Meow if you hate smoking

Smokers and nonsmokers alike have had their conciousness raised about the effects of secondhand smoke an humans. But, until now, no one had considered cats. A recent study in the american journal of epidermiology found that cats living with a smoker are twice as likely to develop lymphoma, the most common cancer in cats, as are those in smoke- free homes. Felines living with two smokers face four times the risk. Cats may be particularly affected by household smoke (including fireplace smoke) because they spend so much time indoors and because, when grooming, they ingest particles that have fallen on their fur. Aside from quiting, smokers can minimize the risk to their cats by keeping them out of rooms where people light up. Brushing or bathing the cats may also help.

Business ties: What's in the name?

Things were going well at your office meeting... Until you asked, “do we have a deal, john?” and the room fell silent. “Actually, the name's ken, and I’ll have to get back to you on that.”
Memory expert Bob Gray, author of right brain rapid recall, says memory is “absolutely trainable.”
1. “the first thing is to listen to the name,” says gray. “We’re often so pre occupied that we don’t actually hear it.”
2. after hearing the name, spell it out in your head, repeating it a few times to ingrain it on your brain.
3. If you hear an unusual name, inquire about its origins. The extra info will help make it more unforgettable.
4. Repeat their name during the conversation.
5. “Change the name to something that sounds like it but conjures up an image,” suggests gray. The Siller it is, the better it works. Thus “ken” becomes “can”. If ken is wearing a faudy tie, mentally replace it with a can of beans. If you can't remember his name, look at his tie and think of a can of beans.

Travel only like this

Tips for a great trip
Carry two credit cards separately. If one is stolen and the account is frozen, you can still feed and house yourself.
Don't pack more than you can lug up two flights of stairs.
Airline pillowcases usually aren't changed every flight. If this bothers you, bring your own.
Unless you're going to the tropics, pack gloves: Hands get cold on the most unexpected dates.
The International Association for Medical Assistance to Travelers has a directory of English-speaking doctors overseas who make office and hotel calls.
ATMs and computer systems can fail, so keep some cash on you. A faxed confirmation gets you into the hotel if the reservation system fails.
Bring film and spare camera batteries. Shopping for a special size where you don't speak the language is hard.

The High of Being Nice

Psychologists have long wondered what motivates people to be nice. Now American researches have found that cooperating with another persons activates the pleasure centers of the brain, the same parts that are stimulated by rewards like food or money. The scientists used magnetic resonance imaging to scan the brains of 36 women while they played the “prisoner's dilemma game,” a decades-old model for conflict and cooperation. Two players independently chose to either band together or defect. If they cooperated, they each earned $2; if both defected, each got $1. but if one cooperated and one defected, the defector was paid $3 and the cooperator got nothing. The researcher found that most of the time the women chose to cooperate. Whenever they did work together, the scientist could see stimulation in two parts of the brain associated with the pleasure. “this suggests that people find it rewarding to cooperate with each other”, says neuro scientist Greggory berns,”mutual small acts of kindness really do make you feel better”.

Communication is the Key to Success

Effective conversation is the one which reflects a person's confidence, clarity of thoughts and depths of knowledge. I agree that in the present world of cut-throat competition, good communication skills prove to be one of the basic pre-requisites of success. A person who is proficient in reading, writing and speaking fluent English definitely has an edge over his competitors. Globalization and liberalization have created demand for the persons who have internationally accepted levels of English language skills. Gone are the days when a simple graduate or postgraduate degree ensured a good job. Today, besides basic qualification, good communication skill is not simply desired but essential. Command over language along with confidence can accentuate one's personality and ensure greater professional success.