Support Engineer SQL DBA - Microsoft India Global Technical Support Centre (GTSC) Bangalore(4 - 9) Years

Company - Microsoft India (R and D) Pvt Ltd
Job Description - The SQL Support team will be responsible for delivering SQL Server support for all Microsoft customers. Utilizing knowledge of the customer environment, they will deliver timely and high quality incident resolution focusing on root cause analysis, prevention, and knowledge transfer. They will effectively manage cases and sub-cases to ensure timely and high quality communication with customers and resolution of all issues.

Designation - Support Engineer SQL DBA

Experience - 4 to 9 years

Location - Bangalore

Role - DBA

Responsibilities - Communicate with corporate customers via telephone, email, and other electronic communications regarding problems.

Analyze problems and develop solutions to meet customer needs; may involve writing custom code.

Participate in case triage meetings to share knowledge with other engineers and develop efficient customer solutions.

Write technical articles and sample programs for Microsoft's knowledge base.

Qualifications, Abilities and Experience should Include:

Strong Relational Database Management System (RDBMS) knowledge and experience.

Hands on experience on SQL DBA activities.(At least 4+ yrs)

Experience on clustering will be an advantage.

For more details

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Rupee was down to 10 months low

On wednesday our rupee was down to 10 months low due to demand of dollar from oil and defence industries.

The Reason behind is the central bank director's board Comments.Exporters were also missing from the market largely.

But Exporters and importers are able to cancel and again re-book 50% of their total hedged exposure from the current 25% capital,this was planned by the Reserve Bank of India.

Fron the past couple of days demand for the dollar also more with the defence payments,This will make a stop - loss positions.

"The pressure on INR (to depreciate) is big but I expect June could be a different month, when Unilever funds should hit along with lower demand for gold related FX," he added.

Unilever Plc plans to pay up to $5.4 billion to raise its stake in its Indian subsidiary Hindustan Unilever Ltd The open offer opens June 21 and closes July 4.

Dealers expect these flows to start coming into the domestic market after the first week of June.

The partially convertible rupee closed at 56.17/18 per dollar compared to 55.9550/9650 on Tuesday. The unit fell to as much as 56.37, its lowest since July 25, 2012.

The BSE Sensex fell on Wednesday, snapping a three-day winning streak, as lenders such as ICICI Bank declined on caution ahead of quarterly economic growth data and the expiry of May derivative contracts later this week.

The rupee, which has usually moved in tandem with the domestic sharemarket as foreign fund flows are a key driver for the currency, has so far in 2013 failed to benefit much from the nearly $20 billion worth of inflows into equities and debt.

Traders said a late fall in the dollar versus the yen also supported the rupee's recovery.

The index of the dollar against six major currencies was down 0.6 percent when the rupee closed.

In the offshore non-deliverable forwards, the one-month contract was at 56.53 while the three-month was at 57.11.

In the currency futures market, the most-traded near-month dollar/rupee contracts on the National Stock Exchange, the MCX-SX and the United Stock Exchange all closed at around 56.47 with a total traded volume of $5.50 billion.

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Amazon Inc said that it will make five original TV series

On Wednesday Amoazon Inc said that it will make five original TV series, having used viewer feedback to pick the shows from a group of 14 pilots filmed by the world's largest Internet retailer earlier this year.

These are the series choosed : "Alpha House", a political comedy starring John Goodman; "Betas", a comedy about start-up culture in Silicon Valley; "Annebots", a kids' show about robots; "Creative Galaxy", an animated art adventure series; and "Tumbleaf", another kids' show about a small blue fox named Fig.

These are the first TV series ever made by Amazon and represent a major foray into original programming delivered over the Internet, stepping up competition with Netflix Inc (NFLX.O) and Hulu.

The new series will be shown exclusively on Amazon's Prime Instant Video service later this year and in early 2014, the company said. Prime Instant Video is free for members of Amazon's Prime service, which offers two-day shipping and other benefits in the United States for $79 a year.

Amazon posted all 14 TV pilots online for anyone to watch in April and encouraged viewer feedback. The company analyzed the reviews and other data, such as how long people watched, to try to pick shows that are more likely to do well as full series.

A pilot is an initial trial show designed to test interest in a new TV series.

"We're thrilled to have emerged safely from this harrowing exercise in online democracy," said Garry Trudeau, the Pulitzer-Prize winning cartoonist who created and wrote "Alpha House," a live-action show starring John Goodman about a group of U.S. senators who live together.

Amazon will shoot 10 more episodes of "Alpha House" to complete the first season, which will air starting in November.

"Betas" will also get another 10 episodes, while the kids shows, "Annebots," "Creative Galaxy" and "Tumbleaf," will get 26 episodes each, Amazon said.

Pilots that were not picked up as full series included "Zombieland," a comedy based on the successful movie of the same name, and "Browsers," a musical comedy starring Bebe Neuwirth.

Rhett Reese, the writer and producer of "Zombieland," blamed viewer feedback for the TV show's demise.

"I'll never understand the vehement hate the pilot received from die-hard "Zombieland" fans. You guys successfully hated it out of existence," he wrote on Twitter.

The pilots that did not make it were: "Dark Minions," "Onion News Network," "Supanatural," "Those Who Can't," "Positively Ozitively," "Sara Solves It" and "Teeny Tiny Dogs."

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You want to Look And Feel like a Younger ?

Experts say you can eat your way to a younger, healthier you. In general, you should replace fattening starches with whole grains and cover at least half your plate with fruits and vegetables.

Here are seven foods that experts say could make you look and feel 10 years younger. What do you think? Let us know in comments.

1) Oranges
Just one orange a day can help you feel younger. Not only is this delicious fruit packed with vitamin C, but it also boasts skin-firming collagen.

2) Broccoli
Just a half-cup of broccoli a day can make you feel energized while also boosting your immune system. Why? Because broccoli contains more than 2/3 of the daily recommended dose of vitamin C. Broccoli also has the nutrient sulforaphane, which helps with liver detoxification.

3) Low-fat yogurt
Low-fat yogurt provides the calcium and phosphorus that can boost tooth enamel, which will make your smile even brighter. In addition, yogurt's probiotics and help with digestion so that you are less constipated.

4) Bell peppers
Bell peppers are chock-full of antioxidants, especially the brightly colored red, yellow and orange ones. Indeed, these peppers can boost immune function, ward off sun damage and even reduce your risk of several types of cancer.

5) Berries
All types of berries are good for you -- cranberries, strawberries, blackberries, blueberries, raspberries -- but the darker ones are the best as they usually have the highest concentration of antioxidants. Berries also have a lot of vitamin C, which is good for your skin.

6) Sweet potatoes
Sweet potatoes offer an abundance of benefits, everything from antioxidants to anti-inflammatory agents. They also have vitamins A, C and E, which can help you maintain a lovely complexion and beautiful hair.

7) Carrots
Carrots pack a lot of beta-carotene, which not only helps with skin-cell renewal, but acts as a powerful antioxidant. Antioxidants are great for getting rid of free radicals that can make your skin age faster.

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More effects to the Children Health of Poor Air Quality and Pollution

Children's lungs are more vulnerable to damage from air pollution and excess ozone than adults’, lungs, since they are still developing and growing. The result is a high propensity for lung-related disease in those with constant exposure to smoke and pollution.

This was vividly revealed in a study that compared healthy children in a heavily polluted areas of  City against similar children raised in rural . X-rays of the children's lungs revealed that more than half of the city children already had lung damage that may be predictive of future problems.

Another study shows that exposure to pollution for many years can raise your lung cancer risk by as much as 24 per cent and can be as destructive as breathing second-hand tobacco smoke.

In a different study that tracked 500,000 people from 100 cities for 16 years, researchers found that dirty air also increased the risk of dying from heart disease by 6 per cent or more. The more polluted the air, the higher the death rates.

Can I undo it? No
Damage done to young lungs doesn't get repaired by your body. But there's plenty you can do to keep your lungs healthy and to protect against future damage.

Plus benefits
Achieving better lung health means improved, deeper breathing. Delivering better-quality air to your lungs results in greater stamina and overall energy, too.

Repair plan
Avoid smoke and dirty air The only way to avoid polluted air consistently is to live far from heavy traffic, factories with large chimneys and highly crowded neighbourhoods. If you live in an urban area, though, there are still many things you can do.

Pay attention to the pollution forecast for the day, especially on hot summer days when there may be higher levels of ozone in the air. Take frequent trips out of town. Stay indoors during peak traffic times.

Don't smoke Tobacco smoke irritates fragile, already-vulnerable lung tissue.

Pay attention to your lung health Call your doctor right away if you have chest pain or aches when you inhale or exhale or if you are coughing up blood.

These, along with unexplained weight loss, can be symptoms of lung cancer, as can shortness of breath, a hoarse voice, difficulty swallowing, pain under your ribs and/or swelling of your face or neck.

Watch for COPD See your doctor if you're coughing frequently, wheezing, have frequent lung infections or have a lot of mucus. These symptoms can be a sign of a complex breathing problem that doctors call chronic obstructive pulmonary disorder, or COPD.

Exercise It strengthens the muscles that help you to breathe.

Eat lots of fruits and vegetables The antioxidants can help to protect lungs from future damage.

Learn to control your breathing If you have COPD, your doctor or a respiratory therapist can teach you how to relax when you're feeling short of breath

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Mr. White is a cook in a fancy restaurant

Mr. White is a cook in a fancy restaurant, but he has an unusual way to entertain his customers. We would rather like to say frighten the customers, since he makes some really weird dishes. Everybody knows about his wicked ideas, but his restaurant is always full and many people are in a waiting line for the reservation. People sometimes like to torture themselves or just have a little fun with unexpected surprises.

I finally got the reservation at Mr. White’s restaurant. I heard about some funny stories about him putting the fake cockroaches and other bugs in food and then assuring his customers that those are just fake bugs that are made of sugar and chocolate. I have also heard about the things that were popping out of the food or hot juice splashing out of the pork roast.

Any time something unfortunate happened, Mr. White would say that it is just a funny way that he used to greet his customers. Customers would be angry at the beginning, but they would get used to it very fast. Life is full of surprises, especially at Mr. White’s restaurant.

I sat at the table that day and waited for the daily menu. Mr. White keeps his menu secret and reveals it at the last moment. Then he asks you if you would like A, B or C daily meal. I decided to have the C meal. It looked like a normal meal that included soup, main dish and dessert. I waited for my potato soup to come. I felt hungry and I started to eat my soup right away. I took a few spoons and then something unexpected happened. Something burst inside the soup and my face was covered with potatoes and radish. I looked like a horrible monster from the lagoon and I was covered in yellow goo.

Mr. White came to me with an apology. “Oh no, I forgot to take out the gas balloon that we use as a taste enhancer. We apologize for inconvenience. Our waiter will help you immediately.” The waiter came right away and he spilled a bucket of cold water on me.

“Are you crazy, how can you spill cold water at your customers?”

“Sorry, out hot water boiler is broken. We will cook water now and give you some hot water instead.”

Suddenly, I was happy that there was no hot water. I could finish with third degree burns or something worse.

The next dish was the pork chops. This should be all right. I was hungry and I could eat a whole pig. The pork chops were really tasty and I cut the piece of meat little by little. When I came to the middle of one piece of meat, some terrible spicy taste came into my mouth. It was one hundred times spicier than anything I have tried before.

“Water, water”, I cried in pain.

The waiter came right away with a glass of something. I took a sip and found out it was vinegar. It only increased the spicy feeling in my mouth. Now the taste was unbearable. I ran to the bathroom and I drunk a few gallons of water.

Mr. White came back with an apology. “Mister, I am terribly sorry. While I prepared the pork chops a small piece of super spicy pepper fell on it. It was the super spicy pepper that we use in the competition. We actually give a full year of free food to anybody who is able to eat the super spicy pepper without crying.”

I had enough of it and I just waiter for my dessert. To my surprise it was just a normal ice cream in a cone. I licked the ice cream with pleasure and then something terrible happened. My tongue was stuck at the surface of ice cream. I tried to release my tongue from the ice cream, but it was useless. I thought that the ice cream will just melt away after some time, but there were no changes.

Mr. White came to me with an apology. “Mister, I am really sorry. We spilled some liquid nitrogen into the ice cream mixture. But don’t worry; it will melt in two hours.”

I was filled with anger and I wanted to beat up Mr. White really bad. How could I go out with an ice cream cone stuck to my tongue? I will look like an idiot. I decided to stay in the restaurant the whole time. I found out that I was not the only one with an ice cream cone on my tongue. Several other customers had the same problem. We couldn’t speak and we couldn’t complain.

Finally I left the restaurant with a bad taste in my mouth and cooked potatoes in my hair. Mr. White apologized and gave me a free coupon for food. I tore the coupon in small pieces and I ensured him that I will never come to his restaurant again. I think he got used to such reactions and he just smiled to me and said that it was his pleasure to serve me today.

I have realized that Mr. White is a really funny guy. Too bad that nobody understands his jokes.

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Questions for Tom Cook Apple Inc CEO

At AllThingsD's D11 conference in LA Tuesday, Apple CEO Tim Cook will be interviewed by Kara Swisher and Walt Mossberg.

Here are some questions I'm hoping they will ask:

1. Why is the iPhone not sold as a portfolio product? Meaning, why, after six years, is there no iPhone product range being updated on a regular basis. Having a portfolio strategy is not only followed by every phone vendor but also by Apple for all its other product lines, including the iPad, which came after the iPhone. In other words, please explain why the iPhone is anomalous from a product portfolio point of view.

2. There are more than 800 operators world-wide so why are there only about 250 of them carrying your phone? Competitors large and small (from BlackBerry to Nokia to Samsung) have cited relationships with more than 500 operators so Apple is being uniquely selective. My question does not stem from a lack of patience: this total number of iPhone distributors has not increased markedly for over a year. Are you limiting distribution through conditions placed on operators (like the availability of sufficient quality data services) or are operators finding the distribution agreement too onerous (e.g. too high a minimum order quota)?

3. In 2012 Apple's capital spending has reached the extraordinary level of $10 billion/yr, higher than all but the most capital-intensive semiconductor manufacturers. This is unusual for Apple as it was less than $1 billion in the year before the iPhone launched. It's also unusual for Apple's competitors in phones, PCs or tablets. It's on a level matched only by semiconductor heavyweights. What is the purpose of this spending and what should we read into it leveling off at $10 billion for 2013?

4. Depending on one supplier is an operational faux pas, and yet Apple has found itself in that situation with Samsung for mobile microprocessors. It may be excusable in PCs with Intel having an architectural monopoly but it's not excusable for a chip that you designed yourself and purchase in massive quantities. Why did you give Samsung such a concession, especially knowing their potential as a competitor vis-à-vis alternative suppliers who had no such potential? Does the answer have something to do with the previous question?

For more details

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Current results are not guaranteed for Future Results

Past performance does not guarantee future results for startups, venture capitalists, accelerator programs, the media, individual founders, or any other part of the startup ecosystem.

On the mission to see into the future, there is a tendency to over value the information and lessons of the past. With 20/20 hindsight it seems obvious that things would turn out the way they have. Cell phones? Computers? “If I had been alive back in the 1950s I so would have called that,” you say. Television? Telephone? Automobiles? “Obviously I would have been first in line to get mine!”
But would you have? Really? Massive changes in how we build things, operate our companies and think about technology have often taken place gradually, and met plenty of resistance along the way. Even visionaries miss great things all the time, just look at the Bessemer Venture Partners anti-portfolio, read Dustin Curtis’ “What a Stupid Idea” reflecting on early looks at Pinterest and Vine, or the long list of VCs who didn’t invest in Facebook early on but then made a late stage play to add the Facebook logo in their portfolio.

Echoes From the Past
Limited partners (LPs) complain that their venture capital investments haven’t had returns that were as good as in the 90s. Venture capitalists complain that companies founded today aren’t as innovative as they used to be or that valuations are higher than they used to be. And the press? Writers who have never been anything remotely close to entrepreneurs will continue to bitch about everything.

“Company ABC would never do that” – says who, Company ABC is like 4 years old? “I’m not a sales guy” – you’re a 22 year old computer science graduate, you’re not really anything yet! “Startups who tried that in the 90s totally bombed” – yeah well it is 2013 now, might be time for another go. “I wish we could invest, but founders who fit our profile have computer science degrees” – your profile is 20 years old, the Internet has gotten a lot more programmable since you were in school.

Fighting for the Future
Listening to these complaints and excuses for not doing something (e.g. changing strategy, trying sales, trying a model that previously failed, investing despite lack of founder credentials) is like hearing parents complain that the kids’ music is too loud, and rock was so much better in their day. And the worst part is that they try to dress all this up as some version of “pattern matching”, which is the one of those terms you can throw out to make people nod and stop arguing with you. One of these days I’d like to jump up from the boardroom table and shout, “screw your pattern matching, I saw the results and I don’t believe you!” just to see what happens.

Boardroom fantasies aside, people who are really great at pattern matching don’t get distracted by inessential details like what founders are wearing on 2nd street this week, what kind of parties they throw, the alma mater of the software engineering team, what Dave McClure said at a conference, or even whether the company is raising at a $5M or $12M pre-money valuation out of Y Combinator this batch. These are things that might matter for a moment in time, but quickly fade into the past. What matters most is trying to understand how a combination of past knowledge combined with present action will ultimately generate a favorable result.

Fight for the future, or get out of the way.

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Samsung Briefly Posts Galaxy S4 Mini

Samsung has yet to officially confirm the Galaxy S4 mini, but the smartphone’s brief appearance on the company’s app store earlier today backs up rumors of a summer launch. The listing was spotted and screencapped by TGspot (link via Google Translate) before it was removed.

The Galaxy S4 mini appeared with the model number GT-I9195 as part of a line-up of Samsung smartphones on the company’s app store site. The handset is a smaller, cheaper version of Samsung’s fastest selling phone ever, which recently hit 10 million channel sales less than a month after its international launch on April 26.

Samsung has positioned the Galaxy S4 as its iPhone challenger and a smaller version may help attract new customers who were previously but off by the phablet‘s 5-inch screen. Though Samsung has yet to announce a release date for the Galaxy S4 mini, a summer date would give it a head start over Apple’s fall lineup of new products, potentially including the iPhone 5S.

The appearance of the smartphone on Samsung’s apps site is the latest leak backing up rumors of the phone’s imminent release. Two weeks ago, photos purportedly showing the Galaxy S4 mini were posted by Sina Weibo user PunkPanda, who has leaked authentic photos of unreleased Samsung devices in the past. The photos appeared to confirm previously rumored specs, including a 4.3 inch gHD display and a 8-megapixel rear camera.

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Sunstroke in Kids and Facts - prevention

Hot weather means playing outside in the sprinkler, climbing trees and soaking up the sunshine for many kids, but too much time in the sun can be a dangerous thing in hot and humid weather. Kids can overheat easily on steamy summer days, but knowing what signs to look for and how to protect your child can minimize his risk for heat-related illness like sunstroke.


The Facts
Sunstroke, officially known as heat stroke, is the most extreme heat illness, which is a condition that happens when the body’s natural cooling system breaks down. Kids, especially those who are 5 years old or younger, are especially susceptible to heat illnesses, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Mild heat illnesses, like heat cramps -- pain in the legs, arms or abdominal area caused by low salt levels in the body -- and heat exhaustion, which is typically caused by dehydration, are warning signs that the heat is too much for your child. Untreated, heat illnesses can progress to heat stroke, a serious condition that can cause brain damage, organ failure and -- in extreme cases -- death.

Prevention
The best way to deal with sunstroke is to prevent it from happening. Keep your child well-hydrated in hot, humid weather. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends giving your child two to four 16-ounce glasses of water each hour, whether he says he’s thirsty or not. In extreme heat, add a sports drink once an hour to replace the salt and minerals your child is sweating out. Send your child outside in light, loose-fitting clothes and a broad-brimmed hat, and slather him up with sunscreen at least 30 minutes before you head into the sunshine. If you can, make your child’s outdoor time early in the morning or late in the evening, when the heat is likely to be at its lowest points, and encourage him to take breaks to cool off inside or in the shade. Avoid leaving your child alone in the car in hot weather. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, even if you crack the car window, the temperature inside your car can rise 20 degrees in just 10 minutes, putting your child at risk for heat stroke.

Symptoms
Heat illnesses have symptoms that are pretty easy to spot, so keeping a close eye on your child during hot weather can help prevent problems. Take heed if your child complains of a headache or queasy stomach -- both of these are early symptoms of heat illnesses -- along with dizziness, heavy sweating, confusion or a rapid heartbeat. Your child’s bathroom visits can also clue you in to his heat health: Dark yellow urine is a sign of dehydration, explains the American Academy of Family Physicians.

Treatment
If your child has flushed, hot skin but isn’t sweating, runs a temperature of 105 degrees Fahrenheit or higher, is weak, dizzy, sluggish or confused, or if she is not responsive or loses consciousness, call 911 immediately. While you’re waiting for paramedics to arrive, get your child inside or into the shade and focus on cooling her down. Loosen her clothes and sponge her off with cool water, but don’t give her anything to drink, warns Kids Health, an online parenting and health information resource maintained by the Nemours Foundation. If your child has clammy skin, is irritated and tired, or experiences nausea, she probably has heat exhaustion rather than heat stroke. Go ahead and call your health care provider, but in the meantime, get her into a cool place and encourage her to eat and drink. Skip the fever-reducing medicines, though, recommends Doernbecher Children’s Hospital -- they won’t work for heat-induced fevers.

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NASSCOM invites 10,000 Applications for young startup's

Supporting 10,000 Start-ups is our goal. We are committed to building a vibrant tech start-up ecosystem in India. To reach that goal, we have put together the best ingredients to make each story a success.

We have partnered with some of the best incubators and accelerators in India. They have the leading edge of technology, they understand the changing market dynamics and they GET start-ups.

We have India's best angels on board to support you with funding when you need it.

We'll get you to work amongst start-ups just like yours out of an amazing co-working office space in various cities. If all that wasn't enough, we have also put together an awesome Start-up Kit of world-class offerings.

For more details

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Ever say this PHRASE while you are in Meeting

The most important phrase you'll ever say in a meeting isn't "Please" or "Thank you." It isn't "How are you?" to open the meeting or "What are the next steps?" to close the meeting. No, the most important phrase you'll ever say in a meeting is:

There's no better way to show that you care about the person you're meeting with than to genuinely, authentically ask her what you can do to help.

There are two possibilities when you ask how you can help:

1) The person will tell you, thereby giving you an opportunity to help, after which the person you helped will feel compelled to return the favor, and help you.

2) The person won't tell you, instead politely declining, but then she will still feel like you care, and will be emotionally invested in helping you.
Either way, establishing that you care and that you're there to help is a powerful emotional bond. It's a paradox, I know - you're not meeting with someone to find out how you can help, you're likely meeting to get something sold, or bought, or done. But it's through helping that you'll gain trust, and eventually, influence.

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AppSumo presents : The Ultimate Entreprenuer Gateway

Winner Gets

• 5-day stay for one at the AppSumo Seattle mansion
• Flights to/from Seattle (up to $1,000)
• Food and drinks for all 5 days from private chef
• Access to the entire AppSumo team to start and grow your business

For more details go to this url

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Infosys ranks among the 5 most sustainable companies in BRICS countries

The BRICS countries - Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa - are big places with rapidly growing populations and expanding economies. So when a renowned think tank says that Infosys is among the five most sustainable companies in all of those countries, it's a distinction for us to celebrate.

I say this because sustainability isn't always cheap. It's not always easy. And it's certainly not the most popular set of programs to foster when the global economy is stuck in neutral and shareholders scrutinize every corporate activity for its cost-effectiveness. We have been a sustainable company through thick and thin, and we believe that our serious, long-lasting commitment to the environment - physical, social and economic - continues to pay off in a number of ways.

Focusing for a minute on the physical environment, we started with a promise: To be carbon neutral, to reduce our per capita electricity consumption by 50 percent, and to power our entire operations in India with renewable energy. Besides the environmental awards (the BRIC distinction is the ninth of 10 in the past year alone), we have had tremendous success meeting our stated goals. We put up new buildings that consume 66 percent less energy and 40 percent less water compared to our older buildings, but at no extra cost. We increased our share of renewable energy to 22 percent of our total electricity consumption using both off- and on-site renewable sources.

That promise continues to take shape because of Infoscions like Rohan Parikh, the company's head of Infrastructure and Green Initiatives in Bangalore. He recently wrote a compelling article that's a call to action for everyone: people within the company who might not yet be completely sold on sustainability's advantages, but also government officials who have the power to institute sweeping changes in this area. According to Parikh, we don't have the luxury of time anymore. The planet needs us to think and act with sustainability in mind ... starting today.

Parikh uses a wonderful phrase that I plan to borrow from him in the future when called upon to discuss sustainability: We need leaders, he says, who have the courage and conviction "to take unreasonable goals." This phrase resounds with me because environmental challenges are considerable and if we at Infosys don't make them our priorities, who will?

The good news is that our efforts are recognized and supported by our CFO. So you can rest assured that our goals are not deemed unreasonable (if they ever were in the first place). To me, the recognition of sustainability practices by the CFO and not just the marketing team means that our commitment does more than simply look great. It saves money. How many corporate sustainability programs can say that? For instance, we were the first to use radiant cooling air conditioning in a commercial building in India. We've devised ingenious solar panel farms and even a photovoltaic plant across many of our campuses. We've even developed a system that allows employees to switch off their computers remotely using their cell phones if they should accidentally leave them on at the end of the workday.

We harvest rainwater, too. In fact, we managed to sequester more fresh water into the ground than we consumed last year. Our rainwater harvest program among the buildings of the Mysore campus reduced freshwater consumption by 18 percent in its first year alone, saving some 80 million gallons. We also succeeded in reducing our overall water footprint by 14 percent last year by using flow restrictors, low-flow fixtures, and recycled water for flushing and air conditioning.

What Infosys has demonstrated is that sustainability is more than just a fad. It's a financial success story because we stuck with it. In business, having a set of goals and focusing on them is one thing. But making those goals among your most important is quite another thing. By following through on our commitment, we've shown the world just how efficient renewable energy can be. This success story has two corollaries: One is that companies in the BRIC nations are just as committed to caring about the environment as are organizations in the West. The other is that private enterprise is showing governments what it takes to get things done in the sustainability arena.

By setting the right example - that sustainability is a corporate way of life and not simply a fly-by-night program - Infosys is beginning to influence companies in other industries to begin building and operating with the environment in mind. In fact, one way we think we can have an enormous effect on the global markets is to have governments, agencies, and universities showcase our achievements in case studies. My reckoning is that if such studies were to influence just one percent of future construction, our sustainability philosophy would be far-reaching enough to be thought of as nation building. Nobody ever accused us of thinking small!

So I laud our colleagues for making us an environmentally responsible company. And speaking of awards, we're proud to be recognized by Green IT magazine among their many categories in their annual awards issue. We're honored to join a number of ecologically conscious enterprises working toward a more sustainable future.

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Background of ebay India

ebay India (www.ebay.in), India’s leading eCommerce marketplace, is India’s No. 1 online shopping destination where thousands of entrepreneurs, brands and manufacturers trade the widest range of products across Electronics, Lifestyle, Collectibles & Media categories to millions of Indian consumers. eBay India is a 100% subsidiary of eBay Inc.

eBay India Community

eBay India has an over 5 million strong community from across 4,306 cities in India across all 28 states and 7 union territories. Users from cities as diverse as Agartala to Tirupur buy and sell on the site. eBay India also has over 2.2 million Fans on Facebook.

Categories@eBay India

Thousands of sellers sell on eBay India daily across 2000 categories of products over a wide range of products including Lifestyle, Media, Collectibles & Electronics. At any given time, there are over 3 million live listings on eBay India.

Entrepreneurial Opportunities

eBay India offers entrepreneurs & brands the best eCommerce platform to trade products both nationally & across the globe. We create opportunities for individual sellers, small businesses and large merchants to succeed. Over 30,000 sellers sell on eBay India annually to 5 million consumers in 4,306 Indian cities. Over 15,000 sellers export a variety of Indian handcrafted products to 116 million customers in over 201 countries. Hundreds of Global & Indian Brands are listed on eBay India.

Global EasyBuy

Global EasyBuy (www.ebay.in/geb) - The International Online Shopping Destination - provides Indian shoppers with instant access to an unprecedented 18 million international products at any given point of time. Global EasyBuyoffers savvy Indian shoppers access to the world’s hottest labels and coolest brands from the comfort of their home. Global EasyBuy enables Indian shoppers to purchase directly from international eBay sites, pay a single price (inclusive of product cost, shipping and any applicable duties) in Indian Rupees and get assured doorstep delivery.

DotStyle

Lifestyle has been one of the fastest growing categories on eBay India, with avid shoppers hunting for the best deals every day. eBay India launched DotStyle, a high street fashion property, which offers the best deals on lifestyle products and brands across categories such as apparel, footwear, accessories, fragrances, jewellery amongst others. This popular deal property has over 100 sales live at any given point in time.

Paisapay

PaisaPay is a secure online payment gateway on eBay India. It lets buyers make payments online to eBay sellers, in a secure, convenient and cost-effective manner. PaisaPay support payments via credit cards, debit cards, net banking, EMI, mobile payments & cash cards. With PaisaPay, buyers can make instant payment for their online purchases and the money is released to the seller when the buyer confirms successful item receipt. Over 90% of all eBay India transactions are paid for via PaisaPay.

eBay Guarantee

eBay Guarantee offers all eBay buyers a replacement or refund on all transactions in case they are not 100% satisfied with the product they purchased. The eBay Guarantee is valid on all eBay transactions on eBay India (www.ebay.in) and eBay Global Easy Buy (www.ebay.in/geb). The eBay Guarantee offers a replacement or refunds to buyers in case the buyer does not receive the item or the item is not as described in the listing. The eBay Guarantee covers the entire transaction amount (both the product price & shipping charges).

PowerShip

PowerShip, is a logistics management service for eBay merchants which significantly enhance the efficiency of managing multiple item shipments and delivery of items to eBay India buyers. We’ve engaged with reputed logistic service providers for this initiative. The service includes product pick-ups from eBay Merchant’s doorstep, automated tracking of shipments, faster item deliveries by Logistic Service Providers and coverage for the shipment from eBay India.

eBay Mobile Commerce:

eBay India is a believer in the potential of Mobile Commerce and has launched a suite of solutions for the variety of mobile devices used by Indians. The aim is to get customers to reach for their phone before they reach for their wallet to ensure they have checked online for the best selection & great deals.

Mobile Web:

eBay launched a mobile application which gave its users a new way to shop on the Mobile. mCommerce provides Indian online shoppers an opportunity to access eBay anytime, anywhere, bringing even more convenience to the way Indians shop. eBay India Mobile Web (m.ebay.in) is designed for any GPRS / EDGE / 3G enabled feature phone and provides an end to end transaction platform for consumers to find, buy and pay for products online.

Mobile Apps:

eBay India has introduced a suite of Mobile Apps for the iPad, iPhone, Windows, Nokia & the Android allowing users to shop conveniently from their mobile device. The eBay apps can be downloaded from www.ebay.in/mobile

eBay India also introduces a SMS solution to check the best deals which is accessible on all mobile handsets. The Deals price check offers a simple way to ensure consumers get the best deals as they can check the eBay India price, before they shop - anytime, anywhere. SMS eBay <product> to 567678 to get the two best deals on eBay India for the product you want to buy.

Vibrant Marketplace

eBay India offers three formats to buy or sell your product or service - auction, fixed-price and classifieds (for cars and bikes and real estate and services).

On an average day on eBay India:

• A mobile accessory sells every 1 minutes
• A health or beauty product sells every 1 minute
• A piece of home or kitchen product sells every 1 minute
• A mobile handset sells every 2 minutes
• A portable storage device sells every 2 minutes
• A coin or a note sells every 2 minutes
• A piece of apparel sells every 2 minutes
• A car or bike accessory sells every 3 minutes
• A piece of jewellery sells every 3 minutes
• A watch sells every 5 minutes
• A book or magazine sells every 5 minutes
• A stamp sells every 5 minutes
• A fitness & sports item sells every 7 minutes
• A toy sells every 9 minutes
• A home appliance sells every 9 minutes
• A tablet sells every 12 minutes
• A digital camera sells every 13 minutes
• A pair of footwear sells every 14 minutes
• A laptop sells every 17 minutes
• A handbag sells every 22 minutes
• A pair of sunglasses sells every 23 minutes
• A TV sells every 26 minutes
• A MP3 player sells every 29 minutes

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Sony Xperia waterproof smartphone are available from May 17

The Sony Xperia A smartphone has been officially announced by Japanese carrier NTT Docomo as part of its Summer 2013 collection.

The phone is similar to the Xperia ZR which was announced a few days back and is water and dust resistant with an IP55/ IP58 rating. It runs Android 4.1 Jelly Bean.

The phone has a 4.6-inches HD reality display sporting a resolution of 720x1280 pixels. Powered by a 1.5GHz Qualcomm Snapdragon S4 quad-core processor, the Xperia A has 2GB of RAM and internal storage of 32GB expandable up to 64GB via microSD card. The Xperia ZR on the other hand offers internal storage of 8GB.

The Xperia A sports a 13-megapixel fast-capture camera with Exmor RS with auto-focus and a VGA front facing camera. It has a dedicated hardware button for the camera, and allows using it even when the screen is locked. The phone also sports an Infrared blaster and comes with NFC functionality. It has a 2300 mAh battery.

The phone will be available starting May 17 in Black, White, Pink and Mint colour variants in Japan.

The phone was first leaked after its pictures were published by the FCC. This was followed by another leak in which posters and brochures of the phone appeared online.

We're not sure if the phone would be available outside Japan as the Xperia ZR has more or less the same hardware, and will be launched globally Q2 2013 onwards.


Sony Xperia A key specifications

• 4.6-inch HD reality display with a resolution of 720x1280 pixels
• 1.5GHz Qualcomm Snapdragon S4 quad-core processor
• 2GB RAM
• 32GB internal storage expandable up to 32GB via microSD
• 13-megapixel Exmor RS autofocus camera with LED flash
• VGA front camera
• 3G, Wi-Fi 802.11 b/g/n, Bluetooth 4.0, GPS, LTE, NFC
• Android 4.1 (Jelly Bean)

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Chidambaram play his role as a TV reporter

Former Finance minister & BJP leader Jaswant Singh answers his questions, after the Parliament Session was adjourned sine die in the Capital on Wednesday

 BJP’s defeat in Karnataka Assembly polls turned Finance Minister P. Chidambaram into a ‘TV reporter’ on Wednesday.

The senior Congress leader took mike from a TV reporter and put in front of senior BJP leader Jaswant Singh as he emerged from Parliament.

“Don’t you credit Congress with victory?” the senior Congress leader asked Singh.

In fact, the Finance Minister was being asked questions by reporters on Karnataka when he saw Singh coming out. Promptly, he took the mike of the TV reporter and posed the question to Mr. Jaswant who was his predecessor in the Finance Ministry before Congress came to power at the Centre in May 2004.

“He is a gentleman”, Mr. Chidambaram said about Mr. Singh while returning mike to the reporter.

“It is a message to all political parties. The people watch very closely. Whoever forms the government must deliver,” the Finance Minister said, reacting to a question whether the Karnataka Assembly poll result is a larger message to the UPA Government as the people of Karnataka voted out BJP on the issue of corruption.

Agreeing with Mr. Chidambaram, Mr. Singh said people vote for governance and “if you stop governance, people will vote you out.”

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A lot in the budget for agriculture

Finance Minister P. Chidambaram’s budget for 2013-14 will be remembered not only for its strategies to stimulate economic growth and control fiscal deficit, but also for the importance given to the needs of the underprivileged sections of our society.

In the field of agriculture, he has adopted the following three pronged strategy:

1. Defend the gains already made in the original green revolution areas like Punjab and Haryana: For this purpose he has proposed crop diversification in a manner that both farm ecology and farm economics are safeguarded. It is well known that in this region, the water table is going down and soils are getting salinised. The budget provides Rs.500 crore to start the programme of crop diversification. I hope this will be used by the concerned State governments to introduce ecologically desirable practices like cereal-legume rotation.

2. Extend the gains to new areas: Mr. Chidambaram has provided Rs.1,000 crore for extending the yield revolution to eastern India, particularly in Assam, Bihar, Chhattisgarh and West Bengal, where the schemes introduced by Pranab Mukherjee are making their impact felt.

3. Make new gains: He has provided Rs. 200 crore to start on a pilot scale a major initiative for marrying nutrition and agriculture by establishing Nutri-Farms. Nearly 60 per cent of the consumers are also farmers. The widespread malnutrition prevailing in our country can be overcome only if farm families are also enabled to have a balanced diet. The new programme proposed will involve introducing in the cropping system, bio-ortified crops which are rich in iron, zinc, vitamin A, Vitamin B 12 and other micronutrients as well as those which are rich in protein like quality protein maize. It will be taken up in the districts which are suffering from a high burden of hidden hunger caused by micro-nutrient deficiencies.

In the area of technology development, the Finance Minister has provided funds for a National Institute of Biotic Stress Management at Raipur and for a Centre of Excellence in Agricultural Biotechnology at Ranchi, Jharkhand. He has also proposed the replanting and rejuvenation of coconut gardens in the whole of Kerala. Among other initiatives, mention may be made of the emphasis given to farmer-producer organisations, including farmer-producer companies for the purpose of increasing income and market share of small farmers. Livestock and livelihoods are closely related in our country. He has proposed the organisation of a National Livestock Mission and provided Rs. 307 crore for this Mission. The Mission will pay particular attention to animal nutrition by increasing the availability of feed and fodder.

I particularly welcome the initiative for the provision of foodgrain storage godowns at the level of panchayat. I hope that the waste into energy project will cover agricultural biomass which is often wasted in rural India.

Obviously every aspect of farming and every problem of the farmer cannot be dealt with in the budget particularly since agriculture is a State subject. I only wish Mr. Chidambaram had also included in his allocation a programme for farm mechanisation. There is already a scheme with the Ministry of Agriculture in this field, but it needs to be strengthened particularly since after the advent of MGNREGA, farmers are having difficulty in getting labour at the right time and place. We need also gender sensitive farm equipment since the role of women farmers in agriculture is increasing.

Finally, he has rightly placed emphasis on translational research for converting scientific findings into field application. For this purpose he has provided Rs.200 crore for conversion of innovation into practical use. For example, there are enormous opportunities for improving the efficiency of the use of urea by placing the fertilizer at a few centimetres below the soil. There are special equipment available for this purpose and such innovations need popularisation. Rural India affords immense untapped opportunities for the integration of innovation and machinery in field operations.

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How to use the internet to make money

Every Person having different ideas to make money .But they don't know the certain path to earn.These are the some ideas are given.

Self publish books

If you love writing and want to get a book published, Amazon offers a free service called Kindle Direct Publishing. The service allows anyone to self publish books on the Kindle (electronic) bookstore and earn royalties from sales. There are two plans you can choose from — the 35% royalty works across any book sold in any country) while the 70% royalty plans works if you sell in a few select countries. Indian authors can choose to set prices specifically for the Indian bookstore and receive royalty payments in Indian currency as well.


Make & sell your apps

With so many smartphones and tablets, app development can be a very lucrative business. You can learn about developing apps online — there are various tutorials available for free. That's the easy part — the hard part is coming up with an idea that 'clicks'. Once you make an app, submit it to the respective app store, set a price and choose whether you want to earn from inapp advertising. Your earnings, after deducting the appropriate fees, will be paid monthly.

Sell your photos Online

Numerous stock websites like www.shutterstock. com, www.shutterpoint.com and www. istockphoto.com host photographs submitted by members. Depending on the site's policy, you can earn between a 15 to 85% royalty on each sale. The better the quality of photos and the larger your online portfolio, the more you will sell. Usually, each photograph you want to upload will have to be 'selected' by them first — and they usually have strict requirements of what can or cannot go on sale.

Sell old stuff online

An easy way to earn some money on the Internet is by selling old stuff that you have around the house. Websites like www.olx.in, www.quickr.com & http://craigslist.co.in provide a free classifieds platform. You need to create an account, enter the product details, location, the expected price along with some photographs — listing usually go live within a couple of hours. Interested buyers can directly contact you and finalise the sale.

Start an online shop

With some creativity, you can learn to make handicrafts or if you know a wholesale dealer, purchase unique things at low prices. Once you have some stock ready, you can set up an online shop to sell these goods on sites like www.ebay.in or www.indiebazaar.com.

Both sites have a simple signup process. After you get verified as a seller, they provide you with a step-by-step wizard to set your online store (how to add photos & details of items you want to sell).

Work online for money

The internet is full of bogus companies that promise to pay you for work but never will. For instance, all places that offer money to fill surveys or those that require payment up front are scammers. Two popular & reliable places to find work are www. odesk.com and www.elance.com.

Both have a similar system: set up a profile and take tests to prove your proficiency in certain areas. Once done, you'll be listed as a contractor/freelancer and people can hire you for an hourly rate. You can get paid more by working hard, getting better at what you do and getting good feedback (ratings) from your clients.

E-Tutoring

If you are fluent in any subject and have some tutoring experience, you can sign up on websites like www.2tion.net or www.tutorvista.com as an online tutor. The sites require you to create a tutor profile with details such as the subjects in which you are fluent, what classes/courses you want to teach, your experience level, preferred timings for tutions and the remuneration expected.\


After verification, the site lists your profile on their portal where interested students can connect with you for tuitions. You can opt for virtual workspaces with built in teaching aids like live chat and collaborative whiteboards. Once you get better at tutoring, you can increase your monthly earnings by teaching multiple students simultaneously.

Earn from Advertising

A reliable way to earn money is from Google AdSense on your blog/website or ads on your YouTube channel. To get started, create a Google AdSense account at www. google.com/adsense. You can use the same account with your blog, website or YouTube channel. To maximise earnings from your blog or website, your objective needs to be to get the maximum number of visitors possible.

Write about what you know and what you're passionate about. On YouTube, make sure that your videos are original and interesting. Promote your channel to get more views. Apart from views, your objective should also be to get more people to like/favourite your video and to subscribe to your channel. The build up will be slow and Google only makes payments once your balance crosses $100, so don't get disheartened. Persistent efforts pay off in the long run.

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How to use marketing techniques in your job search

However distasteful it may appear, getting an employer to choose you over all the other applicants has parallels with a shopper choosing one brand over the other. (And just as consumers will often calculate a price-to-quality ratio before deciding, employers are also looking for value and a return on investment.) But with so much competition in the job market, one of the biggest problems candidates face is getting noticed in the first place. Here are some ways that you can use marketing techniques to add impetus to your job search and attract an employer's attention.

Work out your USP

To wow an employer, your application materials must make your "unique selling proposition" clear and distinct. Think about what differentiates you from others, and the value an employer will gain if they hire you. Consider adding a short statement under your name that crystallises what you do, how you do it, and the value you create.

Something such as: "Book marketer, driving sales and profits through online channels"

Or for a CV writer (but this isn't mine, by the way!): "Developing unique CVs that get interviews and jobs"

If you're applying for different roles (or in different sectors) you'll probably need to adapt your message to different audiences. Your CVs and cover letters must be relevant and focussed on that role, company and sector. They should also be suited to the needs of your reader. Consider developing a range of formats for different situations, in addition to a full CV.

Emphasise benefits not features

The problem with many CVs is that they read as a list of what the applicant has done, but don't spell out why the employer should care. Don't just describe what you do but translate your strengths, abilities and experience into bottom-line benefits for the employer. Everything you include in your application must build up your credibility and appeal. Train yourself to do this by thinking to yourself "so what?" after each sentence. This will help you move away from phrases such as "duties included" or "responsible for" to focus on the impact of your work and your achievements – and how these are relevant to your potential employer.

Use more than one marketing channel

Marketing professionals adopt a number of approaches to target their customers, and you should do the same if you're trying to get an employer's attention. Word of mouth is often an effective way in, so think about how this could work for you. Perhaps you can get a direct referral from someone you know, for example. A range of online marketing efforts might also help. LinkedIn groups participation and activity in social media channels (Twitter, blogs and forums) can be effective - especially when combined with offline approaches, such as networking, speculative applications, working with specialist recruitment agencies, or even doing some voluntary work.

Be confident

While arrogance is an undesirable trait, you won't be able to convince anyone to hire you if you show doubt in your abilities, or if you come across as apologetic, needy or insecure. Portray a positive can-do attitude and make sure your CV has enough examples of how you've achieved results similar to those needed in the new role. If there are weak points in your application (for example, you're missing experience or skills) prepare to explain how you're overcoming them.

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China exports set to underscore worries over U.S., Europe demand

China's trade data on Wednesday is expected to underline concerns about the pace of a U.S. recovery and recession in Europe and that economic growth in the world's second-biggest economy is struggling to pick up.

The median forecast of 27 economists polled by Reuters pointed to annual export growth of 10.3 percent in April, up from an increase of 10 percent in March.

China's imports were seen rising 13.9 percent in April from a year earlier, compared to a rise of 14.1 percent in March.

That would leave an estimated trade surplus of $15.1 billion, compared with a slight trade deficit of $0.88 billion in March. The data is due on Wednesday at around 0200 GMT.

China's figures come after major exporters South Korea and Taiwan posted weaker-than-expected exports for April, showing the fragility of global demand. Although the United States posted firm jobs numbers for April, they followed a series of weak data, while the recession-hit euro zone has record unemployment.

"The chance is very low of seeing a quick pick-up in the U.S. and EU economies and government austerity measures will continue to crimp consumer confidence, which could further weigh on demand for goods assembled in China," said Yang Weixiao, analyst at Lianxun Securities in Beijing.

The uncertainties will keep growth mild for the coming months, though Yang expects the pace of exports this year to pick up from last year.

"Generally speaking, we may see higher annual export growth this year than last year, and we expect a rise of 12-15 percent in 2013 versus 7.9 percent in 2012," he said.

A pair of PMI surveys last week showed growth in China's vast factory sector eased in April as new export orders shrank, offering new signs of a delay in an economic recovery.

That weakness has spread to the services sector, where a separate private PMI survey showed growth slowed sharply in April to its weakest pace since August 2011, adding to the risk that China's economic growth is weaker than previously anticipated.

China's economy unexpectedly stumbled in the first quarter, growing 7.7 percent from a year earlier versus a rise of 7.9 percent in the previous three months, as factory output and investment slowed. Analysts had expected growth to pick up in the first quarter.

A Reuters poll in April had forecast second-quarter annual growth of 8.00 percent.

To be sure, most economists expect a steady and gentle economic recovery this year, as investment growth quickens and retail sales stabilise from the second quarter onwards as government policies to stimulate growth kick in

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