tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-88046962024-03-13T14:03:10.879+05:00MitanshuNote: This personal blog is all about my blue world. I am one of the several IITians who blog. If I post something here that you find helpful, that's wonderful. But when push comes to shove: This is my personal blog. The views expressed on these pages are mine alone and not those of my institute or my employer or my laptop.mitanshuhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04790191559436637234noreply@blogger.comBlogger104125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8804696.post-23311792460943029642013-12-04T16:46:00.000+06:002014-05-05T22:02:03.121+06:00Road to Reliability Prize<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
I won a prize in the Schlumberger "<b>Road to Reliability</b>" contest held in Stonehouse, UK.<br />
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The information about the project cannot be disclosed outside the company. </div>
<div class="blogger-post-footer">Get all in your mail-box</div>mitanshuhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04790191559436637234noreply@blogger.com0Stonehouse, Gloucestershire GL10, UK51.743880999999988 -2.279028000000039451.704559499999988 -2.3597090000000396 51.783202499999987 -2.1983470000000391tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8804696.post-33231834408251303672013-11-24T20:36:00.000+06:002014-05-12T00:12:56.089+06:005 Years and counting...<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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I have completed 5 years in Schlumberger this month. I am remembering
the morning of 5th November 2008, when I flew to Moscow, Russia on a one way
ticket.<br />
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I was selected for a prestigious “Tech
and Field” program wherein I start as a field engineer and work for 18 months
in a rigorous operations environment on the oil rigs. I was assigned to Western
Siberia, Russia. During these 18 months; I went for training courses related to
field operations and various inter-related technologies. These training courses
were in Abu Dhabi and in Houston.<o:p></o:p></div>
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In Q2-2010, I was then
transferred to Stonehouse, UK and worked as a production planner for around 2
years – ensuring on time delivery and lower inventory. During my role as a
production planner; I started doing my CPIM certification from APICS. I also
completed my <b><a href="http://mitanshu.blogspot.co.uk/2011/11/lean-six-sigma-yellow-belt.html" target="_blank">Lean Six Sigma Yellow Belt</a></b> certification.<o:p></o:p></div>
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I then decided to get a different
challenge and in 2012 I moved to the role of manufacturing engineer – ensuring improvements
in the product quality; and improvements in the manufacturing processes. I
completed my <b><a href="http://mitanshu.blogspot.co.uk/2012/08/certified-in-cpim.html" target="_blank">CPIM certification</a></b> during this role, and also graduated from fixed
step training program at Schlumberger. I did many Lean projects and one of my
projects has been submitted for “<b>Road to Reliability</b>” contest organized at Schlumberger, Stonehouse.<o:p></o:p></div>
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In May-2013, I moved to a process
engineer role working on a short duration project related to product records improvement and improving traceability and quality of the documentation that is supplied to
the customer with the products. This was completed on time and received recognition
from management. During this project; I completed my <b>Lean Six Sigma Green Belt</b>.<br />
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During my spare time in Stonehouse, I have continued with my hobby of programming and released a few applications under the banner of Anode Labs -<br />
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<a href="https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.manufacturing.calculator" target="_blank">SCM Buddy</a> - An android smartphone application for Supply Chain professionals. It received its 6000th download on 28th May 2013. I expect this app to cross 7000 download mark in the first half of Jan-2014. This app was <a href="http://mitanshu.blogspot.co.uk/2011/10/scm-buddy-article-in-iom-magazine-uk.html" target="_blank">mentioned</a> in the October-2011 magazine for the <b>I</b>nstitute of <b>O</b>perations <b>M</b>anagement. This app was also made available on <a href="http://appworld.blackberry.com/webstore/content/91542" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Blackberry App World</a> in March 2012.<br />
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<a href="https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.physics.caluclator" target="_blank">Physics Buddy</a> - Another android smartphone application for Physics students. It received its 2900th download on 13th September 2013.<br />
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Cricket Pundit - A Facebook application which was in action during ICC Cricket World Cup 2011.<br />
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I have learnt and extensively used programming skills to aid me in doing tasks at work in a simpler and quicker fashion.</div>
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<div class="blogger-post-footer">Get all in your mail-box</div>mitanshuhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04790191559436637234noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8804696.post-11449967995067813592012-08-07T04:00:00.000+06:002013-10-13T17:47:59.078+06:00Certified in C.P.I.M<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
I completed all requirements to get certification in Production and Inventory Management (<a href="http://www.apics.org/careers-education-professional-development/certification/cpim" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">CPIM</a>) from American Production and Inventory Control Society (APICS).<br />
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APICS CPIM designees are tested on essential terminology, concepts, and strategies related to demand management, procurement and supplier planning, material requirements planning, capacity requirements planning, sales and operations planning, master scheduling, performance measurements, supplier relationships, quality control, and continuous improvement.</blockquote>
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<div class="blogger-post-footer">Get all in your mail-box</div>mitanshuhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04790191559436637234noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8804696.post-20367101811669073552011-11-18T17:51:00.000+06:002013-10-14T17:53:38.220+06:00Lean Six Sigma Yellow Belt<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
I completed all requirements for <b>Lean Six Sigma Yellow Belt</b> certification, by demonstrating expertise in application of lean principles, statistical problem solving, and quality tools.<br />
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The actual certificate will be awarded in January 2012.<br />
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<div class="blogger-post-footer">Get all in your mail-box</div>mitanshuhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04790191559436637234noreply@blogger.com0Schlumberger, Stonehouse, Gloucestershire GL10 3SX, UK51.7505733 -2.30018410000002451.7456583 -2.3102691000000242 51.755488299999996 -2.2900991000000239tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8804696.post-86484960943568435672011-10-07T16:00:00.000+06:002013-10-13T17:54:10.987+06:00SCM Buddy article in IOM magazine, UK<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
October magazine issue of "<a href="http://www.iomnet.org.uk/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">The Institute of Operations Management</a>", UK has an article on my Android app - <a href="https://market.android.com/details?id=com.manufacturing.calculator" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">SCM Buddy</a>.<br />
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<div class="blogger-post-footer">Get all in your mail-box</div>mitanshuhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04790191559436637234noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8804696.post-50118612741515788542010-06-06T19:07:00.003+06:002010-06-06T19:16:23.002+06:00Going Green is truly rewarding !!!<a href="http://www.commonfloor.com/green-living"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 150px; height: 56px;" src="http://www.commonfloor.com/images/green-community.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></a>I had another of my "Go Green" moment today. I was buying myself some groceries and at checkout, I gave my <a href="http://www.tesco.com/clubcard">clubcard</a> and told that I am carrying my own bag - I don't need yours.<div><br /></div><div>The cashier gave me an extra clubcard point - Green point and Eureka! I reached yet another 100 points milestone!!!</div><div><br /></div><div>Reward points aside, it gives a feel-good factor when you re-use your shopping bag - a small contribution to the environment - but hey! every little helps.</div><div><br /></div><div>To know more about green-living, go to <a href="http://www.commonfloor.com/green-living">www.commonfloor.com/green-living</a></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div class="blogger-post-footer">Get all in your mail-box</div>mitanshuhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04790191559436637234noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8804696.post-12974960603003234392009-12-01T08:13:00.003+05:002009-12-01T08:36:40.779+05:00What else I want in Google WaveOver the last 3-4 days, I have been spending a lot of time on Google Wave and I have a wish-list of ideas which I would like Google to implement.<div><br /></div><div># Integration with Gmail, Google Docs.</div><div><br /></div><div># I should have control over which wave I want to be a participant in. For example, I don't want anybody in my contact list adding me to a certain wave [X] and then I have to unfollow it. I should get an email/wavelet where I can see all waves pending my approval for being a participant in there.</div><div><br /></div><div># When adding a new participant to the wave, I should decide whether he can see playback from creation of the wave, or from the moment he was added in.</div><div><br /></div><div># Smiley / Emoticons in waves.</div><div><br /></div><div># If I, as a creator of wave, add someone (by mistake), then I should be able to remove him/her before/after his approval to join.</div><div><br /></div><div># Export participants of a wave and import them in another wave. <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">[</span><a href="http://www.google.com/support/forum/p/wave/thread?fid=7e5e4fe1472db0c60004799dfac97b9"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">view</span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">]</span></div><div><br /></div><div># Enable typing in draft mode.</div><div><br /></div><div># Right-click menus.</div><div><br /></div><div># Nick-names for my contacts - visible only to me.</div><div><br /></div><div># Pages. When a wave becomes loooong, then, viewer should have option to view it in a single page, or in multiple pages.</div><div><br /></div><div># Skins / Themes like in Gmail. </div><div class="blogger-post-footer">Get all in your mail-box</div>mitanshuhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04790191559436637234noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8804696.post-38698819084710936822009-11-30T22:12:00.002+05:002009-11-30T22:35:17.491+05:00How wave will change the nature of chain emailsDisclaimer: Any views expressed in this post are entirely of the USB keyboard I have borrowed from my friend.<div><br /></div><div><div>Today, I received yet another chain mail regarding Microsoft paying me money!!! </div><div><br /></div><div><i>Microsoft pays you $245 for every person that you sent it to that forwards it on, Microsoft will pay you $243 and for every third person that receives it, you will be paid $241.</i></div><div><i>Within two weeks, Microsoft will contact you for your address and then send you a cheque.</i></div><div><br /></div><div>So, I was thinking what will happen in a wave scenario ? How will Microsoft / AOL track you and credit your account.</div><div><br /></div><div>Because, in case of emails, it works like a chain reaction. A forwards to B, C and D and they forward to {B1, B2, B3 ... }; {C1, C2, C3} .. etc. This way, there are lot of different emails floating around - you get lot of different "legs" in which you can earn $241.</div><div><br /></div><div>But, when we talk about wave in case of chain mails, it will be a single document in which you can add different participants. To make sure you make quick money, or help a 3 old girl who got raped, you can make your wave <a href="http://www.google.com/support/wave/bin/answer.py?answer=162099">public</a> and ask people to follow it.</div><div><br /></div><div>So, in near future, you can expect emails like:</div><div><br /></div><div><div>Microsoft pays you $245 for every person that follows this wave. It pays you $242 for every next follower and $241 for the next one. Within two weeks, Microsoft will contact you for your address and then send you a cheque.</div></div></div><div class="blogger-post-footer">Get all in your mail-box</div>mitanshuhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04790191559436637234noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8804696.post-61125484502606864822009-10-10T14:02:00.003+06:002009-10-10T14:12:56.884+06:00Green and Safe Diwali<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggDY0Y4VDaXwK3kmG6CfyxX0YvULSUiitK30W8jl5eATJA4tWHSI4hQe5LWLg8Wy-TqkHc6xCmEq7vyHPXNlV55Gn1XKiO3rEAk21P-epq2E9MAheJyhy54FUrEPsNVCE6oUME/s1600-h/diwali.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 172px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggDY0Y4VDaXwK3kmG6CfyxX0YvULSUiitK30W8jl5eATJA4tWHSI4hQe5LWLg8Wy-TqkHc6xCmEq7vyHPXNlV55Gn1XKiO3rEAk21P-epq2E9MAheJyhy54FUrEPsNVCE6oUME/s200/diwali.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5390880955584309986" /></a><span style="font-weight:bold;">Diwali</span> is one of the most widely celebrated festivals in India (and abroad). It falls on the darkest night of the year. The tradition of lighting lamps on this night may have come from the need for light on this intensely dark night.<br /><br />However, every year, the festival of lights fill our cities and environment with dark smoke. <span style="font-weight:bold;">Air pollution</span> more than doubles and big cities like Delhi become gas chambers. The toxic substances used in the firecrackers release toxic gases that are harmful to the health of all living beings.<br /><br />Children and animals are the biggest victims of <span style="font-weight:bold;">Noise Pollution</span> as their defence mechanisms are not fully developed to withstand the increased intensity of noise and air pollution.<br /><br />Bursting of <span style="font-weight:bold;">crackers</span> is now a means of "showing off " and is another opportunity to display ones wealth. With so many people living in poverty, burning money on crackers is a shame.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">How to celebrate eco-sensitive Diwali?</span><br /><ul><li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#009900;">-</span> Make Rangoli with natural ingredients like wheat or rice flour or mix with haldi, mehendi and sindur for colour. Rangoli made of wheat, rice flour provide food for ants and look more ethnic.</li><li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 153, 0); ">-</span> Instead of individual celebration prefer community celebration in a open ground.</li><li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 153, 0); ">- </span>Instead of electric illumination for long hours go for traditional lightening of earthen lamps or diyas.</li><li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 153, 0); ">- </span>Donate for relief operations in Karnataka.</li><li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 153, 0); ">- </span>Share food, sweets and clothes with the lesser privileged.</li><li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 153, 0); ">- </span>All gift wrapping paper should be made out of recycled paper and not glitter paper which is not recyclable.</li><li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 153, 0); ">- </span>Send out e-cards or text messages. No fancy Diwali cards.</li></ul>Go <a href="http://www.pledgeforgreen.com/diwali">Green</a> this Diwali. Wishing you all a very happy, safe, green and prosperous Diwali<div class="blogger-post-footer">Get all in your mail-box</div>mitanshuhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04790191559436637234noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8804696.post-23029842120809861992009-09-08T18:13:00.003+06:002009-09-08T18:18:59.837+06:00Facebook RamayanCheck out this must read Facebook version of Ramayana written by Kokonad Sinha on his blog - <a href="http://www.themattefinish.com/blog/2009/08/if-the-ramayan-were-on-facebook/" title="Facebook Ramayan" target="_blank">If the Ramayan were on Facebook</a><br /><br />Although, all entries are very funny, my favourite one is:<br /><br /><blockquote>Ravana super-poked Kumbhkarna</blockquote><br />Very Creative and funny!<div class="blogger-post-footer">Get all in your mail-box</div>mitanshuhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04790191559436637234noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8804696.post-74306787151490396112009-08-09T11:17:00.001+06:002009-08-09T11:19:55.071+06:00Square Root of ThreeI fear that I will always be.....<br />A lonely number like root three...<br />A three is all that's good and right...<br />Why must my three keep out of sight...<br />Beneath a vicious square-root sign?...<br />I wish instead I were a nine...<br />For nine could thwart this evil trick...<br />With just some quick arithmetic...<br />I know I'll never see the sun...<br />As 1.7321...<br />Such is my reality...<br />A sad irrationality...<br />When, hark, just what is this I see?...<br /><br />Another square root of a three...<br />Has quietly come waltzing by...<br />Together now we multiply...<br />To form a number we prefer...<br />Rejoicing as an integer...<br />We break free from our mortal bonds...<br />And with a wave of magic wands...<br />Our square-root signs become unglued...<br />And love for me has been renewed..<div><br /></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">[Thanks: <a href="http://www.facebook.com/dev11ume">Devesh</a>]</span></div><div class="blogger-post-footer">Get all in your mail-box</div>mitanshuhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04790191559436637234noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8804696.post-48780331512847399832009-06-23T19:35:00.002+06:002009-06-23T19:44:19.665+06:00Why is it good to be a vegetarian?<span style="font-weight:bold;">Environmental issues</span><br />- Vegetarianism helps conserve fossil fuel in a major way. Studies have shown that it takes 35 calories of fossil fuel to produce 1 calorie of mutton; 22 calories of fossil fuel for 1 calorie of poultry; but just 1 calorie of fossil fuel for 1 calorie of vegetables. By eating plant food we can help conserve our non-renewable sources of energy.<br />- It has been observed that it takes about 3 to 15 times as much water to produce animal food, as it does to produce plant food. Thus by becoming vegetarian we can conserve our water resources.<br />- It is seen that it takes about 5-10 kilogram of plant matter and grains to produce one kilogram of animal protein. By eating this vegetarian food directly (and not through the animals) we can save a lot of this food material to feed all the hungry people in this world.<br />- Plant foods have a longer shelf life than animal foods. One needs to spend more energy in preserving animal food products, thus exacerbating the energy crisis.<div><br /><b>Health issues</b><br />- The plant food takes care of all the nutrient needs. If we eat enough fruits and vegetables we will not suffer from any nutrient deficiency. On the other hand animal foods are largely deficient in vitamins, except for vitamin B complex.<br />- Everyone knows that the animal foods are higher in fat and cholesterol than the plant foods. Animal foods are also high in protein content. This causes excess nitrogen in the blood; leading to many health problems. By eating vegetarian food, we can say goodbye to many bothersome diseases, such as heart diseases, osteoporosis, kidney stones, gall stones, diabetes, multiple sclerosis, arthritis, gum disease, obesity and acne.<br />- Animal food is totally deficient in carbohydrates, which are essential for good health.<br />- Animal foods contain far higher concentrations of agricultural chemicals than plant foods.<br />- Most of the animals are given drugs such as steroids, antibiotics, and growth hormones. These drugs are consumed by us humans when we consume meat.<br />- There are many bacteria and viruses that thrive on animal foods, when we eat these foods we end up eating these organisms as well. It is not as if the plant foods do not have any micro-organisms, but their number is nowhere near as much as in meat products.<br />- Animal products take rather long to digest. They keep putrefying in the colon, creating intestinal toxemia. It is a well known fact that the condition of the intestinal flora is critical to overall health of the body. Vegetarian food travels quickly through the gastro-intestinal tract.<br />- Plant foods are high in fibre content. Fibre absorbs unwanted, excess fats; cleans the intestines; provides bulk and helps in peristaltic movement; ensuring regular bowel movements. Meat, poultry, and dairy products are deficient in fibre content.<br />- Animal foods contain the body wastes of the animals such as adrenaline, uric acid, and lactic acid.<br />- When we consume plant foods we consume a chlorophyll module which is very similar to our hemoglobin.<br />- Plant foods contain trace elements that not only nurture our cells, but are precursors of all our genetic material.<br />- Animal food is primarily acidic in nature. It leaves behind an acidic residue after digestion. This acid upsets the delicate pH balance of our body. A chronically over-acidic pH ratio begins to corrode body tissues, produces neuro-toxins, interrupts all cellular functions and generally creates havoc with our health. However, some of the plant foods are also acidic in nature, and should be avoided e.g. alcohol, coffee, white bread, oatmeal, sugar, tobacco, chillies, and all packaged and processed foods.<br />- Raw plant foods such as fruits detoxify our bodies, increase immunity, and improve our skin and hair.<br /><br /></div><div><b>Economic issues</b><br />- Vegetarian foods cost much less than non-vegetarian foods. So being vegetarian makes a lot of economic sense.<br />- When we eat vegetarian foods, we stay healthier; thus saving on health care expenses.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">Ethical issues</span><br />- If we love animals, we have no desire to kill them for food.<br />- Our body has been designed in a way to make us natural herbivores. Our hands, teeth, feet, intestinal tract…all are different from those of carnivorous species.<br />- Mahatma Gandhi promoted the spirit of non-violence, but this spirit can't be fostered if we indulge in killing animals.<br />- There can be no peace in the world, if we declare war on other species for food.<br />- There are many substitutes available in the vegetable kingdom to satisfy all taste buds.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">Spiritual issues</span><br />- Plant foods carry an inner light; both philosophically and biologically, as natural sunlight is a vital ingredient of plant foods. This light nourishes our physical body, mind, and spirit.<br />- Plant foods keep us healthy. These healthy cells have a harmonic frequency that raises our overall energy vibration.<br />- Plant food is rich in natural energy, vital for self-transformation.<br />- Ellen G. White the famous writer of early twentieth century said, "Whatever affects the body has a corresponding effect on the mind and soul." In other words, what we eat affects our consciousness.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">Related reading:</span><br /><a href="http://tickledbylife.com/index.php/why-is-it-good-for-you-to-be-a-vegetarian/">Why is it good for you to be a vegetarian?</a><br /><a href="http://www.britishmeat.com/49.htm">49 Good Reasons For Being A Vegetarian</a></div><div class="blogger-post-footer">Get all in your mail-box</div>mitanshuhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04790191559436637234noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8804696.post-62273668718050497922009-06-08T10:19:00.005+06:002009-06-08T10:39:27.343+06:00404 messageSometimes, 404 messages can be a good read. I was browsing through istartedsomething.com and got this 404 error message:<br />-----------------------------------------<br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">Error 404 - Not Found<br />Hello. You've encountered an error. How unlucky of you.<br /></span><br />The whatever you were looking for is not here. The page you are looking for may have been wiped from the face of this earth, or just this server. This is unrecoverable, and no matter how many times you click F5 or Refresh, it just won't work.<br /><br />You probably broke it even, but I wouldn't blame you, you're so clumsy to even encounter this error in the first place.<br /><br />Oh well, since you're already here, you're going to have to live with it.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">What can you do?</span><br />I can't read your brain, so you're going to have to figure this one out on your own.<br /><br /># You can try to search for related topic you were looking for on the left sidebar.<br /># You can look through all of the archive looking for it, whilst enjoying my great literature.<br /># You can even go back to the site you came from, send the webmaster of that website a few hundred emails asking him why he has broken links.<br />-----------------------------------------<div class="blogger-post-footer">Get all in your mail-box</div>mitanshuhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04790191559436637234noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8804696.post-80665070180971772572009-06-04T09:37:00.005+06:002009-06-04T11:39:48.920+06:00Google Squared is Live!Google Squared is a search tool that helps you quickly build a collection of facts from the Web for any topic you specify. It's kinda fun. You can add columns (attributes) real-time and save it (after logging in), share the URL. <br /><br />Check Google Sqaure for <a href="http://www.google.com/squared/table/agGoGemCkHwSXmRMfdHIt4vw">IIT</a> or for <a href="http://www.google.com/squared/table/ag1F8i1K8BV31UTV84lqWjUw">Indian States</a> or for <a href="http://www.google.com/squared/table/agfZXXV3ciWkDeW8DF31CQxw">Indian Movies</a>.<br /><br />However, the results are sometimes quite funny. Check the screen-shot below for my query "<a href="http://www.google.com/squared/search?q=Harry+Potter">Harry Potter</a>" and look particularly at the image of <a href="http://www.mitanshu.com/voldemort.php">Lord Voldemort</a>.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiq0XSL0feIiuhyO-at3ZQd1Xu_vmDzmdkKq63w_OVOu1Jqf9lzH7S6pFlFG-LfRrSSC40GmuiSyUZl6-APRNUclPT7le61DK7ReVVGc8jGZU8ilsLNl8ed93ci5TrIywqxjLwy/s1600-h/google-squared.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 245px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiq0XSL0feIiuhyO-at3ZQd1Xu_vmDzmdkKq63w_OVOu1Jqf9lzH7S6pFlFG-LfRrSSC40GmuiSyUZl6-APRNUclPT7le61DK7ReVVGc8jGZU8ilsLNl8ed93ci5TrIywqxjLwy/s400/google-squared.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5343312431902134498" /></a><div class="blogger-post-footer">Get all in your mail-box</div>mitanshuhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04790191559436637234noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8804696.post-68886581202235806972009-05-04T13:19:00.002+06:002009-05-04T13:27:50.092+06:00Indian Cooking Knol-edge ContestSanjeev Kapoor is a household name when it comes to Indian cooking. Google Knol has launched a <a href="http://knol.google.com/k/cooking-knol-edge/indian-cooking-knol-edge-contest/1xf9hkazqscrk/1#">contest</a> to find the best recipes in five Indian languages (Hindi, Tamil, Telugu, Kannada and Malayalam). Master Chef Sanjeev Kapoor will pick one winner in each language. Winners will get Sanjeev Kapoor’s cookbooks and grand prizes worth 150 USD each. Google goodies will be awarded to the next 40 shortlisted entrants.<br /><br />Ther is no limit to the number of entries per user. Contest period is from April 20 to June 20, 2009. Winners will be announced on August 5.<br /><br /><a href="http://knol.google.com/k/knol/system/services/createKnol?label=ICKC">Submit</a> your receipes!<div class="blogger-post-footer">Get all in your mail-box</div>mitanshuhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04790191559436637234noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8804696.post-55686778604170667792009-04-24T15:39:00.002+06:002009-04-24T15:40:39.272+06:00Green SummersParticipate and get others involved in <a href="http://www.pledgeforgreen.com/summers">Green Summers</a> - organized by Green1.0<div class="blogger-post-footer">Get all in your mail-box</div>mitanshuhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04790191559436637234noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8804696.post-37732400459126060512009-03-15T00:17:00.002+05:002009-03-15T00:28:44.831+05:00Google Ads - In your face, all over the placeTo improve its financial position, Google has started showing ads in the services that were not being monetized yet - News, Image Search, Finance and <a href="http://picasaweb.google.com/">Picasa</a> Web Albums.<br /><br />Also, they have started <a href="http://googleblog.blogspot.com/2009/03/making-ads-more-interesting.html">behavioral targeted</a> ads.<br /><br />Google in their post admits "<span style="font-style:italic;">This kind of tailored advertising does raise questions about user choice and privacy</span>" but opines that these are "<span style="font-style:italic;">questions the whole online ad industry has a responsibility to answer</span>."<br /><br />Thus, if behavioral targeting learns that you like [X], you get to see ads about [X] everywhere you go on the web.<br /><br />Now you get, Google Ads - In your face, all over the place!<div class="blogger-post-footer">Get all in your mail-box</div>mitanshuhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04790191559436637234noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8804696.post-9321684796115149822009-03-07T11:34:00.004+05:002009-03-07T11:56:18.145+05:00Energy Saved => Energy GotClimate Savers Computing Initiative (<a href="http://www.climatesaverscomputing.org">CSCI</a>) has launched the Power Down for the Planet <a href="http://www.powerdownfortheplanet.org/video/">video</a> contest, a challenge to develop original and creative videos that educate, entertain, and inform about the importance of energy efficient computing.<br /><br /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: bold;">Did you know?</span><br />The annual CO2 savings from using power management is greater than the CO2 savings achieved by lowering your home thermostat 2 deg. Fahrenheit in the winter, washing your clothes only in cold water, or giving up your car two days out of every month.*<div><br /><div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">*(<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: italic;">Based on U.S. Census Bureau estimate of the number of college students, Harris Interactive estimate of the percentage of students that own desktop computers, U.S. Department of Energy estimate of average CO2 per KW/hr, U.S. EPA estimate of average tons of CO2 produced per car, and an average energy cost of $0.0885/KW</span>.)</span></div></div></div><div class="blogger-post-footer">Get all in your mail-box</div>mitanshuhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04790191559436637234noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8804696.post-76305917293648520052009-02-25T17:17:00.003+05:002009-02-25T17:20:08.076+05:00Miles to go ...<div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: bold; ">Stopping By Woods On A Snowy Evening </span><br /></div><div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: italic; font-weight: bold; ">~ By Robert Frost</span><br /></div><br />Whose woods these are I think I know.<br />His house is in the village though;<br />He will not see me stopping here<br />To watch his woods fill up with snow.<br /><br /><div>My little horse must think it queer<br />To stop without a farmhouse near<br />Between the woods and frozen lake<br />The darkest evening of the year.<br />He gives his harness bells a shake<br />To ask if there is some mistake.<br />The only other sound's the sweep<br />Of easy wind and downy flake.<br /><br /></div><div>The woods are lovely, dark and deep.<br />But I have promises to keep,<br />And miles to go before I sleep,<br /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: bold;">And miles to go before I sleep</span>.</div></div><div class="blogger-post-footer">Get all in your mail-box</div>mitanshuhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04790191559436637234noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8804696.post-27615133325247880062009-02-23T09:08:00.005+05:002009-02-23T09:21:41.551+05:00Oscar AwardsThe Oscar Award for best original score goes to ... <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/A._R._Rahman">A.R. Rahman</a><br /><br />This was the most awaited Oscar Ceremony for any Indian, for where else do you see an Indian being nominated for three awards in the most talked about award Ceremony in the world?<br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(255, 102, 0);">Jai</span> <span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 102, 0);">Ho</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 153);">!</span></span><br /><br /><span style="font-style:italic;"><span style="font-weight:bold;">Update:</span></span> AR Rehman has won his second Oscar Award!<div class="blogger-post-footer">Get all in your mail-box</div>mitanshuhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04790191559436637234noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8804696.post-73216259380442673142009-02-05T10:15:00.003+05:002009-02-05T10:31:37.601+05:00Create your own IM BotIn my <a href="http://mitanshu.blogspot.com/2009/02/web-service-from-chat.html">last post</a>, I mentioned about providing web services through Internet Messengers.<br /><br />I searched online for a service which could provide a API or some other tool to create a bot. The one that I recommend is <a href="http://www.imified.com/developers/index.cfm?sec=invite">www.imfied.com</a>.<br /><br /><u>How to make a IM Bot:</u><br /><br />Step1: Go to imfied.com and register for a account.<br /><br />Step2: You will get a validation key in your email address. Validate your account.<br /><br />Step3: Login to your account and create a bot under applications tab. You will have to give URL of your script which will be hosted on your hosting space.<br /><br />I used post by <a href="http://www.labnol.org/internet/tutorial-create-bot-for-gtalk-yahoo-messenger/4354/">Amit</a> to go through the steps required for creating the bot. Although, people at imfied.com have done some minor changes to the steps mentioned by him.<br /><br />Because of traffic and infrastructure reasons, your bot may take a couple of days to get live. <br /><br />Also, the bot id will be <span style="font-weight:bold;">@bot.im</span>. It would have been great if it could have been <span style="font-weight:bold;">@yourdomainname.com</span><div class="blogger-post-footer">Get all in your mail-box</div>mitanshuhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04790191559436637234noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8804696.post-18892792282567632642009-02-03T14:13:00.002+05:002009-02-03T14:36:46.912+05:00Web Service from chatThere are many people on the internet, who live and breath web-messengers and emails, especially Gmail.<br /><br />Recently, I have <a href="http://blog.lifemojo.com/tag/gmail-chat/">come</a> <a href="http://www.smsgupshup.com/">across</a> <a href="http://lifehacker.com/5140271/track-your-spending-with-gmail-and-google-docs">some</a> web-services <a href="http://features.ibnlive.in.com/features/2008/faq_ibnalerts.php">which</a> actually depict the true meaning of <a href="http://mitanshu.blogspot.com/2008/09/www.html">WWW</a> - <span style="font-weight:bold;">W</span>hatever, <span style="font-weight:bold;">W</span>herever, and <span style="font-weight:bold;">W</span>henever!<div class="blogger-post-footer">Get all in your mail-box</div>mitanshuhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04790191559436637234noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8804696.post-67666469755326863172009-01-31T15:36:00.001+05:002009-01-31T15:39:45.280+05:00Carpool<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Carpool">Carpooling</a> is a private agreement between several people to go regularly to a similar destination. A typical example would be that several workers from the same company who live in the same suburb take turns in driving to work.<br /><br />The major challenge of carpooling actually is that there has to be a very strong geographic and time overlap. In my opinion, only a <a href="http://mitanshu.blogspot.com/2008/09/www.html">web</a> service with a large local user community will be able to achieve success because poor results due to fewer users can de-motivate potential users very quickly.<br /><br />It is quite surprising to me that Google India, having a very big user base through its social networking application - <a href="http://www.orkut.com">orkut</a>; is not taking any initiative in this context.<div class="blogger-post-footer">Get all in your mail-box</div>mitanshuhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04790191559436637234noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8804696.post-67671184840687679272009-01-22T15:05:00.001+05:002009-01-22T15:17:56.503+05:00How Green Is My Orange?<div>How much does your morning glass of orange juice contribute to global warming?</div><div><br /></div><div>PepsiCo, which owns the <a href="http://www.tropicana.com">Tropicana</a> brand, decided to try to answer that question. It figured that as public concern grows about the <a href="http://www.pledgeforgreen.com">fate of the planet</a>, companies will find themselves under pressure to perform such calculations. Orange juice seemed like a good case study.</div><div><br /></div><div>PepsiCo hired experts to do the math, measuring the emissions from such energy-intensive tasks as running a factory and transporting heavy juice cartons. But it turned out that the biggest single source of emissions was simply growing oranges. Citrus groves use a lot of nitrogen fertilizer, which requires natural gas to make and can turn into a potent greenhouse gas when it is spread on fields.</div><div><br /></div><div>PepsiCo finally came up with a number:<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: italic;"> the equivalent of 3.75 pounds of carbon dioxide are emitted to the atmosphere for each half-gallon carton of orange juice</span>.</div><div><br /></div><div>PepsiCo is among the first that will provide consumers with an absolute number for a product’s carbon footprint, which many expect to be a trend. The information will be posted on Tropicana’s Web site. The company has not yet decided if it will eventually put it on the package.</div><div><br /></div><div>While carbon reduction efforts are generally welcomed by environmentalists, some complain that the marketing claims are backed by fuzzy numbers and dubious assumptions.</div><div><br /></div><div>Bryan Lembke, a PepsiCo manager on the project said, "<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 102, 0);">If you don’t measure it, you can’t improve it.</span>"</div><div><br /></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Read the complete story </span><a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2009/01/22/business/22pepsi.html?_r=1&ref=business"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">here</span></a>.</div><div class="blogger-post-footer">Get all in your mail-box</div>mitanshuhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04790191559436637234noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8804696.post-90808939788767361982009-01-07T14:56:00.007+05:002009-01-07T15:28:07.783+05:00Ponting repeats history at SCGI think ICC should add some new <a href="http://mikeoncricket.blogspot.com/2008/01/ben-onnew-icc-rules.html">rules</a> to cricket after this:<br /><br /><blockquote>McDonald to Kallis, <b>OUT</b>, oh well held, McDonald .. or not? Pitches it up down the stumps, Kallis goes back and starts to turn it to the on side, but the ball takes a leading edge and balloons back up in the air towards the bowler, who flings himself to his right in his follow through and looks like he's taken a stunner ... his team-mates converge but Kallis asks for confirmation, and <span style="color: rgb(255, 0, 0);">McDonald admits he's not sure</span>. To the naked eye it looked like he took it, <span style="color: rgb(255, 0, 0);">Ponting sticks up a finger even before the umpires are consulted</span>, and after numerous analysis Kallis is adjudged out. Thats a very, very tough call. One angle indicates he took it, the straight view says something else. I'm not convinced he took it.<br /><span style="font-size:85%;">(Source: <a href="http://content-www.cricinfo.com/ausvrsa2008_09/engine/match/351683.html">Cricinfo</a>)<br /></span></blockquote><br />Last year, during <a href="http://content-www.cricinfo.com/ci/engine/match/291352.html?innings=4;view=commentary">2nd Test match</a> between India and Australia, Ganguly was given OUT <a href="http://content-www.cricinfo.com/ausvind/content/image/329397.html">by</a> Ponting:<br /><br /><blockquote>Lee to Ganguly, <span style="font-weight: bold;">OUT</span>, huge appeals as Clarke is adamant he caught the ball low in front of him at second slip. Ganguly stands his ground, disgusted, and finally walks off. Replays suggest there is some doubt about whether it carried or not. The zoom in replays have showed that the ball may have bounced before Clarke took it. Close call but there was doubt. <span style="color: rgb(255, 0, 0);">Benson seemed to ask someone and then gave it out</span>, replays show <span style="color: rgb(255, 0, 0);">Ponting indicating that the catch was taken</span>. Ganguly, after he nicked that stood long and hard, not convinced that Clarke had caught it, the Australians had no doubt it was out. Replays showing that Clarke may have grounded the ball as he rolled over after taking the catch.<br /></blockquote><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://www.cricinfo.com/db/PICTURES/CMS/84700/84793.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 441px; height: 311px;" src="http://www.cricinfo.com/db/PICTURES/CMS/84700/84793.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><div class="blogger-post-footer">Get all in your mail-box</div>mitanshuhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04790191559436637234noreply@blogger.com1