Google Maps will start charging soon for its Usage

 

Users of Google Map links for their websites will be charged for heavy usage of the service, it has been revealed.

From 1 January 2012, Google will charge for the Google Maps API service when more than the limit of 25,000 map "hits" are made in a day.
Websites, especially travel firms, use Google Maps to link customers to a view of the destinations they inquire about.
Google is rumoured to be charging $4 per 1,000 views in excess of the limit.
Google maintains the high limit of 25,000 free hits before charging "will only affect 0.35% of users".
'Secure future' Google said it was aware that developers needed time to evaluate their usage, determine if they were affected and then take action as appropriate.
"We understand that the introduction of these limits may be concerning," said Thor Mitchell, product manager of the Maps API at Google.
"However, with the continued growth in adoption of the Maps API, we need to secure its long-term future by ensuring that even when used by the highest-volume for-profit sites, the service remains viable. "

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Sushil Kumar won Panch Koti Maha Mani

Sushil Kumar from Bihar just won the Rs 5 crores jackpot (Rs. 50 Million) on the fifth season of Kaun Banega Crorepati. (For those who do not know KBC, this is the Indian version of Who wants to be a Millionaire)
Sushil Kumar will not receive the entire Rs. 5 crores, the tax department will eat up about one third of his jackpot leaving him with about Rs. 3.5 crores; that's still a sizeable amount.
Let us see how it can help Mr. Sushil Kumar - a post graduate in philosophy and an IAS aspirant - in his life. He is currently a school teacher earning a meager Rs. 6000 per month.
In an interview Sushil Kumar revealed that he has some obligations that need to met first before he invests the rest of his money

• An elder brother who wants to set up his own business
• A younger brother  wanting to quit his 'piddly' Rs. 1500 per month job and also wants to start a new business.
• His parents will want a nice big house - befitting the 'crorepati' son's status
• Sushil Kumar himself plans to quit his job in order to concentrate on his IAS exam.

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How To Be Happy

At the end of the day, what most people really want in life is to be happy.

Many people believe that happiness comes from obtaining certain objects. They say things like,

"I’ll be so happy when I get my new iPod!"

However, the happiness associated with obtaining these objects is usually fleeting. Have you ever received something you really wanted only to have it end up sitting on a shelf gathering dust a few weeks later? I know I have!

So, if lasting happiness can’t be found by obtaining ‘things’, how can we increase the levels of happiness in our lives?

I believe that the best way to obtain lasting happiness is to bring happiness into the lives of others. The most amazing thing about happiness is that the more you give away to others, the more you receive for yourself.

Here is a step-by-step plan that will help you bring happiness into the lives of others and thereby increase your own levels of happiness.

Step 1: Select someone in your life that you care about. It could be your partner, a child, a friend, a nephew or niece etc.

Step 2: Identify that person’s current passion in life. To do this, just ask them what they’re up to or interested in at the moment.

Step 3: Organise an experience that combines spending time with that person and persuing their passion.

Here’s a real life example to show you exactly how this works:

When my Cousin Kanha was 8 years old, his main passion in life was drawing. One day I arranged to pick him up to go on an ‘painting day’. Our first stop was a stationary store where we puchased a sheets and colours.

We then draw everything he knew. What made this experience so special was that we were spending time together pursuing his main passion in life.

Kanha was unbelievably excited. His happiness in turn made me incredibly happy. This trip is one of my fondest memories . The total cost of our expedition was just 100 Rupees.

So, whenever you’re feeling a little low and need a dose of happiness, one of the best things you can do is to focus on making someone else happy. Remember…

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How To Handle Feedback

An important skill for achieving success in life is learning how to respond to feedback from the people around you. When you master this skill you’ll have the power to improve almost every aspect of your life.

There are three different types of feedback:

(1) Positive feedback 

(2) Constructive negative feedback 

(3) Destructive negative feedback

How To Handle Positive Feedback

Positive feedback is a gift and it should be acknowledged and appreciated like any other gift. Surprisingly, many people dismiss positive feedback with off hand comments. Do any of these examples sound familiar to you?

Feedback: "You look beautiful tonight"
Response: "No I don’t, I just look the same as always"

Feedback: "You did a great job on that report"
Response: "Oh, it was nothing"

Feedback: "I love your necklace!"
Response: "It’s not real, its a fake"

Making dismissive comments like this in response to positive feedback is the equivalent of being handed a gift and tossing it over your shoulder without even opening it.

A much better way to respond to positive feedback is to simply make eye contact, smile, and say, "Thank-you". By doing this you will acknowledge and enjoy the gift of positive feedback.

How To Handle Constructive Negative Feedback

Believe it or not, this is the most beneficial type of feedback of all. While positive feedback can help you feel better, constructive negative feedback can help you get better.

Many people get defensive when someone gives them constructive negative feedback. They say things like, "What would she know!" or alternatively, they try and justify themselves and prove the other person wrong.

A much better way to respond to constructive negative feedback is to thank the person for taking the time to provide you with feedback and then ask yourself:

How can I use this feedback to improve?

For example if you own a business and a customer complains about something, instead of trying to prove the customer wrong, thank them for the feedback and take the opportunity to improve your business so that the complaint does not impact another customer in the future.

When you use negative feedback in this way, it becomes a powerful tool for improving your business, your work environment and your relationships.

How To Handle Desctructive Negative Feedback

Destructive negative feedback is negative energy that is meant to cause pain rather than help you to improve. The important thing to understand about destructive feedback is that it is often a way for someone to lash out at the world around them.

In many cases it has very little to do with you and everything to do with the way that person is feeling about themselves and their own problems.

The best way to deal with destructive negative feedback is to recognise it for what it is and just let it go without taking it to heart.

Unfortunately many people have their ‘feedback model’ back-to-front. They dismiss positive feedback, fight constructive negative feedback and dwell on destructive negative feedback.

If instead, you can learn to accept and enjoy positive feedback, use constructive negative feedback to constantly improve and avoid destructive negative feedback, you will greatly accelerate your progress to success.

This Week’s Action Steps

1. Learn to recognise and distinguish between the three types of feedback.

2. When you receive positive feedback, accept and enjoy it as a gift. Simply make eye contact, smile and say thank-you.

3. When you receive constructive negative feedback say, "Thanks for the feedback" and use it to improve.

4. When you receive destructive negative feedback, recognise that it is the act of someone lashing out and don’t take it to heart.

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How To Get What You Want

Asking people for what we want can sometimes be a difficult process involving awkward discussions and potential conflict. However, it doesn’t have to be that way.

The secret to getting what you want from other people is to develop a genuine sense of reciprocity by giving before you receive.

The term ‘reciprocity’ describes the expectation that people will respond to you in the same way that you respond to them. So if you give another person something of value, they will be much more inclined to give you something in return.

Next time you want something from someone, instead of simply asking or demanding what you want, try using the following Reciprocity Formula.

The Reciprocity Formula

Step 1: Analyse the situation from the other person’s point of view and try to identify what they currently want. If you can’t figure out what they want, the best thing to do is to ask them.

Step 2: When you have identified the main thing they want, present your case by saying something like, "If I help you achieve… [what they want], could we discuss… [what you want]. Most reasonable people will be open to this approach because they are receiving before they have to give.

Step 3: Follow through and help the other person achieve their objective. The more time and effort you put in during this step, the more reciprocity you will develop.

Step 4: When you have achieved the objective you agreed upon, revisit your initial discussion and ask for what you originally wanted.

Here’s an example that shows how the Reciprocity Formula works in the real world:

Sherry worked as a Sales Rep in a software company and wanted to ask her boss for a raise. From previous experience, she knew that simply asking for a raise was rarely effective so she decided to apply the Reciprocity Formula.

Step 1: Sherry had lunch with her boss and asked him what his major goal was for the quarter. He informed her that what he really wanted was to sell 1000 copies of the companies new accounting software before the end of the financial year.

Step 2: Sherry then presented her case by saying, "If I can sell 1000 copies of the new accounting software by June 30th, would you be open to discussing a raise?" Her boss said he’d be happy to.

Step 3: Sherry got down to work and devised a viral marketing campaign on the Internet. She worked extremely hard and her boss could see that she was serious about achieving her goal.

Step 4: Sherry achieved her sales goal and arranged to have lunch with her boss again. In a three month time frame, she’d added a great deal of value to the company and in doing so, she’d also built up a genuine sense of reciprocity with her boss. Over lunch, Sherry’s boss confirmed that he would be happy to give her a raise.

Giving before you receive and developing a genuine sense of reciprocity is one of the most effective ways to get what you want from other people. So today, I’d like to encourage you to use the Reciprocity Formula to develop true WIN-WIN agreements that will help you achieve your most important life goals.

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How To Deal With Negativity

One of the most common questions I get asked is how to deal with a spouse, relative or close friend who has a tendency to be negative. Clearly in this situation you can’t simply walk away and spend all your time with positive people.

Imagine for a moment that your spouse, relative or friend is like a glass that is filled with a dark liquid which represents their negativity.

A lot of people try to rectify this situation by saying things like, "I really wish you’d stop being so negative all the time!"
The problem with this approach is that criticism is a form of negative energy and you are therefore adding more negativity to the situation which usually makes things worse not better.

So what’s the answer?
The answer is to pour positive energy into their glass instead!

As you continue to pour positive energy into their glass their negativity will slowly be diluted. Here are five ways to do this in the real world:
(1) Share fun and enjoyable experiences together. It is hard for people to be negative when they are having fun.
(2) Don’t dwell on negative conversations. When your spouse, relative or friend starts being negative, redirect the conversation to a less contentious topic. An effective way to do this is by asking a qustion about a new topic.
(3) Be a positive example. Continue to enjoy your life even if you initially have to do it alone. As you enjoy yourself, continually invite your spouse, relative or friend to join in the fun.
(4) Coordinate an Escape. Often negativity comes from staying in a negative environment for too long. A great way to help your spouse, relative or friend is to assist them to escape that environment on a regular basis. This can be as simple as getting out of the house and going for a walk. A complete change of scene can often act as a pressure valve and help you reconnect.
(5) Identify and Replace negative routines. Review how you spend time with your spouse, relative or friend and identify negative routines such as complaining about your job every week at Friday night drinks. Once you’ve identified a negative routine, replace it with something different to break the pattern of negativity.
At the end of the day, we all have a tendency to be negative at times and what we need at those times is someone to help lift us up rather than criticise us for being negative. Therefore the most effective way to deal with negativity is to dilute it with positive experiences and positive energy.

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