Net etiquettes

The first thing that you must NOT do with the Internet, is be afraid of it. People have been making this sound complicated for years, and it used to be. It still is if you want a job as an Internet Consultant, Web Developer or other "techie" type.
If, however, all you want to do is use computers and the Net as the tools that they should be, PLEASE, don't get wrapped up in the bits, bytes and techno-babble.
You don't have to know how to rebuild a transmission to drive your car. It does help if you know a few things; check the oil, change a tire and maybe jumpstart the engine. The days when you had to be a mechanic to drive are over. The days when you had to have a pocket protector full of little screwdrivers and brightly colored pencils in order to compute are also over. Today, you just jump in, hang on, and enjoy the ride.
Get yourself a "Net Buddy." Surely you don't think that you are the only one that's learning this stuff?
Find someone at your own skill level, and try things with them. Set up a chat session play with E-Mail attachments, the Internet Phone, and experiment with other stuff before you inflict it on an unsuspecting Net. Set up a skype account and learn together.
There is a wonderful cartoon which has been circulating around the Net since well before the Web. It shows a dog, sitting at the keyboard of a computer, and captioned, "On the Internet, No One Knows You're a Dog!".
The joy of that, is it's true! Until you post a message in a newsgroup, or participate in some sort of chat or conference, no one cares. Yes, webservers can keep some pretty detailed information about you; when you hit the site, what you did while there, what your browser is, what your IP address is and maybe even your E-mail address. Just about anything else, you have to volunteer by answering a question on-line.
So far, about the worst that will happen to you is that you will get on a few junk E-Mail lists, but you'll learn to deal with that. (It's called the delete key-Later on you can learn about Mail Filters and Kill Files.)
The Most Important Thing, is not how you get to the Net, what you use to get there, or what you get from the Net, it's what you leave behind that tends to live forever.
There are a few core rules that will help you get off to a good start as a new net citizen.
In a nutshell, and in no particular order...
Newsgroups, (USENET) Bulletin Boards and Blogs
Don't Participate in Flame Wars!
Please look for and read the FAQ (Frequently Asked Questions) for any USENET newsgroup or Discussion Board/Blog before you post messages there. The process of locating and reading a few FAQ's is a good little learning excursion out on the Net. Just don't get intimidated.
Lurk Before You Leap. Please follow at least 50, preferably more messages on a group before posting your own.
Don't post the same message to more than five newsgroups at one time. (crossposting) If you do, it's highly likely that your message will be off topic on at least one of those groups.
E-Mail
Should you decide something you received is so priceless that you must forward it, DON'T include your entire address list in the TO: field. I have no interest in the collected E-Mail addresses of everyone you know, but the spammers do.Learn To Use Distribution Lists or send Blind Carbon Copies.
Please don't post or respond to any of the "Make Money Fast" postings. Most are illegal, and the best that they do is suck up disk space needed by real stuff.
Respect other people's privacy. If someone sends you E-mail that says, "Now that mother's out of jail, John's whipped his drug problem, and I haven't had a drink in almost a week, I might be able to stop cheating on my husband.", please don't forward that E-Mail to a blog, or anywhere else.
On a related subject, remember -- E-Mail is not private. It's a lot like a postcard. It is highly unlikely that anyone but the recipient will ever read it -- but it is possible.Don't say anything in E-mail that you wouldn't want your grandmother to read.
Please don't tell anybody about the "Good Times Virus" if you get an E-mail about it. Just reply to the well meaning person who sent you the E-Mail and let them know it's been a "joke" floating around the Net for years.
Please avoid the temptation to share the story of a poor dying child attempting to get in the Guiness Book of Records by collecting business or greeting cards. That story was true many years ago, but the child has long since died, and the hospitals are really sick of the mail they start getting every six months or so as this rumor resurfaces on The Net.
Use the subject field!The subject field is a useful option that is often neglected. The biggest problem in my experience is ineffective or improper use of the Subject field. It's disturbing how many people send e-mails with no subject or the wrong subject, particularly in replys. If you change the topic of an E-Mail in the reply, Please Change the Subject Line To Match!Inappropriate subjects also make it difficult to file, forward, or provide meaningful responses.
When responding to E-Mail, don't quote the entire original message in your reply. Only quote the relevant parts, and only to the extent that they will help orient the recipient on your reply.
All E-Mail should end with a short signature line.A signature should be descriptive and short.

Most E-Mail tools,, have an automated signature function. This function will attach your signature file to all outgoing messages.
Your signature is about the only way that you can legitimately post a commercial message on most newsgroups, discussion groups and bulletin boarsds. Please, however, keep your signature to 5 or fewer lines.. Large sig's, with pretty little text pictures only impress the new net user.
DON'T TYPE IN ALL UPPER CASE, it's considered SHOUTING.
If you want to unsubscribe from a public mailing list, please PLEASE make certain that the UNSUBSCRIBE command gets sent to the LIST SERVER and NOT the Mailing List Itself. If you do this, you irritate every member of the list who gets your message, and you will still be subscribed to the list.
Practice The Golden Rule on-line.
Finally, with apologies to President Kennedy, ask not what the Net can do for you, ask what you can do for the Net. Leave the Net a better place when you log off.

Tips For Public Speaking

Whether you are a host or a guest, there are many social situations that will call for interaction, even when you are stumped for some way to get it going. For example, you might want to help a friend’s new “significant other” feel comfortable. Or, you might see a stranger across a crowded room, and realize that this is your only chance to impress Mr. or Ms. Wonderful. Then, you realize that you’re not sure what to say.


Start with a “hello,” and simply tell the new person your name then ask them theirs. Offer your hand to shake, upon his/her responding to you. (If you go to other countries, greet the person in tune with the particular culture). If you already know the person, skip this step and proceed to step.
Look around. See if there is anything worth pointing out. Sure, talking about the weather is a cliche, but if there’s something unusual about it–bam!–you’ve got a great topic of conversation.

Offer a compliment. Don’t lie and say you love someone’s hair when you think it’s revolting, but if you like his or her shoes, or a handbag, say so. A sincere compliment is a wonderful way to get someone to warm up to you. But be careful not to say something so personal that you scare the person off or make him or her feel uncomfortable. It is best not to compliment a person’s looks or body.
Ask questions! Most people love to talk about themselves — get them going. “What classes are you taking this year?” “Have you seen (Insert-Something-Here)? What did you think of it?” Again, keep the questions light and not invasive. Do not ask too many questions if he or she is not responsive to them.

Jump on any conversation-starters he or she might offer; take something he or she has said and run with it. Agree, disagree, ask a question about it, or offer an opinion, just don’t let it go by without notice.

Look your newfound friend in the eye, it engenders trust (but don’t stare). Also, use the person’s name a time or two during the conversation; it will help you remember the name, and will draw the person’s attention to what you are talking about.
Don’t forget to smile and have fun with your conversation!

Tips
Just relax. Chances are that whatever small-talk you’re making isn’t going to stick out in anyone’s mind a few months from now. Just say whatever comes into your head, so long as it’s not offensive or really weird. (Unless, of course, the person you’re attempting to converse with is into weird stuff.)
Remember, if you think of something in your head while you’re talking, it’s probably related.

It will help if you watch some TV, listen to radio shows, and/or read a lot — newspapers, magazines, and/or books. You need to have some idea of what is going on in the world. Also remember and plan to share anything you like, think is funny, or find intriguing. This is building up your own library of things that might be helpful to another person during a conversation someday. It will be amazing how you thread these interesting things when you least expect it, and make conversation an adventure instead of a dreadful task. If you take it to the next step and say things that you want the person to think of as adding value, and keep to yourself things that the person might not, you are actually honing your own personality to be appealing to the other person, and what is a greater act of kindness than that.

If you are shy, it will be helpful to have thought about a topic or two that you could talk about.

Follow the lead that your listener is expressing. If he or she appears interested, then continue. If he or she is looking at a clock or watch, or worse, looking for an escape strategy, then you have been going on for too long.
Interesting and funny quotes or facts can lighten things up, and make way for things to talk about. You could also use a set of conversation starter question cards for inspiration.

If talking over the phone, keep the person involved in the conversation at all costs. If you can’t come up with a good topic, try the “questions” game. Just keep asking them questions; random questions work just fine as long as they are appropriate. This technique can save a phone conversation. The questions should be open ended questions that do not require a yes or no answer. For example “How do you know the hosts?” This way you can ask questions about what they just said or follow up with how you know the hosts (for example) instead of acting as if the conversation is an interrogation.
Half of an effective conversation is the way you non-verbally communicate, and not necessarily what you say. Practice better non-verbal skills that are friendly and confident.

Read newspapers and magazines to increase your knowledge so you can have more interesting things to talk about

Basic Table Manners Part-II

Basic Table Manners
• It is inappropriate to ask for a doggy bag when you are a guest. Save the doggy bag for informal dining situations.
• It is best to order foods that can be eaten with a knife and fork. Finger foods can be messy and are best left for informal dining.
• Do not order alcoholic beverages. Drinking too much when dining out is one of the most disliked behaviors.
• Do not smoke while dining out.
• Sit up straight at the table. It makes a good impression.
• When you are not eating, keep your hands on your lap or resting on the table (with wrists on the edge of the table). Elbows on the table are acceptable only between courses, not while you are eating.
• Do not season your food before you have tasted it.
• Never chew with your mouth open or make loud noises when you eat. Although it is possible to talk with a small piece of food in your mouth, do not talk with your mouth full.
• Do not slurp soup from a spoon. Spoon the soup away from you when you take it out of the bowl and sip it from the side of the spoon. If your soup is too hot to eat, let it sit until it cools; do not blow on it.
• If food gets caught between your teeth and you can't remove it with your tongue, leave the table and go to a mirror where you can remove the food from your teeth in private.
• Eat rolls or bread by tearing off small bite size pieces and buttering only the piece you are preparing to eat. When ready for another piece, repeat the same process.
• Engage in table conversation that is pleasant but entirely free of controversial subjects.
• You should not leave the table during the meal except in an emergency. If you must go to the bathroom or if you suddenly become sick, simply excuse yourself. Later you can apologize to the host by saying that you didn't feel well.
• If you need something that you cannot reach easily, politely ask the person closest to the item you need to pass it to you. For example, "After you have used them yourself, would you please pass me the salt and pepper?"
• If a piece of your silverware falls onto the floor, pick it up if you can reach it and let the server know you need a clean one. If you cannot reach it, tell the server you dropped a piece of your silverware and ask for a clean one.
• If you or someone you are dining with is left-handed, it is best for the left-handed person to sit at the left end of the table or at the head of the table. This arrangement helps ensure that everyone has adequate elbow room to eat comfortably.
• If food spills off your plate, you may pick it up with a piece of your silverware and place it on the edge of your plate.
• Never spit a piece of bad food or tough gristle into your napkin. Remove the food from your mouth using the same utensil it went in with. Place the piece of food on the edge of your plate. If possible, cover it with some other food from your plate.

Submitted By : Divik Rastogi, Kuldeep Sharma & Jitendra

Grooming Tips For Men

Grooming Tips For Men
We live in a time when it pays to look younger, whether it?s in the workplace or in the dating world. One of the keys to success is good grooming, experts say.
An increasing number of men are making grooming a priority because they want to maintain a youthful appearance and a winning edge. Statistics show that men in the United States are spending more than $4 billion a year on grooming products, such as haircolor and facial scrubs, driven by their desire to look and feel their best. The growth in grooming products is being fueled in part by baby boomers entering middle age.

Top Grooming Tips for Men
Get Rid the Gray Hair
The fastest way to take years off of your look is to get rid of gray hair. It?s less noticeable and more natural to begin coloring your hair when you first begin to go gray. An easy-to-use product formulated specifically for men, such as Just For Men Haircolor, can be used at home to cover gray hair with natural looking results.
If your beard and mustache turns gray first, the makers of Just For Men Haircolor have a brush-in gel in a no-drip formula that?s perfect for covering facial hair.
Go Short if You?re Balding
Balding is another common problem among men. Opting for a comb-over just dates your look. Get comfortable with your changing look and opt for a modern short haircut.
When men begin to lose the hair on their heads, they may begin to notice unwanted hair in other places, like their nose, ears or back. Be sure to trim or wax unwanted hair for a clean, contemporary look.
Protect and Pamper Your Skin
The best way to prevent wrinkles and skin cancer is to protect your skin from sun damage by using a daily moisturizer with sunscreen.
A good daily skin care routine includes cleansing, followed by a gentle facial exfoliant scrub, which also enhances shaving ease and comfort. Follow with a moisturizer containing sunscreen for day and at night a moisturizer with AHAs to encourage skin regeneration.
Pay Attention to Hands and Feet
Don?t forget to include your hands and feet in your grooming routine. Well-manicured nails and toes contribute to good hygiene and grooming habits. Make time to clip and file your nails at home.
Foot odor is a common problem among many men, and is relatively easy to treat. Scrub your feet daily and dry them completely. Insert a pair of Odor-Eaters Insoles into your shoes, which will absorb wetness and odor.

Quick Grooming Tips
• If you don't iron your clothes, remove them immediately from the dryer so wrinkles don't set.
• In hot weather, wear light-colored, cotton clothing and socks. This will absorb less heat and "sweat stains" will be less visible.
• Consider trimming your arm pit hairs in warm weather. Less hairs, less bacteria, less smell. Think about it.
• Don't be reluctant to trim or tweeze any stray eyebrow hairs.
• Good dental hygiene means a dazzling smile.
• Open your eyes. If hair is the frame for your face, the eyes are the windows. Use eye drops to whiten the whites of your eyes for a fresher, younger look.
Extend the Life of Your Razor Blades
All you need is a bottle of mineral oil and some rubbing alcohol.
After shaving, thoroughly clean and dry your razor blades and then completely immerse the razor head in a shallow dish filled with mineral oil. Use the rubbing alcohol to wash away the oil next time you need to use the razor.
By immersing the blades in oil, you stop the oxidization process that dulls their sharp edges. A daily mineral oil soak can double or even triple the life of your cartridges.
Happy grooming!

Contributed By Divik Rastogi, Kuldeep Sharma & Jitendra

Basic Table Manners-Part-I

Good basic table manners are important because they ensure that both guests and hosts are comfortable at the table. Table manners are mostly common sense. Following these will carry you through most common situations from Formal Dinners to a night of poker with the guys.

1. Sit up straight. Try not to slouch or lean back in your chair (even if you are playing cards and don't want you opponents to see your hand).

2. Don't speak with your mouth full of food. Sure, you've heard your mother say it a hundred times, but no one likes to see a ball of masticated meat in your mouth. If you feel you must speak immediately, if you have only a relatively small bite, tuck it into your cheek with your tongue and speak briefly.

3. Chew quietly, and try not to slurp. This is a corollary of rule number 2. Making noises is not only unappetizing, and distracting, but it can also interrupt the flow of conversation.

4. Keep bites small. In order to facilitate the above rules it is smart to keep bite sizes to a moderate forkful. Cut meat and salad so that it doesn't hang from your mouth after you shovel it in. Don't cut all of your meat at one time, this tends to remind people of feeding small children - and the messiness associated with this activity.

5. Eat at a leisurely pace. This rule, besides being good for the digestion, also shows your host that you want to enjoy the food and the company. Eating quickly and running is sign of disrespect for the host, as it shows that your focus is on the food and that you would rather be at home watching the grass grow than passing time with your host.

6. Don't wave utensils in the air, especially knives or if there is food on them. Besides the danger of knocking over glasses, piercing waiters or launching a pea into the eye of your date, this is a sign of over-excitedness that may be unappealing to those present. Earnestness is to be commended, but irrational exuberance goes beyond the limits of good table manners.

7. Keep your elbows off the table. You have also heard this one from your mother, ad infinitum, but in close dining situations it is a vital rule. Elbows take up table space and can be a danger in knocking plates or glasses. Elbows on the table give you something to lean on and tend to lull you into slouching. If you must lean on the table a good tactic is to take a roll or piece of bread into your free hand and rest part of your forearm on the table.

8. Don't Reach. You don't want to get in the way of people either eating or talking. Not only is it as impolite as standing in front of a TV with other people behind you, but there is always the possibility of upsetting glasses or running your sleeve through someone's mashed potatoes.

9. Don't forget please and thank you. These are handy words in most situations but especially vital at the table where common courtesies are noticed by everyone present.

10. Excuse yourself when leaving the table. You don't want people to think that you are tired of their company. If you must leave the table make your excuses somewhat obvious and appear to be pressing. You want to leave people with the impression that you would rather remain at the table talking with them than doing anything else, but the matter at hand is so pressing that it must be attended to at once.

11. Compliment the Cook. Even if the food is perfectly awful say something nice. You don't have to lie, simply find the positive side of the burnt leg of lamb..."Gee, the sauce was sure tasty." It is always pleasant to end a meal on a positive note.

12. Wipe your mouth before drinking. Ever notice that disgusting smudge on the edge of your wine glass? This can be avoided by first wiping your lips with your napkin. (Thanks to Lindy Hill for this contribution.)

Self-Respect - Six Examples of How Learning to Respect Yourself Attracts Respect From Others

Too many people expect to be respected by others when they don't act respectfully themselves. Once you learn to respect yourself, you will attract respect from others. Here are some guidelines for learning self-respect.
"I want him to respect me."
"If people respect me, I'll respect them."
"My kids should respect me (it doesn't matter how I treat them)."
If you don't respect yourself, you'll never respect others.
Self-Respecting People
1. Think about how their behavior affects the people around them
2. Consider what they say before blurting out hurtful words
3. Understand the Golden Rule according to Eugene Brown, LPC (my former supervisor and mentor): Do unto others as they need to be done unto
4. Seek first to understand, then to be understood (Stephen Covey, The Seven Habits of Highly Effective People)
5. Take responsibility for their behavior
6. Let go of the need to hold grudges

Let's look at these six ideas about self-respect:
1. Think about how their behavior effects the people around them
Self-respecting people realize that they don't live in a vacuum; their behavior affects others. They think about what they do and ask themselves, "How will my doing ________ affect the people I care about/my coworkers/others I come in contact with?" They weigh the consequences carefully before acting.
2. Consider what they say before blurting out hurtful words
When self-respecting people engage in disagreements with others, they act diplomatically. Yes, they experience anger just like the rest of us, but they choose their responses instead of allowing a knee-jerk reaction to determine what happens next. They realize that hurtful words won't help their partner understand what is wrong and will harm the relationship.
3. Understand the Golden Rule according to Eugene Brown, LPC (my former supervisor and mentor): Do unto others as they need to be done unto
This ties into understanding that their behavior impacts others. They realize that just because they would like something done a certain way, that others may not agree. They take the time to learn how others need to be treated, rather than just using a "one size fits all" approach.
4. Seek first to understand, then to be understood (Stephen Covey, The Seven Habits of Highly Effective People)
Self-respecting people understand the value of active listening. They know that if people feel understood, then they are more likely to be willing to listen to another person's point of view. Self-respecting people do not try to push their views on others to be understood first. They are willing to work to earn the other person's respect and trust.
5. Take responsibility for their behavior
This means they are willing to admit when they are wrong. They feel comfortable with themselves and don't feel threatened if they make a mistake. Their ego isn't tied up in always needing to be right. This also means that the self-respecting person lets others be responsible for their behavior, letting go of the need to control them or change them.
6. Let go of the need to hold grudges
Self-respecting people realize that when they hold a grudge, they keep themselves locked into anger and resentment. They know they will keep growing as a person when they allow others to be responsible for their behavior instead of holding a grudge to try to make others change.

Interview - The crucial first 5 minutes

First impressions count. And that's a fact. Moreover, if you are facing a job interview. Studies reveal that the first 5 minutes are crucial for any interview. And it is in these 5 minutes that the decision of hiring or not hiring you is made by the interviewer. How, then do you ensure that the impression that you create is a favourable one? Keep the following few things in mind for that: Be punctual. It is better to arrive early than to rush in at the last moment. Allow extra time for traffic, parking and slow elevators. Project a professional and enthusiastic image. Your aim is to convince the interviewer that you would be an asset to the company and not a liability. You can't change the way you look. However, you can ensure that you project a clean and well groomed appearance. Dress comfortably, but immaculately. Shoes should be polished, pants/skirts and shirts pressed. Make eye contact when you speak. Stand straight, move confidently and sit slightly forward in your chair. Body language is important and people notice it more than you think Shake hands firmly. A firm handshake projects confidence and leaves a lasting impression.