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Top 10 Forecasts for 2008 & Beyond

noreply@blogger.com (Kanav Gupta) — Mon, 25 Feb 2008 11:33:00 +0000

Each year since 1985, the editors of THE FUTURIST have selected the most thought-provoking ideas and forecasts appearing in the magazine to go into our annual Outlook report. Over the years, Outlook has spotlighted the emergence of such epochal developments as the Internet, virtual reality, and the end of the Cold War.

Here are the editors' top 10 forecasts from Outlook 2008:

1. The world will have a billion millionaires by 2025. Globalization and technological innovation are driving this increased prosperity. But challenges to prosperity will also become more acute, such as water shortages that will affect two-thirds of world population by 2025. --James Canton, author of "The Extreme Future," reviewed in THE FUTURIST May-June 2007, p. 54

2. Fashion will go wired as technologies and tastes converge to revolutionize the textile industry. Researchers in smart fabrics and intelligent textiles (SFIT) are working with the fashion industry to bring us color-changing or perfume-emitting jeans, wristwatches that work as digital wallets, and running shoes like the Nike +iPod that watch where you're going (possibly allowing others to do the same). Powering these gizmos remains a key obstacle. But industry watchers estimate that a $400 million market for SFIT is already in place and predict that smart fabrics could revitalize the U.S. and European textile industry. --Patrick Tucker, "Smart Fashion," Sep-Oct 2007, p. 68

3. The threat of another cold war with China, Russia, or both could replace terrorism as the chief foreign-policy concern of the United States. Scenarios for what a war with China or Russia would look like make the clashes and wars in which the United States is now involved seem insignificant. The power of radical jihadists is trivial compared with Soviet missile capabilities, for instance. The focus of U.S. foreign policy should thus be on preventing an engagement among Great Powers. --Edward N. Luttwak, "Preserving Balance among the Great Powers," Nov-Dec 2006, p. 26

4. Counterfeiting of currency will proliferate, driving the move toward a cashless society. Sophisticated new optical scanning technologies could, in the next five years, be a boon for currency counterfeiters, so societies are increasingly putting aside their privacy fears about going cashless. Meanwhile, cashless technologies are improving, making them far easier and safer to use. --Allen H. Kupetz, "Our Cashless Future," May-June 2007, p. 37

5. The earth is on the verge of a significant extinction event. The twenty-first century could witness a biodiversity collapse 100 to 1,000 times greater than any previous extinction since the dawn of humanity, according to the World Resources Institute. Protecting biodiversity in a time of increased resource consumption, overpopulation, and environmental degradation will require continued sacrifice on the part of local, often impoverished communities. Experts contend that incorporating local communities' economic interests into conservation plans will be essential to species protection in the next century. --World Trends & Forecasts, Nov-Dec 2006, p. 6

6. Water will be in the twenty-first century what oil was in the twentieth century. Global fresh water shortages and drought conditions are spreading in both the developed and developing world. In response, the dry state of California is building 13 desalination plants that could provide 10%-20% of the state's water in the next two decades. Desalination will become more mainstream by 2020. --William E. Halal, "Technology's Promise: Highlights from the TechCast Project," Nov-Dec, p. 44

7. World population by 2050 may grow larger than previously expected, due in part to healthier, longer-living people. Slower than expected declines of fertility in developing countries and increasing longevity in richer countries are contributing to a higher rate of population growth. As a result, the UN has increased its forecast for global population from 9.1 billion people by 2050 to 9.2 billion. --World Trends & Forecasts, Sep-Oct 2007, p. 10

8. The number of Africans imperiled by floods will grow 70-fold by 2080. The rapid urbanization taking place throughout much of Africa makes flooding particularly dangerous, altering the natural flow of water and cutting off escape routes. If global sea levels rise by the predicted 38 cm by 2080, the number of Africans affected by floods will grow from 1 million to 70 million. --World Trends & Forecasts, July-Aug 2007, p. 7

9. Rising prices for natural resources could lead to a full-scale rush to develop the Arctic. Not just oil and natural gas, but also the Arctic's supplies of nickel, copper, zinc, coal, freshwater, forests, and of course fish are highly coveted by the global economy. Whether the Arctic states tighten control over these commodities or find equitable and sustainable ways to share them will be a major political challenge in the decades ahead. --Lawson W. Brigham, "Thinking about the Arctic's Future: Scenarios for 2040," Sep-Oct 2007, p. 27

10. More decisions will be made by nonhuman entities. Electronically enabled teams in networks, robots with artificial intelligence, and other noncarbon life-forms will make financial, health, educational, and even political decisions for us. Reason: Technologies are increasing the complexity of our lives and human workers' competency is not keeping pace well enough to avoid disasters due to human error. --Arnold Brown, "'Not with a Bang': Civilization's Accelerating Challenge," Sep-Oct 2007, p. 38

All of these forecasts plus dozens more were included in the report that scanned the best writing and research from THE FUTURIST magazine over the course of the previous year. The Society hopes this report, covering developments in business and economics, demography, energy, the environment, health and medicine, resources, society and values, and technology, will assist its readers in preparing for the challenges and opportunities in 2008 and beyond.

The Outlook 2008 report was released as part of the November-December 2007 issue of THE FUTURIST magazine. An individual report can be obtained from the World Future Society for $5 in both print and online PDF format. Information on subscriptions can be obtained from the World Future Society, publisher of THE FUTURIST.

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noreply@blogger.com (Kanav Gupta) — Wed, 26 Dec 2007 07:52:00 +0000

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USB key holder adds memory to your lost keys

noreply@blogger.com (Kanav Gupta) — Wed, 31 Oct 2007 08:12:00 +0000

USB key holder adds memory to your lost keys

via MAKE Magazine

Here's a nice idea of how not to lose your personal data along with your keys. We just wonder if now that it's so easy to find your keys, will you remember where you put your car?

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Crime-Detection tests for the home chemist

noreply@blogger.com (Kanav Gupta) — Wed, 31 Oct 2007 08:06:00 +0000

Crime-Detection tests for the home chemist

via MAKE Magazine

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6 Things STAR WARS Teaches Us About Our Money

noreply@blogger.com (Kanav Gupta) — Thu, 11 Oct 2007 14:31:00 +0000

6 Things STAR WARS Teaches Us About Our Money

Written by Alan Haft

Where do you go for investment
advice?

A financial advisor? CPA? Jim Cramer? Suze Orman?
Maybe the retired guy down at the pool?

What about Yoda? Ever consider him?

As surprising it may sound, when it comes to getting good advice on investing, for a moment, forget The Wall Street Journal and everything else out there. That two-foot, nine-hundred year old creature surprisingly offers some decent advice on investing. In fact, as crazy as it sounds, the entire Star Wars series itself offers some fantastic suggestions to get us on the right path towards success. Only problem is, few people have taken the time to do something as ridiculous as I have: ponder how the classic tale can teach us a few things about making money.

Mind you, this wasn't exactly done on purpose. A couple of nights ago, in the deep, dark hours of a California night, I found myself out on the couch flicking through channels for something to lull me to sleep. After watching the Met highlights on ESPN (total disappointment), a re-run of Mad Money, then surfing past Happy Days and Charles In Charge, I landed on Star Wars only to soon realize the classic movie and all those that followed really can teach us a few important things about prudent investing.

Here's a few examples:

Investing: I recently took a moment to do something most normal people would never do: search through a stack of magazines to analyze the financial ads. Between Fortune, Money Magazine, Smart Money, BusinessWeek and a handful of others, the results were undeniably clear: in my brief study, when it came to ads for financial products, by a long-shot, it was the costly, managed mutual funds that advertised far more than anyone else.

What relevance does this have? ... Let's continue
...

Star Wars: Imagine being Luke. You just crashed in a dark, musty swamp where a two-foot tall creature named Yoda revealed himself to be the Jedi master. If that wasn't odd enough, a little while later the thing tells you to start lifting rocks with your mind. Having little choice but to go with it, you heroically manage to satisfy master, but when he tells you to lift an x-wing fighter with your head, that's a different story:

LUKE:

Master, moving stones around is one thing. This is totally

different.

YODA:

No! No different! Only different in your mind. You must unlearn what you
have learned.

Lesson Learned:
I totally agree with Yoda. After all, who wouldn't? The creature not only managed to live nine-hundred years, but he beat the pants off an Evil Emperor four times his size.

When it comes to learning a few things about successful investing, the first place many folks should start is not by learning complicated investment formulas that ultimately few wind up remembering, but with a willingness to do what Luke was basically forced to do: unlearn some of the things you perhaps already know.

What baggage are you reading this article with? Is it scores of ads from costly mutual funds trying to get your hard earned dollars into their pockets? You know, the ads showing happy people who all seem to be putting Bill Gates to shame? Based on the vast number of ads out there from the costly fund companies, chances are your sub-conscience is carrying a few of those fancy advertisements in your head and you may not even know it.

So, to begin with, start by listening to Yoda. Being a successful investor often means willing to unlearn some of what you know. While your mind may not wind up lifting an x-wing fighter from a dark, musty swamp, you just might be able to open a window to a few new interesting concepts about successful investing.

Here's the first example that comes to mind...

________________________________________________________

Investing: Some of the more interesting investment concepts can either be traditional in nature or somewhat unique. Although they've been around for ten years or so, a low-cost investment product such as Exchange Traded Funds are relatively new and are just starting to explode with popularity. On the more unique side of the spectrum, who would ever think something as bland, boring and unappealing as Life Insurance would provide some retirees with better returns than their stocks have ever produced? In today's marketplace, investors selling their life insurance policies are experiencing some of the greatest profits I have ever seen. Who's doing these things? It's not sophisticated actuaries nor is it Noble Laureates that have figured out how to beat the system; it's main street retirees that opened their minds to one of today's hottest concepts, that of something called "Life Settlements."

Star Wars: In real time it took a few months but in movie-time it took just under two hours for Luke to truly open his mind to new concepts. By fully opening his mind and entrusting The Force, he turned a targeting computer off and wound up landing one right into the Death Star's exhaust port. ... End result? Death to the Star and birth to inter-galactic celebrations across the universe that changed our movie-going lives forever.

Lesson Learned: Whether it's the willingness to turn off a computer tracking system or explore innovative concepts such as Life Settlements, it's those with open, educated minds that often find the success they seek.

________________________________________________________

Investing: Who would you rather be? A sock puppet on national TV promising those that own its stock boatloads of money or a cup of coffee that costs 3 bucks? While at first being a puppet seemed like the way to go, it was just a matter of time before Starbucks double-Frapps put the Pets.com mascot to shame. As most people that experienced the .com bust can attest to, investing into hype often leads to nothing but regret.

Star Wars: Who would you rather be? A seven foot master with a deep voice, impressive ship and a mind that melts men or a skinny blue eyed farmhouse kid chugging around the galaxy in a worn out jalopy? While at first glance sporting a cool black helmet and long cape could seem like the way to go, Star Wars proved to us that in the end, staying away from the hype can wind up saving you from the dark side of things.

Lesson Learned: Save the sock puppets for your kid's next birthday. Flashy ads, slick brochures and fast-talking salesmen isn't what counts, it's what's behind the window-dressing that does. Next time you're confronted with a hyped-up investment that seems a bit "too good to be true," keep in mind Han Solo's classic line, "I got a bad feeling about this."Think smart, double-check the hype and remember: this is your hard-earned money we're talking about.

________________________________________________________

Investing: Some of the most successful investors I've ever met started out with nothing. Thinking back to these people, those with the most often started out with the least. Somehow, some way, fearless persistence, dedication and that occasionally annoying thing called "time" steadily built them their success. While diversifying your investments, reducing fees, minimizing taxes and budgeting yourself to save a few dollars every month may sound painful, dreadfully boring and slow paced, remember: when it comes to trying to get rich quick, the longer you play the game, the less chance you typically win. On the flip side, when investing smart, the longer you play the game, the greater the odds you'll come up a success.

Star Wars: Have a good idea for a movie? George Lucas did. To follow in his footsteps, first lock yourself in a room with a legal pad and for the next year or so, do nothing but write an outline to a science fiction story. Then, over the next year or so, expand the outline into a screenplay, and once that's done, spend the next year re-writing it. With the script finally complete, spend another year raising money to produce it. With financing in place, spend another year filming it, the year after that editing it and once that's all finally done, take a deep breath, sit back and make a billion dollars.

Lesson Learned: Don't think success could happen to you? That could be your first problem. Whether it's building wealth or creating the second most successful movie ever made (behind Gone With The Wind when inflation is factored in), remember: the journey to riches rarely happens overnight. Take, for example, Henry the Electrician, a friend of mine who once made $4 dollars an hour fixing fuse boxes. Tired, worn out and wanting a better life, he one day had the guts to scrape together a few dollars, purchase an apartment on the dark side of town and rent it out. Half a lifetime later, with hundreds of apartments to his name, his personal Star Wars is now a reality, and with a little time and dedication, I'd bet anything one day yours will one day be as well.

________________________________________________________

Investing: There's nano-tech, bio-tech and gen-tech. Derivatives, floaters, collars, straddles and a long list of many other complex investments. While some of these might be all well and good, it's probably best you listened to Warren Buffet who once wisely told us mere mortals to stay away from things we can't understand.

Star Wars: There's tall creatures, short creatures and monsters buried beneath the trash. Blubber-filled giants, underground slugs, women with
thin heads and a long list of other bizarre things. While some of these might be all well and good, it's probably best you listened to Yoda who once wisely told Anakin to stay away from things he can't understand.

Lesson Learned: Who knew Warren Buffet and Yoda would be so alike? Until this moment, I for one never did. Whether your journey is about destroying an evil empire or building wealth, staying away from things you can't understand is often a first rule of success.

________________________________________________________

Investing: Want to outperform most mutual fund money managers? I do. That's why when it comes to investing my own money, I often stick with index investing and put my money into things such as the S&P 500. Somewhat sad but irrefutably true, over time, you'll most likely make more money investing into the simple and mindless S&P than most mutual funds. And if returns aren't enough to inspire you, what about fees and taxes? Fees in most indicies are typically around two tenths of a percent and investing in indicies rarely causes capital gain taxes until you decide to pay them, not someone else. How good is that?

Star Wars: Legendary effects, wild robots, fantastic chases and places that few people could ever imagine made my popcorn dance, but when stripping away all that cool stuff, what do you really have? A simple and familiar storyline that follows Joseph Campell's classic thesis that proved all timeless stories can be boiled down to the same, simple storyline that's been re-hashed a thousand times through heroes wearing many different faces.

Lesson Learned: Forget phone books of investments many investment accounts contain. Who has the time to keep track of those things anyway? Whether it's creating a movie few will ever forget or making money, remember: it rarely has to be complicated for it to be effective.

I had fun pondering how Star Wars can teach us a few things about our money, and in fact, there were a handful of other "lessons" I wound up editing out. But who knows? Given the examples above, next time you see Star Wars, perhaps you too will realize some of the valuable lessons the classic tale teaches us not only about money, but about life itself.

May The Force be with you.

5 Things I learned about Personal Growth by Moving

noreply@blogger.com (Kanav Gupta) — Wed, 10 Oct 2007 18:26:00 +0000

5 Things I learned about Personal Growth by Moving

via The Best Article Every day by admin on 10/3/07

Did you ever have a learning experience after a major change in your life that made you realize you could have learned that same lesson without having gone through the major change?

Obviously the change was a necessary catalyst for the lesson, but it still gives you the opportunity to slap yourself in the forehead and say, "I could have learned this years ago!".

After moving to Port Orange, FL this past weekend, I've had several of those moments. In an effort to keep you from needing to bop yourself in the head over similar lessons, I'll share what I have learned over the past few days.

1) You don't realize how much your surroundings are a part of your state of mind until you experience the contrast of going through your daily routine in a strange environment.

There were a lot of things about my previous daily routine that were not "ideal," and as I got ready to move, I certainly looked forward to making some positive changes in that regard. However, when it came down to unloading the last box and saying a final goodbye to my previous lifestyle, I was suddenly very aware of the fact that I was all alone in a brand-new world.

Logistically I was prepared for that, but this was the first time in many years that I was going to be geographically cut off from the environment and the people that I had grown so accustomed to having as part of my life. It was a bit scary, to be honest, and more than just a little sad.

The Lesson: Don't take your surroundings and your circle of influence for granted. If you don't enjoy certain aspects of your life, then get out of your comfort zone for awhile so you can experience the contrast of what your life looks like from a different point of view. Make a list of everything and everyone that is part of your daily routine, and then take 2 or 3 days and remove it all. Leave town if you have to. While trying not to have any ties to your "previous life," you might be surprised how much your normal surroundings and the people around you were part of your security and comfort level.

2) Try being healthy in a way that you normally wouldn't - you might like it!

I used to be a personal trainer, so I am certainly familiar with the ins and outs of proper diet and exercise habits. Whenever I am doing something healthy or unhealthy, I am always acutely aware of it.

Nonetheless, like anyone else, I have certain routines that I tend to stick to, even if they aren't the most healthy habits in the world. Two of my vices are coffee and diet soda. I don't take the sugared version of either one, but instead opt for using flavored creamer and Splenda for my coffee, and whatever chemically-stuffed ingredients are in the diet soda that I buy. I know those habits aren't good for me, but I do them anyway.

Well, grocery shopping still hasn't happened since the move, so although I have coffee and coffee creamer, I do not have any Splenda or any diet soda yet. Imagine my surprise when I realized that my coffee was just as good with only the creamer in it, and in less than 3 days of drinking water, I have almost completely curbed my desire to drink soda of any kind.

The Lesson: Healthy habits don't just look good on paper! Even if you may have resistance to healthy habits as part of your normal routine, just give yourself a few days of doing things in a manner different than what you are used to. Who knows? You might even end up with radically fewer chemicals in your system every day like I did!

3) If you push yourself to the limit, no matter how much it hurts, you'll be glad you did it.

One of the reasons why I moved to Port Orange is because of its proximity to the Atlantic Ocean. I love the beach and the energy that is always available at the water's edge, so getting over to the coast was one of the first things that I did once the boxes were all unloaded.

There is a causeway that separates the "mainland" from the peninsula where the actual coastline is, and that causeway is about a mile and a half from my house. It was a beautiful, sunny day, so I hopped on my bike and away I went.

Well, in addition to being beautiful and sunny, it was also very windy, and the causeway itself is a fairly steep incline - probably at least 30-degrees up or more, and about a quarter of a mile from the bottom to the top. Now, between the recent launching of PDP, and the administrative issues of finding and securing the house that I moved into, it has been about 3 weeks since I have gotten any consistent cardiovascular exercise. Let me tell you that getting up that causeway was literally the hardest physical thing that I can remember doing in years!

I wasn't wearing my heart rate monitor, so I don't know what my beats per minute were, but I can tell you that I was well outside of the safety zone! However, in addition to the incredible view of the ocean and the beach that I had as soon as I got to the top of the causeway, the sense of accomplishment that I felt was unbelievable. I felt like I was on top of the world, and that it was all downhill from there!

The Lesson: Don't wait until you find yourself in an unexpectedly difficult situation to push yourself to the limits. Find ways to take it to the max - every day if you can. Not only will you feel wonderful for having made the effort, but your confidence in what you are capable of will grow by leaps and bounds!

4) You really don't need all of that junk

This move for me was to a location that was only about 90 minutes south of where I was before, so the physical part of the move was actually done in chunks. In fact, some of my stuff is still back where I used to live because it just wasn't a priority to get it moved right away.

During the process of moving everything that I own over the course of several different trips, I had to make some hard decisions about what needed to stay or go on any given trip, and what could be left behind for the final low priority trip later on.

Imagine my surprise when I realized that almost 90% of the things that I owned were really not that important to me!

With the exception of my computer, my clothes, the minimum necessary furnishings, and a few other necessary or high priority items, almost everything I own is not used on a daily basis.

Sure, I like having a TV, I would cry if something happened to my iPod, and there are many things that have sentimental value for me. However, most of my belongings are just things that I use because they are there. I have very little attachment to them, nor a strong desire to keep them close to me. Even as I type this, there are things in the garage that I could bring into the house, but I'm simply not in a very big hurry to do so!

The Lesson: Don't be too attached to the material possessions in your life. Ask yourself how many of the things that you own are actually important to you. If they aren't, then why not clear out the physical and the mental clutter by getting rid of them?

5) True friendship will show itself when needed.

I saved this one for last because I felt it was the most important thought for you to be left with.

As I went through the process of planning for and preparing for this move, to say that my life was chaotic would not even begin to cover it. Between the work that I do online, and the logistics that went into this entire process, I have been running crazy for months.

Through it all, there was one person who bent over backwards for me on every occasion, although at the same time she maintained her own integrity by not bending so far that she didn't tend to her own needs in the process.

I am an active social person, and I have a lot of friends from all over the U.S., most of whom I see at least semi-frequently during annual get-togethers that we have planned. However, I could count the people who would do for me what this person did on less than one hand.

The person in question knows who she is, so I won't call her out by name, except of course to say Thank You for all that you did! I'm quite sure I haven't expressed that sentiment as much as I should have.

The Lesson: You may have an address book full of names, a contact list a mile long, or even a database of the hundreds of people that you know all over the world, and that is a wonderful thing. However, how many fingers and toes would it take for you to count the number of people who would truly jump through fire for you? Once you have that figure, pick up the phone and call them right now just to say "Thanks for being my friend".

As I indicated at the beginning of this post, each of these lessons can be learned without having to actually go through major changes in your life. Just stop the presses long enough to actually look around and take stock of your life. Then start doing whatever it takes to live your life to the fullest, constantly pushing yourself to achieve bigger and better levels of success, happiness, and fulfillment!

20 Innovations That Have Radically Changed The College Experience

noreply@blogger.com (Kanav Gupta) — Wed, 10 Oct 2007 18:24:00 +0000

20 Innovations That Have Radically Changed The College Experience

via The Best Article Every day by admin on 10/4/07

Written by Ryan

The college experience is fundamentally different today in comparison to even just twenty years ago, thanks to the mass adoption of revolutionary technological developments such as the Internet and cell phones. College students have many more ways to use their time now (should I play Halo 3 with a buddy in Japan, browse Digg's popular tech stories, Skype my girlfriend, look at Internet porn, watch a bittorrent movie, or search the 'net for the perfect term paper...due tomorrow)?

Whether used for good or bad, technological innovations have radically shaped the way college life is lived and the way education is done. From taking classes online to texting your friends during a boring lecture, this ain't your grandfather's pencil and paper education.

So without further ado, here are 19 technological innovations that we believe have radically changed the college experience. While you're reading through, take a moment and consider what college life would be without them!

1. Cell phones. Call up a friend from practically anywhere - including the college library - if you're having trouble studying, or simply need a sympathetic ear about how you bombed that major test. Of course there's also the dreaded scolding from a professor when your phone goes off during a lecture;-)

2. MMPORGs. Massively-MultiPlayer Online Roleplaying Games (MMPORGs) such as World of Warcraft, and even Second Life in a sense no doubt take up many hours for some students - allowing them to chill out that pent up rage from compulsory Chemistry midterm they bombed on.

3. Digital Video Compression- Whatever your favorite format, digital video downloading is one of the most popular pastimes for college students these days. Compression technologies made digital video downloads possible in a reasonable amount of time. In addition to movies and tv shows, students can also download and consume class audio or video, lecture recordings, etc.

4. VoIP. Spent all your money partying it up and can't afford long distance calls home? With VoIP, you can sometimes call free or very cheap. Skype is the most popular free VoIP technology, and there are many good paying options like Vonage. Some systems allow you to take a local phone number with you on the road. That way mom doesn't have to pay a long distance bill.

5. Google/Search. If you need to find information for a term paper fast, Google is a good place to start searching, especially Google Scholar. Whether we like it or not, a large number of term papers are now "derived" from already existing online work. For this reason, Google also serves as a way to check for exact phrase plagiarism.

6. The Internet. Most professors or their assistants now publish lecture notes, assignments, and info about additional reading material on their class website. There are also many library and study resources online. [On the entertainment side, the Internet's obviously useful for finding music (U.S. only) and video to relax with. And beyond these two uses (study, entertainment), there's the chance of earning money online in the blogosphere.]

7. Textbook DVD/ CDs. Many college textbooks now come searchable on disc, making it that much easier to find that obscure information the professor mumbled about at the end of the lecture. Ideal for reducing study time.

8. The iPod - There was a time when you could count on the majority of students wearing jeans to class. Now you can count on the majority of students wearing iPods to class. iPods and other digital media players also provide the opportunity to listen to lectures for reinforcement.

9. File Sharing Applications - Napster became huge because of college students. Then it got shut down and resurrected as a paid service. No worries. Plenty of alternatives have popped up and file sharing (illegal and legal) continues at a rampant pace, though the record companies are fighting back with futility.

10. Laptops. Laptops make it possible for everyone to have a mobile office. Papers can be started in your dorm room and finished in the library, all on the same computer. Plus, if you type fast, you can actually take legible notes in class. No more scrawled notes, and it's easy to pass them on to friends. Or, plug in an external microphone and record class. Sure there are lots of makes to choose from, but we like our Alienware laptops...what's college without some hard core gaming anyway?

11. Printers. Affordable, good quality printers have made many a student happy, not having to trudge over to the local Stinko's, or worse, the college library (waiting for some labor union employee to fix the jammed laser printer). While ink cartridges are now often more than the printers (some are free after rebate) total cost per page is a lot less. Perfect for when you have to write a term paper.

12. SMS texting. Don't want to make a racket in the college library but need a friend's help? Send them a query via SMS and get an answer fast, without looking around sheepishly when your phone rings.

13. Touch Screens. Both PDAs and Tablet Computers are increasingly popular technologies for taking class notes digitally. Rather than scribble notes on paper, or type frantically at the keyboard, touch screens enable natural hand writing, which is converted to digital text. Adoption of these touch screen systems seems to be rising amongst college students.

14. Virtual learning environments. E.g. web applications such as Blackboard and Moodle have not only helped make learning easier but have also enabled brand new educational opportunities such as distance learning and Internet bulletin board discussions.

15. Web applications. There's a huge list of categories that students can benefit from. Here are a few:

1. Web word processors such as Zoho Writer or Google Docs.

2. Calendaring, To-do, and organiztion tools such as Google Calendar, Neptune and Backpack.

3. Project management tools such as Basecamp or Mercury Grove's free Web Groups - both of which can be used to manage team term projects, even if someone goes away for the weekend.

4. Always-on web chat clients or chat rooms, such as AIM and Campfire, for easy access to a friendly chat or coordinating with all the team members on a project. These days recreational instant messaging is a mainstay of college life, and for many students, it is a comforting distraction. Sometimes too distracting!

All of them offer easy access to files and project info from wherever you can get an Internet connection.

16. Wi-fi. Wireless internet access in the college library means being able to walk around with your laptop and work from any cubbyhole you can find - especially important during exam time.

17. Mini coffee brewing machine. Not just a coffee pot, but a full blown mini brewing machine, grinders, etc., for banishing that mental phantom zone around exam time.

18. Energy Drinks. Speaking of coffee. Now you can get a full dose of caffeine plus other energy enhancing ingredients in drinks like Red Bull. These have become the staple of late night studying.

19. Myspace and Facebook. If you can find a college student who doesn't use Myspace or Facebook then you deserve a prize. These two social networks have revolutionized the way people interact and meet each other online.

20. Time and Location shifting TV. With busy schedules, many college students can't watch their favorite shows at the time of broadcast. But that doesn't mean they miss their favorite shows. There are several methods for students can use for watching shows when they want.

1. Record To A Computer Hard Drive: Set up your home computer with a TV capture card. Program it to record TV shows at specific times to a high-capacity external hard drive. Then watch shows when you go home on weekends.

2. Subscribe to a Service: TIVO is the most popular way of watching shows when you want.

3. Location-shifting: Technologies like Slingbox and Orb allow you to catch your favorite sports team from back home, even when you are hundreds of miles out of the area.

How to answer 23 of the most common interview questions

noreply@blogger.com (Kanav Gupta) — Wed, 10 Oct 2007 18:19:00 +0000

How to answer 23 of the most common interview questions

via The Best Article Every day by admin on 10/6/07

Written by Paul Michael

Photo: Slushpup

Let's face it; no one likes the interview process. Well, certainly not the people being interviewed anyway. You have to be on your best behavior, you only get one chance to get it right, and it's like taking your driving test all over again. Over the years I've been to countless interviews. To get my first job out of college I attended some 15-20 interviews a week. Whether it was in Britain or over here in the States, the questions never really seemed to change from job to job. Not only that, but the answers to them are usually the same, with your own personal interpretation of course. Here I present 23 questions you're likely to be asked, and how I have learned to answer them. Why 23? Because I had more than 20 and less than 25. Remember, being interviewed is a skill, and if you do the preparation you should ace it every time.

1. So, tell me a little about yourself.
I'd be very surprised if you haven't been asked this one at every interview. It's probably the most asked question because it sets the stage for the interview and it gets you talking. Be careful not to give the interviewer your life story here. You don't need to explain everything from birth to present day. Relevant facts about education, your career and your current life situation are fine.

2. Why are you looking (or why did you leave you last job)?
This should be a straightforward question to answer, but it can trip you up. Presumably you are looking for a new job (or any job) because you want to advance your career and get a position that allows you to grow as a person and an employee. It's not a good idea to mention money here, it can make you sound mercenary. And if you are in the unfortunate situation of having been downsized, stay positive and be as brief as possible about it. If you were fired, you'll need a good explanation. But once again, stay positive.

3. Tell me what you know about this company.
Do your homework before you go to any interview. Whether it's being the VP of marketing or the mailroom clerk, you should know about the company or business you're going to work for. Has this company been in the news lately? Who are the people in the company you should know about? Do the background work, it will make you stand out as someone who comes prepared, and is genuinely interested in the company and the job.

4. Why do you want to work at X Company?
This should be directly related to the last question. Any research you've done on the company should have led you to the conclusion that you'd want to work there. After all, you're at the interview, right? Put some thought into this answer before you have your interview, mention your career goals and highlight forward-thinking goals and career plans.

5. What relevant experience do you have?
Hopefully if you're applying for this position you have bags of related experience, and if that's the case you should mention it all. But if you're switching careers or trying something a little different, your experience may initially not look like it's matching up. That's when you need a little honest creativity to match the experiences required with the ones you have. People skills are people skills after all, you just need to show how customer service skills can apply to internal management positions, and so on.

6. If your previous co-workers were here, what would they say about you?
Ok, this is not the time for full disclosure. If some people from your past are going to say you're a boring A-hole, you don't need to bring that up. Stay positive, always, and maybe have a few specific quotes in mind. "They'd say I was a hard worker" or even better "John Doe has always said I was the most reliable, creative problem-solver he'd ever met."

7. Have you done anything to further your experience?
This could include anything from night classes to hobbies and sports. If it's related, it's worth mentioning. Obviously anything to do with further education is great, but maybe you're spending time on a home improvement project to work on skills such as self-sufficiency, time management and motivation.

8. Where else have you applied?
This is a good way to hint that you're in demand, without sounding like you're whoring yourself all over town. So, be honest and mention a few other companies but don't go into detail. The fact that you're seriously looking and keeping your options open is what the interviewer is driving at.

9. How are you when you're working under pressure?
Once again, there are a few ways to answer this but they should all be positive. You may work well under pressure, you may thrive under pressure, and you may actually PREFER working under pressure. If you say you crumble like aged blue cheese, this is not going to help you get your foot in the door.

10. What motivates you to do a good job?
The answer to this one is not money, even if it is. You should be motivated by life's noble pursuits. You want recognition for a job well done. You want to become better at your job. You want to help others or be a leader in your field.

11. What's your greatest strength?
This is your chance to shine. You're being asked to explain why you are a great employee, so don't hold back and stay do stay positive. You could be someone who thrives under pressure, a great motivator, an amazing problem solver or someone with extraordinary attention to detail. If your greatest strength, however, is to drink anyone under the table or get a top score on Mario Kart, keep it to yourself. The interviewer is looking for work-related strengths.

12. What's your biggest weakness?
If you're completely honest, you may be kicking yourself in the butt. If you say you don't have one, you're obviously lying. This is a horrible question and one that politicians have become masters at answering. They say things like "I'm perhaps too committed to my work and don't spend enough time with my family." Oh, there's a fireable offense. I've even heard "I think I'm too good at my job, it can often make people jealous." Please, let's keep our feet on the ground. If you're asked this question, give a small, work-related flaw that you're working hard to improve. Example: "I've been told I occasionally focus on details and miss the bigger picture, so I've been spending time laying out the complete project every day to see my overall progress."

13. Let's talk about salary. What are you looking for?
Run for cover! This is one tricky game to play in an interview. Even if you know the salary range for the job, if you answer first you're already showing all your cards. You want as much as possible, the employer wants you for as little as you're willing to take. Before you apply, take a look at salary.com for a good idea of what someone with your specific experience should be paid. You may want to say, "well, that's something I've thought long and hard about and I think someone with my experience should get between X & Y." Or, you could be sly and say, "right now, I'm more interested in talking more about what the position can offer my career." That could at least buy you a little time to scope out the situation. But if you do have a specific figure in mind and you are confident that you can get it, I'd say go for it. I have on many occasions, and every time I got very close to that figure (both below and sometimes above).

14. Are you good at working in a team?
Unless you have the I.Q. of a houseplant, you'll always answer YES to this one. It's the only answer. How can anyone function inside an organization if they are a loner? You may want to mention what part you like to play in a team though; it's a great chance to explain that you're a natural leader.

15. Tell me a suggestion you have made that was implemented.
It's important here to focus on the word "implemented." There's nothing wrong with having a thousand great ideas, but if the only place they live is on your notepad what's the point? Better still, you need a good ending. If your previous company took your advice and ended up going bankrupt, that's not such a great example either. Be prepared with a story about an idea of yours that was taken from idea to implementation, and considered successful.

16. Has anything ever irritated you about people you've worked with?
Of course, you have a list as long as your arm. But you can't say that, it shows you as being negative and difficult to work with. The best way to answer this one is to think for a while and then say something like "I've always got on just fine with my co-workers actually."

17. Is there anyone you just could not work with?
No. Well, unless you're talking about murderers, racists, rapists, thieves or other dastardly characters, you can work with anyone. Otherwise you could be flagged as someone who's picky and difficult if you say, "I can't work with anyone who's a Bronco's fan. Sorry."

18. Tell me about any issues you've had with a previous boss.
Arrgh! If you fall for this one you shouldn't be hired anyway. The interviewer is testing you to see if you'll speak badly about your previous supervisor. Simply answer this question with exteme tact, diplomacy and if necessary, a big fat loss of memory. In short, you've never had any issues.

19. Would you rather work for money or job satisfaction?
It's not a very fair question is it? We'd all love to get paid a Trump-like salary doing a job we love but that's rare indeed. It's fine to say money is important, but remember that NOTHING is more important to you than the job. Otherwise, you're just someone looking for a bigger paycheck.

20. Would you rather be liked or feared?
I have been asked this a lot, in various incarnations. The first time I just drew a blank and said, "I don't know." That went over badly, but it was right at the start of my career when I had little to no experience. Since then I've realized that my genuine answer is "Neither, I'd rather be respected." You don't want to be feared because fear is no way to motivate a team. You may got the job done but at what cost? Similarly, if you're everyone's best friend you'll find it difficult to make tough decisions or hit deadlines. But when you're respected, you don't have to be a complete bastard or a lame duck to get the job done.

21. Are you willing to put the interests of X Company ahead of your own?
Again, another nasty question. If you say yes, you're a corporate whore who doesn't care about family. If you say no, you're disloyal to the company. I'm afraid that you'll probably have to say yes to this one though, because you're trying to be the perfect employee at this point, and perfect employees don't cut out early for Jimmy's baseball game.

22. So, explain why I should hire you.
As I'm sure you know, "because I'm great" or "I really need a job" are not good answers here. This is a time to give the employer a laundry list of your greatest talents that just so happen to match the job description. It's also good to avoid taking potshots at other potential candidates here. Focus on yourself and your talents, not other people's flaws.

23. Finally, do you have any questions to ask me?
I'll finish the way I started, with one of the most common questions asked in interviews. This directly relates to the research you've done on the company and also gives you a chance to show how eager and prepared you are. You'll probably want to ask about benefits if they haven't been covered already. A good generic one is "how soon could I start, if I were offered the job of course." You may also ask what you'd be working on. Specifically, in the role you're applying for and how that affects the rest of the company. Always have questions ready, greeting this one with a blank stare is a rotten way to finish your interview. Good luck and happy job hunting.

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