Thursday, November 24, 2011

The Device that enliven me!!



About twenty-one years back, in 1990, a Parsee Lady from Mumbai complimented me by saying ‘You simply know how to talk to a computer’. I think she exceeded the limits while assessing me and definitely over estimated my capabilities but one thing is true that you can call me a technology savvy and crazy or better word is tech freaky. People like me sometime are too good for the machines and often too dangerous. Involving with a device for me means break or make. Therefore, I preferred to ignore if approached by someone to look at their machines.

I am very old fashion regarding this theory as for me Job satisfaction is before money and the attitude of mine directed me to this field. It was somewhere in 1985, I saw a real computer, that time it was a petty unknown things to me. While in Singapore, my friend’s nephew having one but I never saw it in healthy condition. My friend was a teacher and one day she told her nephew that she wanted him to get some answer from the computer. For your kind information, internet was not yet in picture at that time. I was wondering for many days that how a machine can answer her queries. Soon I back to India, first thing that I decided to get an instant answer for my queries, that is how I joined a course in Davar’s. After few months and a few programming languages I found my hunger grew with every program I wrote and wanted to know more. I joined a full time course in F.P.H. and believe me or not my class was 9 a.m. to 7 p.m., one good thing was there in FPH that the canteen over there used to provide food for very cheap rate, of course quality wise you cannot expect more. Therefore, I ventured to this world unknowingly and never knew that twenty-five years I am doing same thing, which I done that time means studying hard everyday, and teaching others, that too is very hard.

Before I could finish my Diploma I got a job, first one was part-time and immediately after that I landed in a  full-time job, it was a Parsee concern and we were developing software in COBOL. Even spending time with computer which was the best past-time for me but I never enjoy much my working days with the concern ‘Digital Abacus’. When I was just thinking to leave it, I got the job I was looking for and I stayed there until 1998. I left it because I wanted to return back to Kolkata but I stayed back there for another two years. It was one of my close friends wanted to start a computer setup somewhere in Thane and she wanted my help. So I stayed back to look after it, I still regretted decision later. Finally, June 2000 I returned back to the place where once I born and last eleven years I am running my own establishment mainly meant for BPO job. It is now turned to a training center and I am to the teaching.

However, these twenty-five years journey was very exciting and full of transformation. I like to remember all those processors that I worked with. There were computer that was only worked with Basic programming. Then came the big ‘O’, I mean operating system and all we needed was a 5 ¼ floppy disk to start and to store. In 1988, we got a machine with 286 processor, hard to believe but true that we had our first hard disk, capacity was six-forty megabyte. Until 1994 we used some of its modified versions like 386 and 486. Then finally Pentiums arrived and also Windows operating system (Windows 95).

This relentless upgrading of hardware was amazing but it was painful too. With keeping competition with new hardware in the market software companies too never failed to produce varieties of new software, be it application software or programming languages. Keeping pace with the change was stimulating, painful and miserable. It was too hard for the people like us, as I always explored with all sort of software. At the end of the day, I am not complaining and very much satisfied with my strive yet I am sad, I know how much effort I had given to learn COBOL, Fortran, Pascal etc. but today these are worthless piece of knowledge because those are  outdated.

!!!The computer, I am living in it, with it and simply loving it.!!!


Thursday, November 17, 2011

Fast & Furious!!




In the personal front we always put our self before anyone and anything. We like to feel superior and always think that what I can do no one does it better. Our perception changes when we think about our country. We prefer to mention India as a failed state. Fair share of our citizen ends up saying  ‘In India? Impossible’. If one ask, how people of our country having such negative feeling against their own country then most of these blames must goes to our  politicians, administrator, minister and for the level of corruptions exits in all department. Recent past we acknowledged two international sports events and its shows that India is well equipped to conduct such extravaganza. First one was the Commonwealth Games and second was the just concluded Indian Grand Prix. For Commonwealth Games it is known factor that how Suresh Kalamdi and company made mess out it for personal benefit but Formula One was totally free from all controversies and it was one of the most successful sports event to-date.

The formula One is one of my favourite item among various sports events. My liking very much related to the success of Michael Schumacher and Ferrari. Last couple of years Ferrari is down but it never hamper my interest. Here is a few facts about this sport :

History

The Formula One World Drivers' Championship is awarded by the Federation Internationale de l'Automobile (FIA) to the most successful Formula One racing car driver over a season, as determined by a points system based on Grand Prix results. The Drivers' Championship was first awarded in 1950, to Nino Farina. The first driver to win multiple Championships was Alberto Ascari, in 1952 and 1953. The current Drivers' Champion is Sebastian Vettel, who won his first World Championship in 2010 and successfully defended it in 2011. He is only the second German to win the title, after Michael Schumacher who won seven titles, highest by any driver.

The Race

The race begins with a warm-up lap, after which the cars assemble on the starting grid in the order they qualified. This lap is often referred to as the formation lap, as the cars lap in formation with no overtaking, although a driver who makes a mistake may regain lost ground provided he has not fallen to the back of the field. The warm-up lap allows drivers to check the condition of the track and their car, gives the tyres a chance to get some heat in them to get some much-needed traction, and gives the pit crews time to clear themselves and their equipment from the grid.

The Men and Machines

The first Formula One World Championship was won by Italian Giuseppe Farina in his Alfa Romeo during 1950, barely defeating his Argentine teammate Juan Manuel Fangio. However Fangio won the title during 1951, 1954, 1955, 1956 & 1957. His record of five World Championship titles stood for 45 years until German driver Michael Schumacher took his sixth title during 2003. The machines are the highest class of single seater auto racing sanctioned FIA. The "formula" designation in the name refers to a set of rules with which all participants' cars must comply.

Indian Grand Prix

The inaugural Indian Grand Prix, which hosted at the Buddh International Circuit, part of Jaypee Greens Sports City near New DelhiIndia is the fifth new Formula One venue in four years  after Singapore and Valencia 2008, Abu Dhabi 2009, Korea 2010.

Originally known as the Jaypee Group Circuit or the Jaypee International Circuit after the circuit's owners, the circuit was officially named the Buddh International Circuit in April 2011. The new Circuit is the part of the 2,500 acres, which also includes a 100,000 seat cricket stadium, 18-hole golf course. Jaypee Greens Sports City has similarities to Turkey, with a long main straight and a very long, sweeping corner. However, while Turn Eight was taken with an average corner speed of 270 kph, in India the corners are expected to be taken at 170 kph (Turn 10) and 210 kph (Turn 11) respectively. The lap time and speed will be very much dependent on the grip level achieved by the Pirelli tyres on the new asphalt surface.

The Statistics [ Top Three ]

Total Races Started
         
Constructor
Races Started
Seasons
Ferrari
829
1950-2011
McLaren
702
1966-2011
Williams
557
1978-2011

Top Three Championship winner By drive

Driver
Team
Total
Michael Schumacher
Ferrari
7
Juan Manuel Fangio
Alfa Romeo
5
Alain Prost   
McLaren
4

Total podiums
         
Constructor
Podium
Seasons
Ferrari
653
1950-2011
McLaren
469
1966-2011
Williams
296
1978-2011

Total pole positions

Constructor
Seasons
Poles
Ferrari
1950-2011
205
McLaren
1966-2011
147
Williams
1978-2011
126

Total Championships

Constructor
WCC
Seasons
Ferrari          
16
1961, 1964, 1975, 1976, 1977, 1979, 1982, 1983, 1999, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2007, 2008
Williams
9
1980, 1981, 1986, 1987, 1992, 1993, 1994, 1996, 1997
McLaren
8
1974, 1984, 1985, 1988, 1989, 1990, 1991, 1998

This Year Winners

 Driver
Team
Points
Sebastian Vettel
RedBull
375
Jenson Button
McLaren
255
Fernando Alonso
Ferrari
245
 
Listed as one of the most dangerous sport yet exciting, one hour total entertainment. Hope without fail we can repeat it and show the world that it is possible.

!!!India can do it, Matter of fact India done it!!!

Thursday, November 10, 2011

Silver Jubilee - On the pile of Silverwares!!Silver Jubilee - On the pile of Silverwares!



An achievement is not an easy package, it is not a pick and walk away objects. To achieve a goal one should enjoys certain qualities. All needed are hard working, dedication, passion, loads patients and bit of luck. Of course, a certain quotients of supports also require from the people around you, without it often all the efforts could ends up in a failure. 

Today I am writing about a man who is sitting on the pile of achievement and he is doing it for last twenty-five years. His job is tougher as he is competing at the highest level. Managing a world famous football club and at the same time he have to manage a bunch of worlds richest, famous and head strong footballer. This page is my tribute to the Sir Alex Ferguson, man who is having all qualities that a man need to achieves the goal, my god I am talking about goals yes scoring goals his first priority and he is having thousands in his kitty.

Sir Alexander Ferguson was born in Glasgow, Scotland. He was a Scottish association football manager and former player too. In 1969, after twenty-four extra-ordinary years when Sir Mat Busby retired, Manchester United struggled to find a proper manager and worst result was that the relegated in 1974 but promoted back within a year. Ron Atkinson was then given the job and after a brief success, he failed to achieve what needed from him. Finally 1986, 6th November Alex Ferguson appointed as Manager of the club.  His tenure has seen the club go through an era of success and dominance both in England and in Europe, giving Ferguson a reputation as one of the most admired and respected managers in the history of the game. Under him, Manchester United's 1998–99 season was the most successful in English club football history as they became the first team to win the Premier League, FA Cup and UEFA Champions League – "The Treble" – in the same season.

Stats
                                                                                               
Team
From
To
Record
G
W
D
L
GF
GA
GD
Win %
East Stirlingshire
J1974
 1974
17
9
2
6
36
28
+8
52.94
St. Mirren
1974
1978
169
74
41
54
292
222
+70
43.79
Aberdeen
1978
1986
459
272
105
82
914
374
+540
59.26
Scotland
1985
1986
10
3
4
3
8
5
+3
30.00
Manchester United
1986
Present
1,409
836
326
247
2,579
1,262
+1317
59.33
Total
2,064
1,194
478
392
3,829
1,891
+1938
57.85

On 11 October 1999, a special testimonial match was played in honour of Ferguson's contribution to the team. Manchester United played against a team dubbed "Rest of the World XI", managed by Ottmar Hitzfeld, with his team consisting of names such as Henrik Larsson, Gianluca Vialli, Cafu, Paul Gascoigne, George Weah, Peter Schmeichel and Eric Cantona, but with 20 minutes to go there was a mass substitution of their players, who were replaced by a former Manchester United XI; Peter Schmeichel, Paul Parker, Clayton Blackmore, Steve Bruce, Gary Pallister, Darren Ferguson, Mark Hughes, Lee Sharpe, and three number sevens: Bryan Robson, David Beckham and Eric Cantona. The World XI won the game 4–2. On 6th November 2011, when he completed twenty-five years in Old Trafford, the North stand was named after him.

Ferguson lives in Wilmslow, Cheshire, with his wife, Cathy Ferguson, Lady Ferguson. They married in 1966 and have three sons.

Sir Alex also having a fair share of controversies throughout his life but every successful man had a few or more. So, leave that few we awed by the man and his awesome achievements.

!!!Being a diehard MANUTD fan, looking forward to Sir Alex and many more silverwares!!!

Thursday, November 3, 2011

Nakoshi’s – The unwanted!



Apart from those are living in so-called high society, we Indian still love everything in a traditional way.  We are also vary proud about the rich tradition that we have but there are some shocking one too. One of such is discrimination towards girl child. It is an age old practice in India where people pray to the various Goddess but while going family way every one want a boy.  

Owing to a “tradition” that reflects gender bias, several parents in Satara (Maharashtra) have named their third or fourth daughter Nakoshi, in the hope that the next child will be a boy. They all got rid of the name ‘Nakoshi', which means unwanted in Marathi. However, in a region where gender bias only starts with the name, and the parents think of daughters as a burden, there is a possibility that the change will only be restricted to the renaming ritual, and not reflect in the actual change in mindset. In a bid to undo the damage, and spread awareness about protecting the girl child, the district administration organised a public event to rename and honour the girls.
The process to identify “Nakoshis” in the State was initiated by Ahmednagar-based activist Sudha Kankria who first noticed the trend in 2007.  In a recent ceremony all girls from Satara got rid of the name “Nakoshi” meaning unwanted in Marathi, and hopefully, the humiliation that came with it. 

Nakoshi Kirdat has a similar story to tell. She had her name changed to Neeta when she got married at 18. However, she remained “Nakoshi” on paper. “I was sent to school only till tenth class, as my parents didn't have money to educate me. But I always wanted to do something important, and gain respect. I have accepted the fact that my parents didn't want me when I was born, but I didn't want to give up on myself,” she states, with the faith that the new name will also give her a new identity. 

Discrimanation against girl child and women

About 500000 foetuses aborted every year only because they are female. Preference for the son in India is a well-documented phenomenon. Bias society neglect the girls and women resulting in their early death, female infanticide, and female foeticide.
Most Indian still maintain the ridiculous theory - “Raising a girl is like watering the neighbour’s garden” generally sums up the way girls in India are seen - as an economic burden on their parents.
The tragic tell of a mother shows how everyday scores of girls child killed andd al are of the records - "I lay on my bed weak after childbirth. My mother-in-law picked up the baby and started feeding her milk. I knew what she was doing. I cried and tried to stop her. But she had already given her milk laced with poisonous juice of the oleander plant. Within minutes, the baby turned blue and died".

Due to technological progress, techniques for preconceptual and prenatal sex determination become cheaper and more accurate; at the same time, the general income level rises. Thus, these methods become more and more affordable for the middle and lower class, providing people the opportunity to act according to their reproductive preferences.

The child sex ratio will gradually increase over the next decades; however, irreparable damage has already been done, not only to the countless girls who were deprived of their natural right of life, but also to society as a whole.

In 1992 Amartya Sen calculated that 37 million women were ‘missing’ in India . The UN in 2001 estimated that there were 44 million missing women in India.

!!!Don’t you relise that you are here because your mother was a woman?!!!