New begining to new learning

Back after couple of years of hiatus, probably because I have been getting back to my comfort zone of learning new things. No point dwelling on Past, future is here to say.

Learning new stuff is exciting but with excitement comes a strange sense of burden of how to retain the learning and expand the learning as well, if you want to retain some of the stuff , how do I commit this to the secondary human storage (HDD, Human Disk Drive :) )

With this learning enters new world of Visual thinking and Visual colloboration...


Concentrate on How and What for now, follow it up with why and When...

http://www.linkedin.com/today/post/article/20121121191930-10842349-start-designing-your-life

Interesting talk by Ruth Malan kind of kick started the visual thinking
http://vimeo.com/6219439

Things which I learned are good resources

http://www.danroam.com/

http://thisisindexed.com/

Effective Communication -II : A Word A Week(AWAW)

Folks,
Thanks for the feedback from last week’s column. I hope that write up was effective as I intend to be. Like most of you folks English is not my first language and I tend to make mistakes as well and am not ashamed when someone points out that. So please don’t think I am trying to point fingers at someone or any specific incident. I have compiled few words which are used/misused and would clarify in AWAW session.

Continuing our discussion on Effective communication, I have an interesting word for this week. The choice of word is interesting because as I was composing this newsletter I realized oxford decided to release few new words into the dictionary. Most common words which you and I have heard during past FIFA world cup 2010 is ”vuvuzelas”. Another word which I have used commonly which released in the dictionary is “chillax” (I can see my college buddy’s name written all over it, he added x to all commonly used words to sound more like “Asterix and Obelix” world). All these words have been added to Oxford dictionary which would mean in English(UK), it would take some time to propagate to English(US). I will write something about these two English versions of dictionary/standards in a separate column.

I have manage to write couple of paragraphs of this column without yet getting to the word of the week but setting the stage. This word has had an interesting journey from being an non-existent word to be a word to be added to one of the dictionary(Oxford, so the setup in the second paragraph). Still this word is considered non-existent word in most parts of the world. Merriam Webster’s hasn’t added the word “Prepone” to the dictionary. Oxford Dictionary online suggests this word from India with the usage of Postpone and Pre. I did a quick search of word Prepone in Webster’s dictionary and couldn’t find it . Hence not the widely accepted. Let us take about wide acceptance in a separate column. Why didn’t the word Postpone have a antonym “prepone” to begin with ? That is because the word postpone came from Latin word “Postponere”. Latin didn’t have a “Preponere”. For folks interested in Etymology here is the scoop

Etymology: Latin postponere to place after, postpone, from post- + ponere to place — more at position
Date: circa 1520


My recommendation for this week would be to avoid using this word in Business communication until it is widely accepted. Instead the right word usage is “advance” . For e.g. “I will advance my trip by a week” instead of “I will prepone my trip by a week” . You can chose to use this word in non-official communication to force it to Webster’s dictionary J. Business communication should be clear, concise and communicative (3Cs).



Reference:
[1] http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20100819/od_nm/us_britain_dictionary
[2] http://oxforddictionaries.com/view/entry/m_en_gb0658300#m_en_gb0658300
[3] http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/prepone
[4] http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/postpone

PS: Please don’t hesitate to forward this to your friends /colleagues, Spread the word.

Effective Communication - A Word A Week (AWAW)

Folks,

I have been thinking about writing this column/news letter about Effective Communication in the context of communicating with the customer. This communication forum is not to point fingers at anyone in particular but educate ourselves from how to do certain things and what not to do certain things. Most of the emails/document we write is read/reviewed by customers and does travel high up reporting chain, for example a project plan/Design documents we produce is reviewed by Directors , VPs and CXOs in some cases.



I am going to broadly classify on Words which we use in everyday communication. The words which we misuse as well. This week I am going to concentrate particularly on a (nonexistent) word which we misuse regularly. Per English dictionary(http://www.m-w.com for example) doesn’t have this word. “Updation” is the word in reference here. There is no word in American/British English dictionary. I have seen this word used regularly. The right usage should be update.



Let us refrain from using the word “updation” but instead use “Update”



For you grammar interested folks, “updation” is wrongly used as a verb , however update(the correct usage) can be used as a transitive verb as is. Update is also a noun based on the context you use for example



Update as transitive verb would be

(Origin of the usage Date: 1941)

: to bring up to date



Update as Noun would be

(Origin of usage Date: 1965)

1 : an act or instance of updating
2 : current information for updating something

I can See Clearly Now

Well it is not the starting line of the song, I am refering to my new glasses I got. Man it is a different world, I feel motivated as I can see things the way they used to appear few years ago... For few years now even with glasses I wasnt able to see the same, but I always felt the glasses wouldn't help me either, boy I was wrong. For example the lady at the counter looked a different person with new glasses, I was so happy that I decided to take a small walk in the mall to exercise my new found Vision. If I could appreciate this how would a Blind person with no vision gets his vision back?

Run

Another Live TV show from the plane

Visit msnbc.com for Breaking News, World News, and News about the Economy

Devin Harris... Why did he leave Dallas Mav

Dallas Mavericks shouldnt have traded Devin. See what he did to beat the buzzer

Live TV Show from a Plane

Few years back watching Live Satellite TV shows on a Plane was kind of a stretch. Now Few Airlines have Live TV Programs available. Even though Domestic Airlines in US providing this service is small, Virgin America is one of them which can do this. Virgin America has been living on edge by trying to do something. Their Inflight Entertainment called RED is state of the art. I am not saying this as a PR crap but having used the system on the plane on few of the segments. They started a trend and in turn created history by being part of telecasting Live TV show from plane 35,000 feet. Virgin America launched GoGo their WiFi hotspot on plane services last November with a similar YouTube Live Concert. But today this is different, a segment of CBS Early show was televised from the plane. Here is the clipping. Watch closely you will be surprised ;-)


Watch CBS Videos Online

Fermat's Last Theorem

I happened to glance through one of books which I always wanted to read. Fermat's Enigma by Simon Singh is one of the page turners. I have read few books for their story telling ability or their literary ability. I have read few text books for the sole purpose of digesting the contents. This book is mind boggling and will make you turn the page and will let you think as well. This book is written in explaining simple concepts. The book does contain appendices for math junkies who like to digest proofs. Well what is Fermat's last theorem and why does this have so much significance for Mathematcial community, I would say you got to read the book or journals or cheat like me to watch youtube to get proof of Fermat's last theorem. Here you go.

Old Times!!!!

One of my favorite songs from Past. Youtube is great, you can find anything and everything.

S*** Happens

The title of the post is kind of odd considering I already have a category for the same title. This is nothing new we all know S*** happens everybody is affected in varying degrees at varying instance. I want to echo for folks who are in greener pastures, the pastures seem to be drying with no green anywhere. For folks who moved to US for greener oppurtunities(Dollar bill is still green) with a better conversion rate of Dollar and the enevitable Green Card. Both seem to be fading to a dark brown color. Dollar has been highest point in Weakness in 17 years. With US coming to a 0.5 GDP last quarter, salary wont be rising for Worker class. With folks fighting to battle for white house the uncertaininty is in the air.

Everybody talks about recession hitting US, nobody talks how long or how deep will it be , the last time US was hit by recession US saw a minor deep or that is what the Economics Gurus has been seeing, well if so when every body talks about being hit by recession but nobody talks when we get out of it? I guess everybody talks in retrospect with no idea of how economy is headed? Everybody is talking about democrats taking control over white house soon but we dont have a front runner, CNN predicted a dead heat until Democratic convention to nominate a candidate which means 6 months of misery before we find out who is the president, stock markets will swing both ways when there is a news of who is the front runner , Believe every wind of a news will make it happen. While this is happening what about folks who moved here for greener pastures of second kind? Green Card will be distant dream for folks from certain countries such as India, China, Philipines and Mexico. These countries use up quota every year which means that folks waiting for green card will wait longer and longer and longer. I am talking about folks who have Bachelors 4 year degree atleast. There are folks who have Masters degree in US they seem to be in the most of pain with running out of Immigrant visa within couple of months of Fiscal year( A fiscal year for Visa begins October of every year) why is this happening because the Immigration system is ancient while the folks who make the technology happen dont seem to enjoy newer rules and nobody wants to do anything. I guess this is another issue like Abortion or gun control where you talk the system is broken to get elected and do nothing about it to pave the way for others to do the same in a same manner while adding misery to lives. Every white house candidate talks about Immigration System is broken and we got to fix it but havent seen any step positvely to correct, granted rules have been changing to address this unless visa numbers are increased for folks who are skilled I dont see light at all as unskilled worker gets his green card in few months of landing while skilled worker continues to pile on his misery.

This is just not a post to vent my frustration but for folks to evaluate what is happening around them.

Physics 101

I was really taken a back of having forgotten basics of Physics.. however not everything on this video is true but will let you jog down the memory lane

Innovative environment

Simulation tools these days have been exceeding expecations, remember those days in school where we used a simulation language by name Simula, gone are those days, everything is graphical and instaneous results, I take pride in solving problems and understanding problems faster , this video will thrill ya take a look.

Publicity Gimicks

I guess there is no limit on Publicity gimicks these days, we make the petty things a big issue. An issue such large that it shows up on Google News, wonder if Google news is worth reading after reading such paltry happening a News of the Day. I am begining to wonder India isnt a free country anymore. You can't speak the truth, you cant wear what you intend to wear without being flagged. I am talking particularly about this incident which happened over the weekend to actress Shriya. While this is happening when a party decides to lodge a police complaint for the dress which is considered to hurt the feeling of Hindus, what does he expect to from celebrities?
Whatever happened to those cases which are pending and dont have the time or date for the judges to precide over. I will be surprised if this case is presided by a judge or a arrest warant is signed by a judge, I will begin to think our judicial system has hit the rock bottom. On similar grounds I guess the party which decided to lodge the complaint can get enough sleep of having made the news or rather Google news , thanks to Shriya and Shivaji-The Boss.

Ethically Speaking

I havent written on this blog for quiet sometime but have been wanting to write few of spoken topics such as Race to White house 2008. But however I feel I have to write what is close what I belive on i.e Sports, Cricket. The Indian Cricket team is having a tough time down under with what I call unexpected things going other way. We have a player on verge of ban though his ban is under appeal and umpiring calls going the other way. I feel it has been blown out of proprtions, here is the reason why it has been blown out of proportions.
1. Cricket is next to religion in India.
2. There are too many News Channels competing to get an edge to sensationalize the happening event.
3. There are millions of dollars at stake here be it for BCCI or CA.

The incident of poor umpiring is something every cricket team has seen over their playing team, The conditions Indians are facing nothing alien I remember the times of Indian Cricket tour when Sunil Gavaskar was the captain who refused to play after being given out costing India the match.

The Indian tour of 1985-1986 was marred by poor umpiring aswell, I guess India should get used to the fact of getting similar treatment down under but reacting to boycot the tour I am not sure about. Lodging protest is a way to let know but dont win it at the cost of not playing cricket, Emotions do ride high but as Cricketers we do what is best Playing good cricket.

If Aussies play hard , let us play hardball as well, who is stopping. Things which went out of proportions are

Deciding to ban a player for racist remarks which had no proof off is like ICC (Mike proctor) acting racially.
Removing an umpire to officiate the match is second greatest stupidity of ICC.

Forget all and go play good honest cricket.

Pixar - Lifted

Enjoy the Video.. the post for October ;-)

Ridiculous

Ridiculous , Yes that is what I would say looking at this YouTube Video, no I am talking about Video and the Character inside the video, none meant to the person who posted it..
Sorry Maxwell, Faraday and Hertz are long gone before this movie come out , else they would have wondered what the hell did they discover




If the above videos defy laws of physics in subject of Electricity the one you see below this text will really make Issac Newton commit suicide.. laws of gravity.. i better not mention it, pl enjoy them

Will India Win the World CUP????

Beginning of this year 2007 a lot of people were forwarding the same email of why India will win this year's world cup because of history has a fact of repeating itself. I have kind of pasted the email which was forwarded for quiet sometime until India exited from Real World Cup in W Indies. Well looks like everybody predicted it right but they were looking at wrong world cup, well sometimes if got to happen it happens so Twenty Twenty world cup was created and so India won, History repeats.


This is absolutely great. This will just be true .

Trivia – 1

Year 1981

1. Prince Charles got married

2. Liverpool crowned Champions of Europe

3. Australia lost the Ashes

4.Pope Died
2 years later India won the world Cup!!!

Year 2005

1. Prince Charles got married

2. Liverpool crowned Champions of Europe

3. Australia lost the Ashes

4.Pope Died

2 years later will India win the world Cup???? .........

- – - – - – Trivia -2

1982 Football World Cup won by Italy

1983 Cricket World Cup won by India

2006 Football World Cup won by Italy

2007 Cricket World Cup: INDIA ???



http://content-usa.cricinfo.com/twenty20wc/content/current/story/312320.html

AiR tel Rehman...

I am back with same topic Advertisement. Well this time I had to bring in some Technology factor in , AirTel has been one of the factors which has caused lots of cell phone subscribers in India to realize the power of communication. Their Ads are awesome and as usual AR Rehman backgrounds their music . Their Express yourself ringtone is awesome one. Enjoy the Video....

Russel Peters