10 Steps for Starting Your Blog

Before you get to the nitty-gritty of setting up your blog, there is some pre-work to do. This will ensure you start right and put your best foot forward.

1. Before you do anything else, examine the reasons why you want to publish a blog. What is the purpose for the blog? How does the blog's purpose relate to your business purpose?

2. What are the business objectives or outcomes or goalsyou want from your business blog? Some people use a blog as a lead generator to build their database. Some are looking to build a visibility platform while others use the blog to develop content for other purposes like books, articles and programs. What do you want to get out of your blog?

3. Who is your ideal reader? Who are you writing to/for? For most businesses I've worked with, the ideal reader is similar to their ideal client. It's important to know your audience so you can meet their needs and address their concerns, challenges and what they're looking for to improve their lives.

4. How do you want your readers to feelwhen they read your blog? This may seem like a weird question, yet it will help you tap in the emotions of your audience. Do you want your reader to be inspired, motivated, and moved to action? Again, tapping into this will help you focus your content on serving your reader.

5. What do you want your readers to DOwhen they read your blog? This relates to the goals you set for your blog. If your blog is a lead generator then you must have very clear steps for guiding your reader to subscribe to get blog updates and/or get your lead generating content.

6. How much time do you have to devote to your blog each week? This is getting to the heart of blogging. If you cannot commit to creating constant, consistent content, then you're doing yourself and your readers a disservice. Be honest. The most effective and successful blogs are those with fresh, new content posted at least two to three times per week. Is that reasonable for you to manage? Will you have a team of bloggers? Remember, there are many, many ways to create content. It doesn't have to be all you all the time.

7. What's your blog's core message? This relates to the topic of your blog and the niche you are focused on. What do you want your readers to learn? Why should anyone read your blog and more importantly why should they subscribe and follow your blog? This is another key piece to get in place before you start your blog. Brian Clark publisher of Copyblogger.com recommends creating "cornerstone content." This is a series of posts that articulates your core message and provides new readers with an introduction and overview of what they can expect to learn from you.
8. Create an editorial calendar. It's no secret that content rules on a blog so it's helpful to have a content plan going in to the game. A key element of a good blog is having a list of 7-10 keyword rich categories. Once you determine the categories (or sub-topics) of your blog, you can plan your content calendar. If you plan on posting three times per week, then plot out post ideas for each of your categories. Make a list of 5 topics for each category. Then, fill in your calendar. 5 topics times 10 categories and you've got 50 blog posts in the pipeline.

9. Do your homework.Critical to your blog's success is knowing your competition. Who is already blogging in your niche? What are they writing about? If blogs in your niche are scarce this may be a great opportunity to dominate the search engines with your own content. Finding great blogs will take a bit of time and research. Start at Technorati.com and search for blogs using your keywords. Next use Alltop.com and Blogs.com to find the best of the best.
10. Build your blog.Now that the research is done, you know your message and have a content ready to go, it's time to get down to business and build the blog. This is where the fun part starts and cannot be easily covered in a bullet point. 

Self defense steps for women

EPF Account Passbook

Now you can Register online to view your EPF Account Passbook.

Visit http://members.epfoservices.in/

1. The facility at present is only for the members for whom the employer has uploaded the Electronic Challan Cum Return for the wage month of May 2012 onwards.

2. There is no need to create and remember any user id and password. You have to use your mobile number and any of your following identification proof number such as PAN, AADHAR, NPR (National Population Register), Bank Account, Voter ID, Passport or Driving License to register and thereafter to login.

3. You can add multiple id numbers (one id against each of the listed types) and any one along with the mobile number can be used for the login.

Note:
• One mobile number can be used for one registration only.
• A registered member can view only one account details under one establishment. In case you are having more than one account under one establishment, please apply for transfer through the Form 13.
• One member can view up to a maximum of 10 accounts under different establishments. The 10 accounts can be viewed any number of times. Get your old accounts transferred to the current one by using the Transfer Form 13.
• Facility to display the accounts of inoperative accounts will be provided later through a request mode.
• The facility is not for the current members of establishments having exemption under the EPF Scheme 1952.

Steps to reduce TUMMY

Step one:
If you want to build muscle and burn fat at the same time, you have to perform circuit training, three days per week. How can you achieve this? Indulge in full body exercises like lunges, push-ups, and pull-ups, for one set of 15 repetitions. Don't forget to follow every exercise with one minute of jumping rope. You should be able to burn around 500 to 600 calories per workout.
Step two:
You have to work on your abdominal muscles three times in the week. Crunches and leg raises for three sets of 20 repetitions should be done. Also, do planks by holding your body in a push-up position on your elbows for 30 to 60 seconds for four sets.
Step three:
The kind of food you will eat in this period is vital in bringing about any change. Natural foods like fruits, vegetables, whole grain breads and pastas, chicken, beef, fish and low fat dairy should replace processed foods full of sugar.
Step four:
To minimize water retention, lower your sodium intake. This means you need to avoid salt. You can flavour your food with other herbs and spices instead.
Step five:
Stressing and anxiety can cause the over-production of a certain hormone called cortisol, which encourages weight gain about the belly area. So try to keep your cool!
purvaja.sawant@timesgroup.com

Source :- Times of INDIA

Foods for reduce FAT

Turmeric : Curcumin, the active component of turmeric, is an object of research owing to its properties that suggest they may help to turn off certain genes that cause scarring and enlargement of the heart. Regular intake may help reduce low-density lipoprotein (LDL) or bad cholesterol and high blood pressure, increase blood circulation and prevent blood clotting, helping to prevent heart attack.
Cardamom : This is a thermogenic herb that increases metabolism and helps burn body fat. Cardamom is considered one of the best digestive aids and is believed to soothe the digestive system and help the body process other foods more efficiently.
Chillies : Foods containing chillies are said to be as foods that burn fat. Chillies contain capsaicin that helps in increasing the metabolism. Capsaicin is a thermogenic food, so it causes the body to burn calories for 20 minutes after you eat the chillies.
Curry leaves : Incorporating curry leaves into your daily diet can help you lose weight. These leaves flush out fat and toxins, reducing fat deposits that are stored in the body, as well as reducing bad cholesterol levels. If you are overweight, incorporate eight to 10 curry leaves into your diet daily. Chop them finely and mix them into a drink, or sprinkle them over a meal.
Garlic : An effective fat-burning food, garlic contains the sulphur compound allicin which has anti-bacterial effects and helps reduce cholesterol and unhealthy fats.
Mustard oil : This has low saturated fat compared to other cooking oils. It has fatty acid, oleic acid, erucic acid and linoleic acid. It contains antioxidants, essential vitamins and reduces cholesterol, which is good for the heart.
Cabbage : Raw or cooked cabbage inhibits the conversion of sugar and other carbohydrates into fat. Hence, it is of great value in weight reduction.
Moong dal : The bean sprouts are rich in Vitamin A, B, C and E and many minerals, such as calcium, iron and potassium. It is recommended as a food replacement in many slimming programmes, as it has a very low fat content. It is a rich source of protein and fibre, which helps lower blood cholesterol level. The high fibre content yields complex carbohydrates, which aid digestion, are effective in stabilising blood sugar and prevent its rapid rise after meal consumption.
Honey : It is a home remedy for obesity. It mobilises the extra fat deposits in the body allowing it to be utilised as energy for normal functions. One should start with about 10 grams or a tablespoon, taken with hot water early in the morning.
Buttermilk : It is the somewhat sour, residual fluid that is left after butter is churned. The probiotic food contains just 2.2 grams of fat and about 99 calories, as compared to whole milk that contains 8.9 grams fat and 157 calories. Regular intake provides the body with all essential nutrients and does not add fats and calories to the body. It is thus helpful in weight loss.

New Tatkal rules IRCTC reservation

NEW DELHI: Amid increasing complaints about misuse of the Tatkal scheme, the railways has introduced a slew of measures that will come into effect from 10.07.12 Tuesday.
Under the revised scheme, passengers can book Tatkal tickets from 10am instead of 8am.
No authorized agents, including those of IRCTC, will be allowed to book Tatkal tickets from 10am to 12pm over the counter as well as on the internet.

While some zones will have separate counters for these tickets, others will issue Tatkal tickets from the same counters; they will provide only Tatkal tickets from 10am-10.30am, said a senior railway ministry official.
The revised scheme comes in the backdrop of an increasing number of complaints from passengers about cornering of the bulk of tickets by touts, who then sell them at a premium.
Measures such as installation of CCTVs in major booking centres, barring booking clerks from carrying cellphones inside counters, display of helpline numbers as well as raids by vigilance squads, have been taken, said the official.
The railways will also augment the e-ticket handling capacity of its website through short-term and long-term measures.
The server capacity will be increased from 3.5 lakh bookings to about 5 lakh bookings per day in about four months, which will eventually be increased to about 8 lakh bookings a day.

Online Tatkal booking made easier:

The Indian Railway has also put in place measures to make online Tatkal bookings easier. High capacity database servers have been installed. The Internet bandwidth has been increased from 344 mbps to 450 mbps.

Web service agents have been permitted to book only one Tatkal ticket per train per day on the internet only after 12 noon. Individual users can now book only two tickets between 10 am and 12 noon

An IT-Anti Fraud Squad has been created. A complaint cell has also been set up. One can email or call these numbers: agentcomplaint@irctc.co.in (011-23745962) or care@irctc.co.in (011-39340000).

15 Tips to impress a Girl

Everyone can name someone who's nice, pretty, smart, funny, etc. Want to impress that certain girl? Here's what to do and what not to do.

1. Be well-groomed
2. Have a great attitude
3. Show respect
4. Have nice conversations.
5. Show interest in her.
6. Try flirting!
7. She may look away and she might blush a little.
8. Respect her friends and their ideas and opinions
9. Have your friends be nice to her It's a fantastic thing when your friends don't make a total fool of you.
10. Be polite to her parents.
11. Don't criticize her.
12. Be romantic, but not over the top
13. Start talking to her casually.
14 Do not play "hard to get"
15 Don't get obsessed with her

For more

Warning for Impress a Girl

• If you have followed all the steps above and it didn't work, don't feel disheartened. There's other girls out there that will be much more appreciative than the one who turned you down.
• Also, it says above that some girls like to talk about themselves- remember, some girls do. Some also would rather not have you obsessing about her hobbies, sports, etc. Be cool. Relate what she's saying to something about you, and then continue the conversation. It's a balancing act. You don't want to seem to into-yourself, but you also don't want to make her carry the whole conversation.
• Remember to talk about yourself and your own hobbies etc. That way you come off as a good conversationalist and as a person with a life. DON'T hog the conversations though and be sure to LISTEN and find out about her too.
• Every girl is different! Some are interested in sex and some not.
• Find out if she likes tattoos before you show her the skull and crossbones tattoo on your chest! (It's probably a bad idea to get a skull and crossbones tattoo on your chest (or elsewhere))
• Never rush her or pressure her or show her a bad attitude.
• Don't talk about her weight or ask her anything related to this subject. Even the girls with the most attractive bodies have insecurities. Even a comment intended as a joke could seriously hurt her feelings. Leave this subject alone!!!! If she asks you about how she looks boost her confidence, tell her something nice or flirt.
• At the same time, keep your own weight in check. Eat healthfully and work out. Don't go too crazy with the body building, but being toned never hurts. Watch out for skinny-fat (where you are skinny but flabby).
• Girls love confident guys, but don't be cocky. A cocky guy turns girls off.
• If you have problems with shyness, think of the most confident person you know and of what they would do in each situation. Don't be fake, just change your mindset.
• Girls like that you care enough to buy them something. Don't go overboard and get flowers for her unless the time calls for it or she is very likely to think you did something wrong.
• Some girls don't really know what to talk about with a guy so they might tend to talk about things you don't care about or go on and on about who said what. Don't be mean about it even though you're fighting boredom because it could have taken her a lot of courage to talk to you. Just show interest and change the subject to something more interesting, or politely exit the conversation.
• Do not chew gum when talking to her. You should throw it away if there are no trash bins, do not chew with your mouth open, pop, or blow bubbles.
• Don't ever talk about sports unless she likes sports. If the girl does like sports, she will probably be happy to talk about them. Another thing, don't boast about how you beat another person, whether it is in a game or sports. You can bring it up, but bragging makes you look egotistical.
• Never, ever, make fun of her. If the two of you are still only good friends, but you want to start dating, etc; then don't. Yeah, it would be funny if you said it to one of your guy friends, but It could be very offensive to her. And if you DO make fun of her, don't giver her the guilt trip and say "Oh, it's your fault you're angry. I was just joking".
• Don't ever raise your voice to get a point across.
• If you curse make sure it doesn't bother her or else it'll probably make her mad. Plenty of girls are okay with swearing, but others are not. Be respectful of her opinion. Also, girls don't normally find cursing and fighting attractive (even if you are defending her) so be sure to watch what you say and do.
• Some girls are natural flirts but aren't interested in you. Just because she hangs out all the time with you, hugs you and does other seductive things doesn't mean she likes you. Take things slowly so you can really know.
• If a girl doesn't like you, just move on.
• Never let know the girl that you are trying to impress her!
• Never speak bad or abusive words in front of the girl .
• Never brag about yourself in front of a girl.