Author: Serkadis

  • Book Review: Going Rouge–Presidential Run In 2012?

    ‘Going Rouge’ Rounds Up the Usual Suspects to Demolish America’s Sweetheart Sarah Palin


    By David M. Kinchen

    Ready, aim, fire!  Imagine 47 liberals toting guns — a truly frightening thought — with Caribou Barbie, Hockey Mom Sarah Palin tied to a stake, blindfolded, wearing designer clothes or a Carhartt ranch coat, her $350 designer glasses perched jauntily on her perfectly coiffed hair, bravely facing her firing squad.

    That’s what I took away from  Going Rouge: Sarah Palin — An American Nightmare (Health Communications, 336 pages, $15.95) edited by two senior editors at The Nation magazine, Richard Kim and Betsy Reed.
    Among the mildest contributions in this compilation of mostly previously published material is that of Katrina vanden Heuvel, editor of The Nation. It’s titled “The Sarah Palin Smoke Screen.” You’ll have to rely on the table of contents to find it because —  like Palin’s own  best-selling Going Rogue  —  this paperback lacks an index. What is it with publishers these days failing to provide something as essential as an index in nonfiction books?

    At the other extreme, foaming-at-the-mouth Matt Taibbi of The Rolling Stone drops the F-bomb on Sarah to the point where even I — far from being a fan of the faux populist from Wasilla — began to feel sorry for her, something I didn’t when I read her ghost-written memoir. Mad Dog Palin is Taibbi at his rug-chewing best, to change the metaphor.

    The editors literally rounded up the usual liberal suspects from AlterNet, Slate, the Daily Beast, Salon and, of course The Nation for inclusion in Going Rouge, writers like Eve Ensler (The Vagina Monologues), Naomi Klein (The Shock Doctrine), Katha Pollitt, Gloria Steinem, Hanna Rosin, Rebecca Traister, Robert Reich, Christopher Hayes, Joe Conason, Frank Rich and Jim Hightower, who derided — in Sarah Palin’s Faux Populism —  Palin’s alleged populism by comparing and contrasting her to real populists like Mary Ellen Lease, Ida Tarbell, Mother Jones, Molly Ivins, Barbara Jordan and Granny D. Hightower is always a perceptive commentator and he’s worth reading here.

    Juan Cole compares  the Devine Sarah to the current president of Iran in Sarah Palin, Meet Mahmoud Ahmadinejad. Cole says both are former governors of northwest frontier states; “both are known for saying things that produce a classic Scooby-Doo double take in their audiences,” Cole writes, adding: “Both appeal to a sort of wounded nationalism…identifying themselves with the common soldier.”

    The editors included contributions by Alaskans who rip off the Phantom of the Opera mask they accuse Palin of wearing, but lacking are essays or articles by conservatives who were on record as being opposed to Palin from the start, people like Kathleen Parker and David Frum. Other contributors note the opposition of conservatives to the selection of Palin, but they also comment on those — like William Kristol — who fawned so fulsomely over Palin.

    The essays cover in eye-crossing detail Palin’s fundamentalist Christian beliefs,  the Troopergate affair, her lack of geographic knowledge and, her husband Todd’s membership in the Alaska Independence Party, her quitting in the middle of her term as governor and —  in the case of the women contributors — how lacking she is in talent and experience compared with Hillary Clinton or even possible GOP veep candidates like Maine Sen. Olympia Snowe or Texas Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison. There’s a lot of repetition in the contributions, genuine overkill in the manner of  Maureen Dowd in her 2004 book about George W. Bush, Bushworld.

    While many of the contributors to Going Rouge dismiss Sarah Palin, others bring up the specter of Richard Nixon and even George W. Bush, saying we should never underestimate — or is it “misunderestimate” — the ignorance of the American voter.

    Going Rouge  preaches to the liberal choir, but independents and conservatives may benefit from reading this book of essays by the nation’s liberal chattering classes. Like it or not, Sarah Palin matters to many Americans and the thought of her running for President in 2012 either delights or frightens, depending on your political views.

    Book Review: Decoding The Lost Symbol By Simon Cox

    Copyright © 2006-2010, Basil & Spice. All rights reserved.

  • Ukelele Kid Becomes YouTube Star in One Week

    In case you haven’t seen this one yet, here’s the latest YouTube sensation. This unknown kid has got some serious guitar picking skills. He nails every note of “I am Yours”, which is pretty darn impressive.

    What’s even more impressive is how many people have watched this video. The video was discovered on Dec. 9 and within four days more than 3 million people had watched. Four days after that more than 6 million have watched it. Congrats you unknown ukelele-pickin’ master.


    Related posts:

    1. The Best YouTube Moments All In One Video
    2. YouTube Carpet Bombed with Porn Videos
    3. Video of the Moment: Jill and Kevin’s Big, Dancy Wedding

  • German Manufacturing Sentiment Soars, Signals V-Shaped Recovery

    German business confidence improved further in December, hitting the highest level in almost a year and a half, according to Germany’s Ifo Institute.

    Ifo Institute: The Ifo Business Climate Index for industry and trade in Germany rose once again in December. The current business situation, according to the survey responses, is again somewhat more favourable than in the previous month. The business outlook for the coming half year has been assessed similarly as in November. The optimistic and the sceptical outlook assessments nearly balance out. After the dramatic economic collapse last winter, these survey results should bring some Christmas cheer.

    Germany

    The future expectations of German manufacturers, in particular, remain near a 30-month high, as their current environment is improving. Thus it’s clear Germany businesses see an economic recovery.

    Germany

    Join the conversation about this story »

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  • Say Hello to Burkha Barbie

    18DA4F57-2C58-46C7-B996-122453DA501D.jpg

    Barbie, that worldwide symbol of bubbleheaded glam, is getting a makeover. The burkha-clad Barbie is part of an exhibition by Italian designer Eliana Lorena, which is backed by Barbie creator Mattel.

    A collection of 500 Barbies is being sold in Italy to raise money for Save The Children. The sale is part of celebrations marking the 50th anniversary of Barbie this year.

    Related posts:

    1. Patriots + Monday Night Football = Pigskin Heaven
    2. Oxford Coeds Strip for Charity Calendar
    3. The New Sun Maid Raisin Girl Gets A Boob Job

  • Google Maps India Now Shows Landmarks in Directions

    Navigation tools these days can be pretty advanced and accurate and the amount of data available should be enough for anyone, even in the more remote locations. Yet good old fashioned ‘asking for directions’ is still usually the best way to find a place and navigate in an unknown area, the digital solutions, while accurate, fail to convey the data in a way that makes more sense to us humans. Google realized this and made extensive studies trying to improve the experience by making directions in Google Maps read out more like the ones one of your friends give you, with plenty of landmarks and other visual cues to help guide you.

    “We discovered that street signs or names tend to be less important than landmarks such as civic buildings and gas stations. A friend giving you directions might tell you to ‘Turn left at the school’ or ‘Go past the convenience store’,” Dave Walker and John Leen, software engineers at Google wrote.

    “Our new algorithm determines which of these landmarks are most useful for navigation, based on visibility, importance, and closeness to the turns that you’re making. We now combine landmark data, counted turns (“the 2nd right”), intersection names, and road names, and try to use whatever information is most relevant and useful. We’re using landmarks in two ways: to identify where … (read more)

  • Niall Ferguson: How China’s Insane Fiscal Policies Pumped Up Chimerica And Crushed America

    niall fergusonWhen he coined the term Chimerica in 2006, Niall Ferguson was refering to a mutually beneficial relationship: cheap money from China and wild spending from America.

    But recently he has called for the end of Chimerica — seeing as America’s economy sucks and China looks a lot like bubble.

    Published this week, his latest paper shows how insane fiscal policy in China created the monster.

    See charts From “The End Of Chimerica”>>

    Join the conversation about this story »

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  • China Mobile and Motorola Use Aeroflex TM500 Test Mobile at Telecom World 2009

    Aeroflex announced that China Mobile Communications Company (CMCC) and Motorola will use Aeroflex’s highly successful TM500 LTE test mobile at International Telecommunications Union’s (ITU) Telecom World 2009 as part of China Mobile’s TD-LTE booth demonstrations. Aeroflex’s TM500 will be on display at the CMCC booth #4221 in Hall 4 from October 5-9, 2009. The TM500 LTE test mobile includes Category 4 throughput capabilities up to 150 Mb per second.
    Part of Aeroflex’s comprehensive LTE and TD-LTE test platform strategy, the TM500 LTE test mobile is designed to address the challenges of 3GPP TD-LTE network infrastructure development test and rollout. The TM500 TD-LTE’s extensive Layer 1, Layer 2, and higher-layer test features make it an indispensable testing peer. It provides complete visibility into even the lowest layers of the radio modem by generating the detailed diagnostic data needed for engineers to verify the required functionality and optimize network operation and performance. The TM500 LTE reproduces both single and multiple UE (user equipment) configurations supporting both functional and load testing using the same platform.

  • DirecTV thrives on ‘deception,’ lawsuit alleges

    A lawsuit filed this week by Washington state against DirecTV could have a secondary purpose: It could serve as a textbook for consumers on tricks companies play to take their money.

    The suit filed by Washington Attorney General Rob McKenna alleges so many forms of misbehavior that he thinks DirecTV, the nation’s largest satellite TV provider, has "built deception into their business model." In an interview with msnbc.com, he also said that the firm has "left few deceptive tactics unused."

    "It's amazing, the wide variety of ways they've taken advantage of their customers," he said.

    Much of the case centers on alleged misleading advertisements, and on a series of pricey early termination fees the firm levies on customers.  For example: Aggressive marketing campaigns tout service for $29.99 per month, but leave less clear the two-year obligation attached to the deal,  or that the price almost doubles after the first year, the lawsuit says. After the first year, consumers face a Hobson’s choice – either pay the higher price or cough up an early-termination fee of up to $480.

    "It is what amounts to a bait-and-switch strategy,” McKenna said. “They use a variety of lures to bring people in at prices the customer doesn't actually pay."

    Logo_miniBut that's just the tip of the iceberg in the complaint, which accuses DirecTV of 16 different causes of action.

    Before filing the lawsuit on Monday, McKenna’s office had received 375 consumer complaints about DirecTV this year — more than any other company. Another 59 complaints arrived in the 24 hours after the lawsuit was filed, he said.

    In a statement, DirecTV denied the accusations.

    “We always strive to provide 100 percent customer satisfaction but, to put it in perspective, we are talking about less than one percent of our customer base in the entire state," it said. "The vast majority of our customers in Washington, and the U.S. for that matter, understand our lease agreement and are happy with our overall service.  We are disappointed that the state elected to file a lawsuit. We believe their allegations lack merit, and we are confident the court will agree with us.”

    McKenna said he'd been working with DirecTV for months in an attempt to avoid a court battle, and he was surprised DirecTV refused to change its business practices voluntarily.

    Other state attorneys general are also considering suing DirecTV, he said, declining to identify them. Earlier this year, a group of 46 states settled a lawsuit with DirecTV competitor DISH Network. The firm was accused of automatically debiting consumers’ accounts without their consent. The firm admitted no wrongdoing but agreed to change its business practices and refund $6 million to consumers.

    "When we go after a company, it's because we have them dead to rights," McKenna said.  "Most companies just want to settle. … If DirecTV wants to take on the states, that's their choice."

    Here are a few of the other allegations from the complaint:

    • DirecTV requires a 24-month commitment but offers only 12-months worth of discounts. Terms for the offer are spelled out in newspaper ads in 5.5 point-sized fonts, barely readable to the naked eye.
    • The sales scripts used by telemarketers include nothing about the terms and conditions on the discount plan.
    • To receive the $29 monthly price, consumers must use an automatic payment method.  Failure to do so adds $5 to the monthly bill.
    • Customers who refuse a credit check or have bad credit face "hundreds of dollars" in extra fees.
    • In order to get the promotional rate, some customers are required to file rebate forms. The rebate, which is applied as a deduction to monthly bills and spread out over many months, can be voided if a customer is late with a payment, bumping them up to a higher price. Also, some consumers complain that their rebates have been unfairly denied. And because rebates can take time to process, some customers say they were forced to pay a higher price during their first months of service.
    • When consumers complain about defective equipment and the equipment is repaired, their service contract requirement is often renewed without their knowledge for another two years.
    • Consumers report being signed up for a $5.99 monthly service maintenance plan they didn't want. When they cancel, they can be charged a $10 early termination fee.
    • Consumers who are given "Free HBO" stations for a trial period are often rolled into a paid subscription without their express consent.  
    • Consumers who buy a DirecTV unit at an electronics store like Best Buy have been unknowingly enrolled in a lease agreement.  Even thought the units are purchased like any other electronic equipment — often for around $100 — the consumers don’t own them. If they fail to activate DirecTV service, they can face a $150 "activation failure" fee.  If they turn off the service early, they can face a $480 early-termination fee and must return the unit to DirecTV.

    DirecTV's contract with consumers is "so one-sided as to grossly favor the defendants," McKenna said. That's assuming someone can find the contract terms.

    HerbboxBut McKenna's office says all these conditions on DirecTV agreements never appear in a single place. Instead, using an approach called "layering," the terms and conditions can appear in various places: on store receipts, on order forms and on the company Web site. 

    "There's no single form with all the rules," he said.  "That's unfair to consumers."

    DirecTV is already facing legal action from consumers on similar issues. A class action lawsuit filed in California earlier this year alleges that the company raids customer bank accounts to collect early termination fees without consumers' consent.  One of the plaintiffs, Mary Cox of Fontana, said a DirecTV customer service agent would only identify himself as "Ding-A-Ling" when she phoned to dispute an unauthorized $430 withdrawal from her account.

    DirecTV faces challenges in the marketplace because its customer start-up costs are considerably higher than cable firms.  New satellite users must obtain a set-top box, a dish and expert installation. Without offering free installation, the firm would have trouble matching similar sign-up deals from competitors.  So the firm heavily subsidizes start-up equipment costs, and has adopted tactics similar to those used by cell phone carriers to ensure that its setup subsidies aren't wasted.

    Despite such tactics, the firm is facing stiff competition for its 17 million subscribers. In its most recently reported quarter, DirecTV told investors that its losing customers at a "monthly churn rate of 1.72 percent."  The firm blamed aggressive competitor promotions and "stricter" retention policies that "tighten up our offers to existing customers."

    Red Tape Wrestling Tips

    If you feel you've been treated unfairly by DirecTV, contact your state attorney general immediately. If a case is filed in your state, those with complaints on file will be the first in line to receive restitution should the states prevail.

    If you are considering DirecTV — or any pay TV service — read this complaint carefully. (PDF) All the pay TV services have conjured up complicated trial offers, tricky rebates and so on.  The DirecTV lawsuit is an excellent summation of the kinds of things to watch for. 

    Discount trial offers — say, $29.99 service for 12 months — are excellent, but know when you sign up that you are playing a game. It critical to remember when you signed up, so you can switch services or ask for another discount before the higher rate kicks in. One idea: Put a small sticky note on your cable or satellite box with your discount end date, so you don't forget. And of course, always ask about early termination fees.

    Become a Red Tape Chronicles Facebook fan or follow me at http://twitter.com/RedTapeChron

  • Goldman: Oil Going To $90, Gold To $1350

    (This guest post originally appared at the author’s blog)

    Despite the fact that Goldman Sachs isn’t exactly the most popular bank on Wall Street these days there is no denying the fact that their trading desk is a money machine.  Much of that is due to their spectacular trading in commodities.  In addition to their favorite trades for 2010 (see here for the full details) Goldman also recently released their outlook for commodities in the coming year.  Their outlook for a rather robust global economy is in-line with their continued bullish view of the commodity markets.  Easy money and stronger than expected demand should help to keep many of the recent trends alive.  Full details follow:

    • Oil: A slow developed markets recovery amid an emerging markets revolution

    Price target: $90

    Potential profit: 20%+

    • Natural gas: Lowering our forecast on the back of delayed production declines

    Price target: $6

    Potential profit: 4%

    • Base metals: Urbanization is broadly supportive but extraction generates
      differentiation

    Price targets:

    Copper – $8,100 mt

    Potential profit: 15%+

    • Precious metals: US Fed on hold leaves gold room to run

    Price target:

    Gold ‘10 – $1350

    Potential profit: 20%+

    Silver ‘10 – $20

    Potential profit: 15%+


    • Agriculture: It’s still all about weather, but ongoing structural demand shifts in
      corn should prove supportive

    Price target:

    Wheat – $600

    Potential profit: 15%+

    Corn – $475

    Potential profit: 18%

    • Livestock: Economic recovery suggests rising meat demand amid tighter supplies

    Pretty bullish.

    Read more market analysis at The Pragmatic Capitalist –>

    Join the conversation about this story »

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  • AutoblogGreen for 12.18.09

    Video: Watch the Volt battery go shake-shake-shake
    Rumble, rumble.
    Ford sends 10 Focus fuel cell vehicles to Iceland for continued testing
    These cars are getting a work out.

    Volvo C30 EV evolves for road trials
    And it’s coming to Detroit.
    Other news:

    AutoblogGreen for 12.18.09 originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 18 Dec 2009 05:58:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

    Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments

  • China Down Big Overnight, Japan Slips, Gold Back Above $1100

    It was a rough session in Asia, especially in Chin.

    WSJ: China’s Shanghai Composite slid 2.1% and Hong Kong’s Hang Seng Index fell 0.8% on worries new share sales and policy tightening measures would sap market liquidity.

    Japan’s Nikkei 225 Average ended 0.2% lower, Australia’s S&P/ASX 200 lost 0.4%, South Korea’s Kospi slipped 0.1%, Taiwan’s Taiex rose 0.2%, New Zealand’s NZX 50 rose 1% and Philippine shares slid 1%.

    European markets, however, made small gains, perhaps helped by good earnings news after the bell from RIMM and Oracle.

    Meanwhile US futures are pointing up modestly.

    For the moment, gold is up above $1100.

    gold

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  • Wikipedia Raises $430,000 in a Single Day

    Wikipedia is in the midst of its sixth annual fund raiser to keep the site going. Run by the Wikimedia foundation, a non-profit organization, and with no revenue source of any kind, Wikipedia relies solely on donations to finance its operations and pay its 35 employees. The 2009 fund raiser has been running for more than a month now and a recent plea from Wikipedia founder Jimmy Wales has managed to shatter all previous record for the amount donated in a single day.

    “I started Wikipedia in 2001, and over the past eight years, I’ve been amazed and humbled to see hundreds of thousands of volunteers join with me to build the largest encyclopedia in human history,” Wales’ appeal reads. “Wikipedia isn’t a commercial website. It’s a community creation, entirely written and funded by people like you. More than 340 million people use Wikipedia every month – almost a third of the Internet-connected world. You are part of our community.”

    The message has resonated with Wikipedia’s users as it has managed to draw in $430,000 from about 13,000 people in the first day and another $345,000 in the second, meaning that the organization is well on track to raise the kind of sums it’s looking for, though it’s still only about half way towards the goal of $7.5 million.

    It was actua… (read more)

  • Russians Are Right! Met Office Uses Selective Data by Barry Napier, Canada Free Press

    Article Tags: Barry Napier, ClimateGate

    Met Office has “cherry-picked climate change figures in a bid to increase evidence of global warming.”

    The UK’s Meteorology Office has been accused by the Russians of lying. Well, I never! They say the Met Office has “cherry-picked climate change figures in a bid to increase evidence of global warming.”

    I don’t like to keep on about it, but I said this in my book last year! I got the information via a science forum I belong to, populated by high-level scientists, including IPCC contributors. To get into my book I had to have had the information in early 2008, meaning that the truth about the Russian weather stations was made at least in 2007!

    What we knew at that time was simple: the Russians closed down a huge number of temperature measuring stations, at the same time as Western scientists were collating world figures subsequently used in the IPCC Reports. Suddenly, there were incomplete data from a vast area of the northern hemisphere. But, the westerners continued without these vital figures! And, make no mistake, proxy measurements, whether tree-rings or satellite, are not equal to thermometer measurements and should never be mixed.

    Source: canadafreepress.com

    Read in full with comments »   


  • Google in Talks to Acquire Yelp for $500 Million

    It looks like Google is trying to recoup on the past year going on an acquisition spree after staying quite on that front for a while. It has done some pretty big deals, AdMob, On2 and some smaller ones and is now said to be in talks with local business directory and review site Yelp and is apparently willing to shell out $500 million for it.

    Things aren’t final and nothing has been signed yet, but the deal makes a lot of sense for both companies. However, there are some saying that $500 million is a bit low considering the valuations other startups have been getting while some are even suggesting that the details on the deal were leaked precisely to drive up the price.

    Yelp enables users to find and review local businesses and is built around a social networking core. The site claims it has about 25 million users at this point and the four-year-old company is growing at a steady pace. It is an established player in the local business market and its biggest asset is likely the brand recognition it managed to build up.

    Despite the growth though, this is the time to sell. The local market is heating up and Google, to name one, is pushing strong in this space. If it were to continue to compete with Yelp and, most likely, increase its efforts, it has the resources to become a serious threat to th… (read more)

  • DRM To The Disaster Again… May Prevent 3D Showing Of Avatar In Some Theaters

    There’s obvious been a lot of talk about James Cameron’s new epic movie Avatar. One of the interesting things about the movie is that, yet again, it’s showing why Hollywood probably isn’t in as much trouble due to “piracy” as studio bosses keep insisting. Avatar is designed to be the type of movie you absolutely want to go see in the theater, with amazing special effects, and an incredible 3D setup, like none you’ve ever seen before, and certainly one that you can’t replicate at your house, no matter how cool your home theater system might be. And yet… it seems that they’ve still decided to lock the movie up with DRM, and rather than helping things, that DRM is fouling stuff up. Some theaters in Germany have discovered that the DRM is preventing them from showing the film in some theaters. So, here they are, with a movie that, by its very nature, is resistant to any problem from “piracy” (if anything, pirated copies might make people more interested in seeing the amazing effects), and they still try to DRM it up, and all that does is make it harder to see the special effects. So, what good does DRM do again?

    Permalink | Comments | Email This Story





  • Mercedes E-Class cabriolet video

    We get a close look of the Mercedes E-Class cabriolet in these videos, which give us a run-down of the new technology and style of the latest inclusion in the E-Class range. After the jump is another video where we can see the much hyped Aircap system, which might or might not be fully appreciated by the canine passenger. See more pics of the E-Class cabriolet in our gallery.

    Mercedes E-Class Cabriolet more pics Mercedes E-Class Cabriolet more pics Mercedes E-Class Cabriolet more pics Mercedes E-Class Cabriolet more pics


  • Twitter Defaced in DNS Attack

    Twitter doesn’t have the best record when it comes to stability or security and it looks like all the recent hires haven’t done much good. Twitter’s famed Fail Whale doesn’t show up as often as it once did, but the site still goes down more than other similar services its size. This time, things are more serious though, the site has been hacked and defaced by Iranian activists. Twitter is now back up and it has responded officially, though there aren’t that many details at the moment other than it was a DNS attack and that users were redirected from twitter.com and several subdomains to a site set up by the attackers.

    “As we tweeted a bit ago, Twitter’s DNS records were temporarily compromised tonight but have now been fixed. As some noticed, Twitter.com was redirected for a while but API and platform applications were working. We will update with more information and details once we’ve investigated more fully,” Twitter co-founder Biz Stone wrote.

    The attack started at about 10 pm PST at which time visitors to the site we’re greeted with a message from a group billing itself as “Iranian Cyber Army.” Also targeted seems to be mawjcamp.org which is still sporting the message at this time. A cached version of the site dating from two days ago shows it has been like this for at least since the… (read more)

  • Reduce Stress and Be Happy

    Anything taken too much is bad for the health. A little stress is actually good, as it could serve to help you function at your best. However, stress that seems a little too much could take a physical, as well as mental, toll to your body. Stress should be managed in order for depression or anxiety to be prevented.

    So how should you do it then? The following are tips and advice to help manage stress.

    Write it out, schedule it out.

    It is best to write down everything that seems to be overwhelming. You will find a things-to-do-list much easier to manage than having errands all crumpled up in your head. Writing down the tasks, and putting a specific schedule and time to do them, helps anyone manage activities one chunk at a time. Crossing out an activity that has already been accomplished is very rewarding and could actually help you feel more relaxed when doing the other tasks at hand.

    One at a time works.

    Focus and put all your attention specifically on one task at one time. It does not help to feel panicky about the other undone or to-do tasks. Thinking about them only adds unnecessary stress and could even hamper in doing the task you are attempting to accomplish at present.

    Relax and take it slow.

    At least, try not to expend too much energy on activities that are currently not priorities. This is in order for your energy to be not easily expended on the tasks that are not that important, at least for now.

    Delegate, delegate, delegate.

    You need not do everything all at once, and you need not do everything on your own. Ask for help, get help, or pay for help. When there is a feeling of being overwhelmed that is cropping up, hire someone to mow the lawn or get a sitter for your children. The feeling of being pressed to finish something on time will somehow be eliminated if tasks are delegated. It takes a load off unnecessary worry and anxiety. Moreover, it is easier checking up on how things are, than worrying yourself sick doing everything on your own, all at once.

    Give yourself a reward.

    You deserve it. Acknowledging your accomplishments, no matter how big or small, is an effort that is necessary before getting on to the next tasks and activities. It reduces stress and could even make you happier in doing the next task.

    Give yourself a break.

    You need it to be more productive. A ten to fifteen minute break during your work is necessary. Go visit a café nearby, take a quick brisk walk, or do anything to put your mind off work, at least for a while. This is necessary to refresh and recharge. Believe it or not, you can also stay in your work and sit with your eyes closed as you visualize a peaceful landscape or a relaxing scene. This frees the stress from your muscles and your mind.

    Relax and be cool. Doing so makes you healthier, happier, and a lot more productive.


  • Renault Megane CC dual clutch transmission

    Renault Megane CC spy shots

    According to reports the new Megane C-C will be the first Renualt with twin-clutch technology, to be called EDC or Efficient Dual Clutch. The technology comes from collaboration with Getrag and will appear on the 1.5-litre Dci engine with 105 hp. From there, it will migrate to other Renault motors, and was originally planned to debut on the Megane or the Scenic; with the arrival of the cabriolet in March at the Geneva show, we should see it earlier.

    The Megane CC will incorporate the front of the coupe with a large rear to accommodate the folding metal roof. After the debut at the 2010 Geneva show, sales should start in spring, when other versions of the Megan should also start to offer the new dual-clutch transmission.

    Renault Megane CC spy shots Renault Megane CC spy shots Renault Megane CC spy shots

    Source | Autointernationaal


  • Happy Birthday techgirl12

    :birthday: :birthday: :birthday: :birthday: :birthday:

    Happy Birthday Melissa
    :flowers: :flowers: :flowers:

    :party: :party: