SOFT MINDS

Cisco Interview Questions

2011-12-29T19:54:00.000+05:30

What is carrier sense multiple access collision detect (CSMA/CD)?

CSMA/CD describes the Ethernet access method. In CSMA/CD, many stations can
transmit on the same cable, and no station has priority over any other. Before a
station transmits, it listens on the wire to make sure no other station is transmitting.
If no other station is transmitting, the station transmits across the wire. CSMA/CD is
all about devices taking turns using the wire.

What are MAC addresses?
For computers to identify each other on the data link layer, they need a MAC address
(hardware address). All devices on a LAN must have a unique MAC address. A MAC
address is a 48-bit (six octet) address burned into a network interface card. The first
three octets (24 bits) of the MAC address indicate the vendor that manufactured the
card. This is called the Organization Unique Identifier (OUI). The last three octets of
the MAC address are the unique host address. An example of a MAC address is 00-80-
C6-E7-9C-EF.

What are the three types of LAN traffic?
The three types of LAN traffic are:
Unicasts
Broadcasts
Multicasts

What are unicast frames?
Unicast frames are the most common type of LAN traffic. A unicast frame is a frame
intended for only one host. In unicast frames, the only station that processes the
frame is the station that has its own MAC address in the destination portion of the
packet.

What are broadcast frames?
Broadcast frames are frames intended for everyone. Stations view broadcast frames
as public service announcements. All stations receive and process broadcast frames.
In large networks, broadcasts can bring the network to a crawl, because every
computer must process them.

What is the destination address of broadcast frames?
The destination address of broadcast frames (Layer 2 broadcast addresses) is FF-FFFF-
FF-FF-FF, or all 1s in binary.

What are multicast frames?
Multicast frames address a group of devices that have a common interest. These
frames allow the source to send only one copy of the frame on the network even
though it is intended for several stations. Only stations that have a card that is
configured to receive multicast frames process them. All other stations discard
multicast frames.

What devices can you use to segment a LAN at Layer 1, Layer 2, and Layer 3?
Three devices you can use to segment a LAN are:
Hubs/repeaters (Layer 1)
Bridges/switches (Layer 2) - physical addresses
Routers (Layer 3) - logical addresses

What happens when you segment the network with hubs/repeaters?
Because hubs and repeaters operate at the physical layer of the OSI model,
segmenting a network with these devices appears as an extension to the physical
cable. Hubs and repeaters are transparent to devices. They are unintelligent devices.
All devices that connect to a hub/repeater share the same bandwidth. Hubs/repeaters
create a single broadcast and collision domain.

What is the advantage of segmenting a network with bridges/switches?
Bridges/switches operate at Layer 2 of the OSI model and filter by MAC address. Each
port on a bridge/switch provides full-dedicated bandwidth and creates a single
collision domain. Because bridges/switches operate at Layer 2 of the OSI model, they
cannot filter broadcasts, and they create a single broadcast domain. For the CCNA
test, remember that switches create more collision domains and fewer collisions.

What is the difference between bridges and switches?
Bridges and switches function the same way; the only difference is in how they are
implemented. Bridges are implemented by software and usually have a couple of
network ports. Switches are implemented in hardware by ASIC chips and have many
ports.

What are the advantages and disadvantages of segmenting the LAN with routers?
An advantage of segmenting the LAN with routers is that each interface on a router
creates a single broadcast and collision domain. Routers operate at Layer 3 of the OSI
model and do not propagate broadcasts. Some disadvantages are that routers are not
transparent and are implemented in software, thus introducing latency in the network.

What is the Maximum Transmission Unit (MTU) for an Ethernet frame?
1500 bytes is the MTU for an Ethernet frame. You will notice that some publications
state that the MTU for Ethernet is 1518 bytes. This is correct also. But what is the
true answer? The MTU for Ethernet, including the header, source and destination
address, data, and CRC is 1518 bytes. The MTU for the data portion of the frame is
1500 bytes.

What three major functions do Layer 2 switches provide?
The three major functions that Layer 2 switches provide are
Address learning
Packet forwarding/filtering
Loop avoidance by spanning tree

What are some advantages of switches?
Some advantages of switches are as follows:
They increase available network bandwidth.
They reduce the number of users per segment.
They provide dedicated bandwidth to each segment.
Transparent bridging (switching) provides five bridging functions to determine what
to do when it receives a frame.

What are these five processes in transparent bridging?
The five processes are:
Learning
Flooding
Filtering
Forwarding
Aging

In transparent bridging, what is the learning process?
The first process a bridge goes through when it is powered on is the learning process.
The MAC address table on the bridge contains no entries, and the bridge goes through
the learning process to record all workstations on every interface. In the learning
process, the bridge records the source MAC address and source port number in the
MAC address table every time it sees a frame.

In transparent bridging, what is the flooding process?
When a bridge is first turned on, it has no MAC address in its table. When a switch
receives a unicast frame, it knows the source address and port from which the unicast
frame came, but no entry exists in its table for the destination address. This is called
an unknown unicast frame. When a switch receives an unknown unicast frame, it
sends the frame out all forwarding interfaces on the bridge except the interface that
received the frame. This process is the flooding process.

In transparent bridging, what is the filtering process?
The filtering process occurs when the source and destination addresses reside on the
same interface on the bridge. Because the bridge does not need to forward a frame in
which the destination and source addresses reside on the same interface, it filters the
frame and discards it.

In transparent bridging, what is the forwarding process?
The forwarding process occurs when a switch receives a unicast frame and has an
entry of the destination address in its MAC table. The switch then forwards the frame
to the interface where that destination address resides.

In transparent bridging, what occurs during the aging process?
Every time a bridge learns a source address, it time-stamps the entry. When the
bridge sees a frame from this source, it updates the time stamp. If the bridge does
not hear from the source for a specific amount of time (called the aging timer), the
bridge deletes the entry from its MAC address table. This process is the aging
process.

What is the default aging time in transparent bridges?
The default aging timer is 5 minutes.

What is the Spanning-Tree Protocol (STP)?
STP is a loop-prevention bridge-to-bridge protocol. Its main purpose is to dynamically
maintain a loop-free network. It does this by sending out Bridge Protocol Data Units
(BPDUs), discovering any loops in the topology, and blocking one or more redundant
links.

How does STP maintain a loop-free network?
STP maintains a loop-free network by
Electing a root bridge
Electing a root port on each nonroot bridge
Electing designated ports
Putting in the blocking state any port that is not a root port or designated port

In spanning tree, what is a Bridge ID (BID)?
A BID is an 8-byte field that is composed of the bridge's 6-byte MAC address and a 2-
byte bridge priority.

What is the default bridge priority in a Bridge ID for all Cisco switches?
32,768

In spanning tree, what is path cost?
Path cost is a calculation to determine the link's bandwidth. It is a value assigned to
each port that is based on the port's speed.

What is the spanning tree path cost for each of the following?
10 Mbps
100 Mbps
1 Gbps
The path costs are as follows:
10 Mbps - 100
100 Mbps - 19
1 Gbps - 4

When calculating a loop-free environment, what four-step decision sequence does
spanning tree use to determine what will be the root bridge and which ports will
forward or block?
The four-step decision sequence that spanning tree uses to determine the root bridge
and which port will forward is as follows:
Step 1. The lowest root BID
Step 2. The lowest path cost to the root bridge
Step 3. The lowest sender BID
Step 4. The lowest port ID

How do bridges pass spanning tree information between themselves?
Bridges pass STP information using special frame called Bridge Protocol Data Units
(BPDUs).

How often do bridges send BPDUs out active ports?
The default time that bridges send BPDUs out active ports is 2 seconds.
Note: All ports on a switch listen for BPDUs in case there is a topology change.

In STP, how is a root bridge elected?
In STP, the bridge with the lowest BID is elected the root bridge. All ports on the root
bridge are placed in the forwarding state and are called designated ports.
Note: The BID is a 6-byte field that is composed of a default priority (32,768) and a
MAC address. Because all Cisco switches use the default priority, the switch with the
lowest MAC address is elected the root bridge. As a rule of thumb, lower will always
win in spanning tree.

What is the difference between path cost and root path cost?
Path cost is the value assigned to each port. It is added to BPDUs received on that
port to calculate the root path cost. Root path cost is defined as the cumulative cost
to the root bridge. In a BPDU, this is the value transmitted in the cost field. In a
bridge, this value is calculated by adding the receiving port's path cost to the value
contained in the BPDU.

What are the four spanning tree port states?
The four spanning tree port states are
Blocking
Listening
Learning
Forwarding
Remember that root and designated ports forward traffic and that nondesignated
ports block traffic but still listen for BPDUs.
Important note: There is another port state - Disabled - (No frames forwarded, no
BPDUs heard). If it shows up in the answer options - select it along with the others.

What is the STP blocking state?
When a switch starts, all ports are in the blocking state. This is to prevent any loops
in the network. If there is a better path to the root bridge, the port remains in the
blocked state. Ports in the blocked state cannot send or receive traffic, but they can
receive BPDUs.

What is the STP listening state?
Ports transition from a blocked state to a listening state. In this state, no user data is
passed. The port only listens for BPDUs. After listening for 15 seconds (if the bridge
does not find a better path), the port moves to the next state, the learning state.

What is the STP learning state?
In the STP learning state, no user data is being passed. The port quietly builds its
bridging table. The default time in the learning state is 15 seconds.

What is the STP forwarding state?
After the default time in the learning state is up, the port moves to the forwarding
state. In the forwarding state, the port sends and receives data.

What is STP forward delay?
The forward delay is the time it takes for a port to move from the listening state to
the learning state or from the learning state to the forwarding state. The default time
is 30 seconds.

What is the hello time in STP timers?
The hello time is the time interval between the sending of BPDUs. The default time is
2 seconds.

What is the Max Age timer?
The Max Age timer is how long a bridge stores a BPDU before discarding it. The
default time is 20 seconds (ten missed hello intervals).

What is the default time a port takes to transition from the blocking state to the
forwarding state?
The default time a port takes to transition from the blocking state to the forwarding
state is 50 seconds: 20 seconds for Max Age, 15 seconds for listening, and 15 seconds
for learning.

What does STP do when it detects a topology change in the network due to a bridge or
link failure?
If spanning tree detects a change in the network due to a bridge or link failure, at
least one bridge interface changes from the blocking state to the forwarding state, or
vice versa.

Describe the central office (CO).
The CO is the telco switching facility that connects the customer to the provider's
switching network. The CO is sometimes referred to as a point of presence. It is the
point where the local loop gains access to the service provider's access lines.

What is the toll network?
All the telco switches, COs, and trunk lines inside the WAN provider's network are the
toll network.

What are synchronous links?
Synchronous links have identical frequencies and contain individual characters
encapsulated in control bits, called start/stop bits, that designate the beginning and
end of each character. Synchronous links try to use the same speed as the other end
of a serial link.

What are Asynchronous links?
Asynchronous links send digital signals without timing. Asynchronous links agree on
the same speed, but there is no check or adjustment of the rates if they are slightly
different. Only 1 byte per transfer is sent.

What is the Point-to-Point Protocol (PPP)?
PPP is an industry-standard protocol that provides router-to-router or router-to-host
connections over synchronous and asynchronous links. It can be used to connect to
other vendors' equipment. It works with several network-layer protocols, such as IP
and IPX. PPP provides authentication through PAP or CHAP.

Describe X.25/LAPB.
X.25/LAPB is an ITU-T standard that has a tremendous amount of overhead because
of its strict timeout and windowing techniques. LAPB is the connection-oriented
protocol used with X.25. It uses the ABM (Asynchronous Balance Mode) transfer mode.
X.25/LAPB was used in the 1980s when WAN links were not as error-free as they are
today. X.25 is a predecessor of Frame Relay. X.25 supports both switched and
permanent virtual circuits.

What is Frame Relay?
An industry standard, Frame Relay is a switched data link layer protocol that uses
virtual circuits to identify the traffic that belongs to certain routers. It provides
dynamic bandwidth allocation and congestion control.

What are the three layers of the Cisco Hierarchical Model?
The three layers of the Cisco Hierarchical Model are:
The access layer
The distribution layer
The core layer

What are collision domains?
In Ethernet segments, devices connect to the same physical medium. Because of this,
all devices receive all signals sent across the wire. If two devices send a packet at the
same time, a collision occurs. In the event of a collision, the two devices run a
backoff algorithm and resend the packet. The devices retransmit up to 15 times. The
first station to detect a collision issues a jam signal. When a jam signal is sent from a
workstation, it affects all of the machines on the segment, not just the two that
collided; when the jam signal is on the wire, no workstations can transmit data. The
more collisions that occur in a network, the slower it will be, because the devices will
have to resend the packet. A collision domain defines a group of devices connected to
the same physical medium.

What are broadcast domains?
A broadcast domain defines a group of devices that receive each others' broadcast
messages. As with collisions, the more broadcasts that occur on the network, the
slower your network will be. This is because every device that receives a broadcast
must process it to see if the broadcast is intended for it.

What devices are used to break up collision and broadcast domains?
Switches and bridges are used to break up collision domains. They create more
collision domains and fewer collisions. Routers are used to break up broadcast
domains. They create more broadcast domains and smaller broadcast areas.

What is the difference between a routing protocol and a routed protocol?
Routing protocols determine how to route traffic to the best location of a routed
protocol. Examples of routing protocols are RIP, EIGRP, OSFP, and BGP. Examples of
routed protocols are IP and IPX.

What 3 devices are used to segment a LAN?
Router
Switch
Bridge

What is the maximum cable length for each of the following?
The maximum cable lengths are as follows:
10Base2 (thinnet) 185 meters
10Base5 (thicknet) 500 meters
10BaseT 100 meters
10BaseFL 2000 meters (400 meters in a shared environment and 2000 meters in a
point-to-point environment)
100BaseT 100 meters

What does Base stand for in 10BaseT and 100BaseT?
Base in 10BaseT and 100BaseT stands for baseband. Baseband is a network technology
in which only one carrier frequency (signal) is used.

What is the difference between baseband and broadband?
Baseband is a network technology in which only one carrier frequency is used (such as
Ethernet). Broadband is a network technology in which several independent channels
are multiplexed into one cable (for example, a T1 line).

How are access lists processed?
Access lists are processed in sequential, logical order, evaluating packets from the top
down, one statement at a time. As soon as a match is made, the permit or deny
option is applied, and the packet is not applied to any more access list statements.
Because of this, the order of the statements within any access list is significant.

What is the difference between switched virtual circuits (SVCs) and permanent virtual
circuits (PVCs)?
SVCs are virtual circuits that are dynamically established when data needs to be
transferred and that are terminated when data transmission is complete. SVCs consist
of four states: call setup, data transfer, idle, and call termination. PVCs are
permanently established virtual circuits that operate in one of two states: idle or data
transfer. When the PVC is idle, the connection between the DTE devices is still active.

What is a Data Link Connection Identifier (DLCI)?
A DLCI is a number that identifies the logical circuit between the router and the Frame
Relay switch. It is the Frame Relay Layer 2 address. The Frame Relay switch maps
DLCIs between each pair of routers to create a PVC. For IP devices at the end of each
virtual circuit to communicate, their IP addresses need to be mapped to DLCIs. If you
are running Cisco IOS 11.2 or later, mapping is done automatically using Inverse ARP.
DLCIs have local significance. Think of DLCIs as the MAC address of the Frame Relay
network.

What is the committed information rate (CIR)?
The CIR is the committed information rate, by the service provider, in bits per
second, at which data will be transferred. The service provider sends any data in
excess of this rate if its network has capacity at that time.

How does Frame Relay use Inverse ARP?
Frame Relay uses Inverse ARP as a way to dynamically map a network layer address to
a DLCI. With Inverse ARP, the router can discover the network address of a device
associated with a VC.

What is the Local Management Interface (LMI)?
The LMI is a signaling standard between a CPE device (a router) and the Frame Relay
switch that is responsible for managing and maintaining status between the devices.
It is autosensed with Cisco IOS Release 11.2 and later.

In Frame Relay, what is Forward Explicit Congestion Notification (FECN)?
The FECN is the bit in the Frame Relay header that signals to anyone receiving the
frame (switches and DTEs) that congestion is occurring in the same direction as the
frame. Switches and DTEs can react by slowing the rate at which data is sent in that
direction.

What is Backward Explicit Congestion Notification (BECN)?
The BECN is the bit in the Frame Relay header that signals to switches and DTEs
receiving the frame that congestion is occurring in the direction opposite (backward)
that of the frame. If switches and DTE devices detect that the BECN bit in the Frame
Relay header is set to 1, they slow the rate at which data is sent in that direction.

How do you enable Frame Relay on a Cisco router?
To enable Frame Relay on a Cisco router, you must first enable the serial interface for
Frame Relay encapsulation with the encapsulation frame-relay interface command:
RouterB(config)#int s 0
RouterB(config-if)#ip address 192.168.1.1 255.255.255.0
RouterB(config-if)#encapsulation frame-relay

What are LSAs (link-state advertisements)?
LSAs are sent out all OSPF-enabled router interfaces describing the state of the
router's links. They are also packets that OSPF uses to advertise changes in the
condition of a link or other OSPF routers.

Name two LSA (link-state advertisement) types?
Type 1 LSAs are router LSAs and are generated by each router for the area to which
the router belongs. These LSAs describe the states of the router'links to the area
(area 0 for example) and are flooded within a single area (area 0 for example).
Type 2 LSAs are network LSAs and are generated by the DR (Designated Router) and
the BDR (Backup Designated Router). They describe the routers attached to a
particular network and are flooded within a single area (area 0 for example).

What is routing?
Routing is the process in which items are forwarded from one location to another.
Routing is a hop-by-hop paradigm.
A Cisco router performs routing and switching functions. Describe what each function
does.
Routing is a way to learn and maintain awareness of the network topology. Each router
maintains a routing table in which it looks up the destination Layer 3 address to get
the packet one step closer to its destination.
The switching function is the actual movement of temporary traffic through the
router, from an inbound interface to an outbound interface.

What are the three types of routes you can use in a Cisco router?
The three types of routes are static routes, dynamic routes, and default routes.

What is the difference between static and dynamic routes?
Static routes are routes that an administrator manually enters into a router. Dynamic
routes are routes that a router learns automatically through a routing protocol.

What is a default route?
Also known as the gateway of last resort, a default route is a special type of static
route with an all-zeros network and network mask. The default route is used to route
any packets to a network that a router does not directly know about to a next-hop
router. By default, if a router receives a packet to a destination network that is not in
its routing table, it drops the packet. When a default route is specified, the router
does not drop the packet. Instead, it forwards the packet to the IP address specified
in the default route.

What is a routing protocol?
A routing protocol defines the set of rules used by a router when it communicates with
neighboring routers. Routing protocols listens for packets from other participants in
order to learn and maintain a routing table.

What is administrative distance?
Administrative distance (AD) is an integer from 0 to 255 that rates the
trustworthiness of routing information received on a router from a neighboring router.
The AD is used as the tiebreaker when a router has multiple paths from different
routing protocols to the same destination. The path with the lower AD is the one given
priority.

What are the three classes of routing protocols?
1) Distance vector 2) Link-state 3) Balanced hybrid
What is the AD for each of the following?
Directly connected interface 0
Static route 1
EIGRP 90
IGRP 100
OSPF 110
RIP 120
External EIGRP 170
Unknown 255

What is split horizon?
The rule of split horizon is that it is never useful to send information about a route
back in the direction from which the original update came.

What is convergence?
Convergence is when all routers have consistent knowledge and correct routing tables.

What is route poisoning?
With route poisoning, when a distance vector routing protocol notices that a route is
no longer valid, the route is advertised with an infinite metric, signifying that the
route is bad. In RIP, a metric of 16 is used to signify infinity. Route poisoning is used
with holddowns.

What are hold-down timers?
Hold-down timers prevent regular update messages from reinstating a route that
might have gone bad. Hold-down timers also tell routers to hold for a period of time
any changes that might affect routes.

What are triggered updates?
When a router notices that a directly connected subnet has changed state, it
immediately sends another routing update out its other interfaces rather than waiting
for the routing update timer to expire. Triggered updates are also known as Flash
updates.

What is IP RIP?
IP RIP is a true distance vector routing protocol that sends its complete routing table
out all active interfaces every 30 seconds. IP RIP uses a hop count as its metric to
determine the best path to a remote network. The maximum allowable hop count is
15, meaning that 16 is unreachable. There are two versions of RIP. Version 1 is
classful, and version 2 is classless. IP RIP can load-balance over as many as six equalcost
paths.

How do you enable IGRP on a Cisco router?
The way you enable IGRP on a Cisco router is similar to the way you enable RIP, except
you specify IGRP as the protocol and add an autonomous system number. For example:
RouterA(config)#router igrp 10 (10 is the AS number)
RouterA(config-router)#network 192.168.0.0
RouterA(config-router)#network 192.168.1.0
RouterA(config-router)#network 192.168.2.0

What are three types of LAN traffic?
Unicasts - intended for one host.
Broadcasts - intended for everyone.
Multicasts - intended for a only a subset or group within an entire network.

What are unicast frames?
Unicast frames are the most common type of network traffic. A unicast frame is a
frame intended for only one host. The only station that processes this frame is one
station that has its own MAC address in the destination portion of packet.

What are broadcast frames?
Broadcast frames are frames intended for everyone. Stations view broadcast frames
as public service announcements. All stations receive and process broadcast frames.
In large networks, broadcasts can cause serious performance degradation in network
hosts - (broadcast storm).
The destination address of broadcast frames (Data Link / Layer 2 broadcast addresses
is FF-FF-FF-FF-FF-FF or alternatively all 1s in binary (11111111).

What are multicast frames?
Multicast frames address a group of devices that have a common interest. These
frames allow the source to send only one copy of the frame on the network even
though it is intended for several stations. Only stations that have a card that is
configured by software to receive multicast frames for a particular multicast group
can process a frame to that multicast address - all other stations discard multicast
frames

What three major functions do Data Link Layer / Layer 2 Switches perform?
Address learning
Packet forwarding/filtering
Loop avoidance by spanning tree

What is the Cisco Catalyst store-and-forward switching method?
In the store-and-forward switching method, the switch receives the entire frame
before it forwards it. The switch reads the cyclic redundancy check (CRC) to make
sure the frame is not bad. If the frame is good, the switch forwards it. Because the
switch stores the frame before forwarding it, latency is introduced in the switch.
Latency through the switch varies with the size of the frame.

What is the Cisco Catalyst cut-through switching method?
In cut-through switching mode, the switch only checks the frame's destination address
and immediately begins forwarding the frame out the appropriate port. Because the
switch checks the destination address in only the header and not the entire frame, the
switch forwards a collision frame or a frame that has a bad CRC.

What is the Cisco Catalyst fragment-free switching method?
Also known as modified cut-through, fragment-free switching checks the first 64 bytes
before forwarding the frame. Ethernet specifications state that collisions should be
detected during the first 64 bytes of the frame. By reading the first 64 bytes of the
frame, the switch can filter most collisions, although late collisions are still possible.

What is the default switching mode in Cisco Catalyst 1900 switches?
The default switching mode for the Catalyst 1900 is fragment-free.

What is half-duplex transmission mode?
Half-duplex transmission is the default mode that Ethernet functions in. In half-duplex
transmission, a device can only send or receive--not do both at once. In half-duplex
mode, stations are susceptible to collisions, and efficiency is rated at 50 to 60
percent.

What is full-duplex transmission mode?
In full-duplex mode, a station can send and receive at the same time. In full-duplex
mode, collision detection is disabled. This mode offers 100 percent efficiency in both
directions.

What are permanent MAC addresses on a Catalyst switch?
Permanent MAC addresses are entered manually by the administrator and are not aged
out.

Importing Text Files in an Excel Sheet

2011-12-29T18:53:00.000+05:30

Introduction

If you've ever tried to open a text file, you have probably used the Text import wizard.

If you have ever opened a CSV file, you have probably noted you can't set up how it gets imported. The Text import wizard does not start for these file types.

What if you have the situation where you get files with similar structure, which need the same text import settings over and over?

How do you import the data from those files into the same worksheet each time, without having to re-define the import settings over and over again?

I'll tell you.

Setting up which file (type) to import

First select the sheet where your data needs to appear. Note that the following steps differ for the various Excel versions.

Excel 2010/2007

On the ribbon, click the data tab and then click the "From Text" button on the "Get External data" group.

The "From Text" button, located on the Data tab of the ribbon

Select your file from the next dialog:

The import text file dialog

Click Import. (you can skip the next section about Excel 2003 and older and continue with All versions: defining the import settings)

Excel 2003 and older

From the menu, select Data, Get External Data, Import Data. The following dialog opens:

The select data source dialog of Excel 2003, selecting source type

In this dialog, choose the "Text files" option and then navigate to your file:

Select data source dialog, selecting a file

All versions: defining the import settings

So far we've selected what to import. Now it is time to define what settings we need for the import. This section applies to all Excel versions as of Excel XP (and maybe even older). The screenshots shown here may look slightly different from yours, but the principle is the same.

Click the Open button. The Text Import Wizard opens up:

Step 1 of the Text Import Wizard, define file type

In this example I have selected to import a delimited file and set the file origin to Windows (ANSI). Click Next when you're happy with the settings.

Step 2 of the wizard allows us to define the delimiters. I selected Comma:

Step 2 of the Text Import Wizard: define delimiters

Click Next again to go into the third step, where you can select a format for each column of your file. I changed the date format of the first column to dmy order. Click a column to set up its formatting.

Step 3 of the wizard, Define column formats

You can click the advanced button to set up details like the decimal and thousands separators (note I switched them here):

The Advanced text Import Settings dialog

Note that any changes made in this dialog apply to all columns.

After you finished defining all columns, click the Finish button. Excel opens the Import Data dialog, asking where to put the results. Select the proper location.

The Import Data dialog

Hold your horses, don't click OK yet! Click the properties button instead. The External Data Range Properties dialog opens up. There are some very important settings to be made here!

The External Data Range Properties dialog

Note that I have highlighted some important features in this dialog. I'll discuss them below.

Save Query Definition

We wouldn't want to redo the settings each time, so let’s keep this one checked!

Prompt for the file name on refresh

Checking this box forces Excel to prompt you for a file name each time you hit the refresh button. Leave this box unchecked if you are importing the same file over and over.

Overwrite existing cells with new data, clear unused cells

What selection is best here depends on your needs entirely. The first two will force Excel to push existing data down and pull existing data up, depending on the size of your file.

I recommend NOT to put anything below an area where you are importing data; use a dedicated worksheet for this purpose.

Fill down formulas in columns adjacent to data

A very useful option. If you are planning to do calculations on each row, this option ensures each row of data will have your formulas.

Hit OK if you're happy with the settings.

Import your data

Finally, click OK to have your data imported. My sheet looks like this:

Results after importing the text file

Now that you have properly set up your import, save your file!

Refresh your data

All of this was meant to predefine an import routine you have to do over and over again. So how do you import a new file? Easy. Click any cell within your sheet that holds data of a previous import.

Next, we'll need to split this up in two sections again, because the various Excel versions differ in how it is done.

Excel 2010/2007

On the Data tab, find the group called "Connections". Click the dropdown "Refresh All" and select "Refresh:

The Refresh All button on the ribbon

If you have set the option to prompt for a file, Excel will open the appropriate dialog. Select your file and click Import.

Excel 2003 and older

In Excel 2003, the refresh button can be found in two places.

1. On the Data menu (you need have a cell selected within an imported table):

The refresh button on the data menu

2. On the External data toolbar:

The refresh button on the External data toolbar

So there you go, all set!

Conclusion

Importing text files into Excel can be a labor-intensive process if you're going through the same steps over and over again. With proper use of the data import options Excel offers, you can save yourself quite some work and at the same time improve consistency.

EMC Symmetrix calculations for Heads, Tracks, Cylinders, GB

2011-12-28T21:10:00.002+05:30

Here is the quick and dirty math on EMC Symmetrix Heads, Tracks, Cylinder sizes to actual usable GB’s of space.

Based on different generations of Symmetrix systems, here is how the conversions work.
Before we jump into each model type, lets look at what the basics are, with the following calculations..
.
There are s number of splits (hyper) per physical device.
There are n number of cylinders per split (hyper)
There are 15 tracks per cylinder (heads)
There are either 64 or 128 blocks of 512 bytes per track
.
All the calculations discussed here are for Open Systems (FBA) device types. Different device emulations like 3380K, 3390-1, 3390-2, 3390-3, 3390-4, 3390-27, 3390-54 have different bytes/track, different bytes/cylinder and cylinders/volume.
.
Symmetrix 8000/DMX/DMX-2 Series
Enginuity Code: 5567, 5568, 5669, 5670, 5671
Includes EMC Symmetrix 8130, 8230, 8430, 8530, 8730, 8830, DMX1000, DMX2000, DMX3000 and various different configurations within those models.

GB = Cylinders * 15 * 64 * 512 / 1024 / 1024 / 1024

eg: 6140 Cylinder devices equates to 2.81 GB of usable data
6140 * 15 * 64 * 512 / 1024 / 1024 / 1024 = 2.81 GB

Cylinders = GB / 15 / 64 / 512 * 1024 * 1024 * 1024

Where
15 = tracks per cylinder
64 = blocks per track
512 = bytes per block
1024 = conversions of bytes to kb to mb to gb.
.
Symmetrix DMX-3/DMX-4 Series
Enginuity Code: 5771, 5772, 5773

Includes EMC Symmetrix DMX-3, DMX-4 and various different configurations within those models.

GB = Cylinders * 15 * 128 * 512 / 1024 / 1024 / 1024

Eg: 65520 Cylinder device equates to 59.97 GB of usable data
65540 * 15 * 128 * 512 / 1024 / 1024 / 1024 = 59.97 GB

Cylinders = GB / 15 / 128 / 512 * 1024 * 1024 * 1024

15 = tracks per cylinder
128 = blocks per track
512 = bytes per block
1024 = conversions of bytes to kb to mb to gb
.
Symmetrix V-Max
Enginuity Code: 5874

Includes EMC Symmetrix V-Max and various different configurations within this model.

GB = Cylinders * 15 * 128 * 512 / 1024 / 1024 / 1024

Eg: 262668 Cylinder device equates to 240.47 GB of usable data
262668 * 15 * 128 * 512 / 1024 / 1024 / 1024 = 240.47 GB

Cylinders = GB / 15 / 128 / 512 * 1024 * 1024 * 1024

15 = tracks per cylinder
128 = blocks per track
512 = bytes per block
8 bytes = 520-512 used for T10-DIF
1024 = conversions of bytes to kb to mb to gb

Recall or replace a message after it is sent in Outlook 2007

2011-11-22T16:57:00.003+05:30

Recall and replace a message

You send an e-mail message, asking your co-workers to review the sales figures for this year, but you forget to attach the sales figures. After you send the message, your Inbox is flooded with messages that ask "What attachment?", "I didn't get the attachment!", or "Can you resend the attachment?"
How can you undo your error? You can recall the original message and then resend it with the missing attachment. For all of your co-workers who haven't opened the message yet, you can perform an e-mail sleight of hand and replace the original message with another one that contains the attachment.

Recall and replace a message

Do the following:

In Mail, in the Navigation Pane, click Sent Items.
Open the message that you want to recall and replace.
On the Message tab, in the Actions group, click Other Actions, and then click Recall This Message.

Click Delete unread copies and replace with a new message.

Note If you are sending the message to a large number of people, you may want to clear the Tell me if recall succeeds or fails for each recipient check box.

Click OK, and then type a new message and include the attachment.
Click Send.

In another scenario, you accidentally send a message announcing a party for your staff that afternoon. However, the party is actually scheduled for the next week. In this case, you want to recall the message but not replace the message at this time.

Recall a message

Do the following:

In Mail, in the Navigation Pane, click Sent Items.
Open the message that you want to recall.
On the Message tab, in the Actions group, click Other Actions, and then click Recall This Message.

Click Delete unread copies of this message.

Note If you are sending the message to a large number of people, you may want to clear the Tell me if recall succeeds or fails for each recipient check box.

1. Select whether you want to only delete the message or delete and replace the message.

2. Select the check box to receive a confirmation that the recall was successful.

Social Security benefits to Rise by 3.6% by 2012

2011-10-20T22:46:00.000+05:30

According to the reliable reports gotten, it is now clear that all senior workers that are receiving Social Security retirement benefits will starts getting a 3.6 percent cost of living adjustment by the year 2012. This is their first increment since 2009 according to the report. This move promises to start putting smiles on the faces of those that are concerned about this development because of the benefits they are going to be getting from the action on the longer run.

David Certner (legislative policy director with AAR) said that “This is a way of making things easier for the people, with large records of lost savings and pensions, higher health care costs, lower home values and near-to-zero returns on money market funds or stable value funds”. He states further that this development means that “$500 is going to be some welcome relief”.

Now that this has happened, it means that the maximum annual income subjected to the Social Security tax will also increase in rate as from the next year to $110,100 from the initial $106,800 which hasn’t change since the past three years.

There was no increase in earning last year and a year before last year which is 2009, until this year.

It seems that some seniors won’t experience the full 3.6 % increase in their monthly benefits due to the reason that it will be offset by higher Medicare Part B premiums. During last year and this year , people who have Medicare premiums removed from their social security got no increase in their part B premiums because of harmless hold provision.

During 2010 and 2011, people who have Medicare premiums deducted from their Social Security payment saw no increase in their Part B premiums because of the hold harmless provision.

10 Ways to Control Your Anger

2011-10-18T15:44:00.000+05:30

There are two types of anger: constructive anger and a destructive one. In order to understand the anger phenomenon we need to investigate the nature of anger, reasons of its appearing, key factors and anger management.

What does it mean this anger? Anger is a strong indignation feeling of our emotional sphere that is attended by self-control losing. Anger is a signal of our state. Glands produce an array of hormones that have a great and deep effect on all our body. The main participants of this process are adrenaline and cortisol. They activate cardiovascular system and consequently all organs. Adrenalin causes fast heart beating, rising blood pressure. These rich oxygenated blood streams to the places are responsible for reaction. Thus some extra energy is released.

There are 4 basic ways of anger expressions:

1. Straight and immediately (verbally or nonverbally) to show your anger. It gives an opportunity to free from the negative emotions.

2. To express anger in an indirect way. In this case usually suffer persons that are weaker, not dangerous and those ones who “come to hand”, usually they are our family and close relatives. Thus we hurt our dear ones. One of the best ways is to express your anger to the person who is the source of this very anger. If it is impossible- better find some compromise.

3. Restraining anger you “drive” it deep inside. So, negative emotions store will provoke a big stress sooner or later.

4. You may foresee situation of anger feeling, try not to expand this feeling but get to know the reason, understand and solve it. A Roman philosopher Seneca said: “When you are feeling of ascending “volcano”- stand still, not doing anything- not speaking, not moving.”

Anger is a normal and natural human feeling, especially nowadays as life is really fast and we have a huge amount of information to accumulate (in comparison with our previous generations). The range of anger is rather wide: from a slight annoyance to impetuous fury. Anger can be quick and long, lasting for years in form of bitterness, vengeance or hate. Anger can lead to health issues like depression, high blood pressure, hearth diseases, stresses, alcohol dependence and obesity. If you are anger- express it. If you feel discomfort from these “negative splashes”- then we can give some techniques how to manage your emotional anger:

1. Take a deep and continuous breath. Count up to 50 or imagine your aggressor just naked, only in socks. This will help you to calm and smile.

2. Have a walk. Look at high sky. Continue to breathe deep and easily. So you appraise the situation and calm down.

3. Do some physical exercises. When you are angry- your body is very tensed and tough. If you stretch your muscles it will relax your body, as you will spill out all your negative energy into action. Your brains will get more oxygen and it assists to clear your thoughts.

4. Write down all your thoughts. Write down that you are mad and why. Avoid being rational, logical or laconic. Write on paper all you are feeling this moment. Try to write all in details. The function of this technique is to shift all your anger out of your head on paper.

5. Be grateful. Find someone to thank. Do you not forget about yourself. Thank that you have woken up today, thank that that the Sun is shining for you, that the sky is blue and the grass is green.

6. Prayer. Ask God to be with you during this anger moment and lead you.

7. Meditation. Close your eyes, look into solar plexus, and be all your anger, breathing deeply.

8. Change of places. Move yourself on your enemy’s place. And look at situation from his point of view. Better look at the situation from the ceiling. Focus on details, especially on funny and absurd ones. Strive to forgive your enemy as well as forgive truly yourself.

9. Go back to your childhood memories. Recollect state when you were angry. Hug this child and say: “All is ok. I am here. You are good child. I love you and I will not leave you.”

10. Your values. What is the most significant thing in your life? Who are the most important people in your life? What kind of person do you want to be? Think and accept that point that you are living your life, and you are living your values. There is a good man inside you that wants to help you. I wish you good luck!

Mumbai 100 Years Ago - (Mumbai Then and Now)

2011-10-18T15:14:00.000+05:30

The World Luxury Council (India) recently hosted a vintage art exhibit at The Oberoi in Mumbai called Mumbai 100 Years Ago.

On display were unpublished archival prints of some of the city's most prominent landmarks on canvas.

Dhara Patel, the business head of the World Luxury Council informed that these prints were sourced from a consortium of collectors.

"Some of these were postcards, others were photographs, which were bought from collectors, revived with special ink and printed on a special canvas that would guarantee them a life span for the next 100 years," she said.

Patel also said that while these prints could be reproduced on request, they would be restricted to only 10 prints of each picture.

The World Luxury Council is headquartered in London and deals in international business in the luxury arena. It provides assistance and advice to luxury brands by designing promotions and creating distribution and networking platforms.

Ticca Garis & taxis parked outside Taj Mahal Hotel (Year: 1885)

Ticca Garis were horse-drawn Victoria carriages (named after the British monarch), and were the only mode of transport to come to Bombay in 1882 after The Bombay Tramway Company Limited was formally set up in 1873.

The Bombay Presidency enacted the Bombay Tramways Act 1874, under which the company was licensed to run a tramway service drawn by one or two horses. In 1905, the newly formed concern, The Bombay Electric Supply & Tramways Company Limited, bought The Bombay Tramway Company, and the first electrically operated tram cars appeared on the city roads in 1907.

There were three categories of Ticca Garis, or licensed cabs. Those of the first class were conspicuous by their absence and it was rumoured that the term was applied to funeral carriages. The second class Ticca was less stoutly constructed but cleaner than the London four-wheeled cab of that time. Ticcas belonging to the third class were ramshackle contraptions drawn by half-starved ponies.

This quaint mode of transport was gradually replaced in time. The first automobile was brought to Bombay in 1897-98. The first car imported by an Indian belonged to the eminent industrialist Jamshetji Tata. Motor taxis were introduced in 1811 whereas motorbuses started playing in 1926.

Today, the Victorias in front of the Taj have been replaced by black and yellow taxis. But, one can still hire a Ticca Gari for a negotiated sum and drive along the sea face for an experience.

Esplanade Road Kala Ghoda (Year: 1887)

Renamed Mahatma Gandhi Road, Esplanade Road, like most parts of South Bombay, is lined with heritage structures; Elphinstone College and the David Sassoon Library are amongst the prominent ones.

Established in 1856, Elphinstone College is one of the oldest of colleges of the University of Bombay. It played an important role in the spread of Western education in the city. During the British Raj, the college was amongst the most coveted, producing several luminaries like Bal Gangadhar Tilak, Pherozeshah Mehta, Jamshedji Tata, Homi K Bhabha and Dadabhai Naoroji. Inception classes of the University of Bombay were held here before being moved to the Fort campus.

The building was originally meant for the government central press; and although, the building is now a college, about half of the floor area is shared with the Maharashtra Archives Department.

The building, constructed in the 'Romanesque Transitional' style, cost Rs 750,000 to build. Sir Cowasjee Jehangir generously donated the amount. Today, it is categorised as a Grade I heritage structure.

The well-known Jehangir Art Gallery is across the street as also the entrance to the Prince of Wales Museum (now Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Vastu Sangrahalaya).

The David Sassoon Library was the brainchild of Albert Sassoon, son of the famous Baghdadi Jewish philanthropist, David Sassoon. Architects J Campbell and G E Gosling constructed it for the Scott McClelland and Company.

It cost Rs 125,000 to build, of which David Sassoon donated Rs 60,000; the government paid the remaining amount. Completed in 1870, the building was built using yellow Malad stone, much like the abutting Elphinstone College, Army and Navy Buildings and Watson's Hotel. A white stone bust of David Sassoon rests above the entrance portico

Rajabhai towers and Bombay University (Year: 1878)

Standing tall at 85 metres (280 feet), the Rajabai Tower was designed by English architect Sir George Gilbert Scott and modelled on the Big Ben in the UK. Premchand Roychand, a successful businessman who established the Bombay Stock Exchange, covered the cost of its construction on the condition that the clock tower be named after his mother Rajabai.

Roychand's mother was a devout Jain who ate her dinner before sunset. And, since she was blind, the evening bell of the tower helped her know the time of the day.

The foundation stone for the structure was laid on March 1, 1869. Construction was completed in November 1878 and cost Rs 2 lakh -- a handsome sum in those times.

A fusion of Venetian and Gothic styles of architecture, the tower was built using the locally available buff coloured Kurla stone. Its stained glass windows are still one of the best in the city.

In the times of the British Raj, one could hear the tower play 16 different tunes (including 'Rule Britannia', 'God Save the King' and 'Home! Sweet Home!'), which changed four times a day. Today, it chimes a single tune every 15 minutes.

The tower, the tallest structure in Bombay at one point, was closed to the public when it became a spot frequented by the suicidal.

The campus of the University of Bombay (University of Mumbai as of September 1996) was established in 1857 in Fort. It was one of the first educational institutions founded by the British in India. Built in the Gothic style of architecture, it houses the administrative division of the university and a library that holds many original manuscripts. It has been given a five-star ranking by the National Assessment and Accreditation Council (NAAC), and has a world ranking of 401.

Its long list of prominent alumni includes leaders like Mahatma Gandhi, Lokmanya Tilak and BR Ambedkar as well as personalities like Shabana Azmi, Anant Pai, Mukesh Ambani, Anand Patwardhan and Aishwarya Rai.

Bombay Municipal Corporation (Year: 1893)

The headquarters of India's richest municipal organisation is the Bombay Municipal Corporation or BMC Building. Renamed Brihanmumbai Mahanagar Palika, it is considered a Grade IIA heritage building and houses the civic body that governs the city of Mumbai.

It has a motto: 'Yato Dharmastato Jaya', which is Sanskrit for 'Where there is Righteousness, there shall be Victory' this is inscribed on the banner of its Coat of Arms.

The BMC was created in 1865 and Arthur Crawford was its first Municipal Commissioner. The municipality was initially housed in a modest building at the terminus of Girgaum Road.

In 1870, it was shifted to a building on the Esplanade, located between Watson Hotel and the Sassoon Mechanics Institute, which is where the present Army & Navy building is situated.

On December 9, 1884, the foundation stone for the new building of the Bombay Municipal Corporation was laid opposite Victoria Terminus (now Chhatrapati Shivaji Terminus) by the then Viceroy, Lord Ripon.

Two designs were considered for the building -- a Gothic version by FW Stevens and an Indo-Saracenic version by Robert Fellowes Chisholm. The former was selected. And the imposing structure was completed in 1893, with its tallest tower rising up to 77.7 metres (255 feet).

The chief architectural feature is its central dome, which rises to a phenomenal height of 71.5 metres (234.6 feet) and is visible even from a distance. At the entrance stands an impressive bronze statue of Sir Pherozeshah Mehta, giving a picturesque view of the roads and buildings in front.

Victoria Terminus Railway station (Year 1887)

Victoria Terminus (now Chhatrapati Shivaji Terminus) was the headquarters of the Great Indian Peninsula Railway and now of the Central Railway.

Architect Frederick William Stevens designed the station and received Rs 16.14 lakh for his work, a staggering amount for those days. Stevens earned the commission to construct the station after a masterpiece watercolour sketch by draughtsman Axel Haig.

Though rumours suggest that the design was originally designated for Flinders Street Station, there is no evidence in its favour. However, the final design is similar to the St Pancras railway station in London.

The station was named 'Victoria Terminus' in honour of the Queen and Empress Victoria, and was opened on the date of her Golden Jubilee: June 20, 1887. Built in the Gothic architectural style, with Wilsom Bell Mice as the chief engineer, the structure took 10 years to be completed.

The crowning glory is the central dome carrying at its apex, a colossal 5 metre (16.6 feet) high figure of a lady holding a flaming torch in her right hand and a wheel in her left hand that symbolises 'progress'. This dome is reportedly the first octagonal ribbed masonry dome that was adapted to an Italian Gothic style building. The interior of the dome is exposed to view from the ground floor, and the dome-well that carries the main staircase has been artistically decorated.

On the faade are also large bass-relief sculptures of 10 directors of the Great Indian Peninsula Railway Company, including Sir Jamsetjee Jeejeebhoy and Sir Jagannath Shankar Seth.

The entrance gates to Victoria Terminus carry two main gate columns, which are crowned, one with a Lion (representing the United Kingdom) and the other with a Tiger (representing India), both sculptured in Porbunder sandstone. In 1969, the statue of Progress was damaged due to lightning, but the Central Railway authorities with the help of Professor VV Manjrekar of the JJ School of Arts successfully restored it.

In 2004, the station was nominated as a World Heritage Site by the World Heritage Committee of UNESCO

Taj Palace Hotel Entrance (Year: 1903)

The Taj Mahal Palace Hotel is one of the city's most iconic landmarks, and is located near the Gateway of India at Apollo Bunder.

Jamshedji Tata, a Parsi entrepreneur and prominent industrialist, commissioned this five-star luxury hotel. Built in the Indo-Saracenic architectural style and containing 565 rooms, the Taj Mahal Palace hotel resort opened its doors to its guest for the first time on December 16, 1903.

Sher Singh was the old owner of the Taj Mahal Palace Hotel; now it is a part of the Taj Hotels, Resorts and Palaces. During World War I, the hotel was converted into a 600-bed hospital.

Sitaram Khanderao Vaidya, Ashok Kumar and DN Mirza were the Indian architects on this project, which was completed by the English engineer WA Chambers. Khansaheb Sorabji Ruttonji Contractor was the builder, who also designed and built its famous central floating staircase.

To build the dome of the hotel, Jamshedji Tata imported the same steel that has been used in the Eiffel Tower. The hotel is the first in India to install and operate a steam elevator. The cost of construction totalled a massive 250,000.

The side of the hotel seen from the harbour is actually its rear with the front facing away to the west. Rumour has it that the builder misread the architect's plans, but this is not true. The hotel was deliberately built facing inland as it provided an easier approach for the horse carriages of those days. Today, the old front has been closed and access to the hotel is from the harbour side.

According misconception about the Taj is that Jamshedji Tata decided to build this luxury hotel because he was denied entry into the 'whites only' Watson's Hotel. This claim has been challenged by some commentators who say that Tata was unlikely to have been concerned with revenge against his British adversaries. They believe that it was the editor of the Times of India who urged Tata to build a hotel "worthy of Bombay".

Hotel Majestic and Waterloo Mansion (Year 1890)

Situated a few minutes away from the business district of Ballard Estate and the art area of Kala Ghoda, the Majestic Hotel was one of the city's best hotels, offering its clients a variety of dining and other facilities.

WA Chambers designed it in the Indo-Saracenic architectural style. Chambers was also the engineer on the famous Taj Mahal Palace Hotel at Apollo Bunder.

Along with the Waterloo Mansion next door, the Majestic Hotel became one of the most photographed pieces of architecture in the city and was frequently featured in postcards of the early 20th century.

Unfortunately, post Independence, like it has been with many of our heritage sites, the condition of the building deteriorated due to lack of interest in preservation. The government eventually took over the property in the 1960s and renamed it Sahakari Bhandar. Now, it has been completely transformed and performs the dual function of a cooperative general store and a hostel for members of the legislative assembly.

The erstwhile Waterloo Mansion, which was then built exclusively for residential purposes, is now referred to as the Indian Mercantile Building. Its architectural style is Gothic with turrets, pointed arches and black stone faades. Old postcard pictures depict each tower being topped with a red tiled pyramidal roof. It is not known when and why these roof structures were removed.

Both, the Majestic Hotel and the Waterloo Mansion, are located near the Wellington Fountain Circle, also known as the Regal Circle, but officially renamed as Shyama Prasad Mukherjee Chowk

Pydownie Mohammed Ali Road (Year unknown)

Mohammed Ali Road is a stretch between the junctions of Crawford Market and Mandvi Post Office. This vital artery of the city's road network is named after the late freedom fighters, Maulana Mohammed Ali and Shaukhat Ali.

The brothers had joined hands with Mahatma Gandhi to launch the Khilafat Movement against the British. After the First War of Independence in 1857, this was the first major instance of Hindu-Muslim unity. Maulana Mohammad Ali was also one of the founders of the Jamia Millia Islamia (Central University), New Delhi and its first Vice Chancellor. He was a renowned journalist as well as an Urdu poet.

The street was previously known as Pydownie Street thanks to a British perversion of the word 'Pydhonie', which literally translates as 'a place where feet are washed'. This probably was the first portion of the land permanently reclaimed from the sea.

The 'foot wash' area can be recognised as a small creek that formed during high tide between the islands of Mazgaon and Bombay.

The street, abuzz at all hours of the day, epitomises the spirit of the city that never sleeps. Being a primarily Muslim dominated area, it comes alive during in the period of Ramadan. Gastronomists throng its by-lanes that tempt all with offerings of mouth-watering delicacies. Famous sweetmeat shops like Zam Zam, Suleman Usman, Ghasita Ram, Hatim and Lookmanji flank the road.

Amidst the chaos, the light green coloured Minara Masjid sparkles under a cloud of tiny fairy lights during festive nights. Another one of the primary landmarks in the area is the Mumbadevi Temple that was financed by a goldsmith called Pandurang Shivaji Sonar.

Today, the JJ flyover (now renamed after the saint Makhdoom Ali Mahimi) curves above this street for 2.1 kilometres, making it the longest viaduct in the country.

Round Temple Sandhurst Road (Year unknown)

The Round Temple of Bombay is also known as the Gol Dewal and is located on Sandhurst Road in South Bombay. Around the temple is a 'stone' market said to be the city's oldest; here, one can choose from a wide variety of stones to use to furnish one's home.

Sandhurst Road is also a railway station on the Central Line of the Mumbai Suburban Railway. The area is named after Lord Sandhurst, who was the Governor of Bombay from 1895 to 1900. The station was built in 1910 using funds from the Bombay City Improvement Trust, which he had helped raise.

The Trust had been created in response to the plague epidemic of 1896 to improve sanitary and living conditions in the city.

The railway station was built in 1921. The supporting pillars of the edifice bear the inscription "GIPR 1921 Lutha Iron Works, Glasgow". (GIPR stands for Great Indian Peninsula Railway, which was a predecessor of the Indian Central Railway.) The fabricated metal was imported from the United Kingdom

The Bombay Club (Year: 1845)

In the Fort area was a historical club founded by the members of the Indian Navy as far back as 1845. As suited them and their proud vessels, it was within a stone's throw of the dock and the harbour.

It was situated in Rampart Row, West, which has sometimes been called Ropewalk. It was located on the premises, which had been afterwards occupied for years by the P&O Company.

This Club, of course, was confined to members of the Indian and Royal Navy. It, too, had its own rich naval traditions, which seem to have been lost in oblivion, but one could wish that they were ransacked and collected in a readable form, as they would constitute a distinctive and remarkable chapter in the making of Bombay for a century.

In the 1850s, the Bombay Club, as it was called, was a flourishing institution; and though strangers were confined to the tearoom, the one proud trophy the Club possessed was to be seen there. It was a bell, which one of the warships of the Indian Navy had brought as a prize from the first Burmese War.

The bell is still in existence, having been taken over as a valuable historical asset from the old Club by its successor. The present Bombay Club is in no sense a naval club. It is open to all European merchants, specially bankers, traders, mercantile assistants and brokers. But the glory, which the Indian Navy shed on its own original institution, is gone.

Oriental Buildings and Hornby Road (Year: 1885)

One of the first few buildings to come up in the Fort area was the Oriental Building in 1885, which cost Rs 87,000 and initially housed the Cathedral School.

In 1893, the building was sold to the Oriental Life Assurance Company; and with the proceeds the present Senior School building, a beautiful blend of Gothic and Indian architecture, was erected and occupied in 1896.

Starting from Crawford Market, passing by Victoria Terminus and stretching all the way to Flora Fountain is the Hornby Road, now known as Dadabhai Naoroji Road. It was a simple street that was widened into an avenue in the 1860s, and is now studded with structures built in the Neo-Classical and Gothic Revival styles of the 19th century.

Besides the three mentioned heritage sites, the road also displays the grand structures of the Bombay Municipal Corporation, Times of India, JJ School of Art, J N Petit Public Library and Watcha Agiary.

The history of Hornby Road, named after the then governor William Hornby, can be traced to more than 200 years ago when the British East India Company built the Fort that was later demolished to make space for growing civic requirements. It was then that the small street was broadened into an avenue and impressive buildings built along its stretch.

These structures, built between 1885 and 1919, were constructed in accordance with mandatory (government regulation of 1896) pedestrian arcade in the ground floor that performed as the unifying element tying together the various building facades. The result was a splendid spectacle of structures in various architectural styles linked together by a continuous ground floor pedestrian arcade along the street-scape.

10 Easy Ways to Organize Your Business Finances

2011-10-18T15:06:00.000+05:30

Whether you are a new entrepreneur or a more experienced business owner, taking control of your finances can feel like a part-time job. Some simple tips can help you streamline your time, organize your finances and reduce the stress of business money matters. Check out details on finance at Money Tips / http://moneytips.buyme.co.in/finance/

1. Keep Your Bills in One Place

When the mail comes, make sure it goes in one place. Misplaced bills can be the cause of unwanted late fees and can damage your credit rating. Whether it's a drawer, a box, or a file, be consistent. Size is also important. If you get a lot of mail, use an area that won't get filled up too quickly.

2. Pay Your Bills on Schedule

Bill paying can be simplified if it's done at scheduled times during the month. Depending on how many bills you receive, you can establish set times each month when none of your bills will be late. If you're paying bills as you receive them, chances are you're spending too much time in front of the checkbook. Although bills may state "Payable Upon Receipt", there's always a grace period. Call the creditor to find out when they need to receive payment before the bill is considered late.

3. Read Your Credit Card Statements

Most people take advantage of low interest credit card offers but never read their statements when paying the bill. Credit cards are notorious for using low interest as bait for new customers then switching to higher rates after a few months. Make a habit of looking at your statement carefully to see what interest rate you are paying each month and if any transaction fees have been applied. If the rate increases or a transaction fee appears on your statement, a simple call to the credit card company can oftentimes be beneficial in resolving the matter. If not, try to switch your money to a more favorable rate.

4. Take Advantage of Automatic Payments

Most banks offer a way to automatically deduct money from your account to pay creditors. In addition, the creditors usually offer a lower interest rate when you sign up for this payment option because they get their money faster and on-time. Consider it as one fewer check to write, envelope to lick and stamp to buy. Just make sure you record the deduction when the automatic payment is scheduled or you run the risk of bouncing other checks.

5. Computerize Your Checkbook

Using a software program is a handy way to organize your finances. Whether it's Quicken(r), Microsoft Money(r) or another package, these easy-to-use programs make bill paying and bank reconciliation a cinch. Computer checks can be ordered almost anywhere and fit right into most printers. Once the checks are printed, all of the information is automatically recorded in your electronic checkbook. Furthermore, many banks have direct downloads into these software packages so when money is deposited or withdrawn, the transaction is entered immediately onto your computer. And, when it comes time to do taxes, it couldn't be easier.

6. Get Overdraft Protection

Most banks have a service where, if you run the risk of bouncing a check, the money will come from another source. For a nominal fee, the bank will link your checking account to either a savings, money market, or credit card so the embarrassment of bouncing a check will be avoided. Call or visit your bank to learn about this convenient feature.

7. Cancel Unused Accounts

Whether it's a credit card or bank account, write a letter requesting that the account is formally closed. Not only will this improve your credit score, it is a useful way to avoid money from being scattered all over the place. Don't let department stores and credit card companies lure you into opening new accounts by offering favorable interest rates and purchase discounts. It's easy for credit to get out of hand by taking advantage of every credit offer that comes your way.

8. Consolidate Your Accounts

If you have several credit card accounts with outstanding balances, try to consolidate them into one. Be careful and check the balance transfer interest rates and one-time fees. Also, make a list of all your open Money Markets, Savings, CDs, IRAs, Mutual Funds, and other accounts to see if any consolidation can be done. Keeping your money in fewer places eliminates all of the guesswork involved and reduces errors.

9. Establish Automatic Savings

Create a link from your checking account into a savings account that will not be touched. This can usually be done through the banks and automatic amounts will be transferred over each month. Most people will not put money into a savings account on a regular basis. They may wait until a large tax refund check arrives or some other event to actually deposit money into savings, retirement or other accounts. If you establish an automatic savings deposit every month, your accounts will begin accumulating money faster than you think.

10. Clean up Your Files

Make sure your paid bills are organized in a filing cabinet. Keep individual files for paid bills. Go through your files at the end of each year and throw out bills and receipts no longer needed for auditing purposes. Contact your local IRS office to see how long records need to be kept for audits. Usually federal tax return audits can be done three years back but cancelled checks may need to be kept for seven. Consult the Internet for auditing and records-keeping procedures for your state or region.

Ayurveda Panchkarma

2011-10-18T14:53:00.000+05:30

Ayurveda translates into English as the Science of Life (Ayur - life, veda - science). Ayurveda is the oldest and most developed life science of natural healing in the world. Life is the outcome of the union of body (Sharir), sense organs (Indriya), Psyche (Mana) and Soul (Atma). Ayurveda is not merely a system of Healing, but an entire way of life that aims to bring about the perfect balance of the entire personality - body, mind and spirit. Ayurveda is based on theory of tridosha of the three Biological forces - Vata, Pitta and Kapha. Disease arises when there is an imbalance among the three Doshas and aim of the therapy is to bring about the required equilibrium.

Ayurveda is a system of healing that was originated in India thousands of years ago.

Historical evidence of Ayurveda could be found in the ancient books of wisdom known as the Vedas. In Rig Veda, the oldest of the vedas, over 60 Ayurvedic preparations were mentioned that could be used to help an individual in overcoming various ailments. The Rig Veda was written over 6,000 years ago, but really Ayurveda has been around even longer than that. Ayurveda is more than just a medical system. It is a Science of Life.

Ayurveda is a science in the sense that it is a complete system. It is a qualitative, holistic science of health and longevity, a philosophy and system of healing the whole person, body and mind. This system evolved at a time when philosophy and medicine were not separated; hence philosophical views have strongly influenced the Ayurvedic way of thinking.

The word, Ayurveda, derived from the ancient Indian language, Sanskrit, means “Knowledge of Life”. Ayurveda’s basic principle is the concept that you are capable of taking charge of your own life and healing.
As per Ayurveda there are three main energies that combine to form all things in the universe. These are recognized as being fundamental to all life and are seen in the processes of growth, maintenance, and decay. Their actions are named anabolism, metabolism, and catabolism in the western sciences.

Three doshas or three energetic forces control the activities of the body are:

VATA
The Vata dosha is the most important of the three doshas. In the classic Ayurveda books it is quoted that other doshas are lame without the help of vata. The elements combine with Ether and Air in dominance to form what is known in Ayurveda as Vata Dosha Vata dominates the lower part of the body, which is below umbilicus. The movements of body fluid, metabolism, elimination of waste products, relaying stimulus to brain and response to organs and tissues, heart beat, respiration, body movements etc are assisted by VATA. Vata dominated regions are intestines, lumbar region, ears, bones and skin.

PITTA
The elements with Fire and Water in dominence combine to form the Pitta Dosha . The Pitta Dosha is responsible for the process of transformation or metabolism. The transformation of foods into nutrients that our bodies can assimilate is an example of a Pitta function. Pitta is also responsible for metabolism in the organ and tissue systems as well as cellular metabolism.

KAPHA
Finally, it is predominantly the water and earth elements, which combine to form the Kapha Dosha. Kapha is responsible for growth, adding structure unit by unit. It also offers protection, for example, in form of the cerebral-spinal fluid, which protects the brain and spinal column. The mucosal lining of the stomach is another example of the function of Kapha Dosha protecting the tissues.

When the three Doshas are well harmonised and function in a balanced manner, it results in good nourishment and well-being of the individual. But when there is imbalance or disharmony within or between them, it will result in elemental imbalance, leading to various kinds of ailments. The Ayurvedic concept of physical health revolves round these three Doshas and its primary purpose is to help maintain them in a balanced state and thus to prevent disease.

Cartoon

2011-10-15T00:15:00.000+05:30

Cartoon

2011-10-14T23:55:00.000+05:30

Email Etiquettes & Email Manners

2011-10-14T18:14:00.001+05:30

Email Etiquettes

Here are some points that will definitely help.

1) The font of mail should be Verdana and font size should be 9.5 or 10.

2) The mail should have a Pyramid Structure i.e. it should contain:

Situation: What's the current situation is

Action items: What you expect from the reader of the mail to-do

Information: The information you want to give to the reader

Conclusion: Conclude with a Thank You.

3) For writing use only Black or Blue color. For highlighting purpose make the word bold. Avoid using Red color as Red signifies danger, so use it when urgent.

4) For greetings in mail:

For Americans: use Hi

For Europeans: use Hello

For Asians: use Dear

To be more formal we could use Dear Mr. /Ms. followed by Last name or Full name. We should not use Dear Mr. /Ms. followed by First name alone.

5) We should not put '/' in greetings like Hi X/Y. Instead we should say Hi X and Y.

6) We should not use 'Thanks and Regards'. Instead we should say:

Thank you

Regards

7) For requesting something we should not use Can, instead we should use Could.

8) We should not write 'Please find the attached file' because the reader does not have to find or search for the file in the mail it's already there. So instead we should write

'The file has been attached for your reference'.

9) We should not use sentences like 'As per your mail' because 'per' is used only with units like per Kg etc. Instead we should write 'According to your mail'.

10) We should use parallel structure. Parallelism enables readers to read documents more efficiently. For e.g. the analysis will include planning, organizing, dividing and assessment (Instead assessment we should write Assessing) of turnaround functions.

11) In our mails we often write 'Please revert back'. Instead we should only write 'Please revert'.

12) For the Signature in mail, if we are sending to people in our company only then we should not write our company name in the signature because they already know that we are part of the same company but if we are sending mail to an external party like client etc then we should write our company name in the signature because there we have to brand our company name in front of others.

Email Manners

Here are some simple yet effective tips for using email more efficiently:

1) If you are sending an email to multiple people, put their email addresses in the BCC field and your own email address in the To: field. No one likes to share their private email address with strangers.

2) Do not attach large attachments in your email since not everyone is on a broadband connection. If you have to send a large file over email, upload it to services like “Yousendit” and then pass on the link in the email.

3) If you have to email more than two documents as attachments, zip them in one file. Doing so would ensure that your friend won't miss downloading any file.

4) Do not write an email while you are in a really bad mood. It would reflect on the style of your writing.

5) Always reply to emails especially the ones specifically addressed to you. The sender is still waiting to hear from you.

6) Keep you email message short and to the point. Sentences like "I hope this email finds you alive and well" look good only in letter correspondence.

7) Subject or title of the email is mandatory. The subject should clearly indicate the purpose of the email. Use 50-60 characters for the subject. Senior executives and busy business men see the subject first and accordingly decide to open the email. For example, ‘Marketing Analytics Application Migration Plan’ is a better subject than ‘Plan’

8) Sometimes people use BCC option to let someone else know without the recipient’s knowledge that you are writing this specific email. Recommend not to do this. One reason being the BCC’ed person can actually reply to the email, while the initial recipient was not aware of this. This will create problems in relationships. I prefer sending the email to the recipient and then forwarding to whomever I want to let know about this, with a FYI (for your information) note.

9) Avoid chat language like Neways, b4, kewl, tc, etc. in business emails. Do not use sentences like I dunno wat 2 do, 2Ht2Hndl (Too hot to handle).

10) If you are using any abbreviations, make sure that the recipient also understands the same. For example, ASAP (as early as possible) may be a commonly used and understood abbreviation, but AWOD (AWay On Duty) is not used across organizations. Sometimes, the same abbreviation has conflicting meanings! For example, one of my friends sent me a reply, WC. I thought that she mentioned Will Check, but actually it was Who Cares!

11) Regards, Thanks and Thanks & Regards are the commonly used for closing of professional emails. Best Regards and Warm Regards are also used.

12) Do not use CAPITALS. Capital letters in emails indicate shouting at someone! Use initial capital for the subject.

13) Do not over-use jargons to show your knowledge!

14) Use active sentences instead of passive.

15) Do not use fancy fonts in professional emails! Some fancy fonts are difficult to read or print. Also, the recipient need not have the same fancy font you sued for composing the email. Some of the standard fonts for business communication are Arial, Verdana, Book Antiqua, Tahoma and Courier New. Use only one font in an email. It is ok to use a different but blending font for signatures.

16) Do not hit the Send button without doing a spell check. Emails with spelling mistakes or grammatical errors indicate that you have written the message in a non-serious mood and may convey a bad impression. Always read the message before broadcasting it to the world.

The Top Four S’s of the iPhone 4S

2011-10-13T06:25:00.000+05:30

The new iPhone 4s have four top S’s qualities and we are going to be looking inwardly at those S’s and define it to make things more simpler. iPhone 4 is the latest baby from the mobile producing giant, APPLE. Though, the phone was the one which the company announced in the place of iPhone 5 which many had speculated to look thinner and even wider than any other iPhone versions.

So, here are the top four “S” qualities of iPhone 4s which is an upgrade of iPhone 4 device:

Number one ‘S’ stands for Speed:

One thing that makes the new iPhone 4S different from its predecessor, iPhone 4 is the Apple’s A5 processor that makes things faster than how the formal performs. The new iphone 4s currently occupies the slim encasing of the iPad 2. We can experience the speed and battery life of the new phone to its predecessor by comparing the two together to see that it is faster in processing data and others. Another benefits of using the new iphone 4s is that, it will make it easier for people to use any other versions that will come after this one (ease upgrade with faster processor).

Number two ‘S’ stands Shooting. The increase in the resolution of the iPhone 4S makes it even better increasing from 5 megapixels to 8 megapixels (available in competitive cameras even at the launch of the iPhone 4). Also, high definition (HD) video capture resolution from 720p to 1080p are among the factors that makes it useful and powerful more than the previous. During the announcements, Apple announces this feature among the cool features of the new iPhone 4S. Among the improvement is particular reduction in speed of shot time and also the home screen camera starting feature.

Number three ‘S’ stands Siri.Somewhere around last year, Apple acquired Siri, the voice recognition powerhouse app for apple phones. Since the time of the purchase of the software, we’ve heard nothing until now the Oct 4 announcement day when they finally announced the feature with the iphone 4s.

Number four ‘S’ stands Sprint. It is quite clear that the announcement of Apple iPhone 4S was about expanding the iOS base for better market domination. Apple introduced the iPhone on Sprint. Sprint according to Engadget, is one among the two biggest players in prepaid mobile access business. On the other hand, last friday at the Sprint event, the connection carrier noted that, the lack of an iOS on its platform was the number one reason that makes cust

Steve Jobs’ Stanford Speech: Stay Hungry, Stay Foolish

2011-10-13T06:22:00.000+05:30

I am honored to be with you today at your commencement from one of the finest universities in the world. I never graduated from college. Truth be told, this is the closest I've ever gotten to a college graduation. Today I want to tell you three stories from my life. That's it. No big deal. Just three stories.

The first story is about connecting the dots.

I dropped out of Reed College after the first 6 months, but then stayed around as a drop-in for another 18 months or so before I really quit. So why did I drop out?

It started before I was born. My biological mother was a young, unwed college graduate student, and she decided to put me up for adoption. She felt very strongly that I should be adopted by college graduates, so everything was all set for me to be adopted at birth by a lawyer and his wife. Except that when I popped out they decided at the last minute that they really wanted a girl. So my parents, who were on a waiting list, got a call in the middle of the night asking: "We have an unexpected baby boy; do you want him?" They said: "Of course." My biological mother later found out that my mother had never graduated from college and that my father had never graduated from high school. She refused to sign the final adoption papers. She only relented a few months later when my parents promised that I would someday go to college.

And 17 years later I did go to college. But I naively chose a college that was almost as expensive as Stanford, and all of my working-class parents' savings were being spent on my college tuition. After six months, I couldn't see the value in it. I had no idea what I wanted to do with my life and no idea how college was going to help me figure it out. And here I was spending all of the money my parents had saved their entire life. So I decided to drop out and trust that it would all work out OK. It was pretty scary at the time, but looking back it was one of the best decisions I ever made. The minute I dropped out I could stop taking the required classes that didn't interest me, and begin dropping in on the ones that looked interesting.

It wasn't all romantic. I didn't have a dorm room, so I slept on the floor in friends' rooms, I returned coke bottles for the 5¢ deposits to buy food with, and I would walk the 7 miles across town every Sunday night to get one good meal a week at the Hare Krishna temple. I loved it. And much of what I stumbled into by following my curiosity and intuition turned out to be priceless later on. Let me give you one example:

Reed College at that time offered perhaps the best calligraphy instruction in the country. Throughout the campus every poster, every label on every drawer, was beautifully hand calligraphed. Because I had dropped out and didn't have to take the normal classes, I decided to take a calligraphy class to learn how to do this. I learned about serif and san serif typefaces, about varying the amount of space between different letter combinations, about what makes great typography great. It was beautiful, historical, artistically subtle in a way that science can't capture, and I found it fascinating.

None of this had even a hope of any practical application in my life. But ten years later, when we were designing the first Macintosh computer, it all came back to me. And we designed it all into the Mac. It was the first computer with beautiful typography. If I had never dropped in on that single course in college, the Mac would have never had multiple typefaces or proportionally spaced fonts. And since Windows just copied the Mac, it's likely that no personal computer would have them. If I had never dropped out, I would have never dropped in on this calligraphy class, and personal computers might not have the wonderful typography that they do. Of course it was impossible to connect the dots looking forward when I was in college. But it was very, very clear looking backwards ten years later.

Again, you can't connect the dots looking forward; you can only connect them looking backwards. So you have to trust that the dots will somehow connect in your future. You have to trust in something — your gut, destiny, life, karma, whatever. This approach has never let me down, and it has made all the difference in my life.

My second story is about love and loss.

I was lucky — I found what I loved to do early in life. Woz and I started Apple in my parents garage when I was 20. We worked hard, and in 10 years Apple had grown from just the two of us in a garage into a $2 billion company with over 4000 employees. We had just released our finest creation — the Macintosh — a year earlier, and I had just turned 30. And then I got fired. How can you get fired from a company you started? Well, as Apple grew we hired someone who I thought was very talented to run the company with me, and for the first year or so things went well. But then our visions of the future began to diverge and eventually we had a falling out. When we did, our Board of Directors sided with him. So at 30 I was out. And very publicly out. What had been the focus of my entire adult life was gone, and it was devastating.

I really didn't know what to do for a few months. I felt that I had let the previous generation of entrepreneurs down - that I had dropped the baton as it was being passed to me. I met with David Packard and Bob Noyce and tried to apologize for screwing up so badly. I was a very public failure, and I even thought about running away from the valley. But something slowly began to dawn on me — I still loved what I did. The turn of events at Apple had not changed that one bit. I had been rejected, but I was still in love. And so I decided to start over.

I didn't see it then, but it turned out that getting fired from Apple was the best thing that could have ever happened to me. The heaviness of being successful was replaced by the lightness of being a beginner again, less sure about everything. It freed me to enter one of the most creative periods of my life.

During the next five years, I started a company named NeXT, another company named Pixar, and fell in love with an amazing woman who would become my wife. Pixar went on to create the worlds first computer animated feature film, Toy Story, and is now the most successful animation studio in the world. In a remarkable turn of events, Apple bought NeXT, I returned to Apple, and the technology we developed at NeXT is at the heart of Apple's current renaissance. And Laurene and I have a wonderful family together.

I'm pretty sure none of this would have happened if I hadn't been fired from Apple. It was awful tasting medicine, but I guess the patient needed it.

Sometimes life hits you in the head with a brick. Don't lose faith. I'm convinced that the only thing that kept me going was that I loved what I did. You've got to find what you love. And that is as true for your work as it is for your lovers. Your work is going to fill a large part of your life, and the only way to be truly satisfied is to do what you believe is great work. And the only way to do great work is to love what you do. If you haven't found it yet, keep looking. Don't settle. As with all matters of the heart, you'll know when you find it. And, like any great relationship, it just gets better and better as the years roll on. So keep looking until you find it. Don't settle.

My third story is about death.

When I was 17, I read a quote that went something like: "If you live each day as if it was your last, someday you'll most certainly be right." It made an impression on me, and since then, for the past 33 years, I have looked in the mirror every morning and asked myself: "If today were the last day of my life, would I want to do what I am about to do today?" And whenever the answer has been "No" for too many days in a row, I know I need to change something.

Remembering that I'll be dead soon is the most important tool I've ever encountered to help me make the big choices in life. Because almost everything — all external expectations, all pride, all fear of embarrassment or failure - these things just fall away in the face of death, leaving only what is truly important. Remembering that you are going to die is the best way I know to avoid the trap of thinking you have something to lose. You are already naked. There is no reason not to follow your heart.

About a year ago I was diagnosed with cancer. I had a scan at 7:30 in the morning, and it clearly showed a tumor on my pancreas. I didn't even know what a pancreas was. The doctors told me this was almost certainly a type of cancer that is incurable, and that I should expect to live no longer than three to six months. My doctor advised me to go home and get my affairs in order, which is doctor's code for prepare to die. It means to try to tell your kids everything you thought you'd have the next 10 years to tell them in just a few months. It means to make sure everything is buttoned up so that it will be as easy as possible for your family. It means to say your goodbyes.

I lived with that diagnosis all day. Later that evening I had a biopsy, where they stuck an endoscope down my throat, through my stomach and into my intestines, put a needle into my pancreas and got a few cells from the tumor. I was sedated, but my wife, who was there, told me that when they viewed the cells under a microscope the doctors started crying because it turned out to be a very rare form of pancreatic cancer that is curable with surgery. I had the surgery and I'm fine now.

This was the closest I've been to facing death, and I hope it's the closest I get for a few more decades. Having lived through it, I can now say this to you with a bit more certainty than when death was a useful but purely intellectual concept:

No one wants to die. Even people who want to go to heaven don't want to die to get there. And yet death is the destination we all share. No one has ever escaped it. And that is as it should be, because Death is very likely the single best invention of Life. It is Life's change agent. It clears out the old to make way for the new. Right now the new is you, but someday not too long from now, you will gradually become the old and be cleared away. Sorry to be so dramatic, but it is quite true.

Your time is limited, so don't waste it living someone else's life. Don't be trapped by dogma — which is living with the results of other people's thinking. Don't let the noise of others' opinions drown out your own inner voice. And most important, have the courage to follow your heart and intuition. They somehow already know what you truly want to become. Everything else is secondary.

When I was young, there was an amazing publication called The Whole Earth Catalog, which was one of the bibles of my generation. It was created by a fellow named Stewart Brand not far from here in Menlo Park, and he brought it to life with his poetic touch. This was in the late 1960's, before personal computers and desktop publishing, so it was all made with typewriters, scissors, and polaroid cameras. It was sort of like Google in paperback form, 35 years before Google came along: it was idealistic, and overflowing with neat tools and great notions.

Stewart and his team put out several issues of The Whole Earth Catalog, and then when it had run its course, they put out a final issue. It was the mid-1970s, and I was your age. On the back cover of their final issue was a photograph of an early morning country road, the kind you might find yourself hitchhiking on if you were so adventurous. Beneath it were the words: "Stay Hungry. Stay Foolish." It was their farewell message as they signed off. Stay Hungry. Stay Foolish. And I have always wished that for myself. And now, as you graduate to begin anew, I wish that for you.

Stay Hungry. Stay Foolish.

Thank you all very much.

Effective Resource Utilization

2011-10-10T17:50:00.000+05:30

Which adds value to performance is complete utilization of resources. Following is a powerful illustration!

Buddha, one day, was on deep thought about the worldly activities and the ways of instilling goodness in human.

The following is the text of conversation between him and his disciple:

One of his disciples approached him and said humbly, “Oh my teacher! While you are so concerned about the
world and others, why don't you look into the welfare and needs of your own disciples also?"

Buddha: "OK. Tell me how I can help you"

Disciple: "Master! My attire is worn out and is beyond the decency to wear the same. Can I get a new one, please?"

Buddha found the robe indeed was in a bad condition which needed replacement. He asked the store keeper to
give the disciple a new robe to wear. The disciple thanked Buddha and retired to his room.

Though he met his disciple's requirement, Buddha was not all that contended on his decision. He realized he
missed out some point. A while later, he realized what he should have asked the disciple.

He went to his disciple's place and asked him “Is your new attire comfortable? Do you need anything more?”

Disciple: "Thank you my Master. The attire is indeed very comfortable. I need nothing more"

Buddha: "Having got the new one, what did you do with your old attire?"

Disciple: "I am using it as my bed spread"

Buddha "Then… hope you have disposed off your old bed spread"

Disciple: “No…no…master. I am using my old bedspread as my window curtain"

Buddha: “What about your old Curtain?"

Disciple "Being used to handle hot utensils in the kitchen"

Buddha: "Oh…I see…Can you tell me what did they do with the old cloth they used in kitchen?"

Disciple: "They are being used to wash the floor."

Buddha: "Then, the old rug is used to wash the floor?"

Disciple: "Master, since it was so torn we could not find any better use but to use as a wick in the oil lamp, which is right now lit in your study room."

BUDDHA SMILED IN CONTENTMENT AND LEFT FOR HIS ROOM.,

If not to this degree of utilization, can we at least attempt to find the best use of all our resources - at home and at office?

It becomes imperative in the critical time of Recession.

How to manage a good salary hike?

2011-10-10T17:25:00.001+05:30

If you believe Robin Ryan, America’s most popular career counselor and the author of five best-selling books, the largest raises you’ll likely ever get in your career are a result of your quitting your current job and going to work for another employer.

“You have the most power to improve your salary when you move on to a new position in a new company. Numerous surveys have been published supporting the fact that changing jobs can indeed make you richer,” she says.

Today, however, there are numerous people around who’re managing good salary hikes without leaving their current job. But yes, you need to be salary-smart and a bit careful of your surroundings. Here’re some tips for long-term pay increases as well as breaking out of the low increment rut:

1). Go for self appraisal

If things are not going the way you want, you should first go for self appraisal. Are you able to execute your work well?

Does your employer values your work but does not let it get reflected in your pay hike? Or are there some areas where you need improvement? If this is the case, first work on your shortcomings and then seek results.

2). Remain focused to your work and organization

Whatever be the case, you would do well to remember that good performance never goes unnoticed. Therefore work hard, remain focused to your work and organization, and always show your willingness to take new responsibilities.

These things will help you advance in your career and also pay in the long run, if not immediately.

3). Make the boss aware of your performance

You might be working hard and even harder than most of your co-workers. But are your seniors, especially your boss, also aware of your performance and all that you’ve been doing in connection with your job?

You might hate to brag, but the boss should know what you have been doing day in and day out. After all, in today’s world and in many organizations, self-promotion seems to work more than the actual performance!

4). Get feedback from your boss

Keep getting the feedback from your boss as well as other colleagues regarding your performance and the way you handle a job. For instance, if your boss is not happy with a job executed by you, ask him/her how you could have done better on that assignment. This will help increase your boss’ confidence in you and you will be able to know what your boss expects from you. You will also be able to identify both your week and strong points, and then work out your strategies accordingly.

5). Mention your accomplishments at the time of appraisal

You might be slogging all year long, but how much time does it take to do your performance appraisal? Five minutes or maximum half an hour? No wonder, if your boss misses some vital points about your performance.

Keep a list of your accomplishments, therefore, and talk up the most impressive ones. Emphasize on your proven commitment and the value of your contributions. If you can make the trailer impressive, the film might worth be a watch!

6). Changing department may be one option

If you are unluckily working under a boss who thinks that salary hikes are being given from his own pockets (this happens in many cases), try to join some other department in your organization which might have a liberal boss. But then you should also be prepared for the changes in your work profile as two different departments may rarely have a similar work and work culture.

7). Keep an eye on industry norm

If your organization claims to go by the industry norm and current market conditions, try to find out what other people in similar positions are getting in similar organizations and industry.

These days many magazines and associations publish this information. Get yourself equipped with the right information and then build a solid case for yourself.

8). Talk to senior management

Sometimes talking to the senior management or the supreme boss in your organization also helps, if you feel that you are being denied your due. But then support your case with facts and solid examples, otherwise if proved wrong, this may backfire also and you may have to lose your job.

9). Get a competing job offer

One of the quickest and proven ways to get a hike is to get a competing job offer. But if things go wrong, you may have to leave your current job too. Take this route if you are confident of your abilities.

10). Switch to another job

If nothing seems to work, look for another job and negotiate your salary well. Mastering the proven techniques of salary negotiations also helps. For that read some good books on salary negotiations or consult a career counselor.

Once you are confident of yourselves, make your next move. After all, switching to a new job is the most proven way of getting a big raise!

How to tie a Tie?

2011-10-10T16:55:00.000+05:30

Become A Better Leader

2011-10-10T15:30:00.000+05:30

Do you consider yourself as someone who's "in charge?" Do you manage and motivate other people to accomplish a task or get work done, other than yourself? If so, you're probably in some sort of managerial role.
But are you a leader? Believe it or not, there is a difference. Managers, well, manage people. They sort out what it is that has to be done, and then make sure the right people do it. Leaders, however, share a unique vision with people and supply the necessary values and skills to move people to really want to accomplish things; leaders touch people emotionally. If you consider yourself a leader, or are interested in becoming one, you must first understand that becoming a good leader is a process, one that never ends. Here's a few tips (actually 99 of them) to guide you on your journey to becoming a better leader and manager.

Planning & Strategy

1. Understand what the core principles of being a leader are. It's not about power, but rather about installing direction and influencing others to follow that direction.
2. Do you have the character traits to be a successful leader? If not, can you learn them?
3. There are different ways of managing people; Develop a leadership style.
4. As a leader or manager, you're constantly soaking up information. Know how to properly collect that information.
5. Know how to use proper coordination between people and technology.
6. As you build your machine, know how to maintain it.
7. Constantly analyze progress.
8. Be prepared. Not very disaster will involve nature, but the process of preparation can be the same.
9. Use prevention methods, keeping filth out of not only your trash cans but out of your employees as well.
10. If a bomb does drop, be ready to recover from it and move on.

Team Building

11. Know how to hire good employees.
12. During the interview process, make sure to ask the right questions.
13. Compensate: know when and how much to pay your team.
14. Build trust; this has to work both ways (you trust your team and your team trusts you.)
15. Develop and communicate your vision so the team can help achieve goals.
16. Show commitment to those goals and ask the same from your staff.
17. Understand the core value of employee inclusion and it's effects.
18. Interdependence - making sure your employees are sharing responsible principles.
19. Guide your team by being a strong influence, and let yourself be influenced by other leaders.
20. Control the climate or the feel of your organization.

Communication

21. Make sure you are aware of proper etiquette, especially amongst other business elite.
22. Ethics play a huge role in both the workplace as well as your company's image in your industry.
23. Strong public speaking abilities will help you get the message across to larger groups.
24. Keep your employees up-to-date with things they need to know.
25. Don't be shady with your team.
26. Be aware of not only your body language but everyone else's as well.
27. Improve your listening skills.
28. Speak clearly and concisely.
29. Develop your ability to negotiate .
30. Make sure to keep your cool when dealing with difficult situations.

Build Trust & Confidence

31. First, be sure to really understand the definition of trust.
32. Try to believe in your team, and work extra hard to find the good in people.
33. Reduce your sense of competition , as well as the same within the company.
34. In order to accept new people, things, and ideas into your life, you'll need to have an open mind.
35. Appear more creditable and real by allowing yourself to show a little vulnerability.
36. Be prepared to face your fears, because doing so will conserve your energy and empower you.
37. Know your strong points and when to use them.
38. Work hard to improve on your weak points and shortcomings.
39. Look at yourself in a different way.
40. Exude confidence and your charisma will draw people to you.

Time Management

41. Setting goals will help you focus on getting important things done first.
42. Have an action plan you can use to achieve those goals.
43. Stop procrastinating, and you're attitude about work will change.
44. You can't do it all yourself; know when and how to delegate work.
45. Get rid of any and all kinds of distractions while working.
46. Keep track of your life by writing things down.
47. Learn to say no; you'll save lots of time focusing on the most important tasks.
48. Just like in college, you can't party and study at the same time. Try to keep a schedule.
50. Know your bad habits (and how to break them).

Being Responsible

51. Show character by being responsible for your actions.
52. Be responsible for your name, brand, and company.
53. Make sure you practice what you preach.
54. As a responsible leader, you must always be aware of what you're saying.
55. Create responsible employees, but also be responsible for their actions.
56. Assume responsibility, even if something is not your fault.
57. Take care of your health. If you don't care for yourself, why would anyone think you care at all?
58. Teach responsibility to others, including your children.
59. Constantly work on building a strong team.
60. Showcase social responsibility.

Never Stop Learning

61. Continue to build your leadership skills by reading management and leadership books.
62. Subscribe to some of the many business and management magazines on the newsstand today.
63. Keep a leadership blog to document your learning.
64. Don't feel ashamed to take some online leadership courses; it's always good to brush up on things.
65. Attend management seminars.
66. Find yourself a mentor; their wisdom will prove to be priceless.
67. Hone your skills through community involvement.
68. Don't be afraid to learn from your employees and associates.
69. Embrace new technology, for it will only help you grow smarter.
70. Understand and learn from yourself.

Become a role model

71. Maintain a positive attitude - always.
72. A great leader portrays strength before power.
73. Lead by example.
74. Demonstrate acts of chivalry.
75. Treat customers and coworkers with respect.
76. Be sure to dress for success.
77. Always encourage others; they will probably encourage you back.
78. Be calm and show patience in your efforts.
79. Know how to properly manage life's disappointments, both inside and outside of work.
80. Value all life.

No When to Be Real

81. Show your employees (and customers!) that you really do care about them.
82. Know that it's okay to share your emotions from time to time.
83. Allow people to see your shortcomings.
84. Try not to sugarcoat things because you're afraid of conflict.
85. Do not lie to your employees about what's going on.
86. Times will come when you have to put your foot down and correct employees when they are wrong,
87. Be sure to look and learn from your employee's vantage point.
88. Promote job "ownership", even if it entails seeing the ups and downs of business.
89. For everybody's sake, make sure you have a life outside of work.
90. Have fun at work! It will show..

Give Back

91. Make it a point for you and your business to donate to charity.
92. Or, start your own charity or benefit.
93. Help your employees learn and develop .
94. Good leadership means sharing your knowledge
95. Give raises to your team; just be mindful of how you do it.
96. Recognize good performances and award it.
97. Give your employees discounts and perks.
98. Use your skills and knowledge to write a book.
99. Reach out to youth and become a teacher.

You may be thinking to yourself, "how can I learn how to be all of these things ?" You can't, at least not all at once. Understand that becoming a better leader can only be done by growing, learning and practicing. It will take a lot of time and even more effort, and is not going to be learned overnight. Just make sure each and everyday, both at work and in your personal life, that you take the time to better yourself as a person and strive to make the world around you a better place as well. People will start to take notice, and before you know it, you'll be well on your way to becoming that great leader you always wanted to be.

Table Manners

2011-10-10T15:18:00.000+05:30

As soon as you are seated, place your dinner napkin on your lap. As you use it during your meal, return it to its place on your lap. At the end of the meal, place your soiled napkin next to your plate, but do not refold it.

When your place setting contains a number of utensils, the general rule of thumb is to use them in order, from the outside in. If your host or hostess has properly set the table, the flatware will be laid out to match up with each course served. Once you have used a utensil, never place it back on the table or tablecloth. As you finish each course, place the utensil on the plate or bowl, along the edge furthest from you.

Sit up straight and keep your elbows off of the table. It is not okay to lean back in your chair, slouch, or lean forward onto the table. While you should never place your elbows on the table, it is permissible to rest your wrists on the table edge between courses.

At meals that are served "family style," platters should be passed to the right, or counterclockwise.

Never chew with your mouth open or talk with food in your mouth. Take small bites so that you can swallow your food easily and maintain a pleasant dinner conversation.

Be sure to swallow your food before taking a sip of your drink.

When eating a salad, be sure to cut the lettuce and other vegetables into comfortable bite-sized servings. Never try to wrangle a large chunk of food into your mouth!

If soup is served, dip your spoon into the bowl moving away from you and then sip (not slurp!) the soup from the spoon. As the bowl nears empty, it is alright to tip it a bit away from you to get the last few spoonfuls. Never pick up your soup bowl and "drink" the remainder.

When eating a bread roll, tear off a bite at a time rather than biting into the whole roll. If you choose to butter your bread, place a small pat or two on your bread plate and then butter each individual bite-sized piece. Do not dip your bread into gravy or other sauces.

Very few foods should be eaten with your fingers. When in doubt, use your utensils or follow the lead of your hostess.

If you need something that is out of your reach (the salt shaker, for instance), politely ask someone to pass it to you. Never lean across the table to grab something.

If you drop your napkin or a utensil during your meal, lean over to pick it up only if it is within easy reach. If not, leave it be. For formal dinners, always leave it and ask the server to bring you a fresh one.

Remain seated throughout the entire meal, unless you have an emergency or become ill. If you must leave the table, be sure to excuse yourself.

Always turn off pagers and cellular phones during a meal. If you must leave your phone on because of the potential for a work or personal emergency, be sure to excuse yourself from the table before taking a call.

If you are dining in someone's home, do not sit down until your hosts do, unless they request that you do so. Never begin eating until all guests are seated and the host begins his meal.

If you get something stuck in your teeth, do not try to remove it at the table. If it is bothersome, you may excuse yourself to the washroom to remove the offending item.

Never do any personal grooming at the table. If you need to straighten your hair or freshen your lipstick, do so after the meal in the privacy of the restroom.

If you are a guest in someone's home and they choose to pray before a meal, you have two choices. Either bow your head and join in or remain quietly seated until they are finished.

Try to be open-minded about trying new foods, especially when dining in someone's home. Your hosts went to considerable effort to present you with a pleasurable dining experience; do not offend them by refusing their offerings. If you have a food allergy that would prevent you from trying something, politely explain. You can say, "It looks delicious, but unfortunately I am allergic to strawberries. "

Compliment the cook. Be sure to thank your host or hostess for your meal and offer a sincere compliment on the meal. Even if you didn't particularly enjoy the food, you can certainly come up with something nice to say!

KT aka Knowledge Transfer

2011-10-07T15:44:00.000+05:30

Signature of Some Very Famous People

2011-10-07T12:12:00.000+05:30

A P J AbdulKalam

Amitabh Bachchan

Dev Anand

Lata Mangeshkar

M. K. Gandhi

Michael Jackson

Abraham Lincoln

Henry Ford

Bill Gates

Walt Disney

Gerald Ford

Larry Page

Michael Dell

Queen Victoria

Picasso

Alfred Hitchcock

Steve Jobs

Mahendra Singh Dhoni

RIP Steve Jobs

2011-10-06T23:43:00.001+05:30

It is a sad day. Steve Jobs, the iCon of the technology industry and the creator of some of the most innovative products & companies has passed away. The news of Steve Jobs death was broken on the Apple’s homepage and a statement by Apple’s Board of Directors.

This is a huge loss for the whole world. Steve was a visionary and undoubtedly an amazing human being. Apple CEO Tim Cook today sent the following email to all Apple employees:

Team,

I have some very sad news to share with all of you. Steve passed away earlier today.

Apple has lost a visionary and creative genius, and the world has lost an amazing human being. Those of us who have been fortunate enough to know and work with Steve have lost a dear friend and an inspiring mentor. Steve leaves behind a company that only he could have built, and his spirit will forever be the foundation of Apple.

We are planning a celebration of Steve’s extraordinary life for Apple employees that will take place soon. If you would like to share your thoughts, memories and condolences in the interim, you can simply email rememberingsteve@apple.com.

No words can adequately express our sadness at Steve’s death or our gratitude for the opportunity to work with him. We will honor his memory by dedicating ourselves to continuing the work he loved so much.

Tim

Steve, thank you for being a mentor and a friend. Thanks for showing that what you build can change the world.

May your soul rest in peace.

How To Check Your Operating System And Windows Version

2011-10-06T10:56:00.000+05:30

Its real simple.. Just follow the step by step procedure.

1> Click On " Start "

2> Click On " Run "

3>In the run window type "winver" and press Enter key or click on the " ok " button.

And there you have the details of your operating system windows version.

Save Energy!!!

2011-10-06T10:53:00.001+05:30

Do Not Disturb (DND)

2011-10-06T10:49:00.002+05:30