Life Of Pi Lessons

By Atika Singh and Poonam Srivastav

Life of Pi, in more ways than one demonstrated the power of human potential and courage. The high impact movie with brilliant life graphics and of courage the awesome visual appeal delivered some key lessons for life.

You will Survive!

To us the movie really portrays our most basic and universal need that we can survive despite the odds. It was a story of human triumph over the unimaginable and reinstated the fact that we are capable of so much, but unfortunately most of the time not even aware of our own potential!

They say that adversity brings out the best in us; we wonder why we have to wait for adverse circumstances in our lives to figure out our strengths and capabilities. If we were to live each day in that awareness by looking at our fears, questioning our limiting beliefs, or weaknesses and most important getting out of our comfort zone, we might be able to achieve far more and really exploit our latent abilities.

Keep the faith!

Through his ordeal not once does he lose his faith in a higher power, he completely surrenders and believe that God is taking care of him. In our own lives we face challenging circumstances almost every day of our lives. And when the chips are down, we start questioning our beliefs and our faith in the Supreme Being. However, what we forget is that more often than the supreme power has a larger plan for us and there is a lesson in everything. What is important is that our faith in a higher power or anything that one believes in as their faith is what gives us strength to also face the tribulation.

Let Go!

The protagonist in the movie demonstrated extraordinary ability to get over his loss and focus on surviving on what is next! Letting go can be one of the most challenging and often most painful experiences of our lives especially if it’s someone or something very dear and close to us. The protagonist not only was able to survive, but after the ordeal start a fresh and build, a beautiful life for himself and his family having put the past behind him. In our lives we have expectations, anger, resentment or even relationships which we hang on to sometimes forever! The key is to take a closer look at what we are holding on to and see the benefits of letting go — it can be liberating.

This material is further published in The Himalayan Times, May 20, 2013 edition.

Family connections

BEING 'BOSS' AT HOME MAY UNDERMINE WOMEN'S AMBITION AT WORK

WASHINGTON: Working women who are in charge of their households are less inclined to pursue a career or promotional prospects outside of family concerns, says a new research. Running the home made them less likely to pursue promotions and other career advancement steps at the office, unlike men, whose goals were unchanged by their domestic role, said a new University of California Berkeley study.

"It appears being in charge of household decisions may bring a semblance of power to women's traditional role, to the point where they may have less desire to push against obstacles to achieve additional power outside home," said Berkeley Psychologist, Serena Chen.

Despite the feminist movement and other gender equity efforts, women largely retain authority over child-rearing and household chores and finances, with men deferring to their expertise in these matters, researchers point out. This paradigm has had an impact on women's career choices, the study implies.

"Women may make decisions such as not going after a high-status promotion at work, or not seeking to work full-time, without realising why," said Melissa Wimmiams, an assistant professor of business at Emory University and lead author of the study.

"To realise true gender equality in both the private and public spheres, our results suggest that women may need to at least partially abdicate their role of ultimate household deciders, and men must agree to share such decision making," Chen suggested. — Agencies

Negotiating workplace conflict

Conflict happens in all corners of the workplace. Here are three tricks for resolving work-place conflict:

1. Let people tell their story: When people are deeply upset about something, they need to get their story out. This is a basic principle of mediation and one that is important to remember. However, remember that allowing people to speak their minds can increase the level of conflict with which you must deal. You have to get through the conflict phase to find the solution.

2. Bring a reality check to the table: Often in a conflict, the parties are so focused on minutiae that they lose sight of the big picture and its implications. As the mediator, you need to bring people back to reality by wrenching their attention away from the grain of sand and having them focus on the whole beach. Doing so may help resolution arrive at a startling speed.

3. Identify the true impediment: In every conflict, ask yourself — what is the true motivating factor here? What is really keeping this person from agreeing to a solution? — Agencies

Linux : Mass adoption hurdles

There have been a lot of hypes over Linux-based operating system since Google adopted the open-source Linux core into making the famous Android mobile OS. People are aware of popular Linux-based operating systems like Ubuntu, Red Hat or openSUSE but many regular computer users tend to brush off this free operating system because of many reasons that work against it.

Primarily, we tend to take it as a more advanced operating system that’s not meant for regular users but rather for programmers and hackers. But many of the Linux distributions aren’t specifically aimed only for advanced users but rather for regular users as well. So what makes Linux draw the short straw, and if the people working on Linux distributions are putting so much effort into it, then why is it not getting adapted by users?

The main question here would be that people prefer to pay a hefty US$200 for Windows and yet they squirm away from a free-of-cost Operating System.

I think the main reason for this would be that people want software that’s been refined and looks good as well. The main flaw in Ubuntu would be that it lacks that refinement that Windows or Macs offer. People are so used to the Graphical User Interface that command line instructions, and anything to do with punching commands onto the computer is an instant turnoff for regular users, and Linux, for the point it starts to the point it shuts down, will throw some form of command line text at the users.

Although, many Linux distributions have now started bundling some form of an Application Store or an Installer, there are still many things that need to be installed through the command line; for example, when a user first installs Linux, the system is incapable for playing many popular media formats, and to insure that it does, a set of codecs need to be installed, most preferably through the command line. This is a hassle for the regular user because something that can be done easily on Windows or Macs needs extra effort on the Linux.

Support also seems to be another reason that Linux seems be dragging behind. Major software companies like Adobe or Microsoft don’t support Linux systems officially, and because of this, users on the Linux platform have to make do with applications that may lack the refinement that users experience on Windows or Mac computers. For example, for the lack of the vital Photoshop that so many designers and photographers use, Linux has GIMP that may be able to work as well as Photoshop but still lacks that user-friendly interface and the robustness of an Adobe product. Just like Microsoft’s Office that is famous not only on Windows devices but on Apple’s Macs as well isn’t supported on the Linux, and users have to make do with inferior software.

Although many Linux distributions like Ubuntu have grown through the ages and now offer user-interfaces that rival Windows or Macs, they still lack software that look just as nice. Ubuntu is an example of a very user-friendly interface and yet it isn’t beautiful to look at.

But no matter how beautiful the operating system might look, the main purpose is to run applications on it, and the applications fail to appreciate the beauty of the Ubuntu UI. With icons that look like they have been ripped out of Windows XP, applications on the Linux are far from those on Windows or Mac.

To take the music player, for example, Windows comes bundled with a decent looking and performing Windows Media Player, and Macs have the brilliant iTunes to offer. But on the Linux, there are various players that come bundled with different distributions and none of these players can compete with what their competitors have to offer. Until and unless developers take an interest in Linux and start churning out well-designed applications, regular users would have no reason to stop using their Windows PCs.

These may be some of the reasons that scare regular users when it comes to the adoption of Linux; and even though many adopters have Linux on their computer, it’s usually installed along with Windows.

Linux comes in different flavors. If you want to install Linux, there are plenty of options to choose from because many different companies are developing Linux- based distributions and adding their own flairs to the operating system. This may be another reason for the lack of mass adoption because people want things made easier for them. Many users don’t have time to look up the many different versions of Linux on the Internet and choose one that is ideal. Many people don’t want to make that effort of searching for an OS, and this is where the plethora of Linux distributions works against itself by providing many different options that disorient the potential user.

Linux is an amazing operating system that’s lighter and more robust than Windows or maybe even Macs. But what is lacks is refinement. Computer users today are used to working with icons and pictures, and moving back to a text-based interaction with the system would be difficult. Linux asks more from its users that it offers, it asks users to stop using industry-leading software while offering software that lack in design and performance.

Linux is growing but it still needs to hammer down its dents to be able to appeal to a wider audience.

PRAJESH SJB RANA, the writer of this post is República The Week’s much loved tech guru.

Her Real Hero

By Sharon Thayer

My two children were involved in a bad car accident. My son had a broken neck but my daughter had only minor injuries. Since my son was the one critically injured, no one realised how my daughter was traumatised by the wreck.

There was a school friend, Heather, in front of them at the time of the accident. She had stopped to help. Even though she never realised the impact she was making, just by being there for my daughter Brittany to hold on to, she made a world of difference.

A few months after the accident, Brittany wrote the following essay for a school assignment depicting someone she looked up to. What does the word ‘hero’ mean to you?

To me the word ‘hero’ has far more meaning than just a make-believe cartoon with super powers or a sports star. Sports stars and political leaders are more of a role model. A hero should be somebody you feel has changed your life in some way to make it better. In my life I believe I have a real true ‘hero’.

Her name is Heather Boyer. She doesn’t play sports and isn’t even old enough to be in government, but she is still my hero because she was there for me during one of the hardest times in my life. She helped me deal with a tragic event.

I will never forget the day my brother and I were involved in a car and then the car slid on its top. When the car stopped sliding my brother helped me out through the shattered, back window. After he made sure I was all right he began trying to deal with his own pain. I was mentally all alone standing there, scared to death. I bet you can’t guess who was there to help me with my pain and fear. It was Heather.

If Heather hadn’t been there I would have been lost. I wouldn’t have had any idea on how to push my fears away and just be glad that my brother and I were both alive. It means so much to me that Heather stood there freezing to death with her arms around me, not caring that I was bleeding on her or that I was screaming in her ear, only caring that my brother and I were alright. Only caring that she was helping me. But I don’t think she knows how much she really did help me.

I don’t even know how to tell her what a great change she has made in me. I can only say thank you and hope she understands she is my hero and I will never forget her for that.

Education fair checklists

Check out the information below to find out everything you need to know about the college fair, including: what it is, what to expect and how to prepare for it.

Also, feel free to utilise this college fair checklists so that you can ensure you get all of the information you need ready before, during and after the college fair.

BEFORE THE FAIR

• Check out which colleges will be at the fair. Write down the names of the schools you would like to spend time learning more about.
• Create a list of questions you have for the representatives.
• Bring your list of questions, a pen, notebook and a bag to hold any brochures you may pick up.

AT THE FAIR

• Locate the colleges you decided that you wanted to learn about and plan a route so you can easily get to all of them.
• Visit the booths and ask college representatives your list of questions conversationally. If students from the school are there, ask them what they like about the school.
• As you ask questins, take time to write down notes as you get answers. This way, you will be sure to remember when you get home.
• Even though you had specific colleges in mind, check on some that were not on your list. It never hurts to try something new!
• Check out any general information booths such as financial aid or study abroad. These will all have great information that are important to your college experience, also!

AFTER THE FAIR

• Reflect on which of the school stood out. Why?
• Organise your notes along with any marketing collateral you picked up at the fair. Keep them in a safe place to reference during your college search process.
• If you have ruled out any schools, there is no need to save their information. Get rid of it so you can stay focused.
• Keep researching the colleges you really liked. Look on their websites, plan a visit if you can and check admission requirements to see if attending the school is a reality.
• Talk to your parents and/or guardian, school guidance counsellors and teachers about your experiences at the fair. The college decision is a big one and you will need all the support you can get! — Agencies

Don’t quit

When you think it’s all behind you
And that you’re far ahead of it,
Watch out
Because it’s then that it sneaks up to grab you
And pull you right back down with it.

So don’t you dare,
Don’t you dare think about quitting
You’re in it this far
Just keep your head up
And keep on pushing
You’ll make it all right
It’s when you think that you’re done
And you tell yourself that you can’t go any farther
Then you have to look yourself in the eyes
And say, “Get up, get up”
And don’t ever give up
For you are better than this.

So don’t you dare
Don’t you dare even think about quitting,
You’re in it this far
Just keep on pushing
You’ll make it all right
And so when it all right
And so when they say it’s over
You say, “Never”
And then you must keep on going
Because it’s that last mile that you go
When you think you can’t go any farther
That will make all the difference in your life

So don’t you dare
Don’t you dare even think about giving up
When I know you have so much more to give
Don’t you dare
Don’t you dare.