Manoj's Blog

Bahrain Snapshots

2011-01-24T21:29:00.000-08:00

Configuring your network settings to use Google Public DNS

2011-01-16T23:32:00.000-08:00

When you use Google Public DNS, you are changing your DNS "switchboard" operator from your ISP to Google Public DNS.

In most cases, the IP addresses used by your ISP's domain name servers are automatically set by your ISP via the Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol (DHCP). To use Google Public DNS, you need to explicitly change the DNS settings in your operating system or device to use the Google Public DNS IP addresses. The procedure for changing your DNS settings varies according to operating system and version (Windows, Mac or Linux) or the device (computer, phone, or router). We give general procedures here that might not apply for your OS or device; please consult your vendor documentation for authoritative information.

Note: We recommend that only users who are proficient with configuring operating system settings make these changes.

Important: Before you start

Before you change your DNS settings to use Google Public DNS, be sure to write down the current server addresses or settings on a piece of paper. It is very important that you keep these numbers for backup purposes, in case you need to revert to them at any time.

Google Public DNS telephone support

877-590-4367 in the U.S.
770-200-1201 outside the U.S.

Google Public DNS IP addresses

The Google Public DNS IP addresses are as follows:

8.8.8.8
8.8.4.4

You can use either number as your primary or secondary DNS server. You can specify both numbers, but do not specify one number as both primary and secondary.

Changing your DNS servers settings

Because the instructions differ between different versions/releases of each operating system, we only give one version as an example. If you need specific instructions for your operating system/version, please consult your vendor's documentation. You may also find answers on our user group.

Many systems allow you to specify multiple DNS servers, to be contacted in a priority order. In the following instructions, we provide steps to specify only the Google Public DNS servers as the primary and secondary servers, to ensure that your setup will correctly use Google Public DNS in all cases.

Note: Depending on your network setup, you may need administrator/root privileges to change these settings.

Microsoft Windows

DNS settings are specified in the TCP/IP Properties window for the selected network connection.

Example: Changing DNS server settings on Microsoft Windows 7

Go the Control Panel.
Click Network and Internet, then Network and Sharing Center, and click Change adapter settings.
Select the connection for which you want to configure Google Public DNS. For example:

To change the settings for an Ethernet connection, right-click Local Area Connection, and click Properties.
To change the settings for a wireless connection, right-click Wireless Network Connection, and click Properties.

If you are prompted for an administrator password or confirmation, type the password or provide confirmation.

Select the Networking tab. Under This connection uses the following items, click Internet Protocol Version 4 (TCP/IPv4), and then click Properties.
Click Advanced and select the DNS tab. If there are any DNS server IP addresses listed there, write them down for future reference, and remove them from this window.
Click OK.
Select Use the following DNS server addresses. If there are any IP addresses listed in the Preferred DNS server or Alternate DNS server, write them down for future reference.
Replace those addresses with the IP addresses of the Google DNS servers: 8.8.8.8 and 8.8.4.4.
Restart the connection you selected in step 3.
Test that your setup is working correctly; see Testing your new settings below.
Repeat the procedure for additional network connections you want to change.

Mac OS X

DNS settings are specified in the Network window.

Example: Changing DNS server settings on Mac OS 10.5

From the Apple menu, click System Preferences, then click Network.
If the lock icon in the lower left-hand corner of the window is locked, click the icon to make changes, and when prompted to authenticate, enter your password.
Select the connection for which you want to configure Google Public DNS. For example:

To change the settings for an Ethernet connection, select Built-In Ethernet, and click Advanced.
To change the settings for a wireless connection, select Airport, and click Advanced.

Select the DNS tab.
Click + to replace any listed addresses with, or add, the Google IP addresses at the top of the list: 8.8.8.8 and 8.8.4.4.
Click Apply and OK.
Test that your setup is working correctly; see Testing your new settings below.
Repeat the procedure for additional network connections you want to change.

Linux

In most modern Linux distributions, DNS settings are configured through Network Manager.

Example: Changing DNS server settings on Ubuntu

In the System menu, click Preferences, then click Network Connections.
Select the connection for which you want to configure Google Public DNS. For example:

To change the settings for an Ethernet connection, select the Wired tab, then select your network interface in the list. It is usually called eth0.
To change the settings for a wireless connection, select the Wireless tab, then select the appropriate wireless network.

Click Edit, and in the window that appears, select the IPv4 Settings tab.
If the selected method is Automatic (DHCP), open the dropdown and select Automatic (DHCP) addresses only instead. If the method is set to something else, do not change it.
In the DNS servers field, enter the Google Public DNS IP addresses, separated by a space: 8.8.8.8 8.8.4.4
Click Apply to save the change. If you are prompted for a password or confirmation, type the password or provide confirmation.
Test that your setup is working correctly; see Testing your new settings below.
Repeat the procedure for additional network connections you want to change.

If your distribution doesn't use Network Manager, your DNS settings are specified in /etc/resolv.conf.

Example: Changing DNS server settings on a Debian server

Edit /etc/resolv.conf:

sudo vi /etc/resolv.conf

If any nameserver lines appear, write down the IP addresses for future reference.
Replace the nameserver lines with, or add, the following lines:

nameserver 8.8.8.8
nameserver 8.8.4.4

Save and exit.
Restart any Internet clients you are using.
Test that your setup is working correctly; see Testing your new settings below.

Additionally, if you are using DHCP client software that overwrites the settings in /etc/resolv.conf, you will need to set up the client accordingly by editing the client's configuration file.

Example: Configuring DHCP client sofware on a Debian server

Back up /etc/resolv.conf:

sudo cp /etc/resolv.conf /etc/resolv.conf.auto

Edit /etc/dhcp3/dhclient.conf:

sudo vi /etc/dhcp3/dhclient.conf

If there is a line containing domain-name-servers, write down the IP addresses for future reference.
Replace that line with, or add, the following line:

prepend domain-name-servers 8.8.8.8, 8.8.4.4;

Save and exit.
Restart any Internet clients you are using.
Test that your setup is working correctly; see Testing your new settings below.

Routers

Every router uses a different user interface for configuring DNS server settings; we provide only a generic procedure below. For more information, please consult your router documentation.

Note: Some ISPs hard-code their DNS servers into the equipment they provide; if you are using such a device, you will not be able to configure it to use Google Public DNS. Instead, you can configure each of the computers connected to the router, as described above.

To change your settings on a router:

In your browser, enter the IP address to access the router's administration console.
When prompted, enter the password to access network settings.
Find the screen in which DNS server settings are specified.
If there are IP addresses specified in the fields for the primary and seconday DNS servers, write them down for future reference.
Replace those addresses with Google IP addresses: 8.8.8.8 and 8.8.4.4.
Save and exit.
Restart your browser.
Test that your setup is working correctly; see Testing your new settings below.

Mobile or other devices

DNS servers are typically specified under advanced wi-fi settings. However, as every mobile device uses a different user interface for configuring DNS server settings, we provide only a generic procedure below. For more information, please consult your mobile provider's documentation.

To change your settings on a mobile device:

Go to the screen in which wi-fi settings are specified.
Find the screen in which DNS server settings are specified.
If there are IP addresses specified in the fields for the primary and seconday DNS servers, write them down for future reference.
Replace those addresses with Google IP addresses: 8.8.8.8 and 8.8.4.4.
Save and exit.
Test that your setup is working correctly; see Testing your new settings below.

Testing your new settings

To test that the Google DNS resolver is working:

From your browser, type in a hostname, such as http://www.google.com. If it resolves correctly, bookmark the page, and try accessing the page from the bookmark. If both of these tests work, everything is working correctly. If not, go to step 2.
From your browser, type in a fixed IP address. You can use http://18.62.0.96/ (which points to the website http://www.eecs.mit.edu/) as the URL*. If this works correctly, bookmark the page, and try accessing the page from the bookmark. If these tests work (but step 1 fails), then there is a problem with your DNS configuration; check the steps above to make sure you have configured everything correctly. If these tests do not work, go to step 3.
Roll back the DNS changes you made and run the tests again. If the tests still do not work, then there is a problem with your network settings; contact your ISP or network administrator for assistance.

* Google thanks MIT for granting permission to use this URL for the purposes of testing web connectivity.

Diagnosing resolution problems

If you are encountering problems when resolving particular names, and want to verify whether the problem is with Google Public DNS, please try running the following diagnostic procedures. If you want to report a problem to the Google Public DNS user group, please copy and paste the results of the commands in your email. This information is vital to help us to identify the cause of the problem.

Step 1: Verify that your client can communicate with the Google Public DNS servers

Open a command prompt, and run the following command:

On Windows:

tracert -d 8.8.8.8

On Mac OS X:

  /usr/sbin/traceroute -n -w 2 -q 2 -m 30 8.8.8.8

On Linux:

sudo traceroute -n -w 2 -q 2 -m 30 8.8.8.8

If the last line of the output does not list 8.8.8.8 as the final hop, or if there are significant timeouts, there may be a network problem preventing you from contacting our servers. Please include the output of the command in any communication with the Google Public DNS team.

If the last line of the output does list 8.8.8.8 as the final hop, continue to step 2.

Step 2: Verify that Google Public DNS can resolve the selected hostname

At the command prompt, run the following command, where hostname is the name that you were having difficulty resolving:

On Windows:

nslookup -debug hostname 8.8.8.8

On Mac and Linux:

dig @8.8.8.8 hostname

If the the output shows an answer section with an A record for the hostname, then Google Public DNS is able to resolve the name. Check your settings to make sure your system is correctly configured to use Google Public DNS. If you are still unable to solve the problem, please include the output of the command in any communication with the Google Public DNS team.

If the output does not show an answer for the hostname, continue to step 3.

Step 3: Verify that another open resolver can resolve the selected hostname

At the command prompt, run any one of the following commands, where hostname is the name that you were having difficulty resolving:

nslookup hostname 4.2.2.1

nslookup hostname 4.2.2.2

nslookup hostname 208.67.222.222

nslookup hostname 208.67.220.220

(The first two commands test Level 3's DNS servers. The last two commands test OpenDNS' DNS servers.)

If you are not able to get a successful result, this means that there is most likely a problem with the server you are trying to contact. Wait some time and try running the tests again. This may be a temporary problem on the server's side that will likely resolve itself eventually. If it does not, you should contact the owner of the server.

If you do get a successful result, there may be a problem with Google Public DNS. Please include the output of this command and the one from step 2 in any communication with the Google Public DNS team.

Switching back to your old DNS settings

If you had not previously configured any customized DNS servers, to switch back to your old settings, in the window in which you specified the Google IP addresses, select the option to enable obtaining DNS server addresses automatically, and/or delete the Google IP addresses. This will revert your settings to using your ISP's default servers.

If you need to manually specify any addresses, use the procedures above to specify the old IP addresses.

If necessary, restart your system.

Timeless

2010-12-22T20:34:00.001-08:00

A young man learns what's most important in life from the guy next door. It had been some time since Jack had seen the old man. College, girls, career, life itself got in the way. In fact, Jack moved clear across the country in pursuit of his dreams. There, in the rush of his busy life, Jack had little time to think about the past and often no time to spend with his wife and son. He was working on his future, and nothing could stop him.

Over the phone, his mother told him, "Mr. Belser died last night. The funeral is Wednesday."

Memories flashed through his mind like an old newsreel as he sat quietly remembering his childhood days. "Jack, did you hear me?"

"Oh, sorry, Mom. Yes, I heard you. It's been so long since I thought of him. I'm sorry, but I honestly thought he died years ago," Jack said.

"Well, he didn't forget you. Every time I saw him he'd ask how you were doing. He'd reminisce (recall) about the many days you spent over 'his side of the fence' as he put it," Mom told him.

"I loved that old house he lived in," Jack said.

"You know, Jack, after your father died, Mr. Belser stepped in to make sure you had a man's influence in your life," she said.

"He's the one who taught me carpentry," Jack said.

"I wouldn't be in this business if it weren't for him. He spent a lot of time teaching me things he thought were important...Mom, I'll be there for the funeral," Jack said.

As busy as he was, he kept his word. Jack caught the next flight to his hometown.

Mr. Belser's funeral was small and uneventful. He had no children of his own, and most of his relatives had passed away.

The night before he had to return home, Jack and his Mom stopped by to see the old house next door one more time.

Standing in the doorway, Jack paused for a moment. It was like crossing over into another dimension, a leap through space and time.

The house was exactly as he remembered. Every step held memories. Every picture, every piece of furniture....Jack stopped suddenly.

"What's wrong, Jack?" his Mom asked.

"The box is gone," he said. "What box? " Mom asked.

"There was a small gold box that he kept locked on top of his desk. I must have asked him a thousand times what was inside. All he'd ever tell me was 'the thing I value most,'" Jack said.

It was gone. Everything about the house was exactly how Jack remembered it, except for the box. He figured someone from the Belser family had taken it. "Now I'll never know what was so valuable to him," Jack said.

"I better get some sleep. I have an early flight home, Mom."

It had been about two weeks since Mr. Belser died. Returning home from work one day Jack discovered a note in his mailbox.

"Signature required on a package. No one at home. Please stop by the main post office within the next three days," the note read.

Early the next day Jack retrieved the package. The small box was old and looked like it had been mailed a hundred years ago.

The handwriting was difficult to read, but the return address caught his attention."Mr. Harold Belser" it read.

Jack took the box out to his car and ripped open the package.

There inside was the gold box and an envelope. Jack's hands shook as he read the note inside.

"Upon my death, please forward this box and its contents to Jack Bennett. It's the thing I valued most in my life."

A small key was taped to the letter. His heart racing, as tears filling his eyes, Jack carefully unlocked the box.

There inside he found a beautiful gold pocket watch.

Running his fingers slowly over the finely etched casing, he unlatched the cover. Inside he found these words engraved:

"Jack, Thanks for your time! Harold Belser."

"The thing he valued most...was...my time."

Jack held the watch for a few minutes, then called his office and cleared his appointments for the next two days.

"Why?" Janet, his assistant asked.

"I need some time to spend with my son," he said. "Oh, by the way, Janet...thanks for your time!"

"Life is not measured by the number of breaths we take but by the moments that take our breath away,"

Think about it this CHRISTmas. The little Infant Jesus would love you to spend some time with Him...

You may not realize it, but it's 100% true.

Fatalism or Faith?

2010-10-23T22:57:00.001-07:00

A flood was threatening a small town and everyone was leaving for safety except one man who said, "God will save me. I have faith." As the water level rose a jeep came to rescue him, the man refused, saying "God will save me. I have faith." As the water level rose further, he went up to the second storey, and a boat came to help him. Again he refused to go, Belying, "God will save me. I have faith." The water kept rising and the man climbed on to the roof. A helicopter came to rescue him, but he said, "God will save me. I have faith." Well, finally he drowned. When he reached to GOD, he angrily questioned, "I had complete faith in you. Why did you ignore my prayers and let me drown?"

The Lord replied, "Who do you think sent you the jeep, the boat, and the helicopter?"

The only way to overcome the fatalistic attitude is to accept responsibility and believe in the law of cause and effect rather than luck (As you Sow you shall reap). It takes action, preparation and planning rather than waiting, wondering or wishing, to accomplish anything in life. You gotta step out in Faith. But if God says Wait! Then you gotto wait.

When you place your onus on God and step out in faith as Peter; who obeyed the command of God and stepped into the Sea and walked as on dry ground; you would also see the works of God in your life clearly manifesting His majesty.

Alexander Graham Bell was desperately trying to invent a hearing aid for his partially deaf wife. He failed at inventing a hearing aid but in the process discovered the principles of the telephone. You wouldn't call someone like that lucky, would you? Good luck is when opportunity meets preparation. Without effort and preparation, lucky coincidences don't happen. GOD helps those who help themselves. Luck is an excuse mortal men make.

Moral of the Story:
We have to move out in faith than to remain idle waiting for the storm to pass. Stop excusing yourself by saying that "It all depends on luck" or "the right time is yet to come". In the book of James we see clearly; that "faith without works is dead."

SGS Codes

2010-10-15T03:16:00.000-07:00

FYI These codes have been obtained by decoding various .apk files present in the phone firmware.

*#*#4636#*#*

This code can be used to get some interesting information about your phone and battery. It shows following 4 menus on screen:

Phone information
Battery information
Battery history
Usage statistics

*#*#7780#*#*

This code can be used for a factory data reset. It'll remove following things:

Google account settings stored in your phone
System and application data and settings
Downloaded applications

It'll NOT remove:

Current system software and bundled applications
SD card files e.g. photos, music files, etc.

PS: Once you give this code, you get a prompt screen asking you to click on "Reset phone" button. So you get a chance to cancel your operation.

*2767*3855#

Think before you give this code. This code is used for factory format. It'll remove all files and settings including the internal memory storage. It'll also reinstall the phone firmware.

PS: Once you give this code, there is no way to cancel the operation unless you remove the battery from the phone. So think twice before giving this code.

*#*#34971539#*#*

This code is used to get information about phone camera. It shows following 4 menus:

Update camera firmware in image (Don't try this option)
Update camera firmware in SD card
Get camera firmware version
Get firmware update count

WARNING: Never use the first option otherwise your phone camera will stop working and you'll need to take your phone to service center to reinstall camera firmware.

*#*#7594#*#*

This one is my favorite one. This code can be used to change the "End Call / Power" button action in your phone. Be default, if you long press the button, it shows a screen asking you to select any option from Silent mode, Airplane mode and Power off.

You can change this action using this code. You can enable direct power off on this button so you don't need to waste your time in selecting the option.

*#*#273283*255*663282*#*#*

This code opens a File copy screen where you can backup your media files e.g. Images, Sound, Video and Voice memo.

*#*#197328640#*#*

This code can be used to enter into Service mode. You can run various tests and change settings in the service mode.

WLAN, GPS and Bluetooth Test Codes:

*#*#232339#*#* OR *#*#526#*#* OR *#*#528#*#* - WLAN test (Use "Menu" button to start various tests)

*#*#232338#*#* - Shows WiFi MAC address

*#*#1472365#*#* - GPS test

*#*#1575#*#* - Another GPS test

*#*#232331#*#* - Bluetooth test

*#*#232337#*# - Shows Bluetooth device address

*#*#8255#*#*

This code can be used to launch GTalk Service Monitor.

Codes to get Firmware version information:

*#*#4986*2650468#*#* - PDA, Phone, H/W, RFCallDate

*#*#1234#*#* - PDA and Phone

*#*#1111#*#* - FTA SW Version

*#*#2222#*#* - FTA HW Version

*#*#44336#*#* - PDA, Phone, CSC, Build Time, Changelist number

Codes to launch various Factory Tests:

*#*#0283#*#* - Packet Loopback

*#*#0*#*#* - LCD test

*#*#0673#*#* OR *#*#0289#*#* - Melody test

*#*#0842#*#* - Device test (Vibration test and BackLight test)

*#*#2663#*#* - Touch screen version

*#*#2664#*#* - Touch screen test

*#*#0588#*#* - Proximity sensor test

*#*#3264#*#* - RAM version

NOTE: All above codes have been checked on Google Android phone Samsung Galaxy I7500 only but they should also work in other Google Android phones.

Using Oracle with PHP and CodeIgniter

2010-09-20T04:30:00.001-07:00

Configuring PHP
My first mistake when configuring PHP to support Oracle was to assume that it would be as easy as MySQL; that is to say, on Windows, simply enabling the Oracle DLL that ships with PHP. No such luck, and the error message you see — when you finally remember to check your PHP error log — isn't very helpful:

PHP Warning: PHP Startup: Unable to load dynamic library 'C:\Program Files\Zend\Core\lib\phpext\php_oci8.dll' - The specified module could not be found. in Unknown on line 0

Thanfully, I found a document on the Oracle website that explains how to configure PHP on Linux and Windows for Oracle support. I'd say this was the first straightforwardly helpful piece of Oracle documentation I'd ever used. Frustrations nevertheless ensued. When I downloaded Oracle 10g Express to load on my desktop, the website mentioned that I wouldn't need any additional Oracle client downloads. (It was a gigantic enough download!) So, naturally, I figured that the client libraries needed to for PHP/Oracle support would all be somewhere in my install folder. Incorrect! As the configuration instructions suggested, I also had to download the (39-megabyte) Instant Client Basic for Windows, which contained all three libraries. I plunked them into a new directory, put that directory on my path, and revved up PHP. This time, no errors.

Easy Alternative: Zend Core offers a "for Oracle" version with Oracle support built in, out of the box.

Configuring CodeIgniter
I've started using CodeIgniter heavily in the last few months, and it's a real time-saver once you get the hang of it. While I have a couple hangups about the CI User Guide — mainly that it's slanted too severely toward the "quick example" side without comprehensive reference information to fill in the gaps — the user community tends to be quite helpful. Accordingly, the User Guide only says that CI supports an Oracle database, with no instructions on how to complete the built-in database configuration to use Oracle. So, I browsed the forums and found a few folks who had posted their Oracle configurations, and noted that, in general, one's database config should look like this:

$db['default']['hostname'] = "//localhost/XE"; $db['default']['username'] = "USERNAME"; $db['default']['password'] = "PASSWORD"; $db['default']['database'] = "DATABASE_NAME"; $db['default']['dbdriver'] = "oci8";

That hostname field can optionally contain a port number, if it differs from the standard 1521:

$db['default']['hostname'] = "//localhost:9999/XE";

The "XE" in both examples is the default SID that Oracle 10g Express uses. (Unfortunately, I'm still oblivious as to the utility of an SID.) Also note that username, password, and database fields probably ought to be in uppercase — more case sensitivity implications on their way, stay tuned.

That done, we're ready to query for some data. But wait! I tested my existing application code (previously running on a MySQL database) and got these warnings:

ERROR - 2007-12-02 15:02:05 --> Severity: Warning --> ocifetchinto() expects parameter 1 to be resource, null given C:\codeigniter\system\database\drivers\oci8\oci8_result.php 159 ERROR - 2007-12-02 15:02:05 --> Severity: Warning --> ociexecute() expects parameter 1 to be resource, null given C:\codeigniter\system\database\drivers\oci8\oci8_result.php 46

Yet again, the CodeIgniter forum came to the rescue: there's an Oracle-specific bug in CI's platform-independent database abstraction class. It's fixed with a simple cut-and-paste. Around line 324, the $RES->num_rows line needs to be moved down below the if block, a la:

$driver 		= $this->load_rdriver(); $RES 			= new $driver(); $RES->conn_id	= $this->conn_id; $RES->result_id	= $this->result_id;  if ($this->dbdriver == 'oci8') {   $RES->stmt_id		= $this->stmt_id;   $RES->curs_id		= NULL;   $RES->limit_used	= $this->limit_used; }  $RES->num_rows	= $RES->num_rows();

No more warnings.

Using Active Record
CodeIgniter's Active Record class makes most database queries dead simple and, combined with centralized configuration and automatic connections, cuts down significantly on lines of code. Using Active Record in my model class, I have a login method which checks a users table for the proper username and password:

$query = $this->db->getwhere('users', array('username' => $username, 'password' => md5($password)));

Then, I check the result for an active user by inspecting the flags field for a non-negative value:

if (isset($query->row()->flags) && $query->row()->flags >= 0) { ... }

For some reason, I just couldn't log in, but I wasn't getting any error messages from PHP or CodeIgniter. Then, I recalled my case sensitivity wrangling from earlier, and my cogs started turning. My database had been constructed with all uppercase table names and column names, so perhaps my result's fields would be uppercase, too. A simple var_dump of the result object proved my theory:

object(CI_DB_oci8_result)#17 (9) {   ["stmt_id"]=>   resource(33) of type (oci8 statement)   ["curs_id"]=>   NULL   ["limit_used"]=>   NULL   ["conn_id"]=>   resource(24) of type (oci8 persistent connection)   ["result_id"]=>   bool(true)   ["result_array"]=>   array(1) {     [0]=>     array(3) {       ["USERNAME"]=>       string(8) "username"       ["PASSWORD"]=>       string(32) "..."       ["FLAGS"]=>       string(1) "0"     }   }   ["result_object"]=>   array(0) {   }   ["current_row"]=>   int(0)   ["num_rows"]=>   int(1) }

Now, I reference the uppercase member variables in my code and it all works fine:

if (isset($query->row()->FLAGS) && $query->row()->FLAGS >= 0) { ... }

I'm not sure whom to implicate for the misunderstanding. When I write SQL queries — against MySQL or Oracle — my schema, table, and columns names may be written in any case, and I get a proper result. Shouldn't that case insensitivity carry through into Active Record and/or PHP?

7 comments so far

Derek Allard said

Jonathan. This is a great rundown. Thanks for sharing with us. I've been wanting to play with Oracle and Postgres more lately, and hopefully this will be helpful.

Posted December 2, 2007, 5:19 pm
Pavel A. Brilow said

Hi. Intresting article, thanks for sharing your experiense.

After i found this:
function escape_str($str) { return $str; }
in oracle driver in CI, i made a decision to use PDO instead of CI libraries. Using PDO now in a big project and feeling good.

If you understand russian, you can read more in my blog

Posted December 5, 2007, 1:06 pm
Jonathan Abbett said

It looks like the adapter should be using real OCI bind arguments, and not using the generic adapter's bind mechanism. When using OCIBindByName(), the arguments are automatically escaped to Oracle's satisfaction.

Posted December 5, 2007, 2:34 pm
yuanjing said

Did you try scaffolding, the view data page shows error:

Message: Undefined property: stdClass::$2
Filename: views/view.php
Line Number: 14

I checked views/view.php
foreach($query->result() as $row) shows:

object(CI_DB_oci8_result)#15 (9) {
["stmt_id"]=>
resource(32) of type (oci8 statement)
["curs_id"]=>
NULL
["limit_used"]=>
bool(true)
["conn_id"]=>
resource(27) of type (oci8 persistent connection)
["result_id"]=>
bool(true)
["result_array"]=>
array(1) {
[0]=>
array(1) {
["NUMROWS"]=>
string(1) "2″
}
}
["result_object"]=>
array(1) {
[0]=>
object(stdClass)#14 (1) {
["NUMROWS"]=>
string(1) "2″
}
}
["current_row"]=>
int(0)
["num_rows"]=>
int(1)
}

Any clue?

Posted December 18, 2007, 7:43 pm
101 Code Igniter Resources | Learning On Demand said

[…] Using Oracle with PHP and CodeIgniter, Oracle and CI teamed together. I use oracle xe […]

Posted January 8, 2008, 6:34 pm
Tommy Sinaryuda said

Hello…

how to configure if we use PHP ADODB library to connect database with oracle 9.2 + codeigniter?

Posted January 12, 2008, 9:36 am
CodeIgniter Framework :: TermiT's Blog said

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Posted January 19, 2008, 5:46 am

Ten Principles for Peace of Mind

2010-07-30T05:57:00.000-07:00

1. Do Not Interfere In Others' Business Unless Asked.
Most of us create our own problems by interfering too often in others' affairs. We do so because somehow we have convinced ourselves that our way is the best way, our logic is the perfect logic and those who do not conform to our thinking must be criticized and steered to the right direction, our direction. This thinking denies the existence of individuality and consequently the existence of God.. God has created each one of us in a unique way. No two human beings can think or act in exactly the same way. All men or women act the way they do because God within them prompts them that way. Mind your own business and you will keep your peace.

2. Forgive And Forget.
This is the most powerful aid to peace of mind. We often develop ill feelings inside our heart for the person who insults us or harms us. We nurture grievances. This in turn results in loss of sleep, development of stomach ulcers, and high blood pressure. This insult or injury was done once, but nourishing of grievance goes on forever by constantly remembering it. Get over this bad habit. Life is too short to waste in such trifles. Forgive, Forget, and march on. Love flourishes in giving and forgiving.

3. Do Not Crave For Recognition.
This world is full of selfish people. They seldom praise anybody without selfish motives. They may praise you today because you are in power, but no sooner than you are powerless, they will forget your achievement and will start finding faults in you. Why do you wish to kill yourself in striving for their recognition? Their recognition is not worth the aggravation. Do your duties ethically and sincerely.

4. Do Not Be Jealous.
We all have experienced how jealousy can disturb our peace of mind. You know that you work harder than your colleagues in the office, but sometimes they get promotions; you do not. You started a business several years ago, but you are not as successful as your neighbor whose business is only one year old. There are several examples like these in everyday life. Should you be jealous? No. Remember everybody's life is shaped by his/her destiny, which has now become his/her reality. If you are destined to be rich, nothing in the world can stop you. If you are not so destined, no one can help you either. Nothing will be gained by blaming others for your misfortune. Jealousy will not get you anywhere; it will only take away your peace of mind.

5. Change Yourself According To The Environment.
If you try to change the environment single-handedly, the chances are you will fail. Instead, change yourself to suit your environment. As you do this, even the environment, which has been unfriendly to you, will mysteriously change and seem congenial and harmonious.

6. Endure What Cannot Be Cured.
This is the best way to turn a disadvantage into an advantage. Every day we face numerous inconveniences, ailments, irritations, and accidents that are beyond our control. If we cannot control them or change them, we must learn to put up with these things. We must learn to endure them cheerfully. Believe in yourself and you will gain in terms of patience, inner strength and will power.

7. Do Not Bite Off More Than You Can Chew.
This maxim needs to be remembered constantly. We often tend to take more responsibilities than we are capable of carrying out. This is done to satisfy our ego. Know your limitations.. Why take on additional loads that may create more worries? You cannot gain peace of mind by expanding your external activities. Reduce your material engagements and spend time in prayer, introspection and meditation. This will reduce those thoughts in your mind that make you restless. Uncluttered mind will produce greater peace of mind.

8. Meditate Regularly.
Meditation calms the mind and gets rid of disturbing thoughts. The best way to do it is by reading the scriptures and meditating over it, pondering endlessly to what its got to say to you. Your mind will not be easily disturbed as it was before. You would benefit by gradually increasing the period of daily meditation. You may think that this will interfere with your daily work. On the contrary, this will increase your efficiency and you will be able to produce better results in less time.

9. Never Leave The Mind Vacant.
An empty mind is the devil's workshop. All evil actions start in the vacant mind. Keep your mind occupied in something positive, something worthwhile. Actively follow a hobby. Do something that holds your interest. You must decide what you value more: money or peace of mind. Your hobby, like social work or religious work, may not always earn you more money, but you will have a sense of fulfillment and achievement. Even when you are resting physically, occupy yourself in healthy reading or mental chanting of God's name.

10. Do Not Procrastinate And Never Regret.
Do not waste time in protracted wondering " Should I or shouldn't I?" Days, weeks, months, and years may be wasted in that futile mental debating. You can never plan enough because you can never anticipate all future happenings. Value your time and do the things that need to be done. It does not matter if you fail the first time. You can learn from your mistakes and succeed the next time. Sitting back and worrying will lead to nothing. Learn from your mistakes, but do not brood over the past. DO NOT REGRET. Whatever happened was destined to happen only that way. Why cry over spilt milk?

Psalm 23 :: Demystified

2010-07-28T01:42:00.001-07:00

The Lord is my Shepherd = That's Relationship!
I shall not want = That's Supply!
He maketh me to lie down in green pastures = That's Rest!
He leadeth me beside the still waters = That's Refreshment!
He restoreth my soul = That's Healing!
He leadeth me in the paths of righteousness = That's Guidance!
For His name sake = That's Purpose!
Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death = That's Testing!
I will fear no evil = That's Protection!
For Thou art with me = That's Faithfulness!
Thy rod and Thy staff they comfort me = That's Discipline!
Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies = That's Hope!
Thou annointest my head with oil = That's Consecration!
My cup runneth over = That's Abundance!
Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life = That's Blessing!
And I will dwell in the house of the Lord = That's Security!
Forever = That's Eternity!

Father's Love Letter

2010-07-28T01:41:00.000-07:00

You may not know me, but I know everything about you ... Psalm 139:1

I know when you sit down and when you rise up ... Psalm 139:2

I am familiar with all your ways... Psalm 139:3

Even the very hairs on your head are numbered... Matthew 10:29-31

For you were made in my image... Genesis 1:27

In me you live and move and have your being... Acts 17:28

For you are my offspring... Acts 17:28

I knew you even before you were conceived... Jeremiah 1:4-5

I chose you when I planned creation... Ephesians 1:11-12

You were not a mistake, for all your days are written in my book... Psalm 139:15-16

I determined the exact time of your birth and where you would live... Acts 17:26

You are fearfully and wonderfully made... Psalm 139:14

I knit you together in your mother's womb... Psalm 139:13

And brought you forth on the day you were born... Psalm 71:6

I have been misrepresented by those who don't know me... John 8:41-44

I am not distant and angry, but am the complete expression of love... 1 John 4:16

And it is my desire to lavish my love on you simply because you are my child and I am your father... 1 John 3:1

I offer you more than your earthly father ever could... Matthew 7:11

For I am the perfect father... Matthew 5:48

Every good gift that you receive comes from my hand... James 1:17

For I am your provider and I meet all your needs... Matthew 6:31-33

My plan for your future has always been filled with hope... Jeremiah 29:11

Because I love you with an everlasting love... Jeremiah 31:3

My thoughts toward you are countless as the sand on the seashore... Psalm 139:17-18

And I rejoice over you with singing... Zephaniah 3:17

I will never stop doing good to you... Jeremiah 32:40

For you are my treasured possession... Exodus 19:5

I desire to establish you with all my heart and all my soul... Jeremiah 32:41

And I want to show you great and marvelous things... Jeremiah 33:3

If you seek me with all your heart, you will find me... Deuteronomy 4:29

Delight in me and I will give you the desires of your heart... Psalm 37:4

For it is I who gave you those desires... Philippians 2:13

I am able to do more for you than you could possibly imagine... Ephesians 3:20

For I am your greatest encourager... 2 Thessalonians 2:16-17

I am also the Father who comforts you in all your troubles... 2 Corinthians 1:3-4

When you are brokenhearted, I am close to you... Psalm 34:18

As a shepherd carries a lamb, I have carried you close to my heart... Isaiah 40:11

One day I will wipe away every tear from your eyes and will take away all the pain you have suffered on this earth... Revelation 21:3-4

I am your Father, and I love you even as I love my son, Jesus... John 17:23

For in Jesus, my love for you is revealed.... John 17:26

He is the exact representation of my being... Hebrews 1:3

He came to demonstrate that I am for you, not against you... Romans 8:31

And to tell you that I am not counting your sins... 2 Corinthians 5:18-19

Jesus died so that you and I could be reconciled... 2 Corinthians 5:18-19

His death was the ultimate expression of my love for you... 1 John 4:10

I gave up everything I loved that I might gain your love... Romans 8:31-32

If you receive the gift of my son Jesus, you receive me... 1 John 2:23

And nothing will ever separate you from my love again... Romans 8:38-39

Come home and I'll throw the biggest party heaven has ever seen... Luke 15:7

I have always been Father, and will always be Father... Ephesians 3:14-15

My question is...Will you be my child? ... John 1:12-13

I am waiting for you... Luke 15:11-32

Nuggets of Inspiration

2010-07-21T01:12:00.000-07:00

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2010-07-18T01:41:00.001-07:00

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"The Parade" - Gary Bixler

2010-07-12T01:57:00.000-07:00

We have been taught go gospel at all. Those of us who sit in the pews of our comfortable churches and live a life full of the fruits of self-indulgence and selfish goals and dreams. Those of us who name the Name of Christ as if we are His people, yet who bear none of the fruit of His Spirit, show none of His power, exhibit little of His love and holiness. We proclaim Christ and yet don't live Christ. We seek for Him and yet don't find Him. He is a foreigner to us, and a great mystery that we worship from afar, because we have been taught and followed no gospel at all.

This gospel that is no gospel requires nothing. It is an easy gospel, full of the desire for a good life, full of desire for happiness and security, and prosperity. It is a gospel that says we are fine. That gives us license to enjoy our affluence...

This gospel that is no gospel has led us down the wide way that leads to destruction. The vast crowd moves smoothly down the easy, wide boulevard, lined with trees, bright with sun, bands playing, kids holding balloons, clowns cavorting, drummers drumming and baton twirlers performing. This giant parade is self-propelled, well-orchestrated, and led by a charming group of men and women decked out in the finest uniforms.

Behind the scenes there are skilled technicians, making sure every good view reaches the cameras, and every performer in this spectacular event is doing his job, so that the onlookers at home and in person can be entertained. There are security forces in plain-clothes, ready to quietly deal with any strange behavior or

disruption, for the parade must go on, and uninterrupted by anything out of place or unseemly.

This gospel that is no gospel is a spectator sport. It is a parade that is carefully prepared each week, by the best paid minds in the churches. Those with the talent to put it all together, and create the best show possible. They were hired by the attendees, the crowds, to please them and to earn their salaries by making sure that nothing goes wrong or is out of place. To create flow, and crowd dynamics, and to build everything around a theme that makes a great point. To achieve a synergy with music and word that works up to a climax that will bring the audience to its feet with new vitality and encouragement for the week ahead, so they can hold onto their gospel until the next parade.

There are smaller parades on television so that the faithful can get their needed vitality and strength to go on even during the week. These shows are designed to fill in the gaps between the parade dates in their own hometowns. They are brightly lit sets with smiling people, and scripts that are full of this gospel that is no gospel. The viewers can watch people worshiping, and hear the parade music, performed by some of the very people who sing and dance in the real parades. Once in a while somebody tries to air a show that has another gospel, with some ugly and distasteful things in it, and preaches a lesser faith without as much positive in it, but these shows are quickly extinguished because they don't attract the viewers like the others. The ratings take care of that problem for the producers.

Unfortunately, to their great future embarrassment, Jesus Christ, Lord of His Church, doesn't have time for parades. He also doesn't watch television. He's too busy for that.

For Jesus is on Narrow Road, not Broadway. He is out along the minor highways and small streets, busy healing the brokenhearted, the sick, the blind and the lame. He is busy taking care of the lonely and the afflicted. He is busy spending time with His small groups of disciples, who are in genuine need of Him. He is with those who suffer, and are in prison, and are in pain, and on their knees in their anguish and need for Him. He is with those who follow Him every moment, and rely on His love and strength and the power of His Spirit to get them through the day. He is close to those crushed in spirit, and who have no showmanship or loveliness of their own to parade around.

Christ is with those who need Him, not those who don't.

For the faithful are mostly poor, and insignificant in the eyes of the world. The parade goes by many blocks away in their cities. They can hear the distant drums, and once in a while one of them ventures toward the parade, but security blocks them before they can ever get a glimpse, because they are not dressed right, and are obviously not part of the target market. They might turn on the television, and see one of the smaller parade shows, but it only makes them feel worse, as they aren't participating in that wonderful life, so they turn it off.

The poor in spirit have only Jesus to be with them in this age of the parade. They hunger and thirst after righteousness, not after entertainment. They long for Christ, and to know the fellowship of His suffering, so they can know the joy and power of His resurrection in their lives. They carry a cross daily, which is the

sign of Jesus' life in them, but which makes them quite unacceptable and unattractive to the parade participants and crowds watching. That's why crosses were banned long ago from parades, though they are allowed as discreet display on buildings along the way.

Jesus talks to many who are in the crowd, and some of the performers in the parade, but it is so hard for them to hear above the din of the bands and the constant entertainment. Distractions keep them occupied, and they go back to their easy, comforting verses and their easy, comfortable gospel that is no gospel. Jesus gives up and goes back to His lowly people on Narrow Road.

The parade continues. Perhaps only when poverty, or sickness, or the terrors of war, or the tragedies of life strike, will the parade pause; and perhaps, if enough of these things occupy the crowds and the performers and the leaders of this parade, they will be spending too much time on their knees and crying out to God to

have the parade one week. And then, perhaps they will not have it the next week. And then, Jesus may come by again, and draw near to them in their affliction and loneliness, and they will listen, and hear His voice of love and mercy and He will take them out to Narrow Road to join with others who are on the Way of Love. And they will be joyful in tribulation, and find power to live through suffering. And they will experience the Resurrection Power in their own lives, together with the faithful, and give up their parade life.

Perhaps it is a choice to leave the parade, and to go it with Jesus. "Few will find it", He said. Will you?

"The PARADE" - Gary Bixler

Engineering : Another love story

2010-07-11T23:19:00.001-07:00

A sad love story of an Engineering student……….

A guy was deeply in love with his classmate.
One day he proposed her by saying that he loved her a lot….
But she was angry and refused and threatened him that she'd complain to the Principal or her father if he ever bothers her again.
One day the girl borrowed a text book from that boy and wrote a message "I love you too, I'm sorry to hurt you the other day. if u've forgiven me, please come and talk to me and never leave me." in that book.
But the guy never talked to her.
4 yrs went away and nothing has happened..

Moral of the story:
Engineering boys never open their books !

Call Me

2010-07-11T13:20:00.000-07:00

Calling me has become more easier thanks to Flash...

RickWarren: To see yourself as you really are you must FIRST see God as he really is. Only then can "the truth set you free" John 8:32

2010-07-11T08:20:00.000-07:00

RickWarren: To see yourself as you really are you must FIRST see God as he really is. Only then can "the truth set you free" John 8:32

SENIOR CITIZENS and AIDS!

2010-07-06T03:31:00.001-07:00

SENIOR CITIZENS ARE LEADING CARRIERS OF AIDS!

HEARING AIDS

BAND AIDS

ROLL AIDS

WALKING AIDS

MEDICAL AIDS

GOVERNMENT AIDS

MOST OF ALL,

MONETARY AID TO THEIR KIDS!

Not forgetting HIV
(Hair Is Vanishing)

In whose hands...

2010-07-04T22:23:00.000-07:00

A basketball in my hands is worth about $19.
A basketball in Michael Jordan's hands is worth about $33 million.
It depends whose hands it's in.

A baseball in my hands is worth about $6.
A baseball in Roger Clemens' hands is worth $4.75 million.
It depends on whose hands it's in.

A tennis racket is useless in my hands.
A tennis racket in Andre Agassi's hands is worth millions.
It depends whose hands it's in.

A rod in my hands will keep away an angry dog.
A rod in Moses' hands will part the mighty sea.
It depends whose hands it's in.

A slingshot in my hands is a kid's toy.
A slingshot in David's hand is a mighty weapon.
It depends whose hands it's in.

Two fish and 5 loaves of bread in my hands is a couple of fish sandwiches.
Two fish and 5 loaves of bread in Jesus' hands will feed thousands.
It depends whose hands it's in.

Nails in my hands might produce a birdhouse.
Nails in Jesus Christ's hands will
produce salvation for the entire world.
It depends whose hands it's in.

As you see now, it depends whose hands it's in.
So put your concerns, your worries, your fears, your hopes, your dreams, your families and your relationships in God's hands because...
It depends whose hands it's in.

HR's Recession Proof Strategy

2010-07-04T07:28:00.001-07:00

Dear STAFF,

Please be advised that these are NEW rules and regulations implemented
to raise the efficiency of our firm.

1) TRANSPORTATION:

It is advised that you come to work driving a car according to your salary.

a) If we see you driving a Honda, we assume you are doing well
financially and therefore you do not need a raise.

b) If you drive a 10 year old car or taking public transportation, we
assume you must have lots of savings therefore you do not need a
raise.

c) If you drive a Pickup, you are right where you need to be and
therefore you do not need a raise.

2) ANNUAL LEAVE :

Each employee will receive 104 Annual Leave days a year ( Wow! said 1 employee).

- They are called SATURDAYs AND SUNDAYs.

3) LUNCH BREAK:

a) Skinny people get 30 minutes for lunch as they need to eat more so
that they can look healthy.

b) Normal size people get 15 minutes for lunch to get a balanced meal
to maintain their average figure.

c) Fat people get 5 minutes for lunch, because that's all the time
needed to drink a Slim Fast and take a diet pill.

4) SICK DAYS:

We will no longer accept a doctor Medical Cert as proof of sickness.

- If you are able to go to the doctor, you are able to come to work.

5) SURGERY :

As long as you are an employee here, you need all your organs.

- You should not consider removing anything. We hired you intact.

- To have something removed constitutes a breach of employment.

6) INTERNET USAGE :

All personal Internet usage will be recorded and charges will be
deducted from your bonus (if any) and if we decide not to give you
any, charges

will be deducted from your salary.

- Important Note: Charges applicable as Rs.20 per minute as we have
10MB connection.

Just for information, 73% of staff will not be entitled to any salary
for next 3 months as their Internet charges have exceeded their 3
months salary.

Thank you for your loyalty to our company. We are here to provide a
positive employment experience.
Therefore, all questions, comments, concerns, complaints,
frustrations, irritations, aggravations, insinuations, allegations,
accusations, contemplation, consternation and input should be directed
somewhere else.

Best Regards,
HRD

Missing Husband

2010-07-04T07:25:00.000-07:00

A woman went to police station to file a report for her missing husband:

Woman: I lost my husband

Inspector: What is his height

Woman: I never noticed

Inspector: Slim or healthy

Woman: Not slim can be healthy

Inspector: Color of eyes

Woman: Never noticed

Inspector: Color of hair

Woman: Should be black

Inspector: What was he wearing

Woman: I don't remember exactly

Inspector: Was somebody with him ?????????

Woman: Yes my Labrador dog (Romeo), tied with a golden chain, height
30 inches, healthy, blue eyes, blackish brown hair, his left foot
thumb nail is slightly broken, he never barks, wearing a golden belt
studded with blue balls, he likes non veg food, we eat together, we
jog together…….and….

The woman started crying….

Inspector: Let's search for the dog first!!!!!!

Kaka - "I need Jesus every day of my life"

2010-07-02T01:06:00.001-07:00

When I was eight, I moved to Sao Paulo, Brazil (from Cuiaba, Brazil)
where I began to play soccer (football). I have always loved to play
soccer.

I played on the Junior Team for Sao Paulo in 2000. We were in the
middle of the Paulista Junior Championships when I received a yellow
card. I was suspended for the following game, so I took advantage of
the free weekend to visit my grandparents, who lived in Caldas Novas
at the time.

My brother, my parents, my grandparents and I went to a water park. As
I was coming down one of the slides into the pool, I hit my head on
the bottom of the pool and my neck snapped. I fractured the sixth
vertebra in my neck. At the time, I had no idea what happened.

I returned to Sao Paulo to train on Monday, as well as on Tuesday, all
the while with a broken neck. On Tuesday, I called the coach and the
physical trainer and told them that I couldn't bear the pain any
longer. They sent me to see a doctor at the hospital where they took
another x-ray. It was in this x-ray that the fracture in the sixth
vertebra was shown. Everyone, including the doctors, told me I was
very lucky that nothing more serious happened. They told me that I
could have become paralyzed and lost my ability to walk and to play
soccer. I believe it was not luck. I believe God was protecting me
during that time from anything more serious.

Many people think that I became a Christian after the accident, but
that is not true. My parents are Christians and they raised me with
biblical values. The accident happened in October of 2000 while I was
playing in the "base" position on the Sao Paulo junior team.
Throughout November and December, I had to wear a cervical collar and
could not play.

I began to play again in January of 2001, and after about 10 or 15
days, I was called to play for the Sao Paulo professional team.
Because of this, I believe God had a purpose in that accident. It is
something that happened just before I had the great blessing of
starring as a professional in Sao Paulo and initiating my career as a
professional soccer player.

As I said before, my parents always taught me the Bible and its
values, and also about Jesus Christ and faith. I did not have a
specific conversion experience, but little by little, I stopped simply
hearing people talk about the Jesus my parents taught me [about], and
there came a time when I wanted to live my own experiences with God.
One of these experiences with God was when I was baptized at the age
of 12. This was a very important step in my walk with Jesus and soon
after many things began to happen in my life where I could experience
God in a real way.

I need Jesus every day of my life. Jesus tells me in the Bible that
without Him I can't do anything. I have the gift and capacity today to
play soccer because God gave it to me. The day He wants me to do
something else, I will do that something else and this is why I need
Jesus in my life every day. I am successful in my financial life and
in my professional life, but all this has come from God and is a gift
of grace from Him for my life. All that I have, I thank Him for.

The difference Jesus makes in my life is that I know I will always
have victory, I will always have joy, and I will always have success.
This is independent of the situations I face or will face. This brings
me great peace.

I usually tell the people who ask, that the Bible is like the user's
manual that comes when you buy a product. It has everything we need in
it. It makes me happy to read the Bible every day, to study it and to
be in fellowship with God and learn more and more about Jesus.

I will win many matches and I will lose many matches, but I know that
in all of them, God has a plan. This is why I try to understand the
plan of God for me in each moment so that I can have peace during
times of pressure.

Everyone wants to be a winner, but for me, the true meaning of winning
is having Jesus in my life. It is a life of prayer, a life of intimacy
and a lifelong friendship, knowing that God is our Father. I can say
that I am a winner and I am victorious because Jesus lives in my life.
No, I will never stop following Him.

Slow Down- By an Indian geek

2010-07-01T06:04:00.000-07:00

It's been 18 years since I joined Volvo, a Swedish company. Working for them has proven to be an interesting experience. Any project here takes 2 years to be finalized, even if the idea is simple and brilliant. It's a rule.

Globalized processes have caused in us (all over the world) a general sense of searching for immediate results.. Therefore, we have come t!o posses a need to see immediate results. This contrasts greatly with the slow movements of the Swedish. They, on the other hand, debate, debate, debate, hold x quantity of meetings and work with a slowdown scheme. At the end, this always yields better results.

1. Sweden has 2 million inhabitants. .
2. Stockholm has 500,000 people.
3. Volvo, Escania, Ericsson, Electrolux, are some of its renowned companies. Volvo even supplies NASA.

The first time I was in Sweden , one of my colleagues picked me up at the hotel every morning. It was September, bit cold and snowy. We would arrive early at the company and he would park far away from the entrance (2000 employees drive their car to work).

The first day, I didn't say anything, neither the second or third days. One morning I asked him, "Do you have a fixed parking space?

I've noticed we park far from the entrance even when there are no other cars in the lot."

To which he replied, "Since we're here early we'll have time to walk, don't you think that whoever gets in late will need a place closer to the door?" Imagine my face.

Nowadays, there's a movement in Europe named Slow Food. This movement establishes that people should eat and drink slowly, with enough time to taste their food, spend time with the family, friends, without rushing. Slow Food is against its counterpart, Fast Food and what it stands for as a lifestyle. Slow Food is the basis for a bigger movement called Slow Europe, as mentioned by Business Week.

Basically, the movement questions the sense of "hurry" and "craziness" generated by globalization, fuelled by the desire of "having in quantity" (life status) versus "having with quality", "life quality" or the "quality of being".

French people, even though they work 35 hours per week, are more productive than Americans or British. Germans have established 28.8 hour workweeks and have seen their productivity driven up by 20%..

This slow attitude has come to the notice of USA , the pupils of the fast and "do it now" brigade.

This no-rush attitude doesn't represent doing less or having a lower productivity.
It means working and doing things with greater quality, productivity, perfection, with attention to detail and less stress.
It means re-establishing family values, friends, free and leisure time.. Taking the "now", present and concrete, versus the "global", undefined and anonymous.
It means taking humans' essential values, the simplicity of living.
It stands for a less coercive work environment, more happy, lighter and more productive work place where humans enjoy doing what they know best how to do.

It's time to stop and think on how companies need to develop serious quality with no-rush that will increase productivity and the quality of products and services, without losing the essence.

In the movie, 'Scent of a Woman', there's a scene where Al Pacino asks a girl to dance and she replies, "I can't, my boyfriend will be here any minute now". To which Al Pacino responds, "A life is lived in an instant" . Then they dance the tango!

Many of us live our lives running behind time, but we only reach it when we die of a heart attack or in a car accident rushing to be on time. Others are so anxious to live for the future that they forget to live the present, which is the only time that truly exists.

We all have equal time throughout the world. No one has more or less. The difference lies in how each one of us does with our time. We need to live each moment. As John Lennon said, "Life is what happens to you while you're busy making other plans".

Congratulations for reading this email till the end of this message.
There are many who will have stopped in the middle so as not to waste time in this "Globalized" world..

"Applied Lungionics"

2010-07-01T06:03:00.001-07:00

Lungi (a.k.a Dothi, the white brother) is a strategic dress. It's like a one size fit all pajama for Keralites.

Wearing something on the top half of your body is optional when you are wearing a lungi. This is the reason why females are not found wearing this awesome dress.

The technique of wearing a lungi/mundu is passed on from generation to generation through verbal communication. If you think it is an easy task to wear it. you are wrong! It requires lot of techniques, including breathe control. A lungi/mundu when perfectly worn won't come off even if it shows 8 on the richter scale.

A lungi is not attached to the waist using duct tape, staple, rope or velcro. it's a bit of mallu magic whose formula is a closely guarded secret like that of Coca Cola ingredients

"Wearing a lungi and managing to keep it up there is tougher than flying a MIG. I can fly a MIG with eyes closed, but not wear a lungi. (a retired MIG pilot)

A lungi can be worn 'FULL MAST' or 'Half Mast'. Like the flags of nation flown at different heights. Wearing it at full mast has lots of disadvantages, rather than advantages. A major disadvantage can be experienced when the neighbour dog runs after you or on a rainy day.

A mallu can play cricket, foot ball or any ball when the lungi is worn in half mast. A mallu can even climb a coconut tree by wearing lungi in half mast. "It's not a good idea to look up on a mallu when he is on a coconut tree"

The 'Lungi Wearing Mallu Union' [LUWMU, pronounced LUV-MU], a union which works towards the 'upliftment' of lungi cult, strongly disagree the younger generation's trend of wearing Burmuda under the lungi. They say that making youngsters wear Burmuda under the lungi is a hidden agenda by the CIA.

A malayali wears lungi round the year, all climates, all seasons. It's like a second skin. Unlike 'summer dress', 'monsoon fashion' etc etc a mallu has one fashion only! Lungi fashion that does not fade or change from season to season.

A lungi/mundu can be worn any time of the day/night. [Some double it as blanket at night.] It also doubles up as swimwear, parachute, facemask, shopping basket, water filter, sleeping bag , a swing. etc etc. When these lungi's are decommissioned from service, they become table cloths.. Hmm. ..The options are endless. There is a new subject in colleges called "Applied Lungionics'.

According to some reports the reason behind the low productivity in kerala is due to the fact that 80% of the productive working hour is spend for wearing the lungi at half mast.

Tomuhs's

2010-07-01T05:33:00.000-07:00

God:

2010-07-01T05:29:00.001-07:00

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