Some favorite quotations from the book "Seeking Wisdom: From Darwin to Munger"

I started reading the book Seeking Wisdom: From Darwin to Munger recently. It retails for a high price. So I decided to read a pdf copy which was sent by a friend. Following are some of my favorite quotations from the book.

A man who has committed a mistake and doesn't correct it, is committing another mistake. ~Confucius

Our life is what our thoughts make it. ~ Marcus Aurelius Antoninus (Roman emperor and philosopher, 121-180)

I have called this principle, by which each slight variation, if useful, is preserved, by the term Natural Selection. ~Charles Darwin (British naturalist, 1809-1882)


Human beings are pulled forward toward and by nature seek pleasure, whereas they flee from and reject pain. ~Epicurus (Greek philosopher, 341-270 BC)

Our fears are always more numerous than our dangers. ~Lucius Annaeus Seneca (Roman philosopher, 4 BC-G5 AD)

We do not care about our reputation in towns where we are only passing through. But when we have to stay some time we do care. How much time does it take? A time proportionate to our vain and paltry existence. ~Blaise Pascal (French mathematician and philosopher, 1623-1662)

Men's natures are alike; it is their habits that carry them for apart. ~Confucius

There must certainly be a vast fond of stupidity in human nature, else men would not be caught as they are, a thousand times over, by the same snare, and while they yet remember their past misfortunes, go on to court and encourage the causes to which they are owing, and which will again produce them. ~Marcus Porcius Cato (Roman statesman and writer, 234-149 BC)

I am just through with the first few pages (about 10-15% of the book). I will add on the quotations as and when I get time.

Want to recharge my hair to be a better biker

I have always been worried about my hair for a long time now. i realized the importance of hair care when I experienced hair fall for the first time when I was 17 years old. Till then, my hair was in excellent shape. After I was 17, I had to be careful about my hair and apply the right kind of stuff to maintain it well.

I like biking and want to experience the joys of biking around the city without worrying much about my hair. This is an important reason why I would like to recharge my hair. Recharging my hair will ensure that I don't need to spend much time worrying about usual problems like hair fall. I have to wear helmet because I am concerned about safety. As of now, I don't ride a super bike. I plan to do it in future if the Indian roads support it. 

For more information on recharging your hair with sunsillk product, please visit 

http://facebook.com/sunsilkhairexperts

TABB Group Liquidity Matrix

The Liquidity Matrix is a good tool to analyze about liquidity in different exchanges and Dark Pools.

Once you register on TABB website, you can view Liquidity Matrix.

Dark pools covered are-

Barclays- LX, Knight- Knight Link, Goldman Sachs- Sigma X, etc.

Check out the September 2013 Liquidity Matrix here:

http://mm.tabbforum.com/liquidity_matrices/112/documents/original_TABB_Group_LiquidityMatrix_September_2013.pdf

Myclaimsource.com - Simplifying the Insurance Claims process

Myclaimsource.com is a nice little website helping people filing their claims. People who don't have knowledge of filing claims can resort to Myclaimsource.com for details. Insurance is an important aspect of financial planning. There are various instances where policy holders may need to file for claims. This is more common in case of small companies. Retail policy holders usually file claims for health, auto or life insurance. Businesses on the other hand file claims in a variety of insurance types such as professional indemnity insurance, business insurance, workers compensation etc.

Insurance is an extremely important part of running a successful enterprise. There are also several regulatory requirements which mandate businesses to take certain types of insurance. Myclaimsource.com helps policy holders to understand more about the claim process. They have segregated different insurance companies and offer tailor made techniques for file for insurance claims.

For more information, please visit

http://www.myclaimsource.com/

An additional insurance blog may also be helpful for people to understand more about the Insurance Subject Area.

http://bloomingalmond.blogspot.com/

A Visit to Bookstores near MG Road Bangalore

I had long planned to make an exclusive visit to bookstores in MG Road and Surrounding Areas in Bangalore. I spend a hell lot of time in bookstores. Hence, I had to visit these places alone. Based on opinion of people I know, I shortlisted Select Bookstore and The Bookworm. Both these places are well known among book lovers for old used books. I also visited HigginBothams and bought a few children books for my daughter. I tried visiting Gangarams and Blossoms but was unable to do so because of time constraints.

Bookworm- This is on MG road and houses second hand books. You can find a lot of books at reasonable prices. However if you compare prices with online bookshops, you will not see much discount. Most books housed at Bookworm are recent titles. The bookstore is small and has more fiction and history books. Nevertheless, I bought a couple of books in great condition for 50% discount on MRP.

http://www.deccanherald.com/content/331776/for-bookworm-you.html

Select Bookstore- This bookshop primarily houses old books. Books by unknown authors are in plenty. However, Mr. Murthy and his son try their best to provide you with relevant books. Most books are in very bad condition. However, if you are lucky, you may lay your hands on some really precious books. This store also sells stamps and coins.

http://caravanmagazine.in/lede/shelved-away

The staff in both the stores are cordial and have adequate knowledge of books and current trends. They help you to find books of your interest. However, they were below my expectation levels. I have visited several used bookshops in areas like Avenue Road, Banshankari, Gandhi Bazaar, Malleswaram etc. Those book stores house a bigger and better collection of books compared to the shops on MG road area. Also, I find prices of books at Bookworm and Select store to be much more compared to other used book stores in Bangalore.

Towards an Immune India

Immunity is a very important aspect of life. It plays a vital role in health and general well being of a person. I recently read a book by Jared Diamond "Guns, germs and Steel". In this book, he explains how the Europeans were able to overthrow South Americans with the usage of appropriate germs like pox virus. South Americans who were not immune to these new germs from Europe were wiped out in a matter of days. The context of immunity in the book was a bit different. However, I wrote this just to stress the importance of immunity. We are facing a lot of unusual germs today. Our bodies may not get stronger fighting these germs. Hence, it is a good idea to build a better immune system following healthy practices.

Immunity can be improved by many ways. Common ways include a healthy lifestyle, good food practices and ample rest. Fresh fruits, vegetables, balanced diet and other aspects can have a positive impact on immunity. Several ayurvedic supplements like Chyawanprash can also have a positive impact on the immunity of a person. Chyawanprash is formulated based on ancient methods and is known to improve immunity and metabolism. It is a very good supplement for young children and healthy adults. It fights bacteria, virus and protozoa and helps in building better health. However, for them to work perfectly a good diet is very important. A person cannot be healthy by taking a spoon of chyawanprash and intake junk like sugary drinks, alcohol, fatty fast food etc.  

Considerable improvement in immunity can be seen by people who follow healthy practices. My views on health and fitness are quite different from conventional views. I don't consider it healthy to eat five small meals every day. I don't consider it healthy to eat the same amount of food every day. On some days, I eat a lot while on some others, I eat like a bird. I have noticed a significant improvement in my immunity and overall health by including randomness in my daily life.

I like to include a lot of variety in my diet. I don't abhor carbohydrates. I take rice, wheat, millet, corn, pulses, eggs and nuts regularly. I try to avoid sugar, sweets, colas, alcohol, processed foods like bread, burgers, pizzas etc. I include vegetables, fruits and supplements like chyawanprash. It is advised to consult a doctor before using any form of supplements. I also occasionally take other supplements like vitamins, fish oil etc. However none of these are taken regularly. I stress the importance of variation and randomness in diet and exercise as well. On some days I take a lot of protein and very little carbohydrates. On some other days, I do the exact opposite. I learnt about most of these after reading books by Nassim Taleb and Arthur De Vany. I also learnt cooking and started eating wholesome meals rather than fast food. I rarely eat out these days. On days I do, I watch my portions and don't overeat.

I have strong views on health and fitness. Eating a pizza may not harm much in the short run. However the unhealthy habits don't go so easily. Eating fast food increases the cravings and hampers our health. We need to guide young children who are lured into fast food corners for celebrating birthdays. The toys offered by these outlets add to the charm. We want our children to be happy. So we oblige and take them to the fast food center. But we are just encouraging them to get addicted to unhealthy food and sugary drinks. It is important to start eating healthy and take the right kind of supplements. These aspects are important for building an Immune India.

For more information on Dabur Chyawanprash, please visit:

http://www.daburchyawanprash.com/

Platinum Day of Love

Platinum Day of Love for me was on 15-Oct-13. Fifteenth October was the day I got married to my sweetheart two years back. Things have changed a lot since I got married. I was this carefree guy getting up at 9 in the morning and hurrying for work. Coming back home by 10 PM was a routine. I used to have all three meals outside. I used to party a lot with people around me. Marriage changed me for better. I started experiencing the goodness of home food and of course the love.

She is the love of my life. I fell in love with her, the first time I saw her. I remembered the lines from Divine Comedy by Dante. His words have always evoked a sense of overwhelming love in me. I planned to have a perfect second year anniversary. This year we had our little daughter with us. Every time I look into the eyes of my 1 year old daughter, I can see myself. I love her beyond any words. This year was a special anniversary because this was our first with our cute daughter. We planned to spend the whole day together. Travelling to distant places was out of question because of the daughter. I decided to bring the outside world home this year. I decided to do something unnatural to me.

I am this rational person with an advanced degree in finance. I value everything I purchase. I try to estimate the future value of every object I purchase for myself or my family. I would never buy things like Gold/Platinum Jewelry. I always used to think that these are just for people who want to hoard their hard earned cash. However, I was deeply influenced by a statement I read in an unexpected book "Poor Charlie's Almanac". It’s a book on Charlie Munger.

Charlie Munger is the partner of Berkshire Hathaway and is a well known value investor. He draws his ideas from multiple spheres of life. He is nearing 90 now. He has led a life of prosperity with his Wife Nancy. His life is an inspiration to thousands of financial aficionados like me. A statement by Munger changed my perception about jewelry. He is known to have said this ""I think when you're buying jewelry for the woman you love; financial considerations probably shouldn’t enter into it." Exactly. I understood not to put financial considerations while buying jewelry. But I knew my budget and planned a simple platinum earring suited for the occasion. My wife loved the present and the day was amazing. I chose Platinum because it is different (at least today).  I find the color to represent purity and unconditional love. Try and gift a platinum jewelry to your loved one to see the look of joy on her face. 15 Oct 2013 was truly a Platinum Day of Love in my life.

Platinum Day of Love
http://www.preciousplatinum.in/en/about-platinum/platinum-day-of-love

Role of Ayurvedic and Synthetic products on Children

I have been using a lot of products for young children for over a year now.I experimented with a range of brands and variants in each category. I should admit that I am a bit biased towards favoring Ayurvedic products over synthetic ones. This is due to several reasons. I have been using ayurvedic products myself for years now. I prefer Indian made ayurvedic toothpaste, soap etc. I am well aware of benefits of modern anti-bacterial mouth wash and dental floss. However, the traditional clove scores points over any of these products.

For my kid, I have been using various types of oil. I avoid ones which have heavy perfume. I prefer locally made ayurvedic oil such as Dabur Lal Tail, traditional castor oil, ashwagandha oil, etc.  I am even okay with plain Olive oil, Coconut oil, Almond Oil etc. However, I have always avoided using oil which has a lot of chemicals. I always wonder the effects if the baby ingests the oil. I would prefer products which are formulated by well known brands and which guarantee quality and safety for the young ones.

We already ingest enough chemicals through air and water. Nothing is free of chemicals including water. Hence, I prefer to use ayurvedic products over synthetically processed ones. I am worried about chemicals like Paraben which are present in almost all modern products. Usage of ayurvedic products ensures that the amount of processing is relatively less and less amount of chemicals are used. I am very well aware that most products today (including ayurvedic based) cannot be chemical free. But what satisfies me is that the amount of chemicals is relatively less in ayurvedic products.

Honda Pressure Washers for Sale

Pressure washers are mechanical devices which are usually used to get rid of unwanted paint, dust, mud etc from building surfaces, walls, vehicles, etc. Pressure washers consist of several components such as motor, hose and switch. Motors are usually of different types such as pneumatic motors, internal combustion motors, electric and hydraulic motors. The hose of a pressure washer is usually of high pressure. The switches are of a gun trigger style and are designed for ease of use by all sorts of people. Honda pressure washer sale ensures that high quality Honda pressure washers are available for interested customers. 

Portable pressure washers are popular among people and are used for a variety of purposes like gardening, cleaning of boats and other vehicles, etc. Portable washers are also referred to as residential power washers. These may not be suitable for large scale use. Gallons per minute (GPM) is an important attribute present in specifications of most pressure washers. Another unit of pressure commonly found in specifications is PSI (Pounds per square inch). It is a good idea to decide on the specifications before buying a pressure washer. It is also a good idea to decide on the specifications of the components like motor and metrics like hose length, noise decibel level etc. Based on the needs, appropriate pressure washer can be selected. It doesn't make sense to buy a residential pressure washer for industrial use. Similarly it doesn't make sense to buy a commercial electric washer for home use. 

There are different types of power washers. Common classification is based on the type of fuel consumption. Based on the fuel consumption, electric washers, diesel and petrol washers, gas washers, hydraulic power washers, steam washers etc are common classifications. Special washers such as insulator washers are designed to remove dirt and other undesirable materials from insulators using low conductive water. Such special washers usually consist of a basic power/energy source, water pump, water tank for storage, high pressure hose, wash gun etc.

Honda pressure washer sale includes a variety of high quality pressure washers offered by Honda. These washers are suited for a variety of purposes and are designed to last longer. They are designed to deliver excellent cleaning results. The performance of the washers is also very good. The endurance and durability of these washers is also one of the advantages. The top pressure washers sold in the market have Honda engines. Hence, buying suitable power washers during the Honda pressure washer sale provides an excellent opportunity to shop for good pressure washers.

Smelly to Smiley with Ambi Pur

Smell is a wonderful sense organ which needs no introduction. We usually associate smells with various memories. Appropriate use of fragrances and smells is an integral part of home decor. Fragrances remind us of old memories. They remain embedded in memory for long time. I remember my parents buying exquisite fragrances in Pondicherry. I always loved those exquisite fragrances. I also remember some exquisite sandal wood oil smell in my childhood. 

Ambi Pur sent me a sample of room freshner. I received a Thai Dragon Fruit fragrance. The freshner is not strong and evokes the typical dragon fruit smell. I remember my Thailand trip in 2008. I had visited several places including Bangkok and little known towns. The trip I had taken as a lone traveler was a minimalist trip on a very tight budget. I made sure to enjoy the local culture and food to the maximum extent. Hence, I also got a chance to try Dragon fruit smoothies. 

Ambi Pur comes up with various innovative products. For more updates, please follow the Facebook page mentioned below:

https://www.facebook.com/AmbiPurIndia

Types of Heavy Metal Music

Heavy metal is a well known generic of music that is rising in popularity over the last few decades. The roots of heavy metal are from UK and United States. The earliest developments in this genre can be traced back to 1960s. Heavy metal music usually involves loud guitars, dense drum and strong vocals. There are several types of metal music which may have one or more of the features mentioned above. Electric guitar is a popular music instrument featured in most heavy metal genres. Following are some of the well known types of metal music:

a) Death Metal- It is an extreme version of heavy metal genre. It is very intense and is extremely popular among younger population. It uses heavy guitar music, deep vocals, etc. Death metal subgenre originated in 1980s and is known to have evolved from early black metal and thrash metal subgenres. Death metal achieved its initial popularity in early 1990s with bands like Cannibal Corpse, Morbid Angel becoming popular. The most popular death metal bands are Death, Deicide, Slayer, Mastodon, Children of Bodom, Cannibal Corpse, Behemoth etc. Death metal is popular worldwide and especially so in Sweden, Brazil, Japan, Poland, United States and United Kingdom.

b) Black metal- Black metal is another extreme subgenre of metal music. It usually involves tremolo picking, heavy bass and the usual heavy guitar music accompanying most heavy metal music versions. Subgenres of Black metal include Viking Metal, War metal etc. Black metal gained its popularity in Scandinavian countries in 1990s. Top black metal bands include Gorgoroth, 1349, Darkthrone, Mayhem, Immortal, Nifelheim etc. 

c) Doom Metal- Doom metal is a genre of metal music that uses slower tempos, low-guitar tunes and uses thicker sounds than other metal music genres. Usually the music and the lyrics evoke a sense of doom, despair and anxiety. Bass guitar, electric guitar and drums are most commonly used by Doom metal bands. It is popular in United States and Europe. Doom metal is heavily influenced by 1970s music. The subgenres of doom metal are epic doom, traditional doom, funeral doom etc. The most popular doom metal bands are Candlemass, Trouble, Thergothon, Electric Wizard, Shape of Despair, St Vitus etc. 

d) Gothic Metal- Gothic metal combines the doom metal and gothic rock genres. The Gothic metal entered heavy metal music with the release of an album named Gothic by the band Paradise Lost. In United States, popular like Cradle of Filth, Lacuna Coil, HIM have achieved popularity. Gothic Metal is particularly popular in Finland where several bands like Posioncry, Lullacry etc have achieved popularity. 

e) Thrash Metal- Thrash metal genre of metal music is usually characterized by aggression and fast tempo. Common instruments used in thrash metal include lead guitar, rhythm guitar, drums etc. The most popular thrash metal bands are called Big 4 and include Anthrax, Megadeth, Metallica and Slayer. Thrash Metal is extremely popular in United States, United Kingdom and Germany.

f) Groove Metal- Groove metal is also referred to as post-thrash. It takes the intense qualities of thrash metal and plays it at an intermediate tempo. It is commonly used to refer to styles of bands like Exhorder and Pantera. Popular bands belonging to Groove metal are Lamb of God, Sepultura, Soulfly, Machine Head, etc. 

g) Glam metal- Glam metal is also referred by other names like hair metal, pop metal etc. It combines hard rock and heavy metal styles. It evolved in early 1970s in United States. Popular Glam metal bands are Trixter, Aerosmith, Bon Jovi, Celtic Frost, etc. 

h) Power Metal - Power metal involves features of both speed metal and traditional metal genres. The cultural origins of power metal are from Mid 1980s music, Finnish and German music. Common instruments used in Power metal are electric guitar, bass, drums and keyboards. Top power metal bands are Blind Guardian, DragonForce, Sabaton, Iron Maiden, Iced Earth, Helloween etc. 

i) Speed Metal- Speed Metal is a subgenre of metal music which originated in 1970s. It has punk rock roots. It is an extremely fast and technical form of metal music. Motorhead and Venom are two most popular speed metal bands. Common instruments used in Speed metal include electric guitar, bass, drums etc. Other top speed metal bands include DragonForce, Avenged Sevenfold, Judas Priest etc. 

j) Stoner Rock- Stoner rock usually combines several forms of heavy metal music such as doom metal, blues rock, acid rock etc. It is usually characterized by mid-tempos, melodic vocal music, etc. The top stoner rock bands are Kyuss, Orange Goblin, Mondo Generator, The Desert Sessions etc. 

Above are some popular genres of heavy metal. Several of the above have had influences over one another. These genres are evolving continuously and have varying popularity levels.

Fisher-Price Tree Party Cozy Cocoon Bouncer

The Fisher Price Tree Party bouncer is an amazing product designed for the kids. It is designed based on deep research and understanding of children. The light weight bouncer is a great companion for babies and can be very comfortable. The most important feature of the product is that it makes the child very comfortable. The product name includes cocoon which indicates the coziness and comfort associated with this product. The bouncer suits children of different weights and age groups. The product name indicates many of the features associated with this bouncer.

There are several other features which are built to keep a child engaged and interested. There is a removable toy panel which can be removed while moving the child. This toy panel keeps a child occupied and entertained. The ease with which the toy panel can be removed and attached back is a prominent feature of this bouncer. There is also a musical system designed to amuse children. There are many pleasant musical sounds which are pre-programmed in the system. These pleasant sounds generally soothe cranky babies and also act as general mood elevators. The musical owl is a popular feature of the product.

Dangling toys are another prominent feature of the party bouncer. There are two attractive toys of a bird and squirrel. They are designed to attract the child's attention. These toys are great companions for kids during their leisure hours and even during the movement of the bouncer. The overall placement of various features is amazing and is suitable for children of varied interests and temperaments. People can remove the soft toys and switch on the vibrations when it is time to soothe the baby.

There are calming vibrations coming out from the product that can soothe crying babies. The foot of the bouncer is of high quality and doesn’t skid. The pads are machine washable. These features make this product a great companion for young children. The bouncer weighs just 6 pounds and is made of high quality material. The product also has adequate safety mechanisms to ensure that children can be comfortably placed in the party bouncer. The cozy bed made of high quality fabric is a major attraction of the product. The product runs on battery and requires one AAA battery and one D battery.

The multipurpose party bouncer is a great product to soothe and entertain babies. Features such as musical owl, vibrations etc are great features that ensure that the baby is relaxed. It is made of high quality material and ensures that it lasts for a long time. The endurance of the bouncer is also considerable.

Look for alternate places to buy this product. Look for special discount coupons. Don't buy at popular e-commerce stores because they don't seem to provide meaningful discounts.

Paul Rotter Strategy

I share some principles followed by Paul Rotter. He was infamous for his role of Flipper on the Eurex exchange.

Be true to yourself

For us, asset management means more than just tracking indices. We expect more - more of our dealers, our analysts and our back office staff. Our core competence is in trading financial derivatives, especially options and futures. Thereby we do not rely on automated trading strategies but on the market comprehension of our employees. This approach has been successful in the last few years. The results obtained were regularly above the benchmarks.

Wait for the right opportunities

We're not stock market gurus or prophets. We don't have to defend any published opinions or implement any pre-defined strategies. Our independence gives us the flexibility to respond appropriately to the markets - we can exploit market trends by buying and selling faster and more consistently, and allow ourselves the freedom to go against the trend or do nothing if there are no clear opportunities.

Skills

Rotter Invest's traders are known for their outstanding abilities and dealing skills. There is no compromise — being able to master our trading systems and state-of-the-art technologies is a requirement for working at Rotter Invest. Personal discipline is key to achieving this technical excellence.

Precision

Precision calls for detailed knowledge of what's going on right now. For us, this means enabling dealers to concentrate on the right market at the right time, generating a profit from information on market trends by responding quickly and applying our technical edge.

Maintain control

Total control is an illusion. Life is full of surprises, large and small. We have the professional skills to deal with surprises: our risk management tools give us a reliable early warning of negative trends, enabling us to respond in good time.

Interpret the signs

These days, modern asset management techniques rely heavily on complex IT systems. We use them as a matter of course. But machines cannot yet replace highly skilled people. Successful systems will always be copied by others, and even programmed to trade automatically. However, these systems alter the markets themselves, and what was a successful system before becomes average at best over time. In Rotter Invest, we constantly adapt our systems to keep pace with changing markets.

Don't count on chance

We review our positions constantly: Would fresh buying make sense? If not, then the right time to liquidate an investment has probably come. We apply a sophisticated stop-loss philosophy. Sitting out or averaging rarely make good strategies.

Confidence and nerves

Self-confidence and strong nerves are essential personal traits in any successful dealer: for taking on risk at the right moment and implementing ideas without hesitation.

No luck or magic

We consider simple, transparent client relationships to be very important, so that we can concentrate on our craft.

Source: Rotter Invest

You can check more on the Flipper in the link below:

http://www.trading-naked.com/library/paul-rotter-trader-monthly.pdf

Social Media Strategy

Social Media is a great avenue to market your ideas, thoughts, products and even your personality. The advent of social media in the recent years is a disruptive development in the area of brand management and marketing. Several social media platforms like Facebook, Googleplus, Twitter, Quora, LinkedIn, Pinterest, Youtube etc have become popular. We focus on aspects of Brand management- tips from top social media strategist. More and more online communities are embracing the salient features of a social media platform in their websites. Brand management deserves due attention on social media platforms. It matters as to what people think about your product or service on social media. Powerful influencers can have a major impact on your brand. It is a good idea to segment these powerful influencers and target them so that they promote positive aspects of your business and offerings. You can get to know about key influencers from analytic services like Klout.

Platforms like Facebook and Twitter are governed by power laws. Few influencers have a lot of impact on their followers. Targeting such people can help you manage your brand effectively. You wouldn't want to upset these people. You can even target these people so that they share some positive experiences about your offerings. Another way to brand management on a social media is the passive way. In this, a company would just set up its social media pages and start positing relevant sensible content. An effort to attract a good number of followers is also recommended. Rather than hiring an agency to attract a lot of followers, it might be a good idea to target followers based on segmentation. It makes sense to target people who are most likely to utilize your products and services. It is among these people, you would like to build your brand. No matter, how small the follower number is, it is a good idea to be active on social media pages.

Posting appropriate content on social media is a key to effective brand management. It might be a good idea to post some promotional material from time to time. However it is also recommended to post other interesting content surrounding the sector of your product or service. Make sure that your followers and customers are engaged with interest content on your social media pages and blogs. Responding to customer queries on social media is a great way to build a reliable profile on social media. Companies that respond to customer queries are known to have harnessed the potential of social media in a positive way. These positive aspects will build a good reputation and brand. This may also help in attracting customers and followers in a relatively organic way.

Good social media strategy also has other advantages. You can reduce your marketing and advertising expenditure greatly if you are able to target your prospects and customers through social media and other web channels. Taking your offerings viral will have a great advantage to your image and brand. Alternate websites like Reddit may also be a good place to post your content. Effective social media strategy ensures that you stay ahead of the curve and acquire customers in a seamless manner. Social media strategies should also focus on retaining and engaging customers. These aspects if done correctly ensure that your brand and product receives due attention in market.

Advantages of Nike Slippers

Nike slippers are well known for their quality and varieties. The quality of slippers is amazing and these slippers also last longer compared to other brands. They are available in different styles like flip-flops, slides, etc. Slides and thong slippers are quite popular and are sold in a large number of countries around the world. They are available in attractive design and colors. They are usually very light weight and are helpful for easy mobility. Main advantages of Nike footwear like slippers over other brands is the durability, quality and comfort.

Nike slippers are a convenient accessory for long walks, home use and travel. They are of great use of various purposes. Nike slippers for women are also available in various types and colors. Please ensure that you select the one that best suits your purpose. Nike slides are also recommended to people based on their needs. They are very convenient to wear and serve multiple purposes. Several variants of slides and slippers are available. Certain varieties are more suitable for regular use than others. Some varieties of slides and slippers are good for occasional use.

There a wide variety of slippers and slides available. Some varieties have thicker soles, while some others have thin soles. It is up to the wearer to decide the type of footwear he/she likes. It is usually recommended to buy a few pairs of slippers and slides that suit different purposes. Some type of slippers may be suitable for office use. They may have a good formal look. Some types of slides are suitable for casual use and go well as evening footwear. Nike footwear is durable and is considered to be a good brand by people around the world. The materials used in Nike footwear are of high quality and are regarded as a symbol of quality.

Nike slippers for kids are also available which are ideal for protecting the young foot. They come in attractive designs and colors to attract the kids. Kids usually like to wear slippers which are attractive and light. These slippers meant for kids are usually available in brighter colors and are light weighted. This ensures that the young feet adequately protected with minimal side effects. Kid’s footwear is also available in a number of variants. It is a good idea to let the children decide on the design and colors. Buying a few pairs of slippers is a good idea. It may also save money when you buy slippers bulk.

Cheap Nike slippers are a good companion for daily use and walking on uneven terrain. They are ideal as evening walking companions. Appropriate size of footwear is very important to ensure good comfort. Slippers and slides are a man's companion for almost 80% of the time. Hence, they deserve due attention. The intricate details pertaining to selection of footwear is very important. This ensures that people select the right type of footwear and wear it on the right occasion. Wearing appropriate footwear also indicates a good fashion sense and is an important aspect of the overall personality.

Venture Capital (KPCB) eBook for sale

Kleiner, Perkins, Caufield and Byers is a top VC firm in the world. It has several top associates and principles who specialize in investments in technology, clean tech and bio tech sectors. KPCB is considered to be one of the most successful venture investors of all time. They have funded companies that are giants today. Companies like Facebook, Twitter and Zynga are some of the recent ventures which have become technology giants. Analyzing the portfolio companies of KPCB can offer unique insights into the field of technology. Portfolio companies of KPCB can become the next giant multi-billion dollar businesses. Analyzing and tracking these companies may help uncover many trends and help in foreseeing the possible future. KPCB has many funds like iFund, Java fund etc. These funds were aimed at investing in specific types of companies. For instance iFund, was started to back companies which are focusing on developing applications for Apple products like iPhone, iPad etc.

KPCB employs some of the best minds in the world. They invest in ventures which are unique and offer potential for high growth. Venture investments are often risky investments where the probability of a big exit is very less. However a big exit will be good enough to cover several failures. Hence, venture capital investments are known to be governed by power laws. Companies in emerging sectors like renewable energy, high end technology, smart meters, crowd collaboration etc have been funded by KPCB. Principals and analysts at KPCB are well known to back sound companies which are founded by able people.I am selling the KPCB company eBook on GumRoad. KPCB is a top venture capital firm in the Silicon Valley. KPCB has been funding several companies which are in early stages. Analyzing these companies and trying to interpret the investment rationale adopted by KPCB professionals can help students, technology investors, technology bloggers, academics, futurists etc. Hence buying the KPCB Portfolio companies eBook will enable you to analyze companies in a comprehensive manner.

Value Investing 101

Value Investing essentially means investing in assets and businesses that are available below their intrinsic value. What is intrinsic value? There are several definitions of intrinsic value. Intrinsic value is the present value of future cash flows the asset or the business may return. The main challenge is to estimate these cash flows reasonably and discount it.

For instance, I purchased a share of Infosys in 2009. Ideally Infosys generates cash flows to an investor in the form of dividends and special dividends. All we can do to estimate intrinsic value using discounted cash flow method is to discount dividend per share for next few years. Most people agree that it is alright to assume the cash flows till perpetuity.

Value investing makes sense because you are buying something that is worth more. The main challenge in value investing is to avoid value traps. In a bad market every share that drops in price looks like an attractive candidate for value investing. However, one should be very careful and avoid these traps. One way is to select stocks that are already trading below their Price to Book value per share. There are several critics of this practice. But this can make sense if you also consider other aspects of a business like debt, corporate governance, margins, etc.

Buying something that is cheaper is definitely a smart move. In today's turbulent times when stock market is extremely volatile, the only viable method to invest in markets is value investing. It is recommended to avoid any biases and start with a clean mind before selecting stocks.

Places ought to see in USA

United States of America is a huge country with fifty states. There are several attractions in this vast landmass which attract visitors from different parts of the world. United States is well known for diverse landscapes, mammoth man-made wonders and various other attractions. Visitors from visa waiver countries travelling to United States should obtain ESTA (Electronic System for Travel Authorization). This is very important and can be applied online through the ESTA website. USA is a country with several beautiful attractions. We focus on some top attractions which a tourist ought to see in USA.

a) Niagara Falls- these huge waterfalls is located in the border of Canada and USA. It is well known for its depiction in cinema and art. It is a popular place for various types of visitors including students, foreign tourists, couples etc. It is a must-see for any tourist visiting USA.

b) Las Vegas- Las Vegas is a vibrant city well known for its gambling industry. It has some of the best casinos and towers. Every tourist visiting USA plans to visit Las Vegas and at least one of its numerous casinos. This landmass built on the desert of Nevada is truly a man-made wonder.

c) Grand Canyon- Grand Canyon is infamous for its sheer size and scale. It is the deepest canyon in the world. The sight of this beautiful natural wonder can be overwhelming to first-time visitors. The Yellowstone national park is also an amazing place which is located near Grand Canyon.

d) Manhattan- Manhattan is the business district of New York. Most people would have a fair idea of this place due to depiction in media. The famous skylines of New York are a treat to watch. The Statue of Liberty, Empire State Building, and Broadway etc are some other popular attractions in Manhattan and nearby areas.

e) Golden Gate Bridge- This is another beauty which is famous due to its depiction in movies and art. It was the largest suspension bridge when it was completed in late 1930s. This is a bridge between Golden Gate (San Francisco) and Marin County.

f) Florida Keys- These are a chain of tropical islands covering over 120 kilometers in the state of Florida. The famous Seven Mile Bridge is located in the lower keys. The state of Florida is well known for its beaches and sunshine. This is a must see place for tourists interested in exploring the east coast.

g) Washington DC and White House- Any tourist in USA would love to visit White House. It is located in the capital Washington DC. The White House is the residence and office of the President. It was built in the 18th century. It may be difficult to visit the place. Most tourists hope to catch a good glimpse of the building.

h) Disneyland- Disneyland is one of the oldest theme parks in the country. There are of sections in the park which children can relate to. It could be the comic characters and characters from books they read. Overall, it is very popular among children and even adults.

It is recommended to follow traveler tips for a safer journey. Tourists should keep the copies of their documents and passports with them. It is advised to carry emergency contact numbers while venturing out into new places. Travelers should choose plan their trip and choose places they ought to see. This is very important because US is a large country and it may not be possible to cover all good places in a few days time.

What is Personal Finance?

What is Personal Finance?

Personal Finance is a subject that has been receiving more attention in recent times. It primarily deals with managing money at an individual level. It is starkly different from Portfolio Management, Wealth Management etc. Personal Financial management is very important to ensure a sound financial health. Managing money requires a great deal discipline and patience. Personal Finance deals with a variety of investment goals like buying a house, retirement planning, planning for vacations abroad, children's education and marriage etc. Hence personal financial management has more to do with planning and saving for achieving certain investment goals.

Systematic Investments, timely savings, sound debt management, adequate insurance etc are some hallmarks of good personal financial management. Avoiding expenses is another great skill which deserves special attention while dealing with this topic. Other aspects of money management like portfolio management, asset allocation, credit cards etc are highly linked to the area of personal financial management. Please read on to check out the top five online resources on personal finance.

Which course to choose : BBA, BBS or BBM?

There are several undergraduate courses for students in India. Most of these courses are offered in a number of colleges around the country. Most students opting for undergraduate management courses are confused as to which course is most suited for them BBA, BBS or BBM? BBA Stands for Bachelors in Business Administration, BBS stands for Bachelors in Business Studies and BBM stands for Bachelors in Business Management. These courses do not differ with each other in a significant way. It is just that universities call the undergraduate courses by different names. Hence, students need not get confused as to which degree they should choose BBA, BBS or BBM? There may be some subtle differences in the curriculum in terms of elective and optional subjects. The differences are mostly very trivial in nature. Hence there is no need to get confused about the name of the degree and give more importance to academic details.

The three undergraduate degrees BBA, BBS and BBM offer similar job prospects. They are eligible to pursue related higher educational degrees like Masters in Business Administration (MBA), Masters in Financial Management (MFM) etc. Students, should concentrate on obtaining seats at good colleges to improve their chances of securing a good job rather than being confused with which degree to pursue BBA, BBS or BBM? Students, should however give due importance to AICTE or UGC approvals of these courses. Many students are under the notion that they may not be eligible to pursue higher education if they opt for one of these courses and MBA cannot be taken up by a BBS graduate. This is a wrong notion and given the undergraduate degree has appropriate approvals; students with any of these degrees are eligible for higher education.

These courses are identical in most aspects. This includes aspects like grading style, project evaluation, industrial training, dissertations etc. Hence, students need not worry only about the course name. They should consider other aspects of the course. In some colleges, degree is known by the name of BBA where as in some others as BBS. Some colleges also use different names to distinguish and position themselves uniquely in the crowded educational market.

Though, on a higher level, there are no significant differences between these three degrees, it is recommended that students go through detailed curriculum before deciding on the course suitable for them. They may find more subjects of interest in one course compared to another. For instance, a student enthusiastic about capital markets may find that a BBA degree at a particular college has more subjects related to the subject compared to BBM in the same college. In that case, the student can opt for BBA. It is very common for students to get confused as to which degree they should pursue BBA, BBS or BBM? On a higher level, all these courses are quite similar and students should bring in other aspects like university reputation, College placement records, College faculty etc before deciding on the course to pursue. Other aspects like hostel facilities, industry interface, alumni network are more important in deciding the course.

Startup Investing Trends- Paul Graham

Key statistics @ Y Combinator

a) Y Combinator funded 564 startups including 53 from current batch
b) Total valuation of 287 startups is USD 11.4 billion
c) 511 startups from previous batches have raised USD 1.7 billion
d) Top 10 startups account for about 1 billion valuation (8.6% of 11.7 billion)

Scobleization

Scobleization refers to being referred to by Robert Scoble. Robert Scoble is a well known blogger and is known to be quite influential.

He blogs at http://scobleizer.com/.

Read this section from a book "Return On Influence: The Revolutionary Power of Klout, Social Scoring, and Influence Marketing" which refers to Scobleization.

Quora had been Scobleized.

Robert Scoble probably exemplifies the power of social media to create Citizen Influencers better than any other human being on earth. Robert doesn’t just move his 200,000 Twitter followers, 5,000 YouTube subscribers, and 5,000 Facebook fans to action; he moves markets.

After attending journalism school, Scoble fed his lifelong love of photography by taking a job in a San Jose camera shop. As a young man, he moved though a number of professional communication and video production positions before accepting the job that ignited his celebrity. In 2003, he joined Microsoft as part of the MSDN video team, where he produced and starred in videos that showcased Microsoft employees and products.

His geeky intellect and easygoing style made him an effective interviewer, but the fact that he also frequently criticized his own employer and praised competitors such as Apple and Google elevated him to cult hero. In these early days of blogs and social media, Scoble influenced a generation of bloggers and set a social media cultural tone with his direct approach and transparent communication style. He was friendly and accessible, even to the point of publishing his cell phone number on his blog. Robert Scoble may have become the world’s first professional spokesblogger.

The Economist magazine described Scoble’s influence in a 2005 profile: “He has become a minor celebrity among geeks worldwide, who read his blog religiously. Impressively, he has also succeeded where small armies of more conventional public-relations types have been failing abjectly for years: he has made Microsoft, with its history of monopolistic bullying, appear marginally but noticeably less evil to the outside world, and especially to the independent software developers that are his core audience.”

In 2006 Scoble created a ripple in the technology industry when he left Microsoft. “Somebody leaked the story,” he said. “It started to spread like wildfire. The story was pushed and doubled and went viral, and within three days, I had 15 million media impressions that all came from that one leak. It hit CNN, Newsweek, and the New York Times. My career never had had any momentous steps really. It was more like the frog that is being boiled slowly! But when this happened, I thought, Wow, this is pretty cool, and I certainly realized something was going on. I knew it would be a big story but didn’t realize how big. I knew I was starting to get attention.”

He began a series of career moves that leveraged his popularity and, more important, his access. His fame as an intellect and technology pundit made him a highly sought-after speaker and panelist at the most prestigious conferences and an A-list invitee for anybody trying to get attention for a new technology or start-up. He was invited to private parties of the tech elite, Space Shuttle launches, and government think tanks.

Scoble’s ability to influence the behavior of his followers was probably never so well documented as in the events that occurred between December 26, 2010, and January 30, 2011. On a day when most people were enjoying holiday leftovers or shopping for postholiday sales, Robert wrote a blog post titled “Is Quora the Biggest Blogging Innovation in 10 Years?”

The post was a seven-point manifesto proclaiming Quora an improvement over blogging that incorporated the best elements of Twitter, Facebook, and social bookmarking sites. “I find that there’s something addictive about participating [on Quora] instead of here on my blog,” he wrote. “Why? Because when you see people voting up your answers or adding their own replies in real time it makes you realize there’s a good group of people reading your stuff. I don’t get that immediate rush here.”

The response was profound. One man, through one blog post, had created the equivalent of a social media gold rush. Quorawas the next big thing. A replacement for blogging. The place to see and be seen. The big buzz. Account registrations skyrocketed, servers sizzled, and within one week, the website’s traffic had increased by nearly 400 percent. (At the time, I didn’t see the big deal, which prompted one of my favorite blog post headlines: “Let’s Not Have a Quor-gasm.” This has nothing to do with the story. I just liked that headline. Thanks for obliging me. Now, back to our regularly scheduled programming.)

Robert’s experience, access, and insight put him in a position to anticipate the company’s success. “I probably get a lot more credit than I deserve,” he said. “I see myself as somebody who has talent in doubling pennies. If you double a penny every day for a month, you are going to end up with a million dollars at the end of the month. The thing is, while it’s true that most ofQuora’s growth happened in the three days after I published my article, I had put myself in front of that curve. I was watching things and saw that Quora was in that doubling mode, so when I finally jumped on board, it looked like I was responsible. Sure, I probably moved it along a little faster, but in a sense, I just jumped in front of the parade.”

Scoble proved he was at the top of his game. Quora was soaring. His influence was at its peak. And then, in a matter of days, the unthinkable happened.

Robert changed his mind.

In his blog post titled “Why I Was Wrong about Quora as a Blogging Service . . .” published just one month after the initial missive that had ignited the Quora epidemic, he wrote, “Turns out I was totally wrong. It’s a horrid service for blogging, where you want to put some personality into answers. It’s just fine for a QA site, but we already have lots of those and, in fact, the competitors in this space are starting to react.”

Traffic on Quora plummeted by more than 50 percent, nearly down to pre-Scobleized levels. Response to the about-face was harsh and swift, as typified by this entry on (where else?) Quora:

So Robert Scoble, it seems you don’t like the heat. In the bygone days of what feels like ten minutes ago, you, the ubiquitous tech evangelist, larger-than-life personality and blogger, couldn’t stop gushing about how great Quora was. Was Quora, you asked in the halcyon age of last December, the biggest blogging innovation in 10 years? Of course it was. Back in them days and throughout January, you could post answers to a wide range of questions and your ardent Twitter followers could up-vote them en masse and each up-vote and congratulatory comment could generate that awesome squirt of dopamine in your brain. Wasn’t it grand?

This was a lesson that our historic celebrity influencers know all too well. Simply being in the spotlight makes you a target. And being thrust into the new role of Citizen Influencer is no different.

Lessons from "The Richest Man in Babylon"

The Richest Man in Babylon is a remarkable book by George Samuel Clason. Please read it at least once improve your understanding of personal finance and investing. The following points appear in the book under the section "Seven Cures For a Lean Purse"

a) Start thy purse to fattening

Try to make your purse by whatever means possible. Accumulate some money.

b) Control thy expenditures

Budget thy expenses that thou mayest have coins to pay for thy necessities, to pay for thy enjoyments and to gratify thy worthwhile desires without spending more than nine-tenths of thy earnings.

Controlling expenditure is very necessary for building wealth. Always remember that it is the poor who live beyond means. A good portion of your income has to be saved.

c) Make thy gold multiply

This aspect explains the principle of compounding. No matter, what you do ensure that your money works for you. 

d) Guard thy treasures from loss

Guard thy treasure from loss by investing only where thy principal is safe, where it may be reclaimed if desirable, and where thou will not fail to collect a fair rental. Consult with wise men. Secure the advice of those experienced in the profitable handling of gold. Let their wisdom protect thy treasure from unsafe investments.

This principle explains the principle of capital protection. 

e) Make of thy dwelling a profitable investment (Own thy own home)

Owning a home is seen as a good investment.

f) Insure a future income 

Provide in advance for the needs of thy growing age and the protection of thy family.

This explains the importance of insurance for financial stability.

g) Increase thy ability to earn

Invest in yourself, your education, your craft and keep moving ahead. Increasing your earning power over a period of time is very important. 

The Idea Caravan- Food for thought

I have written about select talks from TEDxGateway Mumbai, December 2012. (Franklin Templeton Investments partnered the TEDxGateway Mumbai in December 2012.)

There are several other beautiful talks with inspiring and innovative ideas by several other speakers. These were my favorite ones. 

Angad Nadkarni

Angad Nadkarni is a young hacker who explains hacking in simple starts with explaining, what hacking is, in simple terms. He presents the sorry plight of Indian education system where students have too many sources such as text books, guides, reference books, coaching class material, online resources etc. He refers to most of these things as Noise.  

Angad and his team have come up with an application to hack the examination system and provide students with the material and questions they should be focusing on.

As per Angad, Examify uses complex algorithms to mine a lot of data and come up with important material.  Natural Language processing and machine learning are applied to identify trends in question papers and come up with the important questions, students should be focusing on. The big issue being discussed in this talk is the sorry state of Indian educational system with innumerable sources of information, but limited sources of knowledge.

I have some other views. Examify tries to game the examination. This is not a good way to study or learn. What Examify is doing internally may be something exceptional (running all sophisticated algorithms and stuff). But any app that helps a student focus on important questions, beats the fun of learning. If Examify is successful in what it's trying to do, students using Examify would have an edge over others. 

Video of Angad's talk is available on 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=88IJCKhsCTE&feature=player_embedded

Gaurav Tekriwal

The big issue talked about by Gaurav Tekriwal in the TED Talk is on the mediocre mathematical abilities of adults around the world and how Vedic mathematics can be a solution for it.

I loved the short video by Gaurav Tekriwal on Vedic mathematics. Gaurav Tekriwal is the president of The Vedic Maths Forum in India. He has also been instrumental in winning a Vedic maths copyright case.  I myself have known a bit about Vedic maths and other speed systems of maths like the Trachtenberg method.

He introduces some basic applications of Vedic mathematics. Vedic mathematics makes maths and multiplication simpler and faster. I myself have some experience of using some simple tricks for finding square of any two digit number ending with 5.  Learning Vedic maths is simple way to extend your computing abilities. Vedic maths can help various types of people become better at basic maths.  As per Gaurav, most people around the world like UK, South Africa, have mediocre mathematics skills. Hence Vedic maths can help people improve their math abilities and evade fear of mathematics.  Gaurav Tekriwal explains the beauty and heritage behind Vedic mathematics.

Vedic maths can truly improve the mathematical abilities of our population. I have found most adults to be mediocre or poor at mathematics. Though, mathematical skills are not essential for success in many other fields, having a good mathematical brain is never a disadvantage and Vedic mathematics seems to be a simpler way to achieve that.

Video to the talk by Gaurav Tekriwal is available on 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=4KmSPk6ha0E

Evan Grae Davis

The video is about the social problem of female genocide in India.

Evan Grae Davis talks about this grave issue of gendercide. In the starting section,  of the video, a woman casually mentions the way she buried about 8 female infants because their household wanted boy babies.  Evan Grae Davis has been involved in many documentaries recording the human needs and sufferings.

He introduces the problem of gendercide in India. He also presents some statistics about the female infanticide. One child policy of China has resulted in grave problems with skewed sex ratios. Globally, about 200 million women are missing due to gendercide.  He has directed a documentary "It's a girl" based on his views on the global problem of Gendercide.

Video to Evan's talk is available on 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=42i1sIZ-9kQ

Cynthiya Koenig

The big issue in this TED talk is the amount of time and effort spent by women in rural India on collecting and carrying water for their families.

Cynthiya Koenig focuses on the plight of women carrying 20 liter water containers on their head. She explains the adverse effects of carrying 20 liters of water every day on their head such as spinal cord injuries, head and neck injuries etc. The time spent by women on collecting water is time wasted. She introduces an innovative product called Water Wheel which enables people to collect water and roll the water wheel on the ground.

Water Wheel is an amazing product which saves almost 35 hours per week for women. WaterWheel is a 20 gallon water drum which also has other possible uses like energy generation, filtration, advertising, drip irrigation etc. 

The product looks very promising and may be answer to the tedious conventional methods of carrying water on the head. This story is truly inspiring and could be a great product to improve productivity in rural parts of India where women spend a significant amount of their time carrying and collecting water.

Video to Cynthiya's talk is available on 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=R3Dn868I8RQ

Arunachalam Muruganantham

Arunachalam Muruganantham is an innovator from rural Coimbatore in South India. He identified the problem of unhygienic practices adopted by rural women during their menstruation. The commonly available sanitary pads were just too expensive for most women in rural India.

He felt the need of a low cost sanitary pad in rural India. He observed the unhygienic practice of using clothes as sanitary pad because the commercially available pads were beyond the reach of rural women. He experimented thoroughly and came up with an innovative way of manufacturing low cost sanitary pads. He narrates wittily about the circumstances which led him to innovate and come up with this solution.

His story is truly inspiring. The way he experimented on the pads with goat's blood and stuff like that. This is a very rare individual who ventured into an area about which most mean would never talk openly in most places. 

Video to Arunachalam Muruganantham's talk is available on 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=u1iWhljEbTE

How an apple a day keeps the doctor away

How an apple a day keeps the doctor away

Apple is a great fruit. As the ancient saying goes, an apple
a day keeps the doctor away. There are many reasons for the popularity and truth behind this saying. Apple has a lot of health benefits. The micro-nutrients in Apple help most people achieve optimum health. Apple has the following main nutrients which are reasons for it being a super-food.

Vital Nutrients in Apple

a) Iron- Apple is one of the few vegetarian foods high in iron. The iron content of apple is evident from the fact that a cut apple turns dark. This is due to the oxidation of iron in Apple. Iron deficiency causes various maladies. The most common problem with iron deficiency is anemia. Having an apple everyday prevents anemia and other maladies associated with it.

b) Vitamin C- it is true that Vitamin C is present in various citrus fruits. But the amount of sugar in citrus fruits is high and may not be recommended for everyone. Hence Apple acts as a healthier source of vitamin C and is recommended for people who may run into risk of vitamin C deficiency. Having excess Vitamin C will not result in any serious problems as Vitamin C is a water soluble vitamin.

c) Boron- Apple is a healthy source of Boron which is an essential element for optimum health, Boron is essential for good mind and body.

d) Phytonutrients - Apple is a rich source of Phytonutrients such as Vitamin A, Beta-Carotene and Vitamin E. The anti-oxidant properties of these phytonutrients make apple a wonder-fruit. Anti-oxidants delay aging and aid in tissue development. These are even more important for people with disabilities as any small deficiency could lead to major problems. For more assistance of Disability Living Allowance, please use the DLA Contact Number.

e) Fiber- Apple is a rich source of fibers. Fiber is very important in our diet and aids in healthy digestion. Lack of fiber in diet can lead to various diseases such as hemorrhoids, constipation etc. Eating an apple everyday aids in digestion and is recommended for all people. Apple is rich in Pectin which is a soluble fiber and aids in reducing blood pressure and glucose levels.

Healthy Eating for People with disabilities

Healthy eating is extremely important for all people. It is even more important for people with disabilities. Any small malfunctioning can result in a lot of stress and other problems in people with disabilities. Hence they should try to avoid unhealthy practices and embrace health foods like fresh apples. Please contact DLA Contact Number to known more on disability benefits and the transition from DLA to Personal Independence Payment (PIP).

Healthy eating is more important for people with disabilities because they are less likely to have healthier practices such as exercise. Most people resort to sedentary lifestyle due to various reasons. Hence eating healthy foods, such as Apple is very important for people with disabilities. They should also quit unhealthy habits like smoking, drinking etc. With healthy eating habits, people with special needs become much more vibrant and are able to appreciate life and positive aspects.
Lower risk of cancer and other diseases

Apart from the above mentioned nutrients, Apples have a lot of other minerals and micro-nutrients in small amounts. Apples also prevent tooth diseases and aid in healthy teeth. Apples are also known to reduce the risk of cancer. Apples are also known to have anti-inflammatory properties and are great for people with allergies and asthma.

Benefits to Digestive and Nervous System

Very few people are known to be intolerant to Apples. People with weak digestive systems also find apple to be appropriate. Apples are wholesome fruits which are best eaten with skin. Only the seeds of apples are not recommended as they are known contain some amount of cyanide. Other common health benefits of Apple include prevention of Alzheimer's disease and dementia.

Conclusion

Recent researches also indicate that Apples may help reduce risk of eye problems such as cataract which usually develop in old age. Apple is one of the few fruits which bring in a lot of benefits to different organs. Apples can ideally be had for breakfast or an evening snack. Truly, an Apple a Day can keep your medical bills low and keep your doctor away.

Five things to focus while trying to secure a job in a Foreign Country

Working abroad can be a good way to earn a higher salary and escape a bad job market in the home country. There are several strategies that can be used by job seekers to secure a job outside the home country. A basic research on the foreign country, working conditions, currency fluctuations, cultural aspects and other things like living conditions are essential before deciding on the country. The following five ways might be helpful for the job-seeker to increase his odds of securing a job abroad. When applying for jobs abroad all important documents such as your UK passport, resume etc may be required. You may be required to submit copies of your documents to head hunters and job consultants.

a) Designing your Resume/Profile to meet requirements abroad

A good resume is a very important aspect of a job-search. Applicants should project their profile well in their resume to suit job requirements in the foreign country. Some countries prefer longer resumes which are more than 3 pages where as some others prefer a single page resume. Hence an appropriate resume is recommended. It is also recommended to follow practices which are common to any industry or sector. A professional resume writer may be helpful to design better resumes and attract prospective employers.

b) Updating skill-sets based on general job-requirements abroad

Before applying for a job abroad, it is recommended to understand general job requirements abroad. Some jobs may have special needs such as an international certification. For instance, in some countries, an entry level financial analyst is required to have completed at least one level of CFA (Chartered Financial Analyst) exam.The candidate should update his skill-sets appropriately and project his candidature in a positive way.


c) Applying for suitable positions

Job seekers are recommended to apply for positions relevant to their experience and interests.It may be a good idea to focus on job opportunities in a sector in which the candidate has expertise. It may not make much sense to apply for a lot of irrelevant positions. Hence the candidate should decide and narrow down on sectors and sub-sectors before applying for a job. This saves a lot of time and may also increase odds of securing a job.Each interview can be taken as a learning experience and can be valuable in subsequent interviews.

d) Networking and Schmoozing

Networking and Schmoozing are essential skills to secure a job in a foreign country. It is recommended to network with professionals in a similar sector who are working abroad. Professional networking websites may be of help here. Also, it is recommended to schmooze appropriately and gain referrals. This is not only helpful for securing a job,but also for future career.

e) Learning the foreign language (if necessary)

In some countries, basic understanding of the native language is preferred. Hence candidates can focus on gaining a basic understanding of the language, if applicable. For instance, a candidate applying for a position in Quebec, Canada may be given preference if he has some basic understanding of French. Though this aspect may not be as important as other factors, this may help in increasing the odds of nailing a job.

In addition to the above aspects, a basic understanding of cultural practices may also be helpful for candidates trying for jobs abroad.

Facebook Spam Update- [WTH] she went totally crazy and lost all control of the sharp axe :O Watch what happened..in..this

A recent spam cleverly crafted by some spammers has gone viral on Facebook. There is a link provided with three photos of a woman holding an axe and the comment says " [WTH] she went totally crazy and lost all control of the sharp axe :O  Watch what happened..in..this".

Three photos of the woman appear in feeds and some of the friends are automatically tagged if you click on the link provided. To add authenticity, a comment is inserted which says "She couldn't stop herself, it was really bizarre".This makes us believe that there is something about the photo and we click like fools.
Please avoid clicking on this link as this will only add three pointless photos and tag your friends unnecessarily. I am not even aware of any other motives of this spam.

Got some information from a website called hackillusion which explains, what happens when you click on the spam link:

As soon as victims click on the link, they redirects to a new page with title, [Video] She did this at the tender age of 15 and with a fake video player.As soon as we click on the Play button a popup menu opens with a few shortcuts (Ctrl + L, Ctrl + C, Ctrl + W) have to follow to make verify you are a human. These shortcut keys to like or share this pic on your profile.
[Also Read- Facebook Keyboard Shortcut list.]By following all these shortcuts, the same photos also uploaded on your wall, and your all friends are tagged on these fake photos.Like Mostly facebook spam are created for money, this one also to earn money through advertising.

Yoko height increaser

Note: This article was written by me due to request from a client. He wanted spelling mistakes in the article. hence the word increaser is used.

YOKO

Good height is an asset to anyone. A tall person is usually associated with a lot of positive things. It is easier to secure a job, gain confidence of people, and be successful for a tall person. Being tall also opens up many opportunities in diverse fields such as military, fashion, movies etc. Even a small gain in height can impact a person's life by a large amount. Height is one of the few things which is known to have a multiplier effect in life. One of the most effective ways to increase height naturally is through the usage of our yoko height Increaser (home page). You can buy a genuine Yoko height increaser from our website. This is a proven and safe way of gaining height.

Yoko height increaser is a great product offering hope to people of short stature. This solely works on scientific techniques of magnet therapy and acupressure. Yoko height increaser combines the usage of ancient techniques with the latest research in the alternate medicine space. Millions of people around the world have benefited through the usage of yoko height Increaser (home page). Using Yoko regularly for 3 months has yielded benefit to a majority of users. However for effective gain, it is recommended to use the product regularly for at least one year.

Yoko height increaser is a magnetic sole made of high quality materials. This can be comfortably worn in running shoes. Using the Yoko device, while running is recommended. Some people also prefer using Yoko height device in their shoes the entire day. It may take some time to get used to wearing this the whole day. But after a while, it is quite comfortable. Most users of Yoko height device also observed a general improvement in their health. The Yoko device also has some magnets embedded in the sole. This works on the principle of magnetic therapy and aids in better metabolism and digestion. Better metabolism and digestion improves the possibility of height gain.

Yoko height device works primarily on the concept of acupressure. Acupressure works on the principle that hormones are produced in the body when certain reflex points in the heel and palm. Yoko is worn on the heel and stimulates certain glands which produce hormones. The growth hormone is produced from the stimulation of the pituitary gland. Yoko height increaser stimulates the pituitary gland and aids in effective production of the human growth hormone. This in turn aids in height gain. Millions of people have found this device to be life altering. The height gain observed is found to vary depending on various other external factors. But most people have reported positive experiences on the usage of this product.

Yoko height Increaser (home page) is found to be more effective when the users practice a healthy diet and exercise regularly. Some common stretching exercises, adequate sleep and healthy diet contributed to a more effective gain among Yoko height device users. It is recommended to follow right posture while walking, sitting, standing etc to derive maximum benefit from the Yoko height device. A small gain in height improves appearances significantly. Hence usage of Yoko height device is recommended to assist in height gain.

Top Restaurants For Food Lovers In London

London is an international city with people from diverse geographies. As a result of this, there is lot of restaurants in London for food lovers. The range of options available in London is great. In this article, we focus on top restaurants in London for food Lovers. There are also niche eateries like Oyster bars in London. For more information on rail travel in London/UK please contact national rail enquiries.

a) Balthazar- Balthazar is a fine dining restaurant originally from New York. The London branch is located in Covent Garden. Balthazar is well known for typical French Bistro dishes and also simple European dishes like the French onion soup. There is also a Boulanger housed adjacent to the main restaurant and serves exquisite bread and other baked products. The restaurant is available for lunch, dinner as well as breakfast and tea. It is recommended to book tables well in advance.

b) Les Deux Salons- Les Deux Salons is another fine restaurant in London located near the Covent Garden. This is a 2-floor Parisian brasserie concept restaurant. It is an amazing place to try out some authentic French dishes and enjoy some exquisite wine. The restaurant is located at a walk-able distance from most of the famous theatres around the Covent Garden location. Private Dining options can also be explored by food lovers who love to dine in large groups. There are two large rooms in the restaurant to cater to Private Dining Groups. The average cost per person in case of private dining is about 50 pounds. For conventional dinning, average price for the main course ranges from 15-20 pounds. The best time to visit this place is during the "Pre-theatre" time.

c) Harwood Arms- Harwood Arms is a great gastro-pub located in Fulham. Harwood Arms has won several awards and is rated as one of the top Gastro-Pubs in London in many popular food and beverage lists. It is one of the best places to enjoy some British food with some good beer or wine. Mostly wild venison is used for cooking and Harwood Arms is famous for venison and deer. Food lovers with a penchant for drinking would find Harwood Arms to be a great place to visit.

d) Viajante - Viajante is a popular restaurant located in an urban setting in East London. The restaurant is an upscale one. The prices are one of the highest in London. A full course dinner could cost as much as 100 pounds. There is also a bar attached with this restaurant. Private Dining options are available at Viajante.

e) Song Que- Song Que is an authentic Vietnamese cuisine restaurant located on Kingsland road in London. The most recommended dish at Song Que is the Pho which is a wholesome large meal. They have over 150 dishes and are known to be relatively cost-effective. Food lovers looking for some quick and wholesome Vietnamese food could drop into Song Que.

Apart from some of the top restaurant mentioned above, there are several well known places in London for a food lover. The variety of places is overwhelming and London is definitely a good place to explore food. For more information on rail travel in London, contact national rail enquiries.