The Origin of Big Names

There are many companies / brands / products whose names were derived from strange circumstances/things/happenings.
Google
The name started as a joke boasting about the amount of information the search-engine would be able to search. It was originally named ‘Googol’, a word for the number represented by 1 followed by 100 zeros. After founders- Stanford graduate students Sergey Brin and Larry Page presented their project to an angel investor, they received a cheque made out to ‘Google’ …thus the name.
Apple Computers
It was the favorite fruit of founder Steve Jobs. He was three months late in filing a name for the business, and he threatened to call his company Apple Computers if the other colleagues didn’t suggest a better name by 5 O’clock that evening.
Hotmail
Founder Jack Smith got the idea of accessing e-mail via the web from a computer anywhere in the world. When Sabeer Bhatia came up with the business plan for the mail service, he tried all kinds of names ending in ‘mail’ and finally settled for hotmail as it included the letters “html” – the programming language used to write web pages. It was initially referred to as HoTMaiL with selective uppercasing.
Yahoo!
The word was invented by Jonathan Swift and used in his book ‘Gulliver’s Travels’. It represents a person who is repulsive in appearance and action and is barely human. Yahoo! Founders Jerry Yang and David Filo selected the name because they considered themselves yahoos.
Microsoft
Coined by Bill Gates to represent the company that was devoted to MICROcomputer SOFTware. Originally christened Micro-Soft, the ‘-’ was removed later on.
Mercedes
This was actually the financier’s daughter’s name.
Adobe
This came from name of the river Adobe Creek that ran behind the house of founder John Warnock.

CISCO
It is not an acronym as popularly believed. It is short for San Francisco .
Compaq
This name was formed by using COMp, for computer, and PAQ to denote a small integral object.

Hewlett Packard
Bill Hewlett and Dave Packard tossed a coin to decide whether the company they founded would be called Hewlett-Packard or Packard-Hewlett.
Intel
Bob Noyce and Gordon Moore wanted to name their new company ‘ Moore Noyce’but that was already trademarked by a hotel chain so they had to settle for an acronym of INTegrated ELectronics.
Motorola
Founder Paul Galvin came up with this name when his company started manufacturing radios for cars. The popular radio company at the time was called Victrola.
ORACLE
Larry Ellison and Bob Oats were working on a consulting project for the CIA (Central Intelligence Agency). The code name for the project was called Oracle (the CIA saw this as the system to give answers to all questions or something such). The project was designed to help use the newly written SQL code by IBM. The project eventually was terminated but Larry and Bob decided to finish what they started and bring it to the world. They kept the name Oracle and created the RDBMS engine. Later they kept the same name for the company.
Sony
It originated from the Latin word ‘sonus’ meaning sound, and ‘sonny’ a slang used by Americans to refer to a bright youngster.
SUN
Founded by 4 Stanford University buddies, SUN is the acronym for Stanford University Network. Andreas Bechtolsheim built a microcomputer; Vinod Khosla recruited him and Scott McNealy to manufacture computers based on it, and Bill Joy to develop a UNIX-based OS for the computer.

Is Osama Bin Ladin's corpse picture FAKE ???

Osama bin Laden corpse photo is fake

Image of bloodied man picked up by British newspapers has been circulating online for two years

An image purporting to show Osama bin Laden's bloody corpse, right, is a composite of two separate images, left and centre. Photograph: twitpic
An image apparently showing a dead Osama bin Laden broadcast on Pakistani television and picked up by British newspaper websites is a fake. The bloodied image of a man with matted hair and a blank, half-opened eye has been circulating on the internet for the past two years. It was used on the front pages of the Mail, Times, Telegraph, Sun and Mirror websites, though swiftly removed after the fake was exposed on Twitter. It appears the fake picture was initially published by the Middle East online newspaper themedialine.org on 29 April 2009, with a warning from the editor that it was "unable to ascertain whether the photo is genuine or not".  
 
The Daily Mail was one of the newspaper websites to publish the fake picture of Osama bin Laden's body. Since then, however, the image has been claimed as genuine on a number of conspiracy forums and used to substantiate claims that the terrorist responsible for the 9/11 bombings had been killed. The image is based on a genuine photograph of Bin Laden taken in 1998 and used by the Reuters news agency. Check out this video

FUNNY FACEBOOK STORY- HILARIOUS !!!! =D

The 76-year-old woman walked down the hallway of Clearview Addictions Clinic, searching for the right department. She passed signs for the “Heroin Addiction Department (HAD),” the “Smoking Addiction Department (SAD)” and the “Bingo Addiction Department (BAD).”
Then she spotted the department she was looking for: “Facebook Addiction Department (FAD).”
It was the busiest department in the clinic, with about three dozen people filling the waiting room, most of them staring blankly into their Blackberries and iPhones.
A twenty-something man was prone on the floor, his face buried in his hands, while a curly-haired woman comforted him.
“Don’t worry. It’ll be all right.”
“I just don’t understand it. I thought my update was LOL-worthy, but none of my friends even clicked the ‘like’ button.”
“How long has it been?”
“Almost five minutes. That’s like five months in the real world.”
The 76-year-old woman waited until her name was called, then followed the receptionist into the office of Alfred Zulu, Facebook Addiction Counselor.
“Please have a seat, Edna,” he said with a warm smile. “And tell me how it all started.”
“Well, it’s all my grandson’s fault. He sent me an invitation to join Facebook. I had never heard of Facebook before, but I thought it was something for me, because I usually have my face in a book.”
“How soon were you hooked?”
“Faster than you can say ‘create a profile.’ I found myself on Facebook at least eight times each day — and more times at night. Sometimes I’d wake up in the middle of the night to check it, just in case there was an update from one of my new friends in India . My husband didn’t like that. He said that friendship is a precious thing and should never be outsourced.”
“What do you like most about Facebook?”
“It makes me feel like I have a life. In the real world, I have only five or six friends, but on Facebook, I have 674. I’m even friends with Juan Carlos Montoya.”
“Who’s he?”
“I don’t know, but he’s got 4,000 friends, so he must be famous.”
“Facebook has helped you make some connections, I see.”
“Oh yes. I’ve even connected with some of the gals from high school — I still call them ‘gals.’ I hadn’t heard from some of them in ages, so it was exciting to look at their profiles and figure out who’s retired, who’s still working, and who’s had some work done. I love browsing their photos and reading their updates. I know where they’ve been on vacation, which movies they’ve watched, and whether they hang their toilet paper over or under. I’ve also been playing a game with some of them.”
“Let me guess. Farmville?”
“No, Mafia Wars. I’m a Hitman. No one messes with Edna.”
“Wouldn’t you rather meet some of your friends in person?”
“No, not really. It’s so much easier on Facebook. We don’t need to gussy ourselves up. We don’t need to take baths or wear perfume or use mouthwash. That’s the best thing about Facebook — you can’t smell anyone. Everyone is attractive, because everyone has picked a good profile pic. One of the gals is using a profile pic that was taken, I’m pretty certain, during the Eisenhower Administration. “
“What pic are you using?”
“Well, I spent five hours searching for a profile pic, but couldn’t find one I really liked. So I decided to visit the local beauty salon.”
“To make yourself look prettier?”
“No, to take a pic of one of the young ladies there. That’s what I’m using.”
“Didn’t your friends notice that you look different?”
“Some of them did, but I just told them I’ve been doing lots of yoga.”
“When did you realize that your Facebooking might be a problem?”
“I realized it last Sunday night, when I was on Facebook and saw a message on my wall from my husband: ‘I moved out of the house five days ago. Just thought you should know.’”
“What did you do?”
“What else? I unfriended him of course!”

New Online Web Store Touts out Unique Products for Pop Culture, Anime and Videogame Buffs

 Announcing the immediate launch of “SuperCombo”; a multifaceted online web store for people of all ages. It’s completely true that a person’s taste and passion for retro pop culture, videogames and funky outfits, knows no bounds. Seeing to this never ending hype, the “Super Combo” team simply jumbled it all up under one virtual rooftop.

See Www.SuperCombo.Org  for more details.

What Is SuperCombo?

At its core “SuperCombo” hails from nerdiness, something that the diligent founding fathers are proud of; passion for videogames, we all have our roots tied to the 8-Bit game culture so it all comes naturally, and love for the evergreen pop culture, which basically needs no reason or introduction. All these things were summed up to unravel a huge assortment of different products for the masses. 

What’s In The Package?

This online web store is primarily based in the U.K, with a flexible international shipping policy. It means that you, as a buyer or a wholesale dealer, get to sift through “SuperCombo” products from any part of the world. The web store is known for selling high quality t-Shirts, accessories, postcards, funky posters and other unique products!

In case, after the order delivery, you stumble upon a damaged product, feel free to return it to the “SuperCombo” team. You will be offered a replacement or an alternative compensation through convenient means.

Still interested in knowing more? Visit the official SuperCombo website  today for further insightful info, and a huge variety of awesome products to choose from.

Contact:

Pete Harrison

Website: Www.SuperCombo.Org

Email: Info@SuperCombo.Org

Phone No.: 07878787809

Self Appraisal- Eye Opening and Inspiring !!!

A little boy went to a telephone booth which was at the cash counter of a store and dialed a number.

The store-owner observed and listened to the conversation:
Boy : “Lady, Can you give me the job of cutting your lawn?
Woman : (at the other end of the phone line) “I already have someone to cut my lawn.”
Boy : “Lady, I will cut your lawn for half the price than the person who cuts your lawn now.”
Woman : I’m very satisfied with the person who is presently cutting my lawn.
Boy : (with more perseverance) “Lady, I’ll even sweep the floor and the stairs of your house for free.
Woman : No, thank you.
With a smile on his face, the little boy replaced the receiver. The store-owner, who was listening to all this, walked over to the boy.
Store Owner : “Son… I like your attitude; I like that positive spirit and would like to offer you a job.”
Boy : “No thanks,
Store Owner : But you were really pleading for one.
Boy : No Sir, I was just checking my performance at the job I already have. I am the one who is working for that lady I was talking to!
“This is called ….. ”Self Appraisal”

Policeman and the Lawyer – Great Conversation

If you ever testify in court, you might wish you could have been as sharp as this policeman. He was being cross-examined by a defense attorney during a felony trial. The lawyer was trying to undermine the police officer’s credibility…
Q: ‘Officer — did you see my client fleeing the scene?’
A: ‘No sir. But I subsequently observed a person matching the description of the offender, running several blocks away.’
Q: ‘Officer — who provided this description?’
A: ‘The officer who responded to the scene.’
Q: ‘A fellow officer provided the description of this so-called offender. Do you trust your fellow officers?’
A: ‘Yes, sir. With my life.’
Q: ‘With your life? Let me ask you this then officer. Do you have a room where you change your clothes in preparation for your daily duties?’
A: ‘Yes sir, we do!’
Q: ‘And do you have a locker in the room?’
A: ‘Yes sir, I do.’
Q: ‘And do you have a lock on your locker?’
A: ‘Yes sir.’
Q: ‘Now why is it, officer, if you trust your fellow officers with your life, you find it necessary to lock your locker in a room you share with these same officers?’
A: ‘You see, sir — we share the building with the court complex, and sometimes lawyers have been known to walk through that room.’
The courtroom EXPLODED with laughter, and a prompt recess was called.

God Exists - Inspiring Story !

A man went to a barbershop to have his hair cut and his beard trimmed.As the barber began to work, they began to have a good conversation. They talked about so many things and various subjects.When they eventually touched on the subject of God, the barber said:”I don’t believe that God exists.”
“Why do you say that?” asked the customer. “Well, you just have to go out in the street to realize that God doesn’t exist. Tell me, if God exists, would there be so many sick people? Would there be abandoned children?
If God existed, there would be neither suffering nor pain.I can’t imagine a loving God who would allow all of these things.”The customer thought for a moment, but didn’t respond because he didn’t want to start an argument.The barber finished his job and the customer left the shop.
Just after he left the barbershop, he saw a man in the street with long,stringy, dirty hair and an untrimmed beard. He looked dirty and unkempt.

The customer turned back and entered the barbershop again and he said to the barber:”You know what? Barbers do not exist.”

“How can you say that?” asked the surprised barber.”I am here, and I am a barber. And I just worked on you!”

“No!” the customer exclaimed. “Barbers don’t exist because if they did, there would be no people with dirty long hair and untrimmed beards, like that man outside.”
“Ah, but barbers DO exist! That’s what happens when people do not come to me.”

“Exactly!” affirmed the customer. “That’s the point! God, too, DOES exist! That’s what happens when people do not go to Him and don’t look to Him for help.That’s why there’s so much pain and suffering in the world.”

Does Geo deserve a ban ?

What do you think ....is GEO to be banned or PEMRA to be blamed ?

Unconditional Love - Eye opener !

A story is told about a US soldier who was finally coming home after having fought in Vietnam . He called his parents from San Francisco . “Mom and Dad, I’m coming home, but I’ve a favor to ask. I have a friend I’d like to bring home with me.”
“Sure,” they replied, “we’d love to meet him.”

“There’s something you should know the son continued, “he was hurt pretty badly in the fighting. He stepped on a land mine and lost an arm and a leg. He has nowhere else to go, and I want him to come live with us.”
“I’m sorry to hear that, son. Maybe we can help him find somewhere to live.”
“No, Mom and Dad, I want him to live with us.”

“Son,” said the father, “you don’t know what you’re asking. Someone with such a handicap would be a terrible burden on us. We have our own lives to live, and we can’t let something like this interfere with our lives. I think you should just come home and forget about this guy. He’ll find a way to live on his own.”

At that point, the son hung up the phone.

The parents heard nothing more from him. A few days later, however, they received a call from the San Francisco police. Their son had died after falling from a building, they were told. The police believed it was suicide. The grief-stricken parents flew to San Francisco and were taken to the city morgue to identify the body of their son. They recognized him, but to their horror they also discovered something they didn’t know, their son had only one arm and one leg.

The parents in this story are like many of us. We find it easy to love those who are good-looking or fun to have around, but we don’t like people who inconvenience us or make us feel uncomfortable. We would rather stay away from people who aren’t as healthy, beautiful, or smart as we are. Thankfully, there’s someone who won’t treat us that way. Someone who loves us with an unconditional love that welcomes us into the forever family, regardless of how messed up we are.

If we could shrink the Earths population

If we could shrink the earth's population to a village of precisely 100 people, with all the existing human ratios remaining the same, it would look something like the following.  There would be:

57 Asians 

21 Europeans

14 from the Western Hemisphere, both north and south

8 would be Africans

52 would be female

48 would be male

70 would be non-white
30 would be white

70 would be non-Christian
30 would be Christian

6 people would possess 59% of the entire world's wealth and all 6 would be from the United States. 

80 would live in substandard housing

70 would be unable to read

50 would suffer from malnutrition

(ONE)1 would be near death;

(ONE)1 would be near birth;

(ONE)1 (yes, only 1) would have a college education;

(ONE)1 (yes, only 1) would own a computer. 

 

When one considers our world from such a compressed perspective, the need for acceptance, understanding and education becomes glaringly apparent.

And, therefore . . .

 

If you have food in the refrigerator, clothes on your back, a roof overhead and a place to sleep, you are richer than 75% of this world. 

 

If you woke up this morning with more health than illness, you are more blessed than the million who will not survive this week. 

If you have money in the bank, in your wallet, and spare change in a dish someplace, you are among the top 8% of the world's wealthy.   

If you can attend a church meeting without fear of harassment, arrest, torture, or death, you are more blessed than three billion people in the world. 

If you have never experienced the danger of battle, the loneliness of imprisonment, the agony of torture, or the pangs of starvation, you are ahead of 500 million people in the world. 

If you hold up your head with a smile on your face and are truly thankful, you are blessed because the majority can, but most do not. 

If you can read this message, you are more blessed than over two billion people in the world who cannot read at all. 

As you read this and are reminded how life is in the rest of the world, remember just how blessed you really are!

The Interview - Think Again !

An office manager was given the task of hiring an individual to fill a job opening. After sorting through a stack of resumes he found four people who were equally qualified. He decided to call the four in and ask them one question and their answer would determine who would get the job.

The day came and as the four sat around the conference room table, the interviewer asked, “What is the fastest thing you know of?” Pointing to the man on his right.

The first man replied, ‘A thought. It pops into your head. There’s no forewarning that it’s on the way, it’s just there. A thought is the fastest thing I know of.”"That’s very good!” replied the interviewer. “And now you sir?” he asked the second man.”Hmm..let me see, A blink! It comes and goes and you don’t know it ever happened. A blink is the fastest thing I know of.”"Excellent!” said the interviewer. “The blink of an eye. That’s a very popular cliche’ for speed.”

He turned to the third man who was contemplating his reply.”Well, out at my Dad’s ranch, you step out of the house and on the wall there’s a light switch, when you flip that switch, way out across the pasture the light at the barn comes on in an instant. Turning on a light is the fastest thing I can think of.”The interviewer was very impressed with the third answer and thought he had found his man.”It’s hard to beat the speed of light.”he said.

Turning to the fourth man, he posed the question.”After hearing the three previous answers, It’s obvious to me that the fastest thing known is diarrhea.”"What!?” said the interviewer, stunned by the response.”Oh I can explain.” said the fourth man. “You see, the other day I Wasn’t feeling so well and ran for the bathroom. But, before I could think,blink or turn on the light, I’d dirty my pants!”

He got the job!

Moral: To out-smart others in a Job Interview, be creative,innovative & think out of the Box.

Money is yours, but the Resources belong to the Society – Moral Story!

This may or may not be a True Story, but it gives us a very important Lesson in life.

Germany is a highly industrialised country. It produces top brands like Benz, BMW, Siemens etc. The nuclear reactor pump is made in a small town in this country. In such a country, many will think its people lead a luxurious life. At least that was my impression before my study trip.

When I arrived at Hamburg , my colleagues who work in Hamburg arranged a welcome party for me in a restaurant. As we walked into the restaurant, we noticed that a lot of tables were empty. There was a table where a young couple was having their meal. There were only two dishes and two cans of drinks on the table. I wondered if such simple meal could be romantic.
There were a few old ladies on another table. When a dish is served, the waiter would distribute the food for them, and they would finish every bit of the food on their plates.

We did not pay much attention to them, as we were looking forward to the dishes we ordered. As we were hungry, our local colleague ordered more food for us. As the restaurant was quiet, the food came quite fast. Since there were other activities arranged for us, we did not spend much time dining. When we left, there was still about one third of unconsumed food on the table.
When we were leaving the restaurant, we heard someone calling us. We noticed the old ladies in the restaurant were talking about us to the restaurant owner. When they spoke to us in English, we understood that they were unhappy about us wasting so much food. We immediately felt that  they were really being too busybody.


“We paid for our food, it is none of your business how much food we left behind,” my colleague Gui told the old ladies.The old ladies were furious. One of them immediately took her hand phone out and made a call to someone. After a while, a man in uniform claimed to be an officer from the Social Security organisation arrived. Upon knowing  what the dispute was, he issued us a 50 Euro fine. We all kept quiet. The local colleague took out a 50 Euro note and repeatedly apologized to the officer.
The officer told us in a stern voice,

“ORDER WHAT YOU CAN CONSUME, MONEY IS YOURS BUT RESOURCES BELONG TO THE SOCIETY. THERE ARE MANY OTHERS IN THE WORLD WHO ARE FACING SHORTAGE OF RESOURCES. YOU HAVE  NO REASON TO WASTE RESOURCES.”

April Fools Day

You Know What They Say About Fools...

* It's better to keep your mouth shut and be thought a fool than to open it and leave no doubt. --Mark Twain
* However big the fool, there is always a bigger fool to admire him. -- Nicolas Boileau-Despréaux
* [Politicians] never open their mouths without subtracting from the sum of human knowledge. -- Thomas Reed
* He who lives without folly isn't so wise as he thinks. -- François, Duc de La Rochefoucauld
* The ultimate result of shielding men from the effects of folly, is to fill the world with fools. -- Herbert Spencer
* Sometimes one likes foolish people for their folly, better than wise people for their wisdom. -- Elizabeth Gaskell
* Looking foolish does the spirit good. -- John Updike
* Let us be thankful for the fools. But for them the rest of us could not succeed. -- Mark Twain
* A fool sees not the same tree that a wise man sees. -- William Blake
* A fool must now and then be right by chance. -- Cowper
* It is better to be a fool than to be dead. -- Stevenson
* The first of April is the day we remember what we are the other 364 days of the year. -- Mark Twain

Made In India - Funny !

A Japanese tourist hailed a taxi in downtown Delhi and asked to be taken to the international air port.

On the way, a car zoomed by and the tourist responded, “Ohhh! TOYOTA!! Made in Japan!! Very fast!”

Not too long afterward, another car flew by the taxi. “Ohh! NISSAN!! Made in Japan!! Very fast!”

Yet another car zipped by, and the tourist said, “Ohh! Mitsubishi!! Made in Japan!! Very fast!”

The taxi driver, who was 100% Indian, was starting to get a little annoyed that the Japanese made cars were passing his Taxi, when yet another car passed the taxi as they were turning into the airport. “Ohh! Honda!! Made in Japan!! Very fast!”

The taxi driver stopped the car, pointed to the meter, and said, “That’ll be Rupees 500.”

“Rupees 500? It was so short a ride! Why so much?”

The Taxi driver replied “Taxi meter. Made in India . Very fast.”

Mother and Son- Truly Moving !

My mom only had one eye. I hated her, she was such an embarrassment. My mom ran a small shop at a flea market.She collected little weeds and such to sell, anything for the money we needed she was such an embarrassment.There was this one day during elementary school. I remember that it was field day, and my mom came. I was so embarrassed. How could she do this to me? I threw her a hateful look and ran out. The next day at school..."Your mom only has one eye?!" and they taunted me.
I wished that my mom would just disappear from this world so I said to my mom, "Mom, why don't you have the other eye?! You're only going to make me a laughingstock. Why don't you just die?" My mom did not respond. I guess I felt a little bad, but at the same time, it felt good to think that I had said what I'd wanted to say all this time.

Maybe it was because my mom hadn't punished me, but I didn't think that I had hurt her feelings very badly.
That night...I woke up, and went to the kitchen to get a glass of water. My mom was crying there, so quietly, as if she was afraid that she might wake me. I took a look at her, and then turned away. Because of the thing I had said to her earlier, there was something pinching at me in the corner of my heart. Even so, I hated my mother who was crying out of her one eye. So I told myself that I would grow up and become successful, because I hated my one-eyed mom and our desperate poverty.
Then I studied really hard. I left my mother and came to Seoul and studied, and got accepted in the Seoul University with all the confidence I had. Then, I got married. I bought a house of my own. Then I had kids, too. Now I'm living happily as a successful man. I like it here because it's a place that doesn't remind me of my mom.

This happiness was getting bigger and bigger, when someone unexpected came to see me "What?! Who's this?!"... It was my mother...Still with her one eye. It felt as if the whole sky was falling apart on me. My little girl ran away, scared of my mom's eye.

And I asked her, "Who are you? I don't know you!!!" as if I tried to make that real. I screamed at her "How dare you come to my house and scare my daughter! Get out here now!" And to this, my mother quietly answered, "oh, I'm so sorry. I may have gotten the wrong address," and she disappeared. Thank good ness... she doesn't recognize me. I was quite relieved. I told myself that I wasn't going to care, or think about this for the rest of my life.

Then a wave of relief came upon me... one day, a letter regarding a school reunion came to my house. I lied to my wife saying that I was going on a business trip. After the reunion, I went down to the old shack, that I used to call a house...just out of curiosity there, I found my mother fallen on the cold ground. But I did not shed a single tear. She had a piece of paper in her hand.... it was a letter to me.

My Son,
I think my life has been long enough now. And... I won't visit Seoul anymore... but would it be too much to ask if I wanted you to come visit me once in a while? I miss you so much. And I was so glad when I heard you were coming for the reunion. But I decided not to go to the school.... For you... I'm sorry that I only have one eye, and I was an embarrassment for you.

You see, when you were very little, you got into an accident, and lost your eye. As a mother, I couldn't stand watching you having to grow up with only one eye... so I gave you mine... I was so proud of my son that was seeing a whole new world for me, in my place, with that eye. I was never upset at you for anything you did. The couple times that you were angry with me. I thought to myself, 'it's because he loves me.' I miss the times when you were still young around me.
I miss you so much. I love you. You mean the world to me. My world shattered! Then I cried for the person who lived for me. My Mother.

Have some LAUGHS !!! =D

A vacuum salesman appeared at the door of an old lady's cottage and, without allowing the woman to speak, rushed into the living room and threw a large bag of dirt all over her clean carpet. He said, "If this new vacuum doesn't pick up every bit of dirt then I'll eat all the dirt."

The woman, who by this time was losing her patience, said, "Sir, if I had enough money to buy that thing, I would have paid my electricity bill before they cut it off. Now, what would you prefer, a spoon or a knife and fork?"

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
The following is the transcript of the actual radio conversation of a US naval ship with Canadian authorities off the coast of Newfoundland:

Canadians: Please divert your course 15 degrees the South to avoid a collision.

Americans: Recommend you divert your course 15 degrees the North to avoid a collision.

Canadians: Negative. You will have to divert your course 15 degrees to the South to avoid a collision.

Americans: This is the Captain of a US Navy ship. I say again, divert YOUR course.

Canadians: No. I say again, you divert YOUR course.

Americans: THIS IS THE AIRCRAFT CARRIER USS LINCOLN, THE SECOND LARGEST SHIP IN THE UNITED STATES' ATLANTIC FLEET. WE ARE ACCOMPANIED BY THREE DESTROYERS, THREE CRUISERS AND NUMEROUS SUPPORT VESSELS. I DEMAND THAT YOU CHANGE YOUR COURSE 15 DEGREES NORTH, I SAY AGAIN, THAT'S ONE FIVE DEGREES NORTH, OR COUNTER-MEASURES WILL BE UNDERTAKEN TO ENSURE THE SAFETY OF THIS SHIP.

Canadians: This is a lighthouse. Your call.

How to Create the Perfect Pet Space

Some of us have children. Others of us have puppies. If your little one is covered in fur and walks on a leash, and you've pledged to devote your entire being to her alone, you either need serious parenting help or, more likely, qualify for weirdo animal-lover status. Precious Fifi may get her own handbag carrier and stroller, but behind closed doggie doors, how do you really show her she's a valued family member? If you've elevated the pooch to royal status, back up that talk with a pet niche designed for a princess. Even if you aren't a full-blown, t-shirt promoting animal rights activist, you still share your space with another creature--and chances are it needs some decorative assistance.

1. Safety first.

Make sure, before you start painting anything, to hide electrical cords and remove anything that would be whacked, shattered, or easily damaged by your pet--for your safety and Fido's too. Long tail? Leave no cups on coffee tables. Install baby-proof locks on cabinets that contain poisonous materials. Wrap up excess cords and find a hidden space for your trashcan. Think like a dog! Get on all fours, pant and see what entices you.

2. Designate your space.

The more segregated, the better--especially if most of your day is spent away from home. This impressive pet room has stained cement floors and galvanized aluminum wainscoting, with a doggie-designed bathing station. Fantastic if you bought a money tree last year, but most of us will make do with a smaller area. If you can separate a larger space with a stylish pet gate from Frontgate to break it up. Kitchens are great, especially if you have tile, as are roomy laundry areas and lofts. If Poochie is a puppy, don't leave anything in the room you wouldn't miss if she chewed it to bits. Spare bedrooms can be a good fit, as long as you cover the bedding with plastic and have an empty corner for her to relax. A quiet corner in your living area is perfect.

3. Pick a functional yet stylish bed.

Are you attracted to modern lines? Incorporate this Frontgate puppy bunk for a pair of tiny dogs. Does a more formal approach appeal to you? The Marie Antoinette Pet Bed fits the bill. Make sure you accommodate for Fido's size--the Madison Pet Bed is roomy, but still stylish. When your pooch needs to be contained, consider the Luxury Pet Residence, which has an adjustable shade and plush bedding. Fifi's bed will be the largest and most visible part of your decor, so it needs to flow with your house.

4. Splurge on a decorative dog bowl.

Dogs need to eat and drink. And they need to chew on stuff--whether you give it to them or they select it from available household items. So why not keep toy storage in the same design family? The most visible (and potential) eyesore in your house is a giant, slobbery metal bowl. Fork over some cash to make your pet feeders as intentionally chosen as your granite counters. Try the Wescott Raised Pet Feeder for a Tuscan flare or opt for the Meshidai Double Feeder if your taste leans toward square and modern.

5. Keep toys stowed in a covered basket.

Dogs need to chew. They'll choose your pillows and baseboards if they don't have alternatives, so it's up to you to bring the fun. Check out Petsmart for toys like the Chuck it! ball launcher and Buster Cube. Most dogs like tug toys, but some dogs prefer different materials. After you have a variety of toys, designate a covered box or basket to keep them out of sight. Tuck the basket under an occasional table or within a bookshelf. Keep 1-3 toys out at a time and rotate them so Fido doesn't get bored.   

6. Personalize the space.

Including a monogrammed leash holder from Cherrybrook will add an even more personal touch to Fido's room. Hang framed photos of your furry family during outings and any other puppy memorabilia, on par with your style, near his bed and play area.

With high-style products from Frontgate and Oh My Dog Supplies, you can provide a comfortable space for Fido without sacrificing your personal tastes. Designate a space just for him and he'll feel even more a part of the family.

Check out more home decor and saving tips on the FreeShipping.org blog Go Frugal, including deals on products and free shipping from pet supply stores.

King And the Painters

There was a king who was a great admirer of art. One day an artist came and said to the king, Oh King! Give me a blank wall in your palace and let me paint a picture on it.
The artist was given the job. Just then, another young man said, Oh King! Please allow me to work on the opposite wall. I too am an artist. The king said, What would you like to make?

The man said, my sir, I shall make exactly what that man will make on the opposite wall. Moreover, I shall do so, without looking at his work. I would even request you to have a thick curtain put up between the two walls so that either of us cannot see the other.

Everyone in the kings court, including the king was intrigued. He decided to give the young fellow a chance. The following day a thick curtain was put into place and both the artists got to work. The first artist brought in a regular supply of paint, oil, water etc. The second one worked with some cloth and a bucket of water. After a month the first artist told the king that his work was complete. The king sent for the second artist and asked him, Young man, when would your work be ready? I am coming to see the first wall this evening. The man said, my sir, my wall is ready too!

The king went to see the first artists wall. He was very, very impressed with the painting and gave a hefty sum as a reward to the artist. He then asked for the curtain to be opened up. Lo and behold! The same painting was to be seen on the opposite wall too! Amazing! But true! Each line, each minor detail was exactly as it was on the first wall. But this man had not been seeing what was going on, on the other side of the curtain. So how had he done it?
The king wanted to know the secret. He gave a double reward to the fellow. Then he said, Young man, I am indeed very happy with your work. But you must tell me; how did you do it?

The lad said simply, Its very easy! I just polished the wall every day till it shone like a mirror! It was a wall made of white marble! The reflection of the painting across the room, showed up in it!

Moral:That is what it means to polish yourself. World is a reflection of you. Whatever you are, the world will seem to be that too. If you are happy, the world will look to be happy. If you are sad; jealous; angry; restless… That is what the world will seem to be to you!!!

5 Awesome Jokes !!! =D

An old woman is riding in an elevator in a very lavish New York City building when a young, beautiful woman gets into the elevator, smelling of expensive perfume. She turns to the old woman and says arrogantly, "Romance" by Ralph Lauren, $150 an ounce!"

Then another young and beautiful woman gets on the elevator, and also very arrogantly turns to the old woman saying, "Chanel No. 5, $200 an ounce!"

About three floors later, the old woman has reached her destination and is about to get off the elevator. Before she leaves, she looks both beautiful women in the eye, then bends over and farts and says, "Broccoli - 49 cents a pound!"
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Three guys go down to Mexico one night, get drunk and wake up in jail. They find out that they're to be executed for their crimes but none of them can remember what they have done.

The first one is strapped in the electric chair and is asked if he has any last words. He says, "I am a priest and I believe in the almighty power of God to intervene on behalf of the innocent." They throw the switch and nothing happens; so they figure God must not want this guy to die, and let him go.

The second one is strapped in and gives his last words. "I am an attorney and I believe in the eternal power of Justice to intervene on the part of the innocent." The switch is thrown and again nothing happens.

Figuring the law is on this guy's side, they let him go. The last one is strapped in and say's "I'm an electrical engineer, and I'll tell you right now, you'll never electrocute anybody if you don't connect those two wires." God rest his soul.
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Once upon a time, there was an officer of the Royal Navy named Captain Bravado who showed no fear when facing his enemies. One day, while sailing the Seven Seas, his lookout spotted a pirate ship approaching, and the crew became frantic. Captain Bravado bellowed, "Bring me my red shirt!"

The first mate quickly retrieved the captain's red shirt, and while wearing the brightly colored frock, the Captain led his crew into battle and defeated the mighty pirates. That evening, all the men sat around on deck recounting the triumph of earlier. One of them asked the Captain, "Sir, why did you call for your red shirt before battle?"

The Captain replied, "If I were to be wounded in the attack, the shirt would not show my blood. Thus, you men would continue to fight, unafraid." All of the men sat and marveled at the courage of such a manly man's man. As dawn came the next morning, the lookout spotted not one, not two, but TEN pirate ships approaching. The crew stared in worshipful silence at the Captain and waited for his usual orders.

Captain Bravado gazed with steely eyes upon the vast armada arrayed against his ship, and without fear, turned and calmly shouted, "Get me my brown pants."
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There was once a very prim and proper older lady who had a problem with passing gas. Since she came from a generation when people didn't even talk about this kind of problem it took a long time for her to seek help. Finally, however, she was persuaded to consult her family doctor.

After she filled out all the proper forms and had waited about 20 minutes in the waiting room the doctor called her into his office, leaned back in his chair, folded his hands into a steeple and asked her how he could help.

"Doctor," she said, "I have a very bad gas problem. Yesterday afternoon I had lunch with the Secretary of State and his wife and had six, um, er, ahhh ... silent gas emissions. Last night I had dinner with the governor and his wife and had four silent gas emissions. Then, while sitting in your waiting room I had five silent gas emissions! Doctor, you've got to help me! What can we do?"

"Well," said the doctor raising his voice a little, "I think the first thing we're going to do is give you a hearing test."
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The new priest is nervous about hearing confessions, so he asks the older priest to sit in on his sessions. The new priest hears a couple of confessions, then the old priest asks him to step out of the confessional for a few suggestions.

The old priest suggests, "Cross you arms over your chest, and rub your chin with one hand." The new priest tries this.

The old priest suggests, "Try saying things like, 'I see, yes, go on', and "I understand. How did you feel about that?" The new priest says those things.

The old priest says, "Now, don't you think that's a little better than slapping your knee and saying 'No shit?!? What happened next?"

Japan's Nuclear Power Plant Explosion -Weighing the risks

Courtesy: CTV News Channel

The Japanese government says an explosion Saturday blew off the roof and walls of the building containing a nuclear reactor, but did not damage the reactor itself.

The explosion at the Fukushima Dai-ichi plant had earlier triggered fears of a nuclear meltdown.

On Saturday, Japan's government spokesperson Yukio Edano said radiation levels around the plant did not rise, but actually decreased after the explosion. He added that pressure in the reactor was also decreasing.

The walls of the building have crumbled, leaving only a skeletal metal frame standing, said Reuters reporter Kei Okamura.

"The government says there are no large leaks of radiation but just in case they have initiated an evacuation that has been expanded from an initial radius of 10 kilometres to now 20 kilometres," Okamura told CTV News Channel, reporting from Tokyo.

Four workers suffered fractures and bruises in the explosion, and puffs of smoke can be seen spewing out of the facility.

Earlier there were reports that large amounts of radiation were leaking from the plant.

The facility was badly damaged in Friday's devastating 8.9 magnitude earthquake.

Pressure and heat have been building at the nuclear reactor since the disaster, when the earthquake and ensuing tsunami caused its cooling system to fail.

Chris Johnson, a freelance reporter in Tokyo, said the message from the Japanese government has been confusing and journalists have had trouble getting accurate information. No one is being allowed to approach the site of the blast.

"It doesn't seem to be under control," Johnson said.

"I think if it was under control you'd have the government saying very strongly 'we have things under control.' But they're not doing that. They're still talking about analyzing the situation and asking people to stay calm."

A meltdown is not a technical term -- it describes the inability of a nuclear plant to manage temperatures in the system -- and nuclear scientists in Japan and around the world have said a meltdown may not pose a widespread danger.

Fukushima Dai-ichi plant is 30 kilometres from Iwaki, and about 260 kilometres north of Tokyo.

Five nuclear reactors at two power plants lost cooling ability on Friday, and a state of emergency was declared at both plants.

At one plant, radiation inside one reactor jumped to 1,000 times the normal level, but officials stressed there was no "immediate health hazard."

Both plants lost electrical power, and then suffered critical failures in their backup generators used to power cooling systems. Batteries were being used temporarily to keep the cooling systems going.

A lack of power to the cooling systems results in a pressure buildup beyond what the nuclear reactors are designed to handle.

Philip White, of the Citizens Nuclear Information Center, said his organization for years has warned about the risk of a combined earthquake and nuclear disaster.

The two events, if they were to occur simultaneously, could cause terrible damage, he said.

"If you have a nuclear disaster you need people to be inside away from the radiation," White told CTV News Channel.

"If you have an earthquake disaster, you need people outside so the buildings don't fall on them. You also need people to be able to move away from the situation when there's a nuclear disaster but they can't because their roads have been destroyed and transport is no longer available."