Poojan (Wagh) Blog

Seth’s Blog: #YearInReview What did you ship in 2010?

PoojanWagh — Fri, 10 Feb 2012 05:47:38 +0000

Found this sitting in my drafts folder from 2010. In response to: Seth’s Blog: #YearInReview What did you ship in 2010?:

MDFH (work project)
ASR (work project)
Built a Windows Home Server
Set up a media center PC + TV
Put ducting in attic for AC

(It’s obviously a partial list–and a year old at that.)

Taxes at two WalMart’s

PoojanWagh — Fri, 10 Feb 2012 05:45:08 +0000

I noticed a WalMart receipt in our car that shows a tax rate of 9% plus 1.25%. That seemed kind of high.

Apparently, Elgin has a “special business district” tax rate that is 9%, and then there’s a 1.25% on top of that (presumably County Home Rule), which totals to 10.25%.

It looks like the tax rate in Algonquin would be between 1.25% to 2.5% lower than that in Elgin (Kane County). The Illinois tax rate finder web site predicts 7.75% for Algonquin. It predicts 9% for Elgin (Kane County special business district).

The Illinois web site (below) doesn’t show the 1.25% adder for Elgin’s “special business district”. So, I don’t know if that 1.25% gets added to the Algonquin’s 7.75% as well (in which case the difference would only end up being 1.25%).

Tax Rate Finder: Rates Page – TRI0050.

Frozen Lake

PoojanWagh — Fri, 06 Jan 2012 06:24:09 +0000

True contentment is a thing as active as agriculture. It is the power of getting out of any situation all that there is in it. It is arduous and it is rare.
— G.K. Chesterton (via Moment of Happiness Daily Quotation)

Work is busy. There are many things, each of them detailed investigations, that need to get done in a short amount of time. Customers expect that from us–and our competitors.

Normally, at lunch time, I’ll stay in and eat at my desk, usually surfing the web while doing this. Today, I decided to take a walk outside.

Outside was warmer than I expected, but still crisp. Yet, the pond was frozen. An usual but serendipitous combination. I took a nice, refreshing walk. I stretched on the grass.

I immediately forgot what was going on in my office. My mind cleared.

Today, getting all there is out of a frenzied situation means creating a calm moment.

Refinance Calculator

PoojanWagh — Tue, 11 Oct 2011 03:35:41 +0000

Nice little calculator to tell you if it’s worth it to refinance or not:
Refinance Calculator.

The same website has a lot of references (and survey of media and books) covering other calculators and advice.

T NATION | Crossed Up by CrossFit

PoojanWagh — Sat, 11 Jun 2011 05:07:27 +0000

Thinking about this. For once, I’ve actually done my weekly routine of running twice a week and weight training twice a week. I heard about this crossfit excercise–both from a guy at work and a random vendor I’ve been talking to on a weekly basis.

This article seems to have a pretty fair treatment: T NATION | Crossed Up by CrossFit. Summary: good for the average Joe, but not for serious body-builders.

Matt Pond PA – Closest

PoojanWagh — Thu, 07 Apr 2011 20:23:58 +0000

A great song to work (and I suppose work out) to. Energizing: (Note: I haven’t watched the video before; just like the song.)

Matt Pond PA – Closest (Official Music Video). Watch more top selected videos about: Matt Pond PA

Walkmen: Thinking of a Dream I Had

PoojanWagh — Thu, 17 Feb 2011 20:57:09 +0000

Great sound:

Questions & redundant answers

PoojanWagh — Thu, 13 Jan 2011 18:44:36 +0000

When someone asks you a question, and you’ve already told them the answer, their question is redundant.
So is pointing out that you’ve already told them the answer. Just tell ‘em the answer again.

Who I want to be (at work)

PoojanWagh — Tue, 04 Jan 2011 21:57:29 +0000

If you haven’t heard it already, listen to this:

Ruining It for the Rest of Us | This American Life.

This episode of TAL contains some of the best audio I’ve heard.

They describe a study where they place a “bad apple” in a group “acting either like a jerk, a slacker or a depressive. And within 45 minutes, the rest of the group started behaving like the bad apple.”

Except one group was extremely resilient in the presence of this negativity. Turned out that group had a “golden apple”–a guy who “was particularly a good leader, and what he would do was ask questions, and he would engage all the team members, and he would diffuse conflicts.” (10:18)

I want to be that golden apple.

You only get one chance to agree

PoojanWagh — Fri, 03 Dec 2010 04:40:28 +0000

When someone presents you with a new idea, you have all day to disagree.

When someone presents you with a new idea, you have all week to disagree.

When someone presents you with a new idea, you have all month to disagree.

When someone presents you with a new idea, you have all year to disagree.

You only have one chance to agree. One chance that matters.

People want to be heard. Don’t argue. It’ll be okay.