Pen Shots

An Excerpt from Goals...The 10 Rules for Achieving Success

2012-01-31T21:51:00.000-08:00

Success is the intentional, pre-meditated use of choice and decision. Unless you choose-with certainty-what it is you want, you accept table scraps by default!

The world is plump with opportunity. With boldness and conviction, stick a fork into the goals you want by being decisive.

You are born with great capabilities, but you will not achieve your potential until you call upon yourself to fulfill it. You will rise to the occasion when it presents itself; yet, to assure self-fulfillment, you must provide occasions to rise to. Clearly defined goals allow you to travel toward another horizon that represents the end of one experience and the transition to a new and better existence. The objective is to choose the right goals, and then to create the necessary causes-the effects will follow!

The difference between what one person and another achieves depends more on goal choices than on abilities.

The profound differences between successful people and others are the goals they choose to pursue. Individuals with similar talents, intelligence, and abilities will achieve different results because they select and pursue different goals.

Each decision affects what you become. We form our decisions and our decisions form us.

There is no escaping this; the smallest choices are important because-over time-their cumulative effect is enormous.

Never overlook the obvious: The nature and direction of your life change the instant you decide what goals you want to pursue.

Once you make a decision you start down a path to a new destination. At the moment the decision is made, your decision to pursue a goal alters what you are becoming. A single choice can alter your life, your destiny, your legacy.

Think about it-your goal decisions represent and express your individuality. You seal your fate with the choices you make.

You define yourself by your decisions.

Your dialog with success is ultimately a solo one. Decisions and goals made must be your own if you are to call your life a success.

Always establish the best goals you can. Goals are the seeds of success-you become only what you plant. The quality of your harvest is a direct reflection of the quality of your seeds...your decisions!

Indecision is the big eraser of opportunity and potential. Risks and costs accompany every decision; however, the price of decision is far less than the long-range risks and costs of comfortable inaction. When it comes to decisiveness, squatters have no rights.

Everyone has an official wish list of things they think are "reasonable." What about the unofficial wish list? The one that common sense tells you to ignore? The list that exists deep in your mind, the list that keeps you up at night, the that makes your toes wiggle when you think of it? Why not choose that list for a change?

How long have you dreamed of being, having, and doing what you really want? Think big, as when it comes to your goals, the size of your ambition does matter.

A decision to lose weight and keep it off must be remade every time you feel hungry.

A decision is never made only once.

What is Incredible India : A true critic

2011-02-28T21:20:00.000-08:00

What is Incredible India - Its Sad but true
~~~~~~~~~~~~~

1. A Nation where Pizza reaches home Faster then Ambulance and Police!

2. A nation where you get Car Loan @ 6% but Education Loan @ 12%

3. A nation where Rice is Rs.40 but Sim card is Rs.10

4. A nation where people standing at tea stall reading an article in newspaper about child labour and saying "Yaar bacho se kaam krwane walo ko to faansi pe chada dena chahiye" and then they shout "Oye CHOTU 3 chai la!" That's INDIA our Incredible INDIA.

Adarsh Scam : A black spot on us .. FOREVER

2011-02-16T05:36:00.000-08:00

Please forward to everyone you can. Do not expect that you will win a million dollars by doing that, or bill gates is going to pay you for each forward, or, you are going to get bad luck if you don’t forward. But, there needs to be a an increased common of pain and anger among us if want a better system for ourselves and our children in future.

Being in IT, we can not underestimate the power of this media. If Asmaa Mafouz can trigger a revolution which led to end a 30 year old regime in Egypt, just by writing “People, I am going to Tahrir Square”, we can too.

When is someone going to write on Facebook, “People: I am going to India Gate” and we will change this corrupt system .

Now read this forward:

Brilliantly written with passion by a Retired Colonel........

The method of Adarsh Cooperative Housing Society scamsters of Mumbai was disarmingly simple. They simply co-opted in their scam whoever looked like standing in the way. If we judge the strategy by its results, it was spectacularly successful. It indeed disarmed everybody. From just 30-odd members, the eventual group grew to more than a hundred. Each new entrant not only removed a roadblock on the way but also increased the size of the cake.

Thus, someone got the land title, someone the extra FSI. Someone got clearances, someone else made the Army and the Navy objections softer. They all became members.

The scary bit about the scam is not that it happened. It is that in the entire chain, there was not one man (or woman) who refused to compromise himself (or herself). There was not one person whose integrity stood its ground in face of temptation. Right from the lowly collector, to the officials in urban development department and the MMRDA, to the ministers and chief minister, everybody proved over-eager to do his bit. About the bureaucrats and the ministers, we always knew. The really sickening part is that it went on all the way to at least three service chiefs.

They all sold their souls. No whistle-blower in the entire system. Nobody thought something very gross was under way and he should put his foot down.

And for what? A sea-facing apartment in Mumbai, worth perhaps Rs 8 crore. So there, folks, you have the price of this country. For a combined booty of no more than Rs 800 crore, you could buy the entire system. Our enemies reading about this can now rest their weapons. The message they get is that if they face the mighty Indian Army they only need to wave the allotment letters of a plush apartment.

And lo! The battle is won. If the chiefs go for 1000 sq ft of Mumbai real estate, how much should the poor battlefield commander go for? A Shanghai penthouse, or a cottage in Murree?

I would hate to be a soldier in our armed forces at this moment. The fellow has just seen Lt Generals being prosecuted for land scam. Now, an admiral and two generals are part of a housing scam. He is expected to die on their orders.

If, after this, a soldier winces at such an order, can he be faulted? The former chiefs have now graciously offered to return the flats, professing ignorance about the fact that land was meant for martyrs' families. As if that is the only thing wrong about the deal. It was stinking from start to finish and if the chiefs could not smell any of it, the forces have a lot to answer for the kind of persons they select for their top most posts.

No, gentlemen, you have let down the proud institutions you headed. You have let down your colleagues who must suffer the suspicions you have aroused. You have let down your country that decorated you so much. Worst of all, you have let down that soldier who saluted you day in and day out. You owe him an apology,

not just a glib explanation. About others, the less said the better. They occupy some of the most plum posts and yet possess all the integrity of a pickpocket.

It is no wonder India has climbed further in corruption ladder. Merely dispossessing these scamsters of their ill-gotten apartment would be no punishment. They need to be dismissed from service and prosecuted for being unworthy custodians of our trust ......

The Difference between Focusing on Problems and Focusing on Solutions

2010-11-10T18:11:00.000-08:00

Often in our day to day life we face many problems and although no one wish to have them; but we have to solve them.

Problems are generally like a tree; with very small root and lots of branches; hence very small & strong root and superficially very big.

But the problems, may not be as big as they seems... Before going ahead let me present you with two simple cases (part of an email forwarded by my friend)

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Case 1

When NASA began the launch of astronauts into space, they found out that the pens wouldn't work at zero gravity (ink won't flow down to the writing surface).

To solve this problem, it took them one decade and $12 million. They developed a pen that worked at zero gravity, upside down, underwater, in practically any surface including crystal and in a temperature range from below freezing to over 300 degrees C.

And what did the Russians do...?? They used a Pencil!!!

Case 2

One of the most memorable case studies on Japanese management was the case of the empty soap box, which happened in one of Japan 's biggest cosmetics companies. The company received a complaint that a consumer had bought a soap box that was empty. Immediately the authorities isolated the problem to the assembly line, which transported all the packaged boxes of soap to the delivery department.

For some reason, one soap box went through the assembly line empty. Management asked its engineers to solve the problem. Post-haste, the engineers worked hard to devise an X-ray machine with high-resolution monitors manned by two people to watch all the soap boxes that passed through the line to make sure they were not empty. No doubt, they worked hard and they worked fast but they spent a whoopee amount to do so.

But when a rank-and-file employee in a small company was posed with the same problem, he did not get into complications of X-rays, etc., but instead came out with another solution………………He bought a strong industrial electric fan and pointed it at the assembly line. He switched the fan on, and as each soap box passed the fan, it simply blew the empty boxes out of the line.

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Most people, when encountered with problems gets trapped in the branches and loose the root; from where it can be solved in the most simplest way.

So, our primary goal should be identifying the root cause, before going into much implications of the issue and

Always look for simple solutions. Devise the simplest possible solution that solves the problems.

choose your way!!
Do not worry about the current phase, it will fade away soon till then think to reduce your overhead expenditures.

Shortest Speech by CEO of Coca Cola : Must Read

2010-10-27T23:13:00.000-07:00

DIFFERENCE BETWEEN CV, RESUME and BIODATA

2010-10-25T00:03:00.001-07:00

DIFFERENCE BETWEEN CV, RESUME and BIODATA

People use the words RESUME, C.V., and BIO-DATA interchangeably for the document highlighting skills, education, and experience that a candidate submits when applying for a job. On the surface level, all the three mean the same. However, there are intricate differences.

RESUME

Resume Is a French word meaning "summary", and true to the word meaning, signifies a summary of one's employment, education, and other skills, used in applying for a new position. A resume seldom exceeds one side of an A4 sheet, and at the most two sides. They do not list out all the education and qualifications, but only highlight specific skills customized to target the job profile in question. A resume is usually broken into bullets and written in the third person to appear objective and formal. A good resume starts with a brief Summary of Qualifications, followed by Areas of Strength or Industry Expertise in keywords, followed by Professional Experience in reverse chronological order. Focus is on the most recent experiences, and prior experiences summarized. The content aims at providing the reader a balance of responsibilities and accomplishments for each position. After Work experience come Professional Affiliations, Computer Skills, and Education.

C.V CURRICULUM VITAE

C.V Is a Latin word meaning "course of life". Curriculum Vitae (C.V.) is therefore a regular or particular course of study pertaining to education and life. A C.V. is more detailed than a resume, usually 2 to 3 pages, but can run even longer as per the requirement. A C.V. generally lists out every skills, jobs, degrees, and professional affiliations the applicant has acquired, usually in chronological order. A C.V. displays general talent rather than specific skills for any specific positions.

BIO-DATA

Bio Data the short form for Biographical Data, is the old-fashioned terminology for Resume or C.V. The emphasis in a bio data is on personal particulars like date of birth, religion, sex, race, nationality, residence, martial status, and the like. Next comes a chronological listing of education and experience. The things normally found in a resume, that is specific skills for the job in question comes last, and are seldom included. Bio-data also includes applications made in

specified formats as required by the company.

A resume is ideally suited when applying for middle and senior level positions, where experience and specific skills rather than education is important. A C.V., on the other hand is the preferred option for fresh graduates, people looking for a career change, and those applying for academic positions. The term bio-data is mostly used in India while applying to government jobs, or when applying for research grants and other situations where one has to submit descriptive essays.

Resumes present a summary of highlights and allow the prospective employer to scan through the document visually or electronically, to see if your skills match their available positions. A good resume can do that very effectively, while a C.V. cannot. A bio-data could still perform this role, especially if the format happens to be the one recommended by the employer.

Personal information such as age, sex, religion and others, and hobbies are never mentioned in a resume. Many people include such particulars in the C.V.

Business Etiquette : Replying to Invitations

2010-09-16T00:09:00.000-07:00

The French came up with the first formal request for replying to invitations. The words "Répondez s'il vous plaît", meaning “please reply”, were soon abbreviated to “RSVP” which is recognized worldwide. Whether an event is social or business in nature, the host or planner, for obvious reasons, needs to know who will be attending.

The Wipro online invite system is simple, direct and user-friendly. There is no need to write a formal reply, make a phone call or craft an e-mail response. All that is necessary is to open the message, read the details regarding who issued the invitation, the purpose of the event, the date, the time and the place. Your required actions are to check your availability immediately, move to the top of the screen and check one the following: Accept, Decline, Tentative or Propose New Time. One click and you’re done. If you checked “Tentative,” you must get back to your host as soon as you have a definite answer.

It does not matter if the invite is for a meeting, a workshop, or a meal function, a response is required. Failure to do so is discourteous and disrespectful.

Finally do what you say you will. If you accept, show up. If you decline, stay away. If your plans change at the last minute, make a phone call.

Genetically modified food : How Indian companies are responding to this threat?

2010-09-08T20:32:00.001-07:00

Genetically modified food : How Indian companies are responding to this threat?
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Here is a message from GreenPeace India, which is not a forwarded email for Fun, rather a serious concern. Please read the message and be careful at what you are eating.

44,426 letters and all the calls to Sonia Gandhi had some impact on the Government. The Biotechnology Regulatory Authority of India Bill did not make it to the Parliament. The bill in its current form plans to create an autocratic body to allow genetically modified (GM) food into our country.

To take one more step towards safe food, Greenpeace has now launched the second edition of the Safe Food Guide. This guide ranks major food manufacturers on the basis of the stance they have taken on GM food.

With the help of this guide you can check where the manufacturer of your favourite food brand stands on keeping food safe. The Safe Food Guide can be accessed online.

Check out the Safe Food Guide 2.0 to see where your favourite food manufacturer stands.

http://greenpeace.in/safefood/safe-food-guide/

You can also SMS Food to 56070 to find out where its manufacturer ranks in the guide. The brand name will give you the most accurate result.

The Safe Food Guide tries to make food manufacturers answerable to the consumer. As consumers we need to question the badly ranked companies about the safety of the products they produce for us.

The companies are categorised into red, green and yellow based on their current and long-term policies on the use of GM food, willingness to inform their position to consumers and pro-activeness in ensuring a labelling and liability regime on foods derived from GM crops.

Some brands, which were ranked high in the first version of the guide have been ranked lower in the new version. This is mainly because the first guide focused on companies’ current policy on the use of GM food and the second one has extended its parameters to include future long-term policies on the use of GM foods. Their lack of willingness to be transparent and to ensure a GM free market for Indian consumers is also responsible for the low ranking.

Find out where your favourite food manufacturer stands in this guide:

http://greenpeace.in/safefood/safe-food-guide/

or

SMS Food to 56070.

Thanks a billion!

Shivani Shah
Sustainable Agriculture Campaigner
Greenpeace India

Business Etiquette : Conference Call Courtesy

2010-08-18T00:48:00.000-07:00

Conference calls - love them or hate them, with today's geographically dispersed teams, travel restrictions and global business connections, conference call etiquette is a key part of any professional’s skill set. Follow the rules for making these multi-person, worldwide conversations efficient, effective and courteous.

Be on time.  A conference call is like any other meeting—arriving late is rude.  And don’t take up everyone else’s valuable time with your long-winded excuse.

Start the meeting on time. Take a roll call so everyone knows who else is present. Say your name before you speak. Others may not recognize your voice. 

No lurking is allowed on conference calls.  Always announce yourself when you come on the line. For the sake of propriety, courtesy and confidentiality, advise the others that you are present.

Finally, if you were not invited, don’t show up.

Business Etiquette: Speaker Phones

2010-08-03T23:43:00.000-07:00

Business Etiquette: 'Speaker Phones’

International Business Etiquette Expert and Executive Coach

Speaker phones are a great tool in business for making conference calls, but they can also be an incredible nuisance. Be considerate of people around you when using yours. In today’s world of offices without walls or doors, speaker phones should only be used behind closed doors.  

The speaker phone function is not intended for your convenience so you can engage in a variety of activities while talking on the phone.  Think of the effect on the people who are trying to work in adjacent cubicles and consider the privacy of the person on the other end of the line.  Then schedule a conference room or borrow someone else’s private office before you dial. 

A(H1N1): Basic Hygiene Procedures and Important Precautions

2010-08-03T23:42:00.001-07:00

Worldwide, overall H1N1 and seasonal influenza/flu activity remains low. In places where the winter season is in progress, current influenza/flu activity is at variable levels. World Health Organization (WHO) is actively monitoring the progress of the pandemic (H1N1) and is in frequent consultations with different countries.

With the monsoon season and heavy rains in several parts of the country, there have been cases of A(H1N1) viral infection detected in the second phase of the pandemic. Health experts have indicated the possibility of surge in the cases in coming days with faster transmission of the virus in this season. Hence, it is advisable that all of us follow basic health & safety measures to protect ourselves.

The symptoms of A(H1N1) are similar to normal seasonal flu. Wipro advises employees to consult a general physician/ a family doctor immediately in case of any flu like symptoms. Further, A(H1N 1) confirmation tests should be done only at the advice of general physician/ family doctor. These tests are done at the designated hospitals (select government and private hospitals). The updated Pandemic Advisory and list of hospitals is available at the Channel W link given at the end of this mailer.

It is possible to protect yourself and others from A(H1N1) by observing simple hygiene measures and taking appropriate medication in case of illness.

Basic Hygiene Procedures:

• Wash hands with soap and water more often and thoroughly

• Cover your nose and mouth with a tissue when you cough or sneeze. Throw the tissue in the trash after you use it and wash your hands. The tissue is disposable hence preferable to use over a handkerchief

• Avoid touching your eyes, nose or mouth to prevent the spread of germs

• Try to avoid close contact with infected people

• Drink lots of fluid and eat nutritious food

• If you have flu symptoms stay home and avoid crowds to prevent spread of

Infection

• Do not take any medicines without consulting doctors

Be safe, healthy and happy....

GION MATSURI FESTIVAL : Japanese Festival

2010-07-20T01:33:00.001-07:00

GION MATSURI FESTIVAL

It is said that the summer of Kyoto, the ancient capital of Japan, begins with the Gion Matsuri. It's an annual festival of Yasaka Shrine which begins on July 1 and continues through July 31 every year. During this period, a series of Shinto rituals and various events take place at Yasaka Shrine and others locations in Kyoto-city. Yasaka Shrine was originally named Gion-sha and is the head shrine of the thousands of Gion-sha shrines in Japan. The Gion Matsuri is one of the three largest festivals in Kyoto, alongside the Aoi Matsuri and the Jidai Matsuri.

This festival originated as part of a purification ritual to appease the gods thought to cause fire, floods and earthquakes. In 869 AD, the people were suffering from plague and pestilence which was attributed to the rampaging deity Gozu Tennō . Emperor Seiwa ordered that the people pray to the god of the Yasaka Shrine, Susanoo-no-mikoto. Sixty-six stylized and decorated halberds, one for each province in old Japan, were prepared and erected at Shinsen-en, a garden, along with the portable shrines (mikoshi) from Yasaka Shrine. This practice was repeated wherever an outbreak occurred. In 970 AD, it was decreed an annual event and has since seldom been broken. Over time the increasingly powerful and influential merchant class made the festival more elaborate and, by the Edo period (1603–1868), used the parade to brandish their wealth. In 1533, the Ashikaga shogunate halted all religious events, but the people protested, stating that they could do without the rituals, but not the procession. This marks the progression into the festival's current form. Smaller floats that were lost or damaged over the centuries have been restored, and the weavers of the Nishijin area offer new tapestries to replace destroyed ones. When not in use, the floats and regalia are kept in special storehouses throughout the central merchant district of Kyoto in the care of the local people.

The highlights of the Gion Matsuri are Yoi-yama (the night before Yamahoko-junko) on the 16th and Yamahoko-junko on the 17th. Yamahoko-junko is the procession of colorful floats through downtown Kyoto. The floats are pulled through the streets by teams of men dressed in traditional costumes. Each of the large floats carries musicians. The floats are decorated with tapestries or fabrics from Nishijin, Kyoto. Many of them were imported from India, Belgium, Persia, Turkey and other countries in the 15th century. The procession usually starts around 9 a.m. from the Shijo-Karasuma. There are two kinds of floats: yama and hook and are collectively called Yamaboko (or Yamahoko). Yama are smaller floats (weight: 1.2 ton - 1.6 ton, height: about 6m) and carried by people on their shoulders. Hoko are giant floats (weight: 4.8 ton - 12 ton, height: about 25m) on large wooden wheels and pulled by people. There are 32 floats in the procession: 25 yama floats and 7 hoko floats. The most interesting thing to see during Yamahoko-junko is the turns of big floats called tsujimawashi take place in intersections. Men pulling the floats chant loudly, "yoi, yoi, yoi to sei" accompanied with traditional Japanese music played by people who are on the floats. There are 9 of the larger Hoko (long pole or halberd) which represent the 66 spears used in the original purification ritual, and 23 of the smaller Yama which carry life-size figures of famous and important people. All the floats are decorated with beautiful tapestries both from Nishijin (the finest in all of Japan) and imported from all over the world. In addition to the art, there are many traditional musicians and artists sitting in the floats.

The streets are lined with night stalls selling food such as yakitori (barbecued chicken skewers), taiyaki, takoyaki, okonomiyaki, traditional Japanese sweets, and many other culinary delights. Many girls dressed in yukata (summer kimono) walk around the area, carrying with them traditional purses and paper fans. Festival vendors line the streets and traditional Japanese festival music (matsuri-bayashi) is played all over. During the yoiyama evenings leading up to the parade, some private houses in the old kimono merchant district open their entryways to the public, exhibiting valuable family heirlooms, in a custom known as the Byōbu Matsuri, or Folding Screen Festival. This is a precious opportunity to visit and observe traditional Japanese residences of Kyoto.

*Information Source-www.wikipedia.org, www.gojapan.about.com.

Nerd Liberation Movement : Must read

2010-07-07T00:21:00.000-07:00

I came across this funny, but yet serious; article on internet and would like to share with you. The original link to the article is http://www.perkel.com/nerd/nlm.htm

All copyright is acknowledged to the author.

Nerd Liberation Movement

~ Coming Out of the Back Room ~

Our Purpose   The Nerd Liberation Movement is dedicated to people who are smart and are not afraid to admit it. In today's society, smart people are persecuted. We learn to act stupid so that normal people are comfortable around us. Some of us are tired of hiding the fact that we are intelligent people. We want to be able to express our intellect without ridicule. We are tired listening to stupid ideas that if you are smart, then you must be deficient somewhere else. We are tired of being accused of bragging, when we are only thinking.

We in the Nerd Liberation Movement are "Coming out of the Back Room". This refers to the expression, "We have this Nerd, and we keep him locked up in the back room." We believe that the world would be better off if smart people were in charge. If you have something heavy to lift, you get the strong person to lift it. If you have something that is high up on a shelf, you get the tall person to reach for it. So therefore, if you need to make complex decisions, then why not let the smart person do it?

It is OK to be smart. It is OK to talk about being smart. Talking about being smart is not bragging about being smart. It's just stating a fact. If you can say, "I'm tall!" or "I'm strong!" then why not "I'm smart!"?

We are making some progress. Years ago, geniuses were burned at the stake for saying the world wasn't flat. (And there's still a lot of flat worlders out there.) But now we are at least not killed anymore for being smart. We have gained politically. The Vice President is a nerd. The first lady is a nerd. And the President is a nerd sympathizer!

   

It's Tough being Smart   Being smart in a dumb world is like being tall in a short world. A tall person doesn't look at himself as tall, he looks at everyone else as short. And he has to duck through doorways so as to not knock his head on things. Smart people have the same problems. 

For example, the news media. These people drive smart people nuts because there are storieshat are beyond the mental bandwidth of the news media to report. For example, the major news centers are talking about air bags in cars. "Air bags in cars are dangerous.", they say. "Air bags have killed 30 children. Manufacturers should be required to put in a switch to turn the air bag off." 

Then in you find out that air bags have saved the lives of 2000 people, 400 of which are children. So we turn off the air bags to save 30 kids and let 2000 die instead? Wow, that's brilliant! Doesn't anyone out there know how to add and subtract? Not I'm not against improving air bags to try to save the remaining 30 kids, but turning off the air bags is stupid beyond belief! 

It's bad enough that you see stories reported this way, but then comes the shocker. You're in the 1% of the population who caught it. When you try to explain it to people, you realize that more than 50% of the population doesn't have the mental capacity to understand the argument. And these are the people who run this world. Smart people are a minority, and are rare indeed! 

10% of your Brain

There's these myths going around about the way intelligence works. Myths that I would like to challenge. For as long as I can remember I have been hearing the average person uses only 10% of their brain. What does this mean? Can someone explain it to me?

Are we talking about 10% on a neuron level here. Like they count your brain cells?

 Total Neuron Count: 498,056,365,012,992
 Total Neurons Used:  50,429,655,502,023
 Total Neurons Free: 447,626,709,510,969

Is this what we are talking about? Or are we saying that we could be ten times as smart as we are and that for some reason we are ten times as dumb as we could be? What is it that these people really mean and it there any basis for this in fact? I think not!

Another popular myth is that I've always heard that your IQ stops changing when you are five years old. For anyone who has two brain cells to rub together, this is rediculus! Me thinks that the person who invented these ideas was really speaking for himself and should have said that,"I only use ten percent of my brain and because of that I assume that everyone is like me." Or perhaps his IQ hasn't changed since he was 5 years old.

Where does this garbage come from? Society creates myths about the mind because they are afraid of smart people. They are afraid to admit that some people are a hell of a lot smarter than other people. Some times people are born that way, but more often than not smart people are smart because they work at it. They keep their mind sharp because they use their brain rather than just let it rot in their head.

I view the mind to be more like a muscle. Use it or lose it. It needs to be exercised or it will atrophy. I think that the average person is capable of much more smarts that the are willing to put out. But thinking, like keeping in shape, takes effort. No pain, no gain. And it take work to keep sharp, but it's worth it.

What is Punctuality ?

2010-07-07T00:09:00.001-07:00

Punctuality is a simple way to show courtesy and respect for others: your customers, your clients and your colleagues. When you show up late for appointments, meetings or meals, you send a clear message to others that your time is more important than theirs.

Punctuality should not be viewed as “the art of guessing how late the other fellow is going to be.” Instead it should be valued as the heart and soul of good business.

Stop Another Bhopal

2010-06-15T18:36:00.000-07:00

Hi ,

What a shame! The Bhopal judgement is so unfair! The real culprits are free and the ones punished are already out on bail.

After all this our government is still bent on appeasing foreign corporations. It is only considering some cosmetic changes in the nuclear liability bill. The proposed nuclear liability bill allows foreign corporations to get away by paying a meagre compensation in case of a nuclear accident in our country.

We have to stop another Bhopal in the making. Over 1.8 lakh people, including me, have already signed the petition asking Prime Minister Manmohan Singh to stop the bill in its current form. More signatures will make the opposition to this bill stronger.

Check out this video and then add your signature to this petition.

http://www.greenpeace.org/india/stop-another-bhopal

The petition says: India must hold a public consultation before changing the liability rules for any nuclear accidents caused by U.S. corporations.

Thanks!

gyanendra.dwivedi@gmail.com

You are receiving this email because someone you know sent it to you from the Greenpeace site. Greenpeace retains no information about individuals contacted through its site, and will not send you further messages without your consent -- although your friends could, of course, send you another message.

We forget that the water cycle and the life cycle are one.

2010-05-02T22:30:00.000-07:00

Friends... Through this post, I would like to spread awareness about the current water problem across Globe, and I would term it as 'Slow-Coming Global Disaster'.

If we dont awake now, may be our next generation would find it difficult to see their next generation.

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We forget that the water cycle and the life cycle are one. – Jacques Cousteau

The biggest users of water on the islands are homes & tourist accommodations. Now some places in the US have no choice but to watch their water consumption because of drought. Here are some easy to follow tips to save water and money.

Kitchen Tips

1. Soak pots and pans before washing. When washing dishes by hand, fill one sink or basin with soapy water.

2. Fill the basin or a pan with water to wash fruits and vegetables.

3. Keep a pitcher of water in the refrigerator rather than running tap water until it is cool enough to drink.

4. When buying a new dishwasher, consider purchasing a water-saving model.

5. Wash only full loads in the dishwasher.

Bathroom Tips

1. Replace older, larger-use toilets with the newer ultra-low flush models.

2. Do NOT use the toilet to dispose of paper, facial tissues, or cigarettes. Take a five-minute shower.

3. Install a low-flow showerhead. It can save about half the amount of water you typically use in the shower, while still providing a refreshing, cleansing shower.

4. Turn the tap water off while brushing your teeth, shaving, or washing your face.

5. If the toilet flush handle frequently sticks in the flush position, letting water run constantly, replace or adjust it.

Laundry Room Tips

1. When buying a new clothes washer, consider purchasing a water-saving model. New horizontal axis models can save up to 40 percent of the water used by a conventional model.

2. Wash only full loads in the clothes washer.

Outdoor Tips

1. Don't overwater your landscape. It can cause yellowing leaves or poor plant health.

2. Using a running hose to wash your car can waste about 400 litres of water. Using a bucket with a sponge plus a trigger nozzle on the hose will save you about 300 of those litres.

3. If you own a pool, be sure to use a pool cover when it's not in use. This will cut down on evaporation losses and will keep it cleaner and warmer.

Using some of these tips will surely save some water and hopefully some cash in the process.

Know indian Festival- Good Friday & Easter

2010-04-15T03:26:00.001-07:00

The Friday before Easter is the most solemn day for Christians - it is the day on which Jesus Christ died on the cross. This day is known as Good Friday, Holy Friday, Great Friday or Black Friday. As such, Good Friday is a day of mourning, and all the ceremonies and rituals of the day are centered on the feeling of sorrow, at the pain and humiliation that Jesus underwent for the cause of goodness and humanity. The message of Good Friday is that the dictum of "an eye for an eye" cannot work. The way to conquer evil is through good. Similarly, violence can be overcome only by non-violence and hatred by love.

Good Friday is devoted to fasting and prayer, as a way of following the example of Jesus, who stressed the role of prayer in the struggle to conquer evil. The service consists of prayers and readings from the Bible. In many churches, a piece of wood in the shape of the cross is kept. People pray before the cross and kiss it. Jesus is believed to have died on the Cross at three in the afternoon. Therefore, the traditional service lasts for three hours from noon. Some churches concentrate less on prayers, and instead, encourage people to become involved in charitable deeds.

"The Judas Kiss" by Gustave Doré, 1866.

In some churches, mourners wear black and enact the Passion of Christ - scenes of Christ's crucifixion and burial. Many churches cover the cross and the altar with mourning black, and do not light any candles. At other churches, candles are lit, but they are extinguished one by one, with the last one being put out at the moment denoting Jesus' death. The church bells are not rung on Good Friday. Catholic churches follow the tradition of the Stations of the Cross. People pass before paintings depicting the important scenes of the last hours of Jesus' life, reciting prayers and singing hymns.

On the third day, Sunday, which is now known as Easter Sunday (or Pascha), Jesus rose from the dead.

Good Friday Date 2010 : 2 April.

A Good Friday procession in Bombay by Indian Roman Catholics, depicting the Way of the Cross

Antonio Ciseri's depiction of Ecce Homo with Jesus and Pontius Pilate, 19th century.

Crucifix prepared for veneration on Good Friday.

The faithful revisit the events of the day through public reading of specific Psalms and the Gospels, and singing hymns about Christ's death. Rich visual imagery and symbolism as well as stirring hymnody are remarkable elements of these observances.
In India, Good Friday is a Central Government as well as a State holiday, although Stock Markets are usually closed. Some other businesses are also closed in states where Christians are in the majority like Assam, Goa, and Kerala (higher percentage of Christians, even though not the majority) but the majority of businesses are open on Good Friday in rest of the country. Most schools are closed on Good Friday.
Easter :
It is the most important annual religious feast in the Christian liturgical year. According to Christian scripture, Jesus was resurrected from the dead on the third day after his crucifixion. Some Christians celebrate this resurrection on Easter Day or Easter Sunday (also Resurrection Day or Resurrection Sunday), two days after Good Friday and three days after Maundy Thursday. The chronology of his death and resurrection is variously interpreted to be between AD 26 and AD 36. Easter also refers to the season of the church year called Eastertide or the Easter Season. Traditionally the Easter Season lasted for the forty days from Easter Day until Ascension Day but now officially lasts for the fifty days until Pentecost. The first week of the Easter Season is known as Easter Week or the Octave of Easter. Easter also marks the end of Lent, a season of fasting, prayer, and penance.
Easter and the holidays that are related to it are moveable feasts, in that they do not fall on a fixed date in the Gregorian or Julian calendars (both of which follow the cycle of the sun and the seasons). Instead, the date for Easter is determined on a lunisolar calendar similar to the Hebrew calendar.
Easter is linked to the Jewish Passover by much of its symbolism, as well as by its position in the calendar.
Relatively newer elements such as the Easter Bunny and Easter egg hunts have become part of the holiday's modern celebrations, and those aspects are often celebrated by many Christians and non-Christians alike.

Relationship to date of Passover

In determining the date of the Gregorian and Julian Easter a lunisolar cycle is followed. In determining the date of the Jewish Passover a lunisolar calendar is also used, and because Easter always falls on a Sunday it usually falls up to a week after the first day of Passover (Nisan 15 in the Hebrew calendar).

Wish you all a very Happy Easter!

Human Behavior - How “fear of loss” can bring out hidden potential?

2010-04-15T03:24:00.002-07:00

The management of a factory in China asked consultants to design a better incentive bonus system.

Most of the consultants suggested fine-tuning the amount of bonus, but two behavioral economics researchers worked purely on the language of the letters through which workers were informed about their bonus.

As an experiment, one group was told that if they met certain targets, they would get a certain amount of money as a bonus.

Another group was told that they had provisionally been awarded a certain amount of bonus based on their capabilities. However, if their work fell below certain targets, then they would lose the bonus.

In reality, the two schemes were identical.

As researchers had suspected, workers who had been given the provisional bonus were much better at meeting the targets.

The fear of losing something you already have is much stronger than the motivation to gain something new.

Know Indian Festival : Ram Navami

2010-04-15T03:24:00.001-07:00

Ram Navami is a popular Hindu festival. It is celebrated on the ninth day (Navami) of the Chaitra month of Hindu lunar year in 'Shukla paksha' or waxing moon. This festival is celebrated in order to commemorate the birth of Marayada Purshottam Ram, an incarnation of Lord Vishnu. This day also known as Sri Rama Navami, marks the end of nine-day Chaitra-Navratri celebrations. The festival of Ram Navami is held in high regard not only by the people in India but also by the Hindu community living in the other parts of the world. The festival is celebrated with immense joy and enthusiasm. Many devotees also fast on this occasion. It is believed that all the devotees who fast on this day are showered with immense happiness and good luck by Lord Rama. Read on, if you want to explore about the origin and history if this festival.

Origin Of Rama Navami

According to the great epic Ramayana, once upon a time there lived a King named Dasarath, then king of Ayodhya, who had three wives named Kaushalya, Sumithra and Kaikeyi. As even long after his marriages, Dasarath was not blessed with a child, this has become a question of worry for him. Even the people of Ayodhya were disheartened because they had not heir to their kingdom. At this stage, Rishi Vasistha suggests Dasarath to perform Puthra Kamesti Yagna, through which he can have a desired child.

Soon King Dasharath agreed to do the Yagya and headed to Maharshi Rushya Shrunga's ashram, to get him for performing the yagya. Maharshi agreed and accompanied Dasharath to Ayodhya to solemnize the perform Puthra Kamesti Yagna. As the result of yagna, Yagneshwar appeared and hands Dasarath a bowl of kheer and asked him to feed this to his three wives. Dasarath did the same. He gave one half of the kheer to his elder wife Kausalya, and another half to his younger wife Kaikeyi. These two gave one half each of their kheer to Sumithra.

After few days all the three Queens conceived Dasratha's child. On the ninth day (Navami) of Chaithra Masa (first month in Hindu calendar), at noon Kaushlya gave birth to Lord Sri Ram, Kaikeyi gave birth to Bharath, and Sumithra gave birth to twins, Lakshman and Shatrughan. It was the day of joyous celebrations in Ayodhya. This day since then is celebrated as an auspicious occasion by the devotees.

History Of Ramnavami

Ram Navami is one of the most ancient festivals celebrated in India. It is said that the date of Ram Navami can be traced back to the pre-christian era, as Hinduism is the oldest religion of the world. The reference of Ramnavami can also be found in the Kalika puran. It is said in the earlier times, when caste system was prevalent in India; Ramnavami was one of the few festivals that the lower castes (shudras) were allowed to celebrate. In Hindu religion, it is considered to one of the five major sacred festivals and it is said that, properly observing this fast leads to the attainment of salvation.

Significance

Though Rama Navami is a major festival for Vaishnavites, it is widely celebrated by worshippers of Shiva, too. It is considered auspicious to undertake a fast on the day in the name of Rama. The more devout fast for nine days, from Ugadi to Rama Navami. The objective of the fast is not to ask for special favours of the deity but to seek perfection as a human being. Devotees perform elaborate pujas and chant the name of Rama. Temples of Rama have special services and bhajan sessions through the day.

One significant and popular element of the celebration is the Ramayana parayana, a discourse on the Ramayana, by a pundit or a professional story-teller. It usually lasts nine days, beginning on Ugadi and ending on Rama Navami. A skilled story-teller who can liven up the event by weaving in contemporary events attracts massive crowds.

Since Rama is also one of the most sung-about deities in Indian classical music and literature, week-long (and sometimes, month-long) musical programmes are organised.

Sacred places associated with Rama, like Ayodhya, Ujjain and Rameshwaram, draw tens of thousands of devotees. In Rameshwaram, thousands take a ritual bath in the sea before worshipping at the Ramanathaswamy temple. Many places in North India host fairs in connection with the festival, culminating in spectacular fireworks on Rama Navami.

Read here, why the roadside hawking practice in India must be prevented

2010-04-15T03:19:00.001-07:00

Using Roadside eatables can be extremely fatal for your health.

It is very pleasant to have a cup of hot tea before we start work, however before we do so, we need to check the conditions under which this is being prepared. 

There have been concerns over the food safety practices followed by the hawkers selling food by roadside.  Studies have proved that these hawkers have scant regard for maintaining hygiene, do not follow safe food making practices and follow unethical labor norms.

In the advent of contagious diseases, it is advised not to visit roadside joints who do not take responsibilities of their products and their disposal as well. 

Keeping in mind the below points, we urge all people to avoid buying from these stalls : 

·       Unhygienic environment spoiling the area and aesthetics 

·       Traffic/congestion for people by disturbing the footpath 

·       Poor drainage facilities thus deteriorating the hygienic conditions 

·       Poor waste disposal facilities adding up to pollution in the environment. 

·       These hawkers do not follow the labour norms.  

·       Safety issues arising due to people stepping out of their home at odd hours. There were cases reported wherein employees were harassed by unruly people and the area becomes accident prone. 

Siting the increasing problem of safe water availability in India, you can think of the consequence on your health.

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Know your Festival: Maha Sivarathri

2010-02-14T23:13:00.000-08:00

Mahashivaratri Festival

Mahashivaratri Festival or the ‘The Night of Shiva’ is celebrated with devotion and religious fervor in honor of Lord Shiva, one of the deities of Hindu Trinity. Shivaratri falls on the moonless 14th night of the new moon in the Hindu month of Phalgun, which corresponds to the month of February - March in English Calendar. Celebrating the festival of Shivaratri devotees observe day and night fast and perform ritual worship of Shiva Lingam to appease Lord Shiva.

Legends of Mahashivratri
There are various interesting legends related to the festival of Maha Shivaratri. According to one of the most popular legends, Shivaratri marks the wedding day of Lord Shiva and Parvati. Some believe that it was on the auspicious night of Shivaratri that Lord Shiva performed the ‘Tandava’, the dance of the primal creation, preservation and destruction. Another popular Shivratri legend stated in Linga Purana states that it was on Shivaratri that Lord Shiva manifested himself in the form of a Linga. Hence the day is considered to be extremely auspicious by Shiva devotees and they celebrate it as Mahashivaratri - the grand night of Shiva.

Significance of Shivaratri in Hinduism
Festival of Mahashivaratri has tremendous significance in Hinduism. According to sacred scriptures, ritual worship of Lord Shiva on Shivratri festival that falls on the 14th day of the dark fortnight in the month of Phalgun pleases Lord Shiva the most. This fact is said to have been declared by Lord Shiva himself, when his consort Parvati asked him as to which ritual performed by his devotees pleases him the most. Hindus consider it extremely auspicious to worship Lord Shiva on a Shivaratri as it is believed that worship of Lord Shiva with devotion and sincerity absolves a devotee of past sins. The devotee reaches the abode of Lord Shanker and lives there happily. He is also liberated from the cycle of birth and death and attains moksha or salvation.
Significance of Shivaratri for Women
Mahashivratri Festival is also considered to be an extremely significant festival by women. Married and unmarried women observe fast and perform Shiva Puja with sincerity to appease Goddess Parvati who is also regarded as ‘Gaura’ - one who bestows marital bliss and long and prosperous married life. Unmarried women also pray for a husband like Lord Shiva who is regarded as the ideal husband.

Traditions and Customs of Shivaratri
Various traditions and customs related to Shivaratri Festival are dutifully followed by the worshippers of Lord Shiva. Devotees observe strict fast in honor of Shiva, though many go on a diet of fruits and milk some do not consume even a drop of water. Devotees strongly believe that sincere worship of Lord Shiva on the auspicious day of Shivaratri, absolves a person of sins and liberates him from the cycle of birth and death. To mark the Shivratri festival, devotees wake up early and take a ritual bath, preferably in river Ganga. After wearing fresh new clothes devotees visit the nearest Shiva temple to give ritual bath to the Shiva Lingum with milk, honey, water etc. On Shivaratri, worship of Lord Shiva continues all through the day and night. Every three hours priests perform ritual pooja of Shivalingam by bathing it with milk, yoghurt, honey, ghee, sugar and water amidst the chanting of “Om Namah Shivaya’ and ringing of temple bells. Nightlong vigil or jaagran is also observed in Shiva temples where large number of devotees spend the night singing hymns and devotional songs in praise of Lord Shiva. It is only on the following morning that devotee break their fast by partaking prasad offered to the deity.

Government forum for consumer complaint and empowerment

2010-02-05T21:57:00.001-08:00

I got a very nice portal for consumer complaints and reporting; supported by "Ministry of external affairs".

Please check : http://www.ccccore.co.in/ or http://www.core.nic.in or http://www.corecentre.co.in/

It seems to be one of the successful forum to nail down bas merchants.

HOW TO KEEP SAFETY LOCK ON THE WEB

2010-01-27T02:14:00.001-08:00

You can invoke the wrath of the darknets by  using an unpatched pirated copy of Windows XP. Use Sygate Personal firewall to  monitor data if you do not have the latest security updates. 

If you do have a registered copy of Windows,  there's Microsoft's antivirus that is free to download and use. Security  Essentials is both lightweight & effective. 

Use a secure password. Good passwords are not  found in the dictionary. A good password is six to eight characters in length,  comprising letters and numbers. 

You can use Winzip to apply a password when  compressing a folder. For some heavy-duty encryption, use the open source  TrueCrypt from on Sourceforge.net. 

Be careful of what you download and run on  your computer, especially if you use it for e-commerce and Internet banking.  Spyware and trojan viruses could steal your personal data and credit card  details. 

In this age of cheap terabyte drives, you have  no excuse. Back up your data. It will save you time and money should your system  be attacked. There are tools to automate this as well. 

Exercise common sense. It might feel fine to  have your birth date on Facebook, but since this is usually a security question  used by most banks, you might want to keep it to yourself. 

If you do feel that your computer is behaving  odd, or compromised in any way, boot into Google's free Chromium OS, which now  fits on a 1GB pen drive. 

Hackers call phone skills and other soft  methods of hacking social engineering. Be careful what you say on the phone, if  you are speaking to a stranger.

Management lessons from the bollywood movie 3-idiots

2010-01-17T21:31:00.001-08:00

1. Never Try To Be Successful
Success is the bye-product. Excellence always creates success. So , never run after the success , let it happen automatically in the life.
2. Freedom To Life
Don’t die before actual death. Live every moment to the fullest as you are going to die today night. Life is gifted to humankind to live, live & live @ happiness.
3. Passion Leads To Excellence
When your hobby becomes your profession and passion becomes your profession. You will be able to lead up to excellence in the life. Satisfaction, pleasure, joy and love will be the outcome of following passion. Following your passion for years, you will surely become something one day.
4. Learning Is Very Simple
Teachers do fail. Learners never fail. Learning is never complicated or difficult. Learning is always possible whatever rule you apply.
5. Pressure At Head
Current education system is developing pressures on students head. University intelligence is useful and making some impact in the life but it cannot be at the cost of the life.
6. Life Is Emotion Management Not Intelligence Optimization
Memory and regular study have definite value and it always helps you in leading a life. You are able to survive even if you can make some mark in the path of the life. With artificial intelligence, you can survive and win but you cannot prove yourself genius. Therefore, in this process genius dies in you.

7. Necessity Is The Mother Of Invention
Necessity creates pressure and forces you to invent something or to make it happen or to use your potentiality. Aamir Khan in this film, 3 idiots, is able to prove in the film by using aqua guard pump at the last moment.
8. Simplicity is Life
Life is need base never want base. Desires have no ends. Simplicity is way of life and Indian culture highly stresses on simple living and high thinking, and this is the way of life: Legs down to earth and eyes looking beyond the sky
9. Industrial Leadership
Dean of the institute in 3 idiots is showing very typical leadership. He has his own principles, values and ideology and he leads the whole institute accordingly. This is an example of current institutional leadership. In the present scenario, most of the institutes are fixed in a block or squeamish thinking.
10. Love Is Time & Space Free
Love is not time bound and space bound. It is very well demonstrated in this movie same love was demonstrated by Krishna and Meera. Love is border free, time free and space free.
11. Importance Of One Word In Communication
If communication dies, everything dies. Each word has impact and value in communication. One word if used wrongly or emphasized wrongly or paused at a wrong place in communication what effect it creates and how is it affected is demonstrated very well in this movie.

The two small stories: A big lesson

2010-01-13T05:40:00.001-08:00

A large truck was moving through a railway underpass when it got wedged between the road and the girders overhead. All the efforts of the experts to extricate it proved useless and the traffic was stalled for miles on both sides of the underpass.

A little boy was trying to get the attention of the foreman but was always pushed away. Finally, in sheer exasperation, the foreman said, "I suppose you have come to tell us how to do this job?"

"Yes," said the kid, "I suggest you let some air out of the tires"

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A man once read in an ancient book about a black stone on the shores of the Black Sea, which could on contact turn any metal into gold. The stone would be warm to the touch. So he went to the Black Sea and found there a heap of black stones. He was convinced one of these would be the miracle stone.

He picked up a stone, felt it on his cheek, found it cold, and flung it into the sea. The second stone too was cold and followed the first one into the sea. He did this from morning to evening, every day for weeks, months, and then years. Three years passed. One day he put a stone to his cheek, threw it into the sea and then realized that was the stone he was looking for!

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The conclusions from past experiences many times may completely mask the ability to tap common sense.