Drawn by this frenzied desire to build their databases, I have over time noticed that many of these websites commit one of the following 7 mistakes – mistakes that form reasons to drive people from their websites.

1. Lengthy login procedures – Many websites make you type some 10 or 20 details before they give you a login. Ask me and I say why do you need all that? Just three fields to give your name, username and password are enough. Many a times, I see these lengthy registraion forms, I simply close the window and move on, unless the services of that website is essential.

2. Create a new and unique login/username – With so many web services that I access everyday on the internet, how do I remember all the different unique usernames that these websites make me generate. Why can’t the website just have the email address for the username. My email address is unique and so let me just use that for a username.

3. Fear of spam – The first question that comes to my mind when a website asks me for my email address is “SPAM” and I worry that registering on this website might generate more spam for me. I hate spam and I fear everytime I need to provide my email address to some no-to-important web service.

4. No customization – When you make me sign-up for your service and provide no customization to my preferences that I just provided during the login, then why make me sign up? I expect and I do expect that the website respects my expectations in providing values added services that fit to my needs.

5. Too many cluttered adverts – With the growth of the web advertising industry, everyone wants to make money. Sure! Do that. But sometimes, when it is over done with too many adverts occupying the limited 1024 x 768 screen, it turns me off. So have a trade off with the amount of content you provide and the amount of adverts that you display.

6. Forceful installation of java appletts/activex controls – Unless it is a trusted source like flickr.com or yahoo.com, I would fear installing the java appletts or the activex controls that any website offers to install on my system to offer their services. Sorry! why should I trust you? I would also want to believe how this installion is going to speed up or provide more value to me. If I fail to comprehend that, I’m afraid the website will find more users like me who wouldn’t want to install any silly bit of software to access the web service. My suggestion use javascript rather; no installation required.

7. Signup to vote - Forcing a user to signup to cast a vote on a poll or download newsletters or any other material which might be available elsewhere or which might not be very essential, might simply turn the user away. Many websites do that and I only pray that someone put some sense into them. Why would I need to sign-up to cast a vote on an online poll or may be view a set of photographs available on the website’s photogallery.

So, any web programmer, if you are reading my post; please take it as a user feedback and ponder over what I said. A sincere plea. Amen!

I was reading a friend’s blog today and he has this badge displayed on his blog, which read: “My Inner Hero – Paladin!” At first I was intrigued and then I came to know that, this website called “How to be a Hero” has awarded him this badge. Then as usual, I tried it out too and guess what it declares me as, yes, you guessed it right, a Wizard.

Funny, that the test is, I have the results posted from their test on this blog in my last post titled: Letter from ‘How to be a Hero’.

Character Stats:

Rogue (6)
Warrior (14)
Wizard (21)
Paladin (9)

Your Profile:

You’re intelligent, educated, and just a bit superior to everyone you know. If you’re still in school, you probably make A’s, if you’re not too bored to waste the effort. If you work, your annoying boss relies on you to solve the problems no one else can figure out. You’ve never met a puzzle you can’t solve. When it comes to leisure, you’d rather read, play a strategy game, or surf the ‘Net than run around getting sweaty. You’re a brainiac, and you’re not ashamed to admit it.

Above all, you’re a mastermind and a great thinker. You see the unknown as territory to be conquered, and the mysterious as something to be systematically unraveled. You don’t have time for fools; you only spend your time with people who can comprehend your obfuscatory convolutions. You enjoy amassing knowledge, both useful and trivial.

Your Mission:

You were put on this earth to enlighten people. They will listen to you, because they are impressed by your vocabulary, your erudition, and your ability to grasp concepts that invariably elude them. You are the one who has to figure things out, because let’s face it – you’re the only one smart enough.

Your mission, should you choose to accept it, is to Discover Something. Something small, or something big. Find an unknown insect in your own backyard. Discover a cure for sunburn. Develop a faster way to get the dishes done. Calculate the number of molecules in the Andromeda galaxy. Discover a comet. Discover SOMETHING.

And do make it a priority. The Famous Adventurer of Silmaria has a crystal ball trained on you, and will be noting your progress.

A Warning:

Try to remember: you’re not infallible. If people around you are all nodding and smiling, it may just be because they don’t have the faintest idea what you’re talking about. Check your facts and admit the possibility that even you can make mistakes. Loosen up. Make friends with a Rogue and have him or her try to poke holes in your theories. Who knows; you might actually have fun.

On another note – making plans and formulating theories can be quite stimulating, but at some point, you are going to have to actually DO something. Employ a Warrior, if necessary, to put your brilliant schemes into action. Just be sure your instruction manual is written in very small words.

What Next:

Don’t know a Rogue or a Warrior? Maybe you do, but just don’t yet know how to properly classify them. To discover the heroic archetypes of all your colleagues, display the following on your web site to arouse their curiosity:

In Summary:

My Inner Hero – Wizard!

There are many types of magic, but all require a sharp mind and a cool head. There is no puzzle I can’t solve, no problem I can’t think my way out of. When you feel confused or uncertain, you can always rely on me to untangle the knots and put everything back in order for you.

So that’s what I am.

The main entrance of Fathepur Sikri. Isn’t it a magnificent and huge entrance.

The stables of the Fatehpur Sikri where Horses, Camels and Elephants were kept.

I hope you might have got a glimpse of the Lali that I saw through the eyes of my camera. This is one palace to visit and it has some very interesting architectural pieces which demand a visit. So, incase you intend to visit Fatehpur Sikri the next time you are on a tour read my travelogue for more details on arranging logistics to this place.

Well, this doesn’t end here. More of this could be seen, if you move along with me to see the palaces and forts of Agra. Agra was the seat of the Mughals, the capital city, from where they ruled their kingdom. Here you could see, once again, forts build by the Mughals, all embedded with red stone. First in line comes the Tomb of Akbar at Sikandra in the outskirts of Agra city.

This tomb is one of the finest standing examples of the architectural might and the ancient masonry skills that the architects of that time possessed. As Akbar envisaged, this tomb is still host to herds of deer happily living and roaming in the gardens around this tomb. Next monument that you are to see is the Red Fort of Agra. This was the seat to many Mughal Kings that ruled after Akbar. It’s yet another splendid piece of architecture.

Planning a Trip to Fathepur Sikri/Agra

Fatherpur Sikri is on the Agra – Bharatpur highway and is around 40 kilometers from Bharatpur. One can choose travel to Fatehpur Sikri either from Bharatpur, Agra, Mathura or Delhi, which ever is closet to you. Either way the trip to this place will last anything from 40 minutes to 2 hours based on the city that you are traveling from and the vehicle that you choose to travel on. Having reached Fatehpur Sikri, the palatial buildings could be covered in about 2-3 hours based on your pace and the detail with which you intend to explore.

This, more so, completes my travelouge to places in and around Agra. I must recommend, every one should travel to this city atleast once.

Globalize processes have caused in us (all over the world) a general sense of searching for immediate results. Therefore, we have come to posses a need to see immediate results. This contrasts greatly with the slow movements of the Swedish. They, on the other hand, debate, debate, debate, hold ‘x’ quantity of meetings and work with a slowdown scheme. At the end, this always yields better results.

Said in another words:

1. Sweden is about the size of San Pablo, a state in Brazil.
2. Sweden has 9 million inhabitants.
3. Stockholm (the capital), has 2 million people.
4. Volvo, Escania, Ericsson, Electrolux are some of its renowned companies.
5. Volvo supplies the NASA.

The first time I was in Sweden, one of my colleagues picked me up at the hotel every morning. It was September, bit cold and snowy. We would arrive early at the company and he would park far away from the entrance (2000 employees drive their car to work). The first day, I didn’t say anything, either the second or third.

One morning I asked, “Do you have a fixed parking space? I’ve noticed we park far from the entrance even when there are no other cars in the lot.” To which he replied, “Since we’re here early we’ll have time to walk, and whoever gets in late will be late and need a place closer to the door. Don’t you think?” Imagine my face.

Nowadays, there’s a movement in Europe name Slow Food. This movement establishes that people should eat and drink slowly, with enough time to taste their food, spend time with the family, friends, without rushing. Slow Food is against its counterpart: the spirit of Fast Food and what it stands for as a lifestyle. Slow Food is the basis for a bigger movement called Slow Europe, as mentioned by Business Week.

Basically, the movement questions the sense of “hurry” and “craziness” generated by globalization, fueled by the desire of “having in quantity” (life status) versus “having with quality”, “life quality” or the “quality of being”.

French people, even though they work 35 hours per week, are more productive than Americans or British (True?). Germans have established 28.8 hour workweeks and have seen their productivity been driven up by 20%. This slow attitude has brought forth the US’s attention, pupils of the fast and the “do it now!”.

This no-rush attitude doesn’t represent doing less or having a lower productivity. It means working and doing things with greater quality, productivity, perfection, with attention to detail and less stress. It means reestablishing family values, friends, free and leisure time. Taking the “now”, present and concrete, versus the “global”, undefined and anonymous. It means taking humans’ essential values, the simplicity of living.

It stands for a less coercive work environment, more happy, lighter and more productive where humans enjoy doing what they know best how to do. It’s time to stop and think on how companies need to develop serious quality with no-rush that will increase productivity and the quality of products and services, without losing the essence of spirit.

In the movie, Scent of a Woman, there’s a scene where Al Pacino asks a girl to dance and she replies, “I can’t, my boyfriend will be here any minute now”. To which Al responds, “A life is lived in an instant”. Then they dance to a tango.

Many of us live our lives running behind time, but we only reach it when we die of a heart attack or in a car accident rushing to be on time. Others are so anxious of living the future that they forget to live the present, which is the only time that truly exists. We all have equal time throughout the world. No one has more or less. The difference lies in how each one of us does with our time. We need to live each moment.

As John Lennon said, “Life is what happens to you while you’re busy making other plans”.

Congratulations for reading till the end of this message. There are many who will have stopped in the middle so as not to waste time in this globalized world.

Copyright: “Slow Down Culture” (Written By unknown)

Today, I was there to have dinner with a friend of mine who was visiting my place. As no exception, today too, the food mats were as interesting as before. But, only they made me laugh more. I felt like picking one for home so that I can scan and put it on my blog and I requested them to allow me to take one home. They simply oblized. Thank you Chutney.

So, here they are – scanned portions of the food mat.

Now, if you still have some time, then solve this puzzle. I did it in 15 seconds. Can you?

Promotion is Directly related to Resignation

Young Managers!

What a Change in Designation

Interesting Promotion!

I hope none of this is true! But, these are truly some of the best work humour cartoons that I have come across. Kudos! to the creator, whom so ever it might be.

Reproduced from a forwarded email. So which one would you want to buy now?

Life is so small that I sometimes feel like capturing everything that I see. So that’s why I practice photography. Only recently, while browsing the Internet I came across this wonderful photo blogging website called Aminus3. I was enthralled by the huge collection of the amateurish to professional photographs available from a whole generation of worldwide photographers on this website. That’s when I decided to post my collection of interesting photographs. I love travelling too and I generally go on a clicking rampage till I fill my 2GB flash card. That’s when I feel contended.

So I decided to share the interesting photographs from my collection for everyone to see what I saw through the lens and feel what my eyes felt. So, there you go my friend, that’s why I decided to have a photoblog. And here it is – One Way Only’s Photoblog.

Put about 100 bricks in some particular order in a closed room with an open window. Then send 2 or 3 candidates in the room and close the door. Leave them alone and come back after 6 hours and then analyze the situation.

If they are counting the bricks; put them in the accounts department.

If they are recounting them; put them in auditing.

If they have messed up the whole place with the bricks; put them in engineering.

If they are arranging the bricks in some strange order; put them in planning.

If they are throwing the bricks at each other; put them in operations.

If they are sleeping; put them in security.

If they have broken the bricks into pieces; put them in information technology.

If they are sitting idle; put them in human resources.

If they say they have tried different combinations, yet not a brick has been moved; put them in sales.

If they have already left for the day; put them in marketing.

If they are staring out of the window; put them on strategic planning.

And then last but not least, if they are talking to each other and not a single brick has been moved; congratulate them and put them in top management.

So the next time, I hold an interview, I think I will try this one. I advice you to do the same too.