gangsilan: March 2012

Sunday 11 March 2012

Saturday 10 March 2012

EDITORIAL: Gwen Lu in Net-A-Porter Magazine, February 2012

Models: Gwen Lu (Major) & Cora Keegan (Next)
Editorial: Life in Color
Magazine: Net-A-Porter Magazine, February 2012
Photographer: Benjamin Lenox
Stylist: Vickie Keeble
Art Director: Jon Wetherell
Hair: Panos Papandrianos (CLM)
Makeup: Ayami Nishimura (Julian Watson)

Source: Net-A-Porter.com

10 Most Asked Interview Questions: How to Tackle Them

How many of you had stumbled upon an interview question you haven’t prepared yourself for, and your mind drew a blank? Sensing that awkward silence, you blurted out whatever words you could find and desperately made sentences out of them. The interview ended moments later, and as you reflect back on what you had said, you dreadfully realized those words don’t make much logical sense!

10. "Tell me about yourself?"

This is typically the first question the interviewer will ask once you’ve taken your seat. This is the opportunity for the interviewer to assess you as a person through what you say and how you deliver it. As they always say, first impression is at utmost important, so you’ve to make sure you’ve prepared yourself adequately to answer it. Keep it short and succinct, preferably within 2 – 3 minutes.

How should you reply then? Like I said, you should have done your research on what the company expects from the candidates before heading for the interview. Your answer then, is to address how your qualities (e.g. qualifications, personalities and work experience) are relevant to the position in question. Therefore, you should only convey information applicable to what is required for the job, but not irrelevant ones pertaining to your family or personal events, for instance.

9. "What are your weaknesses?"

At first glance, this seems tricky. On one hand, you can’t reveal that you lack what it takes for the job; on the other, it will be an obvious lie if you claim you don’t have any weaknesses. What should you disclose then?

If you have thoroughly gone through the company’s profile and such, you will by now understand what qualities are considered strengths, and what are not. Now, there are several ways to answer double-edged questions like this.

With your knowledge of what constitute as weaknesses that are frown upon by the interviewer, you can admit to those which you have that are impertinent to the job requirement. Secondly, you can mask strengths as weaknesses. For instance, you can say you are a very meticulous person who gets picky with details of a project (for this to work though, the job must be one that is particular about specifics). Last but not least, you can confess to past weaknesses but show how you had triumphed over them.

8. "What is your greatest accomplishment?"

Although the interviewer is asking you about your greatest accomplishment, you still have to choose one that is more professionally relevant. This is a good time to illustrate how you can contribute to the company if you are successfully recruited, so it will be to your advantage if you mention an achievement that applies to the position.

Let’s say you are applying for a position that requires a significant amount of problem solving and troubleshooting. You might want to talk about a time when you resolved a persistent problem that had plagued your company for years. You can explain how you initiated some research and made a useful suggestion that was eventually implemented to all departments. If possible, quantify your results in terms of savings made and increased productivity for instance.

7. "Why did you leave your last job?"

There are various legitimate reasons for leaving a job. Yet, when it comes to interview, try to answer positively rather than complain about what made you unhappy. Talk in relation to your career goals and how the job you are applying provides a better environment for growth than your previous job. As always, angle your reply in such a way that what you had learned in your previous job had enriched you with valuable skills for the current position.

Here, the interviewer is trying to gauge how much the job fits to your expectations. You had probably quit your last job because you were unhappy about something. The interviewer wants to make sure that you will be committed to the job and not leave because your expectations are not met again.

6. "Why do you want to work with us?"
More likely than not, the interviewer wishes to see how much you know about the company culture, and whether you can identify with the organization’s values and vision. Every organization has its strong points, and these are the ones that you should highlight in your answer. For example, if the company emphasizes on integrity with customers, then you mention that you would like to be in such a team because you yourself believe in integrity.

It doesn’t have to be a lie. In the case that your values are not in line with the ones by the company, ask yourself if you would be happy working there. If you have no issue with that, go ahead. But if you are aware of the company culture and realize that there is some dilemma you might be facing, you ought to think twice. The best policy is to be honest with yourself, and be honest with the interviewer with what is it in the company culture that motivates you.

5. "Why did you apply for this position?"

Even if it’s true to a large extent, don’t give them the vibe that you applied for this job because you were retrenched from your previous company. Or for that matter, don’t give the impression that you are here because you need to make a living. Any company wants someone who is committed to the organization and eventually developed a sense of belonging with it. It doesn’t help claiming that you’re here for the monthly paycheck.

In fact, the best way to answer this question is to spend some time examining what you like or would like about your work and the company. It is likely you will find something, such as the culture, work environment, meaning of your work, etc. If you didn’t find anything, then you should seriously consider if this is the right job for you.

Once you know why you want this job, you can then answer them in a manner that’ll relate how well you fit with the position. For example, if you like the customer service work involved because you enjoy communicating with people, bring up that sociable personality of yours. Convince them that you’ll fit in very well here, and you’ll in turn convince the interviewer that you’ll be an asset to the company.

4. "What would you like to be doing five years from now?"

Again, this question is asked to find out whether you are committed to the job. The fact is that there are people who hop from job to job, and that is because they don’t really have a solid plan to follow.

Another reason for popping this question is to see whether you are someone who sets goals in life. It’s undisputable that people who set long-term goals are more reliable than those who don’t. I mean, knowing what you want in life says a lot about your personality, perhaps as a person who can lead and stay motivated.

Your reply should assure the interviewer that your career progression goals are in line with the actual advancement route in the company. The interviewer wouldn’t want to disappoint you in the next five years and end up with you resigning. As such, it is crucial that you do your homework on the company’s prospects so that you know what to expect for yourself, and whether it will meet your long-term career objectives.

3. "Why should I hire you?"

This is the part where you link your skills, experience, education and your personality to the job itself. This is why you need to be utterly familiar with the job description as well as the company culture. Remember though, it’s best to back them up with actual examples of say, how you are a good team player.

It is possible that you may not have as much skills, experience or qualifications as the other candidates. What then, will set you apart from the rest? Energy and passion might. People are attracted to someone who is charismatic, who show immense amount of energy when they talk, and who love what it is that they do. As you explain your compatibility with the job and company, be sure to portray yourself as that motivated, confident and energetic person, ever-ready to commit to the cause of the company.

2. "How much are you expecting for the salary?"

Salary negotiation is a tough and delicate matter. Preferably speaking, you should avoid going into this topic until the later stage of the recruitment when you are being offered the job. That said, some recruiters might be hoping that you’d yield in to this question and be the first to give the number and set the benchmark. The repercussion? You might end up making less than what the position is worth!

Hence, research on the salary range in your field to have a rough estimate of how much you should be earning. Give a large range rather than a specific amount if you have to answer it. An alternative is to pose the question back at the interviewer by asking what kind of salary does the position warrants. At other times, interviewers might just be testing you to see if money is the only thing that matters. So, do emphasize that your priority lies with the nature of the job and not the salary per se.

Remember that when the job is finally being offered to you, the interviewer would have to quote the salary. That will be the best time to negotiate your way because you will then become the one being sought after, and not the other way round.

1. "Do you have any questions to ask me?"

This is normally the last question posed to you, so it’s your chance to finish the interview elegantly. True enough, your doubts about the job position might already been allayed by this time when the interview is almost done. Nevertheless, you’ve got to say something other than replying that you’ve got nothing to ask. Doing otherwise might leave the impression to the interviewer that you are not exactly keen to get the job.

Unless an employer is interested in recruiting a passive employee, the interviewer is likely to be attracted to proactive candidates who ask intelligent questions. If you must ask, do make sure that they aren’t those with obvious answers that you can get if you have done the research thoroughly. Yes, there’s no such thing as a stupid question, except those that you ask for the sake of asking. Try to incorporate your knowledge of the industry and the company into a question that will address a genuine concern of yours. That way, you get to amaze your interviewer and assess for a final time whether the job aligns with your expectations.

One of the best responses to this question is to find out about your chances of landing this job. Thank the interviewer for the opportunity and express your enthusiasm for the position before asking if there is any reservation for hiring you. This will be your final chance to address any concerns the interviewer might have of employing you. Stay calm and reply objectively rather than taking any criticism personally.

Of course, you are free to ask any questions in your mind. It is, after all, you who is seeking a right job for yourself. Gather as much information about the position and have a feel of what it’s like working there day in, day out. If they offer you the job and it is what you are seeking for, go for it!

Funny Facts about IT and Internet

1. The Afghan capital Kabul has a cyber cafe?2. Accordingly to Google Zeitgeist the top search in India June 2007 is the phrase reliance data card?3. Google offers its employees free lunch?4. BBC has 43 different translations of its website?5. Google's employees get free haircuts?6. Google receives more than 1000 resumes a day?7. About 47 million laptops where shipped worldwide 2006?8. Over 2.7 billion searches are made on Google search engine each month?9. 1 of every 8 married couples in the US last year met online?10. If myspace was a country it would be the 11th largest?11. Google can be queried in 36 languages (2007)?12. Google uses over 10,000 networked computers to crawl the web?13. Google has 2007 surpassed Microsoft as the world's most-visited site?14. Google have won 2007 most powerful brand by a British research company?15. The average computer user blinks 7 times a minute?16. The number of text messages sent and received every day exceeds the worlds population?17. Google staff are known as Googlers?18. The founders of Google didn't know HTML and just wanted a quick interface, thats one of the main reason why the home page is so bare?19. The name "Google" comes from a spelling mistake, the founders intendent to write "Googol"?20. Google launched their search site in 1998?21. The Google function "I feel lucky" is nearly never used, well compared to the high number of users?22. Google comes from the word googol, which is 1 followed by a hundred zeros?23. Wikipedia has a page devoted to toilet roll holders? Read more24. Atari sold 400000 VCS consoles in 1979?25. The Atari 2600 only has 128 bytes of RAM?26. In Sweden the @ is called "snabel-a" wich means a "trunk with an a"?27. The floppy disk was patents in 1946 by Alan Shugart?28. If you type in failure in google, and select "I'm feeling lucky", you will be redirected to the White House web page?29. Yahoo stands for Yet Another 'Hierarchical Organizational Oracle'?30. PHP originally stood for Personal Home Page?31. The oldest surviving computer in the world is called CSIRAC and is located in Melbourne?32. The word maps is often in the top 10 search words submitted to search engines?33. The first domain name ever registered was Symbolics.com?34. Bill Gates began programming computers at age 13?35. Google receives about 200 million search queries each day. More than half of which come from outside the United States. During the heviest traffic more than 2,000 search queries are answered each second?36. More than 80% of home pages on the Web are in English. German has only 4.5% and Japanese 3.1%?37. The percentage of email messages in English is estimates to vary between 60% and 85%?38. The words "electronic mail" was introduced 30 years ago. Queen Elizabeth of Britain sent her first email in 1976?39. Sweden has the most affordable broadband internet access in Europe?40. The highest amount of money paid for a domain name is for business.com, $7.5 million?41. The save icon on Microsoft Word shows a floppy disk with the shutters on backwards?42. Internet was designed to survive thermonuclear assault"?43. Every single possible 3 character.com domain has been registered?44. Internet advertising is the fastest growing advertising medium?45. Bill Gates house was partially designed using a Macintosh computer?46. All domain names in Slovakia are free?47. 88% of websites have no discernible traffic?48. Domain names are being registered at a rate of more than one million names every month?49. 28% of IBM employees are Indians?50. Each day an average American depends on about 250 computers?51. Microsoft is the biggest developer of Mac software outside Apple?52. The first hard drive available for the Apple II had a capacity of 5 Megabytes?53. Maps are often among the top words submitted to Internet search engines?54. The most popular non-HTML format files return from Google is PDF-format?55. Dr. Lieven P. Van Neste is the owner of over 200,000 domain names?56. The top searchwords in Google where September 19, 2005 "hurricane rita"?57. Only 10% of all the pages on the Internet make it to the search engines?58. In 1982 Time magazine named the computer its "Man of the Year"?59. Microsoft writes the code for autopilot systems in all major airplanes?60. Internet is one of the fastest growing forms of advertising?61. In computer language, wysiwyg is an acronym for "what you see is what you get"?62. About one-third of recorded CDs are pirated?63. In the early days of computers, black and white monitors were thought sufficient to satisfy all future data processing needs?

Friday 9 March 2012

Facts about Mobile Phones

A mobile phone or cellular phone or hand phone is a mobile electronic device used to make mobile telephone calls across a wide geographic area, served by many public cells. At the sametime a cordless telephone is used only within the range of a single, private base station.

A mobile phone can make and receive telephone calls to and from the public telephone network which includes other mobiles and fixed-line phones across the world. It does this by connecting to a cellular network provided by a mobile network operator.
In addition to telephony, modern mobile phones also support a wide variety of other services such as text messaging, MMS, email, Internet access, short-range wireless communications (infrared, Bluetooth), business applications, gaming and photography. Mobile phones that offer these more general computing capabilities are referred to as smartphones.
Mobile phones are generally activated by a micro chip popularly called as SIM CARD(subscriber identity module).Other details encrypted in the sim card memory a unique serial number,PIN and PUK,information related to local network,PIN password etc.Those cell phone that do not have a sim card have all the data progammed into their memory.This type of cell phones are generally called as CDMA phones(code division multiple access).
The first hand-held mobile phone was demonstrated by Dr Martin Cooper of Motorola in 1973.In 1983, the DynaTAC 8000x was the first to be commercially available cell phone .The first mobile to mobile message was sent from finland in 1993. In the twenty years from 1990 to 2010, worldwide mobile phone subscriptions grew from 12.4 million to over 4.6 billion, penetrating the developing economies and reaching the bottom of the economic pyramid.
The first commercially automated cellular network (the 1G) was launched in Japan by NTT in 1979, initially in the metropolitan area of Tokyo. The first "modern" network technology on digital 2G (second generation) cellular technology was launched by Radiolinja in 1991 in Finland on the GSM standard, which also marked the introduction of competition in mobile telecoms .In 2001, the first commercial launch of 3G (Third Generation) was again in Japan by NTT DoCoMo on the WCDMA standard. One of the newest 3G technologies to be implemented is High-Speed Downlink Packet Access (HSDPA). It is an enhanced 3G (third generation) mobile telephony communications protocol in the high-speed packet access (HSPA) family. The recently released 4th generation, also known as Beyond 3G, aims to provide broadband wireless access with nominal data rates of 100 Mbit/s to fast moving devices.

The common components found on all phones are:
A battery, typically rechargeable, providing the power source for the phone functions

An input mechanism to allow the user to interact with the phone. The most common input mechanism is a keypad, buttouch screens are also found in some high-end smartphones.

Basic mobile phone services to allow users to make calls and send text messages.

All GSM phones use a SIM card to allow an account to be swapped among devices. Some CDMA devices also have a similar card called a R-UIM.

Individual GSM, WCDMA, iDEN and some satellite phone devices are uniquely identified by an International Mobile Equipment Identity (IMEI) number.
Other features that may be found on mobile phones include GPS navigation, music (MP3) and video (MP4) playback, RDS radio receiver, alarms, memo recording, personal digital assistant functions, ability to watch streaming video, video download, video calling, built-in cameras (1.0+ Mpx) and camcorders (video recording), with autofocus and flash, ringtones, games, PTT, memory card reader (SD), USB (2.0), dual line support, infrared, Bluetooth (2.0) and WiFi connectivity, instant messaging, Internet e-mail andbrowsing and serving as a wireless modem. Nokia and the University of Cambridge demonstrated a bendable cell phone called the Morph. Some phones can makemobile payments via direct mobile billing schemes or through contactless payments if the phone and point of sale support Near Field Communication (NFC). Some of the largest mobile phone manufacturers and network providers along with many retail merchants support, or plan to support, contactless payments through NFC-equipped mobile phones.

SOCIAL IMPLICATION OF MOBILE PHONE.
1-Mobile phone is widely used as wireless equipment.
2-IVR(ineractive voice response )system provides us various services like book railway reservation,knowing examination results,check voters list,post our comments etc.
3-Helps Banking sector to communicate with others(internet banking).
4-Facilitate the freedom to pay bills and planning payments from any places.
5-Ensure continuous contact between the people of various places.
6-Can watch TV and video call,browse internet,aplly for various jobs,earn money,sent messages etc.
7-Health issues of mobile phones are subjected to disputes.

POINTS TO REMEMBER
1-Broadband- A high speed internet connection such as cable ,satellite or digital subscriber line
2-e commerce-The process of conducting business online for purposes ranging from fund raising to advertising to selling products.
3-P D A.(personal digital assistance)-A small device that enable a user to carry digital information.
4-R SS –Really simple syndication
5-S M S-Technology that enables short text message(up to 160charactors)to be send over mobilr phone.
6-SIM-subscriber identity module
7-IMEI-international mobile equipment identity.
8-CDMA-code division multiple access,.
9-COW-cell on wheels.

Mobile Phone Safety Facts

We all know that Mobile Phone has become an essential gadget for every one of us now a days. But there are lot of controversies about using a Mobile Phone. Nearly 80% of the world population have mobile phones. There is an evidence about the harm of Electromagnetic radiations from mobile phones. So there is a need to take certain precautions to reduce the risk of electromagnetic radiation effect. The first advice is to use the mobile phone as minimum as possible because even a two-minute call from a mobile phone alters the natural electrical activity of the brain for one hour. Here are some of the tips to reduce the risk and to be safe from the effects of mobile phone.

Don't keep the mobile phone near to your head while sleeping. Either switch it off or keep it at least 6 feet away from your head.
Keep the mobile set at least 2 to 7 inches away from your head while talking or you can use loudspeaker mode. It reduces the effect of electromagnetic radiation on the brain.
If it is necessary to keep mobile phone in your pocket, keep the keypad towards you so that the antenna faces away from you.
Try to avoid usage of mobile phone in metal containers like elevators, air planes, trains and vehicles as it increases the electromagnetic radiations.
Avoid using wired headsets. Blue tooth head sets are better as they emit 1/100th of the Electromagnetic radiations of normal phone.
Never allow children below 15 years to use mobile phones. This may cause brain tumors for the children.
Always keep the mobile phone away from new born babies as their brain gets affected by the electromagnetic radiations and increases the risk of cancer.

AD CAMPAIGN: Sui He for Neiman Marcus, Spring/Summer 2012

Model: Sui He (Wilhelmina)
Ad Campaign: Neiman Marcus, Spring/Summer 2012
Photographer: Unknown
Stylist: Unknown
Hair: Unknown
Makeup: Unknown

Source: Zinio

Thursday 8 March 2012

Hybrid Cha's Cooking Assignment: Chili con Carne looooooooooooove

Just cooked a delicious chili con carne on top of a cup of steamed rice.

All you need are: ground beef, kidney beans, tomatoes, tomato paste, cayene (and paprika if you want a redder color), cloves, green chili, green bell pepper, garlic, onion, salt, bay leaf (and I added a tad bit of oregano for fragrance I hope I did not bastardize recipe or anything).

Nom nom guys! Perfect with rice or buns or with hotdog!

EDITORIAL: So Young Kang in Teen Vogue, March 2012

Model: So Young Kang (Marilyn) & Vanusa (??)
Editorial: Electric Youth
Magazine: Teen Vogue, March 2012
Photographer: Sebastian Kim
Stylist: Nancy Rohde
Hair: Eugene Souleiman
Makeup: Sil Bruinsma
Manicure: Michina Koide

Source: models.com

111 Best Amazing facts

1. If you are struck by lightning, your skin will be heated to 28,000 degrees Centigrade, hotter than the surface of the Sun.

2. If you trace your family tree back 25 generations, you will have 33,554,432 direct ancestors – assuming no incest was involved.

3. The average distance between the stars in the sky is 20 million miles.

4. It would take a modern spaceship 70,000 years to get to the nearest star to earth.

5. An asteroid wiped out every single dinosaur in the world, but not a single species of toad or salamander was affected. No one knows why, nor why the crocodiles and tortoises survived.

6. If you dug a well to the centre of the Earth, and dropped a brick in it, it would take 45 minutes to get to the bottom – 4,000 miles down.

7. Your body sheds 10 billion flakes of skin every day.

8. The Earth weighs 6,500 million million million tons.

9. Honey is the only food consumed by humans that doesn’t go off.

10. The Hawaiian alphabet has only 12 letters.

11. A donkey can sink into quicksand but a mule can’t.

12. Every time you sneeze your heart stops a second.

13. There are 22 miles more canals in Birmingham UK than in Venice.

14. Potato crisps were invented by a Mr Crumm.

15. Facetious and abstemious contain all the vowels in their correct order.

16. Eskimoes have hundreds of words for snow but none for hello.

17. The word “set” has the most definitions in the English language.

18. The only 15 letter word that can be spelled without repeating its letters is uncopyrightable.

19. Windmills always turn counter-clockwise.

20. The “Sixth Sick Sheik’s Sixth Sheep’s Sick” is the hardest tongue-twister.

21. The longest English word without a vowel is twyndyllyngs which means "twins".

22. 1 x 8 + 1 = 9; 12 x 8 + 2 = 98; 123 x 8 + 3 = 987; 1234 x 8 + 4 = 9876; 12345 x 8 + 5 = 98765; 123456 x 8 + 6 = 987654; 1234567 x 8 + 7 = 9876543; 12345678 x 8 + 8 = 98765432; 123456789 x 8 + 9 = 987654321

23. The word "dreamt" is the only common word in the English language that ends in "mt".

24. Albert Einstein never wore any socks.

25. The average human will eat 8 spiders while asleep in their lifetime.

26. In space, astronauts cannot cry because there is no gravity.

27. Hummingbirds are the only creatures that can fly backwards.

28. An ostrich’s eye is bigger than its brain.

29. Cockroaches can live 9 days without their heads before they starve to death.

30. A flamingo can eat only when its head is upside down.

31. The lighter was invented before the match.

32. It is physically impossible for pigs to look up at the sky.

33. The average person has over 1,460 dreams a year!

34. Scientists with high-speed cameras have discovered that rain drops are not tear shaped but rather look like hamburger buns.

35. The first Internet domain name ever registered was Symbolics.com on March 15, 1985.

36. When Alexander Graham Bell invented the telephone back in 1876, only six phones were sold in the first month.

37. Approximately 7.5% of all office documents get lost.

38. Business.com is currently the most expensive domain name sold: for $7.5 million.

39. In 2001, the five most valuable brand names in order were Coca-Cola, Microsoft, IBM, GE, and Nokia.

40. In Canada, the most productive day of the working week is Tuesday.

41. In a study by the University of Chicago in 1907, it was concluded that the easiest colour to spot is yellow. This is why John Hertz, who is the founder of the Yellow Cab Company picked cabs to be yellow.

42. It takes about 63,000 trees to make the newsprint for the average Sunday edition of The New York Times.

43. On average a business document is copied 19 times.

44. The largest employer in the world is the Indian railway system in India, employing over 1.6 million people.

45. Warner Chappel Music owns the copyright to the song "Happy Birthday." They make over $1 million in royalties every year from the commercial use of the song.

46. All babies are colour-blind when they are born.

47. Children grow faster in the springtime than any other season during the year.

48. Each nostril of a human being registers smells in a different way. Smells that are made from the right nostril are more pleasant than the left. However, smells can be detected more accurately when made by the left nostril.

49. Humans are born with 350 bones in their body, however when a person reaches adulthood they only have 206 bones. This occurs because many of them join together to make a single bone.

50. May babies are on average 200 grams heavier than babies born in other months.

51. Leonardo da Vinci was dyslexic, and he often wrote backwards.

52. Nazi leader Adolf Hitler had only one testicle.

53. Queen Lydia Liliuokalani was the last reigning monarch of the Hawaiian Islands. She was also the only Queen the United States ever had.

54. Rolling Stones band member Bill Wyman married a 19 year-old model Mandy Smith in 1988. At the same time Wyman's son was engaged to Mandy Smith's mother. If his son had married Smith's mother, Wyman would have been the step grandfather to his own wife.

55. There are 158 verses in the Greek National Anthem.

56. There are about 6,800 languages in the world.

57. There was no punctuation until the 15th century.

58. Children laugh about 400 times a day, while adults laugh on average only 15 times a day.

59. The coconut is the largest seed in the world.

60. There is cyanide in apple pips.

61. If you were to take 1 lb. of spiders web and stretch it out it would circle the whole way around the world!

62. If every person in China stood on a chair and jumped off at the same time...it would knock the earth off its axis!

63. A mole can dig a tunnel 300 feet long in just one night!

64. The shortest war on record, between Britain and Zanzibar in 1896, lasted just 38 minutes.

65. The Shell Oil Company originally began as a novelty shop in London that sold seashells.

66. The symbols + (addition) and – (subtraction) came into general use in 1489.

67. If you save one penny and double it every successive day, (day two you have 2 pennies and day three you have 4 pennies, and so on), by the end of 30 days you’ll have $5,368,708! (or £’s or whatever currency).

68. It is not possible to tickle yourself. The cerebellum, a part of the brain, warns the rest of the brain that you are about to tickle yourself. Since your brain knows this, it ignores the resulting sensation.

69. The best time for a person to buy shoes is in the afternoon. This is because the foot tends to swell a bit around this time.

70. The typical lead pencil can draw a line that is thirty-five miles long.

71. Due to precipitation, for a few weeks, K2 is taller than Mt. Everest.

72. Astronauts get taller when they are in space.

73. There are over one hundred billion galaxies with each galaxy having billions of stars.

74. The surface area of the lungs is roughly the same size as a tennis court.

75. A dog can hear sounds that are 100 times fainter than the faintest sounds that a person can hear. If a person can just hear a noise that is coming from 10 feet away, a dog could hear that same noise from 100 feet away.

76. If a sole (a type of fish) lays upon a chessboard it can change the colouring of its body to match the pattern of the chess board. The sole takes about 4 minutes to make the change.

77. Of all the animals on earth the mosquito has contributed to the deaths of more people than any other animal.

78. In the courts of the Roman Empire, instead of swearing an oath on a bible, men swore to the truth on their statements while holding their genitals. Hence the word 'testify', from 'testicles'.

79. The first soap powder, produced in 1907, was made with Perborate and Silicate - hence its brand name, Persil.

80. If we could shrink the earth's population to a village of precisely 100 people, with all the existing human ratios remaining the same, there would be 57 Asians, 21 Europeans, 14 from the Americas and 8 Africans. Only 1 would own a computer.

81. All elephants walk on tiptoe, because the back portion of their foot is made up of all fat and no bone.

82. Our eyes are always the same size from birth, but our nose and ears never stop growing.

83. Hawaii has the only royal palace in the United States.

84. Chicken liver can be used to change A type blood to O type blood.

85. It takes only 8 minutes for sunlight to travel from the sun to the earth, which also means, if you see the sun go out, it actually went out 8 minutes ago.

86. The strongest muscle in the body is the tongue.

87. An octopus has 3 hearts.

88. If the population of China walked past you in single file, the line would never end because of the rate of reproduction.

89. The hair on a polar bear is not white, but clear. They reflect light, so they appear white.

90. Right-handed people live, on average, nine years longer than left-handed people do.

91. The combination "ough" can be pronounced in 9 different ways; Read this: "A rough-coated, dough-faced, thoughtful ploughman strode through the streets of Scarborough; after falling into a slough, he coughed and hiccoughed."

92. The blue whale has a heart the size of a small car and its blood vessel is so broad, that a person could swim through it.

93. A left-handed person finds it easier to open a jar than a right-handed person because they can supply a stronger anticlockwise turning force than a right-handed person. However a right-handed person will find it easier to tighten the jar up afterwards.

94. The orbit of the Moon about the Earth would fit easily inside the Sun.

95. A chameleon can move its eyes in two directions at the same time.

96. Typewriter is the longest word that can be made only using one row on the keyboard.

97. Because of the rotation of earth you can throw a ball farther to the west than to the east.

98. The name of all the continents ends with the same letter that they start with.

99. Rubber bands last longer when refrigerated.

100. There are 293 ways to make change for a dollar (euro, pound).

101. The only 15 letter word that can be spelled without repeating a letter is "uncopyrightable."

102. In 1884, Dr. Hervey D. Thatcher invented the milk bottle.

103. Humpback whales are capable of living up to 95 years

104. There is an area located off the south-eastern Atlantic coast of the United States called the "Bermuda Triangle." It is known for a high rate of unexplained losses of ships, small boats, and aircraft, which has led some people to believe that this triangle has supernatural powers

105. Taipan snakes have 50 times more toxic than a cobra snake

106. Bruce Lee was so fast, that they actually had to slow a film down so you could see his moves. That is the opposite of the norm.

107. The water inside of a coconut is identical to human blood plasma. Many lives in third world countries have been saved from coconut water fed through an IV.

108. Tomatos were once referred to as "love apples." This is because their was a superstition that people would fall in love by eating them

109. The first known American novelist to hand in a manuscript that was typed was Mark Twain. His typewriter was a Remington No.1, which was invented by Christopher Sholes and Carlos Glidden.

110. The words moron, imbecile, and idiot are not interchangable. The one with the highest level of intelligence is a moron, followed, by an imbecile, and then idiot

111. Each king in a deck of playing cards represents a great king fromhistory. Spades - King David; Clubs - Alexander the Great; Hearts -Charlemagne;and Diamonds - Julius Caesar.

10 Interesting facts about India

If you look into India's history you will see that India is filled with many interesting facts. Indians have always been intelligent and creative. It is one of the oldest countries in the world.
India is a land where people from different cultures and religious backgrounds live together as a nation.
Indian people are found to be very friendly and caring. They like spending time with their families.
Many different languages are spoken in India but still one can communicate with people through the national language called Hindi.

10 Interesting facts about India:

The famous board game, called Chess, was invented in India.
In India's 100,000 years of history, it has never invaded any other country.
India is the 7th largest country in the world, the largest democracy and one of the oldest civilizations.
India was one of the richest countries in the world before the British invasion in 17th century.
The value of "pi" used in mathematics was first calculated by the Indian mathematician Budhayana in 6th century and with discovering what is now known as the Pythagorean theorem.
India is one of the largest exporter of computer software products. It exports software to over 90 countries.
India is home to the world's largest pilgrimage destination called the Vishnu Temple. The temple is located in the city of Tirupati. About an average of 30,000 people visit this temple donating about $6 million US dollars, everyday.
India originated Yoga about 5,000 years ago.
India has the most number of mosques. It has 300,000 mosques which is much more than the Muslim world.
Christians and Jews have been living in India since 52 A.D. and 200 B.C. respectively. Read more...

Apple Unveils Updated iPad 3 (iPad HD) In San Francisco

Apple Senior VP of Worldwide Marketing Phil Schiller talks about the display on the new iPad during an Apple product launch event at Yerba Buena Center for the Arts on March 7, 2012 in San Francisco, California. In the first product release following the death of Steve Jobs, Apple Inc. introduced the third version of the iPad (iOS 5.1; Processor is an Apple A5X ARM-based unit; Display 2048 x 1536 pixels; Camera is set at 5 megapixels and has a 5-element lens plus auto face-detection, auto focus lock and image stabilisation for video; Wi-Fi + 4G) and an updated Apple TV.

7 Simple Ways to Improve Relationships with Friends and Family

“The better part of one’s life consists of his friendships.” – Abraham Lincoln

Relationships are a massive part of our lives, we can’t live without them. Of course sometimes it is very hard to live with them, but in the long run they are one of the most important things in life, and yet also one of the easiest things to neglect.

Dr George King described friendship as a flower that needs to be watered by two or more people in order to survive. I think this is a brilliant metaphor. Perhaps that flower could live for a little while being watered by only one person but in the long run it will just wither and die. Rather than waiting for the other person to start watering the flower before you do, why not take the initiative and start the watering first. You might just trigger them into watering it as well.

Relationships with friends and family always go through testing times and there will always be ups and downs. Some times they will let you down and sometimes you’ll let them down. But by practicing the points below you can help strengthen those bonds so that the glitches along the way can be smoothed over more quickly.

It might be best not to try to do all of these at once. Perhaps just start by picking one or two ideas and work on them with one person and see what happens.

Keep in touch – Call/txt/email/write/meet more often. These days technology makes it so easy to keep in touch and yet we still find ourselves drifting apart. Technology can help you keep in touch but it can never replace being together in person. When I travelled overseas I emailed home regularly to friends and I was surprised at how well this managed to maintain those friendships, even over an extended period of time. This is important with the people you live with as well. Sometimes you can live in the same house yet not end up spending much time together. But whilst technology helps in many ways it can also hinder. A txt is no substitute for a face to face conversation.

Quality time – If you haven’t had quality time with someone for a while then arrange to do so. There are some friendships where you might only catch up once a month, others a few times a week. Every relationship’s different so figure out who you’re neglecting and decide how you can correct this. It can help to pick a friend and think when the last time you had a decent conversation with them was.

Remember birthdays & other dates – This is important with friends and essential with family. Some people say they aren’t fussed whether about people remembering their birthday but actually everyone appreciates it. How you remember people’s birthdays varies. Depending on how close you are it might just be a text or a phone call, or a present. I’m not too hot at remembering dates so I programme them into my mobile phone. With the really important ones I programme a reminder in a week ahead of the birthday so I’ve got time to organize a gift. These days with Facebook, Bebo etc it’s easier than ever to keep track of birthdays.

Listen more – The absolute number one way to improve a relationship is to listen more. And really listen. If you think people aren’t listening to you then chances are you aren’t listening to them either. Set the wheel in motion and listen to them first. Really try to see things from their perspective. If you want people to listen to you then listen to them first.

Look for ways to help them or make their lives better – Do a chore they normally do, give them a lift somewhere, help them carry something.

Try not to take them for granted – It’s easy to get a bit too comfortable in some relationships. We get caught up in other areas of our life and forget about some friendships then wonder why they aren’t there for us anymore. Friendships need to be maintained or they will fade away.

Open up – Tell them how great they are and how much you love having them as a friend/partner etc. Be specific, tell them what it is that you love about them and why that is such a great thing.

Wednesday 7 March 2012

10 Most Asked Interview Questions: How to Tackle Them

10 Most Asked Interview Questions: How to Tackle Them

How many of you had stumbled upon an interview question you haven’t prepared yourself for, and your mind drew a blank? Sensing that awkward silence, you blurted out whatever words you could find and desperately made sentences out of them. The interview ended moments later, and as you reflect back on what you had said, you dreadfully realized those words don’t make much logical sense!

10. "Tell me about yourself?"

This is typically the first question the interviewer will ask once you’ve taken your seat. This is the opportunity for the interviewer to assess you as a person through what you say and how you deliver it. As they always say, first impression is at utmost important, so you’ve to make sure you’ve prepared yourself adequately to answer it. Keep it short and succinct, preferably within 2 – 3 minutes.

How should you reply then? Like I said, you should have done your research on what the company expects from the candidates before heading for the interview. Your answer then, is to address how your qualities (e.g. qualifications, personalities and work experience) are relevant to the position in question. Therefore, you should only convey information applicable to what is required for the job, but not irrelevant ones pertaining to your family or personal events, for instance.

9. "What are your weaknesses?"
At first glance, this seems tricky. On one hand, you can’t reveal that you lack what it takes for the job; on the other, it will be an obvious lie if you claim you don’t have any weaknesses. What should you disclose then?

If you have thoroughly gone through the company’s profile and such, you will by now understand what qualities are considered strengths, and what are not. Now, there are several ways to answer double-edged questions like this.

With your knowledge of what constitute as weaknesses that are frown upon by the interviewer, you can admit to those which you have that are impertinent to the job requirement. Secondly, you can mask strengths as weaknesses. For instance, you can say you are a very meticulous person who gets picky with details of a project (for this to work though, the job must be one that is particular about specifics). Last but not least, you can confess to past weaknesses but show how you had triumphed over them.

8. "What is your greatest accomplishment?"

Although the interviewer is asking you about your greatest accomplishment, you still have to choose one that is more professionally relevant. This is a good time to illustrate how you can contribute to the company if you are successfully recruited, so it will be to your advantage if you mention an achievement that applies to the position.

Let’s say you are applying for a position that requires a significant amount of problem solving and troubleshooting. You might want to talk about a time when you resolved a persistent problem that had plagued your company for years. You can explain how you initiated some research and made a useful suggestion that was eventually implemented to all departments. If possible, quantify your results in terms of savings made and increased productivity for instance.

7. "Why did you leave your last job?"
There are various legitimate reasons for leaving a job. Yet, when it comes to interview, try to answer positively rather than complain about what made you unhappy. Talk in relation to your career goals and how the job you are applying provides a better environment for growth than your previous job. As always, angle your reply in such a way that what you had learned in your previous job had enriched you with valuable skills for the current position.

Here, the interviewer is trying to gauge how much the job fits to your expectations. You had probably quit your last job because you were unhappy about something. The interviewer wants to make sure that you will be committed to the job and not leave because your expectations are not met again.

6. "Why do you want to work with us?"
More likely than not, the interviewer wishes to see how much you know about the company culture, and whether you can identify with the organization’s values and vision. Every organization has its strong points, and these are the ones that you should highlight in your answer. For example, if the company emphasizes on integrity with customers, then you mention that you would like to be in such a team because you yourself believe in integrity.

It doesn’t have to be a lie. In the case that your values are not in line with the ones by the company, ask yourself if you would be happy working there. If you have no issue with that, go ahead. But if you are aware of the company culture and realize that there is some dilemma you might be facing, you ought to think twice. The best policy is to be honest with yourself, and be honest with the interviewer with what is it in the company culture that motivates you.

5. "Why did you apply for this position?"
Even if it’s true to a large extent, don’t give them the vibe that you applied for this job because you were retrenched from your previous company. Or for that matter, don’t give the impression that you are here because you need to make a living. Any company wants someone who is committed to the organization and eventually developed a sense of belonging with it. It doesn’t help claiming that you’re here for the monthly paycheck.

In fact, the best way to answer this question is to spend some time examining what you like or would like about your work and the company. It is likely you will find something, such as the culture, work environment, meaning of your work, etc. If you didn’t find anything, then you should seriously consider if this is the right job for you.

Once you know why you want this job, you can then answer them in a manner that’ll relate how well you fit with the position. For example, if you like the customer service work involved because you enjoy communicating with people, bring up that sociable personality of yours. Convince them that you’ll fit in very well here, and you’ll in turn convince the interviewer that you’ll be an asset to the company.

4. "What would you like to be doing five years from now?"

Again, this question is asked to find out whether you are committed to the job. The fact is that there are people who hop from job to job, and that is because they don’t really have a solid plan to follow.

Another reason for popping this question is to see whether you are someone who sets goals in life. It’s undisputable that people who set long-term goals are more reliable than those who don’t. I mean, knowing what you want in life says a lot about your personality, perhaps as a person who can lead and stay motivated.

Your reply should assure the interviewer that your career progression goals are in line with the actual advancement route in the company. The interviewer wouldn’t want to disappoint you in the next five years and end up with you resigning. As such, it is crucial that you do your homework on the company’s prospects so that you know what to expect for yourself, and whether it will meet your long-term career objectives.

3. "Why should I hire you?"

This is the part where you link your skills, experience, education and your personality to the job itself. This is why you need to be utterly familiar with the job description as well as the company culture. Remember though, it’s best to back them up with actual examples of say, how you are a good team player.

It is possible that you may not have as much skills, experience or qualifications as the other candidates. What then, will set you apart from the rest? Energy and passion might. People are attracted to someone who is charismatic, who show immense amount of energy when they talk, and who love what it is that they do. As you explain your compatibility with the job and company, be sure to portray yourself as that motivated, confident and energetic person, ever-ready to commit to the cause of the company.

2. "How much are you expecting for the salary?"
Salary negotiation is a tough and delicate matter. Preferably speaking, you should avoid going into this topic until the later stage of the recruitment when you are being offered the job. That said, some recruiters might be hoping that you’d yield in to this question and be the first to give the number and set the benchmark. The repercussion? You might end up making less than what the position is worth!

Hence, research on the salary range in your field to have a rough estimate of how much you should be earning. Give a large range rather than a specific amount if you have to answer it. An alternative is to pose the qudstion back at the interviewer by asking what kind of salary does the position warrants. At other times, interviewers might just be testing you to see if money is the only thing that matters. So, do emphasize that your priority lies with the nature of the job and not the salary per se.

Remember that when the job is finally being offered to you, the interviewer would have to quote the salary. That will be the best time to negotiate your way because you will then become the one being sought after, and not the other way round.

1. "Do you have any questions to ask me?"
This is normally the last question posed to you, so it’s your chance to finish the interview elegantly. True enough, your doubts about the job position might already been allayed by this time when the interview is almost done. Nevertheless, you’ve got to say something other than replying that you’ve got nothing to ask. Doing otherwise might leave the impression to the interviewer that you are not exactly keen to get the job.

Unless an employer is interested in recruiting a passive employee, the interviewer is likely to be attracted to proactive candidates who ask intelligent questions. If you must ask, do make sure that they aren’t those with obvious answers that you can get if you have done the research thoroughly. Yes, there’s no such thing as a stupid question, except those that you ask for the sake of asking. Try to incorporate your knowledge of the industry and the company into a question that will address a genuine concern of yours. That way, you get to amaze your interviewer and assess for a final time whether the job aligns with your expectations.

One of the best responses to this question is to find out about your chances of landing this job. Thank the interviewer for the opportunity and express your enthusiasm for the position before asking if there is any reservation for hiring you. This will be your final chance to address any concerns the interviewer might have of employing you. Stay calm and reply objectively rather than taking any criticism personally.

Of course, you are free to ask any questions in your mind. It is, after all, you who is seeking a right job for yourself. Gather as much information about the position and have a feel of what it’s like working there day in, day out. If they offer you the job and it is what you are seeking for, go for it!

British Airways London Heathrow-Moscow First Longhaul Service

International film actress Gillian Anderson pictured on the rooftop of the Ritz-Carlton Hotel overlooking Red Square in a British Airways Business Class seat to launch the British Airways long haul service on the London – Moscow route on March 6, 2012 in Moscow, Russia. From March 26, 2012 the service will replace the existing short haul offering to become the airline's shortest long haul route, providing three flights a day with premium service and fully flat beds. Gillian is dressed in Alice Temperley and pictured alongside British Airways ambassador Claire Chalfont.

Finland's first man caught ogling at Princess's breasts

What you looking at? Finland President's husband Pentti Arajarvi at the
royal diner seems to be bored and decides to check out Princess Mary's
assets. As soon as she realises his eyes are on her, she adjusts her
low-cut dress and he averts his gaze

To pass the time the 63-year-old appeared to turn his attention to his neighbour's chest -- who just happened to be Denmark's Princess Mary who seated sat next to him.

Covering up
The princess, wife of the Crown Prince of Denmark, was wearing a black low cut gown, tiara and an ornate necklace -- which Arajarvi could of course have been admiring.

However, his sneaky glance was captured on film and has become an Internet hit. In the clip the 'first gentleman' of Finland is filmed appearing to stare at her chest area for several seconds before the Princess turns her head and catches him in the act.

She immediately covers her chest with her hand while appearing to glare at him. An embarrassed Arajarvi immediately averts his gaze turning his head in the opposite direction and then pretends to be looking at the ceiling.

The uncomfortable moment was filmed during a state dinner hosted by the Queen of Denmark in Copenhagen last month. More than 12,000 people have now viewed the clip on Youtube. One viewer posted a message underneath saying, "He's only human."

The number of people who have seen the video of Finland's First Man ogling at the Princess

Paris Fashion Week, Fall 2012: Wednesday, February 7, 2012

This is by no means a complete list of models and shows at the Paris Fashion Week.
The list below will be updated daily until the fashion week event is over.

Special Thanks for Fendie @ FND for his help with ID-ing all the girls.

Number of Shows this Season:
Chiharu Okunugi (Nathalie): 7
Cindy Li (WM): 1
Jennifer Koch (City): 2
Lee Hye Jung (Major Paris): 4
Lili Ji (Elite Paris): 4
Lina Zhang (Elite Paris): 17
Liu Wen (Marilyn Paris): 19
Mackenzie Hamilton (Viva): 2
Ming Xi (Elite Paris): 4
Shanina Shaik (Next Paris): 3
Shu Pei (Next Paris): 10
Si Tanwiboon (Elite Paris): 2
Sissi Hou (IMG Paris): 3
So Young Kang (Marilyn Paris): 7
Sui He (Nathalie): 10
Sung Hee (?): 1?
Tian Yi (Marilyn Paris): 14
Tao Okamoto (Elite Paris): 7 [Close:1]
Xiao Wen (IMG Paris): 12
Xiao Xin Li (Elite Paris): 4

Model: Xiao Wen (IMG Paris)
Designer: Collette Dinnigan

Models: Sui He (Nathalie) & Lina Zhang (Elite Paris)
Designer: Elie Saab

Models: Tian Yi (Marilyn Paris) & Lina Zhang (Elite Paris)
Designer: Louis Vuitton

Model: Tian Yi (Marilyn Paris)
Designer: Miu Miu

Paris Fashion Week, Fall 2012: Tuesday, February 6, 2012

This is by no means a complete list of models and shows at the Paris Fashion Week.
The list below will be updated daily until the fashion week event is over.

Special Thanks for Fendie @ FND for his help with ID-ing all the girls.

Number of Shows this Season:
Chiharu Okunugi (Nathalie): 7
Cindy Li (WM): 1
Jennifer Koch (City): 2
Lee Hye Jung (Major Paris): 4
Lili Ji (Elite Paris): 4
Lina Zhang (Elite Paris): 15
Liu Wen (Marilyn Paris): 19
Mackenzie Hamilton (Viva): 2
Ming Xi (Elite Paris): 4
Shanina Shaik (Next Paris): 3
Shu Pei (Next Paris): 10
Si Tanwiboon (Elite Paris): 2
Sissi Hou (IMG Paris): 3
So Young Kang (Marilyn Paris): 7
Sui He (Nathalie): 9
Sung Hee (?): 1?
Tian Yi (Marilyn Paris): 12
Tao Okamoto (Elite Paris): 7 [Close:1]
Xiao Wen (IMG Paris): 11
Xiao Xin Li (Elite Paris): 4