Why the Sky is blue ?

The daytime sky on Earth appears blue in colour. Light is made up of PHOTONS which are matterless particles. White light is made up of seven colours: red, orange, yellow, green, blue, violet & indigo.

This light travels at different wavelengths. Some colours are better at passing through gases than others. Red light is seen at longer wavelengths and indigo has the shortest wavelength.

When photons from the Sun travel into Earth's atmosphere some of this light hits and bounces the nitrogen and oxygen molecules there. The result is that light is split up and scattered.

Red, orange, yellow and green light carries straight on through this atmosphere but blue, violet and indigo get bounced around from molecule to molecule.

We see a blue sky as a result of all this bouncing around.

Why don't we see an Indigo or Violet sky? Simply because our eyes do not see these colours very well. Blue is a more dominant colour.

Further evidence of this can be seen during sunset and sunrise. The sky appears red then as the light travels through more of Earth's atmosphere. Most of the blue light is scattered away. Also during a lunar eclipse the Moon appears red as light travels through Earth's atmosphere.

How towrite a Cover Letter?

Purpose of Your Cover Letter

Your cover letter is an important component of the application process. It serves as a way for you to summarize your qualifications, state your interest in a position, and stand out from other applicants. It is specific to each opportunity you are pursuing.

Cover letters should be well written and always accompanied by each resume you send out unless otherwise specified. It is particularly important to include a cover letter, if an objective is not listed on your resume, to be clear on what position you are interested in. 

Tips for Writing Your Cover Letter

Writing a cover letter can be overwhelming. Focus your efforts and include content that is concise, relevant, and appealing to potential employers.

Be purposeful

• While every cover letter is different, effective cover letters demonstrate you are a good fit for the position.
• Convey your enthusiasm for the position and knowledge of the company.
• Provide support and examples that showcase the skills and competencies that are being sought.
• Focus on your accomplishments and measurable results.

Follow standard business writing protocol 

• Address your cover letter to a specific person whenever possible. It may take some resourcefulness on your part to identify the appropriate person, but the letter will be better received.  
• Write clearly and concisely.
• Use proper grammar and check for misspelled words.
• Limit your letter to one page.
• Be sure to include the date, an appropriate salutation, and closure with your signature.

Do not mass produce 

• Mass produced cover letters are easy to detect. Be sure to relate your specific skills and experiences to each indivdual position.   
• Incorporate information that reflects your knowledge of the company, the industry, or the position. 
• Consider that employers are seeking to fill specific roles and are looking for applicants that have the skills and qualities to succeed in that role. 

Structuring Your Cover Letter

Follow these guidelines to ensure your cover letter is properly structured.  

Paragraph 1: Capture Attention 

• In your first paragraph, capture the reader's attention.
• Indicate the position you are applying for and how you learned of the vacancy, i.e. Did someone tell you about it?  Did you see an ad or website? 
• Outline the specific reasons why you are ideal for the position.  
• Sell yourself in paragraph 1. Do not wait until the second paragraph to articulate why you are well qualified for the position.

Paragraph 2 & 3: Create Desire 

• Describe yourself as a serious candidate and one worth inviting for an interview. State the hard details including your specific skills, history of responsibility, success, etc. 
• Think about ways to reinforce an image of yourself that includes as many of the desired qualities as possible. 
• Show, don’t tell. Remember, your goal is to set yourself apart from other applicants. Do not just tell the employer you have a skill, provide evidence. For example, do not just state you are “detail oriented”. Give the reader an example of something in your work history that proves that you are detail oriented. 
• Refer to your resume, but do not simply list the contents of it. 
• Emphasize how your variety of experiences are connected to the position and will benefit the company. 

Paragraph 4: Call for Action 

• Use a few lines to express your strong interest in the position and your desire to discuss your application further in an interview. 

Give a brief summary of the key points in the letter, but avoid repetition.

How to gain weight?

We often talk about losing weight, but this is what you need to consider if gaining weight is one of your health goals. 

For healthy weight gain you need to increase your calorie intake by increasing nutrient and calorie rich foods in the diet. You need to supply your body with all the essential nutrients it needs for muscle growth and maintenance. 

You should be aiming to put on healthy weight by increasing muscle mass with a healthy proportion of body fat. To do this you need to increase your daily food intake of high-protein foods, healthy fats and slow releasing complex carbohydrates. Steer away from heavily processed junk foods that contain 'empty calories' and are high in hydrogenated oils and sugar.

Protein is essential for growth and maintenance of muscles, healthy choices include oily fish, chicken, red meat, dairy foods and nuts and seeds. Protein powders are very useful for people trying to increase their weight, try adding some to smoothies.

Increasing your intake of complex carbohydrate foods such as wholegrain breads, pasta, oats and rice, and starchy vegetables (potato, sweet potato, pumpkin, corn), will help promote healthy weight gain, without disrupting your blood sugar levels.

Upping healthy unsaturated fats, replacing saturated and trans-fats, is also beneficial. Use more cold pressed oils (olive, macadamia, walnut and chia), nuts and seed pastes, and avocado. Try making salad dressings with cold pressed oils and tahini, satay sauces with natural peanut butter, pesto through pasta, and cheese sauces over vegetables. Fresh coconut flesh is a delicious addition to smoothies.

Try including more calorie and nutrient rich snacks in your daily diet such as nut butters, tahini or avocado on wholegrain toast; nuts and seeds with dried fruit; muesli bars (try making your own healthy ones); cheese, avocado and tomato on whole wheat crackers; or smoothies with protein powder, milk, LSA (ground linseeds, sunflower seeds and almonds), and banana.

Remember to eat plenty of fruits and vegetables as they should be a major part of any healthy diet. 

Conditions such as an over active thyroid can make it difficult for people to put on weight, and should be investigated and treated.

How to Start a Business?

So you want to start your own business? If you think it's going to be easy, think again: Entrepreneurship is a journey that requires a lot of time, effort and hard work, and perhaps unsurprisingly, many people end up failing. But if your company survives, the rewards of entrepreneurship are well worth the obstacles you'll face on the road to success.

If you think you're ready to start your first business, here's a step-by-step overview of what you need to do to make it happen.

Brainstorm ideas

Every new business starts with an idea. Maybe there's something you're really knowledgeable and passionate about, or perhaps you think you've found a way to fill a gap in the marketplace. Wherever your interests lie, it's almost guaranteed that there's a way to turn it into a business.

Once you've narrowed your list of ideas down to one or two, do a quick search for existing companies in your chosen industry. Learn what current brand leaders are doing, and figure out how you can do it better. If you think your business can deliver something other companies don't (or deliver the same thing, but faster and cheaper), you've got a solid idea and are ready to create a business plan.

Another option is to open a franchise of an established company. The concept, brand following and business model are already in place; all you need is a good location and the means to fund your operation.

Build a business plan

Now that you have your idea in place, you need to ask yourself a few important questions: What is the purpose of your business? Who are you selling to? What are your end goals? How will you finance your startup costs? All of these questions can be answered in a well-written business plan.

A business plan helps you figure out where your company is going, how it will overcome any potential difficulties and what you need to sustain it.

Assess your finances

Starting any business has a price, so you need to determine how you're going to cover those costs. Do you have the means to fund your startup, or will you need to borrow money? If you are planning to make your new business your full-time job, it's wise to wait until you have at least some money put away for startup costs and for sustaining yourself in the beginning before you start making a profit.

While many entrepreneurs put their own money into their new companies, it's very possible that you'll need financial assistance. A commercial loan through a bank is a good starting point, although these are often difficult to secure. If you are unable to take out a bank loan, you can apply for a small business loan through the Small Business Administration (SBA) or an alternative lender.

Startups requiring a lot more funding up front may want to consider an investor. Investors usually provide several million dollars or more to a fledgling company, with the expectation that the backers will have a hands-on role in running your business. Alternatively, you could launch an equity crowdfunding campaign to raise smaller amounts of money from multiple backers.

Determine your legal business structure

Before you can register your company, you need to decide what kind of entity it is. Your business structure legally affects everything from how you file your taxes to your personal liability if something goes wrong.

If you own the business entirely by yourself and plan to be responsible for all debts and obligations, you can register for a sole proprietorship. Alternatively, a partnership, as its name implies, means that two or more people are held personally liable as business owners.

If you want to separate your personal liability from your company's liability, you may want to consider forming one of several different types of corporations. This makes a business a separate entity apart from its owners, and therefore, corporations can own property, assume liability, pay taxes, enter into contracts, sue and be sued like any other individual. One of the most common structures for small businesses, however, is the limited liability corporation (LLC). This hybrid structure has the legal protections of a corporation while allowing for the tax benefits of a partnership.

Ultimately, it is up to you to determine which type of entity is best for your current needs and future business goals.

Register with the government and IRS

To become an officially recognized business entity, you must register with the government. Corporations will need an "articles of incorporation" document, which includes your business name, business purpose, corporate structure, stock details and other information about your company. Otherwise, you will just need to register your business name, which can be your legal name, a fictitious "Doing Business As" name (if you are the sole proprietor), or the name you've come up with for your company. You may also want to take steps to trademark your business name for extra legal protection.

After you register your business, the next step is obtaining an employer identification number (EIN) from the IRS. While this is not required for sole proprietorships with no employees, you may want to apply for one anyway to keep your personal and business taxes separate, or simply to save yourself the trouble later on if you decide to hire someone else. The IRS has provided a checklist to determine whether you will require an EIN to run your business. If you do need an EIN, you can register online for free.

Regardless of whether you need an EIN, you will need to file certain forms to fulfill your federal and state income tax obligations. The forms you need are determined by your business structure. A complete list of the forms each type of entity will need can be found on the SBA website. You can also find state-specific tax obligations there. Some businesses may also require federal or state licenses and permits in order to operate. You can use the SBA's database to search for licensing requirements by state and business type.

Select your technology

Just about every business today needs a solid set of tech tools to operate. Some will be more tech-heavy than others depending on the industry, but at the very least, you will likely need a powerful and reliable business laptop or smart device to help you keep things organized.

Since many key business functions — accounting, invoicing, point-of-sale software, presentations, etc. — can now be managed via mobile apps, you might be able to get away with just a smartphone or tablet. For more complex business functions, you'll want to consider a computer with strong security features, storage options and performance speed.

For those who want to operate their business on a smart device, think about whether you'll need a separate phone or tablet for your professional apps and data. For instance, you could route your calls through a third-party app on your existing phone so you don't need to give out your personal cell number. However, if you use the same apps for business and personal purposes, it might be easier to separate them so you don't accidentally share information with the wrong audience.

Purchase an insurance policy

It might slip your mind as something you'll "get around to" eventually, but purchasing the right insurance for your business is an important step that should happen before you officially launch. Dealing with incidents like property damage, theft or even a customer lawsuit can be costly, and you need to be sure that you're properly protected.

Gyawu Mahama, social media and marketing manager at small business insurer Hiscox, said to choose insurance that's tailored to your specific business practices to ensure you're not paying for more coverage than you need.

"As a small business owner, you don't need a once-size-fits-all insurance plan," Mahama said. "Coverage doesn't have to cost a lot. General- and professional-liability insurance coverage for a sole proprietorship can be purchased for a few hundred dollars a year."

If your business will have employees, you will, at minimum, need to purchase workers' compensation and unemployment insurance. You may also need other types of coverage depending on your location and industry, but most small businesses are advised to purchase general liability (GL) insurance, or a business owner's policy. Mahama said GL covers three basic categories: property damage, bodily injury, and personal injury to yourself or a third party.

If your business provides a service, you may also want to consider professional liability insurance. It covers you if you do something wrong or neglect to do something you should have done while operating your business, Mahama said.

Mahama advised checking in with your insurance provider throughout the year to keep the provider updated on any changes happening in your business.

Choose your partners

Running a business can be overwhelming, and you're probably not going to be able to do it all on your own. That's where third-party vendors come in. Companies in every industry from HR to business phone systems exist to partner with you and help you run your business better.

When you're searching for B2B partners, you'll have to choose very carefully. These companies will have access to vital and potentially sensitive business data, so it's critical to find someone you can trust. In our guide to choosing business partners, our expert sources recommended asking potential vendors about their experience in your industry, their track record with existing clients, and what kind of growth they've helped other clients achieve.

Build your team

Unless you're planning to be your only employee, you're going to need to hire a great team to get your company off the ground. Joe Zawadzki, CEO and founder of MediaMath, said entrepreneurs need to give the "people" element of their businesses the same attention they give their products.

"Your product is built by people," Zawadski said. "Identifying your founding team, understanding what gaps exist, and [determining] how and when you will address them should be top priority. Figuring out how the team will work together ... is equally important. Defining roles and responsibility, division of labor, how to give feedback, or how to work together when not everyone is in the same room will save you a lot of headaches down the line."

Brand yourself and advertise

Before you start selling your product or service, you need to build up your brand and get a following of people ready to jump when you open your literal or figurative doors for business.

Create a logo that can help people easily identify your brand, and be consistent in using it across all of your platforms, including your all-important company website. Use social media to spread the word about your new business, perhaps as a promotional tool to offer coupons and discounts to followers once you launch. Be sure to also keep these digital assets up to date with relevant, interesting content about your business and industry.

Grow your business

Your launch and first sales are only the beginning of your task as an entrepreneur. In order to make a profit and stay afloat, you always need to be growing your business. It's going to take time and effort, but you'll get out of your business what you put into it.

Collaborating with more established brands in your industry is a great way to achieve growth. Reach out to other companies or even influential bloggers and ask for some promotion in exchange for a free product sample or service. Partner with a charity organization and volunteer some of your time or products to get your name out there. Starting a business can be risky and challenging, but armed with the proper tools and information, you can put yourself on the path to entrepreneurship.

Why do boys always propose first?

It is not a rule that a boy/girl should propose first. Generally girls in India have a tendency not to propose first because of the culture we have been born and brought up in. This also applies to few boys who never express their feelings. Here are some reasons………..

Cultural ties

Right from the ancient times of courtship, it was a man’s duty to ask a woman for her acceptance. Being an Indian, a woman is often taught to be docile and sit back. With changing times, you might just want to let that guy you love know your feelings. No, you won’t be an out caste by doing that. 

 
Outrageous behavior

If by chance the girl takes the first step to ask a man out, she is judged by the conservative society. Don’t worry about it. If someone you love tells something to you, explain to them. Otherwise, remember – if you’re right, you shouldn’t step back.  Love knows no bounds.

Sounds desperate

Many of you would think that it’s desperate for a girl to propose a guy. But not the other way round. A girl chases the love of her life and it may portray a very desperate and needy image of her. If a guys does the same thing, he is considered  spontaneous, sweet or romantic. Somewhere, the blame starts with everyone for accepting and assenting to that image.

Easily approachable

This is a patriarchal society, and a girl proposing a guy can portray her being easily approachable. Despite a girl liking the guy, she has to keep it within herself to avoid getting tagged as what many of us call, a “loose woman” or one with no integrity. It is mainly due to the fear of being judged that she stays within the defined limits of the society.

Fear of rejection

Many girls do not take an initiative in proposing primarily because of the fear of rejection.  It’s okay. Rejection is part of life. True, it is quite difficult to overcome the pain and grief that follows rejection. But wouldn’t not knowing whether that guy liked you be worse?

Unrealistic expectations

Thanks to Nicholas Sparks books and countless Bollywood films, people have unrealistic romantic expectations of things which can never happen in real life. If you love that guy, why not accept his imperfections?

Waiting for the right guy

We have got to accept this girls, Prince Charming DOES NOT exist. Prince Charming isn’t God, and he is bound to have imperfections. We keep waiting for the right man and soon it is  late to understand there is no such thing as the

right guy and the right moment.

Pointing fingers at you

Every time you fight, he has the one thing to say that you hate the most. He blames you for proposing to him in the first place if you couldn’t handle a petty fight. This is one of the most annoying reasons.

The special feel

Girls always want to feel special. If a guy proposes to her , she feels on top of the world , special and all the more romantic. I mean, who doesn’t like the extravagant surprise proposal on top of the Eiffel tower.

The ultimate dilemma

Finally there is that fear of being worthy enough for the man. There is a popular saying ” A girl think she is never good enough for the guy she loves”. Take pride in who you are, go ahead and speak your heart out. True love has no parameters that need to be fulfilled.

It is believed to be an untold rule that a woman’s role is to accept the proposal or reject it but not to make one.  It might have originated from the stereotypical image of men being the providers both physically and financially.  At the end of the day, someone, be it a guy or a girl has to take an initiative and express – after all, all that matters is love. “ All is fair in love and war.”

How to propose to a man?

11 top tips for if you’re thinking of asking your man to marry you...

2016 is a leap year, and according to legend, St Brigid struck a deal with St Patrick so women can propose to men every four years on February 29th. We’re huge fans of women proposing to men and encourage any ladies thinking along these lines to go ahead and pop the question. Although February the 29th is a traditional date fora perfect proposal, don’t feel confined to just one day – you can propose any time of the year you like (take that St Patrick).

1. Should I worry about tradition?

Of course not! If the proposal is something you both want, what’s holding you back? Don’t let what others say influence you – you’ve got this!

2. Should I ask his parents?

How strictly you want to stick to the ‘norms’ of a marriage proposal is entirely up to you, but there’s nothing to stop you if you want to go ahead and ask his parents for their permission for his hand in marriage (just be prepared for ANY reaction – you may be surprised!).

3. What about the engagement ring?

Again, this is another personal decision. If you don’t want to get him an engagement ring, why not try a different type of gift? A watch or cufflinks would be great, and he’ll be able to wear them on the big day. Even better, personalise them with an engraving to make it really special!

4. Should I get down on one knee?

Feel free to do this if it feels like the right thing for you to do – don’t be afraid to ‘be more Monica’. 5. Should I prepare something to say? Although you may want to be spontaneous, it’s worth thinking of a few select things you may want to say when you pop the question. Maybe explain how much he means to you and how happy you are, and why you want to spend the rest of your life with him.

6. How can I make the proposal special?

This is where your personality and your relationship with your (hopefully) husband-to-be can shine through! Pick a place that is special to you both. Think of important memories you have together and don’t worry if you want to propose somewhere that may seem ‘ordinary’ to anyone else. If it’s special to both of you, it’s worth it.

7. How can I beat my nerves?

It’s natural to be nervous before you propose, which is why it’s great to remind yourself of why you’re doing this, what you’re planning to say and how exciting it’ll be when he says yes! You’ll find the eventual moment empowering and your nerves will disappear!

8. What if I have expectations about the proposal?

You can’t plan how he will react, and although we’re sure he’ll be delighted, if you have big expectations and you’re imagining him jumping up and down with joy and crying, you may be disappointed if this doesn’t happen (of course, it might do! Who knows until you propose!)

9. What if (shock, horror) he says no?

Like any proposal, there is the chance that the answer may not be what you hoped for. If there’s a pause after you ask, don’t worry! There could be many reasons why it’s not an instant yes, so don’t make any assumptions. Maybe the idea of marriage hasn’t occurred to him, or maybe he’s feeling a bit put-out because he was planning a proposal himself and you got there first! So don’t stress about it.

10. What will other people say about me proposing?

There’s no feeling like the excitement of announcing an engagement to your family and friends. You’ll find most people will love the idea of you proposing, especially when they see how happy the two of you are, and of course you’ll have a unique proposal story to share! If you do experience any rude comments (ahem), politely state that you don’t think it matters who proposed as long as the two of you are happy together (and it’s 2016 not 1916, thank you very much!)

11. What if I think he’s planning his own proposal?

This is a tricky one, but don’t be put off if you have your heart set on proposing yourself. After all, if he is planning to propose, he’s clearly excited about spending the rest of his life with you and you can just beat him to it!