MY ALL TIME FAVOURITE FORWARDED E MAILS

New Year Questions

2013-12-26T05:05:00.001-08:00

New Year Questions

As we approach New Year, let's look back and see did the year go as we expected.

Hope you will take some time from your busy schedule and reply. (or else keep the answers with you). Hope that these questions will make you think for a while.

What was the best part of last year?

What was the worst part of last year?

What was the biggest surprise of last year?

What are you most looking forward to next year?

Is there anything you are not looking forward to next year?

Which new year's resolutions did you keep last year?

Which new year's resolutions did you break last year?

What will be your new year's resolutions next year?

Which resolution are you most likely to break?

Which resolution are you most likely to keep?

What will you be doing on new year's eve?

Who will you be with at new years eve?

What was the best song of last year?

What was the best TV show of last year?

What was the best book you read last year?

What was the best film of last year?

What change would you like to make to your life next year?

What change would you like to see in the world next year?

Keep Smiling

2013-12-26T04:57:00.001-08:00

Every  time you smile at someone, it is an action of love, a gift to that person, a  beautiful thing ~ Mother Teresa

Keep Smiling.

Amazing Glass Houses

2013-12-26T04:56:00.001-08:00

 
This house is a conceptual design by Milano-based designer and architect  Carlo Santambrogio. These are actually pictures of a very well done artist's  rendering and not a real house. Not yet anyway. The house above is part of his  glass house series, and this one in particular is designed to be a "snow house."  The grid structure of the house is made to be modular and can be designed into  almost any configuration. In his "cliff house" design, the house is elevated  over a thin sheet of water, making its occupants feel like they are floating  above the cliff. 

Leonardo Glass Cube is a glass-fronted brand pavilion in Bad Driburg,  Germany designed by 3Deluxe . Designed for the Glaskoch Corporation and  completed in May 2007, the pavilion is used for informal meetings and corporate  hospitality.
 
The pavilion features six metre high frame-less glass panels, which are  fitted with disc springs to reduce stress from wind pressure.

dRMM Architecture did something we've never seen before in another house by  creating a very amazing and unique sliding house design. At first sight, you may  think it's an ordinary wooden barn. The form doesn't look like anything special.  It's only later when you realize that the entire outer skin (the wooden part) is  capable of sliding back and forth.

Lakeside real estate tends to come at a premium largely due to the  impressive view. The Watervilla Kortenhoef, located in the Netherlands, offers  residents a panoramic view of the lakefront, as nearly every square foot of the  exterior walls are glass. This ceiling-to-floor glass wall design, paired with  the fact that the floor is mere inches from the surface of the water, gives  inhabitants an impressive view of the water from anywhere in the house. The  modern design features stairs to a rooftop terrace where the view is undoubtedly  even more impressive.
 
Perhaps the best feature of the structure is that the basement level rests  beneath the surface of the water. This submarine level holds the bathrooms and  bedrooms. After all, in a house made of glass, hiding the bedrooms underwater is  the only sure way to get any privacy. The submarine rooms have glass panels on  the floors to offer more up-close-and-personal view of the water.

A glass house with sustainable features? The architecture of this amazing  glass house is the answer. "House R 128" by Werner Sobek Architects brings the  best of both worlds to the table. The structure of 4 apartments in Stuttgart,  Germany is a modern building of glass that has nothing to hide. The front  windows of the house have triple-glazed windows through which natural light  floods through a filter into all the rooms. The house has solar panels that  power the house when the sun goes down. The house is also incredible for its  sustainable properties, featuring geothermal energy and cooling. Modern modular  construction – including its wooden floor and facade – allows for easy assembly  and deconstruction. This is not only intended for the house innovators outside  the network, but also to make it completely reusable and recyclable! A bridge  over the kitchen and dining room is available, offering the 2706 sq. foot home a  warm welcome with a modern twist. Minimalist styling in the "House of R 128,"  including no interior walls and some modern works, create open areas for the  characterization of the concept of life.

The Case Study House Program, a landmark American architectural experiment,  was announced in 1945 by publisher John Entenza in his magazine Arts and  Architecture. The impetus of the program was to build homes which would serve as  model environments for post-war living using pre-fabricated and industrial  materials developed during World War II. The Case Study Homes were mostly built  in Southern California during an optimistic, challenging and creative era in  American architecture.
 
The house pictured is Stahl House, Case House 22 - 1635 Woods Drive, Los  Angeles, California, USA, and has been featured in many films and TV  productions. Notably "Why Do Fools Fall in Love?" (1998), "Corrina, Corrina"  (1994), and "Crazy, Stupid, Love" (2011). (Thanks, William G.) 

A unique house with two balconies designed by Bassam El-Okeily from Egypt.  In addition to looking cool during the day, every night soft lights transform  the townhouse into a beautiful art installation. 

The Dune House lies just south of the picturesque village of Thorpeness, in  Suffolk, on an idyllic spot at the very edge of the sea, nestled among rolling  dunes. You can walk out from the living room directly onto the beach and enjoy  extraordinary panoramic views over the sea from the terraces, bedrooms and  bathrooms on the upper floor.
 
Living Architecture invited one of Norway's most renowned practitioners,  Jarmund/Vigsnæs Architects, to create a house on this archetypal English seaside  site. JVA, as they are known, made their name building a series of accomplished  houses in Oslo and its outskirts and intimately understood the need to balance  the advantages of modernity with the traditional virtues of warmth and  comfort.

This hill-perched transparent home plays peek-a-boo through the trees, but,  for the most part, rocks and foliage nestle it in complete privacy. Located near  the ocean in Pittwater, about 30 miles north of Sydney, the Church Point Home  was designed by Sydney architectural firm Utz Sanby. The firm describes the home  as a tree house that offers "seclusion and sanctuary" to its residents. Concrete  pillars made to look like trees support the house on its hillside seat, much  like limbs act as a tree house's supports, and though the home can seem muted  with a majority of grey and white color schemes, small bursts of red  strategically assert themselves inside and out. Hardwood floors and a wooden  kitchen table set help harmonize the home with its forest location.

A house in Minami-Boso, Chiba, Japan by Kiyonobu Nakagame & Associates.  

One of the nicest places to stroll around in Seoul is the Changgyeonggung  Palace, one of Korea's five major palaces. The glasshouse of the Changgyeonggung  Botanical Garden was built in 1907 as Korea's first wood, iron and glass  glasshouse. The building was designed by Hayato Fukuba, who was in charge of the  Shinjuku Imperial Garden in Tokyo, and constructed by a French company. The  glasshouse still contains rare flora, including tropical plants.
 
The glasshouse was a symbol of the Victorian Age, the Industrial Revolution  and the technological, economic and cultural might of the British Empire. The  father of the glasshouse was Joseph Paxton, the 19th century gardener and  architect whose masterpiece was the Crystal Palace of the Great Exhibition of  1851.

A rarity in India - A Poor Chief Minister !!!!

2013-12-26T04:54:00.001-08:00

I  don't know if this is true. A rarity in India - A Poor Chief Minister!!!!
    

    
Among so many scams unfolding everyday it is nice  to know that we have still got honest people in India- that too a Chief  Minister.
But media does not have time for them. Please read  on.........
 
India's Poorest Chief MInister: Mr Manik Sarkar -  Chief Minister, Tripura.
He has been elected consecutively for fourth terms  as Chief Minister. 
First some facts about this great person. 
1. He is the poorest but Purest Chief Minister of  India. 
2. He has been elected as chief minister  consecutively for fourth term 
3. He does not own a home. 
4. His bank balance is Rs. 6500/- 
5. He donates all his salary to CPI (M), and party  gives him sustenance allowance of Rs 5000/- month. 
6. His wife never uses official vehicle and can  very easily be seen on Rickshaw in Agartala. 
7. Even his worst opponents admit that Manik  Sarkar is an impeccably honest man, certainly a rare variety among politicians  today. 
Now, compare these with other chief ministers or  politicians, who have assets worth crores of rupees! 
Apart from honesty, Mr Manik Sarkar has been  impetuous for the development of the state which includes better connectivity  and development of IT sector in state. He was also responsible for bringing the  concept of public-private partnership and invigorated private intervention,  particularly in the IT sector. I think he demands nothing from us but some  respect and a little bit recognition.

 

Wrong Tone of VOICE

2013-12-26T04:53:00.000-08:00

    
So, Be careful with your Tone.

Silence & Smiling

2013-12-26T04:52:00.000-08:00

That is Mother

2013-12-26T04:51:00.001-08:00

The Irreplaceable Mother

Walk in my Shoes

2013-12-26T04:49:00.001-08:00

Mind-blowing Food Facts

2013-12-26T04:48:00.001-08:00

Dear friends,
    
    You might have received this sort of mails many a times. May be it is just a repetition. Just to have some good info, sending this. 
  
 
1 Pineapple is a natural painkiller 
The fruit contains anti-inflammatory enzymes that bring pain relief from conditions such as arthritis, according to a study at Reading University .
      
2 Pomegranate juice could prevent a heart attack 
This wonder juice is believed to improve blood flow to the heart and lower blood pressure. 
      
3 Onions are natural antibiotics 
They might make your breath pong but onions contain allicin, a powerful antibiotic that also protects the circulatory system.
      
4 Mushrooms can ward off colds They contain more of an immune-boosting antioxidant called ergothioneine than any other food, say researchers at Pennsylvania State University .
      
6 Blueberries can boost memory 
A study at Tufts University in Boston showed eating half a cup of this fruit regularly could delay age-related deterioration in co-ordination and short-term memory.
      
8 Eat chocolate, live longer 
Hurray! Harvard University scientists say that eating a couple of chocolate bars a week could extend your life by almost a year. 
      
9 Grapefruit juice can stop medicine working 
If you're taking medication, avoid washing it down with grapefruit juice as there is evidence that it prevents some drugs being broken down. 
      
10 You should never drink tea or coffee with meals 
Tannins in tea and coffee prevent absorption of certain nutrients. A cup of tea with a meal will halve the iron you get from it, whereas a glass of orange juice will double it. 
      
11 Cherries can cure gout 
Cherries contain compounds that significantly reduce the chemicals in the body which cause joint inflammation. 
      
12 Eating curry could help prevent Alzheimer's 
According to a report in the Journal of Biological Chemistry, a yellow pigment used in curry, curcumin, can stop amyloid plaques in the brain that cause the condition. 
      
13 Sniffing a lemon could help you beat asthma 
The UK 's 5.1 million asthmatics could find lemons ease their symptoms. Studies in rats found that breathing improved after they inhaled limonene, the chemical that gives lemons their smell. 
      
14 Kiwi fruit can improve your eyesight 
This fuzzy fruit is a surprisingly good source of lutein, an antioxidant that protects your vision. 
      
15 Garlic can cure mouth ulcers and verruca's 
Here's an old wives' tale that works: halve a clove of garlic, squeeze, and apply a drop of the juice to the offending growth at bedtime. 
      
16 It is important have a little salt in your meals 
Too much salt isn't good for us but not getting enough can trigger low blood pressure in those susceptible. Consult your GP before making any major diet changes.
      
17 Figs can delay brittle bone disease 
Good news for the three million osteoporosis sufferers in the UK - it is possible to slow its progress by eating calcium-packed figs.
      
18 Soya can mimic breast cancer drugs 
A team of Cambridge researchers discovered that a diet high in soya can have a similar effect to anti-cancer drug Tamoxifen. 
      
19 Barbecued-food can cause cancer 
Eating meat that's char grilled or burnt could lead to stomach, pancreatic, colon and breast cancer because it creates high levels of carcinogenic compounds. 
      
20 Cinnamon can help diabetics 
Just half a teaspoon a day of this spice can significantly reduce blood sugar levels in diabetics, says US research. 
      
21 Chilies can help you breath more easily 
Capsaicin, which occurs in chilies, shrinks the mucous membranes which can ease blocked noses and sinuses. 
      
22 Watermelon is good for the prostate 
Men will be glad to know that the red flesh contains the antioxidant Lycopene, which helps keep the prostate gland healthy. 
      
23 Coriander can lower your cholesterol levels 
This aromatic herb can reduce cholesterol levels and prevent heart problems.
      
24 Nibbling nuts can prevent blood clots 
Nuts boost nitric oxide, a compound that relaxes blood vessels and eases blood flow. 
      
25 Banish bad breath with natural yoghurt 
A few spoonful of natural yoghurt can neutralise halitosis, according to Japanese researchers. 
 

GOD, Save India

2013-12-26T04:46:00.000-08:00

A gawala (cattle herder) named Budhi Ram was overseeing his herd in a remote mountainous pasture in Himachal when suddenly a brand-new BMW advanced toward him out of a cloud of dust.

The driver, a young man in a Brioni suit, Gucci shoes, RayBan sunglasses and YSL tie, leaned out the window and asked the cowboy, "If I tell you exactly how many cows and calves you have in your herd, Will you give me a calf?"

Budhi Ram looks at the man, obviously a yuppie, then looks at his peacefully grazing herd and calmly answers, "Sure, Why not?"

The yuppie parks his car, whips out his macBook Air computer, connects it to his iphone, and surfs to a NASApage on the Internet, where he calls up a GPS satellite to get an exact fix on his location which he then feeds to another NASA satellite that scans the area in an ultra-high-resolution photo.

The young man then opens the digital photo in iPhoto and exports it to an image processing facility in Hamburg , Germany .

Within seconds, he receives an email on his iPhone that the image has been processed and the data stored. He then accesses an MS-SQL database through an ODBC connected Excel spreadsheet with email on his iPhone and, after a few minutes, receives a response.

Finally, he prints out a full-color, 150-page report on his hi-tech, miniaturized LaserJet printer, turns to Budhi Ramy and says, "You have exactly 1,586 cows and calves."

"That's right. Well, I guess you can take one of my calves," says Budhi- Ram.

He watches the young man select one of the animals and looks on with amusement as the young man stuffs it into the trunk of his car.

Then Budhi Ram says to the young man, "Hey, if I can tell you exactly who you are & what is your business , will you give me back my calf?"

The young man thinks about it for a second and then says, "Okay, why not?"

You're Rahul Gxxxxi, says Budhi- Ram.

"Wow! That's correct," says the yuppie idiot, "but how did you guess that?"

"No guessing required." answered Budhi Ram. "You showed up here even though nobody called you; you want to get paid for an answer I already knew, to a question I never asked. You used millions of dollars worth of equipment trying to show me how much smarter you are than me; and you don't know a thing about how working people make a living - or about cows, for that matter. This is not a herd of cows....

Now give me back my dog.

God, Please Save India !!!

STUDENT WHO OBTAINED 0% ON AN EXAM

2013-12-26T04:43:00.001-08:00

Dear friends,

Many of you might have read this many a times. Just a mail forward. Just for fun. Enjoy.

STUDENT WHO OBTAINED 0% ON AN EXAM

Have you heard this one?...
STUDENT WHO OBTAINED 0% ON AN EXAM
I would have given him 100% for his wit!!!
�
Q1. In which battle did Napoleon die?�
* his last battle

Q2. Where was the Declaration of Independence signed?�
* at the bottom of the� page

Q3. River Ravi flows in which state?�
* liquid

Q4. What is the main reason for divorce?
* marriage

Q5. What is the main reason for failure?�
* exams

Q6. What can you never eat for breakfast?
* Lunch dinner

Q7. What looks like half an apple?
*�The other half

Q8. If you throw a red stone into the blue sea what it will become?
*�It will simply become wet

Q9. How can a man go eight days without sleeping ?�
*�No problem, he sleeps at night.

Q10. How can you lift an elephant with one hand?�
*�You will never find an elephant that has only one hand..

Q11. If you had three apples and four oranges in one hand and four apples and three oranges in other hand, what would you have ?�
*�Very large hands

Q12. If it took eight men ten hours to build a� wall, how long would it take four men to build it?�
* No time at all, the wall is already� built.

Q13. How can u drop a raw egg onto a concrete floor without cracking it?�
*Any way you want, concrete floors are very hard to crack.

Spread the laughter, share the cheer Let's be happy, while we're here !!

A journey to higher self

2013-12-26T04:42:00.001-08:00

A journey to higher self

A monkey, which leaves the tree and swims in a lake, is inferior to fish.

A racehorse kept in a beautiful and posh apartment, is inferior to a rat.

A good swordsman given a plough to cultivate a piece of land is inferior to a peasant.

In the same way people feel inferior, if they are not awakened to a higher self.

'I am uncomfortable talking to people, I can't mix with people, I feel diffident in getting jobs done from others, I am an introvert. How can you help me?' a lady asked a Guru.

The art of living is about balancing. We have to balance our work, home, and mind. We should balance being outer winners and inner winners.
Reflect on this.

A woodcutter was toiling to earn two meals a day. He met a monk. The monk advised him, 'Drop being at the edge of the forest and go into the forest. Your daily hours of work will fetch you one month's food.'
The woodcutter followed the advice. Deep within the forest, he found sandalwood trees. He was very happy. He expressed his gratitude to the monk for having guided him.

The monk advised again, 'Take the risk of going still deeper into the forest. A day's work will fetch you food for six months. Fortunately, this also turned out to be true; for he found a silver mine. He thanked the monk again, profusely. The monk further advised, 'If you trust me and go further deeper into the forest, a day's work will make you earn enough to fetch you food for a life time.' This also turned out to be true; for he found a gold mine.
The woodcutter wondered, 'why then does the monk still stay at the edge of the forest and not venture into the forest, as he has been advising me?'
He expressed his doubts to the monk. The monk replied, 'If you want to be eternally happy, sit under this tree and I will teach you to go within. Then you will be eternally happy.'

To be outer winner, one has to explore the outside world. To be an inner winner, one has to go within oneself. The kingdom of heaven is within us.
One should balance being an outer and inner winner. Only then would one feel happy.

A HEART TOUCHING MESSAGE BY A WOMAN

2013-12-26T04:41:00.003-08:00

A HEART TOUCHING MESSAGE BY A WOMAN

Someone asked her
Are you a working woman or a house-wife?
She replied: Yes I am a full time working house-wife.
I work 24 hours a day
I'm a mom,
I'm a wife,
I'm a daughter,
I'm a daughter-in-law,
I'm an Alarm clock,
I'm a Cook,
I'm a Maid,
I'm a Teacher,
I'm a waiter,
I'm a nanny,
I'm a nurse,
I'm a handyman,
I'm a Security officer,
I'm a Counselor,
I'm a comforter,
I don't get holidays,
I don't get sick leave,
I don't get day off,
I work through day and night,
I'm on call all hours and get paid with a sentence:
"What do you do all day"

Died of Shame

2013-12-26T04:41:00.001-08:00

Annie, 6 years old, gets home from school.

She had just had her first family planning lesson at school.
Her mother, very interested, asks;" How did it go?"

"I died of shame!" answers!
" Why?" Her Mother asked.

Annie said, "Karen from down the road, says that the stork brings babies.
Sally next door said you can buy babies at the orphanage. Peter in my class says you can buy babies at the hospital."

Her mother answers laughingly "But that's no reason to be ashamed?"

"No, but I can't tell them that we were so poor that you and daddy had to make me yourselves!"

Today's Dose - చాలాకాలంపాటు బతకాలని ఉంది

2013-12-26T04:39:00.002-08:00

"నాకు చాలాకాలంపాటు బతకాలని ఉంది డాక్టర్. ఏమైనా హెల్త్ టిప్స్ చెబుతారా?" అడిగాడు రాము

"పెళ్ళి చేసుకోండి" సలహా ఇచ్చాడు డాక్టర్.

"అలాగైతే ఎక్కువ కాలం బతుకుతారా?" ఆశ్చర్యపోయాడు రాము.

"అదేం లేదులే. కాకపోతే అప్పుడు కాలం భారంగా గడుస్తూ ఎక్కువ కాలం బతికినట్టు అనిపిస్తుంది" అసలు సంగతి చెప్పాడు డాక్టర్.

Just for laughs

2013-12-26T04:39:00.001-08:00

Sherlock Holmes and Watson go for trekking and pitch tent for the night at the top of a cliff. In the middle of the night Holmes wakes up Watson.

Holmes: "What do you see Watson?"

Watson: "Physically, I see the clear night sky. Astronomically, I see the millions of the stars in the sky. Astrologically, the Moon in the zodiac sign of Virgo...."

Holmes: "Basically, our tent has been stolen!"

*************************

A person engages a taxi after coming out of the airport. After going some distance, he taps the shoulder of the cabbie to tell him something.

The driver gives a violent start, avoids hitting the oncoming vehicles with lot of difficulty and somehow manages to pull the taxi on the wayside.

Then he turns back to tell the customer: "I am very sorry sir, for the mess. But then I was driving a hearse before I took up driving the Taxi..."

Sky Walking

2013-12-26T04:38:00.001-08:00

Take a 10-30 minute walk every day. & while you walk, SMILE.

It is the ultimate antidepressant.

While walking, keep your eyes a bit above the horizon.

It will have a effect on the brain and it keeps us to be POSITIVE.

Our Smart Phones making us STUPID, like this [14 Attachments]

2013-12-26T04:37:00.001-08:00

just for u

2013-12-26T04:35:00.001-08:00

just for u

2013-12-26T04:34:00.001-08:00

Warning! The Things You Must Not Tell Anyone At Work

2013-10-10T04:31:00.001-07:00

Warning! The Things You Must Not Tell Anyone At Work

Bernard Marr

Best-Selling Author and Enterprise Performance Expert

October 07, 2013

There are some things we shouldn't tell anyone at work. Sharing the 'wrong' things with co-workers can quickly backfire and leave us exposed, vulnerable or side-lined. While some banter with colleagues is great it is important to know where to draw the line.

Like most of us, I have definitely been there. We usually get an immediate sense for when we have crossed that line between acceptable banter and telling people things we shouldn't have. It is the looks we get as if they wanted to say: I never thought YOU would do THAT!? Or YOU believe WHAT? You are no longer the person I thought you were…

Anything you tell colleagues will spread faster than a revelation of a secret sex tape showing Kate Middelton and Justin Bieber would on Facebook and Twitter. Always remember everyone loves to pass on gossip. What's more, most people continue to talk and complain about colleagues when they get home or see friends.

So here are my top 10 things I believe you shouldn't share with anyone at work:

Salary or money details – Never talk about money at work, be it details about your salary or how much you have spent on your house, car or latest gadget. Talking about money can trigger lots of negative feelings such as jealousy and resentment.
Intimate details about your love or sex life – you might have the most amazing or most miserable love life there is but don't ever share the detail at work.
Whether and how much alcohol you drink – even if you are nursing the hangover from hell or want to share the excesses of your super party weekend, don't do it at work. It will always look unprofessional. And as for talking about other drugs – don't even think about it!
Political views – You might feel like saying: Why would anyone in their right mind vote for Obama? Simply don't do it. Politics can divide people and open up a massive can of worms.
Religious views – The same applies to religious beliefs. It is great that people have their religions but remember that most wars are caused by religious differences.
Non-pc jokes – We all like to have a laugh at work but not if it means you discriminate against anyone. If you feel the need to share jokes just think twice whether they might offend someone.
Your Facebook account – Making friends at work is wonderful but I feel that connecting with all colleagues on Facebook is a step too far. I use LinkedIn for colleagues and Facebook only for close friends. I think it is so hard to control what goes out to others (e.g. comments of friends of friends etc.). Almost every day I see posts and pictures on Facebook that make me cringe (where friends of friends have posted completely inappropriate things) and it is best to keep colleagues out of that loop.
Medical details – For whatever reason we love to talk about our illnesses and ailments. A bit like kids that can't wait to show others their scratches and bruises. Even though we all want to hear about medical details, work is not the place to share how you had an anal probe inserted to check for haemorrhoids.
Gossip and negative comments about co-workers - Even if you think that everyone agrees David from the accounts department is a massive jerk – don't say it out loud!
That you are looking for a new job – You might feel unhappy in your job and are actively looking for now post, but don't tell anyone at work. It will very quickly come out and could leave you in an awkward position.

So here you have it, my top 10 things you shouldn't share at work. Of course you can disagree with any of them and hopefully you'll let me know where you agree and disagree. Also, there are probably others you would add to this list – please let us know what they are…

Final thought: Of course there are some work places where it is safe to share more personal details. I am not advocating that you become a work robot that ever share any part of your personality with others. The point I am making is that at work it is usually inappropriate to share these things and can give unwanted ammunition to those who want to expose or side-line you.

Fwd: FW: HBR Blogs: Three Tips For Overcoming Your Blind Spots

2013-10-10T04:30:00.001-07:00

Three Tips For Overcoming Your Blind Spots

by John Dame and Jeffrey Gedmin | 12:00 PM October 2, 2013

Ernst Cramer, the late, great editor-in-chief of the German daily Die Welt, once recounted how as a college student in America in the midwest, just after World War II, he questioned in a math class whether the textbook was not mistaken in a particular instance. The lecturer reflexively, and rather sternly, dismissed the possibility. Several months later, Cramer was working on a farm during summer vacation when he looked up to see his professor jogging across the field from a parked car in the distance. "Cramer," a repentant voice yelled, "you were right – the book was wrong and they've changed that section!"

Cramer related the tale as an endearing anecdote from his early experience in America. We're similarly charmed by the graciousness and integrity of Cramer's math professor. But we're re-telling the story here because the professor's first response reveals two failings all too common in managers. One is the reflex always to bestow uncritical faith in authorities (including one's own superiors) and handed-down rules; the other, the quick dismissal of seemingly irreverent assertions.

We all have such blind spots, and they are weaknesses we should combat. Even that idea is unfashionable in an era when we are urged to focus on polishing strengths. In the world of professional music, it's often the opposite. Most conductors, for instance, begin rehearsals by directing the orchestra immediately to the most difficult passages in a given piece, and spend most time on them, because they are areas of weakness.

But how do managers work actively to fight weaknesses of which, by definition, they are insufficiently aware? We'll offer a few tactics we have used deliberately to counter the effects of three infamous cognitive biases.

To fight confirmation bias, have a devil's advocate.

Confirmation bias refers to our tendency, when receiving new information, to process it in a way that it fits our pre-existing narrative about a situation or problem. Simply put, if you're already inclined to believe that the French are rude, you will find the examples on your trip to Paris to validate your thesis. Disconfirming evidence – the friendly waiter, the helpful bellman – gets pushed aside. They're just "the exception." Warren Buffett says, "What the human being is best at doing, is interpreting all new information so that their prior conclusions remain intact." He knows he is prone to it himself.

Attorneys, debaters, and politicians engage in a kind of confirmation bias when, in order to make a case, they select certain data while deliberately neglecting or deemphasizing other data. But confirmation bias can cause disaster in business and policy when it leads a decision-maker to jump to conclusions, fall prey to misguided analogies, or simply exclude information that inconveniently disturbs a desired plan of action.

What to do? The only remedy is to make sure you have a full and accurate picture available when making important decisions. When you have a theory about someone or something, test it. When you smell a contradiction – a thorny issue, an inconsistency or problem – go after it. Like the orchestral conductor, isolate it, drill deeper. When someone says – or you yourself intuit – "that's just an exception," be sure it's just that. Thoroughly examine the claim.

Dealing with confirmation bias is about reining in your impulses and challenging your own assumptions. It's difficult to stick to it day in and out. That's why it's important to have in your circle of advisers a brainy, tough-as-nails devil's advocate who – perhaps annoyingly, but valuably – checks you constantly.

To cure hindsight bias, keep a diary.

As we move through life, we all keep a running record, at least at some level in our memory banks, of what worked, what didn't, and why. The trouble is, most of us tend to have selective memories. Hindsight bias is confirmation bias's equally problematic sibling. Again, we're cherry-picking from a body of data, in this instance to confirm a theory about why something that has already happened (the 2008 financial crash, the re-election of Barack Obama, the decision to hire a senior executive or implement a business strategy) played out as it did.

There's nothing wrong with having theories, mental models, and frameworks of analysis. On the contrary. The problem begins when critical, independent thinking ends and we fail to keep testing our templates. Hindsight bias impairs our ability to draw the right conclusions, as we imagine after the fact that a situation in the past was avoidable, or a decision simpler than it actually was at the time. This is a point made compellingly by the Swiss businessman and novelist Rolf Dobelli in his new book The Art of Thinking Clearly – a fascinating examination of 99 cognitive inclinations that most of us carry around, generally unaware.

Here's one way to check hindsight bias: Keep a diary. And record minutes from important meetings. We have a friend who just for fun asks dinner guests in his Capitol Hill home in Washington – he entertains some pretty heady gatherings – to scribble on a piece of paper their predictions about politics, business, and world events. He tucks the scraps in a drawer, let's them settle for a year or so, and then pulls them out for a reading over coffee and dessert. It's pretty funny stuff. What becomes painfully clear is that we failed to predict much of anything – claims after the fact notwithstanding.

To overcome "groupthink" start with hiring.

In his 2008 book "Outliers: the Story of Success," Malcolm Gladwell shares a cultural theory of plane crashes. He notes that Korean Air had more crashes than virtually any other airline in the world for a period at the end of the 1990s. Why? It seems likely that Korean traditions of hierarchy created the tendency – including in the cockpit when something seemed out of place or not quite right – to defer to superiors.

Companies like developing their own culture. It's important. Yet a culture that binds too tightly suffocates, chokes off independent thought, and can create a Stepford-like environment. If you find yourself feeling exhilarated because everyone around you is thinking just like you, you should consider that a huge red flag. It may well be that people are self-censoring for fear of exclusion or retribution. There's also ample research – psychologist Irving Janis is the pioneer in this area – that when groups become too close-knit they fall prey to illusions of invincibility.

Fighting groupthink should start at the hiring stage. Look for people who share your basic values and purpose, but who are also tough, independent, and able to tell you what they think. Moreover: check that decisions at all levels in the company are being made on the basis of rationality, not merely flowing from authority or a tendency (however subconscious) to conform.

Which brings us back to editor Ernst Cramer, who also liked to tell the story of how he was first hired by legendary German publisher Axel Springer. The two men had a meeting at Springer's Berlin office that, in Cramer's view, did not go very well at all. It seems there was a serious bone of contention, a rather vehement disagreement on a political issue that went back and forth between the two for some time. Neither was willing to relent.

Later that day, Cramer received a call asking him to return to meet with Springer again. The publisher greeted the young editor with the announcement, "Cramer, you're hired." The somewhat stunned Cramer reminded Springer that the two had spent half their time that morning in very spirited debate, to which Springer replied: "Exactly – that's why I need you on the team!"

That's self-awareness. That's taking the blinders off for full vision. And exactly these things lie at the core of growth and great leadership.

JOHN DAME AND JEFFREY GEDMIN

John Dame is CEO of Dame Management Strategies (DMS). Jeffrey Gedmin is CEO of the Legatum Institute.

my computer

2013-08-19T03:26:00.001-07:00

A Help desk guy speaking to a lady user...

Help desk: Double click on "My Computer".

Lady: I can't see your computer...

Help desk: No... click on "My Computer" on your computer.

Lady: How the hell can I click on ur computer from my computer???!!

Help desk: there is an icon labelled "My Computer" on your computer... double click on it...

Lady: What the hell is your computer doing on my computer ??

usage of words correctly

2013-08-19T03:10:00.001-07:00

Bob and Jim are walking to services.

Bob asks, "I wonder whether it would be all right to smoke while praying?"

"Why don't you ask the rabbi?" says Jim.

Bob sees the Rabbi and asks, "Rabbi, is it permissible for me to smoke while I pray?"

"No, you may not. That's utterly disrespectful to our tradition!" answers the rabbi.

Bob goes back to his friend and tells him what the good Rabbi told him.

"I'm not surprised. You asked the wrong question. Let me try."

Jim goes over to the Rabbi and asks, "Rabbi, would it be ok if I prayed while I smoke?"

To which the Rabbi eagerly replies, "By all means, my good man. By all means."

__._,_.___

A Worthy Wednesday!!!

2013-06-20T03:08:00.001-07:00

Peace of mind!!!

Once Buddha was walking from one town to another town with a few of his followers. While they were travelling, they happened to pass a lake. They stopped there and Buddha told one of his disciples, "I am thirsty. Do get me some water from that lake there".

The disciple walked up to the lake. When he reached it, he noticed that some people were washing clothes in the water and, right at that moment, a bullock cart started crossing through the lake. As a result, the water became very muddy, very turbid. The disciple thought, "How can I give this muddy water to Buddha to drink!" So he came back and told Buddha, "The water in there is very muddy. I don't think it is fit to drink".

After about half an hour, again Buddha asked the same disciple to go back to the lake and get him some water to drink. The disciple obediently went back to the lake. This time he found that the lake had absolutely clear water in it. The mud had settled down and the water above it looked fit to be had. So he collected some water in a pot and brought it to Buddha.

Buddha looked at the water, and then he looked up at the disciple and said, "See what you did to make the water clean. You let it be ... and the mud settled down on its own and you got clear water... Your mind is also like that. When it is disturbed, just let it be. Give it a little time. It will settle down on its own. You don't have to put in any effort to calm it down. It will happen. It is effortless."

What did Buddha emphasize here? He said, "It is effortless." Having 'peace of mind' is not a strenuous job; it is an effortless process. When there is peace inside you, that peace permeates to the outside. It spreads around you and in the environment, such that people around start feeling that peace and grace.

Moral

When you are disturbed, just give yourself some time. You'll calm down and will be able to think better!!!