 1997, expressively prohibits the use against civilians. White Phosphorus weapons have been used in the recent past by Israel in Lebanon and US and UK in Iraq, but probably the first time ever by a an army against its own people

Article 1 of Protocol III of the Convention on Certain Conventional Weapons (Wikipedia) defines an incendiary weapon as ‘any weapon or munition which is primarily designed to set fire to objects or to cause burn injury to persons through the action of flame, heat, or combination thereof, produced by a chemical reaction of a substance delivered on the target’. The same protocol also prohibits the use of incendiary weapons against civilians or in civilian areas. However, the use against military targets outside civilian areas is not explicitly banned by any treaty.

There continues to be a strong debate on how Musharraf should have handled this situation, but what surprises me is the inhumanity of this attack, dexterity of the assault should have meant targeted exchange of fire maybe an occasional rubber bullet to pacify the milder militants, but the indiscriminate use of chemical weapons, by the National Army against its own people. Is jaw dropping serious, its akin to the mass murder which happened in Karachi on May 12th when the Army headed off to the barracks leaving the city at the hands of ruthless killers for six hours..

To understand the gravity of the situation one has only to look at these two images of burnt bodies the sight is excruciatingly painful, when the Americans used White Phosphorous on the victims in Fallujah back in April 2004.

If you look at the top most image which appeared in Dawn on 13th July (link) one sees the classic signs of a high intensity flame, which reached astounding temperatures to melt the steel framework of ceiling fans, one must also noted that the public was not shown the remains of numerous people killed in the disaster and quickly buried them in concealed wooden coffins the next day.

I am shocked and stunned at what has just happened, it should be enough for the world to wake up and ask for an unconditional removal of the dictator

Story credit:: Asma

Source:
http://www.teeth.com.pk/blog/2007/07/14/white-phosphorus-used-in-operation-silence/

Decision Making

2007-07-21T20:30:00.000+05:00

The story given here is quite interesting and really gives us an insight into DECISION MAKING.

A group of children were playing near two railway tracks, one still in use while the other disused. Only one child played on the disused track, the rest on the operational track.
The train is coming, and you are just beside the track interchange. You can make the train change its course to the disused track and save most of the kids. However, that would also mean the lone child playing by the disused track would be sacrificed. Or would you rather let the train go its way?

Let's take a pause to think what kind of decision we could make................

Most people might choose to divert the course of the train, and sacrifice only one child. You might think the same way, I guess. Exactly, I thought the same way initially because to save most of the children at the expense of only one child was rational decision most people would make, morally and emotionally. But, have you ever thought that the child choosing to play on the disused track had in fact made the right decision to play at a safe place?

Nevertheless, he had to be sacrificed because of his ignorant friends who chose to play where the danger was. This kind of dilemma happens around us everyday. In the office, community, in politics and especially in a democratic society, the minority is often sacrificed for the interest of the majority, no matter how foolish or ignorant the majority are, and how farsighted and knowledgeable the minority are. The child who chose not to play with the rest on the operational track was sidelined. And in the case he was sacrificed, no one would shed a tear for him.
The great critic Leo Velski Julian who told the story said he would not try to change the course of the train because he believed that the kids playing on the operational track should have known very well that track was still in use, and that they should have run away if they heard the train's sirens. If the train was diverted, that lone child would definitely die because he never thought the train could come over to that track! Moreover, that track was not in use probably because it was not safe. If the train was diverted to the track, we could put the lives of all passengers on board at stake! And in your attempt to save a few kids by sacrificing one child, you might end up sacrificing hundreds of people to save these few kids.

While we are all aware that life is full of tough decisions that need to be made, we may not realize that hasty decisions may not always be the right one.
"Remember that what's right isn't always popular... and what's popular isn't always right."

Everybody makes mistakes; that's why they put erasers on pencils.

Source:
http://netempire.wordpress.com/2007/07/05/train-track-and-children-2/

The Reality of Sufism

2007-07-21T18:06:00.000+05:00

A must read for all Muslims. Sufism is certainly the most destructive force which is sweeping Muslims who are ignorant of the true Islamic Aqeedah. This book explains the origins of the Sufi movement and its various doctrines. Most people associate Sufism with haunting mystical music, breath-taking poetry, and liberal attitudes. This book actually explains the fundamental doctrines and beliefs of the Sufis which the average Muslim is clueless about. Most importantly it helps us understand how some tenets of Sufism might violate the injunction against shirk.

Download the PDF Ebook from the link below:

source:
http://www.jamatdawah.org/

Ten New Rules for Project Managers

2007-07-19T12:47:00.000+05:00

By Hal Macomber

These ten ideas will help improve your projects. Are these ten rules the top ten? You decide. But don't take too long. Share these rules with your team. Your team members are sure to help you carry them out.

Adopt practices for exploring a variety of perspectives.
We think we see what we see, but we don't. We really see what we think. Remember the blind men and the elephant. Make it your habit to inquire what others see. You'll see more together.
Stay close to your customer.
Clients' concerns evolve over the life of a project. Take advantage of that to over-deliver. Stay in a conversation with your client to adjust what you are doing.
Take care of your project team.
We've come to accept that the customer comes first the customer is always right. We can't take care of the customer if we first aren't taking care of our project team. It's a challenge. While there are some things we can do for the whole team, it comes down to taking care of each team member as the individual that he or she is. And to make it more difficult, then we must bring their various interests into coherence.
Keep your eye on the overall project promises.
Project work can be difficult. It is easy to loose sight of what we are doing and why we are doing it. Remind your team and yourself of the overall promises and how you are doing fulfilling those promises.
Build relationships intentionally.
Project teams come together as strangers. To do great work, innovation, learning, and collaboration all take people who like and care for each other. Don't leave that to chance. Start your projects by building relationships among team members.
Tightly couple learning with action.
Projects are wonderful opportunities to learn. Don't put that off for the after project lessons learned. Make it your habit to incorporate learning loops in all your project activities. Your team will appreciate it. Your customer will benefit from it. And best of all, it will make your job easier.
Coordinate meticulously.
A project is an ever-evolving network of commitment. Keep that network activated by tending to the critical conversations. See that people are making clear requests, promises that have completion dates, and share opinions that advance the purposes of the project. Without attention to those critical conversations the project will drift.
Collaborate. Really collaborate.
Make it your rule to plan with those people who will be the performers of the plan. Don't wait until the project has gone south to get their help. Start out that way. Continue collaborating as the usual way you work through the project.
Listen generously.
People are able to say what they can in the moment. For the most part, people are well-intended. Give them the benefit of the doubt. Take the time to listen. Ask questions. Seek others' opinions. And while you're at it, don't be so harsh on yourself.
Embrace uncertainty.
Expect the unexpected. There is far more that we don't know and can't know than what we can anticipate. Be resilient to what life throws at you. Anticipate that your team will learn something along the way that can and should change what you have promised and how you can deliver on your promises. And when you take a set-back - we all do sometime or another - review the other nine rules for how you can work your way out of it.

Reference: www.projectsmart. co.uk

Islam & Terrorism - Dr. Zakir Naik

2007-07-14T11:45:00.000+05:00

“War on Islam”

“The War on Islam Has Revealed An Important Aspect of the Western World Psyche. Inspite of ALL Their Technological, Military & Economic Accomplishments THEY ARE SCARED OF ISLAM. Normally People Are Scared of Only the TRUTH & NOT Falsehood Which PERISHS Itself Over Time. So the West Does NOT Want to See the Muslims Living Their LIVES According the Teachings of Islam. Therefore They Are Hell Bent on PROMOTING Their SICKULARISED Version of Islam To the Muslim World AIDED & ABETTED By Some SICKULARISED Muslims.”

ISLAM AND TERRORISM BY DR. ZAKIR NAIK

MUSLIMS ARE FUNDAMENTALISTS AND TERRORISTS

Question:

Why are most of the Muslims fundamentalists and terrorists?

Answer:

This question is often hurled at Muslims, either directly or indirectly, during any discussion on religion or world affairs. Muslim stereotypes are perpetuated in every form of the media accompanied by gross misinformation about Islam and Muslims. In fact, such misinformation and false propaganda often leads to discrimination and acts of violence against Muslims. A case in point is the anti-Muslim campaign in the American media following the Oklahoma bomb blast, where the press was quick to declare a ‘Middle Eastern conspiracy’ behind the attack. The culprit was later identified as a soldier from the American Armed Forces.

Let us analyze this allegation of ‘fundamentalism’ and ‘terrorism’:

1. Definition of the word ‘fundamentalist’

A fundamentalist is a person who follows and adheres to the fundamentals of the doctrine or theory he is following. For a person to be a good doctor, he should know, follow, and practise the fundamentals of medicine. In other words, he should be a fundamentalist in the field of medicine. For a person to be a good mathematician, he should know, follow and practise the fundamentals of mathematics. He should be a fundamentalist in the field of mathematics. For a person to be a good scientist, he should know, follow and practise the fundamentals of science. He should be a fundamentalist in the field of science.

2. Not all ‘fundamentalists’ are the same

One cannot paint all fundamentalists with the same brush. One cannot categorize all fundamentalists as either good or bad. Such a categorization of any fundamentalist will depend upon the field or activity in which he is a fundamentalist. A fundamentalist robber or thief causes harm to society and is therefore undesirable. A fundamentalist doctor, on the other hand, benefits society and earns much respect.

3. I am proud to be a Muslim fundamentalist

I am a fundamentalist Muslim who, by the grace of Allah, knows, follows and strives to practise the fundamentals of Islam. A true Muslim does not shy away from being a fundamentalist. I am proud to be a fundamentalist Muslim because, I know that the fundamentals of Islam are beneficial to humanity and the whole world. There is not a single fundamental of Islam that causes harm or is against the interests of the human race as a whole. Many people harbour misconceptions about Islam and consider several teachings of Islam to be unfair or improper. This is due to insufficient and incorrect knowledge of Islam. If one critically analyzes the teachings of Islam with an open mind, one cannot escape the fact that Islam is full of benefits both at the individual and collective levels.

4. Dictionary meaning of the word ‘fundamentalist’

According to Webster’s dictionary ‘fundamentalism’ was a movement in American Protestanism that arose in the earlier part of the 20th century. It was a reaction to modernism, and stressed the infallibility of the Bible, not only in matters of faith and morals but also as a literal historical record. It stressed on belief in the Bible as the literal word of God. Thus fundamentalism was a word initially used for a group of Christians who believed that the Bible was the verbatim word of God without any errors and mistakes.

According to the Oxford dictionary ‘fundamentalism’ means ‘strict maintenance of ancient or fundamental doctrines of any religion, especially Islam’. Today the moment a person uses the word fundamentalist he thinks of a Muslim who is a terrorist.

5. Every Muslim should be a terrorist

Every Muslim should be a terrorist. A terrorist is a person who causes terror. The moment a robber sees a policeman he is terrified. A policeman is a terrorist for the robber. Similarly every Muslim should be a terrorist for the antisocial elements of society, such as thieves, dacoits and rapists. Whenever such an anti-social element sees a Muslim, he should be terrified. It is true that the word ‘terrorist’ is generally used for a person who causes terror among the common people. But a true Muslim should only be a terrorist to selective people i.e. anti-social elements, and not to the common innocent people. In fact a Muslim should be a source of peace for innocent people.

6. Different labels given to the same individual for the same action, i.e. ‘terrorist’ and ‘patriot’

Before India achieved independence from British rule, some freedom fighters of India who did not subscribe to non-violence were labeled as terrorists by the British government. The same individuals have been lauded by Indians for the same activities and hailed as ‘patriots’. Thus two different labels have been given to the same people for the same set of actions. One is calling him a terrorist while the other is calling him a patriot. Those who believed that Britain had a right to rule over India called these people terrorists, while those who were of the view that Britain had no right to rule India called them patriots and freedom fighters.

It is therefore important that before a person is judged, he is given a fair hearing. Both sides of the argument should be heard, the situation should be analyzed, and the reason and the intention of the person should be taken into account, and then the person can be judged accordingly.

7. Islam means peace

Islam is derived from the word ‘salaam’ which means peace. It is a religion of peace whose fundamentals teach its followers to maintain and promote peace throughout the world. Thus every Muslim should be a fundamentalist i.e. he should follow the fundamentals of the Religion of Peace: Islam. He should be a terrorist only towards the antisocial elements in order to promote peace and justice in the society.

WAS ISLAM SPREAD BY THE SWORD?

Question:

How can Islam be called the religion of peace when it was spread by the sword?

Answer:

It is a common complaint among some non-Muslims that Islam would not have millions of adherents all over the world, if it had not been spread by the use of force. The following points will make it clear, that far from being spread by the sword, it was the inherent force of truth, reason and logic that was responsible for the rapid spread of Islam.

1. Islam means peace.

Islam comes from the root word ‘salaam’, which means peace. It also means submitting one’s will to Allah (swt). Thus Islam is a religion of peace, which is acquired by submitting one’s will to the will of the Supreme Creator, Allah (swt).

2. Sometimes force has to be used to maintain peace.

Each and every human being in this world is not in favour of maintaining peace and harmony. There are many, who would disrupt it for their own vested interests. Sometimes force has to be used to maintain peace. It is precisely for this reason that we have the police who use force against criminals and anti-social elements to maintain peace in the country. Islam promotes peace. At the same time, Islam exhorts it followers to fight where there is oppression. The fight against oppression may, at times, require the use of force. In Islam force can only be used to promote peace and justice.

3. Opinion of historian De Lacy O’Leary.

The best reply to the misconception that Islam was spread by the sword is given by the noted historian De Lacy O’Leary in the book ’Islam at the cross road’ (Page 8):

’History makes it clear however, that the legend of fanatical Muslims sweeping through the world and forcing Islam at the point of the sword upon conquered races is one of the most fantastically absurd myth that historians have ever repeated.’

4. Muslims ruled Spain for 800 years.

Muslims ruled Spain for about 800 years. The Muslims in Spain never used the sword to force the people to convert. Later the Christian Crusaders came to Spain and wiped out the Muslims. There was not a single Muslim in Spain who could openly give the adhan, that is the call for prayers.

5. 14 million Arabs are Coptic Christians.

Muslims were the lords of Arabia for 1400 years. For a few years the British ruled, and for a few years the French ruled. Overall, the Muslims ruled Arabia for 1400 years. Yet today, there are 14 million Arabs who are Coptic Christians i.e. Christians since generations. If the Muslims had used the sword there would not have been a single Arab who would have remained a Christian.

6. More than 80% non-Muslims in India.

The Muslims ruled India for about a thousand years. If they wanted, they had the power of converting each and every non-Muslim of India to Islam. Today more than 80% of the population of India are non-Muslims. All these non-Muslim Indians are bearing witness today that Islam was not spread by the sword.

7. Indonesia and Malaysia.

Indonesia is a country that has the maximum number of Muslims in the world. The majority of people in Malaysia are Muslims. May one ask, ’Which Muslim army went to Indonesia and Malaysia?’

8. East Coast of Africa.

Similarly, Islam has spread rapidly on the East Coast of Africa. One may again ask, if Islam was spread by the sword, ’Which Muslim army went to the East Coast of Africa?’

9. Thomas Carlyle.

The famous historian, Thomas Carlyle, in his book ’Heroes and Hero worship’, refers to this misconception about the spread of Islam: ’The sword indeed, but where will you get your sword? Every new opinion, at its starting is precisely in a minority of one. In one man’s head alone. There it dwells as yet. One man alone of the whole world believes it, there is one man against all men. That he takes a sword and try to propagate with that, will do little for him. You must get your sword! On the whole, a thing will propagate itself as it can.’

10. No compulsion in religion.

With which sword was Islam spread? Even if Muslims had it they could not use it to spread Islam because the Qur’an says in the following verse:

’Let there be no compulsion in religion: Truth stands out clear from error’ [Al-Qur’an 2:256]

11. Sword of the Intellect.

It is the sword of intellect. The sword that conquers the hearts and minds of people. The Qur’an says in Surah Nahl, chapter 16 verse 125:

’Invite (all) to the way of thy Lord with wisdom and beautiful preaching; and argue with them in ways that are best and most gracious.’ [Al-Qur’an 16:125]

12. Increase in the world religions from 1934 to 1984.

An article in Reader’s Digest ‘Almanac’, year book 1986, gave the statistics of the increase of percentage of the major religions of the world in half a century from 1934 to 1984. This article also appeared in ‘The Plain Truth’ magazine. At the top was Islam, which increased by 235%, and Christianity had increased only by 47%. May one ask, which war took place in this century which converted millions of people to Islam?

13. Islam is the fastest growing religion in America and Europe.

Today the fastest growing religion in America is Islam. The fastest growing religion in Europe in Islam. Which sword is forcing people in the West to accept Islam in such large numbers?

14. Dr. Joseph Adam Pearson.

Dr. Joseph Adam Pearson rightly says, ’People who worry that nuclear weaponry will one day fall in the hands of the Arabs, fail to realize that the Islamic bomb has been dropped already, it fell the day MUHAMMED (pbuh) was born’

Source: http://www.jamatdawah.org/article_detail.php?article_id=70

Body tricks everyone should know!

2007-07-08T14:31:00.000+05:00

1. If your throat tickles, scratch your ear!

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

2. Experience supersonic hearing!

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

3. Overcome your most primal urge!

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

4. Feel no pain!

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

5. Clear your stuffed nose!

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

6. Fight fire without water!

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

7. Cure your toothache without opening your mouth!

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

8. Make burns disappear!

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

9. Stop the world from spinning!

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

10. Unstitch your side!

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

11. Stanch blood with a single finger!

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

12. Make your heart stand still!

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

13. Thaw your brain!

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

14. Prevent near-sightedness!

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

15. Wake the dead!

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

16. Impress your friends!

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

17. Breathe underwater!

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

18. Read minds!

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

Source:
http://www.menshealth.com/cda/article.do?site=MensHealth&channel=health&category=other.diseases.ailments&conitem=98f183b403517010VgnVCM200000cee793cd____#%23%23

Another Nadal Federer Final !!

2007-07-08T10:07:00.000+05:00

Another Routine Final match of the greats. Its been easy route once again in Wimbledon for the World No. 1 and 2. I wonder how many more Nadal vs Federer Finals we will see in this era.

The 25-year-old Federer, who is the oldest of the four men's semifinalists, is trying to win a fifth consecutive Wimbledon title, something only Bjorn Borg has done in the past 100 years.

That win in Semi Final also puts his streak in Grass Courts to 53. Lets see if he can extend this lead.

Longest streaks by surface

Surface	Streak
Clay	Nadal, 81
Indoor carpet	McEnroe, 65
Hard court	Federer, 56
Grass	Federer, 53*
*active streak

One liners — Hidden meanings in Company talk

2007-07-07T22:25:00.000+05:00

”We will do it” means “You will do it”
”You have done a great job” means “More work to be given to you”
”We are working on it” means “We have not yet started working on the same”
4. 4. ”Tomorrow first thing in the morning” means “Its not getting done “At least not tomorrow!”
”After discussion we will decide-I am very open to views” means “I have already decided, I will tell you what to do”
”There was a slight miscommunication” means “We had actually lied”
”Lets call a meeting and discuss” means “I have no time now, will talk later”
”We can always do it” means “We actually cannot do the same on time”
”We are on the right track but there needs to be a slight extension of the deadline” means “The project is screwed up, we cannot deliver on time.”
”We had slight differences of opinion “means “We had actually fought”
”Make a list of the work that you do and let’s see how I can help you” means “Anyway you have to find a way out no help from me”
”You should have told me earlier” means “Well even if you told me earlier that would have made hardly any difference!”
”We need to find out the real reason” means “Well I will tell you where your fault is”
”Well Family is important; your leave is always granted. Justensure that the work is not affected,” means, “Well you know…”
”We are a team,” means, “I am not the only one to be blamed”
”That’s actually a good question” means “I do not know anything about it”
”All the Best” means “You are in trouble”

Source: http://tides.wordpress.com/2007/05/25/one-liners-hidden-meanings-in-company-talk/

My Thoughts on Lal Masjid Issue!

2007-07-07T20:48:00.000+05:00

Throughout the Musharaf’s regime, we are facing incidents one after the another and each time the Islam of the Pakistanis is blamed one way or another. Whats going on at Lal Masjid, its horrible and highly shameful for both the people inside the Lal Masjid and Jamia Hafsa and the government for making a mess of the situation. It could have been solved through negotiations earlier, but the government needlessly lengthened it by displaying a complete lack of responsibility. We live in Islamabad and are in a continuous state of tension since the issue has intensified.

I am a Muslim and like all Muslims it’s my desire to live in an Islamic Society. The regime of Musharaf has since the beginning, criticized the beliefs of the Muslims and publicized the Enlightened Moderation. This is the cause that nearly every good Muslim in Pakistan hates him no matter what he does. Due to different policies of the government, people like the clerics at Lal Masjid have started their obnoxious efforts against the govt. I don’t defend the actions of these clerics but criticize the way they took the matter, it was not Islamic and due to them our government has got a strong base to take actions against every religious seminaries throughout the country no matter how good they are serving.

There are few things which lead me think that government is responsible for this catastrophe. First of all how was it possible that government and law enforcement agencies were not aware what was going in Lal Masjid? How is it possible and why they didn't stop them at that time? For the past few weeks, the Government was facing pretty bad response from the people due to its bad policies and being in the Election year, it was harming the cause of government to hold on in these elections. During that time, the government of Prez Musharaf was busy in its case against Chief Justice instead of handling the situation at the Lal Masjid by negotiations. They intentionally lengthened the issue so that they could have something to divert the people’s attention to.

The goals achieved by government!!!

· Humiliation of Beared and Burqa, arrest of Khalid Khawja( an activist of Human Rights with islamic perspective), a new plan against the so called extremism and Madrassas(seminaries) on its way ( as it is reported that a high official meeting is held in which it is decide to have a crack down on Seminaries like lal masjid). One has already taken place at Jamia Faridia in Islamabad.

· Deriving people's mind towards enlightened moderation through tense media coverage and showing off the rigid behavior of lal masjid clerics.

It was a case that could have easily talked down by the government much earlier but was made a disaster by the government intentionally to gain these benefits.

The Difference between Strength and Courage

2007-07-01T20:05:00.000+05:00

It takes strength to be firm.
It takes courage to be gentle.

It takes strength to stand guard.
It takes courage to let down your guard.

It takes strength to conquer.
It takes courage to surrender.

It takes strength to be certain.
It takes courage to have doubt.

It takes strength to fit in.
It takes courage to stand out.

It takes strength to feel a friend's pain.
It takes courage to feel your own pain.

It takes strength to hide feelings.
It takes courage to show them.

It takes strength to endure abuse.
It takes courage to stop it.

It takes strength to stand alone.
It takes courage to lean on another.

It takes strength to love.
It takes courage to be loved.

It takes strength to survive.
It takes courage to live.

--- Copyright © 1998 Dave Griffith
http://www.palletmastersworkshop.com
--- Submitted by Kristen C., Age 15 --- Kansas

52 PROVEN STRESS REDUCERS

2007-07-01T19:09:00.000+05:00



1. Get up fifteen minutes earlier in the morning. The inevitable morning mishaps will be less stressful. 2. Prepare for the morning the evening before. Set the breakfast table. Make lunches. Put out the clothes you plan to wear, etc. 3. Don't rely on your memory. Write down appointment times, when to pick up the laundry, when library books are due, etc. ("The palest ink is better than the most retentive memory."- Old Chinese Proverb) 4. Do nothing you have to lie about later. 5. Make copies of all keys. Bury a house key in a secret spot in the garden. Carry a duplicate car key in your wallet, apart from your key ring. 6. Practice preventive maintenance. Your car, appliances, home and relationships will be less likely to break down "at the worst possible moment." 7. Be prepared to wait. A paperback book can make a wait in a post office line almost pleasant. 8. Procrastination is stressful. Whatever you want to do tomorrow, do today; whatever you want to do today, do it now. 9. Plan ahead. Don't let the gas tank get below onequarter full, keep a well- stocked "emergency shelf'' of home staples, don't wait until you're down to your last bus token or postage stamp to buy more, etc. 10. Don't put up with something that doesn't work right. If your alarm clock wallet, shoe laces, windshield wipers-whatever-are a constant aggravation, get them fixed or get new ones. 11. Allow 15 minutes of extra time to get to appointments. Plan to arrive at an airport one hour before domestic departures. 12. Eliminate (or restrict) the amount of caffeine in your diet. 13. Always set up contingency plans, "just in case." ("If for some reason either of us is delayed, here's what we'll do..." Or, "If we get split up in the shopping center, here's where we'll meet.") 14. Relax your standards. The world will not end if the grass doesn't get mowed this weekend. 15. Pollyanna-Power! For every one thing that goes wrong, there are probably 10 or 50 or 100 blessings. Count 'em! 16. Ask questions. Taking a few moments to repeat back the directions that someone expects of you, etc., can save hours. (The old "the hurrieder I go, the behinder I get" idea.) 17. Say "No!" Saying no to extra projects, social activities and invitations you know you don't have the time or energy for takes practice, self-respect and a belief that everyone, everyday, needs quiet time to relax and to be alone. 18. Unplug your phone. Want to take a long bath, meditate, sleep or read without interruption? Drum up the courage to temporarily disconnect. (The possibility of there being a terrible emergency in the next hour or so is almost nil.) 19. Turn "needs" into preferences. Our basic physical needs translate into food, water, and keeping warm. Everything else is a preference. Don't get attached to preferences. 20. Simplify, simplify, simplify. 21. Make friends with nonworriers. Chronic worrywarts are contagious. 22. Take many stretch breaks when you sit a lot.		23. If you can't find quiet at home, wear earplugs. 24. Get enough sleep. Set your alarm for bedtime. 25. Organize! A place for everything and everything in its place. Losing things is stressful. 26. Monitor your body for stress signs. If your stomach muscles are knotted and your breathing is shallow, relax your muscles and take some deep, slow breaths. 27. Write your thoughts and feelings down on paper. It can help you clarify and give you a renewed perspective. 28. Do this yoga exercise when you need to relax: Inhale through your nose to the count of eight. Pucker your lips and exhale slowly to the count of 16. Concentrate on the long sighing sound and feel the tension dissolve. Repeat 10 times. 29. Visualize success before any experience you fear. Take time to go over every part of the event in your mind. Imagine how great you will look, and how well you will present yourself. 30. If the stress of deadlines gets in the way of doing a job, use diversion. Take your mind off the task and you will focus better when you're on task. 31. Talk out your problems with a friend. It helps to relieve confusion. 32. Avoid people and places that don't fit your personal needs and desires. If you hate politics, don't spend time with politically excited people. 33. Learn to live one day at a time. 34. Everyday, do something you really enjoy. 35. Add an ounce of love to everything you do. 36. Take a bath or shower to relieve tension. 37. Do a favor for someone every day. 38. Focus on understanding rather than on being under stood, on loving rather than on being loved. 39. Looking good makes you feel better. 40. Take more time between tasks to relax. Schedule a realistic day. 41. Be flexible. Some things are not worth perfection. 42. Stop negative self-talk: "I'm too fat, too old, etc..." 43. Change pace on weekends. If your week was slow, be active. If you felt nothing was accomplished during the week, do a weekend project. 44. "Worry about the pennies, and the dollars will take care of themselves." Pay attention to the details in front of you. 45. Do one thing at a time. When you are working on one thing, don't think about everything else you have to do. 46. Allow time every day for privacy, quiet and thinking. 47. Do unpleasant tasks early and enjoy the rest of the day. 48. Delegate responsibility to capable people. 49. Take lunch breaks. Get away from your work in body and in mind. 50. Count to 1,000, not 10, before you say something that could make matters worse. 51. Forgive people and events. Accept that we live in an imperfect world. 52. Have an optimistic view of the world. Most people do the best they can.

Petition against Knighthood of Rushdie!

2007-07-01T13:19:00.000+05:00

Muslims around the world are deeply disappointed and resent the conferment of knighthood on writer Salman Rushdie by the UK Government.

We deplore and regret this truly irrational decision by the government of the United Kingdom as it has negated the objective of building a trusty relationship between civilizations and shows an utter lack of sensitivity.

I personally believe that it is an intentional act of the British Government to agitate the Muslims and then blame the Terrorism on Muslims such as the latest on Glasgow and London Bombs.

It’s time that the Muslim leaders should take responsibility to stop further denouncing the name of Islam.

Please sign this Petition. The author of this petition urges all his brothers and sisters in the Muslim world to sign it and declare their utter disgust and resentment over the decision of knighting Salman Rushdie, which we feel is truly provocative and insidious in nature.

http://www.petitiononline.com/rushdie/petition.html

My Life Path Number ?

2007-06-30T16:26:00.001+05:00

Your Life Path Number is 7

Your purpose in life is to find truth and meaning

You are very spiritual, and you are interested in the mysteries of life.
You are quite analytical and a great thinker. You have many theories and insights.
A life of solitude is perfect for you. You need time to think and do things your way.

In love, you are quite charming. You attract many with your confidence and wit.

While you enjoy being alone, sometimes you take it to an extreme.
You can become too isolated, shutting out loved ones and friends.
Express yourself a little bit more, and you'll be surprised where it takes you!

What Is Your Life Path Number?

Me: Extrovert or Introvert ?

2007-06-30T16:25:00.001+05:00

You Are 50% Extrovert, 50% Introvert

You're a bit outgoing, a bit reserved
Like most people, you enjoy being social
But you also value the time you have alone
You have struck a good balance!

Are You An Extrovert or An Introvert?

MY Dominant Intelligence?

2007-06-30T16:12:00.000+05:00

Your Dominant Intelligence is Logical-Mathematical Intelligence

You are great at finding patterns and relationships between things.
Always curious about how things work, you love to set up experiments.
You need for the world to make sense - and are good at making sense of it.
You have a head for numbers and math ... and you can solve almost any logic puzzle.

You would make a great scientist, engineer, computer programmer, researcher, accountant, or mathematician.

What Kind of Intelligence Do You Have?

Clean your PC from W32/Sohana-R Worm Manually!

2007-06-26T08:46:00.000+05:00

Hi !

The virus under discussion and the other variants of the same are basically different types of the W32/Sohana-R worm. It disables the Task Manager, CMD, Registry Editor and some processes with the similar name to the windows service SVCHOST.exe. It is usually spread by the removable media storage devices like USB Flash drives.

Following are some of the names which are used by this worm to manipulate your PC integrity. SSVICHOSST.EXE, SVICHOSSST.EXE, RVHOST.EXE, SVICHOSST.EXE, etc.

As far as I know, this worm goes undetected and/or uncleaned by most commercial anti virus softwares. I am referring a couple of very good tools using which you can easily remove the virus.

To manually remove the virus from your system use the following directions.

1) There are two main software tools. One is the procexp which is a third party task manager and much more powerful than the default windows task manager. The other is a batch file. EmergencyVirusFix.bat

2) Use this third party task manager to find that process.

3) You will find a couple (maybe more) of tasks currently run with the above mentioned names or similar. Note the spelling of the task and kill all the instances.

4) Now Edit the batch file after uncompressing it from the rar file. Replace the file name with the process name you just killed.

5) Run the batch file. This will enable the Task Manager, CMD (command prompt), Folder Options and Registry Editor.

6) Now Run the registry Editor and find all the keys with the name of the processor.

7) Usually it copies in the RUN and SHELL keys with tricky names. You will have to delete all the keys except the shell which is altered in the following way:
"EXPLORER.EXE SSVICHOSST.EXE". Modify this key to just EXPLORER.EXE and remove all the extra.

8) After removing all the registry keys your system is clean. Note that the file is still there and can not be accessed in normal way. You have to install a good anti-virus to remove the file.

9) Now the most important step of your virus removing mission. Install a good anti virus e.g.
* Kaspersky ( I recommend this)
* BitDefender
* AVG
* McAfee
* PandA AV
* NOD32
* PC Cilin

Check the following sites:
http://anti-virus-software-review.toptenreviews.com/
http://www.consumersearch.com/www/software/antivirus-software/
http://www.pcworld.com/article/id,124475-page,1/article.html

I have made a very simple sequence to clean the system. If you still need any help; just contact me.

Download the archived file from:

http://files.filefront.com//;6793648;;/
http://www.megaupload.com/?d=3GVNDB2D

Ref: http://www.putera.com/tanya/lofiversion/index.php/t32227.html

Beautiful Places of Pakistan

2007-06-07T17:51:00.000+05:00

Beautiful Places of Pakistan !!!
Pakistan is blessed with one of the most beautiful places. Especially in the hot summer season the northern areas are one of the favorite tourist attractions....

Lake SaifulMuluk

K-2

Lalazar Kaghan

Baltoro Glacier

Skardu

Camping Site in Kaghan !

15 coolest firefox tricks ever

2007-06-04T10:29:00.001+05:00

a bunch of hacks to tweak, maximize and customize your firefox browser.

read more | digg story

I Like You !!!

2007-06-04T09:03:00.000+05:00

71 Things You Can Do

2007-06-02T12:16:00.001+05:00

This self-improvement article lists 71 things you can do to live a happier and more successful life. The main theme of the list is that you can simple choices to improve your life or not, and so if you aren't happy with your life it's your fault.

read more | digg story

Happy Birthday!

2007-05-27T11:18:00.000+05:00

The Earth Renewal & Restoration Alliance

2007-05-24T19:44:00.000+05:00

The Earth Renewal & Restoration Alliance
One of the sites for the betterment of the environment. I am fascinated by lots of nature's wonders especially big and huge trees..
Worth a visit....

Conversation Starters that Work Like Magic

2007-05-23T23:40:00.001+05:00

Starting a conversation is one of the hardest parts of communication. Some conversations begin easily, but others seem as if it hard work just to get them off the ground. Having a good idea of great ways to start a conversation will help you avoid problems the next time you try to begin a conversation.

There are five basic things you must know about starting a conversation that will end up being interesting and fun. The following outline explains how and why they work. Try keeping these in mind the next time you chose to start a conversation.

1. Do not drill with questions.

The person you are talking with should not feel as if they are facing the firing squad. Do not keep firing questions at them without giving your own feedback and actually conversing.

Nothing is worse than feeling like you are getting the third degree. Asking too many questions quickly will only make the other person feel uncomfortable and leave them looking for a way out of the conversation before it has really begun.

2. Be funny.

This is not meaning you need to do a stand up routine, but just tell a funny story to break the ice. You’d be surprised how sharing something funny that happened to you will get others to open up. Everyone loves to laugh and laughing makes people feel comfortable. This is a sure fire way to lighten up tense and get people talking.

3. Ask open ended questions.

Open ended questions are questions that require more than a simple yes or no answer. Open ended questions allow people to elaborate and this creates conversation. You are drawing the person out and making them become part of a conversation.

Open ended questions bring growth to a conversation as opposed to questions with yes or no answers that stunt the growth of conversation. You can avoid awkward periods of silence that usually follow a yes or no questions as well.

4. Make the other person comfortable.

You can really get a person talking if they are happy to be talking to you. Let them initiate topics if you notice they seem uncomfortable. If you notice they seem distracted ask them if there is anything you can do to help. Maybe they really need to talk about something, but didn’t want to bring it up.

You can turn a total stranger into a friend by just making them feel as if you want to hear what they have to say and that you care about what they have say. Watch invading personal space also. Stand far enough to give them breathing room, but close enough to be able to clearly hear them.

5. Bring up a subject everyone can talk about.

The safest bet in starting a conversation is finding common ground. Pet peeves make for good conversation starters because everyone has them. You can start off by telling a story about one of your pet peeves and others are sure to join in.

These conversations tend to make everyone laugh and really enjoy the conversation. A feeling of camaraderie also forms and allows everyone to talk freely, making for great conversation.

These five tips can help anyone learn how to be a better conversation starter. You can use them all or just chose one or two you really like. Test them out to see how good each works for you. Knowing ahead of time what you want to say can also help ease your nerves about a situation.

Keeping these five conversation starter tips on your mind will definitely help you to be better at the art of communication.

Peter Murphy is a peak performance expert. He recently produced a very popular free report: 10 Simple Steps to Developing Communication Confidence. Apply now because it is available for a limited time only at: http://www.conversationtalk.com/report.htm

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Peter_Murphy

Dont Spray The Apes

2007-05-21T16:16:00.001+05:00

Here is a nice article I found while browsing the net. It is in fact the nature of everything including humans to follow what their elders have done.

Start with a cage containing five apes.

In the cage, hang a banana on a string and put stairs under it. Before
long, an ape will go to the stairs and start to climb towards the
banana. As soon as he touches the stairs, spray all of the apes with
cold water. After a while, another ape makes an attempt with the same
result - all the apes are sprayed with cold water. This continues
through several more attempts.

Pretty soon, when another ape tries to climb the stairs, the other apes
all try to prevent it. Now, turn off the cold water. Remove one ape
from the cage and replace it with a new one. The new ape sees the
banana and wants to climb the stairs. To his horror, all of the other
apes attack him. After another attempt and attack, he knows that if he
tries to climb the stairs, he will be assaulted.

Next, remove another of the original five apes and replace it with a
new one. The newcomer goes to the stairs and is attacked. The previous
newcomer takes part in the punishment with enthusiasm. Again, replace a
third original ape with a new one. The new one makes it to the stairs
and is attacked as well. Two of the four apes that beat him have no
idea why they were not permitted to climb the stairs, or why they are
participating in the beating of the newest ape.

After replacing the fourth and fifth original apes, all the apes, which
have been sprayed with cold water, have been replaced. Nevertheless, no
ape ever again approaches the stairs. Why not? Because that's the way
they've always done it and that's the way it's always been around here.

And that's how policy begins!!!

Source: http://management.about.com/cs/generalmanagement/a/SprayApes1999.htm

Consequences of the debacle of 05/12

2007-05-13T21:35:00.000+05:00

It was indeed the worst day in the history of Pakistan even worse than the 71 war and breakage of Pakistan and apparently it looked like Pervez Musharraf and Co. was busy buying the participants for his utterly disgraceful rally while giving the totally free hand to the Terrorists in Karachi to do what they had committed.

Pakistani rulers have history of acting miserably unjust on the hope of approval of their American Masters, with Prez Musharraf leading them all but this time its totally different from the previous actions. Just to show the world of the support of people, he bought thousands of laborers just to attend the rally and that too at that time when Karachi was facing the worst time in History.

As the Zionist forces controlling USA and Europe etc. alwyas wanted dictators in Muslim world, this game is nothing new. Yesterday they had overthrew Dr. Musaadiq (A very popular and democratically elected Prime Minsiter Of iran and imposed Shah of Iran as dictator).
It is the duty of each and every Pakistani to liberate Paksitan from the clutches of Zionism and in this regards they will have to follow the Sunnah of the Propeht and Companions in terms of acquiring weapon and eliminating the real murderers and terrorists. Now the entire world has seen the ugly picture of Pervaiz Musharraf's enlightened moderation

May Allah guide us all.

Universal Law of Fooling!

2007-05-04T19:03:00.000+05:00

Universal Law of Fooling
------------------------
As Abraham Lincoln said;
"You can fool some of the people all of the time, and all of the people some of the time, but you can not fool all of the people all of the time."

Some photos of trip to Murree

2007-05-03T22:46:00.000+05:00

Last week I went to Murree with an excursion trip with the students. Here are some of the photos we took there..

POLL: Only 3% of Pakistani Muslims Think Al Queda Did 9/11

2007-04-24T23:56:00.001+05:00

Large majorities (average 79%) across all four Muslim countries believe the United States seeks to “weaken and divide the Islamic world”, ranging from 73 percent in Indonesia and Pakistan to 92 percent in Egypt. Only 3 percent of Pakistanis think Al Qaeda conducted the September 11 attacks.

read more | digg story

The Rules for Being Human

2007-04-21T23:29:00.000+05:00

When you were born, you didn't come with an owner's manual; these guidelines make life work better.

1. You will receive a body. You may like it or hate it, but it will be yours for the entire period this time around.
2. You will learn lessons. You are enrolled in a fulltime informal school called life. Each day in this school you will have the opportunity to learn lessons. You may like the lessons or think them irrelevant and stupid.
3. There are no mistakes, only lessons. Growth is a process of trial and error, experimentation. The "failed" experiments are as much a part of the process as the experiment that ultimately "works."
4. A lesson is repeated until learned. A lesson will be presented to you in various forms until you have learned it. When you have learned it, you can go on to the next lesson.
5. Learning lessons does not end. There is no part of life that does not contain its lessons. If you are alive there are lessons to be learned.
6. "There" is no better than "here." When your "there" has become a "here" you will simply obtain another "there" that will again look better than "here."
7. Others are merely mirrors of you. You cannot love or hate something about another person unless it reflects to you something you love or hate about yourself.
8. What you make of your life is up to you. You have all the tools and resources you need. What you do with them is up to you. The choice is yours.
9. Your answers lie inside you. The answer to life's questions lie inside you. All you need to do is look, listen, and trust.
10. This will often be forgotten, only to be remembered again.

(From the book "If Life is a Game, These are the Rules" by Cherie Carter-Scott)

Shoaib Malik, Is it beginning of a new Era for Pakistan Cricket.

2007-04-20T14:12:00.000+05:00

Cricket is my passion and as an ardent follower of cricket around the world especially my team Pakistan I am writing my views on the recently formed tides after the world cup debacle.

Yesterday it was finally announced that young and gutsy Shoaib Malik would be the next captain of the Pakistan team. This is certainly a bold step taken by the board because Pakistanis have a history of not accepting a younger captain. But as a matter of fact I think it would mark a great move and Pakistan Cricket team will enter a new level InshaAllah.

There are a few things that the cricket board has to understand and discourage among the players. Malik has been made captain and in addition to this also hangs a sword over his head by announcing the evaluation on series to series basis. In simple words they are planning to change him with someone else if he doesn't do well. I think if it happens as I fear it would be a very unfortunate step for the development of cricket in Pakistan. Everybody is busy quoting that we are following the steps of South African Cricket who made G Smith the captain after their really disappointing performance in the WC2003, and say that because of that decision the South African team climbed to No. 1 in the ranking. I strongly disagree with these people because most of them clearly forgets one main point which was the basis on which South African team became successful. They dont even remember what happened soon after Smith was made captain. The South African team performance was declined to their worst and their ODI ranking slipped to their worst. There was also a run of 11 defeats in 12 one-day internationals back in 2004-05. There was no sign of improvement but their cricket board didn't lose confidence and trust on Smith and they bounced back ultimately to become the world beaters.

By saying all this I didn't mean that Pakistan will play like that. I pray for the success of Pakistan team under Malik but we should analyze carefully about all the possibilities. It is indeed a possibility that Pakistan may not start winning straight away. In order to see our team as a world class team we should put trust in Malik. The captain's skills can never be judged by only a couple of chances. He needs trust as well as guidance from the greats of Pakistan cricket and we should groom him to be the another legend in the list of Captains of Pakistan.

I hope that the World Cup debacle would prove to be the turning point for Pakistan Cricket on road to great cricket team. All the best to Shoaib Malik for his yet another role in Pakistan Cricket team.

Thats My Life

2007-04-20T12:04:00.000+05:00

This Is My Life, Rated
Life:	8.2
Mind:	7.5
Body:	6.5
Spirit:	8.8
Friends/Family:	6.5
Love:	6.9
Finance:	My Life Rating: 8.1
Take the Rate My Life Quiz

Friend far away

2007-04-18T13:25:00.000+05:00

"A friend who is far away is sometimes much nearer than one who is at hand. Is not the mountain far more awe-inspiring and more clearly visible to one passing through the valley than to those who inhabit the mountain?"

Khalil Gibran

Convocation 2007

2007-04-18T12:16:00.000+05:00

Starting with the news of the convocation 2007 at our University; University of Engineering and Technology, Taxila, Pakistan. Finally our convocation is held two and half years after graduating.

http://web.uettaxila.edu.pk/uet/UETsub/news/convocation07.htm

All the best for the fellow engineers who are honored with degrees in this convocation.