tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-45209553139108746842024-03-14T04:49:38.582-07:00Fun and KnowledgeFunny, Informative and Interesting Postshanpeershttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15327749017024135634noreply@blogger.comBlogger12125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4520955313910874684.post-8261929629859484012011-11-18T03:09:00.000-08:002011-11-18T03:09:43.860-08:00An exhibition of death - Photos : Germany's Dr.Death<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-sOzP2rnM20A/TsY57C6c2_I/AAAAAAAAAeY/FSlQuviOf5w/s1600/1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left:1em; margin-right:1em"><img border="0" height="400" width="267" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-sOzP2rnM20A/TsY57C6c2_I/AAAAAAAAAeY/FSlQuviOf5w/s400/1.jpg" /></a></div><br />
A couple talk near an exhibit at the Body Worlds Exhibition at the War Museum in Seoul, South Korea, Thursday, Nov. 17, 2011. The showcase is the installment of anatomical exhibitions by German scientist Gunther von Hagens<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-1PHm4epKpLs/TsY6CJHNmuI/AAAAAAAAAek/7VH8T1XLLH0/s1600/2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left:1em; margin-right:1em"><img border="0" height="400" width="378" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-1PHm4epKpLs/TsY6CJHNmuI/AAAAAAAAAek/7VH8T1XLLH0/s400/2.jpg" /></a></div><br />
A man looks at an exhibit at the Body Worlds Exhibition at War Museum in Seoul, South Korea, Thursday, Nov. 17, 2011. The Showcase is the installment of anatomical exhibitions by German scientist Gunther von Hagens.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-DTEXrgGMSRc/TsY6IY8HPCI/AAAAAAAAAew/ozfmZ7BgJV0/s1600/3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left:1em; margin-right:1em"><img border="0" height="240" width="400" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-DTEXrgGMSRc/TsY6IY8HPCI/AAAAAAAAAew/ozfmZ7BgJV0/s400/3.jpg" /></a></div><br />
Visitors look at an exhibit at the Body Worlds Exhibition at War Museum in Seoul, South Korea, Thursday, Nov. 17, 2011. The Showcase is the installment of anatomical exhibitions by German scientist Gunther von Hagens.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-FAw1C4Eqj7s/TsY7NCqLXmI/AAAAAAAAAe8/oQQHKrcIbZ0/s1600/4.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left:1em; margin-right:1em"><img border="0" height="253" width="400" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-FAw1C4Eqj7s/TsY7NCqLXmI/AAAAAAAAAe8/oQQHKrcIbZ0/s400/4.jpg" /></a></div><br />
German anatomist Gunther von Hagens poses next to a plastinated elephant during an exhibition preview at the Senkenberg museum in Frankfurt, October 14, 2011. "Koerperwelten der Tiere" (Body Worlds of Animals), an exhibition of polymer preserved animals of von Hagens will be open to public from October 15, 2011 until March 15, 2012. <br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-lZt15ZAHAbI/TsY8x6Lz2wI/AAAAAAAAAh8/MOGBhZjcl24/s1600/20.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left:1em; margin-right:1em"><img border="0" height="400" width="268" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-lZt15ZAHAbI/TsY8x6Lz2wI/AAAAAAAAAh8/MOGBhZjcl24/s400/20.jpg" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-nsXjodoz3Ag/TsY8yMSsSQI/AAAAAAAAAiE/YeNsATBkND0/s1600/21.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left:1em; margin-right:1em"><img border="0" height="400" width="285" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-nsXjodoz3Ag/TsY8yMSsSQI/AAAAAAAAAiE/YeNsATBkND0/s400/21.jpg" /></a></div>hanpeershttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15327749017024135634noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4520955313910874684.post-58880350790395120232011-11-18T02:25:00.000-08:002011-11-18T02:25:45.870-08:007 Signs that You are Over-Working, try to avoid these to live happily<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-sLJRJXLPo_M/TsYx_XJhViI/AAAAAAAAAdo/Ebknip9QbgM/s1600/1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear:left; float:left;margin-right:1em; margin-bottom:1em"><img border="0" height="155" width="310" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-sLJRJXLPo_M/TsYx_XJhViI/AAAAAAAAAdo/Ebknip9QbgM/s400/1.jpg" /></a></div><br />
There are times in life when our aspirations tend to transcend the limits of the body.<br />
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Such a high degree of dedication often comes at the expense of overworking. Thus, If you are experiencing any of these issues then you are bargaining with your life. Here are 7 signs that you might be overworking.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ax50ceE_EHw/TsYyHcgfVBI/AAAAAAAAAd0/kEj8qmI0z50/s1600/2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left:1em; margin-right:1em"><img border="0" height="211" width="310" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ax50ceE_EHw/TsYyHcgfVBI/AAAAAAAAAd0/kEj8qmI0z50/s400/2.jpg" /></a></div><b><br />
Ignoring the family</b><br />
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You must confess that irrespective of what position you are working in, the objective is to make a handsome living for the family. Thus, it is vital that you must not refrain from participating in family issues in a bid to excel in career. If you fail to spend ample of time with the family; over working is the main reason for it. You should look out for the following symptoms too:<br />
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1. Avoiding shopping/movies.<br />
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2. Not being able to help the kids for Homework.<br />
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3. Romance is elusive in your life.<br />
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4. Not anchoring for responsibilities.<br />
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Excessive smoking and drinking</b><br />
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“Smoking a cigarette will make you regret”. This may be a mere platitude, but if an inclination towards smoking and drinking is increasing manifold in order to de-stress yourself then it may not be a wise decision. It is gratuitous to ignore your health to make a dream career. Your health must hold paramount importance. Any lapses in this department may prove to be catastrophic.<br />
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Sleep Deprivation</b><br />
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This is the most common sign of over-working. If you happen to be excessively stressed, then insomnia is inevitable. At times, sleep deprivation can lead to a nervous breakdown. Such an issue is of grave concern, which can hold your burgeoning career hostage. It is best to avoid such circumstances where one has to take a capsule to put the mind and soul to rest.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-wAUo2-BsMHk/TsYyWXNM4zI/AAAAAAAAAeA/M_lzeIPevU8/s1600/3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left:1em; margin-right:1em"><img border="0" height="229" width="310" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-wAUo2-BsMHk/TsYyWXNM4zI/AAAAAAAAAeA/M_lzeIPevU8/s400/3.jpg" /></a></div><br />
<b>Prolonged sickness</b><br />
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If you happen to suffer from lasting body ache or perennial cold, then there are chances that you are going overboard with your work. This can create carnage in your healthy life. By going on a vacation, you can rejuvenate and replenish your body.<br />
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Committing silly mistakes</b><br />
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One often tends to become negligent in other areas of life when he becomes too serious in work. It is critical not to capitulate under such circumstances as they can prove to be costly. Do not let work govern your moves in life. This will cause one too many faux pas.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-X_Va59vHrQc/TsYyiuO5uMI/AAAAAAAAAeM/sYIkU8ZI4Bs/s1600/4.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left:1em; margin-right:1em"><img border="0" height="147" width="310" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-X_Va59vHrQc/TsYyiuO5uMI/AAAAAAAAAeM/sYIkU8ZI4Bs/s400/4.jpg" /></a></div><b><br />
Getting Angry and frustrated</b><br />
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If you're getting petulant and irascible, it could be due to the heavy work load. It is essential to keep yourself free from any work trauma as this creates a lot of friction with other members in the family. It can fetter the relationships in the long run.<br />
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Copious caffeine intake</b><br />
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If you're drinking close to about a dozen cups of coffee or red bull, then it is high time you start hitting the Gym. The body cannot afford such an addiction as it reduces sleep and causes insomnia.hanpeershttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15327749017024135634noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4520955313910874684.post-82722315174175870322011-11-11T01:55:00.000-08:002011-11-11T01:55:10.424-08:00Top ten earthquakes of all the time - Pictures<b>Chile - 22 May, 1960</b><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-2gU9OgIZ1sA/Trzt3JmXIrI/AAAAAAAAAYw/QZai5MFgHC0/s1600/1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left:1em; margin-right:1em"><img border="0" height="234" width="400" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-2gU9OgIZ1sA/Trzt3JmXIrI/AAAAAAAAAYw/QZai5MFgHC0/s400/1.jpg" /></a></div><br />
To make matters worse, the port of Puerto Saavedra was destroyed in the ensuing tsunami, which caused 61 deaths and $550 million worth of damage in Chile, $75 million damage in<br />
Hawaii, 138 deaths and $50 million damage in Japan and about $500,000 damage to the west coast of the United States<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-WVZzhieH-ZQ/Trzt8fAkSgI/AAAAAAAAAY8/KXMnevFV3hE/s1600/2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left:1em; margin-right:1em"><img border="0" height="234" width="400" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-WVZzhieH-ZQ/Trzt8fAkSgI/AAAAAAAAAY8/KXMnevFV3hE/s400/2.jpg" /></a></div><br />
A day later Volcan Puyehue in Chile's lake district spewed ash 6,000m into the air in an eruption that lasted for several weeks<br />
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Prince William Sound, Alaska - 28 March, 1964</b><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-ZSHpzfPnCuk/TrzuFRXqZoI/AAAAAAAAAZI/kMSMYwOOTTE/s1600/3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left:1em; margin-right:1em"><img border="0" height="234" width="400" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-ZSHpzfPnCuk/TrzuFRXqZoI/AAAAAAAAAZI/kMSMYwOOTTE/s400/3.jpg" /></a></div><br />
The Prince William Sound earthquake with a magnitude of 9.2 struck and devastated the Gulf of Alaska causing landslides in Anchorage and raised parts of outlying islands by as much as 11 metres.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-i02-AYQnWQM/TrzuMx3OADI/AAAAAAAAAZU/BRp8VuCl4jQ/s1600/4.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left:1em; margin-right:1em"><img border="0" height="234" width="400" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-i02-AYQnWQM/TrzuMx3OADI/AAAAAAAAAZU/BRp8VuCl4jQ/s400/4.jpg" /></a></div><br />
Anchorage suffered heavy losses. About 20 blocks of dwelling and commercial buildings were damaged in the downtown area. The schools in Anchorage were almost devastated. The duration of the shock was estimated at 3 minutes which was the most terrible 3 minutes in the history of Anchorage<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-z5FNCs9x_yk/TrzuTFnxpqI/AAAAAAAAAZg/C-CskZZihjw/s1600/5.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left:1em; margin-right:1em"><img border="0" height="234" width="400" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-z5FNCs9x_yk/TrzuTFnxpqI/AAAAAAAAAZg/C-CskZZihjw/s400/5.jpg" /></a></div><br />
The resulting tsunami reached heights of 67 metres as it swept into the shallow Valdez inlet and was responsible for most of the 128 deaths and about $311 million worth of damage.<br />
The tsunami was so big that the water displacement was felt as far away as the Louisiana Gulf.<br />
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Andreanof Islands earthquake - March 9, 1957</b><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-QnAOblrppsU/Trzub9fHOoI/AAAAAAAAAZs/c5i6Z4Eqwwk/s1600/6.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left:1em; margin-right:1em"><img border="0" height="268" width="400" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-QnAOblrppsU/Trzub9fHOoI/AAAAAAAAAZs/c5i6Z4Eqwwk/s400/6.jpg" /></a></div><br />
The 1957 Andreanof Islands earthquake was a 8.6 magnitude earthquake that caused damage to infrastructure on Adak island and Umnak island. This earthquake destroyed two bridges on Adak island and left a 4.5 meter crack on a road.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-JHhDWdl2lmg/TrzuiHvoSxI/AAAAAAAAAZ4/uWHNbe2jGDg/s1600/7.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left:1em; margin-right:1em"><img border="0" height="234" width="400" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-JHhDWdl2lmg/TrzuiHvoSxI/AAAAAAAAAZ4/uWHNbe2jGDg/s400/7.jpg" /></a></div><br />
The earthquake, apart from causing massive destruction also caused the eruption of long dormant volcano Mount Vsevidof which had stood dormant for 200 years.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-MPlw0OFZfL8/Trzuqssv9pI/AAAAAAAAAaE/0iDYFd27f1c/s1600/8.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left:1em; margin-right:1em"><img border="0" height="268" width="400" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-MPlw0OFZfL8/Trzuqssv9pI/AAAAAAAAAaE/0iDYFd27f1c/s400/8.jpg" /></a></div><br />
Further, this shock generated a 15 meter tsunami that smashed into the coastline at Scotch Cap and an 8 meter tsumani that washed away many buildings and damaged oil lines extensively at Sand Bay.<br />
This tsunami continued to Hawaii, where is destroyed two villages and inflicted about $5 million in property damage on Oahu and Kauai Islands. <br />
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<b>Great East Japan Earthquake, Japan - March 11, 2011</b><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-fnpLK4x1oP0/TrzuzImoE1I/AAAAAAAAAaQ/91WelsT_5zA/s1600/9.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left:1em; margin-right:1em"><img border="0" height="234" width="400" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-fnpLK4x1oP0/TrzuzImoE1I/AAAAAAAAAaQ/91WelsT_5zA/s400/9.jpg" /></a></div><br />
The 2011 earthquake off the Pacific coast of Tohoku, also known as the Great East Japan Earthquake was a magnitude 9.0 earthquake off the coast of Japan that is argued to be the most powerful quake to have ever hit Japan. Cellular and landline phone service suffered major disruptions in affected areas. The north-eastern ports of Hachinohe, Sendai, Ishinomaki and Onahama were destroyed in the quake aftermath<br />
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The earthquake which was caused by 5 to 8 meters upthrust on a 180-km wide seabed at 60km offshore from the east coast of Tohoku resulted in a major tsunami which killed thousands and devastated entire towns.<br />
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On 3rd April, 2011, the National Police Agency said that around 45,700 buildings were damaged and the loss estimated to run into tens of billions of US dollars<br />
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<b>Northern Sumatra, Indonesia - December 26, 2004</b><br />
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The earthquake that struck the northern part of Sumatra is by far the fourth largest earthquake in the world since 1900 and is considered by many the largest since the 1964 Alaska earthquake that accounted for the deaths of 283,100 people.<br />
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The resulting tsunami displaced 1,126,900 in about 10 countries in South Asia and East Africa.The tsunami caused more casualties than any other in recorded history and was recorded nearly world-wide on tide gauges in the Indian, Pacific and Atlantic Oceans.<br />
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With a magnitude of between 9.1 and 9.3 this is the third largest earthquake recorded in a seismograph<br />
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<b>Mexico City - September 20, 1985</b><br />
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On the early morning of September 19, 1985 Mexico City was struck by a magnitude 8.1 earthquake. The result was tragic, 10,000 people died and Mexico city area was completely ruined.<br />
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The complete seismic event consisted of four quakes. The event caused between three and four billion USD in damage as 412 buildings collapsed and and another 3,124 were seriously damaged in the city<br />
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Cuauhtemoc that includes the historic downtown suffered the most damage. Here, 258 buildings completely crumpled, 143 partially collapsed and about 181 were seriously damaged. Most of the damages occurred in secondary and tertiary hospitals.<br />
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Northwestern Iran - June 21, 1990</b><br />
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On June 21, 1990 an earthquake near the Caspian Sea killed more than 50,000 and injured another 135,000 people as the 7.7 magnitude tremor caused utter devastation on surrounding areas. This remains the most devastating earthquake to hit Iran till date.<br />
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A 20,000-square-mile area in the provinces of Zanjan and Gilan was absolutely devastated. The region, encompassing both farms and sea resorts were all demolished in a matter of minutes.<br />
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Landslides made many roads impassable and many of the people who initially survived under the rubble could not be rescued before their air supply ran out. An estimated 400,000 people were left homeless by the earthquake.<br />
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Loma Prieta earthquake - October 17, 1989</b><br />
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Also known as the Quake of 89 the earthquake was a major earthquake that struck the San Francisco Bay Area of California on October 17, 1989. The origin was a slip along the San Andreas fault the quake lasted about 10 to 15 seconds and measured 6.9 on the Richter scale.<br />
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The quake killed 63 people throughout northern California, injured 3,757 and some 3000-12000 homeless<br />
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Highest number of fatalities occurred in the city of Oakland as a result of the failure of the Cypress Street Viaduct where, due to the quake, a double deck portion of the freeway collapsed.<br />
The quake caused an estimated $6 billion in property damage, and became one of the most expensive natural disasters in the history of America<br />
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<b>Izmit, Turkey - August 17, 1999</b><br />
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A 7.6 magnitude earthquake struck northwestern Turkey on August 17, 1999 lasting for about 37 seconds and killing 17,000 people.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Bp6zQCWUvjs/TrzwxAV_rAI/AAAAAAAAAdQ/lrtWPb6qN_c/s1600/25.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left:1em; margin-right:1em"><img border="0" height="234" width="400" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Bp6zQCWUvjs/TrzwxAV_rAI/AAAAAAAAAdQ/lrtWPb6qN_c/s400/25.jpg" /></a></div><br />
An official Turkish estimate of October 19, 1999, placed the toll at 17,127 killed and 43,959 injured, but many sources suggest the actual figure may have been closer to 45,000 dead and a similar number injured.<br />
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Chile/Argentina - November 11, 1922</b><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-ahRKqPs88CQ/Trzw-XtMDXI/AAAAAAAAAdc/QSrdBAfU_dI/s1600/26.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left:1em; margin-right:1em"><img border="0" height="266" width="400" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-ahRKqPs88CQ/Trzw-XtMDXI/AAAAAAAAAdc/QSrdBAfU_dI/s400/26.jpg" /></a></div><br />
The 1922 earthquake of 8.5 magnitude that occurred in the Atacama Region of Chile, near the border with Argentina on November 11, 1922 triggered a destructive tsunami causing significant damage to the coast of Chile<br />
Total damages were estimated to be in the range $5-25 million American dollarshanpeershttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15327749017024135634noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4520955313910874684.post-56238811881989026542011-11-11T01:17:00.000-08:002011-11-11T01:17:47.907-08:00The most Weird laws around the world - Have a look<b>Jail for cheating (Bangladesh)</b><br />
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Students in Bangladesh have a tough life. In Bangladesh, children 15 and older can be put in jail for cheating on their final examinations. Every year, Bangladeshi government takes strong measures to stop cheating and carries out a massive media campaign to forewarn students through print and television. Talks about paying maximum penalty while still a student.<br />
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Being twins a sin (China)</b><br />
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Keeping in mind the massive population growth that was burdening China's progress, China's one child policy was established by Chinese leader Deng Xiaoping in 1979 to limit communist China's population growth. Couples wanting more than one child were rendered helpless by this policy.<br />
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Around 35.9% of China's population is currently subject to the one-child restriction. The government believes it has helped to alleviate social, economic and environmental problems in China. <br />
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<b>Three sandwiches per mourner (Massachusetts , USA)</b><br />
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Talk about mourning for the dead. In Massachusetts at a wake, mourners may eat no more than three sandwiches. It is one of those laws that was written in books and never removed since then. Bad manners, one might consider it, but in Massachusetts it is a criminal offense. So the next time you happen to attend a funeral in Massachusetts, better have a light snack at home.<br />
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<b>Illegal to consume mince pie on Christmas Day (Britain)</b><br />
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Christmas is a joyous time of the year when Christians all over the world celebrate and make merry, but a weird law exists in Britain, which, if enforced would take out the festive spirit of Christmas. In Britain, it is illegal to consume a mince pie on Christmas Day. It is one of the odd old laws on the statute book, although rarely enforced by even the keenest police officer. <br />
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It was brought to existence by Oliver Cromwell, self proclaimed Lord Protector of England. Festivals that promoted gluttony and drunkenness were against the righteous Christian ethics, including Christmas. Pie lovers must be thanking their stars for this law not being taken seriously.<br />
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<b>Bicycle law (Georgia)</b><br />
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The bicycle law was one of those laws that had a flaw. According to this law, in Georgia no bicycle shall be equipped, modified, or altered in such a way as to cause the pedal in its lowermost position to be more than 12 inches above the ground, nor shall any bicycle be operated if so equipped. The question is: Who would ride such a bike?<br />
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Sue them pants (France)</b><br />
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In France it is still against the law for women to wear pants. The law reportedly has been on the books since 1800.It was amended several times: once in 1892 to allow women to sport trousers while riding horses and again in 1909 to permit the ladies to wear pants while on bicycles.<br />
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<b>Limit of the use of change (Canada)</b><br />
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Canadians carrying loose change often find themselves in a spot of bother. In Canada, Currency Act of 1985 prohibits consumers from using unreasonable amounts of coins to pay for purchases. This means you can't pay for an item in all coins (especially if it's over $10). Even the use of dollar-coins is limited.<br />
The shop owner has the right to choose whether or not he wants to take your coins but doesn't have to.<br />
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Talk about getting oneself in some sticky situation. In Singapore, chewing gum is prohibited. This rule was introduced because of the high cost and difficulty in removing stuck chewing gum from public premises. In particular, chewing gum stuck on the Mass Rapid Transit train doors stopped the trains from moving.<br />
It happened a few times and those were a few times too many.<br />
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<b>Headlights on during all times (Denmark)</b><br />
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Drivers in Denmark are supposed to drive vehicles with their headlights on. You'd think this law would apply to night driving but it doesn't. It is considered essential during the day as well or they may face a fine of up to $100. Studies have shown that this has helped a lot to avoid road accidents in Denmark.<br />
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No chick painting (Ohio)</b><br />
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Good news for poultry lovers. According to Akron- Ohio Act 925.62, No person, firm, or corporation shall dye or otherwise color any rabbit or baby poultry, including, but not limited to, chicks and ducklings. No person, firm, or corporation shall sell, offer for sale, expose for sale, raffle, or give away any rabbit or baby poultry which has been dyed or otherwise colored. It's a chicks life after all.<br />
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<b>Kissing for only five minutes (Iowa, USA)</b><br />
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Talk about getting jailed for kissing, but in Iowa, one could just be arrested if found guilty of kissing for more than five minutes. This means that if caught red handed most of the citizens of Iowa could get jailed.<br />
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No internet access (Burma)</b><br />
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In Burma, the military government works aggressively to limit and control Internet access through software-based censorship, infrastructure and technical constraints.Offenders face large fines and lenghty prison sentences.<br />
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No nuclear devices within city limits ( California, USA)</b><br />
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This is one weird law of nuclear proportions. In Chico, California, USA, the law says that anybody who detonates a nuclear device within the city limits is liable to a fine of $500.<br />
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Legal to kill an armed Scotsman (York)</b><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-2Yw2AWrqS2s/TrzmU303j2I/AAAAAAAAAWs/MKc13n_-zos/s1600/14.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left:1em; margin-right:1em"><img border="0" height="400" width="300" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-2Yw2AWrqS2s/TrzmU303j2I/AAAAAAAAAWs/MKc13n_-zos/s400/14.jpg" /></a></div><br />
Going by this law, it seems that after all these years, the Irish, the English and the Scottish still detest each other. In the city of York, it is legal to murder a Scotsman within the ancient city walls, but only if he is carrying a bow and an arrow.<br />
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License to light ( Victoria, Australia)</b><br />
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A weird law exists in Victoria, Australia that is probably not followed by the majority of the citizens for this law involves a simple device like a light bulb. In Victoria Australia, only a licensed electrician is allowed to change a lightbulb.<br />
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Television License (South Africa)</b><br />
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People who are planning to settle in South Africa better keep this law in mind for the next time you decide to go and buy the idiot box, you make sure that you get a license for buying a television. For, in South Africa a license is required to buy a simple home device like a television.<br />
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No facial hair please (Nevada, US)</b><br />
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It seems that the higher authorities in Eureka, Nevada are obsessed with clean and shaven faces, for it is illegal for men with moustaches to kiss women.<br />
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<b>Do Not Feed The Pigeons (Italy)</b><br />
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It's illegal to feed pigeons in Venice, Italy (don't tell Mary Poppins!).The pigeon poop actually pollutes the local buildings and a fine of around 50-600 USD should be enough to deter you.<br />
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No eating during Ramadan (UAE)</b><br />
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Feeling peckish whilst visiting the United Arab Emirates? Well just make sure you don't eat in public during the daylight hours whilst Ramadan is being observed. Two British tourists were sent to jail for this for three weeks and fines of 275 USD are not unheard of for drinking juice.<br />
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Ban on dirty cars (Moscow)</b><br />
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Dirty cars spotted in Moscow can end up with a 100 USD fine, although how dirty isn't defined.<br />
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<b>No staring at Mannequins (UK)</b><br />
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One law to remember when on your family holidays in the UK is that any boy under the age of 10 may not see a naked mannequin. I<br />
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A heavy box of candy (Idaho, US)</b><br />
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Idaho state law makes it illegal for a man to give his sweetheart a box of candy weighing less than fifty pounds. <br />
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<b>Hunting license for a mouse trap (California)</b><br />
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Now, some sort of relief for these poor and timid creatures .In California it is illegal to set a mouse trap without a hunting license.hanpeershttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15327749017024135634noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4520955313910874684.post-66425877431917437682011-11-10T04:51:00.000-08:002011-11-10T04:52:42.802-08:0010 Most employable courses, The 10 college majors with the lowest unemployment rates<b>Not all graduate courses fetch you a job. The joblessness rate for people with a college degree or higher was 4.4 percent in October 2011. </b><br />
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College students, take note: There are at least six fields of study whose graduates are virtually 100 percent employed right now. That's right--certain majors, such as pharmacology, produce graduates who face a zero percent unemployment rate.<br />
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That's not bad considering last month's joblessness rate for people with a college degree or higher was 4.4 percent.<br />
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The Wall Street Journal created an interactive tool where users can search for the average employment rate and median income of people who studied each major. The data comes from the Georgetown Center on Education and the Workforce, which released a similar ranking of majors in May that we wrote about here.<br />
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The Center's previous study found that graduates with engineering and science majors tend to earn significantly more many than graduates with other college majors. (A petroleum engineering major will make 300 percent more over his or her lifetime than a peer who majored in counseling psychology, for example.)<br />
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But narrowing the results down to only the employment rate yields a wider range of fields that provide excellent job security. People who majored in some lower paying fields, such as school counseling, face an almost nonexistent chance of being unempl0yed.<br />
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Check out the rest of the most employable majors, below.<br />
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Majors and their unemployment rate:<br />
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<b>Actuarial Science—0 percent<br />
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Astronomy and Astrophysics—0 percent<br />
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Educational Administration and Supervision—0 percent<br />
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Geological and Geophysical Engineering—0 percent<br />
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Pharmacology—0 percent<br />
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School Student Counseling—0 percent<br />
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Agricultural Economics—1.3 percent<br />
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Medical Technologies Technicians—1.4 percent<br />
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Atmospheric Sciences and Meteorology—1.6 percent<br />
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Environmental Engineering, Nursing, and Nuclear Industrial Radiology and Biological Technologies—2.2 percent</b>hanpeershttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15327749017024135634noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4520955313910874684.post-7248624133575100182011-11-10T04:45:00.000-08:002011-11-10T04:45:04.100-08:00India's own tablet - UbiSlate 7, Leave your iPad at home, travel with an Indian tablet<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-KNR0MzgxZJk/TrvHK7EAqrI/AAAAAAAAAUE/W2xv7ebtIbY/s1600/11.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left:1em; margin-right:1em"><img border="0" height="199" width="400" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-KNR0MzgxZJk/TrvHK7EAqrI/AAAAAAAAAUE/W2xv7ebtIbY/s400/11.jpg" /></a></div>The UbiSlate 7 touch screen tablet includes a 2GB memory card and has a battery life of three hours.<br />
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Still picking the sand out of iPad's last beach holiday adventure?<br />
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A sibling of the world's cheapest tablet computer -- the Aakash, launched in India last month -- promises a cheaper, worry-free and therefore travel-friendly alternative for mobile computing.<br />
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The tablet's "proudly made in India" and the base version (meant for students) was launched on October 5. It was christened the Aakash tablet, after the Hindi word for sky.<br />
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London-based DataWind, a leading provider of wireless web access, will make a commercial variant of the Aakash available in India by the end of November.<br />
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The varient will have a less romantic shelf name of UbiSlate 7. It's currently available for pre-order at www.aakashdatawind.com.<br />
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UbiSlate 7 costs US$60, or a maximum retail price of Rs 2,999, including all taxes and a 12-month warranty. <br />
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Dubbed the computer version of the Tata Nano car, the 7-inch touch screen tablet promises a high definition video processor, Wi-Fi Internet and two full-sized USB ports.<br />
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The UbiSlate 7 offers the same features as the Aakash tablet: Web browsing, multimedia games and also doubles up as an e-book reader and instant messenger through Nimbuzz Webchat, a popular free call and messaging app.<br />
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The only difference is that UbiSlate 7 will have a cellular mode for web access on-the-go, with Subscriber Identity Module (SIM) and General Packet Radio Service (GPRS) enabled.<br />
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Future products will include a mobile phone version of the device and a larger 10-inch screen.<br />
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"This is not only a concept that applies to India, but has ignited the imagination of governments around the world. The Aakash is proudly made in India, and is destined to revolutionize computing and Internet access for the world," says Suneet Singh Tuli, CEO, DataWind.hanpeershttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15327749017024135634noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4520955313910874684.post-74273254351620630042011-11-10T00:51:00.000-08:002011-11-10T00:51:15.114-08:00Music scandals of October - October's most delicious music dirtOctober wasn't exactly a stellar month for wit or originality. Accusations of sample, rhyme and dance routine stealing were on the increase among pop stars, rappers, Belgian choreographers and ageing soul musicians while puerile tweets by Fox New Anchors and financially-troubled stars from the '90s remained steady.<br />
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Maroon 5 front man Adam Levine picked a fight with Fox News by asking the U.S. cable news network to stop playing his band's music with a strongly-worded tweet. 'Dear Fox News, don't play our music on your evil f---ing channel ever again. Thank you,' he wrote. Though it's not clear what exactly the 'Moves Like Jagger' singer was referring to, network anchors Andy Levy and Greg Gutfeld fired back with a few pointed tweets of their own. 'Dear @AdamLevine, don't make crappy f---ing music ever again. Thank you,' Levy twetted. Gutfeld added, 'Dear adam, That's not music' and 'fun joke: why did Maroon 5 cross the road? because crappy music is legal there! @adamlevine.' Wah-wah.<br />
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Beyonce continues to toe a fine line between homage and plagiarism in 'Countdown,' one of three new music videos the pop star released in October. The clip pays tribute to old Hollywood musicals, such as 'Funny Face,' but also incorporates dance moves and similar camera set-ups from two films by Belgian choreographer Anne Teresa De Keersmaeker, who was quick to accuse the star of ripping her off after the video hit the web.<br />
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'BeyonceÌ is not the worst copycat; she sings and dances very well, and she has a good taste,' De Keersmaeker wrote in a letter posted online. 'On the other hand, there are protocols and consequences to such actions, and I can't imagine she and her team are not aware of it.'<br />
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In other copycat news, Rihanna and her record label Def Jam settled a lawsuit with David LaChapelle for an undisclosed sum. Earlier this summer, the fashion photographer accused the pop star of copying his photographs from an issue of 'Italian Vogue' for her sexed-up 'S&M' music video and sued her for $1 million. The case was to proceed to trial but Rihanna opted to settle out of court instead. LaChapelle's publicist told 'The New York Post' that he's happy with the amount. 'I like RiRi,' LaChapelle said when he launched the suit. 'This is not personal, it's strictly business. Musicians commonly pay to sample music or use someone's beats and there should be no difference when sampling an artist's visuals.'<br />
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Method Man aired out a bit of Wu-Tang Clan's dirty laundry this month. In an interview with 'Complex' magazine, the New York MC claimed that Old Dirty Bastard, who died of a drug overdose in 2004, stole the majority of his lyrics for his debut solo album 'Return to the 36 Chambers: The Dirty Version' from his group mates. 'Dirty took all their sh-- and made it his own and GZA ain't say sh--,' Method Man said.<br />
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Blues and soul musician Syl Johnson filed a lawsuit in Illinois Federal Court against rappers Kanye West and Jay-Z for allegedly using an uncleared sample on a bonus track from their joint album 'Watch The Throne.' According to 'Billboard,' Johnson claims that the duo and the labels UMG and Def Jam used a sample from his song 'Different Strokes' featuring Curtis Mayfield on their Pete Rock-produced song 'The Joy' without permission and without giving credit. Johnson has filed many sample-related lawsuits against Michael Jackson, Kid Rock, Cypress Hill and Wu-Tang Clan over the years to varying degrees of success. He alleges that West is guilty of 'willful misappropriation' because he previously tried to clear the sample for use on his 2010 solo album 'My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy' but was unable to get permission in time. West and Jay-Z have yet to respond to the charges.<br />
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A Manhattan judge ruled this month that Hole front woman Courtney Love is on the line for more than $100,000 in jewelry she borrowed from Jacob & Co. which went missing. The rocker said she tried to return the two white gold diamond chains, a white gold floral mesh cuff bracelet and a pair of gold diamond earrings worth $113,000, which she borrowed to wear to a charity benefit last year, but couldn't because staff at the Mercer Hotel apparently lost the goods. She filed a police report but a judge ruled this month that's she's responsible. However, she may not have to pay the full amount plus interest - as the store is demanding - but rather market value.<br />
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Iconic British performer Morrissey wants to take music rag 'NME' to court over an interview he claims portrayed him as a racist. 'The Guardian' reports that one of the UK's top libel judges is in the midst of deciding whether the former Smiths front man has enough evidence to sue the magazine in high court over a 2007 article that quoted him as saying, 'the gates of England are flooded. The country's been thrown away... Although I don't have anything against people from other countries, the higher influx into England, the more the British identity disappears.' Morrissey is suing then-editor Conor McNicholas and publisher IPC Media, for libel and is willing to take the stand if called upon to do so. Lawyers for the magazine have argued that the case should be thrown out.<br />
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Police in Atlanta arrested rapper Soulja Boy and four others on drug possession and gun charges following a traffic stop. The 21-year-old's three bodyguards and a driver were charged with possession of marijuana, possession of marijuana with intent to distribute and possession of a firearm. He was jailed and later released after posting $10,000 bail. He told reporters and fans gathered outside his bail hearing that he's innocent. '[A]ye can I have a real n---- moment?' he tweeted later. 'My fans was DEEP AS F--- OUTSIDE THAT JAIL MAN IM SORRY!!! thats love!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!'<br />
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A judge in Birmingham, England declared four members of the reggae group UB40 -- Brian Travers, Jimmy Brown, Terence Oswald and Norman Hassan -- bankrupt. Despite selling millions of albums and chart hits such as 'Red Red Wine,' the band fell on financial ruin following the liquidation of their label and management company in 2008 that led to a bitter split with original lead singer Ali Campbell that same year.<br />
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'The financial difficulties were as a result of our singer leaving,' the band said in a statement on their website. 'It caused us to lose several million pounds worth of work and this had a knock-on effect of creating a black hole that the band have been working to drag themselves out of.' Campbell initially said he'd tried to warn his former band mates about their impending financial doom but it soon emerged that he went bankrupt days later.<br />
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All of indie rock-dom is wondering what will happen to one of its most influential bands after Sonic Youth members Thurston Moore and Kim Gordon announced they were calling it quits after 27 years of marriage. According to a statement released by their label Matador Records: 'Sonic Youth, with both Kim and Thurston involved, will proceed with its South American tour dates in November. Plans beyond that tour are uncertain. The couple has requested respect for their personal privacy and does not wish to issue further comment.'hanpeershttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15327749017024135634noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4520955313910874684.post-14456592628785444772011-11-10T00:30:00.000-08:002011-11-10T00:30:50.517-08:00Top Women CEOs in world - Pictures<b>Indra Nooyi - Pepsico</b><br />
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Nooyi joined PepsiCo in 1994 and was named president and CFO in 2001. Nooyi has directed the company's global strategy for more than a decade. Fortune ranked her the #1 most powerful woman in business in 2009 and 2010. <br />
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In January 2008, Nooyi was elected Chairwoman of the US-India Business Council (USIBC). Nooyi leads USIBC's Board of Directors, an assembly of more than 60 senior executives representing a cross-section of American industry<br />
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<b>Chanda Kochchar - ICICI</b><br />
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Chanda Kochhar is currently the Managing Director (MD) of ICICI Bank and Chief Executive Officer (CEO). ICICI Bank is India's largest private bank and overall second largest bank in the country. In 2009, she debuted at number 20 in the Forbes 'World's 100 Most Powerful Women list', second only to Congress President Sonia Gandhi from India, and climbed to the 10th spot in 2010.<br />
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Kochhar is honoured with Padma Bhushan Award, the third highest civilian honour by the Government of India for the year 2010 for her services to banking sector.<br />
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Kiran Mazumdar Shaw - Biocon</b><br />
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She is the Chairman & Managing Director of Biocon Limited a biotechnology company based in Bengaluru (Bangalore), India. She started Biocon in 1978 and lead the venture from an industrial enzymes manufacturing company to a fully integrated bio-pharmaceutical company<br />
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Her pioneering work in the biotechnology sector has earned her several awards, including the prestigious Padma Shri (1989) and the Padma Bhushan (2005) from the Government of India. She is also on the Forbes list of the world's 100 most powerful women. <br />
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Naina Lal Kidwai - HSBC</b><br />
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She is currently the Group General Manager and Country Head of the HSBC Group in India. A chartered accountant by profession, Kidwai was the first Indian woman to graduate from Harvard Business School (1982).<br />
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Kidwai has repeatedly ranked in the Fortune global list of Top Women in Business. In 2007, She received the Padma Shri, for her work in the promotion of Trade and Industry.<br />
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<b>Monisha Kaltenborn - Sauber (F1 team)</b><br />
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Monisha Kaltenborn, previously Monisha Narang, is the current Chief Executive Officer of the Sauber Formula One team. Born in Dehradun, she became an Austrian citizen when her family emigrated to Vienna. She has a masters' degree in International Business Law from the London School of Economics (1996). <br />
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In her first job in Stuttgart, she met Jens Kaltenborn and married him in the Himalayas. They have two children and live close to the Sauber factory in Switzerland.<br />
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<b>Virginia Rometty - IBM</b><br />
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Designated as CEO of IBM, effective January 1, 2012, she will be the first woman to head IBM. She had joined IBM as a systems engineer in its Detroit office in 1981.<br />
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On October 25, 2011, when IBM announced that she will be the company's next president and CEO after Sam Palmisano (left), he stated stated, 'Ginni [Virginia Rometty] got it because she deserved it... It's got zero to do with progressive social policies.'<br />
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<b>Meg whitman - HP</b><br />
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Margaret Whitman is the President and Chief Executive Officer of Hewlett-Packard. She studied at Princeton University and Harvard Business School.<br />
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In February 2009, Whitman announced her candidacy for Governor of California, becoming the third woman in a twenty year period to run for the office.Being the fourth wealthiest woman in the state of California, she spent more of her own money on the race than any other political candidate spent on a single election in American history. <br />
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Irene Rosenfeld - Kraft</b><br />
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Rosenfeld was appointed Chief Executive Officer of Kraft Foods in June 2006. She has worked for 25 years in the food and beverage industry.<br />
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In 2009, Rosenfeld earned total compensation of above $26 million. Forbes rated Rosenfeld 2nd on the top 10 most powerful women in October 2010. <br />
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<b>Andrea Jung - Avon</b><br />
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Jung is of the board and chief executive officer of Avon Products, Inc. Jung is a magna-cum-laude graduate of Princeton University. In 2009, Forbes ranked her the 25th most powerful woman. She joined Apple's board of directors on 7 January 2008.<br />
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Her ex-husband, Michael Gould, is the CEO of Bloomingdale's. Her mother is a chemical engineer while her father taught at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.<br />
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<b>Ursula Burns - Xerox</b><br />
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Ursula Burns is the chairwoman and CEO of Xerox. The first African-American woman CEO to head a Fortune 500 company, she is also the first woman to succeed another woman, Anne Mulcahy, as head of a Fortune 500 company. In 2009, Forbes rated her the 14th most powerful woman in the world.<br />
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Born to Panamanian immigrants parents, she obtained a master of science in Mechanical Engineering from Columbia University in 1981.<br />
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<b>Carol Bartz - Yahoo!</b><br />
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Bartz, former president and CEO of Yahoo, lost her mother, Shirley Bartz, when she was eight years old. Bartz became CEO of Yahoo!, succeeding co-founder Jerry Yang, in 2009.<br />
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Bartz, who is married to Bill Marr, a former executive at Sun Microsystems, is a survivor of breast cancer. She says: 'I have a belief that life isn't about balance, because balance is perfection ... Rather, it's about catching the ball before it hits the floor.'hanpeershttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15327749017024135634noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4520955313910874684.post-74941307539350014302011-11-09T20:49:00.000-08:002011-11-09T20:49:50.045-08:00World's richest cities - Pics<b>Zurich</b><br />
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People sit in a boat on the Limmat River during sunny summer weather in Zurich. At background left are the church towers of the Fraumuenster and St. Peter and on the right the Grossmuenster church. According to UBS, employee purchasing power is the highest in the world and the city tops the index with 144.1 points <br />
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Note: According to the Swiss bank UBS, ranking was based on the purchasing power of gross wages of an average employee based in a city. Prosperity was measured by dividing the average annual income by the total price of an UBS basket of goods and services. Since, working hours are not uniform across the world, UBS based its ranking on purchasing power based on hourly wages and not annual income.<br />
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Geneva</b><br />
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A wakeboarder performs on Lake Leman on a hot autumn day in Geneva. Despite soveriegn debt crisis in the eurozone region, European cities have fared well in the UBS ranking due to high gross purchasing power per hourly wage. Geneva ranked second with 138.8 points.<br />
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<b>Copenhagen</b><br />
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A mother and her child play near the water in front of boats and autumn trees in Frederiksberg Garden in Copenhagen. Although ranked number one in UBS survey for 2009, the city fell to rank three as the Swiss GDP grew vis-avis Danish GDP. <br />
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<b>Oslo</b><br />
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People walk past the Grand Hotel in Oslo. Oslo ranked fourth with 116.9 points.<br />
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Sydney</b><br />
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Cruise liners Queen Mary 2 (R) and Queen Elizabeth maneuver next to the Sydney Opera House after travelling into Sydney Harbour.<br />
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<b>Stockholm</b><br />
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A visitor to the Kungstradgarden ice rink puts on her skates in downtown Stockholm. <br />
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<b>New York City</b><br />
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Morning commuters make their way through Times Square in New York.<br />
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<b>Luxembourg</b><br />
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A view of the city of Luxembourg. <br />
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<b>Munich</b><br />
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People walk in front of Munich's opera house.<br />
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<b>Los Angeles</b><br />
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Downtown Los Angeles, California is seenhanpeershttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15327749017024135634noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4520955313910874684.post-63804954773109683752011-11-09T09:01:00.000-08:002011-11-09T09:08:30.471-08:0010 steps to happiness<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-f1e3fW7c5iQ/TrqwZXBn6KI/AAAAAAAAANU/U0y8AGJbRv4/s1600/1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left:1em; margin-right:1em"><img border="0" height="280" width="400" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-f1e3fW7c5iQ/TrqwZXBn6KI/AAAAAAAAANU/U0y8AGJbRv4/s400/1.jpg" /></a></div><br />
Happiness isn't about leading an obstacle-free life -- your life will always have obstacles -- instead, it's about learning how to change what you focus on and how you react to circumstances, regardless of whether they're good or bad. Happiness is a mental state of well-being that comes from focusing more often on the behaviours, people, and things that will enrich and inspire your positive physical, mental, and emotional growth. Here are 10 steps to begin living a happier life:<br />
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<b>Exercise</b><br />
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Yes, you've heard it before, but exercise is one small change that yields really big, life-changing benefits. For starters, it is a fantastic energizer, invigorating your mind and body. Exercise improves your sleep, and it's a natural anti-depressant that will help your attitude and outlook. As time passes, you'll gain the added bonus of being happier with your physical appearance as well. If working out is already a part of your life, great. If it isn't, commit to walking just twenty minutes every other day to start out. You don't have to join a gym, sign up for exhausting classes, and completely reorder your life to reap the benefits of this investment.<br />
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<b>Take charge of your mind<br />
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If you want your thoughts and attitudes to be positive, you must fill your brain with encouraging ideas. For this reason, you may consider making motivational books and audio recordings part of your daily ritual, too. It sounds incredibly hokey, but listening to a motivational CD during your morning commute or reading motivational messages for 15 minutes can put you in a positive place all day.<br />
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<b>Celebrate success</b><br />
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Most people tend to focus a lot of mental energy on the things that went wrong rather than the things that went well. Instead of beating yourself up, start celebrating your many successes. Relax about the things that don't go perfectly, and celebrate everything that does. The cycle of negativity that focuses on failures will keep you from becoming a truly relaxed, content, and happy person.<br />
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<b>Eliminate excess stress</b><br />
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Stress prevents you from living in and enjoying life. It can also cause negative long-term effects ranging from high blood pressure and insomnia to depression and anxiety. If you can't eliminate or change a stressor, such as a job you hate but can't afford to quit, challenge yourself to handle it differently. Decide beforehand how you will react in a more enlightened way when certain stressful situations occur. Having a game plan in place beforehand can reduce your negative reactions to stressors big time.<br />
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<b>Live in the present</b><br />
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If you're ruminating on what's already happened or fretting about what might come to pass, you're not enjoying the moment. You're exacerbating your anxiety and unhappiness by choosing to dwell on things you can't change or control. Forgive others (and yourself) for any wrongs you might be holding on to and stop dreading the future. Over time, you'll start to live the adventurous, wonderful life in the present you were always meant to.<br />
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<b>Hang around positive people</b><br />
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We influence and are influenced by the people we hang around. Gradually, you need to gravitate more toward the 'Positives' and distance yourself from the 'Negatives.' This might mean calling a positive friend and asking to meet up for coffee or a beer, or walking away from the water cooler when your co-workers begin to gripe and complain. Negative people will inevitably pass their unhealthy attitudes on to you.<br />
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<b>Strengthen close relationships</b><br />
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It's always worth putting work into improving close relationships because the quality of the relationships you have with the people you are the closest to can make or break the quality of your life. Loving, supportive relationships will improve your outlook and well-being. Address any unresolved grievances and apologise for the things you may regret. Most of all, put more work into the relationship with your significant other than you do into anything else: This can make such a great difference in your emotional health, your stress levels, and your overall happiness.<br />
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<b>Be friendly</b><br />
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Extending simple human kindness to other people can make a huge difference in their lives and in yours. Everyone on Earth is carrying some sort of burden. You can't make their pain, stress, or grief just magically disappear but you can make others feel just a little bit lighter and happier on their journey, even if only for five seconds. When you make friendliness a habit, you'll attract kindness and smiles in return, and you'll feel great about yourself for making a positive difference in the world!<br />
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<b>Give back</b><br />
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It's true: It really is better to give than to receive. Giving doesn't have to involve money, either; your time, talents, and compassion are just as valuable as cash, if not more so. We're all busy but as often as you can, make the effort to do something nice to help another person or organisation. Whether you're giving time, energy, money, or encouragement, being generous will build up your self-esteem, broaden your perspective, keep you anchored in reality, and connect you to your blessings.<br />
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<b>Be grateful</b><br />
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Yes, living with an 'attitude of gratitude' is a clich'd concept. But across the board, grateful people are happier and healthier; yes, studies have actually shown that thankful individuals are healthier too! It's extremely important to be aware of all of your blessings, and to honour and thank those whom you owe for them. The humility that comes from knowing you owe so much to so many others may, in turn, spur you to give back more often to those less fortunate than yourself.hanpeershttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15327749017024135634noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4520955313910874684.post-52528742925302651602011-11-09T07:18:00.000-08:002011-11-09T07:18:47.745-08:00How to be Seriously Funny<b>Humour is a serious business</b><br />
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It's a mistake to dismiss humour. Humour has always been banned under dictatorships; comedians are seen as a threat. Why? Because humour can illuminate truths, break through the constraints of narrow thinking and puncture self importance. Humour shows we are not afraid. Tyrants hate to be laughed at and they certainly don't laugh at themselves. But the really surprising truth is that we all live under dictatorships.<br />
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Human beings construct (and then have to live under) their own personal psychological dictatorships. These personal restrictive 'prisons' are built on a solid foundation of rigid rules and assumptions of right and wrong, with walls of 'shoulds' and 'oughts' and 'mustn'ts', strong bars of perfectionism, unbreakable locks of defeatism, and guards of arrogance on constant duty to 'be right'. And that arrogance can extend to 'being right' that one is totally inferior to other people. Or that life is bad.<br />
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The right humour applied at the right time by the right person can work as an escape hatch from stifling narrow seriousness and restricted 'one track' perception. And laughter can prolong life.<br />
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<b>Laughing your way to health</b><br />
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We are all increasingly aware of the mental and physical health benefits of regular laughter. Many studies highlight that belly laughter is a great fun work out, laughter reduces stress hormones, relieves pain, relaxes us and produces endorphins - the natural feel good hormones. Laughing regularly can ward off depression and help you sleep better and generally enjoy life more. We even call people who make us laugh 'a real tonic'.<br />
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I want to focus on how humour frees up restricted and limiting thinking, on how the mental shackles and restraints we bind ourselves in can be loosened - and sometimes entirely discarded - through the use of humour. I also want to consider why all good teachers, therapists and leaders have instinctively known how to use humour (and, of course, when not to use it!).<br />
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Here's how humour can be used as a tool to deflate pomposity...<br />
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<b>Appreciating the attempt</b><br />
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A presenter friend of mine was once talking to an audience of about a hundred people. A woman in the audience suddenly launched into a diatribe on the inadequacies of men, the superiority of women in all things, and how women had to suffer the 'pathetic efforts of men'. She then sat back with her arms crossed, looking expectantly at my friend (who wasn't even talking on this subject) and concluded with the immortal words: "I really do try not to be patronizing to men!"<br />
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He looked at her for a second then said: "Well, I'm sure we all appreciate the attempt, madam!" You could have heard a pin drop as the assembled listeners processed his remark. The roar of laughter that followed was deafening. The woman's pomposity melted and she too began to laugh.<br />
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<b>Now how could he have handled this?</b><br />
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A less experienced speaker might have attempted to placate the woman, or to defend his gender from this over simplified 'attack' He could have indignantly stated that he did find her tone patronizing, and so on. But with just five well chosen words my friend confounded the expectations of all those present when he commented on her attitude rather than the content of her words. She had said she tried not to be patronizing and he implied that she was patronizing by calling her effort to be un-patronizing an 'attempt'. Perhaps more than anything else he gave her the opportunity to view herself objectively, 'from the outside'. She later privately apologized to him and admitted she had been 'over the top'. I don't subscribe to the idea that education should always be 'fun', just as I don't think all nutrition should have added artificial sweetener, but humour can produce the right mind state to receive a new perspective and a useful memory peg to attach learnings to. How does it do this?<br />
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<b>Humour as a learning tool</b><br />
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Humour confounds expectations, applies a mild shock and therefore forces people to think and examine assumptions and limited thinking. A good therapist will be flexible enough to know how to use humour, when and to what extent. Over-seriousness is a microscope that narrows focus and enlarges detail at the expense of the bigger picture. Serious things can be appreciated in non-serious ways. Consider a recent arrival on the dictatorship scene: political correctness.<br />
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In our politically correct times humour is seen as dangerous because it may 'offend'. We have been in danger of saying: "Are we allowed to be laughing about this?" When we have to worry that something is or is not permissible, we are back in dictatorship mentality. Things are 'correct' or not depending on context - not as a universally applied set of restrictive rules implemented by someone else. Real humour, of course, won't condemn whole races or religions or even individuals. But it will illuminate hidden pomposity and restricted vision in whatever context it is found. Real humour is universal and knows no boundaries. My favourite type of humour is off the cuff and also 'makes a statement' and gives unexpected and widening perspectives. I love it when people produce their own spontaneous and creative humour, which is why pre-packaged jokes thought up by others don't always do it for me.<br />
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<b>The art of not being funny</b><br />
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Some people try to be funny by telling jokes. This can be funny, but really it's a rather lazy way of going about it, because the jokes are borrowed. Such jokes are also often divorced from the situation or context the joke-teller is in at the time, and this can jar with the other people present. Real humour is inclusive and comes 'organically' from the situation.<br />
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A good humorist will strengthen rapport with others by injecting humour into the situation or conversation as they are all experiencing it, perhaps by commenting on it in a fresh way. They will not just commandeer the conversation and take off at unrelated tangents by artificially introducing 'a joke'.<br />
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If you want to be a good humorist, you will ensure that your humour enters into the flow of conversation that the other person is already included in and so strengthens their feeling of inclusion. This fosters real connection with people.<br />
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<b>Laughter and luck</b><br />
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You laugh at something because it is unexpected, and this very unexpectedness can totally alter your take on something for ever after - this is why humour can be so therapeutic. When something makes us see a part of reality in a fresh way it is called a 're-frame'. The injection of humour at the right time, in the right way, delivers a powerful re-frame.<br />
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A depressed man in his sixties came to see me. His right leg had been amputated after an accident and he was having a hard time adjusting. He talked at great length about his life and particularly about his ex-wife and how difficult he'd found her to live with. At one point he mentioned that she had been married twice before, but that both her former husbands had died while married to her.<br />
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I had established good rapport with this man, and had sensed that, although I hadn't seen him laugh in more than twelve hours of therapy, he did have a sense of humour. Tentatively, I ventured: "So... her previous two husbands lost their lives... and you lost your leg!"<br />
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He looked at me, stunned. I became aware of a slow rumble coming from his chest (no humour is without risk!). Slowly he began to laugh uncontrollably. Eventually, with tears of laughter in his eyes, he said: "Yes, I was the lucky one! I was the one that got away!"<br />
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<b>When politicians were funny</b><br />
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When a man asked Abraham Lincoln how long a man's legs should be, he famously replied: "Just long enough to reach the ground!" This kind of humour applies a mild 'learning shock' and asks politely: "What kind of question is that?" The retort is still connected to the topic instigated by the other person, and in that way retains the rapport on some level. The worst kind of 'humorist' (from my restricted view point) is the person who hails you with: "Wait till you hear this, it will make you scream with laughter!" Humour is funny and an opportunity to learn because it is unexpected, and who wants to be pressured into finding something funny ahead of time? It's better when you don't think something is going to be funny and then it is.<br />
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But humour doesn't have to make you laugh to widen your perspective.<br />
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<b>'Funny' is in the eye of the beholder</b><br />
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What's funny differs from person to person, but sometimes it doesn't matter if it actually makes you laugh just as long as it gently nudges you into a wider vision of the situation. The best stand ups will make you think as well as laugh - or at least one of the two!<br />
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When you use humour, you indicate that you are relaxed enough to think, that you have an opinion all your own and that you are mentally nimble.<br />
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Oh, and in response to the man who sternly asked me what my research was, I replied: "Now you're making me feel like a used car salesman!"<br />
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That was for the interruption. After that he did get his referenceshanpeershttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15327749017024135634noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4520955313910874684.post-69225212679091852032011-11-09T06:49:00.000-08:002011-11-09T06:49:09.509-08:00The Big Question: Does Sachin deserve the Bharat Ratna?<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-sv3lZxLRh2s/TrqSvwkfAXI/AAAAAAAAANI/kOz5frPj9xQ/s1600/sachin-02-091111-630.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left:1em; margin-right:1em"><img border="0" height="297" width="400" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-sv3lZxLRh2s/TrqSvwkfAXI/AAAAAAAAANI/kOz5frPj9xQ/s400/sachin-02-091111-630.jpg" /></a></div><br />
Sachin Ramesh Tendulkar added another feather to his illustrious cap yesterday when he blew past 15,000 Test runs. He already holds the record for most number of Test centuries, the most number of runs in ODIs and the most of number of ODI centuries. Add to that, the only batsman in the world with an ODI double century, and one begins to wonder whether there is anything Tendulkar can’t do. After winning almost every accolade in the book, there is one recognition that still eludes him - the Bharat Ratna – India’s highest Indian civilian honor. And that’s not because he not worthy; the rules simply don’t allow for it. Sport as a category doesn’t exist when an individual is considered for the Bharat Ratna. The only way to bestow the Bharat Ratna on Sachin is by tweaking the rules. Considering Sachin’s contribution to the nation, the question is not if, but when.<br />
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<b>Does Sachin deserve the Bharat Ratna?</b><br />
Give us your opinion in the comments section below, and we will pick and feature the best of them.hanpeershttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15327749017024135634noreply@blogger.com0