चटपटी खबरें - जीरो का आविष्कार

बहुत समय पहले आर्यभट जी मेरा गणित का पेपर चेक कर रहे थे। उन्होंने मेरा पेपर देखा और तब उन्होंने जीरो का आविष्कार किया और मुझे जीरो दिया। आज उन्हें सब जानते हैं लेकिन, उसे नहीं जानते जिसने उन्हें जीरो का आविष्कार करने पर मजबूर किया।

Hidden Meanings: Pictures in Indian Currency Notes (500 Rupees)

इस नोट पर दांडी मार्च की तस्वीर लगी है। यह भारत की आजादी की लड़ाई का प्रतीक है। यह आंदोलन महात्मा गांधी ने अंग्रेजों द्वारा बनाए नमक कानून तोड़ने के लिए शुरू किया था।... 

This note bears the picture of "Dandi march" This is the representation of Indian Struggle for independence. This revolution was a march initiated by Mahatma Gandhi to illegally produce salt from seawater.

*Source: http://money.bhaskar.com

Hidden Meanings: Pictures in Indian Currency Notes (100 Rupees)

100 रुपए के नोट पर पहाड़ और बादल की तस्वीर है। यह फोटो भारत के सबसे ऊंचे माउंट कंचनजंघा से लिया गया है। यह भारत की सबसे ऊंची पर्वत श्रृंखला... 

Rs.100/- Note shows the picture of Clouds and mountain. This picture is of highest peak in India: "Mount Kanchanjunga" and represents Indian highest Indian mountain chain


*Source: http://money.bhaskar.com

Hidden Meanings: Pictures in Indian Currency Notes (50 Rupees)

50 रुपए के नोट पर संसद भवन की तस्वीर है। जो भारत की डेमोक्रेटिक वैल्यूज और ट्रेडिशन को दर्शाता है... 

Rs.50/- Note shows the picture of Indian Parliament, which represents Indian Democratic values & Tradition.

*Source: http://money.bhaskar.com

Hidden Meanings: Pictures in Indian Currency Notes (20 Rupees)

20 रुपए के पुराने नोट पर कोणार्क के सूर्य मंदिर में लगा चक्र दर्शाया गया है। यह भारत की भवन निर्माण (आर्किटेक्चर) में पुरानी समृद्ध कला को दर्शाता है... 

वहीं 20 के दूसरे नोट पर पाम (ताड़) के पेड़ की फोटो छपी है। इस नोट में अंडमान आइलैंड की तस्वीर है। यह भारत की समुद्री विविधता को दर्शाता है... 

The old notes of Rs. 20/- have the picture of Wheel of Surya Temple in Konark. It depicts the rich ancient art of India in the field of architecture

The recent notes of Rs. 20/- have the picture of Borassus flabellifer (TAAD trees) and the picture is of Andaman island. It shows the Marine Diversity of India

*Source: http://money.bhaskar.com

चटपटी खबरें - पुरस्कार वापसी

मुंबई। जिन फिल्मकारों के पास कोई राष्ट्रीय पुरस्कार नहीं है और वे फिर भी पुरस्कार लौटाना चाहते हैं तो उनके लिए एक अच्छी खबर है। केंद्र सरकार ने कहा है कि कल से हम ‘फिल्मफेयर’ अवॉर्ड भी स्वीकार करेंगे। अवॉर्ड कहीं भी बना हुआ हो, हम उसे वापस लेने को तैयार हैं। 

एक प्रवक्ता ने इस ऑफर की जानकारी देते हुए कहा कि बस, शर्त यह है कि दस फिल्मफेयर पुरस्कारों को एक राष्ट्रीय पुरस्कार के बराबर माना जाएगा। हम यह ऑफर इसलिए लाए हैं क्योंकि अभी तक एक भी कलाकार ने अपना फिल्मफेयर अवॉर्ड वापस नहीं किया है। जबकि यह हर उस बंदे के पास है, जिसके पास दो हाथ, दो पैर और एक मुंह है, चाहे वो मुंह कैसा भी हो। एक ना एक फिल्मफेयर तो तुषार कपूर के घर से भी निकल ही आएगा। जब भी किसी एक्टर/डायरेक्टर/ प्रोड्यूसर का बेटा फिल्मों में एंट्री मारता है तो उसके लिए बेस्ट डेब्यू वाला फिल्मफेयर अवॉर्ड तो पक्का होता ही है। जितनी मेहनत करने पर हमें सब्जी के साथ मुफ्त धनिया मिलता है, उससे कम मेहनत में एक फिल्मफेयर मिल जाता है।’ 

अगर ये फिल्मफेयर वापस करने लगे तो आप इतने अवॉर्ड्स रखेंगे कहां?, इस सवाल के जवाब में प्रवक्ता हंसते हुए बोले कि रखने की जरूरत ही क्या है। हम उन्हें इस हाथ से लेकर उस हाथ में दे देंगे। मतलब हम उन्हें ऐसे लोगों में बांट देंगे जो अवॉर्ड्स की सच्ची कदर करते हैं, पर बेचारों को मिलते नहीं हैं।’ इस एलान के बाद प्रवक्ता जी बिहार में अपने नए मुख्यमंत्री के शपथ ग्रहण समारोह की तैयारियों को अंतिम रूप देने के लिए पटना रवाना हो गए। (काल्पनिक खबर)

Hidden Meanings: Pictures in Indian Currency Notes (10 Rupees)

10 रुपए का नोट भी दो तरीके से छापा गया था। पुराने नोट पर मोर की तस्वीर लगी थी। यह भारत की संस्कृति एवं कला को दर्शाता है... 

वहीं 10 रुपए के अन्य नोट पर शेर, हाथी समेत कई जानवरों की तस्वीरों छपी हैं। यह नोट भारत की जैव विविधता (बायोडाइवर्सिटी) को दर्शाता है... 

Similar to 2 Rupees Note, 10 Rupees Note is also printed in two forms. Old notes have the picture of a peacock which shows Indian art & culture

While the recent 10 Rupees notes have the pic of animals including a tiger, an elephant etc. This note depicts the biodiversity in India

*Source: http://money.bhaskar.com

Hidden Meanings: Pictures in Indian Currency Notes (5 Rupees)

पांच रुपए के नोट पर ट्रैक्टर चलाते किसान की फोटो छपी है। यह तस्वीर दर्शाती है कि भारत के विकास में खेती की अहम भूमिका है... 

Five Rupee note bears the picture of a farmer working in the field with his tractor. It shows the significant development made by India in the agriculture

*Source: http://money.bhaskar.com

Hidden Meanings: Pictures in Indian Currency Notes (2 Rupees)

दो रुपए के नोट दो तरह के होते हैं। एक नोट पर भारत के पहले उपग्रह आर्यभट्ट की तस्वीर छपी है। यह साइंस एंड टेक्नोलॉजी के क्षेत्र में भारत की उन्नति को दर्शाता है... 

वहीं दो रुपए के एक अन्य नोट पर रॉयल बंगाल टाइगर की फोटो छपी है। जो देश का राष्ट्रीय पशु है। यह हमारी शक्ति को प्रदर्शित करता है... 

Two rupees notes are of two type. One note depicts fist Indian satellite "Aryabhatt". It shows the development of India in the field of science & technology.

The other type of note depicts the picture of "Bengal Tiger". It is our national animal & represents our Power.

*Source: http://money.bhaskar.com

Hidden Meanings: Pictures in Indian Currency Notes (1 Rupee)

एक रुपए के नोट पर ऑयल रिज (तेल उत्खनन मशीन) की तस्वीर होती है। ये फोटो बताता है कि भारत का विकास, औद्योगिक डेवलपमेंट के जरिए ही हो सकता है।... 

One Rupee Note depicts the picture of an Oil Rig. This photo shows that India can progress through the Industrial Development only

*Source: http://money.bhaskar.com

Quote of the day - jealous people

रहते हैं आस पास ही, पर पास नही होते
जलते है कुछ लोग मुझसे, बस खाक नही होते

Interesting Sayings........ "Advertisements"

IN ADVERTISEMENTS WHAT BIG PRINTS GIVE 

SMALL PRINTS TAKE AWAY

Interesting Sayings.....

WHOEVER FOLLOWS THE CROWD 

WILL NOT BE FOLLOWED BY CROWD

Interesting Sayings......

SOME CAUSE HAPPINESS WHEREVER THEY GO 

OTHERS WHENEVER THEY GO


Which side you wanna be ...

Interesting Sayings.....

GOOD ENGINEERING COMES 

OUT OF GOOD EXPERIENCE 

BUT GOOD EXPERIENCE COMES 

OUT OF BAD ENGINEERING

Interesting Sayings...

BE GOOD TO OTHERS ON YOUR WAY UP 

YOU MAY NEED THEM 

ON YOUR WAY DOWN

Today's Business World...

DO WORK 

OR 

TAKE CREDIT

Interesting Sayings...

WE DON’T STOP PLAYING 

BECAUSE WE GROW OLD 

WE GROW OLD 

BECAUSE WE STOP PLAYING

Interesting Sayings.....

IF YOU RISK NOTHING 

YOU RISK EVERYTHING

Interesting Sayings......

WHEN MONEY SPEAKS

THE TRUTH IS silent

वो मेरा ना हुआ...

ज़िन्दगी के सफर में हर अरमान पूरा ना हुआ
पर इस बात का हमें कभी गम ना हुआ
बस एक बात चुभति है दिल में फिर भी कभी कभी
कि मैं उसका और वो मेरा ना हुआ

Girlfriend or Career?

I have to pick between my girlfriend, whom I absolutely love, and my dream job, which pays five times as much as I currently make. What do I do? Is there a way for me to choose both?

Some men choose to follow women , and some men choose to follow their dreams. If you're wondering which way to go, remember that your career will never wake up and tell you that it doesn't love you anymore.

i hope you have your answer..

(a broken heart will last for a while.. but a broken dream will kill you everyday of your life) .

What is the worst argument in the world?

A: He topped the class. He must have studied really hard.

B: So, what? I studied just one day and managed to pass. I could have easily topped as well, had I studied properly. Not a big deal!
* * *

Probably the worst argument!

P.S. Never judge on things you "could have" done but haven't actually done.

What are some of the best paintings by Indian artists?

This was a gift to JRD Tata on his Birthday by a street artist.. Nobody was able to understand his art. Unfortunately, only the painting was given to JRD and the artist had promised to reveal the secret shortly However, JRD was no more when the secret was actually revealed.

Here's  the secret revealed. When you place a steel rod at the circle in the  first pic you saw, you will see the image of the JRD Tata as a  reflection on the steel rod as seen in the second pic below. Isn't it  incredible!!

What EdUcAtIoN SyStEm has given me !!!

There have been lot of jokes and sarcastic remarks on our education system and its importance in our professional lives. Even today while browsing a page on facebook, i came across a post: "Sometimes I just want to go back to school, attend a class and abruptly shout - KYO PADHA RHE HO. YE KYA ***** KAAM AAYEGA?" 

While it may be true for some, but it may not be a general statement which holds a universal truth. There's a saying that - "A teacher can only teach students as much as they are ready to learn". A teacher imparts same education to all the students but still some of them become toppers in the class while others fail. Why?

I am not saying that my views expressed below are universal truth but these may be felt true by a lot of us who will spare time to think about it. So, today after reading the above said post on facebook, I thought of sharing my experience about - What our education system has taught me & how it has helped me in my personal & professional life.

ABILITY TO INTERACT PROFESSIONALLY is something that I had learnt during my school days. Interacting with the teachers, with classmates and friends and with the other staff members of the school was the first experience I gained in my school, that is still helpful in my professional & personal life.

HISTORY is one of my least liked subjects. And sometimes I wonder if it was really necessary. But if we think deeply, it was one subject that had potential to influence our moral values. The feeling of patriotism and unity & the importance of freedom was something that history has taught us and has ingrained in our values itself

LANGUAGE - be it Hindi or English or any other regional language is taught in our schools that we use for our whole life. But being a part of our daily routine, we forget its importance in our life and the fact that our schools only had taught us how to read & write. 

Coming to the professional studies (like engineering/MBBS/MBA etc.) it may seem wasteful and useless in our jobs, but are they totally meaningless? If that be the case then why a company specifies to have degree in mechanical engineering or MBA in finance and not have general demand that any graduate can apply (like in banks)

What I had learnt depends on how I view it. The engineering course had provided me with the first opportunity to visit a manufacturing facility and see how things happen in the industries. I learnt that how the small components we see in the machines & the vehicles are manufactured with precision and my course helped me to understand those operations. The course may not have taught me how to operate a lathe machine, but thats not what I as an engineer is supposed to do. I need to be able to read the drawings and understand the design and implications of any deviation or change.

In short if I say, a whole building can not be built in a day. Our education system does the work of laying the foundation for us to build upon it. How and what we build over it is upto us, but to blame that the education system is useless and good for nothing is not justified in my personal opinion. There is always a scope for improvement in all fields and our education system is no exception. But it doesn't means that the present system is scrap. Please respect the System that has enabled us to become what we are today.  

25 facts about the Great Pyramid of Giza

The Great Pyramid a true masterpiece and has rightly earned the title of a “Wonder”. It was built with such precision that our current technology cannot replicate it.  Historical analysis shows that the Pyramids were built between 2589 and 2504 BC. There are so many interesting facts about this Pyramid that it baffles archaeologists, scientists, astronomers and tourists. Here are the facts:

1. The pyramid is estimated to have around 2,300,000 stone blocks that weigh from 2 to 30 tons each and there are even some blocks that weigh over 50 tons.
2. The Pyramid of Menkaure, the Pyramid of Khafre and the Great Pyramid of Khufu are precisely aligned with the Constellation of Orion.
3. The base of the pyramid covers 55,000 m2 (592,000 ft 2) with each side greater than 20,000 m2 (218,000 ft2) in area.
4. The interior temperature is constant and equals the average temperature of the earth, 20 Degrees Celsius (68 Degrees Fahrenheit).
5. The outer mantle was composed of 144,000 casing stones, all of them highly polished and flat to an accuracy of 1/100th of an inch, about 100 inches thick and weighing approx. 15 tons each.
6. The cornerstone foundations of the pyramid have ball and socket construction capable of dealing with heat expansion and earthquakes.
7. The mortar used is of an unknown origin (Yes, no explanation given). It has been analyzed and its chemical composition is known but it can’t be reproduced. It is stronger than the stone and still holding up today.
8. It was originally covered with casing stones (made of highly polished limestone). These casing stones reflected the sun’s light and made the pyramid shine like a jewel. They are no longer present being used by Arabs to build mosques after an earthquake in the 14th century loosened many of them. It has been calculated that the original pyramid with its casing stones would act like gigantic mirrors and reflect light so powerful that it would be visible from the moon as a shining star on earth. Appropriately, the ancient Egyptians called the Great Pyramid “Ikhet”, meaning the “Glorious Light”.  How these blocks were transported and assembled into the pyramid is still a mystery. – http://www.gizapyramid.com/general.htm
9. Aligned True North: The Great Pyramid is the most accurately aligned structure in existence and faces true north with only 3/60th of a degree of error. The position of the North Pole moves over time and the pyramid was exactly aligned at one time.
10. Center of Land Mass: The Great Pyramid is located at the center of the land mass of the earth. The east/west parallel that crosses the most land and the north/south meridian that crosses the most land intersect in two places on the earth, one in the ocean and the other at the Great Pyramid.
11. The four faces of the pyramid are slightly concave, the only pyramid to have been built this way.
12. The centers of the four sides are indented with an extraordinary degree of precision forming the only 8 sided pyramid, this effect is not visible from the ground or from a distance but only from the air, and then only under the proper lighting conditions. This phenomenon is only detectable from the air at dawn and sunset on the spring and autumn equinoxes, when the sun casts shadows on the pyramid.
13. The granite coffer in the “King’s Chamber” is too big to fit through the passages and so it must have been put in place during construction.
14. The coffer was made out of a block of solid granite. This would have required bronze saws 8-9 ft. long set with teeth of sapphires. Hollowing out of the interior would require tubular drills of the same material applied with a tremendous vertical force.
15. Microscopic analysis of the coffer reveals that it was made with a fixed point drill that used hard jewel bits and a drilling force of 2 tons.
16. The Great Pyramid had a swivel door entrance at one time. Swivel doors were found in only two other pyramids: Khufu’s father and grandfather, Sneferu and Huni, respectively.
17. It is reported that when the pyramid was first broken into that the swivel door, weighing some 20 tons, was so well balanced that it could be opened by pushing out from the inside with only minimal force, but when closed, was so perfect a fit that it could scarcely be detected and there was not enough crack or crevice around the edges to gain a grasp from the outside.
18. With the mantle in place, the Great Pyramid could be seen from the mountains in Israel and probably the moon as well.
19. The weight of the pyramid is estimated at 5,955,000 tons. Multiplied by 10^8 gives a reasonable estimate of the earth’s mass.
20. The Descending Passage pointed to the pole star Alpha Draconis, circa 2170-2144 BCE. This was the North Star at that point in time. No other star has aligned with the passage since then.
21. The southern shaft in the King’s Chamber pointed to the star Al Nitak (Zeta Orionis) in the constellation Orion, circa 2450 BCE The Orion constellation was associated with the Egyptian god Osiris. No other star aligned with this shaft during that time in history.
22. Sun’s Radius: Twice the perimeter of the bottom of the granite coffer times 10^8 is the sun’s mean radius. [270.45378502 Pyramid Inches* 10^8 = 427,316 miles]
23. The curvature designed into the faces of the pyramid exactly matches the radius of the earth.
24. Khufu’s pyramid, known as the great pyramid of Giza, is the oldest and largest, rising at 481 feet (146 meters). Archaeologists say it was the tallest structure in the world for about 3, 800 years.
25. The relationship between Pi (p) and Phi (F) is expressed in the fundamental proportions of the Great Pyramid.

Future Technologies - Hydroponics

This is the science of growing plants in water and liquid fertilizer in a greenhouse instead of a farm's field. This method could produce better fruits and vegetables, and it's been around a long time since World War II. The only thing that's prevented its adoption has been the high cost of energy. 

New technology, some of it interestingly enough developed by illegal marijuana growers, is making it viable again. One advantage such operations have would be lower transportation costs; food could be grown in warehouses and other buildings in large cities and provide vegetables all year long. Another advantage is that hydroponics does not require pesticides or herbicides, so it uses fewer chemicals and is healthier. There is no risk of cancer or other side effects caused by pesticides because none of them are used. It could also be used to grow large amounts of food in areas where extra land is not available or cropland has been exhausted by over farming. If energy costs are kept down, it would be competitive with food shipped over long distances. 

Hydroponics is already being tested in the U.S. A company called Gotham Greens is pioneering hydroponics in New York City with a large scale greenhouse in an old bowling alley in Brooklyn. It produces organic lettuce and basil for sale to the city's restaurants. If energy costs can be kept down, this could be the agriculture of the future. One technology that could do that is cold fusion. If crops can be grown 12 months a year in a climate controlled greenhouse, how will traditional farms compete?

Emerging Technologies - MAGLEV

A magnetic levitation, or Maglev train, uses magnetism to literally levitate right above a track. This enables the train to move across the ground at speeds of over 300 miles per hour using minimal energy and few moving parts. 

That means it provides high speed ground travel at little or no cost. A person using one would be able to travel from Las Vegas to Los Angeles in about an hour. The Transrapid combine from Germany has perfected maglev and built a 19-mile long maglev that carries commuters between Pudong International Airport and the Chinese City of Shanghai. A 10-mile long Maglev commuter line is under construction in Beijing. The Japanese government has given preliminary approval for the Chuo Shinkansen, the world's first Maglev bullet train, which would travel between Tokyo, Osaka, and Nagoya at speeds of 505 kilometers (313 miles) an hour. Current plans call for service to begin in 2027. Several other maglev lines are planned around the world, including some in the U.S. 

The effects of Maglev travel could be as disruptive as earlier transportation advances like cars. Maglev could allow a person to live in Altoona, Penn., or Rochester, N.Y. and commute to a job in Manhattan every day. It could also greatly reduce the cost of shipping and travel. The only thing blocking this technology would be the high cost of building Maglev lines. Several Maglev projects have been proposed in Germany, but cancelled due to costs. Successful lines in Japan and elsewhere could change that.

Developing Technologies - 3-D Printing

This could potentially be the most disruptive technology introduced since the personal computer. A 3-D printer is literally a factory in a box; a person puts in raw material, pushes a button, and the box makes an object. 

Today's 3-D printers make plastic models or metal parts for machines. They're called printers because they make three dimensional objects the way printers put images on paper. In the future, when you go to the garage, instead of ordering parts, the mechanic could look them up online, then download the designs into a 3-D printer that could make them. Huge numbers of inventors and engineers all over the world are working on 3-D printers. There are plans for printers that make food, clothing, chemicals, and drugs. A pharmacist using a drug printer could manufacture your prescription while you wait. A company named Contour Crafting even has plans to make buildings with 3-D printed components. If 3-D printing works out, the changes it brings could be vast. Instead of factories in China making our clothes and a vast transportation structure, there could be a machine in a shop at the mall that makes clothing. 

There's also a dark side to this; for example, how will gun control laws be enforced if anybody can download the plans to an AK-47 and make one using a printer?

As with every technology, this one will become a boon or a bane, only time will tell.

Scored low in exams? Its not the end of the world...

CBSE class X and XII results came out earlier this week. As a 90% aggregate becomes as common as kissing in our movies (no big deal) and cut-offs for good colleges become insane, we wonder if there is anyone who hasn’t scored amazing marks. In the loudness of the voice of few high scorers, we often forget about the majority of so-called mediocres who haven't made it into high flying 90% list. According to the report published in THE HINDU newspaper, only 6.6 per cent of students across the country scored above 90 per cent. That means if you are not in the list, don't get disheartened. The majority is still with you. 

Consider an average guy X, who scored something like 65% n board exams and was not so confident about getting a better college & a better job. Everyone, including his parents, relatives and neighbors consoled him that it’s not the end of the world and he has a bright future ahead. But did they really mean it? Did they actually believe their own words of condolence? This article is not meant to act as a balm to your low marks. The aim is to address the majority of the students who don’t get in the limelight because they are below 90%. But consider this:

1.      Marks are only one aspect of one’s capability – Yes marks are important. Higher marks help you get into better branded colleges, which in turn attract better branded companies, which in turn tend to give better compensation (salary). After all its all about money, isn’t it? And I won’t be giving examples of Ambani or so, and say that marks don’t matter. But if you are an average middle class Indian, looking to make his/her living by working for someone else, higher the marks, better the start of your professional career. But it doesn’t means that getting a little less marks is the end of the world. There are lot many organizations which can’t attract the top scorers from colleges and offer jobs to the mediocre talent. But trust me, in my short professional life of 7 years, no one has ever asked my marks after my first job. It’s what I have learnt at my job, and what I have achieved in job is all what matters.

2.       The game is not yet over – The only thing high marks indicate is that the student has the tenacity and perseverance to excel at something. Hence, I am not going to say toppers don’t deserve praise. But life is more than just tenacity and mathematics. Exams don’t test creativity, imagination, people skills and communication. In life these are what matter. And who says that Google or Infosys or HUL are the only companies offering settled life. It’s about what you are good at, what makes you succeed. Learn and improve yourself and do your job with honesty and sincerity. Opportunities will come over time, if you improve yourself. Not everyone can become Sachin Tendulkar of cricket or Lionel Messi of football. But it’s the team of 11 and the substitutes that make a team – CHAMPIONS.

3.      Changing the aptitude – Work is not a burden; it’s a game you need to play. Play it to enjoy and the life will be a lot easier. Complaining regularly about the system will not help, it will only increase your stress and hence deteriorate your own health. Its difficult to believe but I have found it helpful saying – “Either change the system and make it better, or be a part of the system”

This is not written by a guy who secured 90-95% marks and got admission in IIT or IIM and everything was smoothly achieved. It’s written by a average guy belonging to same mediocre category, who has always believed in learning and to enjoy the life – personal & professional. Today, here I am; sitting with the guys from NITs and IITs doing the same work as I am doing and getting more or less the same remuneration. Yes, I had to sacrifice a few years of my life to achieve the same level, but in the end – the experience I had got from those extra few years have made me more tough yet flexible who can get settled more easily than these toppers of our education system.  

Scored low in exams? Some life lessons from a 76 percenter*

The CBSE class X and XII results came out earlier this week. As a 90% aggregate becomes as common as kissing in our movies (no big deal) and cut-offs for good colleges become insane, we wonder if there is anyone who hasn’t scored amazing marks. In the noise of high scorers, we often forget the lakhs of students who score in the fifties, sixties and seventies. We brand them mediocre. We offer them succour with a few articles that cite low scorers who became billionaires or movie stars and have headlines that scream ‘marks don’t matter’. Well, if they didn’t matter, why on earth would everyone be chasing them, is a question they don’t answer.

This article is addressed to those low scorers. It’s for that average guy X who scored, say , a 76% in his boards. X, the overweight kid who isn’t that confident and has become even less so after the results came out. X, whose relatives and neighbours come to console him with ‘it doesn’t matter,’ but deep down wonder if this boy will do anything in life. If you relate to this guy, or know someone who does, this article is for you. It isn’t a soothing balm for your low marks. These are some no-nonsense tips on what to do when you have scores that suck and people have given up on you. Here goes:

1 | You are not your marks

Yes, marks are important. They make life hell of a lot easier. High marks make people think you are smart. Colleges with a brand name let you come in. Companies with a brand name come to these colleges. They give you a job, which pays rather well. You can use that money to pay bills, get married, have sex, start a family, and produce kids who you will push to get higher marks and repeat the cycle of torment. This, for most people, is life -making it as predictable, safe and stable as possible.Indian parents particularly love this zero-risk appetite life, where a monthly cash flow is assured and kids are born and raised as per plan. They have a word for it -settled. Indians love that word. We want to settle, we don’t want to roam, have adventures and fly. Settle, or in other words, produce kids, work in office, watch TV at home, repeat for a few decades, die. Toppers find it easier to settle. Nontoppers take a bit longer. A delay in ‘settling’, the ultimate Indian dream, is just about the only sucky thing about low marks.

2 | The game of life is not over

These marks are in certain subjects, which are not exactly what leads to success in life. Sure, you study Maths and Science, but these are standard concepts, recycled and drilled into students and tested in the exams. The only thing high marks indicate is that the student has the tenacity and perseverance to excel at something. Hence, I am not going to say toppers don’t deserve praise. But life is more than just tenacity and mathematics. Exams don’t test creativity, imagination, people skills and communication. In life these are what matter. You build these skills through study or actual practice, and it is highly likely you will get somewhere in life. However, you must add hard work to it. Ask yourself, whether you had low marks because you don’t have aptitude for these subjects, or did you slack off ? If you slacked off, don’t do that again if you want to get anywhere in life. Take that lesson, and then build your communication, English and people skills. Learn how business works. Not everyone in India can get plum jobs, there are just way too many of us. Entrepreneurship is something a lot of youngsters will have to learn and try .

3 | Strive for excellence

In whatever you do, try to excel. Excellence in board exams can be measured through marks, but over time in life, the marks will stop. What will matter is what people think of you. Your reputation, your reliability, and your word will build your own mini-brand. Once that happens, people will stop asking about your marks, or where you studied. You will be the brand.

Nobody has asked me for my marks in a long time. However, you know the boy I wrote about above? Well, that’s me. I scored that 76% in Class X. I felt horrible then, but eventually I didn’t let it define me. It doesn’t matter today. After all, you still read this article, right?

*Article by Chetan Bhagat (Writer) in Times of India

Mysteries From India - The Village Of Twins

Kodinhi is a village in Malappuram district in Kerala, India. Administered by the Nannambra panchayat, the village came to international attention for the unusually large number of multiple births in the region.

Kodinhi only has around 2,000 families, yet there are 250 sets of twins officially registered there. In fact, there could be many more—experts estimate there could be as many as 350 sets of twins in the area.

Despite several studies being conducted, the exact cause of this phenomenon is yet to be ascertained. Women from Kodinhi married off to faraway places are also known to give birth to twins. The number of twin births in Kodinhi has been increasing over the years

Research has suggested that the multiple births could be related to the eating habits of the women in the region; though no direct correlation between dietary intake and twin births has been observed.

Doctors have absolutely no idea what is causing this strange phenomenon. They assume there must be some unknown hereditary factor at work, or maybe it’s something they eat. Until they find out for sure, the Village of Twins remains one of the strangest curiosities of perhaps the most mysterious country in the world

Similar phenomenon of a large number of twin births within a small isolated community has been observed in Cândido Godói, Brazil & in the town of Igbo-Ora in Nigeria

Want to buy a car... but unsure if you can afford one or not??

Often we consider the price of a car while buying it, and may be the power, comfort, fuel economy etc. Especially while buying a low cost car, we put emphasis on fuel economy but often neglect other costs associated with it. Here's a approximate tabular representation that how a car's running cost may go to almost 40-50% of its purchase price.

These table which are based on very raw calculations show that if you drive your car for approx 30 Kms a day for going to your office and market etc., you may run into shedding about 40% of its purchase price every year. This doesn't takes into account cost for emergency works like accidental damage, techincal problems etc. 

Of course if you are going for further higher grade cars / luxury cars, these figures may not scare you, but if you are a middle class working person, you may want to re-think about your plan to buy a new car. 

And for those who consider car is a necessity now a days, this table still indicates that owning a car shall still be considered as a luxury meant for your comfort only.

Misplaced sympathy & reaction to Salman Khan found guilty in the 2002 hit-and-run case*

The reactions to film actor Salman Khan found guilty in a 13-year-old hit-and-run case and sentenced to five years in jail have been predictable. The film fraternity has expressed 'shock' over the judgement. Some have expressed sympathies. Even some of the TV news channels have dramatised the entire court proceedings almost giving the impression that the judgement is harsh.

The 'Dream Girl' of Bollywood and BJP MP from Mathura Hema Malini said that her sympathies are with Salman Khan. She hastily added that judgement has to be respected too.

Many other cine celebrities who are unaware of the criminal justice system in India, which says all are equal and the sentencing will also be equal, are behaving like Salman Khan is a poor fellow who has been punished for no fault of his. Fortunately, nobody has attacked the judge or the judiciary because of the fear of contempt proceedings.

Shocking, very few people are openly hailing the judgement and expressing sympathies with the pavement dwellers who died and injured due to Salman Khan's drunken driving.

While the film fraternity as expected closed ranks to express sympathy for one of their own, there is not a single word about Nurullah Mehboob Sharif, the man who was killed in the accident, and his family which is still struggling to lead a decent life. Even the injured Kalim Mohammed Pathan, Munna Malai Khan, Abdullah Rauf Shaikh and Muslim Shaikh have been completely missing from the discourse.

Even with all the shortcomings, our judiciary has time and again proved that it will not spare anybody. The same judiciary has sent another big film star Sanjay Dutt to jail in the Mumbai bomb blast case of 1993. The same judiciary has sent mighty people like AIADMK supremo J Jayalalithaa, business tycoons Subrato Roy Sahara and Ramalinga Raju, self-confessed godman Aasaram, the powerful Haryana politician family Chautalas and many others in various other cases across India.

Instead of shedding tears for Salman Khan's plight, the so-called educated society must hail the judgement and express sympathies with the poor victims of Salman Khan's rash driving.

Salman Khan seems to have realised that he is also a human being after the judge Deshapande declared him guilty of all charges. With tears in his eyes and folded hands, he requested Additional Sessions judge DW Deshpande to sentence him as an ordinary citizen and not as a super film star.

Only when they are down and faced with the harsh realities of life, our rich, famous and the mighty come down to earth and start behaving like commoners. Once again thanks to our judiciary.

These things are not just India specific phenomenon. Even in the West, the so-called educated and the rich people do similar things.

The biggest lesson from Salman Khan case is - the judiciary has once again proved that it is above everything and will not spare anybody, even if you are Salman Khan.

That's the spirit of our Constitution and the law. We should not be guided by misplaced sympathy, whoever may be the guilty.

While the film fraternity closed ranks to express sympathy for one of their own, there is not a single word about Nurullah Mehboob Sharif, the man killed in the accident.

* Source: ibnlive.com

ULTA-PULTA SPECIAL - DHOOOOM:4 to cross 1000Cr. mark

After the grand success of D3, the producers of Dhoom series have decided to rope in the 3 KHANS of bollywood - SRK, AAMIR & SALLU BHAI

According to the sources, the producers want to create a history in the bollywood by crossing the four digit mark of 1000Cr. and they had taken the first step by getting the acceptance to the 3 KHANS for the next movie. They say that if their individual acts can cross 300Cr. mark, the triangle will definitely encore 1000Cr. mark in bollywood. 

Our corespondents have tried to reach the Trimurti (3 Khans) but were not able to get the comments. We will keep bringing you the latest development on bollywood; so stay tuned to our blog.

Source: justforfun.likemeplease
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