Sunday, December 31, 2006
Thursday, December 28, 2006
Books...
You see my birthday is approaching...for that or any arbit reason...anyone gifting me the following is welcome:
- The 9/11 Commission Report
- Steve Waugh's autobiography
- David A. Vise's The Google Story
- Bill Gates Business @ the speed of Thought
- Hillary Clinton's autobiography
- Thomas Friedman's The World is Flat
- Christopher Paolini's Eragon
- Christopher Paolini's Eldest
- Michael Moore's Fahrenheit 911
- Salman Rushdie's Shalimar The Clown
- Salman Rushdie's Step Across The Line
- Joseph E. Stiglitz's Making Globalization Work
- Some Orhan Pamuk titles
- Ayn Rand's Virtue of Selfishness
- Ayn Rand's Anthem
- Amy Tan's Saving Fish from Drowning
At times, there is something everyone needs to do...spend time with oneself and look back...seclusion, at times, is not something that reflects insanity...However gregarious I may appear to be, I know I am not...maybe I am...but surely not most of the times...A certain level of seclusion...isolation is necessary for sanity...
Wednesday, December 27, 2006
Tuesday, December 26, 2006
Ponder Ponder
If i had a dream and you had a dream and both dreamt of each other, how would we know who was dreaming whom and who was more real than the other?
If you woke up whiile dreaming of me even as i dreamt of you, would i disappear? and if i disappeared, then how can you, a part of my dream, still be around?
ponder ponder ...
"Published" with consent
If you woke up whiile dreaming of me even as i dreamt of you, would i disappear? and if i disappeared, then how can you, a part of my dream, still be around?
ponder ponder ...
"Published" with consent
Monday, December 25, 2006
My to do list ..
1. start studyin...for (well this is going to be a listtt) XAT...FMS..
2. my "darlin'" project...playing ping pong at the moment...
3. do something worthwhile..wht exactly...dnt knw... ( do suggest somethin)
thats all I can remember for now..though the above is definitely not an exhaustive list !
2. my "darlin'" project...playing ping pong at the moment...
3. do something worthwhile..wht exactly...dnt knw... ( do suggest somethin)
thats all I can remember for now..though the above is definitely not an exhaustive list !
Tree of Life
From TOI: 25 Dec 2006
The modern custom of decorating the Christmas tree has been traced back to a more recent tradition in 1570 where a small fir was decorated with apples, nuts, dates, pretzels and paper flowers, by a German guild of craftsmen. Their children collected the dainties on Christmas day.
It is believed that the tradition of the Christmas tree has its origins in an ancient pagan ritual celebrating renewal of life. The Christmas tree is usually an evergreen coniferous tree, a variety of fir or pine that retains its leaves all year round. Some species such as the ‘Glastonbury thorn’ flowered for a second time during Christmas and this flowering was considered ‘miraculous’, according to some mediaeval legends.
In modern celebrations, the Christmas tree has become more of an object than a symbol of life. Nowadays, trees are seen in shops as early as October. Some trees are sold live with roots, so that they may be planted later and enjoyed for years. However, the process of digging up a tree with its roots is complex and the survival of these trees is low. Most people, therefore, use a cut tree which comes from a Christmas tree farm. It takes about 10 years for a tree to grow to a size where it can be used for Christmas. In 2002, in America alone, there were about 22,000 Christmas tree farms and nearly 4,50,000 acres of land was used to grow these trees.
Natural trees, however, come with a host of problems such as the potential for catching fire and causing allergies, besides being fairly expensive. Predictably, plastic has taken over, and artificial trees made out of PVC are now becoming increasingly popular. Artificial trees come in a variety of colours and species and even pre-decorated with lights. After Christmas they can be neatly packed away for use again the following year.
In this voyage from a real unsheared tree, originally harvested from the wild, the Christmas tree has come a long way to now being grown like a crop, being pruned to have a perfect conical shape and finally being replaced by a completely unnatural substitute. Environmentalists are still debating whether the move to plastic is better or worse for the environment. Although artificial trees can be reused for many years, they are non-biodegradable and eventually end up in landfills. Natural trees, on the other hand, can only be used for a short period but can be recycled into mulch or used as erosion control.
What is also losing value gradually is the deeper symbolism of the tree. While there are several layers of spiritual meaning attached to it, the act of inviting a tree into one’s life could also be seen simply as a reconnection to nature. Although a man-made substitute may be practical and durable, what it can never be is alive. The tradition began at a time when nature was abundant and humans lived with a strong awareness of their dependence on nature. In the present time, as urbanisation takes us further and further away from our natural roots, the custom of the Christmas tree could become a reminder that we are indeed still very much a part of the natural universe.
The Christmas tree could represent all trees and symbolise the very important role that trees play in the survival of life. In each country, a species of tree that is indigenous to that context and which plays an important role as a provider of food and livelihood could be taken to be the Christmas tree. Already, in India, where coniferous trees are limited to higher altitudes, the banana or the mango tree play that role. In Goa, the trunks of palms are decorated with chains of light for Christmas and for New Year.
Rather than cultivating Christmas trees, which increases monoculture and necessitates the use of pesticides, naturally growing ‘wild’ trees should be honoured during Christmas. The ‘gifts’ that are associated with the Christmas tree, could then be seen as gifts that all trees offer so unconditionally.
The Christmas tree, a symbol of renewal of life, may finally come back to where it began, and help humanity reconnect with the source of all that is living, namely Nature.
The modern custom of decorating the Christmas tree has been traced back to a more recent tradition in 1570 where a small fir was decorated with apples, nuts, dates, pretzels and paper flowers, by a German guild of craftsmen. Their children collected the dainties on Christmas day.
It is believed that the tradition of the Christmas tree has its origins in an ancient pagan ritual celebrating renewal of life. The Christmas tree is usually an evergreen coniferous tree, a variety of fir or pine that retains its leaves all year round. Some species such as the ‘Glastonbury thorn’ flowered for a second time during Christmas and this flowering was considered ‘miraculous’, according to some mediaeval legends.
In modern celebrations, the Christmas tree has become more of an object than a symbol of life. Nowadays, trees are seen in shops as early as October. Some trees are sold live with roots, so that they may be planted later and enjoyed for years. However, the process of digging up a tree with its roots is complex and the survival of these trees is low. Most people, therefore, use a cut tree which comes from a Christmas tree farm. It takes about 10 years for a tree to grow to a size where it can be used for Christmas. In 2002, in America alone, there were about 22,000 Christmas tree farms and nearly 4,50,000 acres of land was used to grow these trees.
Natural trees, however, come with a host of problems such as the potential for catching fire and causing allergies, besides being fairly expensive. Predictably, plastic has taken over, and artificial trees made out of PVC are now becoming increasingly popular. Artificial trees come in a variety of colours and species and even pre-decorated with lights. After Christmas they can be neatly packed away for use again the following year.
In this voyage from a real unsheared tree, originally harvested from the wild, the Christmas tree has come a long way to now being grown like a crop, being pruned to have a perfect conical shape and finally being replaced by a completely unnatural substitute. Environmentalists are still debating whether the move to plastic is better or worse for the environment. Although artificial trees can be reused for many years, they are non-biodegradable and eventually end up in landfills. Natural trees, on the other hand, can only be used for a short period but can be recycled into mulch or used as erosion control.
What is also losing value gradually is the deeper symbolism of the tree. While there are several layers of spiritual meaning attached to it, the act of inviting a tree into one’s life could also be seen simply as a reconnection to nature. Although a man-made substitute may be practical and durable, what it can never be is alive. The tradition began at a time when nature was abundant and humans lived with a strong awareness of their dependence on nature. In the present time, as urbanisation takes us further and further away from our natural roots, the custom of the Christmas tree could become a reminder that we are indeed still very much a part of the natural universe.
The Christmas tree could represent all trees and symbolise the very important role that trees play in the survival of life. In each country, a species of tree that is indigenous to that context and which plays an important role as a provider of food and livelihood could be taken to be the Christmas tree. Already, in India, where coniferous trees are limited to higher altitudes, the banana or the mango tree play that role. In Goa, the trunks of palms are decorated with chains of light for Christmas and for New Year.
Rather than cultivating Christmas trees, which increases monoculture and necessitates the use of pesticides, naturally growing ‘wild’ trees should be honoured during Christmas. The ‘gifts’ that are associated with the Christmas tree, could then be seen as gifts that all trees offer so unconditionally.
The Christmas tree, a symbol of renewal of life, may finally come back to where it began, and help humanity reconnect with the source of all that is living, namely Nature.
Lessons learnt... the hard way !!
Quite contrary to the general saying, people prefer to watch others fall and learn from their failures...sounds like the perfect thoughts of a lazy person...sit and wait till the person besides you falls down the pit...watch him down there...analyze where he went wrong and move ahead...
Now it suggested to me when u watch that person-beside-you fall down that pit...don't just stand above watching him and learning all the lessons you ought to...hold out your hand and reach out to him with a smile...
Thats like too pretentious...my first opinion about the "suggested" approach towards life...i mean...you were the person who was waiting this guy would fall...and you'll learn and move ahead...and then you ought to pretend like you are the savior...rescuing this fellow..
Diplomacy...at play...(was going to write at the best...but at the moment I 'm not really sure if it ought to be the "best" or the "worst") Seen it here and there...the perfect shrewd specimen..I have encountered in my life...but never really understood why a person on this planet would need to behave diplomatically...fine...its something that the zany politicians can do...its there work...otherwise they wouldn't be left with anything else to do...
End of philosophy...I decided to give this strange eerie philosophy i shot...and the perfect scenario...I had that chance today...
Though I would still rather be the same frank person most of the time...I do understand where these diplomatic tactics are to be put into implementation...and perhaps the best situations are:
1. when you don't want to be answerable to somebody...or a particular group of people...especially when they DON'T even have a right to interrogate you about topic A and B and C and blah blah..
2. when you want to create a distance between yourself and person2 and yet..don't want to cut off completely.
Its not too tough either...just keep that smile of yours in place...and use that calculative brain of yours...
PS - some more opinion-oriented posts coming up soon..
Now it suggested to me when u watch that person-beside-you fall down that pit...don't just stand above watching him and learning all the lessons you ought to...hold out your hand and reach out to him with a smile...
Thats like too pretentious...my first opinion about the "suggested" approach towards life...i mean...you were the person who was waiting this guy would fall...and you'll learn and move ahead...and then you ought to pretend like you are the savior...rescuing this fellow..
Diplomacy...at play...(was going to write at the best...but at the moment I 'm not really sure if it ought to be the "best" or the "worst") Seen it here and there...the perfect shrewd specimen..I have encountered in my life...but never really understood why a person on this planet would need to behave diplomatically...fine...its something that the zany politicians can do...its there work...otherwise they wouldn't be left with anything else to do...
End of philosophy...I decided to give this strange eerie philosophy i shot...and the perfect scenario...I had that chance today...
Though I would still rather be the same frank person most of the time...I do understand where these diplomatic tactics are to be put into implementation...and perhaps the best situations are:
1. when you don't want to be answerable to somebody...or a particular group of people...especially when they DON'T even have a right to interrogate you about topic A and B and C and blah blah..
2. when you want to create a distance between yourself and person2 and yet..don't want to cut off completely.
Its not too tough either...just keep that smile of yours in place...and use that calculative brain of yours...
PS - some more opinion-oriented posts coming up soon..
Saturday, December 23, 2006
Friday, December 22, 2006
salty coffee
(a forwarded mail..unlike the usual ones.. so read on..)
He met her on a party. She was so outstanding, many guys chasing after her, while he was so normal, nobody even paid attention to him. At the end of the party, he invited her to have coffee with him, she was surprised, but due to being polite, she promised. They sat in a nice coffee shop, he was too nervous to say anything. She felt uncomfortable, she thought, please, let me go home..suddenly he asked the waiter: "would you please give me some salt? I'd like to put it in my coffee."
Everybody stared at him, so strange! His face turned red, but, still, he put the salt in his coffee and drank it. She asked him curiously: why you have this hobby? He replied: "when I was a little boy, I was living near the sea, I liked playing in the sea, I could feel the taste of the sea , just like the taste of the salty coffee. Now every time I have the salty coffee,I always think of my childhood, think of my hometown, I miss my hometown so much,I miss my parents who are still living there".While saying that tears filled his eyes. She was deeply touched.
That's his true feeling, from the bottom of his heart.A man who can tell out his homesickness, he must be a man who loves home,cares about home, has responsibility of home..Then she also started to speak, spoke about her farawayhometown, her childhood, her family.That was a really nice talk, also a beautiful beginning of their story.
They continued to date.She found that actually he was a man who meets all her demands; he had tolerance, was kind hearted, warm, careful. He was such a good person but she almost missed him! Thanks to his salty coffee! Then the story was just like every beautiful love story, the princess married to the prince, then they were living the happy life... And, every time she made coffee for him, she put some salt in the coffee, as she knew that's the way he liked it.
After 40 years, he passed away, left her a letter which said: "My dearest, please forgive me, forgive my whole life lie. This was the only lie I said to you---the salty coffee. Remember the first time we dated? I was so nervous at that time, actually I wanted some sugar, but I said salt It was hard for me to change so I just went ahead. I never thought that could be the start of our communication! I tried to tell you the truth many times in my life, but I was too afraid to do that, as I have promised not to lie to you foranything.. Now I'm dying, I afraid of nothing so I tell you the truth: I don't like the salty coffee, what a strange bad taste.. But I have had the salty coffee for my whole life! Since I knew you, I never feel sorry for anything I do for you. Having you with me is my biggest happiness for my whole life. If I can live for the second time, still want to know you and have you for my whole life, even though I have to drink the salty coffee again".
Her tears made the letter totally wet.
Someday, someone asked her: what's the taste of salty coffee?
It's sweet. She replied.......
He met her on a party. She was so outstanding, many guys chasing after her, while he was so normal, nobody even paid attention to him. At the end of the party, he invited her to have coffee with him, she was surprised, but due to being polite, she promised. They sat in a nice coffee shop, he was too nervous to say anything. She felt uncomfortable, she thought, please, let me go home..suddenly he asked the waiter: "would you please give me some salt? I'd like to put it in my coffee."
Everybody stared at him, so strange! His face turned red, but, still, he put the salt in his coffee and drank it. She asked him curiously: why you have this hobby? He replied: "when I was a little boy, I was living near the sea, I liked playing in the sea, I could feel the taste of the sea , just like the taste of the salty coffee. Now every time I have the salty coffee,I always think of my childhood, think of my hometown, I miss my hometown so much,I miss my parents who are still living there".While saying that tears filled his eyes. She was deeply touched.
That's his true feeling, from the bottom of his heart.A man who can tell out his homesickness, he must be a man who loves home,cares about home, has responsibility of home..Then she also started to speak, spoke about her farawayhometown, her childhood, her family.That was a really nice talk, also a beautiful beginning of their story.
They continued to date.She found that actually he was a man who meets all her demands; he had tolerance, was kind hearted, warm, careful. He was such a good person but she almost missed him! Thanks to his salty coffee! Then the story was just like every beautiful love story, the princess married to the prince, then they were living the happy life... And, every time she made coffee for him, she put some salt in the coffee, as she knew that's the way he liked it.
After 40 years, he passed away, left her a letter which said: "My dearest, please forgive me, forgive my whole life lie. This was the only lie I said to you---the salty coffee. Remember the first time we dated? I was so nervous at that time, actually I wanted some sugar, but I said salt It was hard for me to change so I just went ahead. I never thought that could be the start of our communication! I tried to tell you the truth many times in my life, but I was too afraid to do that, as I have promised not to lie to you foranything.. Now I'm dying, I afraid of nothing so I tell you the truth: I don't like the salty coffee, what a strange bad taste.. But I have had the salty coffee for my whole life! Since I knew you, I never feel sorry for anything I do for you. Having you with me is my biggest happiness for my whole life. If I can live for the second time, still want to know you and have you for my whole life, even though I have to drink the salty coffee again".
Her tears made the letter totally wet.
Someday, someone asked her: what's the taste of salty coffee?
It's sweet. She replied.......
Tuesday, December 19, 2006
alritos...am in a decent blogging mood tonight...unlike the past few days...when i used to start a post....feeling theres a lot to be written and closing it down (without saving) after a few minutes...
today...is definitely different...probably because i have been thinking...and now i have a certain level of confidence in what is happening around me...dont know the exact reasons...but the cruz of the matter is that i feel GOOD!...and it feels nice!!
to all the people i care....my bachas...it feels great to have you all around...
ummm....getting to the point...the frustration i wanted to vent out...the thoughts i wanted to pour down on my blog...FEMALES ARE CRAZZZZY!!
this blog might not be the right place to write down about people in my life...its "public"...but then who else is gonna read it?...apart from me and probably those people??...and the "millions" of strangers who read this...its french to them...other than that...who gives a damn if the bitch reads this and feels disappointed that i have stopped mentioning her!!?...bitches like her can actually go to hell...and fuck themselves (they aren't gonna get anyone else for that!)
lets start with...ummm....kanika...probably one of the closest friends i have in college...and to date...i confess...shes a mystery...thinks strangely...but understands me...and has stood by me in times when i didnt even knew i had a friend besides me...hats off to you girl!...hope you get past that pre-CAT stage...and transform back to the normal vella-maroing female i knew some time back...
now theres baba...khubsu baba...another mysterious character...with loads of misunderstandings and walls standing between the two of us..hoping they'll finally fall down this semester...kal ho naa ho!!
a few people i saw with respectful eyes...alas...not anymore...
past few days...found i carry a lot of importance to a few people...(read insects).. :) ur an amazing person too keeda...
and my cutest bacha...or rather bache....my fav trio on this planet...or rather quadruple...aadi, ankur, sandy and anvay...ankur is the best!!...
:)
that's all folks...see you later, alligator...
PS - the blogging mood just ended...for tonight...
today...is definitely different...probably because i have been thinking...and now i have a certain level of confidence in what is happening around me...dont know the exact reasons...but the cruz of the matter is that i feel GOOD!...and it feels nice!!
to all the people i care....my bachas...it feels great to have you all around...
ummm....getting to the point...the frustration i wanted to vent out...the thoughts i wanted to pour down on my blog...FEMALES ARE CRAZZZZY!!
this blog might not be the right place to write down about people in my life...its "public"...but then who else is gonna read it?...apart from me and probably those people??...and the "millions" of strangers who read this...its french to them...other than that...who gives a damn if the bitch reads this and feels disappointed that i have stopped mentioning her!!?...bitches like her can actually go to hell...and fuck themselves (they aren't gonna get anyone else for that!)
lets start with...ummm....kanika...probably one of the closest friends i have in college...and to date...i confess...shes a mystery...thinks strangely...but understands me...and has stood by me in times when i didnt even knew i had a friend besides me...hats off to you girl!...hope you get past that pre-CAT stage...and transform back to the normal vella-maroing female i knew some time back...
now theres baba...khubsu baba...another mysterious character...with loads of misunderstandings and walls standing between the two of us..hoping they'll finally fall down this semester...kal ho naa ho!!
a few people i saw with respectful eyes...alas...not anymore...
past few days...found i carry a lot of importance to a few people...(read insects).. :) ur an amazing person too keeda...
and my cutest bacha...or rather bache....my fav trio on this planet...or rather quadruple...aadi, ankur, sandy and anvay...ankur is the best!!...
:)
that's all folks...see you later, alligator...
PS - the blogging mood just ended...for tonight...
current fav...
Chasing Cars
We'll do it all
Everything
On our own
We don't need
Anything
Or anyone
If I lay here
If I just lay here
Would you lie with me and just forget the world?
I don't quite know
How to say
How I feel
Those three words
Are said too much
they're not enough
If I lay here
If I just lay here
Would you lie with me and just forget the world?
Forget what we're told
Before we get too old
Show me a garden that's bursting into life
Let's waste time
Chasing cars
Around our heads
I need your grace
To remind me
To find my own
If I lay here
If I just lay here
Would you lie with me and just forget the world?
Forget what we're told
Before we get too old
Show me a garden that's bursting into life
All that I am
All that I ever was
Is here in your perfect eyes, they're all I can see
I don't know where
Confused about how as well
Just know that these things will never change for us at all
If I lay here
If I just lay here
Would you lie with me and just forget the world?
We'll do it all
Everything
On our own
We don't need
Anything
Or anyone
If I lay here
If I just lay here
Would you lie with me and just forget the world?
I don't quite know
How to say
How I feel
Those three words
Are said too much
they're not enough
If I lay here
If I just lay here
Would you lie with me and just forget the world?
Forget what we're told
Before we get too old
Show me a garden that's bursting into life
Let's waste time
Chasing cars
Around our heads
I need your grace
To remind me
To find my own
If I lay here
If I just lay here
Would you lie with me and just forget the world?
Forget what we're told
Before we get too old
Show me a garden that's bursting into life
All that I am
All that I ever was
Is here in your perfect eyes, they're all I can see
I don't know where
Confused about how as well
Just know that these things will never change for us at all
If I lay here
If I just lay here
Would you lie with me and just forget the world?
Friday, December 08, 2006
Thursday, December 07, 2006
Friday, December 01, 2006
(for a friend..i hope she reads this...)
Let's see ... What is heartbreak? What does it mean to have your heart broken? Is it something from which a relationship cannot ever recover? Is the definition of heartbreak an irreparable schism that forces two lovers apart, never to be together again?
I don't believe so. A relationship is made up of days and weeks and months and years of interacting with each other. Interacting when wonderful things happen, interacting when horrible things happen. A day is made up of thousands of words, glances, touches and movements. Not every single one of those is going to be happy or loving or sweet.
People hurt each other. People act selfishly. People act unexpectedly. People do things without thinking, without filtering their thoughts. It's inevitable that these things will cause two normally ecstatic lovers to glare at each other, scream at each other, maybe even slam doors and throw things at each other from time to time. Hearts break all the time to varying degrees.
What matters is whether or not those lovers are invested in mending their broken hearts together instead of separately.
If to you heartbroken literally means 'having broken up', then I'd have to say that I have been (and still am) in a relationship where I have not had my heart broken. But that feels silly to say. Plenty of people remain in relationships that should not exist, and I'd be willing to bet that their hearts are plenty broken so the yardstick of 'together or not' doesn't work for me.
Maybe I'm too literal. Maybe I'm not literal enough.
Let's see ... What is heartbreak? What does it mean to have your heart broken? Is it something from which a relationship cannot ever recover? Is the definition of heartbreak an irreparable schism that forces two lovers apart, never to be together again?
I don't believe so. A relationship is made up of days and weeks and months and years of interacting with each other. Interacting when wonderful things happen, interacting when horrible things happen. A day is made up of thousands of words, glances, touches and movements. Not every single one of those is going to be happy or loving or sweet.
People hurt each other. People act selfishly. People act unexpectedly. People do things without thinking, without filtering their thoughts. It's inevitable that these things will cause two normally ecstatic lovers to glare at each other, scream at each other, maybe even slam doors and throw things at each other from time to time. Hearts break all the time to varying degrees.
What matters is whether or not those lovers are invested in mending their broken hearts together instead of separately.
If to you heartbroken literally means 'having broken up', then I'd have to say that I have been (and still am) in a relationship where I have not had my heart broken. But that feels silly to say. Plenty of people remain in relationships that should not exist, and I'd be willing to bet that their hearts are plenty broken so the yardstick of 'together or not' doesn't work for me.
Maybe I'm too literal. Maybe I'm not literal enough.
"I’m hungry. I’m tired. I’m bored. I’m restless. I’m uncomfortable.
Never am I more vulnerable to temptation, anger, impatience, irritability, presumption and despair than when in these states. And never am I more the seeker to be free from these conditions by pacifying my flesh, than in these seasons."
Never am I more vulnerable to temptation, anger, impatience, irritability, presumption and despair than when in these states. And never am I more the seeker to be free from these conditions by pacifying my flesh, than in these seasons."
Wednesday, November 29, 2006
she hoped ...
she hoped that day that it would rain...that it would rain and she would smell the freshly soaked earth...that it would rain and she would try catching a glimpse of that rare rainbow...that it would rain and she would see the grey skies...and that night, she slept with that hope...but it didn't rain...
she being the person she was, wished for the skies to pour the next day... but they didn't...so she wished and hoped the next day...and the next...and the next...
tired...she lost hope and decided to seclude herself...seclude herself from the rest...not to look up at the skies like the others...not to hope that the first rain drop would touch her face...and that night...she slept without her usual wish...
she shut the windows and the door...to resist that temptation inside her...to look at the skies...
and that day it rained...
she being the person she was, wished for the skies to pour the next day... but they didn't...so she wished and hoped the next day...and the next...and the next...
tired...she lost hope and decided to seclude herself...seclude herself from the rest...not to look up at the skies like the others...not to hope that the first rain drop would touch her face...and that night...she slept without her usual wish...
she shut the windows and the door...to resist that temptation inside her...to look at the skies...
and that day it rained...
Saturday, November 25, 2006
the past few days...have gone racing by...the files and vivas n syllabus makes little sense right now...despite the exams' dagger hanging overhead now...
its been a different time altogether...say the past 6-7 days....as though i've seen life in a different light...n now...i want to delve into the issues...to explore the pros and cons...
recently...i again saw the bitchy irritating and diplomatic side of females...n its pathetic...they r true bitches...each and every one of them in IGIT...the status ought to be converted to a bitching institute...
there was CAT...went OK...infact better than i expected and deserved...
and despite all this...i walked this road with people i never knew so well...with people i know are my friends...with whom i never got to spend a lot of time...but theres something connecting us...sanyal...bengali...rammy mummy...
spending the last year in college is strange...unique is the experience in its own sense....at least for me...for on one hand, i am relieved i wont have to see these hypocrite faces after 6 months...and yet...thinking where would my small gang be...!!
its been a different time altogether...say the past 6-7 days....as though i've seen life in a different light...n now...i want to delve into the issues...to explore the pros and cons...
recently...i again saw the bitchy irritating and diplomatic side of females...n its pathetic...they r true bitches...each and every one of them in IGIT...the status ought to be converted to a bitching institute...
there was CAT...went OK...infact better than i expected and deserved...
and despite all this...i walked this road with people i never knew so well...with people i know are my friends...with whom i never got to spend a lot of time...but theres something connecting us...sanyal...bengali...rammy mummy...
spending the last year in college is strange...unique is the experience in its own sense....at least for me...for on one hand, i am relieved i wont have to see these hypocrite faces after 6 months...and yet...thinking where would my small gang be...!!
i came across this article on the internet...
Child Abuse
Abuse is not just something that's learned from living with abusive parents. Suffering through abuse also appears to permanently lower the brain's production of an important regulator of emotions called serotonin. Low serotonin can make people more prone to acts of rejection, impulsive aggression and violence.
Child Abuse
Abuse is not just something that's learned from living with abusive parents. Suffering through abuse also appears to permanently lower the brain's production of an important regulator of emotions called serotonin. Low serotonin can make people more prone to acts of rejection, impulsive aggression and violence.
Sunday, October 29, 2006
Wednesday, October 11, 2006
Our very own chin2 bacha n amby bacha in the papers....
(from TOI - DT - 11/oct/06)
What do you think of India being ranked first in greasing hands all across the world?
“It works both ways. Bribes are paid as there are people who accept it willingly. You cannot always blame government officials. The situation is grim but not beyond redemption. The public can be of some help by not giving bribes.”
Amber Nagar I 21 I Student
“I think we need to consciously think about this social evil. And if nothing is done to root it out, it might get worse. Self-restraint, stricter laws and transparency in the system are the only ways to do away with corruption in India.”
Chinmay Bijwe I 21 I Student
Saturday, September 30, 2006
AIR SUPPLY - All out of love
I'm lying alone with my head on the phone
Thinking of you till it hurts
I know you hurt too but what else can we do
Tormented and torn apart
I wish I could carry your smile and my heart
For times when my life feels so low
It would make me believe what tomorrow could bring
When today doesn't really know, doesn't really know
I 'm all out of love, I'm so lost without you
I know you were right believing for so long
I 'm all out of love, what am I without you
I can't be too late to say that I was so wrong
I want you to come back and carry me home
Away from this long lonely nights
I'm reaching for you, are you feeling it too
Does the feeling seem oh so right
And what would you say if I called on you now
And said that I can't hold on
There's no easy way, it gets harder each day
Please love me or I'll be gone, I'll be gone
I 'm all out of love, I'm so lost without you
I know you were right believing for so long
I 'm all out of love, what am I without you
I can't be too late to say that I was so wrong
Oh, what are you thinking of?
What are you thinking of?
Oh, what are you thinking of?
What are you thinking of?
I 'm all out of love, I'm so lost without you
I know you were right believing for so long
I 'm all out of love, what am I without you
I can't be too late to say that I was so wrong
I 'm all out of love, I'm so lost without you
I know you were right believing for so long
I 'm all out of love, what am I without you
I can't be too late to say that I was so wrong
I 'm all out of love, I'm so lost without you
I know you were right believing for so long
I 'm all out of love, what am I without you
I can't be too late to say that I was so wrong
I'm lying alone with my head on the phone
Thinking of you till it hurts
I know you hurt too but what else can we do
Tormented and torn apart
I wish I could carry your smile and my heart
For times when my life feels so low
It would make me believe what tomorrow could bring
When today doesn't really know, doesn't really know
I 'm all out of love, I'm so lost without you
I know you were right believing for so long
I 'm all out of love, what am I without you
I can't be too late to say that I was so wrong
I want you to come back and carry me home
Away from this long lonely nights
I'm reaching for you, are you feeling it too
Does the feeling seem oh so right
And what would you say if I called on you now
And said that I can't hold on
There's no easy way, it gets harder each day
Please love me or I'll be gone, I'll be gone
I 'm all out of love, I'm so lost without you
I know you were right believing for so long
I 'm all out of love, what am I without you
I can't be too late to say that I was so wrong
Oh, what are you thinking of?
What are you thinking of?
Oh, what are you thinking of?
What are you thinking of?
I 'm all out of love, I'm so lost without you
I know you were right believing for so long
I 'm all out of love, what am I without you
I can't be too late to say that I was so wrong
I 'm all out of love, I'm so lost without you
I know you were right believing for so long
I 'm all out of love, what am I without you
I can't be too late to say that I was so wrong
I 'm all out of love, I'm so lost without you
I know you were right believing for so long
I 'm all out of love, what am I without you
I can't be too late to say that I was so wrong
Tuesday, September 26, 2006
Was it a mistake to trust u?
"But what if it turns out the wrong way? What if he gets angry?"
"Don't worry, girl...kuch nahi hoga...i'll do something..just wait for 10 minutes."
Kuch nahi hoga...3 mere words...but when heard from a friend...they are the most assuring words. Your heart beat falls down. And you smile. He is my friend after all. He won't let anything happen to me. He'll make sure i'm not interpreted wrong.
So I'm placed next to the wall. An apple on top of my head.
"Just close your eyes. Am I not your friend?"
Ahhh....yes you are :)
So i close my eyes. I know nothing will happen. After all, I have given my trust to you.
1min.
2mins.
Why is it taking time?...Ohhh....he must be taking a proper aim...
:)
I hear something. Something tearing apart the wind.
:)
Here it comes. It'll penetrate the apple. Does the apple have a worm inside? Just like the ones shown in cartoons?
Naaaah.....soup...kabhi toh sensible baatein socha kar....
Something hits me. Whats this?...Maybe the apple broke down...
But what is this?...I feel i'm hurt?...
I open my eyes....to see the blood seeping thru my shirt. I hold my chest. This is a joke right?..I'm dreaming...I start to call you out...but i feel dizzy...at a loss of energy...
I'm goin down...
The arrow...it...it passed through my chest...am i dying?
"wouldn't u save me?...u said kuch nahi hoga....."
I look at you...am i hallucinating?...are you actually smiling?...the same smile which i thought defines you...are you mocking me?...that i was hoodwinked so easily?...or are there tears in your eyes?
And i die...with a single question in my mind..."weren't you my frnd?..why did this happen?"
Sunday, September 24, 2006
Fractals
hmmm...i always thought fractals are something way beyond that crappy books - all those Hearn & Baker, Foley, Shaum Series... its something in your mind too...how you read them... when you see them...am sure even the most ghissu of all people don't see mathematical formulas dancing in front of their eyes...its their ideas...performing a ritual in front of them...hovering over them...and persuading them...asking them to believe the interpretation that has been created...
so here are a few fractals..these are ones which generate different thoughts in my mind when i look at them...different moods...different thoughts...different perceptions..
PS - thanks to enthu for refreshing my brain's DRAM, and retrieving the data about fractals...sahi SQL query daali boss!!...
Reading the Coldplay Code
(from an article online)
Shortly after release of the album, a number of the band's fans wondered if there was any particular significance to the arrangement of colored blocks on its cover. It turns out that there is and the blocks are arranged in a code developed in 1874. The code uses visual representations of 1's and 0's in a 5 digit sequence corresponding with particular letters of the alphabet and typographic symbols. It is considered by many to be the first truly digital form of communication and was a primary language used for telegraphy until it was replaced by Morse Code in the 20th Century.
The code was developed by Emile Baudot in 1874 to be used by telegraphers transmitting messages across wires.
In case you wonder what all the colors mean, it turns out they have no particular meaning and are only included for aesthetic reasons.
Chris Martin, lead singer of Coldplay, is a self-proclaimed intellectual nerd. The cover of the band's latest album X&Y may be all the proof we need that he's right.
Shortly after release of the album, a number of the band's fans wondered if there was any particular significance to the arrangement of colored blocks on its cover. It turns out that there is and the blocks are arranged in a code developed in 1874. The code uses visual representations of 1's and 0's in a 5 digit sequence corresponding with particular letters of the alphabet and typographic symbols. It is considered by many to be the first truly digital form of communication and was a primary language used for telegraphy until it was replaced by Morse Code in the 20th Century.
The code was developed by Emile Baudot in 1874 to be used by telegraphers transmitting messages across wires.
To create the code on the cover of the album the colored blocks are arranged in columns. In the lefthand column the black and grey colors are one block, the blank space below it is one block, and the red/orange, orange/green and green/blue combinations below are each one block. A colored block represents a 1 in the binary code and a blank block is a 0. Reading down, the code in the first column is 10111 which represents the letter 'X.' The far right colum reads 10101, the code for the letter 'Y.' The colums in the middle represent the & portion of the album title.
In case you wonder what all the colors mean, it turns out they have no particular meaning and are only included for aesthetic reasons.
Interesting. . .
The main library at Indiana University sinks over an inch every year because when it was built, engineers failed to take into account the weight of all the books that would occupy the building.
Saturday, September 23, 2006
ohh its back again...why do i feel this way?...over and over again?...and my mind...its all messed up...too much of chaos...things are so haphazard...i cant make out anythin...what belongs where...and why?
and the biggest question of all...why do i belong here?...do i really belong here?..i just want to be left alone...
i just wanna leave everything...but i dont want to move ahead...
i dont know anything...
i guess this is what i am...a question mark...
and the biggest question of all...why do i belong here?...do i really belong here?..i just want to be left alone...
i just wanna leave everything...but i dont want to move ahead...
i dont know anything...
i guess this is what i am...a question mark...
Forgot this 1...
this is actually the TV...VH1...was just idling around....n whoa!....i clicked a good one...
Friday, September 22, 2006
Thursday, September 21, 2006
The harder you hold onto things...the more they tend to move away from u...and even if they dont...after a time you tend to get away from them...
its like...repulsion WILL dominate...one day or the other....n then back to square one....trying to hold onto them...
but somehow, this times...its different.
my mind.
my thoughts.
i dont want to go back...and in any case...go back to what? to the stupid meetings and then the usual back bitching?
no.
not this time.
for this time it is different.
this time i want things to go away...or rather, i want to recede.
repulsion.
let it be.
Monday, September 11, 2006
Lost...
You scored as Sawyer.
On the outside you look like a rude, ignorant person, but you are really just misunderstood.Just remember two wrongs don't make a right.Revenge accomplishes nothing!
Sawyer 67%
Sayid 50%
Jack 50%
Sun 50%
Kate 50%
Michael 50%
Hurley 33%
Locke 17%
Claire 17%
Charlie 17%
What LOST Character Are You Most Like?
created with QuizFarm.com
On the outside you look like a rude, ignorant person, but you are really just misunderstood.Just remember two wrongs don't make a right.Revenge accomplishes nothing!
Sawyer 67%
Sayid 50%
Jack 50%
Sun 50%
Kate 50%
Michael 50%
Hurley 33%
Locke 17%
Claire 17%
Charlie 17%
What LOST Character Are You Most Like?
created with QuizFarm.com
Thursday, September 07, 2006
And I'd give up forever to touch you
Cuz I know that you feel me somehow
You're the closest to heaven that I'll ever be
And I don't want to go home right now
Cuz I know that you feel me somehow
You're the closest to heaven that I'll ever be
And I don't want to go home right now
And all I can taste is this moment
And all I can breathe is your life
Cuz sooner or later it's over
I just don't want to miss you tonight
And I don't want the world to see me
Cuz I don't think that they'd understand
When everything's made to be broken
I just want you to know who I am
And you can't fight the tears that ain't coming
Or the moment of truth in your lies
When everything feels like the movies
Yeah, you'd bleed just to know you're alive
And I don't want the world to see me
Cuz I don't think that they'd understand
When everything's made to be broken
I just want you to know who I am
And I don't want the world to see me
Cuz I don't think that they'd understand
When everything's made to be broken
I just want you to know who I am
And I don't want the world to see me
Cuz I don't think that they'd understand
When everything's made to be broken
I just want you to know who I am
I just want you to know who I am
I just want you to know who I am
I just want you to know who I am
Wednesday, September 06, 2006
The Day After Today !
if all goes well..then after 30 minutes from this time tomorrow, the scores would be in my hand...or at least in my ears from where the nervous system would transmit the information to the brain...and who knows how my reflexes would react!
i have this strange tendency of procrastinating work...now i dont know where to start revising stuff (yes, for a change...i have reached this stage of "revision" in my life...somewhat never done that from the past 3 years...engg after all...!)
so right now am left with:
- flicking pages...barrons..all the 3500 words...
- and blah blah...i know there would be loads left...
i hope i hope everything goes well tomorrow...i wish i wish...
:)
i have this strange tendency of procrastinating work...now i dont know where to start revising stuff (yes, for a change...i have reached this stage of "revision" in my life...somewhat never done that from the past 3 years...engg after all...!)
so right now am left with:
- flicking pages...barrons..all the 3500 words...
- and blah blah...i know there would be loads left...
i hope i hope everything goes well tomorrow...i wish i wish...
:)
Tuesday, September 05, 2006
The current picture
Too much of chaos...things messed up...and I find myself standing in the middle of the room...trying to figure out where to begin...from where do i start putting back the fragments?..into the main picture again..so that i can see...and realise what is happening..
people on this planet (let us confine that to this city at the moment) have an incorrigible disease...they show a lot of interest in others' lives...such profound interst...had they been showing that in their lives...this nation...would have been at par with any other developed nation of the world..!
the rest on my personal blog...shouldnt be mentioning names here in public...!
people on this planet (let us confine that to this city at the moment) have an incorrigible disease...they show a lot of interest in others' lives...such profound interst...had they been showing that in their lives...this nation...would have been at par with any other developed nation of the world..!
the rest on my personal blog...shouldnt be mentioning names here in public...!
Ahhh.... 2 more days!
dont actually know if this "ahhh" is an expression of relief or jitters...!
a higher probability is of the fact that it is a mixture of the two...both emotions entwined so thoroughly, its next to impossible to discern...
i dont even know how the preparation is... i mean...the score is sooooo fluctuating...one cant really conclude..n to speak the truth..others are more confident of my preparation than i myself am...!
lets see what happens....how things take a turn...hope they do for the better (score) !!
:
a higher probability is of the fact that it is a mixture of the two...both emotions entwined so thoroughly, its next to impossible to discern...
i dont even know how the preparation is... i mean...the score is sooooo fluctuating...one cant really conclude..n to speak the truth..others are more confident of my preparation than i myself am...!
lets see what happens....how things take a turn...hope they do for the better (score) !!
:
Monday, September 04, 2006
i am what i am...
“Why am I not in bed, like everyone else, dead to the world?
Why do I do this, live with the constant pain, the suffering, the sacrifice?
Why?
Because I can.
Because pain tells me I’m awake. Reminds me I’m alive.
Who am I?
I am the wrecker of steel. I am the crusher of mediocrity. I am the face of destiny. I am Animal...”
Why do I do this, live with the constant pain, the suffering, the sacrifice?
Why?
Because I can.
Because pain tells me I’m awake. Reminds me I’m alive.
Who am I?
I am the wrecker of steel. I am the crusher of mediocrity. I am the face of destiny. I am Animal...”
The Indian Search for EXTRAterrestrials
An unpardonable character of aliens is that they are spotted usually in white nations. It could be a prejudice influenced by an intergalactic understanding of the balance of power on this blue speck that floats somewhere in the outer reaches of a whirlpool galaxy that God is flushing right now, at the time of writing. After all, a simple interception of the most profitable films on Earth will suggest that no alien invasion is complete until the mayor of New York holds a press conference. Or more probably, alien sightings are the hallucinations of people with social security numbers who crave for fantastic mysteries because food comes easily to them. Whatever be the truth, ‘We are not alone’ is essentially a western anthem. But increasingly, Indians are joining this poignant quest that will one day change our philosophies, religions and the Miss Universe contest. Among these countrymen are respected scientists. But there are also endearing characters who are trying to prove that Ramayana’s battles, with flying machines and all that, were actually misunderstood records of alien contact. “And Ravana was an aeronautical engineer who learnt the technology from aliens,” according to a former professor of Indian Institute of Science.
The Balloon Over Hyderabad
There is a discomforting flaw in man’s many searches for life elsewhere. A space rover somewhere in Mars is searching for water. Telescopes on Earth are trying to spot long organic molecules in distant galaxies. Or they are waiting for a radio signal to arrive. Why does mankind presume that technology is a universal aspiration? Why must life elsewhere be organic? And dependent on water? There are Tamilians who can live without water. Some aliens, in all certainty, may not need it all. It is clear that man is not searching for aliens. Man is searching for man. It’s poignant. But what if, in the first place, all of humanity is extraterrestrial?
Jayant Narlikar, a much admired astrophysicist, was at the helm of a team that launched two balloons from a Hyderabad launch facility, to an altitude of about 42 km. The idea was to see if there are microbes at that height. The balloon’s altitude has a significance. Volcanic ash and factory pollutants that may carry microbes up into the atmosphere do not rise beyond 25 km. So the presence of microbes at the height of 42 km will suggest that they were not going up, they were coming down. From space. This is at the heart of what is called the Cosmic Ancestry Theory that says eternal spores carrying genetic material travel through the vastness of space for millions of years riding on orphaned comets. They are dormant agents of destiny that fall on different worlds. In some propitious circumstances, like on Earth, the life encoded inside the spores emerges. In time, species evolve. If this is true, we were all birthed somewhere far away, in what we call deep space and not in the primeval oceans of Earth.
The first balloon was launched over five years ago. The second went up a year back. These were huge astronomical balloons, 170 meters long. The balloons carried sterilised samplers that captured atmospheric air. “The results of the second experiment are awaited,” Narlikar says. Samples are being studied in India right now and the conclusions are expected by the end of this year. The first experiment yielded curious results. The Cardiff Lab in England had studied one set of samples and an Indian lab another. “I was not part of the first launch but I am given to understand that the Cardiff Lab said that it saw something. The Indian lab did not,” says RK Manchanda from the Tata Institute of Fundamental Research, who was associated with the second experiment.
Red rain over Kerala
In 2001, between July and September, central Kerala experienced something very strange. There were sporadic red rains. Godfrey Louis, a physicist from Mahatma Gandhi University, has been studying the samples. His conclusions are disturbing. He has found biological cells that multiply at a temperature of 300º C, unprecedented on Earth. More curious is his claim that these cells do not have DNA. Never has a self replicating cell been discovered on Earth that does not have a DNA molecule.
“My hypothesis is that a comet, about 10-20 meters in width, weighing 50 tonnes disintegrated in the atmosphere. Remnant particles floated for days between 20 to 40 km above Earth, moving 500 meters per day in a downward travel.” And when they merged with the rain clouds, it poured red over Kerala. The research into red rain has fetched Louis international attention. One of the most famous proponents of the Cosmic Ancestry theory, Chandra Wickramasinghe, paid him a visit. The Cardiff Lab is studying the red rain samples, easing the burden of Louis who dipping into his modest resources for the research.
The signal will come
For many years, huge radio telescopes have gaped at the sky waiting for a radio wave signal from a civilisation which will be inclined to do that. One such telescope is the Arecibo in Puerto Rico which mails observational data by post to the University of California, Berkeley. A software created by the university studies this data which are millions of shuddering computer graphs that represent radio signals. The software tries to find anomalies in the graphs, a steep rise for instance that will represent a radio signal that is not caused by a heavenly body.
The software needs considerable space to scan all the data and that is made possible by what is called a distributed computing project which invites any PC user with a net connection anywhere in the world to lend his disc space. The volunteer downloads the software and it runs on his machine, as it does on over five million computers in the world, making it the largest computation in the history of mankind, according to the Guinness World Records. Hundreds of Indians are involved in this, from a boy aged eight to scores of men in their fifties. (Girls, it seems, seldom search for intelligent life). These participants do not need any computer expertise. They merely lend their computer time for the great cause.
India too has impressive radio telescopes, like the Giant Meterwave Radio Telescopes, an array of white monsters that stand one after the other in the middle of sheer desolation, near Pune. By studying the faint signals from the sky, they piece together a bold understanding of distant bodies. “But they do not search for ET,” says Govind Swarup, sometimes known as the father of radio astronomy in India. “I have tried to infuse the excitement of SETI in India. Met people. Tried to convince them. Gave lectures to students but it seems, in our country, even young people want to do what they think is serious science.”
Indra was an alien
The incurable tendency of many Indians to believe that this is a special land, once home to great cerebral advances, has also spawned a research into alien landings here during the vedic period. Such research is usually an interpretation of mythologies. Referring to flying machines and weapons in Mahabharata and Ramayana, a Sanskrit scholar announced some years ago, “These were space vehicles similar to the flying saucers.” Even a former professor of aeronautics from the Indian Institute of Science says after promised anonymity, “A reason why we were so superior in the olden days may have been because of a technology transfer from aliens. Our gods may have originally been representations of extraterrestrial visitors.”
It is possible that aliens, not Bangladeshis but proper extraterrestrials still visit the great country. And probably sweeten the Arabian Sea.
The Balloon Over Hyderabad
There is a discomforting flaw in man’s many searches for life elsewhere. A space rover somewhere in Mars is searching for water. Telescopes on Earth are trying to spot long organic molecules in distant galaxies. Or they are waiting for a radio signal to arrive. Why does mankind presume that technology is a universal aspiration? Why must life elsewhere be organic? And dependent on water? There are Tamilians who can live without water. Some aliens, in all certainty, may not need it all. It is clear that man is not searching for aliens. Man is searching for man. It’s poignant. But what if, in the first place, all of humanity is extraterrestrial?
Jayant Narlikar, a much admired astrophysicist, was at the helm of a team that launched two balloons from a Hyderabad launch facility, to an altitude of about 42 km. The idea was to see if there are microbes at that height. The balloon’s altitude has a significance. Volcanic ash and factory pollutants that may carry microbes up into the atmosphere do not rise beyond 25 km. So the presence of microbes at the height of 42 km will suggest that they were not going up, they were coming down. From space. This is at the heart of what is called the Cosmic Ancestry Theory that says eternal spores carrying genetic material travel through the vastness of space for millions of years riding on orphaned comets. They are dormant agents of destiny that fall on different worlds. In some propitious circumstances, like on Earth, the life encoded inside the spores emerges. In time, species evolve. If this is true, we were all birthed somewhere far away, in what we call deep space and not in the primeval oceans of Earth.
The first balloon was launched over five years ago. The second went up a year back. These were huge astronomical balloons, 170 meters long. The balloons carried sterilised samplers that captured atmospheric air. “The results of the second experiment are awaited,” Narlikar says. Samples are being studied in India right now and the conclusions are expected by the end of this year. The first experiment yielded curious results. The Cardiff Lab in England had studied one set of samples and an Indian lab another. “I was not part of the first launch but I am given to understand that the Cardiff Lab said that it saw something. The Indian lab did not,” says RK Manchanda from the Tata Institute of Fundamental Research, who was associated with the second experiment.
Red rain over Kerala
In 2001, between July and September, central Kerala experienced something very strange. There were sporadic red rains. Godfrey Louis, a physicist from Mahatma Gandhi University, has been studying the samples. His conclusions are disturbing. He has found biological cells that multiply at a temperature of 300º C, unprecedented on Earth. More curious is his claim that these cells do not have DNA. Never has a self replicating cell been discovered on Earth that does not have a DNA molecule.
“My hypothesis is that a comet, about 10-20 meters in width, weighing 50 tonnes disintegrated in the atmosphere. Remnant particles floated for days between 20 to 40 km above Earth, moving 500 meters per day in a downward travel.” And when they merged with the rain clouds, it poured red over Kerala. The research into red rain has fetched Louis international attention. One of the most famous proponents of the Cosmic Ancestry theory, Chandra Wickramasinghe, paid him a visit. The Cardiff Lab is studying the red rain samples, easing the burden of Louis who dipping into his modest resources for the research.
The signal will come
For many years, huge radio telescopes have gaped at the sky waiting for a radio wave signal from a civilisation which will be inclined to do that. One such telescope is the Arecibo in Puerto Rico which mails observational data by post to the University of California, Berkeley. A software created by the university studies this data which are millions of shuddering computer graphs that represent radio signals. The software tries to find anomalies in the graphs, a steep rise for instance that will represent a radio signal that is not caused by a heavenly body.
The software needs considerable space to scan all the data and that is made possible by what is called a distributed computing project which invites any PC user with a net connection anywhere in the world to lend his disc space. The volunteer downloads the software and it runs on his machine, as it does on over five million computers in the world, making it the largest computation in the history of mankind, according to the Guinness World Records. Hundreds of Indians are involved in this, from a boy aged eight to scores of men in their fifties. (Girls, it seems, seldom search for intelligent life). These participants do not need any computer expertise. They merely lend their computer time for the great cause.
India too has impressive radio telescopes, like the Giant Meterwave Radio Telescopes, an array of white monsters that stand one after the other in the middle of sheer desolation, near Pune. By studying the faint signals from the sky, they piece together a bold understanding of distant bodies. “But they do not search for ET,” says Govind Swarup, sometimes known as the father of radio astronomy in India. “I have tried to infuse the excitement of SETI in India. Met people. Tried to convince them. Gave lectures to students but it seems, in our country, even young people want to do what they think is serious science.”
Indra was an alien
The incurable tendency of many Indians to believe that this is a special land, once home to great cerebral advances, has also spawned a research into alien landings here during the vedic period. Such research is usually an interpretation of mythologies. Referring to flying machines and weapons in Mahabharata and Ramayana, a Sanskrit scholar announced some years ago, “These were space vehicles similar to the flying saucers.” Even a former professor of aeronautics from the Indian Institute of Science says after promised anonymity, “A reason why we were so superior in the olden days may have been because of a technology transfer from aliens. Our gods may have originally been representations of extraterrestrial visitors.”
It is possible that aliens, not Bangladeshis but proper extraterrestrials still visit the great country. And probably sweeten the Arabian Sea.
The Pigment of our Imagination !
Why are Indians, the world’s greatest racial profilers, pretending to be shocked when others profile them? Shobhan Saxena on his personal experiences
(from TOI dated 03/09/06)
The tip of the nozzle was cold like an icicle. As the man pressed the handgun against a twittering artery on my neck, the crawling train stopped with a jerk and his face became clear in the sweep of white light slicing through the coach. His red eyes scanned the twinge on my forehead through two holes in the blue hood on his face and his black finger quivered nervously on the trigger, sending a wave of shivers down my sweat-covered body. Then he spoke in a blood-curdling baritone: “I got a gun. You got something, brother?” I slipped two $100 bills into his left hand. He looked out, slunk through the sliding doors, turned back and said, “Thank you, bro.” With his green eyes piercing my face, the police officer asked me to describe the mugger. “Black man, about 6 feet, good built and glowering eyes,” I said. “This could be almost any black man in America. C’mon mister, move on,” he snarled. Robbed by a black guy and humiliated by a white cop on a damp night in Chicago, as I dragged my feet through the snow and a frosty gale, I wondered if they are all racists. Do they hate us, the brown-skins?
On the morning of 9/11, when I was fast asleep at home in Queens, New York, the melanin in my skin suddenly became deeper. Suddenly, fellow New Yorkers began to notice the shape of my eyes and the sharpness of my nose. Suddenly, the craggy hair on my face turned into a ‘Shiite’ beard.
At the Sports Bar in Madison Square Garden, two white blokes offered to buy me a drink: “You drink jet fuel, right?” Outside the Punjab restaurant in Long Island, a bunch of yobs reminded me of my nationality: “You bloody Paki, go back to your Poon-jaab.” At Lexington Avenue, a man blocked the door as I tried to board the train: “F*** off, you f****ing Arab.” Outside a grocery store in Washington DC, a drunken lout updated me on geo-politics: “Your Taliban is finished. We smashed your Kabul today.” And, on a flight from DC to JFK, an air hostess gave me a lesson in men’s room manners when I got up to go to the loo: “Don't move. Sit tight, it’s a short flight.”
With dark clouds of racial prejudice hanging over the City, I spent a few hours with Hardeep and his friends, the lads of Punjabi-By-Nature-Boys gang who rule the streets at night. They picked me from a dark corner in Jackson Heights. With his mighty rib cage boasting of a huge tattoo of two swords in semicircle and his headphones screaming a hate song, Hardeep played with the gas pedal as his BMW flew on Bhangra beats. They rolled spliffs and smashed empty beer bottles on the road. “So, what do you think is goin’ on here, this racial profiling and all,” I shot a question and they all began to talk at the same time. We’re tough guys, we no pansies. We’re not black. We’re not white. They all pick on us. They call us smelly Indians. We take no shit from no SOBs who call us FOBs. We ain’t afraid of no White trash. We don’t give no shit to no nigga. We gonna bust all Dot Busters. We ain’t afraid of no blood. We won’t let no Latino slut dime us out. Our life is tough, but we love pain. We wanna go out with a hole in our head. We hate our parents. They don’t know nothing. We hate everyone.
So, we hate them too. We always have, actually.
Many years ago, while studying in London, I used to work at an Indian restaurant in Hounslow for a couple of hours a day to make some money.
As I would sit behind the cash register and pass on the orders to the cooks in the kitchen, an old white man in blue pants, a grey tweed jacket and a black hat would be mopping the floor. His frail hands moved from side to side in a slow rhythm as Gulati, the café owner, hurled profanities at him in Punjabi. The man, fallen off the National Health Service and social security network, worked like a dog. He wiped the huge glass windows, mopped the floor, cleaned the tables, filled water jugs, removed the trays, carried massive grocery bags and put garbage in the trashcans as Gulati paid filthy tributes to his mother, sister and daughters. At night, just before we downed the shutter, Gulati would bark at him: “Babaji, roti kha lo,” and the man would wash his hands and look at me with his moist blue eyes. One day, as I gave him a plate of mutton chops, aloo patties, chickpeas and some green salad, I asked him how he understood Gulati’s command for dinner. “He is always insulting me, but when he asks me to have food he hisses pure hate. That’s how I know,” he said, shifting his gaze back to the mutton chops.
Our Sundays were so full of hate. In the morning, I would be at the Gurdwara with my old aunt. In the evening I would be at Glassy Junction, a Punjabi bar in Southhall. At both the places, the chatter was always the same: the white man is an evil and the black man is a devil.
In Birmingham, I met a middle-aged Indian man who wanted to slit the throat of his daughter because she had a black boyfriend. In Glasgow, I saw a Pakistani girl being kicked and dragged into a car by his brothers from the house of her white boyfriend. In Manhattan, I saw a black boy being punched because he gatecrashed a Basement Bhangra party.
We may not admit it, but we practise the worst kind of racism with others as well as within our society. Apart from ridiculing the vegetarians as ghass-phoos eaters, Imran Khan, that famous, Oxfordeducated, sexy, sultan of swing, is infamously on record for referring to India as the south “where we Pathans have always gone to screw women”. And in our part of the world, the alleged twice-borns carry a seething hatred for the lower castes and born-agains.
We practice racism in a subtle manner. We know it’s not in the colour of your skin. It’s not about biology. It’s about culture. Through caste and religion, we have institutionalised and legitimised racism. That’s why we have a culture of hate wielded by an equally strong culture of silence. That’s why we leave no opportunity to abuse a black man.
And look at the black man. Even when he robs you, he calls you ‘brother’.
(from TOI dated 03/09/06)
The tip of the nozzle was cold like an icicle. As the man pressed the handgun against a twittering artery on my neck, the crawling train stopped with a jerk and his face became clear in the sweep of white light slicing through the coach. His red eyes scanned the twinge on my forehead through two holes in the blue hood on his face and his black finger quivered nervously on the trigger, sending a wave of shivers down my sweat-covered body. Then he spoke in a blood-curdling baritone: “I got a gun. You got something, brother?” I slipped two $100 bills into his left hand. He looked out, slunk through the sliding doors, turned back and said, “Thank you, bro.” With his green eyes piercing my face, the police officer asked me to describe the mugger. “Black man, about 6 feet, good built and glowering eyes,” I said. “This could be almost any black man in America. C’mon mister, move on,” he snarled. Robbed by a black guy and humiliated by a white cop on a damp night in Chicago, as I dragged my feet through the snow and a frosty gale, I wondered if they are all racists. Do they hate us, the brown-skins?
On the morning of 9/11, when I was fast asleep at home in Queens, New York, the melanin in my skin suddenly became deeper. Suddenly, fellow New Yorkers began to notice the shape of my eyes and the sharpness of my nose. Suddenly, the craggy hair on my face turned into a ‘Shiite’ beard.
At the Sports Bar in Madison Square Garden, two white blokes offered to buy me a drink: “You drink jet fuel, right?” Outside the Punjab restaurant in Long Island, a bunch of yobs reminded me of my nationality: “You bloody Paki, go back to your Poon-jaab.” At Lexington Avenue, a man blocked the door as I tried to board the train: “F*** off, you f****ing Arab.” Outside a grocery store in Washington DC, a drunken lout updated me on geo-politics: “Your Taliban is finished. We smashed your Kabul today.” And, on a flight from DC to JFK, an air hostess gave me a lesson in men’s room manners when I got up to go to the loo: “Don't move. Sit tight, it’s a short flight.”
With dark clouds of racial prejudice hanging over the City, I spent a few hours with Hardeep and his friends, the lads of Punjabi-By-Nature-Boys gang who rule the streets at night. They picked me from a dark corner in Jackson Heights. With his mighty rib cage boasting of a huge tattoo of two swords in semicircle and his headphones screaming a hate song, Hardeep played with the gas pedal as his BMW flew on Bhangra beats. They rolled spliffs and smashed empty beer bottles on the road. “So, what do you think is goin’ on here, this racial profiling and all,” I shot a question and they all began to talk at the same time. We’re tough guys, we no pansies. We’re not black. We’re not white. They all pick on us. They call us smelly Indians. We take no shit from no SOBs who call us FOBs. We ain’t afraid of no White trash. We don’t give no shit to no nigga. We gonna bust all Dot Busters. We ain’t afraid of no blood. We won’t let no Latino slut dime us out. Our life is tough, but we love pain. We wanna go out with a hole in our head. We hate our parents. They don’t know nothing. We hate everyone.
So, we hate them too. We always have, actually.
Many years ago, while studying in London, I used to work at an Indian restaurant in Hounslow for a couple of hours a day to make some money.
As I would sit behind the cash register and pass on the orders to the cooks in the kitchen, an old white man in blue pants, a grey tweed jacket and a black hat would be mopping the floor. His frail hands moved from side to side in a slow rhythm as Gulati, the café owner, hurled profanities at him in Punjabi. The man, fallen off the National Health Service and social security network, worked like a dog. He wiped the huge glass windows, mopped the floor, cleaned the tables, filled water jugs, removed the trays, carried massive grocery bags and put garbage in the trashcans as Gulati paid filthy tributes to his mother, sister and daughters. At night, just before we downed the shutter, Gulati would bark at him: “Babaji, roti kha lo,” and the man would wash his hands and look at me with his moist blue eyes. One day, as I gave him a plate of mutton chops, aloo patties, chickpeas and some green salad, I asked him how he understood Gulati’s command for dinner. “He is always insulting me, but when he asks me to have food he hisses pure hate. That’s how I know,” he said, shifting his gaze back to the mutton chops.
Our Sundays were so full of hate. In the morning, I would be at the Gurdwara with my old aunt. In the evening I would be at Glassy Junction, a Punjabi bar in Southhall. At both the places, the chatter was always the same: the white man is an evil and the black man is a devil.
In Birmingham, I met a middle-aged Indian man who wanted to slit the throat of his daughter because she had a black boyfriend. In Glasgow, I saw a Pakistani girl being kicked and dragged into a car by his brothers from the house of her white boyfriend. In Manhattan, I saw a black boy being punched because he gatecrashed a Basement Bhangra party.
We may not admit it, but we practise the worst kind of racism with others as well as within our society. Apart from ridiculing the vegetarians as ghass-phoos eaters, Imran Khan, that famous, Oxfordeducated, sexy, sultan of swing, is infamously on record for referring to India as the south “where we Pathans have always gone to screw women”. And in our part of the world, the alleged twice-borns carry a seething hatred for the lower castes and born-agains.
We practice racism in a subtle manner. We know it’s not in the colour of your skin. It’s not about biology. It’s about culture. Through caste and religion, we have institutionalised and legitimised racism. That’s why we have a culture of hate wielded by an equally strong culture of silence. That’s why we leave no opportunity to abuse a black man.
And look at the black man. Even when he robs you, he calls you ‘brother’.
Sunday, September 03, 2006
yipeee.... (hope it continues)
yipeeee....even when a minute news shows up...i just start jumping...even though i know i shouldn't...
scoring good on the practice tests these days...hope the mark continues...
:)
rest...nothing much...just the same...slightly better though i would say...masks being revealed again...
girls....gosh!!>..i hate them...even more now...
scoring good on the practice tests these days...hope the mark continues...
:)
rest...nothing much...just the same...slightly better though i would say...masks being revealed again...
girls....gosh!!>..i hate them...even more now...
Friday, September 01, 2006
Phew... !
a few days from now....not even 7...will have the GRE total in my hands...even the thought makes me shiver...how am i going to fare?...life has become so "ghissu" these days...all i do is do verbal activities...dad scolding me...and all tht keeps going on in my brain n synonyms...we 5-6 vella people of ece 2k3 are gossiping...and what goes on in my head again?...synonyms...!!
lol...but its good...finally am focussed on something...and this around...i dont want to screw up my career...landing up in igit was enough...not again...n job....well..uske liye toh main chhoti bachi hoon naaa? :p
so...even on this post i am back to talking gre!!>..not what i wanted to write...but i guess again its good that gre is dominating all other domains of my life right now....yes...ALL other!!...ummm...well...not exactly!!
ummm....had some negative thoughts in my mind...but i guess that will have to wait for sometime...not in a too negative mood today...
just pray that i do well.. :)
back to studies then i guess...my thoughts...just wait for a few more days.... :)
lol...but its good...finally am focussed on something...and this around...i dont want to screw up my career...landing up in igit was enough...not again...n job....well..uske liye toh main chhoti bachi hoon naaa? :p
so...even on this post i am back to talking gre!!>..not what i wanted to write...but i guess again its good that gre is dominating all other domains of my life right now....yes...ALL other!!...ummm...well...not exactly!!
ummm....had some negative thoughts in my mind...but i guess that will have to wait for sometime...not in a too negative mood today...
just pray that i do well.. :)
back to studies then i guess...my thoughts...just wait for a few more days.... :)
Tuesday, August 29, 2006
its goin down....
whoa!!...now i know what it feels like to be tensed...sort of an achievement for me...getting tensed...bt its not much of a pleasure...the feeling....not very pleasant...the date is drawing closer...and i still feel i dont know anything....math getting tougher..or rather smart...and verbal...!!...what about it??...
gre aint tough...but yes...i somehow need to regain that composure...
when i look at it...loads to go through...barrons n big book...
its like...either i have loads to do...or nothing at all...stuff happening at college too....and then school gang...what the fuck??...cant everything wait till i get over with gre and toefl??
gre aint tough...but yes...i somehow need to regain that composure...
when i look at it...loads to go through...barrons n big book...
its like...either i have loads to do...or nothing at all...stuff happening at college too....and then school gang...what the fuck??...cant everything wait till i get over with gre and toefl??
Friday, August 25, 2006
:)
aaahhhhh....yes.....the breeze is blowing again...with that mild fragrance that can keep me smiling perpetually...and closing my eyes...i can hear those words ringing a bell in my heart...and i smile again...
:)
this is beautiful...
:)
this is beautiful...
its back...
changes...in my life...for me...are so sudden...i myself dont realize something has changed till the time i sit down and ponder over things...or till the time someone comes over and questions me...that question itself is irritating sometimes...not only because i hate people prying in my life...but also because it just shows that others are able to see that change in me before i am able to...
anyways...no point digressing into the sphere of my thoughts...for they themselves appear ironic to me...and getting back to the point...YES!...something did happen...and this change...frankly speaking...i dont think i can handle it...for i believed thoroughly she would be able to understand me...for i thoroughly believed she wouldnt be one of those people who stand there mocking me...
but it happened...yet again...strenthening the highly claimed argument that i am a wrong person...one day you are with a person...talking away....and stuff...and BANG !!...yes the big explosion just took place...only in this case, it was the big "implosion"...and it destroyed something from within me...and today...i hate her (though not in a similar way i used to hate A)...its actually a few degrees below hatred...more of i-dont-know-what (need to think of some GRE word)...but yes...today i do hate every moment i spent with her...i do hate her presence... i do hate the times i thought she understood my plight...i cant be that harsh...i know she did...and maybe still does...people are more sensible than me...maybe i m the one wrong here...but well...this is what i perceive...
ohh this fucking college!!....how i loathe the very thought of sitting in the class everyday...watching hypocrisy every moment...bitches digging up graves for each other...and just waiting for that perfect moment....to shove you in...yet these are the days i know i would miss at some stage of my life...
yes...people come and go...and for me now...my life is all about that one person...who presence makes all the difference in the world...the rest of the people...well...apart from a handful of them i'm sure i dont feel a thing for them...
yes i am like this...i hate this feeling i have within me...but its not always that it shows...its not even always that its present...comes out only when i'm depressed, low and lonely..thats when my alinenation catches up with me...and thats when i need you...
anyways...no point digressing into the sphere of my thoughts...for they themselves appear ironic to me...and getting back to the point...YES!...something did happen...and this change...frankly speaking...i dont think i can handle it...for i believed thoroughly she would be able to understand me...for i thoroughly believed she wouldnt be one of those people who stand there mocking me...
but it happened...yet again...strenthening the highly claimed argument that i am a wrong person...one day you are with a person...talking away....and stuff...and BANG !!...yes the big explosion just took place...only in this case, it was the big "implosion"...and it destroyed something from within me...and today...i hate her (though not in a similar way i used to hate A)...its actually a few degrees below hatred...more of i-dont-know-what (need to think of some GRE word)...but yes...today i do hate every moment i spent with her...i do hate her presence... i do hate the times i thought she understood my plight...i cant be that harsh...i know she did...and maybe still does...people are more sensible than me...maybe i m the one wrong here...but well...this is what i perceive...
ohh this fucking college!!....how i loathe the very thought of sitting in the class everyday...watching hypocrisy every moment...bitches digging up graves for each other...and just waiting for that perfect moment....to shove you in...yet these are the days i know i would miss at some stage of my life...
yes...people come and go...and for me now...my life is all about that one person...who presence makes all the difference in the world...the rest of the people...well...apart from a handful of them i'm sure i dont feel a thing for them...
yes i am like this...i hate this feeling i have within me...but its not always that it shows...its not even always that its present...comes out only when i'm depressed, low and lonely..thats when my alinenation catches up with me...and thats when i need you...
Thursday, August 24, 2006
Saturday, July 29, 2006
POP Science
A new technology allows researchers to write on water. The AMOEBA (Advanced Multiple Organised Experimental Basin), a tank created by Mitsui Engineering forms letters with standing waves. This remarkable display device consists of f0 water-wave generators surrounding a five feet wide and a foot deep cylindrical tank. The wave generators move vertically to produce cylindrical waves. These “pixels”, four inches in diameter and 1.5 inches in height, form lines and shapes. AMOEBA can form all Roman alphabet, as well as some kanji characters. Each letter takes fifteen seconds to produce.
Tuesday, July 25, 2006
My blog without blogthings??...naah!!
Your Famous Last Words Will Be: |
 |
You Communicate With Your Eyes |
 When you say, "I'll believe it when I see it" - you really mean it. For you, what you see is a lot more important than what you hear. You don't take someone's words at face value. You judge people by their facial expressions, body language, and appearance. You tend to be quiet, but when you talk, you tend to make eye contact and describe things in colorful detail. |
Sunday, July 23, 2006
Kabir
Have you not heard the tune which the Unstruck Music is playing? in the midst of the chamber the harp of joy is gently and sweetly played; and where is the need of going without to hear it?
If you have not drunk of the nectar of that One Love, what boots it though you should purge yourself of all stains?
The Kazi is searching the words of the Koran, and instructing others: but if his heart be not steeped in that love, what does it avail, though he be a teacher of men?
The Yogi dyes his garments with red: but if he knows naught of that colour of love, what does it avail though his garments be tinted?
Kabîr says: "Whether I be in the temple or the balcony, in the camp or in the flower garden, I tell you truly that every moment my Lord is taking His delight in me."
Feels like spring again !
this was one of my favourite posts on my previous blogs too...for this is really very very true...and the moment you read it...and think about it...you are enthralled...this is tenacious...
I had thought I will never be able to breathe in fresh air. I had thought I will never be able to smell the grass the way I used to. I thought I ll never be able to live.......but knowing you, there are days when I breathe. There are days I smell the grass. Being with you is living.....I loathed myself before you came along.....and now I am too scared to lose you......because I love you.....As always I dont want to promise you anything.....but jus that you are my reality.....my comfort and my happiness.....its amazin being with you every single minute that I get to do that......its lonely when you are'nt around.....I have my past...and so do u......but you are my present.....whether you believe it or not! I live for my present.....and to make my future beautiful.....I am just asking for you to hold my hand.....and I shall give everything I have to you.....coz the only thing I want is you.......
You got a fast car
I want a ticket to anywhere
Maybe we make a deal
Maybe together we can get somewhere
Anyplace is better
Starting from zero got nothing to lose
Maybe we'll make something
But me myself I got nothing to prove
You got a fast car
And I got a plan to get us out of here
I been working at the convenience store
Managed to save just a little bit of money
We won't have to drive too far
Just 'cross the border and into the city
You and I can both get jobs
And finally see what it means to be living
You see my old man's got a problem
He live with the bottle that's the way it is
He says his body's too old for working
I say his body's too young to look like his
My mama went off and left him
She wanted more from life than he could give
I said somebody's got to take care of him
So I quit school and that's what I did
You got a fast car
But is it fast enough so we can fly away
We gotta make a decision
We leave tonight or live and die this way
I remember we were driving driving in your car
The speed so fast I felt like I was drunk C
ity lights lay out before us
And your arm felt nice wrapped 'round my shoulder
And I had a feeling that I belonged
And I had a feeling I could be someone, be someone, be someone......
Tracy Chapman
I had thought I will never be able to breathe in fresh air. I had thought I will never be able to smell the grass the way I used to. I thought I ll never be able to live.......but knowing you, there are days when I breathe. There are days I smell the grass. Being with you is living.....I loathed myself before you came along.....and now I am too scared to lose you......because I love you.....As always I dont want to promise you anything.....but jus that you are my reality.....my comfort and my happiness.....its amazin being with you every single minute that I get to do that......its lonely when you are'nt around.....I have my past...and so do u......but you are my present.....whether you believe it or not! I live for my present.....and to make my future beautiful.....I am just asking for you to hold my hand.....and I shall give everything I have to you.....coz the only thing I want is you.......
You got a fast car
I want a ticket to anywhere
Maybe we make a deal
Maybe together we can get somewhere
Anyplace is better
Starting from zero got nothing to lose
Maybe we'll make something
But me myself I got nothing to prove
You got a fast car
And I got a plan to get us out of here
I been working at the convenience store
Managed to save just a little bit of money
We won't have to drive too far
Just 'cross the border and into the city
You and I can both get jobs
And finally see what it means to be living
You see my old man's got a problem
He live with the bottle that's the way it is
He says his body's too old for working
I say his body's too young to look like his
My mama went off and left him
She wanted more from life than he could give
I said somebody's got to take care of him
So I quit school and that's what I did
You got a fast car
But is it fast enough so we can fly away
We gotta make a decision
We leave tonight or live and die this way
I remember we were driving driving in your car
The speed so fast I felt like I was drunk C
ity lights lay out before us
And your arm felt nice wrapped 'round my shoulder
And I had a feeling that I belonged
And I had a feeling I could be someone, be someone, be someone......
Tracy Chapman
New Beginning
well...it ought to be one...but lets see...now almost regretting my act of deleting my previous blog...there were a few posts which i liked...but well...i need a new start....or a better continuity...
so here i go...
right now...i dont think there is any picture inside my mind...most of what there is...is all muddled...one thought superimposing the other...
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