My Rankings...

I read in "The Google Story" that most of us at some point of time have tried a search on our names on the internet. I also tried to search for Shishir Pandey on various search engines. Its good to see this blog ranked second on Google (subject to change without notice, it might have changed as I write this). A few days ago it was on rank one in Google search but I did not take the screen shot of it then. I hope it will get back there some time soon. I also tried the search on Yahoo and this blog is ranked one there (YAHOOOOOOOO0000!!!!!!!!). I also tried other search engines like windows live search and ask.com there results were bad.

I attach the two screen shots of results from google and yahoo..

From today I shall start using Yahoo as my preferred search engine..

Some Unanswered Questions!!

I have started thinking of the basic mathematical operations again. The thought process began when my father asked me - "why does negative number multiplied with a negative number produce a positive number?".

The basic reasoning on which we are taught multiplication does not seem to work here or if it does I just do not understand how? As per how we are taught multiplication if some one says 'a x b' then it would mean what is the value of adding 'a' 'b' number of times or what is the result of adding 'b' 'a' number of times. This scheme works perfectly when both a and b are positive. This is how we are first taught multiplication and once we understand this concept we start overlooking many things.

It works well even for if one of then is positive and the other is negative. For example 'a x -b' would imply -b added a number of times. As adding a, -b number of times seems absurd (the commutative law of multiplication seems questionable).

What if we have both the numbers negative. We all know because our teachers told that negative number multiplied with a negative number will give us a positive result. But, if I reason the way I have done before I can do no further how do I add something negative number of times. After all you can do a thing once, twice, etc.... or not do at all but how do you do it -1 time?

I am still stuck with this question. Answers and suggestions are welcome.

Intelligence vs Hard work

I have heard this all my life (I am still very young there is a lot of life still left) from various sources...

"Intelligence is an asset, but, it is not a substitute for hard work"

This might be true...but I strongly believe that

"Hard work is not a substitute for intelligence"

Updated: My friend Vinay believes that hard work can substitute intelligence but it would require tremendous effort (like in the movie Forest Gump).

I do not agree to it. I am not saying that "Intelligence is a substitute for hard work". All I am saying is "Hard work is not a substitute for intelligence" you might keep working like a donkey if you are not intelligent.

Switching Minds

I think most of us have heard about sayings like - "One must always leave the problems of an office at office and should not take them back home or viceversa" OR
You might have seen the add of 'crabtree switches' (crafted to perfection). In the advertisement they show a bride who is crying when she is saying goodbye to her family members and as soon she sits in the car with the groom he rubs on her hands and she becomes happy. In the add the person hopes that life to be like the 'crabtree switches' where you could easily switch minds.

Although the ad is good. If you analyse the add carefully you will find some flaws in comparing life with switches. If you have had a course on digital electronics then you will realize that there are differences between combinatorial logic and sequential logic. The reason being the later has memory. And anything that has life has memory. So the switching would not be so easy as shown.

Now, let us assume what it was so easy to switch moods. Which would mean that we have very less memory. Imagine what are the problems that we would face.
1. You might not remember the path to your office. (no work then ;-))
2. You might not remember your parents after staying away from them for months.
3. You might forget what the requirements of the project are by the time you start coding.
4. Best of all the client would forget to which company they have given the project after giving the money....(outsourcing jindabad...
....etc..etc...

StumbleUpon

Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things that you didn't do than by the ones you did do. So throw off the bowlines. Sail away from the safe harbor. Catch the trade winds in your sails. Explore. Dream. Discover. -The Tagline of StumbleUpon!

Luckiest Day of My life

In India almost everyone loves cricket (I am not talking about the insect). Although I do not love the game so much anymore but, thats a different story.

The incident I am going to tell happened long ago when I stayed in the IRMA campus. We were playing cricket in the campus. One of my friends, I do not remember who, hit a shot and the ball went onto the terrace of one of the houses where no one stayed. We needed the ball and so some one had to get to the terrace and get it (it is quite easy to climb to the terrace there). For that you have to first climb to the top of the building and then come down to the terrace that you need to.

I went to get the ball. I climbed the top of the building and then I got down to the terrace where the ball had gone via the parapet. Little did I know that there was a bee hive under the parapet. But luckily my legs did not hit it or else I might not be writing this blog now. Even after I got down from the parapet I had not seen the hive. I took the ball and threw it to my friends and went back the same way, it was only then that I actually saw the bee hive and for a moment could not think what needed to be done and how I would get back. Some bees stung me. If had not seen the other way to climb to the roof I would have jumped from the building.

After I got down from the building I got first aid.