Guardian has a nice article about peak performers.
How much of it is pure genius, how much of it is hard work?
The article finds a common theme - 10000 hours of practice required for all world class work.
In my view, you have to be a real genius, superbly motivated, and genuinely hard working to be able to put enough hours.
So, "10000 hours" may be more like an effect, rather than cause, of the genius.
The truth might be simpler - peak performers keep trying until they get successful.
Saturday, November 15, 2008
Saturday, October 25, 2008
How not to say I f*%^d up
Well, we all have screwed something some time or other.
But, dont you love when people use extremely convoluted language to avoid admitting directly they f**d it up!
Take this sentence for example - "Employees said they felt that in order to effectively perform their official duties, they needed to interact in social settings with industry representatives to obtain 'market intelligence'". Does it sound like "Instead of supervising oil compnaies, government official were having sex with prostitutes sent by the companies."? At least I didnt think so.
Another one - how to translate 4 words (I didnt understand it) to something undecipherable jargon - "I found a flaw in the model that I perceived is the critical functioning structure that defines how the world works.". This is Alan Greenspan speaking.
I hope to find more such goofs to add here. Keep tuned in.
But, dont you love when people use extremely convoluted language to avoid admitting directly they f**d it up!
Take this sentence for example - "Employees said they felt that in order to effectively perform their official duties, they needed to interact in social settings with industry representatives to obtain 'market intelligence'". Does it sound like "Instead of supervising oil compnaies, government official were having sex with prostitutes sent by the companies."? At least I didnt think so.
Another one - how to translate 4 words (I didnt understand it) to something undecipherable jargon - "I found a flaw in the model that I perceived is the critical functioning structure that defines how the world works.". This is Alan Greenspan speaking.
I hope to find more such goofs to add here. Keep tuned in.
Monday, October 13, 2008
I Diamond
Anyone who buys "natural" or "real" diamonds is either an idiot or ignorant or possibly both.
Lab created diamonds are more real, have less imperfections, are more beautiful, and dont ruin your financial health.
But, that's not the reason you should buy them. Buying DeBeers diamonds is tantamount to endorsing bloodbath in many African countries. And, knowing that your diamonds didnt kill someone may feel good, at least for most of us.
Buying DeBeers diamond is succumbing to the giant marketting compaign and letting others rule your values and emotions. Sometimes I wonder if we are really not in the Matrix!
Of course if you can read this blog, you can find out the truth yourself. So, hit google and read the arguments from both sides and know what you want.
In the end if you dont work for Debeers et al, you will agree that only an idiot or an ignorant person will buy their diamonds.
here are some links to get you started -
wired story
techies discuss it on slashdot
Lab created diamonds are more real, have less imperfections, are more beautiful, and dont ruin your financial health.
But, that's not the reason you should buy them. Buying DeBeers diamonds is tantamount to endorsing bloodbath in many African countries. And, knowing that your diamonds didnt kill someone may feel good, at least for most of us.
Buying DeBeers diamond is succumbing to the giant marketting compaign and letting others rule your values and emotions. Sometimes I wonder if we are really not in the Matrix!
Of course if you can read this blog, you can find out the truth yourself. So, hit google and read the arguments from both sides and know what you want.
In the end if you dont work for Debeers et al, you will agree that only an idiot or an ignorant person will buy their diamonds.
here are some links to get you started -
wired story
techies discuss it on slashdot
Friday, October 10, 2008
Wednesday, October 8, 2008
Dont compute PI - you may be convicted!
interesting stuff - why didnt i think of it before!
http://www.everything2.net/index.pl?node_id=1302963
http://www.everything2.net/index.pl?node_id=1302963
Wednesday, July 30, 2008
Your browser history = your identity
Found this interesting link about using your browser history to determine your gender. It works pretty well. It detected me as a male with 99% probability!
Things like this will take online advertisement to new level as ads become more relevant and targeted.
A quick look at male-female ratio of some the sites show a common theme. Sites related to cars, video games, investing and electronics are popular among males. Girls prefer paying online bills, making reservation for the next vacation, listening to music or spending time on social photography sites.
Things like this will take online advertisement to new level as ads become more relevant and targeted.
A quick look at male-female ratio of some the sites show a common theme. Sites related to cars, video games, investing and electronics are popular among males. Girls prefer paying online bills, making reservation for the next vacation, listening to music or spending time on social photography sites.
| Site | Male-Female Ratio |
| google.com | |
| yahoo.com | |
| youtube.com | |
| amazon.com | |
| craigslist.org | |
| cnn.com | |
| blogger.com | |
| att.com | |
| apple.com | |
| nytimes.com | |
| usps.com | |
| netflix.com | |
| digg.com | |
| kbb.com | |
| autotrader.com | |
| fandango.com | |
| t-mobile.com | |
| edmunds.com | |
| orbitz.com | |
| hotels.com | |
| linkedin.com | |
| imageshack.us | |
| kayak.com | |
| cars.com | |
| citicards.com | |
| realtor.com | |
| slate.com | |
| yelp.com | |
| geico.com | |
| rent.com | |
| freecreditreport.com | |
| trulia.com | |
| businessweek.com | |
| greatschools.net | |
| sidestep.com | |
| zillow.com | |
| enterprise.com | |
| hud.gov | |
| amctheatres.com | |
| ziprealty.com | |
| annualcreditreport.com | |
| fatwallet.com | |
| equifax.com | |
| census.gov | |
| frys.com | |
| hertz.com | |
| cnbc.com | |
| reddit.com | |
| engadget.com | |
| mercurynews.com | |
| caranddriver.com | |
| bloomingdales.com | |
| nvidia.com | |
| rediff.com | |
| bugmenot.com | |
| mlsfinder.com | |
| avsforum.com | |
| creditcards.com | |
| slashdot.org | |
| magicjack.com | |
| appleinsider.com | |
| autobytel.com | |
| seekingalpha.com | |
| eloan.com | |
| mashable.com | |
| pge.com |
Tuesday, July 29, 2008
News that matters
10 things you dont have to worry about
what makes finnish kids so smart
Apple revamping macbooks here and here
what makes finnish kids so smart
Apple revamping macbooks here and here
Wednesday, July 23, 2008
Obama and Israel/Iran links
Obama assures Israel he's a friend at the same time warning Iran no options were off the table!
So much for peace rhetoric.
So much for peace rhetoric.
Monday, June 16, 2008
The real value of iphone2
The real value of recently announced iphone2 is not its snappy 3G speed, nor its more affordable price of $199, nor that it's going to be available pretty much everywhere on the planet (save for China). The most important thing is the app store and SDK Apple released for the iphone.
Iphone app store together with $100M iFund will change the online world! As tens of thousands of the developers around the world start developing the applications, iphone will become the device of the choice to connect to the internet.
Look what did apps do to Facebook! Millions of people spend countless hours playing games, poking friends, challenging friends on movie trivia and such. iphone will be one level up.
There are already games written specifically for iphone. There are apps to locate your friends nearby. This is just the tip of the iceberg. 20 million affluent users addicted to internet will spur all kinds of innovation in SW, especially when the forum is so open and hassle free. Apple takes care of hosting, distribution and revenue collection for the app owners.
This will give a much sustainable moat to iphone, making it almost impossible to replace. iphone will be the only handheld device people will have/want to have.
5 years from now, people will look back and think oh so, that's why Steve Jobs was selling iphone2 for half the price of iphone.
Iphone app store together with $100M iFund will change the online world! As tens of thousands of the developers around the world start developing the applications, iphone will become the device of the choice to connect to the internet.
Look what did apps do to Facebook! Millions of people spend countless hours playing games, poking friends, challenging friends on movie trivia and such. iphone will be one level up.
There are already games written specifically for iphone. There are apps to locate your friends nearby. This is just the tip of the iceberg. 20 million affluent users addicted to internet will spur all kinds of innovation in SW, especially when the forum is so open and hassle free. Apple takes care of hosting, distribution and revenue collection for the app owners.
This will give a much sustainable moat to iphone, making it almost impossible to replace. iphone will be the only handheld device people will have/want to have.
5 years from now, people will look back and think oh so, that's why Steve Jobs was selling iphone2 for half the price of iphone.
Thursday, January 31, 2008
Indian cricket
There are some fundamental problems with Indian cricket system. We adulate our cricketers so much that they get disillusioned.
From Azhar to Ganguly to Pathan to Yuvraj to Munaf Patel to Sehwag.. the list is long. These cricketers all have been awesome and ruled the world one point or the other. But, the moment they steal all the limelight, they get huge advertisement money, media attention, fans wearing "will you marry me" t-shirts. That is the precisely the point these cricketers start focusing more on fame and money than on net-practice.
Recently Steve Waugh wrote when Yuvraj hit 6-sixes, Steve knew Yuvraj's prime days were over for a while. Waugh predicted Yuvraj would be blindsighted by all the glamor. So true! Yuvraj has been pathetic ever since!
Did anyone hear Pathan's interview during 3rd test? He said that he was side-tracked from the cricket after he was put on the 7th sky following his huge success in 2005.
Only two people have been able to focus on cricket in spite of all the success they had - SRT and RD. When SRT gets out on low score, watch his face! He is so disappointed, so sad, shaking his head with eyes down. Compare this with Yuvraj or Sehwag getting out on 0. They always have that attitude "I dont give a damn. Remember how I scored 100 runs that day"!!
I think Dhoni is the newest addition to the disillusion list. He is flying high on cloud 9 ever since Twenty20 win. He is spending his time more on politics than on practice. This is visible with his poor form.
I predict Dhoni will be out of the team (both ODI and test) in less than a year. Rahul Dravid or Sehwag (if he has really learned his lesson) will be the ODI captain.
From Azhar to Ganguly to Pathan to Yuvraj to Munaf Patel to Sehwag.. the list is long. These cricketers all have been awesome and ruled the world one point or the other. But, the moment they steal all the limelight, they get huge advertisement money, media attention, fans wearing "will you marry me" t-shirts. That is the precisely the point these cricketers start focusing more on fame and money than on net-practice.
Recently Steve Waugh wrote when Yuvraj hit 6-sixes, Steve knew Yuvraj's prime days were over for a while. Waugh predicted Yuvraj would be blindsighted by all the glamor. So true! Yuvraj has been pathetic ever since!
Did anyone hear Pathan's interview during 3rd test? He said that he was side-tracked from the cricket after he was put on the 7th sky following his huge success in 2005.
Only two people have been able to focus on cricket in spite of all the success they had - SRT and RD. When SRT gets out on low score, watch his face! He is so disappointed, so sad, shaking his head with eyes down. Compare this with Yuvraj or Sehwag getting out on 0. They always have that attitude "I dont give a damn. Remember how I scored 100 runs that day"!!
I think Dhoni is the newest addition to the disillusion list. He is flying high on cloud 9 ever since Twenty20 win. He is spending his time more on politics than on practice. This is visible with his poor form.
I predict Dhoni will be out of the team (both ODI and test) in less than a year. Rahul Dravid or Sehwag (if he has really learned his lesson) will be the ODI captain.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)