Part II – Process of buying a Used Car

This article aims to give you basic knowledge about how to inspect a used car and can possibly help you to avoid used cars with potential problems i.e. avoiding lemons. To begin with let me make one thing very clear: “buying a used car requires tons of patience in addition to a lot of research effort”.

Part I – Economics of buying a Used Car

I bought my car last year in October after a couple of months research. And the views expressed in this article are solely mine that I developed while going through the process of buying my car. I had most of this article prepared by the time I got my car keys, but somehow it never made its way here.

For most of us, the family home is the biggest purchase we will ever make, and the car is often the second biggest, which are known as big ticket purchases. Not surprisingly, this is where the most money can be saved or wasted.

I believe in rational consumption decisions, and those who know me will not be surprised to learn that I have strong opinions on these issues. I believe that buying a new car is a big purchase but a bad investment. So let me explain why.

Democracy OR Dynasty ???

Few weeks ago i.e. on 24th September 2007, Rahul Gandhi was appointed as an All India Congress Committee general secretary in a reshuffle of the party secretariat. In addition, he has also been given charge of the Youth Congress and the National Students Union of India. And how did Congress go about celebrating this occasion. They compared Rahul to Dhoni as below:

Rahul can do Dhoni for congress.

This particular comparison made me write this blog entry.

C++

 

Yesterday, one of friend called me as she needed some help in C++ for her TA assignment. She had
to solve around 10 problems, all dealing with basics of C++ and in an increasing order of difficulty. And
even after me explaining her the solutions, she seemed to be quite frustrated with solving them. She
told me that the moment she thinks she has learnt quite a bit of C++, she realises that it is not enough.

I think, this feeling of hers is quite common for someone beginning to learn C++. My advise to
someone would be to try learn the concepts of OOPS and think of C++ as a language that
implements those concepts. Also, while learning they need to try to abstract any C++ program at different levels simultaneously. Most people concentrate on syntax while learning a new language, which does not serve the purpose. And as far as C++ is concerned, its syntax is very easy for anyone who is a little bit familiar with C. The idea is to understand different concepts such as encapsulation, inheritance, polymorphism which C++ offers and to understand how those find application in real life problems. Learning C is quite easy as it adopts a procedural approach. However learning C++ on the other hand needs persistance. OOPS concepts cannot be grasped in first read. But if one persists, it isn’t long before one starts seeing through the capabilities of the language. It is usually that one moment, which changes everything. You then start appreciating the strengths and accepting the weaknesses of the language.

Well coming back to the topic, my friend’s frustration reminded me about the interview given by Bjarne Stroustrup, the inventor of the C++ language. I would like you to first read the interview at http://www.oceanwave.com/technical-resources/humor/c++-hoax.html , before reading the rest of the article.

Movie – Flaw in the movie “GURU”

I found a flaw in movie Guru. Actually I like the song “tere bina” so much that since the release of the movie, this is perhaps the only song I have been listening to consistently. Also, I usually use www.raaga.com, but for this song, I have been using youtube, since I like its picturisation.

You must be wondering, why am I talking about the song instead of revealing the flaw that I have found in the movie. So let me come to the point. Just before the song begins, Aishwarya leaves Abhishek and goes back to village. Why ? Well according to the movie, because of her brothers outbursts she realises that money was the only reason Abhishek married her.

My point is that she already knew this. How and when ?

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Lack of Computer Science Majors

I came across a blog from Janelle Godfrey, Technical Recruiter for Microsoft. In her blog titled “If I Could Turn Back Time: Why I Wish I had Studied Computer Science / IT / Technology in College”, she says that it is very shocking to her the fact that the number of students who will be enrolling in computer science courses is drastically decreasing, and is the lowest it has been in a number of years.

She also says, that she has received numerous emails, articles, and surveys sent by employees confirming the above. Many Microsoft employees have also informed her that they have received emails from their colleges stating that there is a tremendous decline in computer science majors within their alma maters.The blog has a number of interesting comments posted. I browsed through most of the replies and to me it seems there is quite a lot of myth in those replies.

I am listing them as below and will try to shed some light on each.

Blessing in Disguise for India ???

H1-B Visa

Some facts
H1-B visa meets its limit of 85,000 for the annual year 2008, on the first day itself. Out of these, 65,000 are for candidates who have a bachelors degree from any part of the world and the remaining 20,000 are reserved for candidates who have a masters degree from USA. Infact the USCIS has received around 200,000. It is quite obvious that they have received more than 65,000 applications filed under bachelors degree, and it will now follow a lottery system to select those 65,000 applicants out of the 200,000 odd. And, if they received more than 20,000 applications filed under masters category, the same lottery mechanism will be used to filter those extra applications. They will use computers for random selection.

So, the fate of the applicants who applied for the H1-B visa now hangs entirely no luck. Is USA sending a message across to talented foreign students that are welcome to study in USA, but USA will not allow them to work here in this country ?

According to me, it is very obvious that H1-B programme followed by USA needs to be revised, for the interest of the H1-B applicants, USA economy and for the Americans themselves. First let us see what the supporters and opponents of the reform of this H1-B visa programme have to say and I will follow up with my explanation.

First Post – Meet with the "Wizard of Woz"

I had been contemplating about starting my own blog for a long time now. But never actually went about it as I feel writing is more of a creative process. It is more of an art whereas I consider myself more of an analytical person. Anyways, I still have decided to go ahead and start writing mainly sharing my thoughts about various things.

Also, there were so many things clouding my mind as to what should be my first post about. And I think nothing would be more appropriate than to write about my meeting with Mr Steve Wozniak, affectionately known to everyone as Mr Woz.

It was 30th sept 2006 and Mr Woz was scheduled to arrive at Library of Philadelphia to give a short speech.