Look Up Story

Write a story around a moment that filled you with optimism and hope for the future.

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Ruhi considered her-self unique. This is her story of optimism.

She loved ballet dancing. Her father brought her the loveliest pair of shoes. She called them ‘magic’ shoes. She was a victim of polio. But she went to her ballet learning classes daily – dedicatedly.

Her teacher was very fond of her. Ruhi considered ballet dancing her religion. It was her passion.

Soon a tournament was to be held. She was hopeful to be selected.

Her father always told her, ‘You are a miracle, my child. You make me feel so proud, Ruhi!’

She was her teacher’s favorite. Seeing her abilities, her teacher chose her for the tournament.

Ruhi was an ordinary girl with big dreams. She wanted to be the best ballet dancer. And there was no stopping her. Her dad brought the best crutches for her.

Despite being polio struck, she never gave up. She is my cousin’s friend. I got to speak to her recently when I came across her undying spirit.

I asked her about her future plans. ‘I want to be a dance teacher. When people look at me, they feel I am abnormal. I want to break that mindset.’

‘I feel I am no less than anyone. Why should I compromise on my dreams because I am bounded by these crutches?’ she questioned.

In that moment I felt silly for all my timid complaints from life. Talking to her made me feel so positive about life!

‘I breathed a huge sigh of relief when my doctors allowed me for this tournament. I love pushing myself hard each time,’ she continued.

‘By each passing day, I become stronger and stronger than I was the day before. Nothing is impossible if you don’t give up!’

I was overwhelmed at this girl’s confidence. I decided to attend her show and give her a standing ovation. She was a hero herself. Such people should be celebrated.

The D day arrived. The stage was set.

Ruhi gave her best. She was the star performer.

Her father’s eyes filled with tears of joy as she received a standing ovation from the audience.

‘She is my miracle baby,’ he exclaimed!

Ruhi was called on stage to share her story. She went up the dias confidently with the help of her crutches, yet effortlessly without anyone’s help. She was an utterly strong girl.

‘Hello everyone. I have been showered with the ‘Star Performer’ for today’s performance. I feel extremely honored and privileged. But maybe, not all are. I take this platform as an opportunity to address the pain of polio struck people who are considered abnormal and not allowed to chase their dreams. I am extremely thankful to my father for having the faith in my capabilities. But my dear friends, we need more people like my father. I dedicate this trophy to my father, who accompanies me at every tournament or performance of mine! This one is for you Papa!’ She ended as the audience had wet eyes.

P.S: This post is for Housing.com. For details: here!

A New Life

Tell us about a time when you took a bold step, and brought about a big change in your own life. Share your story with the world using #StartANewLife. 

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My Engineering was over, at last. I was placed through campus in Infosys. I had never stayed away from home. Everyone told me, don’t go. When the time to move away came, my mom was emotional. She told me not to go and instead search for a job in Mumbai itself.

But I was stubborn. I wanted to experience a new city, a new environment. I was always a pampered kid. For a change,I wanted to fight my battle, leave the circle of love and care and try build my own identity.

I knew I would have to do my laundry, my food – all on my own. To be honest, I hadn’t ever washed my clothes nor cooked. Maggi was all I could cook. But it was time now to explore.

Mysore was where my training centre was. A beautiful place - but away from home. I felt homesick initially and whenever I would call home, mom would cry. So I decided to call every 3 days.

Life kept me busy during my training tenure. Hectic life - a life where you learn to become self reliant teaches you many things.

A new city teaches you to adapt. Given my background, I was spoon fed all the time. This experience taught me to become self dependent. No dear one to help me out with things, it was unusual in the beginning.

I met new people, made new friends, learnt a lot from them. The training centre in Mysore is among the top 3 in the world. I gained knowledge, not just application wise, but practical knowledge too.

Most importantly, staying away from home with limited finances teaches you to manage and save money. It is an art. It has made me more responsible!

I am glad I took this bold step of staying away from home and pursuing my dreams.

I am definitely a better person than I was before leaving home. However beautiful, nothing can replace home, but yes, some things are better learnt when you are alone. Time is the best teacher, if you’re willing to learn.

Staying away from home has given me the exposure I needed and opened doors of great opportunities. The pressure keeps you rooted to your goal, distractions are at bay and your confidence grows.

Staying away from my loved ones brought me closer to God. I started praying often and thanking God for a wonderful family who I have to return to soon!

This bold step has changed my life for good – made me more confident, optimist and I feel glad I took the leap of faith. It worked in my favor. This is my story. #StartANewLife. 

Always follow your heart and let it take you where it wants. Miracles are explored and you grow as an individual. Stay positive.

At Housing, they love change - good change! Change signifies that we're moving forward, living better, and giving ourselves the chance to be the best we can possibly be. So ring in positivity and bring good changes to your life.  See here: https://housing.com/.

See this lovely colorful Housing.com Video Ad 

Together, Always

26th February, 2010

I decided to quit Engineering.  I will always remember this day. It was the day I made a big decision. I was not made for 9 to 5 jobs, but something more. I wanted to pursue Journalism.

I was scared to let anyone know about it, most importantly, my father, because he had big expectations. Actually, they weren’t big, I was too small for those expectations, maybe.

Anyways, I decided to share this with my mother. Initially, she told me, ‘Ritwik, stay calm and focus. You will be a good engineer.’ I told her, ‘Ma, I’m sorry to let you down and break your dreams. I am shattered too. But journalism is my calling. I love it. Yes, I realized it late. I don’t know what to do, Ma. I am scared about Daddy. He will be very disappointed.’

Ma said, ‘Yes, he shall be. But if you have decided it, Ritwik, then we don’t want to force you and tell you to do something which you don’t enjoy doing. You talk to him calmly. I am sure he will listen.’

My sister heard this conversation. She came to me and scolded me, ‘Ritwik, are you a kid? You are planning to waste one full year of your life? Leaving behind engineering will do no good to you.’

I answered, ‘But, Di, I don’t want to regret later. This is a bold step. I want you’ll to support me.’

‘Support you for wrong things? No, Ritwik. Please don’t hurt Daddy. Your stupidity will cause us pain.’ She said.

Ma was supportive, ‘Let it be, Aashira. He won’t budge. He is adamant. Still, Ritwik take some time, you can pursue Journalism after Engineering too. We would suggest complete this and then go for the other course.’

‘Ma, I can’t afford to waste years now.’ I want to make it big in Journalism, please Ma. I won’t let you down.’ I tried to convince.

‘Ritwik, you speak for yourself before Daddy. We are not going to interfere. Finally, I do not want my son to blame me years later. But remember, it is a big risk that you are jumping for. Had you completed B.E, you would have a secure degree with you.’ Ma sounded upset and concerned for me.

‘Ma, this decision is a risk, I agree. But I want to pursue it. It is my mistake to have realized my calling late. But better late than never!’ I replied.

When I told Daddy about it, he told me the same things my sister and Ma told. But finally all agreed for my happiness.

There is no love greater than family. They are the ones who understand your needs and dreams. Today I have completed my Mass Media course and I have been chosen by the best Institute in India for a post graduate course in Journalism.

The tense moments I spent with my family made me realize – Family love is the greatest. The time spent with them gave me the courage and positivity to stay motivated and look up with confidence and optimism. Family loves you infinitely. We are together in this journey. Always.

P.S: This post is for Housing.com. Housing believes in the inimitable power of optimism. #together

See here for details: https://housing.com/

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DC Avanti

DC Avanti is the Indian designed sports car by DC Design, a firm headed by Dilip Chhabria. Taking its name from the Studebaker Avanti of The Adventures of Tintin comics, it was unveiled at the 2012 Auto Expo Delhi as a two-seat sports car. It was initially equipped with a mid-mounted Ford Ecoboost Engine.But due to cost reasons,DC has shifted to a Renault-sourced, 2.0-litre four-cylinder turbocharged petrol engine producing 250 bhp, A Honda-sourced V6 version with 394 bhp is planned for future release. Transmission is a six-speed dual-clutch transmission. The Avanti weighs 1562 kg. The car is currently at the production stage.

During the show the carmaker had announced that they would commence production of the car at their manufacturing facility located in Gujarat but added that the initial models will be built at their Talegaon facility in Pune.

It is slated to launch in early 2015 at a price of approximately Rs 35 lakh.  The DC Avanti is a mid-engined sports car. To begin with, the Avanti is really big at a length of 4550mm, 1965mm wide and 1200mm in height. To give you a fair idea of its real world dimensions: the Lamborghini Gallardo is 4,345mm long, 1,900mm wide, and 1,165mm in height, in comparison.  DC has also tried to make the car as usable as possible in India, and has given it a ground clearance of 170mm - which is the same as a Maruti Suzuki Swift's. This is to make it more suitable for Indian roads. The chassis is a box section space frame, which has been overbuilt to help handle it better on Indian roads. The body of the car uses carbonfibre in many parts, which have been crafted in-house, which is placed on top of the chassis.

Between the seat back and the rear wheels is the mid-mounted is a 2.0-litre four-cylinder turbocharged engine, which makes 248bhp, and 24.6kgm of torque. Helping put all that power to the road are 20-inch wheels with 255/35 tyres mounted on the front, and 295/30 tyres mounted on the rear. A six-speed manual gearbox comes as standard on the car. Stopping power for the car comes from 330mm ventilated four-pot disc brakes at the front and 295mm at the rear. Anti-lock braking system, which has been developed by Continental, comes standard on the Avanti. The suspension uses a double wishbone on all four wheels, monotube with gas-charged shock absorbers. It uses coil springs to perform the dampening duties.

As for the interiors, the Avanti gets a three-spoke steering wheel, hooded dials, a centre console with stacked screens, chrome surrounds and body colored separators. It also comes with a touchscreen infotainment system and soft touch buttons for the air-conditioning system. The final car is expected to come with a digital instrument panel, and few new bits on the centre console too.

Hybrid Vehicles

A hybrid vehicle is a vehicle that uses two or more distinct power sources to move the vehicle. The term most commonly refers to hybrid electric vehicles (HEVs), which combine an internal combustion engine and one or more electric motors. However, other mechanisms to capture and use energy may also be included.

Many people have probably owned a hybrid vehicle at some point. For example, a mo-ped (a motorized pedal bike) is a type of hybrid because it combines the power of a gasoline engine with the pedal power of its rider. In fact, hybrid vehicles are all around us. Most of the locomotives we see pulling trains are diesel-electric hybrids. Cities like Seattle have diesel-electric buses -- these can draw electric power from overhead wires or run on diesel when they are away from the wires. Giant mining trucks are often diesel-electric hybrids. Submarines are also hybrid vehicles -- some are nuclear-electric and some are diesel-electric. Any vehicle that combines two or more sources of power that can directly or indirectly provide propulsion power is a hybrid. Most hybrid cars on the road right now are gasoline-electric hybrids, although French car maker PSA Peugeot Citroen has two diesel-electric hybrid cars in the works. Since gasoline hybrids are the kind you'll find at your local car dealership, we'll focus on those in this article.

The hybrid vehicle typically achieves greater fuel economy and lower emissions than conventional internal combustion engine vehicles (ICEVs), resulting in fewer emissions being generated. These savings are primarily achieved by three elements of a typical hybrid design:

Ø  Relying on both the engine and the electric motors for peak power needs, resulting in a smaller engine sized more for average usage rather than peak power usage. A smaller engine can have less internal losses and lower weight.

Ø  Having significant battery storage capacity to store and reuse recaptured energy, especially in stop-and-go traffic typical of the city driving cycle.

Ø  Recapturing significant amounts of energy during braking that are normally wasted as heat. This regenerative braking reduces vehicle speed by converting some of its kinetic energy into electricity, depending upon the power rating of the motor/generator.

Anti-lock Braking System (ABS)

Anti-lock braking system (ABS) is an automobile safety system that allows the wheels on a motor vehicle to maintain tractive contact with the road surface according to driver inputs while braking, preventing the wheels from locking up (ceasing rotation) and avoiding uncontrolled skidding. It is an automated system that uses the principles of threshold braking and cadence braking which were practiced by skillful drivers with previous generation braking systems. It does this at a much faster rate and with better control than a driver could manage.

ABS generally offers improved vehicle control and decreases stopping distances on dry and slippery surfaces; however, on loose gravel or snow-covered surfaces, ABS can significantly increase braking distance, although still improving vehicle control.

Since initial widespread use in production cars, anti-lock braking systems have been improved considerably. Recent versions not only prevent wheel lock under braking, but also electronically control the front-to-rear brake bias. This function, depending on its specific capabilities and implementation, is known as electronic brakeforce distribution (EBD), traction control system, emergency brake assist, or electronic stability control (ESC).

Stopping a car in a hurry on a slippery road can be very challenging. Anti-lock braking systems (ABS) take a lot of the challenge out of this sometimes nerve-wracking event. In fact, on slippery surfaces, even professional drivers can't stop as quickly without ABS as an average driver can with ABS.

In a recent Canadian Automobile Association survey of some 1700 members, 66% correctly associated ABS with vehicle stability in an emergency, and 53% correctly stated that ABS allows the driver to steer while braking.

Since the ABS will not allow the tire to stop rotating, you can brake and steer at the same time. The braking and steering ability of the vehicle is limited by the amount of traction the tire can generate.

If you demand steering while braking, the 100% of traction that the tire can generate will be divided between both tasks. For example, if you require 50% for steering then there is 50% of available traction left for braking. If you require 10% for steering then there is 90% left for braking. Be aware that 100% traction on a dry road is a great deal more traction than 100% traction on ice! Therefore, your vehicle is unable to steer and brake as well on a slippery surface as it can on a dry road.

External Airbag From Volvo

Thousands of pedestrians die each year in road accidents, but so far few carmakers have shown much interest in developing safety features to protect those outside the car. Now Swedish auto company Volvo has produced the first external airbag -- and it could save lives.

Engineers are well aware that humans and cars make for unequal adversaries when they collide. The difference, says Thomas Broberg, is primarily a matter of their construction: "Cars are hard and people are soft."

Now Volvo is increasing pressure on the industry as a whole, and at the same time taking the opportunity to improve its own image in an area where it is in danger of losing ground. With its legendary Swedish-made, tank-like cars, the Volvo brand has long been considered a frontrunner in safety engineering. These days, though, nearly all car manufacturers make impact-resistant auto bodies.

Volvo, the car company well known for the safety features on its vehicles is introducing an integrated airbag into the bonnet of the 2013 model year V40 which goes into production in May with the aim of giving more protection to pedestrians and cyclists in the event of a collision.

The external airbag, which was developed at Volvo’s own R&D facility in Sweden, inflates in less than a second and is most effective, according to Volvo, in collisions where the car is travelling between 12mph and 31mph. The airbag is deployed when sensors in the front bumper detect contact between the car and a pedestrian or cyclist.

Upon impact, the windscreen end of the bonnet is released and raised ten centimeters - 4" - by the inflating airbag, which covers the area under the raised bonnet as well as approximately one-third of the windscreen and the lower part of the A-pillars that support the windscreen.

Of course, pedestrians and cyclists are likely to have mixed feelings about this development. While applauding it at one level, campaigners for pedestrian and cycling safety are likely to lament the emphasis on passive safety while governments ignore the elephant in the room; that the more drivers become immunised from their responsibilities, the less likely they are to anticipate, consider and pay attention in the way Highway Codes generally advise.