The Sum

Does it not seem like the most sordid that the judges have ridiculed Sanjaya Malakar on every performance and yet the audience’s votes have made his presence laugh in the face of the judges! Who is wrong?

Sanjaya has performed and that’s why the audience has supported him. Only the best will survive, and eventual winner will be the best. Most of the contestants have been doing better than in the previous years. I would expect the judges to be more diplomatic rather than demeaning.

Sanjaya continues to shine as he is gowing fast with every week that passes but he certainly has very tough competition. He needs to develop deep throat male voice like Barry White or Kenny Rogers. He is doing great by not not “shouting” but he needs to perform exhibiting a range.

What can you or I, as individuals do? Perhaps, nothing but look at it with a little thought and it becomes apparent that each of us can do something. Would it make difference? May be it will not in a day or two but if everyone starts caring, it will make the difference.

It may be too late if enough is not done because we all are procrastinating. We are causing damage to the eco-system for making present gains without setting anything to replenish the system. This is not about the fight or issue of Vice President Al Gore. It is a matter for understanding and doing your own little bit. Little bit can be as simple as:

Plant more trees and plants
Burn less energy - may be start using more fuel efficient machines, cars, equipment, light bulbs
Turn off un-necessarily running machine, engine, light bulb, fire
Try using recycled material

Think about other measures that you can take. Write about them. Share with others.

It does matter and we should make overt effort to research and educate others. This would be, to my mind, higher than charitable or volunteer work that we do.

The Politically Incorrect Guide to Global Warming (and Environmentalism) (Book) Authors:Christopher C. Horner Manufacturer:Regnery Publishing, Inc. Released:12 February, 2007

Whether you are a student or an interviewee for a job or attenting a seminar, effective listening skills are necessary. A good boss in a commercial establishment has to have good listening skills. Redressing the grievances of the employees can be achieved to a great degree by merely being a good listener. Conflict management uses this as a skill to resolve conflicts. It is an excellent social skill. If you can patiently listen to others, you will be one of the more popular persons rather than the one who has strong opinion about everything.

Listening skills can be developed. Make note of the following and try to remind yourself about the importance of the subject to gain focus:

1. Paying attention to the speaker or someone whom you meet is the way that you begin the listening. It is advisable to look directly in the eyes of the speaker, where possible.

2. Stay as relaxed and show interest in the subject and the orator or speaker.

3. Keeping your mind clear of othere subjects helps in staying on the subject being talked.

4. If you have questions, make your notes and ask at the end or when given the opportunity. This helps the speaker keep his chain of thoughts.

5. Doing your preparation helps you gain some insight into the subject which makes realting to the subject much easier. This also helps in asking better questions.

6. Distractions like visitors passing, noises in the building, conversation of others should not bother you and your focus should be on the speaker, the subject and your time being spent on the effort.

7. Body languauge such as gestures, tone of the voice, dress of the speaker, all are part of comunication which can modify the words being used or emphasis being placed on a certain aspect.

8. You can show your interest by smiles, nodding, or leaning of the head which shows to the speaker that you are interested and listening.

9. Summarizing the speakers point of view in your own words and seeking confirmation of the speaker about your summary is a good way of showing the focus and attention.

Listening: The Forgotten Skill: A Self-Teaching Guide (Wiley Self-Teaching Guides) (Book) Authors:Madelyn Burley-Allen Manufacturer:Wiley Released:February, 1995

Golf is a sport and recreation. This is one sport where you can find people of all ages and background. So is it right for you - of course, it is right for you. There is no age too late or too early for golf. Once you have the time and little investment in training and equipment, you can enter the golf club and very soon you will find social circle growing and the networking improving. There is greater liaison done in the golf course than in the offices.

You can learn golf at local golf club where professionals would provide you lessons about every aspect or you can buy training material such as DVD or Book through which you can become a self taught golfer. For equipment, you may buy preowned or new. There are several resources but I have found this website very useful. A similar useful site is http://www.book-cheap.com where you can get a variety of sports goods including that for golf.

Here are instructions which will help you through the elements of golf swing - an approach that may maximize swinging strength for straight shooting. Perfection requires a lot of practice but can be achieved. It may seem a little hard at the beginning but with practice you, too, can be swinging like a pro.

Choice of a club: Depending upon the shot you are making, one needs to choose to use a wood, an iron, a chipper or wedges, or a putter. Woods are used to hit long distance, irons are for height and accuracy, chipper or wedges for high and short shots such as shots from sand or high grass. Putters are used only on the greens or where the need is to roll the ball into a hole.

Line up for shot: Take position behind the ball so that you may be able to see your target line and direction in which you want the ball to go.

Correct Grip: Hold the club with left hand just about half an inch from the end. Now wrap fingers on the club with your left thumb downwards and in line with the head of the club. Now place right hand, just below the left hand. Place your smallest finger on top of index finger of left hand. Your ring finger of right hand should now be touching the left thumb. This is for right hander. The left handers need to adjust, accordingly.

Stance: Make a stance such that ball is lined up between the feet. Spread your legs and adjust the stance to a comfortable measure. The ball should be in the center, but parallel or slightly closer to front leg.

Set the Stance: Now bend the knees and hips, a little, but keep back straight. Keep your weight on heels, making the arms comfortably hanging.

Waggle: Line up as if you are ready to take the shot but go through the starting motion, few times, without actually hitting the ball.

Backswing: Pull the club straight back, behind the ball. Keep left arm staright and back up as fas as possible.The club would end up being over the head. For this posture, your torso should be twisted back with left leg inward bent and weight on right leg. Left arm should be pointed towards the ball. It is best to practice backswing with left arm, alone as it is supposed to carry the club. Do not pull the club nad back with right arm.

Downswing: Kepp the ball, constantly, in your view, start with shifting your weight onto left leg (just opposite of backswing). Begin the swing with moving arms staright down and towards the right knee. Ideally, the downswing ends up being closer to the body than the backswing.

Impact: Guide the club with left arm and provide power with right arm. At time of contact, the left arm should be staright and extended and the right hand index finger pointing at the ball.

Follow Through: After the impact, continue in motion and bring the club up and over your head. Extend your right arm and bring the swing behind your back. Your weight should, at this point, be on the left leg and right leg bent and foward.

Buying the equipment is an option at the early stages but eventually has to be done. Most player find it better to upgrade the equipment as their game improves and self-confidence improves.

Whether you are looking for a house, a car, HDTV, or a marriage proposal, it is the decision making process that gets involved. Briefly, it is always about looking or knowing or weighing all the alternatives. Determining what factors are important and in which order. Once you have all this, you are ready for the processing of the decision. When a decision is likely to effect you and your loved ones in the long run, it is the most pertinent to relax and take your time.

1. At any given time, you may have several decisions requiring to be made. In such a situation, make a list of all that needs to be decided.
2. Next sort them in a time frame, from earliest to the latest.
3. Next arrange them in the order of importance.
4. With each decision making opportunity, list the dependent or supporting data, people, events, documents, reports. If you feel that you will not able to decide on your own and there is help available, seek help. For seeking help, make list(s) of questions that you would like to ask those that you seek counsel of.
5. Every decision has consequences which may effect other colleagues, friends, relatives, acquaintances. Keep in view their known goals, objectives in mind and see that your choice is compatible with others’ objectives or goals This makes “selling” the decision, easier and acceptance is less of problem.
6. The time to make decision(s) requires focus and may be an uninterrupted period of time so choose that carefully.
7. As a practice, if you jot down:

• alternatives
• consquences
• possible combinations
• possible consultation or communication with those who might get effected
• do nothing

Go over these, a few times and do what seems best. You would have made a calculated decision. Remember all decisions have a time value. Delaying only may compound the situation.

Do not panic if it turns out to be a poor decision - it will be better next time (this, of course, does not apply to marriage proposal).