Brief History of Mercedes G-Wagon

The Mercedes G-Class, commonly known as the G-Wagon, has a history rooted in its unique design and military origins. The story begins in 1970 when Shah of Iran sought a robust off-road vehicle for the Iranian military. He desired something new and sophisticated, distinct from the Land Cruiser, Land Rover, or American Jeeps. With a significant stake in Mercedes-Benz and a history of substantial purchases, the Shah placed an order for 20,000 vehicles, leading to the development of the G-Class.


The initial production models, ready in 1979 after extensive engineering and research, were designed with three locking differentials and exceptional off-road capabilities, making them suitable for both rugged terrain and highway driving. Despite the political upheaval of the Iranian Revolution, which saw the Shah’s overthrow on January 16, 1979, the G-Class continued to evolve and gain acclaim.


Over time, the G-Class, initially a military vehicle, became a symbol of luxury and sophistication, which often led to it being misunderstood. Although it remains a formidable off-road machine, its transformation into a status symbol sometimes overshadows its true capabilities. The G-Class’s engineering has been praised globally, and while its luxury status can overshadow its original purpose, the vehicle’s off-road prowess and reliability are still evident. The G-Class’s design has remained largely consistent since its inception, maintaining the original suspension setup and engineering principles while evolving to meet modern standards. Despite its luxury image, the G-Class continues to embody the rugged durability and versatility it was originally intended for, offering a blend of high performance and refined comfort.

Another Gang Rape jolts Indian Society

The rape and murder of 31-year-old trainee doctor Dr. Pooja Singh at Kolkata’s RG Kar Medical College on August 9, 2024 has sparked nationwide outrage in India. Dr. Singh was discovered severely injured in a seminar room after working a grueling 36-hour shift. A hospital volunteer, Sanjay Roy, has been arrested in connection with the crime. Following the transfer of the investigation to the CBI by the Calcutta High Court, massive protests have erupted across major cities, and doctors have staged a nationwide strike, leaving only emergency services operational.

Dr. Singh, remembered by her family for her dedication and caring nature, had been their only child and had worked hard to overcome financial hardships to become a doctor. Her tragic death has revived memories of the 2012 Delhi gang-rape case and highlighted ongoing issues with violence against women in India. The case has led to calls for better safety measures for healthcare workers and stricter legal protections. Federal Health Minister JP Nadda has promised to address these issues, but for Dr. Singh’s family, the focus remains on ensuring the harshest punishment for Sanjay Roy.

Switched to a 9 to 5 Job after 12 years of Freelancing

I started my freelance career back in 2012 on Upwork. Back then it was a nice platform with lots of interesting projects. Freelancers wouldn’t have to pay anything in order to apply on gigs. However, Upwork charged a certain percentage on each hour worked (in hourly jobs) and on each milestone payment (in fixed jobs), which is fair. I earned a decent amount of living each month from Upwork and my profile continued to grow. Currently I am ranked as a Top-Rated-Plus freelancer on Upwork. Any developer can earn this badge if they do a $15k project, and earn a certain amount over the last 12 months.


Fast forward to 2024, nowadays, working on Upwork is a disaster. First you have to buy some connects (Upwork tokens) in order to bid on a job. Then, once you get the job, you will be paying 10% to Upwork. This 10% doesn’t cover any disputes that come up with your client. To settle the dispute, Upwork requires an additional $250 apprx. per dispute, which also doesn’t guarantee that you will get the justice, as Upwork is more inclined towards clients rather than freelancers.

Plus, when you buy their tokens and use those tokens to apply on jobs, most often you will never get a reply from client. Even if client hires someone, nowadays, you will never get a notification email from Upwork, telling you that, “Some other freelancer is hired for the job you applied.” Back in old days, we used to get such notification email, which made us find other jobs on the platform. Currently its fire and forgot approach, meaning you spend money to apply on a gig which you most probably will never get.

Also, most freelancers think that Upwork is not doing much against spam jobs being posted on the platform, as this is a source of revenue from them. One fellow Upwork freelancer summed it perfectly in the following LinkedIn comment:


“Upwork just find a way to make money like if a job has 50 proposals and each proposal is taking average of 20 connects, Upwork has earned a total of 1000 connects (It means Upwork has earned $150 even though job has not been awarded to anyone). Going further if 2 jobs are going to be posted in one minute then in 24 hours 24x60x2x150=$432,000
So Upwork is earning above $400k/per day without any hiring fees”


On top of that, it’s getting more and more difficult to get a gig worth the time, as most clients propose a minimal budget. All of these issues forced me to switch to a 9 to 5 job with steady source of work and income, and without scams.


At the age of 40, I got a developer job in a startup and so far I am content with it. The platform I relied so much on, for the past 12 years, has introduced unfriendly policies due to which I foresee more people will be forced to leave it.