About more than a month ago, Delhi had been blown up with four consecutive blasts by some militants. I was expecting this incident after London blasts. The reason for that was, As Now India is showing nearness to USA and Britain, so this was about to happen. Anyway that is an debatable issue, and i am not planning to write something on that.
Instead I am going to write about change in behaviour of people after this bomb blast. I encounter with three incidents, where people reacted to unknown objects in public transport vehicle. In which one of them was initiated by me.
I usually catch DTC or Private transport buses to travel in NCR region. As blast had been happened in the DTC bus too, people are now much attentive and reactive to any thing that is susceptible.
In the First incident, i was in GL-32 Bus which runs to and from Noida to KarmPura Terminal. One person noticed the bag behind the conductor seat. Even after repeatedly asking about the owner of bag, no one was there for claiming it. So conductor decided to stop the bus and asked the driver to do so. Then one boy stood up from a seat and pick that bag. People were so annoyed with him that they scold him and warn him not to do so in future.
In the second incident, I was on the 492 Bus which runs to and from Noida to Nehru Place. I was sitting behind the conductor seat that exists besides the back door of bus. One person came into the bus and placed his bag under the conductor seat and then stood on the back door stairs. I felt like he is going to get down in one of the near by stops. So when conductor came to me asking for tickets, I explained my suspect-ion to him and asked him to perform check on that person. Conductor asked that person to pickup and open the bag. There was nothing but duty dress in the bag, But now i was feeling much more safe and comfortable.
Third incident has been happened today when i was coming to the office. This time again one traveller found a bag under conductor seat, he immediately asked about the owner of the bag. But this time owner responded immediately unlike to first incident. So nothing has been happened after that.
But encountering with all those incidents, I realize that people are now much more attentive and reactive than earlier, which is a good sign for crowded place like Delhi. I think from now, it would be much more difficult for anyone who will plan to harm Delhi like month back.
Monday, December 05, 2005
Friday, September 09, 2005
Working with Dish-Washer
Me and my friend are living together here since last four months. In fact i am living here since last 9 months. But during this whole duration we never tried to use our dishwasher in this whole duration. There were two reason for doing that, first we have never saw the dishwasher before and hence never used that. second, we were not aware about it's working functionality (basically myself).
But from last three weeks, we are using the dishwasher and found it very useful and time saving utility that now we are cursing ourselves why we were not using that before. But is not like every thing is happening fine from starting with dishwasher. First time when i tried to use that i have put three spoon washing powder. End result was, it overflowed and i had to waste one full hour to wash the floor.:) But after that i was keeping in mind about the quantity of washing powder.
But today again same thing happened despite of using less amount of washing powder. I don't know why that happened but have to know that. Any way time to clean the floor again.:)
But from last three weeks, we are using the dishwasher and found it very useful and time saving utility that now we are cursing ourselves why we were not using that before. But is not like every thing is happening fine from starting with dishwasher. First time when i tried to use that i have put three spoon washing powder. End result was, it overflowed and i had to waste one full hour to wash the floor.:) But after that i was keeping in mind about the quantity of washing powder.
But today again same thing happened despite of using less amount of washing powder. I don't know why that happened but have to know that. Any way time to clean the floor again.:)
Monday, August 15, 2005
Incedent at Los Angeles Airport
As i already described in the previous post, i had to wait at Los Angeles Airport from 10:00 to 6:45. Lot of incedents has been happened during that duration. I am explaing them below:
After getting denial from domestic airport, i asked them wheather i can stay at the domestic airport itself. Staff told me that I can stay here, But this teminal close down after 12:00. So better if i can stay at the International Airport. As International Airport keep open whole night. So i and one fellow girl returned back to International Airport. On International Airport we tried to catch the Information Center Staff, if they can help us to arrange some accomodation for the night. But there was no one at the counter in midnight.
So after waitng for the staff at the Information counter for few minutes, we decided to stay at airport itself and tried to search for empty seats so that we can do some rest. We found a place and and i kept all the luggage there and sat besides the luggage. After 20-30 miuntes. the girl asked me if i am hungry as she was feeling hungry and also want to make a call to her boyfriend in San Francisco. So i noded in yes and asked, should we keep the luggage to ourselves, She told that is not needed as we will come back after half an hour, so that is ok to leave the luggage here itself.
So i left all my luggage that place, she was not having any luggange just a carry bag, so she also placed that carry bag there, and we were set to go for eating and making phone calls. She was not having any change with her, so we went to one custom shop for change, lady at counter told us she can give change only for 2 dollars rest will be in count of one and five. When we gave her $10 note, she said that this currency is not real, as she could not make any mark on the note from her special pen. The Girl with me was quite worried, but finally things got over as note was not fake. We collected the change and then she tried to dail the numbers, after several tries she finally managed to make few calls.
Now we were really feeling hungry and went to Mac'Donalds for some food, as rest of the restorents were closed at that time. After collecting the food, i suggested to go back the same place where we have kept our luggage. When we reached to the place, we didn't found the luggage there, only empty trolly was standing there. I saw around but no one was there to help me about my luggage. After roaming 5-7 minutes, one air port staff asked me if i am looking for the luggage trolly? After noding in yes, he told me that police has picked the luggage half an hour back. Then i realize, we had gone from that place aroung two hour back.
So, now i requested that person if they can tell me, where police has taken it. He told me, i should check outside, if any police van is there, and asked them where they have taken that. He also told me if i have been delayed they will distroy the whole luggage. So i came out side the airport and searched for police van. But there was not any standing. I was now worried if they would had destroyed my things.
After little enquiry, i got the location where police sub-headquarter was. It was in the basement of the same plateform where we have kept our luggage. So i asked girl fellow if she can come with me. We both went to the police officer there, and explain him our problem. He asked me why i didn't kept my luggage with me always. He also given referenced to the bomb blast happened in the London few weeks back. He told me that people were used to leave their luggage but that was in 1960's not these days. He threatened me that these days we ususally put the abandon luggage in pressurer chembor and explode them if no one claims them in half an hour.
Now situation was going worse. Somehow another helping police officer dialed his head quarter number and told me to talk with them and ask them about my luggage, also describe them total number of items. I told the lady on the phone at other side. After few minutes she told me that there is no luggages as i have described. Now i was quite nervous. I then asked her what should i do now? She asked me if there was any airline stiker sticked on that, I said "Yes, there was."
Then she told me i should now check with the concerned airline staff. Beacuse usually if police officers found any luggage abandoned on the airport with airline sticker sticked, they handover it to concerned airline. So i came back again to the airport and searhed for China Airline counter. There was no one on the counter, so i asked staff at other airline counter about china airline. Staff member went into a room and called the china airline staff.
I told that staff member my situation, and she asked me to tell more detail of it. After telling her detail, she went inside the room and took the trolly out with my whole luggage. I was relaxed now after seeing it again. I have collected it and searched for better place to keep it, so that i can get some sleep now without bothering about my luggage now. Soon we found a place on the same side but other corner of air port at first floor. There were sofa available where people were taking nap with keeping their luggage besides them.
I was relaxed now. So searched for sofa where i can also take the nap.:) After nap, I wake up at 4:30 AM in morning, also waked up the girl fellow and came to the domestic airport to catch the San Francisco flight.
After getting denial from domestic airport, i asked them wheather i can stay at the domestic airport itself. Staff told me that I can stay here, But this teminal close down after 12:00. So better if i can stay at the International Airport. As International Airport keep open whole night. So i and one fellow girl returned back to International Airport. On International Airport we tried to catch the Information Center Staff, if they can help us to arrange some accomodation for the night. But there was no one at the counter in midnight.
So after waitng for the staff at the Information counter for few minutes, we decided to stay at airport itself and tried to search for empty seats so that we can do some rest. We found a place and and i kept all the luggage there and sat besides the luggage. After 20-30 miuntes. the girl asked me if i am hungry as she was feeling hungry and also want to make a call to her boyfriend in San Francisco. So i noded in yes and asked, should we keep the luggage to ourselves, She told that is not needed as we will come back after half an hour, so that is ok to leave the luggage here itself.
So i left all my luggage that place, she was not having any luggange just a carry bag, so she also placed that carry bag there, and we were set to go for eating and making phone calls. She was not having any change with her, so we went to one custom shop for change, lady at counter told us she can give change only for 2 dollars rest will be in count of one and five. When we gave her $10 note, she said that this currency is not real, as she could not make any mark on the note from her special pen. The Girl with me was quite worried, but finally things got over as note was not fake. We collected the change and then she tried to dail the numbers, after several tries she finally managed to make few calls.
Now we were really feeling hungry and went to Mac'Donalds for some food, as rest of the restorents were closed at that time. After collecting the food, i suggested to go back the same place where we have kept our luggage. When we reached to the place, we didn't found the luggage there, only empty trolly was standing there. I saw around but no one was there to help me about my luggage. After roaming 5-7 minutes, one air port staff asked me if i am looking for the luggage trolly? After noding in yes, he told me that police has picked the luggage half an hour back. Then i realize, we had gone from that place aroung two hour back.
So, now i requested that person if they can tell me, where police has taken it. He told me, i should check outside, if any police van is there, and asked them where they have taken that. He also told me if i have been delayed they will distroy the whole luggage. So i came out side the airport and searched for police van. But there was not any standing. I was now worried if they would had destroyed my things.
After little enquiry, i got the location where police sub-headquarter was. It was in the basement of the same plateform where we have kept our luggage. So i asked girl fellow if she can come with me. We both went to the police officer there, and explain him our problem. He asked me why i didn't kept my luggage with me always. He also given referenced to the bomb blast happened in the London few weeks back. He told me that people were used to leave their luggage but that was in 1960's not these days. He threatened me that these days we ususally put the abandon luggage in pressurer chembor and explode them if no one claims them in half an hour.
Now situation was going worse. Somehow another helping police officer dialed his head quarter number and told me to talk with them and ask them about my luggage, also describe them total number of items. I told the lady on the phone at other side. After few minutes she told me that there is no luggages as i have described. Now i was quite nervous. I then asked her what should i do now? She asked me if there was any airline stiker sticked on that, I said "Yes, there was."
Then she told me i should now check with the concerned airline staff. Beacuse usually if police officers found any luggage abandoned on the airport with airline sticker sticked, they handover it to concerned airline. So i came back again to the airport and searhed for China Airline counter. There was no one on the counter, so i asked staff at other airline counter about china airline. Staff member went into a room and called the china airline staff.
I told that staff member my situation, and she asked me to tell more detail of it. After telling her detail, she went inside the room and took the trolly out with my whole luggage. I was relaxed now after seeing it again. I have collected it and searched for better place to keep it, so that i can get some sleep now without bothering about my luggage now. Soon we found a place on the same side but other corner of air port at first floor. There were sofa available where people were taking nap with keeping their luggage besides them.
I was relaxed now. So searched for sofa where i can also take the nap.:) After nap, I wake up at 4:30 AM in morning, also waked up the girl fellow and came to the domestic airport to catch the San Francisco flight.
Experience with Thai Airways
This was my second visit to USA, i was going to join the same client after one month vacation. I asked in my office to book the ticket to the airline thorugh which i can reach to USA ASAP. Because i also wants to enjoy one day vacation in the USA also.
But due to my laziness and other's carelessness, i could not get reservation in the best flight as per my office staff told me. So finally i got the reservation on the Thai Airways. As this was the first time i was on thai airways so i was having no idea how bad it can be.
Things start going worse from the begining when i heard the anouncer to say that filght has been delayed by two and half hours. So i started the flight at 2:00 insted of 11:30. Now reservation of flight was such that i had to catch another flight at BangKonk at 7:00 in the morning. But due to delay at New Delhi itself we reached to BangKonk at 9:00. Till then our flight has gone and we were now depend on the thai-airways staff to provide us next flight to board on.
Initially behaviour of staff was good, and they also informed us that you would get the flight of 12:30 from some other airways (i don't remember name now). Till then you can enjoy the breakfast. I was happy with their service till 12:30. Now real things starts, there were not enough seat available on that airways so that they can accomodate all of us. So they gave us two options, first option for those who wants to go early with several more stops they can catch that airline and second option was, to wait for china airways if they wants everything right.
So i and few fellow decided to wait for china airways. This flight was at 4:30 so we have to wait for another four hours. I was not feeling hungry at that time around 1:00 as i had some big breakfast. But after one and half hour i was feeling hungry so i asked for them to provide me another coupan to get the lunch as they had given for breakfast. Staff manager has denied to provide the coupan and told me that now flight time is just after one and half hour so instead of trying for lunch i should rush for flight although flight was about to came on the same airport as airport was also not big.
So i searched for fellow whom i was with in the morning during breakfast. Soon i found them and i told them the whole situation, One of them was quite experience, he told me not to worry and said give me the blue pen if i had. He had update my ticket number and name on the coupan for lunch. So i had lunch with them.
Now after lunch we were having only 30 minutes left so we rush for the flight and board for Taipe (In Taiwan). After reaching to Taipe we have to catch another flight that was going to Los Angeles. That flight was after an hour. So when we reached to that terminal, security staff stopped us and said please wait till we confirm weather you are having the reservation on this flight or not. After 10 minutes one guy came with fax and told them that four people are in the list. So we got success to board into the flight for Los Angeles.
Now in Los Angeles, two of my fellow have left for Los Angeles itself as that was their destinaiton. but me and another person (one rawandian girl who was studying engineering in Noida) had to catch another flight for San Francisco. This flight was the domestic one. It was again after two hours, So i finished my VISA related formalities there and collected the luggage and came out for domestic airport after getting the direction help from one of the Airport Staff.
Now at domestic airport there was lot of people there and so much rush, Also there was a big queue there. after waiting in the queue for one hour when I reached to the air-port security staff to provide me the ticket, they asked me weather i had rebooked my flight as i had missed my flight. After telling them the whole situation, they told me that as there are not enough seats available on this flight and no advance booking has been done for me by the thai airways, i have to wait till morning 6:45 for the next flight to San Francisco. I had no other option left rather than waiting for the next flight at Los Angeles from 10:00 PM night till 6:45 AM in the morning.
So i caught the flight to San Francisco 6:45 in the morning and reached here in SFO at 8:30. After collecting my luggage at the SFO airport i found that Air port staff at Los Angeles had broken all my locks on the luggage bag and searched everything inside the bag, also broke few packets of beans and they were all mixed up in each. I was so upset that i decided to complain but when i opened my beg to recheck if any thing is missing, i found a piece of paper indicating that this has been done by the Air line staff for my safety:). I could not do any thing. I collected my luggage and catch the BART and came home.
So that was my experience i got faced due to carelessness of Thai Airways. Now instead of enjoying vacation at the SFO i was preparing myslef to go to office. Although i didn't go that day. But I have now deicided never to use Thai airways in my future life.
But due to my laziness and other's carelessness, i could not get reservation in the best flight as per my office staff told me. So finally i got the reservation on the Thai Airways. As this was the first time i was on thai airways so i was having no idea how bad it can be.
Things start going worse from the begining when i heard the anouncer to say that filght has been delayed by two and half hours. So i started the flight at 2:00 insted of 11:30. Now reservation of flight was such that i had to catch another flight at BangKonk at 7:00 in the morning. But due to delay at New Delhi itself we reached to BangKonk at 9:00. Till then our flight has gone and we were now depend on the thai-airways staff to provide us next flight to board on.
Initially behaviour of staff was good, and they also informed us that you would get the flight of 12:30 from some other airways (i don't remember name now). Till then you can enjoy the breakfast. I was happy with their service till 12:30. Now real things starts, there were not enough seat available on that airways so that they can accomodate all of us. So they gave us two options, first option for those who wants to go early with several more stops they can catch that airline and second option was, to wait for china airways if they wants everything right.
So i and few fellow decided to wait for china airways. This flight was at 4:30 so we have to wait for another four hours. I was not feeling hungry at that time around 1:00 as i had some big breakfast. But after one and half hour i was feeling hungry so i asked for them to provide me another coupan to get the lunch as they had given for breakfast. Staff manager has denied to provide the coupan and told me that now flight time is just after one and half hour so instead of trying for lunch i should rush for flight although flight was about to came on the same airport as airport was also not big.
So i searched for fellow whom i was with in the morning during breakfast. Soon i found them and i told them the whole situation, One of them was quite experience, he told me not to worry and said give me the blue pen if i had. He had update my ticket number and name on the coupan for lunch. So i had lunch with them.
Now after lunch we were having only 30 minutes left so we rush for the flight and board for Taipe (In Taiwan). After reaching to Taipe we have to catch another flight that was going to Los Angeles. That flight was after an hour. So when we reached to that terminal, security staff stopped us and said please wait till we confirm weather you are having the reservation on this flight or not. After 10 minutes one guy came with fax and told them that four people are in the list. So we got success to board into the flight for Los Angeles.
Now in Los Angeles, two of my fellow have left for Los Angeles itself as that was their destinaiton. but me and another person (one rawandian girl who was studying engineering in Noida) had to catch another flight for San Francisco. This flight was the domestic one. It was again after two hours, So i finished my VISA related formalities there and collected the luggage and came out for domestic airport after getting the direction help from one of the Airport Staff.
Now at domestic airport there was lot of people there and so much rush, Also there was a big queue there. after waiting in the queue for one hour when I reached to the air-port security staff to provide me the ticket, they asked me weather i had rebooked my flight as i had missed my flight. After telling them the whole situation, they told me that as there are not enough seats available on this flight and no advance booking has been done for me by the thai airways, i have to wait till morning 6:45 for the next flight to San Francisco. I had no other option left rather than waiting for the next flight at Los Angeles from 10:00 PM night till 6:45 AM in the morning.
So i caught the flight to San Francisco 6:45 in the morning and reached here in SFO at 8:30. After collecting my luggage at the SFO airport i found that Air port staff at Los Angeles had broken all my locks on the luggage bag and searched everything inside the bag, also broke few packets of beans and they were all mixed up in each. I was so upset that i decided to complain but when i opened my beg to recheck if any thing is missing, i found a piece of paper indicating that this has been done by the Air line staff for my safety:). I could not do any thing. I collected my luggage and catch the BART and came home.
So that was my experience i got faced due to carelessness of Thai Airways. Now instead of enjoying vacation at the SFO i was preparing myslef to go to office. Although i didn't go that day. But I have now deicided never to use Thai airways in my future life.
Thursday, May 12, 2005
My New iPod
Usually I am the type of person who never bought any thing without purpose, or never keep desire about the thing that is not able to enhance my lifestyle. Due to that behavior I never felt any necessity for iPod in my simple lifestyle.
But once my one friend Sharad Katiyar explains me the features associated with iPod and also explains me the various benefits I can achieve if I had an iPod. So after listening to him very consciously I also felt some need (with unwillingness) for iPod in my life.
But before finalizing the purchasing of iPod, I wanted to satisfy myself first. For that reason I went to Apple Store in Market. I tried to get the trial for an iPod, but could not felt satisfaction and hence I give-up the idea about purchasing the iPod.
But few week back, client itself given iPod to me as a reward for completion of product development. I have just opened yesterday and since then I am continuously listening it. It felt so good. I guess only reason for change of my mind is, on trial I was listening English songs instead of Hindi, which I am listening from yesterday. :)
But once my one friend Sharad Katiyar explains me the features associated with iPod and also explains me the various benefits I can achieve if I had an iPod. So after listening to him very consciously I also felt some need (with unwillingness) for iPod in my life.
But before finalizing the purchasing of iPod, I wanted to satisfy myself first. For that reason I went to Apple Store in Market. I tried to get the trial for an iPod, but could not felt satisfaction and hence I give-up the idea about purchasing the iPod.
But few week back, client itself given iPod to me as a reward for completion of product development. I have just opened yesterday and since then I am continuously listening it. It felt so good. I guess only reason for change of my mind is, on trial I was listening English songs instead of Hindi, which I am listening from yesterday. :)
Sunday, May 08, 2005
Issues of startup organization
I have got the chance to work in start-up in USA. Company is working in IP Telephony System. And now after working for last 3 years they are about to release their product. I tried to understand the reason why their product fails earlier. I found some interesting points behind that.
First point is selecting the right technology to implement the product. Company tried to prepare the product in C++/VC++ earlier. But as every one knows C++/VC++ is good for client server application where there are so much involvement of users comes in. But if application requires several layers, J2EE is getting advantage over C++/VC++. As lot of complex job, is being done already by several frameworks freely available in the Market.
So company could not prepare the first version of product with help of C++/VC++ in their first year. Then realizing the power of J2EE technology they tried to use that for preparing the product. Since then they are working with J2EE technology for making it better.
Next point is about the Architecture. A good architect product is always easy to implement and maintain. Company’s second version (J2EE product) of product fails due to bad architecture.
And third point comes the outsourcing. Amazing!! Don’t believe it. Me too! I could not believe that any startup would try to outsource their part of product. But due to saving money on user interface, as hiring a user interface guy here may be costlier to them. But they didn’t realize that being as a startup, when things hardy clear to everybody, they should not outsource any part of process to other company. And that was third failure for them.
Getting continuous third failure, now company has been much mature, and they realized the importance of technology, architecture and management of the product. So they hire New VP, New Architect and few very good technical people. So they can reduce the time of product formation.
Besides that company also thought about the coverage part. Earlier they had tried to cover everything in one go. Now they realize the complexity of that and decided to move gradually. And that decision provides them another step to success of their product.
Now company is able to release their product and trying to enhance the coverage of that product. Some another form of issues is coming into the picture. And those are related with managing the growing team. Although nothing serious as of now but may impact in future.
Now as company is having sufficient of resources and they are growing as per time. Still some people are working in the company for longer than years; Old resources are being possessive about the part they have completed. And this possessiveness doing harm to whole product without unknowingly. Due to that another issue is being arising is lack of distribution of role, authority and responsibility, particularly in their quality process. Still they are not realizing the quality process for their product. I am pretty sure after some time it will going to cost them big.
First point is selecting the right technology to implement the product. Company tried to prepare the product in C++/VC++ earlier. But as every one knows C++/VC++ is good for client server application where there are so much involvement of users comes in. But if application requires several layers, J2EE is getting advantage over C++/VC++. As lot of complex job, is being done already by several frameworks freely available in the Market.
So company could not prepare the first version of product with help of C++/VC++ in their first year. Then realizing the power of J2EE technology they tried to use that for preparing the product. Since then they are working with J2EE technology for making it better.
Next point is about the Architecture. A good architect product is always easy to implement and maintain. Company’s second version (J2EE product) of product fails due to bad architecture.
And third point comes the outsourcing. Amazing!! Don’t believe it. Me too! I could not believe that any startup would try to outsource their part of product. But due to saving money on user interface, as hiring a user interface guy here may be costlier to them. But they didn’t realize that being as a startup, when things hardy clear to everybody, they should not outsource any part of process to other company. And that was third failure for them.
Getting continuous third failure, now company has been much mature, and they realized the importance of technology, architecture and management of the product. So they hire New VP, New Architect and few very good technical people. So they can reduce the time of product formation.
Besides that company also thought about the coverage part. Earlier they had tried to cover everything in one go. Now they realize the complexity of that and decided to move gradually. And that decision provides them another step to success of their product.
Now company is able to release their product and trying to enhance the coverage of that product. Some another form of issues is coming into the picture. And those are related with managing the growing team. Although nothing serious as of now but may impact in future.
Now as company is having sufficient of resources and they are growing as per time. Still some people are working in the company for longer than years; Old resources are being possessive about the part they have completed. And this possessiveness doing harm to whole product without unknowingly. Due to that another issue is being arising is lack of distribution of role, authority and responsibility, particularly in their quality process. Still they are not realizing the quality process for their product. I am pretty sure after some time it will going to cost them big.
Thursday, May 05, 2005
Good lesson from real life activities
Yesterday, Suddenly we got to know that VP Engineering of my client company has been asked to leave. The reason described by one of the Board Of Directors was, As Client is looking for VP having more technical back ground in which client company is working.
It was a shock for the all of the engineering team who works with VP including me. The reason for shocking was even more intresting. Current VP was the first one under which client company was able to deliver good quality product. Before that client company was struggling since last 3 years to deliver a product upto market expectation.
Apart from responsiblity of delivering good product, current VP was also responsible for maintaining healthy envoirnment of work and prepare a team to do the work. VP has made significant improvement on these in very short duration. Infact i have also sensed those improvement in duration of 3 month only.
As i am here due to sheer intrest of VP. It would quite possible that i may also asked to leave after certain time when contract period will be over.
I have learned two lesson from this incedent:
1) Never disclose your cards to upper management unless you are not part of them.
2) Always create situation where you are needed most. As soon as you are no longer needed, you will be kicked out.
So In summary, lesson is, don't do good work unless you are not sure that you are going to get benefit of the work you have done!
That's why i hate to be in management.:)
It was a shock for the all of the engineering team who works with VP including me. The reason for shocking was even more intresting. Current VP was the first one under which client company was able to deliver good quality product. Before that client company was struggling since last 3 years to deliver a product upto market expectation.
Apart from responsiblity of delivering good product, current VP was also responsible for maintaining healthy envoirnment of work and prepare a team to do the work. VP has made significant improvement on these in very short duration. Infact i have also sensed those improvement in duration of 3 month only.
As i am here due to sheer intrest of VP. It would quite possible that i may also asked to leave after certain time when contract period will be over.
I have learned two lesson from this incedent:
1) Never disclose your cards to upper management unless you are not part of them.
2) Always create situation where you are needed most. As soon as you are no longer needed, you will be kicked out.
So In summary, lesson is, don't do good work unless you are not sure that you are going to get benefit of the work you have done!
That's why i hate to be in management.:)
Wednesday, April 27, 2005
My First Talk with a Pakistani
Since my young age I was very curious about my neighbor country Pakistan and its people, as this country comes at the first place in the list of rival countries for India. I always thought that these people must think the same way as we thought about them. After long wait I got chance to met a Pakistani accidentally. Not in India or in Pakistan but in USA, when I was deputed by my company for one of its client in San Francisco. Below is the description of one day event when I was planning to go to market to buy something for my dinner.
Today I decided to go to market in evening to purchase the chicken curry from one Pakistani restaurant. Here in San Francisco lot of Indian restaurant available. But most of them are being running by Pakistanis. They all have named there shop like Indian and Pakistani cuisine. So I went into one of that shop near Market. Although I was in search of “Pakwan” restaurant, but I could not found that and found another one.
So I went into that restaurant and ordered for 2 plate chicken curry to person on counter. As this was my second time that shop in duration of one month, so just after seeing my look, he recognized me. After few minutes he asked me, “Are you from India?” I answered him “Yes”. Then he asked me in Hindi, “Kahan se ho bhai?” I replied, “From New Delhi”. He was very curious about my arrival to USA. He also told me that in morning one girl also came from New Delhi. And want to know why there is lot of people from Delhi, Banglore? When I told him that these area are now having lot of software companies that’s why lots of people got chance to come here. He was little amazed.
Till now I could not know the person’s nationality. After talking various things about behavior and habits of local people, he told me the reason why he is here. According to him “Mulk mein agar kadar hotee to yahan pe thodee hote?” Then he told me that he is actually a Pakistani. He asked me what I do here. I was thinking how I should describe him as it is little difficult to describe a software professional job to a non-technical person and that too is having a totally different profession. After little thought I told him that I am software professional. To my surprise he was well aware of word Software Job and Project. Then he told me that one of his friends do this software job in Karachi. Then he told me that he don’t know much about the details of Software. Just he was aware of that some project exists in that and big companies are involved in this. So now in his mind I was now a person who got good money from a software company.
Then suddenly he asked me, weather I like spicy chicken curry. After my confirmation in yes, he said, “Chicken-Curry ka maza hee kya jub tak wo jaban pe na lage” and said, “Yahan pe ye log pata nahee kya-2 dalwate hain chicken-curry mein, cream etc. per spicy nahee kha pate hain”. According to him, Local person don’t do anything, they just enjoying their life, as they are not lacking any thing in their life. And we Indian and Pakistani are actually running the country at lower level. That is actually a future truth in my view. Till that time chicken-curry was ready, I paid him and returned back to my apartment to write my first experience with a Pakistani.
But after all this discussion I realized that although person can live in another country for the job and making money. But still he can not dissolve himself in the culture of that country, which is so different from his own country.
Today I decided to go to market in evening to purchase the chicken curry from one Pakistani restaurant. Here in San Francisco lot of Indian restaurant available. But most of them are being running by Pakistanis. They all have named there shop like Indian and Pakistani cuisine. So I went into one of that shop near Market. Although I was in search of “Pakwan” restaurant, but I could not found that and found another one.
So I went into that restaurant and ordered for 2 plate chicken curry to person on counter. As this was my second time that shop in duration of one month, so just after seeing my look, he recognized me. After few minutes he asked me, “Are you from India?” I answered him “Yes”. Then he asked me in Hindi, “Kahan se ho bhai?” I replied, “From New Delhi”. He was very curious about my arrival to USA. He also told me that in morning one girl also came from New Delhi. And want to know why there is lot of people from Delhi, Banglore? When I told him that these area are now having lot of software companies that’s why lots of people got chance to come here. He was little amazed.
Till now I could not know the person’s nationality. After talking various things about behavior and habits of local people, he told me the reason why he is here. According to him “Mulk mein agar kadar hotee to yahan pe thodee hote?” Then he told me that he is actually a Pakistani. He asked me what I do here. I was thinking how I should describe him as it is little difficult to describe a software professional job to a non-technical person and that too is having a totally different profession. After little thought I told him that I am software professional. To my surprise he was well aware of word Software Job and Project. Then he told me that one of his friends do this software job in Karachi. Then he told me that he don’t know much about the details of Software. Just he was aware of that some project exists in that and big companies are involved in this. So now in his mind I was now a person who got good money from a software company.
Then suddenly he asked me, weather I like spicy chicken curry. After my confirmation in yes, he said, “Chicken-Curry ka maza hee kya jub tak wo jaban pe na lage” and said, “Yahan pe ye log pata nahee kya-2 dalwate hain chicken-curry mein, cream etc. per spicy nahee kha pate hain”. According to him, Local person don’t do anything, they just enjoying their life, as they are not lacking any thing in their life. And we Indian and Pakistani are actually running the country at lower level. That is actually a future truth in my view. Till that time chicken-curry was ready, I paid him and returned back to my apartment to write my first experience with a Pakistani.
But after all this discussion I realized that although person can live in another country for the job and making money. But still he can not dissolve himself in the culture of that country, which is so different from his own country.
Solving the Puzzle
Today my friend, Sharad Katiyar sent me a mail, stating a challange for solving a puzzle which he was able to solve in just two minutes.
The puzzle description was pretty simple. There was a two dimensional maze (remember windows maze screen saver!). And I had to start driving a car from one entry and had to exit by abiding some constraints defined within the puzzle.
As the constraints was pretty hard and one can't remeber during driving his car, so for ease of that, puzzlemaker has made a .swf file and incorporated all the constraints within that.
This .swf file supposed to be executed with help of Macromedia Flash Player. But unlucky me! (or should i say myself lucky!). There was no Flash Player installed neither on my laptop nor on my machine. So i tried to open it with the one of the media players available on the machine. And i was successfully able to open that file. (There was no unsuppoted format file error!)
Now intresting thing happened, First few seconds (15-20) passed in understanding the puzzle. Then i tried to drive the car thorugh the help of arrow keys. But everytime something bad happened and i lost my control over the car i was driving. I tried to drive the car again by reseting it with the help of mouse, dragging the forward indicator to it's intial position.
But every thing was going in vain after couple of tries. At last (after 40 -60 seconds) I lost my patience and instead of concentrating on the puzzle, i just started to play with the forward indicator. At first I forwarded the indicator to extreme finish point, and i just noticed that car was also moved to somewhere else position from it's initial position at where I lost my concentration.
So now i was reversing the indicator to back slowly and found that at some place (60-65% forward from intial position) my car automatically was at the exit position. Hey!! Hey!! just a minute, Puzzle has been solved! And i was happy to solve that puzzle in less than two minute duration as my friend was challanging.
Now that was the time of (re)action, I immidiately replied my friend that there was nothing to be solved in the puzzle and described the quicker way to solve that puzzle.
I just received response from my friend Sharad Katiyar. He was very much dissapointed the way i solved the puzzle. He also suggested me the solution for playing the .swf file. But who cares now! Ulitmately solving the puzzle was the main motto. :)
The puzzle description was pretty simple. There was a two dimensional maze (remember windows maze screen saver!). And I had to start driving a car from one entry and had to exit by abiding some constraints defined within the puzzle.
As the constraints was pretty hard and one can't remeber during driving his car, so for ease of that, puzzlemaker has made a .swf file and incorporated all the constraints within that.
This .swf file supposed to be executed with help of Macromedia Flash Player. But unlucky me! (or should i say myself lucky!). There was no Flash Player installed neither on my laptop nor on my machine. So i tried to open it with the one of the media players available on the machine. And i was successfully able to open that file. (There was no unsuppoted format file error!)
Now intresting thing happened, First few seconds (15-20) passed in understanding the puzzle. Then i tried to drive the car thorugh the help of arrow keys. But everytime something bad happened and i lost my control over the car i was driving. I tried to drive the car again by reseting it with the help of mouse, dragging the forward indicator to it's intial position.
But every thing was going in vain after couple of tries. At last (after 40 -60 seconds) I lost my patience and instead of concentrating on the puzzle, i just started to play with the forward indicator. At first I forwarded the indicator to extreme finish point, and i just noticed that car was also moved to somewhere else position from it's initial position at where I lost my concentration.
So now i was reversing the indicator to back slowly and found that at some place (60-65% forward from intial position) my car automatically was at the exit position. Hey!! Hey!! just a minute, Puzzle has been solved! And i was happy to solve that puzzle in less than two minute duration as my friend was challanging.
Now that was the time of (re)action, I immidiately replied my friend that there was nothing to be solved in the puzzle and described the quicker way to solve that puzzle.
I just received response from my friend Sharad Katiyar. He was very much dissapointed the way i solved the puzzle. He also suggested me the solution for playing the .swf file. But who cares now! Ulitmately solving the puzzle was the main motto. :)
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