Country skill Rankings (NASSCOM)

[Source : Unknown mail]
The following are the Country skill Rankings (NASSCOM)

IT Database Development and Administration

RDBMS Concepts
India 48%
United States 22%
Romania 4%
Russian Federation 3%
Ukraine 3%

SQL (ANSI) Fundamentals
India 60%
United States 14%
Russian Federation 5%
Ukraine 5%
Romania 3%

MS SQL Server 2000 Programming
India 33%
United States 32%
Romania 7%
Russian Federation 5%
Ukraine 4%

DB2 Programming
India 71%
United States 18%
Philippines 1%
Romania 1%
United Kingdom
(Great Britain) 1%

Oracle PL/SQL
India 50%
United States 20%
Russian Federation 5%
Romania 3%
United Kingdom
(Great Britain) 3%

IT programming and Development

C#

United States 29%
India 22%
Russian Federation 9%
Ukraine 8%
United Kingdom
(Great Britain) 6%

Software Testing *****
India 71%
United States 11%
Ukraine 4%
Belarus 2%
Pakistan 1%

C++
India 22%
United States 20%
Russian Federation 17%
Ukraine 10%
United Kingdom
(Great Britain) 6%

Java 2 Fundamentals
India 58%
United States 14%
Russian Federation 5%
Ukraine 4%
Romania 3%

.Net Framework
India 47%
United States 19%
Russian Federation 6%
Ukraine 6%
Romania 5%

IT systems and Network Administration

Linux Administration (General)
United States 22%
India 16%
Russian Federation 9%
Ukraine 7%
Romania 6%

MS Windows Server 2003 Administration
United States 37%
India 19%
Russian Federation 6%
Ukraine 4%
Romania 3%

Networking Concepts
United States 34%
India 17%
Ukraine 6%
Russian Federation 5%
United Kingdom
(Great Britain) 4%

Unix Administration (Solaris 9)
India 37%
United States 27%
Russian Federation 5%
Canada 3%
United Kingdom
(Great Britain) 3%

Information Technology Security Fundamentals
United States 33%
India 12%
Ukraine 6%
Poland 5%
Russian Federation 4%

20 Great Achievements of 20th Century

[Source:unknown Mail]
1. Electrification
Widespread electrification gave us power for our cities, factories, farms, and homes, and forever changed our lives. Thousands of engineers made it happen, with innovative work in fuel sources, power-generating techniques, and transmission grids. From street lights to supercomputers, electric power makes our lives safer, healthier, and more convenient.
2. Automobiles
Even after Gottlieb Daimler and Karl Benz introduced their improved fourstroke internal combustion engine, automobiles were still poking along at a few miles an hour (a sizeable proportion of them still running on electricity or steam). They could boast no battery starter, roof, nor windows and were priced only for the rich. Then Henry Ford fine-tuned mass production and the world drove off into the age of affordable transportation—forever altering our notions of place, distance, and community.
3. Airplanes
Modern air travel transports goods and people quickly around the globe, facilitating our personal, cultural, and commercial interaction. Engineering innovations—from the Wright brothers to supersonic jets—have made it all possible.
4. Water Supply and Distribution
Today a simple turn of the tap provides clean water—a precious resource. Engineering advances in managing this resource—with water treatment, supply, and distribution systems—changed life profoundly, virtually eliminating waterborne diseases in developed nations and providing clean and abundant water for communities, farms, and industries.
5. Electronics
Electronics provide the basis for countless innovations. From vacuum tubes to transistors to integrated circuits, engineers have made electronics smaller, more powerful, and more efficient, paving the way for products that have improved the quality and convenience of modern life.
6. Radio and Television
Radio and television were major agents of social change, opening windows to other lives, to remote areas of the world, and to history in the making. From the wireless telegraph to today's advanced satellite systems, engineers have developed remarkable technologies that inform and entertain millions every day.
7. Agricultural Mechanization
The machinery of farms, such as tractors, cultivators, combines, and hundreds of others, dramatically increased farm efficiency and productivity. At the start of the century, four U.S. farmers could feed about 10 people. By the end of the century, with the help of engineering innovation, a single farmer could feed more than 100 people.
8. Computers
The computer is a defining symbol of 20th century technology—a tool that has transformed businesses and lives around the world, increased productivity, and opened access to vast amounts of knowledge. Computers relieved the drudgery of simple tasks and brought new capabilities to complex ones. Engineering ingenuity fueled this revolution and continues to make computers faster, more powerful, and more affordable.
9. Telephones
The telephone is a cornerstone of modern life. Nearly instant connections—between friends, families, businesses, and nations—enable communications that enhance our lives, industries, and economies. With remarkable innovations, engineers have brought us from copper wire to fiber optics, from switchboards to satellites, and from party lines to the Internet.
10. Air Conditioning and Refrigeration
Air conditioning and refrigeration changed life immensely in the 20th century. Dozens of engineering innovations made it possible to transport and store fresh foods and to adapt the environment to human needs. Once luxuries, air conditioning and refrigeration are now common necessities that greatly enhance our quality of life.
11. Highways
Highways provide one of our most cherished assets—the freedom of personal mobility. Thousands of engineers built the roads, bridges, and tunnels that connect our communities, enable goods and services to reach remote areas, encourage growth, and facilitate commerce.
12. Spacecraft
From early test rockets to sophisticated satellites, the human expansion into space is perhaps the most amazing engineering feat. The development of the spacecraft has thrilled the world, expanded our knowledge base, and improved our capabilities. Thousands of useful products and services have resulted from the space program, including medical devices, improved weather forecasting, and wireless communications.
13. Internet
Initially a tool to link research center computers, the Internet has become a vital instrument of social change. Created through a series of engineering innovations, the Internet is changing business practices, educational pursuits, and personal communications. By providing global access to news, commerce, and vast stores of information, the Internet brings us together and adds convenience and efficiency to our lives.
14. Imaging
From tiny atoms to distant galaxies, imaging technologies have expanded the reach of our vision. Probing the human body, mapping ocean floors, tracking weather patterns—all are the result of engineering advances. Coupled with the computer, imaging gives us incredible new views, both within and beyond the human body and environment.
15. Household Appliances
Household appliances dramatically changed the 20th century lifestyle by eliminating much of the labor of everyday tasks. Engineering innovation produced a variety of devices, including ranges, vacuum cleaners, dishwashers, and dryers. These and other products give us more free time, enable more people to work outside the home, and contribute significantly to our economy.
16. Health Technologies
Advances in medical technology have been astounding. Armed with only a few instruments in 1900, medical professionals now have an arsenal of diagnostic and treatment equipment at their disposal. Artificial organs, replacement joints, imaging technologies, and biomaterials are a few of the engineered products that improve the quality of life for millions.
17. Petroleum and Petrochemical Technologies
Petroleum has been a critical component of, providing fuel for cars, homes, and industries. Also critical, petrochemicals are used in products ranging from aspirin to zippers. Spurred on by engineering advances in oil exploration and processing, petroleum products have had an enormous effect on world economies, peoples, and politics.
18. Laser and Fiber Optics
Pulses of light from lasers are used in industrial tools, surgical devices, satellites, and other products. In communications, highly pure glass fibers now provide the infrastructure to carry information via laser-produced light—a revolutionary technical achievement. Today, a single fiber-optic cable can transmit tens of millions of phone calls, data files, and video images.
19. Nuclear Technologies
The harnessing of the atom changed the nature of war forever and astounded the world with its awesome power. Nuclear technologies also gave us a new source of electric power and new capabilities in medical research and imaging. Though controversial, the engineering achievements related to nuclear technologies remain among the most important.
20. High-Performance Materials
From the building blocks of iron and steel to the latest advances in polymers, ceramics, and composites, the 20th century has seen a revolution in materials. Engineers have tailored and enhanced material properties for uses in thousands of applications. In aircraft, medical devices, computers, and other products, high-performance materials have a great effect on our quality of life.

White House Facts

[Source: http://www.whitehouse.gov/history/facts.html]
For two hundred years, the White House has stood as a symbol of the Presidency, the United States government, and the American people. Its history, and the history of the nation’s capital, began when President George Washington signed an Act of Congress in December of 1790 declaring that the federal government would reside in a district "not exceeding ten miles square…on the river Potomac." President Washington, together with city planner Pierre L’Enfant, chose the site for the new residence, which is now 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue. As preparations began for the new federal city, a competition was held to find a builder of the "President’s House." Nine proposals were submitted, and Irish-born architect James Hoban won a gold medal for his practical and handsome design.
Construction began when the first cornerstone was laid in October of 1792. Although President Washington oversaw the construction of the house, he never lived in it. It was not until 1800, when the White House was nearly completed, that its first residents, President John Adams and his wife, Abigail, moved in. Since that time, each President has made his own changes and additions. The White House is, after all, the President’s private home. It is also the only private residence of a head of state that is open to the public, free of charge.
The White House has a unique and fascinating history. It survived a fire at the hands of the British in 1814 (during the war of 1812) and another fire in the West Wing in 1929, while Herbert Hoover was President. Throughout much of Harry S. Truman’s presidency, the interior of the house, with the exception of the third floor, was completely gutted and renovated while the Trumans lived at Blair House, right across Pennsylvania Avenue. Nonetheless, the exterior stone walls are those first put in place when the White House was constructed two centuries ago.
Presidents can express their individual style in how they decorate some parts of the house and in how they receive the public during their stay. Thomas Jefferson held the first Inaugural open house in 1805. Many of those who attended the swearing-in ceremony at the U.S. Capitol simply followed him home, where he greeted them in the Blue Room. President Jefferson also opened the house for public tours, and it has remained open, except during wartime, ever since. In addition, he welcomed visitors to annual receptions on New Year’s Day and on the Fourth of July. In 1829, a horde of 20,000 Inaugural callers forced President Andrew Jackson to flee to the safety of a hotel while, on the lawn, aides filled washtubs with orange juice and whiskey to lure the mob out of the mud-tracked White House.
After Abraham Lincoln’s presidency, Inaugural crowds became far too large for the White House to accommodate them comfortably. However, not until Grover Cleveland’s first presidency did this unsafe practice change. He held a presidential review of the troops from a flag-draped grandstand built in front of the White House. This procession evolved into the official Inaugural parade we know today. Receptions on New Year’s Day and the Fourth of July continued to be held until the early 1930s.
There are 132 rooms, 35 bathrooms, and 6 levels in the Residence. There are also 412 doors, 147 windows, 28 fireplaces, 8 staircases, and 3 elevators.
At various times in history, the White House has been known as the "President's Palace," the "President's House," and the "Executive Mansion." President Theodore Roosevelt officially gave the White House its current name in 1901.
Presidential Firsts while in office... President James Polk (1845-49) was the first President to have his photograph taken... President Theodore Roosevelt (1901-09) was not only the first President to ride in an automobile, but also the first President to travel outside the country when he visited Panama... President Franklin Roosevelt (1933-45) was the first President to ride in an airplane.
With five full-time chefs, the White House kitchen is able to serve dinner to as many as 140 guests and hors d'oeuvres to more than 1,000.
The White House requires 570 gallons of paint to cover its outside surface.
For recreation, the White House has a variety of facilities available to its residents, including a tennis court, jogging track, swimming pool, movie theater, and bowling lane.

Fact List 1

• Shakespeare invented the word 'assassination' and 'bump'.
• Stewardesses is the longest word typed with only the left hand.
• The ant always falls over on its right side when intoxicated.
• The electric chair was invented by a dentist.
• The human heart creates enough pressure when it pumps out to the body to Squirt blood 30 feet.
• Wearing headphones for just an hour will increase the bacteria in your ear By 700 times.
• Ants don't sleep .
• Owls have eyeballs that are tubular in shape, because of this, they cannot move their eyes.
• A bird requires more food in proportion to its size than a baby or a cat.
• The mouse is the most common mammal in the US.
• A newborn kangaroo is about 1 inch in length.
• A cow gives nearly 200,000 glasses of milk in her lifetime.
• The Canary Islands were not named for a bird called a canary. They
  were named after a breed of large dogs. The Latin name was Canariae
  insulae - "Island of Dogs."
• There are 701 types of pure breed dogs.
• A polecat is not a cat. It is a nocturnal European weasel.
• The animal responsible for the most human deaths world-wide is the mosquito.
• The biggest pig in recorded history was Big Boy of Black Mountain,
  North Carolina, who was weighed at 1,904 pounds in 1939.
• Cats respond most readily to names that end in an "ee" sound.
• A cat cannot see directly under its nose. This is why the cat cannot seem to find tidbits on the floor.
• Pigs, walruses and light-colored horses can be sunburned.
• Snakes are immune to their own poison.
• An iguana can stay under water for 28 minutes.
• Cats have more than one hundred vocal sounds, while dogs only have about ten.
• The biggest member of the cat family is the male lion, which weighs 528 pounds (240 kilograms).
• Most lipstick contains fish scales.
• Rats multiply so quickly that in 18 months, two rats could have over a million descendants.
• Each day in the US, animal shelters are forced to destroy 30,000 dogs and cats.
• A shrimp's heart is in their head.
• A pregnant goldfish is called a twit.
• A cockroach will live nine days without its head, before it starves to death.
• The cat lover is an ailurophile, while a cat hater is an ailurophobe.
• A woodpecker can peck twenty times a second.
• It may take longer than two days for a chick to break out of its shell.
• Dragonflies are one of the fastest insects, flying 50 to 60 mph.
• Despite man's fear and hatred of the wolf, it has not ever been proved that a non-rabid wolf ever attacked a human.
• There are more than 100 million dogs and cats in the United States.
• Americans spend more than 5.4 billion dollars on their pets each year.
• Cat's urine glows under a black light .
• The largest cockroach on record is one measured at 3.81 inches in length.
• It is estimated that a single toad may catch and eat as many as 10,000 insects in the course of a summer.
• Amphibians eyes come in a variety shapes and sizes. Some even have square or heart-shaped pupils.
• It would require an average of 18 hummingbirds to weigh in at 1 ounce.
• Dogs that do not tolerate small children well are the St. Bernard, the Old English sheep dog, the Alaskan malamute, the bull terrier, and the toy poodle.
• Moles are able to tunnel through 300 feet of earth in a day.
• Howler monkeys are the noisiest land animals. Their calls can be heard over 2 miles away.
• A quarter of the horses in the US died of a vast virus epidemic in 1872.
• The fastest bird is the Spine-tailed swift, clocked at speeds of up to 220 miles per hour.

................... to be continued