Social networking has come out of age. It has evolved over the period of time. Today social networking is a huge business market in itself. Social networking, as the name suggests, helps us to be in touch with people, group & communities across the world. Information is shared, status updated, albums are uploaded & many more networking is executed. It has grown into a big business opportunity & also helps in business development via advertising.

Social networking sites like Facebook and Twitter are soon becoming a household name. Every individual is connected to world via these websites. Various communities have been formed, features added & still it’s evolving. Let’s have a look at 10 faces of this so-called social phenomenon.

1. Connect & Share

We all are busy in our day-to-day schedule. Be it office, business or studies, most of us have little personal time left. In this busy world, we don’t get time to contact or visit our friends & family regularly. All friends, family & relatives cannot be contacted regularly. Social networking provides a simple solution to this. Create an account with any social networking site & start sharing your thoughts, events & updates with your circle of friends. It is as easy now-a-days as it is said. You can be in touch with everybody, about their know-how & other developments.

2. Technical Advances

As Social networking evolved, it has made quite technical advances. It is after much research, innovation & hard-work that social networking has grown as we see it today. We hear about new websites everyday or about new features being added to an existing social site. As this aspect of human interaction has evolved, so have the technical advances involved. We find people, places, communities, advertisements, information, etc on social network sites now. The social networking domain is increasing at a fast pace, with respect to technical aspects as well.

3. Freedom of Ideas

Everybody has his/her own thought process. Social sites provide a single platform for everybody to share their thoughts. Be it about the government, policies, business, friends or just about anything. With its huge user base, the thoughts travel to million of people registered at the site. It doesn’t bound one’s imagination. If you have a thought or an idea, you can always share it across with your friends via social networking. The different public & private access levels ensure that the information you share reaches only the expected audiences. One is as free as himself on a social network,

4. Geography Independent

The best part of social networking phenomenon is its independence from one’s physical location. With Internet reaching the grass root level, social network too has widened its base. If you have an Internet connection, it doesn’t matter where you are located physically. A person in India can connect with people anywhere in world via social networks. The world has further shrunk by the introduction of social networks.

5. Advertising

Advertising aims at spreading certain information to as wide as audience as possible. Advertising can be in any form – written, visual, audio or graphical. As social networks increase their customer base, so is increasing their prospects as potential advertisers. Various firms, small and large businesses, or just individuals are approaching the social side of advertising. On the other hand, advertising contributes the maximum revenue generation medium for a social networking site. So the next time you think of advertising, it may be the case that social media will be the first choice.

6. Careers

As the social phenomenon is spreading, so are the employment opportunities. With such a huge information sharing system, different ideas are being shared across. In the fight of competition, social networks too are turning their heads towards providing various details about the job opportunities available worldwide. For e.g. Facebook has recently introduced its job career feature called Glassdoor, which provides various job opportunities to its users via connecting to others. Careers is one field which is being explored now by the so-called social networks.

7. The Innovation

With such a huge audience & free flow of thoughts & ideas – social networks are paving a way towards Innovation. People discuss, form communities, advertise, and innovate via social networks. These sites too keep innovating new features to be clubbed in their existent frameworks in order to keep ahead of the competition. Various new features are being added regularly to the existent social networks. Innovation is at a all time high with the advent of this social phenomenon.

8. The misuse

Every coin has two sides. As it allows free flow of thoughts, social networks are used by evil groups to spread hatred. As they directly reach the audience, these thoughts have a negative effect on society as a whole. Sometimes they are used as a weapon against any government body, or against some people. Though many sites have security features in place like report as abuse, blocked content, public & private access levels – but still loopholes can be found anywhere. Only Innovation is not enough, it is the right use that makes it a success.

9. Addiction

Today Facebook account has become a status quo. One who doesn’t have a facebook account is thought lower intellectually. It is the favorite pastime for most of the youngsters today. If you don’t have anything to do, instead of pursuing a hobby, check & update your facebook status. People are getting addicted to the social phenomenon. Don’t know what magical power it has, but it bounds you once you are into it. With features such as status update, “Like”, chatting & career opportunities, social networks are hard to resist. People are losing out on outdoor activities like sports & visiting close friends. Instead of focusing their energy in right productive direction, many people are just wasting their time on social networks just because it’s the easiest way to pass time.

10. Human Behavior

Man is a social animal. Anything that strengthens this bond is bound to succeed. Social networks have leveraged this basic human behavior of interaction. We like knowing about others & what others are doing. We are much more interested in other people’s life instead of our own. We like to remain updated about the surroundings, people & thoughts. We feel empowered with our growing awareness that we get by harnessing the features of this social phenomenon. With the evolving social networks, human behavior too is now the focus.

Social networking has its pros & cons. But whatever be the cons, it’s a rapidly spreading phenomenon. New features are evolving, more people are being added & a vast pool of information is shared. Starting with a small idea, it has grown into a full-fledged industry providing employment, generating revenue, driving innovation & sharing thoughts. The future seems to be bright for the so-called “Social Phenomenon”.

Inter Personal Relationships are Vital Connections

As social beings it is very essential and important for an individual to build and nurture the many relationships in one's life .This is an on going process and hence it is all the more important to know some basic facts. When we ask ourselves what role do relationships play in our life ? It may not be easy or one may not find a common answer to this question. It very much depends on what sort of a person you are because to some individuals relationships are paramount, and all other aspects such as work,fame ,status and creativity take a second place .To others this equation may be reversed. For them work and the thrill of pushing things to the cutting edge always scores over uncertain pleasures and pains of maintaining relationships. Similarly for some money matters the most or it may be popularity and fame depending on their personalities.

When we look at relationships in an objective manner , we see that they do affect the way we live our lives at least to a certain extent. ! Most people have misconceptions about the success of relationships , they seem to think that it happens by chance and luck has something to do with it. But the success of relationships do not happen by chance , but happens because we make the decision and work towards it to make it successful ..

What are Relationships in the first place ?

Relationships define our ability to connect with other parts of the universe. Although we tend to limit this word to our inter personal relationships with other human beings , the term also has a broader meaning that can involve animals,plants,birds ,your computer or even your car, and why not ?since we spend so much time with them.

What is common to all relationships is the need to recognise the other. Like for example : One can have no relationship with the environment if you are oblivious of it , the same is the case with your pet dog if you are not even aware of its presence . If We walk through fields, grounds,meadows busy chatting on our cell phone without even becoming aware of our surroundings , we have little connection with our surroundings.Why I bring this issue is to make the point that it is vital to stay connected with everything around you.

Making connections with others and recognising their uniqueness , no matter however fleetingly is an enriching experience...

Some ground rules

1, First of all we need to be sensitive and aware of them , meaning we should take an interest in them as people and not because of what they represent.

2, We should never try to build relationships based on our need or to fulfill some purpose of our own, such as making friends with the idea of getting some contract or a favor, marrying someone for the sake of the person's physical beauty and looks or wealth, even buying a dog with the idea of having someone to guard your property and belongings .

3, We need to focus on the welfare of the other person as well. In fact the more our focus moves away from our own needs,desires  and feelings the greater scope there is for space and depth within a relationship.But this should be genuine not put on..

4, There should be total openness and authenticity within a relationship.One must go past the need to keep up pretences and project images. One should be totally open and give and receive one another without allowing any falsity for a relationship to work and be successful.

5, Relationships take us within ourselves and when we pursue them with sufficient intensity it can actually bring us to the threshold of self realisation.

Different kinds of relationships and reasons for failure

Prominent among them is the familial and marital also between friends and relatives. The lack of communication between two people can be both the cause and effect of a host of other problems that arise in relationships.One should remember that each individual brings in his/her own mindset into any relationship and when these expectations are not realsied tension breaks out between the two people , this can happen in a marriage or any other relationship as well.

The most common reason for the breakdown of any relationship - marital,familial or even friendship , is when the people involved take each other for granted.We expect the other person to be there for us and , to do things for us but we conveniently forget to thank and appreciate them for it.When spouses go all out to point out each others fault , most of the time they never show any appreciation for the love and the caring they have received. A cool acceptance of the extra effort put in by either of the partners as their due make them want to get even .This tendency can ruin a good realtionship.

When people are married for a long time , for 15 years 20 years or 25 years whether the marriage is happy or unhappy it becomes a way of life , they cannot imagine any other ! However, in their less than happy moments couple tend to think of different scenarios but with panic since they have forgotten what life was as an unmarried person.They also may think that their marriage could do with some polishing.This has to come from both the sides. All you do by arguing and fighting on a daily basis is to let the relationship corrode which is not healthy.

A few basic differences between the way men and women think and their approach towards some common issues.

Their relationships are based on these differences in their personalities and characteristics ! They say that Men are from Mars and Women are from Venus ..

Men

1, Generally speaking a man's sense of self is defined through his ability to achieve results !

2,  Men prefer being alone when faced with major problems, they like to solve their problems alone.

3, Men feel motivated and empowered when they feel needed and wanted

4, Most men want space and would argue for the right to be free

5, If a woman doesnt ask for support a man normally assumes that he is giving enough

Women

1, A Woman's sense of self on the other hand is defined through her feelings and the quality of her relationships.

2, When faced with problems women tend to get together and talk openly about their problems.

3, Women feel motivated and empowered when feel cherished and wanted like men( the only point where they seem to have similar needs)

4, More than space women want understanding and reassurance .

5, Most women feel that love is never having to ask for anything.

So we can see the biological differences which, unless tackled with care and uunderstanding can lead to major misunderstandings. Building Relationships is not an easy task and one should remember that to love and to be able to love is truly a gift , perhaps one of the best gifts of all. Like someone once said  - I would rather have relationships ,problems and  little or no money  than have lots of money,no problems and no relationships .

When we surround ourselves with a network of authentic relationships within which we are nurtured as well as nurture , we experience a security and a great joy that few achievements can equal. We derive our meaning and commitment in the service of these relationships and in keeping them through thick and thin.

I am not a cook

Yes friends, I am not a cook and not allowed to enter into the kitchen by my wife because she thinks I know nothing worthwhile but spoiling the settings. You know in my case the saying, ‘too many cooks spoil the chicken’, fails but makes it ‘A single cook like me can spoil the kitchen’.

However, I am good at other things related to food, its taste and presentation and for this purpose, I am sure I do not need to be a good cook or even a bad cook for that matter. You know while it comes to judge the food, our eyes work before our taste buds because the taste of the food is half judged just by looking at it. Moreover, this is true that this rule is worth following even in domestic presentation/setting the table apart from while serving/preparing for the guests. 

There are a certain points, which always make the presentation better like never set the table full of dishes at a time to make it confusing. This is also not advisable to set the table unplanned with dishes of different kinds at a place. There is no use keeping Ice cream, desserts, sweets, starters and main course at the same time, this would only create confusion nothing else. Possibly the guests would be detracted and would loose the interest without enjoying your preparations fully. 

Serve the small portions at a time

This is one of the best ways and attracts the attention of your guests towards the preparations you took so much pain to make food tasty. Suppose you present butter chicken in two different parts, nuggets and gravy to make your guests enjoy the preparation better. This is always more attention catching if you serve ingredients separately for garnishing. Please take care to serve freshly cooked food or food items for a better flavor and taste, food smelling foul may spoil the idea as a whole.

Salad is a big attraction

Salad is one item that makes your table attractive and can add to attraction even if you might have served any number of other tasty dishes. Tastefully decorated tray of salads not only plays a major role in giving your dining table a great look but the contents of the same being rich in starch and protein attracts your guests as well. You can always select a particular theme or a particular symmetry, while garnishing the salads. Have you ever tried separating the rings of round cut onions or decorating different items in different rows on place of mixing them! However, one thing is sure a show spoiler- simply cutting the ingredients and put them in the salads tray without giving them a proper look. 

Food must have its natural color

I know people like to serve colorful foods to their guests and I don’t think there is any harm as long as the food has its natural color. This is advisable to use ingredients, which have their own natural colors as using artificial colors may spoil both the taste and looks. You can always keep your menu balanced and different to provide enough colors to your presentation. Similar looking dishes would only confuse your guests and make no sense.

Utility is the best creativity

You can make many experiments while preparing the table for your guests but some of such experiments may distract your guests in place of attracting them. You can always make experiments within a limit of the taste of your guests. For instance if you have planned to serve Nan or Chapatti in a different shape, go ahead and do it but in case you kept them in shape of an airplane while presenting them to your guests, half of them would never care to look at them. So be very careful and make your party a big success.

Disclaimer-

I am not a cook 

Women smokers 

The trend in India is changing too fast as far as smoking is concerned and the most surprising fact is that the percentage of women smoker is on the rise compared to that of men whose percentage is going down. The consumption of cigarette is six in the mail smokers where as this is seven among the women. While twenty-four percent male in India smoke cigarettes female percentage is low but they smoke more cigarettes per head. In fact, almost thirty million female in India are regular smokers.

The age factor

Most female smokers begin smoking at an early age. Most men start smoking at an average age of nineteen where as women go for smoking at the age of almost seventeen. Almost forty-eight percent population of over fifteen in our country use some or the other tobacco products and almost two hundred million out of these people use smokeless tobacco. This is mere data but when we see the overall results, the picture is too gloomy. Let’s look at this way to get a more clear picture- One out of every five women uses smokeless tobacco where as one out of ten smokes cigarette.

The trend in women is going up for smoking where as that among men is of quitting. The number of male smokers has come down from fifty-two to forty eight in last couple of years while the women are taking up smoking and their number almost doubled in the same time. This is increasing at an alarming rate for a country like India. 

Metros have more women smokers

There is sudden spurt in Women smokers in metros like Delhi, Mumbai, Chennai, Kolkata and Bangalore. One of the major reasons is of women going out, and taking up jobs. NMotably, BPO culture has brought this bad habit in women too fast. The change in working hours and staying with male coworkers for longer hours has also made a few changes. As female smokers themselves admitted most of them started smoking when they joined job although some of them smoked even while in hostels. However, female workesr in BPO industry had taken up smoking within a few months of joining and most of them were in US shift.

Women do not find any thing wrong with smoking

Most female smokers do not find any thing wrong with smoking where as men smokers want to get rid of this bad habit. Females in big cities find smoking cigarettes normal and pleasant but they do not feel the same when they have to travel to smaller cities because society does not take it normal there. In bigger cities, no one looks at them differently and they can live their own life the way they like. Even their parents are not against their habit.

Most women smokers do not seem to care for adverse remarks any more as they find their habit too big a pleasure to give it up for small things like adverse remarks. At the most they smoke in places where there is no one to look at them. I talked to a number of female smokers some of whom were big talkers. One of them asked me straight away, as to what was wrong if a woman smoked. She thought there were so many male smokers but no one seems to care. Then why females with smoking habits  considered bad. I had no answer for that and was still more embarrassed when she asked me to answer her why the women with smoking habit are considered bad. After all they were not going to sleep with any one just because they were smoking. She had a point and I had no answer to her query. I think cigarette smoking is totally a personal choice although this is one of the worst habits one can have with health point of view as well as money

This is not in India only

The habit of smoking in females is going up all over the world. Most probably, this is connected with the ego of female more than any thing else. They want to show their equality this way. This habit is spreading more in developing countries especially among those over sixteen yesrs. Such countries have almost fifty percent population of the entire world with  more than forty-seven percent smokers and tobacco users.