fwd: Podcasting Your Novel: Publishing's Next Wave?

Podcasting Your Novel: Publishing's Next Wave? TIME - USA But Hutchins has found a way around the first-time writer's heartbreak — and he is now part of a technological wave that may carry writers into a next age ...   Sylvia Hubbard Author, Blogger and Founder of Motown Writers Network http://sylviahubbard.com http://motownwriters.com http://michiganliterarynetwork.com http://detroitliterarynetwork.com     NOW AVAILABLE: Secrets, Lies and Family Ties order your copy now --- On Sat, 1/31/09, Google Alerts <googlealerts-noreply@google.com> wrote: From: Google Alerts <googlealerts-noreply@google.com> Subject: Google Alert - internet marketing for writers To: yexsenia2@yahoo.com Date: Saturday, January 31, 2009, 2:35 PM Google News Alert for: internet marketing for writers Podcasting Your Novel: Publishing's Next Wave? TIME - USA But Hutchins has found a way around the first-time writer's heartbreak — and he is now part of a technological wave that may carry writers into a next age ... See all stories on this topic World Wide Wine Forbes - NY,USA Gary Vaynerchuk, the host of Wine Library TV, has made it huge on the Internet--but that is only the beginning. Gary Vaynerchuk wants just one thing out of ... See all stories on this topic Publisher moves here from Bellingham The Columbian - Vancouver,WA,USA Now, the company is contracting with some 200 artists and writers around the globe to produce five new comic books a month, said Davis, who moved his ... See all stories on this topic Vertical Measures Raises the Bar for Link Building Services in 2009 Free Press Release Center (press release) - Toronto,Canada Internet marketing leader Vertical Measures announces new services and enhanced, customized services for link building and content development in 2009. ... See all stories on this topic Mountain magazine folds Aspen Daily News - Aspen,CO,USA Armour estimates the magazine contracted with about 10 freelance writers and photographers in the Roaring Fork Valley. The magazine, and its distribution ... See all stories on this topic The author as brand PopMatters - Chicago,IL,USA But noncommercial writers online face the same dilemma; the Web offers the possibility of a measurable audience, and the temptation is always there to write ... See all stories on this topic Putting Web 2.0 to work Irish Times - Dublin,Ireland The writers set out "to explore, in an objective and rigorous way, whether the concept of Enterprise 2.0 could deliver real business benefits". ... See all stories on this topic Google Blogs Alert for: internet marketing for writers SEO Services Canada, Internet Marketing Company, Organic SEO ... By SEO Services Provider SEO Company Canada provides SEO Consulting, SEO Services, and Link Building to clients in Canada, USA, and UK. Professional SEO Services with Organic SEO and Internet Marketing. Top Placement in Google, Yahoo and MSN. ... SEO Services Canada, Internet... - http://seo-webmarketing-company.blogspot.com/ Economical Methods In Online Marketing For Web Organizations ... Yet, online marketing companies can provide you this service as well. Case in point, copywriters and content writers dwelling inside of Scotland could turn over the desired articles for you, and for an inexpensive price, as well as. ... Shaister Miester Do Da - http://www.shaister.com/ Prosperity 66 - Diary Of An Internet Marketing Newbie: The Adsense ... By Moi Prosperity 66 - Diary Of An Internet Marketing Newbie. Internet Marketing for Newbies. Important Info. Privacy Policy. Google. Custom Search. Add to Technorati Favorites. Interesting Links. All you need to know about Diamonds ... Prosperity 66 - Diary Of An Internet... - http://prosperity66.blogspot.com/ Discover Helpful Information About A Great Online Business Internet marketing articles by Gary Harvey and other writers. You are most welcome to reprint them. With the bio box, please. Subscribe to RSS feed · BlueHost $6.95 UNLIMITED domains+bandwidth ... Article Marketing For Home Business - http://garyharvey.net/ Article Marketing: I Hate Writing Articles - Isn't There An Easier ... Many website owners would rather spend their time on something else, and unless you're a big time company, you don't have the necessary resources to use on a pool of article writers. Plagiarism or copying of other articles is frowned ... Garland Robinson.com - http://garlandrobinson.com/  This once a day Google Alert is brought to you by Google. Remove this alert. Create another alert. Manage your alerts.

Read More

Thrissur Pooram, Trichur, Kerala, India

Read More

Fw: Black History Online Literary Affair - going on now!

For better viewing as a webpage  click here and enjoy! Black History Online Literary Affair   Please join us for 42 nights of fun, wisdom, fellowship, and book previews, as well as author interviews. EDC Creations and the Sankofa Literary Society will host the annual Black History Month Internet Book Fair to bring together book clubs, educators, business leaders, editors, authors, community leaders and concerned citizens. You can participate nightly from the comforts of your home! The event is held totally online with nightly panel discussions, seminars, live readings from new book releases, community town hall meetings and open mic poetry nights. During the day, you can network on the official event blog with other readers. You are invited to take part in this historic 6-week event. Please take a look at our nightly themes and let us know if you would like to be a featured panelist. If you are interested in taking part in the program, please email Ella Curry at:  elladcurry@edc-creations.com. Our theme is "Give the Gift of Knowledge." We seek to bring together our modern day Griots to share with us the history of our people and to lead us into the future. Are you ready? Do you want to help us prepare an archive of African American legacies for your children? This is an open, community forum for all races and cultures. We will help create the very foundations of change by exercising unity and generosity.  Please share this email with your network too! For more information and to view the nightly themes, click below. www.edc-creations.com/blackhistorybookfairthemes.html Forgive me if this is a duplicate email. My intentions are good and I do apologize. Happy Reading, Ella Curry, president of EDC Creations Media Group Founder of the Black Authors Network Founder of the Sankofa Literary Society Literary Director for the Environmental Justice League, Inc.

Read More

Fw: The Blogger Guide - Sidebar Has Fallen Down!

Sidebar Has Fallen Down! Posted: 30 Jan 2009 10:10 PM PST Every now and then, the above problem gets raised on many Blogger forums. Sometimes the request comes in the form of "My sidebar is missing!, please help". First of all, don't panic, it's not catastrophic. The most common reason (I would say 90% of the time) for falling down sidebars has been the presence of unclosed <div> tags in one of the blog posts. i.e. a post without one or more matching </div> (note the /) tags for the corresponding <div> tags. Sometimes, it could be some other HTML tag. (For example, I have seen cases where a missing </script> tag caused the sidebar to be pushed down) If a missing tag is the problem, the following method can be used to identify the post(s) that cause it. Visit the individual pages of each post that appears on your home page. (For example, if you have configured your blog to show five recent posts on the home page, then visit each one of those five) In one (or more) of those posts, the sidebar will be pushed down, while it will appear normal in other posts. These posts are the ones that cause the problem. Once you locate the trouble-making post (or posts), open it in Edit HTML mode and check for any unclosed <div> tags. Add the missing </div> tags and publish the post again. That should bring the sidebar back to its usual position. Though the missing closing tags has been the biggest culprit for fallen sidebars, there are some other, rare reasons such as posting of large pictures or widgets in the sidebar and obscure script errors. If the above method does not fix your problem, then some more investigations are needed to locate the cause. You are subscribed to email updates from The Blogger Guide

Read More

Free Internet Marketing Workshop with Sylvia Hubbard on Feb 7th

Free Internet Marketing Workshop with Sylvia Hubbard on Feb 7th   Internet Marketing, Blogging & Social Networking - Getting Your Work to the World!   Explore the endless possibilities of selling your work on the Internet and being successful at it. From quick tips on setting up great writer's website, figuring out RSS, to keeping the readers coming back for more! No experience required!   Macomb Book Fair and Writers' Conference Saturday, February 7, 2009 Mount Clemens Public Library   150 Cass Avenue | Mount Clemens MI 48043  (586) 469-6200 Please register in advance | Click here At the event, Sylvia Hubbard will make her book, Internet Marketing for Writers and Businesses available for only $5.00, but there will be limited copies. To order your book early at Amazon.com for $6.00 (plus shipping and handling in time for the conference) click here.     Sylvia Hubbard Author, Blogger and Founder of Motown Writers Network http://sylviahubbard.com http://motownwriters.com http://michiganliterarynetwork.com http://detroitliterarynetwork.com     NOW AVAILABLE: Secrets, Lies and Family Ties order your copy now

Read More

Taliban targets schoolgirls

Read More

The Fire Inside

Success doesn't come to the most intelligent/gifted/strong. The world is filled with geniuses who did zero with their talent. So no. Sustained success comes to the person with the biggest fire inside of them. Burning desire, unreasonable passion and massive beliefs in the importance of one's dreams are what creates genuine leaders. And people who reach their mountaintops.

2009 is your year. It's the year you can upgrade every area and element of your life. From health to wealth. From relationships to career. It's all yours for the taking. This can be the year you turn it all around and take it to a whole new level of wow.

So find your fire. Look in the mirror. Remember who you are. And all that you've dreamed of being. And then act. And when you get knocked down or discouraged or afraid. Get back up. Light up the fire. And stoke it until it blazes.
Courtesy : Robin Sharma's Blog

Read More

ASMA MOHAMMED RAFI IN SAREGAMAPA 2009

Read More

Dad throws daughter off bridge

Read More

Ferry malfunction

Read More

Me & My Friends

View Full Album

Read More

Newsletter: The Savvy Book Marketer-Increase Visibility in Amazon's Search Results

The Savvy Book Marketer For better viewing, click here to read this newsletter in a browser.   January, 2009   Hello, and a warm welcome to all of my new subscribers! This month's feature article explores ways you can improve your book's placement on the search results page of Amazon.com.   In the Recommended Resources section, you'll find information about the new Amazon Author Stores, testing children's books for lead content, publicity for nonfiction books, my new ebook series, and resources for writers. Best wishes for a healthy, happy, and successful year! Dana   » Increase Visibility in Amazon's Search Results Amazon.com customers typically search for books by author, title, or keyword. Like search engines, Amazon uses several criteria in deciding which products to display on the search results page and in what order to display them. Popularity (the number of books already sold on Amazon) and how well the book matches the keywords are major factors in determining the results of keyword searches. The more books you sell on Amazon, the more books you will sell in the future, because your book will appear higher in the search results. In addition, many customers assume that the best-selling book must be the best one on the topic. One way to increase your book's "popularity," and therefore its search results placement, is to direct all of your online book orders to Amazon.com. It's also important to make sure your book matches popular search terms entered by customers. If your book is not yet published, you can add important keywords to the book's title and subtitle. Some publishers use long subtitles in order to pack in as many keywords as possible. To capitalize on searches for keywords not contained in your title and subtitle, enter important keywords into Amazon's Search Tag feature.  Near the bottom of the Tags section (about halfway down your book page), look for "Help others find this product - tag it for Amazon search" and click on the "suggest" button.   You can't use keywords that already appear in Amazon's search function, such as the book title or author name. Word order matters, so create different search tags with variations on your most important keywords. After you enter a keyword, you must to tell Amazon why you think the book should be indexed under that particular term. Amazon staff members approve Search Tags, so make sure your tag and your explanation are relevant and don't sound like a sales pitch. It's best to use the keyword phrase within your explanation. You can personally submit up to ten search terms for you book. If you have additional search terms to enter, ask a colleague to enter some for you. Another way to increase your "popularity" on Amazon.com is do a virtual book tour or an "Amazon best-seller campaign," designed to push up your Amazon sales rank by generating a large number of orders on a single day. There are a number of other ways to promote your book on Amazon.com, including getting lots of good Amazon reviews, writing reviews of other related books, participating in the Look Inside program, creating an Amazon Connect blog, enhancing your book description, participating in Amazon forums for your book's topic, and creating Listmania lists and So You'd Like To guides.   For a more in-depth look at Amazon promotions, I recommend Aiming at Amazon, by Aaron Shepard. » Recommended    Resources for Authors   Amazon Launches Author Stores Amazon.com has launched a new feature called Author Stores. Right now it's in beta testing, by invitation only. Visit this page for more details, and get on the mailing list to receive information from Amazon. Children's Books Affected by New Law The new consumer safety law requiring that children's books be tested for lead content is causing problems for publishers, printers, and booksellers. SPAN has compiled a web page with helpful information on this issue. Keep Your Nonfiction Book in the News See this article for some terrific publicity tips from publicist Sandra Beckwith. For a step-by-step guide to creating publicity materials, I recommend Sandra's ebook, Publicity Forms & Templates. New Savvy Book Marketer Guides   The Savvy Book Marketer Guides is a new series of step-by-step ebooks designed to help authors and independent publishers master specific book marketing strategies. The first two titles, Selling to Libraries and Successful Social Marketing, will be available in mid-February. Stay tuned for details. Preditors & Editors Award I'm pleased to report that my Book Marketing Maven blog was awarded the "Truly Useful Site" award from Preditors & Editors this month. Check out their site for a long list of resources for writers. Free Book Marketing Ebook Available As a special thank you to my readers and subscribers, I've compiled a free ebook, Top Book Marketing Tips of 2008, featuring a collection of popular articles from the Book Marketing Maven blog and The Savvy Book Marketer newsletter. If you haven't already done so, downloaded your copy here. You're welcome to pass this ebook on to others.     » About Dana Lynn Smith Book Marketing Maven   As a book marketing coach, I specialize in developing targeted marketing plans for nonfiction books.   See my Book Marketing Maven blog for more book promotion tips.   Follow me on Twitter   Find me on Facebook   Connect on Book Marketing Network Share the Love If you enjoyed this newsletter, please share it with another author or publisher. Thanks!

Read More

PRESS RELEASE: New Book Solves Publishing Dilemmas

New Book Solves Publishing Dilemmas   If you've researched publishing a book even a little bit, you've probably found information like this:   *Traditional publishing is the only way to go. *Traditional publishing is too difficult. *POD publishing is a waste of money. *Self-publishing is the best option. *POD publishing is not self-publishing.   It doesn't take long to see that there's a lot to learn, and it's very easy to get confused as you navigate the ins and outs of the publishing world. The good news is that just like with many other aspects of life, if you have a plan things will go much more smoothly. The other good news is that making that plan doesn't have to be difficult.   Publishing Possibilities: 8 Steps to Understanding Your Options & Choosing the Best Path for Your Book by Cheryl Pickett will help you create that plan for success.   This brand-new, practical guide is filled with information as well as activities that demystify the publishing process and walk you through: *Steps that will increase your chances of success *How to sort out information so that you make good choices from the beginning *How to move forward once you've chosen your publishing path   If 2009 is the year you want to get your book to see the light of day, having this book will get you well on your way to making that dream a reality.   Publishing Possibilities: 8 Steps to Understanding Your Options & Choosing the Best Path for Your Book is available at the author's website: www.publishinganswers.com , through B & N.com, Amazon and by special order at many bookstores.   Current Special Offer- Schedule a coaching session with Cheryl in February and get the book for FREE!  Contact her for more information or to get started.   ###

Read More

Fw: The Blogger Guide for Blogspot

The Blogger Guide Blogger HOWTOs Posted: 28 Jan 2009 08:29 PM PST Given below is a categorized list of HOWTOs available on The Blogger Guide. Template Customizations How to Add a Third Column - clear and simple instruction to convert popular Blogger templates in to 3 columns How to Expand Post Width - easy to follow, step by step tutorials to widen the Blogger post column How to Add a Custom CSS to Blogger - tweak Blogger templates' look and feel with additional styles How to Customize Fonts and Colors - add your favorite fonts to Blogger Site Traffic How to Monitor Visitors - learn about visitor meters How to Exclude Your Visits from Google Analytics - tell Analytics to ignore internal traffic How to Exclude Your Visits from Feedjit - ignore internal traffic from Feedjit Blog Promotion How to Add to Google Webmaster Tools - register your blog with GWT How to Add a Sitemap - help Googlebot to crawl your Blogger blog Miscellaneous How to Get Spam Blog Cleared - contact Blogger support to unflag spam status How to Backup Your Template - learn to easily backup and restore your template Last Updated: 2009 Jan 29

Read More

Fw: Promote Your Books at New Online Site

Promote Your Books at New Online Site Posted by pumpupyourbookpromotion on January 28, 2009 I'm not sure just how new this is and I can't endorse it personally, but here's a website that will promote your books for free. Here's what they have to say: "Dear authors, This is an official message from www.dailybookshow.com, entreating you to list your books and ebooks on our brand new site. But what is www.dailybookshow.com? DailyBookShow.com is a brand new website built by a group of authors and marketers solely to help writers and independent publishers advertise their published works. We hope to be the number 1 when it comes to book promotion and advertising. Listing of books on our site is presently FREE! So come list your books and get some massive exposure for your books." I checked it out and it looked okay by me. Whoever is running this, thank you for giving authors a chance to promote their books online!

Read More

VIDEO: Egyptian Woman's blog becomes print bestseller

This was a very interesting and unique story which I wanted to share with everyone. Please click on the link to see her story.     Yahoo! http://cosmos.bcst.yahoo.com/up/player/popup/index.php?cl=11766832 Sylvia Hubbard Author, Blogger and Founder of Motown Writers Network http://sylviahubbard.com http://motownwriters.com http://michiganliterarynetwork.com http://detroitliterarynetwork.com     NOW AVAILABLE: Secrets, Lies and Family Ties order your copy now

Read More

42 days of Black History Workshops on the Black Authors Network Radio

Hello!   The Black Authors Network Radio Show is hosting 42 days of Black History and we would like to include you on the program. January 25-31, we are hosting seven days of Book Marketing On-line Workshops. I am contacting you today to see if you would like to conduct a hour long workshop, on-line, during this time. You can promote your book(s) or your services to the fullest!  If you have any information that would drive people to your site or increase your book sells for your clients, feel free to provide it too. You may invite 3 other people to be on the 1-hour show with you if you would like.   If you are interested in calling in for the exclusive 1-hour show, please let me know which night Sunday, January 25 - Saturday, January 31, 2009  that you would like to be on the show and what topics you will be discussing. The show will only have you and your invited guest as the presenters. I will only ask questions and conduct the chat-room. You can discuss any topics that you like, during the chat session and radio conversation.  We want to cover all areas of book promotions, meeting the media, advertising on the Internet and how to be successful at literary events. Your contribution will be appreciated greatly.   This is free of charge. You do not have to pay the $35.00 fee listed on the information page. You may call me if you would like more information at:  301-422-1730.   2nd Annual Black History Month Internet Book Fair "Give the Gift of Knowledge" January 25 - March 7, 2009 Totally Online at the Black Authors Network Radio Show   Please join us for 42 nights of fun, wisdom, fellowship, and book previews, as well as author interviews. EDC Creations and the Sankofa Literary Society will host the annual Black History Month Internet Book Fair to bring together authors, community leaders and concerned citizens. You can participate nightly from the comforts of your home! The event is held totally online with nightly panel discussions, seminars, live readings from new book releases, community town hall meetings and open mic poetry nights.   Our theme is "Give the Gift of Knowledge."   We seek to bring together our modern day Griots to share with us the history of our people and to lead us into the future. Are you ready? Do you want to help us prepare an archive of African American legacies for your children? This is an open, community forum for all races and cultures. We will help create the very foundations of change by exercising unity!   Black History Month Book Fair Themes and Advertising http://www.edc-creations.com/blackhistorybookfairthemes.html     Warmest regards,   Ella Curry, president of EDC Creations Founder of the Black Authors Network Radio Show

Read More

42 days of Black History Workshops on the Black Authors Network Radio

Hello!   The Black Authors Network Radio Show is hosting 42 days of Black History and we would like to include you on the program. January 25-31, we are hosting seven days of Book Marketing On-line Workshops. I am contacting you today to see if you would like to conduct a hour long workshop, on-line, during this time. You can promote your book(s) or your services to the fullest!  If you have any information that would drive people to your site or increase your book sells for your clients, feel free to provide it too. You may invite 3 other people to be on the 1-hour show with you if you would like.   If you are interested in calling in for the exclusive 1-hour show, please let me know which night Sunday, January 25 - Saturday, January 31, 2009  that you would like to be on the show and what topics you will be discussing. The show will only have you and your invited guest as the presenters. I will only ask questions and conduct the chat-room. You can discuss any topics that you like, during the chat session and radio conversation.  We want to cover all areas of book promotions, meeting the media, advertising on the Internet and how to be successful at literary events. Your contribution will be appreciated greatly.   This is free of charge. You do not have to pay the $35.00 fee listed on the information page. You may call me if you would like more information at:  301-422-1730.   2nd Annual Black History Month Internet Book Fair "Give the Gift of Knowledge" January 25 - March 7, 2009 Totally Online at the Black Authors Network Radio Show   Please join us for 42 nights of fun, wisdom, fellowship, and book previews, as well as author interviews. EDC Creations and the Sankofa Literary Society will host the annual Black History Month Internet Book Fair to bring together authors, community leaders and concerned citizens. You can participate nightly from the comforts of your home! The event is held totally online with nightly panel discussions, seminars, live readings from new book releases, community town hall meetings and open mic poetry nights.   Our theme is "Give the Gift of Knowledge."   We seek to bring together our modern day Griots to share with us the history of our people and to lead us into the future. Are you ready? Do you want to help us prepare an archive of African American legacies for your children? This is an open, community forum for all races and cultures. We will help create the very foundations of change by exercising unity!   Black History Month Book Fair Themes and Advertising http://www.edc-creations.com/blackhistorybookfairthemes.html     Warmest regards,   Ella Curry, president of EDC Creations Founder of the Black Authors Network Radio Show

Read More

TRQ Cebu VA Discount

Cebu Virtual Assistant Seminar 

 

$ 45 [Card] or 

P 1975 [Cash or Cheque] for Two People

Cheque named "Jose Mario Hilario"

Read More

ASMA MOHAMMED RAFI IN SAREGAMAPA 2009

Read More

Hard times in UAE

Read More

First Love

Read More

Ask a Publicist: How Do You Go About Getting Blurbs?

Rose Fox Ask a Publicist: How Do You Go About Getting Blurbs? January 27, 2009 Sorry for no post yesterday; I've been fighting off a nasty cold and sore throat. Fortunately, Ask a Publicist means that other people write the entries for me! Today's question: How do you go about getting blurbs? Jill Maxick, Director of Publicity, Prometheus Books and Pyr: With Pyr, we tend to go outside our own list for blurbs, to friends of the author or people the author thinks will have an affinity for the book. Often the author pursues the blurb, though other times we might enlist authors that we think are appropriate. Lou Anders doesn't think a blurb on its own sells a Pyr book, but combined with a good description and cover, the combination can be very effective in helping a book catch the right reader's eye. On our nonfiction side, for Prometheus Books, we think blurbs can sometimes be extremely influential. One blurb ("I learned an enormous amount from this splendid book.") by Richard Dawkins, author of the New York Times bestseller The God Delusion, was incredibly influential in helping our book God: The Failed Hypothesis become a New York Times bestseller itself. The timing (when The God Delusion was huge) and the suitability (appealing to the very same science and religion and/or atheist readership) made it a perfect endorsement for garnering attention to our title. I'm pretty sure we, the press, requested that Dawkins blurb, but the author may have done so directly as well. And sometimes a blurb request results in more involvenment, like a foreword or a preface.   read more | click here     Sylvia Hubbard Author, Blogger and Founder of Motown Writers Network http://sylviahubbard.com http://motownwriters.com http://michiganliterarynetwork.com http://detroitliterarynetwork.com     NOW AVAILABLE: Secrets, Lies and Family Ties order your copy now

Read More

How to Get Things Done

1. Reminders. Need a quick reminder that you have an appointment, or need to follow up on something later? Follow “timer” on Twitter, and send it a direct message with a reminder time and it will ping you at that time. For example: “d timer 30 pick up Chloe”.

2. To-do list: A couple of popular to-do services are on Twitter: Remember the Milk (on Twitter) and Nozbe (on Twitter). Follow them and send them direct messages to add things to your to-do list, or to check the items on your list.

3. Calendar. If you use Google Calendar (gCal), go to Twittercal, then follow gCal on Twitter and add events by sending direct messages to gCal. For example: “d gcal meeting with paul tomorrow at 7pm”.

4. Delegate. If you’re going through your to-do list or email and find a task that’s better suited for someone else, sending that person a direct message (assuming they’re on Twitter) can be quicker and easier than sending an email or making a phone call.

5. Follow up. The same applies to following up. I’ve done it a bunch of times — instead of opening up your email program, composing a new message, typing in the person’s address and the subject line, and then writing the email … you can just direct message them on Twitter: “d zen_habits don’t forget to answer my interview questions, you berk!”

6. Accountability with goals. Want some extra motivation to achieve your goals? Announce through Twitter or on your blog that you’re going to post your progress updates every day on Twitter. For example, if you’re trying to eat healthier, you can post everything you eat on Twitter. Trying to exercise? Post your workouts on Twitter. It’s great motivation, and you can get some support and encouragement from your Twitter friends.

7. Get info or ideas quickly. If you have a good Twitter network, you can ask a question and usually get a few responses quicker than many other methods. I’ve gotten website and service recommendations, ideas for a post I was writing, restaurant recommendations, people interested in a job, and more.

8. Do real work. It’s possible to do real work on Twitter — people have written stories or posts by writing them in little chunks in Twitter. It might be worth a try. But if that doesn’t work, my strongest recommendation is to turn Twitter off when you need to do some real work. Then, when you’re done, reward yourself with 10 minutes on Twitter.

Read More

Chineese Break Dance

Read More

Cruise ship stranded in ice

Courtesy : CNN

Read More

½ a second before tsunami

The last picture! There are people who believe in God, there are others who don't believe, but we must understand that we are small when nature hits...

This picture was taken on the banks of Sumatra Island (the height of waves was of approx. 32 m = 105 ft). It was found saved in a digital camera, ½ years after the disaster.

We cannot know for sure, but very likely the one who took the picture is not alive any more (it was just a matter of seconds).
Today we can see the last image he/ she saw before ending life on Earth!

Read More

Saregamapa 2009 -1

Read More

Michael Jackson and Britney Spears Alive

Read More

Pilot's wife 'proud, grateful'

Courtesy : CNN

Read More

Dog rescued from ice

Courtesy : CNN

Read More

Tens of thousands lose jobs as recession bites

The grim news came from all around the world. In the United States, heavy vehicles maker Caterpillar said it would cut 5,000 more jobs in a bid to "deal with a very challenging global business environment."

The heavy construction machinery manufacturer had already said it was cutting 15,000 workers, most of which were announced in the fourth quarter of 2008.

In all, the 20,000 people who will lose their jobs amount to about 18 percent of the company's total workforce. Caterpillar currently employs about 113,000 workers.

"While it's painful for our employees and suppliers, it's absolutely necessary given economic circumstances." The news came as the company reported record sales and revenue of $51.3 billion for 2008.

In Europe more than 10,000 job cuts were announced. Dutch-based finance and insurance group ING said it was cutting up to 7,000 staff in an effort to help save $1.4 billion.

And Netherlands-based electronics giant Philips said 6,000 jobs would be lost worldwide in 2009 following quarterly losses of €1.5 billion ($1.9 billion), its first quarterly loss since 2003.

A spokesman for Philips, which employs 121,000 people around the world, told the Press Association it had not announced where the job cuts would fall, saying they would be decided on a "case by case" basis.

Philips' loss is worse than anticipated with analysts in a poll for Reuters.com expecting a net loss of just €1.2 billion.

"The development of our quarterly results reflects the unprecedented speed and ferocity with which the economy softened in 2008," Philips Chief Executive Gerard Kleisterlee said in a statement.

Philips' announcement follows similar news from its competitors, such as Japan's Sony, which warned it was likely to post a record $2.9 billion annual operating loss, and Samsung posting its first-ever quarterly loss.

Meanwhile Monday, Indian-owned Corus said it would axe 3,500 jobs, including 2,500 of its 24,000 employees in the UK.

The company said the measures would improve profits by more than £200 million ($273 million). Corus, part of the Tata Group which also owns Jaguar and Land Rover, has 42,000 workers around the world and says it will try to achieve the 3,500 cuts through voluntary redundancies.

The crisis in the steel industry has been caused by the downturn in the two main markets, construction and car manufacturing.

Steel prices, which had been driven to record highs by strong demand from China, have more than halved in the last year.

European stock markets finished the day higher with London's FTSE 100 up 3.9 percent, Paris' CAC 40 up 3.7 percent and the DAX 30 in Frankfurt 3.5 percent. Earlier, Asian markets closed down by up to about 1 percent.

In New York, the Dow, Nasdaq and S&P were helped by better-than-expected readings on existing home sales and pharmaceutical giant Pfizer announcing it has signed a deal to acquire the smaller drugmaker Wyeth for $68 billion.

According to early tallies, all three U.S. markets closed up but by less than 1 percent.

The Pfizer deal also means more job losses. The company said it would cut 10 percent of its staff and close five manufacturing plants. The company said it employed 81,900 staffers at the end of 2008, and had already cut 4,700 jobs in 2008.

Meanwhile, a survey by the U.S. National Association for Business Economics said companies will lay off more workers and hoard more cash during the next 12 months.

Most of the 105 economists polled said they thought the output of the U.S. would continue to sink -- from already historic lows -- this year.

"NABE's January 2009 Industry Survey depicts the worst business conditions since the survey began in 1982, confirming that the U.S. recession deepened in the fourth quarter of 2008," Sara Johnson, a NABE economist, told CNNMoney.com.

Elsewhere in the United States, home improvement retailer Home Depot announced it would cut 7,000 jobs and telecom company Sprint Nextel said about 8,000 jobs would go by March 31.

Each day is now bringing fresh bouts of bad news on jobs. Last week Microsoft said it would cut 5,000 jobs over the next 18 months, showing that even the biggest and richest companies are being hit hard by the recession.

Courtesy : CNN

Read More

How To Say I Love You

Read More

How to Become Unforgettable

A piece of being a Leader Without a Title involves being so brilliant, gifted and human at what you do that people cannot forget who you are. Your good name becomes tattooed on the minds and hearts of everyone whose lives you touch. Hoards of roving ambassadors tell everyone they know about the experience you created for them - and of your rare air genius. That's the space you need to play at. To succeed in business today.

4 Best Practices I teach to my clients that will help you get there:

1. Keep Your Promises. Trust lives at the foundation of every great relationship. And business is all about relationships. When people like you, they buy from you - and help you in all ways. By becoming impeccable with your word, trust grows wildly.

2. Be BIW (Best in World). Being excellent at what you do is just the price of admission in our globalized, uber-connected world. To succeed and be truly unforgettable, may I suggest that the standard you play at is The Best in The World. At my leadership seminars I sometimes run an exercise that begins with this question: "what 10 things would the person who is best in the world at what you do be doing on a regular basis that you are not doing?". Start your list.

3. Be Radically Ethical. The pristine reputation that took you decades to build could be torn down in 60 seconds of bad judgment. Seriously. Just watch the news these days and you'll get what I mean. To show leadership in business (and life) today, it's mission-critical to be radically ethical. No dishonorable move goes unnoticed. Decency wins.

4. Be fun. Whatever happened to fun? Stop taking life so seriously. Generate the ability to laugh - even at the toughest of times. You become unforgettable - and irresistible the moment you lighten up. And get that smile back on your face. Life's a short ride when you really think about it. Might be smart to enjoy every turn of it.

Courtesy :Robin Sharma

Read More

20 Simple Ways to Get Happy

1. Practice mindfulness. Be in the moment. Instead of worrying about your checkup tomorrow while you have dinner with your family, focus on the here and now -- the food, the company, the conversation.

2. Laugh out loud. Just anticipating a happy, funny event can raise levels of endorphins and other pleasure-inducing hormones and lower production of stress hormones. Researchers at the University of California, Irvine, tested 16 men who all agreed they thought a certain videotape was funny. Half were told three days in advance they would watch it. They started experiencing biological changes right away. When they actually watched the video, their levels of stress hormones dropped significantly, while their endorphin levels rose 27 percent and their growth hormone levels (indicating benefit to the immune system) rose 87 percent.

3. Go to sleep. We have become a nation of sleep-deprived citizens. Taking a daily nap or getting into bed at 8 p.m. one night with a good book -- and turning the light out an hour later -- can do more for your mood and outlook on life than any number of bubble baths or massages.

4. Hum along. Music soothes more than the savage beast. Studies find music activates parts of the brain that produce happiness -- the same parts activated by food or sex. It's also relaxing. In one study older adults who listened to their choice of music during outpatient eye surgery had significantly lower heart rates, blood pressure, and cardiac workload (that is, their heart didn't have to work as hard) as those who had silent surgery.

5. Declutter. It's nearly impossible to meditate, breathe deeply, or simply relax when every surface is covered with papers and bills and magazines, your cabinets bulge, and you haven't balanced your checkbook in six months. Plus, the repetitive nature of certain cleaning tasks -- such as sweeping, wiping, and scrubbing -- can be meditative in and of itself if you focus on what you're doing.

6. Just say no. Eliminate activities that aren't necessary and that you don't enjoy. If there are enough people already to handle the church bazaar and you're feeling stressed by the thought of running the committee for yet another year, step down and let someone else handle things.

7. Make a list. There's nothing like writing down your tasks to help you organize your thoughts and calm your anxiety. Checking off each item provides a great sense of fulfillment.

8. Do one thing at a time. Edward Suarez, Ph.D., associate professor of medical psychology at Duke, found that people who multitask are more likely to have high blood pressure. Take that finding to heart. Instead of talking on the phone while you fold laundry or clean the kitchen, sit down in a comfortable chair and turn your entire attention over to the conversation. Instead of checking e-mail as you work on other projects, turn off your e-mail function until you finish the report you're writing. This is similar to the concept of mindfulness.

9. Garden. Not only will the fresh air and exercise provide their own stress reduction and feeling of well-being, but the sense of accomplishment that comes from clearing a weedy patch, watching seeds turn into flowers, or pruning out dead wood will last for hours, if not days.

10. Tune out the news. For one week go without reading the newspaper, watching the news, or scanning the headlines online. Instead, take a vacation from the misery we're exposed to every day via the media and use that time for a walk, a meditation session, or to write in your journal.

11. Take a dog for a walk. There are numerous studies that attest to the stress-relieving benefits of pets. In one analysis researchers evaluated the heart health of 240 couples, half of whom owned a pet. Those couples with pets had significantly lower heart rates and blood pressure levels when exposed to stressors than the couples who did not have pets. In fact, the pets worked even better at buffering stress than the spouses did.

12. Scent the air. Research finds that the benefits of aromatherapy in relieving stress are real. In one study people exposed to rosemary had lower anxiety levels, increased alertness, and performed math computations faster. Adults exposed to lavender showed an increase in the type of brain waves that suggest increased relaxation. Today you have a variety of room-scenting methods, from plug-in air fresheners to essential oil diffusers, potpourri, and scented candles.

13. Ignore the stock market. Simply getting your quarterly 401(k) statement can be enough to send your blood pressure skyrocketing. In fact, Chinese researchers found a direct link between the daily performance of the stock market and the mental health of those who closely followed it. Astute investors know that time heals most financial wounds, so give your investments time -- and give yourself a break.

14. Visit a quiet place. Libraries, museums, gardens, and places of worship provide islands of peace and calm in today's frantic world. Find a quiet place near your house and make it your secret getaway.

15. Volunteer. Helping others enables you to put your own problems into perspective and also provides social interaction. While happy people are more likely to help others, helping others increases your happiness. One study found that volunteer work enhanced all six aspects of well-being: happiness, life satisfaction, self-esteem, sense of control over life, physical health, and depression.

16. Spend time alone. Although relationships are one of the best antidotes to stress, sometimes you need time alone to recharge and reflect. Take yourself out to lunch or to a movie, or simply spend an afternoon reading, browsing in a bookstore, or antiquing.

17. Walk mindfully. You probably already know that exercise is better than tranquilizers for relieving anxiety and stress. But what you do with your mind while you're walking can make your walk even more beneficial. In a study called the Ruth Stricker Mind/Body Study, researchers divided 135 people into five groups of walkers for 16 weeks. Group one walked briskly, group two at a slow pace, and group three at a slow pace while practicing "mindfulness," a mental technique to bring about the relaxation response, a physiological response in which the heart rate slows and blood pressure drops. This group was asked to pay attention to their footsteps, counting one, two, one, two, and to visualize the numbers in their mind. Group four practiced a form of tai chi, and group five served as the control, changing nothing about their lives. The group practicing mindfulness showed significant declines in anxiety and had fewer negative and more positive feelings about themselves. Overall they experienced the same stress-reducing effects of the brisk walkers. Better yet, the effects were evident immediately.

18. Give priority to close relationships. One study of more than 1,300 men and women of various ages found that those who had a lot of supportive friends were much more likely to have healthier blood pressure, cholesterol levels, blood sugar metabolism, and stress hormone levels than those with two or fewer close friends. Women, and to a lesser extent men, also seemed to benefit from good relationships with their parents and spouses. Studies also find that people who feel lonely, depressed, and isolated are three to five times more likely to get sick and die prematurely than those who have feelings of love, connection, and community.

19. Take care of the soul. In study after study, actively religious people are happier and cope better with crises, according to David Myers, Ph.D., a professor of psychology at Hope College in Holland, Michigan. For many people faith provides a support community, a sense of life's meaning, feelings of ultimate acceptance, a reason to focus beyond yourself, and a timeless perspective on life's woes. Even if you're not religious, a strong spirituality may offer similar benefits.

20. Count your blessings. People who pause each day to reflect on some positive aspect of their lives (their health, friends, family, freedom, education, etc.) experience a heightened sense of well-being.

Read More