₦airaland Forum

Hey mods, I don't know if this is the right section but help.

This thread is for those very popular people, things, places, events, infections etc which almost everyone know . From Lagos to Abuja, North to South, East to West. Anywhere such word is mentioned, no one would ask "what are talking about"

Mine are: Jesus, Muhammad, Indomie, ebola, HIV.
Add yours

It's nothing new. It's been done in my company for a week now @Exxonmobil

Story for the gods! should be 5 easy ways to know an amateur liar. If I wan lie eh, no even think say you want code am.












started before I was seven. Fact[size=15pt]children who lie have been proven to be very successful adults[/size]

What if I tell you that my Dad and my mum communicate _{Telepathically} So phone is not necessary in this case

me dey reason your way too. Another misleading path that will sure lead to a dead-end. However, this don't sound like a joke to me http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Abuja_Declaration

Having gone on a few dates recently it made me think about the key traits that women find attractive in men. Many a night out has ended in me propped up against the bar wondering if I am missing some of the vital characteristics that the female population are crying out for. Even if I do manage to make an initial connection with a woman I still sit there doubting myself. Clearly I still have a lot to learn when it comes to a subject area that conjures up so many ifs, buts and maybes. After deep thought I think there is much more to it that simply having a large bank account or driving a Ferrari. Here is my fundamental guide to the many traits that women find attractive in men.


1.Honesty
Women value trust and honesty in the male population and these are traits that women find attractive in men. Being able to confide in you and knowing that she can depend on you will do wonders for her self-assurance. By doing this you are laying to rest any insecurity that she may have. If a woman cannot trust you then how can she ever expect to nail down a stable relationship with you?

2.Maturity
College girls like frat boys, but women beyond college years can find the typical level of maturity of a frat boy annoying. They’re much more attracted to a guy with some stability and maturity. No need to land a “real” job and wear a suit and tie every day; just show her you’ve got your priorities straight and aren’t only interested in video and drinking games.

3.Boyishness
This goes directly against the point above about maturity – but women do seem to be attracted to men with a boyish, fresh-faced charm. Embrace your child-like curiosity and wonder with the world, especially hand-in-hand with the spontaneity point. This is where you here women say I love adventurous guys.

4.Confidence
If you can find the perfect balance between confidence and arrogance then you will be onto a winner. Women like a man who has faith in his ability to handle any situation that he is faced with, no matter how precarious it may be. If you believe in yourself then women will thrive off of your positive attitude and the aspiring aura that you give off. Your ability to be in charge have already put you in charge of the women. Trust me.

5.Spontaneity
I can’t think of many women who don’t love a spontaneous romantic gesture, especially when she is least expecting it. Carrying out these thoughtful moments from time to time will show a woman that you are considerate whereas the element of surprise will demonstrate to her that you are as unpredictable as a British summer. Remember it’s the thought that counts; you don’t surprise her by pouring an ice bucket on her early morning or else. . .

6.Manliness
Women tend to like men who are, well, manly, in more than just physique. Know your way around a car, and some electronics. Be able to open that stuck jar, and don’t freak out around spiders. These are basics, but in general, just be your own male self. There are simply some things that she should say, “wait till my man come back”

7.Cleanliness
‘Cleanliness is next to Godliness’ is a very old saying. No one, man or woman, likes someone who ignores basic hygiene at home, and with themselves. Don’t be a slob. Keep your flat tidy, including the bathroom, and keep yourself clean, too, of course. Wash your underwear regularly not wait until its name become odoriferous spp (whatever it means) before it sees water. If you obey this rule, then you are about to become a God in them women eyes. . .

8.Initiative
This goes hand in hand with confidence, but women also seem to like men who take initiative, and make plans or suggest outings without many hints or prompting.

9.Open Mindedness
Most women like a man who’s open-minded, though that doesn’t mean you have to be entirely liberal in your views, or that you can’t be somewhat conservative. This makes sense in your professional life, not just the dating world, too. Just get your facts right and stand by it and women will open their mind and of course body to you

10.Fitness
This isn’t a surprise, is it, that women prefer men who are concerned about a reasonably healthy diet and overall fitness? We like that trait in women, too. Don’t worry about having a perfect six-pack, or starting a vegan diet, but don’t be afraid of spending a little time at the gym, and show her that you eat more than fast food. Even if you are not the gym type, why not join in some local sports? What about street football? Do something about your afo beer (beer belly) and stop looking like egg roll dude.

11.Priorities
Be generous with your time. By making time for a woman it shows that you care deeply about her and have a burning desire to spend time with her. It will also demonstrate to her that she can rely on you when she needs somebody to listen to or offer important advice. But then first things first! Do give time for your work and of course, yourself.

12.Good sense of humour
Women love a man that can make them laugh. The environment you are in will prosper from the positive atmosphere and will bring you and her closer together. The happiness that your humour will elicit from her will help remove any stresses from her mind as it will give her a powerful feeling of relaxation. You may be not be her doctor but always remember that laughter is the best form of medicine.

there are very many other traits, feel free to add them

Yeah you're right @Eke40seven should have been myths and not facts. But some of the stories are not unconnected either. Check out http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bermuda_Triangle. Thanks for your honest opinion, I guess I have to proof read my future posts before Ikuku ekupee ike okuko

10. Atlantis

The entire city of Atlantis is said to have been vanished. The place where the Bermuda Triangle is situated, is exactly the same place where the city was present earlier. Even the recently discovered Bimini Road in Bermuda, which is a underwater, off coast road, used by many people for diving, is said to be a road from Brahma to Atlantis. The reason that describes the mysterious disappearances is that it is thought that Atlantis dependent upon some energy crystals and this left over technology is the reason behind these incidents. The crystals were very powerful and they radiated some rays, also called the death rays, that cause the navigation system of passing by air planes and ships to malfunction, and thus this led to their destruction. However, since the air pilots are trained enough to fly even without the navigation system working properly, this theory is not so much effective. Also if a plane gets destructed, some of its oil traces should have been found over the sea surface, but it wasn’t found. One more thing is that the energy crystals have never been found. Thus the theory is not so clear.
9. Extra Terristarials

This is such a strange theory described for the disappearance of ships and planes. According to this theory, some extra terrestrial beings are responsible for the incidents. Since these incidents started to happen in the beginning of the so called UFO era, this is believed that whenever any boat or plane come to the place, any UFO comes and disorient the passengers and pilots and then take away the entire ship or plane with themselves. One evidence is also present for this theory, after the missing of bombing planes, one more plane was send to investigate the scenario. That one was also vanished, but the last call by the pilot to the base was made, in which he was saying that ‘we are entering into white waters’, which was not possible, since it was a bright clear day.
8. Pirates of Destruction
In almost all the oceans and seas, piracy is a common act. This is also considered as a reason for the incidents. The place where no one will ever suspect you will always be the best option for piracy, then to the ones where they can be caught. The place where vanishing of ships and planes are blamed upon some strange things like UFO and supernatural entities, will certainly the best one for the purpose of piracy. Some people think that the pirates may have killed the people, or used them for their own purpose, and have took the ships and planes for themselves only

7. Methane Gas

Methane is a gas, denser than water. The traces of methane are present across the globe inside the sea waters. The gas hydrates are present in deep, high pressure environments. If you are sailing in the water or flying above and the methane gas bubbles up, then there are certainly a great chance that you may sink down to the bottom of the ocean within minutes. The theory is that the methane gas bubbles comes to the sea floor and they keeps on growing in size, sometimes as large as the size of a ship, thus if a ship crosses the bubble, the bubble consumes it and forces it to get down at the bottom of the sea. Since the gas in flammable, it can also cause the burst of a plane, in such a way that not any traces of the plane are found. But still there are not recorded instances of any such incident. So this theory is still not so cleared.
6. Gulf Stream

It is basically an ocean current. It originates in the Gulf of Mexico and then moves to the North Atlantic. It is more like a river within an ocean and can easily carry away the floating objects. If any boat or ship, having some engine trouble, the can then easily be carried away by this gulf stream. Also any plane that is making a water landing, or is sinking due to engine problem, is also carried away along by the gulf stream. This has happened once when a cruiser name Witchcraft was sailing on the area, and reported the engine trouble. But by the time the Coast Guards arrived, the ship was not even present there.

5. Strange Weather

The Bermuda Triangle area often sees many violent storms. These storms are short and that much violent that can destroy all the boats and planes in seconds. These storms build up and then go so much suddenly that not any satellite can detect them. There are also many waterspouts seen in the areas. Waterspouts are mainly like tornado. They may suck water thousands of feet into the sky, thus taking out the planes and the ships at the same time. Within a second, it may destroy and suck up the whole ship or aircraft body. The accident happen in just a blink of eye, that no one can ever see it coming.

4.Magnetic Fields

The Bermuda Triangle is the only place in the world, where the needle of magnetic compass indicates true north, rather than indicating magnetic north. This explains the strange earth magnetic field present here. This strange magnetic field is still under a mystery. Many of the ships and planes travelling nearby the area, have seen many times the compass or the magnetic needle fluctuations around the area. This is all because of the magnetic field which is strong and somehow very confusing at this place.

3.Unusual Seafloor

It has been found that the seafloor of the Bermuda Triangle region is not the same all the way down. From a very gentle slope, it may any time go to a sudden drop large in depth. The are is listed in having the deepest trenches of the world. It is very likely that any ship or plane that sink into this strange are, will possibly never be found ever. This explains the missing of the ships and planes that have undergone the incidents.

2.Hurricanes

Hurricanes are super powerful storms that come in almost every ocean and sea of the world. They are very common in the Atlantic, near the equator. They are one of the main reasons of various sea accidents and ship sinking, and have caused billions of damages to the life and property. But the only difference between other hurricanes across the globe and the ones occurring in the Bermuda Triangle is that these one come without any prior warning. They come within seconds and take away everything within seconds. No sign of any life is left by these strong and violent storms.

1.Electronic Fog

Electronic fog is also considered a strong reason for the incidents. In this phenomenon, some gray colored cloud, made up of electromagnetic waves is formed above the ocean. It seems to appear from no where and rapidly engulfs the ship, or the plane. Then these waves or fog just continue keep moving with the vehicle and suddenly all of the electronic instruments of the ship or aircraft stats to die. None of the instruments work anymore and then the ship or the plane, vanishes, within some minutes. The reason of the appearance of these fog is still not clear and some may consider as some supernatural act.

Hey Landers, if you are to have access to all ever recorded African music and you are asked to pick 5 only, tells us the tracks you'll choose even in the dream. Don't forget to include the name of the artiste.

Kendzyma: How much is 65naira ....mtchww...op,get a job

How many people have picked 65naira from your door since this month?

hakunamatata1: Naija, 1 step forward, 3 steps backward! SMH is this a transformation or a merry-go-round?

That saying may not be correct cos naija is neither going forward nor backwards. This Lugard's miracle is rotating round a fixed pole. Am just praying that it do not reach 1966 again

8. GAIUS CAESAR
A member of the Julio- Claudian dynasty, Gaius- commonly known as Caligula- was a Roman emperor from 37 AD to 41 AD. His hunger for sexual adventures was huge, and a brain fever had left him feeling that he was God. For him, murder was a fun activity. More than 150,000 animals were butchered for his amusement, early in his rule. He also ordered the murder of countless people, and made it compulsory for the victim’s family members to be audience to the murder. Caligula was a psychotic, and liked chewing the testicles of his victims. He had sexual relations with numerous women, including his own sisters. He forced men to send their wives to him for sexual pleasure. Under his rule, many people died of starvation.

Abeg AUNTY SPAMBOT no gree me post the rest complete. However, the full gist is here: http://www.onedaful..co.uk/2014/08/top-10-most-evil-people-ever-walked.html
[size=13pt]And I for make front page [/size]

9. JOSEPH MENGELE
More commonly known as the “Angel of Death”, Joseph was a doctor and incharge of selecting and sending Jews to Hitler’s concentration camp at Auschwitz. He conducted many experiments, the most famous one being on twins. To see if the human body could be manipulated, he studied the genetic differences among twins. Then, as the experiment progressed, he committed various barbaric acts such as pouring chemicals into the children’s eyes to see if this changed their eye color, inducing parents to kill their own children, and attempting to change the sex of the children. Once, to see if this method produced co-joined twins, Mengele sewed the children together. Other instances include torturing people and many a times, personally beating the prisoners at the camp to death.

10. KATHERINE MARY KNIGHT
A woman of Australian origin, Katherine had an abusive childhood. She was aware of her abusive father raping her mother upto 10 times a day. Katherine herself was a victim of sexual abuse, raped by many of her family members till she was about 11 years old. The psychiatrists have confirmed this as the origin of her psychopathic behavior.
Knight is known to have loved “slicing and dicing” men. She nearly killed her first husband by smashing his jaw and almost strangling him on the first night after marriage. She threw her newborn baby girl around in a pram, then left her on the railway tracks just minutes before the train arrived. Katherine used to sleep with her boning knives next to her, and the last man in her life, John Charles Thomas Price became a victim of this fascination of hers. She stabbed him 37 times in the back and in the chest, with many jabs passing through his vital organs. The infamous “suit” of a man’s skin was Price’s, when Knight skinned his body and hung the “suit” in her drawing room. She then cut up his body, boiled the head in a soup, baked his buttocks, and served the “meal” to his own children

Not in China and very soon not in US of Amadioha and copy copy naija would copy. Wait and see!

Beach-goers in the eastern Chinese city of Qingdao are making waves on the internet with their latest line in swimming gear – colourful, full-face masks.
The 'face-kini' is being hailed by Chinese newspapers as the country’s latest cultural gift to the world.
The fabric masks cover a swimmer's entire head and neck down to the collar bones. The product has grown from a pragmatic face-protector to a major fashion accessory, available in a multitude of colours and patterns.
The nylon sunscreen mask covers the entire head and neck down the collar bones, revealing only the eyes, mouth and nose.


See more here http://www.onedaful..co.uk/2014/08/bikini-for-face-chinese-invents-facekini.html

Just saw this Listicle somewhere and thought I should share. My Greatest joy is that you be employed. At least that would reduce idle minds who may consider strapping IEDs as alternate occupation. Check it out

1. ) Don't Lose Touch: Correct Contact Information

This may sound ridiculous that we'd even type this, but you wouldn't know how many people have made this mistake. You have to put contact information that's correct and that will last. If you are applying to a position while you are still in school with a school e-mail address or telephone number, the employer may try to reach you after you've graduated and not be able to do so. Think ahead: Make sure you include an e-mail address and telephone number that will work in the future.

"One of the best jobs I've ever had was one I got a year after I applied," revealed Patrick. "I applied for a job I really wanted, went through the interview process and everything, and just didn't get it. They told me they'd keep my resume on file for three months; and after that time had passed, I thought that, that ship had sailed.

"Almost a year to the date of first putting in my resume to the company, I got a call for another position and this one was even better than the original position I had applied for. When I asked them how they knew about me (It was even a different HR person.), they said my resume came up with the rest of them when they did their query. It was a fluke but I was thrilled.

"I got the job, and stayed with that company for a number of years. I'm so thankful I didn't change my telephone number in that year or else I wouldn't have even known about the position!"

2. ) They Know What You Want: No Objective Needed

Why do you put together a resume? You're trying to get a job. Why would you give someone your resume? You're trying to get a job. They get it. You don't have to spell it out for them.

An objective is best used if you are looking for a specific position, or you specialize in something that needs some sort of explanation. But that's not you. Saying something about how you want to get a job is obvious. Use your limited space more effectively: Skip the objective blurb altogether.

"Especially at the beginning of your career, you don't want to have some lame objective statement like 'looking to find a challenging career in...'" commented Jay. "Not only do you not have the experience to be able to define what type of job you might want, you don't want to limit yourself to a career path you may not know much about.

"Many oil and gas companies have some sort of recent graduate program where you learn about all aspects of the company and at the end of it, the company and you decide where you want to go. It's about what the company needs, but it's also about what you want. I've found that most of the time, they're willing to give you at least a glimpse before you have to nail down exactly what you want to do."

3. ) Spit it Out: The Inverted Pyramid

It'd be great if every potential employer spent as much time studying your resume as you did putting it together. (Or would it?) The truth is: Most hiring professionals take a cursory glance, gleaning what's important in a matter of a minute (or less), and make the first cut.

You want to make it to the next level, right? Well, you've got to really make your best attributes shine on that little piece of paper. Don't get us wrong. Don't make your resume distracting, but you want to definitely think about how you are going to list all your best qualities, specifically in which order.

On your resume, you want to use the inverted pyramid concept: Put the bulk of the information at the top of your resume, and trickle it down to the bottom, so if someone doesn't read all the way to the bottom, they haven't missed an important point.

If your school and GPA are super impressive, put that information directly beneath your name and contact information. If your skills and accreditations are what are remarkable about you, list that first. The order of a resume isn't set in stone, so make your resume work for you.

"I always customize my resume to the position I'm applying for," said Elaine. "Depending on what they want, I rearrange the order of my resume to better reflect someone that I feel best fills the position.

"So, if I am applying for a job that looks like it needs strong leadership abilities, like something that might grow into a management position, I list my outside interests and accomplishments at the top, like president of this or that and board member of whatever group. But if it looks like they really want someone with a little experience, I list my internships first.

"I try to make it so that if anyone took a quick glance at the top half of my resume, the person that they see is who they've described in the job description."

4. ) The Perfect Recipe: Include Just the Right Amount of Information

Resumes toe a fine line when it comes to the amount of information you should disclose, and what you should save for a cover letter and an interview. On the one hand, you want to include enough to perk someone's interest, but on the other, you don't want to say so much that there's no reason for them to call you (which is the ultimate opportunity to sell yourself, but that's fodder for another article).

An important note: At this point in your career, you should not have a resume that is longer than a page. (We don't care what you've done; two- and three-pagers are reserved for veterans of the industry, not wordy newbies. You have to earn that second page.)

"What I did when I was looking for my first job, is look at the job descriptions of the positions I wanted, and then I crafted what I included in my resume around that," said Joe. "I didn't really know what to expect from the industry or the position, but I did know that I wanted to be an engineer with a certain type of company. So, I researched what they wanted and modeled my resume off of that."

"Now, I'm not saying that I lied. Everything on my resume was true, but I did look at the different skills and prerequisites they listed, and made sure to include that on my resume. That made it a lot easier to pare down what I had to one page."

5. ) Keep It Clean: Don't Detract

White space is important on a resume. So is organization and balance. Don't let your resume design deflect attention away from what really matters: you. Simple and clean is the name of the game when it comes to resumes. Follow a template, keep to the same font throughout, use bullets, and align your margins. It's pretty easy, so don't make it too hard.

"I don't know what I was thinking. Oh yes I do: I wasn't," recalled Marian. "When I was getting ready to go to my university's big career fair, I went to the copy store with my roommate to print out a ton of copies of my resume on nice, thick resume paper. I let my roommate convince me that purple paper was the way to go. She said, 'You don't want your resume to get mixed up with all the other muted white ones, use this lilac one.' I did, and I was sorry. I was almost embarrassed to give it out after a couple of booths. Everybody I handed it to said something like, 'Oh, wow, purple,' yet they lacked true enthusiasm.

"Guess what. I didn't get a job at that career fair. After that, I have let my experience and attributes make my resume stand out, rather than the color of the paper."

6. ) References: It's a Give and Take World

Don't list your references on your resume. There's no need. If you need a space-filler at the bottom of your resume, put a quick "References available upon request" line. If you have too much stuff on your resume to fit that, don't worry. It's fine to leave it off.

It's completely commonplace for a potential employer to ask for references, but that's quite a few steps down the line. Your resume gets your foot in the door. Interviews reel them in. Many times, references are just icing on the cake. It takes time to track down your references, and companies aren't going to do it if they aren't serious about hiring you.

"If you put your references in with your resume, not only is it something else a potential employer has to rifle through, but it also doesn't give you the opportunity to re-connect with your references before your potential employer does," said David.

"It's always nice to call up your references when you use them. Of course you have to ask them before you even list them, but once you've got their permission, it's a good rule of thumb to give them a heads up that so-and-so at whatever company might be calling to ask about you. That way, they're ready for it."

7. ) Keep It Real: Be Positive, Not Deceitful

You're right. They may not find out you can't do it until it's too late. They've hired you, so what are they going to do now? Fire you. It's that simple. Don't lie on your resume.

If you have a little experience working with a program, but you aren't proficient with it, you can still put it down, but use the appropriate descriptor, such as "experience with" or "knowledge of." Don't say you can do something you can't.

At the same time, this is your time to shine, and you should be almost boastful on your resume. You're not on a date this is the place to list out your best qualities. Make sure you include all your awards and honors, all your accolades, because that's a good way to sell yourself.

"It was hard for me to put together all of the stuff that I was supposed to have on my resume; it really did seem like I was bragging," said Angie. "I guess I'm kind of reserved, but I do think that the extra stuff really did help me stand out from the rest of the applicants."

Writing a strong resume is one of the first steps in obtaining a long career in the oil and gas industry. What's important to remember when you are applying for a job is that it should be a good match for both of you, meaning the company and the applicant. Beyond money and benefits, you want to be happy at your job, you want to fit into the group, feel comfortable in the company atmosphere, and be able to grow. It's similar to applying for college: Do your research; pick your favorites; and apply, apply, apply. You'll land the position that's right for you.

http://www.oilgrads.com/artWriteResume.asp ALSO SEARCH OUT AND APPLY TO VACANCIES AT THIS SITE

It is even more surprising that majority of Chinese online sites patronage comes from USA. Alibaba.com is a good example

Re-invent (products). When using a basic product–the kind your company also sells–what about it makes it cumbersome to use? How would you consider making changes to it to make it easier or more convenient to use? Sometimes the most mundane products can become anything but commodities thanks to insightful redesigns. OXO reinvented the humble potato peeler to be more ergonomic–the rest is history.

Question, question, question. Just because every product in a category is made with essentially the same features, and always has been, does that mean we can't find a better way to build a mousetrap? OXO redesigned the humble measuring cup so that cooks could see the measurement lines from the inside; making the task much easier.

Become detail-oriented. Identify common problems from all of the current product designs in the marketplace, and redesign them until they work as they should. Tip: company owners, management and rank and file employees make great product testers. Input and observations from them help move the process along. OXO's Uplift Tea Kettle's lid automatically flips up when pouring hot water out; no more steam burns.

Create an employee focus group. Let your employees use your products constantly and then encourage a flow of suggestions on how to improve them. OXO's Pour & Store Watering Can was modified when the company's city dwellers asked for a rotating spout that would make storage easier in small apartments. What a great idea!

Be unique & consistent at the same time. Make sure all of your products express your brand's unique point of view. Stand for something and then follow through so that consumers will know that every single product out there is truly your company's. OXO "Good Grips" means product designs everyone can use–regardless what their disabilities might be. That holds true in every category OXO positions products in.

License intelligently–selectively. The lure of more earnings is hard to resist. But–it's more important to protect the brand than to allow any and every potential licensing partner to use your brand name. OXO recently collaborated with UCB, a pharmaceutical firm, to develop a syringe with oversized plunger to make it easier for arthritics to inject much-needed medicine easily. However, OXO resists licensing its brand to many would-be partners.

Know your customer. Understand your market. Adapt as needed for various markets. Ask yourself: how are customers using our products? If they are choosing not to use them, how can we make design changes to encourage them to do so? When OXO first launched its products in Asia in 2006, the Japanese market found the oversized products absurd for their small kitchens. OXO responded by shrinking the sizes of its offerings and opened a studio in Tokyo to get to know its customers.

Reuse innovation concepts. Design solutions that work for one product may be ideal for additional products. When OXO made home cleaning tools, the company adapted the same comfortably large gripping surfaces to each one so that the desired results could be achieved, using minimum hand pressure.

Make products more versatile. When developing a new product, think how it might multi-task. . .how it might handle multiple problems. Universal products rule. OXO improved the basic jar opener, for example, that could open many sizes of lids while still being easy to use.

Encourage negative feedback. Ask employees and customers about products they're currently using that you don't even offer. What don't they like about current offerings in the marketplace? And what might your company do to improve them? OXO Tot was launched with 69 new products for babies and young children due to employees' complaints that high chairs and sippy cups were rapidly outgrown. OXO made insightful modifications: high chairs can be easily converted to "big-kid seats" and handles slide off sippy cups for toddlers.


So why this post? Why now? I think it's time for all of us–whether we have a product or service oriented business, to take a page from OXO. This successful company, started by Sam Farber in 1990, should serve as an inspiration to us.
Look, the guy started OXO by making simple kitchen gadgets. He positioned commodity products in a marketplace loaded with competitors' products, and still carved out a niche for his business. If Sam could do it, so can we.
There's another key point here: employees are the greatest asset in every company. How can you make them a more integral part of the company? How can you encourage their insights to lead to terrific problem-solving solutions?
Yet more questions:

Does OXO's M.O. inspire you to rethink how you're doing business? If so, how? What do you plan on doing differently?

How do you feel about the 10 tips on this list? Would you add anything to this list?
source: http://news.alibaba.com/article/detail/insight/100982326-1-content---10-tips-building.html?tracelog=basictips3

When it comes to companies expanding into foreign markets for the first time, there is no such thing as “too big to fail.” Instead, the observer may find that this old adage instead holds true: the bigger they are, the harder they fall.
In this way, an American company can severely underestimate a new market, and when that new market is China, such a mistake can be both costly and humiliating.
This was the case for e-commerce site, eBay, which not only was bested by Chinese rivals like Alibaba, but who also now find itself losing ground domestically as American consumers are increasingly buying from Chinese e-commerce sites.
Here are a few very important lessons that one should take away from eBay’s failure, if only to avoid making the same mistakes.

1. Do Not Assume Being an American Business Is an Advantage

Some foreign customers are instantly impressed by certain American brand names and will spend money automatically. However, this is never a universal truth. In some instances, and depending on the political climate, being an American business can actually be a disadvantage.

For example, a US-based disability benefits lawyer would have a difficult time appealing to disabled Chinese people. Why go to a foreign brand when their own country offers many of the same services and with a better understanding of China’s cultural climate The same is true of eBay.

eBay was extremely confident going into the Chinese market before they even opened shop. So confident that they assumed Western business practices would work the exact same way as they did back home. They also allowed people to head business operations who did not speak a word of Chinese or understand anything about the market.

These mistakes were a key part of eBay’s failure in China.

2. Prepare for the Inevitability of Competition

The idea that eBay could approach Chinese consumers with absolutely no attempt to read the market is cringe-worthy.

One writer disagrees with the idea that eBay failed because it refused to recognize differences between the Chinese market and the American one. Jian Shuo Wang, founder and CEO of Baixing.com, wrote, “Although China is different from the U.S., China is not that different.” He contends that eBay failed because it didn’t realize that China is “so big” and that if someone, anyone, opens up a site that provides a better service, they will take away eBay’s business.

Simply put, eBay was not prepared to compete. The company attempted to thwort competitors through exclusive advertising through Sina, Sohu, and Netease. TaoBao countered by reserving their advertising money for television. They knew that this, rather than internet sites, was the best way to advertise.

Despite the millions and millions of dollars eBay poured into competing, they were bested by innovative opponents that knew the market because they had done their homework.

3. Give Foreign Competitors the Benefit of the Doubt

While all eyes are on Alibaba, which is due to have a record-breaking IPO, it was another e-commerce institution that helped ruin eBay’s chances in China: TaoBao.

Paul A. Pavlou, a professor of management information systems at the Fox School of Business at Temple University, said of TaoBao’s success over eBay that the company had a far superior understanding of Chinese consumers’ wants and needs.

“Those buyers really want to get to know the sellers,” said Pavlou. Instead of referring to persons in the generic “buyer” or “seller” mold, TaoBao treated both sellers and buyers as individuals.

It would be unfair to TaoBao to simply say they had a “homefield advantage” as a Chinese business. It would be more accurate to say that they showed far more respect for the Chinese consumer by making an effort to pay attention to their wants and needs and to make these things available.

eBay had already decided that Chinese consumers and non-Chinese consumers were interchangeable.

4. Don’t Be Afraid to Ask for Help

It seemed eBay was determined to have all of the success without bothering to involve the very people to whom it was attempting to market. How much easier would it have been if it worked closely with Chinese employees and small businesses to set up shop

Allowing persons familiar with the Chinese consumer and economy, people already on the ground would always be preferable to flying in people with no knowledge or experience regarding the Chinese market.

A number of businesses have startled many by failing in China, meanwhile there are companies like Apple that are absolutely thriving.

Ultimately, it’s best to do one’s research on China’s economy and consumers before diving into the market. Take nothing for granted and be prepared to compete. Really compete. Ethnocentric thoughts can make American businesses assume being a big “popular” company will make Chinese customers flock to them and maintain a sense of loyalty.

This sort of thinking can lead an American business to fail regardless of how small or large it actually is.

source: http://news.alibaba.com/article/detail/knowledge/101012382-1-4-lessons-you-can-learn.html?tracelog=homeinsights1

. . .It pays to master the sea trade. . .

Ebola space

Some of this awkward types have more than three pages. It amuses me when I had to sort through those Bibleme
some goes on to tell you how they were sacked for refusing to sleep with their employer's spouse et cetera. A tire o

Recruiters spend an average of six seconds reviewing a resume before they make the initial decision on candidates, according to research conducted by TheLadders, an online job-matching service for professionals. That means you have to win them over fast.
To get a better idea of what makes a resume great, we reached out to Amanda Augustine, career expert at TheLadders. She created an example of an excellent resume and allowed us to share it.
While resumes should be tailored to the industry you're in, the one below offers a helpful guide for entry- and mid-level professionals with three to five years of relevant work experience.

What makes this resume so great? Augustine outlines the following reasons:

1. It includes a URL to the jobseeker's professional online profile.
If you don't include URLs to your professional online profiles, hiring managers will look you up regardless. Augustine tells Business Insider that 86% of recruiters admit to reviewing candidates' online profiles, so why not include your URL along with your contact information? This will prevent recruiters from having to guess or mistaking you for someone else.

2. It uses consistent branding.
"If you have a common name, consider including your middle initial on your resume and online professional profiles to differentiate yourself from the competition," says Augustine. For example, decide if you're Mike Johnson, Michael Johnson, or Mike E. Johnson. Then use this name consistently, be it on LinkedIn, Google+, Twitter, or Facebook.

3. It includes a single phone number and email address.
"Choose one phone number for your resume where you control the voicemail message and who picks up the phone," she advises. The same rule applies to an email address.

4. It does not include an objective statement.
There's no point in including a generic objective about a "professional looking for opportunities that will allow me to leverage my skills," says Augustine. It's not helpful and distracting. Ditch it.

5. Instead, it includes an executive summary.
Replace your fluffy statement with an executive summary, which should be like a "30-second elevator pitch" where you explain who you are and what you're looking for. "In approximately three to five sentences, explain what you’re great at, most interested in, and how you can provide value to a prospective employer," Augustine says.

6. It uses reverse chronological order.
This is the most helpful for recruiters because they're able to see what you've been doing in recent years immediately, says Augustine. "The only time you shouldn't do this is if you're trying to transition to another career altogether, but then again, in this situation, you'll probably be relying more on networks," than your resume, she says.

7. It uses keywords like "forecasting" and "strategic planning."
Many companies use some kind of screening process to identify the right candidates. You should include the keywords mentioned in the job posting throughout your resume.
"Identify the common keywords, terminology, and key phrases that routinely pop up in the job descriptions of your target role and incorporate them into your resume (assuming you have those skills)," advises Augustine. "This will help you make it past the initial screenings and on to the recruiter or hiring manager."

8. It provides company descriptions.
It's helpful for recruiters to know the size of the company you used to work for, advises Augustine.
"Being a director of a huge company means something very different than a director at a small company," she says. You can go to the company's "About Us" section and rewrite one or two lines of the description. This should be included right underneath the name of the company.
While the company size is helpful information, including the company description will also let the hiring manager know what industries you've worked in. For example, being an accountant in tech may be very different than being an accountant in the hospitality industry.
"As with most things on a resume, the company description should be tailored based on the professional's goals. If you're looking to switch industries, your focus may be on the company size — assuming it's similar to your goals — and less on discussing the various products your company sells."

9. It does not list achievements in dense blocks of text.
Recruiters receive so many resumes to scan through at a time, so make it as easy as possible for them to understand why you're perfect for the job. Dense blocks of text are too difficult to read, says Augustine.

10. Instead, achievements are listed in two to five bullet points per job.
Under each job or experience you've had, explain how you contributed to or supported your team’s projects and initiatives. "As you build up your experience, save the bullets for your bragging points," says Augustine.


11. It quantifies achievements.
"Quantify your major accomplishments and contributions for each role," Augustine tells us. This can include the money you saved or brought in for your employer, deals closed, and projects delivered on time or under budget. Do not use any more than three to five bullet points.

12. Accomplishments are formatted as result-and-then-cause.
A good rule is to use the "result BY action" sentence structure whenever possible. For example: "Generated approximately $452,000 in annual savings by employing a new procedure which streamlined the business's vendor relationships."

13. White space draws the reader's eyes to important points.
Recruiters do not spend a lot of time scanning resumes, so avoid dense blocks of text. "The key is to format the information in a way that makes it easy to scan and recognize your job goals and relevant qualifications," Augustine tells us.

14. It doesn't use crazy fonts or colors.
"Stick to black and white color," says Augustine. As for font, it's best to stick with the basics, such as Arial, Tahoma, or Calibri.

15. It does not include pronouns.
Augustine says you should never write your resume in third person because everyone knows you're the one writing it (unless you go through a professional resume writing service).
Instead, you should write it in first person, and do not include pronouns. "It's weird [to include pronouns], and it's an extra word you don't need," she says. "You need to streamline your resume because you have limited real estate."

16. It does not include images.
"Avoid adding any embedded tables, pictures, or other images in your resume, as this can confuse the applicant-tracking software and jumble your resume in the system," says Augustine.

17. It doesn't use headers or footers.
It may look neat and concise to display your contact information in the header, but for "the same reason with embedded tables and charts, it often gets scrambled in an applicant tracking system," says Augustine.

18. Education is listed at the bottom.
Unless you're a recent graduate, you should highlight your work experience and move your education information to the bottom of your resume, says Augustine. Never include anything about your high-school years.

19. It doesn't say "references upon request."
Every recruiter knows you're going to provide references if they request it so there's no reason for you to include this line. Again, remember that space on your resume is crucial so don't waste it on a meaningless line, Augustine tells us.

SOURCE: http://www.businessinsider.com/why-this-is-an-excellent-resume-2013-11

Don’t let toxic people rent space in your head.
Raise the rent and get them out of there.

Surviving the ups, downs, and lightning storms of other people’s moodiness can be quite a challenge. It’s important, though, to remember that some moody, negative people may be going through a difficult stage in their lives. They may be ill, chronically worried, or lacking what they need in terms of love and emotional support. Such people need to be listened to, supported, and cared for (although whatever the cause of their moodiness and negativity, you may still need to protect yourself from their behavior at times).
But there’s another type of moody, negative behavior: that of the toxic bully, who will use his or her mood swings to intimidate and manipulate. It’s this aspect of moodiness that inflicts enduring abuse and misery. If you observe these people closely, you will notice that their attitude is overly self-referential. Their relationships are prioritized according to how each one can be used to meet their selfish needs. This is the kind of toxic behavior I want to look at in this post.
I’m a firm believer that toxic mood swings (like chain letter emails) should not be inflicted on one person by another, under any circumstances. So how can you best manage the fallout from other people’s relentless toxicity?
1. Move on without them.
If you know someone who insists on destructively dictating the emotional atmosphere, then be clear: they are toxic. If you are suffering because of their attitude, and your compassion, patience, advice, and general attentiveness doesn’t seem to help them, and they don’t seem to care one bit, then ask yourself, “Do I need this person in my life?”
When you delete toxic people from your environment it becomes a lot easier to breathe. If the circumstances warrant it, leave these people behind and move on when you must. Seriously, be strong and know when enough is enough! Letting go of toxic people doesn’t mean you hate them, or that you wish them harm; it simply means you care about your own well-being.
A healthy relationship is reciprocal; it should be give and take, but not in the sense that you’re always giving and they’re always taking. If you must keep a truly toxic person in your life for whatever reason, then consider the remaining points…

2. Stop pretending their toxic behavior is OK.
If you’re not careful, toxic people can use their moody behavior to get preferential treatment, because… well… it just seems easier to quiet them down than to listen to their grouchy rhetoric. Don’t be fooled. Short-term ease equals long-term pain for you in a situation like this. Toxic people don’t change if they are being rewarded for not changing. Decide this minute not to be influenced by their behavior. Stop tiptoeing around them or making special pardons for their continued belligerence.
Constant drama and negativity is never worth putting up with. If someone over the age 21 can’t be a reasonable, reliable adult on a regular basis, it’s time to…

3. Speak up!
Stand up for yourself. Some people will do anything for their own personal gain at the expense of others – cut in line, take money and property, bully and belittle, pass guilt, etc. Do not accept this behavior. Most of these people know they’re doing the wrong thing and will back down surprisingly quickly when confronted. In most social settings people tend to keep quiet until one person speaks up, so SPEAK UP.
Some toxic people may use anger as a way of influencing you, or they may not respond to you when you’re trying to communicate, or interrupt you and suddenly start speaking negatively about something dear to you. If ever you dare to speak up and respond adversely to their moody behavior, they may be surprised, or even outraged, that you’ve trespassed onto their behavioral territory. But you must speak up anyway.
Not mentioning someone’s toxic behavior can become the principal reason for being sucked into their mind games. Challenging this kind of behavior upfront, on the other hand, will sometimes get them to realize the negative impact of their behavior. For instance, you might say:
• “I’ve noticed you seem angry. Is something upsetting you?”
• “I think you look bored. Do you think what I’m saying is unimportant?”
• “Your attitude is upsetting me right now. Is this what you want?”
Direct statements like these can be disarming if someone truly does use their moody attitude as a means of social manipulation, and these statements can also open a door of opportunity for you to try to help them if they are genuinely facing a serious problem.
Even if they say: “What do you mean?” and deny it, at least you’ve made them aware that their attitude has become a known issue to someone else, rather than just a personal tool they can use to manipulate others whenever they want.
And if they persist in denial, it might be time to…

4. Put your foot down.
Your dignity may be attacked, ravaged and disgracefully mocked, but it can never be taken away unless you willingly surrender it. It’s all about finding the strength to defend your boundaries.
Demonstrate that you won’t be insulted or belittled. To be honest, I’ve never had much luck trying to call truly toxic people (the worst of the worst) out when they’ve continuously insulted me. The best response I’ve received is a snarky, “I’m sorry you took what I said so personally.” Much more effective has been ending conversations with sickening sweetness or just plain abruptness. The message is clear: There is no reward for subtle digs and no games will be played at your end.
Truly toxic people will pollute everyone around them, including you if you allow them. If you’ve tried reasoning with them and they aren’t budging, don’t hesitate to vacate their space and ignore them until they do.

5. Don’t take their toxic behavior personally.
It’s them, not you. KNOW this.
Toxic people will likely try to imply that somehow you’ve done something wrong. And because the “feeling guilty” button is quite large on many of us, even the implication that we might have done something wrong can hurt our confidence and unsettle our resolve. Don’t let this happen to you.
Remember, there is a huge amount of freedom that comes to you when you take nothing personally. Most toxic people behave negatively not just to you, but to everyone they interact with. Even when the situation seems personal – even if you feel directly insulted – it usually has nothing to do with you. What they say and do, and the opinions they have, are based entirely on their own self-reflection.

6. Practice practical compassion.
Sometimes it makes sense to be sympathetic with toxic people whom you know are going through a difficult time, or those who are suffering from an illness. There’s no question about it, some toxic people are genuinely distressed, depressed, or even mentally and physically ill, but you still need to separate their legitimate issues from how they behave toward you. If you let people get away with anything because they are distressed, facing a medical condition, or depressed, even, then you are making it too tempting for them to start unconsciously using their unfortunate circumstance as a means to an end.
Several years ago, I volunteered at a psychiatric hospital for children. I mentored a boy there named Dennis, a diagnosed Bipolar disorder patient. Dennis was a handful sometimes, and would often shout obscenities at others when he experienced one of his episodes. But no one ever challenged his outbursts, and neither had I up to this point. After all, he’s clinically “crazy” and can’t help it, right?
One day I took Dennis to a local park to play catch. An hour into our little field trip, Dennis entered one of his episodes and began calling me profane names. But instead of ignoring his remarks, I said, “Stop bullying me and calling me names. I know you’re a nice person, and much better than that.” His jaw literally dropped. Dennis looked stunned, and then, in a matter of seconds, he collected himself and replied, “I’m sorry I was mean Mr. Marc.”
The lesson here is that you can’t “help” someone by making unwarranted pardons for everything they do simply because they have problems. There are plenty of people who are going through extreme hardships who are not toxic to everyone around them. We can only act with genuine compassion when we set boundaries. Making too many pardons and allowances is not healthy or practical for anyone in the long-term.

7. Take time for yourself.
If you are forced to live or work with a toxic person, then make sure you get enough alone time to relax, rest, and recuperate. Having to play the role of a “focused, rational adult” in the face of toxic moodiness can be exhausting, and if you’re not careful, the toxicity can infect you. Again, understand that even people with legitimate problems and clinical illnesses can still comprehend that you have needs as well, which means you can politely excuse yourself when you need to.
You deserve this time away. You deserve to think peacefully, free from external pressure and toxic behavior. No problems to solve, boundaries to uphold, or personalities to please. Sometimes you need to make time for yourself, away from the busy world you live in that doesn’t make time for you.