Alleged kidney broker held in Chennai

Source: www.ndtv.com

Monday, January 22, 2007 (Chennai):

A man alleged to be a kidney broker has been detained in Chennai.NDTV had brought a story of Malliga who was driven out of the house by her husband.

He had taken the money given to her by brokers for donating a kidney. Malliga's kidney had been taken away at a private hospital in Madurai.

The accused, Raji, has been detained in connection with selling kidneys of fisherwomen from the coastal areas affected by the 2004 Tsunami.

Tsunami kidney racket busted in Chennai

Sanjay Pinto, Sam Daniel
Tuesday, January 16, 2007 (Chennai):

Most government departments in the country, like passport offices, rely on the ration card as almost conclusive proof of residence and relationship. In a shocking finding by NDTV, the ration card has been misused over the last few years in Chennai to get over the strict legal requirement of relative donors for kidney transplants.

Investigation reveals that touts lured the tsunami survivors in North Chennai to sell their kidneys for transplants allegedly in four private hospitals, one in Madurai and three in Chennai. Screening by a Committee appointed by the health department is mandatory to verify if the donor is a relative. And so, the touts 'set up' people to pose as relatives, with a bunch of ration cards as proof of address and relationship.

As ration cards that are accepted by all government departments, including passport offices, have only the husband's or father's photograph, they rustle up fake relatives for the other names mentioned on the cards to get the required clearance.

That explains why there have been so many women donors."They will present women before the committee, claiming that they are related to the person whose photograph is on the ration card," said Thilakavathy, donor and victim.

Exploitation of the poorMany fingers point towards one man, a regular broker who has allegedly cashed in on the poverty and helplessness of tsunami survivors in this colony."

"His name is Prakash Babu. People call him Karrupiah. He is working in a pencil factory near Korrukpet," said Maria Selvam, President, Tsunami Nagar Welfare Association.

After the media expose, the broker has gone into hiding. NDTV managed to trace his mobile phone number which is 98401 62999. When contacted, he initially he denied he was Prakash. But when the NDTV team posed as relatives of a patient in need of a transplant, he opened up but refused to meet them and denied involvement in the organ trade.

"I had donated a kidney myself about five years ago. I am not involved in this at all," said Prakash alias Karrupiah, donor, Chennai.A copy of the discharge summary of a patient in a Madurai hospital, records the name of a "voluntary" donor, not a relative donor, which itself is illegal.

The police is yet to receive a complaint from the victims. Officials say 25 transplants have taken place over the last couple of years but locals say it's at least thrice that number. What's peculiar is that the police say many of the brokers are also donors and one-time victims of the organ trade.

No case has been registered as yet but some groundwork is being discreetly done by the cops to get to the bottom of the racket.

Writing a General Report

This short document describes how to write a good general report. This is based on common mistakes we do while writing a report.

General Guidelines

These are some general things, we should know before start writing. This section will try to answer the questions of the purpose of report writing, and the overall approach as well.

Purpose of a report: writing to be read

A key thing to keep in mind right through our report writing process is that a report is written to be read, by someone else. This is the central goal of report-writing. A report which is written for the sake of being written has very little value.

Before we start writing our report, we need to have in mind the intended audience. In the narrowest of possibilities, our report is meant for reading by yourselves, and by your advisor/instructor, and perhaps by our evaluation committee. This has value, but only short-term. The next broader possibility is that our report is readable by peers or our juniors down the line. This has greater value since someone else can continue on our work and improve it, or learn from our work. In the best case possibility, our report is of publishable quality. That is, readable and useful for the technical community in general.

Overall approach: top-down

Take a top-down approach to writing the report (also applies to problem solving in general). This can proceed in roughly three stages of continual refinement of details.

• First write the section-level outline,
• Then the subsection-level outline, and
• Then a paragraph-level outline. The paragraph-level outline would more-or-less be like a presentation with bulleted points. It incorporates the flow of ideas.
• Once we have the paragraph-level flow of ideas, we can easily convert that into a full report, by writing out the flow of ideas in full sentences.
• While doing the paragraph-level outline, think also about (a) figures, (b) tables, and (c) graphs, we will include as part of the report at various stages. We will find that many things can be better explained by using simple figures at appropriate places.
• Another thing to nail-down while doing the paragraph-level outline is the terminology we will be using. For instance, names of various protocols/algorithms/steps in our solution or names/symbols for mathematical notation.

The overall approach also includes multiple stages of refinement, and taking feedback from others (peers/advisor/instructor). Let’s see about these in more detail after talking about the overall report structure.


Structure of a report

The following should roughly be the structure of a report. Note that these are just guidelines, not rules. We have to use our intelligence in working out the details of our specific writing.

• Title and abstract: These are the most-read parts of a report. This is how we attract attention to our writing. The title should reflect what we have done and should bring out any eye-catching factor of our work, for good impact. The abstract should be short, generally within about 2 paragraphs (250 words or so total). The abstract should contain the essence of the report, based on which the reader decides whether to go ahead with reading the report or not. It can contain the following in varying amounts of detail as is appropriate: main motivation, main design point, essential difference from previous work, methodology, and some eye-catching results if any.

• Introduction: Most reports start with an introduction section. This section should answer the following questions (not necessarily in that order, but what is given below is a logical order). After title/abstract introduction and conclusions are the two mainly read parts of a report.

1. What is the setting of the problem? This is, in other words, the background. In some cases, this may be implicit, and in some cases, merged with the motivation below.
2. What exactly is the problem you are trying to solve? This is the problem statement.
3. Why is the problem important to solve? This is the motivation. In some cases, it may be implicit in the background, or the problem statement itself.
4. Is the problem still unsolved? This constitutes the statement of past/related work crisply.
5. Why is the problem difficult to solve? This is the statement of challenges. In some cases, it may be implicit in the problem statement. In others, we may have to say explicitly as to why the problem is worthy, as the case may be.
6. How have you solved the problem? Here you state the essence of your approach. This is of course expanded upon later, but it must be stated explicitly here.
7. What are the conditions under which your solution is applicable? This is a statement of assumptions.
8. What are the main results? You have to present the main summary of the results here.
9. What is the summary of your contributions? This in some cases may be implicit in the rest of the introduction. Sometimes it helps to state contributions explicitly.
10. How is the rest of the report organized? Here you include a paragraph on the flow of ideas in the rest of the report. For any report beyond 4-5 pages, this is a must.
11. The introduction is nothing but a shorter version of the rest of the report, and in many cases the rest of the report can also have the same flow. Think of the rest of the report as an expansion of some of the points in the introduction. Which of the above bullets are expanded into separate sections (perhaps even multiple sections) depends very much on the problem.

• Background: This is expanded upon into a separate section if there is sufficient background which the general reader must understand before knowing the details of your work. It is usual to state that "the reader who knows this background can skip this section" while writing this section.

• Past/related work: It is common to have this as a separate section, explaining why what you have done is something novel. Here, we must try to think of dimensions of comparison of our work with other work. For instance, we may compare in terms of functionality, in terms of performance, and/or in terms of approach. Even within these, we may have multiple lines of comparison -- functionality-1, functionality-2, metric-1, metric-2, etc., Although not mandatory, it is good presentation style to give the above comparison in terms of a table; where the rows are the various dimensions of comparison and the columns are various pieces of related work, with our own work being the first/last column. While in general we try to play up our work with respect to others, it is also good to identify points where our solution is not so good compared to others. If you state these explicitly, the reader will feel better about them, than if we do not state and the reader figures out the flaws in our work anyway). Another point is with respect to the placement of related work. One possibility is to place it in the beginning of the report (after intro/background). Another is to place it in the end of the report (just before conclusions). This is a matter of judgment, and depends on the following aspect of our work. If there are lots of past work related very closely to our work, then it makes sense to state upfront as to what the difference in your approach is. On the other hand, if our work is substantially different from past work, then it is better to put the related work at the end. While this conveys a stronger message, it has the risk of the reader wondering all through the report as to how our work is different from some other specific related work.
  

• Technical sections: The main body of the report may be divided into multiple sections as the case may be. We may have different sections which delve into different aspects of the problem. The organization of the report here is problem specific. We may also have a separate section for statement of design methodology, or experimental methodology, or proving some lemmas in a theoretical paper. The technical section is the most work-specific, and hence is the least described here. However, it makes sense to mention the following main points:
  

1. Outlines/flow: For sections which may be huge, with many subsections, it is appropriate to have a rough outline of the section at the beginning of that section. Make sure that the flow is maintained as the reader goes from one section to another. There should be no abrupt jumps in ideas.
2. Use of figures: The cliche "a picture is worth a thousand words" is appropriate here. Spend time thinking about pictures. Wherever necessary, explain all aspects of a figure (ideally, this should be easy), and do not leave the reader wondering as to what the connection between the figure and the text is.
3. Terminology: Define each term/symbol before we use it, or right after its first use. Stick to a common terminology throughout the report.

• Results: This is part of the set of technical sections, and is usually a separate section for experimental/design papers. We have to answer the following questions in this section:

1. What aspects of our system or algorithm are we trying to evaluate? That is, what are the questions we will seek to answer through the evaluations?
2. Why are we trying to evaluate the above aspects?
3. What are the cases of comparison? If you have proposed an algorithm or a design, what do we compare it with?
4. What are the performance metrics? Why?
5. What are the parameters under study?
6. What is the experimental setup? Explain the choice of every parameter value (range) carefully.
7. What are the results?
8. Finally, why do the results look the way they do?

The results are usually presented as tables and graphs. In explaining tables and graphs, you have to explain them as completely as possible. Identify trends in the data. Does the data prove what you want to establish? In what cases are the results explainable, and in what cases unexplainable if any.

While describing a table, we have to describe every row/column. And similarly while describing a graph, we have to describe the x/y axes. If necessary, we have to consider the use of log-axes.

If you are presenting a lot of results, it may be useful to summarize the main take-away points from all the data in a separate sub-section at the end (or sometimes even at the beginning) of the results section.

• Future work: This section in some cases is combined along with the "conclusions" section. Here we state aspects of the problem we have not considered and possibilities for further extensions.

• Conclusions: Readers usually read the title, abstract, introduction, and conclusions. In that sense, this section is quite important. We have to crisply state the main take-away points from our work. How has the reader become smarter, or how has the world become a better place because of our work?

Refinement

No report is perfect, and definitely not on the first version. Well written reports are those which have gone through multiple rounds of refinement. This refinement may be through self-reading and critical analysis, or more effectively through peer-feedback (or feedback from advisor/instructor).

Here are some things to remember:

• Start early, don't wait for the completion of our work in its entirety before starting to write.
• Each round of feedback takes about a week at least. And hence it is good to have a rough version at least a month in advance. Given that we may have run/rerun experiments/simulations (for design projects) after the first round of feedback -- for a good quality report, it is good to have a rough version at least 2 months in advance.
• Feedback should go through the following stages ideally: (a) We read it yourself fully once and revise it, (b) have our peers review it and give constructive feedback, and then (c) have our advisor/instructor read it.
• Feedback: evaluating someone else's report
• Evaluation of a report we our self have written can give benefits, but it usually is limited. Even in a group project, it is not good enough to have one person write the report and the other person read it. This is because all the group members usually know what the project is about, and hence cannot critique the paper from outside.
• It is best to take feedback from our peer (and of course return favours!). The feedback procedure is quite simple. The one reading has to critically, and methodically see if each of the aspects mentioned above in the "structure of the report" are covered. It may even help to have a check-list, although with experience this becomes unnecessary.
• Check if the title/abstract make sense, are effective/eye-catching.
• Are all the relevant questions answered in the introduction?
• Is the overall structure of the rest of the sections meaningful?
• Is the difference from related/past work crisp and meaningful?
• Are the technical sections understandable? Are the figures/tables explained properly? Is the terminology clear? Are the symbols used defined appropriately?
• Are the results explained properly? Are the conclusions drawn from the graphs/tables sound? Or are there technical holes/flaws? Do the results show how the work presented is better/worse that the other cases of comparison?
• When someone gives feedback on a peer's report or any report, usually it’s good to take a print-out and mark-up at various points in the paper. You may follow a similar procedure, or something suited to you. Be as critical as possible, but with the view that our peer has to improve his/her work, not with the view of putting him/her down. Our comments have to be impersonal. Likewise, while taking feedback from a peer, take the comments on their technical merit. Recommended strategy for producing a high-quality report
• Based on the above, the following strategies could be adopted by colleagues who want to produce a high-quality report, which would then have a high potential for being turned into a publication:
• Think through the outline of the report even as we are working on the details of the problem. Such thinking will also lend focus to our work and we will end up optimizing the returns on the time invested.
• Two months before the actual deadline, we have to have at least a paragraph-level outline of the report, with all details worked out.
• After one round of critical analysis by ourselves (or by our group), have another colleague or another group review it, perhaps in exchange for you reviewing their work. Have them check your flow of ideas. While it may be good to get someone working in the same area, for much of the feedback, this may not really be necessary.
• Now we are probably about 6-7 weeks from the deadline. At this point, have your advisor/instructor give feedback on the paragraph-level outline. Getting this early is important since, based on this, we may have to reorganize our report.Have a pre-final version of the report ready 2 weeks before the deadline. Again, go through one round of self/peer-feedback, and then advisor/instructor feedback.
• With these 3-4 rounds of revision and critical analysis, the quality of our report is bound to improve.

HOW TO WRITE A BETTER RESUME

A good resume cannot get you a job; but a bad resume can prevent you from getting the interview - and without the interview there's no chance of getting the job.

The new rules for better resumes start with the fact that there are fewer rules. There's an opportunity for some creativity, but not for gimmicks. What works today is conservative style and a focus on a key achievements - especially those that are of particular interest to the reader.
Remember what interests an employer, for let's say an executive assistant position, may not interest the employer hiring a desktop publishing specialist. That's why it is essential that people who qualify for several different jobs (and most do) have several different resumes. All resumes should be accurate and truthful, but each should highlight different strengths as they relate to the job opening.

Better jobs have become more competitive. And they will continue to get more competitive in the coming days, as these better jobs require increased specialized skills.

Since the resume is a primary tool in finding a better job, extra time spent on its preparation is a good investment. In fact, some astute people constantly update their resumes, even though they may never use them to get another job. A reminder of your talents and accomplishments, a current resumes can provide you with clues to getting a better job in your present company or the ammunition to prove you deserve a salary increase.

The best way to explain the new "rules" of resume writing is to explain what you should always do and also what you should never do.

ALWAYS

• Always print your resume on standard letter size, white or ivory rag paper.
• Always have the resume professionally typed, but not typeset, with plenty of space between paragraphs, and allow for adequate margins.
• Always use conventional English. Stay away from multi-syllable words when a one or two syllable word is clearer.
• Always use short paragraphs - preferably no longer than five lines.
• Always make sure the resume and the cover letter are error-free. Proofread, and have others proofread to.
• Always rewrite a resume for a specific company. It's extra work, but may well pay off.
• Always include your significant contributions at each one of your jobs.
• Always allow the most space to the jobs that are most relevant to the job you're applying for.
• Always list your activity with professional, trade and civic associations - but only if they're appropriate.
• Always keep a permanent file of your achievements, no matter how inconsequential they may appear to be. This is the basis for a good resume, and it is also essential information to get a raise or promotion.
• Always give each of your references a copy of your resume.
• Always send a brief, customized letter with each resume.
• Always send your resume by messenger overnight mail if you're applying for a high salary level job and you're reasonably convinced you fit the job specifications.
• Always re-read your resume before interview - chances are the interviewer did just that too.
  

NEVER

• Never give reasons for termination or leaving a job on the resume. In almost all cases, the reader can find negative connotations to even the best reason. You're far better off explaining it in person.
• Never take more than two lines to list hobbies, sports and social activities. When in doubt, "leave them out".
• Never state "References Available On Request". It's assumed, and clutters up the resume. Other things to leave out include your social security number, your spouse's occupation and your personal philosophies.
• Never list references on the resume.
• Never use exact dates. Months and years are sufficient.
• Never include the date your resume was prepared. If your search takes longer than a few months, the resume will appear outdated.
• Never include your company phone number unless your immediate boss is aware of your departure.
• Never include your height, weight or remarks about your physical appearance or health.
• Never list your high school or grammar school if you're a college graduate.
• Never state your objectives on your resume unless the resume is targeted to that job or occupation.
• Never use professional jargon unless you're sure the resume will be read by someone who understands the buzz-words,
• Never use the so-called "action words" like sparked, accelerated, and streamlined. They're passé.
• Never provide salary information on the resume. Save it for the interview. If you are required to give that information, reveal it in the cover letter.
• Never lie.

Most frequently asked Interview Questions

Tell me about yourself?

Use "Picture Frame Approach" - Do not just repeat what you have given in your resume. It's a question that most interviewees expect and the one they have the most difficulty answering. Though one could answer this open-ended question in a myriad of ways, the key to answering this question or any other interview question is to offer a response that supports your career objective. This means that you shouldn't respond with comments about your hobbies, spouse, or extra curricular activities, Interviewers aren't interested.

• Provide a brief introduction. Introduce attributes that are key to the open position.
• Provide a career summary of your most recent work history
• Tie your response to the needs of the hiring organization
• Showcase your communication skills.
• Finish strong.

Why do you want to work here?

Research the target company before the interview. Basic research is the only way to prepare for this question. Do your homework, and you'll score big on this question. Give just one or two reasons why you are interested. You can add these points (1) company’s reputation (2) desire to join the specific field of interest.

Where do you want to be in 5 years?

Judge me from the work and I am sure you will put me right where I want to be. Do not over ambitious and speak in a way that you are not satisfied with your current job which you have applied for.

What do you look for in a job?

Flip this one over. Despite the question, the employer isn't really interested in what you are looking for. He's interested in what he is looking for. Address his interests, rather than yours

Why are you leaving your current job?

You should give two or three reasons for leaving. Lack of challenge, focus on the limitations etc. Never answer with negative reasons, even if they are true. Frame your answer positively by answering why you want to move to the target company instead of why you left or want to leave your most recent job. For example, instead of answering, "I don't get enough challenges at [company]," respond, "I am eager to take on more challenges, and I believe I will find them at [hiring company].

What interests you most about the job?

(Show how you believe that you are most suited to the post. If you can find out an earlier experience it would be fine.) If you have experience, you can quote some similarities from the past and how you achieved success.

How is your experience relevant to this job?

Sketch out some similar work which you have done in your previous job. It should be something justifiable by you, even though others may think differently. You can even ask some question where you can prove that your experience stands in good strand.

Tell me about a time you had to deal with an irritate client, how did you handle the solution?
The question is aimed at you to hear from yourself how you handle people when others loose their temper. Here the best answer you can give to describe a situation and show how you handled it with maturity and diplomacy.

What books you read?

Do not ever say you have read a book which you have not. Here your suggestion can lead the interviewer to know your taste and interest. It can also hint on how you take your profession.

Can we call all your references?

If you have given your present boss as your reference you can tell that you prefer to call your current boss only after you receive a confirmed offer as he may not like you changing the job.

Do you have any questions?

Be prepared to answer this question in advance. List out a few questions you wish to know more about. After you have faced the interview your logic will guide you to ask the question you really want to know more about.

How do you handle tension?

Answer with ease that in any job and any situation that tension is a part of it. Relax before putting the f act you are very used to such type of works.

What is your current salary?

Do not bluff. Be specific on the answer. Do not hesitate to say the benefits you enjoyed in the previous job. It may be verified so never mention the benefits you have not got.

What is your weakness?

Turn the question to a positive one. Simply say that you are a perfectionist and your commitment to output of high quality perfect work. Say this is your weakness. Don't say you have one, but give one that is really a "positive in disguise." I am sometimes impatient and do to much work myself when we are working against tight deadlines." Or "I compliment and praise my staff, but feel I can improve."