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Amazing Q and A!!!!

Q. How can you drop a raw egg onto a concrete floor without cracking it?
A. Concrete floors are very hard to crack! (UPSC Topper)

Q. If it took eight men ten hours to build a wall, how long would it take four men to build it?
A. No time at all it is already built. (UPSC 23rd Rank Opted for IFS)

Q. If you had three apples and four oranges in one hand and four apples and three oranges in the other hand, what would you have?
A. Very large hands. (Good one) (UPSC 11 Rank Opted for IPS)

Q. How can you lift an elephant with one hand?
A. you will never find an elephant with one hand. (UPSC Rank 14 Opted for IES)

Q. How can a man go eight days without sleep?
A. No Probs, He sleeps at night. (UPSC IAS Rank 98)

Q. If you throw a red stone into the blue sea what it will become?
A. It will Wet or Sink as simple as that. (UPSC IAS Rank 2)

Q. What looks like half apple ?
A: The other half. (UPSC - IAS Topper )

Q. What can you never eat for breakfast?
A: Dinner.

Q. Bay of Bengal is in which state?
A: Liquid (UPSC 33 Rank)

Interviewer said "I shall either ask you ten easy questions or one really difficult question. Think well before you make up your mind!" The boy thought for a while and said, "my choice is one really difficult question." "Well, good luck to you, you have made your own choice! Now tell me this.
"What comes first, Day or Night?"
The boy was jolted into reality as his admission depends on the correctness of his answer, but he thought for a while and said, "It's the DAY sir!"
"How" the interviewer asked.
"Sorry sir, you promised me that you will not ask me a SECOND difficult question!"
He was selected for IIM!

Technical Skill is the mastery of complexity, while Creativity is the master of presence of mind.
This is a famous paper written for an Oxford philosophy exam, normally requiring an eight page essay answer and expected to be backed up with source material, quotes and analytical reasoning. This guy wrote the below answer and topped the exam!

OXFORD EXAMINATION BOARD 1987, ESSAY QUESTION
Question: What is courage? (50 Marks)
Answer (After 7 blank pages, at the end of the last page…): This is courage

iRing

Victor Soto has comes up with a new concept, called the iRing that enables users to control playback and volume on any of the Apple media products.

The stylish iRing features a wireless Bluetooth connectivity that allows the iPod and iPhone consumer to operate their devices with ease.

It also sports a bright OLED status display with touch-sensitive function strip and a rechargeable battery that offers a life of up to 2 days.

A cradle helps you to recharge the iRing and a locking feature allows you to lock the controls on the back of the ring.

"THROUGH A RAPIST'S EYES"

I found this info use full..

"THROUGH A RAPIST'S EYES" (PLS TAKE TIME TO READ THIS. it may save a life.) Click Share Button To share it on your Wall.

It seems that alot of attackers use some tactic to get away with violence. Not many
people know how to take care of themselves when faced with such a
situation. Everyone should read this especially each n every girl in this world.

THOUGHT THIS WAS GOOD INFO TO PASS ALONG...
FYI - Through a rapist's eyes! A group of rapists and date rapists in
prison were interviewed on what they look for in a potential victim
and here are some interesting facts:

1] The first thing men look for in a potential victim is hairstyle.
They are most likely to go after a woman with a ponytail, bun! , braid
or other hairstyle that can easily be grabbed. They are also likely to
go after a woman with long hair. Women with short hair are not common
targets.

2] The second thing men look for is clothing. They will look for women
who's clothing is easy to remove quickly. Many of them carry scissors
around to cut clothing.

3] They also look for women using their cell phone, searching through
their purse or doing other activities while walking because they are
off guard and can be easily overpowered.

4] The number one place women are abducted from / attacked at is
grocery store parking lots.

5] Number two is office parking lots/garages.

6] Number three is public restrooms.

7] The thing about these men is that they are looking to grab a woman
and quickly move her to a second location where they don't have to
worry about getting caught.

8] If you put up any kind of a fight at all, they get discouraged
because it only takes a minute or two for them to realize that going
after you isn't worth it because it will be time-consuming.

9] These men said they would not pick on women who have umbrellas,or
other similar objects that can be used from a distance, in their
hands.

10] Keys are not a deterrent because you have to get really close to
the attacker to use them as a weapon. So, the idea is to convince
these guys you're not worth it.

POINTS THAT WE SHOULD REMEMBER:

1] If someone is following behind you on a street or in a garage or
with you in an elevator or stairwell, look them in the face and ask
them a question, like what time is it, or make general small talk:
can't believe it is so cold out here, we're in for a bad winter. Now
that you've seen their faces and could identify them in a line- up,
you lose appeal as a target.

2] If someone is coming toward you, hold out your hands in front of
you and yell Stop or Stay back! Most of the rapists this man talked to
said they'd leave a woman alone if she yelled or showed that she would
not be afraid to fight back. Again, they are looking for an EASY
target.

3] If you carry pepper spray (this instructor was a huge advocate of
it and carries it with him wherever he goes,) yelling I HAVE PEPPER
SPRAY and holding it out will be a deterrent.

4] If someone grabs you, you can't beat them with strength but you can
do it by outsmarting them. If you are grabbed around the waist from
behind, pinch the attacker either under the arm between the elbow and
armpit or in the upper inner thigh - HARD. One woman in a class this
guy taught told him she used the underarm pinch on a guy who was
trying to date rape her and was so upset she broke through the skin
and tore out muscle strands the guy needed stitches. Try pinching
yourself in those places as hard as you can stand it; it really hurts.

5] After the initial hit, always go for the groin. I know from a
particularly unfortunate experience that if you slap a guy's parts it
is extremely painful. You might think that you'll anger the guy and
make him want to hurt you more, but the thing these rapists told our
instructor is that they want a woman who will not cause him a lot of
trouble. Start causing trouble, and he's out of there.

6] When the guy puts his hands up to you, grab his first two fingers
and bend them back as far as possible with as much pressure pushing
down on them as possible. The instructor did it to me without using
much pressure, and I ended up on my knees and both knuckles cracked
audibly.

7] Of course the things we always hear still apply. Always be aware of
your surroundings, take someone with you if you can and if you see any
odd behavior, don't dismiss it, go with your instincts. You may feel
little silly at the time, but you'd feel much worse if the guy really
was trouble.

FINALLY, PLEASE REMEMBER THESE AS WELL ....
I know you are smart enough to know these pointers but there will be
some, where you will go "hmm I must remember that" After reading,
forward it to someone you care about, never hurts to be careful in
this crazy world we live in.

1. Tip from Tae Kwon Do: The elbow is the strongest point on your
body. If you are close enough to use it, do it.

2. Learned this from a tourist guide to New Orleans : if a robber asks
for your wallet and/or purse, DO NOT HAND IT TO HIM. Toss it away from
you.... chances are that he is more interested in your wallet and/or
purse than you and he will go for the wallet/purse. RUN LIKE MAD IN
THE OTHER DIRECTION!

3. If you are ever thrown into the trunk of a car: Kick out the back
tail lights and stick your arm out the hole and start waving like
crazy. The driver won't see you but everybody else will. This has
saved lives.

4. Women have a tendency to get into their cars after shopping,eating,
working, etc., and just sit
(doing their checkbook, or making a list, etc. DON'T DO THIS! The
predator will be watching you, and this is the perfect opportunity for
him to get in on the passenger side,put a gun to your head, and tell
you where to go. AS SOON AS YOU CLOSE the DOORS , LEAVE.

5. A few notes about getting into your car in a parking lot, or
parking garage:

a. Be aware: look around your car as someone may be
hiding at the passenger side , peek into your car, inside the
passenger side floor, and in the back seat. ( DO THIS TOO BEFORE
RIDING A TAXI CAB) .

b. If you! u are parked next to a big van, enter your car from the
passenger door. Most serial killers attack their victims by pulling
them into their vans while the women are attempting to get into their
cars.

c. Look at the car parked on the driver's side of your vehicle, and
the passenger side. If a male is sitting alone in the seat nearest
your car, you may want to walk back into the mall, or work, and get a
guard/policeman to walk you back out. IT IS ALWAYS BETTER TO BE SAFE
THAN SORRY. (And better paranoid than dead.)

6. ALWAYS take the elevator instead of the stairs. (Stairwells are
horrible places to be alone and the perfect crime spot).

7. If the predator has a gun and you are not under his control, ALWAYS
RUN! The predator will only hit you (a running target) 4 in 100 times;
And even then, it most likely WILL NOT be a vital organ. RUN!

8. As women, we are always trying to be sympathetic: STOP IT! It may
get you raped, or killed. Ted Bundy, the serial killer, was a
good-looking, well educated man, who ALWAYS played on the sympathies
of unsuspecting women. He walked with a cane, or a limp, and often
asked "for help" into his vehicle or with his vehicle, which is when
he abducted his next victim.

I'd like you to forward this to all the women you know. It may save a
life. A candle is not dimmed by lighting another candle. I was going
to send this to the ladies only, but guys, if you love your mothers,
wives, sisters, daughters, etc., you may want to pass it onto them, as
well.

Send this to any woman you know that may need to be reminded that the
world we live in has a lot of crazies in it and it's better safe than
sorry.

If u have a heart or compassoin share this photo.

WE CAN SHARE JOKES AND SPAM MAILS TO OUR FRIENDS & NETWORKS
PLEASE FOR ONCE SHARE THIS AND
LETS TRY TO HELP THEM.

‘Helping hands are better than Praying Lips’ – give us your helping hand.
SHARE IT WITH ALL UR FRIENDS.

ATLEAST PEOPLES WILL KNOW WATS GOING IN WORLD.

Friends So Please Share....Your one share can Help to spread this information. We share So many Stupid Things on facebook and ignore these types of things which can save so many lifes.

I hope you all will share. Lets See how many of you really care for this.

SEVEN DANGERS OF COKE & PEPSI

SEVEN DANGERS OF COKE & PEPSI (SOFT DRINKS) :: Must read

Friends please "SHARE" this information!!!

For those of you who LOVE Coke/Pepsi:

1) To clean a toilet:

Pour a can of Coca-Cola into the toilet bowl.
Let the "real thing" sit for one hour, then flush clean.
The citric acid in Coke removes stains from vitreous china.
No scrubbing, no sweat - guaranteed.

2) To remove rust spots from chrome car bumpers:

Rub the bumper with a crumpled-up piece of aluminum foils dipped in Coca-Cola.
Much economical than the stuff from Smart Shop.

3) To clean corrosion from car battery terminals;

Pour a can of Coca-Cola over the terminals to bubble away the corrosion.

4) To loosen a rusted bolt;

Applying a cloth soaked in Coca-Cola to the rusted bolt for several minutes.

5) To remove grease from clothes;

Empty a can of Coke into a load of greasy clothes, add detergent, and run through a regular cycle.
6) The Coca-Cola will help loosen grease stains. It will also clean road haze from your windshield.

The world's first soft drink disguise as a multi-purpose cleaner? Or should it be a multi-purpose cleaner disguise as a soft drink!!!

AND WE DRINK THIS STUFF! Coke & Pepsi ALARMING FACTS!!!

The average pH of soft drinks, e.g. Coke, Pepsi is pH 3.4. This acidity is strong enough to dissolve teeth and bones! Our human body stops building bones at around the age of 30. After that it'll be dissolving about 8-18% of the bones each year through the urine, depending on the acidity of the food intake (acidity does not depend on the taste of the food, but on the ratio of potassium / calcium / magnesium / etc. to phosphorus).

All the dissolved calcium compounds accumulate in the arteries, veins, skin tissue, and organs. This affects the functioning of the kidney (kidney stones). Soft drinks do not have any nutritional value (in terms of vitamins and minerals). They have higher sugar content, higher acidity, and more additives such as preservatives and colourings.

Some people like to take cold soft drinks after each meal, guess what's the impact? Our body has an optimum temperature of 37 degrees for the functioning of digestive enzymes. The temperature of cold soft drinks is much less than 37, sometimes quite close to 0. This will lower the effectiveness of the enzymes and put stress on the digestive system, digesting less food. In fact the food gets fermented. The fermented food produce bad smelling gases, decays and forms toxins, which are absorbed in the intestines, get circulated in the blood and is delivered to the whole body. This spread of toxins can lead to the development of various diseases. Think before you drink Coke or Pepsi or any another soft drinks.

Have you ever thought what you drink when you drink an aerated drink? You gulp down carbon dioxide, something that no sane person in the world would advise you to do. Few months ago, there was a competition in Delhi University "Who can drink the most Coke?". The winner drank 8 bottles and died on the spot because too much carbon dioxide in the blood and not enough oxygen. From then on, the principal banned all soft drinks from the university canteen.

Someone put a broken tooth in a bottle of Pepsi and in 10 days it is dissolved! Teeth and bones are the only human organs that stay intact for years after death. Imagine what the drink must be doing to your delicate soft intestines and stomach lining!

World's oldest blood

World's oldest blood cells found in 5300-year-old 'iceman' mummy

World's oldest blood found in 5300-year-old mummy

"Oetzi" the "Iceman" died after being shot by an arrow

Lived for "some time" after he was shot.

THE world's oldest red blood cells have been found in the body of a 5300-year-old lactose intolerant "Iceman", called "Oetzi".

The mummy was found in the Alps in 1991 by a pair of hikers, and research published today confirms the mysterious circumstances surrounding Oetzi’s death.

Oetzi suffered a violent end, with an arrow severing a major blood vessel between the rib cage and the left scapula, as well as a laceration on the hand, the scientists from the Ludwig Maximilian University in Munich said.

But he managed to live for “some time” after being shot.

The researchers determined through DNA that Oetzi was a handsome, if not somewhat sensitive Iceman who was about 1.6m tall, with brown eyes and hair, who weighed 50kg and was allergic to milk products.

This supports the theory that despite the increasing spread of agriculture and dairying at the time, lactose intolerance was still common.

The researchers used nano-scale methods to probe the oldest blood known to modern science, preserved by thousands of years of alpine chill.

Using a so-called atomic force microscope able to resolve images just a few nanometers (billionths of a metre) across, they identified corpuscles with the classic doughnut shape of healthy blood cells.

“To be absolutely sure that we were not dealing with pollen, bacteria or even a negative imprint of a blood cell, but indeed with actual blood cells, we used a second analytical method,” biological anthropologist and lead researcher, Albert Zink, said.

They deployed Raman spectroscopy, in which refracted light from a laser beam gives chemical clues about a sample.

This showed the presence of haemoglobin and fibrin, which are key components in blood clotting, at the arrow wound on Oetzi's back.

“Because fibrin is present in fresh wounds and then degrades, the theory that Oetzi died straight after he had been injured by the arrow, as had once been mooted, and not some days after, can no longer be upheld,” Mr Zink said, referring to a previous theory reported in the Journal of the Royal Society Interface and published by Britain's academy of sciences.

According to a theory aired in 2010 by an Italian archaeologist, based on seasonal pollen found in his stomach contents and at the burial site, Oetzi did not die at the spot where his remains were found. Instead, he was only ceremonially interred there. (Herald Sun/ Fox News)

Human Computer

Shakuntala Devi —Human Computer - Don't forget this legend

Shakuntala Devi was born on November 4, 1939 in Bangalore,

...

In Dallas she competed with a computer to see who give the cube root of 188138517 faster, she won.

...

In 1977 At university of USA she was asked to give mentally the 23rd root of 91674867692003915809866092758538016248310668014430862240712651642793465704086709659 32792057674808067900227830163549248523803357453169351119035965775473400756818688305 620821016129132845564895780158806771 (201-digit number).

She answered in 50seconds. The answer is 546372891. It took a UNIVAC 1108 computer, full one minute and 2 seconds (10 seconds more) to confirm that she was right after it was fed with 13000 instructions.

On June 18, 1980 she demonstrated the multiplication of two 13-digit numbers 7,686,369,774,870 x 2,465,099,745,779 picked at random by the Computer Department of Imperial College, London. She answered the question in 28 seconds.

Her correct answer was 18,947,668,177,995,426,462,773,730. This event is mentioned on page 26 of the 1995 Guinness Book of Records.

Now she is known to be Human Computer.

6 beautiful HR Questions !! "THINK OUTSIDE OF THE BOX"

Think out of the Box.. !!!

Here are some of the typical HR questions asked to find out if the candidates have "out of box" thinking capability 

Question 1:

"What will you do if I run away with your sister?"

The candidate who was selected answered " I will not get a better match for my sister than you, sir."

Question 2:

Interviewer (to a student girl candidate) - What if one morning you woke up & found that you were pregnant ?

I will be very excited and take a day off, to celebrate with my husband. (Normally an unmarried girl will be shocked to hear this, but she managed it well. Why should I think it in the wrong way, she said later when asked.)

Question 3:

Interviewer: He ordered a cup of coffee for the candidate. Coffee arrived and was kept before the candidate, then he asked "What is before you?"

Candidate: Instantly replied "Tea" and got selected.

(You know how and why did he say "TEA" when he knows very well that coffee was kept before him?.

Answer: The question was "What is before you U? (-alphabet). Reply was "TEA" T (- alphabet).

Question 4:

Where Lord Rama would have celebrated his "First Diwali"?

People will start thinking of Ayodya, Mithila [Janaki's place], Lanka etc...

But the logic is, Diwali was a celebrated as a mark of Lord Krishna Killing Narakasura. In Dusavataar, Krishnavathaar comes after Raamavathaar.

So, Lord Rama would not have celebrated the Diwali At all!

Question 5:

You are driving along in your car on a wild, stormy night, it's raining heavily, when suddenly you pass by a bus stop, and you see three people waiting for a bus:

An old lady who looks as if she is about to die.

An old friend who once saved your life.

The perfect partner you have been dreaming about.

Which one would you choose to offer a ride to, knowing very well that there could only be one passenger in your car?

This is a moral/ethical dilemma that was once actually used as part of a job application.

* You could pick up the old lady, because she is going to die, and thus you should save her first; * or you could take the old friend because he once saved your life, and this would be the perfect chance to ! pay him back. *

However, you may never be able to find your perfect mate again...

The candidate who was hired (out of 200 applicants) had no trouble coming up with his answer. Guess what was his answer?

He simply answered:

"I would give the car keys to my Old friend and let him take the lady to the hospital. I would stay behind and wait for the bus with the partner of my dreams."

Sometimes, we gain more if we are able to give up our stubborn thought limitations. Never forget to "Think Outside of the Box."

Question 6:

The interviewer asked the candidate "This is your last question of the interview. Please tell me the exact position of the center of this table where u have kept your files."

Candidate confidently put one of his finger at some point at the table and said that this was the central point at the table. Interviewer asked "how did you decide that this is the central point of this table?", then he answers quickly that "Sir you are not supposed to ask any more question, as it was the last question as you promised .....

And hence, he was selected as because of his quick-wittedness.

This is what Interviewer expects from the Interviewee. ....

To Prevent Heart attack

It is popular in Japan today to drink water immediately after waking up every morning. Furthermore, scientific tests have proven its value. We publish below a description of use of water for our readers. For old and serious diseases as well as modern illnesses the water treatment had been found successful by a Japanese medical society as a 100% cure for the following diseases:
Headache, body ache, heart system, arthritis, fast heart beat, epilepsy, excess fatness, bronchitis asthma, TB, meningitis, kidney and urine diseases, vomiting, gastritis, diarrhea, piles, diabetes, constipation, all eye diseases, womb, cancer and menstrual disorders, ear nose and throat diseases.
METHOD OF TREATMENT
1. As you wake up in the morning before brushing teeth, drink 4 x 160ml glasses of water
2. Brush and clean the mouth but do not eat or drink anything for 45 minute
3.. After 45 minutes you may eat and drink as normal.
4. After 15 minutes of breakfast, lunch and dinner do not eat or drink anything for 2 hours
5. Those who are old or sick and are unable to drink 4 glasses of water at the beginning may commence by taking little water and gradually increase it to 4 glasses per day.
6. The above method of treatment will cure diseases of the sick and others can enjoy a healthy life.
The following list gives the number of days of treatment required to cure/control/reduce main diseases:
1. High Blood Pressure (30 days)
2. Gastric (10 days)
3. Diabetes (30 days)
4. Constipation (10 days)
5. Cancer (180 days)
6. TB (90 days)
7. Arthritis patients should follow the above treatment only for 3 days in the 1st week, and from 2nd week onwards – daily..
This treatment method has no side effects, however at the commencement of treatment you may have to urinate a few times.
It is better if we continue this and make this procedure as a routine work in our life. Drink Water and Stay healthy and Active.
This makes sense .. The Chinese and Japanese drink hot tea with their meals ..not cold water. Maybe it is time we adopt their drinking habit while eating!!! Nothing to lose, everything to gain...
For those who like to drink cold water, this article is applicable to you.
It is nice to have a cup of cold drink after a meal. However, the cold water will solidify the oily stuff that you have just consumed. It will slow down the digestion.
Once this 'sludge' reacts with the acid, it will break down and be absorbed by the intestine faster than the solid food. It will line the intestine.
Very soon, this will turn into fats and lead to cancer. It is best to drink hot soup or warm water after a meal.
A serious note about heart attacks:
· Women should know that not every heart attack symptom is going to be the left arm hurting,
· Be aware of intense pain in the jaw line.
· You may never have the first chest pain during the course of a heart attack.
· Nausea and intense sweating are also common symptoms.
· 60% of people who have a heart attack while they are asleep do not wake up.
· Pain in the jaw can wake you from a sound sleep. Let's be careful and be aware. The more we know, the better chance we could survive...
A cardiologist says if everyone who gets this mail sends it to everyone they know, you can be sure that we'll save at least one life.

Top 10 Most expensive Mouse

1-SpacePilot Pro 3D navigation mouse

3Dconnexions SpacePilot Pro 3D mouse was nearly is a dream mouse. This 3D mouse is designed to provide freedom in design work and for comfort in handling and 3D applications. The mouse design is also gelled perfect for advanced MCAD Navigation that's well supported by the intelligent function keys. The game-pad styled mice with soft-coated wrist rest, houses fully customizable five dual-function keys that access both primary and secondary functions. SpacePilot Pro adorns a color LCD to display function key assignments with direct access to MS Outlook mail, calendar and other task list, allowing the user to use the important applications and gain important information without many hassles. To be made available with compatible drivers for Windows XP, Vista, Linux and Solaris 8 and 10, the anti-Mac SpacePilot Pro would ship for $499.

2-Orbita wireless 3-axis mouse

The Orbita Mouse is the world's first wireless 3-axis mouse for a wide variety of chores, and a unique cylindrical design with a jog wheel for horizontal scrolling. With a resolution of 800DPI, the Orbita is a fully integrated intuitive and ergonomic control center. Using its ability to rotate from left to right to scroll, instead of the vertical up and down scrolling, the wireless cylindrical mouse is an incredible make, touting of 2.4GHz zero lag wireless communication. Given the quick and precise scrolling capability, with zoom and low cost jog, the mouse can help you scroll through documents more easily and in an improved manner. Integrated with a compass for 3D movement, it will control both 3 dimensional and general applications along with providing media editing facility. Embedded with Mac and PC compatibility, the Orbita comes tagged with a USB charging base.

 3-Steampunk Paradox Mouse

Paradox Mouse is a piece of genus from Daniel Pon. Groomed in the magnificence of brass, bolts, gears, wood and vintage typewriter keys, there isn't really anything that lags in its contribution to supplement to the making of a mouse, intended to go along the modded keyboard and monitor. Shaped to mimic the a real mouse itself, Pon has carved the Paradox Mouse in LEDs with extra peripherals like a mouse skull, spine and shoulder blades, but all so efficiently embedded. Pon has a perfect custom mouse pad made to go with the insane mouse.

 4-AirMouse

To lure the vulnerable consumers and other who're fed up with the orthodox styled mice and the trouble associated with them, a Canadian firm, Deanmark Ltd has introduced the AirMouse – that can be worn like a glove. Equipped with optical tracking laser, that last for a week on single charge, the mouse has been clinically tested to work by aligning itself with the user's hand and wrist ligaments to keep the hand in a neutral position, thus minimizing the excessive force required to function by the ordinary styled mice. Because, the AirMouse makes hand movement more easy and swift, it also enhances upon the user's mousing speed and accuracy.

5-Mad Catz Cyborg R.A.T. gaming mouse

Cyborg R.A.T. gaming mouse is created by the geniuses at Mad Catz. Uniform in design but realistically outrageous in general with all those buttons and knobs all around its body, the sleek and black mice would be made available for our gaming desires sometime this spring. In case the gamer in you is confused with how comfy these are, it'll be fitting to snatch words from the maker's mouth and give to you as "most comfortable gaming mice you'll ever use." The Mad Catz USB powered Cyborg R.A.T. gaming mouse offering 3200 dpi laser, to 5600 dpi laser fully adjustable, programmable technology would be available on four versions ranging from $50 to $130.


6-Optical Mouse with LEDs

This USB mouse with integrated LEDs and fan to cool your palm is the only mouse flaunting its own remote. The mouse offers standard 800pdi optical tracking, but to its novelty, with the remote to input messages of up to 12 characters it enjoys the basic diversity of sorts. If you are one of those busy souls who spend hours at the PC, the best feature of the mouse that you'll cherish would be the fans over the LEDs that'll keep blowing out air to keep your busy hand sweat-free, all for about $21 in Japan. 7-Ultra Slim Mouse Christened the MA-BTCARD, this ultra slim optical mouse is no burden to your mobility, it wouldn't occupy any space in your already cramped laptop bag. MA-BTCARD fits perfectly into the TypeII PC card slot in your notebook. The mouse is Bluetooth enabled, doing away with the wire ruckus, charging too isn't a snag – it can be charged in the PC slot itself and costs only $107.

8-Apple's Mighty Mouse

Apple's Mighty Mouse turns its back on the traditional scroll wheel and is equipped with a scroll area that gives the user control of the cursor movements merely by the change of the hand's posture. Minus buttons, the new mouse results in lesser hand strain for the user and has the added bonus of appearing translucent, sleek and stylish. The Mighty Mouse can provide audio feedback to the user concerning the rate at which the finger is moved over the active area. The area may also have haptic-like feedback features, which allow users to define the boundary of active surface area.

9-USB Wireless Finger Mouse
 
At the first look the wireless mouse that would fit onto the finger and had to be operated with the thumb brought apprehensions of straining the finger muscles, but the manufacturers of this wireless finger mouse assures us that this mouse is ergonomically designed. The USB Wireless Finger Mouse will reduce the desk space, anyway with laptops becoming thinner and touchscreen tablet PCs making their appearances the problem of space has already been solved. Nonetheless, a Wireless Finger Mouse could come handy with a continued usage time of 14 hours, 170 days of stand by time and capability of working from a 15meters distance. It has a built-in lithium-ion battery that takes 2 hours to be recharged. If you can support a 25g mouse on your finger that is heavier than any large ring on your finger then you can go for this mouse.

10-Mouser mouse

A unification of constructive technology and valuable construction, this computer mouse attracts the geek considering the multifaceted, comfortable and pleasant build we have in offer in this near original instrument. Designed by Andrey Chirkov, the mouser mouse is made in two materials with different qualities and texture. The pliable wood gives the mouse an artist retro look while the hard metallic frame used for the buttons gets it back to the modern manifestation. The buttons seems to be hanging in mid air, as the flowing form of the wood only helps the metal finish rest on the skillful body, while the original construction of the rolling wheel adds to the finishing details of the splendor

Wind turbine creates water from thin air

CNN) -- Wind turbines have long produced renewable energy but a French engineering firm has discovered another eco-purpose for the towering structures.
Eole Water claims to have successfully modified the traditional wind turbine design to create the WMS1000, an appliance that can manufacture drinking water from humid air.
The company aims to start rolling out the giant products for sale later in 2012, initially focusing on remote communities in arid countries where water resources are scarce.
"This technology could enable rural areas to become self-sufficient in terms of water supply," says Thibault Janin, director of marketing at Eole Water.
"As the design and capabilities develop, the next step will be to create turbines that can provide water for small cities or areas with denser populations," he adds.
Eole Water is currently displaying a working prototype of the 24 meter tall WMS1000 in the desert near Abu Dhabi that has been able to produce 62 liters of water an hour, says Janin.
He explains that the technology works by first generating electricity in the traditional manner of a wind turbine. This power enables the entire water generating system to function.
The next stage sees air sucked in through the nose of the turbine via a device known as an "air blower".
All air trapped during this procedure is then directed through an electric cooling compressor situated behind the propellers. This contraption extracts humidity from the air, creating moisture which is condensed and collected.
The water gathered at this stage is then transferred down a series of stainless steel pipes, which have been specially modified to aid the water production process, to a storage tank in the base of the turbine.
Once there, the water is filtered and purified before it is ready for use and consumption.
One turbine can produce up to 1,000 liters of water every day, depending on the level of humidity, temperature and wind speeds, says Janin.
"This is enough to provide water for a village or town of 2,000 to 3,000 people," he adds.
Janin highlights isolated communities in Africa and South America as well as remote islands in Asia that have little or no access to safe drinking water as potential beneficiaries of the technology.
"If you think of Indonesia, it has (thousands of) islands and they cannot centralize their water supply ... the geographic makeup of the country makes it impossible," says Janin.
See also: Can hot air be the free fuel of the future?
"This technique could enable them to overcome these problems and make the islands self-sufficient in a way that doesn't harm the environment."
But while enthusiastic about the potential of his company's technology, Janin admits that the initial costs of the turbines could be prohibitive, especially for poorer towns or regions.
Just now it costs between €500,000 ($660,000) and €600,000 ($790,000) depending on the location and surrounding conditions to install just one Eole Water turbine.
As time progresses and as an industrial process is developed that enables the company to take advantage of economies of scale, this outlay is likely to fall, says Janin.
"We have just started the commercial aspect of this product but the price is not that expensive when you compare it with the long term solution that it gives," he adds.

Source: CNN.com

"Presence of Absence''

I found it interesting!!!
Source: thetelegram.com


For much of his life, Clifford George has felt the lure of distant images, whispering echoes calling to him over the expanse of time.
His upcoming exhibit, “Presence of Absence,” is a culmination of those images captured on canvas and sketchpad. The series includes poetry and prose and will run from March 16 to April 7, at the Christina Parker Gallery in St. John’s.
“All my life I’ve been collecting sketches and small paintings of what our Newfoundland means to me,” he says during a conversation at his light-filled loft studio in Whiteway, Trinity South. “You can’t include the whole 190 pieces in the exhibit, so you have to pick out the ones that describe the ‘Presence of Absence’ best. I leave that to my gallery, Christina Parker and her adjudicators. They have been good to me over the years.”
Dear Diary
The painter-poet uses a mix of mediums in his work.
“I find that I can’t just paint it, I gotta write it down.”
His diary containing his thoughts, sketches, paintings of old houses, is in itself a mini art show.
“I can’t put those in the show, unless they use the book, because I don’t tear pages out of this diary,” he says with a glance up from the journal resting on his lap.
Feeling the presence
George was inspired to add to his collection after a visit last year from good friends and fellow artists Gerry Squires and Tom Dawe, who encouraged him to continue the work for an exhibit.
So he packed up his tools and travelled the Burin and Avalon peninsulas.
“I went to a place called Red Cliff down around Bonavista — and I was overwhelmed by the presence of absence.
“There were old saltbox houses clinging onto the cliff and they were giving out a message. And I could feel the presence of the people who lived in them long ago, the times in the old schools, dances in the halls, people telling yarns to each other. Peacefulness and quiet serenity.
“Curtains blowing through broken glass out into the morning air. Woodstoves rusted, soup ladles hanging by the old chimney back of the stove from suppers long ago. I painted and sketched that town a lot.”
Other pieces in the exhibit go back to the early 1990s. At that time he says he was “unknowingly feeling the absence.”
Pat Murphy
George’s other passion is horses. His love of Newfoundland Ponies led him to a partnership with Dr. Andrew Frazer in 1976, the eventual protection of the species, and regulations prohibiting the sale of the Newfoundland Pony for animal and human consumption.
“I cut hay for my horses and when I’m cutting or I’m sketching those old meadows, I’m listening to ‘Pat Murphy’s Meadow’ by J.M. Devine and I’m humming it to myself.”
He went to King’s Cove, Bonavista Bay, to sketch the scene that inspired the song.
“My whole show is a lot like Pat Murphy’s meadow because what we have there now is a meadow that’s overgrown by wildflowers where once hay was cut to feed cattle. So there’s a series of sketches on Pat Murphy’s meadow.”
His paintings of houses bear the names of the women who made them home.
“I always go with the name of the woman who owned the house because in her lives the soul of that house, I feel.”
As an example, he picks up his diary and reads:
“Lucy Cluett’s house, sitting alone on that great meadow of long gully grasses with fields of uncut hay. Lucy, gone now, a cross in the graveyard back of her house where winds once blew tunes to her soul. The cross, alone like her, reaches out to the meadow and the sky, the cry of the loon in the gully. The place, once carefully built with level and square, now cozies itself as it sinks and sways with time to reach its final destiny.”
George says Cluett’s house (in Frenchman’s Cove), the houses in Grand Beach and all along that coast gave him “the quivers.”
“It energized my soul. I think I’ll be painting it for the next 10 years.”
One of his favourite houses once stood “up in the marsh” in Whiteway and belonged to “Aunt” Agnes, the widow of “Uncle” Eldred Drover. (Back when George was growing up, all older people in the community were referred to as “aunt” or “uncle,” a title of respect — less formal than Mr. and Mrs. and more respectful than using first names.)
“I compiled the whole history of the old house,” George says. “You gotta know who’s inside before you can paint them. I didn’t know I was composing this show, but it all came together later on.”
Back in the day
Growing up in outport Newfoundland came with advantages and disadvantages.
“When I was a little boy I used to be on the floor sketching and I didn’t know there were any other artists in the world because I lived out here, see. I used to go around collecting different coloured house paint from the neighbours so I’d have something to paint with.”
George was in his mid-teens before he had the opportunity to learn about art at school.
“But I knew I wanted to be an artist because of the reflections in the water in autumn. It would overwhelm me; it made me want to paint it. I’ve had the urge to be an artist all my life. And I’ve remembered the stories that people told me. It’s important to remember it.”
George recently turned 65. For 25 years he worked as a medical graphic artist (sketching anatomy) at Memorial University’s medical school.
“I was inspired by Dr. Falah Maroun, and Dr. Cecil Couves who came here to teach open heart surgery, and Dr. (Abdalla) Hanna.
“Then there’s the grand old guy, Dr. Nigel Rusted, who’s 104. Imagine buying a car with an extended warranty when he was 102,” George says with a soft chuckle. “Nigel is a special Newfoundlander.”
Rusted, who recently received the Order of Canada, spent some of his time as a doctor on the south coast and on the SS Kyle.
“He would sit and tell me stories for hours, about life long ago along the south coast of Newfoundland. He was one of the most unforgettable characters in my life.
“I worked with the pioneers that came here to teach medicine, characters from all over the world and I loved every one of them. I sketched everything and I saw everything,” he says, referring to his anatomy drawings.
He attributes artist and teacher Don Wright with having provided one of his best experiences in the art world.
“I was thirsty for knowledge and wanted to learn everything about the arts. He was truly an inspiration in my life, something I can look back on and be happy about.”
George had the opportunity to work with many of the early Newfoundland artists. He began exhibiting his work in the early 1970s.
“There wasn’t a big pile of (artists), but it was a big movement. It was a close movement and all those artists were my friends — Marjorie Dustin, Rae Perlin, Daphne House and Helen Parsons Sheppard and everyone like that.”
Last year he was asked to participate in The Learning Disabilities Association’s Blind Date with a Star fundraiser.
“Talk about presence of absence! I walk into that big room down at the Newfoundland Hotel and I look around and all those artists are all gone, with the exception of Mary Pratt.”
He was happy to see a few kindred spirits like Gerry Squires, Jean Claude Roy and Sheilagh O’Leary in the crowd.
“But when you think on it, it was scary that night, to walk into that room and not be able to see the people that started the real art movement in Newfoundland.”
George has had six one-man shows and has taken part in several group exhibitions in and outside the province, including two Canadian exhibitions in Japan with other selected artists and an exhibition entitled “When Cod was King, at South Street Museum in New York.”
At home he teaches art at the 50-Plus Club in Cavendish and helps out “any who need a little boost. If they got talent, you just nudge it,” he explains.

Effects of Cold Water

Pirates of Carribeans!!!

If you are driving at night and eggs are thrown at your windscreen, do not stop ...to check the car, do not operate the wiper and do not spray any water, because eggs mixed with water become milky and block your vision up to 92.5%, and you are then forced to stop beside the road and become a victim of these criminals. This is a new technique used by gangs, so please share this info with your friends and relatives.

Airborne power generator to produce energy at 1,000 feet

Wind farms could become a thing of the past if a blimp-like power generator takes off.
Altaeros Energies, a U.S wind energy company formed out of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, announced that it has successfully generated energy from 350 feet up with an automated prototype of its airborne wind turbine (AWT).

The completed commercial version would rest at 1,000 feet, where winds are stronger and more consistent, according to Altaeros Energies.

The turbine was successfully transported and deployed into the air at Loring Commerce Center in Limestone, Maine, from a towable docking trailer.

Altaeros says that because its product would harness higher-altitude winds – up to five times stronger than those reached by tower turbines - it would reduce energy costs by up to 65 per cent and reduce installation time from weeks to days.

In addition, it is designed to have virtually no environmental or noise impact and to require minimal maintenance.

The Altaeros AWT will displace expensive fuel used to power diesel generators at remote industrial, military, and village sites.

In the long term, Altaeros plans to scale up the technology to reduce costs in the offshore wind market.

‘For decades, wind turbines have required cranes and huge towers to lift a few hundred feet off the ground where winds can be slow and gusty,’ explained Ben Glass, the inventor of the AWT and Altaeros Chief Executive Officer.

‘We are excited to demonstrate that modern inflatable materials can lift wind turbines into more powerful winds almost everywhere - with a platform that is cost competitive and easy to setup from a shipping container.’

The AWT uses a helium-filled, inflatable shell to ascend, with strong tethers holding it steady and sending electricity down to the ground.

source: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencetech/article-2122762/Airborne-power-generator-produce-energy-1-000-feet.html#ixzz1qhjSvqaF

How to Survive a heart attach when alone....

Let's say it's 6.15pm and you're going home (alone of course),
after an unusually hard day on the job. You're really tired, upset and frustrated. Suddenly you start experiencing severe pain in your chest that starts to drag out into your arm and up into your jaw. You are only about five miles from the hospital nearest your home. Unfortunately you don't know if you'll be able to make it that far. You have been trained in CPR, but the guy that taught the course did not tell you how to perform it on yourself..!!

NOW HOW TO SURVIVE A HEART ATTACK WHEN ALONE..

Since many people are alone when they suffer a heart attack, without help, the person whose heart is beating improperly and who begins to feel faint, has only about 10 seconds left before losing consciousness.
However, these victims can help themselves by coughing repeatedly and very vigorously.
A deep breath should be taken before each cough, and the cough must be deep and prolonged, as when producing sputum from deep inside the chest.
A breath and a cough must be repeated about every two seconds without let-up until help arrives, or until the heart is felt to be beating normally again.
Deep breaths get oxygen into the lungs and coughing movements squeeze the heart and keep the blood circulating.
The squeezing pressure on the heart also helps it regain normal rhythm. In this way, heart attack victims can get to a hospital.

STOP SMOKING!!!

Nicotine 
Nicotine is a powerful insecticide and poisonous for the nervous systems. Furthermore, there is enough (50 mg) in four cigarettes to kill a man in just a few minutes if it were injected directly into the bloodstream. Indeed, fatalities have occurred with children after they had swallowed cigarettes or cigarette butts. When diluted in smoke, nicotine reaches the brain in just seven seconds, it stimulates the brain cells and then blocks the nervous impulse. This is where addiction to tobacco arises. Nicotine also causes accelerated heart rate, but at the same time it leads to contracting and hardening of the arteries: the heart pumps more but receives less blood. The result is twice as many coronary attacks. Nicotine thus also increases the consumption of lipids (which is why it has a weight-loss effect) and induces temporary hyperglycaemia (hence the appetite suppressing effect). 

Carbon monoxide (CO) 
This is the asphyxiating gas produced by cars, which makes up 1.5% of exhaust fumes. But smokers inhaling cigarette smoke breathe in 3.2% carbon monoxide – and directly from the source. Oxygen is mostly transported in blood by haemoglobin. When we smoke, however, the carbon monoxide attaches itself to the haemoglobin 203 times more quickly than oxygen does, thereby displacing the oxygen; this in turn asphyxiates the organism. This causes the following cardiovascular complaints: narrowing of the arteries, blood clots, arteritis, gangrene, heart attack, etc. . . . but also a loss of reflexes and visual and mental problems. It takes between six and 24 hours for the carbon monoxide to leave the blood system. 

Irritants 
These substances paralyse and then destroy the cilia of the bronchial tubes, responsible for filtering and cleaning the lungs. They slow down respiratory output and irritate the mucus membranes, causing coughs, infections and chronic bronchitis. 

Tars 
As the cilia are blocked (see paragraph above), the tars in the cigarette smoke are deposited and collect on the walls of the respiratory tract and the lungs, and cause them to turn black. So, just because a smoker is not coughing, it doesn't mean that he or she is healthy! And this fact merely serves to pour water on one of the most common and poorest excuses given by smokers. The carcinogenic action of the tars is well known: they are responsible for 95% of lung cancers. It takes two days at least after cessation of smoking for the cilia to start functioning properly again, albeit only gradually. By smoking one packet of cigarettes every day, a smoker is pouring a cupful of these tars into his or her lungs every year (225 grams on average)! 

Chemistry of Tobacco Smoke 
No less than 4000 irritating, suffocating, dissolving, inflammable, toxic, poisonous, carcinogenic gases and substances and even radioactive compounds (nickel, polonium, plutonium, etc.) have been identified in tobacco smoke. Some of these are listed hereafter: Benzopyrene, dibenzopyrene, benzene, isoprene, toluene (hydorcarbons); naphthylamines; nickel, polonium, plutonium, arsenic, cadmium (metallic constituents); carbon dioxide, methane, ammonia, nitric oxide, nitrogen dioxide, hydrogen sulphide (gases); methyl alcohol, éthanol, glycerol or glycerine, glycol (alcohols and esters); acetaldehyde, acrolein, acetone (aldehydes and ketones); cyanhydric or prussic acid, carboxyl derivatives (acids); chrysene, pyrrolidine, nicoteine, nicotinine, nicoteline, nornicotine, nitrosamines (alkaloids or bases); cresol (phenols), etc.

WHY VISIT TEMPLES ? (Scientific Reason)

There are thousands of temples all over India in different size, shape and locations but not all of them are considered to be built the Vedic way. Generally, a temple should be located at a place where earth's magnetic wave path passes through densely. It can be in the outskirts of a town/village or city, or in middle of the dwelling place, or on a hilltop. The essence of visiting a temple is discussed here.

Now, these temples are located strategically at a place where the positive energy is abundantly available from the magnetic and electric wave distributions of north/south pole thrust. The main idol is placed in the core center of the temple, known as "*Garbhagriha*" or *Moolasthanam*. In fact, the temple structure is built after the idol has been placed. This *Moolasthanam* is where earth’s magnetic waves are found to be maximum. We know that there are some copper plates, inscribed with Vedic scripts, buried beneath the Main Idol. What are they really? No, they are not God’s / priests’ flash cards when they forget the *shlokas*. The copper plate absorbs earth’s magnetic waves and radiates it to the surroundings. Thus a person regularly visiting a temple and walking clockwise around the Main Idol receives the beamed magnetic waves and his body absorbs it. This is a very slow process and a regular visit will let him absorb more of this positive energy. Scientifically, it is the positive energy that we all require to have a healthy life.

Further, the Sanctum is closed on three sides. This increases the effect of all energies. The lamp that is lit radiates heat energy and also provides light inside the sanctum to the priests or *poojaris* performing the pooja. The ringing of the bells and the chanting of prayers takes a worshipper into trance, thus not letting his mind waver. When done in groups, this helps people forget personal problems for a while and relieve their stress. The fragrance from the flowers, the burning of camphor give out the chemical energy further aiding in a different good aura. The effect of all these energies is supplemented by the positive energy from the idol, the copper plates and utensils in the *Moolasthan*am / *Garbagraham*. *Theertham*, the “holy” water used during the pooja to wash the idol is not
plain water cleaning the dust off an idol. It is a concoction of Cardamom,*Karpura* (Benzoin), zaffron / saffron, *Tulsi* (Holy Basil), Clove, etc...Washing the idol is to charge the water with the magnetic radiations thus increasing its medicinal values. Three spoons of this holy water is distributed to devotees. Again, this water is mainly a source of magneto-therapy. Besides, the clove essence protects one from tooth decay, the saffron & *Tulsi* leafs protects one from common cold and cough, cardamom and *Pachha Karpuram* (benzoin), act as mouth fresheners. It is proved that *Theertham* is a very good blood purifier, as it is highly energized. Hence it is given as *prasadam* to the devotees. This way, one can claim to remain healthy by regularly visiting the Temples. This is why our elders used to suggest us to offer prayers at the temple so that you will be cured of many ailments. They were not always superstitious. Yes, in a few cases they did go overboard when due to ignorance they hoped many serious diseases could be cured at temples by deities. When people go to a temple for the *Deepaaraadhana*, and when the doors open up, the positive energy gushes out onto the persons who are there. The water that is sprinkled onto the assemblages passes on the energy to all. This also explains why men are not allowed to wear shirts at a few temples and women are requested to wear more ornaments during temple visits. It is through these jewels (metal) that positive energy is absorbed by the women. Also, it is a practice to leave newly purchased jewels at an idol’s feet and then wear them with the idol’s blessings. This act is now justified after reading this article. This act of “seeking divine blessings” before using any new article, like books or pens or automobiles may have stemmed from this through mere observation.

Energy lost in a day’s work is regained through a temple visit and one is refreshed slightly. The positive energy that is spread out in the entire temple and especially around where the main idol is placed, are simply absorbed by one's body and mind. Did you know, every Vaishnava(Vishnu devotees), “must” visit a Vishnu temple twice every day in their location. Our practices are NOT some hard and fast rules framed by 1 man and his followers or God’s words in somebody’s dreams. All the rituals, all the practices are, in reality, well researched, studied and scientifically backed thesis which form the ways of nature to lead a good healthy life.

The scientific and research part of the practices are well camouflaged as “elder’s instructions” or “granny’s teaching’s” which should be obeyed as a mark of respect so as to once again, avoid stress to the mediocre brains.

Welcome to Putin

In Russian presidential election on Sunday Prime Minister Vladimir Putin has trumped his four rivals but there are many complaints as violations claimed by oppositions.

There was Russian law which prevents a person to became two time Prime Minister but now things has been changed and the laws has been re-framed which allowed Putin to participate in the election.

According to The Hindu report... With almost 100 percent of the votes counted, Mr. Putin received 63.6 percent, with the next runner-up, Communist leader Gennady Zyuganov, trailing with less than 18 percent. More than 65 percent of 108 registered voters took part in the election. Mr. Putin scored almost 100 percent of votes in economically most depressive regions, such as Chechnya and Dagestan, which depend on federal subsidies for their survival.

Moscow, the epicentre of recent anti-Putin rallies triggered by evidence of fraud in the December parliamentary poll, was the only one of Russia’s 83 regions where Mr. Putin failed to win half of all votes.

In an emotional late-night address to more than 100,000 supporters bussed to Moscow from many cities Mr. Putin said he had won a “clean” victory.

“We have won in an open and honest battle,” Mr. Putin said standing on Manezh Square just outside the Kremlin alongside outgoing President Dmitry Medvedev.

Tens of thousands of Mr. Putin’s opponents responded by staging a counter-rally in Moscow on Monday to protest the official results of the presidential poll and demanded new parliamentary and presidential elections.

Independent observers registered thousands of violations in Sunday’s elections that may have inflated Mr. Putin’s result.

Opposition activist Alexei Navalny said his Rosvybory web project had collected more than 6,000 violation reports. Golos, an election watchdog group, said it had received more than 3,000 complaints of voting fraud.

An alternative vote count organised by Golos showed Mr. Putin received about 50.3 percent of the votes, just enough to avoid a runoff, but 13 percent less than the official result.

Independent election monitors complained of large-scale “carousel” multiple voting, manipulations with voter lists and non-admission and forceful removal of observers.

Monitors with the Organisation for Security and Co-operation (OSCE) said on Monday that Russia's presidential elections were “clearly skewed” in favour of the winner.

“There was no real competition and abuse of government resources ensured that the ultimate winner of the election was never in doubt,” said OSCE observer team spokesman Tonino Picula.

Mr. Putin, who served two four-year terms from 2000 to2008, will now stay in office for six years, as the presidential term was extended two years ago. He will also have the right to seek re-election in 2018, which could make him the longest serving Russian leader since Joseph Stalin.

YouR AGe

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John F Kennedy

Change is the law of life. And those who look only to the past or present are certain to miss the future.

Forgive your enemies, but never forget their names.

----John F Kennedy

Charles Darwin

NOKIA CEO SpeaCH

Elop's memo speech/blogpost follows.

Hello there,

There is a pertinent story about a man who was working on an oil platform in the North Sea. He woke up one night from a loud explosion, which suddenly set his entire oil platform on fire. In mere moments, he was surrounded by flames. Through the smoke and heat, he barely made his way out of the chaos to the platform's edge. When he looked down over the edge, all he could see were the dark, cold, foreboding Atlantic waters.

As the fire approached him, the man had mere seconds to react. He could stand on the platform, and inevitably be consumed by the burning flames. Or, he could plunge 30 meters in to the freezing waters. The man was standing upon a "burning platform," and he needed to make a choice.

He decided to jump. It was unexpected. In ordinary circumstances, the man would never consider plunging into icy waters. But these were not ordinary times - his platform was on fire. The man survived the fall and the waters. After he was rescued, he noted that a "burning platform" caused a radical change in his behaviour.

We too, are standing on a "burning platform," and we must decide how we are going to change our behaviour.

Over the past few months, I've shared with you what I've heard from our shareholders, operators, developers, suppliers and from you. Today, I'm going to share what I've learned and what I have come to believe.

I have learned that we are standing on a burning platform.

And, we have more than one explosion - we have multiple points of scorching heat that are fuelling a blazing fire around us.

For example, there is intense heat coming from our competitors, more rapidly than we ever expected. Apple disrupted the market by redefining the smartphone and attracting developers to a closed, but very powerful ecosystem.

In 2008, Apple's market share in the $300+ price range was 25 percent; by 2010 it escalated to 61 percent. They are enjoying a tremendous growth trajectory with a 78 percent earnings growth year over year in Q4 2010. Apple demonstrated that if designed well, consumers would buy a high-priced phone with a great experience and developers would build applications. They changed the game, and today, Apple owns the high-end range.

And then, there is Android. In about two years, Android created a platform that attracts application developers, service providers and hardware manufacturers. Android came in at the high-end, they are now winning the mid-range, and quickly they are going downstream to phones under €100. Google has become a gravitational force, drawing much of the industry's innovation to its core.

Let's not forget about the low-end price range. In 2008, MediaTek supplied complete reference designs for phone chipsets, which enabled manufacturers in the Shenzhen region of China to produce phones at an unbelievable pace. By some accounts, this ecosystem now produces more than one third of the phones sold globally - taking share from us in emerging markets.

While competitors poured flames on our market share, what happened at Nokia? We fell behind, we missed big trends, and we lost time. At that time, we thought we were making the right decisions; but, with the benefit of hindsight, we now find ourselves years behind.

The first iPhone shipped in 2007, and we still don't have a product that is close to their experience. Android came on the scene just over 2 years ago, and this week they took our leadership position in smartphone volumes. Unbelievable.

We have some brilliant sources of innovation inside Nokia, but we are not bringing it to market fast enough. We thought MeeGo would be a platform for winning high-end smartphones. However, at this rate, by the end of 2011, we might have only one MeeGo product in the market.

At the midrange, we have Symbian. It has proven to be non-competitive in leading markets like North America. Additionally, Symbian is proving to be an increasingly difficult environment in which to develop to meet the continuously expanding consumer requirements, leading to slowness in product development and also creating a disadvantage when we seek to take advantage of new hardware platforms. As a result, if we continue like before, we will get further and further behind, while our competitors advance further and further ahead.

At the lower-end price range, Chinese OEMs are cranking out a device much faster than, as one Nokia employee said only partially in jest, "the time that it takes us to polish a PowerPoint presentation." They are fast, they are cheap, and they are challenging us.

And the truly perplexing aspect is that we're not even fighting with the right weapons. We are still too often trying to approach each price range on a device-to-device basis.

The battle of devices has now become a war of ecosystems, where ecosystems include not only the hardware and software of the device, but developers, applications, ecommerce, advertising, search, social applications, location-based services, unified communications and many other things. Our competitors aren't taking our market share with devices; they are taking our market share with an entire ecosystem. This means we're going to have to decide how we either build, catalyse or join an ecosystem.

This is one of the decisions we need to make. In the meantime, we've lost market share, we've lost mind share and we've lost time.

On Tuesday, Standard & Poor's informed that they will put our A long term and A-1 short term ratings on negative credit watch. This is a similar rating action to the one that Moody's took last week. Basically it means that during the next few weeks they will make an analysis of Nokia, and decide on a possible credit rating downgrade. Why are these credit agencies contemplating these changes? Because they are concerned about our competitiveness.

Consumer preference for Nokia declined worldwide. In the UK, our brand preference has slipped to 20 percent, which is 8 percent lower than last year. That means only 1 out of 5 people in the UK prefer Nokia to other brands. It's also down in the other markets, which are traditionally our strongholds: Russia, Germany, Indonesia, UAE, and on and on and on.

How did we get to this point? Why did we fall behind when the world around us evolved?

This is what I have been trying to understand. I believe at least some of it has been due to our attitude inside Nokia. We poured gasoline on our own burning platform. I believe we have lacked accountability and leadership to align and direct the company through these disruptive times. We had a series of misses. We haven't been delivering innovation fast enough. We're not collaborating internally.

Nokia, our platform is burning.

We are working on a path forward -- a path to rebuild our market leadership. When we share the new strategy on February 11, it will be a huge effort to transform our company. But, I believe that together, we can face the challenges ahead of us. Together, we can choose to define our future.

The burning platform, upon which the man found himself, caused the man to shift his behaviour, and take a bold and brave step into an uncertain future. He was able to tell his story. Now, we have a great opportunity to do the same.

Stephen.

Source:

http://www.guardian.co.uk/technology/blog/2011/feb/09/nokia-burning-platform-memo-elop