2011 - A year of Hope - New year greetings

WISHING YOU A VERY VERY HAPPY NEW YEAR LET THIS BE A NEW BEGINNING. MAY THE GOOD GOD BLESS YOU FROM THE ABUNDANCE OF HIS GLORY

Dalai Lama

The Dalai Lama is a Buddhist leader of religious officials of the Gelug or "Yellow Hat" branch of Tibetan Buddhism. The name is a combination of the Mongolian word Далай "Dalai" meaning "Ocean" and the Tibetan word "Blama" (with a silent b) meaning "chief" or "high priest." "Lama" is a general term referring to Tibetan Buddhist teachers.

Ultra modern life style ruins the mankind

Is Wi-Fi frying our brains? Fears that cloud of 'electrosmog' could be harming humans By Alasdair Philips Last updated at 8:55 AM on 30th November 2010 As winter arrives with a vengeance, the last of this year’s glorious autumn leaves are falling in our parks and woodlands

How to build a flat stomach

TIPS FOR FLAT STOMACH Tired of not knowing what kinds of foods to eat? Not sure how much fat, calories and sodium you should be consuming everyday? All the tips you need are here....

Devoted toll-free helpline for Indian expatriates in UAE

Devoted toll-free helpline for Indian expatriates in UAE DUBAI - Indian expatriates needing help anytime now have a lifeline. All they need to do is call the toll-free number 800India. The helpline of the much-awaited Indian Workers’ Resource Centre (800-46342) was dedicated to the Indian expatriate community in the UAE by the President Pratibha Devisingh Patil in Dubai on Tuesday evening.

FOUR THINGS YOUR MOBILE PHONE COULD DO

4 THINGS YOUR MOBILE PHONE COULD DO There are a few things that can be done in times of grave emergencies. Your mobile phone can actually be a life saver or an emergency tool for survival.

Floor maid at the Tewksbury Institute

Inspiring Story Dr. Frank May field was touring Tewksbury Institute when, on his way out, he accidentally collided with an elderly floor maid. To cover the awkward moment Dr. May field started asking questions.

The real Wealth

Have you heard about rich people who are not happy at times? Do you know about those people who have a very good job, they are earning well but complaining that they are not happy? Who is a wealthy person? Do you think that a person is wealthy when he or she has lots and lots of money?

Sagarika Ghose Blogs

About Sagarika Ghose Sagarika Ghose (born 8 November 1964) is an Indian journalist, author and television anchor. She has been a journalist for 20 years, starting her career with The Times of India, then moving to become part of the start-up team of Outlook magazine, subsequently joining The Indian Express as Senior Editor. She was anchor of the flagship BBC World programme Question Time India before moving to CNN-IBN as prime time anchor and Deputy Editor.
	She is the anchor of the award-winning flagship debate programme Face The Nation on CNN-IBN. She is also a columnist for the Hindustan Times. She has won numerous awards including FICCI Media Achiever Award and Gr8-ITA Award for Excellence in Journalism. She is a graduate in History from St Stephen's College and was awarded a Rhodes Scholarship to Oxford University where she gained an MA and M.Phil in History and International Relations. She is recipient of the Rhodes Scholarship, she has a Bachelor's in Modern History from Magdalen College and an M.Phil from St Antony's College at Oxford. She has been a journalist in India since 1991 and has worked at The Times Of India, Outlook magazine and The Indian Express. She is currently (2010) the Deputy Editor and a prime time anchor on the news network CNN-IBN. She is married to one of India's leading journalists Rajdeep Sardesai, son of cricketer Dileep Sardesai, and has two children, Ishan and Tarini. She is the daughter of Bhaskar Ghose, erstwhile Director General of Doordarshan, the Indian public television network. Her two aunts include Ruma Pal, former justice of the Supreme Court of India and Arundhati Ghose, former ambassador and diplomat.
HER BLOG Her Blog in IBN LIVE is EXCELLENT..Click on the following link to read the full blog.

Tips For Buying An LCD TV

Top 3 Tips For Buying An LCD TV 1)Don't buy a used one if you don't have to. The funny thing about these TVs is that their prices drop significantly every month and that if you just wait a little longer, the price you'll pay for a new TV is probably not going to be too far off from the price that you are going to pay for a used one. A little patience might actually save you some dollars here. 2)Compare features, not just prices. One of our favorite places to go to compare prices on LCD Tvs is ConsumerReports.org. Consumer Reports was rating different items way before the internet even become popular. Remember buying your first real car? I do. And I went straight to Consumer Reports to find out that the Honda Accord was the car to buy (and still is according to CR). Shopping for a high end LCD Tv shouldn't be any different than shopping for a new car. All the resources are at your disposal, so give it a try. I'm sure you can find some gems of information at CR regarding your LCD Tv purchase.
	3)HD is coming, don't miss out. High definition television has allegedly been "right around the corner" for years. Well, that time may finally have arrived. Some LCD Tvs come HD ready and some do not. Make sure your new LCD TV supports HD so that when it is finally popularized, you can watch the programs utilizing this latest technology. And by the way, why would someone want to buy an LCD TV over a "Plasma". And what is a plasma? Are they different than LCDs? Basically yes. The big difference is that they use different technologies to deliver a picture. Both have pros and cons. However, both deliver a large screen experience to the user.

Seven Most Important Minerals for your body

When you think of precious minerals, you probably think of silver and gold. But where your health is concerned, others - like calcium and iron - are far more precious. Each of these dietary minerals is unique and carries out its own life-giving task. Scientists have divided these nutrients into two groups - major and trace minerals - depending on how much of the mineral is in your body.
	7 minerals you can't do without The major minerals stand out from others simply because there are more of them in your body. If you could remove all your body's minerals and place them on a scale, they would weigh about 5 pounds. Almost 4 pounds of that would be calcium and phosphorus, the two most common major minerals. The five other major minerals would make up most of the remaining pound. Calcium. By far the most abundant mineral in your body, calcium makes your bones and teeth strong and hard. Without it, they would be as floppy as your ears. Imagine trying to get around then. Calcium doesn't just stay trapped in your skeleton, though. Small amounts of it travel into your blood. There, it's essential for steadying your blood pressure and helping your muscles contract. One rather important muscle - your heart - needs calcium to keep pumping. Calcium is critical during childhood if you want to have strong bones as an adult. But no matter how old you are, it's never too late to get more of this important mineral.
Phosphorus. The second-most plentiful mineral in your body works hand-in-hand with calcium to build and maintain strong bones and teeth. Phosphorus is a crucial ingredient in DNA and cell membranes and helps make healthy new cells all over your body. To top it off, phosphorus helps turn your food into energy. Chloride. Your stomach would be useless without this element. Chloride is a main ingredient in your digestive stomach acids. It also helps to assure that all of your body's cells get their fair share of nutrients - no small job at all. Magnesium. This is the least common major mineral in your body, but that doesn't hold magnesium back. First, it helps keep your bones and teeth healthy, then it makes sure calcium, potassium, vitamin D, and proteins do their jobs. When you flex your muscles, you need magnesium to help them relax again. Recently, experts even found a connection between magnesium and heart health. A deficiency of the mineral could increase your risk of heart attack and high blood pressure. Potassium. Keeping your blood pressure steady, maintaining your heartbeat, balancing water in your cells, and assuring your muscles and nerves work properly are a few of potassium's many important jobs. Like magnesium, this mineral might be essential for heart health. Sodium. This mineral usually gets a bad rap because it's the main element in salt. But your body needs sodium to maintain its balance of fluids. Nowadays, most people try to limit their salt, or sodium, intake for health reasons. Those who are "salt-sensitive" are especially at risk for heart disease. But it would benefit everyone to lower their daily sodium intake to 2,400 milligrams or less. Sulfur. This mineral is a number one supporting actor. It doesn't do much on its own, but it's part of other star nutrients like thiamin and protein. Sulfur is especially important in proteins because it gives them shape and durability. Your body's toughest proteins - in your hair, nails, and skin - have the highest amounts of sulfur. Trace minerals - small but powerful protectors By definition, each trace mineral makes up only a tiny percentage of your total body weight - less than one-twentieth of a percent, to be exact. But their small amounts only make them more valuable. They carry out enormous tasks that are as important as the jobs of any of the more common nutrients. Iodine. Your thyroid gland uses this nutrient to make its hormones. These compounds control your body temperature, regulating the metabolism of every major organ. A lack of iodine can wreak havoc with your body and cause a condition called goiter. Iron. Without a teaspoon of this mineral in your body, you couldn't breathe. Iron makes up hemoglobin and myoglobin, two compounds that carry oxygen throughout your blood and your muscles. No wonder you feel weak and listless when you are iron deficient. Selenium. Now famous for preventing cancer, selenium also carries out important daily tasks in your body. It helps your thyroid use iodine, for instance, and it's important for a healthy immune system. A deficiency in selenium can cause heart and thyroid disease. Zinc. This mineral has many jobs. Cleaning up free radicals, building new cells, and producing energy from other nutrients are just three. A zinc deficiency can be dangerous, leading to digestion problems and deficiencies in other nutrients. The mighty five. Chromium, copper, fluoride, manganese, and molybdenum are five trace minerals you'll find in common foods and drinks. They are responsible for everything from strong teeth (fluoride) to your blood-sugar level (chromium). They are so important that nutritionists have set daily requirements for each of them to make sure you get enough. Experts are also investigating a handful of other minerals to see how essential they are to your body. Boron is one that seems promising as an important ingredient in bone and joint health.

Brighton Travel Guide - Fashionable city by the seaside

Brighton is the major part of the city of Brighton and Hove (formed from the previous towns of Brighton, Hove, Portslade and several other villages) in East Sussex on the south coast of Great Britain. For administrative purposes, Brighton and Hove is not part of the non-metropolitan county of East Sussex, but remains part of the ceremonial county of East Sussex.
Brighton Travel Information & Tourist Guide MAP View Larger Map The City of Brighton and Hove is a modern, vibrant, cosmopolitan "City by the Sea", situated between the beautiful South Downs and the Sussex Coast approximately 60 miles due south of the United Kingdom capital, London. Brighton has long been one of the UK's biggest and most fashionable seaside towns and is a popular tourist resort with many hotels, restaurants and entertainment facilities together with a considerable business conference industry. Brighton Beach Originally known as the modest fishing village of Brighthelmstone, this city has strong connections with the past with its regency architecture, Victorian Sea Life Centre, Brighton Pier, and of course The Royal Pavilion. By 1825 after Dr Richard Russell extolled the virtues of bathing in and drinking seawater, Brighton was born as a fashionable seaside resort. The Royal Pavillion, Brighton Now it is a contemporary metropolis, with diverse shopping from Churchill Square and Western Road, to The Lanes and bohemian North Lanes, London Road and St James Street, Church Street and George Street in Hove. There is a new state of the art Library, restaurants, bars and clubs to suit every taste, theatres, cinemas, 10-pin bowling and casinos. In addition there are 2 universities, and a wide variety of sporting activities, including successful cricket, and football teams, and even a racecourse and greyhound stadium. Another unique and historical attraction is Volks Railway, the oldest operating electric railway in the world. Created in 1883 by Magnus Volk, this 1 ¼ mile track links the Aquarium and Pier with Brighton Marina, with a half way stop near the children's playground. Volk's Electric Railway (VER) is the oldest operating electric railway in the world. It is a narrow gauge railway that runs along a length of the seafront of the English seaside resort of Brighton. It was built by Magnus Volk, the first section being completed in August 1883. Volk's Electric Railway (VER) This year Brighton & Hove have been awarded its first ever Blue Flag award for its beaches at Hove Lawns and West Street. These guarantee that they are litter free and have clean swimming water. There is also a discreet naturist beach at Dukes Mound near Brighton Marina. After a visit to Brighton Pier what better way to continue than with a stroll along the beachfront and down to the boardwalk. Here you can find the artists' quarter and fishing museum. There is a traditional carrousel and various bars, clubs and restaurants under these historic arches. Further along the seafront you will discover a children's playground, paddling pool and volleyball court. From here you come face to face with the remaining wreck of the West Pier. This was originally built in 1866, has been lying derelict since 1975, and was destroyed by arson attacks in 2002. Although certain pieces from this Grade I listed building were removed and have been kept in storage. Sunset at Brighton Beach However, the exciting news is that work is due to commence at the end of July on this site for the groundbreaking Brighton Eye. To be built at the shore end of the wrecked pier, the i360 (as it is also known) will have a 172 meter high needle tower, with an ascending and descending circular viewing platform with a capacity for 125 people. It will be Britain's highest observation tower with breathtaking views along the coast, across the South Downs and across the Channel. Completion of this exciting and innovative construction is scheduled for 2009. For more info: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brighton VisitBrighton offers the latest Brighton and Hove tourist information and tourist guides. Plan your visit and view Brighton tourism information online. www.visitbrighton.com/

Appreciation - short story

*Story of Appreciation** One young academically excellent person went to apply for a managerial position in a big company. He passed the first interview, the director did the last interview, made the last decision. The director discovered from the CV that the youth's academic achievements were excellent all the way, from the secondary school until the postgraduate research, never had a year when he did not score good grades.
	The director asked, "Did you obtain any scholarships in school?" the youth answered "None." The director asked, " Was it your father who paid for your school fees?" The youth answered, "My father passed away when I was one year old, it was my mother who paid for my school fees." The director asked, "Where did your mother work?" The youth answered, "My mother worked as clothes cleaner." The director requested the youth to show his hands. The youth showed a pair of hands that were smooth and perfect. The director asked, " Have you ever helped your mother wash the clothes before?" The youth answered, "Never, my mother always wanted me to study and read more books. Furthermore, my mother can wash clothes faster than me."
The director said, "I have a request. When you go back today, go and clean your mother's hands, and then see me tomorrow morning." The youth felt that his chance of landing the job was high. When he went back, he happily requested his mother to let him clean her hands. His mother felt strange, happy but with mixed feelings, she showed her hands to the kid. The youth cleaned his mother's hands slowly. His tear fell as he did that. It was the first time he noticed that his mother's hands were so wrinkled, and there were so many bruises in her hands. Some bruises were so painful that his mother shivered when they were cleaned with water. This was the first time the youth realized that it was this pair of hands that washed the clothes everyday to enable him to pay the school fee. The bruises in the mother's hands were the price that the mother had to pay for his graduation, academic excellence and his future. After finishing the cleaning of his mother hands, the youth quietly washed all the remaining clothes for his mother. That night, mother and son talked for a very long time. Next morning, the youth went to the director's office. The Director noticed the tears in the youth's eyes, asked: "Can you tell me what have you done and learned yesterday in your house?" The youth answered, "I cleaned my mother's hand, and also finished cleaning all the remaining clothes." The Director asked, "Please tell me your feelings." The youth said, Number 1, I know now what is appreciation. Without my mother, there would not be the successful me today. Number 2, by working together and helping my mother, only I now realize how difficult and tough it is to get something done. Number 3, I have come to appreciate the importance and value of family relationship. The director said, "This is what I am looking for to be my manager." I want to recruit a person who can appreciate the help of others, a person who knows the sufferings of others to get things done, and a person who would not put money as his only goal in life. You are hired. Later on, this young person worked very hard, and received the respect of his subordinates. Every employee worked diligently and as a team. The company's performance improved tremendously. A child, who has been protected and habitually given whatever he wanted, would develop "entitlement mentality" and would always put himself first. He would be ignorant of his parent's efforts. When he starts work, he assumes that every person must listen to him, and when he becomes a manager, he would never know the sufferings of his employees and would always blame others. For this kind of people, who may be good academically, may be successful for a while, but eventually would not feel sense of achievement. He will grumble and be full of hatred and fight for more. If we are this kind of protective parents, are we really showing love or are we destroying the kid instead? You can let your kid live in a big house, eat a good meal, learn piano, watch a big screen TV. But when you are cutting grass, please let them experience it. After a meal, let them wash their plates and bowls together with their brothers and sisters. It is not because you do not have money to hire a maid, but it is because you want to love them in a right way. You want them to understand, no matter how rich their parents are, one day their hair will grow gray, same as the mother of that young person. The most important thing is your kid learns how to appreciate the effort and experience the difficulty and learns the ability to work with others to get things done.

Cracked Foot Cracked Heels are very common. They can be painful, unattractive, and very upsetting especially to those of us who love sandals. Usually, cracked skin on our heels and feet is caused by excessively dry skin. For many it's worse in the winter months or for those who live in dry climates. But going barefoot and wearing shoes with open backs can exaserbate the problem, meaning that even in the summer our feet are in rough shape. Symptoms of cracked heels: If the cracks are bad enough there will be pain on weight bearing, that is not there when weight is off the heel. The edges or rim around the heel will generally have a thicker area of skin (callus). Wearing open or thin soled shoes usually make the symptoms worse.
	Causes Cracked Heels: * Dry skin. * Prolonged standing. * Obesity. * Wearing shoes with an open back. * Heel Spurs. * Flat feet. * Improperly fitting shoes. * Athlete’s foot. * Thyroid disease. * Diabetes.
Home Remedies For Dry Cracked Heels: 1. Mix papaya and lemon juice, apply on the affected area and wash off after 20 minutes. 2. Coat your feet in raw honey and cover with thick socks before going to bed at night. This not only softens your feet, but helps heal fissures as well. 3. First think to do is drink lots of water to keep the skin hydrate. It will keep your skin soft and supple and skin will not get as dry to get cuts and cracks. 4. Always wash your feet properly whenever you come from outside. Sleep after washing your feet. 5. Rubbing pumic stone too is helpful in clearing the dead dull skin. 6. Never wear shoes in wet legs and never wear wet soaks. 7. Walk on the grass barefoot early morning. It rejuvenates the feet and improves the eyesight. 8. Daily apply a mixture of rosewater and glycerin. It soothes your heels and cures them fast. 9. Apply the pulp of a ripe banana on the affected area, leave it for 10 to 15 minutes and wash it properly. It helps in fast healing. 10. You can also crush an onion apply the pulp over the cracked area and bandage it. Source: Email

Tips to Quit Smoking Naturally

Some tips to Quit Smoking Naturally There are literally dozens of tips to quit smoking naturally. There isn’t one clear natural method or pattern for quitting smoking naturally but rather a number of short tips to try in hopes that one or more will help you kick the nicotine habit. (1) Think in a positive manner. This is not an unattainable goal. (2) Don’t give up when you have a bad day or backslide. You can still quit! (3) Make a list of the reasons that you want to quit smoking. Post copies of this list everywhere you spend time. Put the list at various places in your home, at work, in your car and carry one with you. (4) Replace your cigarette break with an orange juice break, or to smoke only those you really want. Don’t just light that cigarette out of habit. (5) You may experience some withdrawal symptoms when you are trying to quit smoking. Be prepared and have a game plan. Online Cigarette (6) If you become irritable be ready with some ideas that may make you less irritable. Consider meditation, yoga or a dance or exercise class.
	(7) Carry hard candy or gum with you. These things can help if your mouth becomes dry. (8) Form a support group or join one that is already in existence. A group of people who are also trying to quit smoking can be very supportive and you will be able to share tips. (9) Celebrate each milestone. Treat yourself to a movie, a night out with friends or a walk in the park. (10) Start noticing the benefits of a smokeless life. It won’t be long before you are breathing easier and thinking more clearly. Your clothing, home and car will no longer smell like smoke. You will be much more pleasant to kiss. Follow these tips to quit smoking naturally and you will be able to kiss those butts goodbye forever
Today renew your pledge to quit smoking...If you have tried to quit smoking and failed before, take comfort in the fact that most smokers fail several times before quitting successfully. read some more tips... Source : health.indiatimes.com 1. Deep Breathing Perhaps The Single Most Powerful And Important Technique: Every time you want a cigarette, do the following. Do it three times. This is a variation of a yoga technique and is very relaxing. Inhale the deepest lung-full of air you can, and then, very slowly, exhale. Purse your lips so that the air must come out slowly. As you exhale, close your eyes, and let your chin gradually sink over onto your chest. Visualize all the tension leaving your body, slowly draining out of your fingers and toes, just flowing on out. 2. Taking In Fluids: The first few days, drink LOTS of water and fluids to help flush out the nicotine and other poisons from your body. 3. Stay Away From Alcohol, Sugar And Coffee Do your very best to stay away from alcohol, sugar and coffee the first week or longer, as these tend to stimulate the desire for a cigarette. 4.Taking An Oral Substitute - One can use cinnamon sticks, chewing gum or artificial cigarettes as a substitute. 5. Get Exercising Go to a gym, sit in the steam, exercise. 6.Pamper Yourself Go ahead and join a yoga class or maybe reiki – they're great! Get a one hour massage, take a long bath - pamper yourself. Get yourself involved in a hobby. 7. Ask For Support Ask for support from co-workers, friends and family members. Ask for their tolerance. Let them know you're quitting, 8. Destroy All Your Cigarettes On your quit day, hide all ashtrays and destroy all your cigarettes, preferably with water, so no part of them is smokeable. 9. Write It Down Write down ten good things about being a nonsmoker - and then write out ten bad things about smoking. Do it. It really helps. 10. Don’t Pretend Don't pretend smoking wasn't enjoyable – it was. This is like losing a good friend – and it's okay to grieve the loss. Feel that grief, don't worry, it's okay. Feel, and you heal. Stay with it - you can do it! 11. Affirm Yourself Several times a day, quietly repeat to yourself the affirmation, "I am a nonsmoker." Silently repeating the affirmation "I am a nonsmoker" will help you change your view of yourself, and, even if it may seem silly to you, this is actually useful. In conclusion Remember that if you quit you will live longer and feel better. Quitting will lower your chances of having a heart attack, stroke, or cancer. The people you live with, especially children, will be healthier. If you are pregnant, you will improve your chances of having a healthy baby. And you will have extra money to spend on things other than cigarettes.

Gloucester - perfect holiday destination

Gloucester is a city on Cape Ann in Essex County, Massachusetts. Gloucester is a city, district and county town of Gloucestershire in the South West region of England. Gloucester lies close to the Welsh border, and on the River Severn, approximately 32 miles (51 km) north-east of Bristol, and 45 miles (72 km) south-southwest of Birmingham. Gloucester is the 53rd largest settlement in the UK by population. Gloucester Cathedral Gloucester was founded in AD 48 by the Romans as Glevum, and was granted its first charter in 1155 by King Henry II. Economically, the city is dominated by the service industries, and has a strong financial and business sector. Gloucester is a port, linked via the Gloucester and Sharpness Canal which runs from Gloucester's docks to the Severn Estuary, allowing larger ships to reach the docks than would be possible on the tidal reaches of the river itself. Watch tower Gloucester is situated in the south-western section of England in the county of Gloucestershire, and is very near the Welsh border. Possessing a population that is well over 100,000 people, Gloucester is a bustling and thriving city as well as a popular tourist attraction. Gloucester is home to many historical sites and recreational activities, making it a place where tourists love returning to every year. No matter what time of year someone visits Gloucester there are plenty of things to do and see. View Larger Map
	Places of interest: Gloucester Cathedral, Medieval and Tudor buildings, Churches, Schools, Modern buildings, Shopping areas Gloucester Cathedral, in the north of the city near the river, originates in the foundation of an abbey dedicated to Saint Peter in 681. It is the burial place of King Edward II of England and Walter de Lacy. Many medieval and Tudor period gabled and half timbered houses survive from earlier periods of Gloucester's history. At the point where the four principal streets intersected stood the Tolsey (town hall), which was replaced by a modern building in 1894.
Sea side There may be many churches now, but in the past there were also many dissenting chapels. It may have been the old proverb "as sure as God's in Gloucester" that provoked Oliver Cromwell to declare that the city had "more churches than godliness". Gloucester was the host of the first Sunday school in England; this was founded by Robert Raikes in 1780. Four of the churches that are of special interest are @ St Mary de Lode - with a Norman tower and chancel, and a monument of Bishop John Hooper. It was built on the site of an ancient Roman temple which became the first Christian church in Britain @ St Mary de Crypt - with a cruciform structure of the 12th century. It has later additions, such as the tower. Also the site of the Schoolroom in which The Crypt School was formed @ The St Michael church - said to have been connected with the St Peter ancient abbey @ The St Nicholas church - founded by the Normans but with many additions since then. City Garden Noteworthy modern buildings include the museum and school of art and science, the county jail (on the site of a Saxon and Norman castle), the Shire Hall and the Whitefield memorial church. A park in the south of the city contains a spa, a chalybeate spring having been discovered in 1814. West of this, across the canal, are the remains (a gateway and some walls) of Llanthony Secunda Priory, a cell of the mother abbey in the Vale of Ewyas, Monmouthshire, which in the reign of King Edward IV became the secondary establishment. Gloucester has much to offer both residents and tourists. From museums to galleries, from monuments, to historical sites, Gloucester is filled with an endless array of things to both see and do. Further, Gloucester is situated near other popular English cities, making such cities easily accessible. Popular cities surrounding Gloucester include: Bath, Belfast, Bristol, Edinburgh, Glasgow, Liverpool, London, Nottingham, Oxford, and York. HISTORIC BUILDINGS: Gloucester Cathedral is the actual site where King Edward the II has been buried. In 681 AD this church was dedicated to St. Peter and the cathedral itself possesses a tremendous amount of Gothic architecture. WALKS AND TOURS: Both residents and tourists will enjoy the numerous trails and tours that can be found in Gloucester. The Severn Way is a 2100 mile walk along the river in Britain and there are Cathedral guides, historic walks and dock walks for everyone to enjoy. SHOPPING: There are plenty of fantastic places to shop while in Gloucester. The Mall Eastgate and the Kings Walk offer both specialist shops and boutiques, giving every tourist the ability to find suitable souvenirs. MUSEUMS AND GALLERIES: Gloucester is home to some of the finest museums and galleries; among them are the Nature in Art Museum, a museum totally dedicated to art that focuses on nature, and Gloucester City Museum and Art Gallery, with archaeological exhibits and more. EVENTS: Gloucester is a busy city, one filled with many events to attend and enjoy. Gloucester frequently hosts many festivals and museum events. Bird view of Cathedral Things to do: There are plenty of things to see in do in the gorgeous city of Gloucester. If truth be told, both residents and tourists will have no trouble finding recreational activities that are suitable for the entire family. From historic sites to educationally suitable recreational activities, Gloucester is the city that offers something for everyone. WILDFOWL AND WETLANDS CENTRE: in Slimbridge is a fantastic site for both children and adults alike. When visiting Gloucester, families will enjoy this recreational facility which was established in 1946. With trails to walk and many different species of birds to see, the Wildfowl and Wetlands Centre proves entertaining for all families. The cost of admission is as follows: £6, and children £3.60. HAILES ABBEY: in Winchcombe is the ruins of a Cistercian Abbey that was established in the 13th century, in the year 1246. Visitors can still see and enjoy its cloistered arches and visit the shop and museum located on this historic site. WESTONBIRT ARBORETUM: in Tetbury is a section of land that is home to well over 18,000 trees. Families can enjoy the trails all throughout Westonbirt Arboretum and visits will find the location particularly beautiful during the fall. With a visitor's centre, a shop, and a museum as well as a plant centre and places to picnic, Westonbirt has much to offer its visitors. Admission prices are as follows: £3.80 for adults and £1 for children.

Stock Investment Tips and History

Stock Investment and research Guidelines To Eliminate Stress This day and age presents a large amount of opportunities to invest your money. But sometimes it's difficult to choose the best investments that are suitable for your situation. If you are interested in investing your money in stocks then this article may be of assistance to you. For a new investor in stock market the first thing is just not jump into the market...first you have to id study the market, the factors that affect the market, regularly read business news. check relaiable websites to know about the markets up and down, whih stocks are the best, portfolio of the company which offers its stocks..and so on.
	Below you will find ideas on how a little research can take the stress out of stock investing and hopefully fetch large returns from your stock investment. Find Investments That You Trust The best way to choose the right stock is to research a stock company to find information that may or may not be desirable. Consider only companies, which have been trading in the public market for a long period of time. These companies often provide extra security and stability for a well maintained and branched out investment portfolio. Use the information you get from stock market quoting to determine if you think the particular company is a fit for you. Periodically keep yourself up to date on the companies your investing in, just because a company is stable now doesn't mean they'll be around several years from now. Search for Recent News A good way to find profitable investments is by reading news stories that may influence the value of a companies stock in which you are going to invest your money. By updating yourself about the stock market you can be in touch with top stories of public companies, which can keep you informed about what is going on in the market (company's stock value is going up or down). This can be especially useful if you get wind about major scandals or negative factors on time and are able to sell shares before the price drops. Alternatively this will also enable you to invest before an upcoming event that may cause a spike or upwards trend as well.
Keep an Eye On New Technologies You should also read news about technological progress and fields like health care and biochemistry. New advancements in these fields can cause a sudden rise in stock prices, quickly earning you a nice profit. Learning about new and advanced technologies before they become well known, can potentially give you long term benefits and opportunities to engage your money in other investments. Don't expect each and every new technology to cause an increase in stock value, but there is a better chance for making good profits from initial investments. Invest for the Long Term It is important to know about long term investments. Usually long term investments give more benefits than many short term investments. Many short-term investments also do well (scheduling your purchase and sell ahead of time can also save you some heartaches); long-term investments will add stability and security to your portfolio. Find Yourself Some Good Help With not too much trouble you will find many other people investing like you are. Ask around, there's a good chance many of them use a stock recommendation service or a broker they're happy with. In this case they'll gladly recommend their services and if you're new this may be a smart way to get started - this should also help you to avoid stock broker fraud as well. Benefits and Disadvantages of Stocks Source:stockinvestment123.com Benefits of Stocks: Returns: Over time, stocks outperform bonds, CDs (and other cash investments), and real estate. Stocks on average return about 10% a year, whereas these other investments generally return at about 5-7%. Taxes: If you hold a stock for more than a year, your profits (when you choose to sell your stock) are taxed at long-term capital gains rate of 15% instead of your standard tax rate. Money you make from interest in a savings account or CD is taxed at your regular tax rate, which can be as high as 35%. Diversification: Unlike real estate, it is easy to diversify your stocks. In fact, you can buy whole indexes of stocks, such as the S&P 500 or Wilshire 5000, by investing in ETFs that track those indexes. When you buy real estate, your returns are largely the result of how popular that area becomes. If you buy a house in an area that goes downhill, you will lose a lot of money on that house. For stocks, you can own a stock that literally goes to zero, but it's not a big deal provided you invested in a wide variety of stocks. Disadvantages of Stocks: Risk: The stock market can vary wildly. If you invest in a stock, your investment can literally go to zero if that company goes out of business. However, if you are properly diversified, the risks associated with the stock market are not that bad. Over the long run, the stock market goes up. Nevertheless, the risks with stocks will always be higher than a guaranteed return with a CD or government treasury. History of Mutual Funds: The first "pooling of money" for investments was done in 1774. After the 1772-1773 financial crisis, a Dutch merchant Adriaan van Ketwich invited investors to come together to form an investment trust. The goal of the trust was to lower risks involved in investing by providing diversification to the small investors. The funds invested in various European countries such as Austria, Denmark and Spain. The investments were mainly in bonds and equity formed a small portion. The trust was names Eendragt Maakt Magt, which meant "Unity Creates Strength". The fund had many features that attracted investors: - It has an embedded lottery. - There was an assured 4% dividend, which was slightly less than the average rates prevalent at that time. Thus the interest income exceeded the required payouts and the difference was converted to a cash reserve. - The cash reserve was utilized to retire a few shares annually at 10% premium and hence the remaining shares earned a higher interest. Thus the cash reserve kept increasing over time – further accelerating share redemption. - The trust was to be dissolved at the end of 25 years and the capital was to be divided among the remaining investors. However a war with England led to many bonds defaulting. Due to the decrease in investment income, share redemption was suspended in 1782 and later the interest payments were lowered too. The fund was no longer attractive for investors and faded away. After evolving in Europe for a few years, the idea of mutual funds reached the US at the end if nineteenth century. In the year 1893, the first closed-end fund was formed. It was named the "The Boston Personal Property Trust." The Alexander Fund in Philadelphia was the first step towards open-end funds. It was established in 1907 and had new issues every six months. Investors were allowed to make redemptions. The first true open-end fund was the Massachusetts Investors' Trust of Boston. Formed in the year 1924, it went public in 1928. 1928 also saw the emergence of first balanced fund – The Wellington Fund that invested in both stocks and bonds. The concept of Index based funds was given by William Fouse and John McQuown of the Wells Fargo Bank in 1971. Based on their concept, John Bogle launched the first retail Index Fund in 1976. It was called the First Index Investment Trust. It is now known as the Vanguard 500 Index Fund. It crossed 100 billion dollars in assets in November 2000 and became the World's largest fund. Today mutual funds have come a long way. Nearly one in two households in the US invests in mutual funds. The popularity of mutual funds is also soaring in developing economies like India. They have become the preferred investment route for many investors, who value the unique combination of diversification, low costs and simplicity provided by the funds.