Consistently Inconsistent

Yes! That's what this blog is about. We see a sudden surge in post count, and the count gets stuck. A period of inactivity making the blog appear like a long lost child dying for attention. Are we too busy to drop in and say a friendly 'Hi' in the comment section or is it plain neglect?

What is the deal? Let's discuss.

Google all the way...

Hi then, I am back with some more interesting information. Yes you guessed it, its about Google and the way it works.

Most of us know Google for its search engine and email (gmail), and some of us don't even dare to try and understand what all Google can offer you FREE... I am about to tell you some of the coolest products provided by Google for newbies.

First and foremost, this blog itself is by Google, most of the people around the world didn't even knew this unless Blogger announced that gmail account can be used as Blogger account. Believe me, there are some maniacs who cannot live without blogging, blogging became a mean of projecting ideas to the whole world.

Google has many other products other than search engine, gmail or blogger. Google offers a wide range of products, not only web based but also based on enterprise requirement. Google has products which includes Baseball bat to Network routers. For now I will deal only with Web based products.

Some of the most interesting and useful products I worked with were, Google - Page Creator, Reader, Earth, Sketch Up, Groups, Code, Trends, Docs & Spreadsheet, Picasa Web and not to forget Maps.

I have used Google Page Creator extensively, using Page creator one can create their website (say 15 to20 pages) within 1 to 2 hours. And believe me this is one of the best WYSIWYG (what you see is what you get) website creator I have ever used. You are allowed to use advance scripting (for those who know them) or use the predefined templates and methods to build you own unique website. The features can compete with any paid web hosting service available in the market. Google gives you 100MB of file storage space and a limitation of 500 pages (including files), you are free to use any advertising service in your site (AdSense) and best of all it comes free along with your Gmail account.

Google Reader, this is the newest product that I have started using from past few months. This was in Beta version for a long time and has not graduated from Google's lab. For those who don't want to keep searching Internet for a topic and want to keep themselves updated about a particular topic, this is the best tool. Reader simply keeps track of RSS (a technology to publish all the topics in particular site/topic). You can get all the required information under single site. After some initial configuration part you would have able to get all that interests you.

Google Earth, Sketch Up and Maps are interlinked. Using Google Earth you will be able to zoom though the streets of your place and find routs between two locations. Using Sketch Up you will be able to design complex buildings and actual buildings with ease. I built my home (with little difference) in not more than 2 hours. Once equipped with the knowledge to build structures you will find it very easy to make or break any thing you like. Some geeks build their house and upload it to Google Earth as a module. This building can be seen in 3D view by using Google Earth. Soon google is going to provide live weather related picture free. This will be revolutionary as only the deface or core govt. department had access to these information. This is possible due to the recent agreements between Google and NASA.

Google Group is like any other group provided by any other providers; Wrong!. I have been using google groups and was astonished by its features. For normal users it does not have any big difference, it provides all standard features as provided by other Groups or forums. In Google groups can also be used as Forums. You can post a question and even track it for answers till you find one. You can have your groups Home Page and host a mini website which can hold up to 100MB of data.

Google Code an open source forum run by Google to create, discuss and share open source APIs for programmers. This one is a great place for programmers who want to test their codes on various systems across different platform. There are already millions of codes available in the site to a newbie to start exploring and create his own application which is robust and reliable.

Google Trends, can be used by those enthusiasts who want to know what the world is looking for. Nothing much to talk about it, its about experiencing. You will be able to find out trends with respect to any specific topic. The result can be viewed for a particular period and region. This is a great tool for those who are in advertising and marketing industry.

Google Docs & Spreadsheet is comparatively new to google. Earlier Google only had its Spreadsheet service, later Google acquired Writely.com which offers Document support like .doc, .pdf, .html ect.

I will include Picasa, Picasa Web and GMap in the next article...

Till then....enjoy the artful presence.

சொந்த செலவில் வாங்கிய பல்பு.

இந்த "சொந்த செலவில் வாங்கிய பல்பு" ஒரு சின்ன தொடர்கதையாக வர உள்ளது. இது நான் வாங்கிய பல்பாக இருக்கலாம், மற்றவர் வாங்கிய பல்பாகவும் இருக்கலாம்.

முதலில், பல்பு எனப்படுவது யாதெனின், வாங்குபவர், வாங்கியப்பின், "ஞே" என முழிப்பது.

இந்த பல்பு நான் கல்லூரி முடித்து முதன் முதலில் வேலைக்கு சென்ற Office-ல் நடந்தது. அங்கெ நானும், இன்னும் இரண்டு பேரும் உட்கார்ந்து தேய்க்கும் room-ல் தான் phone இருக்கும். We used to attend the call and transfer it to the concerned boss (we had 3 bosses - partners they are). ஒரு நாள் "அந்த" phone call வந்தது...

ட்ரிங்... ட்ரிங்... I went inside the room and attended the call.
நான்: Hello ___.
caller: I want to speak with வெங்கட்
நான்: May i know who is on the line?
caller: this is priya.
நான்: ஏய் மணி பேசறேன். ஏன் வெங்கட் கிட்ட தான் பேசுவியோ?? எங்க கூட எல்லாம் பேச மாட்டியோ?
caller: ம்ம்ம் யாரு பேசறது, தெரியலியே..
நான்: அடிஈஈஈ பாவி (my style), 4 நாள் பேசலனா உடனெ, voice மறந்து போச்சா?? (not allowing her to continue) சரி, ஏன்டீ இந்த வாரம் institute வரேன்னு சொன்னியே, ஏன் வரல, ஒரு phone கூட பண்ண முடியாதா? ... and non-stop stories for 2 minutes.
caller: ம்ம் நீங்க யார் கிட்ட பேசரதா நினச்சிகிட்டு இருக்கீங்க??
நான்: (கொஞ்சம் சந்தேகத்தோட) நீங்க எந்த வெங்கட் கிட்ட பேசனும்??
caller: வெங்கடராமன்.
நான்: நீங்க??
caller: அவர் Wife.
நான்: தொம் (chair-ல் உட்கார்ந்தேன் அதிர்ச்சியில்). கொஞ்சம் சுதாரித்து கொண்டு, கொஞ்சம் பீட்டருடன், சாரி, I have a friend called venkat in this office and we have a common friend named priya, and i thought you are that priya, this, that, etc., மழுப்பல்ஸ்
caller: It's ok. I understand, connect his line.
நான்: சாரி எல்லாரும் வெங்கட் சார் இல்லயானு கேப்பாங்க, நீங்க வெங்கட்னு கேட்ட உடனே, employee வெங்கட்னு நெனச்சிடேன்.
after saying this line, I realised that how come she will call her hubby as "sir".

call connect பண்ணிட்டு, அரை லிட்டர் தண்ணி குடிச்சேன்.

2 நிமிடங்களுக்கு பிறகு...

ட்ரிங்... ட்ரிங்...
ஆகா ஆப்பு ரெடி ஆயிடுச்சு டோய்.

phone எடுத்தா, வெங்கட்ராமன்,
வெங்கட்ராமன்: மணி, ஒரு நிமிஷம் ரூமுக்கு வாப்பா.
நான்: இதோ வரேன் சார்.. தொண்ட வறண்டு போய் நான் சொன்னது எனக்கே கேக்கல..
went inside the room. He discussed with me about my next assignment with a particular client. (அப்பாடா ஒண்ணும் சொல்லல)

இன்னும் புரியாதவர்களுக்கு - அந்த Office-ல் மொத்தம் இரண்டு வெங்கட். வெங்கடேஷ் and வெங்கடராமன்.
வெங்கடேஷ் - என் friend and colleague.
வெங்கடராமன் – my boss. This was a conversation I had with my boss's wife, thinking that I'm speaking with my friend.

Budget FY – 07 – From the eye of an aam admi

Salaried Class:

For humble taxpayers like me this budget had been pretty disappointing. Reduction in tax burden by Rs.1000 by raising the lowest slab by Rs.10000 is much lower than what was expected out of Chidambaram. With the average salaries of the country rising day by day this seems such an insignificant relief to the salaried class. Adding to the fuel has been the additional 1% surcharge for secondary education.

Raising the dividend distribution tax from 12.5% to 15% is another pain in the wrong place.

Senior citizens:

Tax burden for senior citizens have been further lowered by Rs.2000. Introduction of reverse mortgage sounds a very interesting possibility. By this scheme senior citizens can pledge their property to the bank, from the proceeds settle off any other loan pending in the property name and help themselves with the surplus cash. They may also get a regular income from the bank in addition to this. This amount may be increased based on inflation and the property appreciation. The mortgagee may continue to stay in the property for the rest of his life. The mortgage is settled after the lifetime of the owner/mortgagee. This may prove to solve the problem of the dwindling value of their hard earned money to an extent for the old people.

Companies:

Our IT industries have become market leaders and no longer need the tax sops that had been offered to them. This I believe is a welcome move to generate the needed funds. Removal of surcharge for Small and Medium scale industries is a welcome relief.

Physically challenged:

Incentivisation of employment of physically challenged people through the government bearing of the EPF and ESI payment due from the company for the first three years is a welcome move and help the physically challenged get more jobs than at present.

I have written about the features that had caught my eyes and have verified the details above with my limited means. Please let me know if I had been wrong somewhere and don’t forget to leave your comments.

Fastest Legal Car on Road

0 to 60 in under a second!
Can you believe this? Absolutely awesome.

9.8L V8
2200bhp
Finishes a quarter mile in 7.8 sec
Mileage?..5 miles per gallon.

....and, it is legal on the street! Boy! I love the roar of the engines.