Space in the city

It is that time of the year and top 10 lists for the year 2006 are being published, podcasted, telecasted and blogged. So here is a list which might not be viewed a lot but sure needs mention. Each year Foreign Policy magazine publishes “ The Top Ten Stories You Missed ”. If you have heard of most of these news items you know for sure your daily news sources are well diversified, plus its confirms your title as the news junky of your social network. So here is a snap shot few Top Ten Stories You Missed in 2006 10 Hackable Passports : U.S. State Department began issuing biometric “ePassports” that contain a radio frequency identification (RFID) tag under the back cover…But a German hacker quickly found a vulnerability. With a laptop and a chip reader he bought for $200, he was able to steal data from an encrypted RFID tag, potentially allowing him to clone an ePassport. 9 What’s Worse Than Bird Flu? The Cure . … 6 Iran and Israel Hold Secret Talks … 2 China Runs up Afr...

Good/Interesting website (web 2.0) WikiMapia WikiMapia is a Web 2.0 project to describe the whole planet Earth. It was created by Alexandre Koriakine and Evgeniy Saveliev, inspired by Google maps and Wikipedia. Like Wikipedia individuals get to identify landmarks that matter to them and help increase the total information available on a map. Interesting ideas, blogs and website on enhancing you online shopping experience Like.com It’s the first true visual search engine, where the contents of photos are used to search and retrieve similar items. They believe that there are literally millions of items that are difficult to describe via text-based search and where individual tastes are all over the map -- think of your favorite pair of earrings or shoes and what an ordeal it can be to find some thing new but in a similar style. Like.com utilizes our Likeness Technology™ to create a digital signature that describes the photo's contents and enables a more accurate search for similar...

Here is a quick reference to the limits on contribution for 2006 & 2007 401k Fund Contributions Limits for 2006 Your 401k fund contribution limits set by the IRS for 2006 are: # $15000 for those under 50 years of age # $15000 plus $5000 additional catch up contribution for those over 50 years of age Be sure to check with your employer for any limits set by your company's 401k plan. To maximize your 401k , you should try to contribute the maximum amount you are allowed each year. (Read more at about.com ). 401k Fund Contributions Limits for 2007 Your 401k fund pre-tax contribution limits set by the IRS for 2007 are: # $15500 for those under 50 years of age # $15500 plus $5000 additional catch up contribution for those over 50 years of age Be sure to check with your employer for any limits set by your company's 401k plan. Some addition to the contribution limits Contributions to 401(k) plans, currently (2006) limited to $15,000, had ...

In my last post there was some reference made to Behavioral Economics/Finance. Here is a good article with little more insight. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- The Compromise Effect . . . And the New Thinking About Money Is That Your Irrationality Is Predictable By Steven Pearlstein Washington Post Staff Writer Sunday, January 27, 2002; Page H01 Chances are you know someone who sells his stocks only if they have gone up, never if they have gone down. Or the person who regularly runs up credit card debt but would never think of dipping into her savings account. Or maybe the guy who refuses to pay $15 to have someone else mow his lawn but wouldn't dream of mowing anyone else's lawn for $15. And what about those folks who flock to all-you-can-eat buffets and cell-phone plans with unlimited minutes? According to traditional economic theory, such people shouldn't exist. People aren't sup...

Found this article about " Why Johnny can't save for retirement". Great article and from a very good show. Sadly, the show " Wall $treet Week with FORTUNE" is off the air since 2005 . You should read this if you want to understand the following 401K Behavioral economics Neuroconservatism Libertarian paternalism Richard Thaler Here is the article Why Johnny can't save for retirement Money decisions are hard. It's not that we're stupid—we're just not wired properly. How brain science is changing the way we think about 401(k)s, Social Security, and the whole notion of retirement planning. By Justin Fox, FORTUNE March 8, 2005 The first question, flashed on a screen a few inches from my eyes, is easy. Do I want an Amazon.com gift certificate worth $16.31 today, or one worth $16.31 a month from now? Even with my head and upper body wedged into a magnetic resonance imaging machine that clatters like an unmuffled motorcycle engine as it scans ...

1) Timing and Location 2) Availability 3) Sensory Appeal 4) Chemistry 5) Lifestyle and Morals 6) Teaming Use the six key matrix to evaluate you dating and relationship.How do you use them. For example look at number 4, ask a question is there chemistry in your relationship and for 6, do you work well as a team? And don’t answer them as “Yes” or “No” rather on a scale from 0 to 10. Look at areas where you scored less and try figuring out how you can improve them. For more question about it add in your comments .

Looking at my new blog (webaddress) reminded me of Steve Martin qoute from a movie. "The new phone book's here! The new phone book's here! This is the kind of spontaneous publicity I need. My name in print. That really makes somebody. Things are going to start happening to me now!" I got a email from a gal, looked like things started happening to me. Opened up the email and started reading it, didn't look like a spam as it was about valuing peace and restrain in the a strife ridden part of the world. Soon made to realized that it was a case of mistaken identity caused by a typo in the address bar. (no TUI) I thanked her for the email with the clarification and went on to add. But I do think it's time to give peace a chance. But you misspelled email message reminded me of Woody Allen's quote from a graduation speach, Don't ask me why, I must be stooped deep in pop culture. (when was the last time Woody Allen was part of the Popular Culture) Ok here is...

An email lead me to these websites of two impressive non-profit organizations www.ashoka.org and www.synergos.org . Former a unique organization out of Washington DC does quite impressive work and got a different approach. I have reproduced from their website some of Ashoka's central beliefs- mission, vision & theory :- “ Ashoka's job is to make "everyone a changemaker." To help create a world where everyone has the freedom, confidence, and skills to turn challenges into solutions. This allows each person the fullest, richest life. And a society so constituted will evolve and adapt faster and more surely than any other: Each person, rather better than the body's white blood "attack" cells, courses though society spotting challenges and then conceiving and putting in place the next, better step… Vision Ashoka envisions a world where Everyone is a Changemaker: a world that responds quickly and effectively to social challenges, and...

Here are some Web 2.0 website that have been featured or have been talked about on the web. And I think people will soon use them. Random website -- you can use digg.com To learn more about digg you will have to go to what else wikipedia wikipedia on Digg del.icio.us Get direction from hopstop.com featured in TIME mag "step-by-step directions via bus or subway in four cities: New York, Boston, Washington and San Francisco." Classified Ad http://www.craigslist.org/ or if you looking for newyork ( http://newyork.craigslist.org/ ) http://www.oodle.com/ oodle does not search craigslist Predict airfare and find the cheap tickets http://www.farecast.com/ http://www.kayak.com/ Real Estate zillow.com following is another website but may not a true web 2.0 site for real estate rental etc http://www.move.com/ Regulator for real estates http://www.hud.gov/ Job website simplyhired.com indeed.com http://www.idealist.org/ http://www.jobster.com/ How to" website http://www.nolo.com/ (...

Did you know that with the growth of internet and devices having its own IP addresses the world could soon run short of IP addresses. Luckly people/Goverments (US at least) have started thinking about it and we will see the solution to the issue get implemented early as 2008 in what is termed as the next generation of Internet Protocol called IPv6 . This protocol will have enough room for 340,282,366,920,938,463,463,374,607,431,768,211,456 unique addresses while the current version IPv4 address space contains 4,294,967,296 addresses.

Future look of google search page? But before I begin do you want to get a sneak peak into the future look of google search? Searchmash operated by Google Inc is a pretty interesting website at least from the look and feel department. With a cleaner interface than current Google search page it would make any minimalist proud. It does uncluttered the search result as compared to the current view from a Google search result page. I particularly liked the drop down tree on the right side of the frame to look for videos /images. It would be cool if Google or for that matter any search engine could search for keywords inside a video.

Sure there are lot of great music out there. But this new upcoming group Nutthin But Stringz made up of two Julliard educated brothers Damien and Tourie Escobar venture into hip-hop violin. You could listen to their interview on NPR .

Also heard in the NY City-- with the latest change in the way NYSE trades and the impact of Sarbanes Oxley Act (SOX) the economy of lower Manhattan will changed for ever. There will be an increase in the high end residential spaces. This would fundamentally change the composition of lower Manhattan. But there is news also about companies moving back like the announcement that BearingPoint's (NYSE: BE) new national hub office at Three World Financial Center in Lower Manhattan which will house their Financial Services group headquarters. if certian provision of SOX is modified then NY might not loose the tag as the financial capital of the world to London. And if you get a chance watch the interview of Jack Bogle on forbes video network . He thinks there is a scope of improving the controversial SOX section 404 regarding controls.

The rivalry between Airbus and Boeing got hotter. Airbus decided to build a plane to complete with Boeing’s 787 (Dreamliner). This could also prove that the Boeing’s strategy to build mid size plan that is fuel efficient is in line with the market needs. To read more about the about the Airbus A350 XWB, the mid-sized jet designed to rival Boeing's 787 Click Here

Watch this clip http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tQOSwy5bSkw Sand Art

My first posting on this blog. It’s always exciting to do something new, especially if it excites my imagination and fires up my gray cells. Hope people who reads this blog, a remote possibility, finds it stimulating. Every now and then I believe in reinventing myself and keeping things exciting. I like to differentiate this renewal or reinvention from rediscovery as the latter would mean that I have to relive my past, who wants to do that! Future holds infinite possibilities and I want to be pro active in choosing the right possibility. Sure you do have to learn from your past but living in the past is not the direction anyone in their infinite wisdom would recommend. This weekend I was listening to radio program Marketplace Money and it had an interesting segment about credit card industry. That got me thinking about how to keep your credit rating strong and I happen to find a interesting segment in CNN in the weekend project section (it might be on the CNN till 2006...