Let's make the web faster

There are plenty of ways to make websites run faster. In this section, you can discover performance best practices that real web professionals employ in their everyday work. These practices have improved the user experience for millions of users and we hope they are going to be useful for other web developers.

CSS: Using every declaration just once

Using every CSS declaration only once is an effective way to reduce file size of style sheets. It’s not a trivial optimization technique though: Watch over the cascade and adjust your editing workflow.

How gzip compression works

This article first explains how gzip compression works in a transaction between a web server and a web browser. Then, we look into what gzip actually compresses, so that you can leverage compression in your markup.

HTTP caching

Web pages can load much faster on repeated visits if the resources come from the cache. Learn about two groups of HTTP headers that make all the difference.

Improving website performance with Page Speed

It is often possible to make the contents of a web page take fewer bytes without changing the appearance or function of the page. Reducing the number of bytes a client has to download makes the page load faster. In this tutorial we look at three ways to reduce the size of web content.

Minimizing browser reflow

Reflow is a CPU-intensive and user-blocking part of the browser rendering process. This article discusses some coding best practices to minimize reflow for your web pages.

Optimizing JavaScript code

JavaScript can make your webapps dynamic and active, but the interpretation on the client can introduce its own inefficiencies. Here we discuss some tips to optimize your JavaScript.

Optimizing web graphics

Optimizing your web illustrations, icons, and graphics is one of the simplest yet most effective ways to decrease your page load time. In this tutorial, we discuss image file formats and optimize some real Google graphics for faster download on the web.

PHP performance tips

This article provides a few easy tips that can help you to speed up your existing PHP scripts by making some simple changes.

Prefetching resources

In some cases, it makes sense to download files before they are necessary, so that they are instantly available once requested. When the resources required for a page can be loaded in advance, the user-perceived network latency for that page can be significantly reduced or even eliminated.

Properly including stylesheets and scripts

Correctly ordering external stylesheets and external and inline scripts enables better parallelization of downloads and speeds up browser rendering time.

Reducing the file size of HTML documents

HTML has some tags that are optional and can thus be omitted. In HTML 5, a shorter DOCTYPE and a few other techniques help reducing file size and load time of your HTML documents too.

UI messaging and perceived latency

To the typical user, speed doesn't only mean performance - it means the ability to use your website efficiently. Learn how to deliver effective UI messaging, a crucial part of keeping your users engaged and productive.

Color Picker - Innovation has no end

Color Picker is an innovative design of a concept pen that can scan colors from anything around and instantly use the color for drawing. After placing the pen against an object, the user just presses the scan button. The color is being detected by the color sensor and the RGB cartridge of the pen mixes the required inks to create the target color. This superb device will help people to observe the changing colors of nature. With color picker, all range of artists will be able to cerate a more sensorial and visual insight of their surrounding nature’s colors.

Toby got bronze medal

Two Young Lions to represent UAE at the 2009 Cannes Lions International Advertising Festival

At a ceremony at Dubai Media City, the official Cannes Advertising Festival representative announced the winners of the seventh 2009 UAE Young Lions creative competition on Wednesday, May 13 night.

Executive Director of Dubai Media City, Mr Mohammad Abdulla and Ian Fairservice, Managing Partner of the Motivate Group, representing Cannes Lions, presented the awards.

Mohammad Abdullah welcomed and congratulated those participating and judging the competition. Ian Fairservice said,” We are proud of the high quality of work presented by UAE’s young creative professionals from the advertising industry. This is the seventh year we have hosted the event and it gets better every year. This is reflected by the superb work created at the Young Lions competition.”

Seventeen teams from the UAE competed, each consisting of a Copywriter and Art Director both 28 years old or below. Whilst three winners were announced, all the contestants pinned their hopes on the top award of representing the UAE in the International Young Lions Competition at the Cannes Lions International Advertising Festival in the south of France this June. The Cannes Festival continues to be the largest gathering of worldwide advertising and marketing professionals, and the industry’s most prestigious awards event.

The teams had 9 hours to produce work of global quality standards based on a brief from Make-A-Wish Foundation UAE. The mandate was to produce an A3 print ad/poster to generate public awareness on the Foundation’s activities and objectives in the UAE.

The winning teams were as follows:

GOLD: Bilal Kerbaj and Mohamed Sami Ali from Fortune Promoseven Abu Dhabi were the front runners, scooping the Gold award, and will proudly represent the UAE at the Cannes Competition in June.

SILVER: Timsy Vadhani and Omar Bitar from Euro RSCG Promopub claimed the Silver prize.

BRONZE: Carlos Khoury and Toby Charles Gomez from AGA Dubai were awarded the Bronze.

New Search Engine from Microsoft

Bing (formerly Live Search, Windows Live Search and MSN Search), codenamed Kumo, is Microsoft's web search engine, designed to compete with the industry leaders Google and Yahoo!. Unveiled by Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer on May 28, 2009 at the All Things D conference in San Diego, Bing is a replacement for Live Search

Bing
Pros
Image search has unlimited scrolling, no pager.
Image search allows for changing thumbnail size.
Bing detects your location and offers search within that area
Subcategories appear on relevant keywords
Visually interesting home page
Better typography than Google
Video preview on thumbnails on hover
Cashback when shopping through Bing
Cons
Same results as on Live.com (no new engine)
Subcategories are not available worldwide, just US
Visually cluttered home page
Video, Maps and other searches not available worldwide
Video Search doesn't work properly on Macs

Sculpture Ceremony Celebrates Life of Bishop Makarios

The memory and spiritual ideals of the late Bishop Thomas Mar Makarios remain alive in a figurative sculpture that was unveiled and dedicated May 16 at Alma College, the American institution he faithfully served for 25 years.

“Makarios means blessed, and today is a blessed day as we celebrate the life of Bishop Thomas Makarios,” said Father Lazarus, church priest and the Bishop’s brother as he welcomed a crowd of approximately 150 people to the dedication ceremony, many of whom drove long distances to view the sculpture and share memories of their former family member, spiritual leader, teacher, colleague and friend.

Father Lazarus

The Bishop was a prelate of the Malankara Orthodox Church of India. He was founder of the American Diocese and the first Metropolitan Bishop of Canada, UK and Europe, and South Africa.

He began teaching at Alma College in 1983, launching a 25-year association as professor of religious studies, committed to introducing students to differences between Eastern and Western modes of religious thinking.

President Saundra Tracy

“Alma College provided a nest for him as he worked tirelessly to build a foundation for his church in the Western world,” said Father Lazarus. “Every day he reached into the hearts and souls of millions of people from Alma College. He taught us to love and respect others, regardless of race and gender.

“He had a passion to teach, and he left an impression on his students,” he said. “He was a father figure to them and enjoyed the time he spent with them. He loved Alma College dearly and was a goodwill ambassador for Alma College.”

The Orthodox Memorial Prayer

The ceremony included an orthodox memorial prayer led by Father Lazarus and comments by Michigan artist Mark Chatterley, who was commissioned to create the sculpture following the Bishop’s death in February 2008.

The 13-foot high clay sculpture cast in bronze depicts a central figure with wings standing, arms raised and palms together in a prayerful gesture. The wings, at close inspection, are made up of figures that get progressively smaller. The sculpture is located at the center of the Alma College campus along a sidewalk amidst a grove of evergreen trees.

Church leaders, friends and colleagues

“This beautiful work of art provides a fitting and enduring reminder of the Bishop’s legacy at Alma College, in his beloved church, and in the world religious community,” said Alma College President Saundra Tracy.

The ceremony also included comments that were read from a letter sent by Dr. Madhavan Anirudhan, a representative of the Kerala, India, community in the United States. Bishop Makarios helped develop the Alma India Program, which has a relationship with the Mathen Mappilai Memorial Public School in the village of Ayroor in the state of Kerala. Many Alma students have performed volunteer work at the school over the years.

Charles A. Dana Professor Emeritus Ronald Massanari

The sculpture

Tips on Eye Care

With so many of us spending lots of time in front of the computer every day it comes to no surprise that research is showing a rise in visual problems. What can one do? First, it’s important to find out how you can protect your eyes through eye health exams and by making a few minor changes in your computer viewing habits.

Here are some helpful Eye Care Tips -

Positioning is everything

Correct positioning of your computer, keyboard and typing copy is essential. Your screen should be positioned about an arm’s length from your eyes and 20 degrees below eye level. Consider foot and wrist rests for added comfort.

Lighting can make all the difference

Room lighting should be diffuse, not direct, to reduce glare and reflections from your screen. Look into an internal or external glare screen and be sure to set your colour, contrast and brightness levels to suit you.

A little extra help for your glasses

Anti-reflective coatings on the lenses of your glasses can be applied by your optometrist to reduce discomfort and to ease reduced vision from bright and/or flickering light sources such as VDTs and fluorescent lights. And don’t forget, your doctor of optometry can talk to you about eyeglasses designed specifically for people who use computers a lot.

Take time out, our 20-20-20 rule

Step I :-
After every 20 minutes of looking into the computer screen, turn your
head and try to look at any object placed at least 20 feet away. This
changes the focal length of your eyes, a must-do for the tired eyes.

Step II :-
Try and blink your eyes for 20 times in succession, to moisten them.

Step III :-
Time permitting of course, one should walk 20 paces after every 20 minutes
of sitting in one particular posture. Helps blood circulation for the entire body.

It’s all in the blinking

Did you know that on average we blink 12 times per minute? But wait, did you know that when we’re on the computer we only blink 5 times per minute? That can add up to dry eyes. Relieve the discomfort by using artificial tear drops or gels and remember to blink!

Palming

Sit straight at your workstation and rub your palms against each other till you feel them warm. The warmth of your palms helps soothe and relax tired eyes. Then, lightly cup your eyes with your palms and relax for 60 seconds. Count the seconds in your mind. Repeat this exercise two to three times whenever your eyes feel tired, or as often as you want. While palming, you can either rest your elbows on your desk or keep away from the desk and cup your eyes. Both ways are fine.

Splash water on your face

During breaks, splash water on your face while closing your eyes. This has an overall relaxing effect and helps you feel refreshed.

Use tea bags

Keep two used tea bags in the refrigerator before you leave for work. Once you are home, place the tea bags on your eyes for a few minutes as you relax. This not only soothes tired eyes, but also reduces puffiness.

Eat healthy

Incorporate Vitamins A, C, and E on a daily basis; eat citrus fruits, green leafy veggies, tomatoes, spinach, poultry and dairy products. Pack a box of chopped carrots, cucumber and fresh fruits and munch in-between meals at the office.

Herbal Skin Care Tips

Here are 22 practical Herbal Tips for Skin Care from the experts! Very easy to use and effective.

1) Drink at least 8 glasses of water every day.


2) Cut some beet root into small pieces and grind them. Squeeze juice from beet root and massage to your face for 5 minutes. Shower after 10 minutes with mild soap or gram flour.


3) Mix sandalwood powder with rose water and add 4 to 5 drops of milk in it and apply on to your face and body. Shower after 15 minutes with warm water.


4) Mix honey in water and drink daily in the morning to keep your skin shiny and smooth.


5) Warm honey and mix with lemon juice and apply on to face. Wash after it dry.


6) Mix Turmeric, sandal powder and olive oil and apply to body. Shower after 10 minutes.


7) Massage your skin with milk. Milk has moisturizer, it will keep your skin smooth.


8) Use humidifiers and keep room temperature moderate to keep your skin away from dryness.


9) Hot water blushes your skin and you don't feel fresh unless you have bath with little cold water. If you have shower for a longtime, dead skin will be automatically be removed. Do not rub with towel, be gentle on your skin.


10) Take food which contains more A and C vitamin.


11) Grate carrot and boil. Massage that mixture to body to get fair and smooth skin.


12) For natural bleaching: - mix milk and lemon juice. The
milk will break as soon as you mix the lemon juice in it. Use that mixture to massage on your body. It works as natural bleaching.


13) Mix turmeric and cream on the top of milk, massage that mixture to body.


14) If you go into sun your skin will lost the fair ness. To get your skin color to normal take equal quantities of cucumber juice and tomato juice and apply on to skin. Shower after 10 minutes.


15) Massage mustard oil to your skin for 5 minutes and have shower with gram flour or mild soap.


16) Mix cream on the top of milk and all-purpose flour and apply that paste on to your skin avoid eyes, eyebrows and lips. Shower after 5 minutes. This will make skin smooth.


17) Mix curds (yogurt) with wheat flour and apply to your skin and take shower after 5 minutes.


18) Grind rose petals and mix with cream on the top of milk and apply to your body. Shower after 10 minutes.


19) Scaly skin is a result of fluorine deficiency. Fluorine is the anti-resistant element of the human body, the absence of which creates problems in the blood and spleen. Since cooking and heating foods destroys fluorine, it is better to eat uncooked raw fruits and vegetables. Other foods rich in fluorine are goat milk and cheese, rye flour, avocados, sea plants and cabbage, cream whey and cottage cheese.


20) Wrinkle skin is a result of Sodium deficiency and makes skin sticky. Cucumbers are ideal for combating and preventing sodium deficiency because they are not only high in sodium, but also help in keeping the body cool, a great summer's treat.


21) Skin rashes are the result of silicon deficiency. To avoid pus and rashes, eat plenty of sprouts, alfalfa, barley, tomatoes, spinach, strawberries and figs.


22) Skin eruptions are the result of Chlorophyll. And are found in wheat grass and other green leafy vegetables

How to Keep Teeth White Naturally

There are many effective methods of teeth whitening available, but some come with heavy price tags. Here are some steps you can take at home to whiten teeth naturally without breaking the bank.

Things You’ll Need:

• Straw
• Toothbrush
• Lemon Juice
• Salt
• Baking soda
• Hydrogen peroxide
• Strawberries

Step 1:
Limit your consumption of drinks that stain tooth enamel. A few of these include coffee, tea and red wine. If you simply can't cut back on these beverages, consider drinking them though a straw to limit the amount of liquid that actually comes in contact with teeth.

Step 2:
Brush your teeth immediately after eating, especially if eating foods that stain easily, such as berries.

Step 3:
Rub raw strawberries on your teeth, preferably pureed. There is an enzyme in strawberries that acts as a whitening agent. You'll want to brush and rinse after applying the strawberries to remove the natural sugars and acids they may leave behind.

Step 4:
Eat crunchy foods that require a lot of chewing such as carrots, celery, broccoli and apples. These foods are abrasive and will remove built up plaque, which dulls the appearance of teeth.

Step 5:
Dip your toothbrush directly into baking soda and brush. The results are worth the lousy taste.

Step 6:
Combine lemon juice and one teaspoon of salt to make a paste-like substance. Brush your teeth and rinse. Again, not so pleasant on the palate, but your teeth will thank you.

Step 7:
Use hydrogen peroxide to brush your teeth. Dip your toothbrush into a small capful of the peroxide and brush as you would with regular toothpaste, being careful not to swallow. Rinse with water.

Correct Postures lighting and chair for computer use

Correct Postures

Here are some correct postures which should be used while using a computer to reduce stress and other ill effects.

5 Reasons Why You Should Start Practicing Yoga And Meditation

The practice of yoga and meditation has become increasingly popular in the past few years, but I am sure that there are many people who are still asking themselves, “What’s in it for me?” So, if you have been wondering whether it would be worth your time to start practicing yoga and meditation, I would like to give you five good reasons why it would be a very worthwhile activity for you.

1. Yoga and meditation will improve your health

Yoga postures put gentle pressure on the internal organs of the body and help them to function properly. In particular the postures help your digestive system to work smoothly and thus avoid problems such as constipation, acidity and indigestion, which are common conditions that can lead to more serious problems later on. Meditation and deep relaxation can be just what you need to lower your blood pressure. Thus, yoga postures plus meditation is a great combination for maintaining and improving health.

2. Yoga and meditation will help you to overcome bad habits

What’s a “bad habit?” It’s something that you are doing continually, and something that you know is harming you but you can’t stop it. Are you smoking now? Maybe you thought it was good when you started, but you would now like to stop. The trouble is that it is not so easy to quit smoking or a similar habit once it has become established.

This is where yoga and meditation can help you out. The yoga postures help you to become more relaxed and mentally balanced. Meditation can help you to concentrate your mind and build up your will-power. Once you become internally balanced and have a stronger will power, it will become possible for you to break any habit, even one that you have been troubled by for many years.

3. Yoga and meditation will help you to lose weight

Obesity is one of the biggest health problems of the modern era. Our lives have become more sedentary and our food sources have changed over the last 100 years and this why many adults and even children are now overweight.

Although this is a life-style problem, it is something that can be dealt with. The surest way to lose weight is to get more exercise and to control what you are eating. This is of course, easier said than done. But yoga and meditation can help you out. There are some yoga postures that are helpful in weight loss programs. Similarly, the mental strength that you can get from both yoga postures and from meditation can help you to gain a better control over your diet and this can result in healthy and permanent weight loss.

4. Yoga and meditation will bring you inner peace

You may be earning a lot of money and you may have a lot of social prestige but is physical or social wealth the goal of your life? Whatever material or social wealth you have, if you are not contented, satisfied and at peace with yourself then you will not be a happy person.

The goal of meditation is to help you find the inner core of your being. Who are you? Is it the name and address on your identity card? If you start meditating you will find that deep within you is a pool of infinite love and peace. This is the real you. If you can reach this place, then you will find peace and contentment; it is guaranteed!

5. Yoga and meditation will make you a wiser person

Every one of us has made mistakes that we regret. There is nothing we can do about the past. We can’t go back in time and not make the mistakes. But what we can do is to build up our capacity to see what has permanent value and what is transitory. When we attain this state of discrimination, then we will not do actions that we will regret later on.

Meditation helps a person to go beyond the “chatter” of the mind and attain a state of wisdom that will always be of help. Wisdom does not mean stuffing your mind with “facts” but it does mean to have a mind that will choose a course of action that brings about the welfare of everyone.

I have a list with many more reasons why yoga and meditation are helpful, but I thought I would start off with these five reasons. So, if any one of these items are interesting for you, then why not see for yourself, and start practicing yoga and meditation?

Tips to Improve Self Confidence

Here are some quick tips to improve your Self Confidence. If we are committed to have a healthy self confidence there are many things you can do every day to boost your self confidence, each small steps that will help you to reach your goal. The good news is that self-esteem is not fixed and can be improved, try some of the steps below to boost your confidence and self-esteem.

1) Identify your successes. Everyone is good at something, so discover the things at which you excel, then focus on your talents. Give yourself permission to take pride in them. Give yourself credit for your successes. Inferiority is a state of mind in which you've declared yourself a victim. Do not allow yourself to be victimized.

2) Look in the mirror and smile. Studies surrounding what's called the "facial feedback theory" suggest that the expressions on your face can actually encourage your brain to register certain emotions. So by looking in the mirror and smiling every day, you might feel happier with yourself and more confident in the long run.

3) Exercise and eat healthy. Exercise raises adrenaline and makes one feel happier and healthier. It is certainly an easy and effective way to boost your self-confidence.

4) Turn feelings of envy or jealousy into a desire to achieve. Stop wanting what others have just because they have it; seek things simply because you want them, whether anybody else has them or not.

5) When you're feeling superbly insecure, write down a list of things that are good about you. Then read the list back. You'd be surprised at what you can come up with.

6) Don't be afraid to push yourself a bit - a little bit of pressure can actually show just how good you are!

7) You can try taking a martial arts or fitness class/course (or both). This will help build confidence and strength.

8) Invest in some new clothing and donate some of your old clothing to send a message to yourself that you both look sharp and feel sharp.

9) Try to make yourself talk positively at all times. When you hear yourself saying you can't do something, stop and say you can. Unless you try, you will never know whether you are able to or not.

10) Don't get wrapped up in your mistakes and dwell on bad points; they can contrast your good points or even give you something to improve. There's no feeling like being good at something you were really bad at.

11) Don't confuse what you have with who you are. People degrade their self worth when comparing possessions.

12) Surround yourself with nurturing friends, not overly critical individuals who make you feel inadequate or insecure. This could do great harm and damage to your self confidence.

New age DVD that can hold 2,000 movies

A DVD that can store up to 2,000 films - equivalent to 300 DVDs in a single disk - can revolutionise the way we store films, music and data, scientists say.

The ultra-DVD is the same size and thickness as a conventional disc, but uses nano-technology to store vast amounts of information. Scientists believe that such a product can be on sale within five years.

The breakthrough comes from Swinburne University of Technology, Melbourne, Australia, where scientists created a prototype using 'nano rods' - tiny particles of gold too small to see - and polarised light, in which the light waves only flow in one direction, reported Daily Mail.

Min Gu, professor whose findings appear in the journal Nature, said: "We were able to show how nano-structured material can be incorporated on to a disc to increase data capacity without increasing the size of the disc."

A convential DVD can hold up to 8.5 gigabytes (GB) of information, enough for a movie, several special features and an alternative soundtrack.

Blu-ray discs, which were designed to replace them, can store 50 GB, enough for a film and extra features in high definition. But ultra-DVDs will be able to store 10,000 GB.

A conventional DVD records music, pictures and computer files as digital code - a series of ones and zeroes. The code is written as a series of pits under the clear surface of the disc and is read by a DVD player's laser

The new disc stores information using two extra 'dimensions' - the colour of light and the direction, or polarisation, of light waves.

"These extra dimensions are the key to creating ultra-high capacity discs," said Min Gu.

To use colour, the researcher inserted rods of gold too small to see with the naked eye onto the surface of a disc.

The rods were designed to react to particular wavelengths - or colours - of light. That allowed researchers to record information in a range of different colours on the same physical area of the disc.

They were also able to add extra information by using polarised light, which is made up of light waves that vibrate in just one direction. Light that has been polarised can be blocked using a special filter.

"The polarisation can be rotated 360 degrees," said co-author James Chon.

"So for example, we were able to record at zero degree polarisation. Then on top of that, we were able to record another layer of information at 90 degrees polarisation, without them interfering with each other."

The researchers, who have agreed a deal with Samsung, admit recording on to ultra-DVDs is complicated and time consuming.

The discs would allow vast amount of information to be stored on a cheap, disposable disc.

Currently, people have to use portable hard disc drives to store the equivalent amount of data.

Consumers would need to buy new DVD players to use the discs - although they should be able to read the older Blu-ray and DVDs, the researcher said.

How to Start a Conversation with New People

Whether you are a host or a guest, there are many social situations that will call for interaction, even when you are stumped for some way to get it going. For example, you might want to help a friend’s new “significant other” feel comfortable. Or, you might see a stranger across a crowded room, and realize that this is your only chance to impress Mr. or Ms. Wonderful. Then, you realize that you’re not sure what to say.

1. Start with a “hello,” and simply tell the new person your name then ask them theirs. Offer your hand to shake, upon his/her responding to you. (If you go to other countries, greet the person in tune with the particular culture). If you already know the person, skip this step and proceed to step.
2. Look around. See if there is anything worth pointing out. Sure, talking about the weather is a cliche, but if there’s something unusual about it–bam!–you’ve got a great topic of conversation.
3. Offer a compliment. Don’t lie and say you love someone’s hair when you think it’s revolting, but if you like his or her shoes, or a handbag, say so. A sincere compliment is a wonderful way to get someone to warm up to you. But be careful not to say something so personal that you scare the person off or make him or her feel uncomfortable. It is best not to compliment a person’s looks or body.
4. Ask questions! Most people love to talk about themselves — get them going. “What classes are you taking this year?” “Have you seen (Insert-Something-Here)? What did you think of it?” Again, keep the questions light and not invasive. Do not ask too many questions if he or she is not responsive to them.
5. Jump on any conversation-starters he or she might offer; take something he or she has said and run with it. Agree, disagree, ask a question about it, or offer an opinion, just don’t let it go by without notice.
6. Look your newfound friend in the eye, it engenders trust (but don’t stare). Also, use the person’s name a time or two during the conversation; it will help you remember the name, and will draw the person’s attention to what you are talking about.
7. Don’t forget to smile and have fun with your conversation!

Tips

• Just relax. Chances are that whatever small-talk you’re making isn’t going to stick out in anyone’s mind a few months from now. Just say whatever comes into your head, so long as it’s not offensive or really weird. (Unless, of course, the person you’re attempting to converse with is into weird stuff.)
• Remember, if you think of something in your head while you’re talking, it’s probably related.
• It will help if you watch some TV, listen to radio shows, and/or read a lot — newspapers, magazines, and/or books. You need to have some idea of what is going on in the world. Also remember and plan to share anything you like, think is funny, or find intriguing. This is building up your own library of things that might be helpful to another person during a conversation someday. It will be amazing how you thread these interesting things when you least expect it, and make conversation an adventure instead of a dreadful task. If you take it to the next step and say things that you want the person to think of as adding value, and keep to yourself things that the person might not, you are actually honing your own personality to be appealing to the other person, and what is a greater act of kindness than that.
• If you are shy, it will be helpful to have thought about a topic or two that you could talk about.
• Follow the lead that your listener is expressing. If he or she appears interested, then continue. If he or she is looking at a clock or watch, or worse, looking for an escape strategy, then you have been going on for too long.
• Interesting and funny quotes or facts can lighten things up, and make way for things to talk about. You could also use a set of conversation starter question cards for inspiration.
• If talking over the phone, keep the person involved in the conversation at all costs. If you can’t come up with a good topic, try the “questions” game. Just keep asking them questions; random questions work just fine as long as they are appropriate. This technique can save a phone conversation. The questions should be open ended questions that do not require a yes or no answer. For example “How do you know the hosts?” This way you can ask questions about what they just said or follow up with how you know the hosts (for example) instead of acting as if the conversation is an interrogation.
• Half of an effective conversation is the way you non-verbally communicate, and not necessarily what you say. Practice better non-verbal skills that are friendly and confident.
• Read newspapers and magazines to increase your knowledge so you can have more interesting things to talk about

Overcoming Fear of Public Speaking

“According to most studies, people’s number one fear is public speaking. Number two is death.” - Jerry Seinfeld

If you have the fear of public speaking, you are not alone. You must first recognize what “fear” is. Fear is the anticipation of pain. Is your fear real or imagined?

Here are some great insights into Overcoming Fear of Public Speaking.

Steps to Overcome Fear of Public Speaking -

1. Fears - The fear of being judged, making a mistake, not measuring up, getting hurt either mentally or physically can get in the way of a good performance (speech, seminar, sales presentation, etc). Remember that people in the audience really want you to succeed. Nobody is standing there hoping you’ll be boring or bad. If you are coming from an authentic place, and you cover the material with clarity, you’ve won 3/4 of your inner battle with fear.
2. Learn how to enroll and engage your audience - If you haven’t yet taken a professional development course on public speaking, consider finding a public speaking training course appropriate for your needs. Learning the art of public speaking can enhance your results in a boardroom, in a sales presentation, and even accelerate your climb up the corporate ladder. It is a must-skill for any executive and/or business owner.
3. Practice - Find business organizations, networks and clubs in your area (such as Toastmasters) that can afford you the opportunity to practice. Remember to choose topics that you are already an expert on. Speaking on a topic that you are not familiar with will increase your stress, and impede on your performance.
4. Use recording software - Record everything on your PC/laptop. Review it to see where you can improve. Have speaking pros attend your live presentation to give you feedback. Allow yourself the opportunity to learn more every time you go out.
5. Remember, even the top professionals learn something new every single time they go out!

Tips to Improve Your Speaking Voice

“Well-timed silence hath more eloquence than speech.” - Martin Fraquhar Tupper

One of the most important components of public speaking is the sound of your voice. It influences the impact of your message, and might even make or break the success of your speech. Fortunately, for many people, good voice quality can be learned.

Instructions :

1. Breathe from your diaphragm - Practice long and controlled exhales. When you speak, use breath to punctuate your point. For example, take a breath at the end of each phrase whether you need to or not. Use that opportunity to pause and let the listeners absorb what you say.
2. Use pitch - Lower pitches generally are more soothing to hear. However, modulating your pitch for emphasis will keep your listeners engaged. Develop your pitch by practicing humming.
3. Moderate your volume - Find out if you speak too loudly or too softly. When you begin speaking, ask your audience how your volume is (each situation is different). Try to stay at the appropriate volume throughout your speech.
4. Moderate your pace - This one is also closely related to breath. If you speak too quickly, people can’t keep up. If you speak too slowly, people will lose interest. Record your speech to determine if you need to change your pace. Get feedback from others.
5. Articulate - Try exaggerating your lip movement to reduce mumbling. Practice articulating tongue twisters and extending and exaggerating vowel sounds. Become an expert at articulating tongue twisters as quickly and crisply as possible. Focus on the ones you find difficult.
6. Practice your speech in advance and determine where you want to pause for a breath. For more emphasis, pause for more than one breath. Mark your breathing points in your notes.
7. Loosen up before you begin. Look side to side. Roll your head in half-circles and roll your shoulders back. Shift your rib cage from side to side. Yawn. Stretch. Touch your toes while completely relaxing your upper body, then slowly stand up, one vertebra at a time, raising your head last. Repeat as needed.
8. Posture - Stand up straight and tall to allow full lung capacity and airflow.
9. Record your voice repeatedly using different ways of speaking. Determine which one is most pleasing.
10. Practice breath control - Take a deep breath, and while you exhale, count to 10 (or recite the months or days of the week). Try gradually increasing your volume as you count, using your abdominal muscles—not your throat—for volume. Don’t let your larynx tense up.

Audi O Green Car Concept

The Audi O green car concept designed by Czech based designer Ondrej Jirec combines a stylish and sports car with a powerful audio system. Though the exterior uses the usual Audi styling, especially the grill which is neatly placed between the headlights; the glass windows in the doors are extending to the bottom adding to the overall design of the vehicle. The designer says that inspiration includes the previous Audi model, i-pod and music. It features an audio system, bluetooth and internet connectivity and a built in 650 GB hard drive. So be it a short or long drive you are never out of music with Audi O car.




Designer : Ondrej Jirec via IGreenSpot

SNS Project Inkwell Spark Concept

IDEO has come up with a revolutionary product that has been designed as a study tool for kids under the age of 12 years. It allows them to read, learn, collaborate and work the product is design is laptop style computing which has a special set of physical characteristics which facilitates the usage for children and allowing schools and parents alike, to support the system. Also it helps students to adjust to any given environment and learn during the same time. This is a very useful tool as students can learn in this faster compared to other mediums.

Text from IDEO :
Project Inkwell’s goal is to greatly increase the size and effectiveness of the K-12 education technology market by managing the synthesis of functional specifications for a ubiquitous computing platform. As a Project Inkwell partner, IDEO assisted by facilitating a group of experts in understanding and synthesizing the needs and desires of students, and by prototyping possible solutions. The results of this effort have been visualized in the Spark concept.

Spark allows students to learn anytime, anywhere. It provides students with a highly mobile device that supports collaboration and multimedia work through educational software. Wireless networking enables use of the internet as a learning space and a means of working with peers and mentors, and promotes the publishing and sharing of work. The configuration of Spark affords an endless number of personalization opportunities. The soft housing protects the Spark unit while providing a medium with which to convey a sense of group or individual identity. The housing and keyboard are inexpensive and can be easily replaced over the life of the device. Along with the full-function keyboard, the Spark housing provides storage for a hot-swappable spare battery and a Bluetooth mouse.
Designer : IDEO

SmartBook : Mobility Computing Device Concept

SmartBook the new mobility computing device designed by Roland Cernat is definitely a multi tasking instrument to the core. At the first look it looks like any laptop but on closer look one can see that it surely can be used more than just a laptop. On the back of the screen is the digital writing pad on which one can just scribble with the digital pen which is kept under the keyboard. The good thing about this device is that it can be customized or adapted as per individual and their abilities, a multi-functional computing device.




Designer : Roland Cernat

De-Stress Yourself with “Puch The Lighting” LED Light

When you are stressed with heavy workload, you need something to lighten your stress. So, here comes a new concept “Punch the Lighting” designed by a creative artist. Usually people take out their stress by hitting a punching bag. So, this is what you have to do with this. You do not have to hang this punching bag, just keep it somewhere in your room and start hitting as hard as you can to relieve the stress. Whenever you hit this bag, light will radiate and this concept will refresh your mind according to the designer. Let’s see how far people can do away with their anger and stress.




Designer : Jun Bum Park and Kim Jin Sook

Top 20 Best Gangster Movies

The gangster genre is one of the most popular in modern movies and some of the best film directors alive have produced some incredible ganster movies. In fact, on the Internet Movie Database, the number 1 ranked movie is the Godfather - out of all genres. Because there are so many great gangster films out there, this was a tough list to put together. Nevertheless, I have managed to round up what I consider to be the 20 greatest gangster movies of all time. As usual, if you don’t agree with my selections or ordering, post a comment and let us all know. So, without further ado, from good to amazing, here are the top 20 gangster movies of all time.

1. The Godfather Francis Ford Coppola, 1972


This was the easiest choice for me - the Godfather has to be number 1 because it is unparalleled in this genre (and virtually all others). Vito Corleone is the aging don (head) of the Corleone Mafia Family. His youngest son Michael has returned from WWII just in time to see the wedding of Connie Corleone (Michael’s sister) to Carlo Rizzi. All of Michael’s family is involved with the Mafia, but Michael just wants to live a normal life. Drug dealer Virgil Sollozzo is looking for Mafia Families to offer him protection in exchange for a profit of the drug money. He approaches Don Corleone about it, but, much against the advice of the Don’s lawyer Tom Hagen, the Don is morally against the use of drugs, and turns down the offer. This does not please Sollozzo, who has the Don shot down by some of his hit men. The Don barely survives, which leads his son Michael to begin a violent mob war against Sollozzo and tears the Corleone family apart.

Memorable Line: Don Corleone: I’m gonna make him an offer he can’t refuse.

2. Goodfellas Martin Scorsese, 1990

The lowly, blue-collar side of New York's Italian mafia is explored in this crime biopic of wiseguy Henry Hill. As he makes his way from strapping young petty criminal, to big-time thief, to middle-aged cocaine addict and dealer, the film explores in detail the rules and traditions of organized crime. Watching the rise and fall of Hill and his two counterparts, the slick jack-of-all-trades criminal Jimmy Conway and the brutish, intimidating Tommy DeVito, this true story realistically explores the core, blue-collar part of the mob.

Memorable Line: Henry Hill: [narrating] Anything I wanted was a phone call away. Free cars. The keys to a dozen hideout flats all over the city. I bet twenty, thirty grand over a weekend and then I'd either blow the winnings in a week or go to the sharks to pay back the bookies.


3. Cidade de Deus Fernando Meirelles, 2002

Brazil, 1960’s, City of God. The Tender Trio robs motels and gas trucks. Younger kids watch and learn well…too well. 1970’s: Li’l Zé has prospered very well and owns the city. He causes violence and fear as he wipes out rival gangs without mercy. His best friend Bené is the only one to keep him on the good side of sanity. Rocket has watched these two gain power for years, and he wants no part of it. Yet he keeps getting swept up in the madness. All he wants to do is take pictures. 1980’s: Things are out of control between the last two remaining gangs…will it ever end? Welcome to the City of God.

Memorable Line: Rocket: What should have been swift revenge turned into an all out war. The City of God was divided. You couldn’t go from one section the other, not even to visit a relative. The cops considered anyone living in the slum a hoodlum. People got used to living in Vietnam, and more and more volunteers signed up to die.


4. Mou gaan douWai Keung Lau, 2002

Shawn Yue plays a young police officer who has been sent undercover as a mole in the local mafia. Edison Chen plays a young mafia member who is infiltrating the police force. Years later, their older counterparts, Tony Leung and Andy Lau respectively, race against time to expose the mole within their midsts and destroy him. This is the film that lead to the Departed.

Memorable Line: Keung: Remember this, if you see someone doing something but at the same time watching you… then he is a cop.

5. Pulp Fiction Quentin Tarantino, 1994


Jules and Vincent work as hitmen for crime boss Marcellus Wallace. Wallace is currently dealing with Butch Collidge, a boxer who failed to throw a fight after taking Wallace’s money and is now planning to flee the city, but can’t leave his father’s watch behind. Vincent faces some problems of his own when Wallace asks him to show his wife Mia a good time while he’s away. Some of these people redeem themselves and some don’t, and all meet an end appropriate to their choices.

Memorable Line: Jimmie: I don’t need you to tell me how fucking good my coffee is, okay? I’m the one who buys it. I know how good it is. When Bonnie goes shopping she buys SHIT. Me, I buy the gourmet expensive stuff because when I drink it I want to taste it. But you know what’s on my mind right now? It AIN’T the coffee in my kitchen, it’s the dead nigger in my garage.

6. Du Rififi Chez les Hommes Jules Dassin, 1955


Tony Stephanois, just out of prison and angry at his girl Mado’s infidelity, decides to join his pals Jo and Mario in an ambitious crime. With Italian safe expert Cesar, they meticulously plan the burglary of a large jewelry establishment. Not a word is spoken as the crime is carried out. And then things begin to go wrong…

Memorable Line: Louise: You’re not the only one that had an unhappy childhood, there are millions like you, and, in my eyes, *they* are the tough ones, not you!


7. Once upon a time in America Sergio Leone, 1984


Epic, episodic, tale of the lives of a small group of New York City Jewish gangsters spanning over 40 years. Told mostly in flashbacks and flash-forwards, the movie centers on small-time hood David ‘Noodles’ Aaronson and his lifelong partners in crime; Max, Cockeye and Patsy and their friends from growing up in the rough Jewish neighborhood of New York’s Lower East Side in the 1920s, to the last years of Prohibition in the early 1930s, and then to the late 1960s where an elderly Noodles returns to New York after many years in hiding to look into the past.

Memorable Line: Noodles: I like the stink of the streets. It cleans out my lungs. And it gives me a hard-on.


8. Scarface Brian De Palma, 1983


An update of the 1932 film, Scarface (1983) follows gangster Tony Montana and his close friend Manny Ray from their trip on the Cuban Boat Lift for refugees to their arrival in Miami. After killing a powerful Cuban figure, Montana and company gain the ability to leave their refugee camps and roam around the U.S. After unsuccessfully trying to make it legitamately in the country, Montana and Ray resort to selling cocaine to dealers around the world. Tony’s rise is quick, but as he becomes more powerful, his enemies and his own paranoia begin to plague his empire.

Memorable Line: Tony Montana: Another Quaalude, and she’ll be mine again.


9. Carlito’s Way Brian De Palma, 1993


Carlito has just gotten out of prison due to technicalities with the help of his sleazy lawyer. After a life spent trafficking heroin he decides not to pursue the life of the streets. He buys into a night club and begins saving money to move to the Bahamas, but his presence as a known player makes it inevitable that he get sucked back into his violent former life.

Memorable Line: Carlito: Who the fuck are you? I should remember you? What, you think you like me? You ain’t like me motherfucker, you a punk. I’ve been with made people, connected people. Who’ve you been with? Chain snatching, jive-ass, maricon motherfuckers. Why don’t you get out of here and go snatch a purse.


10. White Heat Raoul Walsh, 1949


Cody Jarrett is the sadistic leader of a ruthless gang of thieves. Afflicted by terrible headaches and fiercely devoted to his ‘Ma,’ Cody is a volatile, violent, and eccentric leader. Cody’s top henchman wants to lead the gang and attempts to have an ‘accident’ happen to Cody, while he is running the gang from in jail. But Cody is saved by an undercover cop, who thereby befriends him and infiltrates the gang. Finally, the stage is set for Cody’s ultimate betrayal and downfall, during a big heist at a chemical plant.

Memorable Line: Cody Jarrett: Made it, Ma! Top of the world!

11. Reservoir DogsQuentin Tarantino, 1992


They were six strangers, assembled to pull off the perfect crime: Mr. White, a professional criminal; Mr. Orange, a young newcomer; Mr. Blonde, a trigger-happy killer; Mr. Pink, a paranoid neurotic; Mr. Brown; and Mr. Blue. Hired by mob boss Joe Cabot and given fake names so no one could identify the others, they thought there was no way their heist could have failed. But after a police ambush, killing Mr. Brown and seriously injuring Mr. Orange, the criminals return to their rendezvous point (a warehouse), and realize that one of them had to have been a police informant. But who?

Memorable Line: Mr. Pink: I don’t tip because society says I have to. All right, if someone deserves a tip, if they really put forth an effort, I’ll give them something a little something extra. But this tipping automatically, it’s for the birds. As far as I’m concerned, they’re just doing their job.


12. Snatch Guy Ritchie, 2000


Turkish, an unlicenced boxing promoter is pulled into trouble when he becomes involved in big time criminal Brick Top, who wants him to arrange a fight and fix it. Meanwhile, a diamond theft goes down but the 84 karat stone goes missing. This leads Avi, the boss who was supposed to receive the stone, to come to England to search for it, with the help of his cousin, Doug The Head and Bullet Tooth Tony. As events twist and turn, the two situations blend into one with a chain reaction of events carrying on for each and every character.

Memorable Line: Sol: You ain’t from this planet are you, Vincent? Who is gonna mug two black fellas, holding pistols, sat in a car that is worth less than your shirt?.


13. Casino Martin Scorsese, 1995


This Martin Scorsese film depicts the Janus-like quality of Las Vegas–it has a glittering, glamorous face, as well as a brutal, cruel one. Ace Rothstein and Nicky Santoro, mobsters who move to Las Vegas to make their mark, live and work in this paradoxical world. Seen through their eyes, each as a foil to the other, the details of mob involvement in the casinos of the 1970’s and ’80’s are revealed. Ace is the smooth operator of the Tangiers casino, while Nicky is his boyhood friend and tough strongman, robbing and shaking down the locals. However, they each have a tragic flaw–Ace falls in love with a hustler, Ginger, and Nicky falls into an ever-deepening spiral of drugs and violence.

Memorable Line: Ace Rothstein: No matter how big a guy might be, Nicky would take him on. You beat Nicky with fists, he comes back with a bat. You beat him with a knife, he comes back with a gun. And you beat him with a gun, you better kill him, because he’ll keep comin’ back and back until one of you is dead.


14. Mean Streets Martin Scorsese, 1973


In a series of character-led incidents set against the background of New York City’s Little Italy, we follow the life of Charlie, a small-time member of the wiseguy community who collects protection money. His friends Tony and Michael are part of the community, but his other friend Johnny Boy is unreliable and therefore must be shunned. Charlie’s secret girlfriend Teresa has epilepsy, and so must also be shunned. When Charlie’s uncle Giovanni offers him a restaurant - the first step up the ladder - Charlie is forced to choose between his desire for power, his love for Teresa and his duty to protect his friend Johnny Boy.

Memorable Line: Martin Scorsese: You don’t make up for your sins in church. You do it in the streets. You do it at home. The rest is bullshit and you know it.


15. Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels Guy Ritchie, 1998


Four Cockney wide-boys are tricked into owing 500,000 nicker to the local gang-land boss and porn king, ‘Hatchet’ Harry Lonsdale. With the very real threat of finger amputation looming over them the lads come up with a plan to nick the cash from their next-door neighbours: a gang of hardcase drug-dealers… Meanwhile, ‘Hatchet’ ain’t none too pleased when a pair of antique shotguns wot he wants are sold on by a pair of Scouse thieves, to be used in a “job”… The involvement of a conscientious debt-collector, some public school “chemists”, a psychotic hash-baron, a lot of guns and knives, ensures that karma is surrealistically resolved (just!) before the end credits roll.

Memorable Line: Eddie: Err, bad breath, colorful language, feather duster… what do you think they’re gonna be armed with? Guns, you tit!


16. The Departed Martin Scorsese, 2006


In South Boston, the state police force is waging war on Irish-American organized crime. Young undercover cop Billy Costigan is assigned to infiltrate the mob syndicate run by gangland chief Frank Costello. While Billy quickly gains Costello’s confidence, Colin Sullivan, a hardened young criminal who has infiltrated the state police as an informer for the syndicate, is rising to a position of power in the Special Investigation Unit. Each man becomes deeply consumed by his double life, gathering information about the plans and counter-plans of the operations he has penetrated. But when it becomes clear to both the mob and the police that there’s a mole in their midst, Billy and Colin are suddenly in danger of being caught and exposed to the enemy-and each must race to uncover the identity of the other man in time to save himself. But is either willing to turn on the friends and comrades they’ve made during their long stints undercover?

Memorable Line: Dignam: My theory on Feds is that they’re like mushrooms, feed ‘em shit and keep ‘em in the dark.


17. The Untouchables Brian De Palma, 1987


1920’s prohibition Chicago is corrupt from the judges downward. So in going up against Al Capone, Treasury agent Eliot Ness picks just two cops to help him and his accountant colleague. One is a sharp-shooting rookie, the other a seen-it-all beat man. The four of them are ready to battle Capone and his empire, but it could just be that guns are not the best way to get him.

Memorable Line: Capone: I want you to get this fuck where he breathes! I want you to find this nancy-boy Eliot Ness, I want him DEAD! I want his family DEAD! I want his house burned to the GROUND! I wanna go there in the middle of the night and I wanna PISS ON HIS ASHES!


18. Miller’s Crossing Coen Brothers, 1990


A highly styled ‘genre’ film which can perhaps be seen as a pastiche of all gangster movies. Tom Reagan is the laconic anti-hero of this amoral tale which is also, paradoxically, a look at morals within the criminal underworld of the 1930s. Two rival gangs vie for control of a city where the police are pawns, and the periodic busts of illicit drinking establishments are no more than a way for one gang to get back at the other. Black humour and shocking violence compete for screen time as we question whether or not Tom, right-hand man of the Irish mob leader, really has a heart.

Memorable Line: Tom Reagan: If you want me to keep my mouth shut, it’s gonna cost you some dough. I figure a thousand bucks is reasonable, so I want two.


19. Donnie Brasco Mike Newell, 1997


This true story follows FBI agent Joe Pistone as he infiltrates the mafia of New York. Befriending Lefty Ruggiero, Pistone (under the name Donnie Brasco) is able to embed himself in a mafia faction lead by Sonny Black. Ruggiero and Pistone become tight as the group goes about collecting money for ‘the bosses’. Eventually, the group become big time when Black himself becomes a boss, all the while Pistone collects evidence. However, the trials and tribulations of the undercover work become more than Pistone can bear. His marriage falls apart and to top it off, the mafia suspect a mole in the organization. The real dilemma is afforded to Pistone, who knows if he walks away from the mafia, Ruggiero will be the one punished.

Memorable Line: Lefty: How many times have I had you in my house? If you’re a rat, then I’m the biggest mutt in the history of the Mafia.


20. Road to Perdition Sam Mendes, 2002


Mike Sullivan works as a hit man for crime boss John Rooney. Sullivan views Rooney as a father figure. However after his son is witness to a killing he has done Mike Sullivan finds him self on the run trying to save the life of his son and at the same time looking for revenge on those who wronged him. Jude Law co stars as a hit man hired to kill Sullivan.

Memorable Line: John Rooney: What men do after work is what made us rich. No need to screw them at work as well.