Making the Presentation

Successful presentations are nothing but ways of presenting information to influence and convince others into believing what you want them to believe. A good presentation is much more than a bunch of slides thrown together. Often presentations fail because of the presenter's lack of preparation or ability to connect with the audience. The lack of effort and commitment shows in a hurriedly made presentation and this can adversely affect careers and relationships. Effective Public Speaking and Presentation Skills require to ensure that your message actually appeals to your audience and that they are motivated enough after listening to you to actually do something about it.

 COPTA-The Powerful Presentation Method

A presentation is generally the most effective mode of communication with a group of people as it allows the 'presenter' to interact personally with the 'audience'. Even if it is through the medium of video rather than face-to-face, still presentations are personal events. The audience in turn has the opportunity to interact with the presenter on their topic. This makes it essential for individuals to make that presentation count, to be passionate and motivating to get the desired results.

A good presentation is result oriented as it focuses on the outcome as much as the actual delivery.

COPTA is a very impactful and powerful technique to ensure that the presentation is made and delivered effectively. A good presentation needs to be a COPTA presentation. Use the COPTA method as a checklist to ensure that the presentation is complete and delivers the message in the most exciting and imaginative manner. COPTA stands for:

• C= Connect
• O = Organize
• P= Prepare
• T = Time
• A = Appearance

1 Connect

Connect with the audience is the rapport that you share with them. That personal connection which makes your audience feels that you are one of them and you want to better their lives in some way by informing, educating, displaying, launching or whatever the purpose of the presentation is.

Connection with the audience is very important. Different people need to be handled in different ways. The following are some fundamentals, which need to be kept in mind irrespective of the audience we address.

1. Audiences and their expectations vary widely. Knowing this will help in making the presentation more personal.
2. Knowing the number of people in the audience, their background, seniority level, cultural and economic make up.
3. The level of expertise of the audience ensures that the information is not too detailed neither is it too basic.
4. What are the inter-group politics or dynamics?
5. Who are the key decision makers?

Throughout the presentation, try to put yourself in the audience's shoes. Ask not 'What do I want to say?', Rather 'what do I want them to hear?'. A client does not want to hear the obvious features of your product. They want to hear the benefits of your product. Once you make the connection between the product and their lives, the sale is made.

Convince your listeners

Don't talk to Inform…Talk to Convince

Your goal in any presentation is actually very simple: you must convince your audience to act upon your message or adopt your point of view. The four rules of reaching that goal are:

• Grab their attention
• Make it easy for them to understand you
• Establish common ground for agreement
• Show them how your message benefits them

Case in Point: If you want your audience to quit smoking you have to give them good reasons. And just by saying that Smoking is bad, no one will be convinced. Instead by showing graphic visuals of people with cancer due to smoking, alarming statistics and giving some personal examples, the audience realizes how close they are to premature death if they don't quit. Scare them into quitting! Use that as a technique rather than giving information and figures which don't resonate with them.

Your Presentation must be Personal, but the benefits must be universal.

We must define aim and objectives accurately and write them down. The outcome that we desire from the presentation will determine our ability to relate to the audience. Our audience will have some objectives too. It is our duty as speakers to fulfill those objectives

Handling Difficult Questions from audience who are still not convinced

Most speakers like to present and sit down without having to face the audience again. However, your audience will need more convincing, especially if they have questions and queries. It is the duty of every speaker to answer their audience queries to their satisfaction

The 3 biggest fears of a speaker regarding questions are:

1. Having to Answer every question
2. Not knowing the correct answer
3. Losing Your Control

What to do when someone asks you a question?

1. Welcome questions - Don't be apprehensive. Be ready for the fact that you will be asked questions, so be prepared accordingly.
2. E.A.R = Remember this: EMPATHIZE * ACKNOWLEDGE * RESPOND
3. Set the Ground rules: Don't allow yourself to be interrupted in your main presentation. Inform the audience at the beginning that you will take questions and answer them after the end of your presentation.
4. Repeat the Question: to give yourself time to think of a reply
5. Analyze the question for: Content · Intent · The actual person asking
6. If you don't know the answer, don't lie. Instead, tell them you will find out later and let them know. And make sure to do that once the presentation is over.

2 Organize

Every presentation must have 3 parts:

• Introduction
• The Middle
• The Conclusion

While this may sound very obvious or basic, it is surprising how often presentations get spoilt due to lack of proper organization. The solution lies in using the Talk Organization Formula (TOF)

The Talk Organization Formula

Also known as the Magic Formula, it is an excellent guide for speech organization. This is very helpful due to the fact that as the speaker you are the driver who has to take the audience on a journey. The driver cannot be lost or take the long route, as this will make the audience bored or negative. Instead, the speaker must show that the speech or presentation is a logical flow of ideas. This gets the speaker credibility and respect.

The Talk organization formula enables you to:

1. Organize your thoughts in a logical manner.
2. Present those thoughts in a persuasive and entertaining manner.
3. Speak without having to worry about what to say next.
4. Successfully sell the benefits of any idea or product‥
5. Ensure that you don't have to struggle with your brain as to what to say next. By following a logical sequence your mind is free of tension and the words come easier.

THE FOUR PARTS OF THE FORMULA

PART 1

    ATTENTION

PART 2

    PROPOSITION

PART 3

    SOLUTION

PART 4

    BENEFITS

1. Attention
   Begin with a joke, example, story, anecdote or poem. Grab the audience's attention. Put your audience at ease and generally break the ice.
   Remember the Introduction:
   • Tell a relevant story.
   • Follow a logical chain of events.
   • Always be easy to understand.
   • Relate to the subject of the talk that will follow.
   • Always be short and sweet.
   The introduction
   • Don't jump straight into the presentation. Start with an example. Preferably from the speaker's personal experience. The example should be related to the main body of the speech that is to follow.
   • Even technical presentations should start on a lighter note with reference to a recent occurrence within the company (like a Hackathon, or Sports day) or some event that has just taken place (like a placement week) or some general comments.
   • The purpose of a good introduction is to grab the audience's attention and to hold it.
   • It also enables the speaker to relax and calm their nerves.
   • It acts as an ice-breaker with the audience and establish rapport.
   Ways to start a presentation
   • Finding something in common with the Audience.
   • Reference to recent Situation or events of common interest.
   • Challenge the audience!
   • Use an exhibit or visual aid
   • Surprise Audience with Claim or Statistic
   • Ask a rhetorical or Open-ended Question
   • Quotation or a Humorous anecdote: We may have a story which, may or may not be funny but it grabs attention in many ways. It may be a human interest preferably personal and based on real life events and ideally which happened to you.
2. Proposition
   • Tell your audience the purpose of your speech.
   • Demonstrate your technical knowledge of the subject
   • Share the features of your idea or product with them.
   • Tell them what you intend to tell them.
   • State the general situation, topic or problem that you wish to discuss.
   Answer the following questions:
   • How did that state of affairs come about?
   • How does such a problem, event, or situation occur?
     In the first part you grabbed audience's attention. In this part, hold their interest.
3. Solution
   • Give the solutions to that particular problem.
   • How can the particular situation that you are talking about- be changed?
   • What can be done to bring about positive changes in that particular situation?
   • Show the audience that you are a master of your subject.
     Your conviction and commitment to your topic should become apparent by the fact that you have concrete solutions, which you should articulate and explain.
4. Benefits
   Every person thinks about their own self-interest. A good speaker recognizes this and appeals to the audience's Dominant Self Interest Motive-DSIM. Once the audience sees the benefit of the proposition, they start getting convinced.
   Answer the following questions which your audience has in their minds, irrespective of the topic:
   • How will the solutions you have outlined help us in any way?
   • Why should we listen to you and your point of view?
     • This is the most important part of public speaking because here you put your entire speech in context.
     • You have taken up your audience's time. Justify yourself by telling them WHY they should act upon what you are suggesting. Always leave people wanting and asking for more.

Case in Point: Sample Speech based on the Talk Organization Formula

Topic: Sports in India

Example: Talk about famous Sportspeople of India: Sania Mirza, PV Sindhu, Virat Kohli, Abhinav Bindra, etc.

Proposition: Why does India not produce large amount of sportspeople? We are responsible, We are not a sporting nation, we don't run or play, no sports culture in the country, poor facilities, no money in sport-Youth has different aspirations from previous generations.

Solution: Be active-love your body-involve youth, like other countries have talent nurturing programmers starting in schools, more exposure-love your country.

Benefits: Healthy, happy nation, alternate careers, more opportunity for retired sportspeople, more money, Laurels for the country.

3 Preparation

Good Preparation shows in the ease with which the audience can relate to your presentation and consequently the ease with which the speaker can present. A presentation without struggle, strain or stress is an ideal presentation that the speaker has prepared well.

Tips for using PowerPoint and Similar Software

1. Font: Use large, legible font. Preferably 20 pt., Calibri, Helvetica or Times New Roman.
2. Heading: Every slide to have a Heading in a bigger font, separated by the main body.
3. Images: Use illustrations on all slides. But too much artwork will distract rather than attract.
4. Transition: Use simple 'fly in' or 'appear' for transitions between slides
5. Background: white with a dark color font, preferably dark navy blue.
6. Organization: One idea only per slide
7. The 6 × 7 rule
   1. No more than 6 lines per slide
   2. No more than 7 words per line
8. Animations: use 'fly in' to have the text appear one at a time.
9. Consistency: be consistent in using bullets and numbering. Use the same type of fonts, colors, bullets and numbers across the presentation
10. Typefaces: Avoid full caps, italics and bold
11. Walk around making eye contact rather than looking at the screen.
12. Use visual aids or objects to highlight points being shown on the slides.
13. Others:
    1. Use a slide changer with a laser pointer
    2. Don't just read from the slides.
    3. Use the Presenter view option with timer.
14. Remember PowerPoint is just another tool for your presentation. It is not your presentation.

Tip: Your audience can read faster than you can speak. Putting a lot of information on the slides will divert the audience attention and they will begin to tune off from your speech and instead start reading. So, always have just a few keywords on the slide and then proceed to explain and elaborate on those keywords.

4 Timing

Have you ever sat through a speech or presentation wondering when the presenter will sit down? Presentations that are too long tend to drag on forever and bore the audience.

In presentations, being boring is a sin.

1. Time yourself while practicing to ensure that all the material has been given importance. Also, prepare yourself for the duration you will be speaking. Ask the organizers how much time you have for making your presentation
   • Practice all the visual aids and other tools beforehand, not during the presentation. Do not use any untested tool or technique that you are not familiar with as it wastes time
   • The point of satiation is reached at the peak of popularity. Every audience has a threshold beyond they will lose patience. Attention spans are limited. Hence end while you are getting a good response, not when people start yawning or looking restless!
   • Always have a watch or software clock in view
   • You'll never have enough time to say everything. So, decide what is important and end with that.
     Adherence to time shows respect for the audience and nothing can impress an audience more than being shown respect

5 Appearance

First Impressions matter a lot in effective public speaking. Your audience will often assume how you will be presenting, by the way you look. Hence it is very important to look your best. However, looking your best is not just paying attention to your clothes. It is the overall package of your body and mind. The following need to be kept in mind:

"Dress maketh a man"- Shakespeare

1. Your voice: How you say it is as important as what you say. Your voice needs to be strong, varying in pitch and volume.
2. Posture: Have a confident, erect posture, no slouching or drooping shoulders.
3. Smile: Use the power of a smile to make others feel at ease. Your smile can diffuse the most serious of situations. So, make sure you smile at appropriate times even if you are feeling nervous. Keep smiling!
4. Dress appropriately: For the occasion. Find out the dress code of the people you are addressing and blend in. A rule of thumb is to dress one level above the audience. For males, wear a tie if the audience wears pant/shirt to work; Wear a suit if it is a very formal occasion. Indian or western formals are appropriate for ladies.
5. Grooming: Has to be impeccable. Don't wear very strong cologne or perfume. Personal cleanliness and hygiene are essential in all respects.

Becoming a charismatic speaker

Q:

What is Charisma?

A.

Charisma leaves an impression on the audience, large or small, that makes them want to come back for more. A Charismatic Public Speaker is a Popular Public Speaker. People will want to hear what you speak and you in turn get the chance to become their leader.
Politicians, film actors and other celebrities have charisma. They may not have the best looks or wealth but when they speak, people stop to listen. Ex-US president Barack Obama and Prime Minister Narender Modi are classic examples.

A few simple steps to build charisma

1. Show enthusiasm: the audience's biggest excitement is your passion!
2. Avoid unnecessary criticism, condemnation or complaining: Stop being a cribber!
3. Involve your audience. Ask questions, talk to them!
4. Learn to love people. Be a people's person. A good way to cultivate this is to join a meet-up or social networking group, develop some hobbies and interests outside of your area of work.
5. Give honest and sincere appreciation and praise.
6. Be a good listener.
7. Use your common sense ;)
8. Be prepared for Murphy's Law. Things will go wrong at the worst possible moment. Always have a Plan-B ready.
9. Always give credit when quoting others or borrowing materials for making the presentation. Respect other's intellectual property. No one respects a cheater or an obvious cut-and-paste job.
10. Leave your personal problems at home when you are out 'there' in the Real world.

Beat illness with food

Technology Detox

I got chance to listen to one of  best based social media specialist in the world few years ago and my life transformed enormously in last 7 years without social medias like Facebook, Whatsapp, Instagram and Orkut. I didn't miss any of my 1000 friends, real friends called me, messaged me or emailed me and others didn't even notice I was not there in social media. 

Social Media Specialist described the technology addiction  as “intense interest in personal computers and mobile devices” and “a habit to get away from society.” My first phone was Nokia phone a second hand from father so when I got to buy an Iphone 4 and got a laptop from work I was over the moon. 

For over 5 years I spend minimum of 2 to 3 hrs on phone daily  and 8-9 hours on computers for work on a weekday and more on weekends. 

https://www.festaff.co.uk/

When I connect with people in Social Media I am forgetting my real world where I am and trying to connect virtually to the  life of others through the use of high-tech devices and it start  hurting my performance, personal life and social life, and this led me use of periodic technology detoxes as an antidote to this problem.

A technological detox means a person taking a break from using high-tech devices or social media sites, thereby gaining the opportunity to go deeper into their thoughts and achieving inner peace, according to Social Media Specialist .

"We must take technological tools out of our lives for a while and let our mind, body and soul rest," he said. "If we constantly look at screens, watching for notifications, we waste time and energy and damage ourselves."

"We must seriously think about practising a tech detox," he said, adding that this practice can lessen the physical and mental damage wrought by excessive use of digital devices. Tech detox is not simply limited to avoiding devices, according to Social Media Specialist , as one should also steer clear of social media platforms during certain periods to enjoy freedom.

"To do a detox, we first disable notifications from social media accounts, or rather turn off all notifications on our phones," he said. Urging people to unplug from their cellphones, especially during social occasions with friends, family members or colleagues, he said people should stop "concentrating their lives on a small screen."

"It's good to look out the window or even close your eyes for a few seconds and relax for a few minutes," he said. Social Media Specialist  suggests that staying away from high-tech products for only a couple of days can significantly boost our mental condition, as not wasting time and energy on this "tech addiction" strengthens our spirits. 

The idea of a "tech detox" has gained momentum in recent years, and more and more people and groups have begun taking steps in this direction, for example with the "Technological Sleep Festival" program implemented by the province of Izmir, in Turkey's Aegean region.

 In this program, participants hand over their phones to the authorities and stay away from technological devices for 48 hours, instead spending their time exercising, socializing, reading books, playing sports and enjoying face-to-face conversations. 

Many digital experts urge adopting the "5:2 method," under which after the five-day workweek, people shy away from high-tech devices from Friday night to Monday morning, , calling it an easy but effective strategy.

"Technological detox has become a must for anyone who wants to lead a healthy life," he said. To some, a high-tech detox might sound like going too far, as they believe they do not spend too much time on their phones or computers. But in fact, over a year's time, spending over two hours per day on screens adds up to almost an entire month.

 As humans grow more accustomed to using such devices, we tend to lose our connection with nature, nearby friends and social life, and edge toward a robotic-type existence. So deliberately going a bit primitive from time to time might be a good way to maintain our humanity. 

If you like outdoors, music  and voluntary activities please have a look at https://www.festaff.co.uk/

Social Media triggered Quasimodo syndrome

If you had heard about Quasimodo syndrome before raise your hands please ???

It is named after the Quasimodo character in Victor Hugo's "The Hunchback of Notre Dame," Quasimodo syndrome, or body dysphoric disorder, means people with Quasimodo syndrome always examine themselves in a mirror and find a new flaw every time.

I had a roomate who spend hours infront of mirror to check her nose ( but nothing is wrong with it )This syndrome generally emerges during puberty. Along with genetic predisposition, social norms and the beauty perceptions spread across social media are the triggering factors of the syndrome.

Too much time worrying

The basic sign of this syndrome is that the individual examines himself/herself too much and finds flaws in his/her image. These examinations that take so much time are especially focused on facial region. These people often knock on the door of plastic surgeons and dermatologists and get larger or smaller operations.

Being overly hesitant

People with the Quasimodo syndrome are always hesitant in subjects such as hair and clothing style and think that their imaginary flaws are recognised by everyone and they are ugly.  People with this syndrome say things like, "I am so ugly or my eyes, my nose, are ugly."

In the points when they have to make a decision about their lives, their self-perception as ugly creates low self-esteem and discourages them in many subjects. Besides, their obsession with beauty blocks their interest and perception in other areas of life.

Obsessive behaviours

Patients see their imaginary flaws which cannot be recognized by others as a serious handicap and deal with them continuously. Because of this perception, they show repetitive behaviours. For example, looking at a mirror, try to hide something or correct something, seeking approval for confidence and beauty are some of them.

While comparing their features with others in social media , their life quality gets spoiled in time. They become introverted and do not want to go out. The only thing that they do becomes to correct their flaws. In the advanced cases, they can have a desire to end their lives.

5 significant colours for women's diets

The right foods help women maintain both their health and fitness. 

Yellow foods for reproductive health

Yellow fruit and vegetables, particularly lemons, aid women's reproductive health and are often required in diet plans. Lemons can be consumed during the day in the form of flavoring for salads or meals. Lemons, which are a source of vitamin c, prevent the formation of bacteria in the body and offer immune system benefits. Another important food is yellow peppers. Yellow peppers, high in vitamins and minerals, can be consumed during meals or in salads. Yellow peppers are important for women's vaginal and perineurium health. Yellow foods also play an important role in regulating the digestive system and brain function.

Avoid cancer with purple foods

Purple options, which provide important antioxidants due to purple pigments called anthocyanins, suppress cancer cells and enhance the immune system. Anthocyanins, which give color to purple foods, also serve as anti-aging tools. For instance, beetroot protects against cancer with its high antioxidants. Beetroot, which can be consumed in salads, plays an active role in liver health in women. It also plays an active role to fight many skin diseases that may originate from the liver.

Another miracle food is purple grapes. Purple grapes, which can lower cancer risk in women, also support brain development. Due to the fiber and vitamins they contain, they help remove toxic substances in the body and play a role in brain health and development.

Maintain weight with green food

Broccoli is one of the primary green foods that should be consumed. Broccoli is high in vitamin c and fiber. Paired with a proper nutritional plan, broccoli is effective in the prevention of obesity. It is also effective in the protection of organs such as the brain and eyes due to its high antioxidants and omega 3 fatty acids. Another green nutrient that women should consume for their health is avocado, which is rich in omega 3 and 6 fatty acids.

Red foods for immune system

Offering rich antioxidants, tomatoes help prevent both vaginal and heart diseases. They restore the immune system and are good for ear, nose and throat diseases. Red apples also contain plenty of vitamins, while their antioxidants are helpful for fighting many diseases in women. They are also effective against upper respiratory tract infections, discharge and similar complaints.

Orange foods for eye health

Apricots, one of the foods that should be consumed frequently for eye and sexual health in women, can be consumed as a snack or in the form of compote every day. Apricots also balance blood sugar levels. Another important orange option is carrots. Carrots, with high vitamin a content, are also crucial for eye health in women. Consuming one carrot a day positively affects eye health. They are also effective against diseases of the immune system.

Thanks but no thanks

I applied for an internal position. Aced the interview but still got rejected even though I was the top candidate. I later learned the person hired was a friend of my boss. I got tired of the office politics and started applying to other companies, and within 3 months I got a much better job. My old boss asked me to come back for the same promotion. I told him "thanks but no thanks."

 Lessons learned: 

1.You can be the best candidate and still not get selected. 

2. If you didn't get the job, it was never meant for you.

3.You weren't rejected, you were redirected.

4. Your value does not decrease based upon someone's inability to see your worth.

5. Believe in yourself and keep trying, the right door will open for you.

Koorka Ularth

കൂര്‍ക്ക - 1/4കിലോ 
ചതച്ച ഉണക്കമുളക് - 1 ടേബിള്‍ സ്പൂണ്‍ 
മഞ്ഞള്‍പ്പൊടി -1/4 ടീസ്പൂണ്‍ 
സവാള - 1 വലുത് 
കറിവേപ്പില - 2 തണ്ട് 
കടുക് - 1/2 ടീസ്പൂണ്‍ 

ഉപ്പ് - ആവശ്യത്തിന് 
വെളിച്ചെണ്ണ - ആവശ്യത്തിന്......

വൃത്തിയാക്കിയ കൂര്‍ക്ക ചെറുതായി നുറുക്കി ഉപ്പും ചേര്‍ത്ത് വേവിച്ചു വെക്കുക. വെളിച്ചെണ്ണ ചൂടാക്കി കടുക് പൊട്ടിച്ചു കറിവേപ്പില, ചെറുതായി അരിഞ്ഞ സവാള എന്നിവ ചേര്‍ത്ത് വഴറ്റുക. ചുവന്നു മൂത്ത് വരുമ്പോള്‍ അതിലേക്ക് ചതച്ച ഉണക്കമുളക്, മഞ്ഞള്‍പൊടി എന്നിവ ചേര്‍ത്ത് മൂപ്പിച്ചു അതിലേക്ക് വേവിച്ച കൂര്‍ക്ക കൂടി ചേര്‍ത്ത് യോജിപ്പിച്ചു അല്പസമയം ചെറുതീയില്‍ വച്ച ശേഷം അടുപ്പില്‍ നിന്നും മാറ്റാം. 

Vegetable Garden Month Wise Kerala South India

11 things to focus on

Ultra processed foods linked to cancer

• Mass-produced packaged breads and buns
• Sweet or savoury packaged snacks including crisps
• Chocolate bars and sweets 
• Sodas and sweetened drinks
• Meatballs, poultry and fish nuggets 
• Instant noodles and soups 
• Frozen or shelf-life ready meals
• Foods made mostly or entirely from sugar, oils and fats

Bitter truth about life

1. The average person lives for about 80 years, i.e approximately just 4000 weeks! If you’re 40, you’ve got about 2000. Imagine how much of that you’ve used up in pursuing something futile!
2. More often than not, that person who’s always been there for everyone needs someone to be there for him.
3. People can change in an instant. They don’t come with a guarantee.
4. That person you might always be thinking of, probably doesn’t even spare you a thought.
5. We think we’re smart now. But your
   future self might be face palming at your stupidity.
6. Goodbyes are often painful. But it might be the best thing for you.
7. There’s a good chance people don’t love you for who you are. Some people love the idea of you being who they want you to be.
   
8. Some people just ‘love you’ depending on how much they can extract out of you.
9. Everyone’s busy. Wait, lemme rephrase that. You’re not their priority at the moment. That time when you put their convenience above yours doesn’t matter. You need to be your no.1 priority. It’s easy for them to forget what you sacrificed.
10. Sadly, majority of your relatives judge you on the basis of how you performed in a 3 hour test (for students), or on how much you earn (for adults).
11. Most people think only from their point of view. Your attempts to explain yourself are successful only if it falls in line with their thinking. If its not important, you’re better off not explaining.
12. Not everyone who advises you has got your best interest in mind.
13. It’s easy to get attached to someone. It’s never easy to let go.
14. You tend to judge yourself way too harsh.
15. Nobody can help you if you aren’t going to help yourself.

Life will never be perfect, but there’s beauty in that imperfection. :)

Leave office on time

If you are a employer you may need to  pretend you run a car rental agency. It’s the end of the day and you’re waiting for a customer to turn their car in. They show up at the last minute and say “I just realized I forgot to get groceries. I know I only paid through right now, but can you let me have the car for free for a couple more hours?”

You wouldn’t give them that car for free. You would charge them. If they want to keep using the car, they need to pay for that time.

As an employer, you have the same relationship with your employees. You are renting their time. If you want them to commit more hours, then you need to rent more of their hours.

Your employees will never have as much passion for your business as you do. They are there because you’re paying them to be there, and their obligation to the business ends when the meter stops running.

If you want these employees to stay later, compensate them. Ask them to start coming in later, or offer to pay them more to stay longer. You have no right to expect a commitment of more hours than you’re paying them for.

What is rare earth metals?

There are 17 'rare earth' minerals. They are actually fairly abundant, but difficult to extract - and when they are mined, they are valuable for their uses in some of the advances which the modern world depends on, including the making of fiber-optic cables, lasers, nuclear reactors, and X-ray machines.

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                Here are the minerals - and some of their uses

Scandium. Found in aerospace alloys and cars' xenon headlamps

Yttrium. Used in energy-efficient lightbulbs, spark plugs and cancer treatments

Lanthanum. Found in camera lenses, battery electrodes, and catalysts used in oil refineries

Cerium. Used in self-cleaning ovens and industrial polishers

Praseodymium. Used in lasers and cigarette lighters

Neodymium. Used in electric motors for electric cars, hi-tech capacitors

Promethium.  Found in luminous paint

Samarium. Used in the control rods of nuclear reactors, lasers and atomic clocks

Europium. Used in fluorescent lamps, MRI scanners

Gadolinium. Found in computer memory chips, steel, X-ray machines

Terbium. Used in sonar systems on navy vessels, fuel cells on hi-tech cars

Dysprosium. Used in hard disk drives and lasers

Holmium. Used in mass spectrometers by hospitals and forensic scientists

Erbium. Used in catalysts for the chemicals industry and in batteries designed to store power for the electrical grid

Thulium. Found in portable X-ray machines and lasers

Ytterbium. Used in stainless steel, thyroid cancer treatment and earthquake monitoring

Lutetium. Used in LED lightbulbs, oil refining and medical PET scans

Top 10 summer destinations in Europe

1. High Tatras, Slovakia
2. Madrid, Spain
3. The Arctic Coast Way, Iceland 
4. Hercegovina, Bosnia and Hercegovina
5. Bari, Italy
6. Shetland, Scotland
7. Lyon, France 
8. Liechtenstein
9. Vevey, Switzerland
10. Istria, Croatia