scarlet work

A Simple Goal Setting Template for Download

2011-07-28T18:41:00.000-07:00

Here's a simple template for personal goal setting. I have designed the form using MS Office Infopath. The recurring table is designed to add any number of rows as you wish. You can enter a single symbol either a tick mark or cross, in the final DONE field. It will only allow you to save each file as a form in which you can enter values. If you wish to customize the template, tweak it as you wish by opening it in design mode. Have fun!

4Shared: Goal Setting Template
Google docs: Goal Setting Template

Masters of the Universal Subconscious

2011-07-14T10:44:00.000-07:00

One who is a deep thinker does not believe in lifeless, dronish way of 'working and living a life'. Your life should express itself in what you do. (Ah! How true it is - what the book How To Win Friends And Influence People says about it). There lies a whole world of wisdom in that kind of a book. We kids who've done schooling are taught to be mere wrapped balls who limit themselves to the physical (or mental) drudgery that we are capable of. We're mere balls who bounce to the control of circumstances. In being a drudge, we limit ourselves to our little world, making use of just hands and feet and an erring brain. In that we forget that if only we had been a little wiser, we could use the infinite resources - money, people, time, and all that are part of the universal, to our benefit.

Lay down your tools for a moment and think clearly: who is it that reapth abundant benefits - he that slogs day and night and later fritters his humble wages because of his circumstances or he who is wise to master his cirscumstances and after a little effort employs the gained resources to work for him? In short, the master or the slave? Remember, your life should express itself. That is what gives happiness and eternal glory. We sorridly fail to acknowledge the fact that there is abundance. This failure is the cause to limitations and slavery of all kinds. He who understands it has the universal subconscious at his command.

How Simple it is to be Shepherded

2011-02-24T05:06:00.000-08:00

How simple it was to be shepherded - by parents, by teachers, and to follow a fixed pattern every year. how simple it was to be in school or college, to be told what you have to do and when.. Some years later, you're out of college, on your own, doing things which impact your career, your life. Not just how well you do things, what decisions you make at what time, matter a lot. Sick of mediocrity, wary in big moves, taking every step with caution you're not sure what's in store for you next.
You have millions of options. Perhaps, that is the most frightening part of it. Battered, desperate and having no one to guide you, you feel - how simple it is to be shepherded.

13 Steps to Start a Successful Business from Scratch

2011-02-15T08:29:00.001-08:00

After doing an extensive analysis of the key elements for starting up a successful business from scratch, I had jotted down several points that could help me in making decisions while starting my business. Then I just felt it would be a nice idea to share the key points with everyone and also I could get some more insight about running a start up from the readers. Here are the key things to consider before you decide to start your business from scratch:

1. Start from your cupboard

If you are not starting from scratch, chances are you are heading for disaster.

2. Focus on a niche

Don’t try to be everything for everyone neither should you try to enter a saturated market. Target a specific market with needs which may not be met. This can be instrumental in helping you become market dominant in future. Better to be a market leader in a small business segment, than being a small player in a big business segment (who knows when you’ll get wiped out of competition).

3. Think of a business which can scale big (think big)

It should offer you enough scope for future growth.

4. Assess the existing players

Take a look at existing players. Find out their way of doing business. Try to find a segment of the market that is under served. Evaluate how your or your team’s skills and resources together can provide a better product / service.

5. Assess the investment / operational capital needed

Start with what funds you have and what additional investment you can put in to make the initial profits. Don’t use Other People’s Money (OPM). You can self-finance your business through your credit card or personal loan. Don’t go to the Venture Capitalist until your business has achieved solid revenues. The chances that a VC will fund your start up are one in hundred. A business which has established itself as a profitable one adds credibility when making the pitch, in future.

6. Find the right people

Don’t go it alone. Business is about people. Recruit the right team. Neither should you go for a partner unless his/her skills can really complement yours.

7. So you need a business plan

A Business Plan Doubles Your Chances for Success, Says a New Survey.

8. Be Target Oriented

Rather than letting your business take a random course over time, set specific, mesurable targets and work towards them. Setting specific targets helps you focus your energies effectively and thus get better results. Chances are, you’ll exceed your targets almost every time. Stay informed about the latest developments in the industry and government / regulatory body’s policies and incentives.

9. Be Unique

Differentiating your business from the crowd adds uniqueness and value to your brand. IBM and HP are two gigantic competing companies, but you’ll see in what ways they differ if you take a close look at their operations. Both have their own defined value propositions in selling their products and services which appeal to prospective clients who have different types of needs.

10. Make profit from day one

There is probably no better way to keep yourself motivated. If you can afford it, put every penny back into the business.

11. Strategy

There is nothing like a wise move. If you can beat competition through strategic moves, you can stay on as the market leader with very little effort.

12. Patience

A business should have gradual growth. It can't bump from somewhere small to a big-time position in the market. Irregular growth pattern might signify rash decision making which can prove dangerous over time. So be patient until it reaches the peak level from where it'll start to look great. In short, wait till the inflection point.

13. Have an exit strategy

Though it might be a business which you’ve given your life and soul to, having an alternate business plan and an exit strategy is essential. Successful entrepreneurs do not essentially stay with their start up for the entire span of the business. Exiting at the right time can prove highly profitable or help avoid losses. An exit can happen in the form of selling or merger. It gives you incentive to get started with your next Big venture!

God of All Lives

2011-01-28T20:25:00.000-08:00

In a world of loss, stress and defeat, you have been constantly telling yourself everything is alright. Everything's going to be fine and wonderful.. Believe me, despite being affirmative on the positive that things are just going to get better, at times, I have found it difficult beyond limits that one can emotionally bear to just keep it going. Well, it's been really really long.. and you've seen too much desperation, too much deafeat. But you get one affirmation from all sources you seek to counter this desperation, emotionally - there is nothing to worry about. All these things you see as difficulty is but the thoughts of your own mind. Outside, there is nothing called negative, there is nothing to worry about. Darkness, is a non existent thing. It is just the absence of light that we call darkness.

We speak of good and evil, but Good is a reality, something tangible, while Evil is found to be simply a negative condition, the absence of Good.

- Charles F. Haanel, The Master Key System

Some seek refuge in God - that Almighty who is omnipotent, omnipresent and omniscient. That God who is sought out to be the saviour of all lives has every power, is present everywhere and knows everything - But what is all that this God effectuated in these millions of lives who face hurdles in every attemp to achieve things in their lives. Well, I should say, you have had your lessons. You have learnt to seek better things, to better your ways. In all the course of life, as you continue to seek good things and success, the Almighty is everything but present as a distant person who will save you 'sometime'. But for all other times, what lessons you've had in your journey, the pushing inner self which tells you to hang on and the determination to pursue that destiny, is God.

New Year, better man - 2

2011-01-14T09:11:00.000-08:00

Read, be an ardent reader. Write if possible.
Network with people.. Avoid getting personal unless necessary.
Listen.
Never miss an opportunity to develop a good habit.
Money is expendable.
Human self is powered by a limitless subconscious mind. Acknowledge qualities which explore the treasure house in you.

New Year, better man

2011-01-05T01:41:00.000-08:00

This new year, and as always, I was able to get a clearer perception of the way things work. In fact, to me, the idea that one should have plenty of material resources to achieve big sounds stupider with each passing day. Then what's the point in trying to be extraordinary?

Some noteworthy points I've learnt in the last few months....

Love all. Hate none. Try to see the good in people.
Be genuinely interested in people (who said ?? I'm still guessing). No asset as worthy as human network. (Think politicians, film stars)
Loose self.
Lucky people spend an absolute minimum amount of time thinking about themselves. Instead they focus on the people around them, their current project or new opportunities. - Bob Parsons.
Abused? criticized? Don't ever feel bad. Only the abused will abuse. There's probably no fault with you. Take constructive criticism to do things better.
Worried? Feeling let down? Alone? You're not the only one alone. Deep inside everyone feels alone. Cheer up. Embrace values for life, everything's gonna be wonderful.
Use what talents you possess: The woods would be very silent if no bird sang except the ones which sing best. - Henry Van Dyke
Feel good. Think Big.

Symbol of Hope

2010-12-06T18:13:00.000-08:00

I yearn to get a perfectly calm and relaxed state of mind. And wish I was ready to endure greatest hardship and had developed the sprit so I will not yield to the pressure of time – time over which most people give up and turn their attention to matters of substance and not believe in their dreams! When you start to be a person of such character, you begin to see things which are not essential for the spirit and begin to be governed by fallacies which serve only to make life difficult. We pick up quarrels, we debate over anything and everything and at the end of the day, loose the inner peace. In all the course we dramatically fail to see the fact that it is all a state of the mind which makes us feel suffering or pleasure. With a change in the mind-set you allow yourself to understand deeper nature of the human (universal) spirit and what power vests in the hands of each individual that walks the earth.

With each passing day I grow surer of the capability of the human mind and the power which dreams can infuse in sinew of the otherwise naïve and faltering human being. People run to the ends of the world in search of education or wealth. But the one thing which is going to accompany you through, is your own self. Hardly does one understand that roots of immense prosperity are rooted in their own self, hidden to the world outside. While most people wonder with awe how a person could be simple and content with his humble possessions, this man takes great pleasure in knowing that he has found the treasure house which he can never loose.

We can easily see that a materialist is only capable of squandering his wealth (which is material and can never stay forever) and seeks earthly pleasures in this short life. Or at least, so is the perception of many who run behind material possessions. How wonderful it is to spread happiness and make each other’s life a pleasure. How precious it is to count our blessings, the smiles we spread, in being down to earth and showing the other that he wins, which bring happiness to that yearning soul. Only when one conquers his inner self can he train himself to see life in simpler terms and get solutions that work. So far as we remain slaves to circumstances and remain a worldling, we cannot find peace in life neither can we produce results – results which can truly change our life. He who has mastered his self masters his fate, brings hope to fellow humans and becomes a source of inspiration which is far greater than any material possession on earth.

To laugh often and much; to win the respect of intelligent people and the affection of children; to earn the appreciation of honest critics and endure the betrayal of false friends; to appreciate beauty, to find the best in others; to leave the world a bit better, whether by a healthy child, a garden patch or a redeemed social condition; to know even one life has breathed easier because you have lived. This is to have succeeded.

-- Ralph Waldo Emerson

How about your performance

2010-11-16T19:59:00.000-08:00

Deep down in my heart, I know that I am the best performer. Nobody could work harder, stay disciplined.
But you perform sluggishly at work, why? To my conscience I work well. Its not the work that speaks about me. Its what I've learnt. I teach myself a lesson, whenever a mistake is committed. Not bothered too much about monetary benefits. Not the rat race for money. Its about making a better man of myself. That's what brings happiness and hope.

Words To Remember

2010-11-15T21:51:00.000-08:00

Let these words resonate in the depths of your heart:
Ask of no man permission to perform
There are no limits

How to Get a Girl

2010-11-14T05:19:00.000-08:00

Here is the golden rule of getting a girl :- Break the ice. Try to speak to her within the first few instances of seeing her (mostly her seeing you). Herculean as it may seem, this simple point is the most essential for success. The longer it takes for the two to know each other, the higher the chance that she will become uninterested in you, mostly thinking that you are too proud to talk to her or that you are too shy to strike the initial conversation.

Be a gentleman. A quick intro is important, but the need for a gentlemanly behaviour cannot be overruled. Also, keep your temptation to move to the next level under control.

Give an impression that things are always under control. Nobody likes an awkward behaviour.

Avoid being obsessed in the beginning. Convince yourself to carry on the relationship as such, as long as it would go. Rest assured that you'll be successful.

So, start soon and find a smooth relationship. A couple of fights is okay. It can help your relationship grow stronger. When you have carried on the relationship for a considerable period that it has grown stronger, you two would have understood much about each other and you'll find a good friend in her. But don't get caught up in the friendship concept if that's not what you wanted. Move to the next level.

It is not all that difficult as it may seem and is only a matter of approach. Play it cool. And if you follow the right strategy, you'll be successful.

Who is a successful man?

2010-11-01T23:25:00.000-07:00

Who is a successful man? Most of us grew up imagining a life very much like that of the heroes in movies (in that, I very much detest the delusion that television or movies bring about, especially in the life of children). For, its all too dramatised what is shown in movies and rarely is a person's life like that in the movies. Biographic movies even for that matter, are no exception. It is only pure information (truth) that could show the right path to a person rather than commercial stuff, which is blantantly inculcated on everyone's life. Commercialism is having a terrible effect on the life of a child and in turn leaves him in a poor situation where he is blinded to realities of life. It is only a bit later in his life that he begins to realise the way things are. In this reference, there is much that a parent can do to direct a child to understand the ways of life rather than let them be deceived by this of the society. Anyways offtopic. Coming to the discussoin at hand, who is a successful person ? One who has superior eduction? One who was born with a silver spoon? No. None of these. He who clearly understands what he wants and works towards it, no matter how big it is is going to be happy and hence successful in the end.

One must have a goal. A realistic,
big goal. A small dream is a big crime. The one who knows that no thing that looks big is any big at all to his capabilities, is a step ahead of the rest. The rule of success is pretty simple. All those who see the big time nature of a big dream are not qualified for the very thing and this filters out a huge mass.This is the reason why there is only a small percentage of successful people around. He who dreams believes its not big for him, and in that he maketh the first step.

The next quality that I feel important is to stick to that goal that one feels is his purpose. Many a people would readily say that these are trying times, the field I am in is not progressing anymore, and would have tales to tell about their woes. True, no one is spared of trying times. Difficulties and obstacles are present all the way down, but a sheer thought that we are taking steps towards that thing we love should keep us going. You cannot see how you can achieve big things without making an attempt. That's another factor that perplexes another huge mass of people who'll stay back and do nothing - 'cause they don't know how it is ever possible. No one ever saw the other side of the sea without starting to sail on the ship. So grab the oars and set sailing. A ship is safe in harbor, but that's not what ships are for.

What makes us trifle with our own life is to keep hopping for small success every time? This might indeed take you towards a better position but you are, in effect, wasting your immense capabilities on stuff which are not really that big. These are a result of mere wishes or fancies and once we get it we want it no more. Thats why you shouldn't settle for anything small. So, its in finding a purpose which is big enough (big enough that people will laugh at you when you told 'em) and training yourself to see the big picture. Yes, the abililty to see the big picture makes a man even more eccentric compared to his peers but equips him with the necessary knowledge in his industry.

See.. one man wishes he could get a beautiful girl. And then he looks at another girl and goes for her and then the other and so on.. This man is a pleasure seeker and will not settle for one girl. Lets take a look at the other guy who has fallen in love with a girl and would do anything for her. He is obsessed with her thoughts and feels she is the one for him. If this were to be the case, you'd choose the one you really love won't you? (the big goal I mean). This idea is clearly explained in the book "Thought Vibration" by William Walker Atkinson. More than anything, the idea of One Love gives you the power to direct your thoughts towards that one thing. So, singleness of purpose combined with a love for the thing which you seek can make you powerful and successful.

“Singleness of purpose is one of the chief essentials for success in life, no matter what may be one's aim.” - John D. Rockefeller

There is one another important thing which I’d like to tell you. There is no such thing as love at first sight. At least, it is not real love unless it grows into real love. Everything starts small. Lets say, you feel you want to build your muscles and hit the gym. But you might not have the perseverance enough to get muscles like the heroes or whatever and hence you fail to see the reality. The reality is that you need to have patiently worked, regularly every day, for years to have finally grown enormous muscles. So don’t jump to a conclusion that you love a girl or anything of the sort (at least give your experiment a different name), until it has stood the test of time. Start small. Do it little by little. And in doing it a little at a time, you are able to take it forward over and over until one day it has become your second habit. You have fallen in love.

Perception of Philosophy

2010-10-20T00:30:00.000-07:00

Philosophy is not something to be deeply understood. It is not rocket science. Rather, it is a thing to be clearly understood, for if you cannot see clearly what great philosophers mean and perceive the true meaning of their simple words, you will begin to hate philosophy.

Questions In my Mind

2010-10-18T23:02:00.000-07:00

Your life is like a forum. Stop musing constantly and searching deeply for that answer in the recesses of your heart and rather search for questions which have already been answered by great men of the past. For, you don't want to reinvent the wheel.

Employ your time in improving yourself by other men's writings, so that you shall gain easily what others have labored hard for.
- Socrates

A conversation between Cyrus and his father King Cambyses:

2010-10-04T07:40:00.000-07:00

Cyrus is known to be one of the world's greatest personalities. In fact he is also referred to by some as the greatest man in the history of mankind. He lived even before the times of Alexander and built a vast empire, much of which was only conquered by Alexander, years later. But still, he is not as popular as Alexander. I just wanted to share an extract from the book Cyrus the Great by Samuel Willard Crompton:

A conversation between Cyrus and his father King Cambyses:

There is no shorter road, my son, than really to be wise in
those things in which you wish to seem wise; and when
you examine concrete instances, you will realize that what
I say is true. For example, if you wish to seem to be a good
farmer when you are not, or a good rider, doctor, flute-player,
or anything else that you are not, just think of how many
schemes you must invent to keep up your pretensions. And
even if you should persuade any number of people to praise
you, in order to give yourself a reputation, and if you should
procure a fine outfit for each of your professions, you would
soon be found to have practiced deception; and not long
after, when you were giving an exhibition of your skill, you
would be shown up and convicted, too, as an imposter.

The basic theme of this discourse resounds in the words of
Abraham Lincoln, uttered more than 2,000 years later: “You can
fool some of the people all of the time, and all of the people
some of the time, but you can’t fool all of the people all of the
time.” But Xenephon wrote this long before Lincoln expressed
the idea, and, given that Lincoln was a voracious reader, it’s possible
he obtained part of the idea from reading Xenephon.

Solitude and The Art of Managing Your Thoughts

2010-09-30T11:36:00.000-07:00

I often sit in silence and think of what all beautiful things one could achieve. Wonderful silence and solitude. I have read this somewhere about loneliness :

The worst thing in life is attachment
It hurts when you loose it.
The best thing in life is loneliness
Because it teaches you everything

I don't much understand what the author says when he mentions attachment. But yes, loneliness teaches you everything. To be in solitude a few hours is a wonderful feeling (but too much loneliness could break you). That is when you can clearly feel your inner voice. I have also read in a book that even great business people often take time to be alone. This helps to replenish their thoughts and get fresh ideas. There are no limits to what one can perceive and what one can achieve. And when you listen to what your heart says you're on the right way.

It is always a good thing to pen down whatever thoughts you get from time to time and that too very accurately. One gets a lot of thoughts everyday. Some are related to one's personal life, some related to one's profession and more: people even get a billion dollar idea some day, purely by chance. How rewarding it would be to write down what you feel. Things like what you should aim for or how you could bring about a change in your life. As you keep concentrating on those things your mind sends a sudden impulse and the next moment you have a wonderful idea. Eureka! What seemed impossible just a few moments before the idea struck, is now easy as anything.

What is it that you get by writing down thoughts from time to time? Trying to find some means to write and keeping every piece of information well organized for future reference, may all seem a bit tedious. But these are activities which are going to pay off in the long run. One thing you can be sure to change by this approach is: Attitude. That's a one word answer for one of worlds most famous questions: "What is the secret of success?" What other one thing could best help you achieve big? With a change in attitude, you change your approach towards life. Your plane of thoughts change. You win people - and the people around you play a big role in making you a successful person.

From Splog to Blog

2010-09-29T11:43:00.000-07:00

For many months I had been writing things which really wouldn't reflect my opinions. I was writing spam blogs and one day I realized why I would spend so much of my time and effort to develop content (for that matter any product/service) which is bogus. I finally decided I should pen down original thoughts rather than writing spam stuff.

There is so much in a man's mind which when left untold could be of use only to him. So, for a person who is a lover of silence (patience & peace), there needs to be a suitable medium to express his thoughts. So I chose this blog. I'm using this blog as a journal to express my thoughts. Your thoughts ..Who cares? Truly - I write just because I wanted a medium to express the tons of thoughts that cross my mind every day and this is a blog of my own. I'd even go to the extent of saying its for my own use. If you have come across looking for some content that would be in the way you wished it would be, this is not the right place. I guess I should soon have an 'about' page and put up this information there.

I have a purpose, I have a dream!

2010-09-22T07:53:00.000-07:00

Its been many years. Not too many actually, since I finished college - but two years. But its been so many years since I first set foot on this world. ;-|... 23 to be precise. I look back at the days I used to dream. The days I wished I could become someone who's life reached heights that I've always dreamt of.

I wanted to become someone, who'd reach great heights. Deep within the heart everyday thinking of the great purpose I'd one day serve. I've ended up being a mediocre engineer with a job (that means some routine stuff that'll begin to prove you've lost your track!), and the same old dream again.

What is it that my subconscious wants me to do? That purpose which I wish to serve seems to me to be a big thing to aspire for. But yes, I have set my heart for it - yes I know I can't live with this same kind of work and routine, for the rest of my life. I want to achieve that goal, I want to realize my dream!

Ever read the book 'The Alchemist' by Paulo Coelho? Coelho seems to be a master at expressing with clearness, the big thing which he simply names 'dream' and the elegance with which the boy pursues his dream. Simply excellent. I guess I am a poor fish in this respect. I love that book. The story is exactly the kinda stuff I wished would happen in my life. It doesn't mean I want something out of nothing. I know that nobody ever could get something for nothing. You have to give - time, effort, more than anything - belief. Belief in your dream, belief that your subconscious points in the right direction, belief that you'll one day make your dream come true. That's the price we pay to achieve the big thing.

Everyone does his job. But is your job all that is to your life? Let's say you ended up in a job which you really wouldn't have wanted to do. A job which was meant to be a stepping stone in helping you climb a better height... But that's just a job - its not your dream. I have always considered my job to be just that same thing - something which would elevate me to a better height. But the fact that you have a job to take care of your own self and perhaps a family doesn't mean everything. There's still a goal that is left unattended... unattended? sorry if that's wrong English. There's a dream inside, burning.

I have read a book - A book which I strongly believe in.. one of the greatest books I've ever read. If you scrolled through the archives of this blog you could find a post written almost 2 years ago about this book. The Magic Story. It had a mesmerizing effect on me. What it says is pretty simple. But the way the authour has put it is where the magic is. There is no defeat for man till the moment he really dies. Life has ups and downs, but all things are lifeward. Ask of no man permission to perform.

Im wondering - what still holds me back? I have to get going with the right stuff that will send me in the right direction. In the direction of my dream. The shepherd boy in The Alchemist had a dream and he set out for it, when he thought he could no more hold back his raging passion. I have to set my vision on that thing which will send me towards my dream.

I have to stay awake and be watchful for clues. Your subconscious talks to you in hunches. Be attentive and listen to your heart. Its giving you signals, its showing you directions in the form of sudden impulse or signs. You need to heed them. Believe in it. Ask the right question at the right time and your questions will be answered. You'll be travelling in the right direction. One fine day, you'll reach your goal. Believe in yourself.

Books

2009-06-13T19:08:00.000-07:00

Through books you can encompass in your imagination the full sweep of world history. You can watch the rise and fall of civilizations, the ebb and flow of mighty battles and the changing pattern of life through the ages.

Through books you can know the majesty of great poetry, the wisdom of the philosophers, the findings of the scientists.

Through books you can start today where the great thinkers of yesterday left off, because books have immortalized man’s knowledge. Thinkers, dead a thousand years, are as alive in their books today as when they walked the earth.

It is chiefly through books that we enjoy the knowledge of superior minds, and these invaluable means of communication are in the reach of all. In the best books, great men talk to us their most precious thoughts, and pour their soul s into ours.

In the pole

2009-05-25T09:40:00.000-07:00

If not outside so optimistic I would begin to think that this interminable tunnel does not take nowhere, or at least not to the surface. No longer I know how long we took giving returned and more returning, but than yes I am safe is that we have not stopped descending. The temperature, consequently, has been increasing and the heat has become unbearable. It would say who it, heat in the Antarctic! In order to fight we must it clear the clothes to us, but soon we will not have left nothing than to undress to us. With these naked beards and we will need the stick to seem troglodytic. But about what I will be thinking? Right now it would have to be jumping and dancing of joy, and is that, against all prognosis, today we have conquered the South Pole! I do not joke nor I am being delirious for want of oxygen. It has been a conquest under earth, clearly, which does not reduce any merit to him, although I must recognize that we have had much luck of which the grotto passed through the latitude 90º S.A. right less now I can die knowing that I have fulfilled my intention, but, I prefer to follow alive; still I have seventy and five years and one life ahead. In addition I must inform to him to the world into our feat, what would be the glory without recognition?
This is the experience of one of my close friends who encountered the harshest of environment and some of the most trying times of his life.

Environmental protection

2009-05-12T09:44:00.000-07:00

Environmental protection and management should attract a lot of attention these days. There must be desirable development in the face of alarming rate of natural resource degradation which greatly hampers their optimal utilisation. There must be special attention given to such environmental issues in rural areas where people have low awareness. When waste water emanating from municipal sewage, industrial effluent, agricultural and land runoffs find their way either to ground water reservoirs or other surface water sources, the quality of water gets affected and makes it unfit for use. The natural balance is disturbed when concentrated discharges of waste water is not controlled. This is because the cleansing forces of nature cannot do their job in proportion to the production of filthy matter. There must be special boards formed in every town in all nations to ensure that such effects to our surroundings are not caused.

Is youth extinct?

2009-05-04T09:54:00.000-07:00

Youth is stifled because the rat-race continues.. many parents seeking only such schools which would put their children in the list of rank holders and top scorers in examinations; pushing them into a variety of supplimentry courses which give them little time to blink from their books, leave alone “to stand and stare” in their leisure; focussing their own obsessions on them and deciding a future by the measuring yardstick of the Toms Dicks and Harrys of society or the economic returns of courses with an impact on social prestige.

Fourteen years of this fruelling life from the age of three onwards! Fourteen years of tunnelling with blinders to avoid “distractions” from the harsh goals of studentship! Fourteen years of the printed matter absorbed and soaked into the brain to be poured out again onto answer papers, cover-to-cover, letter-to-letter. And when the fourteen years are over, he stands before you, a seventeen year old, ready to step into the next tunnel of academics called “Higher Studies”, a tunnel that is in no way different from the earlier one in quality or kind. So another three, five, seven or sometimes even more years before he actually begins to live.. an adult! Not having known what it was to be a youth!

Youth is not just the inevitable count of years. It is more an attitude than a period of time. Youth is said to be exuberant, full of spirit of adventure. Youth is alive to emotions and makes no distinction between people and positions. Youth is sensitive to suffering, responsive to reasoning and fine – tuned to trust and tolerance. Youth is always sharing, ever caring, seldom unforgiving and never vindictive. Youth gives fair credit to merit and is ignorant of partiality. Above all, youth believes in giving a helping hand to the downtrodden even when he himself tries to climb the ladder of success.

Retrenchment and employee morale

2009-04-27T08:29:00.000-07:00

Recently a town hall was conducted in our organization to brief the employees about the current economic situation and the need for effective performance in these times. The company, unlike most other organizations, cares for the welfare of its employees and avoids job cuts, so their colleagues and dear friends do not undergo extreme difficulties in this poor market. Their decision comes as a welcome move as it is not only the employee who gets sacked who faces the brunt, but also his friends and managers who cannot bear to see someone who had grown with the company, depart.
It is not an easy job for the manager too, to choose a few among the selected ones to issue the pink slip. Restructuring also leads to strange work conditions that could prove harmful to the productivity of the employees. To a large extent companies must focus on retaining their workforce, if they want to retain their ‘reputed employer’ status. It is not a sign of a good employer to lay off employees just to face worst times of their life, outside.

Cyrus the Great

2009-04-08T06:34:00.000-07:00

I recently read a book on Cyrus, King of Kings, the king of Persia of the ancient times. He was born to a humble king and became the first king to conquer vast extents of land in the Middle Eastern region. He was a man that I admire not just because he was a great conqueror and ruler, he was a man who, apart from hard work and perseverance, used cool ideas to defeat his enemies. His strategies were some of the wisest I have ever heard of.

He used his wit wisely to conquer the nation of Sardis. The king of the small nation retreated from battlefield thinking Cyrus would not advance beyond a certain point. Cyrus, with his men, stealthily followed the enemy troops to reach their land and attacked the place when the all their army had dispersed. An easy victory followed.

After taking over most of the surrounding nations, Cyrus turned towards the mighty Babylon - one of the greatest wonders the world has ever seen. The city was ruled by king Nabonidus, son of King Nebuchadnezzar, the ruler who brought havoc to the city of Jerusalem. This time Cyrus had almost the entire army of Babylon overpowered, but the city itself was impermeable. It was a square city with a length and breadth of 20Km. The entire place was surrounded by high walls and strong inner walls. The whole city was content with its food and water supplies that were available internally. I guess if one would have thought it possible to penetrate a city of such high protection. But smart Cyrus took advantage of the river Euphrates that flowed into the city, to penetrate the city. He used his skilled engineers to divert the river and made the water way shallow for his horsemen to move. The rest is history.

Cyrus in my opinion is an Alexander the world knows less about. In fact, Cyrus is spoken of in comparison to Alexander often, as both followed similar routes in their quest to conquer the world. We have lots of lessons that can be learnt from great men like Cyrus, Cyrus the Great.

Anything Positive

2009-04-01T07:30:00.001-07:00

Even when you are in the worst situation feel good that things can only get better.

On his high horse

2009-03-27T01:17:00.000-07:00

We all know the power, speed and beauty of the horse made him a creature of legend. We are told that once there were seven men who competed for the throne of Persia. They agreed that the man whose horse neighed first should become king. The horse of Darius was the first to do so. The crown was given to him. He became one of the most famous of Persia’s ancient kings.

For a long time only upper classes had horses. Some of high rank rode on big, heavy horses in the king’s parade. This gave birth to the expression “to ride the high horse”, meaning trying to show that one is above others, too good for them. And to tell one “to get off his high horse” means that he is no better than others and should stop acting as if he were. The expression “to look a gift horse in the mouth” is used to describe a man who has the poor taste to examine a gift to see if anything is wrong with it.

Hi all.. I'm back

2009-03-17T19:49:00.000-07:00

Thanks all for your response. This is just to say that I get tired of blogging doesn't mean I won't continue with the work. I am going to post more and more. So keep coming and I'd love to visit you. Well, here is one of my favorite heroes, not just in movies, in real life too. Just wanted to share this legends thoughts with you. Cheers.

Blogging Boring

2009-03-05T22:27:00.000-08:00

It's been some time since I started blogging and the whole stuff is beginning to have a dull effect on me. I like the business, but its all too tiresome. Sometimes, to take care of your job and at the same time managing your blog could be taxing. I imagine how my blogging friends are managing several ones at the same time. Each day passes by and I get into different moods that directly affect my blogging activity. Now you find that I haven't updated my blog in days eh? So what I will be doing next is only left to the chance of time. Right now I am going to spend a wonderful Friday and look forward to having a beautiful weekend. Happy blogging friends!

Tips to handle Interviews

2009-03-02T21:03:00.000-08:00

Before the interview
• Get to the interview location at least 30 minutes prior to the given time.

• Carry extra copies of your updated resumé.

• Be polite to the receptionist. His/Her feedback about you may be considered during your evaluation.

• Acquaint yourself with the names of the interviewers and be prepared to use them while interacting with them or greeting them.

• Review your notes while waiting.

• Breathe deeply and relax.

• Enter the room courteously with a smile, but without being obsequious.

• Greet the interviewer with a firm handshake.

• Accept that you will be nervous but work out ways of not letting it interfere with your performance.

During the interview

• Be calm, confident, professional and determined.

• Slow down your speech, lower your voice and maintain eye contact with the interviewer during the interview.

• Direct your answers to the entire panel of interviewers.

• Avoid speaking your own views.

• Pitch answers at a level that would be technically appropriate to your interviewing panel.

• Demonstrate integrity by not giving away confidential information about your previous employer.

• Be a good listener and show patience during any pauses between questions.

• Always be honest.

• If you get the time or opportunity, ask questions about the employer in the order of their priority.

• Thank the panel as you leave.

Do UFO’s exist?

2009-02-25T21:04:00.000-08:00

The credibility of UFO’s and extra terrestrial life forms has always been under question and there is no proper evidence for their existence. However, there are a group a people who indeed believe in the possibility of their existence. The reason for their belief can be understood from their arguments.
• Many planets have been found revolving around stars outside the Solar System.
• Alien technology could be far in advance of our own, allowing more effective space travel.
• Einstein’s theory is accepted for now. But it may be wrong. More advanced theories could be discovered in the future that allow faster than light travel.
• There are thousands of UFO photos in the world that claim to show alien spacecrafts. And many more eyewitness accounts of UFO sightings.
• Many UFO could be military craft or man-made objects. But witnesses include air force pilots who are trained in aerial detection.
• Extra evidence has been found by witnesses in the area around UFO sightings, including debris from crashes and burn marks on the ground from landings.

Hi-tech and Hybrid cars

2009-02-23T22:46:00.000-08:00

This 1983 Bentley was modified for the rich class. It was actually the Bentley Mulsanne Turbo which was transformed, including parts from nine different cars. The roof was lowered a bit, with the front and rear lights were from a Range Rover. The 328 hp turbocharged engine is alone left unchanged.

The new Knight XV, the new assault vehicle is a eye catcher. It comes with 6 way seating, sunroof glass with privacy shade and laptop station, Alpine DVD navigation and Bluetooth connectivity. This stunning machine is priced at $295,000.

This Chrysler is a hybrid that is capable of traveling a distance of 40 mile on pure battery power. A gasoline engine and electric generator is used to extend the driving range to around four hundred miles.

The Dodge Circuit EV is an improvement over its predecessor, a Dodge electric car. This reworked car is looks attractive than the previous one. It is capable of a quick 0-60 time of less than six minutes. It can span a driving distance of 150 to 200 miles with its charged battery.

Bushido

2009-02-19T01:07:00.000-08:00

The Samurais of Japan were the fiercest warriors of their time and they were loyal beyond any question to their leaders. They followed a rigid code of ethics that made them one among the most respected in the society. But after the period when the nation developed peace, they became more spiritually oriented and indulged themselves in teaching and art. The code called Bushido that was followed by them did not teach brute force or impolite manners.

I. Rectitude or Justice The code teaches that a Samurai knows how one must decide upon an important thing and act appropriately. It is the quality of reasoning.

II. Courage that is put in action for the sake of good is worthy of respect.

III. Benevolence was expected as an integral part of a man of honour.

IV. Politeness was an essential attribute. It is to be a part of every true Samurai of Japan.

V. Honesty and Sincerity Greed for money was considered an immoral and lowly quality. The Samurais lived a Spartan life and abstained from seeking money.

VI. Honor was above everything. A Samurai lived a life of honor and anything that affected his honor affected him personally.

VII. Loyalty The Samurais were extremely loyal to their leaders.

VIII. Character and Self-Control The Bushido teaches men to live a life of moral standards. Character is essential for the warrior and equally for the common man.

The rules of the code were those of politeness and respect. It taught to the world, discipline and unfailing morals that will last forever.

Know about F1

2009-02-18T00:09:00.000-08:00

The Formula One race is usually preceded by a warm-up lap, and then the cars are made ready to go, in the order they qualified. If a driver stops before the parade lap and all the other cars pass him, then he must start once again. However, if he controls himself and drives off, with at least one car behind his car, then he is allowed to take his position. The driver also has the option to start from the pit-area, if there is any problem with his machine in the last minute. However, the trouble here is that he has to allow all the other cars to pass by him before he can start.
The distance of race is usually the minimum number of laps that serve to cross three hundred and five kilometers. The driver can any number of pit stops during the race for refueling or to do other corrections. The tyres are supplied by Bridgestone, the official tyre manufacturer for Formula One. On completing a successful lap, the driver is required to ward off three blue flags waved on the way. Failing this will invite a penalty from the organizers.

The History of Super Bowl

2009-02-16T01:52:00.000-08:00

The Super Bowl was simply a AFL-NFL world championship game in the sixties. It was played where only half the stadium was full. There were two different brands of the game that were contradictory and were designed by the NFL and AFL respectively. There was a clear agreement between the owners of the two leagues, to form a new and united organization, the modern NFL. The two had to separately oblige TV contracts and that kept the full integration pending till 1970. There was a single separate game played at end of season, that was used to name the final winning team as the champion. “Super Sunday” became a trademark name due to the craze that Super Bowl induced in the people. This game has created a special place for itself in the US list of national holidays, the fourth of July. The game is regularly scheduled every year and is watched by almost everyone in the US.

For a good presentation

2009-02-15T21:55:00.000-08:00

Presentation is also a form of communication of your ideas and thoughts to others.
The first important thing that you will have to consider to make a good presentation is to understand the audience your audience to whom you are going to make the presentation.
Keep your presentation very simple, to the point and concise, if your audience is general public and common masses.
If your audience is full of technical people, word your presentation accordingly by using technically sound but simple language.
Be clear in your opening statement. Always make eye contact with the audience. Reflect confidence in speech and posture. Plan well and implement with the use of visual aids.
Prepare and rehearse well before you appear for an interview. Your knowledge, communicating ability and presentation skills matter a lot for success in interviews.
Your resume, cover letter, dress and perseverance qualities play a significant role in interviews.
A little thought about the way you carry out an interview and development of some skills can transform your interviews from problems into opportunities.
Interviewers should also prepare well for interviewing, asking questions, listening to answers and closing the interview.

Types of Knowledge

2009-02-13T21:54:00.000-08:00

Epistemology is the study of knowledge. It is concerned with the nature, structure and origin of knowledge. The following are some forms of knowledge.
Causal Knowledge is the understanding of the underlying cause and effect of various aspects of life.
Procedural knowledge is the knowledge of how to do something like making a cup of coffee.
Declarative knowledge refers to knowledge being expressed as a declarative statement.
Tacit knowledge is also known as the unconscious knowledge since it cannot be expressed very specifically in words. For example, how to ride a bicycle or a horse is something one may know but find difficult to explain.
Deep knowledge is acquired by exhaustive study and understanding of a subject. Usually, it is restricted to one or two domains of knowledge as it is not possible for a single person to study all the different areas learning.
Shallow knowledge is based on superficial or an empirical understanding of a subject.
Heuristic knowledge is a type of shallow knowledge. It is conscious of various rules of thumb based on first-hand experience. They aid in solving problems but there is no guarantee that they will succeed. It is in areas such as medicine and practical engineering that heuristics play a useful role in problem solving

Listening

2009-02-11T21:51:00.000-08:00

Good listening is a quality of great men who have reached the pinnacle of glory and is very essential for succeeding in life. But there is a big misconception that is common among many of us that we are good listeners even when we are not. When lecturers lecture, your mind wanders away at least sometimes, if not most of the time. So, you do not generally listen attentively and actively. This creates an inability to understand the lesson. And if you are an employee, it creates problem in your work.
Most of the time we assume that we listen well, though really, we may not. One main reason for this is that more often we complete on our own the sentences of the speaker before he completes them. This is known as predicting. That is, we assume that the speaker is going to say what we expect him to say. This may not happen all time. It’s possible that the speaker will say something different from what we expect. As a result, difficulties in understanding the messages can occur, and misunderstanding will arise as a result. Proper training and control of your thoughts will help gain better concentration to listen well.

Food Preservation

2009-02-10T21:50:00.000-08:00

Food preservation is very important as it has become a widely applied method in our day to day life. Cooked food, uncooked meat and fish or fruit lose their freshness, become old and spoil in warm, wet air as these undergo changes because of bacteria. Food science and technology have helped us preserve food with their modern techniques. Factories prepare and produce readymade food-meats, fish, peas, fruits. They use certain processes like canning, dehydration, smoke, refrigeration.
Food can be preserved by controlling or destroying the agents like warm and wet air, bacteria, insect and rodents.
Canning is a thermal processing where foods are subjected to high temperatures that are high enough to kill micro-organisms. Foods are sterilized in air tight, heat-resistant pouches.
Dehydration removes water from food and thus prevents bacteria from growing. It then compresses and freeze-dries food which can resume their normal state on rehydration.
Refrigeration helps store foods with nutrients and flavours. But smoke treatment to foods can preserve them only for a short time.
Certain substances in small amounts are added to foods to make them last longer, to give them color and to add flavour to them, to add minerals. They are known as additives. Benzoates, propionic acids, sodium and calcium salts are a few preservatives. Monosodium glutamate, synthetic and aromatic substances add flavour to foods.

Eat Healthy

2009-02-10T21:49:00.001-08:00

Eat more of grain foods such as atta, brown rice, paraboiled rice, jowar, barley, fruits, vegetables and dals
More non-fat or low protein foods like non-fat or low-fat milk, curds, paneer, egg white, chicken and fish at least 3-4 times a week.
Keep refined carbohydrates like cakes, pastries, chips, traditional fried savouries and biscuits to a minimum.
Less unhealthy fats in fried foods, full cream milk and curd, ghee, skin on chicken, marbled meats, sausages and cream biscuits.
Less outdoor foods with description like “super, jumbo, supreme, deluxe”
Moderate amounts of alcohol, if you drink. For women, one drink a day and two drinks a day for men is acceptable.
Eat at regular intervals; do not skip meals.
Cook food through healthier methods like baking, steaming, sauteling, pressure cooking and grilling instead of frying.
Cardio exercises like walking, jogging, swimming increase calorie expenditure and make the heart stronger.
If you can’t exercise, just do some physical work. Use stairs, do gardening, and walk to nearby places instead of driving.

Document your program well

2009-02-10T21:47:00.000-08:00

As a graduate in Information Technology I get to understand some basic skills that will make lengthy programming easier. One of the mistaken ideas held by many programmers is that the documentation for a program should be written only after the program is ’finished’. This is a very dangerous point of view. It will certainly lead to inadequate documentation and might very well result in an incomplete or incorrect program. Documentation is a continuous process. It starts when we first begin to formulate a clear problem statement and continues as we devise a solution, express the solution algorithmically and code the algorithm as a computer program. Documentation is an inherent part of a program. It is therefore meaningless to assert that documentation should be written after the program is finished.

The Father of Packaged Foods

2009-02-10T21:46:00.000-08:00

Francois Appert had no convenient tin can in which to seal his goods. He picked all sorts of food in glass of china containers, poured sufficient water to cover them, and then placed them in a bath of water which was gradually heated to the boiling point, keeping them in this bath for varying lengths of time. While still hot, they were corked and sealed. Perhaps, it may not seem like something that should be rewarded. It is done in many kitchens every autumn when the fresh fruits come in and are preserved for the winter. No, it’s not new or surprising now; it is the common and accepted one.
But, this is the twenty first century, and our French scientist was working in his laboratory in 1800. It is because Appert worked out this process so patiently and thoroughly in his workroom that we can do it so easily and naturally in our kitchens. The test took a long time, for different temperatures and methods had to be worked out. Then the jars must be left closed for months or years to prove the success or failure of each separate method. But by the time a dozen years passed and Appert had learned the best ways and was able to show many kinds of food which had been put away long before and yet came out as sweet and good as when they were placed in the jar.

Management Control System

2009-02-10T21:44:00.000-08:00

Management control systems function in three ways. They measure performance, judges it against criteria and suggests improvements or changes. Control is possible only when these functions are taken proper care of. It begins with the measurement of performance of workers. The system devises a method to estimate how much work has been done and how well it has been done. Obviously, it will need criteria to match performance with. Otherwise, it cannot simply function. Of course, these criteria are made ready by an arm of the management other than the control system.
Now, the system measures and records performance over a given period. Once this process is complete, the process of evaluation begins. Recorded performance is matched with the expected standards; conclusions are drawn about the level and the quality of jobs done.
Next, several suggestions or recommendations are made to ensure corrective action. For instance, workers may undergo retraining. Supervision may need to be stepped up. New equipment may be necessary. Or the operational processes may need revision. Further, it may be necessary or desirable to take another look at the standards set for output or quality. Even management goals may require modification or transformation.

Fun Facts

2009-02-08T21:17:00.000-08:00

There are more than 40,000 characters in Chinese script.

In the US, more babies are born in July than in any other month.

Australia’s box jellyfish have toxins more potent than the venom in cobras.

Butterflies taste with their feet.

In a deck of cards, the king of hearts is the only king without a moustache.

The inventor of the light bulb – Thomas Edison was afraid of the dark!

A bee could travel 4 million miles at 7 miles per hour on the energy it would obtain from 1 gallon of nectar.

If a single pair of flies was to breed and all the offspring survived, there would be 190,000,000,000,000,000,000 flies in four months.

Baby elephants can drink over 80 litres of milk a day.

Solar Energy

2009-02-08T21:15:00.000-08:00

Man has realized that solar energy is a reliable source of energy to meet his energy needs of the century. After all, he has already experienced it for the sun’s rays have been used as heat source for evaporating and distilling water, for salt production and for drying fruits, vegetables, fish and meet. And then, there is solar cooking and other such utilities.

The life of the sun is said to be about 5 billion years; naturally it’s a large and renewable resource. Besides, solar energy has few negative environmental impacts. However, its energy is diffused. Most applications of solar energy rely on systems consisting of collectors, storage and control. Control makes sure that the collection and storage systems operate safely and efficiently.

Solar energy is captured through ponds, collectors and cells. An artificial solar pond has dissolved salt at three levels – at 1.5ft, at 5ft and at much deeper level. It is at the third level with the densest, heaviest water where tapped heat is stored. However, the pond can retail only 10 to 20 percent of the energy. Solar collectors absorb solar energy and produce heat. They are used for space heating and cooling and for heating water. The solar collector is usually a simple blackened copper, aluminium or steel heat – absorber plate which readily absorbs sunlight, covered by a sheet of glass which does not transmit the longer wavelengths emitted by metal. A heat-transfer liquid circulates through a set of tubes and removes the heat from the plate. A typical space-heating system consists of a roof-mounted collector array whose tilt angle is equal to the latitude plus 15°, a heat-storage tank, pumps or a fan and a network of pipe or ducts for distribution of heat. It uses a liquid or air as the transfer medium. Solar cells directly convert sunlight into electricity. It consists of two layers of material, one of which is impregnated with an impurity such as boron or arsenic to make it negative and the other of which is similarly doped to make it positive. The elements silicon and germanium are used as semiconductors. One layer must be extremely thin for sunlight to penetrate. Pocket calculators work on solar cells. Small arrays of solar cells charge batteries and they power irrigation pumps and refrigerators where there is no commercial electricity.

Human Memory

2009-02-08T21:10:00.000-08:00

There are three basic activities associated with human memory viz. receiving new data from the environment followed by its processing and conversion into usable information within the brain; storing this information in the memory; and retrieving it as and when required.

Humans have three forms of memory. One is the immediate memory. Here one retains all details of an object or a scene or a picture for about 1/10th of a second like a batsman facing a ball. After that much is forgotten. Next is the short term memory where information is retained for a few minutes only. This memory is also known as working memory and has a limited capacity. It is also used for rehearsal, i.e. for mentally repeating the information over and over again so that it enters the long term memory.

The information which is stored in the long term memory can be broadly classified into four categories. First is the information related to specific tasks, which include riding a horse or a bicycle, driving a car, typing, painting, etc. These skills often require several years of experience to perfect. Secondly, the information related to fear-inspired actions like being bitten by a dog, getting hurt due to falling, getting a fire burn, etc. By proper training one can prepare oneself to take specific actions under difficult circumstances or emergency conditions. Third is ‘Episodic memory’, in which information regarding dated episodes or personal experiences is stored date-wise. Finally, the ‘Semantic memory’, relates to the use of words, grammar, metaphors, and all other details of language. However, these different groupings are conceptual in nature and no specific region of the brain as such is reserved for these categories.

Symbols and Signs

2009-02-08T21:09:00.000-08:00

There are many ways of communicating without speech. Signals, signs, symbols and gestures may be found in every known culture. The basic function of a signal is to impinge upon the environment in such a way that it attracts attention, as for example, the dots and dashes of a telegraph circuit. While less acceptable to the codification of words, signs contain greater meaning in and of themselves. A stop sign or a barber pole conveys meaning quickly and conveniently. Symbols are more difficult to describe than either signals or signs because of their intricate relationship with the receiver’s cultural perceptions. In some cultures applauding in a theatre provides performers with an auditory symbol of approval. Gestures such as waving and hand shaking also communicate certain cultural messages.

Stretching

2009-02-08T21:02:00.000-08:00

Before we begin to do some vigorous exercise we stretch our arms and legs to get some initial comfort. Stretching is recommended as part of warm-ups by most trainers. However, there have been some researches in recent years that claim that it’s a bad idea. It is found that stretching before training decreases the power and output. It does not relieve the muscles or help in hard training, they warn.

The effects of stretching lasting from 10 to 60 seconds on performance have been studied as early as the Greek researches itself. It is found out that stretching for 30 seconds decreases isometric strength by nine percent and stretching for 60 seconds reduces power by 16 percent. It is also observed stretching for 30 seconds or more has similar effects on decreasing muscle power.
It is therefore advised that static stretching be avoided before exercises that require maximum strength and power. Even scientists say that stretching a cold muscle may invite injury.

Efficient Kangaroos.

2009-02-05T22:04:00.000-08:00

I want to share some nice information about kangaroos. These marsupials are more primitive than advanced mammals. Many people have been assuming that their way of getting around was not very efficient because of their heavy use of two legs. There are only a few rodents that use hopping as a form of traveling. And the mammals that use this type of traveling are very less. But a recent study has found kangaroos use less energy when hopping than other mammals use when running. But there is of course a limit to the size of any animal that moves in this way, which is the reason kangaroos never evolved.

“I love you” is better than “I love you so much”!

2009-02-04T21:18:00.000-08:00

When we feel like expressing something true with sincerity, we use phrases like “I love you so much”, “I am very sorry”, “I really saw it”. But just “I love you” sounds awesome. Words like ‘very’, ‘really’, ‘quite’ and other such intensifiers do not add anything useful to a sentence. Also, in general conversation intense expressions might just make you look hyperactive. Try without these intensifiers and see the difference!

Words of Wisdom

2009-02-04T00:12:00.000-08:00

Dale Carnegie was a master in personality development and public speaking. His book How to Win Friends and Influence People was an international best-seller. Through his books and lectures he showed many people, the path to success. There is a lot of wisdom that lies to be learnt from men like him. Here I share with you some of his words that I like the best.

You never achieve real success unless you like what you are doing.

Flattery is from the teeth out. Sincere appreciation is from the heart out.

You can make more friends in two months by becoming interested in other people than you can in two years by trying to get other people interested in you.

If you want to gather honey, don't kick over the beehive.

If only the people who worry about their liabilities would think about the riches they do possess, they would stop worrying.

The best things in life are yours if you can appreciate yourself.

The man who goes farthest is generally the one who is willing to do and dare. The sure-thing boat never gets far from the shore.

Develop success from failures. Discouragement and failure are two of the surest stepping stones to success.

When You're afraid, keep your mind on what you have to do...if you have been thoroughly prepared, you will not be afraid.

We all have possibilities we don't know about. We can do things we don't even dream we can do.

The next generation city - Masdar

2009-02-03T02:06:00.000-08:00

Hope by now you would have got wind of the new hi-tech eco-city that is coming up at Abu Dhabi. The project was initiated in 2006 and is scheduled to be completed in 2009. This will be a city without automobiles; only public mass transit and personal rapid transit systems will be allowed. The city will be walled to keep away hot desert winds. This US$22 billion project will cover 6 square kilometers. Masdar Institute of Science and Technology will be started in the city.
Solar energy to the extent of 130 megawatts can be tapped by means of photovoltaic modules that will be placed on roof tops. About 20 megawatt of wind energy can be tapped by means of wind mills that will be placed outside the city. The plan is to implement a huge hydrogen power plant and to tap geothermal energy as well. The city’s water needs will be 60 percent lesser than a conventional city, as it will use a solar powered desalination plant.

I’ve sensed this event before..!

2009-01-29T22:20:00.000-08:00

Ever felt what you see or experience was felt already? Hope you remember the scene in The Matrix in which Keanu Reeves sees a cat moving twice, repeatedly, and then they sense that there has been something wrong. We sometimes experience a state of mind in which we feel familiar with what we see or experience. It gives us a weird feeling. This is called déjà vu.

It is a feeling quite common among adults and a study shows that 70 percent people have experienced it at least once. This may result due to an overlap between the neurological systems responsible for short-term memory and those responsible for long-term memory. The events might be stored in memory even before the conscious mind receives and processes it. Some say that It is related wih extra-sensory perceptions; they argue that it is evidence for psychic abillities in normal people.

It is also claimed to be the memory of dreams. Dreams enter the long-term memory directly and these vision might be due to a match between such dreams and the current experience. Last but not least, some believe it is pieces of past-life memories that re-surfaces due to familiar surroundings! So, when did you feel one last?

For the boys and for men as well.

2009-01-29T21:27:00.000-08:00

In one of my books, I found a very interesting work by William Hazlitt. Let me share it with you.
You seemed to take no notice of school fellows, or rather set yourself against them because they were strangers. They knew as little of you as you did of them. It would have been the reason for their keeping aloof from you, which you would have as a hardship. Never develop a prejudice against other because you know nothing of him. It is bad reasoning and makes enemy of half the world. Do not think ill of them until they behave ill to you. And then, strive to avoid the faults you see in them. This will disarm their hostility sooner than resentment or hatred. To criticize the dress of some the boys as not as good as your own is impolite. Never despise anyone for anything he cannot help. Keep up appearances yourself as a defence against the sneers of the world, but don’t value yourself upon them. I had rather said, “Never despise anyone at all”; for contempt implies a triumph over and pleasure in the ill of another. It means that you are glad and congratulate yourself upon their failings and misfortunes.
You have been used to have your own way a good deal at home. Now that you get among others who have something else to attend to besides humouring your whims and fancies; and you feel this as a repulse or piece of injustice. But it’s a lesson that you learn here that there are other people in the world besides yourself. The more airs of childish self-importance you give yourself, you will only expose yourself to be more thwarted and laughed at. True equality is the only true wisdom. Remember always that you are but one among others and you can hardly mistake your place in society. In the world you will find competitors at every turn. You can only share their fate, or settle your differences amicably with them.

The Art of War

2009-01-29T21:25:00.000-08:00

The patterns in the way nations fight reflect their cultural and historical traditions. These are deeply rooted attitudes that collectively make up their strategic culture.
The Asian way of war was described by some British historian as one of the indirect attacks, avoiding frontal attacks. This traces back to Asian history and geography; the great distances and harsh terrain have often made it difficult to execute the sort of open field clashes allowed by the terrains of Europe.
Bow and arrow were extensively used in Asia. The arrow is an indirect weapon, fired from a distance of hundreds of yards. Thus it can be fired from hidden positions and takes the enemy by surprise.
In the Sun-Tzu and other Chinese writings, the highest achievement of arms is to defeat an adversary without fighting. Actual combat is just one among many means towards the goal of subduing an adversary. War contains too many surprises to be a first resort. It can lead to ruinous losses, as has been seen time and again.
Sun-Tzu advocated war only after most thought preparations. The army is just an instrument to deal the final blow to an enemy already weakened by isolation, poor morale and disunity. The unwitting victim, focussed on the day-to-day events, never realises what’s happening to him until it’s too late. I believe this is a better way to approach war when compared to the horrible steps nations are taking nowadays.

Are you a goldbrick?

2009-01-29T21:24:00.001-08:00

A goldbrick is a person who’ll make all sorts of excuses for not wanting to work. Some golbricks spend more energy trying to escape work than they might have used in working. Of course, hard work is probably not the pleasantest thing that can befall a man. That’s why there are so many happy idlers in the world. The idlers are however a different breed of men from those of goldbricks. Your idler wants no responsibilities. He takes his ease and does not care much what the world thinks of him. But the goldbrick does. He wants the good opinion of his fellow workmen, trying to show that he is really a good man on the job, while making excuses for not doing any work. In short, he is a fake

Infrastructure Development in Dubai

2009-01-21T23:35:00.000-08:00

You would have heard about the breathtaking development that is happening in Dubai. Have you ever bothered to take a look into what is happening out there? Let me show you..
click on image to get a full view
Dubai in the 90's..

The same place in 2003..

Last year

Currently, Dubai is said to have 15-25% of all the world's cranes.

The Dubai Waterfront, when completed will become the largest waterfront development in the world.

Hope you already know about this island. All of this was built in the last 5 years.

The Palm islands in Dubai. New Dutch dredging technology was used to create thewe massive man made islands.
They are the largest artificial islands in the world and can be seen from space. Three of these Palms will be made with the last one being the largest of them all.

Upon completion, the resort will have 2,000 villas, 40 luxury hotels, shopping centers, movie theaters, and many other facilities. It is expected to support a population of approximately 500,000 people.
It is advertised as being visible from the moon.

The World Islands. 300 artificially created islands in the shape of the world.
Each island will have an estimated cost of $25-30 million.

The Burj al-Arab hotel in Dubai. The worlds tallest hotel.
Considered the only '7 star' hotel and the most luxurious hotel in the world.
It stands on an artificial island in the sea.

Hydropolis, the world's first underwater hotel.
Entirely built in Germany and then assembled in Dubai,
it is scheduled to be completed by 2009 after many delays.

The Burj Dubai. Construction began in 2005 and is expected to be complete by 2008.
At an estimated height of over 800 meters, it will easily be world's tallest building when finished.
It will be almost 40% taller than the the current tallest building, the Yaipei 101.

This is what downtown Dubai will look like around 2008-2009.
More than 140 stories of the Burj Dubai have already been completed.
It is already the worlds tallest man made structure and it is still not scheduled to be completed for at least another year.

The Al Burj. This will be the centerpiece of the Dubai Waterfront.
Once completed it will take over the title of the tallest structure in the world
from the Burj Dubai.

Recently it was announced that the final height of this tower will be 1200 meters.
That would make it more than 30% taller than the Burj Dubai and three times as tall as the Empire State Building . This is a city on crack.

The Burj al Alam, or The World Tower. Upon completion it will rank as the world's
highest hotel.
It is expected to be finished by 2009. At 480 meters it will only be 28 meters shorter than theTaipei 101.

The Trump International Hotel & Tower, which will be the centerpiece of one of the palm islands, The Palm Jumeirah.

Dubailand. Currently, the largest amusement park collection in the world is Walt Disney World Resort in Orlando, which is also the largest single-site employer in the United states with 58,000 employees. Dubailand will be twice the size.

Dubailand will be built on 3 billion square feet (107 miles^2) at an estimated $20 billion price tag. The site will include a purported 45 mega projects and 200 hundred other smaller projects.

Dubai Sports City. A huge collection of sports arenas located in Dubailand.

Currently, the Walt Disney World Resort is the #1 tourist destination in the world. Once fully completed, Dubailand will easily take over that title since it is expected to attract 200,000 visitors daily.

The Dubai Marina is an entirely man made development that will contain over 200
highrise buildings when finished. It will be home to some of the tallest esidential
structures in the world. The completed first phase of the project is shown.
Most of the other high rise buildings will be finished by 2009-2010.
The Dubai Mall will be the largest shopping mall in the world with over 9 million square feet of shopping and around 1000 stores. ?? It will be completed in 2008.

Ski Dubai, which is already open, is the largest indoor skiing facility in the world.

This is a rendered image of another future indoor skiing facility that is being planned.
Some of the tallest buildings in the world, such as Ocean Heights and The Princess Tower, which will be the largest residential building in the world at over a 100 stories, will line the DubaiMarina.
The UAE Spaceport would be the first spaceport in the world if construction ever gets under way. I'm not joking...
Some other crazy .. The Dubai Metro system, once completed, will become the largest fully automated rail system in the world. The Dubai World Central International Airport will become the largest airport in size when it is completed. It will also eventually become the busiest airport in the world, based on passenger volume. There are more construction workers in Dubai than there are actual citizens.

IT - A Disaster to the Masses?

2009-01-18T01:16:00.000-08:00

The emergence of Information Technology is a boon to the industrial world and the economy of several nations. The extent to which IT has leveraged the GDP of some developing nations of the world is phenomenal. The life standards of thousands of families in these nations have improved and so has the flow of money into the markets. Notwithstanding this, the net effect of the IT industry on the lower sections of the society remains murky.
Four years ago, we shifted to a local suburb, 10Kms from the city. What was a high price for a family to pay as rent is now no amount when compared to the alarming sums that are demanded by the landlords. The reason is the emergence of IT parks and buildings in the neighbourhood in which the employees get heavy pay packages. They flock to the nearby areas in search of accommodation space. The prices of essential commodities like food, medicine and that of transport has risen unreasonably. The pathetic part of it is that there is not a single soul who would raise his voice against the price rise. Those who pay out such high prices for essential commodities, do so unmindful of the lower sections of the society that struggle to make ends meet.
With a steady increase in demand for space, land prices have also risen making the dream of a house a dream forever, for many. With people flocking to the city in huge numbers from different places for jobs, the woes of the over-burdened class of the society will continue to fall in deaf ears. If this is what IT has in store for the people of my neighbourhood, I guess it will be a disaster to the masses when we speak of world at large.

“Benjamin Button” for the Oscars

2009-01-16T00:18:00.000-08:00

The romantic movie, “The Curious Case of Benjamin Button” is well known as the front runner for the Academic Awards. The movie bagged a whopping 13 nominations including best picture, best actor and best director.
The film which is about the life of a man who ages in reverse, is all set to make a big mark in the industry with 13 nominations for the Oscars. It has bagged just one short of the all time record of 14 nominations held by “Titanic”. Historically, it is observed that the movie which bags the most nominations makes it to the top ranked, best picture Oscar.
“Benjamin Button” star Brad Pitt will be up against Mickey Rourkey, who acted as a prize fighter in “The Wrestler”, Frank Langella, who play former President in “Frost/Nixon” and Penn for his role in “Milk”. Taraji P.Henson was nominated for best supporting actress.
With a host of other competitors such as The Reader, Slumdog Millionaire, Frank/Nixon and Milk, Benjamin button is posed with tuff competition. Nevertheless, my heart is always with the action stunner “The Dark Knight”, which failed to earn either the best picture or best director nominations. The posthumous Oscar nomination for the Australian actor Heath Ledger comes as a consolation.

Sample traffic statistics for Technologyview.net site

2009-01-03T00:53:00.000-08:00

Hi, here is the traffic statistics of the website technologyview.net

Kinds of Writing

2008-12-03T00:21:00.000-08:00

I was too much bothered by the purpose of the different types of articles I keyed in for my blog. I stumbled upon this piece of information when I was searching for some useful material. So, I share it with you here so that it might be useful to all.
There are various types of effects a writer might wish to have on his readers. It might be to inform, to entertain or to persuade. Each of this results in a different type of prose. To inform, is the most common of all these forms and based on what it’s about, it becomes description, exposition or narration.

· Exposition, in simple is explanation. It is a style that used to explain how things work. It is constructed logically. It is organized around cause or effect, true or false, positive or negative, general or particular and assertion or denial.

Description is putting forth the author’s visual perception in a clear pattern. The general problem is to arrange what we see in a proper pattern.

Narration is used to explain a series of related events or a story. Arranging the events in a sequence of time and revealing their significance are the two the important things in narration.

· Persuasion changes the way the reader thinks or believes. It takes three forms. Argument provides evidence or logical proof and appeals to reason. Satire ridicules folly, subtly or coarsely. In the form of eloquence persuasion appeals to ideals and noble sentiments.

· Entertaining includes fiction, personal essays and sketches.

The Magic Story

2008-11-13T03:31:00.000-08:00

I once happened to stumble upon a website on self–development and kind of stuff, with a lot of books listed for that purpose. They all appeared too very elaborate for a person like me to go and take a look at. But then, I was specifically attracted by a book called 'The Magic Story', that I settled down to read it at once. It seemed to me to be a bit of what I call ‘different’ from the usual self–improvement books claim themselves to be. It is a book for the desperate person who struggles to face the realities of life – in short for everyone. The message has been put forth strikingly for the common man. More should be attributed to the way in which the message has been put forth – frankly, naïve. The content is nothing more than fifteen pages and is split in two, with a part about how the book changed a man’s life overnight. All that is known of its origin is that it was written in the seventeenth century. And the author is of course, unknown.

Space Elevator!

2008-11-12T03:16:00.000-08:00

A space elevator, which can be used to transport materials from earth to the space, is being planned to be built by the Japan Space Elevator Association. The project is estimated to cost around $9 billion and is seen as a good alternative to space launch used nowadays. It will save cost and energy significantly.

The elevator will work based on the technology used in Bullet trains. Strong nanotubes made of carbon, tethered to the Earth’s surface will reach a satellite docking station that will be in orbit above the Earth. The centrifugal forces of the Earth’s spin will keep the cables taut. This space elevator, doubtlessly, will be a world wonder which will take the place of the tallest structure ever built. It is expected to be 180,720 times taller than the CN Tower in Canada, which is 533 meters tall. It will stand one fourth the distance to the moon, in height.

Behind the scenes

2008-10-28T01:18:00.000-07:00

We watch movies of our favourite stars and stage plays hosted by popular names in the field and applaud (or giggle at) them for their work. But how many a times do we really appreciate the people behind the scenes who toil a lot to make the project a success? I had been to a movie shooting spot a few months ago and found a lot of men working for the sets. These workers arrange the equipment preparatory to sessions and performances, rig and dismantle stage or set equipment such as frames, scaffolding, platforms, or backdrops, using carpenter’s hand tools, read work orders and follow oral instructions to determine material to be moved and its relocation and so on. They do not get the advantage of an organized work place as most of us do. Their skills have to span from installation, operation, control and maintenance of machines and equipments and handling situations at the eleventh hour. They are faced with some tight deadlines in the sets. In fact, these people are also good managers. Now I feel it is always appropriate to think of such projects as a team work, rather than a movie by some producer or some good actor.

Still the most coveted job - Medicine

2008-10-15T22:40:00.000-07:00

This Industrial world is surging ahead at a rapid pace. New technologies emerge, even new industries are born every year. Millions of jobs are created, but still people
loose jobs like as if they are never secure. But, medicine, education and some other industries remain unaffected by the global financial crisis.

No good industry, so far, has been able to maintain its sheen like medicine. Come recession or bad financial market, there is tonnes of job cut. But there is always loads of work for the medical experts. It is no surprise that jobs in the medicine and health care fields top the list of 100 best paying jobs in the twenty-first century. Anesthesiologists, Internists General, Obstetricians and Gynecologists, Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons, Orthodontists, Prosthodontists, Psychiatrists, Surgeons are the top eight best paying jobs of this century.You could simply guess why students flock the medical institutes for a medical seat as the average annual pay for these people stands more than $145,600!

Facebook etiquette

2008-10-07T01:29:00.000-07:00

We all go about using all sorts of social networking tools available nowadays, to stay in touch with friends. But, is it an exception to showing to the world who you are? We should not forget to observe certain basic etiquette in this too. ’Horning in’ is a meddlesome act to be avoided. Just like any such act in the society, it shows that you are a nosy person. If you are interested in a person, you could send a private message. Using facebook to breakup with your girl is a ruthless thing to do. Keeping the groups you join discreet is advisable, as it speaks much about you. And the most gracious thing that you would have done to a friend is – respond! Remember the old saying, ‘He who sows courtesy, reaps friendship’

Where are the games?

2008-09-15T00:00:00.000-07:00

Online games have just about become an obsession for many kids that gaming on the net and in their PCs. It is almost a part of their every day life.

The days of outdoor games, aside from football or cricket, are gone. Even some parents don’t have enough control or time for that matter, to think up possible solutions to scotch their children’s obsession with computer games.

These games help prevent child obesity which is a major problem to parents nowadays.It would be a sad result in future, if traces of such games get lost. Today, is the time for elders to realize this and take steps to restore as much of those good old days’ activities that added beauty to our homes.

Fresh minds at work

2008-09-12T22:31:00.000-07:00

I just wish to tell you how new graduates go about doing their new jobs. They are just fully occupied right the first day with thoughts that they even think simple tasks that they perform will heighten them to the top rungs! This surely is because, they are full of excitement and enthusiasm about their new job. It could also mean that they previously spent several days sleepless in their beds before they finished college. It is normal for a person to have a lot of anxiety about a new venture, but it sure is time for these fresh minds to just relax and take their own time to get used to the organization. These guys will get to know the truth only after seeing the way some of the senior staff work! It means stay cool and you will learn.

About

2008-08-30T10:39:00.000-07:00

There is so much in a man's mind which when left untold could be of use only to him. So, for a person who is a lover of silence (patience & peace), there needs to be a suitable medium to express his thoughts. So I chose this blog. I'm using this blog as a journal to express my thoughts. Your thoughts ..Who cares? Truly - I write just because I wanted a medium to express the tons of thoughts that cross my mind every day and this is a blog of my own. I'd even go to the extent of saying its for my own use. If you have come across looking for some content that would be in the way you wished it would be, this is not the right place. I guess I should soon have an 'about' page and put up this information there.