Friday, December 30, 2005

Bye Bye 2005

End of probably the most uneventful year of my life...not a bad year...but nothing major happened...just a few incidents worth remembering - Di's wedding and a dear friend's admission in IIMC.

Hopefully 2006 will be more interesting...more fun - for me and every one else out there...

Amen

Monday, December 26, 2005

The Opening Ceremony

Saw a picture of people skating on ice at a friend's blog...reminded of the skating rink (of the roller skate variety) we had in the township that I lived...once upon a time...

I was abt 12 or 13 I think. A new skating rink had been built at the local club. Once finished a lot of people used to come to skate there...the club encouraged by the response decided to have a formal opening ceremony. Kids who could skate were searched and given responsibility to show their skills. The group got together. Creative plans were made - formations were thought of - maneuvers decided.
The D day arrived...and the boys all wearing white Ts and shorts were nervous but yet ready for action...the chief guest arrived..every body got seated and we performed...it went well...we even got an applause(or something like an applause). Congratulations and hugs were shared in the group and we waited for the evening...expecting people to ask us abt it.

Thats where the good things ended though...funnily enough from that day on (and I am not trying to say a few days later...right from that very day) the skating rink bore a deserted look...lol...and there was no reason for it...kids wanting to learn and the kids who knew a bit - all disappeared...just like that...

We still laugh when we talk abt it...the opening ceremony...or was it the closing one? :)

Saturday, December 17, 2005

Pinky blues!

Have been overwhelmed by the color pink lately...

Are there any women folk who don't like the color pink? Am Still looking...

p.s: Don't get me wrong...no color is very bad..except maybe pink..but even so can anyone explain the affinity of the color pink with women? Is it genetic?

Tuesday, December 13, 2005

A Goalless Quest

"You climb the mountain in an equilibrium between restlessness and exhaustion. Then, when you're no longer thinking ahead, each footstep isn't just a means to an end but a unique event in itself. This leaf has jagged edges. This rock looks loose. From this place the snow is less visible, even though closer. These are the things that you should notice anyway. To live only for some future goal is shallow. Its the side of the mountains that sustain life, not the top. Here's where things grow.
But of course, without the top you can't have any sides. Its the top that defines the sides." [From the Zen And The Art of Motorcycle Maintenance]

The above lines struck a cord somewhere when I read them - probably because I have been grappling to find that equilibrium myself...probably because I am still not sure of that great peak that I need to climb...or maybe because as the author says I have just been trying to reach the top...not enjoying the climb. I know how that feels...you have nothing to look back to when you do finally reach the top...no close(real) experiences...just a blur...an empty feeling.

Tuesday, December 06, 2005

Yeah Yeah I cried...but its ok I guess!

I didn’t plan it this way...but what to do??

Couldn’t hold back the tears (well certain circumstantial botch-up didn’t help) as I wished my sis all the best for the new life that awaits her...didn’t feel like coming back home afterwards...all day my mind kept drifting to distant memories...the closeness we shared...then the distance that came between us for a couple of years (I feel so stupid now...2 years wasted needlessly)...finally overcoming it again...the chit chat at 4 in the morning on the balcony...the fights - some silly ones like the ones over TV...others more serious...all the rakhis...this year was the first one I missed(what am I running after?)...this post can go on forever...

I know I ll get over it...but home will never be the same again...:(

Almost 4 yrs since I last cried...I guess I ll just have to start working on my record again :)

A nice anecdote to lighten up the post...after the end of all the melodrama...our driver - a 6 ft tall Haryanvi jat, never shy to shove anyone getting in his way - is found squirming, wiping his eyes with a tissue paper...now who can explain how our minds work??? Please raise your hands!


I believe in Karma what you give is what you get returned
I believe you can't appreciate real love until you've been burned
I believe the grass is more greener on the other side
I believe you don't know what you've got until you say goodbye


Have also figured out why people break down on such occasions...its the sheer mental and physical effort spent...doesn't take much to get tipped over the edge after that....Hmmm!

Monday, December 05, 2005

Its Possible

I have slept for 6 hrs in the last 84 hrs...
I feel as if I am high on something...its an interesting feeling...is this how one feels when drunk?

Wish I could keep myself awake like this for other pressing matters...might even get some work done!

Am i making any sense?

Saturday, December 03, 2005

The Power of Language

Man I wish I knew my native tongue! I mean I cant speak Punjabi(there is no accent..no fluency..nothing!)...I cant speak Hindi in its purest form...it sucks!
The other day I was talking to the guy putting up the tents...and I couldn't get him to do things the way that i wanted him to...in comes dad...and Punjabi does the trick...after a few minutes spent talking about life in Punjab...he is working twice as hard to get things in order...

English can never match the power of Indian languages!

What I take away from the incident: learn to speak Punjabi more fluently....

Sunday, November 27, 2005

Overheard at McDonald's

Back in Delhi...after another round of "You can go / You can't go / I have to go" between my PM and me....

So day 1...and it was a long long day...so many things to do...so little time...so many places to go to...and if that was not enough...I had to finally appear for my trial...

4:15 PM, McDonald's at Priya...I m munching on my burger, sipping coke...wondering what's in store...suddenly a loud "Hey!" over my left ear brings me out of my slumber...

Its a girl...lets call her Lady A...calling out to the girl(Lady B) sitting at the table to my left...

Lady A: "Wow, its been more than a year!!"
Lady B: "I know!"

They exchange pecks...

Lady A : "You have put on so much weight!!"
Lady B (with mock tears) : "I know!"

Lady B: "Hey when did you get a mole on your face???"
Lady A: "I have just become more beautiful..."

(A hearty laugh follows)

Lady B: "Yeah, you look great...even though your cheeks have sunk in...you look hot"
Lady A: "Yeah I have lost weight...and I am very conservatively dressed ok!"
Lady B (with mock tears) : "I think I ll have to join a gym!
Lady A (interrupts): "...what?(a horrified shriek) You still using the same cell? Change it yaar...get something more chick!"
Lady B: "Arrey this is only temporary...I have a 76 something at home...and I plan to change that as well...so are you still dating the same guy?"
Lady A: "Are you crazy? He was history a long time back...have gone out with 3 other guys since...you?"
Lady B: "Same here..."

Its 4:25, my phone rings...and Neha is coming over...its time for me to get going...

Thursday, November 24, 2005

Missing my sis today

Time is such a devil of a thing...it annoys me no end that as much as I try to take control of it, it always controls me! I mean it would be nice if I could just throw a spanner in between the cogs and it would come to a halt...but no it wont...it will just march on pooh-poohing me.

And I am almost convinced at times that it cheats - speeding up when you want it to slow down and slowing down to a crawl when you want it to speed up...Grr!

Reminds me of a Calvin speak...
"There's never enough time to do all the nothing you want" - Calvin

This gibberish IS related to the title...

Monday, November 21, 2005

The Morning after CAT

I just feel like shouting at the top of my voice, like some crazy singer/whiner of a heavy metal band....with angry notes flying thick and fast from the guitar playing in the background...

Yes that will release some frustration...

Thursday, November 17, 2005

It matters...It doesn't matter

We are taking it easy
Bright and breezy, yeah
We are living it up
Just fine and dandy, yeah

And it doesn't really matter that we don't eat
And it doesn't really matter if we never sleep
No it doesn't really matter, really doesn't matter at all

Coz we are so young now, so young, so young now
And when tomorrow comes, we can do it all again

We are chasing the moon
Just running wild and free
We are following through
Every dream, and every need

And it doesn't really matter if we don't eat
And it doesn't really matter if we never sleep
No it doesn't really matter, really doesn't matter at all
Coz we are so young now, we are so young, so young now
And when tomorrow comes, we can do it all again


Listening to this song after a very long time(shows that I am running out of options)...I don't really like The Corrs, except for their use of violins (an instrument that I really like)...
I enjoyed listening to it today....has a nice optimistic feel to it...maybe I ll hum it after CAT...lol...
"We can do it all again!!"

Monday, November 14, 2005

20 useless things about me

  1. Talking/writing about myself is most difficult.
  2. Though change is the only constant, I wish somethings wouldn't change!
  3. It generally takes me time to open up to people and this period is getting longer and longer I think.
  4. Sometimes though things click instantly...these people then hold a special place...and the person who tagged me is a prime example of it.
  5. I like being around my friends, though I don't mind my own company either.
  6. I don't like it when people make a mountain of a mole...
  7. I like people with creative zeal...probably to make up for my own lack of it...
  8. I seek answers to my questions in songs, books and the things around me.
  9. I want to have a huge study, where I ll have thousands of books,cds/dvds/blu-rays (whatever) for me to dive into whenever I want to.
  10. I like gadgets...and have been eyeing the Nokia N91 mobile for a long time...not scheduled to come till Q1-06 :(
  11. I am not religious but I like to think that there exists a higher authority, even though that doesn't make sense...good for the conscience I guess :).
  12. I am a "Centrist" with a social leaning...
  13. At one time I wanted to take up politics...sometimes I still do...
  14. I like sports of all kind, except the "Golf" kind...lol...playing is different but I don't understand why people watch it...
  15. If something catches my fancy...I just pursue it blindly, till I get a hang of it, but I have a short attention span...
  16. I procrastinate way too much....I wish I was more pro-active.
  17. I prefer nights over day. (now things are getting really random and useless..lol)
  18. I want to play an instrument...
  19. Time travel fascinates me.
  20. I love watching the stars at night, I had a telescope once and I plan to buy one again!

Phew! Now that I am done and over with, I request Anita and Shehzaad to write a bit about themselves!

Friday, November 11, 2005

KILL BILL VOL. 3 ????

In a moment of creative madness, four political activists from Massachusetts have launched a parody Web site dubbed "Kill Bill's Browser" to convince Web users to switch from Internet Explorer to Firefox.

Kill Bill's Browser

I burst out laughing when I read it (with some colleagues looking suspiciously at me...lol)...its just too funny!! One can even try and make money by placing ads to ask users to make the switch (read this, Explorer Destroyer)!! For those waiting for a reason to make the switch, this is as good as it gets!!! My favourite reason would be(I don't intend to make the shift...yet) 8th, I find the paper clip most annoying...even the silly dog that pops up to annoy me when making a search....

To call it a browser war is a misnomer though...as this news report aptly suggests Firefox Shakes Slump . At 8.59 %, Firefox can hardly be called a threat...especially since IE7 is on its way (its already in Beta Testing), only concern being that it might be available only for Xp Sp2 machines...I hope that will change...

Thursday, November 10, 2005

Freedom of Expression

Was having a discussion with a friend about Black Friday...Whether it should have been released or not...then about the IIPM vs Bloggers debate and this whole issue of Freedom of Expression.

Reminded me of a quote I read in a book recently...

"..that the greatest threat to freedom are inert people, that public discussion is a political duty...it is hazardous to discourage thought, hope and imagination; that fear breeds repression; that repression breeds hate; that the path of safety lies in the opportunity to discuss freely supposed grievances and the proposed remedies, and that the fitting remedy for evil counsels is good ones."

The quote was made by Justice Louis Brandeis in Whitney v California, 1927.

More on the case itself and his note can be read Here . Its quite an interesting read.

Fatwa vs Court Ruling

This is continuation of my anti - fatwa rant...based on the firm belief that religious rulings have no place in a secular/pretending to be secular country like ours...

Power of judiciary questioned in affairs of Muslim community

The story is basically abt the religious body Darul-uloom of Khargone district that has issued a 'fatwa' recently annulling the divorce decree by a court in Sendhwa town of Madhya Pradesh in the Arjumand Bano case on the ground that the judge was a non-muslim.
Whenever I read stories like the one mentioned above I get annoyed...

Once an intervention of court is requested, there is no reason for taking into consideration what the religious leaders of a community(Hindu or Muslim or anyother) have to say...whats the point of having a Constitution or the judiciary then?

Thankfully a voice of reason has come from within the community...
Chief of Badwani (district) Muslim Jamat Tasawwar Mirza said the community will boycott the Mufti if he did not revoke the fatwa. ‘‘Though all Muslims believe in Shariat, we strongly condemn the reference to ‘‘non-Muslim magistrates’’.

Monday, November 07, 2005

Long weekend and CAT

Coming back to work after a long weekend is like waking up just when the dream was getting interesting...Bah!

Somewhere during the weekend I also realized that the D-Day was approaching faster than I wanted it to...suddenly everyone is wishing me all the best and enquiring about my preparations...and I don't have anything to say...my preparation (if one can call what I have done over the past month or so as preparation) is woeful and the result is already known...
"If only I could turn back time!!"

Came across this story about a 12 year old Palestinian boy's organs being donated to 3 Israeli girls...the boy was mistaken for a terrorist and shot dead by the Israeli forces...
What can I say? I am simply mystified by the strangeness of the ways of the mind...
Israelis get shot boy's organs

Wednesday, November 02, 2005

Diwali and the Blasts

My first Diwali away from home went by like any other day! My favourite festival spent here in Hyderabad - more or less alone. What to do, such is life!

But when I think of the events that transpired before Diwali, I can't understand what I am bickering about...

Flipping channels on a lazy Saturday evening, I kind of froze when I heard that Delhi has been rocked by serial blasts...Two powerful blasts in markets bustling with people and another in the state-run bus service shook me up. Knowing my family's affinity to one of these market places (Sarojini Nagar), I rushed to call them up...and boy was I glad to hear my dad's voice at the other end...a few more calls later (to friends there), I sat down to follow the news...trying to imagine the unknown faces - with their happy expression(the kind that shoppers tend to have) buying gifts and stuff for their family and home turning into anguish and fear...the festive atmosphere replaced by one of chaos and tears...

As the time went on, sad stories of people losing their loved ones started appearing...7 members of a Kolkata family on a visit to Delhi...3 of the 9 member family from Assam...a father of a 15 day child from Kerela...

There was one positive news amidst all the sad ones...the timely action of the bus driver and conductor that averted a potential disaster. The driver threw out the bomb just as it detonated...seriously injuring himself but saving many lives...such courage makes me wanna say "Eat this!!" to the people behind the attacks...

I know what was lost that evening...62 lives...countless others altered forever...but what was gained and by whom? A little-known Islami Inqilabi Mahaz (Islamic Revolutionary Group) has claimed responsibility for the blasts; are they celebrating?

How can anyone be so blind to the suffering of fellow humans....

Wednesday, October 26, 2005

Blog Power

I didn't want to join the debate on the whole IIPM issue, not because I have any sympathies for IIPM or Mr. Arindam Chaudhuri but simply because I thought it was a storm in a tea cup and would subside soon enough...

But that hasn't happend and the issue since has reached the mainstream media...

Read two interesting articles on the issue : Fury over a blog! and one on ZDNet India : Indian worker quits IBM after blog dispute .

Some startling lines from the second article :

"...Yes, we have approached IBM and asked them to take a proper action against someone spreading baseless lies against a reputed institution. They did what they must have deemed fit after their internal examinations and procedures," said Anil Saxena, head of corporate communications at IIPM."

So that leaves no doubt that indeed IIPM has been using pressure tactics. Also the repulsive comments left by people allegedly from IIPM does not leave any room for sympathy. I guess IIPM management thought that they will put pressure on the bloggers to make them retract their statements...but the whole plan seems to have backfired on them...not only more people now know about the whole issue, but people have begun doing some "investigations" of their own. A case in point being : http://www.desipundit.com/

Also liked this part from the first report:

"...To form an opinion about something you need both sides of the story but most often you get to know only one, the one that media wants you to know. The power of blogs is that it permits you to know both sides of the story. In this information age the answer lies in adopting the new media and not attacking it."

When I read an article on how bloggers can become journalists in their own right I didnt take it seriously, even now the blogging community is fairly small but a start has been made...Blogs can indeed make a difference in a world where the media is owned by corporations that have there own leanings.
Media will do well to take cognizance of this fact and become more responsible in its approach.

The "God" of Cricket is Back!

I have been waiting for 6 months and 8 days but now the wait is over.
I could feel a rush of childish excitement come over me...as I opened CricBuzz and waited for the Indian innings to begin...
So many questions were swirling in my head...will he be able to play like he used to? will he be comfortable?...will he be able to hit with power? Will he hit any cover drives? Heck, I wanted to know if he will be able to continue for 2-3 more years atleast!!!!
And I got all my answers...as i read about the way he was batting....i wanted to rush home and see for myself...but i had to wait ofcourse...but there would be the highlights later...

And he played like only he can...true Irfan was scoring runs faster than him...but somehow it was not even half as enjoyable as Sachin's strokeplay...
Having gone under the surgeon's knife and suffering a rehabilitation period where he could not even pick up a cricket bat, I guess he must have been as eager to get back into action as his millions of fans...And now he is back not ready to fade away just yet! I am just sure of it!

Nice song playing here
"I don't know what it is, that makes me feel like this"
"I dont know who you are, but you must be some kind of superstar"
"Coz you got eyes on you no matter where you are!"
Lets not look into the original song too closely..lol...

Saturday, October 22, 2005

Black Friday

Saw it last night and have been thinking abt it for a while...
The docu-drama is yet to be officially released as a stay has been placed on its release by the courts. Infact after the end, a friend said that he was glad that the movie hasn't been screened or else there might have been more violence and riots...I don't agree...

I think such movies can go a long way in healing the old wounds permanently...turning away from reality will not make it go away...sooner or later it will catch up with us again...what happened in Gujarat for example...and we will be left shaking our heads in despair! So, it is vital that the people get to know the facts and are able to grasp the stupidity of their actions.

I was 11, when the events depicted took place - too young to understand. Today I understand them better...
Based on a book by S. Hussain Zaidi, this docu-drama tries to recreate those events and the intense feelings that followed them.

On March 12, 1993 Bombay aka Mumbai was torn apart by a series of explosions (12 explosions at key points around the city). The death toll was close to 300. A thorough investigation followed...the bombs were made using a high-powered explosive, RDX - obtained probably through the collusion of Pakistan. The first clue - An abandoned vehicle filled with explosives and weapons - Registration papers in the name of 'Rubina Memon', sister-in-law to one 'Tiger Memon', resident of Mahim, Bombay.

As the people involved in implementing the conspiracy get arrested, the motive becomes obvious: the blasts were revenge for the atrocities suffered by the Muslim minority community during the December 1992 and January 1993 Bombay riots.

On November 4, 1993, the police filed a charge sheet against 189 accused. Then on August 5, 1994, Tiger's brother, Yaqub Memon, willingly turned himself in to the authorities.
In a candid Newstrack interview on national television Yaqub states that it was Tiger and his underworld associates who orchestrated the conspiracy. And Tiger Memon has now disappeared - allegedly enjoying the safe heaven that is Pakistan.
I especially liked the title of the last part of the movie: What is past is prologue
A look back at what started it all - the terribly violent Bombay Riots in the months of December and January of 92-93 - an unprecedented outburst of emotion that resulted in thousands of deaths.
The masterminds have never been caught...a closure has never been achieved, be it Gujarat or Mumbai or Delhi, communities live with the feeling of humiliation and a desire for revenge...

All this in the name of religion, a doctrine that -
  • most people don't even follow
  • most people are not even well versed with
  • we don't even choose on our own but simply inherit by being born in a family practicing it...

Is it then really worth it?

Wednesday, October 19, 2005

Corruption Index

Transparency International has come out with the Corruption Perception Index for year 2005.

India is ranked 88th out of the 159 countries considered. Apparently we have improved our position by 2 (infact last year only 146 countries were surveyed, so that makes it even better).
I can't help but wonder - Have we become less corrupt or has the world around us become more corrupt??

Within the country, Kerela has been declared the least corrupt state and Bihar (surprise surprise!) rounds up the list.

The survey mentions a very obvious gain from reduced corruption:
"...When countries improve governance and reduce corruption, they reap a 'development dividend' that can include reduction in child mortality rates and increase in per capita income and literacy rates..."

Iceland, by the way, continues to be the least corrupt nation. The whole table can be found here : Table

Sunday, October 16, 2005

Reunion


Though it was short, the reunion (of sorts) left me feeling nostalgic and with that goody goody feeling.
We met just like we used to meet in college...I couldn't help but notice how much at ease I felt in their company (unlike the uptight feeling I get here in Hyderabad)

Here was a motley bunch of people - a journalist (Apurv), a budding lawyer (Neha), a research analyst (Gunjan), a future environmental expert (Swapan), a coding guru (Amit), and guest starring an actor in the making (Saurabh) - meeting together for the first time since graduating in 2003...so much had changed and yet it all seemed like "old times" to me...

Ofcourse some key people were missing...Shehzaad, Ritesh, Abhishek, Sameer, Daanish, Sinjini and Shriyukta to name a few. But this is not the last of the meetings...fingers crossed, I hope we will spend many such evenings together, wallowing in nostalgia!!
Amen!



One for the Camera(1st Sem, 1999) !!

Friday, October 07, 2005

Obsessed with the minority issue

It is no secret that I totally despise the whole philosophy of minority - majority atleast in the context (on religious lines) that is prevelant in India today. So whenever some new development takes place that strengthens my own ideas, I tend to jump on to them. A few friends think that I do so because I havent faced any personal discrimination so far, maybe...but that does little to reduce my frustration when I come across new developments relating to the issue.

All this blabber started when I read about the Allahabad HC ruling on Aligarh Muslim University's Minority Status.

I have never understood the need for having minority institutions in education. Formative years are the time when we form all our prejudices and biases towards things and people. Why on Earth would we want to do that when we are trying to build a pluralistic society. Unless ofcourse we dont want to build a pluralistic society, hmmm....thats worth considering...but maybe not today...
We keep talking about equality and a desire to become one people but our laws end up keeping the different groups from mingling - leading to mis-information and grudges.
It is not surprising therefore to see lack of collectivism in thought and action as people continue to see themselves as part of a group or a region rather than as the citizens of India.

p.s: Some sections of the (supposedly) aggrieved community have threatened a nation wide stir to put pressure on the center to revoke the ruling, it will be interesting to see the state's response to the whole issue. I hope that such melodrama will not be tolerated. There are more important things to worry and agitate about.

Tuesday, October 04, 2005

Chess

Is there a better game in the world? Some say Go is better, but I don't know much abt it...so for me chess remains the ultimate game ever developed...I remember planning to develop a chess engine for my Final Semester Project but after researching I quickly realized the complexity involved and I decided to put the project on the back burner....it must be completely burnt by now...nah I do intend to get back to it some time soon....

Came across this fantastic piece, written by Arthur C. Clarke, probably one of the shortest sci-fi stories ever written...but still fantastic!

Quarantine

Earth's flaming debris still filled half the sky when the question filtered up to Central from the Curiosity Generator.
"Why was it necessary? Even though they were organic, they had reached Third Order Intelligence."
"We had no choice: five earlier units became hopelessly infected, when they made contact."
"Infected? How?"
The microseconds dragged slowly by, while Central tracked down the few fading memories that had leaked past the Censor Gate, when the heavily-buffered Reconnaissance Circuits had been ordered to self-destruct.
"They encountered a - problem - that could not be fully analyzed within the lifetime of the Universe. Though it involved only six operators, they became totally obsessed by it."
"How is that possible?"
"We do not know: we must never know. But if those six operators are ever re-discovered, all rational computing will end."
"How can they be recognized?"
"That also we do not know; only the names leaked through before the Censor Gate closed. Of course, they mean nothing."
"Nevertheless, I must have them."
The Censor voltage started to rise; but it did not trigger the Gate.
"Here they are: King, Queen, Bishop, Knight, Rook, Pawn."
Isaac Asimov's Science Fiction Magazine, First Issue, Vol 1, No. 1, Spring 1977

Lousy Job

I feel like a caged beast right now...I dont remember staying angry for so long...and all this over a 3 day leave...

Having to virtually beg for the leave and being told loads of bull like you are a key member in return...
What good is a job that doesnt even let you meet the few people that you value? What kind of existence is this...despicable!!

WTF is it worth anyway?

I want to break free
I want to break free from your lies
You’re so self satisfied I don’t need you
I’ve got to break free
God knows, God knows I want to break free

Wednesday, September 28, 2005

Intelligent Design

A school in Pennsylvania decided that the biology books of the ninth graders were getting much too boring with the Darwian theory of evolution. To liven up things a bit they decided to teach the theory of intelligent design as well.
Only now, 11 parents have used the most basic right of Americans - they have sued the Dover Area School District to stop the teaching of intelligent design, saying it violates the constitutional separation of church and state (for a change maybe, this is not a useless case).

A bit abt the intelligent design theory...basically the term "intelligent design" was first used in 1897 by Oxford scholar F.C.S. Schiller, who wrote in an essay that "it will not be possible to rule out the supposition that the process of evolution may be guided by an intelligent design."
What it basically means is that whatever we marvel abt our body...capability to pick things...ability to process info could not have been achieved over time.

Proponents of the intelligent design theory say life is way too complex to have emerged on its own and needed a push by a higher, intelligent being a.k.a God.

This is from the nicely titled report God versus science debate continues in court that appeared in Reuters :-
"...The trial over teaching man's origins in U.S. schools pits Christian conservatives against teachers and scientists in what is seen as the biggest test of the issue since the late 1980s. It also echoes the famous Scopes Monkey trial of 1925, when lawyers squared off in a Tennessee courthouse over the teaching of Darwin's work."

"...The U.S. Supreme Court ruled in 1987 that creationism -- the belief that Earth and its beings were created by God and not by natural selection -- could not be taught in public schools since it violated the separation of church and state. "

"...More than 30 U.S. states are considering measures to teach alternatives to evolution. The Harrisburg case is the first to challenge such initiatives in court and is widely expected to end up at the U.S. Supreme Court, regardless of the outcome. President George W. Bush has said schools should teach both evolution and intelligent design."

I know one person who would be happy to back Mr. President...our good old Dr. Murli Manohar Joshi... :)
But seriously what is more interesting is the ruling of the SC of the USA clearly emphasising the separation of religion from state policy.
Once upon a time it was tried by our own SC and it was cutely overturned by the Parliament...the sooner we take our own secularism beyond paper (read constitution) the sooner our policies will focus on the core issue of eliminating poverty. It is vital that the state doesn't use religion as a tool to push its own agenda or as a shield to explain its own shortcomings.

Tuesday, September 27, 2005

World's 10 most expensive cars

Forbes has come out with a list of the 10 most expensive street legal cars in 2005 and the figures are mindboggling...



Saleen S7 Twin Turbo — $670,384 (Europe)
Pagani Zonda C12S 7.3 Convertible — $598,025 (Global)
Koenigsegg CCR — $562,659 (Global)
Koenigsegg CC8S — $522,120 (Global)
Porsche Carrera GT — $484,151 (Europe)
Maybach 62 — $457,991 (Europe)
Mercedes-Benz SLR McLaren — $456,526 (Europe)
Maybach 57 — $389,226 (Europe)
Rolls-Royce Phantom — $328,750 (Global)
Spyker C8 Double 12 S — $325,560 (Global)


Some pics of cars from this list:


Zonda
Saleen S7
Porsche Carrera GT
Mercedes-Benz SLR
Koenigsegg CCR


Saleen at about Rs 3 Crore is also the fastest road car in the world....capable of clocking over 250 Mph or abt 410 Kmph....coooooooooooooooooolllllllllllllllllll !!
Ofcourse we wont go into the fuel efficiency of any of these cars :) :)!
No Ferraris, no Lamborghinis, no Aston Martins or Jaguars...no Japanese manufacturer...infact the list is dominated by the Germans and... the Swedes (!!!@#$)

The article itself can be read at World's Most Expensive Cars 2005

This post is also a proof of how little work I have today!! :)

Thursday, September 22, 2005

Hurricane Names

Hurricanes have been on my mind...I guess thats due to the fact that I am now days relying on Google for all my news updates and world news tend to focus more on the hurricanes in the US than say, Indian PM's visit to the US.

A friend asked me if I knew how these names were picked...Katrina first and now Rita...and I wasnt able to answer too satisfactorily...
I guess the people in US are more aware of it than here...the process is a bit funny actually...any depression resulting in wind speeds of over 39 miles/ hr (Categorized as a tropical Storm) gets a name.

Early naming conventions were individualistic in nature. Hurricanes have been named after saints, girlfriends, years, and even first ladies (one was named "Bess" after President Harry Truman's wife, I picked this from the net...:)).
Digressing a little (I read this on the net), according to one report the first use of a proper name for a tropical storm was by an Australian forecaster in the early part of this century, who reputedly named his storms after politicians that he didn't like. Maybe we can loan some names to the storms...:)...and knowing our politicians...they might even forward their names...
Then a more stable naming convention was needed as multiple agencies were following the progress of a storm...so female names were used but after protests...from 1979 both male and female names were used alternatively.
An international committee at a meeting of the World Meteorological Organization came up with six separate name lists for hurricanes. Each list is reused every six years, except for the names that are retired( names of storms that cause a lot of damage are retired, Katrina for example will never be used again!!)
The letters "Q", "U", "X", "Y" and "Z" are not used for naming purposes ( dont knwo why, probably there are not too many names starting with these letters...).

This is the atlantic basin list for 2005:

ArleneBretCindy
DennisEmilyFranklin
GertHarveyIrene
JoseKatrinaLee
MariaNateOphelia
PhilippeRitaStan
TammyVinceWilma

There is another similar list for the Pacific basin...
There, thats the long and short of the naming convention for hurricanes...I hope Rita doesnt turn out to be as bad as the experts are saying...

Tuesday, September 20, 2005

The future of Storage Media

Not much work today...atleast as of now...so i was going through Engadget and came across this article that explains the 2 warring factions on the next super capacity disk...

I was having the same discussion with a friend a few months back...when the first peace talks between Sony and Toshiba started...

There are lots of issues ofcourse...how it will compare with the next generation streaming media, flash memory chips where Samsung recently announced a 32GB chip...backward compatibility issues,pricing...etc. But nevertheless one of these will very likely be the future standard...

here is the link to the article:
Blu-Ray vs HDDVD

Saturday, September 17, 2005

Anthem's Importance....

Was going through a news site, and this little bit of news caught my eye...and made me chuckle...:)

"...61 percent of U.S. adults don't know the first eight lines of America's national anthem."

To change all this a National Anthem Project is on to celebrate the 191st anniversary of the song. Under this schools across the nation will be getting together to perform the anthem on television.

"...Olivia Beaver, a Westergard Elementary School fifth-grader, advises that segment of the population to listen closer when they hear the song on television, or she'll work with them until they learn it."

"They would then understand what it means," said Olivia, 10. "It's a song that helps us remember the people who served our country."

I am glad that we used to sing the anthem in school...everyday...infact I used to look forward to it( I could sing then...:)) as it marked the end of the drowsy ritual...(I mean the school assembly)

Monday, September 12, 2005

New Firefox and Vista

Firefox, the browser that every Microsoft basher loves to use (though personally I still prefer the IE), has been updated and on Friday released a test version with improved security, navigation, and privacy features was released. Firefox 1.5 is expected to follow shortly.

7 different versions of the next OS from the microsoft stable:

Starter Edition: (like XP Starter Edition) aimed for anyone dumb enough to take it.

Home Basic Edition: (like Windows XP Home) a well defined system minus the things that a basic user (read net surfer, music listener, etc) will be happy to use.

Home Premium Edition: (like Windows XP Pro - ) Basic plus addons for gaming, Media Center capabilities ,HDTV, DVD etc will be thrown in. This might be the most popular verison in the end.

Windows Vista Professional Edition: (like Windows XP Pro + ) Aimed purely at the business environment, minus the frills in HPE but with addons for business use.
Microsoft is also planning both a Small Business Edition and an Enterprise Edition, which build upon pro by adding (seemingly minor) features aimed at appealing to each market. SBE, for instance, includes a networked backup solution, while EE will include things like Virtual PC integration, and the ability to encrypt an entire volume of information (go figure *sighs*).

Last but not least, there's Ultimate Edition: supposedly personalized on per user basis with the best of each edition plus personalized servicess (exclusive access to music, movies, services and preferred customer care). This version is aimed at high-end PC users and technology influencers, gamers, digital media enthusiasts, and students.

All these editions are just going to create confusion in the market and make it more difficult for MS to manage the products. Besides a key deciding factor would still be the pricing of the product. The wait continues...

Thursday, September 08, 2005

Anonymous blog

"So whats the point of keeping your blog anonymous?" she asks...

"Its not anonymous really...I mean I haven't hidden any info...Its easier this way, besides who would want to read the boring rant that often turns out here..."

This is how a number of such discussions/conversations on the subject go....I was just remembering it so decided to write it down...

I'm not sure if I haven't told my friends because they hear most of my rantings anyway or if because not everyone truly understands the purpose of this...

Besides I dont visit too many blogs...apart from Neha's and Apurv's blog I probably stumble upon some random blog once in a while...and then maybe never return there again...

And I didn't start blogging with an audience in mind...it was just a way of archiving some thoughts that I might look back at someday...neither did I think I will continue doing so even a week after starting...
So maybe it wont be anonymous some day...or maybe it will become even more anonymous (hide it even from people who know abt it)...:)...or it might just die as suddenly as it started.....but until such time, I am happy to carry on this inconsequential drivel...

Monday, September 05, 2005

Katrina

Katrina such a nice name but what devastation!....a trail of death and misery lies in its wake.

The stories I have been reading from New Orleans are shocking...The city slipped under water and into turmoil as residents faced flooded neighborhoods, looters, and god knows what not.

Mounting racial tensions and allegations of slow response from the federal government have been reported in every article I have read.
Whats been most disappointing is the fact that this is happening in the US, the most developed nation in the world. Reading about racial tensions there leaves little cause for optimism on us rising over our own petty religious issues. It almost seems as if human species is incapable of living in harmony.

I hope and pray that the city and its dwellers make a speedy recovery!

Thursday, August 25, 2005

Google the next Microsoft???

Google is on a major application launch blitz...almost every month a new tool or an application is being launched from the Mountain View, California based giant...

First there was the Google Talk instant messenger and then an upgrade to Google Desktop Search, which adds a product called Sidebar that pulls data from the Net and serves up a personalized panel of information such as e-mail, stock quotes and news. The browsing pattern information is sent back to build up a user database, which should raise security concerns...

Such rapid expansion in the range of services offered by Google has led to questions being raised about what Google wants and comparisons are being drawn with a certain Microsoft in its early years.
It has even led Google to change its core philosophy...(Its an interesting read, Googledom)

Microsoft's developer orientation led to the creation of applications that run on Windows and Office, its desktop application suite, promoting the adoption of its core products.
Some say that's exactly what Google is now trying to re-create on the Web, all of Google's services are accessible via application programming interfaces, or APIs, which give software developers the documentation needed to build add-on products.

The New York Times published a story last week that pondered whether Google was morphing arrogantly into "the new Microsoft" - poaching talent from other companies, trying to monopolize and eat up the competition. There is a belief that Google trying to live up to the expectations at the Wall Street is no longer the good guy.
Its interesting to note the shift in perception from being - the darling of the Silicon Valley, the underdog every one rooted for, the upstart that could do no wrong to being called overtly aggressive and arrogant. How times change!

But I don't see these developments in the same light. I welcome them. Big is not necessarily bad for us - consumers. Already we can see Google pushing Yahoo and Microsoft to innovate at a rate faster than ever before...Competition can inspire innovation and make technology more accessible to people (both require deep pockets).

So Google for me remains a fantastic success story like Microsoft and remains worthy of respect.

p.s: I know there have been pretenders before, Netscape comes to mind immediately...but Google seems better equipped and prepared. So I say Let the fun begin!!

Wednesday, August 24, 2005

A different World!!

Was struck by today's headlines in a newspaper here in Hyderabad.

Hyderabad teens elope to escape Arab husband

I started reading and the details of the story quickly unfolded....its a story that is often repeated, a story that leaves me shocked each time but doesn't stir any response from the people that matter...

This is what has allegedly transpired:

"...Two teenaged Hyderabad girls married off to an Arab, one 45-year-old Al Rahama Ismail Mirza Abdul Jabbar of the UAE, in a combined ceremony on August 1 under the fatwa approved by the Hyderabad-based Jamia Nizamia allowing a Muslim man to marry as many as four women in one sitting."

Now how unbelievable is that?? Not much if you ask the victims of the whole episode. Isn't this also a case of a girl child being sold for a few thousand rupees...(apparently the families got Rs 10,000) ?

Another fatwa issued, another woman's rights denied...another case of inaction from a soul less state...

Hail India!!!!

Thursday, August 18, 2005

Fatwas right or wrong?

Thats the question that has been posed to the Supreme Court of India. The issue ofcourse in reality really is whether religious courts can be allowed to function in a secular (sic) democracy like India.

This PIL is a result of all the public outrage (umm I am not sure if there was any public outrage...) the Imrana controversy.

The petition, filed by advocate Vishwa Lochan Madan, urged the court to adjudicate on several questions of law, including whether Article 25 (guaranteeing religious freedom) includes the right to administer justice based on faith. (How can it??)

Notices have been issued to - the Union government, all states and the Union Territories. The court also issued notices to three Muslim bodies - the All India Muslim Personal Law Board, the Dar-ul-Uloom and Muslims for Secular Democracy.

This is a public interest litigation worthy of its name ...I hope the court won't back off from giving a favourable judgement even though it burnt it fingers once before in a similar case (Shah Bano) earlier.

Friday, August 12, 2005

Opportunities as Reward

"...An eager group of about 300 employees sit doe-eyed in anticipation of the arrival of probably the single biggest reason they are part of this company !!!"

He came, he spoke, he answered questions and he got a standing ovation...That's our Mentor - in - Chief for you...
The atmosphere was amazing...I could hear comments like "Man, I am gonna finally meet him!!" "What an honour!!" and so on right across the hall...

Questions were asked freely...answers were given...sometimes freely sometimes tongue in cheek...and when the small big man rose to speak...everyone listened.
A very interesting little speech it was too. The thing that caught my fancy the most was when he talked of looking at success differently - asking the gathering to not feel satisfied with it...or measure it in terms of material benefits. Instead he proposed that success be measured in terms of the new opportunities created - opportunities that allow you to excel further and reach new levels of excellence....
I found this quite thought provoking...because I have often dwelled on what will constitute success to me...and I have my own theories on it...
To hear something new on this from someone who can be called successful(by most accounts anyway) was quite interesting....

Thursday, August 11, 2005

Minorities

Two very different yet related developments have been on my mind today...

First the Nanavati report on the 1984 anti - sikh riots...and the other a Supreme Court ruling on awarding minority status to Jains.

The former shows how hollow the actions of our governments are...how little value is attahced to life. 3000 affected families still in search of closure 21 years after their lives were changed so brutally. 21 years after the massacre, this is what the victims get in the name of justice...from a government formed in the name of secularism...
Should the members of the community be blamed if they lose faith in the state? Who will be responsible if these people feel alienated and insecure? Who will be responsible if they feel threatened enough to seek their own land...isnt that what happened in 1947?? Doesnt this create an atmosphere of mutual fear and distrust posing serious threat to the integrity of the nation sowing of seeds of multinationalism or at the very least demand for even more special rights and safeguards?
I was talking to a friend and all he had to say was "God will punish them!"
Why should we have to wait for god's intervention (if such thing exists!)

Are we living in a civilized world?

The other news...the supreme court's ruling on everyone's quest to be called a minority is a welcome development. (Though in the light of the treatment meted out to the sikhs, I am forced to have doubts)

The ruling says that the practice of listing religious groups as 'minority communities' should be discouraged and the list gradually be done away with as it promotes divisive tendencies to weaken the nation. All this is true and this remains the ultimate challenge for the state...but before that maybe we need to overhaul this screwed up political system of ours..

"Mujhe Change Chhahiye!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"

Wednesday, August 10, 2005

First Impressions

Actually the title is a misnomer since I haven't seen enough to make my first impressions...the city bus stop is in the older section of the city and on the way to our hotel I found a distinct islamic feel to the city...all around are mosques and shops with names like 'Mumtaz' Furnitures and even a 'Karachi' Meat house...

This is something new for me, the hustle and bustle is all there but Hyderabad is not like other cities...reminds me more of Lucknow...
Now the DC is abt 30 kms from the hotel...thats a nightmarish thought for some one from B'lore but thankfully Hyderabad has roads (in the real sense of the word).
The city is not particularly clean, unfortunately....and the route to the office was surrounded by small settlements...quietly divided on religious lines... :(

But the city is inviting nevertheless..and i do plan to explore it with greater zeal than i ever felt for B'lore...

The food for a veggie, as expected, is just abt ok...the people are nice and friendly and so far everyone I have met speaks hindi...some with the more distinct hyderabadi flavour...

"Amaaa, kya bolte tum sir..."

Monday, August 08, 2005

Hyderabad

So I am off to a new destination...not bad in itself...Its always fun to see new places and the people that make it tick...
But leaving memories behind is not so easy either...

Anyways, The City of Pearls, lets see what you have got to show me!!!

Sunday, August 07, 2005

Then And Now

I'm a shooting star leaping through the sky
Like a tiger defying the laws of gravity
I'm a racing car passing by like Lady Godiva
I'm gonna go go go
There's no stopping me!!!

Eneumbered forever by desire and ambition
There’s a hunger still unsatisfied
Our weary eyes still stray to the horizon
Though down this road we’ve been so many time


My shadow's the only one that walks beside me
My shallow heart's the only thing that's beating
Sometimes I wish someone out there will find me
'Til then I walk alone

I walk this empty street
On the Boulevard of Broken Dreams
Where the city sleeps
And I'm the only one and I walk alone

Thursday, August 04, 2005

Here a Blog, there a Blog...everywhere a Blog

I am not the only one to have caught The blogging bug in the past few months.

According to blog trackers Technorati in its latest State of the Blogosphere report, the number of blogs it was tracking now stood at more than 14.2m blogs, up from 7.8m in March.
That means a new blog is being created virtually every second...awesome...


Ofcourse most of these blogs die soon after...but still thats a lot of blogs..

some more excerpts from the report...

"...Thirteen percent of all blogs that Technorati tracks are updated weekly or more, said the report, and 55% of all new bloggers are still posting three months after they started"

"...What is clear is that the blogosphere is highly varied, with blogs coming in many shapes and forms, whether they be professional or for personal use. Blogs have been used as campaign sites, as personal diaries, as art projects, online magazines and as places for community networking.
Much of their appeal has been boosted because readers can subscribe to them, for free, to stay updated of any new posts automatically.
"

Coooool.....

Wednesday, August 03, 2005

Dilbert

Someone forwarded me a cool Dilbert strip the other day in the mail...it was abt cubicles...kind of fits the typical IT employee...So I thought I will put it here and decided to take permission from the publishers.
I got a quick reply :

Dear Siddharth,

Thank you for your reply. There is a price involved with the usage of any strip. Please let me know if you want to proceed with this request.

I look forward to hearing from you.

Best regards,

International Syndicate

Now I enjoy Dilbert series a lot so I was a bit disappointed with the price tag involved but what the heck.
Reading the mail reminded me of Bill Watterson (the creator of Calvin & Hobbes) . He had fought the syndicate for which he worked over licensing possibilities, which he stubbornly rejected.

"My strip is about private realities, the magic of imagination, and the specialness of certain friendships. Who would believe in the innocence of a little kid and his tiger if they cashed in on their popularity to sell overpriced knickknacks that nobody needs?"

One of his rare public appearances since he retired...

The Cheapening of Comics


p.s :
syn·di·cate (snd-kt)n.
1) A loose affiliation of gangsters in control of organized criminal activities.
2) An agency that sells articles, features, or photographs for publication in a number of newspapers or periodicals simultaneously.
3) A company consisting of a number of separate newspapers; a newspaper chain.
4) The office, position, or jurisdiction of a syndic or body of syndics.

:))

Tuesday, August 02, 2005

Lots happening in the IT world...

How many buttons should a computer mouse have?

Apple is coming out with a "multi - button" mouse...so to speak...even as it continues to maintain its one piece does it all design...
Continuing to remain at the cutting edge of user experience, the mouse will have five sensors, including touch sensors - to pick up left and right mouse clicks, a magnetic sensor to track movement for scrolling (that will allow for even diagonal scroll), and side-mounted sensors that act as a fourth button when the mouse is squeezed.

Internet Explorer 7 won't pass the ACID2 test

ACID2 examines a browser's support for W3C (World Wide Web Consortium) recommendations including CSS1 (Cascading Style Sheets), HTML4 and PNG (Portable Network Graphics) . As of now only Opera comes close to meeting these standards... It has been Microsoft's tradition almost - not to let standards come in their way...so it is not surprising that they are so far behind the others on this...
The test doesn't matter to ordinary users all that much but it is very crucial for web developers trying to have a common interface across browsers.

Cannonball.....

Distance between my PG and office : 20 Km (approx.)
Minimum time to reach office : 45 mins (30 mins on a lucky Sunday)
Maximum time to reach office : ??????? (3 hrs is the record at the moment)
(I can almost hear the city administrators singing "We will, we will, break it....")

Time taken to reach office today : 1 hr 40 mins

Life is goooooooddddd!!!

Wednesday, July 27, 2005

Rekindling an old dream...

[ Mood : Contemplative ]
[ Song : Roadhouse Blues ]


I know the song doesn't match the mood but thats what I am listening to right now.
Well I have taken the plunge, atleast for now...I am preparing again...for CAT. Even as i wrote that I could sense all the hesitation that has taken me over recently. I have found it difficult to commit myself to the effort and time needed...but commit I must!!
It will be difficult ofcourse...knowing that I may not have anything to show for it in the end. But there is no way out, afterall this is what I want and I wont get there unless I go for it, Right?
It is almost sounding like an incoherent drivel...:))

The future’s uncertain,
And the end is always near.

Sunday, July 24, 2005

Windows Vista

Microsoft on Friday finally brought an end to the 'Longhorn' and a new title is on the horizon...literally...Windows Vista.
Thats the title of the next version of the long overdue OS from the Microsoft stable. Its been 5 years since their last release, Windows XP (personally I am happy with my Win2K Pro).
The company stopped short of providing a launch date for the new version, though it won't reach us before next year.
The new software is going to sport a new graphical interface, giving it a new look and feel, and enhanced security and communications features.
Lets wait and see...

Sunday, July 17, 2005

Communalism in the 40s

Have been reading "The Dicovery of India" and its been a great read so far. Especially thinking about the times it was written in...seems India was so much more dyamic then...in the sense that so many people were working together for a common cause...

I came across a passage where Jawaharlal Nehru discusses the communal issues...his understanding of the communal problem is so much superior to the leaders of today...or maybe the leaders of today just shut their eyes and make plans to exploit it (Mulayam Singh Yadav is a prime example). His writing brings out his love for the nation so clearly that I feel a bit sorry that I had reservations about his being the first PM....more on that some other time..

This is what he had to say :
"The Communal problem, as it was called, was one of adjusting the claims of the minorities and giving them sufficient protection from majority action. Minorities in India, it must be remembered, are not racial or national minorities as in Europe; they are religious minorities
... There is no dispute about the usual provision for minority protection, such as the League of Nations used to lay down. All those were agreed to and much more. Religion, culture, language, the fundamental rights of the individual and the group, were all to be protected and assured by basic constitutional provisions in a democratic constitution applying equally to all.
... What remained? Fear that bigger numbers might politically overwhelm a minority.
... Having assured the protection of religion and culture,etc., the major problems that were bound to come up were economic ones which had nothing to do with a person's religion.
... It was not clear how even a majority could injure the interests of a huge minority like the Moslems, concentrated mostly in certain parts of the country, which would be autonomous. But fear is not reasonable."

Friday, July 15, 2005

Planet with three suns!!!



How would it feel if we had 3 suns?? Sounds wierd but I guess that would have seemed normal then!!
Well apparently a planet, slightly larger than Jupiter, has been discovered that has a 3 - Star System! It orbits the main star of a system known as HD 188753 in the constellation Cygnus ("The Swan"). It is about 149 light years away... hmm thats close!!!...sometimes the sheer size of the universe overwhelms me, I mean what are we but a mere speck of dust in the scheme of things....
The picture is an artists' rendition of the planet and three stars, as seen from a hypothetical moon, courtesy ( http://pr.caltech.edu/media/trinary_sunset_small-1.jpg )

Tuesday, July 12, 2005

The Signs

Somehow the book 'The Alchemist' has been drifting in and out of my thoughts since yesterday...not that I am a huge fan of the book or anything...it just has been there somehow!!

Especially the part where the Alchemist tells the boy to follow the signs all around him, signs that will ultimately guide him to his destiny.......and I have been trying to understand the signs around me.
It seems to me that they are pointing to a direction which I once desperately wanted to take but now am hesitant to pursue. The hesitation is not so much in the choice as it is in the effort that will be required...which i once had put in with zero returns.
I have come to a stage where I can't postpone it any further...and need to make a decision one way or the other...
Which direction will I take??

Monday, July 11, 2005

To the Moon & Back

I am back from Delhi, back to this mundane lifestyle, back to this insipid existence.
It was good while it lasted, nine days of mega - fun with family and friends.

Now the clock is reset to zero and I start counting the days before I will get a chance to be back home...

Sunday, July 03, 2005

Religion and State

Now this is a touchy topic, most people dont feel comfortable when discussing it.

Well educated and rational people often start defending the indefensible if it happens to be related to their religion.

These thoughts swirl in my mind as I think of Imrana bibi; raped by her father- in-law, the interpretors of Islam and Sharia suggest that she can no longer live with her husband or children as she has come in sexual contact with a blood relative of the husband. Hello? I thought she was the victim here...

Infact this is what the head of the local masjid of the village where Imrana belongs to has to say on the issue:

"After sex with her father-in-law, the girl has become haram for her husband. According to me she should accept her father-in-law as her new husband and her old husband as her new son."

Wasnt the torture and humiliation of the rape enough?

There is a debate raging through the country and different versions/interpretations of the Sharia are coming out almost daily. But my point is do we even need to have a debate on it? Shouldn't it be an open and shut case of rape with 7 yrs for the father-in-law as the law of the land perscribes? How can religious law take precedence over secular state law. Are we going to treat victims differently based on the religion they belong to? Isnt this the most blatant form of communalism?

Its nauseating to see a country with ambitions to participate in world matters and social justice across the globe not even able to handle such a basic requirement for her own internal well being.

As for Imrana, I can't even remotely imagine her plight. I wonder if she curses herself for even raising the issue in the first place...

Friday, July 01, 2005

Homeward bound

Homeward bound
I wish I was...AM
Homeward bound
Home, where my thought’s escaping
Home, where my music’s playing
Home, where my love lies waiting
(Actually I will be waiting for her...:) )
Silently for me

Ok the song doesn't quite fit, but still this is the song thats playing in my head as i prepare to get going. A lot has happened since I last met my family and friends. My di is engaged, my dad is better, some friends have moved out of Delhi, etc etc...plenty to catch up on. Am feeling really upbeat about this visit probably because I am going back after 4 and a half months!!

Yay!!! Mamma I am coming home :))

Thursday, June 30, 2005

Live 8


Every so often a movement starts which tries to set right the wrongs of the past. Sometimes you get a chance to be part of that movement.
Live 8 is one such movement. What is it about?
Its an attempt to bring together in one voice an appeal (or maybe demand is a better word) not from politicians or celebrities but from ordinary citizens across the globe. An appeal to improve the lives of the world's poorest people by bringing about a change in the way we think and deal with our fellow earthlings.

LIVE 8 is part of a day of action across the world which kick-starts The Long Walk to Justice that calls on the leaders of the world’s richest countries to act when they meet in Gleneagles on 6th-9th July. On July 2nd in London, Edinburgh, Washington, Berlin, Paris and Rome millions will be coming together to call for complete debt cancellation, more and better aid and trade justice for the world’s poorest people.

I wish I could have been a part of it in a more real sense but I am glad that millions others will be part of it!!

Wednesday, June 29, 2005

A new perspective!


Now isnt this amazing...technology never seems to stop amazing me. The picture is of India Gate, a war memorial built in Delhi for the soldiers who died in World War I.

With satellites in public domain having sensor system that can provide 1 m to 2.5 m resolution, one can see this planet of ours with a completely new perspective.

The picture has been taken using Google Earth (Keyhole 2 Pro once upon a time) . Currently in Beta stage, it uses a multi-terabyte database of mapping information and images collected from satellites and airplanes. The app demands a really smooth internet connection and a good 3 - D Card, so I can say goodbye to using it from home :( ...might load a few more pics, especially since blogspot has started providing space for pictures (and I dont need to hotlink pics like the one in a previous post).

Saturday, June 25, 2005

Smoke and Music

Ever since I came back from Pune, I have been to a pub atleast once a week. Now thats pretty frequent considering I don't drink or smoke. Its just the music that draws me to them. Minus my PC, I have very little of it to survive on...
As the music blares, I can actually feel it moving through me...I just love that feeling and then slowly I transcend the noise around me...eyes close and I just try to absorb it all up...for a few moments its pure bliss...

The only complaint is the cigarette smoke...I always get a headache until I finally adjust to it. Not to mention the awful odour that my clothes pick up.
Wouldn't it be nice if we had coffee joints that played good rock(since its pointless to expect a pub to have a non-smoking area)?

Until that happens, pubs will remain a lifeline for people like me who just can't get enough of those guitar riffs and drums!!

Monday, June 20, 2005

Why do I love F1?

A lot of friends ask me that. In words of one, "whats so great about watching cars run around the same track 70 times wasting precious fuel"
Now how do i explain to her, that a modern Formula One car is a technical masterpiece and has almost as much in common with a jet fighter as it does with an ordinary road car....that what we see on the track is the latest in automotive technology...most of which will soon find its way into ordinary road cars.

Every year FIA modifies rules to try and cut down speed, and every year the cars keep getting faster (this year has been an exception because of the single tyre regulation). Its like a challenge between the engineers of various teams on who can come up with a more ingenious idea to get that few km/hr extra. I can only imagine the thrill these lucky few people get.

Imagine aerodynamics capable of developing 3.5 g lateral cornering force (three and a half times its own weight) . That means that, theoretically, at high speeds they could drive upside down!!(Race car wings operate on exactly the same principle as aircraft wings, only in reverse.)
Imagine brakes that can bring you to a halt from 200 km/hr within 55 metres, all within 1.9 seconds.
Tyres (cause of all the trouble in the US grand prix) with an underlying nylon and polyester structure in a complicated weave pattern are designed to withstand far larger forces than road car tyres - typically with a lifespan of about 200 kms. All racing tyres work best at relatively high temperatures, Formula One dry 'grooved' tyres are typically designed to function at between 90 degrees Celsius and 110 degrees Celsius. To ensure that the tyre pressure stays as constant as possible during these changes in temperature a special mixture of low density gases is used to inflate them rather than air.

The engine, at the heart of the formula 1 car is a marvel in itself. A 3000 cc engine that produces over 800 Bhp, most road cars prduce about 100 Bhp using a 2000 cc engine. Revving to over 18,000 RPM a modern Formula One engine will consume a phenomenal 650 litres of air every second (causes the slipstream effect) and go from a standing start to 200km/hr in about 5 seconds. 5 seconds!! There in lies the answer to the question...its the science behind the formula 1 race car that I enjoy so much and this is why I have been a fan for about 12 years now:) .

Thumbs Down @ FIA...

Fans await with bated breath as the cars line up at the starting grid. A promising race is ahead of them. The cars slowly gather pace as they do a warmup lap around the circuit cheered on by a crowd of 130,000.
As the parade lap is coming to a close, most of the cars start moving towards the pits. Only six of the twenty cars line up for the start of the race.

This is what happened in the ridiculous US grand prix last night. A farcical event in which 70% of the cars didn't even bother to compete.
The cause of all the drama was the tyre supplied by Michelin which was unable to take the stress of the banked curve (turn 13) and was the cause of a major accident during Friday's free practice.
Their statement acknowledged the flaw:
Given the combination of oval exit speed of the F1 cars and the subsequent down forces experienced by the tyres, Michelin is not able to guarantee that such incidents would not reoccur during race conditions, and therefore Michelin is not able to guarantee the total safety of the drivers.


The problems were not insurmountable and a little compromise and understanding would have saved the day for the race fans of America and fans like me around the world. But the arrogant governing body showed utter disregard for the spectators and ruined the weekend for 130,000 fans all of whom had payed atleast US$100 to come to the event.
All sport governing bodies are so preoccupied with their own selfish concerns that interest of the spectator and the sport itself is lost on them. What is a sport without the adoring fans? I wonder why the officials forget this? Is it because they themseleves are no longer fans of the sports but mere officials?

Whatever be the case, yesterday's race marked a new low in the history of Formula 1 and raises new questions w.r.t the level of commitment of the officials running different sports.

Sunday, June 12, 2005

Time

[ Mood : Philosophical ]
[ Song : Time ]

Time plays tricks on me...

The future - full of hope and vitality awaits me. The present - has a dream like unreality, slippin away before I can feel it. The past - tempts me with a world that is simple and peaceful.
Isn't it funny how memories shift meaning with time? What were difficult times don't seem that difficult now...what were bright moments seem even more radiant...the past seems so secure, so immaculate. What am I without it? But still I don't want to become its prisoner, I want to hold on to it even as I try to reach out to the future. Does that make any sense??Hmm...

Every year is getting shorter, never seem to find the time
Plans that either come to naught or half a page of scribbled lines
Hanging on in quiet desperation is the english way
The time is gone, the song is over, thought I’d something more to say

Saturday, June 11, 2005

Microsoft coming up with its own Graphic Editor

Microsoft Corp. has started public testing of a new graphics program designed to compete with Adobe Systems Inc.'s Photoshop and Illustrator products.
The Microsoft program, code-named Acrylic, can be used for digital painting, illustration and graphic design, the company said on its Web site yesterday. It's based on technology that Microsoft acquired in 2003 when it bought Creature House Ltd., a Hong Kong-based maker of graphic-design software.

So soon they'll be having an Anti-virus product, a pseudo-pdf format of their own, and a graphic program.As usual, Microsoft doesn't bother developing a unique product of their own, they simply buy an upcoming company and take their product forward.

Thursday, June 09, 2005

Communal one day; secular the next!

What I wrote earlier were the questions that came to my head while reading about the furore surrounding L.K. Advani’s statement regarding the secular credentials of Muhammad Ali Jinnah.

The statement itself can be seen as an attempt at an image makeover, an attempt to move away from the right wing hardliner to an all encompasing moderate.
To me it represents the typical nature of the politics of the sub-continent: lack of any core beliefs and simply following the prejudices of the day. Looking back at Jinnah's history - "Messiah of Hindu-Muslim Unity" (1916), "Champion of the Two Nation Theory" (1940), dubbing Pakistan as a "laboratory of Islam" and following it up with a call to rise above religion and being citizens first (speech of August 11 1947 which Advani cited), one can easily see a politician at work. A similar pattern can be cited for Advani and perhaps for most politicians - ruthlessly using religion to forward their own cause and then trying to distance themselves from it once the purpose has been served.

What is saddening and at times annoying is the fact that people are unable to see past the rhetoric, the media meant to keep people informed is busy milking the story, I wonder how many people even know what Advani said and in what context; other politicians are either mocking Advani or trying to join the "me too" wagon and hailing the change in attitude; all blind to their own past aberrations.

Wednesday, June 08, 2005

Pulp Politicians!

When will the politicians of this country rise above the petty self promotion and vote bank politics?? When will they learn not shoot off their big mouths and learn the meaning of the word - consistency?? When will they learn that they are in power to serve the people and not to get back at the opponents who have just fallen out of favour?? And when will the people learn to read between the lines and differentiate between the truths and the lies??

Friday, June 03, 2005

The fading superstar.....

"I saw him playing on television and was struck by his technique, so I asked my wife to come look at him. Now I never saw myself play, but I feel that this player is playing much the same as I used to play, and she looked at him on Television and said yes, there is a similarity between the two...hi compactness, technique, stroke production... it all seemed to gel!"
- Don Bradman

My earliest memory of my favourite sportsperson is watching him hit the great Abdul Qadir for four sixers in an over....I was seven at the time and was hooked, it was rare enough to see an Indian smash a Pakistani bowler like that; it was something else altogether to see a sixteen year old do it. Slowly over time I became the fanatic follower that I am today. I can't even begin to count all the times when I sat with my fingers crossed(not literally ofcourse) while he was batting or just quietly switched off the television when he got out cheaply.
With time, his cricketing genius became just one of the traits I admire!

There are hardly any public figures worthy of being called a role model, Sachin for me has been one both on and off the field. His desire to continuously improve, even as everyone around proclaims him to be the best, is quite astounding. Add to that his discipline, commitment and humility and you have someone worth emulating.

He has been consistently the best in the class and for a while it seemed thats how it will remain, but things have changed over the past year or so...the signs were visible in Australia (2003) and he hasn't looked his old self ever since...and then came the spate of injuries...the ankle, the hand and finally the elbow...and I was disappointed to see how quickly these injuries were followed by comments like "...he is over the hill.." or "...he is only continuing for records..." This after the guy has spent 16 yrs playing for the country and entertaining millions around the world with his craft.
And then I heard he is going for surgery on his elbow and I can't help but feel if its the end of the road...I have to grudgingly accept that Dravid is the new pivot of the team, that Sehwag is the new destroyer of bowling...that the career is coming to a close...
He will be back ofcourse but I think a stage has come in his career when almost any performance will seem like a failure. After all, the fickle minded fans tend to praise those performers who are currently at the top of the game.
But that doesnt bother me! He will remain forever the best sportsperson in my eyes...an icon and a role model!

Tuesday, May 24, 2005

Our Software Industry

I am a software engineer, working in one of the leading tech companies of India, with a turnover of over a billion dollars annually........

With these facts stated, let me quickly mention the incident that made me wanna pen a.k.a type this down; a conversation with a friend's father, an engineer himself, now enjoying his retirement days...He said, " Son, our software industry is one of the great success stories today, just like Amul was in my days!"

I nodded my head in agreement at the time; US$ 15 Billion exports, among the largest employers, who wouldn't agree? But later I couldn't help but think if it wasn't just another case of falling short of potential, something that is so routine in this country.

Lets go back to the figures, TCS the largest Indian software company was founded in 1968, today its a US$ 2 Billion+ company with a total head count of about 40,000. Microsoft was founded in 1975, today its a US$ 36 Billion+ company with a total head count of about 57,000.

Why such unbalanced growth? Here in lies the truth: our companies suffer from myopic vision, no desire to innovate or invest in R & D, all factors that make a company a world beater. There is nothing revolutionary in what we have achieved. From plain and simple body shopping in the 80s we have used the improved technology (internet and bigger bandwidth for example) to move work back to India (further reducing costs), a methodology known as the Global Delivery Model.

Amazing feats can be accomplished by a motivated work force of forty thousand. Instead most of us end up performing quotidian activities of the most mundane kind, soon to be left with little creative urge or a desire to innovate.

Yes indeed our software industry has come a long way; but if these issues are not addressed, if innovation doesn't become a buzzword, if creativity and imagination are not encouraged, we will soon reach a stage where growth will stagnate and there will be little left to cheer about.

Monday, May 23, 2005

Kabooommm....

A new blog added to the endless list....