How Cell Phones Help in Building Relationships

We all yearn to have a connection with those we care about. Many regard it as disruptive and destructive in respect to relationships and time in todays, world. Yet studies reveal a completely and totally different outlook of it. It happens very often that you forget your cell phone at home, and thus once you are out, are feeling lost and incomplete without that small device in your hand or pocket. Such has become the advantage of cell phones in our lives. It cannot be called an addiction. It is simply the necessity of a cell phone we feel in today’s world. It is more of a need than any luxury or interest. Cell phones affect our lives in a great manner, both in the positive and negative way. Yet, when it comes to advantages, especially in communication and building stronger relationships, the list does not end.

The first step towards building relationships is to know how to talk. The more we talk, the more we learn how to talk and that is how our communication skills get better. This in turn helps in interacting with people in a better way, and with time we start relating to people in a much efficient manner. Also, parents are constantly in touch with their kids through phones. Just imagine a world where your parents had no idea what you were doing on this earth and ruin things for you once you were backing home. Cell phone helps removing this problem by keeping parents up to date of their child’s security, thus not ruining and destroying the relationship between a parent and a child, as parents always feel a sense of security and joyousness once they know that their kid is safe and sound.

Nowadays, cell phones are not just phone calls; they’re about messaging, video, songs, games, alarm clock, notes, calendar, reminder, etc. all the above aspects like messaging and sharing of videos, songs and various other media entertainment enhance a relationship between people in a much better and sober manner. With the help of such tools in a cell phone, one stays in touch with their loved ones all throughout and whenever they feel like. Not only staying in touch, but two people can get rid of their loneliness and have fun over such media entertainment over the phones like sharing of videos, songs, or playing games. Also, nothing more than a cell phone comes to your rescue in the case of an emergency. You are driving along the freeway and the vehicle jams and right there your phone stays with you for the rescue. In an kind of emergency or trouble, the cell phone acts as a medium to get you through the person you need the most in that particular situation, thus enhancing the relationship between you and the person who acts as your savior in that situation. Stay connected anytime and anywhere. The most basic benefit of a cell phone for which most of us use it is that we can stay connected with our loved ones in any part of the world and anytime. Gone are the days when we used to stand in queues to make an STD or ISD calls. This service available in cell phones help people in a very great deal and is one of the most sought after service, as it helps in the sustainability of relationships to an immensely large extent.

Hence, cell phones do have their own cons too, but when it comes to the enhancement of relationship, it has done a great deal of advantage to people all across the globe and surely has a long way to go by attaching itself to people’s emotions and value in the everyday life.

Read More

Everything about Aloe Vera

You ask me what were the secret forces, which sustained me during my long fasts. Well, it was my unshakeable faith in God, my simple and frugal lifestyle, and the Aloe whose benefits I discovered upon my arrival in South Africa at the end of the nineteenth century”.

-      Mahatma Gandhi

 Aloe Vera’s use can be traced back 6,000 years to early Egypt, where the plant was depicted on stone carvings. Known as the “plant of immortality,” aloe was presented as a burial gift to deceased pharaohs. Native to Northern Africa, Aloe Vera (syn. A. barbadensis Mill., A. vulgaris Lam.) is a stemless or very short-stemmed succulent plant growing to 80–100 cm tall, spreading by offsets and root sprouts. The leaves are lanceolate, thick and fleshy, green to grey-green, with a serrated margin.

Aloe Vera is being used topically to heal wounds and for various skin conditions, and orally as a laxative, since centuries. Today, apart from the people traditional uses, people also take Aloe Vera orally to treat a variety of conditions, including diabetes, asthma, epilepsy, and osteoarthritis. People use aloe topically for osteoarthritis, burns, and sunburns. Aloe Vera has been used to treat various skin conditions such as cuts, burns and eczema.

Aloe Vera gel can be found in hundreds of skin products, including lotions and sunblocks. Cosmetic manufacturers add sap or other derivatives from Aloe Vera to makeup products, tissues, moisturizers, soaps, sunscreens, shampoos and lotions.

Aloe Vera Gel and Juice are different?

People often assumed incorrectly that Aloe Vera Gel and Juice are the same thing, which they are not. Let us understand the Aloe leaf structure first. It is made up of four layers – Rind, Sap, Mucilage and Gel. Rind is the outer protective layer; Sap is a layer of bitter fluid which helps protect the plant from animals; Mucilage and the Gel, which is the inner part of the leaf that is filleted out to make Aloe Vera gel.

Aloe Vera possesses incredible moisturizing properties. Studies show that Aloe Vera improves the skin’s ability to hydrate itself, aids in the removal of dead skin cells and has an effective penetrating ability that helps transport healthy substances through the skin.

Aloe Vera is also known to help slow down the appearance of wrinkles as it can actively repair the damaged skin cells that cause the visible signs of aging. Components of Aloe Vera have been found to reverse degenerative skin changes by stimulating collagen and elastin synthesis.

Read More

Some of the top chocolate destinations of the world

What initially seemed to be just a food item has now become a craving and in some cases even an obsession. Some people get a rush from chocolate and resort it to whenever they want to feel happy whilst the others turn to chocolate for every occasion. It is  enjoyed by all and found in over a million forms here are some of the top chocolate destinations of the world you could visit.

1. Brussels -Titled as the chocolate capital of the world and encasing around 16 chocolate museums and 2000+ chocolate shops , you know where to go if you claim to be a chocoholic. Home to top chocolate brands like Godiva and Leonidas.There is no type or form of chocolate you won’t find here but pralines are Brussels’ specialty

2. Zurich -Home to chocolate connoisseurs like Nestle , Toblerone , Lindt , Treuscher and Sprungli. From plain milk to bitter sweet, marzipan filled chocolates to delicious pralines and truffles, the chocolate shops in Zurich are a chocolate lover’s dream come true!

3. Barcelona - Barcelona is the chocolate capital of Spain.They have stores like Chocolates Amatller and Chocolate a la Taza that are 150 years old.The city also boasts of the first chocolate making machine in 1780

4. Oaxaca - Situated in Mexico , the city is all about pastries , candies and hot cocoa beverages.Some of the famous chocolate producers in the city are Moyordoma,Guelaguetza and La Soledad.More than anything else chocolate is a crucial part of their  tradition.

5. San Francisco - Famous for its chocolate tours , San Francisco consists of various chocolate specialists are Michael Recchiuti, XOX Truffle, Richart San Francisco, Cocoa Bella, TCHO, Coco-Luxe and Christopher Elbow Artisinal Chocolates.Scherffen Berger was the first company here to  offer free tours of their factory about 6 times a day

6. Turin - Host to the famous CioccolaTÒ, an annual two-week chocolate festival,this place typically draws more than 700,000 visitors eager to satisfy their cravings with incredible amounts of Gianduiotto (the specialty of Turin).

Read More

Apple-World’s Most Admired Company

According to Fortune Magazine and Hay Group, Apple has been announced World’s Most Admired Company (WMAC) of the year 2012. This study has been taking place every year for 15 years now and Apple is the top favorite in the 15^th annual World’s Most Admired Companies study.

The list takes apple on top and it follows with following companies;

• Google
• Amazon
• Coca-Cola
• IBM
• FedEx
• Berkshire Hathaway
• Starbucks
• Procter & Gamble
• Southwest Airlines

The 2012 WMAC’s report has uncovered four important qualities that have lead to the success of the companies in the list. “Over the past 15 years, we have seen the composition of the world’s most admired companies list change, but the attributes that enable those companies to excel have remained the same” Said Anand Shankaran, the Hay Group head of consulting.

The companies on top of the list are also the most successful as they devoted time to create their company’s objectives, long term goals and they had taken a strategic plan into practice. These companies are known for building a strong structure and process in order to have a long term performance.

WMAC’s control their global reach and remain successful while they give their local business units enough flexibility to create products and services according to the local market needs. WMACs follow things such as reward programs, promotion and they create opportunities, which is why they are admired and they are most successful.

Here are the world’s most successful companies as well as most admired: -

1. Apple
2. Google
3. Amazon.com
4. Coca-Cola
5. IBM
6. FedEx
7. Berkshire Hathaway
8. Starbucks
9. Procter & Gamble
10. Southwest Airlines
11. McDonald’s
12. Johnson & Johnson
13. Walt Disney
14. BMW
15. General Electric
16. American Express
17. Microsoft
18. 3M
19. Caterpillar
20. Costco Wholesale

Read More

Ways to kill creativity

With every passing day, creativity seems to be at the highest and lowest pinnacle at the same time. On one side you see completely new and innovative ideas while on the other hand you get to see the same mundane things being repeated. The latter side is due to the dying creativity. These are some of the ways because of which creativity is killed.

Restrictions and control - When we restrict people, we’re actually pulling some of their options off the table.We’re setting up boundaries around their thinking arena and limiting their ideas.It’s as good as imposing our ideas on people. We should allow their minds to prance and wander about freely to ensure the most effective train of thought.

Deadlines - Deadlines are one of the top reasons that kill creativity. Asking someone to come up with the most creative piece he/she can do within a limited span of time is unreasonable. Sometimes the thinking process needs time to move from one point to another and make connections. Setting time frames (especially short ones) fails the purpose of creativity.

Competition – Healthy competition to an extent always fuels up your spirit and desire to work to the best of your potential .However aggressive competition may sometimes pull down your creativity and imagination.In the attempt of trying to come up with something better than the other , you end up messing up with your creativity.

Distractions - When you are continuing a train of thought, where new ideas are storming in, any distraction big or small might interrupt this line and the nature of thoughts might just completely change overtime in a matter of few seconds or minutes.

Surveillance - When you know you’re being watched or observed and have limited personal space, your consciousness tends to get in the way of your thought process. Flow of ideas maybe restricted and you might be influenced under the idea of pleasing the particular person in charge.

Lack of enthusiasm and motivation - Without the will to accomplish the particular goal / task, your brain remains idle and dull.You need the spark and enthusiasm to come up with new ideas and thoughts.

Read More

Top 10 Amazing Structures of the World

It is said that history repeats itself. As we go back in history, we come across the ancient wonders, which used to be peculiar on both shape and size. The Colossus of Rhodes was known for its height and the legs stretching at impossible distance. The Hanging Garden of Babylonia was another amazing structure and till date scientists are unable to find out the logic – how can a garden hang? Unfortunately, none remain today except the Pyramid of Giza. Talking of the modern wonder, they are called wonders for its historical evidence. There now exist some unique structures that finally prove the statement – history repeats itself. Finally, the modern age man has taken the architecture to its zenith. Though they could not build another colossus, they certainly built something far more intriguing.

• Aqua (U.S.A.) – It is an 86 story building, used for residential purpose. It was designed by a team led by Jeanne Gang. It is the supposed to be the tallest building in the world to be designed by a woman architect. It was shortlisted for the biannual International Highrise Award in 2010. It was announced that the Carlson Hotels Worldwide was ready to spend $125 million, in the highrise for a new chain of hotels called Radisson Blu. The building is planned to have 215 hotel rooms in the first 18 floors. The skyscraper will also consist of penthouses, offices, residential complexes etc. The most interesting feature of this skyscraper is that Gang and her team plans to make the terrace big enough to get maximum solar radiation and come up with systems for rainwater harvesting, energy efficient lighting etc.

• The Crooked House (Poland) – Krzywy Domek when translated in english means the crooked house. It was built in 2004 by Szotnyscy Zaleski. The house is basically a tourist attraction and has plenty of restaurants and bars. Zaleski was highly inspired by Jan Marcin Skanzer who used to do fairy tale illustration for children. Zaleski was also inspired by Per Dahlberg and his artwork. Thus, the house features three stories and is built in such a surrounding that gives the feeling of “melted or sagged out of exhaustion.” This building has become the most photogenic building of Poland.

• The Basket Building (U.S.A.) – The Longaberger Company is an American based company that manufactures hand-made maple wood basket and other products meant for home decoration like pottery, wrought iron etc. Since the company is the biggest seller of the “Medium Market Basket”, so the owner Dave Longaberger wanted all the consultancies to be in the form of baskets. Unfortunately, only the headquarters could be completed before his death. Post death, all the other constructions were stopped by his daughters. Thus, the headquarters in the shape of a basket.

• Residence Antilia (India) – Antilia is a name given to the house of business tycoon Mukesh Ambani. The house has 27 floors. The building has been described in the media as “The Taj Mahal of the 21^stCentury”. The Antilia has been derived from the mythical island in the Atlantic called Antilia. It was categorized in the list of the 10^th most expensive house in the world in 2010. The house was designed by two architects from Canada. Features include – 9 elevators in the lobby, 3 helipads along with an air traffic control facility, parking space for 168 cars etc. Other facilities include health spa, studio, mini theatre, plenty of swimming pools, hanging gardens and a ballroom.

• Habitat 67 (Canada) – It is a housing complex designed by an Israeli-Canadian architect named Moshe Safdie. It is highly considered as an architectural landmark and one of the significant buildings in Canada. Habitat 67’s design was a project for Safdie’s thesis at the McGill University. The house has 12 stories and has 354 identical blocks arranged in a haphazard manner. All together it forms 148 residences of different sizes. The purpose of this building is to “re-define urban living”, by providing fresh air and a panoramic view.

• Waldspirale (Germany) – Built in the 1990s, Waldspirale is a residential complex. The name when translated in English means forest spiral, depicting the actual plan of the house which has a green roof. The house was designed by an Austrian artist named Friedensreich Hundertwasser and planned by architect Heinz M. Springmann. It contains 105 apartments, parking garage, a cafe and a bar and more 1000 windows. The peculiarity of the building is that the windows give the feeling of “aus der Reihe tanzen”, when translated to english means dancing out of line. None of the windows have the same design; each are unique. The doors and handles of the building are also unique. The building has a U shape and has multi-coloured ceramic look to it.

• Cubic Houses (Netherlands) – Kubuswoningen, or cubic houses when translated in English is a set of creative houses in Netherlands. The houses are designed by the architect Piet Blom and are based on the concept of “living as an urban roof”. Blom designed the houses at an angle of 45 degrees and placed it on a hexagonal shaped pylon. The design represents “a village within a city, where each house represents a tree and all houses together, a forest”. There are a total of 38 cubes, and two big cubes which now have been converted into a hostel. The house has three floors; ground floor, first floor with a living room and kitchen, second floor has two bedrooms and a bathroom and the top floor is a terrace garden.

• Central Library Parking Garage (U.S.A.) – The Central Library was founded in 1973. The garage of this library has been modified into book spines which are 25 feet tall and 9 feet wide each. There are 22 titles spines showing the name of various books of different genres. The different genres hint at the varied taste and interest the people have there.

• The Gherkin (London) – Number 30. St. Mary Axe, popularly referred to as the Gherkin for its shape is skyscraper. It is located in London’s chief financial district. It was built in May 2003 and has 40 floors. It now stands in the former site, where the Baltic Exchange building once stood. It got damaged by a bomb explosion in 1992. It was constructed by Skanska. The Gherkin name was given to it for its not so orthodox layout and appearance.

• China Television Head Quarters (China) – The CC TV headquarters is a skyscraper that is 234m tall. The architects of the building were Rem Koolhaas and Ole Scheeren. Because of its peculiar shape it is often nicknamed as “big boxer shorts”.

Read More

An exploration as to why newspapers and magazines publish horoscopes and numerology

Newspapers and magazines have always been an imperative part of one’s daily routine. Statistics show that approximately 75% of the people who take a glimpse of the newspaper everyday surely flip the page to see their horoscopes and numerology; whether they believe in it or not, they find curiosity in foretasting the analysis that astrologers or numerologists have made for them.

Now, let us dive deep in the pool of this quest and find out as to why exactly the newspapers and magazines publish horoscopes and numerology.

It becomes inevitable for the editors of the newspaper to ignore the inclusion of horoscopes and numerology during the page setting of the newspaper or magazine. The simple reason is that they cannot simply keep aside people’s interests and obviously their curiosity factor, when they are responsible to deliver each small and big news from around the world. A reader might ignore the news of the minor accident that took place in the same town but will surely get anxious if he/she reads about being road safe the next time they travel. That’s the impact and influence the horoscopes and numerology make on a person’s mind. It is fun to note, how hastily we capture every word written in analysis of the seven planets of antiquity, about which we are all not even aware of.  Knowing what the forecast has to tell in accordance to the zodiac signs then becomes an interesting piece of project for all the readers.

People love to acknowledge themselves about the common personality traits they carry with the section of population possessing the same zodiac sign. This helps them to introspect more and rectify the negative vibes around their aura. By swimming a little deeper in the research, they find it easier to correct and improve their personality and behaviour. While a few others just find joy in experimenting how true the planetary and astral implication are.

No wonder why the astrology columns in the newspapers and magazines are so popular among the readers! Their thirst to bring into light, the precautions they must undertake to save themselves of any major happening in their upcoming lives, is well quenched by the corresponding column in the newspapers and magazines. The matter of fact still remains though; people will constantly act sceptical towards the accuracy of the horoscopes published, yet read them because it amuses them to hilt. People might find it fascinating because it synchronises the reflections of the intentions and energies one is surrounded by. Astrology for the others is a tool to recognise the spiritual energies around them, besides the piles of information it diffuses in the minds of readers about the emotional ups and downs, family problems, marriage bonds, and so on…

Taking all the above mentioned reasons into consideration, it gets impossible for the newspapers and magazines to not print something that’s so important to its readers.
Millions of people check their horoscopes and numerology analysis daily. So, how can newspapers and magazines refrain from publishing something that is so important to the readers’ interest and faith? After all, like every competition, it is a matter of maximum readership when it comes to print media.

Read More

Steve Jobs Biography

Most innovative and ground-breaking inventions like Macintosh, Mac Book, i pad, i phone and i pod brought about a revolution in the world of technology and the only ‘i con’ who deserves all the credit is ‘Steve Jobs’ –who is considered as the father of modern technology by people today.

Steven Paul Jobs the CEO, co-founder and chairman of Apple Inc., was born on 24 February, 1955 in San Francisco, California. Paul and Clara Jobs adopted him from an unwed college graduate couple.

He spent his early years in the hub of computer technology i.e. Silicon Valley. At the age of 14, he came across Stephen Wozniak- a computer boffin. Jobs studied one semester in Reed College in Oregon and then dropped out. When he returned back to Valley he started taking interest in his friend, Woz’s effort on computer board. He attended the Homebrew Computer Club with Woz. He quickly realized its commercial demand andstarted assembling boards in his garage and sold them to computer stores. Thus Apple Computer was born!

While Jobs was selling, Woz came up with Apple II which wobbled the market with its superfluous advance technology. Looking at the growing market demand and popularity, Mike Markkula confided to invest $250, 000 in Job’s business to help him expand his business. Soon, Apple II flooded the markets. Steve Job’s fortune crossed $200 million when he was only 25.

In 1981 IBM, was preparing to venture into the market of PCs and Apple III was already blown-up in the market. So to retain in the market, they put all their vigour on Job’s new project- ‘Lisa’ whichwas equipped for the first time with GUI. But due Job’s erratic behaviour he was kicked out of Lisa Project.

Enraged, he decided to launch a new project called Macintosh, in an attempt to make it the cheapest and most user-friendly GUI computer ever. It was a big danger to Apple’s future as Lisa proved to be a disappointment in the market. So, in 1983 Jobs lend a helped John Sculley, the CEO of Apple and together they launched Macintosh with a huge success. But due to his haughtiness, he was refrained from having any managerial duties. This annoyed him all the more and so in 1986 he co-founded Pixar with George Lucas, thus making a profit of $10 million for the company.

Then depression period followed in Job’s life. He founded a new company called NeXt, which turned out to be a fiasco. Luckily, Pixar’s 1st feature film Toy Story proved to be 3rd highest domestic earning animated film, which added a worth of $1.5 million to Job’s bank account.

Meanwhile Apple Inc. had lost its track and writhed with a loss of $700 million. They called Jobs back to the company and hired his NeXt Step technology to replace the old one for $400 million. Soon in July 1997 he became the CEO of Apple.

With his arrival in the company, they were now climbing the steps of success with the launching of popular devices like Power Mac G3, PowerBook, iMacs, iBook, consumer Notebook, Mac OS X, and iApps. Then a turning point came in his life with the invention of iPod and iTunes which hit the markets with a big bang.

Steve Jobs still shared 50% of Pixar’s stocks. In 2005, he and the new CEO of Disney, Bob Iger started working together and thus Pixar and Disney merged together.

By now Apple Inc. had established its Brand name among the most trusted brands. Second big revolution occurred with the introduction of iPhone. Finally the third major event which marked its success in the history of Apple was the announcement ofiPad, Apple’s iOS-based tablet on January 27, 2010 thus putting an end to the era of PCs.

After the launch of incredibly marvellous iPhone 4S, on 5 October, 2011 not only Macworld, but the whole world mourned at the loss of iCon – Steve Jobs. He was truly a man with extraordinary endowments. He gave a completely new direction to the modern world of technology with Apple Products and compelled the world to ‘Think Different’. Hats off!to this great man.

Read More

Top Ten Richest People in the world

Once in a while we wonder who the richest people in the world are. There are changes made to this list every year as a new multi-billionaire gets a little bit richer than the other one. Here is a list of top 10 richest people in the world, 2012 :

1. Carlos Slim – Currently the richest person in the world is believed to be Carlos Slim as he has a total net worth of $74 billion. He is the CEO and Chairman of Telmex, Grupo Carso and America Movil. Carlos lived in Mexico City, Mexico where he was into business since the age of 12. He learnt his business skills and practices with his siblings at the age of 12 from his father.

2. Bill Gates – Bill Gates holds the title of second richest man with a net worth of $56 billion. Bill Gates owns one of the most successful software companies of all time. Yes we all know that it is called Microsoft. Bill Gates was a college drops out at Harvard University.

3. Warren Buffet – With a new worth of $50 billion, he is holds the title of third richest person in 2012. He is known to many people as the Wizard of Omaha, Sage of Omaha and Oracle of Omaha. He received these titles due to his limitless efforts in his study at various universities.

4. Bernard Arnault – Bernard Arnault is the fourth richest person in the world and the richest person in Europe with a net worth of $ 41 billion. Bernard was born in France and he grew up there. He is the CEO and chairman of LVMH and chairman of Christian Dior SA. He has also received the fashion person in the year 2011.

5. Larry Ellison – With a net worth of $36 billion, he is fifth amongst the world’s richest people. He is one of the founders of Oracle Corporation and currently the CEO of the corporation. The third richest person in the United States.

6. Lakshmi Mittal – The richest man in India, United Kingdom as well as all of Asia, Lakshmi Mittal is the world’s 6th richest person with a net worth of $31.1 billion. He was born and raised in India but he currently lives in London. He is the CEO of Arcellor Mittal, director of Goldman Sachs, Member the Board of the directors of European Aeronautic Defense and Space Company.

7. Amancio Ortega – Our seventh richest man is Amancio Ortega with a net worth of $ 31 billion. He is the CEO of Inditex Group.

8. Eike Batista – With a net worth of $30 billion, He is the eighth richest person in the world. He is the CEO of EBX Group. He started off by selling insurance, using the door to door method.

9. Mukesh Ambani – As the managing director and the chairman of Reliance industries, his net worth is $ 27 billion. He is the son of the founder of these Industries, the late Dhirubhai Ambani.

10. Christy Walton – With a net Worth of $26.5 billion is the tenth richest person in the world and the richest woman in the world. She is the owner of largest retailer store in the world, Walter Mart.

Read More

Top 10 Women on The Internet

Right from setting fashion statements to making high records in the music industry, these women rule the world and the internet. Ranked by the most searched women on the internet, these ladies have captured a million hearts all over.

1. Lady Gaga: Started towards her success journey in 2007, her vocal abilities were first recognized by the singer Akon, and then there was no stopping her. Giving smashing hits to the world like the Poker Face, Bad Romance, Born This Way, Alejandro, she is well recognized for her diverse contributions to the music industry through her performance, fashion and music videos. She is also known to be the most influential people in the year 2010.

2. Ke$ha: Getting her break in the year 2009 with the super hit song “Right Round”, she has been active in the music industry since then. Her next single “Tik Tok” received rave reviews. Apart from delivering smashing records, she has even written songs for other artists like Britney Spears. Her irreverent music, personality and image led her to direct success in the music industry.

3. Madonna: This singer, song-writer, actress and entrepreneur has sold over 300 million singles worldwide, making her the world’s top selling female recording artist of all time. Throughout her successful career, many of her songs hit the number one position at the charts, some of them being “4 minutes”, “Hung Up”, “Like a prayer”, “Frozen” and many more. Critics have praised Madonna for her diverse contributions to the music industry as well as for serving as a lightning rod for religious controversies.

4. Beyonce: Beyonce Knowles rose to fame in the early 1990’s, being a part of the R&B group, Destiny’s Child. In 2010, she stood second on the list for being one among the 100 most influential celebrities in the world. She has spawned many commercial successful singles like “Put a Ring n it”, “Halo”. With a powerful voice yet a pleasant personality, people would still love to see her going a long way.

5. Rihanna: Delivering one single after the other, she received several accolades for her immense contribution the music industry. Giving chart-topping singles like “Umbrella”, “Disturbia”, and “Don’t Stop the Music”, she went on to being the youngest artist on Billboards charts history to achieve eleven number-one singles.  Her latest song “We Found Love” topped the music charts in over ten countries.

6. Britney Spears: An American recording artist and entertainer, she started her career with “Baby..One more Time” and “Oops! I Did it Again”, which became sensational and international hits. These two initial albums of Britney broke sales records and tagged her as a pop icon. She has been credited to the revival of teen pop during the early 1990’s. Sold over 100 million record worldwide, she is recognized as the best selling female artist of the first decade of the 21st century.

7. Miley Cyrus: Adorning the character of Hannah Montana, she established herself as a teen idol. She released her first solo album in 2008 named Breakout, which went on to be a commercial success.  Also reprising herself in the character of Hannah Montana in its movie version in 2009, she proved her versatility as an actor and singer. For 2011, she is named as the “Most Charted Teenager” by the Guinness Book of Records.

8. Paris Hilton: Her work in modeling and her role as a businesswoman and a socialite, led her to make a place for herself in peoples’ hearts. She is popularly known in the recent times for her reality show, Paris Hilton’s My New BFF. She is also recognized as an example of a celebrity who rises to fame not because of her talent and work, but because of their inherited wealth and controversial lifestyle.

9. Avril Lavigne: A Canadian singer and a song-writer, she not only pursued a career in music, but also went on to make a mark in film acting and designing clothes and perfumes. Her international album “Let Go” made Avril the youngest solo performer to reach No.1 in the UK charts in 2002. Sold over more than 30 million records worldwide, Lavigne is one of the top-selling artists releasing albums in the U.S.

10. Shakira: A Columbian singer and a song writer who emerged in the music industry in the early 1990’s. She is the highest selling Columbian artist of all time, and the second most successful Latin female singer. With s few hit singles like “Hips Don’t Lie”, “Whenever Wherever” and “Waka Waka”, she purely demonstrated her powerful voice and her rock and roll style. Her most popular song, “Waka Waka” was chosen as the official song for the FIFA World Cup of 2010, and gained immense accolades and positive reviews.

Read More

Must Read Novels of all Time

Some people find it a real daunting task to read novels, as reading if the one thing which requires love, patience and passion. Although the internet has become a replacement for many things today, online reading still doesn’t stand a match to the same feeling and enjoyment which a novel lover derives out of reading a physical hard cover book. Right from suspense to romantic comedy, novels still till date stand for knowledge and wisdom as the art of book reading is still alive today. Here is a list of some best novels, which I believe, is a must read for any person involved in the art of reading.

• Tale of Two Cities: A classic novel by one of the most famous classic novelist, Charles Dickens, this book is set in the backdrop of before and during the French Revolution in London and Paris. The novel depicts the plight of the French peasantry during and after the French revolution, giving a clear description as to how this strong revolution changed and affected the lives of many. With well over 200 million copies sold, this novel stands out as one of the best fictional books one must read.
• The Da Vinci Code: It is a mystery detective novel written by Dan Brown.It follows symbologist Robert Langdon and Sophie Neveu who investigate a murder in Paris’s Louvre Museum and later find the victim’s body posed and framed like Leonardo Da Vinci’s famous drawing, the Vitruvian Man with a cryptic message written beside his body. This book was not well reviewed by critics because of its negative appraisals concerning its literary value and its portrayal of history.  The novel nonetheless became one of the bestselling novels in 2009, selling about 80 million copies worldwide.
• Lolita: A novel written by Vladimir Nabokov, this novel became best known for its writing style in the year 1955 and in other part of the world in 1958. It became very notable for the controversial lines it was based on wherein a middle aged literature professor Humbert becomes obsessed with the 12 year old Dolores Haze (Lolita) with whom he gets intimately involved after Lolita ends up being his stepdaughter. Lolita became one of the most controversial pieces of literature of the 2oth century, being one of the famous classic novels of all time.
• Angels and Demons: The bestselling novel of the year 2000, written by Dan Brown, it became one of the best fictional mystery suspense novels of all time. The novel tells about a Harvard symbologist, Robert Langdon, of how he works to solve a murder and prevent the city of Vatican against a dangerous terrorist attack.
• The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho: This is one powerful, simple and inspiring novel for people all across the world. This book has been successful in inspiring a devoted crowd in many part of the world. A truly life=-changing novel, Paulo Coelho’s writing and imagination would make you change your perspective to look at things, making the book an eternal testament to the transformation power of our dreams and the importance of listening to our hearts.
• Kane and Abel by Jeffrey Archer:This Novel talks of two men and their lust for power and success. They are locked in a relentless struggle to build an empire, fueled by their all consuming hatred.  Born in two different environments and living totally different lifestyles, after many glorious years they find each other fighting and battling for the success and triumph only one man can have.

Read More

Effects of Media Sensationalism

In today’s society Journalism is a profession which is losing its credibility. One such profession which is under close scrutiny has a deep impact on the audience and reporters. Sensationalism of news is that part of Journalism where a reporter/journalist faces a serious conventional dilemma of reporting objectively and reporting what sells, because sensationalism is all about creating what sells to profit! It has got to do more with a strategist plan of profit making rather than information generation to people. Sensationalism still remains a strong force in today’s media centric society. This type of media sensationalism takes various forms of picture tabloid magazines, celebrity journalism, or the violence infested media known as television and movies. But the bare fact which remains true till date is the fact that it sells. There will be a constant and uninterrupted supply if such unethical journalism is encouraged and their market is flourished.

Over the years, public has depended on the media for its information on current events and it has been their prime source for any general query. Also, these days, people too are becoming less and less confident in the objectivity of the news that is reported. Surveys show that about 80% people believe that sensationalized news receive a lot of media coverage because they are exciting, being equally unimportant. Consequently, the acts of needlessly and uselessly sensationalizing news by the media are their own cause for the demise of their credibility. The effects of sensationalism are very damaging to the public, and harms and ruins the integrity of a profession like Journalism.

Sensationalism affects public in a large way because what the effects of what we see, what we read and what we hear has on our thoughts. Sensationalism leads to developing positive and negative feelings, which direct our actions. Our whole perspective of an issue becomes flexible to be changed; such is the power of sensationalism. It forms a clear cut situation of dilemma for many journalists. Sensationalism sells, and thus journalists do not really mind breaking all the ethical values and principles that the profession, Journalism, was founded on. A responsible journalist is always less attached, and more accurate. They value the difference between opinion and the truth. Sensationalism has destroyed these qualities of a responsible journalist, and thus they get more concerned about promoting themselves and their newspaper rather than providing information about the story covered.

It is pretty evident that sensationalism has become deeply rooted in the media, leaving the public distraught at their loss of credible sources of news, which they once totally relied upon. In turn, journalists are also paying a high price by sacrificing their ethical standards selfishly, succumbing to the temptations of sensationalism just for the sake of some extra money. It is an impossible task to eliminate media sensationalism.  However, the public need to be well advised to actively consider their sources of information. People should have at least this bit of knowledge to discourage and reject those blatantly formed news disregarding objectivity and credibility for shallow glitter.

Read More

Yellow Journalism and why People Use it

Yellow Journalism is a very negative and a mutated branch of Journalism which distorts, exaggerates, and exploits actual news to create sensational media news in the society. It is basically done to gain a lot of attention and attraction possible by the audience. It is a concept that goes against media laws and practices, and against the key rules, ethics and principles which are ought to be followed by media professionals. Yellow journalism believes in creating frenzy and an outburst of public opinion and sensationalizing them, underreporting and misreporting of facts, and delivering false claims and quotes. Journalists, these days, indulge in Yellow Journalism basically to feed the appetite of sensationalizing news and to monger scandal in the society regarding various hot topics.

This tendency of reporting misleading facts about stories and also misleading the audience has been growing menacingly. Today, newspapers, news channels and magazines are more bothered about the sprawling attention they could garner by reporting not true, but a little exaggerated piece. There are various reasons as to why Yellow Journalism is on the rise, while reporters and journalists have started having very little respect for media ethics and principles. Failing newspapers are one of the main reasons these days that media houses and journalists indulge into yellow journalism. When newspapers face serious losses, eventually they are bought by some media houses, who in turn try making them profitable by sensationalizing and misreporting news to such an extent that, the true essence and the meaning of the original story fades. Also, journalists these days have very little regard to report accuracy. It is basically the lack of Media ethics in a reporter/journalist, leading them to getting lax in whatever they report and not providing apt details about the piece of news or information they receive. Improper research work and interest leads them to make up a little part of the story, and exaggerating the other half. As media is still regarded or known to be an open profession, journalists with incomplete information of media and reporting principles are usually the ones who whether knowingly or unknowingly get into the mutated world of Yellow Journalism.

Journalism as a profession still pays reporters and journalists in peanuts. Being an inevitable part of Media, journalists are still one of the lowest paid in the Media sector, in spite of innumerable newspapers and media houses. Being paid less and required to work more, yellow journalism could just prove to be a shortcut to fame in a journalist’s life. Creating biased and overhyped news could gain them and their newspaper popularity and attention. There is such degree of increased competition between various media houses today that each newspaper tries its best to garner and attain that special attention before any other media house/newspaper can. It is just the lack of moral understanding, and lack of media and moral ethics among media professionals like journalists and reporters that Yellow Journalism still exists in the society, though immense efforts had been to eradicate such a misleading information branch from the society.

In a perfect world, news and media coverage houses may seem to exist to selflessly and honest deliver important and unbiased news to the public, whereas in reality, it is all very different. News media corporations are profit seeking companies. To maintain a healthy bottom line, corporations must create a market, and figure out what the public wants to consume, and accordingly sell news to them, and as public loves scandalous and outrageously hyped news, that is what newspapers and news channels provide them with. The society itself needs to undergo a change and people need to discourage such acts of yellow journalism. We should be the ones to refrain from it and not enjoy the exaggerated news created just to please us. Only once we make efforts to stop enjoying to such negative flak created by the media house, can then they stop boosting their profits by such dubious means.

Read More

How has technology changed our lives?

Technology has drastically changed the lives of Human race that is something that cannot be argued about. But how this happened is quite interesting as a topic of discussion. Technology has been there for quite a while now and we have all witnessed its growth. We all have seen technology fail and succeed and in many ways it has certainly made our lives better. We all have had our fun with it, praised it, yelled at it, and fixed its problems while it is down. If you think of it sometimes we even treat technology as a family member and we way too dependent on it as it has made our lives much easier and us much lazier. There are various hectic procedures that we do not have to go through because of technology. For example we do not have to send letters through postal services; book vacations through travel agents, shopping in stores, going to library for research and waiting for photos to be developed a small part of the contribution of technology to mankind.

Once a technology is introduced it takes years for it to finds it’s place in the society and become perfect. Mostly technology has done us more well than harm. However we are majorly dependent and affected by technology changes. These changes affect our day to day lives which are not exactly good for us. Here are some of the most important inventions of technology that drastically changed the lives of mankind and keep improving and changing day by day: -

•  Computer
• Internet
• Mobile Phones
• iPod
• Washing Machine
• Debit Cards
• Digital Cameras
• Contact lens
• Satellite TV
• DVD

If we look back in time and know the history of mankind, we realize the difference between the normal lives of a today person with a person from the past. It cannot be said that it was bad before as many things had to be done manually because of lack of technology. In the olden days people were just not aware of what technology was, how much simpler life could be and the only way to get things done was the physical work and everyone was ok with it as there was no other way.

“Imagination is more important than knowledge. Knowledge is limited. Imagination encircles the world” – Albert Einstein

Read More

Online shopping-The next big thing

Online shopping is a stereotype of buying and selling products without interference of any intermediaries involved; over the internet. Since companies like amazon and ebay made its command over the pioneer ship of online shopping some years ago, there are now many such companies competing with each other. How is the whole new venture of online shopping emerging in India, we’ll find out!

In a country like India, where people are so fascinated with the word ‘discount’; the online shopping portals are giving their customers/consumers what they want! These websites are a prototype of virtual store wherein people can log in and browse products. It is an effort made by these companies to fade away the habit of physical shopping; the way people have been doing it since generations. Now, they have loads of goodies to offer. Firstly, as Indians prefer discounts, good quality, and better price; they all have it on their portal.

Ishita Swaroop, the CEO of 99labels.com says, “people in India prefer products in various colors, shapes and sizes. If they are shopping online, they want the product description, zooming in the product images etc. So they can make a purchase from any online portal”. In recent years, online shopping has been trending peoples’ habits. So the online shopping portals are totally in the groove of non-store shopping and providing the customers what they look for.

Now, we find out is online shopping really secure?
There are few websites who match up the industry standards when it comes to security of debit and credit cards. So, you might think all your personal details are secure and safe inside a den. But are they really? Some researches show that the term and practice of ‘ethical hacking’ has turned the tables. Studies have also exposed that the way your information is being stored is unprofessional and unethical. For example, most sites use the customer’s email and a username; which they generally ask for when helping customers with a forgotten password. Of those which were put to test, 60-75% responded to forgotten passwords tab and thereby finding out whether the email was in the database or not!

Does online shopping save money?
Shopping online can save your money using the discount codes, deals of the day and free shipping offers. Retailers do not do that on a very frequent basis so the customers are pulled towards the glory of the word ‘discount’. Logistics are also a whole new issue when it comes to online shopping. The websites are making it more trouble-free for the shoppers by using the policy of cash on delivery and much later in this picture, return policy also made its place!

What’s the future mantra?
The consumers love to compare prices on various website and choose for the best price; achieving the objective of value for money. More than a decade later, online shopping scene will be at an established point in the retail sector. And studies show that the consumers, who are currently shopping online, will continue to shop more from such online shopping portals and even grow! Now that’s good news for online merchants.

Online shopping will stretch its boundaries and reach zenith in next decade. It is and will be successful in setting a milestone in the retail segment.

Read More

Are you Photographed or Photoshoped?

There is a huge debate among the photographers as to whether photography presented in its purest form is dead! Many argue that the quality of photographs captured is deteriorated tremendously. This is because on the other hand people think their captured images can be and are a lot better than the originally clicked ones. So, since the dawn of photoshop and other editing softwares like picasa photography has lost its charm and authenticity behind the effects of these softwares.

Once we click a picture, the quality of that image is determined within a minute. Early years, just like traditional processing Photoshop is not the last resort or even considered to be a resort to edit pictures. But a common phrase is well known among all young photographers, “I’ll fix it later, in Photoshop!” Does the young generation mean that they are more comfortable in front of a computer than in back of a camera? More than an ethical photographer, many love to enjoy the feedback given after editing the images in Photoshop, the manipulation software.

I came across a phrase a photographer shared, “Photoshop is like the new-age cosmetic to your original image”. How true is that! But if students say that they are more comfortable on the computer, they are losing the charm of real photography and they mean they have a better meaning to photography when they use photoshop! Photoshop is leads a great business in the list of any professional/formal training of photography.

There are many photographers who CANNOT do without using Photoshop and the consequences are that they fail to present a beautiful picture instead of a ‘good to see’ captured image. And, to make a larger story such kind of photographers cannot impress larger audience/networks. In initial stages, the images appear fantastic but gradually they get boring and create disorientation and some people may not follow his/her pictures, future.

Realistically or practically Photoshop and some other softwares are a great tool to change the photographic image. The issue is among the young budding photographers and their addiction to these softwares and tools. Photoshop cannot be underestimated commercially because it has been successful in replacing the traditional processing of images since the early years of history.

Read More

The philosophy of television

The idiot box- Although this name might be perfect for  the television, I think it deserves more appreciation. Obviously , the number of people who are telly fans outnumber the ones who aren’t so fond of it, by bounds and leaps. Available for sale since the 1920’s this entertainment and information machine has given rise to careers, new terms, awareness , advertising and much more. This is one of those very few things that are enjoyed by almost all age groups. Whether it’s watching a movie , serials , news, informational channels etc. the TV always have something to offer for people with varied interests. This might be one of the reasons for its massive popularity. Initially an object of luxury , nowadays it’s hard to spot a household even from the low income groups without a television set.

Initially, the TV was a form of recreation.  People would find themselves in front of the screen , either alone or with family and friends , relaxing whenever they got the time. Now? Its more than “just” a recreation. It’s an addiction ! Work , studies and other important tasks are thrown away because of the wide world they can travel into , one remote control away.

The television was always a source of information and knowledge. With matter being presented visually , books were politely being asked to take a hike. The television seems likethe i-know-it-all and has the power to feed and influence.However sometimes it takes an  ugly turn. The violence and macabre showed on television affects the children and they tend to become more aggressive.Moreover , children tend to pick up things from their surroundings very quickly and a television may teach them unwanted habits.

The television has to be given a lot of credit for taking advertising to a completely different level. With the help of jingles,commercials and infomercials is as good as someone selling you a product/service at the doorstep ( in a more creative manner and with music ofcourse)

The news on the television gives you the facts from the newspaper in a visual format thus enriching the entire experience of knowing whats around you.

And ofcourse, the related coined phrase – “ couch potato” reminds me of another reason why televisions are this popular. The fact that you could watch a glimpse of innumerable things while you rest on your sofa with your favourite snack gives relaxation a whole new meaning.

When I say entertainment, I mean movies , daily soaps, comedy shows,reality shows,talk shows etc. If you think about it the serials and soaps are actually books that let you read only one chapter a day. The only difference is , a book ends ! Reality shows gives you a peep into the lives of various people but nowadays have lost its sense of genuineness.

With channels such as Animal Planet , Discovery Channel etc. you find yourself being entertained and learning something at the same time. In fact if presented properly , everything on television can serve as a visual aid in one’s learning experience.

Television has however been gaining a lot of criticism for giving rise to eye defects , laziness and in many places “bad influence”. However this hasn’t stopped or reduced its popularity.

Despite having it’s pros and cons, we should realize that we have created the television , so we shouldn’t let it take over control. The remote control might be in our hands , but our minds are in it’s hands.

Read More

Advertisements and its impact on society

Every time you switch on your television, your eyes feel bound to be caught by the creative advertisements which have flooded the media industry. Whether it is radio, television, newspapers or cinema halls, advertisements have taken over every possible media form one can think of. Advertisement is fundamentally a communication channel to alter consumer behaviour in regard to certain commercial product a company has to offer. An advertisement also solves various other purposes of the company; for instance, it conveys across a sugar-coated message about its success to reassure its shareholders and consumers. Therefore, advertising is one of the most sought after ways of brand imaging or positioning. Conventionally, they are proven to leave an indelible imprint on the minds of viewers, which in turn affect their buying decisions. Playing in favour of the company, ads consequently bring loads of profit to the same and increase the factor of “brand loyalty” among the consumers. The marketing mix of 4 P’s acts as the underlying principle of advertising; the 4 P’s comprise of Product, Place, Price and Promotion. Advertisements, thereby furnish succinct information about the brand and its offer in an aesthetically beautiful nutshell to bestow a coveted stature to the company, subsequently increasing its demand in the market.

But not necessarily are the advertisements always meant for the increased awareness about a commercial product. There are a ton of ads today which are solely responsible for creating awareness among the viewers about various health issues, tax returns and many other concerns dealing with the welfare of the mass.

Advertising has now taken over every arena of communication. From television to internet, radio, newspapers, texts and so on. It goes without saying that every viewer or listener is directly or indirectly affected by what’s shown. All in all, advertisements result in a huge impact on society, besides the primary impact of their decision-making being affected while shopping; the latter stays as the basic requirement of ads.

Like every rose with thorns, advertisement also comes as a metaphorical rose, carrying both positive and negative impacts. The beauty of ads lie in the fact that, extra conscious consumers of today’s world are able to choose what product suits them best. Also, in this age of competition, companies get a chance to put across their message on a massive scale. Advertisements help generate awareness about diseases like AIDS and its preventive measures, child vaccination booths launched, tax rebate, so on and so forth. Approaching for help during natural calamities and campaigns by NGOs is one major role that ads play too. But, it cannot be ignored that ads play with the audience’s emotions to a great extent. Also, woman indulged in exposing in variant ads add to the negative sexual impact, thereby ruining the cultural values of our country. The price factor of relatively more advertised products take a hike because of the capital invested in advertising and promotion. Commercials pitch a certain idea presented by the company, but it alters the mentality or mindset of the viewers, thereby affecting their decisions, which may or may not be necessarily in people’s interest.

So, selling your minds to these advertisers is merely YOUR choice. Go for it or let go!

Read More