WorthvieW

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates – The world’s tallest skyscraper has unexpectedly closed to the public a month after its lavish opening, disappointing tourists headed for the observation deck and casting doubt over plans to welcome its first permanent occupants in the coming weeks.

Electrical problems are at least partly to blame for the closure of the Burj ’s viewing platform — the only part of the half-mile high tower open yet. But a lack of information from the spire’s owner left it unclear whether the rest of the largely empty building — including dozens of elevators meant to whisk visitors to the tower’s more than 160 floors — was affected by the shutdown.

The indefinite closure, which began Sunday, comes as Dubai struggles to revive its international image as a cutting-edge Arab metropolis amid nagging questions about its financial health.

The Persian Gulf city-state had hoped the 2,717-foot (828-meter) Burj Khalifa would be a major tourist draw. Dubai has promoted itself by wowing visitors with over-the-top attractions such as the Burj, which juts like a silvery needle out of the desert and can be seen from miles around.

In recent weeks, thousands of tourists have lined up for the chance to buy tickets for viewing times often days in advance that cost more than $27 apiece. Now many of those would-be visitors, such as Wayne Boyes, a tourist from near Manchester, England, must get back in line for refunds.

“It’s just very disappointing,” said Boyes, 40, who showed up at the Burj’s entrance Monday with a ticket for an afternoon time slot only to be told the viewing platform was closed. “The tower was one of my main reasons for coming here,” he said.

The precise cause of the $1.5 billion Dubai skyscraper’s temporary shutdown remained unclear.

In a brief statement responding to questions, building ownerEmaar Properties blamed the closure on “unexpected high traffic,” but then suggested that electrical problems were also at fault.

“Technical issues with the power supply are being worked on by the main and subcontractors and the public will be informed upon completion,” the company said, adding that it is “committed to the highest quality standards at Burj Khalifa.”

Despite repeated requests, a spokeswoman for Emaar was unable to provide further details or rule out the possibility of foul play. Greg Sang, Emaar’s director of projects and the man charged with coordinating the tower’s construction, could not be reached. Construction workers at the base of the tower said they were unaware of any problems.

Power was reaching some parts of the building. Strobe lights warning aircraft flashed and a handful of floors were illuminated after nightfall.

Emaar did not say when the observation deck would reopen. Ticket sales agents were accepting bookings starting on Valentine’s Day this Sunday, though one reached by The Associated Press could not confirm the building would reopen then.

Tourists affected by the closure are being offered the chance to rebook or receive refunds.

The shutdown comes at a sensitive time for Dubai. The city-state is facing a slump in tourism — which accounts for nearly a fifth of the local economy — while fending off negative publicity caused by more than $80 billion in debt it is struggling to repay.

Source : Yahoo News

Today I had a new experience of sitting in an interview. Not as one who is seeking a job or a seat, but on the other side, to take an interview of a job seeker.
Obviously, I am excited to change my perspective to a person who can judge or measure the performance of person in an interview.

I used to help lot of freshers and those who are looking for jobs by giving them references, discuss what is expected generally from my experience, sharing them documents and tips, collecting written papers and questions. 

Even yesterday, I helped a friend in preparing for the interview. And what you expect? He is the candidate in my first interview! As soon as I saw his name on the profile that was given to us (we are two people sitting in the interview panel, and I am a part of it to know how we take interviews so that sooner I can start taking one.), I was interested in seeing how he fares. I gave many tips which I expected and hoped will be of great help to him.

The interview started and slowly after the initial questions on college and projects, my collegue went into some programming stuff. And, as i expected, the question was almost the same as what me and my friend discussed the previous day. I am happy that I am helping in correct lines. Even the next few questions my collegue asked were all what I used to tell to many friends to be ready with.

I am happy. Very happy.

Now, The other angle. My friend who is given time to write the code snippet for the program (the program was something related to string reversal using linked lists), started off well, but I sensed he is struggling. Almost its the same condition for the next question.

He is prepared. But thats not enough ! He did not practice.

I was actually not the one who is deciding the whether to select him or not. I am just there to know how to take interview. But, I am not convinced.

I am unhappy. Very unhappy.

At a point where you expect great competition, Preparing seems to be not sufficient at all. You should not stop at only ‘thinking’ and ‘expecting’. Every job seeker asks me, “what will be asked in the interview?”, but is he asking himself “what will I answer if this asked”. He is again prepared to answer. Not practicing it !

This observation might be wrong, but at this point of time, I feel that’s what is lacking. Serious trouble.
Sportsmen who has extreme expertise in their field themselves practice everyday what they have been doing for years !!!
Can’t we just practise for few days, what are not good at ? To mark a milestone in our career ?

We have to. There is no choice. Be practiced.

The Norwegian Nobel Committee says U.S. President Barack Obama has won the 2009 Nobel Peace Prize for “his extraordinary efforts to strengthen international diplomacy and cooperation between peoples.”

For all those who are waiting eagerly to see who will grab this year’s Nobel Prize for Peace, this might turn out to be the greatest surprise!

There were three former US Presidents who got Nobel Prize for Peace viz Theodere Roosevelt (1909), Woodrow Wilson (1919) and Jimmy Carter (2002)

The committee has attached special importance to Obama’s vision of and work for a world without nuclear weapons.

Obama has as president created a new climate in international politics. Multilateral diplomacy has regained a central position, with emphasis on the role that the United Nations and other international institutions can play. Dialogue and negotiations are preferred as instruments for resolving even the most difficult international conflicts. The vision of a world free from nuclear arms has powerfully stimulated disarmament and arms control negotiations. Thanks to Obama’s initiative, the USA is now playing a more constructive role in meeting the great climatic challenges the world is confronting. Democracy and human rights are to be strengthened.

Only very rarely has a person to the same extent as Obama captured the world’s attention and given its people hope for a better future. His diplomacy is founded in the concept that those who are to lead the world must do so on the basis of values and attitudes that are shared by the majority of the world’s population.

For 108 years, the Norwegian Nobel committee has sought to stimulate precisely that international policy and those attitudes for which Obama is now the world’s leading spokesman. The committee endorses Obama’s appeal that ‘Now is the time for all of us to take our share of responsibility for a global response to global challenges’.”

Congratulations President !!!!!

The State government has put the preliminary estimate of the damages caused by the flood in Krishna river at Rs. 12,225 crore.

Agriculture and horticulture sectors suffered losses of Rs. 1,050 crore, animal husbandry (Rs. 275 crore), fisheries (Rs. 100 crore) and housing (Rs. 300 crore), while the State was likely to incur Rs. 500 crore expenditure on account of rescue, relief including payment of ex gratia and food supplies to affected families.

Source : The Hindhu

Not a question worth asking, don’t we all agree on this one? My boss has just winked at me and she seconds me on this one. I am actually trying to create a controversy by writing this blog, and the words “bad boss” justify my existence in an organization. Yeah, I have done my share of bossing around, so what? Have you ever been a boss? “Bad bosses”—don’t they all get to us? Don’t we all have a bad boss story? I bet you got one for everyday.

So what do you do to deal with them? Stay as long as you can count your chickens and run away after that? Thing is, you have got to find your solution to deal with the rotten managers—“just like kids, bosses with lot of power can give you hard time”.

Does your manager bullies you? Pitches about you coming late to office even after the extra work you put in everyday? Is the manager coming in the way of your productivity, creativity and efficiency? –Don’t you already smell something bad out there?

Would you care to know what I do?

• I try to be positive even when negativity tries to surround me
• I try to be frank and I communicate to get across my views
• Humor, yes, it always seems to work and diffuses the tensed air
• I try to set boundaries—live and let live

We can always try to empathize with the bosses and try to get into their shoes. After all, they too have bosses to answer to. In fact, lot of times, it happens that employees are too bent on assuming that bosses are always bad. And as they say—“A rotten fish can spoil the entire pond”, bad employees try to influence as many people as possible and make them believe that bosses are meant to be bad. That is a time when I start thinking whether I am the one who is behaving like a kid.

So what is your bad boss story?
Special thanks to my friend and Author of this post  : Ajay Jetti