10 Buddhist Maxims For Business

Buddhism is an ancient philosophical system that follows the teachings of the Buddha. The system — a meditative, esoteric practice that often functions as a religious system — has an estimated 350 and 500 million practitioners and believers worldwide. Buddhism emphasizes the cultivation of mindfulness and values a spiritually minimalistic worldview, eschewing dependence and worldly attachment.

With the popularization of incorporating many multi-cultural and cross-philosophical practices in the business world, it's no surprise that some elements of Buddhism can be relevant to corporate managers, entrepreneurs, and indeed most people who share some portion of their lives with the marketplace. Buddhist business practices and maxims can be beneficial to the decision-making process in the workplace, but you don't have to be a guru in order to take away something meaningful from Buddha's teachings. In fact, you don't have to be religious, spiritual, New Age, or even seeking — these aphorisms are simply a way to rethink and reframe your qualitative skill set, and to maybe find a little zen at the office. Meditate on these ten Buddhist maxims for business, and you may achieve workplace nirvana in no time.

1. "Too cold, too hot, too late" can always be the excuses to those who do not want to work. They let their chance pass by.
   
   
   This short aphorism is a reminder of two things: 1) opportunity favors the hard worker, and 2) those with a lackluster work ethic are always going to find an excuse. Whether you have a stellar commitment to productivity, or you're just looking for a reminder that your hard work matters personally, this is a good maxim to remember. If you have a good work ethic and a great attitude, very little will stand in your way. And if you're the type who always has an excuse, you can bet that opportunities will pass you by.
2. None can live without toil, and a craft that provides your needs is a blessing indeed. But if you toil without rest, fatigue and weariness will overtake you, and you will denied the joy that comes from labour's end.
   
   
   This maxim, from the Dhammavadaka, is perfect for those in business, and a good reminder you can send to your favorite workaholic. It is true that life would not be so full without work, and it's always nice to read an ancient passage reminding you to be grateful for your work, and to get sufficient rest. One of the values of practicing Buddhism is a focus on centering and balance, and this passage tells you that it's OK to enjoy the fruits of your labor. It is also of great importance, reminds the sutra, to not overtire yourself. The rat race may be necessary, but it's not the only way.
3. Develop the mind of equilibrium. You will always be getting praise and blame, but do not let either affect the poise of the mind: follow the calmness, the absence of pride.
   
   
   The Buddhist practice of mindfulness can be a key to good business, reducing supply costs and increasing your potential to work with compassion. This saying, from the Sutta Nipata, instructs the mind and heart to be balanced, objective, and mindful of the fog of pride. Mindfulness has benefits that span many occupations and fields, and indeed most people will benefit from adhering to the words of this sutra. Remember to be calm, and not to obsess too much about positive or negative feedback. If you do a job long enough, you are bound to have great moments of achievement, as well as great moments of failure. These are both times to learn from, and keeping the mind rightly situated can be of the utmost value — especially at work.
4. The Eightfold Path
   
   
   BuddhistBusiness.com is a web portal to showcase Buddhist businesses, and also offers the first seminar examining the Eightfold Path and its relation to business. The Eightfold Path is the fourth of Buddha's Four Noble Truths (this isn't weird — think of the Ten Commandments), and a key component of behavioral practices that are crucial to Buddhist life. While you may not be looking for a new faith system, these eight signposts could prove helpful for your business dealings.
   1. Prajña Ditthi — seeing reality unfiltered, and as it actually exists
   2. Prajña Sankappa — the purifying wisdom and intention of harmlessness
   3. Sila Vaca — saying the truth, practicing non-harm in your speech patterns
   4. Sila Kammanta — non-harmful action (this applies to self and others)
   5. Sila Ajiva — commitment to a non-harming life
   6. Samadhi Vayama — seeking the mindful discipline to improve oneself constantly and over time
   7. Samadhi Sati — awareness of reality and freedom from temptations, cravings, and distractions
   8. Samadhi Samadhi — proper concentration and meditation.
5. Your work is to discover your world and then with all your heart give yourself to it.
   
   
   This is an attributed quote from the Buddha, who — like Jesus and Socrates — never wrote anything down. When you're in business, it's always nice to know that your work, which can be such a big part of your own world — really matters to the outside world. Take a deep breath and remember for a moment that every action you take, in business and in life, is part of a larger journey of self-discovery. These words from the Buddha can be exhilarating and helpful to reinvigorate the waning worker, as well as an indication that what you choose to put your entire self into really does matter.
6. The most valuable service is one rendered to our fellow humans.
   
   
   This phrase is found, along with more than 50 others, in Wat Phra Singh, a large Buddhist temple in Chiang Mai, Thailand. In the temple, you can view an illustrious statue called the Phra Buddha Sihing. If you take a walk around the temple, you can find Buddhist aphorisms on signs nailed to trees that line the temple grounds. This adage tells you that your work is valuable only inasmuch as it helps other people.
   
   
   What do you do for a living? Does it involve helping others? Directly or indirectly? Taking a reverent and honorable approach to your work, and finding out precisely how it produces value — to yourself and to the marketplace, but primarily to other individuals — is an important step on the way to performing your work with mindfulness. Simply being aware that your work has an audience, sells a service or product that improves lives, or involves working with the general public on some level can turn a sour mood into a grateful one — as you should maintain that what you are doing with your life is adding value to the human experience.
7. Every individual has a responsibility to help guide our global family in the right direction. Good wishes are not sufficient; we must become actively engaged.
   
   
   This quote, from The Path to Tranquility are the words of His Holiness the Dalai Lama himself. The passage is a reminder to stay calm, and that every person shoulders the weight of responsibility to do good. And it is our good actions, not our good intentions, that accomplish the most — on and off the job.
8. Do not dwell in the past, do not dream of the future, concentrate the mind on the present moment.
   
   
   Living in the present is of utmost importance, and it can definitely help you in your work. Do you ever have a day that you just can't quit thinking about the fight you had with your partner, or whether or not you left the oven on? These days happen to everyone, and with a deep breath and a mindful moment, you can incorporate this saying from the Buddha into your work day — and gladly turn to concentrate on the moment. One point of having work is being pointed and busy, and it is indeed one of the blessings that productive value-making brings. And that's why it's profitable to you and your business to concentrate your mind on the present. Unless you're about to burn your house down (the oven!), you can be sure that the task at hand is probably the most important thing you have scheduled, and that your mind is putting off accomplishing the task. Just a few moments of clarity and calm, and recalling this saying of the Buddha, might help you to refocus and increase your productivity.
9. You can only lose what you cling to.
   
   
   This short maxim, also purportedly by the Buddha, is a gentle reminder to embrace change. Change is everywhere — constant, eternal — and in the information age, this is especially true. The Buddha wishes to communicate here that nothing is permanent, and that adaptation and flexible fluidity is paramount to happiness and avoiding disappointment and suffering. Concentrating on detachment — from dogmas, old rules, and other tired modes of thought and action — will help keep your business and your work product strong, as it is generally positive to embrace the change that you cannot otherwise escape. Roll with it. Go with the flow. Keep calm, and carry on.
10. A jug fills drop by drop.
    
    
    This classic saying from the Buddha means that things happen step by step, and that methodological piecemeal work is often superior to big splashes. When you concentrate on the small things, the big things fall into place — and this is often true for the business world. Take heart, workers, and know that your small efforts can amount to great success. Namaste.

Source:  (http://www.businessinsurance.org/10-buddhist-maxims-for-business/).

You are Having a Bad Day, Check this out?

Spear fishing, I'm fairly sure this isn't how it's done.

Just remember, when you think you are having a bad day,

someone, somewhere, is having a worse one!

''Life's tough ...
it's even tougher if you're stupid!''
- John Wayne -

Celebrities, my foot!

Celebrities, my foot!

Reasons People Don’t Interact with Your Blog

10 REASONS PEOPLE DON’T INTERACT WITH YOUR BLOG

Posted on April 24, 2012 by admin | in longhorn

Designing the perfect blog and taking the time to create thoughtful, informative posts can quickly become frustrating when no one seems to notice your efforts. Eventually, it can begin to feel like you’re talking to yourself in an empty room. Is anyone else out there? If you’re watching virtual tumbleweeds roll across your corner of the internet, here are ten possible reasons why:

1. They Don’t Know It’s There – Comments are a result of incoming traffic; if your blog isn’t being actively promoted through more than one method, it can easily be driven into obscurity. While spamming every outlet at your disposal is certainly not the way to go, it’s important to take opportunities to promote yourself, your brand and your blog whenever it’s appropriate.
2. Spelling Errors and Typos Drive Them Away – Content that’s rife with spelling errors, grammar issues and typos will appear unpolished and unprofessional to any visitors that come your way. Meticulously proofreading and editing each entry before it’s posted is one of the most important things a blogger can do to protect their reputation.
3. It Doesn’t Feature Unique Information – Offering information or content that’s very lightly “spun” from other blogs and articles might pad your blog, but it won’t make it stand out. In order to differentiate yourself from the other blogs in your field and also avoid any trouble stemming from copying content from other bloggers, it’s very important that your content always be fresh and unique. Rehashing the same tired information typically doesn’t inspire rave reviews or thoughtful comments from readers.
4. Your Target Audience is a Broad One – Blogs that cater to a very broad audience or a particularly saturated field can be lost in the shuffle. Carefully cultivating a loyal audience with content dedicated to your field of expertise is a much more effective way of boosting readership and interaction than jumping onto the Next Big Bandwagon.
5. Postings Are Too Frequent – You should assume that your readers probably follow several other blogs within your blogging niche. Making several posts each day might fill your blog out a bit, but the majority of those posts will probably be ignored. Keeping up with many related blogs can be difficult enough; staying current with one that is constantly being updated in addition to staying up to speed with rest on a list is almost impossible.
6. Postings Aren’t Frequent Enough – A blog that hasn’t been updated for weeks or months leaves readers with the impression that it has been abandoned. Operating under the assumption that the blogger won’t be reading any comments, many of these readers will simply choose not to leave any.
7. Your Entries Are Too Long – The “Too long; did not read” mentality of today’s teenagers and young adults can often extend to the blogosphere. Even the most informative and well-written posts can be passed over by busy readers who don’t have time to commit to novel-length updates, and when posts aren’t read, they’re not commented on.
8. It Isn’t SEO-Friendly – Eschewing SEO standards completely in favor of producing creative copy is one of the biggest temptations for new bloggers, especially if your niche is an artistic or otherwise creative one. However, ignoring search-engine optimization rules altogether will result in a blog that can’t be found through a search engine, and thus has almost no traffic.
9. You’re Too Focused on SEO – On the flip side of the abovementioned point, content that’s too heavily focused on search-engine optimization usually comes across to readers as dry and “market-y,” which can easily turn them off. Striking a delicate balance is the key to driving traffic, maintaining a loyal readership and generating those comments.
10. You’re Not Interacting With Other Bloggers in Your Niche – One of the best ways to boost your blog’s visibility is to comment on the posts of others in your field. As with the offline business world, networking with other professionals in your field is of the utmost importance.

Following through on these simple tips will help to generate both traffic and the interaction you’re looking to receive from readers on your blog.

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Source: (http://www.longhornleads.com/blog/2012/10-reasons-people-dont-interact-with-your-blog/)

President Yoweri Museveni - LIVE ON LONDON (UK) TV - "UGANDA VISION" by...

Kampala Night

Ali Balunywa, in Amsterdam

As it has become the habit, Utake Events has again brought us another Kampala night in Amsterdam. The theme of the last Kampala night was “colours”. It was therefore a Spring Colour theme party, which created a fun-filled surrounding with pretty colours. The best of Uganda’s and other African tunes followed pace.

DJ Steveskillz

The last Kampala night took place on 21 April 2012 at Club DNA- De Nieuwe Afspraak at HJE Wenckerbachweg 180, Duivendrecht Amsterdam near Afrikiko. The Djs of the eveining were Dr Ray, Steveskillz and Eriq. The doors opened at 22.00hours and closed at 4.00 in the morning.

Revellers having fun

As usual the party was well attended by Ugandans of all walks of life who live in the Netherlands.

Ibra Ndaula

Steve

Previous parties included KAMPALA NIGHT End of Year Winter party on
Saturday, 17 December 2011, UGANDA'S 49TH INDEPENDANCE PARTY IN AMSTERDAM on Saturday, 8 October 2011, KAMPALA NIGHT WHITE AFFAIR IN AMSTERDAM and KAMPALA NIGHT QUEENS DAY EDITION 
Saturday, 30 April 2011 at 22:00. There have many others before that in the preceding years.

Uganda Women Protest Police Brutality!

Google Nigeria

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What is In Your Bag?

Norwegian Gunman Planned to Decapitate Former PM

Norwegian Gunman Planned to Decapitate Former PM

Infographic: The State of IT SecurityTuesday

Compiled by: Background Check Guide

Is There Truly a Way to Delete a Twitter Account?

Depending on your reasons for considering the deletion of your Twitter account, there may be less drastic options available. If you’re simply ready for a new username, changing the handle on your existing account or the connected email address is quite simple. For those with privacy concerns, a Twitter account can very easily be locked, meaning that only followers approved by the account holder can view that user’s tweets. These options can save users who simply need a change a fair amount of headache related to the permanent removal of a social networking trail.

However, if you’re determined to remove your Twitter footprint permanently, there are ways to go about it. Unlike Facebook, Twitter doesn’t hide the link to delete a profile or resort to passive-aggressive tactics to entice you to stay. Twitter users in the process of deleting their account will simply be presented with a playful request for the reason behind their decision, “Are you sure you don’t want to reconsider? Was it something we said? Tell us.” Deleting your account starts with the “Deactivate My Account” option in the account settings menu. This permanent deactivation will result in the eventual removal of your data, though it may take up to four weeks after the deactivation period for all of the information to be completely purged.

Users are urged to change the email address, user name and phone number connected to their Twitter accounts before deactivation; though the microblogging site doesn’t specifically state that these pieces of information will be permanently blocked, it could make starting a new account with that information difficult, should you regret your decision after the deactivation period has ended. Also, it’s important to note that deactivating your Twitter account can not be accomplished through a smartphone app or a mobile browser; completing the process will require use of the web from a Mac or PC.

In a move vaguely similar to Facebook’s convoluted policy, there is a thirty day deactivation period in which users can opt to reinstate their account by logging in. However, Twitter clearly states that all user information will be permanently deleted after this period ends, unlike Facebook’s secretive responses to the same question. Any other sites with a Twitter login connect should be cleared, smartphone apps removed and browser caches cleared in order to avoid an accidental login that will start the month-long process again. If you’ve been using Twitter via SMS and you’ve stored the number in your contacts, it’s probably a good idea to also delete that information, as an accidentally-sent text will also result in the reactivation of your account.

Though Twitter’s model includes an immediate settings change that removes most search indexing, old links can sometimes appear in a Google search. After the deactivation period ends, it’s a good idea to Google your Twitter handle to see if any information remains. If there are old tweets or related data, you can send Google a take-down request by following this link.

Source: (http://www.internetserviceproviders.org/blog/2012/is-there-truly-a-way-to-delete-a-twitter-account/)

Modern Romance

Things Moms Dream of Doing with Their Daughters

10 Things Moms Dream of Doing with Their Daughters

April 12, 2012 By admin Leave a Comment

The relationship between a mother and her daughter is a very special bond. It begins long before birth, as do the dreams of every mother or mother-to-be. Even as children themselves, it is deeply engrained within the female gender of the human species to hope and prepare for that bond. Here are 10 things that moms dream of doing with their daughters:

1. Holding her for the first time – To finally take into her arms this tiny life that grew inside of her and that now depends upon her for life itself. Look at what you have brought into the world, Mom, and smile.
2. Hearing her first words, and then talking together – At long last she speaks. You always knew she had so much to say, and she tried to tell you. Now she’s using words you can actually understand, and the two of you can finally sit and talk together.
3. Dress-up and make-up – Showing your little girl how to dress up like a young lady, and then later on showing her how to apply make-up, are two very precious times between a mother and her daughter.
4. Teaching her to cook – Being able to share the recipes that have been handed down for generations is nearly a sacred thing in many households, a rite of passage to be sure. There’s just something about the family kitchen that speaks to that continuity and closeness.
5. Going shopping together – It’s one thing to have your daughter come along with you and to enjoy her company while you shop. However when she reaches an age where she can participate in making choices and suggestions, well, then you’ve got a companion and a daughter.
6. Prom shopping – Speaking of decisions, here is where a mother’s daughter is essentially practicing for her wedding day. It may not seem to the casual observer that there’s all that much at stake here, but Mom knows, and she wants to make sure everything is just right.
7. Planning her wedding – And before you know it her biggest day is at your doorstep – her wedding day. So many feelings are packed into every moment of preparation. You’re never quite ready for when it arrives, but you’ve dreamt of this day for years.
8. Buying baby clothes – Your little girl is going to be a mom, which means it’s time go pick out some cute outfits and dress up her little baby, just like you dressed her… it was only yesterday, it seems.
9. Planning a shower – Now is the chance to prepare a celebration of your daughter having a child of her own. What could possibly be more special than this?
10. Playing with the grand-children – This is your answer, right here. More little ones to spoil and a chance to relive those early days of motherhood you remember so fondly. This time, though, you get to pack them off to their mother once you’re tuckered out.

Source: (http://www.findananny.net/blog/10-things-moms-dream-of-doing-with-their-daughters/)

Apple Not Likely to Be a Loser in the E-Book Legal Fight - NYTimes.com

Apple Not Likely to Be a Loser in the E-Book Legal Fight - NYTimes.com

10 ONLINE SIGNS AN EMPLOYEE IS JOB HUNTING

Job hunting in the workplace is always a risky business and, unless you’re being right-sized out of your present job, should be done only on your own time. If you insist on searching for a new job during work hours, or suspect that one of your employees has one foot out the door, you may want to know about these ten online signs that an employee is job hunting:

1. Job site- A straightforward indication that an employee is on the lookout for a new job is finding their resume on a job searching website. Particularly if the resume includes their current position in their work history.
2. Twitter – Tweets from their Twitter profile mentioning things like job openings, interviews, etc. Social networking is after all, networking as well as social, so job searches often begin there.
3. Facebook – Status updates on a Facebook page might also allude to a job search, or dissatisfaction with the employee’s current position. The frequency with which people are busted by their bosses making such comments on their social profiles is pretty sobering.
4. Blog – The employee may also have a blog where she is posting and networking about job hunting. This is another area where the level of privacy and separation between professional and social life aren’t always what the person thinks.
5. Email – Email responses from prospective employers may be visible in the employees inbox. Correspondence regarding job hunting should be limited to your private email account, and for that matter your personal time.
6. LinkedIn – LinkedIn recommendations will tip off an employer that one of their workers is actively seeking a new workplace. It’s a good idea to use confidential profiles, avoiding public access to private information like name, phone number and email address.
7. Desktop – An employee might have a desktop icon for something like resume-making software, which is another pretty reliable indication that all is not well in Cubicleville. Also having multiple resume copies on the desktop or job sites in bookmarks are big signs.
8. Resume – An employer might find the resume of one of their own employees while scanning the internet for potential candidates for current openings within the company. This could very well lead to one more opening within the company.
9. Silence – Another sign that an employee might be looking for an alternative job is when he stops griping about his current job. So if his boss’s inbox is no longer dotted with complaints from a disgruntled worker, it may be because he’s given up complaining, and started looking for greener pastures.
10. Music – Music selection on your employee’s online playlist could provide some clues as well. If she’s blasting Johnny Paycheck’s “Take This Job and Shove It” over her computer speakers, she just may be sending a message that she’s going bye-bye.

No matter the reason, a job search should never be done during company time. If you find an employee looking for a new job, let them know that is not acceptable. If you don’t know why they want a new job, this would be a good opportunity to find out if there is something you need to change for the next employee or other current employees. To employees searching- always remember not to burn bridges. You may need a reference in the future.

Source: (http://www.internetserviceproviders.net/blog/2012/10-online-signs-an-employee-is-job-hunting/)