10 dumb things users do that can mess up their computers

We all do dumb things now and then, and computer users are no exception. Inadvertently pressing the wrong key combination or innocently clicking OK in the wrong dialog box can change important settings that alter a computer's behavior or even crash the system.
Nervous newbies are often fearful that one wrong move might break the computer forever. Luckily, short of taking a sledge hammer to the box, the consequences aren't usually quite that dire. Even so, users often do create problems for their computers and for your network. Here's a description of common missteps you can share with your users to help them steer clear of preventable problems.

#1: Plug into the wall without surge protection

Here's one that actually can physically destroy your computer equipment, as well as the data it holds. You may think your systems are in danger only during an electrical storm, but anything that interrupts the electrical circuit and then starts the current back again can fry your components. Something as simple as someone turning on an appliance that's plugged into the same circuit (especially a high voltage one such as a hair dryer, electric heater, or air conditioner) can cause a surge, or a surge may be caused by a tree limb touching a power line. If you have a power outage, you may experience a surge when the electricity comes back on.
You can protect your systems against damage from power surges by always using a surge protector, but it's important to be aware that most cheap surge protectors will survive only a single surge and need to be replaced afterward. An Uninterruptible Power Supply (UPS) is better than a surge protector; it has a battery that keeps power flowing smoothly even when there's an outage, to give you time to gracefully shut down.

#2: Surf the Internet without a firewall

Many home users plug their computers right into their spiffy new cable or DSL modems and hop onto the Internet without realizing that they're putting themselves at risk from viruses and attackers. Every Internet-connected computer should be protected by a firewall; this can be a firewall built into the broadband modem or router, a separate firewall appliance that sits between the modem/router and the computer, a server at the network's edge running firewall software, or personal firewall software installed on the computer.
One advantage of personal firewalls on laptop computers is that they're still with you when you take the computer on the road and plug into a hotel's DSL or cable port or connect to a wireless hotspot. Just having a firewall isn't enough, though. You must also be sure it's turned on and configured properly to protect you.

#3: Neglect to run or update antivirus and anti-spyware programs

Let's face it: Antivirus programs can be a royal pain. They're always blocking some application you want to use, you often have to disable them to install new software, and they have to be updated on a regular basis to do any good. Seems like the subscription is always expiring and prompting you to renew it--for a fee, in many cases. But in today's environment, you can't afford to go without virus protection. The malicious programs that AV software detects--viruses, Trojans, worms, etc.--can not only wreak havoc on your system but can spread via your computer to the rest of the network. In extreme cases, they can bring down the whole network.
Spyware is another growing threat; these are programs that install themselves on your computer (usually without your knowledge) and collect information from your system that is then sent back to the spyware program's author or vendor. Antivirus programs often don't address spyware so it's important to run a dedicated spyware detection and removal program.

#4: Install and uninstall lots of programs, especially betas

You like to be on the cutting edge, so you often install and try out new software. Beta programs are usually free and give you a chance to sample neat new features before most people. There are also many freeware and shareware programs made available as Internet downloads by their authors. We know you'd never do it, but some users even install pirated software or "warez."
The more programs you install, the more likely you are to run across ones that either include malicious code or that are poorly written and cause your system to behave improperly or crash. The risk is greater with pirated programs.
Even if you install only licensed, final-release commercial software, too many installations and uninstallations can gunk up the registry. Not all uninstall routines completely remove program remnants and at the least, this practice can cause your system to slow down over time.
You should install only the programs that you really need, stick with legitimate software, and try to minimize the number you install and uninstall.

#5: Keep disks full and fragmented

One of the results of installing and uninstalling lots of programs (or adding and deleting data of any kind) is that it fragments your disk. Disk fragmentation occurs because of the way information is stored on the disk: On a new, clean disk, when you save a file it's stored in contiguous sections called clusters. If you delete a file that takes up, for example, five clusters, and then save a new file that takes eight clusters, the first five clusters' worth of data will be saved in the empty space left by the deletion and the remaining three will be saved in the next empty spaces. That makes the file fragmented, or divided. To access that file, then, the disk's read heads won't find all the parts of the file together but must go to different locations on the disk to retrieve it all. That makes it slower to access. If the file is part of a program, the program will run more slowly. A badly fragmented disk will slow down to a crawl.
You can use the disk defragmenter built into Windows (Programs Accessories System Tools) or a third-party defrag program to rearrange these pieces of files so that they're placed contiguously on the disk.
Another common cause of performance problems and application misbehavior is a disk that's too full. Many programs create temporary files and need extra free space on the disk to operate. You can use Windows XP's Disk Cleanup Tool or a third-party program to find and delete rarely used files, or you can manually delete files to clear space on your disk.

#6: Open all attachments

Some folks just can't help themselves: Getting an e-mail message with an attachment is like getting an unexpected gift. You just have to peek inside to see what it is. But just as that package left on your doorstep could contain a bomb, that file attached to your mail message could contain code that will delete your documents or system folder or send viruses to everyone in your address book.
The most blatantly dangerous attachments are executable files--those that run code--with extensions like .exe, .cmd, and many others. Files that aren't themselves executables, such as Word .doc files and Excel .xls files, can contain embedded macros. Scripts (Visual Basic, JavaScript, Flash, etc.) aren't directly executed by the computer but are run by other programs.
It used to be that you could assume plain text (.txt) or graphics (.gif, .jpg, .bmp) files were safe, but not anymore. File extensions can be spoofed; attackers take advantage of the Windows default setting that doesn't display common file extensions to name executables something like greatfile.jpg.exe. With the real extension hidden, it shows up as greatfile.jpg. So the recipient thinks it's a graphic, but it's actually a malicious program.
You should open attachments only when they're from trusted sources and only when you're expecting them. Even if the mail with the attachment appears to come from someone you trust, it's possible that someone spoofed their address or that their computer is infected with a virus that sent the attachment to you without their knowledge.

#7: Click on everything

Opening attachments isn't the only type of mouse click that can get you in trouble. Clicking on hyperlinks in e-mail messages or on Web pages can take you to Web sites that have embedded ActiveX controls or scripts that can perform all sorts of malicious activities, from wiping your hard disk to installing a backdoor program on your computer that a hacker can use to get in and take control of it.
Clicking the wrong link can also take you to inappropriate Web sites that feature pornography, pirated music or software, or other content that can get you in trouble if you're using a computer on the job or even get you in trouble with the law.
Don't give in to "click mania." Think before you click a link. Links can also be disguised in phishing messages or on Web sites to appear to take you to a different site from the ones they really point to. For example, the link might say www.safesite.com, but it actually takes you to www.gotcha.com. You can often find out the real URL by hovering over the link without clicking it.

#8: Share and share alike

Your mother taught you that it's nice to share, but when you're on a network, sharing can expose you to dangers. If you have file and printer sharing enabled, others can remotely connect to your computer and access your data. Even if you haven't created any shared folders, by default Windows systems have hidden "administrative" shares for the root of each drive. A savvy hacker may be able to use these shares to get in. One way to prevent that is to turn off file and printer sharing--if you don't need to make any of the files on your computer accessible across the network. This is especially a good idea if you're connecting your laptop to a public wireless hotspot. If you do need to make shared folders accessible, it's important that they be protected by both share-level permissions and file-level (NTFS) permissions. Also ensure that your account and the local administrative account have strong passwords.

#9: Pick the wrong passwords

That brings us to another common mistake that can expose you to attacks: picking the wrong password. Even if you don't belong to a network where the administrator forces you to select strong passwords and change them regularly, you should do so. Don't pick passwords that are easy to guess, such as your birthdate, loved one's name, social security number, etc. Longer passwords are harder to crack, so make your password at least eight characters long; 14 is even better. Popular password-cracking methods use "dictionary" attacks, so don't use words that are in the dictionary. Passwords should contain a combination of alpha, numeric, and symbol characters for best security.
A long string of nonsense characters may create a password that's tough to crack, but if you can't remember it, you'll defeat the purpose by writing it down (where an intruder may be able to find it). Instead, create a phrase you can remember easily and use the first letters of each word, along with logical numbers and symbols. For example: "My cat ate a mouse on the 5th day of June" becomes "Mc8amot5doJ."

#10: Ignore the need for a backup and recovery plan

Even if you follow all these suggestions, an attacker may crash your system or your data may be corrupted or get wiped out by a hardware problem. That's why it's essential that you always back up your important information and have a plan for recovering from a system failure.
Most computer users know they should back up, but many never get around to it. Or they make an initial backup but don't update it regularly. Use the built-in Windows backup program (Ntbackup.exe in Windows NT, 2000, and XP) or a third-party backup program and schedule backups to occur automatically. Store backed up data on a network server or removable drive in a location away from the computer itself, in case of a natural disaster like flood, fire, or tornado.
Remember that the data is the most important thing on your computer. The operating system can be reinstalled and so can applications, but it may be difficult or impossible to recreate your original data.

Nonetheless, you can save time and frustration by backing up your system information too. You can create mirror images of your disks using popular ghost or clone programs. This will allow you to restore the system quickly instead of going through the tedious installation process.

Types of BOSS

Type of Boss:

Dear reader, in my short span of carrer i have identified following different types of boss. If you have identified any different type do give a add on....else enjoy.

The Machiavellian Boss
Diagnosis: Smart, shrewd and ruthless. MB's believe the chair at the top of corporate ladder is theirs by divine right. An MB will rip out your heart, slap it in your hand and say, "Nothing personal."

Care and Feeding: Approach with utmost caution. Consider a transfer.

The Sadistic Boss
Diagnosis: SB's aren't completely clueless and can be devious. A SB loves the sound of weeping, wailing, gnashing of teeth and rending of garments coming from the cubicles outside his or her office.

Care and Feeding: Don't cry or whine, because it only encourages a SB. Walk slumped over with a pained, weight-of-the-world look, pulling your mouth downward. This says that your suffering is intense and that you don't need any more pain heaped upon your little head.

The Masochistic Boss
Diagnosis: Warning! MB's can be idiots. Most feel their life and career are complete flops and seek to enroll you in their continuing catastrophe, because misery loves company.

Care and Feeding: Don't bother. MB's have nothing to teach you, and working with one won't boost your career. Flee ASAP.

The Paranoid Boss
Diagnosis: Conspiracy theories overwhelm any flicker of intelligence. PB's are reluctant to approve a transfer, because you might "know too much."

Care and Feeding: Set up a meeting in the PB's office. Take out a sealed envelope filled with blank paper. Tell the PB that you will hand over a list of everyone involved in the conspiracy against him as soon as he approves your transfer. Tuck envelope in your pocket and pat it. Smile. Results guaranteed.

The Buddy Boss
Diagnosis: Surgical removal of a BB from your hip isn't covered by the company's health plan. The BB wants to come to your house for Thanksgiving dinner or to watch the Super Bowl. Be careful or the BB will show up on your doorstep with an overnight bag.

Care and Feeding: Consider buying the BB a big, slobbering, stupid dog that will adore him at least six days out of seven.

The Good Boss
Diagnosis: The Good Boss isn't fantasy, but extremely rare. If you have one, immediately contact the Smithsonian, because such a gem should be preserved for posterity.

Care and Feeding: If your boss guides you, recognizes your talent, appreciates your hard work and rewards results, get to work early and turn handstands on every project every day. Chances are your Good Boss will have some flaws, but be thankful for all the solid stuff, including the occasional sympathetic ear. Listen when the Good Boss speaks, because you will learn many things.

How to Stay Positive when You Know Your Life Sucks

1. Ground Yourself. The most common reason for people thinking their lives suck is because they aren't living their own lives. Look deeply into how you are acting to please others- to please family, friends, and society. Realize, that you need to get to know who you are, what your needs are, and make the choices to follow your path. To know these things, a path of meditation and inner exploration is invaluable. What sucks is that you are not taking care of yourself.
2. Look on the inside. What are some qualities you have that you like about yourself? Are you funny? Are you intelligent? Are you sincere? Are you generous? What do you have pride in? Try focusing on the positive things in your life. You may be making huge influences to others even when you think you're useless.
3. Prove those negative thoughts wrong. When you find yourself in a bad mood, you could think of the negative things such as, "I'm dumb and annoying", "I'm better off dead", "I'm ugly, I wish I looked different", etc. Even though it's not true. Change your mind. Look for your good features, think about the ones that you know love you, look on your greater side. Realize that nobody's life is easy and that there will always be ups and downs, and moments of low self esteem. Don't automatically assume that nobody cares. Every person matters to someone. You're alive for a reason.
4. Appreciate what you see. Look in the mirror. Find some beautiful things about yourself.... Do you have nice skin? nice nails? beautiful eyes? full lips? Find stuff that appeals to you. When you can't change something, change your attitude towards it!
5. Determine why your life sucks. What can you do to make your life better? What do you desire to do? How do you want to feel? Make a few reachable goals and your own strategies. The first step is usually the hardest - getting help or admitting you need it.
6. Getting motivated. What motivates you? What gives you energy to go on everyday? Music? Love? Family? A 1km run? Jesus, Yahweh, Allah, Buddha? Your attitude? Your pet? Friends? School? Boost your confidence and determination by encouraging yourself into thinking positive.
7. Remember that some things can pass with time. There will be a tomorrow. There will be a next week. There will be a next month and perhaps by then, things will change. Everything is going to be okay when you think it's going to be all right. You are in control of your life and though it might get worse, it'll get better eventually. It's temporary and it will change much sooner than you think.
8. Think about happy memories. Whenever you feel like the future is 'hopeless', think about vivid memories. It will help make you feel better and that in the future, there will be good things, too. Happiness would not exist without sadness - it's like the yin and yang. They just don't exist without each other. Think about all the things you want to experience, feel, achieve. There will be many great moments in your life - don't let a few obstacles get in the way.
9. Don't stop yourself from feeling the joy. It's okay to step back once in awhile and just enjoy the moment. Even in tough situations - it's important to smile and laugh here and there. Don't restrict yourself from doing things you love just because you think you'll be criticized to do. Don't just leave memories behind, but don't try to live in the past, either. Let yourself enjoy life even if you're not at the best place you could be. You only live once - make the best of it.
10. Develop a gratitude journal. It's pretty simple. At the end of every day, write down five things that have made you happy or appreciative that day -- not necessarily big things, even small ones count. For example: nice weather, being praised by my boss for getting an urgent errand done, my playful dog, kids and hubby kissing me goodbye before they went to school/work, a hilarious joke a mate shared, etc.
    

If you feel persistently sad, unmotivated, anxious, hopeless or fearful, seek professional help. You may be suffering from a mood disorder or nutritional deficit which could be contributing to your situation. Remember there is always somebody there who wants to help you. You are valuable!

Help Achive Your Goal

Having life goals can be beneficial to our happiness and wellbeing. They are something we have chosen and have set aside time to work on. They give a feeling of empowerment as we accomplish the tasks we set ourselves. In this article, I will consider some of the things worth bearing in mind to help you achieve your goals.
So you know what your goal is. You have a plan of action in place, have thought about potential difficulties, and are happy with the details. What follows are some tips to help you ensure you follow through to the end and achieve your goal.
Self Regulation
Do you have good self-control? If not, it can be developed so you become more disciplined. It is about taking control of your thoughts, behaviours and emotions. Try to cut down on your distractions. If you tend to have certain things which get in the way of your progress, assign a time to focus on them. Typically this will be checking your email or your mobile phone frequently. Sleep can restore your regulation ability, so make sure you get your rest. Also, try not to do too much as once as you may end up quitting. Try working on one goal at a time, especially if your goals are quite large.
Routine
Write a routine and stick to it. Make sure you assign a time and a place for working on your goal. If the routine isn't working out, revise it and keep going. There is no need to give up. Try to dedicate a non-negotiable time for your goal, in the same way as you would make time to eat and sleep.
Imagery
Don't underestimate the power of imagery. Close your eyes and relax. Now imagine you are working on your goal. Invoke positive feelings towards it and how good it feels being immersed in the activity. Really spend time getting into the mood. Now imagine you have achieved your goal. How does it feel? Imagery can assist when you are starting to falter.
Endings
Whenever you finish working on your goal, try to end on a high, so you look forward to coming back to it next time.
Reward
For bigger goals you may want to reward the steps you have made as you progress. Such rewards can be anything you like so long as they do not undermine your goal in any way. To be really effective, make them something that you cannot get any other way.
Self-belief
It will really help you if you believe you will succeed at the goal you have set. It will give you the energy to push you forward and work through any obstacles that come your way.
Locus of control
Develop an internal locus of control. This means acknowledging how much control you have in your life, rather than deferring to others. In addition, be aware of the things you cannot control. In such instances, acknowledge that you cannot control the circumstances but promise that it will not get the better of you. Look for alternatives, so you don't have to give up.
The journey
When working on your goals, remember to enjoy the journey along the way. Don't be fooled into believing that once you achieve a goal life is sorted and all will be perfect. You adapt very quickly and it becomes a part of who you are. As such, try to give some thought to where you will go once that particular goal is achieved.

Manage Your Time

If we all have 24 hours in a day, why is it that some of us feel like we have no time at all, while others seem able to balance work and leisure?
The 80/20 Rule
According to Vilfredo Pareto, an Italian economist, 20% of what we do produces 80% of the results we see while 80% of what we do produced 20% of the results we see. If this is so, than many of us are expending a lot of energy for relatively nothing. That's what makes time management and learning to say "no" so important to achieving quality of life.
The Time Management Quadrant
According to Stephen Covey, virtually everything we do can be categorized into Urgent or Not Urgent Important or Not Important
You could also add Controllable or Not Controllable
Watching television is Not Urgent and Not Important but we waste so much time doing it, mainly because we're stressed out and it's become a form of relaxation. To gain more hours in your day, try creating 4 lists:
Urgent-Important
Urgent-Not Important
Not Urgent-Important
Not Urgent-Not Important
List everything you do and how much time it takes. Then check off the items that are under your control to change. Do this for a week and it'll become much clearer which 20% of your effort produced 80% of results and which 80% of your effort produces only 20% of results.
Just Say No
The next step is learning to say "no" to Not Urgent-Not Important demands on your time. Research has shown that most people respond favorably to statements that include "because." Saying "no" and giving a reason (such as you have something important to do or it's not in the person's best interest to have you say "yes") is more likely to be accepted. This relieves you of an unnecessary burden while still maintaining good relations with the requestor.
Keep a Time Diary
Keeping a time diary will be very eye opening. I once had a client find 6 hours in his week to do what he loved - sailing - by keeping a time diary. Basically, you write down everything that you do for a week. The more detailed you can get, the more powerful this exercise will be. Once you see where your time is going, put those activities into the Time Quadrant. It'll become more obvious which activities are Not Important and Not Urgent. Maybe you'll find 6 extra hours in your week!
If you follow these guidelines, you might be pleasantly surprised to find your "busy lifestyle" has suddenly become much more balanced

Having a Bad Boss at Office

You're weary. You're frustrated. You're unhappy. You're demotivated. Your interaction with your boss leaves you cold. He's a bully, intrusive, controlling, picky or petty. He takes credit for your work, never provides positive feedback and misses each meeting he schedules with you. Or he caves immediately under pressure and fails to support you in accomplishing your job.
He's a bad boss, bad to the bone. Dealing with a less than effective manager, or just plain bad managers and bad bosses, is a challenge too many employees face. No matter the character of your bad boss, these ideas will help you deal with your bad boss.

Does the Bad Boss Know?
Start your campaign by understanding that your boss may not know he is bad. Just as in situational leadership, the definition of "bad" depends on the employee's needs, the manager's skills and the circumstances.
A hands-off manager may not realize that his failure to provide any direction or feedback makes him a bad boss. He may think he’s empowering his staff. A manager who provides too much direction and micromanages may feel insecure and uncertain about his own job. He may not realize his direction is insulting to a competent, secure, self-directed staff member.
Or, maybe the boss lacks training and is so overwhelmed with his job requirements that he can’t provide support for you. Perhaps he has been promoted too quickly or his reporting responsibilities have expanded beyond his reach. In these days of downsizing, responsibilities are often shared by fewer staff members than ever before.
This bad boss may not share your values. The newer generation of workers expect that they can use their vacation time and take action to make work-life balance a priority. Not all bosses share these views. If your values are out of sync with those of your boss, you do have a problem.

Recommended Approach to the Unwitting Bad Boss

• Talk to this boss. Tell him what you need from him in term of direction, feedback and support. Be polite and focus on your needs. Telling the boss he’s a bad boss is counterproductive and won’t help you meet your goal
• Ask the manager how you can help him reach his goals. Make sure you listen well and provide the needed assistance.
• Seek a mentor from among other managers or more skilled peers, with the full knowledge of your current manager, to enlarge your opportunity for experience
• If you’ve taken these actions, and they haven’t worked, go to your boss’s manager and ask for assistance. Or, you can go to your Human Resources staff first, to rehearse and gain advice. Understand that your current boss may never forgive you, so ensure you have done what you can do with him, before taking your issues up the line.
• You may never hear what the boss’s boss or the HR staff did to help solve your bad manager’s behavior. It’s confidential. But, do allow some time to pass for the actions to have their desired impact.
• If nothing changes, despite your best efforts, and you think the problem is that they don’t believe you, draw together coworkers who also experience the behavior. Visit the boss’s manager to help him see the size and impact of the behavior.
• If you think the problem is that your boss can’t – or won’t – change, ask for a transfer to another department. This recommendation presumes you like your employer and your work.

If a transfer or promotion is unavailable, begin your search for a new job. Fleeing is always an option. You may want to conduct your job search secretly, but under the circumstances, it may be time for you to go.

Prepayment of home loan and applicable tax benefits

I am dedicating this article to one of my dear Freind-Shamshad..........(hi Bro here i Go)

Most home owners began their home loan journey with a modest seven percent in the year 2003. Today, the interest rate hovers around 12 percent with most banks.
Now, if you have a huge loan, a long tenure ahead and some extra cash, should you prepay? Borrowers must analyze a variety of factors before jumping to a conclusion.
Here are some factors that must be taken into account:
Prepayment penalty:
Is there a penalty associated with prepayment? Some lenders are happy getting their money back sooner. Others charge a fixed percentage like two percent or allow you to repay some fixed amount every year without penalty. Evaluate the penalty and see if it is worth prepaying.First pay off expensive loans:
If you have other higher interest commitments like car loan, personal loan or the more critical credit card debt, consider if it is feasible paying them off.
This is because home loan rates are supposed to be cheaper than these and additionally provide you with income tax benefits.
The more aggressive can explore investment options that yield returns greater than the home loan rate. If your excess money is coming from breaking such an investment, prepayment does not make sense. However, keep in mind that high return investments come with high risks.While prepaying a loan entirely may be a prudent decision, prepaying small amounts of the loan can be attractive in the long run. In a home loan, as the years roll by, the interest component decreases and principal component goes up as a proportion of the EMI.
Some borrowers prefer not to prepay the loan after more than half the tenure has elapsed. Most borrowers are seen to repay their loans in eight years.
Are you close to retirement? If so, prepaying may be an excellent choice. In case the borrower fears that he will lose his job, it is better he repays his loan with the extra cash he has.
This ensures that unpaid EMIs due do not pile up and he doesn’t default. There will lesser pressure and some peace if he is without a job. It is better for new borrowers to opt for short home loan tenures. The EMIs will be huge, but you can pay off the loan faster.Prepayment calculation:
Let us assume a person has purchased two houses for Rs 30 lakhs each, five years ago. He lives in one house and the other house has been rented out by him.
Let us consider the income tax implications on prepaying one of the two houses after five years.
When computing tax savings on the rented property, a rental income of Rs 8,000 per month is assumed. This amount is assumed to increase at a rate of five percent per annum. As much as 30 percent of the rental income can be deducted towards expenses incurred on periodic maintenance and property taxes.
Initial loan amount: Rs 30 lakhs Interest rate: 10 percent fixed.Loan tenure: 15 years Years elapsed: 5 Years left: 10Outstanding principal at the end of 5 years: Rs 24,39,500.If the self-occupied property is prepaid, the net tax savings (combined for both the loans) for the years 6 to 15 is Rs 1,05,097.
If rented property is prepaid, net tax savings (combined for both the loans) for years 6 to 15 is Rs 3,26,470.
Hence, it is prudent to prepay the loan on the rented property, provided all factors and parameters are similar between the two home loans.Tax deduction on the principalIndividuals can claim a tax deduction on the principal and interest components of a home loan as per the Income Tax Act 1961.
These deductions are available under Section 24(b) to assessees who have taken a loan to either buy or build a house.In case these conditions are met, interest on borrowed capital is deductible up to Rs 1.5 lakhs:
Capital is borrowed on or after April 1, 1999 to acquire or construct a residential property The acquisition / construction should be completed within three years from the end of the financial year in which capital was borrowed.The bank extending the loan certifies that the interest is payable on the amount advanced for acquisition or construction of the house, or as refinance of the principle amount outstanding under an earlier loan.
In case the conditions stated are not met, interest on borrowed capital is deductible up to Rs 30,000. However, the capital should have been borrowed before April 1, 1999 for the purchase, construction, or repairs of a house.If the capital was borrowed on or after April 1, 1999, the construction should have been completed within three years from the end of the year in which the capital was borrowed.
In addition, principal repayment of the loan borrowed is eligible for a deduction of up to Rs 1 lakh under Section 80C from the assessment year 2006-07.The maximum deduction permissible in a financial year for the original loan (if any) plus for any additional loans taken is Rs 1.5 lakhs.
Hence, if deduction on an existing loan is less than Rs 1.5 lakhs, you can claim further benefits from an additional loan, subject to an upper limit of Rs 1.5 lakhs in a financial year.It is to be noted that the tax benefits under Section 24 and deductions under Section 80C of the Income Tax Act can be claimed only when the payment is made.
If a person fails to make EMI payments, he cannot claim tax benefits on them. Under the Income Tax Act, only the person who has taken the loan can claim tax rebates. Interest on a fresh loan can be claimed as a deduction, subject to the upper limit.
The interest on a loan, taken for repairs, renewals or reconstruction, also qualifies for the deduction of Rs 1.5 lakhs. If husband and wife, both are taxpayers with independent income sources, can get tax deductions on the same housing loan. In this case, the tax benefits can be shared to the extent of the amount of loan taken in their names.
If it is proved that a home loan is simply an arrangement between a loan-seeker and a builder or with a third party for the purpose of claiming tax benefits, the tax benefits will not be allowed and benefits previously claimed will be clubbed to the income and taxed accordingly.

Computer Maintenance

I do the following cleanup and scans at least once a week.
Most or all of the newer Windows operating systems come with their own firewall, cleanup, and disk defragment utilities. You can access them via the start button in the lower left corner of the task bar at the bottom of the desktop. For the firewall, from start go to Control Panel and double left click the Security Center Icon. It will show if the firewall is on, your virus protection and if automatic updates is on. Automatic updates can be scheduled for user convenience. These are critical updates from the Microsoft site. Most of them fix security issues to prevent hackers and fix security bugs. Scheduling Automatic Updates is very highly recommended.
The best virus protection I have found is AVG (AVG.com). They do offer a free program that I used for years. A highly trained support technician advised me of it after my computer was hacked. I liked and trusted it so much, that I have just purchased my second 2-year license because it offers more real time protection and is easy to use. It is also very reasonably priced. I tried McAffee for a while, but it did not have all of what I was looking for. I initially used Norton Anti-virus until a hacker was able to shut it down and give me a virus. Norton has too many bells and unnecessary whistles for my liking, and I found it very difficult to uninstall. It seems to wind its way into everything.
To access the operating system's maintenance utilities, again go to start and click All Programs in the menu on the left. Then go to Accessories, then System Tools. I do the Disk Cleanup for C: first. Be careful of what is checked in this tool, as you do not want to delete any needed files. Several years ago, I was not so knowledgeable and checked for it to clean up my Office Setup Files. I lost them, and I needed them.
When you click the Cleanup box that pops up, it will check to see what needs cleaned up and then show you a list of files to take care of. These are the ones to check: downloaded program files, temporary internet files, offline webpages, Microsoft Office Temporary files, recycle bin, web client/publisher temporary files, and compress old files. This is washing away the junk that will lug your system way down.
The other tool that should be done at least weekly is the Disk Defragmenter. Access it the same way you access the Cleanup tool. Be sure that the Disk C: is what will be defragmented. The other disk is your recovery disk, and since you do not do anything with it, it does not need work. Leave it alone. Defragmenting helps keep all files for each program together in one place, so the brain does not have to search for things. Fragmented drives run very slowly.
Those are the basic steps to keeping the Windows systems in good shape. I also do weekly scans with the free versions of Spybot Search and Destroy and Adaware. The most trusted site to get them is CNet.com, downloads, search for Free Spybot Search and Destroy, then search for Free Adaware. You will need to read the readme files to make sure you understand how to set the settings and whether to remove certain items or not. They will scan for things like adware and tracking cookies that we get from surfing the web.

Student & Professor

Student Vs Professor

After having failed his exam in "Logistics and Organization ", a student goes and confronts his lecturer about it.

Student: "Sir, do you really understand anything about the subject?"

Professor: "Surely I must. Otherwise I would not be a professor!"

Student: "Great, well then I would like to ask you a question.If you can give me the correct answer, I will accept my mark as is and go. If you however do not know the answer, I want you give me an "A" for the exam. "

Professor: "Okay, it's a deal. So what is the question?"

Student: "What is legal, but not logical, logical, but not legal, and neither logical, nor legal? "Even after some long and hard consideration, the professor cannot give the student an answer, and therefore changes his exam mark into an "A", as agreed.

Afterwards, the professor calls on his best student and asks him the same question.

He immediately answers: "Sir, you are 63 years old and married to a 35 year old woman, which is legal, but not logical. Your wife has a 25 year old lover, which is logical, but not legal. The fact that you have given your wife's lover an "A", although he really should have failed, is neither legal, nor logical ."

Computer Terminology

Computer Terminology Is An Alien Language
Memory or RAM:Memory or RAM is your work bench. It is where the work gets done. The more memory you have, the more things you can do at the same time. Ram is measured in mega (mega= million) bytes.
CPU or ProcessorYour CPU or Processor is your motor. The more powerful your motor, the faster you can get things done. Processor speed is measured in GHZ or giga (Giga= A million million) hertz.
Hard DriveThe Hard Drive is your file cabinet, the more data you can save for future use. Hard Drive space is measured in mb or mega (millions of) bytes.
See? Nothing mystical about those terms is there?
Now on to the Definitions.
Definitions
Adware Those unwanted ads that appear on your browser.
Software that can detect and block viruses from entering your computer. It is vital that you have this and run it regularly to protect your data.
Bit A Single piece of data.
Byte A block of bits, usually 8 bits. An example of a byte would be a single letter as "A".
Browser The software that helps find what you are looking when you surf the internet.
Computer A high speed moron. It does exactly what it is told. This is not necessarily what you want it to do.
CPU Central Processing Unit. This is the heart, engine, motor of your computer.
DVD+R A format used to burn a DVD. Usually not compatible with a DVD-R drive.
DVD-R A format used to burn a DVD. Usually not compatible with a DVD+R drive.
Firewall A vital device that can be either software or hardware that hides your computer from the outside world. Windows has a built in firewall.
Firewire A type of connection to a computer. Used for connecting a device such as a camcorder to a PC. It is also known as IEEE1394. Sony calls their version "I-link".
Floppy disk A type of storage media. Floppies are no longer popular due to the limited capacity and slow speed.
Gamer A person that uses a PC primarily for playing video games. It requires a fast PC and a high level graphics card.
GHZ Giga hertz. Abbreviated as ghz. This is the speed of a processor. A hertz is a cycle.
Gigabyte A billion (thousand million) bytes of data.
Graphics Processor The component that processes and sends images to the monitor. Many demanding programs use the graphics processor as an additional processor to help the main CPU.
Hard Drive A storage unit. The hard drive is where data or applications are stored until needed again. It has non destructive readout meaning reading it does not destroy the data as in RAM.
Hi-Def High Definition as in TV. It is a very high resolution device and requires a lot of storage space.
IEEE1394 A type of connection to a computer. It is usually used by digital camcorders or external hard drives. Also known as "Firewire".
Internet The internet is a superhighway with information at waypoints scattered everywhere. In order to find where you are going, you need a browser, a url or a search engine such as Google or Yahoo.
LAN Local area network. The connection of several PCs together. They can also share an internet connection. An example of a LAN would be the 3 PCs in my house connected together. Data can be shared between the PCs.
Megabyte A million bytes of data.
Memory Also known as RAM. It is where data and programs are kept whle working or being worked upon. It is a destructive readout deivce, meaning that if you want to keep it, you must restore it. This is a concern only for programmers not users.
OS OS stands for operating system. Windows and Linux are examples of operating systems.
Processor The unit that does the work in a computer. Also known as CPU.
RAM Ram stands for random access memory. Random because you can pull data from any address, not wait flr sequential as in a hard drive.
Ram Drive A very fast retrieval device for storage. It uses memory as its media, where as a disk uses a metallic storage.
Router A device for connecting to the network. It allows several PCs to share a single network connection.
Scanner A peripheral device for reading a document, converting to a digital data stream and sending it to the computer.
Software A compilation of instructions to the processor telling it what to do in order to complete its taks. Remember, the high speed moron does only what it is told.
Spyware A snippet of instructions that is stored on your hardware without your knowledge. It then reports back to its originator what you are doing. Anti-spyware software can prevent this.
Switch A device used in a network. It usually has a router integrated into it. It also is an excellent firewall.
Terabyte Terabyte is a million million. That is a "1" followed by 12 "0"s.
Trojan Horse A snippet of software (usually malicious) that gets into your computer as a part of a legitimate message, such as email. Once activated, it can wreak havoc, even ruining a hard drive. Most anti-virus software also blocks trojans.
USB Universal Serial Bus (USB) is a type of connection to your PC. It is used to connect devices to your PC.
Virus A virus is a piece of malicious that enters your computer, usually against your knowledge that can corrupt your hard drive and thus your data.
Virus Checker Software that blocks viruses from entering your PC. Also known as anti-virus software.
Vista Vista is the latest operating system (OS) from Microsoft.
WAN Wide area network. Usually a connection of systems in several locations off the main premise or campus. For example, if you work at a company that has several locations in various cities that are connected via high speed lines, this is a WAN.
Web cam A small camera that is connected to your PC via USB or firewire can record what is going on within its view and send to your PC. From there, you can allow relatives in another location to view what is going on at your home.
Wireless In computerese, a method of connecting several PC's together. Each computer would require a wireless adapter. Routers and switches can offer a wireless connections. This eliminates the need to run cables between the various units.
Worm A snippet of programming language that is covertly slipped into your computer. When activated, it can corrupt your files, take over your browser, etc. Generally, anti virus software blocks worms.
WYSIWYG What you see is what you get. In other words, this is how your output will look.
XP Microsoft Windows operating system. XP is the predecessor to Vista.

What id WAN??

Types and Characteristics of WANs
What is a WAN?
There are two prevailing definitions of a Wide Area Network (WAN). The book definition of a WAN is a network that spans large geographical locations, usually to interconnect multiple Local Area Networks (LANs). The practical definition of a WAN is a network that traverses a public network or commercial carrier, using one of several WAN technologies
What are its Main Components?
The main components for a WAN are routers, switches and modems. These components are described below in the hardware section.
CPE - Devices on the subscriber premises are called customer premises equipment (CPE). The subscriber owns the CPE or leases the CPE from the service provider. A copper or fiber cable connects the CPE to the service provider's nearest exchange or central office. This cabling is often called the local loop, or "last-mile".
DTE/DCE - Devices that put data on the local loop are called data circuit-terminating equipment, or data communications equipment (DCE). The customer devices that pass the data to the DCE are called data terminal equipment (DTE). The DCE primarily provides an interface for the DTE into the communication link on the WAN cloud.
HardwareIn a WAN you will need various types of hardware components for it to function. The typical items of hardware that you will need in a WAN are:
Router - An electronic device that connects a local area network (LAN) to a wide area network (WAN) and handles the task of routing messages between the two networks. Operates at layer 3, and makes decisions using IP addresses.
Switch - A switch is a network device that selects a path or circuit for sending a unit of data to its next destination. Operates at layer 2, and uses MAC addresses to send data to correct destination.
Modem - Short for modulator/demodulator, a modem enables a computer to communicate with other computers over telephone lines. Operates at layer 1, where signals are converted from digital to analogue and vice versa for transmission and receiving.
Wan Standards
WANs operate within the OSI model using layer 1 and layer 2 levels. The data link layer and the physical layer. The physical layer protocols describe how to provide electrical, mechanical and functional connections to the services provided by the ISP. The data link layer defines how data is encapsulated for transmission to remote sites.
Encapsulation
Encapsulation is the wrapping of data in a particular protocol header. Remember that WANs operate at the physical layer and the data link layer of the osi model and that higher layer protocols such as IP are encapsulated when sent across the WAN link. Serial interfaces support a wide range of WAN encapsulation types, which must be manually specified. These types include SDLC, PPP, Frame delay etc. Regardless of WAN encapsulation used it must be identical on both sides of the point to point link.
Packet and Circuit Switching
Circuit switching and packet switching are both used in high-capacity networks. The majority of switched networks today get data across the network through packet switching.
Circuit-switching is more reliable than packet-switching. Circuit switching is old and expensive, packet switching is more modern.
General Routing Issues
What is a Routing Protocol?
A routing protocol is a protocol that specifies how routers communicate and exchange information on a network. Each router has prior knowledge of its immediate neighbours and knows the structure of the network topology. The routers know this because the routing protocol shares this information.
Protocol
RIP (Routing Information Protocol) was one of the most commonly uses protocols on internal networks. Routers use RIP to dynamically adapt changes to the network connections and communicate information about which networks routers can reach and the distance between them. RIP is sometimes said to stand for Rest in Pieces in reference to the reputation that RIP has for breaking unexpectedly and rendering a network unable to function.
Routing Algorithms
Distance Vector
This type of routing protocol requires that each router simply inform its neighbours of its routing table. The distance vector protocol is also known as the bellman-ford algorithm.
Link State
This type of routing protocol requires that each router maintain a partial map of the network. The link state algorithm is also know as Dijkstra's algorithm.
IGRP
IGRP is a type of distance vector routing protocol invented by cisco used to exchange routing data in a autonomous system. Distance vector protocols measure distances and compare routes. Routers that use distance vector must send all or a portion of their routing table in a routing update message at regular intervals to each neighbour router.
Addressing and Routing
What does routing mean?
Routing is the process of deciding how to move packets from one network to another. The directions also known as routes can be learned by a router using a routing protocol then the information is passed from router to router along the route of the destination.
IP Address's
Every machine connected to the internet is assigned an IP address. An example of an IP address would be 192.168.0.1. IP addresses are displayed in decimal format to make it easier for humans to understand but computers communicate in binary form. The four numbers that separate an IP address are called Octets. Each position consists of eight bits. When added to together you get 32 bit address. The purpose of each octet in an IP address is to create classes of IP addresses that can be assigned within a network. There are three main classes that we deal with Class A, B and C. The octets of an IP address are split into two parts Network and Host. In a class A address the first octet is the network portion, this determines which network the computer belongs to, the last octets of the address are the hosts that belong to the network.
Sub netting
Sub netting allows you to create multiple networks within a class A, B or C address. The subnet address is the address used by your LAN. In a Class C network address you would have a subnet mask of 255.255.255.0. A subnet mask identifies which portion is network and which is host. For example 192.168.6.15 the first octet three octets are the Network address and the last octet being the host(Workstation). It is important to subnet a network because gateways need to forward packets to other LANS. By giving each NIC on the gateway an IP address and a Subnet mask it allows the gateways to route packets from LAN to LAN. Once the packet arrives at its destination, the gateway then uses the bits of the subnet portion of the IP address to decide which LAN to send the packets.
Circuit Switched Leased Lines
A circuit switched network is one that establishes a dedicated circuit (or channel) between nodes and terminals before the users may communicate. Here are some terminologies associated with a Circuit switched network.
Frame relay is a telecommunication service designed for cost-efficient data transmission between local area networks (LANs)
Basic rate interference is a service used by small business for internet connectivity. An ISDN BRI provides two 64 Kbps digital channels to the user. Primary rate interface (PRI) is a telecommunications standard for carrying voice and data transmissions between two locations All data and voice channels are ISDN and operate at 64kbit/s
Packet Switchinghttp://www.raduniversity.com/networks/2004/PacketSwitching/main.htm - _Toc80455261
Packet switching refers to protocols in which messages are broken up into small packets before they are sent. Each packet is then transmitted over the Internet. At the destination the packets are reassembled into the original message. Packet switching main difference from Circuit Switching is that that the communication lines are not dedicated to passing messages from the source to the destination. In Packet Switching, different messages can use the same network resources within the same time period.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Asynchronous_Transfer_ModeAsynchronous Transfer Mode (ATM) is a cell relay, packet switching network and protocolwhich encodes data into small fixed-sized cells.
ISDN is used to carry voice, data, video and images across a telephone network. ISDN stands for integrated services Digital Network. Isdn also provides users with a 128kbps bandwidth. This is done through frame relay. Frame relay complements and provides a service between ISDN, which offers bandwidth at 128 Kbps and Asynchronous Transfer Mode which operates in somewhat similar fashion to frame relay but at speeds from 155.520 Mbps or 622.080 Mbps. Frame relay is based on the older X.25 packet switching technology and is used to transmit analogue signals such as telephone conversations.
PSDN stands for packet switched data network and is a data communication network. Packet switched networks do not establish a physical communication signal like the public telephone does (circuit switched network) Packets are sent on a fixed length basis and assigned with a source and a destination address. The packets then rely on the routers to read the address and route the packets through the network.
Mobile and Broadband Services
Digital Subscriber line(DSL) is mainly used to bring high bandwidth connections to homes and small business's over a copper wire telephone line. This is can only be achieved if you stay within the range of the telephone exchange. DSL offers download rates of up to 6mbps allowing continuous transmission of video, audio and 3D effects. DSL is set to replace ISDN and compete with the cable modem in providing multimedia to homes. DSL works by connecting your telephone line to the telephone office over copper wires that are twisted together.
Asymmetric Digital Subscribers Line is most commonly used for home users. It provides a high download speed but a lower upload speed. Using ADSL, up to 6.1 megabits per second of data can be sent downstream and up to 640 Kbps upstream.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Symmetric_Digital_Subscriber_LineSymmetric Digital Subscriber Line is a digital subcriber line which runs over one pair of copper wires. The main difference between ADSL and SDSL is the difference in upload and download speeds. SDSL allows the same upstream data rate and downstream data rate as ADSL upstream can be very slow.
http://searchnetworking.techtarget.com/sDefinition/0,,sid7_gci558545,00.htmlHDSL High bit-rate Digital Subscriber Line, one of the earliest forms of DSL, is used for wideband digital transmission within a corporate site and between the telephone company and a customer. The main characteristic of HDSL is that provides equal bandwidth in both directions.
IDSL is a system in which data is transmitted at 128 Kbps on a regular copper telephone line from a user to a destination using digital transmission.
The Local Loop enables operators to connect directly to the consumer via copper local loops and then add their own equipment to offer broadband and other services. This process involves operators accessing local exchange buildings to connect to a network of copper lines which connect them to homes and businesses. BT is an Example of a Local Exchange. The local loop connecting the telephone exchange to most subscribers is capable of carrying frequencies well beyond the 3.4 kHz upper limit.
Benefits of using DSL
DSL can provide virtually instantaneous transmission of voice, data and video over ordinary copper phone lines. A DSL connection can eliminate delays when waiting to download information and graphics from the Internet. It provides users with a cost effective high speed Internet connection. Another benefit is that a DSL connection is always on-line (like a LAN connection) with no waiting time for dialling or connecting.
There are now more than 10 million broadband connections in the UK. By December 2005 there were 9.792 million broadband connections in the UK and the average broadband take up rate during the three months to December was more than 70,000 per week.

Management Lessons

Lesson 1

:A sales rep, an administration clerk, and the manager are walking to lunch when they find an antique oil lamp. They rub it and a Genie comes out.The Genie says, "I'll give each of you just one wish.""Me first! Me first!" says the admin clerk. "I want to be in the Bahamas, driving a speedboat, without a care in the world."Puff! She's gone."Me next! Me next!" says the sales rep. "I want to be in Hawaii, relaxing on the beach with my personal masseuse, an endless supply of Pina Coladas and the love of my life."Puff! He's gone."OK, you're up," the Genie says to the manager.The manager says, "I want those two back in the office after lunch."

Moral of the story Always let your boss have the first say.*********

Lesson 2:

An eagle was sitting on a tree resting, doing nothing. A small rabbit saw the eagle and asked him, "Can I also sit like you and do nothing?"The eagle answered: "Sure , why not."So, the rabbit sat on the ground below the eagle and rested. All of a sudden, a fox appeared, jumped on the rabbit and ate it.

Moral of the story To be sitting and doing nothing, you must be sitting very, very high up.

Lesson 3:

A turkey was chatting with a bull. "I would love to be able to get to the top of that tree," sighed the turkey,"but I haven't got the energy.""Well, why don't you nibble on some of my droppings?" replied the bull.They're packed with nutrients."The turkey pecked at a lump of dung, and found it actually gave him enough strength to reach the lowest branch of the tree.The next day, after eating some more dung, he reached the second branch. Finally after a fourth night, the turkey was proudly perched at the top of the tree. He was promptly spotted by a farmer, who shot him out of the tree.

Moral of the story BullShit might get you to the top, but it won't keep you there.

Better personality for better performance:-

Personality and performance are closely related. Wrong type of personality will cause undesirable tension and worries in families, organisations, and societies. It is the root cause of all tensions, strikes and unrest. It leads to turnovers and job dissatisfactions. The only way to improve our performance is by improving our personalities. What is personality?Personality is the study of the unique traits of an individual. The word `personality' comes from the Latin word `persona' meaning `mask'. Thus personality came to be associated with a person's outward appearance. But today we know that personality doesn't mean external appearances alone. It is rather a dynamically organized totality of personal traits which distinguish one individual from another. It is the total picture of the person, consisting of his inner and outer being. Personality consists of the four dimensions of a person: physical, social, mental and spiritual. If you want to develop your personality you need to develop these four areas of your life. Our performance and success depends on how well we develop and integrate these four aspects of our personality. 1. Physical dimensionThe physical dimension plays an important role in the development of one's personality. A good, healthy physique can enhance one's personality and self-esteem. It includes your health, strength and withstanding capacity and not your physical structure, colour and beauty. It also concerns how you present yourself to others: your dress code, lifestyle, behaviour, etc. The better dressed you are the more sure you are to attract people to you. People have become conscious of their physique today and they frequent gyms and go for exercises to keep themselves fit and healthy. We communicate our personality by the way we walk, stand, sit, talk, look and act. All that we do communicates the level of our personality. Learning to keep oneself fit and healthy and to present oneself in a decent and socially acceptable manner is an art a person needs to learn in order to develop a better personality. 2. Social dimensionIt refers mainly to one's ability to relate to others. Human beings are social beings. We can't live as islands. We need to relate and communicate with others if we want to improve our performance and become better human beings. We need to learn the art of creating lasting and effective relationships in today's world of use and throw away culture. We need to develop our communication skills and plant in ourselves the seeds of social values like equality, justice, fairness etc. A person who loves and cares for the others has a great personality. You will never be forgotten for your humanitarian services. If you dislike others they too will dislike you. Construct good relationships with those around you and they will stand by you when you least expect. You need to become more an extrovert who is sociable, talkative, assertive and supportive. Give joy to everyone; smile always and more so when things go wrong. 3. Mental dimensionIt refers to the intellectual capacity of a person. A person who is intuitive, intelligent, clever and creative is always wanted in a society. They are admired by others for their discoveries, innovations and excellent minds. Use your common sense, brain and imagination to become more creative and innovative. People admire you if you are intelligent and smart. Take risks and challenges and be willing to walk the road less traveled. People admire such tough people with character and commitment. A person with high goals has a better personality. He aims high and people will hold him in high esteem even if he doesn't reach his dream. Have high goals but be filled with humility. It also means that we need to have a positive mental attitude. Think positive about yourself and about others. Treat everyone with utmost respect and esteem. See something good in everybody and in everything. Also create a positive atmosphere around you. People then will love your company and will admire your personality. 4. Spiritual dimensionIt refers to how you uphold values and principles of life and how you relate with the divine person. It is a great power that all of us have within us which guides our conscience and behaviour. It expresses itself in our moral values and sense of duty, responsibility and accountability. It gives us the power for self-confidence, leadership, initiatives, willpower and self-discipline. It makes us authentic and genuine when we are alone and in the company of others. Our spiritual dimension gets reflected in our sincerity, honesty, truthfulness, kindness and gentleness. A deep union with the divine person and selfless love for humanity enhances our personality. Control your emotions if you want to be a hero. If you want to be admired by others you must learn to control your fear, anxiety, hatred, anger, jealousy, suspicion and pessimism etc. Express instead plenty of positive emotions like love, kindness, hope, loyalty, trust and optimism etc. We need to have good personalities to attract, enthuse, influence, motivate and lead the others and us and to reach the optimum performance level. Our success depends more on our personality and very little on our knowledge and resources. It is said that a person with a magnanimous personality can brighten the room he enters. He can sooth, calm and thrill the people. Success and performance will come to us when we develop in us pleasing, attractive and winning personalities. We need to improve our personalities first to improve our performance.

Body Languge in Business

An interesting method for selling clients on you, your company and your services is to use nonverbal communication, subtle messages conveyed without words. These include posture, facial expressions, gestures, mannerisms and your appearance. People buy based on their senses, and everything that you can do to positively affect their senses can and will affect your ability to sell to them. Psychologists claim that the impact you make on others depends on what you say (7%), how you say it (38%), and by your body language (55%). Since how you sound also conveys a message, 93% of emotion is communicated without actual words. The master speaker, S.I. Hayakawa once commented that “In this era of television, image is more important than substance.” Some believe that Richard Nixon won the presidency because he was a master at using color to convey character. He wore a dark blue suit at a television debate in which the set background was light blue. The light blue background with Nixon in his dark blue suit produced an aura of honesty, integrity and sincerity. He won that election. It's often not what you say that influences others; it's what you don't say. The signals that you send nonverbally suggest attitude, understanding, empathy and ethics. The moment you meet a prospective client, they judge you by what they see and feel. The process takes less than 10 seconds but the impression is permanent. Whether you make or break a sale can literally depend on the silent signals that you send during this first contact. It's critical for entrepreneurs to understand and use body language. Once you know what to look for, you can literally read your client like a book. Court room trials could be decided quickly if the judge and jury could read body language. One group skilled in this technique are oriental business people. They are usually expert at recognizing and using nonverbal signals. This ability makes them formidable negotiators. Many entrepreneurs fail to recognize and use body language, although women are inherently better at sensing emotion and intent than men. The human body can produce over 700,000 unique movements. These movements have been partitioned into about 60 discrete and symbolic signals and around 60 gestures. Knowing just some of these can help you communicate better. A nodding head can signal yes. Pointing two fingers at your eyes can mean “watch”. Running your fingers through your hair can indicate frustration. A smile or a grin is a universal signal for happiness. Likewise, crying suggests sadness or, in conjunction with a smile, extreme delight. However, some nonverbal signals have several meanings. Crossed arms can indicate defensiveness, or simply a comfortable position. Touching the nose can suggest doubt in what the person is hearing. Or it could be a response to an itch or soreness from a recent cold. Likewise, an unbuttoned jacket can signify openness and cooperation. It could also be an overweight person trying to fit into an old jacket. The hitchhiking pose, arm extended with thumb pointed up, can give a negative message in other cultures. The key is that a nonverbal signal is not a complete message. Watch for a pattern of signals that all have the same meaning. The body language should match the verbal expressions. It should also match the context of the situation. So look for body language in clusters of signals with common meanings. Once you understand body language, you can use your own voice and body to help make a sale. Take the handshake for example. A handshake can be soft, firm, brief, long, or even painful. The way you shake hands provides clues to your personality. Aggressive people have firm handshakes. People with low self esteem often have a limp handshake. Politicians typically shake your hand with their other hand covering the shake or holding your elbow. Domineering men often squeeze the hand of women during a greeting. The clever woman moves her index and little finger in toward her palm preventing a crushing handshake. This negates his dominant act and keeps her in equal control. So adopt a handshake that is firm, yet not crushing. Convey confidence and professionalism, not dominance. Posture is another aspect of body language. A slouch can suggest lack of interest or enthusiasm. Standing straight with your weight balanced on each foot makes you look confident and relaxed. Try to stand or sit up straight; don't slouch. Rather than saying “Trust me”, subtle actions can convey the message “I can be trusted”. The mannerisms of honest people produce belief. Even animals sense this. One particular mannerism involves the way palms are shown. Holding a hand out to a dog with the palm down sends a dominant message to the dog. It may snap at you if you're a stranger. Shaking hands with your palm down conveys the same message. Showing an open hand with palm up suggests honesty and sincerity. To an animal it conveys trust. Hands pushed into pockets convey hidden agendas or secretiveness. Show your palms, and help build trust. Open hands with your palms visible should be accompanied by an open posture and a sincere facial expression. Your arms should be unfolded, not crossed. And your eyes should be focused on your client. Darting eyes suggest deceit. Looking left as you speak can suggest truth. Looking right when you speak may transmit dishonesty. Looking down when speaking conveys low self esteem. And get rid of the sunglasses. Dark glasses prevent a client from seeing your eyes and “reading your soul.” It's been said that a person's eyes cannot hide a dishonest intent. My best advice to women is to go with your feelings. Women have an innate ability to process messages simultaneously in both their right and left brain. They can sense much about others. A woman can "tell" if you aren't sincere. They can "feel" intent. Unfortunately, some women don't follow their instincts, and this has gotten them in trouble. Your "sixth sense" is the part of you that tunes in on nonverbal messages. Learn how to read and use these messages in business, and you'll substantially increase your probability of sales success. When you meet a client, use honest, open gestures. Outward and upward movements of your hands are positive actions. Putting the finger tips of one hand against the finger tips of the other is a form of “steepling” that conveys confidence. But clasping your hands behind your head as you lean back in a chair can suggest arrogant confidence and turn prospects away. Placing your hands on each side of your waist is called “standing at the ready”. This pose shows confidence and attracts others. Many catalog clothing models are photographed standing in this pose. Unbuttoning a suit jacket in front of a prospect will signify an open attitude, that you're willing to talk, to negotiate. Taking off your jacket is really powerful. And rolling your shirt sleeves up suggests that you're ready to get down to the final price. As you talk with a prospect, watch their body language. If they cross their arms, use positive signals and statements that will cause them to unfold their arms and open up to your sales approach. When their arms and legs are uncrossed and their hands are open, a sale is possible. When you notice them “mirroring” your movements and gestures, you've got them locked on to your sales presentation. Mirroring indicates maximum communication with the other person. If you move your arms apart opening your palms, and they do the same, you are both in synch. The messages and the words of the sale are being received and accepted by the other. With a technique called "tracking," you mirror their body language, and then gradually move them toward a more positive posture and psychological openness. As they shift their posture to mimic yours, their attitudes will shift, and you can close on the sale. If they cover their mouth, touch their nose or touch near an eye, they are withdrawing. Something that you said has turned them off. Back up and resell using another approach. Gently refocus on the prospect. Encourage them to share their concern. Open your palms to them and occasionally touch a palm to your chest as you speak. This is a strong signal of honesty. I was “told” by a deaf person that you can tell if a signing person is actually deaf by observing if they touch themselves. A hearing person will “sign” words, but seldom touch the body. A deaf person often touches their chest as they “sign”. The same gesture accompanies sincere statements by hearing and non-hearing people. Touching a palm to the chest usually doesn't occur unless a person is making an honest comment. Avoid fidgeting or appearing nervous. Even if this is the first serious prospect in a week, you must act as though your business plate is relatively full. If they appear defensive or hostile, don't react in like manner. Use all positive signals. Lean slightly forward to put energy into the conversation. Spread your arms, and open your hands with your palms up. The adage “Don't point” is appropriate. Pointing at a person is an aggressive act. In my communication skill classes, I present dozens of magazine photographs showing political leaders pointing at each other or chopping their hands down in a defiant gesture. These actions antagonize. They don't sell. Visualize your customer wearing a traffic signal. Positive nonverbal messages signal “ green” to go ahead and approach a close on the sale. If the client's body language changes from positive to defensive or non–believing, the signal is “yellow” and caution must be observed. Slow down and advance carefully. Try to get them to exhibit openness. A defiant, arms and legs “double-cross” with a scowl on their face is a definite “red” signal. You cannot close a sales unless you have a “green” light. If you can get your prospect to mirror your movements they'll be in synch with your presentation and receptive to the sale. If you are still unable to close, thank the person for listening. Approach sales like renting an apartment. It typically takes five showings before a rental is achieved. Likewise, it can take up to five inquiries before you close on a sale. If they're number four, the next prospect should be the one that buys. And the person who decided not to buy today, will consider you again if they are left with a positive impression of you and your company. Impress them with your professionalism and integrity. Your attitude can affect future sales. Take “turn downs” in stride. Use your body in the selling process and keep upbeat. If you believe in your services and the quality of your work, others will too. A positive, honest message conveyed by your nonverbal communication will generate far more opportunities than you think. Nonverbal messages can move prospects from suspicion to openness and receptiveness. They can sway “fence –sitters” into buying. You can also use body language to calm hostile or dissatisfied clients. Learn more about body language and nonverbal communication. Then look in the mirror. Watch how you appear when speaking on the phone or talking with someone else. Look for the signals of openness. Watch customers and follow their cues. Smile from within and without. They'll sense this and be receptive. Dishonest entrepreneurs will be exposed when buyer's become aware and use body language to read the insincere service provider like a book. Then these prospects will turn to you, the honest professional, for their business solutions.

Extra Marital Affairs in Office

In the wake of incidents that took place in most of work places because of extra marital affairs, I just thought of writing a small article on how to avoid such incidents.

This is really a serious matter and if not dealt on at an early stage could lead to such incidents in our personal life too. I have done research on human behavior and psychology and am trying to put-in some text which may (or may not) be helpful to you. Never-the-less I feel it's worth knowing such things and if possible every individual can make a conscious effort to more or less follow the same. Some people don't take advice but taking good advice may do you no harm. Thos who are not married this is the best article as before starting a new relationship if you are ready for it, will only help you to lead a happy life. Read on.. We spend 40/45/50/60 hours a week with our colleagues. This is the most we spend with any members of our family. So it's obvious they are an integral part of our life. Good, understood. But an important point to remember is colleagues are colleagues and not friends and if you think they are friends then you are highly mistaken. Imagine working together for 9 hours a day together and then returning home and continuing to talk with your colleague on phone.

This is what happened with guy who could not stand this behavior of his wife and killed her and committed suicide. Which husband would like his wife talking on phone with her colleague and that too male counterpart? Or which wife will like her husband doing the same? Just keep yourself in that situation and see. Anger will creep in within you. So whatever gossip or topic you want to discuss with your colleagues do it during office hours and once you are out of office forget about your work and your colleagues unless it's official matter. Just check this unnecessary talk…

A guy and her colleague walking out of office at 6.30p.m. At 7.30 or 8.00 the guy calls that female,

Guy: Hi, how are you? Where have you reached? (Don't you know how she is and where she must be at this time)

Lady: I am fine. Reached home.

Guy: What are you cooking today?

Lady: So and so (Now here the lady knows that the guy has called to flirt with her and the call is unnecessary.

It's the duty of the female to say something to avoid that guy. If she doesn't at this stage then this call will be going for another 30-45 mins and questions like 'When will you be taking bath? What time you will sleep? What will you bring for me for breakfast for tomorrow will creep in?' and imagine the state of the family members of that lady at this point. They expect the lady to come and talk with them for sometime but here this lady is enjoying a talk with the guy with whom she has been working since morning. No wonder such people will have a horrendous married life. A simple thing to think about. Say you are not married. You go to office and come back say at 6.00 in the evening. You have so much of time left. Can't you read some books and increase your knowledge rather than spending one-two hours on mobile. Girls can start experimenting with new dishes. Main thing to understand is such gossiping on calls becomes on habit and bad habits die-hard. You will be addicted to talking and this can be bad as time goes on. One you start working you have to come out of college life. In college you could enjoy, flirt, do anything you wanted. But this is real life. Be responsible or else you will be responsible for your terrible life and the life if your husband/wife. Any person no matter who he/she is would never like his/her wife/husband having such relationship with her/his colleagues. Last year 90% of divorce happened because of Extra-Marital Affairs and in that 80% because of relationships with colleagues. And we would not like this to happen with us. So start from now.Guys see to it that you don't put an habit of calling you female-colleagues after office hours or on weekends or holidays, even if they provoke you or give missed calls. Let them spend time with their family members or other friends. You also do the same. Good girls don't give missed calls. And girls who give I need not say what kind of girls they are. Stay away from them. You can talk as much as you want in office. And gals, if any guy calls you then it's not bad to say 'No, Let's talk in office' or 'I am busy, talk with you tomorrow' to that guy. Do it twice and they will automatically stop calling. Guys have this habit of flirting and you allowing them to flirt will only help them do more. Relationships can always be maintained in right manner. Never succumb to emotional pressure like 'You don't want to talk with me or what' or 'You can call him but you can't call me' or 'You talk for so and so time with her but with me only this much'. Some people fall for this because they don't want to lose a friend. Again I say colleague is not a friend. They are just here to work and keep on moving in their life. They go to other company, go for growth and so on. They will not wait for you in the same office to be with you forever. So don't be emotionally attached with your colleagues. They are competitors and always on their toes to show you down in front of seniors and managers. You may not realize now but this is a fact, be ready for it.Imagine a girl getting married and someone says to her to be husband, that guy over there is the one who regularly calls your wife or your wife gives missed calls or calls that guy. Always this thing will remain on the back of his mind. Similarly someone tells the bride that your groom always keeps calling that girl or vice-versa…. Imagine yourself at that place. Situations arise because we allow them to. No one can lead ideal life but we can always make an sincere effort to lead one. Another note to be taken about: (strictly male to female and female to male contexts) If your colleague calls you. Just check out whether if he calls others also. If he doesn't then find out why? No guy will call other girl if he is not interested in that girl. In a group there can be five females but it's not necessary that a guy calls all five. He will only call the one on whom he is interested. Similarly, a girl will not give missed call to everyone. If she gives then she must be really lonely. Stay away from them or you will be caught in their loving talk. Guys normally fall for girls because of their beauty or their talk. So if a guy colleague comes to you and proposes you then it's not his mistake completely, it's more of yours because you were the one who used to give him that space.Also you become a topic of gossip among your fellow colleagues if they come to know that one of their colleague is calling you and not calling others. And there is nothing more dangerous than office gossip. It can cost you your job and just remember how easily you got this job. So please keep your office and it's people at office and lead a normal happy life. For your good and for the good of your spouse. Send it to your colleagues, friends, relatives, parents and everyone and avoid incidents like the one mentioned at the beginning of this article. If you feel anyone is doing anything mentioned above then just go and tell him/her. You will be helping someone in their life

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