BITTER GOURD HEALTH BENEFITS

Bitter gourd is a functional vegetable with beneficial effects on health

Bitter gourd is a popular vegetable in some Asian countries, where the health benefits of the plant are well-known—particularly, its ability to lower blood glucose in diabetics. Bitter gourd has been used to treat diabetes in traditional medicine and is now commercially available as tea (from fruits or leaves), juice, extracts, and pills. Although these products promise health benefits, most of the manufacturers do not offer scientifically proven data on the effectiveness of bitter gourd or their products. However, in recent years researchers worldwide have started to focus on the antidiabetic effects of bitter gourd. The goal is to provide safe and clear preparation and dosage recommendations so that consumers will realize the greatest benefit from consuming fresh bitter gourd or bitter gourd products.

It is scientifically proven: bitter gourd lowers blood glucose levels!

Bitter gourd treatments of cell cultures or feeding trials with laboratory animals such as mice or rats show bitter gourd does have blood glucose lowering properties. Bitter gourd is not like most medicinal drugs, which are effective only in one target organ or tissue; rather, it influences glucose metabolism all over the body.

Bitter gourd lowers dietary carbohydrate digestion

The glucose metabolism starts in the gut. Carbohydrates and sugars are metabolized to glucose (one type of sugar) before glucose is transported from the gut to the blood. Bitter gourd reduces the amount of glucose that is released into the blood by inhibiting the enzymes that break down disaccharides to two monosaccharides (e.g. glucose) (Oishi et al. 2007, Kumar Shetty et al. 2005). Bitter gourd can influence the transport channels for glucose, which also reduces glucose transport into the blood (Singh et al. 2004). This effect is important for the treatment of both Type I and Type II diabetic patients and helps to prevent high blood sugar levels after meals.

Bitter gourd plant insulin discovered

The pancreas reacts to increasing blood sugar levels by secreting insulin into the blood. Insulin helps to transport the sugar from the blood to the skeletal muscle and the fat tissue where it is used to produce energy. Insulin will also stop the liver to produce sugar from glycogen storages and to release the sugar into the blood.

Thus, insulin is necessary to lower high blood sugar levels. In Type I diabetes, also called insulin-dependent diabetes, the pancreas does not produce or secrete enough insulin to keep blood sugar levels low. Bitter gourd has been shown to be effective in treating Type I diabetes in rats or mice by increasing pancreatic insulin secretion Yibchok-Anun et al. 2006, Fernandes et al. 2007). Additionally, scientists found an insulin-like molecule in bitter gourd (Khanna et al. 1981). Although bitter gourd may reduce the number of insulin injections required to manage Type 1 diabetes, it cannot replace insulin treatment completely or heal this form of the disease.

Bitter gourd reverses insulin resistance

Bitter gourd can play a role in the prevention and treatment of Type II diabetes, which is also called insulin-independent diabetes or adult onset diabetes. This form of the disease usually occurs in people who are overweight and inactive. In Type II diabetes, the liver, skeletal muscle, and fat tissues do not respond adequately to insulin—they are “insulin resistant.” Feeding trials with insulin resistant or Type II diabetic rats and mice have shown that bitter gourd helps to prevent or reverse insulin resistance (Nerurkar et al. 2008, Klomann et al. 2010). People with insulin resistance or those with a high risk of developing Type II diabetes have a good chance to prevent and treat the disease without drugs by increasing their physical activity and changing their diet.

Bitter gourd prevents diabetic complications

Chronically high sugar concentrations from Type I and Type II diabetes increase the risk of inflammation and oxidation in the whole body, leading to blindness, diabetic feet, kidney disease, stroke, or heart attack. Consuming bitter gourd can help prevent these complications, as it not only decreases blood sugar levels, but also has some antioxidative properties (Sathishsekar und Subramanian 2005, Klomann et al. 2010).

Bitter gourd can protect the body from other non-communicable diseases

Being overweight is one of the most important risk factors for diabetes and other diseases, and Type II diabetes is often accompanied by hypertension, high plasma cholesterol, or high plasma lipids. Together, these conditions increase the risk of stroke or heart attack. For overweight Type II diabetic patients, bitter gourd can help to improve health. In mice and rats, bitter gourd has been shown to reduce hypertension (Singh et al. 2004), plasma cholesterol (Nerurkar et al. 2008), and plasma lipids (Nerurkar et al. 2008). Apart from this, bitter gourd helps weight loss. There is also evidence that bitter gourd might be effective in cancer treatment.

 

More bitter gourd does not help more. Please be careful!

Exclusive consumption of bitter gourd, bitter gourd juice, or other bitter gourd products can lead to dangerous hypoglycemia when consumed by diabetic patients under oral drug treatment, in too high dosages, by children, or on a hungry stomach. Pregnant or breastfeeding woman should not consume bitter gourd or bitter gourd products. Although bitter gourd can help prevent insulin resistance or severe diabetic complications, it is important to consider situations in which bitter gourd may be harmful to your health.

90+ Activities To Reduce Stress

1. Get up 15 minutes earlier
2. Prepare for the morning the night before
3. Avoid tight fitting clothes
4. Avoid relying on chemical aids
5. Set appointments ahead
6. Don't rely on your memory ... write it down
7. Practice preventive maintenance
8. Make duplicate keys
9. Say "no" more often
10.Set priorities in your life
11. Avoid negative people
12. Use time wisely
13. Simplify meal times
14. Always make copies of important papers
15. Anticipate your needs
16.. Repair anything that doesn't work properly
17. Ask for help with the jobs you dislike
18. Break large tasks into bite size portions
19. Look at problems as challenges
20. Look at challenges differently
21. Un-clutter your life
22. Smile
23. Be prepared for rain
24. Tickle a baby
25. Pet a friendly dog/cat
26. Don't know all the answers
27. Look for a silver lining
28. Say something nice to someone
29. Teach a kid to fly a kite
30. Walk in the rain
31. Schedule play time into every day
32. Take a bubble bath
33. Be aware of the decisions you make
34. Believe in yourself
35. Stop saying negative things to yourself
36. Visualize yourself winning
37. Develop your sense of humor
38. Stop thinking tomorrow will be a better today
39. Have goals for yourself
40. Get enough sleep
41. Say "hello" to a stranger
42. Ask a friend for a hug
43. Look up at the stars
44. Practice breathing slowly
45. Practice a monster smile
46. Keep a journal
47. Quit trying to fix other people
48. Have a support network of people, places and things
49. Read a story curled up in bed
50. Do a brand new thing
51. Stop a bad habit
52. Buy yourself a flower
53. Take time to small the flowers
54. Find support from others
55. Ask someone to be your "vent-partner"
56. Do it today
57. Work at being cheerful and optimistic
58. Put safety first
59. Do everything in moderation
60. Pay attention to your appearance
61. Strive for Excellence NOT perfection
62. Stretch your limits a little each day
63. Look at a work of art
64. Talk less and listen more
65. Maintain your weight
66. Plant a tree
67. Feed the birds
68. Practice grace under pressure
69. Stand up and stretch
70. Always have a plan "B"
71. Learn a new doodle
72. Memorize a joke
73. Be responsible for your feelings
74. Learn to meet your own needs
75. Become a better listener
76. Know your limitations and let others know them, too
77. Tell someone to have a good day in Latin
78. Throw a paper airplane
79. Exercise every day
80. Freely praise other people
81. Get to work early
82. Clean out one closet
83. Play patty cake with a toddler
84. Go on a picnic
85. Take a different route to work
86. Leave work early (with permission)
87. Put air freshener in your car
88.. Eat popcorn
89. Write a note to a far away friend
90. Go to a ball game and scream
91. Cook a meal and eat it by candlelight
92. Recognize the importance of unconditional love
93. Remember that stress is an attitude
94. Remember God several times a day.
95. Remember you always have options

Causes of Food Poisoning

The 3 Most Surprising Facts that Cause Food Poisoning

During times of hot humid climate, everyone is worried about food poisoning. Simple and common-sense preventive measures like hand washing and proper preparation of foods will help prevent food poisoning.

Another common measure to prevent food poisoning is by heating or cooking foods appropriately. However, is this the case every time? It turns out that bacteria can even grow at hazardous levels even after heating foods!

In this article, we'll reveal to you the three most shocking facts of food preparation that is often overlooked and can actually cause food poisoning.

## 1. You Cannot Determine Contaminated Food Just By Looking and Smelling!

It's impossible to tell if foods are contaminated with bacteria just by smelling or looking at them. They may appear fine but you can still get sick.

This is because most bacteria that cause food poisoning (e.g. salmonella, and E. coli) don't produce smell or any changes in appearance of the food.

Remember, don't be overconfident with your five senses when it comes to your foods. You just can't trust them when you're trying to determine contaminated or spoiled foods.

One bacterium can multiply to thousands of millions in just a few hours.This means that a small amount of bacteria in a contaminated food will surely spoil it quickly under right conditions so please exercise caution.

 

## 2. Heating Foods Does Not Guarantee Food Safety

Don't get overconfident when heating foods. Even a properly prepared or cooked food is not a guarantee that it won't spoil quickly. You can still get food poisoning if you let it stand too long under improper storage temperatures!

The most common cause of this type of food poisoning is due to the bacteria"Clostridium perfringens". C. perfringens bacteria form spores that can withstand high cooking temperatures. When foods are kept at improper storage temperatures, the spores present will sprout and begin to grow to dangerous levels.

The dangerous storage temperature zone is between 20 to 55 degrees Celsius (70 to 130A??F). Food poisoning can result in as fast as 8 hours once the food contaminated with large numbers of clostridium perfringens is consumed.

Although Clostridium perfringens does not cause food poisoning when they're in small amounts, it can still induce food poisoning once the contaminated food is reheated. This is because Clostridium perfringens can only grow vigorously in conditions of very little or no oxygen. More heat means less oxygen.

To prevent the growth of Clostridium perfringens, the food must be cooled to below 20 degrees Celsius (70A??F) within 2 hours after cooking. For example, after cooking stew or curry, when storing them, it is recommended that you transfer them to smaller containers then place them in the refrigerator, especially during summer season. Always remember that Clostridium perfringens cannot grow under freezing temperatures or refrigeration.

 

## 3. Hand Hygiene: A Common Pitfall

One of the basics of food poisoning prevention is "hand washing". It is one of the most important things when it comes to food preparation yet it is also one of the most commonly ignored.

Bacteria can attach to any parts of your hands all the way from the crevices and skin folds up to the tip of your nails. Therefore, bacteria can still spread through every surface of your hands if you don't wash your hands well.

Experts recommend 20 seconds of proper hand washing with soap and water.

Remember to always wash your hands prior to cooking and after going to toilet.

 

16 Rules for Success in Business and Life in General

1.	Get and stay out of your comfort zone.
	I believe that not much happens of any significance when we're in our comfort zone. I hear people say, "But I'm concerned about security." My response to that is simple: "Security is for cadavers."
2.	Never give up.
	Almost nothing works the first time it's attempted. Just because what you're doing does not seem to be working, doesn't mean it won't work. It just means that it might not work the way you're doing it. If it was easy, everyone would be doing it, and you wouldn't have an opportunity.
3.	When you're ready to quit, you're closer than you think.
	There's an old Chinese saying that I just love, and I believe it is so true. It goes like this: "The temptation to quit will be greatest just before you are about to succeed."
4.	With regard to whatever worries you, not only accept the worst thing that could happen, but make it a point to quantify what the worst thing could be.
	Very seldom will the worst consequence be anywhere near as bad as a cloud of "undefined consequences." My father would tell me early on, when I was struggling and losing my shirt trying to get Parsons Technology going, "Well, Robert, if it doesn't work, they can't eat you."
5.	Focus on what you want to have happen.
	Remember that old saying, "As you think, so shall you be."
6.	Take things a day at a time.
	No matter how difficult your situation is, you can get through it if you don't look too far into the future, and focus on the present moment. You can get through anything one day at a time.
7.	Always be moving forward.
	Never stop investing. Never stop improving. Never stop doing something new. The moment you stop improving your organization, it starts to die. Make it your goal to be better each and every day, in some small way. Remember the Japanese concept of Kaizen. Small daily improvements eventually result in huge advantages.
8.	Be quick to decide.
	Remember what General George S. Patton said: "A good plan violently executed today is far and away better than a perfect plan tomorrow."
9.	Measure everything of significance.
	I swear this is true. Anything that is measured and watched, improves.
10.	Anything that is not managed will deteriorate.
	If you want to uncover problems you don't know about, take a few moments and look closely at the areas you haven't examined for a while. I guarantee you problems will be there.
11.	Pay attention to your competitors, but pay more attention to what you're doing.
	When you look at your competitors, remember that everything looks perfect at a distance. Even the planet Earth, if you get far enough into space, looks like a peaceful place.
12.	Never let anybody push you around.
	In our society, with our laws and even playing field, you have just as much right to what you're doing as anyone else, provided that what you're doing is legal.
13.	Never expect life to be fair.
	Life isn't fair. You make your own breaks. You'll be doing good if the only meaning fair has to you, is something that you pay when you get on a bus (i.e., fare).
14.	Solve your own problems.
	You'll find that by coming up with your own solutions, you'll develop a competitive edge. Masura Ibuka, the co-founder of SONY, said it best: "You never succeed in technology, business, or anything by following the others." There's also an old saying that I remind myself of frequently. It goes like this: "A wise man keeps his own counsel."
15.	Don't take yourself too seriously.
	Lighten up. Often, at least half of what we accomplish is due to luck. None of us are in control as much as we like to think we are.
16.	There's always a reason to smile.
	Find it. After all, you're really lucky just to be alive. Life is short. More and more, I agree with my little brother. He always reminds me: "We're not here for a long time, we're here for a good time!"

        --- Article By Bob Parsons

Cicero's Observations in 43 B.C

Cicero (43 BC) of the Roman empire said this then. Seems equally, if not much more relevant today. More so when we get to see the extremes.

1. The poor, work & work.

2. The rich, exploit the poor.

3. The soldier, protects both.

4. The taxpayer, pays for all the three.

5. The wanderer, rests for all the four.

6. The drunk, drinks for all the five.

7. The banker, robs all the six.

8. The lawyer, misleads all the seven.

9. The doctor, kills all the eight.

10. The undertaker, buries all the nine.

11. The Politician & Prostitute live happily on account of all the ten.

FIVE FORMS OF VIOLENCE

Violence has pervaded all levels of society today. From wars, clashes, terrorist attacks to individual crimes we are witnessing increasingly shocking acts of violence these days. All forms of violence we witness in this world are the manifestation of the violence within ourselves.

 

There has been much introspection and study on the factors that lead to violent behavior , social, political, economic, psychological etc. Poverty, lack of employment, lack of education, alcoholism, drugs, sexual perversion, money, power are many of the factors that are cited as reasons and motives for violence. But violence is much deep rooted. It stems from a far greater ignorance than humanity is aware of. The genesis of violence is very subtle and deeply seated in human consciousness.

 

Violence originates from vices. When human souls forget their true identity and begin to identify with their body, their roles and material assets, they come under the influence of vices. To think and act under the influence of vices is to commit violence because the soul is violating its true nature of peace, joy, love and power.

 

The five forms of violence committed by human beings are to indulge in five vices , lust , anger, greed, attachment and ego. All vices are connected to the feeling of wanting or desiring. All desires keep us in the illusion of fulfillment that is gained only for a fleeting moment.

 

LUST - has been considered as the greatest enemy of human soul. Lust destroys all purity and power in the soul. It is a great deception. Lust is not just to indulge in physical pleasures. People often spend their lives lusting for money and power. Lust is an obsessive or addictive desire to seek support, fulfillment, happiness and self worth by indulging in pleasures that finish all inner powers and dignity of the soul. It creates endless cycles of desires and indulgence. It makes a person extremely selfish and finishes all clarity, sensitivity, love and truth in the soul.

 

ANGER , is a fire that burns the self and others. When desires or expectations are not met; when situations or people don’t our way we become angry and react. Anger blunts our discernment and decision-making powers. We are not able to think and act rationally when we are angry. We are totally overpowered by negative emotions and we use emotionally charged words or actions to force others to meet our expectations. Anger always makes a soul subservient to other people’s behavior and situations. Anger can lead to destructive behavior that can cause great damage on large scale such as war, terrorism, murders etc.

 

GREED , is another word for insatiable desires. A greedy person is always poor and empty inside even though he may have lots of material assets at his disposal. Greed keeps one in a state of continuous seeking and chasing desires. Greed inevitably leads to unrighteous and corrupt practices. It makes a person very unhappy, fearful, dishonest and irresponsible. Greedy people can never enjoy life as they always want more. Greed can lead to total imbalance and exploitation of man and nature which can result in wide-spread damage.

 

ATTACHMENT , is a subtle but deep-rooted vice. Many saints have pointed out attachment as the root of all suffering. Attachment comes from the need to feel supported and valued by people, objects and roles. It makes one selfish and creates strong sense of false support and identity. Attachment keeps one entangled in the web of ‘mine’ and the need to hold on to whatever one is attached to. Attachment makes one selfish petty and narrow-minded.

 

EGO , is the subtlest enemy of the soul. When we are under the influence of ego we are totally disconnected from our true self-respect. In ego, we fabricate and identify ourselves with false self image. Ego thrives on attention and an egoist person always feels insecure and seeks attention It is said , if it hurts it is ego. An egoist is always influenced by praise and defamation. Ego keeps one under deep delusion and falsehood. It isolates a person from others and sets up clashes, discord, hatred and blind competition.

 

All the bad things happening in the world today can be traced to these five forms of violence. When we understand our true spiritual nature , that all souls are pure and peaceful beings who innate nature is divine , we can make a choice to live by our truth and not to violate ourselves. When we violate ourselves we are violating eternal spiritual laws that are needed to sustain peace and harmony in this world.

Violence can only be eliminated by following spiritual principles and by becoming viceless through spiritual communion with God.

Great Illustration

This is a great illustration of collective phenomena. If you look closely, each dot is just moving around in a regular circle; but because the different circles are out of phase with each other, when you back away you see waves steadily moving across the screen. It's a simple demonstration of how large-scale, collective phenomena can emerge from very simple small-scale behavior. Things like this happen all over the place: water waves and sound waves, for example, work in basically the same way, with the small back-and-forth motions of individual molecules leading to compression patterns moving through the air.

Ensuring Safety for Kids at Home

 

Your kids are a great blessing. You can be more patient for a mishap that happens to you but when it comes to your kids, you are very sensitive and cannot see them in pain, tragedy or chronic sickness. Below are some of the tips through which you can avoid several emergency situations popping up when your kids are at home:

 

1- Don't allow kids to go to washrooms alone till they clearly understand the usage of hot and cold water taps.
2- Keep medicines away from your kids. Recently a friend of mine had to take his daughter to hospital in emergency as she ate 10+ tablets from the shelf. Although the hospital washed her stomach but did not take any responsibility for any mishap. My friend has to sign the disclaimer which stated that in case of any mishap the whole responsibility would be on the parents.
3- Don't put chairs or sofas near windows, especially if you are living in flats. We have read so many news about kids death falling from windows.
4- Consider windows/doors closing brackets. If you have IKEA in your area, buy one from there.

5- If you have sharp edged dining or lounge tables, consider rubber based edge protectors. (Visit IKEA)

6- Keep the match or lighter away from the stove.
7- Keep the knives, scissors and other sharp edge cutlery away from the reach of kids.
8- Cleaning agents (floor cleaners, crockery cleaners, toilet antiseptics etc) must be out of reach. Be sure to close the bottles tightly. Toddlers have the tendency of putting everything in mouth.

Want to Start Your Own Business?

This publication is a checklist for the owner-manager of a small business enterprise or for one contemplating going into business for the first time. The questions concentrate on areas you must seriously consider to determine if your idea represents a real business opportunity and if you really know what you are getting into. You can use the checklist to evaluate a completely new venture proposal or an apparent opportunity in your existing business.

Perhaps the most crucial problem you will face after expressing an interest in starting a new business or capitalizing on an apparent opportunity in your existing business will be determining the feasibility of your idea. Getting into the right business at the right time is simple advice, but advice that is extremely difficult to implement. The high failure rate of new businesses and products indicates that very few ideas result in successful business ventures, even when introduced by well established firms. Too many entrepreneurs strike out on a business venture so convinced of its merits that they fail to thoroughly evaluate its potential.

Here are some questions and worksheets to help you think through what you need to know and do. Answer each question with a YES or NO. Where the answer is NO, you have some work to do.

Preliminary Analysis

A feasibility study involves gathering, analyzing and evaluating information with the purpose of answering the question: "Should I go into this business?" Answering this question involves a preliminary assessment of both personal and project considerations.

General Personal Considerations

Do you like to make your own decisions?

Do you enjoy competition?

Do you have will power and self-discipline?

Do you plan ahead?

Do you get things done on time?

Can you take advice from others?

Can you get a business started and make it run efficiently?

Are you adaptable to changing conditions?

Have you worked for someone else as a supervisor or Manager?

Have you had any business training in school?

Have you saved any money?

Physical, emotional and financial strains

Do you understand that owning your own business may entail working 12 to 16 hours a day, probably six days a week, and maybe on holidays?

Do you have the physical stamina to handle a business?

Do you have the emotional strength to withstand the strain?

Are you prepared to lower your standard of living for several months or years?

Are you prepared to lose your savings?

Are you willing to re-invest your salary/business profits to help your business grow?

Specific Personal Considerations

Do you know which skills and areas of expertise are critical to the success of your project?

Do you have these skills?

Does your idea effectively utilize your own skills and abilities?

Can you find personnel that have the expertise you lack?

Do you know why you are considering this project?

Will your project effectively meet your career aspirations?

The next questions emphasize the point that very few people can claim expertise in all phases of a feasibility study. You should realize your personal limitations and seek appropriate assistance where necessary (i.e. marketing, legal, financial).

Do you have the ability to perform the feasibility study?

Do you have the time to perform the feasibility study?

Do you have the money needed to have the feasibility study done?

General Project Description

• Briefly describe the business you want to enter.

• List the products and/or services you want to sell.

o Do you know how much or how many of each you will buy to open your store with?

o Have you compared the prices and credit terms of different suppliers?

o Will your plan for keeping track of your inventory tell you when it is time to order more and how much to order?

• Describe who will use your products/services.

o Do you know what kind of people will want to buy what you plan to sell?

o Do people like to live in the area where you want to open your business?

o Do they need a business like yours?

o If not, have you thought about opening a different kind of business or going to another location?

• Why would someone buy your product/service?

o Do you have a plan for finding out what your customers want?

• What kind of location do you need in terms of type of neighbourhood, traffic count, nearby firms, etc.

o Have you found a good building for you business?

o Will you have sufficient room to expand when necessary?

o Can people access your business easily from parking spaces, bus stops, or their homes?

o Have you had a lawyer check the lease and zoning requirements?

• List your products/services suppliers.

o Do you plan to buy most of your stock from a few suppliers or several?

o Do you know the advantages and disadvantages of each supply method?

• List your major competitors - those who sell or provide similar products/services.

• List the labour and staff you require to provide your products/services.

o If you need to hire someone to help you, do you know where to look?

o Do you know what kind of employees you need?

o Do you have a plan for training your employees?

• Do you know how to determine what you should charge for each item you sell?

o Do you know what your competitors charge?

• Have you decided whether of not to let your customers buy on credit?

• Do you know the good and bad points about joining a credit-card plan?

• Have you planned a system of records that will keep track of your income and expenses, what you owe people, and what other people owe you?

o Have you figured out how to keep your payroll records and take care of tax reports and payments?

o Do you know what financial statements you should prepare?

o Do you know an accountant who will help you with your records and financial statements?

Requirements for Success

To determine whether your idea meets the basic requirements for a successful new project, you must be able to answer at least one of the following questions with a "yes."

Does the product/service/business serve a presently unserved need?

Does the product/service/business serve an existing market in which demand exceeds supply?

Can the product/service/business successfully compete with existing competition because of an "advantageous situation", such as better price, location, etc.?

Major Flaws

A "Yes" response to questions such as the following would indicate that the idea has little chance for success.

Are there any causes (i.e. restrictions, monopolies, shortages) that make any of the required factors of production unavailable (i.e. unreasonable cost, scarce skills, energy, material, equipment, processes, technology, or personnel)?

Are capital requirements for entry or continuing operations excessive?

Is adequate financing hard to obtain?

Are there potential detrimental environmental effects?

Are there factors that prevent effective marketing?

Desired Income

The following questions should remind you that you must seek both a return on your investment in your own business as well as a reasonable salary for the time you spend in operating that business.

How much income do you desire?

Are you prepared to earn less income in the 1st - 3rdyears?

What minimum income do you require?

What financial investment will be required for your business?

Do you know how much credit you can get from your suppliers - the people you will buy from?

Do you know where you can borrow the rest of the money you need to start your business?

Have you figured out what net/loss income per year you expect to get from the business?

How much could you earn by investing this money? (A)

How much could you earn by working for someone else? (B)

Add the amounts in (A) and (B). If this income is greater than what you can realistically expect from your business, are you prepared to forego this additional income to be your own boss with the prospects of more substantial profit/income in future years?

Equipment and Supplies

Can you make a list of every item of inventory and operating supplies needed?

Do you know the quantity, quality, technical specifications, and price ranges desired?

Do you know the name and location of each potential source of supply?

Do you know the price ranges available for each product from each supplier?

Do you know about the delivery schedules for each supplier?

Do you know the sales terms of each supplier?

Do you know the credit terms of each supplier?

Do you know the financial condition of each supplier?

Is there a risk of shortage for any critical materials or merchandise?

Are you aware of which suppliers have an advantage relative to transportation costs?

Expenses

Do you know what your expenses will be for: rent, wages, insurance, utilities, advertising, interest, etc.?

Do you need to know which expenses are direct, indirect, or fixed?

Do you know how much your overhead will be?

Do you know how much your selling expenses will be?

Miscellaneous

Are you aware of any major risks associated with your product, service and/or business?

Can you minimize any of these major risks?

Are there major risks beyond your control?

Can these risks bankrupt you?

Venture Feasibility

Are there any major questions remaining about your proposed venture?

Do the above questions arise because of a lack of data?

Do the above questions arise because of a lack of management skills?

Do the above questions arise because of a "fatal flaw" in your idea?

Can you obtain the additional data needed?

Can you obtain the additional managerial skills needed?

Are you aware that there is less than a 50-50 chance that you will be in business two years from now?    

Think about the Tremendous Power of Words:

Do you keep telling yourself how difficult life is? If you do, you will always see difficulties everywhere.
Do you keep telling yourself how poor you are? If you do, your subconscious mind will always be busy justifying these thoughts.

Change the words and sentences you use, and you will get different results. The way you phrase a sentence will always affect the results, and some results could be quite dramatic.

This applies to words you repeat in your mind, words you say aloud, and words you read.

Different words affect people and differently and cause different reactions. This applies to work interviews, dating, advertising, relationships, conversations and every sort of communication.

The words you repeat in your mind, in your inner conversations, also have a tremendous power. If you change them, you can change your life, and also how people treat you.

Pay attention to the words you constantly repeat in your mind. Be aware of what is going on in your mind, when you are not too busy, such as while waiting in line, travelling by bus or train, walking, or at any other time you are mentally not busy.

What kind of words do you repeat in your mind?

If you always say:

I am weak
I am poor
I cannot...
This is a problem

Change the words, and instead say:

I am strong.
I am rich.
I can.
This a solvable challenge

Say these words with faith and conviction, not just uttering them without believing them. This might be difficult at first, but if you persist, the inner resistance will get weaker, and the words would sink into your subconscious mind. When this happens, things would start changing in your life.

Remember that words have power:

Words can change your life
Words affect how you feel
Words affect how you react
Words affect how you treat people, and how you treat them
Different words bring different results

Problem

This is one of the many negative words that we use very regularly in our daily conversation. `Problem in the work place…problem at home…what a life?

What is a problem?

Look at this incident. A young graduate was tired of hunting for a job. After many years, he got a job as a journalist. He went to the office full of expectations and a subtle fear. The chief editor called him and said, `Today is independence day. A navy vessel has docked in our harbour. Navy personale are celebrating Independence Day on that vessel. Cover this as a news item for our magazine."

First day, first assignment!

The young man ran excitedly towards the horbour. In the evening, the other reporters who went to various places like the fort, collectorate, party office and so on gathered in the main office to give finishing touches to their respective reports. The new journalist was alone, sitting soulfully without writing anything. One of the colleagues asked him gently, "Why aren't you writing your report?

`It is all my luck! When I try to sell flour, a high wind blows and when I go to sell salt, it rains! The very first day my assignment has got me into trouble. The editor sent me to cover independent celebrations on the Navy vessel. There were no celebrations on that vessel', the young journalist expressed sardonically

`Why', pursued the colleague.

`There was a big hole in that vessel. People who had gathered there were busy in the preparations; hence no one noticed it. Only when a lot of water has entered the vessel, did someone notice it. And thereafter, they were busy repairing the vessel. How on earth could they celebrate Independence day?' asked the new journalist sulkily.

His colleague was excited. He exclaimed, `My God! That news should come in the first page! And ran out to collect further information on that mishap.

The very information that made the new journalist wilt in sorrow because he viewed it as a `problem' was a golden opportunity for the other to prove his talent. The new journalist has missed an opportunity, which was spotted by another reporter.

Life is not something that happens according to a planned agenda. It is a procession of unexpected opportunities! In fact each problem is an opportunity for us.

The Top 30 Banks In The World

 

Industrial and Commercial Bank of China tops the global ranking of banks with the most capital.  This list shows the top 30 banks in the Top 1000 World Banks 2013 as published in the July issue of The Bankers Magazine.   The rankings are based on Tier 1 capital determining a bank's ability to lend on a large scale and banking operations.

The Top 30 Banks In The World

 

1. Industrial and Commercial Bank of China
Country: China

City: Beijing

$Million Tier 1 Capital: 160,645.95

$Million Assets: 2,788,905.72

Photo: Reuters Pictures

2. JP Morgan Chase & Co
Country: USA

City: New York

$Million Tier 1 Capital: 160,002.00

$Million Assets: 2,359,141.00

Photo: Getty Images

3. Bank of America
Country: USA

City: Charlotte

$Million Tier 1 Capital: 155,461.14

$Million Assets: 2,212,004.45

Photo: Getty Images

4. HSBC Holdings
Country: UK

City: London

$Million Tier 1 Capital: 151,048.00

$Million Assets: 2,692,538.00

Photo: Reuters Pictures

5. China Construction Bank Corporation
Country: China

City: Beijing

$Million Tier 1 Capital: 137,600.40

$Million Assets: 2,221,435.29

Photo: Reuters Pictures

6. Citigroup
Country: USA

City: New York

$Million Tier 1 Capital: 136,532.00

$Million Assets: 1,864,660.00

Photo: Getty Images

7. Mitsubishi UFJ Financial Group
Country: Japan

City: Tokyo

$Million Tier 1 Capital: 129,575.97

$Million Assets: 2,709,401.51

Photo: Getty Images

8. Wells Fargo & Co
Country: USA

City: San Francisco

$Million Tier 1 Capital: 126,607.00

$Million Assets: 1,422,968.00

Photo: Reuters Pictures

9. Bank of China
Country: China

City: Beijing

$Million Tier 1 Capital: 121,504.13

$Million Assets: 2,015,996.03

Photo: Reuters Pictures

10. Agricultural Bank of China
Country: China

City: Beijing

$Million Tier 1 Capital: 111,493.32

$Million Assets: 2,105,618.76

Photo: Reuters Pictures

11. BNP Paribas
Country: France

City: Paris

$Million Tier 1 Capital: 99,222.96 $Million Assets: 2,516,213.72

Photo: Reuters Pictures

12. Royal Bank of Scotland
Country: UK

City: Edinburgh
$Million Tier 1 Capital: 88,156.94

$Million Assets: 2,069,865.93

Photo: Reuters Pictures

13. Credit Agricole
Country: France

City: Montrouge

$Million Tier 1 Capital: 81,354.88

$Million Assets: 2,649,277.04

Photo: Getty Images

14. Banco Santander
Country: Spain

City: Madrid

$Million Tier 1 Capital: 81,259.89

$Million Assets: 1,674,970.98

Photo: Getty Images

15. Barclays
Country: UK

City: London

$Million Tier 1 Capital: 80,109.62

$Million Assets: 2,350,664.04

Photo: Reuters Pictures

16. Sumitomo Mitsui Financial Group
Country: Japan

City: Tokyo

$Million Tier 1 Capital: 78,902.37

$Million Assets: 1,718,045.06

Photo: Company Website

17. Mizuho Financial Group
Country: Japan

City: Tokyo

$Million Tier 1 Capital: 74,955.52

$Million Assets: 2,049,810.08

Photo: Getty Images

18. Lloyds Banking Group
Country: UK

City: London

$Million Tier 1 Capital: 67,435.33

$Million Assets: 1,458,283.91

Photo: Reuters Pictures

19. Goldman Sachs
Country: USA

City: New York

$Million Tier 1 Capital: 66,977.00

$Million Assets: 938,770.00

Photo: Reuters Pictures

20. Deutsche Bank
Country: Germany

City: Frankfurt am Main

$Million Tier 1 Capital: 66,600.26

$Million Assets: 2,654,787.60

Photo: Reuters Pictures

21. UniCredit
Country: Italy

City: Milano

$Million Tier 1 Capital: 64,469.66

$Million Assets: 1,222,726.91

Photo: Getty Images

22. Groupe BPCE
Country: France

City: Paris

$Million Tier 1 Capital: 61,354.88

$Million Assets: 1,513,879.95

Photo: Company Website

23. Bank of Communications
Country: China

City: Shanghai
$Million Tier 1 Capital: 57,613.43

$Million Assets: 838,375.04

Photo: Company Website

24. Morgan Stanley
Country: USA

City: New York

$Million Tier 1 Capital: 54,360.00

$Million Assets: 780,960.00

Photo: Reuters Pictures

25. Norinchukin Bank
Country: Japan

City: Tokyo

$Million Tier 1 Capital: 52,192.95

$Million Assets: 941,615.34

Photo: Company Website

26. ING Bank
Country: Netherlands

City: Amsterdam

$Million Tier 1 Capital: 52,084.43

$Million Assets: 1,102,992.08

Photo: Reuters Pictures

27. Rabobank Group
Country: Netherlands

City: Utrecht

$Million Tier 1 Capital: 50,675.46

$Million Assets: 992,625.33

Photo: Company Website

28. Societe Generale
Country: France

City: Paris

$Million Tier 1 Capital: 50,259.89

$Million Assets: 1,649,994.72

Photo: Reuters Pictures

29. Intesa Sanpaolo
Country: Italy

City: Torino

$Million Tier 1 Capital: 47,510.55

$Million Assets: 888,485.49

Photo: Company Website

30. Credit Suisse Group
Country: Switzerland

City: Zurich

$Million Tier 1 Capital: 47,488.55

$Million Assets: 1,007,938.93

Photo: Reuters Pictures