How to keep your mind in good shape?

• Just getting educated does not mean that you have a sharp brain. In order keep our brain sharp we need to take time out of our busy schedule to read and keep ourselves abreast of the latest developments around us. Here are a few ways to keep your brain in good shape.
• Become a frequent reader: Make it a habit to read articles that differ from your view. Listen to people of different opinions how frrustrated you may feel. 
• Learn something new: Learn something new that interests you irrespective of your age.Further playing an instrument also helps to exercise some parts of the brain especially while listening and reading.
• Teach someone: Every one of us is good at something or other. Teach your expertise to others. While teaching your students are bound to have doubts and shall ask questions. This will make you think and improve your analysing ability.
• Get some sleep: Sleeping for 7 to 8 hours a day is a must. Research has shown that neural connections are made in the brain while you are in your deepest phase of sleep.
• Mind games: Don't think that games are just for kids. Playing games like solving a jigsaw puzzle,tackling a crossword can do wonder for your brain. These will help your mind to concentrate on work. Further these games help you to de-stress.

World's strongest insect isa beetle

• Scientists have finally achieved success in finding the world's strongest beetle called Onthophagus taurus. 
• Rob Knell from University of London and Leigh Simmons from the University of Australia discovered the strongest beetle could pull an astonishing 1,141 times its own body weight- the equivalent of a 70kg person lifting 80 tonnes (almost six full double- decker buses).

What not to do while flirting online.

• The world is the virtual place to be. But most of the online web connects have become the place for various love games. Chatting online is no doubt beneficial but does have certain rules to be followed . Here are a few tips to be folowed while flirting online.
• Don't appear overtly eager: Okay, so you've found the guy/girl of your dreams and you are eager to get know him/ her. But wait don't make  it seem like you are already  dreaming about marriage.Take it slow. Once you have met the person ,casually send in your friend request after a day or two. Make sure that you don't mention that you have been to his/her profile before and have taken a peek at the pictures if there are any. 
• Don't leave messages by the hour : Yes, networking sites are meant for you to keep in touch with your friend, but don't make it seem like you spend your every breathing moment on someone else's  web page. In the initial stages, don't send too many messages. Your friendly overtures may be blocked within no time.
• Don't exaggerate : Try and be genuine. Impressing someone is fine but too much of faffing can land you in trouble. For example, if you don't like adventure sports, don't list it as your hobby just to appear cool. Also, if  you are interested in some one, make sure that there aren't many pictures with your ex in your album... you don't want to seem lovelorn, right ?
• No chatting every time you see him/her online : Pinging him/her the moment they come online isn't a great idea. Don't make it seem like you've been up all day waiting for him /her to show up.But don't hesitate to strike a conversation after a while, but then again, don't make it a regular occurrence.
• Not too many smileys or winks, please: It's okay to bombard your friends with emoticons, but it's not a great idea when you are chatting with some one new. While sending a wink or smiley may fill in the gaps... too many of them can make you appear slightly juvenile.

Relate to life with love.

• Our thinking is full of logic but bereft of love. Relate our life to love and not logic.
• The presense of love is being in attainment with life and the absence of love is freedom from arrogance and vanity which is nothing but ego.
• Some meditation tips:
• Please try to keep your mind still. Let the heart be full of love and live inwardly like a monk.
• This will reduce your head oriented thinking and the arrogance which the ego draws from your thinking.
• Every time you feel hurt or upset feel that your mind is void and still.
• Practice this when ever you are hurt or angry. Feel as if you have no head and then the energy will slowly flow into your heart.
• Create a heart felt feeling. Be total in what ever you do whether trivial or how ever mundane it may be.
• Take only those which are essential and avoid those which are unnecessary for you like a monk. Apply this even to your thoughts and emotions.
• When the mind jumps from A to B or C to D, just feel the feelings of the objects of the thoughts of A or B or C or D.
• Withdraw inwardly to the feelings rather than to the objects of the thoughts. Go inwards rather than going out, just like a monk.
• Go still deeper and see these feelings exist in your internal space which is your inner void. Go still deep in this void which is the basis of your thoughts and feelings.
• Every time you learn how to be in this internal void your intuition will increase and your stress level will reduce.

can long hours on internet cause depression?

• A report in a journal witnessed that people who took part in an online survey were internet addicts who suffered from depression.
• It found out that long hours of browsing on the internet is linked to depression.
• So next time you think time you are feeling blue, get off the internet who knows, it might make you better.
• So the best bet would be to reduce the hours on the net and fight depression.

Do women gossip more?

• To gossip with colleagues about some one does help you to releive your stress. It is very difficult to avoid some one passing by your seat gossiping about the boss or some one's romance in the office. 
• For many of us, the office is like a second home as we spend most of our time there. Hence, gossip is unavoidable with colleagues. According to studies conducted it is found that women gossip twice as much as compared to men.
• Women and gossip? No way! Yes. I am hearing the woman readers becoming annoyed at the outcome of the study on the ground that the members of the study group would have been only men and hence they have blamed the women as gossipers. Further I hear the women grumbling that it is mostly the men folk in the office who spread out the negatives of a male or a female colleague.
• Keep a check on the volume:Now once you have intentionally decided to roll the head of some of your colleagues, it is very much important to keep a check on the quantum of negatives that you are talking about that some one to avoid any major consequences.
• Partner's in crime: Most people think boys are more into gossiping than girls. A techie from Chennai feels that male colleagues are equal partners in crime. In fact they talk about their best buddies and bring out the negative points as a symbol of flirting.
• Therapy: Gossip is good for health and keeps one going. Gossip has its own positives. It functions as a safety in the workplace allowing the organization to energize and keep stress at bay.

Fengshui tips to buy property.

• Buying a piece of property whether a home or a business premises is an important decision in your life . So while buying a property, you should know what to look for and what to avoid at all costs.
• So if you are planning to buy a home or a business premises it helps to look at the property from a Fengshui angle.
• Fengshui provides guidelines to be followed to select a good property, whose chi level is not affected by hostile hills, whose luck is not blocked by harmful structures and and whose yang energy is vibrant and strong.
• There are also Fengshui formulas to custom design your luck. A professional Fengshui consultant would be able to identify a location that can provide good business and financial opportunities, prosperity and good health.
• Look at the terrains and the surroundings of your property. Look at the roads surrounding your property. See whether any of the roads directly point to any part of your house. Also look for natural water bodies. It is advisable to have the water bodies in the front instead of at the back of your property.
• Observe whether the design features of the house's facades and slevations look threatening.
• According to Fengshui, a property facing a fiels or a flowing river is considered to be excellent as it makes up for what is known as bright hall effect bringing in benign chi which can settle and gathe momentum before entering your house. This is the reason that a property facing greenery or a natural water body fetches a higher value.
• According to Fengshui it is always advisable to inspect the property that you intend to purchase at the time of the dragon ie between 7 a.m to 9 a.m. Further, you can also inspect the house at time pertaining to your animal sign.
• The guidelines are simple and if followed will ensure that you don't commit any blunders while puchasing your house.
• There are many things that you can do to activate the Fengshui luck of your house after you buy it.
• But before you buy a house it is necessary to get certain things right. Every house has its own Fengshui laws and please note that no house is perfect.
• How ever you should know the property what you are buying and the problems that might be associated with it. The good news is that most of the Fengshui flaws are correctible.
  

How to keep your pet calm while moving?

• Moving or shifting a house is not only a traumatic experience for human beings only but also for pets. During these times they need to be taken care of more and calmed. Here are a few tips as to how to go about it.
• While moving household articles and furniture the doors of the house are generally left open and an anxious pet may try to escape. Further, there is a possibility of the pets getting injured. So it is advisable to keep the pets in a secured place outside or in a room inside the house and keep them engaged. 
• Ensure that you pet has a collar or an identification tag tied to it with the name of the pet and your cell number mentioned on it. This will help to locate the pet easily in case of its loss.
• Ensure that you leave the items like blankets and toys with which your pet is familiar as it gives a feeling of security.
• Once you are ready to transport the pet to a new home place the pet in a pet carrier or cage or crate. Never carry the pet in your hand as he may become nervous and try to jump out. This may result in scratches for you or injury to the pet. Further while travelling in a vehicle, carrying the pet in your hand may sometimes be cause for accidents.
• Allow your pet to explore and get accustomed to the new surroundings.
• Allow your pet time and space if he goes into hiding at the new place. There is no cause of worry as he will take some time to adjust to the new environment.
• Maintain the schedules as regards feeding,play time and walks. This will help the pet to be out of anxiety and keep him calm and content.

How to prepare Fudgy chocolate layer cake?

Ingredients:

• Butter                     : 3/4 cup.
• chocolate                : 2 oz.
• All purpose flour    : 2 1/4 cup
• Sugar                      : 2 cups
• Cocoa powder        : 1/4 cup
• Baking soda            : 2 tsp
• Salt                         : 1 tsp
• Buttermilk              : 1 3/4 cup
• Eggs                       : 2

Method:

• Preheat oven to 350 degree celsius.

• Combine flour, sugar, cocoa, baking soda and salt in a large bowl.
• Add chocolate mixture, buttermilk and eggs.
• Beat until light  and fluffy.
• Put batter into baking pan and bake for 30 minutes.
• For the frosting you require 3/4 cup cream and 1 1/2 cup chocolate. Bring cream to boil. Remove from heat and stir in chocolate. Mix till frosting starts to thicken. Spread it over the cake

Do your work, don't procrastinate.

• It happens in every one's life when a person is assigned or delegated small or inconsequential work one gets mentally prepared thinking that the work will get executed on its own and no involvement is not required.
• There after, when the work comes staring at us, as if our involvement is essential, most of us throw our hands in exclaiming that nothing can move around without them. The result is creation of dissatisfaction and disharmony among colleagues and people around us.
• Cna we not avoid such embarassing situations? Yes. We can if we follow the following few steps.
• Don't take things for granted: Never take it for granted that the work is small and never think of the logical completion of the work without involvement. Instead of blaming the results on account of non involvement, blame the attitude of non involvement.
• Avoid leaving it till the last moment: As the work is labelled as small, we tend to delay it on the ground that it can be done at some unimportant time. Remember that such small work can be the cause of great stress at times. 
• Be ready; Be mentally prepared to be ready if you are required for completion of that petty work. Never blame the person to whom the work was delegated. Instead blame yourself for wrong delegation. In case the person to whom the work was delegated successfully completes it do not fail to complement him and yourself for delegating the work to the right person.
• Contemplate: Ask yourself if this work was not completed, will it affect you in any manner. Will its non completion affect your daily routine and schedule. If the answer is in the affirmative then the work cannot be considered as small, petty or inconsequential. Indeed no work is small as somve times even a small thing can create havoc in one's life due to carelessness or the carefree attitude.

Your diet,the secret of your health.

• For the modern youth of today it is a great challenge to maintain a good health and sharp mind amidst prolonged working hours, less sleep and social imbalances. To meet this challenge today's youth need additional doses of vitamins and minerals in their diet. The food need to be nutritious, simple and attractive. At the same time care need to be taken ti see that chemicals are not used to make the foods to look attractive.
• It is recommended that the youth need to consume variety of 5 half cups of fruits and vegetables a day for a healthy body. Please see to it that your salad is a mis of different fruits and vegetables instead of the same carrots or apples daily.
• The diet must contain small quantity of variety of fruits and vegetables instead of large quantity of a few fruits and vegetables. This will help the youth to absorb the required quantum of vitamins and minerals in proper proportion.
• See to it that your daily diet consist of fibre content, potassium and vitamins A and C.
• Do not use chemical colours to make the food look attractive as they will cause serious health disorders. Instead use various fruits and vegetables of different  colours.
• Further eat for living a healthy life and do not live for eating. The logic is eat less food which contains all the required carbohydrates, proetins, vitamins and minerals in the required proportion.

Tips to crack the Board Exams.

Board exams are on cards in the next month. Here are a few tips for the students to pass the exams with flying colours and crack the board exams.

• Don't study topics which you have not studied during the year. Instead revise the topics that you have already studied well.
• Don't wait till the last two days to start studying. Instead start studying for 2 to 3 hours a day from the first day of the study holidays.
• Set up a study schedule and stick to it.
• Don't study at a stretch. Give short breaks in between. Vhen you feel tired close your eyes and take a deep breath.
• Re-read lessons in chronological order to remember them better.
• Note down important points when you read the text. This will help you revise all the important points before the exams.

How to win over the heart of your dream guy?

Image via Wikipedia

• So you have ultimately found your dream guy. He is smart, handsome,exciting and caring. He is everything to you in this world. His looks takes you off your feet. He is your Prince Charming. So no doubt you want to win his heart. It no doubt needs some efforts. Here are a few tips.
• Care for him: This does not mean that you have to buy costly gifts for him which in fact will bother him about your financial independence. Men usually like to protect their women. When you show this to him through gestures, he will naturally smile.
• Make a meal: It is always said that the way to a man's heart is through his stomach. So surprise him with his favourite dish especially when he returns from a day's work. Also decorate the dining table acccording to his taste and give a romantic touch.
• Hold his hands: Hold his hands when not anticipated by him. This will give him a feeling of support from you and make you adorable to him.
• Make him talk: It is generally known that women talk more than men. So start by asking a question about a topic of his interest. Men would surely like to talk on the topic of their interest. Further, men are most interested in sports. So talk to him on his interesting sport.
• Write something nice: If you pick up something nice from elsewhere, put it on paper in your own way and show it to him. He will surely appreciate it. Spray some scent on the letter to give a romantic touch.
• Compliment: Women are used to receive compliments but men are not. So he would surely like your compliments about say the beauty of his hands or as to how good he looks in his new hair cut or dress etc.
• So, what are you waiting for? Go ahead and win over the heart of your dream guy with these simple tips and have a great life and relationship.
  

When you can defend yourself.

The Supreme court has decided that a person has the right of self defence which can be exercised by him in the following circumstances.

• Right to self defence is available to only a person facing imminent danger.
• Mere reasonable apprehension is enough to put the right of self defence into operation.
• It is unrealistic to expect a person under assault to modulate his self defence step by step with any arithmetical exactitude.
• Force used in self defence ought not to be wholly disproportionate than necessary for protection of self or property.
• Person who is in imminent and reasonable danger of losing his life or limb may exercise his right of self defence inflicting any harm even extending to the death of his assailant either when the assault is attempted or directly threatened.
  

A few tips to parents as to how to handle their chilsren.

• Parents generally tend to grow their children in the way they were grown by their parents. This has both desirable and undesirable effects. Studies have shown that the effection shown by the parents on their children has a possitive effect. The reason is that the child becomes emotionally dependent and the parents can use this successive tool to grow the children in the right way.
• You should be the stimulus: The parents should be the stimulus and not the response to the actions of the children whether possitive or negative. Most parents tend to be stimulus in respect of possessiveness, diecting and controlling which can result in a withdrawal feeling in the children.
• Regulate moods: Avoid regulating your childrren depending on your moods. Try to understand what the children want to express to you. Otherwise the children will start reacting negative.
• Let your child decide: When a child wants to talk to you to decide something listen to him pateintly. Allow the clild to talk to you when he wants to and not when you desire. Keep away all the other things as nothing else is important than your child. Allowing him to talk and decide will increase his confidence and decission making ability.
• Generally we parents control the children from childhood as to what and what not to do and as to what is right and wrong. But as the children grow they become cognitive and inquisitive and want to have a proper reasoning to accept the parent's regulations. So, the parents need to realise this fact and try to be freinds with their children rather than regulating parents and I am sure you will be able to lead your children in the right direction.
  

Photographs of Interiors of Burj Khalifa THE TALLEST BUILDING - DUBAI

Tall and beautiful buildings of the world.

• Taipei:
• Location: Taiwan.
  
•  Height: 509.2m.
• Floors: 101.
  
• Completion: 2004.
• The design inspiration has come from traditional Chinese buildings. The building is equipped with double deck elevators each with an aerodynamic body, pressurisation and emergency breaking systems.

• Petronas twin Tower:
  
• Location: Kuala Lumpur
• Height: 452m.
• Floors: 88.
• Completion: 1996.
  
• Architect: Cesar Pelli & Associates, USA. 
• There exists a sky bridge connecting the two towers. The towers are famous for movie shootings.

Trump International Hotel & Tower:

• Location: Chicago.
• Height: 415m
• Completion: 2009.
• Architect: Adrian Smith, Skidmore, Owings and Merill.
• The design of the building includes a groung up, a retail space, a parking garage, a hotel and condominiums.

• Two International Finance Centre:
• Location: Hong Kong.
• Height: 415.8m.
  
• Floors: 88.
• Completion: 2003.
• Developer: IFC.
• Architect: Recco Design Ltd.
• The building consists of two skyscrapers, The IFC Mall and the 55 storey Seasons Hotel Hong Kong,.Tower 2 is the tallest building in Hong Kong, a title formerly held by Central Plaza.

• Shun Hing Square:
• Location: Shenzhen.
• Height: 384m.
• Completion: 1996.
• Developer: Shen Hing Group. 
• Architect: K Y Cheung Design Associates.
• It is the 5th tallest building in China and 9th in the world. The building was built at a fast pace of four floors in nine days.

• Burj Dubai:
• Location: Dubai.
• Height: 828m.
• Floors: 160.
• Competion.: 2009.
• Developers: Emaar Properties.
• Architect: Skidmore Owings & Merrill.
• Burj Dubai, the tallest building ever built. The skyscraper houses offices, apartments and a pose hotel. The hotel interior is decorated by Glorgio Armani. The Armani Hotels occupies 15 of the first 39 floors.

• Shanghai World Financial Centre:
• Location: Shanghai.
• Height: 494.4m.
• Floors: 101.
• Developers: Mori Building Co.
• Architects: Kohm Pedersen Fox.
• Shanghai world Financial centre  houses offices, hotels, parking garage, shopping malls and conference halls. It also boasts of the Park Hyatt, Shanghai.

• Willis Tower:
• Location: Chicago.
• Height: 527m.
• Floors: 110.
• Developers: Sears Developers.
• Architects: Skidmore Owings & Merrill.
• Offers more than 3.8 million sq ft of office and retail space. It is the tallest building in western hemisphere. The building is to be painted in 2009 at an estimated cost of $50 million.

• Jin Mao Tower:
• Location: Shanghai.
• Height: 421m.
• Floors: 93.
• Developers: China Foreign Trade Centre Co.
• Architects: Skidmore Owings & Merrill.
• It contains offices and hotels. Until 2007 it was the 5th tallest building in the world.
• 
  
  
  
   Empire State Building:
  
  
  
• Location: Newyork, USA.
• Height: 443.2m.
• Floors: 102.
• Architects: Shreve & Harmon.
• It stood as the world's tallest building for more than 40 years from its completion in 1931 until completion of World Trade Centre in 1972.
   

Find, create and work on the right strategy to make our life meaningful.

• Life is a gift of God. The success in our life depends on how we control and manage it. If we succeed in our life, it means that the strategies have been well thought and executed. If we fail, we must acknowledge the fact that something went wrong with our strategies. It is imperative that we find, create and work on the strategies which makes our life meaningful.
• Potent intention:
• If you think you are a child or divine, then you should have big dreams and expectations in life. If you don't have them it means that you are not optimally using the divine gifts which come in the form of myriad resources like mind, body, potential, talent etc. Actually this is the time when strategy comes into play.
• Thinking - An intangible action:
• Many people spend lot of their time in action believing that they think too much and they will end up doing nothing. One need to think properly and sufficiently before transforming that thought into action to acheive the goal.
• Evaluate resources:
• One must first find out all available resources, whether small or insignifrcant. Then evaluate their importance before working on any opportunity. We must also try to fit all the available resources in our preparation.
• Take minute information seriously:
• Collect minute details which are useful for your preparation. Give importance to even the minuest details. Never be incongruent or incomplete in your information . Please note that an ill informed action is bound to fail as success doesn't come accidentally.
• Share and discuss:
• Share your thoughts only with people who are better informed than you as otherwise you are speaking to a wrong person and will seek wrong guidance resulting  in wrong strategies in your life and ultimately a failure.