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Possible state government shutdown?

The Maine legislature has passed a supplemental budget that fills a hole in the state’s finances for the fiscal year that ends June 30th. Governor LePage refuses to sign the budget, but lets it become law without his approval.

On “In the Arena” with Pat Callaghan House Minority Leader Kenneth Fredette (R-Newport) said, “There’s going to be a real battle on this biennial budget and, quite frankly, a government shutdown is something that’s a possibility.”

Are we seeing the beginnings of some rough times coming regarding the state budget? Is a state shutdown actually possible? Political Analysts Phil Harriman and Ethan Strimling offered their throughts on the topics below. Simply click on the box below to get the video.


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Friday, July 22, 2011

Ultimate Optimism

Optimism is the foundation of courage.  ~Nicholas Murray Butler

Of course I look at the glass half full.  The only time I would look at it half empty is when I think about how good the first half tasted.  ~Drew Deyoung

If you realized how powerful your thoughts are, you would never think a negative thought. ~Peace Pilgrim

Optimism is the faith that leads to achievement.  Nothing can be done without hope and confidence. ~Helen Keller

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Monday, October 1, 2012

October Goals

I haven't been very happy lately. It occurred to me that I have not been setting tangible goals for myself. So I plan on setting goals here every month, cause if I just write them on a piece of paper, it will get lost, and I will be kind of what ever about it. I can also log my progress, and maybe inspire some goal setting for you in your life. October Goals 1. To cut down to half a pack of cigarettes a day. 2. Eat more fruits and vegetables, and regular meals at regular times. 3. Go for three walks a week. I think this is a good start. Maybe three goals a month is good, that's manageable. What will your goals for this month be? I think its good to have something to work towards and get a feeling of accomplishment about, rather than just simply existing.


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Monday, 17 December 2012

Solar Cell Phone Charger

Solar cell phone chargers use solar panels to charge cell phone batteries. They are an alternative to conventional electrical cell phone chargers and in some cases can be plugged into an electrical outlet.

There are also public solar chargers for mobile phones which can be installed permanently in public places such as streets, park and squares. The model which is according to European Commission proclaimed as the first in the world is the Strawberry Tree, public solar charger invented by Strawberry energy Company. This solar station won the first place at "EU Sustainable energy week (EUSEW) 2011" in the Consuming category.

Some models of cell phones have a built in solar charger and are commercially available for GSM cellphone models. Solar cell phone chargers come in different shapes and configurations including folding and rotating types.

They also come in the form of straps, with solar cells on the outer surface and a nickel metal hydride battery within. They are capable to charge a mobile device fully within six hours of exposure to the Sun resulting in 40 minutes of talk time. Solar chargers are also available for other cell phone accessories, such as bluetooth headsets and speaker phones.

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Tuesday, December 6, 2011

Aidmatrix Featured in NAPA (National Academy of Public Administration) Annual Meeting Highlights

Mr. John M. Kamensky, Senior Fellow with the IBM Center for The Business of Government and an Associate Partner with IBM's Global Business Services blogged about the highlights from the NAPA Annual Meeting last month (for The IBM Center for The Business of Government), and Aidmatrix was featured as the Nonprofit Network for Disaster Management and Recovery.

Here is the excerpt about Aidmatrix:

Non-Profit Networks.  I had no idea that a non-profit electronic supply chain network has been created to coordinate a “national donations management network” that responds to disasters and other urgent local needs such as food banks.  This organization, AidMatrix, links corporations such as the Oscar-Meyer food company, non-profits such as the Red Cross, and government agencies such as FEMA.  The electronic network allows all its partners a view into what is in the supply warehouses around the world in order to get “the right aid to the right people at the right time.”

Aidmatrix President Scott McCallum, former governor of Wisconsin, said that the network not only wants to coordinate the distribution of needed supplies in disaster zones, such as Haiti, but also prevent a “secondary disaster” of sending the wrong people or supplies to a disaster area, such as the donation of a hospital to Haiti after the earthquake – but without a place to set it up, or doctors, or supplies, etc.  He also cited the intercepted delivery of a shipload of teddy bears!

Read the full story here

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Practical Course: Location-based Services

The goal of this practical course is to analyze GPS data recorded during everyday activities. The includes identifying places of interest, transportation modes, social networks, and identifying traffic jams. The goal is not only to analyze the existing data but also to make prediction of future actions and states.
In this practical course, we will make use of probabilistic techniques and it is therefore suggested to have participated in the lecture "Introduction to Mobile Robotics" (even if this is not a hard constraint). Furthermore, programming skills are definitively needed. Students participating in this project will have to work in small teams of two students and each team will have to solve a subproblem. The students are requested to plan the project as a whole and to coordinate their actions.

Note that participating in this course, requires to collect GPS position data from your everyday life. This data will be used in the course/our research group. You can anonymize your data but due to the small number of participants, real anonymity in the course cannot be guaranteed. We recommend that people who have serious privacy concerns about that should not participate.
Further Reading
  • Liao, Fox, Kautz: Extracting Places and Activities from GPS Traces Using Hierarchical Conditional Random Fields, 2007. Download paper.
  • Liao, Patterson, Fox, Kautz: Learning and Inferring Transportation Routines, 2007. Download paper.
  • Ashbrook, Starner: Learning Significant Locations and Predicting User Movement with GPS, 2002. Download paper.
  • Kang, Welbourne, Stwart, Borriello: Extracting Places From Traces of Locations, 2005. Download paper.


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Wednesday, January 9, 2013

My Go-To Shopping Outfit

Do you have a go-to outfit for shopping? It seems like I do -- either a button-up shirt and jeans, or a top with a long cardigan and skinny jeans. It's comfortable, it's cute, and it's easy to thrown on and off for a quick change.

Occasion: Shopping!
: The Limited {also seen here}
Cardigan: J. Crew Factory - gift
Necklaces: The Limited
Belt: Forever 21
Jeans: The Limited
Flats: Dana Buchman via Kohl's
This is what I ended up wearing. I chose the skinny jeans, with my new cardigan to match. I chose the top because I haven't worn it in a long time. I thought the yellow flats added a nice pop of color. I couldn't decide on whether to wear the short necklace or the long one, so I chose both!

I also scored an amazing deal today:

{Coat: The Limited {here}}

Guess how much I paid?

$10. Seriously. $3 of which I had on gift card. Oh, and that $10 also bought a pair of tights. Admittedly, I had coupons, but still. A deal is a deal. And I love amazing deals.

Coat on sale in store for $39.99. [Items tend to be cheaper in store than online.]
Virtual dollars ($25 off $50 purchase) meant I needed to find something for $10.01.
Tights were on sale for $10, bringing total to $49.99.
Sales associate said I could use my virtual dollar (even though I was technically one penny short of qualifying), bringing total to $24.99.
Used $15 reward coupon (for being a cardholder), bringing total of coat and tights to $9.99.

- "Like" The Limited on Facebook now, and get a free Virtual Dollar (this automatically takes off $25 for any $50 you spend-- including clearance. It's like taking 50% off!).
- Be a cardholder!

[This is entirely my own advice; I have never been contacted by The Limited.]

[Linking up with The Pleated Poppy and Rolled Up Pretty]

  1. No way! $10 for that coat?! I am amazed by your shopping skills!

  2. Ahhh I love your red coat! And the combination between blue, red and yellow is amazing :)

  3. totally love the red coat!! I have a Chicnova Jewelry giveaway for 3 lucky winners on my blog..wld love it if you drop by!

  4. I love The Limited. They always have the best deals, sales & coupons. That coat is amazing. I have two red coats & love them. The entire outfit is cute. I want a long Cobalt Cardi. Your 'shopping uniform' is very similar to my own. ;-)

    By the way I gave you the Liebster Award on my blog. Here it is:

    I hope you answer the questions. Would love to know what you think. Also, let me know if you are interested to Guest Post for me, while I take time for birth & baby. I would love to have you in my blog. Include a small introduction of yourself in the post. And when I will run my Guest Post you can let your readers (on your blog) now and link them to my post. It is a good thing I think. =)

    Let me know and you are welcome to E-Mail me a post at: ada.furxhi<@>

  5. This is adorable. I love wearing dresses out shopping because it is so easy to whip off and try on clothes. xx. McKenna Lou

  6. So cute, Kate! I love the flats! Oh man, I love a good deal too!

  7. Wow! Great find and awesome deal. I'm jealous! ;) Great outfit as well. Love the mixing of colors.

  8. Thats an incredible deal on that coat! Cute outfit too!

    xo Rach

  9. If I'm going shopping, I always try to wear easy on/easy off clothes - so no boots or fussy layers. always pants, always a black tank top (because I wear one almost every single day).

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Wednesday, December 21, 2016

Mon-keying incidents

I wanted to write some fun posts. Here is one of a monkey incident. I burst out in laughter every time I remember this.

I and my college friends were on final year project tour. We went to a city with tiled roofs and lots of greenery around.

I stayed in a hotel with almost wet walls and grounds with only a dry bed.

Then, I wanted to go out for lunch. The lunch was arranged on the terrace of the hotel building.

On the stairs' railing, there were two monkeys sitting. One was very big and the other was small. They were sitting together.

Just for fun, I made a face, teasing one, at the two monkeys. The big monkey bared its teeth. I ran away to the terrace, totally unaware of what was coming. When I took my plate for food, two people came hurriedly. One fair girl and one brown guy.

They started telling me, Anu, I don't know what you did. I replied to them coolly that I did not do anything.

At that particular moment, one large monkey on the terrace came running towards me.

I got scared. Since I was in a group, the rest of the group shooed the monkeys away.

Then, I realized what I did on the stairs.

You have no idea how much I laugh remembering this incident. Even to this day. My stomach bursts out.

Tuesday, December 20, 2016

Resolutions for the new year 2017

This is the year ending. Time to look back, review, keep my work in memory. Here are my resolutions for the year 2017.

1. Work more for women empowerment. Top priority. Too many women are in trouble around me. Help them. I can show you how I help people. Any woman in trouble, direct or indirect, please send me an email if your husband is inflicting domestic violence on you, or is sleeping around with other women. I want to eradicate AIDS from India. Top notch priority.
2. I am applying for PhD full time. This is something that I have had pending for a long time. Doesn't matter where I do it. I will publish research papers, all in my name. First Author will be me.
3. Never ever fall in love. Because love is poison. Not to mention, how much it distracts me in my work. And I love to work.
4. I want to teach some old people around me how to use internet. They don't know it all. Again social service worker in me.

I will do it Bangalore. I am ready to relocate to other places provided that they are willing to provide me the creative space that I ask for.

I dont want name, fame or anything for what I am doing. I just need my name for all my works. The satisfaction I derive from my work is my reward. For people who did not know that about me.

I will keep the list bullets at four. Maybe, I will change the resolutions if I find a goal worth pursuing in 2017 subject to worth my financial and emotional currency.

Annapoornima Koppad/-.

Monday, December 19, 2016

All in my name

Dear All,

I am writing to state things for things all I do. I am keeping this blog in my name.

My name in full form is Annapoornima Koppad /-.

Nothing less, nothing more.

All in my name. There are no short forms for this name.

Everything I do is going to be in my name, eighteen letters including my last name.

My first research paper

Dear All,

I really worked on research in my life, for the first time. You can find it here,

My first step to what I wanted to do.

Best wishes,

My one last request to General Public

Dear All,

This will be the last time that I will ask for public request after stating my side of story.

I always followed Amma, Malathi Koppad. I followed her everywhere. To her natives, to her relations, and ate what she always gave me. She also told me stories.

Appa was never there for me growing up. He was an alcoholic. I don't recollect him at all.

Amma, Brother, BK and Sister, DK filled my life with horror stories. If you come personally and ask me the things that they told me, I will tell you. Those things and stories are not worth mentioning on this blog.

I told in my previous post that I had a contribution towards the house that I built for Appa and Amma.

I also told that I could stay and plot revenge for the things they did to me.

I am me. I don't want revenge. Because the sickness of the stories that they told me will translate into things that I would not think of inflicting on my true enemy.

Also, there is the emotional baggage of inflicting things to them.

I don't think I want to do this part of running around and asking why they did, what they did to me.

I have multiple copies of stories that they have told me, including the family friends and relatives that I have had.

If ever, I felt the need to return to them that they need my help, I can look at what I have and remind myself to never return. I am never going back to them.

I don't need their house, their money, their savings. Not one paisa of it.

If you ever meet them, please slap them in the face for me. If you need proof, I will give you questions to ask them, so that they will tell why they did what they did to me. I don't want to hear the endings of those stories from them. The sickness is just going to kill me.

I am not scared of living alone. If you have been following me, you know what I can do to earn a living. I can earn just enough to live free. That's enough for me. I deserve a better life. I can earn that myself. Not a single paisa more. I have myself to look after.

Annapoornima Koppad/-

Sunday, December 18, 2016

An open request to doctors on my readers list.

Dear All,

There have been symptoms that I don't know, but have been happening.

This happened to me in my house, at Indian Institute of Science.

I forgot most of the things that I read, so would keep multiple copies of things that I wanted to remember.

I am writing a diary, and maintain this blog for that purpose.

Hence, I have this request to the doctors on my reader's list.

Are there any drugs, alcohol, and other things that will make people who eat it forget what they wanted to remember?

I would like to know about those before I run into investigations.

If you know, please let me know, else keep quiet. Please don't write an email telling me that you don't know. I don't want to know that you don't know.

-Annapoornima Koppad

An open request to the general public

Dear All,

I am requesting all of you to tell me what I have to do for the things that I have been through.

Sexual harassment, disowned by my parents, friends and family, I slept on streets for some days. Without a job. I was roaming without proper slippers, wondering what was any obligations that I had towards anyone.

Because starting from now onwards, I am going public with my investigations.

All of them. Blogs, letters, poems, paintings, Meditation, sex, love, lovers, pens, school friends, college friends, every aspect of my life the way I saw it.

I am going to name everyone in the process while I investigate. If there is someone who thinks I am at mistake, I am asking you call me directly, or come speak to me. My email ID is My cell phone number is 8792879112.  You tell me why you know what you know, and I will tell you why I did what I did.

We can a public live streaming discussion on youtube, national TV channels, news reporters in everyone's presence.

I am asking everyone to watch me live on the channel. Please let me know.

As I name them, I am asking these people to give me what I deserve. Every single paisa of it. Not a single penny more. God forbid, not a single paisa less. Hatred included.

Any questions.

I am home.

Annapoornima Koppad

Saturday, December 17, 2016

Python Software Society of India

Dear All,

I wrote to the home Python Software Society of India, I am also registered on since I am interested in promoting Python training sessions in and around Bangalore.

I wrote to everyone in the contact list of No one has ever replied so far. Just so that you know, I am currently serving as one of the eleven  Directors of Python Software Foundation,

I also wrote to Kushal Das, who is also another Director of Python Software Foundation, asking if he could reach out to PSSI and ask what was happening with my membership. I spoke to Vijay Bangalore(, Kracekumar Raju(, and this email address( about my membership. This was in June.

I had a conversation with Ewa, Naomi, who also suggested that I move forward with the local Indian group. I was waiting for some kind of reply atleast.

I also wrote to Shijil ( from the on November 13, 2016.

Can general public intervene because I am going to talk anyways to the Chief Minister of Karnataka? This time if I go to Chief ministers office, I will take press reporters, cameramen, TV news reporters, and the rest others with me to cover the story. I will have Youtube live streaming if not anything else.

Your intervention will be highly appreciated.

Thank you all.

People person,

My caste story

Apparently, Yamanappa Koppad and Malathi Koppad belonged to Kuruba community. Which is the caste of the current chief minister, Siddaramaiah.

Erappa Kurubar, Malathi Koppad's father had hundreds of goats to herd.

Yamanappa Koppad was friends with current chief minister, Siddaramaiah. Often, Yamanappa Koppad always went out to campaign for Siddaramaiah.

There were stories of Siddaramaiah floating around. About his sons, and his wives.

I have had friends from all castes. Brahmins, Lingayaths, Eligas, Edigas, and some of the castes I do not even know. I have had friends from all kinds of people of all different language. Mangaloreans, Bangaloreans, people from all over India. I even had people from United States, whites, and black friends.

I do not see the difference in caste. I do not see the cultural backgrounds. I do not see the languages people speak. As long as you are a person who can respect to another person just as the same you are, I treat you equal. As long as you do not raise your hand/power over another person, I respect you for what you are.

I find people are both good and bad. Irrespective of the backgrounds they come from.

Unfortunately Malathi Koppad and Yamanappa Koppad dont think like me.Yamanappa Koppad took me to meet Mallika Ghanti, a person close to the chief minister, and the chief minister Siddaramaiah long time back.

I am not going to use caste to my advantage. I do not need a reservation. Even the thirty three percent of reservation that is set aside for women.

I dont need that.

My divorce story

Dear All,

I am writing to let you all know. Demonetisation has been happening. It is ruining my life.

I want to complain about my message that I logged with the prime minister's website. Both the message on phone and mobile are missing.

I went to see Chief Minister and was not available at the time I went to see him.

This is RajhaPrabhu, my exhusband's profile. This is my father in law's profile

I went to the court near Lalbagh, on H. Siddaiah Road. The Judges changed three times within a span of one year.

I read that the gold given to a girl at the time of marriage belonged to the girl. I read it here, and here,

I met a lawyer Basavaraj B L who took 9000 Rupees from me and never appeared to the court after the second hearing.

My exhusband gave me an alimony of two lakh rupees. I quit my Job from which was giving me a salary of eighteen thousand per month to move in with Rajhaprabhu.

My in-laws and parents did not give me the jewelry also.

I have more stories to tell that. I did not have a job in Chennai. Neither do I have now.

I quit from IPTel at Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore because they were paying me Rs 15,000 per month.

How far is this right?

How do I tell this to these people?

Thanks and regards,

One request to general public

Dear All,
Can someone tell me whose profile this quora profile belongs to?

Quora, profile
facebook, profile
blogger, profile

I have queries with this person. And I wrote to his email ID which I believed is

Another investigation that I am requesting is this.

blogger, profile
facebook, profile

I wrote to his email ID which I believed is

And this profile

I have questions to ask them.

I will invite the general public to intervene when I speak to these people. Also, I went to Chief Minister's house to "talk" that I have been having problems.

Any pointers will be greatly appreciated.

Friday, December 16, 2016

Which is the religion that I have to follow?

I was born into a Hindu family. My family was cattle shepherds.

Hinduism has so many gods.

Which god do I follow?

Lord Rama who took Sita to forests and then doubted Sita's fidelity. Then the earth under her feet broke and took her in after she gave birth to Lava Kusha. Lord Rama was "KIND" enough to believe a fishmonger's words and let go of his wife, Sita who followed him to the forest, and then walked on fire for her husband.

Lord Krishna, who had so many wives, that he took so many forms to please his thousand wives. No wonder, India has always had problems with the population.

Lord Vishnu, who sits on a snake bed, and keeps Lakshmi at his feet. Why not the other way round? Lakshmi on the top, and Vishnu at his feet?

Lord Shiva who was stupid enough to give his gift to Basmasura and then running away from Basmasura because Basmasura wanted to return the favor of the gift?

Not to mention other gods of Indian mythology, "Indra", another word for womanizer", etc of the likes. Why did Yama need a buffalo to ride on?

Lord Hanuman, who was Brahmachari but went all the way to look for Sita from Ayodhya in Bihar to Sri Lanka, for his lord's wife? Was it just loyalty that drove Hanuman?

Krishna who saved Draupadi in the time of the public rape, because the five brothers had bet their wife? What do I call this? What was a woman here? An object to betting? Why did not Krishna give Draupadi the powers of Kali to set those five brothers on fire and the entire the Kaurava who kept laughing while Draupadi was being raped publicly? Why did he give a saree only to Draupadi to cover herself?

Why did Laxmana draw a line and asked Sita to not cross limits while he went out to look for Rama himself?  Why did not Lakshmana not take Sita with him if he cared for Sita. Sita with him was better than Sita alone. If anyone tried to harm Sita, he could his bow and arrow skills. Or why would he not teach Sita to use arms and bows so that she would not need anyone to protect her? Was he expecting Ravana as a guest so that Sita remained at home, and would greet Ravana with open arms? Make someone weak, draw a line, circle around her, ask her to never cross the limits, and offer her as a bait to Ravana who always looked at other men's woman.

Is this the mythology that we draw inspirations from? Hindu Scriptures, anyone?

For a while, I tried to believe in Jesus, for he was a man who asked other men if there was no one in the crowd who had made mistake so that such a man was capable of punishing a prostitute. If Jesus was really a son of God, why did he not bestow powers to a woman to make a living for herself instead of going to other men.

I think of all, Jesus still holds the trophy. You know, when Satan came and challenged Jesus to jump off the cliff, why did Jesus walk away? What was Jesus afraid off? What was that Jesus that kept hanging to life? He did not have a wife, or a family that he had to fend for? Attention Deficient Disorder, anyone?

Dont even get me started on Muslim scriptures. Sorry, people, I will break it the way I see it. Men who forbid women from wearing men's clothes, do men like things. Keep her covered from head to toe so that no one else is seeing what is happening? What is there to hide? Who is having sex with whose's wife, is that what you want to hide?

I thought about this for a lot of time.

I am sorry that I do not believe the scriptures that is being offered to me. I choose my life above all. I would like to quote Upendra's dialogue, "I am god". Yes, I am a god in my world. And my world is not my family. My world is my body and mind. Who comes here and goes here, I decide. No one else.

Thursday, December 15, 2016

Our house counstruction story

 Dear Appa, Yamanappa Koppad(YK), brother, Basavaraj Koppad(BK), sister, Dhakshayini Koppad(DK), and mother, Malathi Koppad(MK) alias Mariyamma Kurubar.
This is my contribution to the house that we together built.

I got housing loan documents ready after quitting my job at UnicitaConsulting. I  was getting a decent salary of Rs 30,000 as a Patent Analyst at Unicita. I gave all that to MK.

When the house construction started, I quit my job. I applied for a housing loan from State bank of India, Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore. Which was refused. Then, I went to Canara Bank, Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore and applied again. This time, they sanctioned Rs 28 lakh for the house.

I overlooked the construction of the house for over a period of two years. I spent all my money that I had saved for myself, that I handed to MK.

I still have records for all some of the talks that have been happening between me and YK, MK, BK, and I rarely speak to DK.

DK and MK threatened me to get married to Rajhaprabhu. I had a dizzying confusion of choosing between family and marrying. I chose to marry Rajhaprahu for you people. You never came and saw me properly at Rajhaprabhu's house.

There is still a lot of money that you people have not returned to me. I have records of how much loan is being repaid since I have direct access to the loan accounts.

Tell me how much you spent for my marriage, how much you spent for me? How much I have not returned to you?

Because this time, I am coming back with court case, police, and general public to tell what you have done to me.

Tell me how you intend to return my favor to me.

Rest, please watch me when I do what I do.

To update you that I am not bluffing, I have bank records, police records, and voice recordings of when my parents were hitting me.

I have already spoken to these bunch of idiots, and they think I cannot do anything to them. MK, and YK hit me in the house. I have a domestic abuse violence case against MK, and YK.  DK watched while MK and YK hit me.

BK took me to Jagadeeshwari Matha ashram in Bidar when I told MK was making my life horrible.

Thank you all for reading.

The new move

I wrote in my previous post about my personal life which I do not want to hide from anyone including my parents and family.

I had to go to Delhi for a policy on "HOW    TO    ENGAGE    IN    BROADBAND    POLICY    AND   REGULATORY    PROCESSES". I did not have cash at hand. Talk about demonetisation effects. I was standing in a queue at the SBI ATM cash counter at Indian Institute of Science waiting to withdraw money which was giving out only Rs 2000 freshly minted notes, then I realized that I had money in three different accounts. None of them above Rs 2000.

Laugh at my plight if you will. But then, its middle of the month and you cannot expect my cash than what is necessary. Also, I have stuff that is worth more but not in cash. I never had so much of a high on my life than the one that I felt at that moment. That I was truly free from obligations from anyone. I was laughing. It was after so many days that I have felt this good.

After that, today, I called up my parents to ask some money for cash. My father did not have cash. He handed over the phone to my brother. My brother offered me to give Rs 2000. After he said that, he started asking about my previous post. He asked me what would people of where my father's new house is would think of. He also asked me what I thought of myself.

I told him to the face, I was me. No one else. I have already told that I smoke and drink, and why would it be wrong to date someone. His voice got louder and I told him, that I did not need their house and cut the phone.

I may not move to that house. I will move to a new house that I can live according to my needs.

To Sumit, if you are reading this, I am sorry I used your name without your permission to do it on my blog. I had to test family's reaction to what I am and what I do. I may never see you again if you did not want it and happened to read this by mistake. I am sorry if you did not like being mentioned.

To my brother, if you are reading this. Just leave me and never follow me again. Even on my blog. You can go tell Appa, Amma that I wrote this. The only reason that I wanted to move to Appa's newly built house is because I had contributed towards its construction. You may not agree with me on that, I have proof to show. And please stop lying about the money issues, you, Dhakshayini, Amma, and Appa are having.

I am going to leave you to yourselves.

Thank you all for reading.

Wednesday, December 14, 2016

The new man in my life

Ok, people, here is the latest update in my life.

I had a pre marital affair with a guy called Praveen Ballal with whom I had sex for the first time. He died in a car accident, thats what his ex wife told me after I left him.

I was married to a jerk called Rajhaprabhu who had erectile dysfunction problems.

Then I have dated a guy who was in a relationship with a married woman. All three of us had problems. So I quit from there. Sex was good even if it was only two-three times.

I then got into a relationship with a married man, and later a very old guy. I quit because they did not offer me the comfort.

Now, finally I am getting some sex from that guy who was in a relationship with a married woman. Apparently, he told they have separated ways.

He lives in a another city. Once in a while, he comes to Bangalore, and its good.

So, I have asked him to move in with me in my new house.

He has not replied at all.

So, Sumit, if you are listening or reading this, reply and let me know if you are willing to move in with me, provided you pay half the rent that I am paying to live in my father's house.

You don't have to marry me. You can move out when you want. The same thing holds true for me. The moment I start feeling uncomfortable or way too comfortable, I will kick you out.

For the rest, see, I like Sumit not because I have great sex with me. That bloody bastard allows me to fist fight with him. Also, I will update you if comes back. If he does not, please do the needful for me. Kick some in his dark butt for me, please. Thank you for understanding.

And if you don't reply, it is ok. I will date some other guy on the block.

Sunday, December 11, 2016

Yoga and Meditation

As stressed I am right now, I have tried non medical treatments of doing meditation as well.

I did this class way back in 1999 from Sahaja Stithi Yoga organized by Gurudatta Guruji.

Meditation did some good work initially. It calmed my jitter nerves.

But then I started having dreams. Dreams of falling down stairs.

I remember when I attended the class I had this thoughts of mass orgy. I did not like it.

I did not like the thought process that Gurudutt Guruji, propagated. Isolation from people, and leading ascetic life. I mean, if you have a problem, you don't go to forests and meditate upon a stone rock, how does the problem go away.

One thing about me, I am fascinated with life. Everything excites me. Colors, people's expressions, food, etc all of it really gets me going. I cannot sit without doing something. But here was a thought process that was taking away from that. So, I did do one thing. I practiced meditation process in my room for a while.

It did not take away the stress after some time. My health deteriorated more.

I was having dreams of going away from people, I saw myself dying, etc.

I thought it was more stress, and then I stopped meditating. I started dancing which turned my mind towards my body. Which was better than meditating. With eyes open.

I wanted to get a operation done for the past few days.

I considered my mother and father as my children after a while since I believed my mother was uneducated, and my father had problems with his attitude. Not to forget to mention, how much I cared for my sister. I considered her my child for whom I could set the best example that anyone could ever have had.

Unfortunately for me, all of them turned me down. Told me on my face that I do not mean a thing and did not do anything for me. They were angry with me.

I could stay and plot revenge for them. But what makes me makes me. Revenge is not me. I cared, and I loved. True to the last word.

I have no wish of mating another guy or having any more children. I do not want to adopt another dog for that matter, that will keep me holding to anyone.

I went to the doctor and told her that I want to get hysterectomy in case there was anyone who wanted me to look for them, or save them, or love them, sex or no sex involved. The doctor says that I have to get a sign from my father to have the operation.

Right now, I have just enough to live for the day. So, till the time comes when I can afford the operation. I will wait.

There is no need for any shit from anyone.

Women Scientist A program

Dear All,

There was a program from the Department of Science and Technology, Government of India for which I submitted my project.

The project was accepted and I have not heard from them so far.

Anyone else who knows about this?

You can see the list of accepted projects here,

MIT Global Entrepreneurship Bootcamp Team

I recently completed my application for the MIT Global Entrepreneurship Bootcamp Team.

Anyone else on the list who has done the same?

Let me know.

Saturday, December 10, 2016

I am a people person.

I am a people person.

Its my innate inborn ability to connect with people. People from all kinds of backgrounds, and all kinds of statuses. I don't care if a person I am talking to comes from a poor background, or is a rich person.

Like I said in my previous post, I connect with people whose names and faces that I may not remember at all. I laugh, share a joke, and then I am on the roads again, traveling, discovering new places, talking to new people.

I can never sit in one place, or stick to one person totally or emotionally. I draw inspiration from people. Everyone I meet on the way teaches me something that I don't know.

Sex is out of question.

I am not sure if I can find a man or woman that will say I am okay with you talking to so many people, or treating them like you have known them from ages when in fact you just met them. There has been no one so far.

That makes a people person. Totally. No one ever comes close to what I am, what I see, and where I want to go. No one. Ever.

Things that I miss about Indian Institute of Science

This post is due before I unpark my *** from Indian Institute of Science.

Its not the research, not the green campus, not the world class research facilities, not the people, not the professors, or the fact it is one of the most popular institutes in India that I will miss, or not even the fabulous nine rupee tea at Prakruthi canteen that I am going to miss about Indian Institute of Science.

There are three wise women, whose names that I do not know who work at Prakruthi canteen. I dont know them, and perhaps will never know them. Once in a while, when my salaries have not arrived or I am cracking jokes about the other waiters who have upturned noses, and are acting like they are the royalty of England, I don't give a damn about the waiters acting like royalty of England, these three women stand with me and laugh.

Its not even that these women are trying to date me or anything. I will keep it that way. My happy memory.

This was perhaps the best kind of relation that I have come across. Its even better than the one teacher that I had.

Projects in pipeline

Here, as you must have already know from my previous posts, I literally have no personal life. That leaves a lot of room for several projects.

I bought a Arduino Uno board and a Raspberry Pi 3 boards for my projects. I got another Gemalto Concept Board from Gemalto people. I have another Intel concept development board that I intend to work on.

Apart from this, I recently wrote my patent agent exams, on 27 November 2016 to be specific in Chennai. I am still awaiting those results.

I am attending a Zumba instructor course on January 27, 2016.

Like I said before, I am also working as an intern for the Openstack group as part of the Outreach program.

And as a major move, I am moving away from Indian Institute of Science which I have always considered as home. I am going to miss you, Indian Institute of Science. As green as you are, I find my true calling, traveling, teaching what I can to others, in the process learning more.  I cannot remain stuck to you like a child is stuck to its mother via the umbilical cord.

I know my work life balance is definitely going to be awesome in 2017.

This is my story.

Dear All,

I have been waiting to tell my real story. Like no hiding facts. I tried to solve this problem, problems that I had with my family, with people that I tried again and again. Talking to my own folks, I have tried all that.

The girl in the story is me.

I have tried to tell whatever I remember. There is must be an end to this.

Unfortunately, I have no means to tell. When there is an entire system that is set up against me. I am not sure of anyone, anymore.

I tried everything best to solve it myself. I give up.

I am opening it up for others to read.

Most of the stories I write, painful as it they may seem, it is me.

Friday, December 9, 2016

There is one man that I respect

There is a man that I respect who is a memory for me now.

I may never see him ever again. I am not sure about seeing him ever again. If I saw him, he is not same man that I respected once.

I was looking for what defines me. He gave me what I was looking for.

For that alone, my respect and all regards to him.

To that man, if you are reading this, I owe my life to you.

My teacher, my guide, and my hope in all things bad, my good in the worst of this world.

My heartfelt gratitude to you.

Thank you.

What is oddly satisfying?

Ok, let me accept it. I stole the title of this post from a video that I saw on Facebook which showed some ordinary satisfying things from which people derive satisfaction.

I mean, hell yeah, winning a million dollar lottery is exceptionally satisfying, but then for the lesser mortals like us, what is oddly satisfying?

Today, one such situation came up. I had earlier blogged that I am one of the person selected as an intern for Openstack under the Outreach program.

I had an old Dell machine on which I had Devstack installed and was submitting patches from that machine. It started puking errors when I ran ./ That has been happening for the last three days. I tried everything available on the internet to sort out the problem. That did not work.

I recently bought a new machine, again, a Dell Inspiron 15, 3000 series machine, that I rebooted with Linux 16.04 operating system. Then I git cloned the Devstack and ran ./ It was the same set of problems. So I did do one thing. I wrote to my mentors, Raildo Mascena, and Rodrigo Duarte Sousa from the Openstack group who suggested that I try running Devstack in virtual environments.

Virtual environments spewed up another set of errors.

Finally, it worked and I was able to get it up and running is not what happened.It is nowhere close to it.

While I tried to several things, I wrote up the errors in a word document using Libre on Ubuntu and then was about to post the question on Stackoverflow. Then suddenly, my machine hung. I had to reboot it.

When I restarted my machine, and fired up Firefox, the old session was restored. My worry was always there. Now, I had to think of the unthinkable, To even ask doubts to my mentors, and then post questions on mailing lists, and post it on  Stackoverflow, I would have to redo the efforts of the last three days.

Fortunately for me, when I opened up Firefox, my question on  Stackoverflow was saved, and the word document still had my documentation.

I dont know when I had hit the control save on both of them.

Now, that was oddly satisfying.

I know, people, life sometimes gives you lemons. I just had my lemonade.

I just googled up Youtube to see if there was any thing else that were oddly satisfying, found this.

Wednesday, December 7, 2016

Problems with gmail

Hello Everyone,

I have had this query for my gmail account. I use my gmail account for a lot of financial transactions such as booking train tickets, and paying credit card bills.

I got worried that recently I saw a chat request was sent from Gmail to someone whom I had not known at all. I did *not* do it.

Unfortunately for me, I would not worry if my emails could be hacked for anything. Except with the money matters.

Has anyone run into this problem before?

Let me know.

In Pursuit of Science Kishore Vaiygnanik Prothsahan Yojana at Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore

I am a creative person. I like creating things. Stories, arts, crafts, science, data, food, pretty much everything around me gets me interested.

Unfortunately for me, I had a alcoholic father, and an uneducated mother. The only goal that I had in my mind was that I was to grow up an independent person with no obligations towards anyone.

It was way too much dillydallying about what I wanted to do and where I wanted to be, and I worried way too much about it.

For me, I believe that even art is a way of science, and science is a way of art. I do not discriminate knowledge. That holds true for both basic science and applied science. For a long time, I was considering both of them, basic science and applied science trying to see which was more worthy of pursuing. It took a while for me to realize that both of them are dependent on each other.

But the way I chose, I took the one that gave me money because I needed money to survive. I was ready to accept basic science as well as applied science that gave me the creative space.

Let me tell what I did.

I got into bachelors for engineering since I wanted to earn huge money in shorter span of time, doing it the right way. But then, the urge to research and get into the creative space of my mind, it kept pulling me.

I was doing my first year of engineering when Kishore Vaignanik Prothsahan Yojana(KVPY) advertisement appeared in newspapers at Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore in the year 2000.

I spoke to my mathematics teacher at University Visvesvaraiah College of Engineering, Bangalore, Ms. Hamsapriya if she could suggest me what I could do for my application that I do some research at the college itself. She said she did not know of anything that she could do to help me.

I then spoke to my professor V. Keshava Murthy, electrical engineering department of University Visvesvaraiah College of Engineering did not have anything to suggest to me.

The interesting world of information with all its wonders did not exist for me then. Whatever I knew was what I knew from people all around me, what appeared in the newspapers, and what I heard from my parents, friends, and other people.

I met Dr. Prakash A S, a PhD student in the year 2001 from Solid State Chemistry Unit of Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore and spoke to him about my application. He was happy to have me work under him. But the condition that he imposed was that, his professor Prof. M. S. Hegde would not acknowledge my application. Naive as I was, I believed what Dr. Prakash told me. The closest I came to my application was what Dr. Prakash had given me. I was alright with Prof. M. S Hegde not acknowledging my application. But I just met Prof. M. S. Hegde to seek permission to use his laboratory for my experiments, to which Prof. M. S. Hegde agreed.

It was the year that I was doing well in studies at college, and I was indulging in research, research if my application was successful would actually make money and give me some recognition as well, and alleviate my otherwise no money condition.

I did submit my report to the scholarship application. I have no idea what happened to it. There must be some feedback mechanism to tell me what went wrong, or what was that my application was missing.

As hard as it was, there is nothing that I could do to find out what was happening. I still don't know how the application process is judged.

The milieu was totally different from what it is today. There is access to so much information that I do not need anyone to teach me something. A computer is so much more of a beautiful world. I learn, I write, and then I have the satisfaction of doing my work, and being recognized for my work.

Tuesday, December 6, 2016

Outreachy program

Hello All,

It was a slow process of learning and relearning for me. I had contributed earlier way back in 2013 to Openstack and was accepted into the program. Since I had conflicts going on, I was not able to accept the offer and withdrew due to personal reasons.

Then I restarted my path again, started contributing to Openstack and was accepted into the Outreachy program.

You can find my name listed under the Openstack organization, here.

This time, no matter what happens, I intend to complete the program.

Hope to see you around.

Memoization in Python

Memoization is optimization technique that optimizes the number of calculations being performed by storing and reusing the already calculated values. A memoization cache is created when a function is called for the first time, and every time there is a call to the function, values are stored in the memoized cache, reducing the redundant calculations.

In the following paragraphs, the technique is illustrated using the example of a factorial.

A simple literal implementation of factorial in Python without using the recursion method is given by Figure 1:

Figure 1: Factorial using for loops

This case helps and gives the correct answer. This becomes redundant when there are many values whose factorials need to be calculated.

It is here that the technique of memoization comes handy. Figure 2 exemplarily illustrates the code for memoization technique.

Figure 2: Memoized factorial
If the values that are calculated are stored, then those values can be pulled from the memory for further calculations without recalculating again.
Figure 3 below illustrates a simple timer program that can calculate computational times for the two functions mentioned in Figure 1 and Figure 2 respectively.
Figure 3: Timer code for calculating computation times

On the first time call of the function, the normal factorial calculation illustrated by Figure 1 and the memoized factorial illustrated by Figure 2 utilize the same computational cycles and give results in the same time frame. For example, Figure 4 illustrates the code for calculation times for the the normal factorial calculation illustrated by Figure 1 and the memoized factorial illustrated by Figure 2 0.0395050048828 seconds and 0.0834770202637. In fact, this is quite in contrast with the expected results.

Figure 4: Using timer from Figure 3 for doing calculations

However, if the calculations were repeated in this manner, the advantages of memoization come into picture. Figure 5 illustrated the example code for repeated calculations.

Figure 5: Repeated calculations

Using the code in Figure 5, when the computation times for the normal factorial calculation illustrated by Figure 1 and the memoized factorial illustrated by Figure 2 provide for 4.68964886665 seconds and 0.108646869659 seconds respectively.

This is primarily for the reason that once the factorials are calculated and stored and are retrieved when there is another instance for the variables. In the first case, the values get calculated every time and hence increase the computational times.

In this article, the benefits of memoization are explained. There is one disadvantage of memoization, that is, memory is used for storing the values. But that is a trade off that is to be balanced for gaining on the speed of computation.

Further, recursion methods give faster computation, that combined with memoized technique can make the programs a lot faster with a little trade off on memory. I will write more about those in another article.

There is my article on Memory optimization in Python.

Virtual Reality : The way I want it

 This is a post about my personal expectations of what I think virtual reality is and what I want to do.

Most of the current virtual reality simulators require that you wear some kind of additional equipment upon on your senses that will make you feel and sense the virtual environment. That is you need an extra equipment to experience that virtual environment.

This is not new. It already exists in movies and the concept is being used by movies. The actor does not actually handle or manoeveur some of the things as props that do not exist but acts like he is using them while the camera and other technical people involved in the movie making develop the rest of the set using existing software and hardware.

Applying this concept to virtual reality, I am seeking to develop tools that do not require equipment on a body but still provide the required virtual environment.

For example, projectors and screens and other materials placed at the right places can produce three dimensional images that look very real and feel real but do not exist in reality. The capability of deceiving the spectator experiencing the virtual reality is very true.

To state an example, it might not require any more actors, and expensive setup if you can setup one studio that is able to do this. A slight feed into the program and you are able to develop stunning results.

On a medical note, hallucinogens are known to induce experiences in the human body that cause the user to believe that he is seeing or experiencing things that may or may not be true. That is whole different ball game altogether.

Monday, December 5, 2016

Mission Declared : Missile Launch

I wanted to write a story on Missile Launch.

Suppose you have an enemy that has been planning on launching missiles at you. Missiles that are the usual ones but the ones that mark their target and never leave the target, following the target everywhere.

You try to thwart the attempts, or try to disable the missile launch themselves.

After a while you get tired.

I almost stopped in tracks at the story.

I complete it this way.

I go to the enemy base or headquarters, whatever you want to call it. Running away from missiles is my habit, after all the attempts the enemy has made at sabotaging my life.

Then, I hide myself behind the enemy.

There is no way out.

Both the enemy and I die.

End of story!

There was a man I saw.

There was a man I saw.

Every time I met him, I saw his eyes looking for an answer. His eyes looked longingly at me. His actions were almost totally different from what his eyes were telling me. His actions were being subdued by the brain in his body.

He was a man I met, amongst several men. I could picture him. He was a good looking man, with a decent paying secure job. He had a family, probably a loving one. Some days, I saw him accompanied by his wife and two beautiful kids. It was the most perfect family picture that I could ever want to paint.

There was something missing though. There was a longing in him for more. For more than living a normal life. He was still looking for the one who would make his life complete. It is a need that I understand. His brain confined him to the boundaries of our civil society while his heart yearned for the thrill of living, rather than just existing.

I also saw that putrid, pugnacious smell of being afraid of escaping from the norms, of being afraid to not conform to the rules of the society. I wanted to tell him to take the risk, and let go of everything that he had been raised for.

You see, I am someone who broke away from the emotional baggage, and earned my financial freedom. I could never see him do that. That made him a coward. A coward that did not risk for the comfort, even for the sake of living it. Even when that comfort was a lie, when it was actually taking away the precious moments of his life. A courage that he would never muster, that I had gathered and faced the consequences. He deserved that life.

I saw a man. A man who was where he deserved to be.

Sunday, December 4, 2016

Sadma song - my reaction

I recorded this video as part of honing my acting skills. I own this video alone. The original copyright rests with the owners, and I claim no rights over them.

And no, I have not used glycerin to cry.

I recorded another video right after I recorded this video today.

Please let me know your comments.

Bricks and bouquets are welcome.

Saturday, December 3, 2016

Acting bug bite!

Hello Everyone,

I have developed new interest in movie making, and acting. It was a while that I wanted to get involved in theater, art and drama. I recently completed an acting workshop by Rangmach at Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore. It was after that, I seriously started making videos of me acting out roles. Here is an take on one of my roles.

Watch, and please leave your comments. Both comments and critiques are welcome with equal elan.

Friday, December 2, 2016

Shaping of identity - My take

I am writing this to understand the shaping of my own identity.

I am an individual, and I live in a society.

The atmosphere I grew up shaped me till my ideas were born, and I was able to think better, not prejudiced by the circumstances and environments that I grew up in.

That gave me the reason to write this post. Does the society define? Do I define me? What is that defines me?

There are some days when I do things that the society that I live in will never accept but makes me feel comfortable.

By the line of thought, I have come up with two theories, rather should I call them two identities that I have developed and I prefer to call them individual identity and collective identity.

Individual identity is something that I do when I am alone. I am happy eating lots, coding, reading, writing, dancing with no particular steps, or moves, etc.

Collective identity is what I pose for others to be just because I live in a society and I need their respect. Actually I don't need their respect, but then, I need money to live, food to live, that comes from working , and working requires that I interact with people, and hence I have to bow down to the system in which I live.

There are days when I wake up and don't want to meet anyone. Nor interact with anyone. I have had enough with this people. And don't want to work anymore. I think of starving myself. So that I don't have to eat anymore. So that I don't have to mingle with people.

How many times will it before when I will be doing what I like instead of doing what is dictated by the system?


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This Month's Face Of Akuson Henry Blog (AHB) Efebeli Blessing - Happy Independence Nigeria.

 1, What is your full name?
 I am Nkemdilim Efebeli Blessing (NEB)

2, Where do you reside and what is your state and country of origin?
 I reside in Edo state and am from Delta state, Nigeria.

3, What is your email, phone number, bbm pin, facebook id, Instagram or twitter handle.
 My email address is . my phone number +234703838####, my bbm pin D1AA6###, Facebook Id; Sunday Neb, Instagram; queen_nebby_slim_berry, twitter; nebby_la_hot

 4, Date of birth and marital statue?
 I was born on the 7th day of November. Am single.

5, What is your height and weight?
5.2ft and 40kg

 6, What are your likes and dislikes?
I like honest and dislike lies

7, What are your hobbies?
I love reading, traveling, and having fun.

 8, What is your future ambition and goal in life?
My ambition is to touch lives positively as much as I can and make a positive mark in our society.

9, What do you do for a living?
Am a student, a model and also a cosmetologist.

 10, In one sentence if you where the president of your country what will you do?
 If am the president of my country I will endeavour to make the country suitable for every one both the poor and the rich.

To Get Enlisted As One Of Our Models Both Female and Male Or Heir Our Models Pls Contact Us:
+(234)180-295-1779, 805-845-3145
twitter: @akusonhenry
skype: henry.akuson
Instagram: @akusonhenry


text:
Wednesday, September 16, 2009

Tethy was the sea -goddess in Greek mythology, the daughter of Uranus and Gaia. She was the wife of Oceanus, but then, unfortunately his sister too.

She was the mother of all the rivers and lakes but her name mockingly only meant "the old woman"

Tethy had the power to control the stars and the planets and all the constellations above. She'd never let them touch her water. That is why the stars only circle on the sky, over and over forever, but can never drop below the horizon, or touch the surface of the sea.

Here, she raised her daughter,Hera, protecting her from all evil and harm.

Tethy perhaps wished she could fly like the birds and the bees, have wings like the fire flies or the angels. See she has wings on her forehead (in the illustrated mosaic).

But poor Tethy was strangled with sea weeds and surrounded by her thousands of children-the sea creatures, with the destiny of a sea nymph.

I come to feel that Tethy must have shed a lot of tears but was too proud to let the world know. Sea shells and many sea creatures knew those stories but like faithful friends never gossiped about them or, never told them to any body.

They held her tearful secrets in their own bosoms for millions of years which has become drops of pearls today.

While I was making this bracelet with the pale pink pearls then a pair of earring and then a necklace to match, I was thinking about Tethy's story.

What price tag should I put on ?

Daisy Soap Girl said...

This is a very interesting story and very clever how you incorporated it to introduce your jewelry.

Daisy Soap Girl said...

Your work is beautiful. I like your blog stories. They kind of remind me of myself.

Nothing Profound said...

Lovely anecdote. Thanks for sharing. I thought I knew most of Greek mythology, but her story was unknown to me.

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text:
Alarm launches business continuity management guide

Listening to Members, Alarm recognises that the impact of a disruption to public services is a risk that many have identified at a strategic level and it figures largely in corporate and strategic risk registers. In response, Alarm has produced A guide to business continuity management (BCM) and supporting presentation, providing clear help and guidance to enable local authorities and other public sector front line responders to fulfil service and statutory obligations.

The wide range of threats, the increasing reliance on technology and public expectations, often voiced through social media, all mean that the need for plans to deal with disruptions is more important than ever before. This is reinforced by the Civil Contingencies Act 2004, which imposes a statutory duty for organisations to be resilient. The Guide, which is an update of a previous Alarm publication, therefore contains the latest thinking on BCM for local authorities and other public services organisations. It is a useful document for those familiar with BCM as well as those new to it.

Divided into easy to access sections, the Guide explains the context for BCM and the Civil Contingencies Act 2004, covers the plan, do, check, act (PDCA) cycle required to implement a BCM system and contains case studies and lessons learnt.

The Guide will provide Members with the ability to develop a robust business continuity infrastructure that will enable future resilience and help promote business as usual when facing an incident. The supporting presentation offers hints and tips that will work for any public service organisation looking to implement, refresh or improve their business continuity plan.

View the business continuity management guide and supporting presentation.

Not an Alarm Member?

To access the Guide and other topical guidance, join Alarm today for just £199 +VAT (discounts available for multiple memberships). By joining Alarm you will instantly benefit from the top quality training, support and guidance specifically tailored to risk professionals or those that deal with the management of risk within organisations that provide services to, or support our communities and citizens. Find out more about joining Alarm.


text:
Visit our Business Solutions website >>

Allsop 29808

Allsop 29808
alaAverage 4

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Mar, 2017

alaTest has collected and analyzed 1 review of Allsop 29808. The average rating for this product is 4.0/5, compared to an average rating of 4.2/5 for other Mouse & Pointing Devices for all reviews. Reviewers are impressed by the size. The price is also appreciated. There are some negative comments about the durability.

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Consumer review by: Rusbel (

A must for extended computer use

Its small size lets you use it on just about any setup you have without having to reposition your mouse and keyboard. It is comfortable however it raises my wrist about an inch above the mouse pad which can be awkward depending on my position. I did...

Compact ; Soft and Comfortable ; Stays cool and dry

Feb, 2015

Product Specifications

PRODUCT FEATURES: Provides maximum support and comfort Helps alleviate repetitive stress disorders

Model:Comfortbead Wrist Rest
Packaged Quantity:1
Product Line:Allsop

Category of Accessory:Ergonomic accessories / Keyboard and mouse accessories
Product Type:Mouse/trackball wrist rest


text:
We are saddened by the passing of Albert's daughter, Audrey Hash Ham, who was instrumental in helping to found the Albert Hash Memorial Festival, and donated her time, money and heart to the success and continuation of the festival. So many of the performers and instrument makers at the festival were influenced by Audrey and she touched the hearts of many who attended. We will miss her presence greatly. This year at the festival, we will be starting the Audrey Hash Ham Music Scholarship for local youth.

    The festival is set for Saturday, Sept. 3rd, 2016 starting at 10am and ending around 6pm. We have already started on the 2015 line-up for the fest, check out performers page for update! Some of the 2015 performers include: Whitetop Mountain Band, Crooked Road Ramblers, Wayne Henderson & friends, Unique Sound of the Mountains: Larry Sigmon, Martha Spencer & friends, Kelley and the Cowboys, the Georgia Crackers, the Harris Brothers, Ralph Stanley II and the Clinch Mountain Boys and the Five Mile Mountain Road Band.

    It will be a great day of music, dance, crafts, food and fun!

    The festival will be at Grayson Highlands State Park, 829 Grayson Highland Ln., Mouth of Wilson, VA, 24363  (http://www.dcr.virginia.gov/state_parks/gra.shtml) and camping is available there as well. It will take place in the picnic area at the Henderson Stage.

    Also: Admission will be $10 this year. ($5 parking per car)

    Thanks for visiting the new website of the Albert Hash Memorial Festival! The festival is held in honor of the beloved fiddle-maker and fiddler, Albert L. Hash; and hopes to preserve and promote traditional mountain music, dance, crafts, and instrument making.

    Check out the Photo Gallery

    for New Photos of Albert Hash fiddles and other local luthiers!

    Albert Hash Fest is looking for volunteers! If anyone would like to volunteer at the festival, contact alberthashfest@hotmail.com.

    There will also be a collection of Albert Hash fiddles on display at the festival this year. If anyone has an Albert Hash fiddle and would like to bring it for display, please contact alberthashfest@hotmail.com as well.

    Craftspeople and luthiers that are interested in setting up, call 276-579-4322.

    ALBERT HASH 'I Wonder If I Can Git Ya To Tell Me That Story Of How Ya Made Yer First Fiddle' CD
    USD 18.00

    2014 Raffle ticket on handmade fiddle made by Chris Testerman
    USD 10.00

    Crooked Road Affiliate Partner:

    Bandvista.com :: Band Website Design Builder


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Muscovites listen to a message about the beginning of the aggression by Nazi Germany

moscow 1941

Muscovites on the street 25 October listening to the radio statement, Vyacheslav Molotov and the Soviet government of the treacherous attack of Nazi Germany on the Soviet Union.
Very well-known photo of the first day of the war.

Location: Moscow
Time taken: 22 June 1941
Author: Eugene Khaldey

In : 1941

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Fifteen Seconds in One Week

Literature-obsessed Thatcher Kelly is wondering about love. Not the “I’ll love you on your perfect days” kind of love you see in the movies, but the real “I’ll go down with the ship” kind of love.  With his family falling apart and his humiliating school picture going viral as a meme, he’s starting to wonder whether that kind of love even exists. That is, until he stumbles upon a mystery girl named Kaeya Garay in his school’s abandoned art gallery.

Fifteen Seconds of Normal is more than a love story. It’s a story about love. There’s a big difference.

In honor of the YA book’s release. I’ll be listing a quote from the book a day. Enjoy.

Pageflex Persona [document: PRS0000448_00044]

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understanding Psychology

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Labels: Articles
understanding Psychology
              Psychology comes from the Greek word "psyche" which means soul. Logos means science. So the psychology etymologically means "the study of the soul, both by his symptoms, as well as background processes". But the understanding between psychiatry and psychology is different or the same (according Gerungan) because:
- Science is life: life sciences, including khalayan and widespread speculation about the soul.
- Psychology is the science of the soul are systematically obtained by the methods of scientific

What if all people to learn and use psychology in everyday life?

         Based on the definition above, I conclude when all the neighbors learn how to use the psychology of communication in daily life is the flow and patterns of communication made by any person will wake up with either. Because the communicant who will get involved in running the ease of communication.

            Each component of any communication or actors will be familiar with his interlocutors that the communications made by either going to wake up. This is because each one of these every berusahan communicators to recognize and examine further into self-komunikatenya, so the stimulus is delivered will be processed in either a good response too. Thus the communication events that occur in social life will run in a comprehensive and focused.
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alibi online

District 2 candidates forum with Isaac Benton and Roxanna Meyers

The Three Rs with Candidates for District 2

Though they may sound like delicious varieties of candy, “Ike” and “Rox” are actually candidates competing for the new incarnation of the District 2 City Council seat. What’s clear is that each one possesses an equally admirable All-American three-letter nickname, so unfortunately, citizens won’t be able to use that as the deciding factor when they vote on Oct. 8. This race might just have to come down to the issues. Today’s District 2 was formed in 2012 through arcane redistricting magic that melded most of Democrat Isaac “Ike” Benton’s District 3 (including Barelas, Downtown and north-campus neighborhoods) into Debbie O’Malley’s North Valley District 2. When O’Malley got a new gig as County Commissioner, Mayor Berry appointed fellow Republican Roxanna “Rox” Meyers to fill the vacancy. So inasmuch as city council races ever get exciting, it’s pretty exciting that the race for the now-meatier District 2 features two resident incumbents squaring off. This Thursday, Sept. 12, both Meyers and Benton will be at the North Valley Senior Center for a Q&A forum during a meeting of the North Valley Coalition. Ignore their likeable nicknames and demand they tackle the issues by bringing your tough questions about the area’s three Rs: roundabouts, revitalizations and the Rio Grande. (Lisa Barrow)

Thursday Sep 12, 2013

3825 4th Street NW
Albuquerque, NM 87107

Website: Click to Visit

Part of the North Valley Coalition's September meeting. Agenda also includes a presentation on the controversial Rio Grande Vision plan.


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Alibi Bucks

 May 24 - 30, 2007

Flyer on the Wall

Weaving Rainbow

Sub Pop recording artists The Album Leaf rain down sheets of luminous sound this Friday, May 25, at Puccini’s Golden West Saloon ($12, 21+). With Lymbyc Systym and The Giranimals. (LM)

Join the FOTW Poster Posse! Submit your flyers at least one week in advance to

NEWSLETTERS Great Alibi stories, events and deals delivered to your inbox each week. No fooling!
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Client Abundance Coaching Cafe thisclose to Launch!

The date is set! On Thursday, June 1 (that’s THIS Thursday!) the Client Abundance Coaching Cafe will officially launch – and I’m REALLY excited.

Our current Charter Members will be enjoying a sneak peek this week, and a slew of them signed up for the next free teleseminar included in their membership – The 9 R’s to Modeling Your Mentors – this coming Wednesday. I’m so looking forward to being on the call with them and sharing the exact process I go through to make putting together any new project much easier, faster and even much better!

Here’s a peek at the Welcome Page:Homepage_1

I’ll be accepting registrations for a limited number of new Charter Members this week. If you’re interested, either subscribe to this blog at the right or send me an email at and I’ll be sure to send you the details!

~ A

Next Up! Advanced Google Teleseminar

Hi there,

Just wanted to let you know about my next teleseminar:

Advanced Google Teleseminar

Tuesday, May 23

8pm to 9pm

If you’re currently running an Adwords campaign or you have the basic knowledge you need to do so (perhaps from my Basic Google Adwords class? :)), this is the next step for you. But I’m not just going to cover how to really turn up your campaign’s effectiveness in bringing you targeted traffic and more conversions. I’m also going to talk about some other Google offerings that will help build your business as well – all of them at no-cost!

In this class, youll learn:

> How to track your results in Google Adwords so you’ll know which keywords are performing the best for you

> How to set up a landing page for your Google Adwords campaign that will increase your conversions

> How to know if your visitors are doing what you want them to do when they visit your landing page

> What PageRank is and what you need to know about it

> How to get your invitation to use Google’s new web statistics tool

> And a lot more

And you’ll be able to ask all the questions you want, of course.

I’ll be using screen-sharing technology to show you what I’m teaching you while we’re on the call, so you’ll really "get it" right then and there.

You’ll also receive the downloadable audio recording of the class and detailed notes, so you can review the material as many times as you’d like.

This teleseminar package, with the live call, the recording and the notes

is just $47  $37!

If you’re ready to dramatically increase the effectiveness of your campaigns and learn more about what Google has to offer you to boost your business, register at the special link below:

Register here for Advanced Google Teleseminar

PLEASE NOTE: There is limited seating for this class, so be sure to register right away so you don’t miss out!

I hope youll join me!

~ A

Power of Collaboration Conference

I’m just back from spending two fabulous days with three of the most amazing folks in my industry I know – Andrea Lee, Michael Port, and Milana Leshinsky – at their Power of Collaboration event in NYC.

My mind is abuzz with ideas and my heart with inspiration – so much so that I find it difficult to write too much at the moment, but I wanted to share some photos with you for now.

Mastermind_1Here I am with my three MasterMind colleagues (and friends) – how lucky am I to be hooked up with these fabulous women? 🙂

Wendy Weiss, the Queen of Cold Calling,
Sarah Robinson, Hot Pink Success Coaching,
Elizabeth Marshall, High Energy and Performance Coach,

Aliciaandandrea Here I am with Andrea Lee, my mentor. What a thrill it was for me to finally meet her in person!

Aliciaandmichael Me with Michael Port. I’ve been following Michael’s work for awhile now and always found it valuable, but hearing him speak was simply a blast. And he’s a really great guy to just talk to as well. His son is just one month older than Chloe (wonder if it’s too early to set them up? :)) Jake made a quick appearance with Michael’s wife Shannon, and his is adorable.

Aliciaandmilana Me and Milana. I was so happy to meet Milana in person, not just because I admire her work for and with coaches, but because she has two small children and somehow manages to be incredibly productive. She truly inspires me.

SarahandaliciaMe and my former online friend, now my in-the-flesh friend, Sarah Robinson. Sarah and I met awhile back online and just "clicked." so to speak. Then when we finally met in person at the conference, it was like we had known each other forever. How cool is that? 🙂

I have lots to catch up on from being away for these few days, but I’ll be posting more soon with my thoughts and insights from the conference. Right now, all I can say is WOW.

~ A


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Thursday, November 3, 2011

Orly Androgynie

Hey guys! This is going to be a short entry as it's late here, and I need to get to bed soon. I wanted to get this posted first. :-)

I have on one of the new Orly 2011 Holiday polishes. It's called Androgynie. It's a black jelly with small silver glitter,gold glitter,blue,green and copper hex glitter. Application was good, and I used three coats. Two coats is absolutely fine, but I wanted to get more of the hex glitter on my nails than the two coats gave me. This is def. a unique polish, and the most popular of the holiday collection. If you want it, I'd grab it while you can. It's selling pretty fast around here. I picked it up at Sally's.

Thanks so much for reading! Have a great night! :-)

  1. Oh how gorgeous!!!!!

    Sleep well!!

  2. Iooks like I'm headed to sallys tomorrow on lunch!

  3. Your swatches look much better than mine! I couldn't get the damn hex glitter out of the bottle!

  4. Very pretty!! I haven't seen this one out yet. And I may just have to pick it up when I do. :P

  5. I have this one!! Can't wait to try it on.
    I really love Orly's nail polishes :)

  6. oooh I just bought that one today. I can't wait to try it out. It is really cool looking

  7. Alexis...Thanks! :-)

    ♥beauxs hope you were able to find it! :-)

    Mína...Thank you! :-)

    Angie...Aw, I'm sure yours are great too. I'll have to check them out. ;-) I agree with you though, the hex glitter was a bit difficult to get out. That's why I had to add the third coat. I wanted more glitter!

    Megan Harmeyer...Thanks! You should pick it up when you see it. It's really pretty...even thought the glitter is a little hard to get out!

    ptitemeve...Thanks! I love Orly too. :-)

    turtlechick12...Thank you! :-)

    imfeelingnail-venturous...You should! ;-) It's a really unique polish.


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Sunday, August 7, 2011

Three Ball Dog

I am not a ball dog. I tried it once and it is not for me. Even the fuzzy balls are a poor imitation of a squirrel. Don't even get me started on the whole fetch thing. But I can still be impressed by my fellow canines' skills. There is no way I could do this!

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Support All Aboard OH

All Aboard Ohio welcomes all members of the community to help reach its goal of having choices for all Ohioans in getting around the state.

22 Comments to "Support All Aboard OH"

  1. November 5, 2010 - 9:46 PM | Permalink

    I would like to know how i can help out ?

  2. November 6, 2010 - 2:58 PM | Permalink

    3C is more than just trains!
    The governoer elect states that 3C is dead on his watch. I thought he was for creating jobs in Ohio. Obviously he was not telling us the truth. The 3C project is about jobs creation for Ohio and Ohioans. It starts with infrastructure work and station building. It also includes work for safety between trains and cars at crossings. Yhe 3C project has a provision that states the winning biddr for rail car equipment build a factory here in Ohio. This means permanent jobs to build passenger cars for us and other states as well. Also, trains and stations need to be staffed; more permanent jobs. I wish to know what part of this Kasich is so aga? Why Is he against jobs creation? Or do these kinds of jobs not appeal to Wall Steeters? Ohio lags behind other states in the rail passenger field. Why? Because we have short-sighted politicains! Trains relieve the congestion on highways. They also are more fuel efficient means of moving people.

  3. November 9, 2010 - 4:24 AM | Permalink

    The railroad system would be an excellent idea for Ohio- creating efficient travel, less dependence on cars and fuels and creating much needed jobs in Ohio! What reason would anyone have against it!

    • Jon Jaros's Gravatar Jon Jaros
      October 16, 2012 - 4:40 PM | Permalink

      All Ohio cities would prosper from a revamp of passenger rail through our state. We sit in a good position (between the east coast and Chicago). There would be many jobs created in Ohio as a result. But many of our elected officials pick a good thing apart until there is nothing left but ashes it seems. We could have been on a path to better rail here as we had one of the corridors to start up again (Three C). The dependence on cars, planes and saving fuel was a huge cost to pay.

  4. Patti Rawlick's Gravatar Patti Rawlick
    November 17, 2010 - 2:25 PM | Permalink

    I would love to see a high speed train in Ohio, I would travel Ohio more, and keep the money in our State. I think it would be a great economic stimulus for the state, as well as traveling to other states and cities. I think Kasich is missing the boat by not investing in the rail system. I think this would stimulate Cleveland’s economy, since it has been voted one of the worst states to live in. I can’t believe our govenor-elect is not willing to make Cleveland a better city to live in. It is a travesty, and in a couple of years, when all the other cities around us are way ahead of us with the railway, we will be wishing we would have started sooner.

  5. Rob Zimmer's Gravatar Rob Zimmer
    December 10, 2010 - 1:23 PM | Permalink

    After the announcement of Governor elect Kasich’s decision to refuse funding for passenger rail service in the state of Ohio, I am ready to help do what I can as a citizen to uphold the wishes of Ohioians reflected in the results of last Novembers election. Please let me know what I can do to help.

    Rob Zimmer
    Kettering Ohio

  6. December 10, 2010 - 1:32 PM | Permalink

    I support your organization and its position and goals. Let me know how I can help.

  7. Melissa Hemming's Gravatar Melissa Hemming
    December 12, 2010 - 12:08 AM | Permalink

    We cannot afford to miss out on this opportunity for Ohio. The jobs it would create are desperately needed. It would also be a great help for Cleveland Clinic patients such as myself to have another transportation alternative.

  8. Liz Schulte's Gravatar Liz Schulte
    December 27, 2010 - 2:56 PM | Permalink

    I’m a former RR employee with experience in legislative advocacy. I’d like to see this program continue and would like to help promote it.

    Do you have a Facebook page? Thank you.

    Facebook is “All Aboard Ohio – The Official Page”

  9. Philip Greene's Gravatar Philip Greene
    January 26, 2011 - 11:48 AM | Permalink

    If we all make our feelings known to Columbus, and get everyone else to make their feelings known, we might be able to pull it off. We need a letter writing and phone call campaign to get this thing moving again. Not even Kasich can deny it if enough people want it.

    All Aboard Ohio needs to get itself in the news more and have a stronger precense and those — as with Ms. Schulte — who ahve legislative experience or expertise in other ways need to use it to make things move.

    The time for talking is over. We need to actually take action.

  10. Josh B.'s Gravatar Josh B.
    March 12, 2011 - 6:25 PM | Permalink

    It’s great to see people looking for sensible solutions in Ohio. The car will always be around but it is my right to chose not to drive a car and if this state doesn’t see eye to eye with me then i’m out. To young to waste time waiting for this state to pick itself up if it doesn’t want help.

  11. August 23, 2011 - 7:25 PM | Permalink

    I agree with Josh. This could really be a sensible solution. I’m not a fan of road trips myself, but would probably travel the state a lot more if I didn’t have to drive to do it! And wouldn’t this not only create more jobs, but also increase tourism revenues as well?

  12. August 27, 2011 - 8:38 AM | Permalink

    This kind of idea is very beneficial to everybody living in OHio. Doing such creative initiative to promote the State for the better is a noble work.

  13. Ted's Gravatar Ted
    November 12, 2011 - 5:13 PM | Permalink

    I’d love to see the train but in this economy it has a snowballs chance in hell.

  14. Frank Schenck's Gravatar Frank Schenck
    February 6, 2012 - 7:45 PM | Permalink

    The current governor and legislature lack leadership. I think it is plain to see that the current network of highways is unsustainable. We need alternative transportation systems that do not rely on automobiles. Rail is the most efficient and effective mode of transportation between urban centers. Casinos are being built in all the major cities in Ohio. What wou;ld be the ridership fo people traveling from one citie to another to visit the various casinos? I am not a gambling person myself but I am sure it would be much more convenient and relaxing then driving; fighting innercity traffic and then finding a high priced parking spot. Wake up you antiquated elected legislators of Ohio! Get on board and offer us a viable alternative!

  15. Craig's Gravatar Craig
    May 15, 2013 - 10:18 PM | Permalink

    I am very passionate about this issue and would like to get as involved as possible. Please contact and let me know how I can help. Thanks

  16. Jessie T.'s Gravatar Jessie T.
    July 17, 2013 - 12:10 PM | Permalink

    As costs for gasoline and airplane travel rise, I would like to have an alternative solution for travel. Why is it that some developing countries have far better rail travel than one of the greatest developed nations in the world? Having high speed rail routes would force gas companies and air travel to keep their prices in check. In addition, it would provide the necessary foundation for young people to see value in and invest in this area. I am very interested in this issue and would like to be contacted to help in any way I can.

  17. Helen M's Gravatar Helen M
    September 23, 2014 - 10:11 AM | Permalink

    I am excited to hear about the announcement of possible high speed rail to Chicago. Hopefully the train will use the Union Terminal station and generate funds to fix that Icon. Right now Chicago is Amtrak’s HUB for the midwest – when did that happen? Why wasn’t Cincinnati chosen? I discovered this info when booking an Amtrak train to New Orleans from Cincy – I have to go North to then go South if I don’t want to spend 6 hours in Charlottesville! Right now the train takes 9 hours to reach Chicago – it’ll be quicker to take the Megabus! I’m from England where trains are a fact of life and just make total sense! I’ll be looking forward to seeing progress! How can I help?

  18. Helen M's Gravatar Helen M
    September 23, 2014 - 10:26 AM | Permalink

    Can we have an All Aboard Ohio meeting in Cincinnati with decision makers/investors, Amtrak, 3CDC, Port Authority, city officials and legislature? Including Portman, Kasich & Cranley? or their representatives? We need action not lengthy studies. All Aboard!!!

  19. Robert Viney's Gravatar Robert Viney
    September 24, 2014 - 9:52 AM | Permalink

    High speed rail connecting major Ohio cities with cities such as Chicago, Indianapolis and Detroit would be a catalyst to building economic prosperity and job growth in the Midwest regions of the country, making travel for business and recreation much more affordable and enjoyable … and providing alternatives to congested air and road travel for people and goods in this region. There is a high concentration of Fortune 500 companies in this region and many of the service providers such as Advertising Agencies and Entrepreneurial Support Centers that would be connected efficiently and effectively via a multi-state regional high speed rail network with the Ohio cities of Cleveland, Columbus and Cincinnati playing a key integral role.

  20. Jerry Alter's Gravatar Jerry Alter
    November 5, 2014 - 4:03 AM | Permalink

    I heard the news that Republicans took control of the Senate and increased control of the House. I’m afraid this might mean the end of Amtrak is in sight. This also may mean RTA may have to shut down in Cleveland. Republicans don’t support either Amtrak nor RTA in Cleveland and other big cities- only Democrats do. As we continue to keep Amtrak trains and transit systems running I’m afraid that our requests will only fall on deaf ears. The Republicans may tell us “If you don’t like our transportation system you’ll have to leave the United States and move to Europe or China”. If this is the case we’d get angry! I hope this isn’t the case!

Leave a Reply


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Resume Writing

Sports Statistician

Welcome to my website,

This is a project that I have wanted to do for a long time and frankly speaking, just kept putting on the back burner. Here it is – I hope you like the content.

The site discusses my career in magazine and online publishing, discussion of current events and personal interests, my passionate interest in the NBA, as well as the freelance resume writing and copy editing services I provide to individuals and small businesses.

A little bit about me

Born in NYC, I moved to the New York City suburbs (Spring Valley, NY) when I was three years old. My dad, Arthur, was a college basketball player and a highly successful consumer products marketer; my mom, Vicki, was a piano teacher (an accomplished piano player – played in Carnegie Hall) and a homemaker. Michael, my younger brother is a bond trader. At 13, my parents divorced and my mom, brother and I moved to Mahwah, NJ, about 10 minutes from Spring Valley. I graduated Mahwah High, where I was an average student (barely studied at all!) but a member of the school’s first state championship football team.

I was accepted at the State University of New York at Oneonta. I decided that the time had come to get serious about school. I matured, did very well in school and made several lifelong friends and before graduating with a BS in Business Economics (minor in Political Science). In my senior year, I was accepted at the University of Copenhagen, DK for a semester, studying International Business. The six months I spent in Denmark has had a profound impact in my life. It was in Denmark that I expanded my vision and became a young man.

After my graduation from SUNY, I was accepted into the Masters Program (Institute of Management and Labor Relations) at Rutgers University in New Brunswick, NJ. After finishing my Master of Science Degree in Industrial Relations and Human Resources (emphasis in conflict resolution/collective bargaining and dispute settlement), I moved to San Francisco (the main reason was a broken engagement; it was all for the best, but it took me a while to realize this!) in 1990.

As a resident of San Francisco’s Marina District since 1991, living here has been a great experience. I am a pretty lucky guy. I have had a successful, unique career as a direct marketer in the publishing industry (Sometimes, you never know what turns in life has to offer; I never thought I would have been a marketer), made several lifelong friends along the way and lead a good life. As I tell others, if I complain about anything but the weather in SF, tell me to shut up! Life is good!


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Wednesday, June 27, 2007

TDD, Objective setting and doing the obvious

I’ve been doing a round of objective setting for my client recently.  When it was first announced the company wanted to go down this path I groaned.  “Arhh” I thought, “I hate objectives, I hate people setting them, I hate all the baggage that comes along with them.”  Neither was I impressed by the way my client’s HR department presented the idea or the proposal for implementation.

I’m a past master at criticising management by objective, it is quite easy really, just look at the side effects and read Goodhart’s Law.  Anyway, its not turning out like that at all, little bit of imaginative thinking and things are looking good.  Sure we are only in the objective setting phase so far so it is too early to say, much could happen but….

First I have rigorously applied the SMART approach – objectives need to be Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Realistic and Time boxed.  Second I added an extra criteria “V” – call it the SMART+V formula.  “V” stands for Value-add.  (Only I now realise it should be V+SMART, if you can’t show value don’t continue.)

Next was the realisation that the development team all did pretty much the same job.  Therefore one could expect them to have pretty similar objectives.  And if they all had similar objectives it would aid team work.

Finally, I think I realised how to use this to my advantage.  The team have not been doing code reviews or Test Driven Development (automated unit testing if you prefer) but everyone is willing to do both.  So, its now turning out that most of the team have objectives around these area.  Not everyone, and individual goals might have a slightly different take but they all build.

Half way through and this approach seems obvious.  If a manager wants his team to do TDD then why not just set it as an objective?  Surely this is the way it is meant to work: manager decides, manager aligns team, team does what manager wants.

If it is this obvious why bother with all the TDD evangelising, training, coaching and calls to do it.  Why both with fancy change ideas.  Just set it as a target and do it.  Could it be so easy?

Of course it isn’t going to be that easy.  For a start just because it is set as an objective doesn’t mean it is going to be met.  Just because people want to do something doesn’t give them the knowledge to do it; at the start people don’t know how to do it.  Then there are the usual problems like time pressures and people who will think “it won’t work here.”

Having set it as an objective I’m still going to have to work hard at giving people as much support, training, coaching and other assistance as I can.

One real danger to this approach is that the managers who set these kind of objectives might just believe that setting an objective is all that is required.  As I just said: setting it as an objective doesn’t mean it will happen.  Objectives are a two way street and managers need to help people meet theirs.  Thats why I’m thinking of setting my own objective as: “Team reaches 80% of objectives.”

If this approach is so obvious why haven’t I done it before?  Well apart from the problems I just outlined this particular tool has not been available to me in the past.  Sometimes management wasn’t bought in to TDD, sometimes objectives weren’t in use and sometimes I wasn’t in a position to set the objectives.

At the moment it feels good and I think its going to work.  I’ll report back…

Normal service is being resume...

Believe it or not the book is finished – kind of.  Still some stuff to do so things can start to return to normal, and that means more blogging!

Seriously, I don’t want to get back to the multiple postings a week phase but I do want to blog more.  I’ve got a back log of things I want to talk about.

I’m off at EuroPLoP next week so there will probably be a lot of pattern posts in the next few weeks.  I’m currently reading the papers for my workshop, so far it looks like it will be a high quality year.  As usual I will come back physically exhausted and mentally renewed.

Finishing the book also means I can return to reading more books and reviewing them here.

Still I’m very busy with stuff to read, things to do on the house, boring book stuff, very busy client work and a back log of things to write.  I even intend to contribute something to ACCU Overload in the next few months!

Anyway, on with the show…

Monday, June 25, 2007

Off-shoring gets more expensive

Interesting piece in the FT today about the increasing cost of outsourcing to India – Offshore call centre benefits challenged.  Seems companies are finding that call centres in India are getting more expensive, wages are rising.

I have long help that this would happen, and as it does off-shoring becomes less attractive.  Even in India the supply of suitable call-centre staff is limited and over time their wages will rise.  This is good for everyone: the individuals get paid more, India gets more money and more jobs get retained in the source countries.

And if increasing cost were not enough it also seem the same call centres are less effective at dealing with complicated enquiries and less successful at selling additional products.  (Neither does this article mention the high staff turnover rates that call centres and other off-shore operations experience in India.)

I expect to see this trend repeated in the off-shore software development sector too.

As I’ve said before, I’m not against outsourcing or off-shoring.  In fact I see good reasons to support off-shoring.  Just I do not believe it is a cure for all problems, and I think it can cost a lot more than people think.

Neither do I think it is right for early stage companies.  I think it works best when you know your product, your processes and what you are trying to do.  When any, or all, of these things are in flux you are better off having the operations were you can see them, control them, and keep feedback loops tight.