complete encyclopedia

Always Loving You

2011-02-13T23:37:00.001+05:00

In my heart I keep
the sparkle of your eyes
the tender warmth of your smile
the small tilt of your head
the delicate curves of your soft body
and I dream of holding you close
caring for you, protecting you
and loving you always.

You Are the One...

2011-02-13T23:20:00.003+05:00

You Are The One
If I could save time in a bottle
the first thing that
I'd like to do
is to save every day 'til eternity passes away
just to spend them with you
If I could make days last forever
If words could make wishes come true
I'd save every day like a treasure and then
again I would spend them with you
If I had a box just for wishes
and dreams that had never come true
the box would be empty except for the
memories of how they were answered by you
But there never seemsto be enough time to do the
things you want once you find them
I've looked around enough to know that
you're the one I want to go through time with
I hid you for a long time
the way a branch hides its
slowly ripening fruit among leaves,
and like a flower crystal of ice
on a winter window
you open in my mind.

When I Think of Love

2011-02-13T23:11:00.003+05:00

When I think of love ...

I think of roses and red hearts ...

quiet walks ...

and very soft, tranquil music ...

I envision an eagle taking flight on a crisp fall morn ...

the first snowflake in the winter ...

and the sound of the first robin in the spring ...

I envision a glorious sunrise ...

a spectacular rainbow ...

and stars brightly shining on a summer night ...

But most of all, I envision you ...

your eyes radiating warmth, joy and vibrance ...

and the tender feelings in my heartfrom your friendly smile.

I Miss you terribly this day of Love

2011-02-13T21:58:00.002+05:00

I miss you terribly this day of Love

Miss you with a wound that stabs and aches.

I see the love around me, and it takes

So much strength simply just to move.

Soon, soon, my love, this waiting will be done.

You and I will have what we desire.

On days like this we'll sit beside the fire,

Undoing all the pain of days long gone.

Valentine's Day is a day of Love

2011-02-13T21:53:00.004+05:00

Valentine's Day is a day of Love

Where love is as bright as the sun With people we call our loved onesUnrequited love is oh! so harsh

When the one you love doesn't love youYou feel you're left standing in the dark

Wishing this reality were untrue

Well that's why Valentine's Day is so greatIt encourages you to show you careIt makes you just wanna say

I love you and will always be thereI once loved someone in this way

And I was encouraged on Valentine's

I went up to him, just to say I would like you to be mine

Only Love

2011-02-13T21:50:00.004+05:00

Only Love

Love can sometimes be fresh.Love can sometimes be new.
Love can sometimes make you happy.
And sometimes make you blue.
Love is the light that radiates from your eyes.
Love is your image floating in the skies.
Love is true.And darling, the only love for me is you.

Happy Valentine's Day

2011-02-13T21:40:00.005+05:00

Can We Be The Best of Lovers?"

"Can we be the best of lovers, not just friends? Just like in a romantic movie where strangers

fall in love before the picture ends.

And like the two lovers upon the silver screen, i hope out friendship turns into reality, not just a dream. and before the film

fades to black and the final curtain falls, my heart and soul want so

much to believe, that we too can become the best of lovers before we leave

But, I am well aware even a wise man, can delude himself and self deceive

So, here's hoping my wish is granted before the reel comes to it's end and that we

too can become, the best of lovers, not just friends?

Chocolate Vacations

2011-02-10T14:40:00.009+05:00

Switzerland

Fourteen chocolate factories have been founded in Switzerland in the past two centuries. The Swiss eat more chocolate per capital than any other country in the world, and this sign is apparent in the crowd of chocolate stores found throughout the country, particularly in Geneva. To get to the heart of things, visit Al prose Schoko’s working factory and museum in Lugano-Caslano, which covers 3,000 years of chocolate olden times and offers samples of the company’s latest research and development.

Italy

Torino (Turin), considered the birthplace of solid chocolate, is said to have as many chocolates as Belgium and France shared. The city’s twelve-monthly chocolate festival draws 700,000 visitors who consume more than 60,000 pounds of the objects. Many hotels offer packages that include chocolate tours, a visit to the various artisan producers in the city and a spree to the close by countryside. About 340 miles south in Perugia, the Perugia Chocolate Factory produces the famed Baci chocolate kisses. The company runs a chocolate school inside its factory.

Paris

From the chocolate macaroons by well-known patisserie chef Pierre Hermé to the chocolate masks by Joséphine Vannier, Paris may be the world’s chocolate capital. Le Salon du Chocolate, a traveling trade show for chocolate, begins every October in Paris and then travels to London, New York, Moscow, Tokyo and Shanghai. The vendors ply attendees with every variety of chocolate conceivable. Highlights of the two-day event include a “chocolate opera” and a fashion show in which the dresses must be ripe.

Argentina

About 10 miles from Iguazu Falls, the Iguazú Grand Hotel in Puerto Iguazu City, Argentina, has a health spa with a dedicated chocolate therapy menu. Cacao treatments include baths, wraps, massage, masks and pungent therapy. The full chocolate treatment includes a body polishing with grated cocoa beans, a chocolate facial mask, a relaxing chocolate immersion bath and a massage with chocolate-scented oils.

Birmingham, England

Cadbury World in Birmingham, England, is a visitor’s center dedicated to the makers of Cadbury Crème eggs and the Cadbury Flake. It offers a self-guided tour through 14 zones that tell the story of chocolate and the Cadbury business. You won’t find a factory tour, but you will find the world’s biggest Cadbury shop.

Tips for Working Multiple Jobs

2011-02-07T15:53:00.003+05:00

Whether for money or experience, 17 percent of Americans work more than one job, according to the BLS. There is much to be gained from taking on a second job. Besides the obvious monetary rewards, second jobs can boost your credentials and possibly lead you down the path to a new career.
Embrace Your Inner Nerd and Expand Your Network Besides beefing up your résumé, you're putting yourself out there to meet more potential clients for when you fly solo in the future. If you're an all-around computer genius, you could turn your expertise into income by working as the "go-to" guy or girl for computer advice and maintenance. Companies like Best Buy are looking for people with technology know-how for their 24-hour support task groups, which help folks figure out everything from surviving a crash to finding the "on" button.
Try Retail's Flexible Hours on For Size
If you're a stay-at-home parent or looking for a way to add a little extra income to the household budget to help defray expenses, you may want to consider spending a little time working in retail. In addition to flexible hours and extra money, the store discount can be a big bonus, especially if it's a place where everyone in your family shops. Some retail companies even offer a discount at their affiliate stores, leaving you with a break on your bills and a bulge in your bank account.
Start Some Engines and Watch Your Hobby Turn Into Cash
A lot of people are automotive enthusiasts, but if you have more than admiration and can actually turn the hunk of parts in your garage into something amazing, you may want to polish your skills by doing some detail work for other motorists. From vintage Vespas to classic cars, there are a lot of people out there who could use your knowledge on auto repair or where to find the best parts at the best price If you create enough recognition for yourself, your labors of love could turn into a secondary income and offer you a break from the office.
Some Tips on Working a Second JoB

Make sure: your current employer has no policies against moonlighting and that your second employer understands you also are working at another full-time job.
Be sure: you understand exactly what hours you will be working and what responsibilities you will have. You don't want to sign on for a 6 to 9 p.m. shift only to find out that you really won't be getting out until after 11 p.m.
Don't let work take over your life: You'll burn out fast. Taking on extra hours or covering someone's shift occasionally is fine. But if you over schedule yourself, your performance at your primary position will suffer.
Plan ahead: A little time off for vacation or holidays gets tricky if you're working double time, but it doesn't have to be a disaster if you communicate things in advance.

Beat Your Body's Fat Traps

2011-02-07T15:44:00.002+05:00

Women's bodies are designed to stubbornly hang on to fat, possibly to maintain their ability to reproduce. Exercise may trigger other defense mechanisms. When sedentary overweight women exercised for over an hour 4 days in a row, levels of appetite hormones changed in ways that are likely to stimulate eating.
But here's the good news: You're not destined to succumb to your body's stay-fat traps. While half of new exercisers in the UK study ate more, the rest showed no signs of feeling hungrier, ate 130 fewer calories a day, and lost more than 4 times as much weight during the 12-week study. The first step is to know what you're up against—working out doesn't entitle you to eat whatever you want. Next, you need a smart exercise plan that curbs your hunger, coupled with an eating plan that fuels your workouts, not your appetite, so you don't take in calories you just burned off.
Need some motivation? We've got 3 reasons to get off the couch.
Easy-Does-It Exercise
When it comes to workouts that fight hunger, less may be better—at least in the beginning. In a Louisiana State University study, researchers discovered that overweight women who did an average of 60 minutes of easy exercise 3 times a week lost less weight than expected based on their calorie burn, probably because they ate more, says Tim Church, MD, PhD, director of the Laboratory of Preventive Medicine at Louisiana State University's Pennington Biomedical Research Center. Those who did an average of 25 or 45 minutes of exercise 3 times a week dropped more weight, showing that they did not compensate for their workouts.
At Home Fitness
That's why our 6-week plan (below) starts with short, moderate-intensity workouts. Then you'll build up to longer, more vigorous routines to help keep pounds off over the long haul. You'll also practice yoga, which has been shown to diminish binge eating by 51%. Experts suspect that yoga may help by increasing body awareness, so you're more sensitive to feeling full and less likely to mindlessly stuff yourself.
Curb-Your-Appetite orkout Plan
After 6 weeks, you can maintain this level of activity if you're satisfied with your results. To lose more weight or bust a plateau, continue to increase your moderate workouts up to 60 mintues total and the interval workouts up to 45 minutes total.

Modern Technology Serve-you-not-the-Other

2011-02-07T15:33:00.003+05:00

We have too many communication devices that must be checked regularly for messages. Constant interaction with technology can put unwanted strain on our relationships. Our techno tools can be dangerous, because they divert our attention from other more important tasks, e.g. driving or crossing the street.

It's all too easy to send/forward messages to the wrong person, potentially causing job or relationship problems.
"Make modern technology serve you, not the other way around "
Similarly, computer games serve as a temporary -- and habit-forming -- escape from life's problems. The Internet creates new and frightening opportunities for credit card and identity theft. Other unintended personal information can end up on the web, on social networking sites, or worst of all on YouTube. Technology allows for greater personal and professional isolation. These are just a few of the problems we encounter on the new technology frontier. How can we partake of the latest advances in communication while keeping the stress they create down to a dull roar? Here are some ideas:

Limit the number of people who have access to all of your contact information by designating some of your techno tools as "work only."

Limit the number of people who have access to all of your contact information by designating some of your techno tools as "work only."

Don't send out critical correspondence when you are overly tired, stressed or in a rush.

When composing a sensitive communication, don't send it out immediately. Instead save, re-read, and edit it as necessary, because once it's sent, you can't take it back.

Don't spend too much time without real human contact. No amount of correspondence can take the place of real face-to-face interaction with family, friends and business associates.

Rethink your use of techno tools if they begin to put unwanted strain on any of your important relationships, be they personal or professional.

Avoid letting "net-surfing" or computer games become escapes from life's problems. As with other unhealthy escapes, e.g. substance abuse or overspending, the problems will still be there when reality hits, which it inevitably will.
In sum, our techno tools are powerful devices that can either be used to help or to hinder us. So please exercise good common sense with these amazing devices; When used properly, they can open up a whole new world of possibilities, personally and professionally.

Interseting Places of India

2011-02-03T21:49:00.004+05:00

Two decorated elephants at HAW Mahal (Palace of winds) Jaipur , Rajhistan

No matter where you travel around the world, big cities and popular tourist attractions are likely to be expensive. But if you don’t mind skipping the lap of luxury, you can visit an exotic location for very little money.

The most expensive part of a trip to India is getting there. After that, costs are stunningly low. On average, a traveler’s daily expenses are lower than anywhere else in the world. A beer will cost about $1.25, a budget hotel room $10 or less, a meal $2 and a cup of tea literally pennies. With

incredible scenery, history and culture, plus a wide variety of attractions, India is our top recommendation for travel on the cheap.

Nepal (Prayer Flags)

Travel costs are a little higher here than in neighboring India you’ll pay approximately $2.14 for a beer but seldom by much. You can find budget accommodations for less than $5, and the same amount will feed you for a day. If you’re here for the famed trekking and mountaineering experiences, long jaunts cost a pittance. You can trek without porters or guides on $7, but even an organized expedition certainly recommended for the higher elevations will set you back as little as $25/day.

Worst Things to Say at Work

2011-02-03T21:37:00.004+05:00

“That’s not my job.”

If somebody comes to you with an issue, there’s probably a reason. It might be your responsibility to deal with it or your input is valued. Either way, use the situation to prove you’re a team player and a problem solver. Plus, it pays to earn some good office karma because you never know when you’ll need help from other colleagues

“Yeah, no problem.” (If you don’t mean it.)

If you take on a task with a smile but have no intention of actually completing it, you’re going to earn a reputation as an unreliable person. If you know you can’t or won’t complete the project, be honest about it. Your colleagues are relying on you, so your decision not to follow through impacts their jobs, too.

“Don’t tell anyone I said this, but … ”

If it’s really a secret, keep it to yourself. Whether you know someone’s about to get fired or what the boss’ salary is, you’re going to get credit for spreading the news. You’re not exempt from being the subject of office chatter, either. Don’t expect your gossip-loving co-worker to suddenly have tight lips when it comes to divulging your secrets.

“It’s not my fault.”

When your boss comes to you with a problem, the last thing you want to do is to deflect blame to someone else. Maybe it isn’t your fault, but remember that you’re not in a courtroom and nobody’s looking for the culprit right now. All that matters is making sure the problem is solved and doesn’t happen again. You can deal with the real issue later, but you’ll just make yourself look worse if you spend more time finger-pointing than problem solving.

“To be honest with you … ”

First, any time this phrase is used, you know something negative is going to follow. More important is the message it sends to others. “Does this colleague have to identify when he or she is being honest with you? When that phrase is not used, should you then doubt the integrity of the statement?”

“I just didn’t have enough time for that.”

In case you didn’t realize, everybody’s pretty busy these days. When your boss asks you to do something, chances are it’s not really an option. If your main concern is accomplishing the task on time, Lampton suggests you explain the situation. Mention how busy your schedule is but that you can accommodate the request if some other projects are rearranged. You’ll show that you take each assignment seriously and only want to turn in your best work.

“. . . or else.”

Giving anyone in the office an ultimatum rarely ends in success. Whether you say it to a colleague or your new intern, you’ll only gain enemies and earn a reputation for being difficult. If cordial requests don’t work and threats are the only way to get things done in the office, you need to re-evaluate your work environment.

Interesting Tips For Giving Feedback at Job

2011-02-03T21:04:00.005+05:00

Say this

"I noticed that you've missed a few deadlines lately." Not that: "You seem disinterested in your work lately." When giving feedback, it's important to focus on an employee's specific behavior, not the impression you had of it. Focusing on the specific behavior that led to that impression opens up the door to have a clear discussion about the reasons why, rather than making the employee feel judged, alienated or confused.

Say this

"You were effective when you ..." or, "You could've been more effective when you ..." Not that: "Good job." In other words, feedback that is generic and vague is also useless. Focusing on specific actions has two major benefits: It prevents employees from taking the feedback personally, and it also helps them understand what they should do -- or not do -- in the future.

Say this

"I'd like to offer you some feedback on this report, is that OK with you?" Not that: "Your report was ..." Whenever possible, request to give feedback. Not only will your employees appreciate the gesture, but they'll be more likely to take the feedback into consideration and apply it to try to improve.

Say this

"Your presentation was extremely well-researched. Here's where it could've been stronger ..." Not that: "The research you used in your presentation was a little weak in some areas." Preface with the positive. Point out what the employee is doing well before delving into areas for improvement.

Say this

"Tell me, what was your understanding of what I asked you to do?" Not that: "You seem to have misunderstood what I asked you to do." There's that assumption creeping back in again, which does little to open up an honest, productive conversation.

Cheapest Destinations for Tourists

2011-02-03T20:54:00.007+05:00

Morocco

Two of the biggest places in Morocco the beaches and the markets are free. Everything else is pretty cheap: An inexpensive hotel room will cost you around $25, while you can sip Morocco’s famed mint tea for 65 cents (a beer costs more, about $3.23). To travel between cities, take the trains, which are fast, frequent and cheap: The 300-mile journey from Tangier to Marrakech will set you back only around $2

Mexico

Most Americans should stay away from the border areas, where drug-related violence has been on the rise. But tourists who choose to avoid the country altogether are missing out on great deals and inexpensive travel opportunities. Visit the safer areas, 100 miles or so south of the U.S. border, and for the cheapest trip, steer clear of resort towns. You’ll find beer for $1.50 and admission to archaeological sites for about $3

Bulgaria

Prices in Bulgaria have risen since 2007, when the country joined the European Union, but it’s still an outstanding bargain compared with Europe as a whole. This is especially true if you steer clear of the capital, Sofia; besides, the soul of Bulgaria lies in its lovely small towns and villages. If the sands call, though, Bulgaria’s Black Sea coast is one of the cheapest places to enjoy a sunny beach resort. A beer will cost you about $1.30 here, and a bottle of decent wine can be had for as little as $3.50.

Poland

Europe is generally not a cheap place to visit, except for Eastern Europe — but in recent years even this region has become expensive. Fortunately for travelers, Poland is about the cheapest place you can go in Europe. A beer here will cost you as little as $1, a burger around $3 and a cup of coffee $3.50. Travel costs will likely rise here before long, and Poland is expected to adopt the euro within a few years, so now’s the time to go.

Indonesia

If you’re willing to live as the locals do, Indonesia can be wonderfully inexpensive. A beer will cost you around $1.65, but you can eat for pennies by subsisting on the Indonesian staple: rice, grown in the nation’s lovely terraced rice fields, which often are tourist attractions in their own right. If you choose to go more of a gourmet route, a seafood dinner with drinks might cost as much as $10. Indonesia is a vast nation of more than 17,000 islands, so if you want to see much of it, you’ll likely get to know the ferry system, through which you can ride from Java to Kalimantan for just $18.

Diet that Works

2011-02-01T13:45:00.006+05:00

Schedule Sweat Sessions

It’s obvious advice, but it works. Exercise can help you lose weight by burning calories, increasing metabolism, and warding off cravings. Italian researchers found that overweight women who made no changes to their eating habits but participated in a 12-week indoor cycling program of three 1-hour sessions per week reported weight loss, fat loss, smaller waist sizes, and increased muscle mass after 24 and 36 sessions. The women also lowered their resting and training heart rates and improved cardio-respiratory fitness.

Pick Petite Plates

If you can decrease the amount of food you currently eat by 25 percent, you would quickly see the pounds come off. Try using smaller plates and taller glasses in order to give the appearance of bigger portions.” When you’ve finished eating, leave your dainty dinnerware where you can see it.

Take Time-outs.

To keep your body moving—and burning calories—throughout the day, taking a mini break every 15 minutes. “It reminds you to stretch, take care of your back, do some exercise bursts, be present, and have fun. You can take as little as 30 seconds or as long as 5 minutes. Just get up off your rear end, stretch, go get some water, pull in your stomach, rearrange something on your desk or in your home, and stand on your tippy toes.” To schedule your breaks, try setting a timer. This free tool lets you pick your own sound—like a round of applause—to signal that it’s time to get up and move.

Don’t Skimp on Sleep

“Sleep deprivation causes fatigue, clumsiness, and weight gain,” says Carrie Wiatt, owner of Diet Designs, a Los Angeles–based nutritional counseling firm. Sleep deprivation has the power to slow down your metabolism, increase your appetite, and throw your body’s hunger and satiety hormones out of whack. Of more than 68,000 middle–age women who slept for less than 5 hours each night were 32 percent more likely to gain 33 pounds.

When in Doubt, Delay

Here’s one way procrastination can work in your favor. “If carb cravings are haunting you, just delay,” Bennett suggests. “In other words, look at your watch and promise yourself that for the next 10 to 15 minutes, you won’t give in to your cravings. During that time, you could go to the restroom, wash the dishes, or call a friend.” You’ll give yourself a chance to figure out what your body really wants or needs—maybe a glass or water, a protein-rich snack, an energizing walk, or even a laugh.

Beautiful Beaches around the World

2011-01-31T23:24:00.014+05:00

Glass Beach, Mendocino, Calif

Glass Beach near Fort Bragg is a happy ending to a sad beginning. In the 1940s, this beach was a public dumping ground where people threw everything from household trash to old cars. After finally being protected, the waves took over and ground remnants of discarded glass into polished, shining treasures. No souvenirs allowed, though — take only pictures.

Papakōlea Beach, Big Island, Hawaii

Only two beaches in the U.S. have green sand, and one of them is on the Big Island of Hawaii, near South Point. (The other is in Guam.) Papakōlea Beach is accessible only to the most adventurous travelers, thanks to a rutted and rugged road more than two hours from the nearest resort area on the Kohola Coast. If you want to see green sand, caused by the olivine mineral particles common in Hawaiian lava, it’s worth the effort.

Pink Sands Beach, Harbour Island, Bahamas

The three-mile stretch of pink sand gets its unusual color from microscopic shelled organisms called foraminifera, crushed coral and shells. The beach is 50 to 100 feet wide and is protected by a reef that makes it a favorite with swimmers.

Whitehaven Beach, Whitsunday Islands, Australia

Whitehaven Beach’s breathtaking sand and brilliant aquamarine water make it one of the most photographed beaches in the world. Located in the heart of the Great Barrier Reef, Whitehaven has been named Queensland’s friendliest and cleanest beach, if you need additional incentive to plan a visit.

Boulders Beach, Cape Peninsula, South Africa

On this scenic boulder-strewn beach near Simon's Town, you can hear the braying of irresistible jackass penguins before you see them. The colony of African penguins has grown to nearly 3,000 from a single breeding pair in 1982, and can be seen frolicking in the still waters of the protected bay.

Operating System

2011-01-29T19:30:00.005+05:00

Operating system is a core set of programs that control and supervise the hardware of a computer and provides services of a computer. Operating system tells the computer how to interact with the user and how to use devices such as Disks, Keyboard , Mouse and Printer.

The purpose of Operating system is to remove the task for managing hardware for the more efficient use of the computer resources from user to computer and to provide an interface between hardware a user or an appliction program.

The Operating system commonly used in UNIX , OS/2 , MS-DOS , Macintosh and Windows

Operating System Types

As computers have progressed and developed so have the operating systems. Below is a basic list of the different operating systems and a few examples of operating systems that fall into each of the categories. Many computer operating systems will fall into more than one of the below categories:

GUI - Short for Graphical User Interface

A GUI Operating System contains graphics and icons and is commonly navigated by using a computer mouse. See the GUI definition for a complete definition. Below are some examples of GUI Operating Systems.

System 7.x
Windows 98
Windows CE

Multi-User

A multi-user operating system allows for multiple users to use the same computer at the same time and different times. Below are some examples of multi-user operating systems.

Linux
Unix
Windows 2000

Multiprocessing

An operating system capable of supporting and utilizing more than one computer processor. Below are some examples of multiprocessing operating systems.

Linux
Unix
Windows 2000

Multitasking

An operating system that is capable of allowing multiple software processes to run at the same time. Below are some examples of multitasking operating systems.

Unix
Windows 2000

Multi-threading

Operating systems that allow different parts of a software program to run concurrently. Operating systems that would fall into this category are:

Linux
Unix
Windows 2000

Weird World Wonders

2011-01-27T16:24:00.007+05:00

Mono Lake, California

They say that truth is stranger than fiction — and you could argue just as strongly that Mother Nature comes up with much more bizarre stuff than we ever could. Here are just a few of Earth's weirder wonders.

Just getting to Mono Lake, near the Nevada border, means an eerily isolated drive through ghost-town country. But the lake takes weirdness to another level: Rising from the surface are gnarled spires of limestone called tufa towers. Normally an underwater feature, the formations have become visible since water diversions began shrinking the lake in 1951.

White Desert, Egypt

Western Egypt's White Desert gets its name from the chalk that whitewashes the place. Besides making the Sahara settlement look virtually snowed under, the chalk stands tall in formations that have been battered by sandstorms into unbelievable shapes — mushrooms, spires, pinnacles and anvils.

The Chocolate Hills, Philippines

The island of Bohol is home to hundreds and hundreds of closely clustered limestone domes called the Chocolate Hills because of their carpet of grass, which turns brown in the dry season. Scientists aren’t sure how they formed, but hopefully it wasn’t due to a giant water buffalo that got a bad case of food poisoning, as one local legend holds.

Bonneville Salt Flats, Utah

If you think the Great Salt Lake is salty, head a little ways west and checks out the Bonneville. This 30,000-acre area is encrusted with a layer of salt up to five feet thick, the leftovers from a Pleistocene-era lake that covered parts of three states. It's estimated that the salt flats hold 147 million tons of salt, enough to keep your shaker filled for quite awhile.

Shilin, China

Shilin translates to “stone forest,” and this set of karst formations in southwestern China’s Yunnan Province really does look like a forest of stone. The stone pinnacles, some of which reach nearly 100 feet toward the sky, are believed to be more than 270 million years old. Visiting after sunset is an especially unearthly experience.

Split Apple Rock, New Zealand

Remarkable rock formations are plentiful in Abel Tasman National Park on New Zealand's South Island, but none is weirder than Split Apple Rock, rising from the water of Tasman Bay. The giant boulder has been broken in two pieces so cleanly that it’s almost as if a giant hit it with an ax.

World Underground Attractions

2011-01-27T16:13:00.007+05:00

Secret Subway Station, New York

Curved arches, exquisite tiling, skylights — in a New York City subway station? Savvy riders have found that if they stay on the No. 6 train after its final stop in lower Manhattan, they can view the lovely City Hall Station as the train makes its turnaround to go uptown. The Transit Museum also occasionally runs tours.

Colosseum, Rome

One of the world’s newest underground experiences — the tour debuted in October 2010 — is a place where no one went enthusiastically two millennia ago: the underground chambers of Rome’sColosseum. It was here, after all, that slaves were kept before being forced to fight for their lives in front of enthusiastic audiences.

Churchill War Rooms, London

This secret command center, used by the British Cabinet during World War II, was set in the cellar of London's Treasury Building. Abandoned after the war, it was rediscovered in the 1970s by historians who were stunned to find everything in it practically intact since August 1945. It’s a superb museum today.

Titan Missile Museum, Sahuarita, Ariz.

The only outstanding Titan missile silo still has a defanged missile in its launch duct. Visitors to this museum can view it, along with a control room in which everything is mounted on springs to reduce spoil should a missile land nearby. If you plan well in advance you can appeal to bunk here overnight, just feet away from the warhead.

Wieliczka Salt Mine, near Krakow, Poland

A UNESCO World Heritage Site, this nine-story hole in the ground is home to superb statues, bas relief and full chapels carved out of salt by miners over the centuries. The mine goes down nearly 1,000 feet and includes a massive salt lake at its heart.

The Most Humble Man in Sport

2011-01-27T14:31:00.013+05:00

Lionel Messi

There are perhaps two candidates for the title of world's greatest current footballer. One is the swaggering, arrogant Cristiano Ronaldo, and the other is a man you might walk past in the car park.

Lionel Messi's sublime skills are balanced by modesty and humility. You're as likely to catch him chatting to Barcelona's kit man as out at a fancy restaurant, and when he recently won the Ballon d'Or player of the year title for the second successive year, he said the best thing about the night was being there with his two Barcelona teammates, fellow nominees Xavi and Iniesta.

Wayne Gretzky

Ice hockey star Wayne Gretzky is generally regarded as the greatest player in the history of the NHL. He is the only NHL player to total over 200 points (goals plus assists) in a single season.

But despite his massive talent, Gretzky was never less than a team player. When he retired in 1999, his statement made no mention of his individual achievements, legend though they were, but only of his love for the sport. His charity work continues to this day.

Ryan Giggs

Fans of other teams may scoff, but another Manchester United player surely deserves a place in any list of humble footballers.

Ryan Giggs has a list of achievements as long as his arm, and early in his career looked to be going down the David Beckham road to international fame. But then he switched lanes, shunning parties and celebrity girlfriends and focusing on football.

In 2007 he married his long-term partner in a ceremony notable for the absence of OK! And Hello! Magazines and today he lives quietly in Salford - where his two children were born - rather than in the mock Tudor splendors of the Cheshire football belt.

Drew Brees

Drew Brees, quarterback for the New Orleans Saints, was recently voted Sports Illustrated sportsman of the year. That was for a wonderful season on the pitch - Brees led the Saints to their first Super Bowl title in February 2010 - and a truly inspirational one off it.

Brees joined the Saints just after Hurricane Katrina in 2006, and was moved by the plight of the battered city. Since then his foundation has worked with nearly 50 New Orleans schools and organizations to aid in recovery.

Paul Scholes

Compared to some of his more stellar contemporaries, it's easy to forget the humble family man who retired from international football in 2004 and won't do a media interview unless Manchester United make him. Paul Scholes is a one-club player who has never agitated for a move and doesn't even employ an agent.

Scholes has a touch of steel about him - some of his two-footed tackles leave a lot to be desired - but in a world full of celebrity footballers, he is a man of immense talent and few pretensions.

10 Stocks for Global Investors

2011-01-25T16:07:00.004+05:00

The best way to participate in the growth of emerging economies may be to hold blue-chip multinational companies -- no matter where they are based.

"Where a stock is listed is becoming almost irrelevant," says Sarah Ketterer, co-manager of Causeway Global Value Fund (CGVIX).

At Causeway and elsewhere, money managers and analysts who spent careers following U.S. banks, airlines or drug-makers now scour the globe for the most compelling companies at the most attractive prices.

"To make good stock decisions, you'd better have a global perspective," says Bob Turner, co-manager of Turner Core Growth Fund (TTMEX).

What matters is not where a company is headquartered but where it generates its revenues and profits, and where its growth opportunities lie. Tobacco giant Philip Morris International is based in New York City but generates 100% of its sales abroad. Teva Pharmaceutical Industries (TEVA, news), the world's biggest seller of generic drugs, has its headquarters in Israel but books most of its sales in the United States and Europe.

We assembled a list of 10 companies -- five based in the United States and five overseas -- that are global leaders in their industries. In addition to strong profitability, finances and management, we sought businesses with bright growth prospects, which in several cases stem from exposure to emerging markets. The stocks may not be cheap but are trading at prices that appear attractive relative to the companies' commanding market positions and business prospects.

Denmark

Peter Baughan, co-manager of the Harding Loevner Global Equity Fund (HLMVX) identifies companies that tap into long-term-growth themes. He's found one such theme in diabetes, a disease that is reaching epidemic proportions worldwide. Baughan's play on this disease is Novo Nordisk (NVO, news), the leader in diabetes care with just over half of the global market for insulin.

By the end of this decade, half of all adult Americans will be diabetic or pre-diabetic unless they change their diets and lose weight, according to UnitedHealth Group. The incidence of diabetes is also exploding in India and China, where diets and lifestyles are shifting abruptly as incomes rise.

Unlike its diversified competitors in the synthetic-insulin business, Novo Nordisk benefits from its laser focus on diabetes. It plows 15% of annual sales into research, which leads to contraptions such as pen-delivery systems for insulin and new drugs such as Victoza, a once-a-day insulin shot that also promotes weight loss.

Japan

The grim economic news from Japan makes it easy to forget that the country is home to many manufacturers of innovative, high-quality products. Canon (CAJ, news), a world leader in printers, copiers, high-end cameras and semiconductor-making equipment, exemplifies Japan's prowess in precision engineering and product miniaturization.

With a powerful global brand, Canon generates about 80% of its sales outside of Japan. Rob Taylor, co-manager of the Oakmark Global Fund (OAKGX), notes that 30% of Canon's revenue comes from royalties (every Hewlett-Packard laser printer uses Canon technology) and products, such as ink cartridges, that customers buy repeatedly.

Canon has $9 billion of cash on its balance sheet and no debt. The Tokyo company has been repurchasing shares -- unusual for a Japanese company. By Taylor's calculation, Canon sells at a steep discount to his estimate of its true worth. In addition, the stock yields 2.5%.

Germany

When you combine superb engineering with ruthless cost cutting, you create a formidable competitor. That's the story of venerable Siemens (SI, news), a lumbering giant no more.

"Siemens is going through the greatest transformation since the beginning of the company, 163 years ago," says David Marcus, the manager of Evermore Global Value Fund (EVGIX).

Siemens' decision to reduce head count, close plants and exit businesses in which it's not the No. 1 or No. 2 player accelerated when Peter Löscher became the chief executive in 2007. "Löscher makes changes, not excuses," says Marcus. Productivity and profit margins are surging, and earnings are up despite modest sales growth.

Siemens is a global force in industrial-automation, power-generation and transportation equipment. In the quarter that ended Sept. 30, the company landed orders to supply Amtrak with 70 locomotives and to build a steel mill in Brazil and a power plant in India. Siemens also has important businesses in medical equipment, auto electronics and lighting.

Over the past five years, revenues from emerging markets have risen from 19% to 30% of sales (Germany accounts for 15% of Siemens's business). The company is focusing its expansion efforts on Asia.

Mexico

If you're a purveyor of food, beverages, toothpaste or shampoo, developing nations are where the growth is. You can tap into that demand with Coca-Cola(KO, news), which blankets the globe. Or you can focus on fast-growing Latin American countries by investing in Coca-Cola Femsa (KOF, news), the largest bottler of Coca-Cola products outside the United States.

"Coke Femsa is a great way to play consumer spending in emerging markets," says Evermore's Marcus.

Coca-Cola Femsa, 32% owned by Coca-Cola, already dominates in Mexico, whose citizens drink 60% more Coke beverages per capita than do Americans. The big growth opportunities are in fast-growing markets such as Brazil, Colombia and Panama, where Femsa is deploying surplus cash from Mexico to attract the young, fast-growing populations with the new-found wherewithal to buy brand-name beverages.

The bottler, which accounts for 10% of Coca-Cola's global volume, recently entered a joint venture with the Atlanta company to sell juices and sports drinks in Latin America.

Marcus thinks that Coca-Cola Femsa, known as an excellent operator, will be a large beneficiary of the parent company's push to consolidate its bottling operations.

Switzerland

When you mix Asia's rapidly spreading affluence with its cultural affinity for brand names, you have a mouthwatering recipe for Compagnie Financière Richemont (CFRUY, news), owner of the Cartier, Van Cleef & Arpels, Montblanc and other luxury brands.

In the first half of Richemont's fiscal year, which ended Sept. 30, sales in the Asia-Pacific region, excluding Japan, surged 50%, to 36% of total sales. (Japan accounted for an additional 11 %.) The company struggled to keep up with demand for its watches and jewelry.

Controlled and run by Johann Rupert, a low-profile South African, Richemont establishes a retail presence for its luxury brands wherever wealth is minted. Says David Winters of Wintergreen Fund (WGRNX, news): "When people get richer, they like to look sharp and adorn themselves with baubles that say 'Look at me. I'm a success.'"

Winters says that Richemont's accounting is conservative, and he expects earnings to climb at an annual rate of about 15% for years to come.

United States

The steady stream of imaginative products from Apple has redefined industries and made competitors such as Microsoft and Sony look slow. (Microsoft is the publisher of MSN Money.) The key questions about the stock are whether a company as large as Apple can keep growing at its breakneck pace, especially with co-founder Steve Jobs on a medical leave of absence, and whether the shares still offer value after a 58% run-up over the past 12 months.

The Cupertino, Calif., company is in the forefront of the smart-phone industry, which is expanding by 25% a year, and in tablet computing, which analysts expect will grow even faster.

"People are underestimating the potential of tablets, which are a transformational event in computing," says Turner, who thinks Apple could earn $21 a share in the fiscal year that ends next September, about 8% more than analysts' average forecast. If he's right, and if you deduct the company's cash pile from the stock's price, Apple can be considered cheap for a high-quality company expected to generate earnings growth of 20% a year over the next three to five years.

Content is King

Business looks good at Walt Disney on both a cyclical and a long-term basis. Consumers are spending in its theme parks and on its cruise ships. TV ad rates are rising, the company's movie studio is turning out hits such as "Toy Story 3", the first animated film to gross $1 billion, and its sports-TV juggernaut, ESPN, is immensely profitable.

"The ESPN franchise cannot be replicated," says Cory Gilchrist, co-manager of Marsico Global Fund. "Live sports are the one thing people want to watch on large-screen TVs with friends."

Disney has demonstrated an ability to push unique, iconic content to growing global audiences through broadcasting outlets and over the Internet. "Content will be king," says Jerry Jordan of the Jordan Opportunity Fund

The Burbank, Calif., company last month announced a 14% hike in its annual dividend, to 40 cents a share, a sign of confidence in the future.

Like a Toll Collector

MasterCard, like rival Visa, processes credit and debit transactions. Like a toll collector, MasterCard extracts a percentage of each electronic payment. Unlike the bank that issues the card, MasterCard assumes no credit risk. Of course, it can suffer if the number of transactions declines.

MasterCard's growth comes from the inexorable shift from cash to electronic transactions around the globe. The U.S. market is relatively mature, but the rest of the world, including Europe, is fast catching up. MasterCard, headquartered in Purchase, N.Y., generates 65% of its revenues overseas, where sales jumped 15% in the first nine months of 2010.

Visa and MasterCard benefit from the network effect: The more cards they have outstanding, and the more merchants and financial institutions in their global-payments networks, the more difficult it is for newcomers to break into the business. The results show in MasterCard's financials: an eye-popping 53% operating profit margin and a towering 35% return on equity (a measure of profitability).

MasterCard's stock took a hit from the rising threat of tighter government regulation of debit interchange fees. While lower fees would be a drag, the stock remains positioned to benefit from MasterCard's enormous global growth opportunities and rapid expansion.

Thirsty for Oil

As demand for oil has perked up, the price of crude recently pushed past $90 a barrel. Credit the insatiable thirst for oil from emerging markets such as China, where annual car sales have multiplied tenfold in 15 years and eclipsed those of the United States.

That's why the future looks bright for Schlumberger, a maker of drilling and well-testing equipment and the world leader in oil-field services.

Oil is getting harder to find and more expensive to develop. The International Energy Agency says half of the oil that will be needed by the end of the next decade has yet to be developed or found. New sources will come from such hard-to-tap places as deeper offshore waters and more-remote fields.

Harding Loevner's Baughan says Schlumberger -- with the best technology, the most advanced portfolio of services and the industry's biggest global presence -- "is in the catbird seat" when it comes to being hired by exploration companies for complex projects.

The Houston company generates 85% of its earnings outside North America. Those profits will soar with an increase in exploration. Analysts expect Schlumberger's earnings to surge 37% in 2011 and by 17% annualized over the next three to five years.

A Culture of Innovation

Best known for such brands as Post-It Notes and Scotch tape, 3M is a diversified industrial conglomerate that makes more than 50,000 products -- from adhesives to drug-delivery systems, and from touch-screen systems to highway signs.

What the diverse businesses share are a culture of science, product innovation, large libraries of patents and high profitability. The St. Paul, Minn., company's operating profit margin of 23% is exceptional for an industrial enterprise, and its return on equity is consistently above 25%.

3M operates in 65 countries and produces two-thirds of revenues abroad, half of that from emerging economies. The balance sheet is solid, with cash in the till exceeding debt outstanding. Steady 3M has paid a dividend every quarter since 1916.

5 Ways U Can help Someone Who's Depressed

2011-01-25T15:43:00.002+05:00

Tips to help a friend or family member cope with or escape from the blues.

When someone you know and love is clinically depressed, you want to be there for that person. Still, keep in mind that your friend or loved one has a medical condition, so giving support may mean more than just offering a shoulder to cry on.

“There are many things you can do to make them feel better,” says Jackie Gollan, PhD, assistant professor in the department of psychiatry and behavioral sciences at Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine in Chicago, but medical care may be what they really need to recover.

Here are 4 helpful things you can do for someone with depression.

Realize treatment is Key

Depression is a medical condition requiring medical care. As a family member or friend, you can listen to the person and give your support, but that might not be enough.

If you keep this in mind, it can prevent you from losing patience or getting frustrated with them because your best efforts don't "cure" their depression.

"People that are depressed can't sleep it off; they can't avoid it," says Gollan. "You can give care and support, but it's not going to solve the problem."

Get active in their Care

The best thing you can do for someone with depression is support his or her treatment. Tell your friend or loved one that depression is a medical problem and ignoring it will not make it go away.

"If someone breaks their leg, they are taken to a doctor or hospital," says Gollan. "If someone has depression, they need medical care and psychosocial support."

Stay in Contact

Call or visit the person and invite her or him to join you in daily activities. People who are depressed may become isolated because they don't want to "bother" other people.

You may need to work extra hard to support and engage someone who's depressed.

"Activities that promote a sense of accomplishment, reward, or pleasure are directly helpful in improving depression," says Gollan. "Choose something that the person finds interesting."Still, keep in mind that they may not feel interested in the activity right away.

Routines that promote exercise, nutrition, and a healthy amount of sleep are helpful.

Find local Services

Use support services in your community or online resources such as National Alliance on Mental Illness to help you find the right specialists to consult on depression treatment. A primary-care physician or an ob/gyn can also provide referrals for a psychiatrist.

Some people with depression may not recognize that they're depressed. Explain to them that the condition can get progressively worse, even become chronic, if not treated early. Hence, it's worth investigating supportive services and specialists.

Pay Attention

If someone you love has been depressed in the past, pay attention if the person is experiencing some of the riskier life phases (in terms of depression), such as adolescence or a recent childbirth.

Also, if the going is rough for him or her emotionally due to marital separation, divorce, job loss, a death in the family, or other serious stress, be ready to step in to help.

Forget About Winter

2011-01-24T14:03:00.010+05:00

Vietnam

Sprinkled along the coastline are a dozen beaches that range from white to red sands. Ha Long Bay, which means “Bay of Descending Dragons,” has thousands of limestone monoliths and islands. Its shallow waters are a great place to snorkel and look for 200 species of fish. Several of the islands contain caves, and some of the islands support floating fishing villages.

Sydney

Snow, ice and travel bottlenecks got you down? It’s summer in Sydney, and January is the warmest month of the year. Care to take a swim? You’ll have 40 beaches to choose from in the greater metropolitan area, including Bondi and Manly beaches. Be sure to check out the iconic landmarks such as the Sydney Opera House and the Sydney Harbour Bridge.

Morocco

Tired of snowflakes? Morocco beckons with palm trees, sand dunes and exotic delicacies such as pigeon pie, lamb tagine and mint tea. The Hassan II Mosque in Casablanca, the largest mosque in Morocco, dazzles with its soaring 689-foot minaret and a picture-perfect location. Half the surface of the mosque perches over the Atlantic Ocean, so the roar of the sea mixes with the Islamic call to prayer. Leave your shoes by the door and pad barefoot over the heated marble floors.

La Paz, Mexico

This arid city on Baja California Sur has year-round average temperatures that hover between 75 and 77 degrees Fahrenheit. La Paz averages more than 300 days of sunshine annually. Visitors who love the water will find plenty of activities, including diving, sport fishing, snorkeling and kayaking. Eco-tourists can also take whale-watching tours out of La Paz.

Hollywood, Calif.

Whether you call it Tinsel town, Starstruck Town or Jolly wood, this Angeles neighborhood was famous as the center of the U.S. film industry by 1920. Visitors today can spot many gleaming landmarks, including the Capitol Records Building, Grumman’s Chinese Theatre, The Hollywood Bowl, the Hollywood Walk of Fame, Paramount Pictures and the Sunset Strip.

2011 Cars Can't Wait to Drive

2011-01-22T20:20:00.009+05:00

2012 Audi A7 Sport back

The all new Audi A7 Sportback combines the upscale appeal of the A8 sedan with the style of the A5 Sport back, which is only available in Europe. Inside and out, it features design details that reward the driver and his or her passengers. While built on the same chassis architecture as the A4, S4,A5 and S5, the A7 actually has a longer wheelbase (114.7 inches) and wider track (64.5 inches front, 64.1 inches rear). There will be only one engine available in the

U.S.

(unless you count the S7): Audi's gasoline-fueled, supercharged and direct-injected 3.0-liter V6. It will be rated at 295 horsepower and 325 lb-ft of torque.

2011 Audi RS5

Starting next year, American buyers will finally be able to get their hands on a very lustworthy piece of Audi hardware: the RS5. European buyers have been able to snap up this 444-horsepower V8 coupe for some time now. Once the car does hit our shores, don't expect it to be either plentiful or cheap. The company has already made it clear that it will import only a limited number of RS5s, and that each of them will be loaded to the gills with go-fast and luxury options.

2011 Audi A8

It's been a long time — seven years, to be exact — since Audi re-examined its range-topping A8. But this fall, the German automaker is treating its flagship to a complete makeover. The all-new Audi A8 will retain its legendary strengths — an elegant interior and standard all-wheel drive — but will get a little bigger, add a host of new electronic gadgets and sport a clean, strikingly muscular exterior.

2011 Aston Martin Cygnet

Based on the lowly Toyota iQ micro, the 2011 Aston Martin Cygnet is what would happen if you turned the company's engineers loose on your daily driver. The interior has been swaddled in hand-crafted amenities and the car now boasts very Aston front and rear fascias. Unfortunately the performance remains the same. Expect a tiny 1.3-liter engine with around 100 horsepower to be at the heart of the car.

2011 Aston Martin V12 Vantage

Aston Martin has been kind enough to give American buyers something to look forward to next year — it has decided to sell the V12 Vantage in the United States. Using a 6.0-liter V12 engine with 510 horsepower and 420 lb-ft of torque, the car will be available as a Carbon Black edition exclusively in the US. Expect all the joy of the V8 Vantage with the punch of four extra cylinders.

2011 Acura TSX Sport Wagon

Manufacturers are hoping that wagons will soon gain traction in America as a stylish alternative to SUVs and minivans, and Acura is looking to capitalize on the trend with its TSX Sport Wagon. The company brought over the European-market Honda Accord Wagon, bolted on an Acura fascia and called it a day — but that's a good thing. Power is likely to come from the company's 2.4-liter 204-horsepower 4-cylinder engine.

WHAT'S BEEN REFRESHED . . .

2011 Acura TSX

Earlier in the year, Acura made quite a bit of noise about the possibility of a hybrid TSX. The company hasn't mentioned any details since those first reports surfaced in January 2010, but at the time Acura seemed confident that the fuel-saver version would be on the street by 2011. Given Honda's experience with integrated motor assist, a hybrid TSX shouldn't be too much of a stretch.