www.reachout.net.in/articles

100 Years History in 10 Minutes (1911 - 2011)

2012-01-22T19:44:00.001+05:30

Contributed by: mitra_prodeep @ yahoo.co.in

Lemon aid : 10 uses for lemons around the home

2011-12-10T19:36:00.001+05:30

The acidity of lemons means that theyâ€™re packed full of cleaning power, with the added advantage that theyâ€™re free from the chemicals contained in most household cleaning products. So next time you experience one of the following household emergencies, make the fruit bowl your first port of call!

Problem pans
Clean queens Kim and Aggie suggest using lemons to clean copper and brass. Simply take half a lemon, dip it in some salt and get rubbing! The acid within the lemon dissolves the tarnish whilst the salt scrubs away tougher stains.

Wooden wonder
Lemon juice can work wonders on wood â€“ Martha Stewart is just one advocate of this technique. In fact, many commercial wood polishes contain something called d-limonene, which is extracted from lemons and is especially effective at dissolving grease, so itâ€™s ideal for wiping away fingerprints and other oily stains.

Simply make up a solution of two parts olive oil and one part lemon juice, then dab a rag into the liquid and get polishing. If itâ€™s good enough for Martha, itâ€™s certainly good enough for us!

Skin saver

Suffering from dry patches on your elbows? Simply take half a lemon, sprinkle on some baking soda and twist your elbow into the lemon â€“ as if you were juicing it. Give your elbow a quick rinse and hey presto - super soft skin! Incidentally, rubbing a slice of lemon on your hands after preparing heavily scented foods such as curry, garlic, fish or onion will neutralise odours, whilst the vitamin c will help to soften skin.

Dirty dishes?
If youâ€™re cutting up a lemon, donâ€™t throw the leftover sections away â€“ place them in the dishwasher to give your crockery extra shine and banish any nasty niffs. The astringent qualities of lemon also help to cut through grease, which is why itâ€™s the main ingredient in so many washing up liquids.

Messy microwaves
The average microwave can quickly take on a resemblance to some kind of crime scene if left neglected. To help loosen burnt-on stains, place a chopped lemon in a bowl of hot water and switch the microwave onto full power for three minutes. Afterwards, youâ€™ll be able to wipe away those hard-to-remove stains with ease, and your microwave will smell pretty fab, too!

Stained shoes
All out of shoe polish? Kim and Aggie suggest using the pithy side of a lemon to shine black and dark brown shoes. We reckon the citrus scent will work wonders when it comes to masking sweaty foot odour, too.

Rust removal
Rust stains can be a nightmare to remove, but when it comes to rust marks on clothing, a slice of lemon might just save the day. Simply rub the stain with a lemon slice before washing as usual.

Ant eliminator
Insects hate the acid within lemon peel, so if youâ€™re suffering from a creepy crawly infestation, a few strips could be just the thing to keep bugs at bay â€“ simply place a few strips of lemon peel near the area in question. The secret of this tip lies in the presence of d-limonene with the peel, which is a natural insect repellent.

Bacteria buster
Lemon juice has anti bacterial properties, which means itâ€™s an ideal disinfectant. Rubbing a slice of lemon on a chopping board wonâ€™t just help get rid of bacteria but will also fade patches of discolouration and neutralise strong smells. It can also work wonders on graters and other hard-to-clean kitchen utensils.

Lemon and lime scale
The citric acid in lemons can help break down lime scale deposits â€“ use a slice of lemon to wipe down bathroom taps or for a deeper clean, use a piece of string to hold a couple of slices of lemon around the base of your taps and remove after an hour, then wipe down for super shiny taps.

All about Alcoholic Drinks

2011-11-06T19:03:00.000+05:30

What is single malt?

What is Blended Whisky?

What is the difference between Whisky and Whiskey?

What is Alcohol?

Does drinking water before or between drinks help you hold your drink
better?

What goes better with Whisky - Water or Soda?

What is Cognac?

Ten Facts about Dreams
Twelve (un)known facts about Pizza
Uncommon Trivia
Another 2 dozen interesting facts...
10 Fatal Career Moves

As regards Bourbon Whiskey, the United States Regulations provide:

Rye Whiskey

Canadian Whisky

What is Tequila?

Grades of Tequila:

How many types of Beer are available to Drink?

Contributed by: swapnildavey @ gmail.com

Six Ways To Be A Great Listener‏

2011-10-30T21:30:00.001+05:30

Here are 6 basic listening tips from U.S. News & World Report columnist Michael Wade:

1. Listen for a theme. Rather than getting distracted by trivia, listen for the main message. It may be hidden amid unrelated facts but your job is to determine what the person is trying to say.

2. Recognize that the speaker might not know the real message. Some powerful expressions of pain or frustration may be wrapped in clichés. Listen for hesitations, anger, and fear, and watch for nonverbal signs of each.

3. Look through a window, not a mirror. Don't assume that the person means what you would have meant under similar circumstances.

4. Subdue your ego. Stop thinking about how wise you look, the eloquence of your reply, or whether the speaker is indirectly talking about you. Each time you do that, you've stopped listening.

5. Really listen with your whole body. Let your body language declare, "I'm paying close attention to you." If it isn't, you can count on the person giving a condensed message in order to bring the conversation to a close.

6. Use an old investigator's trick. If the speaker is describing an event, sit tight and don't interrupt. When you seek further details, go over the story in reverse chronological order. By reversing the order of recollection, you'll jar the person's memory and get more information.

The paradox of our time in history is that:,...

2011-10-16T20:43:00.001+05:30

We have taller buildings but shorter tempers,

wider Freeways but narrower viewpoints.

We spend more, but have less,

We buy more, but enjoy less.

We have bigger houses and smaller families,

More conveniences, but less time.

We have more degrees but less sense,

More knowledge, but less judgment,

More experts, yet more problems,

More medicine, but less wellness.
We drink too much, smoke too much, spend too recklessly, laugh too little,
drive too fast, get too angry, stay up too late, get up too tired, read too
little, watch TV too much, and pray too seldom.
We have multiplied our possessions, but reduced our values.

We talk too much, love too seldom, and hate too often.
We've learned how to make a living, but not a life.

We've added years to life not life to years.

We've been all the way to the moon and back, but have trouble crossing the street to meet a new neighbor.

We conquered outer space but not inner space.

We've done larger things, but not better things.
We've cleaned up the air, but polluted the soul.

We've conquered the atom, but not our prejudice.

We write more, but learn less.

We plan more, but accomplish less.

We've learned to rush, but not to wait.

We build more computers to hold more information, to produce more copies than ever, but
we communicate less and less.
These are the times of fast foods and slow digestion,

big men and small character,

steep profits and shallow relationships.

These are the days of two incomes but more divorce, fancier houses, but broken homes.

These are days of quick trips, disposable diapers, throwaway morality, one night
stands, overweight bodies, and pills that do everything from cheer, to quiet, to kill.

It is a time when there is much in the showroom window and nothing in the stockroom.

Contributed by: muralikrishna_abbineni @ yahoo.co.uk

Benefits of Being Polite

2011-10-09T19:19:00.001+05:30

We all believe in the philosophy that the essence of life is talking. Communicating with others is as necessary as food. If we dont, we tend to fall ill. Today people are rarely talking.

The art of conversation has almost died down. People just usually sit and chat in their office breaks about things that are not even worth thinking about. Lets face it; we all are going towards doom where each one of us is talking to pass/kill time. The art of using communication is no more existing. People are concerned about others influence in their lives and not about their influence in others life.

It is an unbelievable thing that an effective communication through polite words can have wonderful impact on you and others lives as well. You can win the hearts of many people, climb the corporate ladder, have promotions but not have wonderful relationship with people around you.

The path to a successful life comes thorough the stairs of politeness. An act of politeness can do wonders that no monetary thing can do. Let us go deep in the art of efficient speaking by these methods.

Talking about ideas and not people

Its truly said, great minds talk about ideas and small minds talk about people. Politeness is an attitude of life. Talking about ideas heightens your politeness towards innovations and stimulates your mind too. This is effective for the speaker and the listener both. To start talking about people you can breathe out all negative energies about anyone: latest crush, which dress she wears, which perfume she uses, her bad attitude. The idea is that everything you talk about people usually comes negative. This develops a feeling of self love and comparison at all means. You do not value your life as much as you do to others.

Using intellect instead of the tongue

Usually people chatter on at length not worrying about the impact it would have on others. Since people are so occupied in themselves theyd rather talk about themselves only. This instigates them to speak rubbish endlessly. Have you ever thought how much of an impact we can have on others by our words? By trying to use our brains before speaking, we will save others sentiments and preserve a healthy relationship between our near ones.

Avoiding gossip

The one who usually starts a gossip or backbiting about someone does not know that he is the one to have the last laugh. People who start commenting and spreading rumors about others usually end up in a muck of politics and bickering about themselves from the other end. Such people should be avoided at armâ€™s length. Even listening to gossip is as harmful since the listener had the power to listen to negative communication. This unhealthy gossiping could have been stopped if the listener would have ignored the speaker.

Exchange of compliments

We should not limit our compliment intake be restricted to our close relatives. People like our helpers such as servants, cleaners, house maids are those on whom we can count on. Speaking politely to them will ensure that your day is made. They are the ones who offer your services to make your life comfortable. So we should make endeavors to enrich their lives by complimenting and praising them.

Look for positive things in negative people

We all have negative and positive sides. Nobody on this earth has a squeaky clean nature. We all have flaws, however some people are observed negatively by their rude behavior and we become very judgmental about them putting them in the negative category. We should understand that people who are rude have their own weaknesses. They do not choose to be like that. Frustrations at work or domestic front make them act in this behavior. Such people should be offered more help than others comparatively. Talking politely with them will make a difference in their lives and yours too.

Feel positive about you all the time

Quite often we do not realize that we subconsciously become negative. Pent up emotions and unfulfilled desires make us behave rudely towards others and emit negative radiations from the body. Thus we tend to overreact and become rude and harsh to others in some or the other way. This might demolish the social circle that we have. So politeness in the hearts at all means will result in polite attitude.

Whatever is rested in your heart is bound to come out in the open some or the other day. Make sure you have a prosperous life with a polite attitude and selfless love. This will make you immortal in the hearts of millions as people are going to remember for your polite words and not by your status.

A photographer once clicked a photograph of ex-president of India, Dr. Kalam with a shawl placed on his shoulder. After the photo shoot was over, the photographer rudely took off the shawl and walked off. The President smiled. After being asked about his composed behaviouir, he politely answered that maybe the photographer needed the shawl more than he did, and continued his work.

People with big positions come and go but it is only their humble nature that draws millions of people towards them. Their polite words filled to the brim with modesty and love melt the hearts of even the rudest amongst the crowd. By talking politely to all we can make an impact on others lives.

Contributed by: verygood101 @ yahoo.com

15 New Uses for a Hair Dryer

2011-09-04T21:01:00.000+05:30

Hand held hair dryers were introduced for the domestic market in 1920, and since then countless hairdos have relied on that combination of heat and air to achieve their coiffed perfection. But the humble blow dryer has plenty of other services to offer around the houseâ€“here are a handful of them:

1. If you need to quickly set the icing on a cake, the air and heat of a hair dryer can quicken up the process.

2. If your cake wonâ€™t unstick from the cake pan, use your hair dryer on the bottom of the pan then invert it, it should drop right out.

3. Running an ice cream scoop under hot water helps, but you can also try using a hair dryer on the carton to soften ice cream for easy scooping.

4. Some people use pots of boiling water to quicken freezer defrosting, a hot hair dryer works even more quickly. (Be careful of puddles of water and the dryer, though.)

5. Automatic ice-makers can get jammed with frozen ice, relieve that with a long blast of hot air to melt unwanted icebergs.

6. Remove contact paper from shelves by heating it with the hair dryer and gently working the edges up. Also works for bumper stickers and other rogue sticky things.

7. Use a hair dryer to dust hard-to-dust items; the air will blow the dust somewhere else, but hopefully somewhere else that is easier to dust.

8. Personally, I like my kidsâ€™ crayon marks on my walls, but for the rest of you: heat the crayon marks until softened, then scrub with hot water and detergent.

9. Old photo albums with magnetic pages can get stuckâ€“unstick them with a blast from the hair dryer.

10. Spot iron wrinkles by lightly dampening the area and then heating the wrinkles with your dryer.

11. Wet boots, shoes, and sneakers can take on a terrible odor if left to dry slowlyâ€“alleviate that by drying them with your hair dryer.

12. Winter can bring frozen windows and locksâ€“thaw them with a hair dryer.

13. Window screens collecting dust and pollen? Blow it back to whence it came.

14. Removing bandages can hurt more than the wound, soften the adhesive with a hair dryer first to ease the rip.

15. If you have trouble keeping a hot compress hot, keep your hair dryer by you and reheat as necessary.

Who is a teacher?

2011-09-04T20:14:00.000+05:30

From A School Principal's speech at a  graduation..   He said  "Doctor wants his child to become a doctor.........     Engineer wants his child to become engineer......  Businessman wants his ward to become CEO.....    BUT a teacher also wants his child to become one of them..!!!!  Nobody wants to become a teacher BY CHOICE" ....Very sad but that's the truth.....!!!  The dinner guests were sitting around the table discussing life. One man, a CEO, decided to explain the problem with education. He argued, "What's a kid going to learn from someone who decided his best option in life was to become a teacher?"  To stress his point he said to another guest; "You're a teacher, Bonnie. Be honest. What do you make?"  Teacher Bonnie, who had a reputation for honesty and frankness replied, "You want to know what I make? (She paused for a second, then began...)  "Well, I make kids work harder than they ever thought they could.  I make a C+ feel like the Congressional Medal of Honor winner.  I make kids sit through 40 minutes of class time when their parents can't make them sit for 5 min. without an I Pod, Game Cube or movie rental.  You want to know what I make?  (She paused again and looked at each and every person at the table)

 I make kids wonder.  I make them question.  I make them apologize and mean it.  I make them have respect and take responsibility for their actions, teach them how to write and then I make them write. Keyboarding isn't everything.  I make them read, read, read.  I make them show all their work in math. They use their God given brain, not the man-made calculator.  I make my students from other countries learn everything they need to know about English while preserving their unique cultural identity.  I make my classroom a place where all my students feel safe.  Finally, I make them understand that if they use the gifts they were given, work hard, and follow their hearts, they can succeed in life,,  ( Bonnie paused one last time and then continued.) Then, when people try to judge me by what I make, with me knowing money isn't everything, I can hold my head up high and pay no attention because they are ignorant. You want to know what I make?  I MAKE A DIFFERENCE IN ALL YOUR LIVES,EDUCATING KIDS AND PREPARING THEM TO BECOME CEO's,AND DOCTORS AND ENGINEERS..........  What do you make Mr. CEO?  His jaw dropped; he went silent.  Contributed by: mathangikkumar @gmail.com

Some Important Points to Remember For Life

2011-08-21T19:04:00.001+05:30

Health:

1.                  Drink plenty of water.
2.                 Eat breakfast like a king, lunch like a prince and dinner like a beggar.
3.                 Eat more foods that grow on trees and plants Error! and eat less food that is manufactured in plants.
4.                 Live with the 3 E's -- Energy, Enthusiasm, and Empathy.
5.                 Make time to practice meditation, yoga, and prayer.
6.                 Play more games.
7.                 Sit in silence for at least 10 minutes each day.
8.                 Sleep for 7 hours.
9.                 Walk for 10-30 minutes every day. And while you walk, smile.

Personality:
1.                  Don't compare your life to others'. You have no idea what their journey is all about.
2.                 Don't have negative thoughts or things you cannot control. Instead invest your energy in the positive present moment.
3.                 Don't overdo. Keep your limits.
4.                 Don't take yourself so seriously. No one else does.
5.                 Don't waste your precious energy on gossip.
6.                 Dream more while you are awake.
7.                 Envy is a waste of time. You already have all you need.
8.                 Forget issues of the past. Don't remind your partner with his/her mistakes of the past. That will ruin your present happiness.
9.                 Life is too short to waste time hating anyone. Don't hate others.
10.               Make peace with your past so it won't spoil the present.
11.                No one is in charge of your happiness except you.
12.               Realize that life is a school and you are here to learn.
13.               Problems are simply part of the curriculum that appear and fade away like algebra class but the lessons you learn will last a lifetime.
14.               Smile and laugh more.
15.               You don't have to win every argument. Agree to disagree.

You may also like to read -

Society:

1.                  Call your family often.
2.                 Each day give something good to others.
3.                 Forgive everyone for everything.
4.                 Spend time with people over the age of 70 & under the age of 6.
5.                 Try to make at least three people smile each day.
6.                 What other people think of you is none of your business.
7.                 Your job won't take care of you when you are sick. Your family and friends will. Stay in touch.

Life:

1.                  Do the right thing!
2.                 Get rid of anything that isn't useful, beautiful or joyful.
3.                 GOD heals everything.
4.                 However good or bad a situation is, it will change.
5.                 No matter how you feel, get up, dress up and show up.
6.                 The best is yet to come.
7.                 When you awake alive in the morning, thank GOD for it.
8.                 Your Inner most is always happy. So, be happy.

Contributed by: muralikrishna_abbineni @yahoo.co.uk

Relationships are like Trees

2011-05-08T21:25:00.001+05:30

Relationships are like trees. Now what does this mean?

Have you ever been to any orchard? I am sure we all have seen at least a few of them like orange, mango, cashew, coconut, chiku and many more. Did you notice friends, how these trees are planted? There is always a gap between any two grown up trees. Every tree needs some space to grow properly. It needs the right amount of light, soil, water, mineral and loving hands of a farmer. When all these needs are being taken care of well then only the tree grows the way the farmer wants it to be.

Similarly, all relationships too need some space to grow. They also need right amount of all ingredients including love and affection to take a proper shape, any relationship is like the four pillars of a temple. They are together, but they canâ€™t come very close to each other and if they do so, the walls of the temple would fall off, it would collapse. So friends, all relationships need a proper space to grow!

A tree is planted today but bears fruits only after a particular period, when it reaches maturity.

Similarly, our relationships also bear fruits at a later date. We shouldn't expect anything right from the beginning.

Big trees give shelter to all passers by without any expectations. And I have noticed that true, matured relationships too provide mental, emotional and physical shelter (support) to all.

Deeper the roots, stronger the hold of a tree. Similarly deeper the understanding, stronger the relationship.

When the winds are blowing harsh, the trees sway in the direction of wind and only those who do so, survive. Others are uprooted. Similarly, there are occasions when we just need to overlook a few things, just let them go, just flow with the wind. Only such relationships pass the test of hard times and survive even in not so favorable conditions.

Thus friends! Relationships are like trees, if nurtured with utmost love and care, will bear sweet fruits of love, compassion, strong emotional bonding and care

Contributed by: bsundaran @yahoo.com

You may also like to read –

Self worth

2010-12-25T12:20:00.001+05:30

In a brief conversation, a man asked a woman he was pursuing the question:

'What kind of man are you looking for?'

She sat quietly for a moment before looking him in the eye & asking, 'Do you really want to know?'

Reluctantly, he said, 'Yes.

She began to expound, 'As a woman in this day & age, I am in a position to ask a man what can you do for me that I can't do for myself? I pay my own bills. I take care of my household without the help of any man... or woman for that matter.

I am in the position to ask, 'What can you bring to the table?'

The man looked at her. Clearly he thought that she was referring to money.

She quickly corrected his thought & stated, 'I am not referring to money. I need something more. I need a man who is striving for excellence in every aspect of life.

He sat back in his chair, folded his arms, & asked her to explain.

She said, 'I need someone who is striving for excellence mentally because I need conversation & mental stimulation. I don't need a simple-minded man.

I need someone who is striving for excellence spiritually because I don't need to be unequally yoked...believers mixed with unbelievers is a recipe for disaster.

I need a man who is striving for excellence financially because I don't need a financial burden.

I need someone who is sensitive enough to understand what I go through as a woman, but strong enough to keep me grounded.

I need someone who has integrity in dealing with relationships. Lies and game-playing are not my idea of a strong man.

I need a man who is family-oriented. One who can be the leader, priest and provider to the lives entrusted to him by God.

I need someone whom I can respect... In order to be submissive, I must respect him.

I cannot be submissive to a man who isn't taking care of his business. I have no problem being submissive...he just has to be worthy.

And by the way, I am not looking for him...He will find me.

He will recognize himself in me.

Hey may not be able to explain the connection, but he will always be drawn to me.

God made woman to be a help-mate for man. I can't help a man if he can't help himself.

When she finished her spill, she looked at him.

He sat there with a puzzled look on his face. He said, 'You are asking a lot.

She replied, "I'm worth a lot".

Contributed by: HSGRAO @ GMAIL.COM

You may also like to read –

Wonderful Vodka

2010-12-20T20:11:00.001+05:30

1. To remove a bandage painlessly, saturate the bandage with vodka. The stuff dissolves adhesive.

2. To clean the caulking around bathtubs and showers, fill a trigger-spray bottle with vodka, spray the caulking, let set five minutes and wash clean. The alcohol in the vodka kills mold and mildew.

3. To clean your eyeglasses, simply wipe the lenses with a soft, clean cloth dampened with vodka. The alcohol in the vodka cleans the glass and kills germs.

4. Prolong the life of razors by filling a cup with vodka and letting your safety razor blade soak in the alcohol after shaving. The vodka disinfects the blade and prevents rusting.

5. Spray vodka on wine stains, scrub with a brush, and then blot dry.

6. Using a cotton ball, apply vodka to your face as an astringent to cleanse the skin and tighten pores.

7. Add a jigger of vodka to a 12-ounce bottle of shampoo. The alcohol cleanses the scalp, removes toxins from hair, and stimulates the growth of healthy hair.

8. Fill a sixteen-ounce trigger-spray bottle with vodka and spray bees or wasps to kill them.

9 Pour one-half cup vodkaand one-half cup water into a Ziploc freezer bag and freeze for a slushy, refreshing ice pack for aches,pain or black eyes.

10. Fill a clean, used mayonnaise jar with fresh ly packed lavender flowers, fill the jar with vodka, seal the lid tightly and set in the sun for three days. Strain liquid through a coffee filter, then apply the tincture to aches and pains.

11. To relieve a fever, use a washcloth to rub vodka on your chest and back as a liniment.

12. To cure foot odor, wash your feet with vodka.

13 Vodka will disinfect and alleviate a jellyfish sting.

14. Pour vodka over an area affected with poison ivy to remove the urushiol oil from your skin.

15. Swish a shot of vodka over an aching tooth. Allow your gums to absorb some of the alcohol to numb the pain

Contributed by: asharaj53 @ gmail.com

You may also like to read –

Being Overly Optimistic

2010-11-07T17:35:00.001+05:30

It is good to be optimistic as it can keep our spirit up and optimistic people tend to achieve what they want to achieve. Isn't that true? Yes, that is what the experts or everyone is saying. But how true is this theory that being optimistic is beneficial to us?

Let us take a look at The Secret. The theory of The Secret is that you will need to keep thinking about what you want in order to attract it to your life. So naturally this means that you will need to be optimistic and think only about the positive. I am not saying that being positive is a wrong thing to do but I am questioning whether it is the best approach?

I had seen people who embrace the theory of being optimistic in every situation and it does well for them because they feel happier at that very moment. But it seems like to be that they are being blinded by their optimism that they lose their perception of reality. They drift to the future and lost sense of what is right in front of them now.

Let us take a look at an example. Let's say John has a goal and his goal is to achieve financial freedom. But his situation right now is not favourable. He is working in a 12 hours a day job and earning $1500 per month. He decided to adopt the optimistic approach, be optimistic, think positive and hoping that things will get better.

Optimist Approach vs Realist Approach

How many of you believe that staying optimistic is going to help John achieve financial freedom? Yes, The Secret says so that staying optimistic and thinking positive will attract the scenarios to help him get his dream job and earn $100,000 per year. But I am sure that this approach will not work out well.

To be fair to The Secret, I got to agree that staying optimistic to a certain extent does help to keep the mind sane. But this approach isn't really the best way to achieve what you want in life. So what if John takes another approach instead? – The Realist Approach.

John has a goal to achieve financial freedom and he is stuck in his day 12 hours day job earning $1500 per month. He chose to be aware of his current situation. He knows that what he is doing now is not going to get him to where he wants to be. The reality, the harsh facts and true numbers are staring in his face. He want to change and he knows that he is not optimistic about his current situation and in fact, he felt pessimistic about his future if things are going to continue the way it is. This is the point where he decided to change because is aware of his present situation.

Which approach do you think is the better one? The optimistic approach where John just stays optimistic and think positive or the realist approach where John is aware of the truth right now and decided that he needs to fix it in order to move on?

Just staying positive and overly optimistic puts you into a self denial mode and eventually you will become the world's biggest liar by lying to yourself everyday. You lose your sense of reality (not earning enough money now) and escape to the future (financial freedom). This is not a very smart thing to do because if you do not fix your problems of today, the problem will still be there tomorrow. The problem doesn't go away if all you do is to be optimistic of the future and stay ignorant of the problem staring at you now.

Parting Words

What I want to reinforce here is that you will need to avoid letting optimism take over your sense of reality. If you are unhealthy, broke or unhappy, it is a problem that you need to fix now. Don't hold on to the thought that things will be better tomorrow when you are not taking any action to fix it. If nothing had been done, things are going to stay the same way! What do you think? Do you think the realist approach or the optimist approach works better?

Contributed by: harinag49 @ yahoo.co.in

You may also like to read –

22 Reasons To Go Vegetarian

2010-10-31T20:22:00.001+05:30

Vegetarian food is easy to digest

Consider making this healthy choice as one of your new year's resolutions. ..

Stacks of studies confirm that a diet full of fresh fruits and vegetables and grains is your best bet for living a longer, healthier and more enjoyable life. There are literally hundreds of great reasons to switch to a plant-based diet; here are 22 of the best:

1 You'll live a lot longer.

Vegetarians live about seven years longer, and vegans (who eat no animal products) about 15 years longer than meat eaters, according to a study from Loma Linda University. These findings are backed up by the China Health Project (the largest population study on diet and health to date), which found that Chinese people who eat the least amount of fat and animal products have the lowest risks of cancer, heart attack and other chronic degenerative diseases.

2 You'll save your heart. Cardiovascular disease is still the

Number one killer in the United States, and the standard American diet (SAD) that's laden with saturated fat and cholesterol from meat and dairy is largely to blame. Plus, produce contains no saturated fat or cholesterol. Incidentally, cholesterol levels for vegetarians are 14 percent lower than meat eaters.

3 You can put more money in your mutual fund.

Replacing meat, chicken and fish with vegetables and fruits is estimated to cut food bills.

4 You'll reduce your risk of cancer.

Studies done at the German Cancer Research Center in Heidelberg suggest that this is because vegetarians' immune systems are more effective in killing off tumour cells than meat eaters'. Studies have also found a plantbased diet helps protect against prostate, colon and skin cancers.

5 You'll add color to your plate.

Meat, chicken and fish tend to come in boring shades of brown and beige, but fruits and vegetables come in all colours of the rainbow. Diseasefighting phytochemicals are responsible for giving produce their rich, varied hues. So cooking by colour is a good way to ensure you re eating a variety of naturally occurring substances that boost immunity and prevent a range of illnesses.

6 You'll fit into your old jeans.

On average, vegetarians are slimmer than meat eaters, and when we diet, we keep the weight off up to seven years longer. That's because diets that are higher in vegetable proteins are much lower in fat and calories than the SAD. Vegetarians are also less likely to fall victim to weight-related disorders like heart disease, stroke and diabetes.

7 You'll give your body a spring cleaning.

Giving up meat helps purge the body of toxins (pesticides, environmental pollutants, preservatives) that overload our systems and cause illness. When people begin formal detoxification programs, their first step is to replace meats and dairy products with fruits and vegetables and juices.

8 You'll make a strong political statement.

It's a wonderful thing to be able to finish a delicious meal, knowing that no beings have suffered to make it..

9 Your meals will taste delicious.

Vegetables are endlessly interesting to cook and a joy to eat. It's an ever-changing parade of flavours and colors and textures and tastes.

10 You'll help reduce waste and air pollution.

Livestock farms creates phenomenal amounts of waste. The tons of manure, a substance that's rated by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) as a top pollutants. And that's not even counting the methane gas released by goats, pigs and poultry (which contributes to the greenhouse effect); the ammonia gases from urine; poison gases that emanate from manure lagoons; toxic chemicals from pesticides; and exhaust from farm equipment used to raise feed for animals.

11 Your bones will last longer.

The average bone loss for a vegetarian woman at age 65 is 18 percent; for non-vegetarian women, it's double that. Researchers attribute this to the consumption of excess protein. Excess protein interferes with the absorption and retention of calcium and actually prompts the body to excrete calcium, laying the ground for the brittle bone disease osteoporosis. Animal proteins, including milk, make the blood acidic, and to balance that condition, the body pulls calcium from bones. So rather than rely on milk for calcium, vegetarians turn to dark green leafy vegetables, such as broccoli and legumes, which, calorie for calorie, are superior sources.

12 You'll help reduce famine.

It takes 15 pounds of feed to get one pound of meat. But if the grain were given directly to people, there'd be enough food to feed the entire planet. In addition, using land for animal agriculture is inefficient in terms of maximizing food production. According to the journal Soil and Water, one acre of land could produce 50,000 pounds of tomatoes, 40,000 pounds of potatoes, 30,000 pounds of carrots or just 250 pounds of beef.

13 You'll avoid toxic chemicals.

The EPA estimates that nearly 95 per cent of pesticide residue in our diet comes from meat, fish and dairy products. Fish, in particular, contain carcinogens (PCBs, DDT) and heavy metals (mercury, arsenic; lead, cadmium) that cannot be removed through cooking or freezing. Meat and dairy products are also laced with steroids and hormones.

14 You'll protect yourself from foodborne illnesses.

According to the Center for Science in the Public Interest in the US, which has stringent food standards, 25 per cent of all chicken sold in the United States carries salmonella bacteria and, the CDC estimates, 70 percent to 90 percent of chickens contain the bacteria campy-lobacter (some strains of which are antibiotic-resistan t), approximately 5 percent of cows carry the lethal strain of E. coli O157:H7 (which causes virulent diseases and death), and 30 percent of pigs slaughtered each year for food are infected with toxoplasmosis (caused by parasites).

15 You may get rid of your back problems.

Back pain appears to begin, not in the back, but in the arteries. The degeneration of discs, for instance, which leads to nerves being pinched, starts with the arteries leading to the back. Eating a plant-based diet keeps these arteries clear of cholesterol- causing blockages to help maintain a healthy back.

16 You'll be more 'regular.'

Eating a lot of vegetables necessarily means consuming fiber, which pushes waste out of the body. Meat contains no fibre. Studies done at Harvard and Brigham Women's Hospital found that people who ate a high-fiber diet had a 42 percent lower risk of diverticulitis. People who eat lower on the food chain also tend to have fewer incidences of constipation, hemorrhoids and spastic colon.

17 You'll cool those hot flashes.

Plants, grains and legumes contain phytoestrogens that are believed to balance fluctuating hormones, so vegetarian women tend to go through menopause with fewer complaints of sleep problems, hot flashes, fatigue, mood swings, weight gain, depression and a diminished sex drive.

18 You'll help to bring down the national debt.

We spend large amounts annually to treat the heart disease, cancer, obesity, and food poisoning that are byproducts of a diet heavy on animal products.

19 You'll preserve our fish population.

Because of our voracious appetite for fish, 39 per cent of the oceans' fish species are overharvested, and the Food & Agriculture Organization reports that 11 of 15 of the world's major fishing grounds have become depleted.

20 You'll help protect the purity of water.

It takes 2,500 gallons of water to produce one pound of mutton, but just 25 gallons of water to produce a pound of wheat. Not only is this wasteful, but it contributes to rampant water pollution.

21 You'll provide a great role model for your kids.

If you set a good example and feed your children good food, chances are they'll live a longer and healthier life. You're also providing a market for vegetarian products and making it more likely that they'll be available for the children.

22 Going vegetarian is easy!

Vegetarian cooking has never been so simple. We live in a country that has been vegetarian by default. Our traditional dishes are loaded with the goodness of vegetarian food. Switching over it very simple indeed.

Contributed by: asharaj53 @ gmail.com

You may also like to read –

Fun Trivia - Part XXI

2010-10-24T22:02:00.003+05:30

· Swans are the only birds with penises

· Snails produce a colorless, sticky discharge that forms a protective carpet under them as they travel along. The discharge is so effective that they can crawl along the edge of a razor without cutting themselves

· The animal responsible for the most human deaths world-wide is the mosquito.

· The dachshund is one of the oldest dog breeds in history (dating back to ancient Egypt.) The name comes from one of its earliest uses - hunting badgers. In German, Dachs means "badger," Hund is "hound."

· A zebra is white with black stripes

· The turkey was named for what was wrongly thought to be its country of origin

· The venom of a female black widow spider is more potent than that of a rattlesnake

· The world's largest mammal, the blue whale, weighs 50 tons at birth. Fully grown, it weighs as much as 150 tons

· There are more insects in one square mile of rural land than there are human beings on the entire earth

· When a female horse and male donkey mate, the offspring is called a mule, but when a male horse and female donkey mate, the offspring is called a hinny

· When a queen bee lays the fertilized eggs that will develop into new queens, only one of the newly laid queens actually survives. The first new queen that emerges from her cell destroys all other queens in their cells and, thereafter, reigns alone

· When ants find food, they lay down a chemical trail, called a pheromone, so that other ants can find their way from the nest to the food source

· If an octopus is hungry enough, it will eat its own arms.

· Insects consume 10% of the world's food supply every year

· The placement of a donkey's eyes in its' heads enables it to see all four feet at all times

· The longest recorded flight of a chicken is 13 seconds!

· Cat's urine glows under a black-light!

· The world's termites outweigh the world's humans 10 to 1

· Research indicates that mosquitoes are attracted to people who have recently eaten bananas.

· Carnivorous animals will not eat another animal that has been hit by a lightning strike.

· Over 10000 birds a year die from smashing into windows

· The Puffer Fish contains a poison that is 500 times deadlier than cyanide, yet it's a delicacy in Japan.

· India has no rabbits in the wild only hares

Contributed by asharaj53 @ gmail.com

You may also like to read –

Fun Trivia - Part XX

2010-10-24T22:02:00.001+05:30

· Hummingbirds are the only animal that can fly backwards

· Rats multiply so quickly that in 18 months, two rats could have over a million descendants

· It is physically impossible for pigs to look up into the sky

· Elephants have been known to remain standing after they die

· The embryos of tiger sharks fight each other while in their mother's womb, the survivor being the baby shark that is born

· A crocodile can't move its tongue and cannot chew. Its digestive juices are so strong that it can digest a steel nail.

· The heart of a blue whale is the size of a small car. The tongue of a blue whale is as long as an elephant

· A shark is the only fish that can blink with both eyes

· Giraffes are unable to cough

· Dolphins swim in circles while they sleep with the eye on the outside of the circle open to keep watch for predators. After a certain amount of time they reverse and swim in the opposite direction with the opposite eye open

· A newborn turkey chick has to be taught to eat, or it will starve

· Owls are the only birds that can see the color blue.

· A hippopotamus can run faster than a man.

· It would take 27,000 spiders, each spinning a single web, to produce a pound of web

· A chameleon's tongue is twice the length of its body

· A woodpecker can peck twenty times a second

· Ants don't sleep

· Aphids are born pregnant without the benefit of sex. Aphids can give birth 10 days after being born themselves

· Camel milk does not curdle.

· Each day in the US, animal shelters are forced to destroy 30,000 dogs and cats

· German Shepherds bite humans more than any other breed of dogs.

· Large kangaroos cover more than 30 feet with each jump

· It takes forty minutes to hard boil an ostrich egg

· It takes a lobster approximately seven years to grow to be one pound

· No two spider webs are the same

· It takes 35 to 65 minks to produce the average mink coat. The numbers for other types of fur coats are: beaver - 15; fox - 15 to 25; ermine - 150; chinchilla - 60 to 100

· In its entire lifetime, the average worker bee produces 1/12th teaspoon of honey.

· The only domestic animal not mentioned in the Bible is the cat

· The Pacific Giant Octopus, the largest octopus in the world, grows from the size of pea to a 150 pound behemoth potentially 30 feet across in only two years, its entire life-span.

· The penalty for killing a cat, 4,000 years ago in Egypt, was death.

· The fastest -moving land snail, the common garden snail, has a speed of 0.0313 mph.

Contributed by asharaj53 @ gmail.com

You may also like to read –

Fun Trivia - Part XIX

2010-10-24T22:01:00.001+05:30

· Cats, camels and giraffes are the only animals in the world that walk right foot, right foot, left foot, left foot, rather than right foot, left foot

· Polar bears are the only mammal with hair on the soles of its feet

· A monotreme is a mammal that lays eggs but suckles its young on milk once they have hatched

· Flamingos get their pink color from the shrimp they eat. The more shrimp they eat the deeper pink they become

· Water based mammals like dolphins and whales swish their tails up and down. Only fish move them sideways

· A lion's roar can be heard from five miles away

· Snails can sleep for 3 years without eating

· Termites eat wood twice as fast when listening to heavy metal music

· Dolphins don't automatically breath; they have to tell themselves to do it

· Ostriches stick their heads into the sand to find underground drinking water

· Pigeons can be killed by feeding them uncooked rice, either coz their stomach can't handle the carbohydrates or it swells in their throats and chokes them

· The two-foot long bird called a Kea that lives in New Zealand likes to eat the strips of rubber around car windows!

· To make just one pound of honey, bees must collect nectar from over two million seperate flowers

· Cuban bee hummingbird is the smallest hummingbird, only 57 mm (2Â¼ in) long and half of this is tail and bill. It weighs less than 2 g and is the smallest warm-blooded animal

· The color white in the animal kingdom means 'danger' or 'caution'. On safari in Africa it is recommended not to wear white because it can scare away the animals

· Cockroach can detect movement as small as 2,000 times the diameter of a hydrogen atom

· The cockroach is the fastest animal on 6 legs, covering a meter a second

· The cockroach has a high resistance to radiation and is the creature most likely to survive a nuclear war

· The only 2 animals that can see behind itself without turning it's head are the rabbit and the parrot

· Did you know that a giraffe can kill a lion with one kick

· A sea urchin walks on the tips of its teeth

· Humans are the only animals to sleep on their backs

· Perfume is frequently made from - among other things- a slippery, musky substance called Ambergris which is vomited up by certain species of whales from time to time

· The female angler-fish weights up to half a ton. The male, however, is only a few millimeters long, and spends his whole life attached to her nose

· The Panda bear is expected to become extinct by about 2040, barring a drastic change of events

Contributed by asharaj53 @ gmail.com

You may also like to read –

Fun Trivia - Part XVIII

2010-10-24T22:00:00.002+05:30

· The albatross can glide on air currents for several days and can even sleep while in flight.

· A crocodile always grows new teeth to replace the old teeth.

· Bulls are colorblind, it is the motion of the cape which angers them.

· Giraffes rarely sleep more than 20 minutes a day

· Not a single new livestock animal has been domesticated in the last 4,000 years.

· Honeybees navigate using the sun as a compass, even when it is hidden behind clouds

· An ant can survive for up to two weeks underwater.

· Eel-skin wallets have been known to demagnetize credit cards

· In the magic world of seahorses it is the male who gets pregnant and has the babies.

· A blind Chameleon is still able to change colours to match its environment.

· Spiders inject their victims with a chemical that dissolves them. Then the spiders drink their lunch with their mouths which are soda straw-like.

· When hippos are upset, their sweat turns red.

· If you cut the head off a cockroach, it will continue to live for up to many more weeks.

· Male mosquitoes are vegetarians. Only female bites.

· A cheetah can accelerate from 0 to 70 km/h in 2 seconds

· Nine out of every 10 living things live in the ocean

· Sharks never get sick, as far as is known, they are immune to every known disease including cancer

· Sharks will eat anything. The only exception, is that they will not eat anything in the vicinity of where they give birth. This is because they are so stupid, this is the only way nature protects them from accidentally eating their own babies

· If a drop of liquor gets on a scorpion, it will immediately commit suicide with its own stinger

· The ant can lift 50 times its own weight, can pull 30 times its own weight

· Female black widow spiders eat their husbands after mating. That's how they got that name

· All shrimp are born male, but slowly grow into females as they mature

· Frogs never drink. They absorb water from their surroundings by osmosis

· About 70% of all organisms in the world are Bacteria

· Male bats have the highest rate of homosexuality of any mammal

· Ants stretch when they wake up. They also appear to yawn in a very human manner before taking up the tasks of the day

· To make half a kilo of honey, bees must collect nectar from over 2 million individual flowers

· Fish that live more than 800 meters below the ocean surface don't have eyes

· Tiger Snake of Australia is the most poisonous snake in the world. 1 mg of its venom is enough to kill a man

· The common silkworm has eleven brains. It only uses five of them.

· A newborn kangaroo is about 1 inch in length.

Contributed by asharaj53 @ gmail.com

You may also like to read –

Fun Trivia - Part XVII

2010-10-24T22:00:00.001+05:30

· The spots on dice are called "pips."

· If you add up all the number on a roulette wheel, that is 1through 36, you get '666', the biblical number of fallen man.

· The world's highest cricket ground is in Chail (HP), India, 2444 mt above sea level

· The Australian term for extras in cricket are 'sundries'

· Since 1896, the beginning of the modern Olympics, only Greece and Australia have participated in every Games

· In 1935, Jesse Owens broke 4 world records in 45 minutes

· The metal instrument used in shoe stores to measure feet is called the Brannock device

· Sunbeams that shine down through clouds are called crepuscular rays

· Bats always turn left when exiting a cave.

· Sharks have no air bladders, so they must swim constantly or they'll sink.

· Cockroaches can go without eating for three months, as long as they have water.

· Birds are largely unaffected by spicy things, like chillies, as they are not sensitive to capsaicin, the hot stuff in chilies.

· The male penguin incubates the single egg laid by his mate. During the two month period he does not eat, and will lose up to 40% of his body weight.

· "Mako sharks" show cannibalistic tendencies while still in mother's womb; older embryos will eat the younger embryos and eggs.

· Dalmatians are born without spots.

· Birds do not sleep in their nests. They may occasionally nap in them, but they actually sleep in other places.

· The owl is the only bird to drop its upper eyelid to wink. All other birds raise their lower eyelids.

· "Sanguinary ants" raid the nests of other ant tribes, kill the queen, and kidnap many of the workers

· Frogs do not need to drink water as they absorb the water through their skin.

· Humans, Ants and Chimpanzees are the only organisms that wage organized warfare.

· The penguin is the only bird that can swim but can't fly.

· Kiwis are the only birds that hunt by smell.

· Ninety percent of all species that have become extinct have been birds.

· The elephant is the only mammal with four knees.

· Elephants are the only animals that can't jump.

· Mosquitoes are attracted to the color blue twice as much as any other color

· There are twice as many kangaroos in Australia as there are people.

· Centipedes always have an uneven pairs of walking legs.

· Roosters cannot crow if they cannot extend their necks.

· Male and female giraffes tend to eat from different parts of a tree to ensure that the sexes do not compete for food.

Contributed by asharaj53 @ gmail.com

You may also like to read –

Fun Trivia - Part XVI

2010-10-24T21:59:00.003+05:30

· Switching letters is called spoonerism. For example, saying jag of Flapan, instead of flag of Japan

· The chef's tall hat is called a "toque".

· A building in which silence is enforced, like a library or school room, is referred to as a "silentium"

· Fiat stands for Fabbrica Italiana Automobile Torino, the name of the Italian manufacturer

· "Steatopygia" means an accumulation of fat in the buttocks

· The little bumps on the surface of a table tennis paddle are called pips

· A "quidnunc" is a person who is eager to know the latest news and gossip

· The 'v' in the name of a court case does not stand for 'versus', but for 'and' (in civil proceedings) or 'against' (in criminal proceedings)

· The ZIP in Zip-code stands for Zoning Improvement Plan

· In genealogy, the female side of the family is called the distaff side the male side is the spear side.

· If you are taking a class in pistology, you are not studying pistols, but rather, faith.

· The science of determining characteristic traits by examining a person's shoes is scarpology

· he study of stupidity is called 'monology'

· The search for the existence of ghosts is Eidology

· The study of word origins is called etymology

· Synesthesia is a rare condition in which the senses are combined.

· Synesthetes see words, taste colors and shapes and feel flavors.

· Groaking is to watch people eating food hoping they'll offer you some.

· The name Jeep came from the abbreviation used in the army for the "General Purpose" vehicle, G.P

· The little hole in the sink that lets the water drain out, instead of flowing over the side, is called a "porcelator"

· The 'You are here' arrow on a map is called the IDEO locator.

· The term Cop comes from Constable on Patrol, which is a term used in England.

· Colgate faced a big obstacle marketing toothpaste in Spanish speaking countries. Colgate translates into the command "go hang yourself."

· The plastic things on the end of shoelaces are called aglets.

· A person who collects teddy bears is called an archtophilist.

· The term karaoke means "empty orchestra" in Japanese.

· Most soccer players run 7 miles in a game.

· Holes in a golf course must be 4.25 inches in diameter, and at least 4 inches deep.

· In tennis, zero points is referred to as love, which is possibly derived from the French word for egg, l'oeuf, referring to the physical appearance of the number zero.

· The Olympic was the sister ship of the Titanic, and she provided twenty-five years of service.

· The sport with the most number of officials with relation to players is tennis. There are 13 officials for two players.

Contributed by asharaj53 @ gmail.com

You may also like to read –

Join the Fastest Growing Group in this category