December 18, 2006

Brain upgrade

Does it bother u that i ping u sometimes?” A good friend of mine IMed me that question. I knew the reason behind that question. For the past few weeks, my IMs were getting shorter and shorter and emitted less warmth. What to do… Past weeks saw many things running in parallel through my brain. The parallel processing capacity of my brain is very bad and my mind doesn't do a good context-switching. I wish I could upgrade my brain ;-) Anyways, the result of this poor show by my brain is reflecting in my interpersonal relationship. I wish human beings, esp. me, had a better context-switching programmed in their brain. Perhaps the distant future can offer some solution to it. And perhaps, in the near future, I can train my brain to be more careful not to let my surroundings know that I'm very poor in multi-tasking and context-switching...

The Candy Dish

Once upon a time, when I went to US to work in the US branch of my company, my friends and I came across this cubicle of a lady, who used to keep lot of candies in a dish on her desk. She used to leave the dish, filled with mouth-watering candies, out in the open. If you have been to US, you would be knowing that it is a common practice to leave candies, pastries etc in the common place/room/desk to celebrate birthdays, anniversaries etc. Please note the word "common place/room/desk"; NOT private cubicles or desks.

Just as how cats and fishes are inseparable, we unsophisticated, naive Indians found those candies quite hard to resist. The late night work, growling stomach and the unguarded candy dish - brimming with chocolates - made us commit that crime: Every night, we started picking a few candies from that dish. The longer the night stay, the more the chocolates started vanishing. Soon the true owner of the candies - the lady - realized that there is something fishy going on. She locked her candy dish in her cabinet and thus ended our rendezvous with her candies.


We thought the story ended there. But we were wrong. A few years later, Scott Adams published this story in his cartoon...







When not to download your mentation...

Sometimes it is dangerous to share a piece of thought. If you find yourself struggling to contain the thought in words, that is when you should realize the lingering of the danger - of misinterpreting your thought. Certain thoughts are not meant to be expressed. Your lose grip on the language would have clamped down your ability to let that thought express itself freely, in its full form. A mentation expressed partially can cost you dear. Quoting your thought out-of-context and dragging you to a full blown argument is just one of the results of the inability of the listener to digest your thought properly.

The linguistic skill of the listener or reader also has got an impact... but relatively less. If the numbers of such folks are in majority, or that particular person is important to you, it is better to keep the thought to you. Lest you will hurt yourself.

There is another place where you should not express your thoughts or ideas - in a big meeting. If you are having a genuine, nice piece of idea, which is out-of-the-box, and you do not want to see it being gang raped, keep mum. Express it at the right place and get the concurrence from the crucial members before taking it to such a large gathering.

Love and Freedom

They say that... if you love somebody, set that person free. If he comes back he is yours.

I believe in it.

This line of thought has a hidden meaning encapsulated in it. Not many notices. Yes, the conspicuous and obvious subjects of that thought are lovers. But there are other relationships, bound with love, which comes within the realm of that philosophy. Relationships like parent-AdultChild, sibling-sibling, husband-wife, friend-friend etc. can't escape from the gravitation pull of it.

When the definition of love is taken in a broader sense and the element called 'control' is brought into picture, the hidden meaning rises from obscurity.

Control!? Yep... the nemesis of freedom: Your grown-up-son loves adventure sports. But you don't like him doing that because you fear it will kill him. Hence you control him! Your husband loves golf. But you hate him playing that. Hence you emotionally blackmail him and control him!

How many times have you tried to control your loved ones? How many times have you tried to prevent them from doing what they like, because you dislike what they enjoy? How many times have you tried to emotionally blackmail them... all this because you don't agree with what they do! That 'control' might work for a few times. Not for ever. Initially, 'control' did well because it had the backing of 'love'. And that 'love' takes the beating when you start exercising 'control'. Love - that bound you with you deared ones - fades away into oblivion, and control will soon find itself lonely, unable to exercise its power anymore.

The best way to control a person, if you ever want to, is to hand over the rein to him and not even dream of controlling him - a tough ask! Assuming you can reason out with that person, let him know that you don't agree with what that person does. Let him also know that you support what he does because you know that he enjoys doing it. When you say that, MEAN EVERY WORD OF IT. Full stop! Now hold the hands of patience and see how beautiful life can get. See how beautiful turns it can take you through. Love sans control can gift you the most beautiful life you could have ever dreamt of.

Control is a cage. Love can't survive in that cage. That simile reminds me of Paulo Coelho's Eleven Minutes. He narrates a short story that conveys the same message. Here it goes...
Once upon a time, there was a bird. He was adorned with two perfect wings and with glossy, colorful, marvelous feathers. In short, he was a creature made to fly about freely in the sky, bringing joy to everyone who saw him.

One day, a woman saw the bird and fell in love with him. She watched his flight, her mouth wide in amazement, her heart pounding, her eyes shining with excitement. She invited the bird to fly with her, and the two traveled across the sky in perfect harmony. She admired and venerated and celebrated that bird.

But then she thought: He might want to visit far-off mountains! And she was afraid, afraid that she would never feel the same way about any other bird. And she felt envy, envy for the bird's ability to fly.

And she felt alone.

And she thought: 'I'm going to set a trap. The next time the bird appears, he will never leave again.'

The bird, who was also in love, returned the following day, fell into the trap and was put in a cage.

She looked at the bird every day. There he was, the object of her passion, and she showed him to her friends, who said: 'Now you have everything you could possibly want.' However, a strange transformation began to take place: now that she had the bird and no longer needed to woo him, she began to lose interest. The bird, unable to fly and express the true meaning of his life, began to waste away and his feathers to lose their gloss; he grew ugly; and the woman no longer paid him any attention, except by feeding him and cleaning out his cage.

One day, the bird died. The woman felt terrible sad and spent all her time thinking about him. But she did not remember the cage, she thought only of the day when she had seen him for the first time, flying contentedly amongst the clouds.

If she had looked more deeply into herself, she would have realized that what had thrilled her about the bird was his freedom, the energy of his wings in motion, not his physical body.

Without the bird, her life too lost all meaning, and Death came knocking at her door. 'Why have you come?' she asked Death. 'So you can fly once more with him across the sky,' Death replied. 'If you had allowed him to come and go, you would have loved and admired him even more; alas, you now need me in order to find him again.'


December 15, 2006

Invitation Card...

Got this invitation card. Isn't it innovative and brilliant ?

Inspire... ! Once again...

If the chips are down and you need an inspirational fillip, go to The-Race-Movie.com. If you feel that is not enough go here and here.

What is Power?

Let us see what type of a guy/gal you are...

Plot background: Somebody did something terrible to you. That incident pains you a lot. You have every right to avenge.

Now... imagine you are a poor fellow incapable to avenge. You know you can do nothing. HENCE you decide not to avenge.
Conclusion on what kinda guy/gal you are?: You are a coward. But you have common sense. Perhaps, a tinge of laziness lingers around you.

Let us consider another scenario. Say, you are capable to avenge. But you choose not to, because you think that will drain your valuable time and resources. This, as per you, is not worth the effort to avenge.
Conclusion: You are smart and cool. Common sense and brain controls your nerves.

Another scenario: Imagine that you are capable to avenge and have the resources and time to do so. But you choose not to. And that Mr. Somebody, who hurt you, is made aware of that fact.
Conclusion: You are a powerful fellow bestowed with wisdom.

The dialogue below, from Schindler's list, will corroborate what I have stated above...
Goeth: You are never drunk. That is real control. Control is power.
Schindler: Is that why they fear us?
Goeth: They fear us because, if the fucking they don't, we have the power to kill them.
Schindler: They don’t fear us because we have the power to kill, they fear us because we have the power to kill "arbitrarily". A man commits a crime, he should know better. We have him killed, we feel pretty good about it. Or we kill him ourselves and we feel even better. That’s not power, though, that’s justice. That’s different than power. Power is when we have every justification to kill – and we don’t. That’s power.
Goeth: You think that's power?!
Schindler: That’s what the emperors had. A man stole something, he’s brought in before the emperor, he throws himself down on the floor, he begs for mercy, he knows he’s going to die … and the emperor pardons him. This worthless man. He lets him go. That’s power. That’s power.
Goeth: I think you are drunk!
Was Schindler really drunk? Think...



December 14, 2006

Another Barbara who inspires others...

Is there something in the name Barbara? This Barbara too... just.... INSPIRES! Barbara Geurra, you are simply an amazing woman.



December 13, 2006

Directions to Devarayandurga

DevaranyaDurga - a few rocky hillocks - located 70 Kms from Bangalore is just an okay place to hangout. You will find this place on the Bangalore-Tumkur Highway (NH4). It comes after Shivagange and the CofeeDay joint on NH4. A right turn at Kyatsandra bus stand, which comes on NH4, will take you to DevaranyaDurga. After taking the right turn you will have to travel for another 2 kms, crossing the Matt and schools.

Warning: You will find kids at every nook and corner of the rocks. Here, privacy is an alien concept. As usual escaping the Bangalore traffic is the greatest challenge.



December 06, 2006

Arranged Marriage

The woods were lovely dark and deep. Walking slowly beside her, in the damp mud road, was her husband whom she barely knew. He was very relaxed, happily watching a group of kids playing at a distance.Her "mehandi" was still dark and smelling fresh, reminding of the excitements and tension 2 days back. "It cant work this way mom...please stop this", she kept telling her mother till the last moment,who wouldnt listen but carry on with beautifying her.She had been crying all night and her make-up had to be patched up twice or thrice to hide her awkwardly swollen face.It was too late now.She had to get married "NOW" to the guy...The guy whom she had seen once and talked thrice.The guy about whom she knew nothing at all but for his name and work.Everything happened in a hurry and everthing was over before she could breathe again... here was she with this guy, all alone in this hill station... how can anybody send their daughter such a long distance with a stranger??? "Hey look at that....!!!" he shouted in excitement... she shrugged and looked where his finger pointed...Bright colored balloons dotted the sky. Children were jumping in joy and he seemed to be completely absorbed into it...colors are always exciting...but not now.She was not with her friends, not with her team mates, not even with her parents. This was not a 3 day tour or team building trip.This was her life and she has been forced to start off with this person.

Loneliness and discomfort with this stranger was sickening...She looked at him in wonder... does he even realize that he has married me?Does he understand that he has to love me,protect me,care for me,a new girl,a stranger,all his life? The marriage morning started like a daylight nightmare for her.The first time in life she felt she should have fallen in love and then married somebody. some man who she would have felt more comfortable with, someone whom she could call by name and introduce to friends, someone whom she could trust. But marriage morning was obviously not the time to think all these.Her parents would never have said "no" if she had declared that she was in love.But she was not emotionally attached to anybody she met,especially guys.She was very friendly,playing,teasing, but never had second thought for any man around her.That brought the entire responsibility of looking for a groom on her parents' shoulders.Her parents had had a very bad time with this entire process.They started their groom search with unending "&" operation. The concatenation of "Horoscope matching" & "Decent family" & "Good looking" & "Good pay" & "same cast" & so on... that always gave 0 output.Now after all that 8 months hunt,they were not ready to hear her "ifs" and "buts" for this 'good guy'. She had explained to her father.She does not feel anything for this person.He is nothing more to me than any other software professional.Like list of names she sees in the chat rooms. Distant and usual...Her father asked her to talk to him and even meet him and discuss their likes and dislikes.That meeting started like the induction programme self introduction and ended like a 3 hour seminar.She was waiting to get away from that place."So did you talk with him?"."yes"."was he polite and decent"."yes"."Oh he got that special flavoured tri-color icecream...!!!".OK.All her family and relatives discussed...She was given the chance to "understand her life partner" and that they have understood each other "well" and she is ready for the marriage now. All arrangements geared up and it was 24 days after her first meeting that she was getting married to her man... perfect match as everybody else described.Marriage hall was full with excited people, kids got the chance to play,ladies got the chance to wear the silk saree.The smell of rose and jasmine filled the hall.Different poses for the photographer and atrificial smiles for the videos.The moment he had tied the sacred thread was unexplainable vaccum in the head.It was over.She was his wife.Accepted by the society and law.Her proud parents were relaxed.This was their duty they had been planning to fulfill since she was born.All this crowd will fade away,leaving her to explore her new world...


He pulled her hand gently to sit on the stone bench.The bench was wet and the chillness was indeed enjoyable."So what are you thinking about?"... that was an unexpected ball.should she reply?should she be silent?She remembered the two hour presentation she had taken last month.Bold and confident, she kept answering all the queries with a broad smile.Now she remained silent."Do you know honey... I was not for this marriage too..." Oh my God... what did i hear??? did HE tell that or did i think aloud? what does he mean?didnt he like me?was he forced into this? He must have noticed the quizzical look on my face...with a gentle smile he continued..."I wanted to look for a girl myself,buy her everything,care for her,argue with her,laugh and cry with her,then get married to her... Anything otherwise would be a drama. Traditional drama and i was not for it anytime. But my love for my work and also my stress would not give me time and mind to search that girl...When your parents talked to me 2 weeks before our marriage, about your fear of getting married, to a stranger, i could completely understand your mind. I could see myself in you and that was the moment i decided i will marry you.There was no time to prove myself to you,make you trust me,everything happened in a hurry.But there was the entire life before me, to please you,to love you, to make you trust me.This is no less than what i had dreamt,the girl i was waiting for,is you.Now tell me... will you love me???" Tears came down her cheek.Her parents had done more than their duty.They had found her the perfect guy. Thank you Mom!!! Thank you Dad!!! His question remained unanswered yet both knew the answer....

Courtesy: Forwarded Mail


December 05, 2006

Another resignation letter...

Here's another resignation letter. A funny one that was published in Chris Kula's blog. [ Those who have not read the poetic resignation letter can read it here. ]
Dear Co-Workers,

As many of you probably know, today is my last day. But before I leave, I wanted to take this opportunity to let you know what a great and distinct pleasure it has been to type “Today is my last day.”

For nearly as long as I’ve worked here, I’ve hoped that I might one day leave this company. And now that this dream has become a reality, please know that I could not have reached this goal without your unending lack of support. Words cannot express my gratitude for the words of gratitude you did not express.

I would especially like to thank all of my managers: in an age where miscommunication is all too common, you consistently impressed and inspired me with the sheer magnitude of your misinformation. It takes a strong man to admit his mistake - it takes a stronger man to attribute his mistake to me.

Over the past three years, you have taught me more than I could ever ask for and, in most cases, ever did ask for. I have been fortunate enough to work with some absolutely interchangeable supervisors on a wide variety of seemingly identical projects - an invaluable lesson in overcoming daily tedium in overcoming daily tedium in overcoming daily tedium.
Your demands were high and your patience short, but I take great solace knowing that my work was, as stated on my annual review, "mostly satisfactory." That is the type of praise that sends a man home happy after even a 10 hour day, smiling his way through half a bottle of mostly satisfactory scotch.

And to most of my peers: even though we barely acknowledged each other within these office walls, I hope that in the future, should we pass on the street, you will regard me the same way as I regard you: sans eye contact.

But to those few souls with whom I’ve actually interacted, here are my personalized notes of farewell:

To Rudy: I will always remember sharing lunch with you, despite having clearly labeled it with my name.

To Steven: I will miss detecting your flatulence as much as you will clearly miss walking past my cubicle to deliver it.

To Eileen: Best wishes on your ongoing campaign to popularize these “email forwards.” I sincerely hope you receive that weekend full of good luck, that hug from an old friend, and that baby for your dusty womb.

To Felix: I left a new wristwatch on your desk. It is so that you might be able to still tell time even without your hourly phone call to let me know the copier is jammed. (Call Steven – he’ll come by.)

And finally, to Kat: you were right - I tested positive. We’ll talk later.

So, in parting, if I could pass on any word of advice to the individual who will soon be filling my position, it would be to cherish this experience like a sponge and soak it up like a good woman, because a job opportunity like this comes along only once in a lifetime.

Meaning: if I had to work here again in this lifetime, I would sooner kill myself.

Very truly yours,
Chris Kula

PS: I will be throwing myself a happy hour farewell party at the burnt-out bar in the sub-basement of the bus station. Please do not stop by.
.

December 04, 2006

Consent

This is a funny video. Watch and enjoy!



Polyamorous

Have you come across the word 'polyamorous'? The definition in dictionary.com says: pertaining to participation in multiple and simultaneous loving or sexual relationships. The Mistress Matisse blog, which I stumbled upon, says: "Polyamorous means one can (and usually do) have more than one romantic relationship at a time. Poly can be a challenging and dynamic relationship."

For the conventional heart and brain, this is blasphemy. It is like having a mistress with the approval of one's wife! Polyamorous 'legalizes' this relationship. But then... this sort of relationship has been there for centuries. During old days, it was okay to have multiple wives. That was never considered as a sin. Today, in most communities, it is very bad to have multiple partners. A few years back, gay and lesbian relationships were a taboo. Today it is getting more and more acceptance. Companies like IBM conduct formal gatherings to address the concerns of gays and lesbians. I guess 'polyamorous' waits a similar fate. Today's sin and aberration might become tomorrow’s norm. As time moves, the definition of sin changes. Sin is nothing but a function of time.


Two Lives

Completed Two Lives of Vikram Seth. In the mid, even though it was a bit dragging, I liked it. Especially the ending – the flashback. It has the touch of a movie – a movie’s dream ending. In fact, I think Two Lives has a story line that can be scripted into a movie or a serial - an 'art' movie/serial... of course.

Another aspect of the book is that it makes you think about various things that happened in the 20th Century. It also makes you think about old age - yours and your parents.

Here are some of the notable quotes of the book.


Shanti: God created man, but he was lonely, and then he created woman. From that time neither has God been happy nor man...

Fred: There is no purpose of war. It is foolish. You have to sign papers at the end, so why not before.


December 03, 2006

Home sweet home

After draining the beer and wine down my throat at my friend’s, I should have anticipated this: When I woke up this morning, something seemed to be wrong. I couldn’t point out what it was. Just that my tummy was not feeling great. I heeded to my tummy’s advice and skipped my breakfast, just to ignore it in the noon, when I had a Biriyani at Anne's Mess. And that turned out to be a bad decision.

The protest of my tummy worsened in the afternoon. I could sense an indigestion coming on my way. With my fingers inside my throat, I tried to throw up the Biriyani I had stuffed in. That didn’t work! I had lots of water and I tried to ignore the cry of my tummy. I watched a movie to divert my attention. All those attempts failed. The idea of walking into a medical store and asking for Carmicide didn't please me. So I decided to try the last resort. I picked up my cell and dialed home. I asked my mom for a home made remedy. Quick came the reply: Have a glass of weak-lemon tea, very strong in lemon, stirred with more salt and less sugar.

I kept the cell, made the home-made-remedy and drank it. After a while I burped and felt the relief coming.

Tring Tring... My phone rang. It was my mother at the other end.

“How are you feeling?”
“Better. I burped. Felt good after that. I'll have the same stuff after some time.”
“No. Wait. Have this. Mix equal quantities of ginger juice, honey and lemon. And drink it.”
“Ok”
“Be careful when you extract the juice out of the ginger. Too much ginger can burn you fingers. Remember… your sister had once burned her fingers”
“Ok. I’ll take care of it”
“I'll check on you after a while.”
“Ok. Talk to you later”
“Bye”
“Bye”


I kept the receiver and thought: No matter how old you get, you can always call home! Your parents are always there to solve your problems - big or small! Isn't that lovely? Isn't that great?



December 01, 2006

How to backup your bookmarks

Ever wondered how to backup your Firefox (version 1.5) bookmarks? Here's what you will have to do: You need to backup the Firefox "Profile" Folder [ C: ->Documents and Settings -> Application Data -> Mozilla -> Firefox -> Profiles ] More Details available here


November 28, 2006

ATM safety: hoax OR not?

Bangalore has witnessed a lot of ATM crimes: The robbers abduct the victim and torture them till they let the goons reveal the ATM PIN; The Card and PIN is then used by the robbers to take out money from the ATM.

There was an email taking rounds stating that if you enter the PIN in reverse that will intimate the police without the knowledge of the robber. Soon after I got that mail, I got another one which stated that the mail about the ‘reverse-PIN-safety’ can do more damage than help... I'm listing both the mails below.

Mail on using reverse-PIN for safety:

If you should ever be forced by a robber to withdraw money from an ATM machine, you can notify the police by entering your Pin # in reverse. For example if your pin number is 1234 then you would put in 4321. The ATM recognizes that your pin number is backwards from the ATM card you placed in the machine.

The machine will still give you the money you requested, but unknown to the robber, the police will be immediately dispatched to help you.

This information was recently broadcasted on TV and it states that it is seldom used because people don't know it exists.

Mail that asks not to use the reverse-PIN:

The email-forward that claims that if criminals forced you to withdraw money from an ATM, entering your PIN in reverse will automatically alert police, can do more harm than help…

The technology that makes this possible does exist. However, so far, banks have not implemented it. Thus, if you are forced to withdraw money against your will, the chance that the ATM will have the reverse pin technology installed is exceptionally slim.

Back in 1994, Joseph Zingher from Chicago began developing ATM software that would silently call police if a PIN was entered in reverse. Since then, Zingher has spent years trying to sell the idea to banks in the United States without success. Several US states have explored the idea, but it is yet to be implemented. In 2004, the US state of Illinois passed legislation requesting that banks install reverse-pin safety technology in their ATMs. However, banks were not legally required to do so, and have so far displayed little interest in using the system.

Zingher and others continue to push for the implementation of reverse pin or similar consumer safety systems at ATMs. The concept is sound, and such technology could certainly increase ATM security, discourage forced withdrawal crime and possibly even save lives, if it was widely used. In an increasingly security conscious consumer market, it may not be too long before banks decide that such technology is financially viable or legislation forces them to act.

Until then however, forwarding this message is ill advised. Since it is extremely unlikely to work, the "advice" in this message could actually be dangerous. Forcing a victim to withdraw money from an ATM is a high-risk, violent crime. If a victim enters a reverse pin at an ATM that does not have the safety pin system installed, he or she will receive an error message and no money will be dispensed. This delay could antagonize the criminal and increase the risk of violent retaliation.

Moreover, if banks were to install a safety PIN system, they would provide information to their customers explaining the new system and how to use it. The message claims that the system is seldom used because "people don't know it exists". However, it is absurd to suggest that a bank would go to the considerable expense of implementing a safety PIN system and then not bother to tell their customers about it.

The message mentions a "broadcast" as the source of the information. This may refer to a September 2006 WOAI San Antonio News story on the subject. The video cites the case of a San Antonio man who was forced to withdraw money from several ATMs and explains the concept of reverse-pin technology as a means of countering such crimes. However, the story very clearly states that such technology is not yet being used.


How Iraqis hide from the Americans


Courtesy: Forwarded Mail



November 25, 2006

In the name of Love...

I think this scene from Moulin Rouge, called Elephant love, has got an excellent music tuned to some sweet lyrics... What do you think?



November 24, 2006

In the Line of Fire...

Vivek Pradhan was not a happy man. Even the plush comfort of the air-conditioned compartment of the Shatabdi express could not cool his frayed nerves. He was the Project Manager and still not entitled to air travel. It was not the prestige he sought, he had tried to reason with the admin person, it was the savings in time. As PM, he had so many things to do. He opened his case and took out the laptop, determined to put the time to some good use.

"Are you from the software industry sir," the man beside him was staring appreciatively at the laptop.

Vivek glanced briefly and mumbled in affirmation, handling the laptop now with exaggerated care and importance as if it were an expensive car.

"You people have brought so much advancement to the country sir. Today everything is getting computerized."

"Thanks," smiled Vivek, turning around to give the man a look.

He always found it difficult to resist appreciation. The man was young and stocky like a sportsman. He looked simple and strangely out of place in that little lap of luxury like a small town boy in a prep school. He probably was a railway sportsman making the most of his free traveling pass.

"You people always amaze me," the man continued, "You sit in an office and write something on a computer and it does so many big things outside."

Vivek smiled deprecatingly. Naivety demanded reasoning not anger. "It is not as simple as that my friend. It is not just a question of writing a few lines. There is a lot of process that goes behind it." For a moment, he was tempted to explain the entire Software Development Lifecycle but restrained himself to a single statement. "It is complex, very complex."

"It has to be. No wonder you people are so highly paid," came the reply.

This was not turning out as Vivek had thought. A hint of belligerence came into his so far affable, persuasive tone.

"Everyone just sees the money. No one sees the amount of hard work we have to put in.Indians have such a narrow concept of hard work. Just because we sit in an air-conditioned office does not mean our brows do not sweat. You exercise the muscle; we exercise the mind and believe me that is no less taxing."

He had the man where he wanted him and it was time to drive home the point.

"Let me give you an example. Take this train. The entire railway reservation system is computerized. You can book a train ticket between any two stations from any of the hundreds of computerized booking centres across the country. Thousands of transactions accessing a single database, at a time concurrency; data integrity, locking, data security. Do you understand
the complexity in designing and coding such a system?"

The man was stuck with amazement, like a child at a planetarium. This was something big and beyond his imagination. "You design and code such things."

"I used to," Vivek paused for effect, "But now I am the Project Manager,"

"Oh!" sighed the man, as if the storm had passed over, "so your life is easy now."

It was like being told the fire was better than the frying pan. The man had to be given a feel of the heat.

"Oh come on, does life ever get easy as you go up the ladder. Responsibility only brings more work. Design and coding! That is the easier part. Now I do not do it, but I am responsible for it and believe me, that is far more stressful. My job is to get the work done in time and with the highest quality. To tell you about the pressures, there is the customer
at one end always changing his requirements, the user wanting something else and your boss always expecting you to have finished it yesterday."

Vivek paused in his diatribe, his belligerence fading with self-realisation. What he had said, was not merely the outburst of a wronged man, it was the truth. And one need not get angry while defending the truth. "My friend," he concluded triumphantly, "you don't know what it is to be in the line of fire."

The man sat back in his chair, his eyes closed as if in realization. When he spoke after sometime, it was with a calm certainty that surprised Vivek.

"I know sir, I know what it is to be in the line of fire," He was staring blankly as if no passenger, no train existed, just a vast expanse of time.

"There were 30 of us when we were ordered to capture Point 4875 in the cover of the night. The enemy was firing from the top. There was no knowing where the next bullet was going to come from and for whom. In the morning when we finally hoisted the tricolour at the top only 4 of us were alive."

"You are a..."

"I am Subedar Sushant from the 13 J&K Rifles on duty at Peak 4875 in Kargil. They tell me I have completed my term and can opt for a land assignment. But tell me sir, can one give up duty just because it makes life easier. On the dawn of that capture, one of my colleagues lay injured in the snow, open to enemy fire while we were hiding behind a bunker. It was my job to go and fetch that soldier to safety."
"But my captain refused me permission and went ahead himself. He said that the first pledge he had taken as a Gentleman Cadet was to put the safety and welfare of the nation foremost followed by the safety and welfare of the men he commanded."
"His own personal safety came last, always and every time. He was killed as he shielded that soldier into the bunker. Every morning now, as I stand guard I can see him taking all those bullets, which were actually meant for me. I know sir, I know what it is to be in the line of fire."

Vivek looked at him in disbelief not sure of his reply. Abruptly he switched off the laptop. It seemed trivial, even insulting to edit a word document in the presence of a man for whom valour and duty was a daily part of life; a valour and sense of duty which he had so far attributed only to epical heroes.

The train slowed down as it pulled into the station and Subedar Sushant picked up his bags to alight.

"It was nice meeting you sir."

Vivek fumbled with the handshake. This hand had climbed mountains, pressed the trigger, and hoisted the tricolour. Suddenly as if by impulse,he stood at attention and his right hand went up in an impromptu salute. It was the least he felt he could do for the country.

PS: The incident he narrates during the capture of Peak 4875 is a true-life incident during the Kargil war. Capt. Batra sacrificed his life while trying to save one of the men he commanded, as victory was within sight. For this and his various other acts of bravery he was awarded the Param Vir Chakra the nation's highest military award.

Capt. Vikram Batra

Live humbly, there are great people around us, let us learn!

Winners are too busy to be sad, too positive to be doubtful, too optimistic to be fearful and too determined to be defeated!

Courtesy: Forwarded Mail


November 23, 2006

Space Problem...

My dept. has got chronic space issue. It keeps adding people. But never bothers to add more floor space. It has an excuse to it - bureaucracy. It seems that it takes six month to fly in the client and get the approval to work in a new office space. Seven people working in a cube is a very common sight in my dept.! Interviews for new candidates are conducted in aisles! None of these seems to bother the project office to speed up that 'bureaucracy'. They try to cover up all this with one mantra - With growth comes pain!

Whatever be the 'growth', I guess if the 'pain' lasts for more than a year, there is some serious problem with the upper management. Here's one dilbert cartoon that depicts the space problem. Check out Wallies' head. It is in the arse of the lady.

The funniest thing is, in spite of these problems, they try to project the dept. as the “Best Place to Work”. Instead of resolving the basic issues, they try to divert the attention of the folks by coming up with some gimmick!

Quite interesting…!


Ee dooravani durasthiyillathe

I dialed +91-80-25360750, hoping the Food and Civil Supplies Corporation Ltd. would have got their phone working. It is still "Ee dooravani durasthiyillathe. Dayavittu swapa samayandadra dial maadi"...


Plan to buy Gold from Bank? Think again....

Here's one interesting article on why one should not buy gold from banks. Pretty interesting...

November 22, 2006

Get paid to do what you love...

Today, while talking to my friend I mentioned that the stuff I'm trying to learn is a bit boring. She responded that I should quit if I don't enjoy what I'm doing. Reminded me the dialogue in the movie - The Road to Perdition

Sullivan: Is that your profession or your pleasure?
Maguire: Both, I guess. To be paid to do what you love... ain't that the dream?
Sullivan: I guess so

.

Right Angle...

Wonderful Angles...




Courtesy: Forwarded Mail

November 21, 2006

Do you like me more...?

In the movie Road to Perdition, Mike, son of Sullivan, asks him a question: "Pa, did you like Peter (Mike's brother) more than me?" To which Sullivan replies: "No. I loved you both the same".
Mike: "But you were different to me"

I guess this questions passes through the minds of almost all kids. They ask the same to their parents and get the same reply. They stare at that answer, liking it, but not completely convinced... a little bit puzzled: How can one like different people the same?... They get convinced later. But it takes years... and parenthood for that.

Dilbert and his Date

If you want to have a succesful date, learn to be "funny" talking crap that is "intellectually simulating". Not to mention being "caring" enough not to hurt her "sentiments" ;-)


Conundrum of God

Certain chapters of Holy Scriptures are strewed with prophesies. Most of the prophesies draw a bad picture about the future. Through these prophesies the religion instills fear in its followers and thereby makes them obey its doctrines. My objective here is not to criticize the "stick and carrot" approach of religions, but to analyze those prophesies. Time and again lots of prophets have appeared in this little blue planet. Their “abstract” fortune-telling are similar to those that one will find in the holy books. Have you ever thought why these prophesies go abstract? If God is speaking through them – both scriptures and prophets - then why give something that is abstract? Why can't the prophesies be more specific? E.g. instead of saying "underworld daemons will destroy one forth of the human race" (which is tsunami), why can't they say "The sea will swallow most of the land on so-and-so date". Some might argue that phenomenons like tsunami were puzzles to the prophets themselves and hence they had to use such similes to convey the message to masses, who were not as educated as modern men.

Another version can be that, God is not really sure of the future. So He gives something abstract to the prophets, which they deliver. The beauty of such abstract prophesies filled with similes, is that one can fit any contemporary disaster to it. But why should God do that? Is He (or She) not confident about His predictions. Perhaps yes... He is not *that* confident and He is trying to get a bail through the abstract. But why on earth (and heaven) should God - the omnipotent - be unconfident about His own predictions? The answer partly lies in the book - God's debris. In that book Scott Adams raises a question. How can an omnipotent challenge himself? Perhaps the omnipotent gave a part of his powers to human beings. His current mission is to get all that power back by attracting the souls to Him and not away from Him. When He is dealing with an energy or form that has part of his powers, He is not quite sure how “that form” will react to his moves. His moves consist of religion that would lead the people to Him (through a “stick and carrot” approach): "if you do this then.... else...” Humans, that possesses a part of His power can choose that "else" and then another "else" and then another "if". How can one accurately predict when the numbers of such combinations are overwhelming? That can be the conundrum that puzzles God. And that can be the reason why He conveys abstract prophesies.


November 20, 2006

Award winning Short Story...

There was a contest in a software company to write a fictional story for 500 words max which would start with the line " On a dark and foggy night, a small figure lay huddled on the railway tracks leading to the Bangalore station "

This is what a guy wrote for the contest....... and surprisingly, it was adjudged the best short story : ))

On a dark and foggy night, a small figure lay huddled on the railway tracks leading to the Bangalore station. At once I was held back to see someone in that position during midnight with no one around. With curiosity taking the front seat, I went near the body and tried to investigate it. There was blood all over the body which was lying face down. It seemed that a ruthless blow by the last train could have caused the end of this body which seemed to be that of a guy of around my age. Amidst the gory blood flow, I could see a folded white envelope which was fluttering in the midnight wind. Carefully I took the blood stained envelope and was surprised to see the phrase "appraisal letter" on it. With curiosity rising every moment, I wasted no time in opening the envelope to see if I can find some details about the dead guy. The tag around the body's neck and the jazzy appraisal cover gave me the hint that he might be a software engineer. I opened the envelope to find a shining paper on which the appraisal details where typed in flying colors. Thunders broke into my ears and lightening struck my heart when I saw the appraisal amount of the dead guy!!!!! My God, it was not even, as much as the cost of the letter on which the appraisal details were printed.... My heart poured out for the guy and huge calls were heard inside my mind saying "no wonder, this guy died such a miserable death"... As a fellow worker in the same industry, I thought I should mourn for him for the sake of respect and stood there with a heavy heart thinking of the shock that he would have experienced when his manager had placed the appraisal letter in his hand. I am sure his heart would have stopped and eyes would have gone blank for few seconds looking at the near to nothing increment in his salary.

While I mourned for him, for a second my hands froze to see the employee's name in the appraisal letter... hey, what a strange co-incidence, this guy's name is same as mine, including the initials. This was interesting. With some mental strength, I turned the body upside down and found myself fainted for a second. The guy not only had my name, but also looked exactly like me. Same looks, same built, same name.... it was me who was dead there!!!!!!!! While I was lost in that shock, I felt someone patting on my shoulders. My heart stopped completely, I could not breathe and sprung in fear to see who was behind......... splash!!! Went the glass of water on my laptop screen as I came out of my wild dream to see my manager standing behind my chair patting on my shoulder saying, "wake up man? Come to meeting room number two. I have your appraisal letter ready".


Courtesy: Forwarded Mail


November 19, 2006

Timex Expedition "Alarm Puzzle" Decoded

A meeting is on. Suddenly from some corner the alarm of a watch goes on. Beep... Beep... Beep... - the distinct pitch of a Timex Expedition. After the meeting I meet the owner of that Timex Expedition. I check with him why he set an alarm at an odd time. To my expectation he replies that he didn't set it. That sometime back it was accidentally set and he doesn’t know how to turn off the alarm. I was glad to meet another person facing the same problem that had haunted me for a while. Welcome to the Timex-Expedition-Watch-Problem Group!

The instruction set (key combinations) for Timex Expedition is quite complicated that it is quite hard to remember the combinations. I couldn't find any online manual that gives those instructions. So here goes one blog dedicated to the owners of Timex Expedition watch. It will help you turn off your alarm and chime. I have numbered the keys of the watch. Please see the image.


To turn off the alarm:
  1. Toggle the button 2, till the word ALARM blinks on the display.
  2. Then press toggle buttons 3 and 4 simultaneously. The tiny alarm symbol (not word) on your display should go off.
  3. Press button 2 again.
Congratz! The alarm of your Timex Expedition is turned off.

To turn off the chime, replace step 2 with "Toggle the button 4 till the chime symbol goes off."


Why do people bike?

"You see things vacationing on a motorcycle in a way that is completely different from any other. In a car you're always in a compartment, and because you're used to it you don't realize that through that car widow everything you see is just more TV. You’re a passive observer and it is all moving by you boringly in a frame. On a cycle the frame is gone. You are completely in contact with it all. You're in the scene, not just watching it anymore, and the sense of presence is overwhelming.
That was an excerpt from Robert M Pirsig's Zen and the art of Motorcycle Maintenance (ZAMM)

Pirsig continues... explaining how one is "completely in contact with it all".
"I can see by my watch, without taking my hand from the left grip of the cycle, that it is eight-thirty in the morning. The wind, even at sixty miles an hour, is warm and humid. In the wind are pungent odors from the marshes by the road.
Before trying to explore why people bike, let me share one more excerpts form ZAMM.
"We want to make good time, but for us now this is measured with emphasis on 'good' rather than 'time' and when you make that shift in emphasis the whole approach changes. Twisting hilly roads are long in terms of seconds but are much more enjoyable on a cycle where you bank into turns and don't get swung from side to side in any compartment.
So.... Why do people bike? Why do I bike? I love biking for those reasons mentioned above and many more. I see that as "trekking taken to the next level". For me, there can't be a combination better than Biking, Trekking and Photography. To elaborate: You bike to a location, clicking all the way; then you trek, clicking all the way; and then you return biking and clicking. Nothing can beat it. Enjoying this combination would mean you have struck a perfect balance of left and right brain; mind and body. At one point you will be cruising trying to reach your destination on time; your mind always active, making calculations about the time left, distance yet to cover, milestones you need to reach in the next couple of hours etc; your eyes actively searching for short cuts. On the way, to give some relief to your back ache, you would be doing some small stretches on your bike, like leaning forward with your chest almost touching the fuel tank. The next moment you would see yourself stopping on the road-side copying the nature into your camera, ensuring that you get the right frame. After a while you would find yourself navigating the potholes and overtaking those cars that had zipped by you sometime back. Stopping on the roadside and talking to the locals with a smile on your face is another thing that you would do. You will be banking left and right when riding through twisted and winding roads. And yes, you would be definitely enjoying the nature around.

I love biking.
  1. Biking gives me a sense of freedom
  2. It lets me stop with ease at any place I like thus providing me that wonderful opportunity to tame that lovely light in my black box a.k.a camera
  3. I like to challenge myself physically and mentally. Biking gives me that opportunity.
  4. Biking requires some basic knowledge of bike mechanics.
  5. I enjoy the planning part of a trip... and to see at the end of the trip, the difference between the "planned" and "actuals"
  6. Biking gives me the opportunity to meet different people of different places. It helps me meet other bikers - owners of excellent minds... and bikes :)
  7. Biking helps in building confidence
  8. I get a chance to explore the 'unknown'
  9. It gives me that precious time to think about stuffs that I wouldn’t have if I had closed myself in a city. I can let my mind wander through the forest of philosophy
  10. I find it much easy to travel in a bike through rough terrains than traveling in a car.
  11. I can navigate easily through heavy traffic.
  12. It is easy to park a bike
  13. It is economical
  14. As mentioned in one of the Discovery Channel Programs "For a man, it is nice to have a powerful thing thumping between his legs"
  15. With that stern face and goggles, isn't biking fun?
So much said about my reasons of love, let us see why others love biking?

I stumbled upon this website - a wonderful website that tries to explore the Psychology of Motorcycle Riding. It says: "When you are riding a motorcycle, you are away from everything, and in a sense in the unfamiliar. You are unable to talk on a cell phone, listen to the radio, or even talk to a passenger (if you choose to have one). By removing all these things which have familiarity in life, a rider can be free and experience something new each and every time he/she gets on that bike." The author also explores the Psychology of motorcycle-gangs: "Because there is a shared interest between riders, they tend to treat each other with comradory. This is why there are “motorcycle gangs"”

Here's another website that I googled out. It talks about the pleasure of solo rides.

I hope folks-who-dont-bike and have wondered why-people-bike now know the reason.


November 17, 2006

Worm in Cafeteria Food!

Today I got a mail from a colleague. Subject: "Worm in Cafeteria Food!" It had a few attachments - the pictures of the worm crawling out from his curry, served by Riviera Food Court. Calvin would have loved to pick it and drop it in Susie's plate :-). Riviera Food Court, Located in Embassy Golf Links, Bangalore, is not our company's "official" cafeteria. But virtually it is! This venture started by a food vendor has monopolized the Embassy Golf Links business park. There is absolutely no competition in 1 sq km around the business park. Result: Pathetic food quality. Folks who eat here do so because they have no other option. Having food outside the park will cost them TIME, which they don't have when work pressure touches its peak.

Coming back to the mail, something I found interesting about it was the attachments - the pictures. Why? Because those pictures were captured in a mobile camera (Mobile Phone with Camera). Makes me think how powerful mobile cameras can get. If the Indian Judiciary can accept footages taken on mobile cameras as proof to charge the guilty, we can have millions of amateur journalists guarding our society from such menace. Five years back, could anyone imagine how powerful telecom could get?

Mentation aside, after getting the mail, I tried to reach the Food Inspector of Bangalore. I gave a google search - "Food Inspector Bangalore phone number" - to get the phone number. It fetched me nothing. So I called up JustDial - a yellow page service (Ph +91-80-23333333) and got the number of Food and Civil Supplies Corporation Ltd, Kasturba Road, Bangalore. (Ph +91-80-22214431). When I called up, the personnel told me that the area I was referring to, i.e. Domlur, comes under the jurisdiction of another office of Food and Civil Supplies Corporation. He gave me the number of that office - +91-80-25360750. I dialed that number to get "Ee dooravani durasthiyillathe. Dayavittu swapa samayandadra dial maadi", which translates to - "This telephone is Out of Order. Please try after some time".

Guess I should try after a few days and learn the process of filing a complaint. Might get handy.

PS: I finally managed to get the Karnataka Food and Civil Supplies Corporation Ltd Contact Details. Click here to get the details.









Riviera Food Court Manager "inspects" the worm



November 16, 2006

Calvin Again...

No other person can find a better use of Canteen Food


If you were Calvin's father would you do the same thing? What will be its effect on your kid's psychology? Won't he think that his 'hero' - you - doesn't care about him and gien an opportunity, is willing to desert him? Won't that leave a scar in his mind that will perhaps never heal? Think...

If I had a kid who is as naughty as Calvin, I would have done the same. Full marks to Calvin's father for handling that scene in the most apt way.



Isn't this true? Honesty and Selfishness are oxymorons!


Age doesn't matter

Whenever I think that I'm getting too old to do a few stuffs in my life, I go and watch this video clip. That keeps me away from being senile. Barbara you inspire!!



November 14, 2006

System Engineer OR SystemS Engineer

Which is correct - System Engineer OR SystemS Engineer. I have seen many going for the former. But the latter is correct as per INCOSE.

Talking about INCOSE and SE, I got this nice chart from INCOSE. It lists the skills and qualities needed by Systems Engineers...

Skills and Qualities Needed by Systems Engineers
  • Good math skills
  • Strong time management skills
  • Aptitude for systems thinking
  • Good common sense
  • A strong desire for organization and efficiency
  • Excellent communication/salesmanship
  • Creative problem solving
  • Quantitative skills
  • Technical competency
  • Continuous drive for improvement
  • Resourcefulness
  • Listening skills
  • Negotiation skills
  • Diplomacy
  • Patience
  • Ability to adapt to many environments, wear many hats and interact with a diverse group of individuals
  • Inquisitive mind
  • Continuous desire to learn
  • Leadership skills
  • Ethics


November 10, 2006

Shakespeare and Internet

For years there has been a theory that millions of monkeys typing at random on millions of typewriters would reproduce the entire works of Shakespeare. The Internet has proven this theory to be untrue. - Anonymous

"NOT MY JOB" Award

Satan will be overjoyed to see this wonderful piece of work. It epitomizes Laziness - One of the seven deadly sins. People who stoop to such level hardly know the impact their act (or no-act) makes on others. (Or Do they know?) Bureaucrats fall in this category. This article (click here) shows how nasty bureaucracy in India can become. God save the common man. The same is seen in big companies. I have seen this deadly bureaucracy and laziness in my company. I used to get frustrated... but no longer. I guess I got used to it. These days I try to train new joinees on how to adapt themselves to the reality - that others laziness will impact them; that it cannot be cured; that... "What cannot be cured should be endured". I hope in that process I'm not turning into a lazy blot.


November 09, 2006

Mobile phone info...

Came across this info...

If you lose your mobile/cell in India, send an e-mail to cop@vsnl.net with the following info. Seems that they will take care of the rest.
Your name:
Address:
Phone model:
Make:
Last used No.:
E-mail for communication:
Missed date:
IMEI No.:
To get the IMEI number of your mobile, dial *#06#. This part worked for me. Dial it and keep the details in a safe place

Source: Hindu 13-May-2006


November 07, 2006

Dilbert's tip to become a successful manager
















Bet you have seen such 'successful' managers...


November 02, 2006

Calvin and his philosophy on life

Surroundings matters

Did you ever walk into a public washroom that smelt so bad you wanted to choke? But you were so desperate to go to the bathroom you had to carry on.

Did you notice something? By the time you left five minutes later, it didn't smell quite so bad! And what if you had accidentally locked yourself in there for an hour? You might be saying, "What smell?"

There's a principle operating here. We get used to our environment!

Live with miserable people, and you become miserable - and you think it's normal! Work with critical people, and you become critical - and you think it's normal.

If your friends tell lies, it worries you - in the beginning. Eventually you get used to people telling lies. Hang out with them long enough and you'll tell some yourself.

Mix with happy and motivated people, and you become happy and motivated - and you think that is normal.

If your family is negative and miserable, than you need to find some bright, happy friends. Somewhere in your life, you need positive company or the pessimists will drag you down - and you won't even know it is happening.

We are all affected (and infected!) by the people and attitudes around us. Sometimes we need to take action - or change the company we keep - while we still notice: "Something smells around here!"

Credit: A fwded mail


Lesson on Management

Once PVNR (PV Narasimha Rao), L.K.Advani and Laloo Prasad Yadav were traveling in an auto rickshaw. They met with an accident and all three of them died. Yama Raja was waiting for this moment at the doorstep of death.

He asks PVNR and Advani to go to HEAVEN. But, for Laloo, Yama had already decided that he should be sent to HELL..

Laloo is not at all happy with this decision. He asks Yama as to why this discrimination is being made. All the three of them had served the public.

Similarly, all took bribes, all misused public positions, etc. Then why the differential treatment? He felt that there should be a formal test or an objective evaluation before a decision is made; and should not be just asked on opinion or pre conceived notions.

Yama agrees to this and asks all the three of them to appear for an English test.

PVNR is asked to spell "INDIA" and he does it correctly. Advani is asked to spell "ENGLAND" and he too passes. It is Laloo's turn and he is asked to spell "CZECHOSLOVAKIA". Laloo protests that he doesn't know English. He says this is not fair and that he was given a tough question and thus forced to fail with false intent.

Yama then agrees to conduct a written test in Hindi (to give another chance assuming that Laloo should at least feel that Hindi would provide an equal platform for all three).

PVNR is asked to write "KUTTA BOLA BHOW BHOW". He writes it easily and Passes. Advani is asked to write "BILLY BOLI MYAUN MYAUN". He too passes. Laloo is asked to write "BANDAR BOLA GURRRRRR....." Tough one. He fails again.

Laloo is extremely unhappy. Having been a student of history (which the other two weren't), he now requested for all the 3 to be subjected to a test in history Yama says OK but this would be the last chance and that he would not take any more tests.

PVNR is asked: "When did India get Independence?". He replied "1947" and passed. Advani is asked "How many people died during the independence
struggle?". He gets nervous. Yama asked him to choose from 3 options: 100,000 or 200,000 or 300,000.Advani catches it and says 200,000 and passes.

It's Laloo's turn now. Yama asks him to give the Name and Address of each of the 200,000 who died in the struggle. Laloo accepts defeat and agrees to go to HELL.

Moral of the story : IF YOUR MANAGEMENT HAS DECIDED TO SCREW YOU, THERE IS NO ESCAPE !!!

Credit: A Fwded mail


October 25, 2006

Employee Onboarding

The three letter company in which I work has a similar onboarding process. My dept. is notrorious for it.

October 24, 2006

Why do people trek?

Why do people trek?

When I reflect on that question, two faces come to my mind. One is that of a guy who was my room-mate. And the other is that of a girl who used to work with me. Both of them are owners of a mind that is extremely practical that sometimes, while talking to them, you would wonder if they are cynics.

The guy abhorred the thought of trek or anything that involved sweating out. He would buy such an idea only if it resulted in some tangible benefits, like attracting femme fatales ;-). The girl thought that all those who were into 'stunts' like trekking, did that because they wanted to attract the opposite sex! That there were better things one could do e.g. getting new stuffs for your home, washing, cleaning etc.

Both of them had asked me this question: "Why do you trek?" Sometimes I feel that that question is as good (or worse) as "Why do you watch movie?" OR "Why do you follow football?"

I trek due to many reasons
  1. I love photography and trekking provides me ample opportunities to click nice snaps
  2. I like to challenge myself physically and mentally. Have you tried clicking towards the end of an arduous and strenuous trek? You will find it difficult to apply your mind. Your mind will be tired; so will be your body. While trying to hold your camera still, you will find your hands shaking. You will cease to observe good frames that you would have otherwise noticed. On the top of it, if you are trekking in a team, others would want you to speed up and reduce the number of clicks, so that all can reach the destination asap. That demands striking the right balance.
  3. I enjoy the planning part of a trek.
  4. Trekking gives me an opportunity to meet excellent minds. Their good qualities inspire me.
  5. Trekking helps in building confidence
  6. Often I find myself exposing the daring side of me. Taking risks... I like that part.
  7. I get a chance to be with nature, far away from the 'known' city, exploring the 'unknown'
  8. Trekking gives me a sense of freedom
  9. It gives me that precious time to think about stuffs that I wouldn’t have if I had closed myself in a city.
I recollect reading somewhere that trekking builds character. I agree with it. Trekking is a process that has many stages. Each stage has something to offer. It is not just about reaching the destination. Preparing for the walk; walking the path, which leads to the destination; making the best use of your meager resources; all are equally enjoyable. I agree with Pirsig (on Mountain treks) when he says “Mountains should be climbed with as little effort as possible and without desire. The reality of your own nature should determine the speed. If you become restless, speed up. If you become winded, slow down. You climb the mountain in an equilibrium between restlessness and exhaustion. Then, when you are no longer thinking ahead, each footstep isn’t just a means to an end but a unique event in itself. This leaf has jagged edges. This rock looks loose. From this place the snow is less visible, even though closer. These are things you should notice anyway. To live only for some future goal is shallow. It’s the sides of the mountain that sustains life, not the tip. Here’s where things grow. But of course, without the top you can’t have any sides. It’s the top that defines the sides.” That is precisely why I think photography and trekking go hand-in-hand.

I did a google to see what other trekkers think about trekking. Most of them had thoughts that were similar to that of mine. There were a few interesting thoughts that didn't cross my mind. One was that that some people trek to have sex!

This website (click here) says that "Discovery and excitement is arguably the single largest factor why people trek around. This is part of our human instinct and has never been easier to do so than now." Point to be noted.

The most interesting website I came across was this (click here).

Some of the reasons listed by this discussion group are
  1. To tackle difficult situations
  2. To develop and enhance human relations and other qualities like adjustments, flexibility etc.
  3. To make one more tolerant
  4. To gather experience that one can never get anywhere else
  5. To know how to be self reliant and how to handle difficult situations and of course different and difficult people.
  6. To learn how to manage meager resources and how to be ingenious
I think trekking is fun. And I love such fun. That’s the most important reason why I trek.


October 21, 2006

The hitch of a bike trip and lessons learned

I had planned a bike trip to Masinagudi. The plan was to start at 5:30 AM today. It didn’t work. Reason? A snapped clutch cable at 00:00 hours of 21st Oct 2006. Good that it snapped before I started the trip. It helped realize why bullet bikers insist on carrying spare clutch cables. Seasoned Bullet Electra 5ES bikers recommend carrying the spare items mentioned below
  1. Clutch Cable
  2. Throttle Cable
  3. Fuse
  4. Chain Connector
  5. Tyre Tubes
Stuff these items in the tool box or in your Cramster bike bags.

The bike trip got postponed by a day. I wish to hit no rough patches in the two day lonely trip…


Crimson Tide

I watched the movie Crimson Tide. I liked it…

A couple of dialogue exchanges, which I liked, are given below
Ramsey: “War is a continuation of politics by other means” - Von Clausewitz
Hunter: I think what he was trying to say was that… the purpose of war is to serve a political end, but the true nature of war is to serve itself
Ramsey: I'm very impressed. In other words the sailor who is most likely to win the war is the one most willing to part company with the politicians and ignore everything except the destruction of the enemy. Uh... you'd agree with that?
Hunter: Well, I'd agree that… that's what Clausewitz was trying to say.
Ramsey: But you wouldn’t agree with it?
Hunter: No sir, I do not. I just think that in the nuclear world, the true enemy can't be destroyed.
Ramsey: Attention on deck. Von Clausewitz will now tell us exactly who the real enemy is. Von?
Hunter: In my humble opinion, in the nuclear world, the true enemy is war itself.
Note down the last dialogue of Hunter. Reminds me of Plato - "Only the Dead Have Seen the End of War"

There is another dialogue that Captain Ramsey delivers.

Ramsey: We are here to preserve democracy. Not to practice it.
It just shows the importance of discipline and maintaining the chain of order to win a war.

This one on horses and high school girls is quite cool.
Ramsey: Horses are very fascinating animals. Dumb as fence posts but very intuitive. In that way they are not too different from high school girls. They might not have a brain in their head, but they do know all the boys want to fuck them.

Captain Ramsey’s speech to pep up the crew just before they board USS Alabama is awesome. That’s what I call an inspiring speech



Talking about speeches, my fav one is the one delivered by Mr. President in the movie Independence Day



There are other speeches that I love, like those in the movie Main Azaad Hoon. I guess "famous speeches" is altogether a different topic, which I should cover in a separate blog.

October 13, 2006

Know the real meaning behind a few common words...

Another interesting fwded mail that hit my inbox...

FINE

This is the word women use to end an argument when they are right and you need to shut up.

FIVE MINUTES

If she is getting dressed, this is half an hour. Five minutes is only five minutes if you have just been given 5 more minutes to watch the game before helping around the house.

NOTHING

This is the calm before the storm. This means "something," and you should be on your toes. Arguments that begin with 'Nothing' usually end in "Fine"

GO AHEAD

This is a dare, not permission. Don't do it.

LOUD SIGH

This is not actually a word, but is a non-verbal statement often misunderstood by men. A "Loud Sigh" means she thinks you are an idiot and wonders why she is wasting her time standing here and arguing with you over "Nothing"

THAT'S OKAY

This is one of the most dangerous statements that a woman can make to a man. "That's Okay" means that she wants to think long and hard before deciding how and when you will pay for your mistake.

THANKS

A woman is thanking you. Do not question it or faint. Just say you're welcome.

WHATEVER
A woman's way of saying #$%@ YOU!

October 12, 2006

Scott stole my words!

Scott, you stole my words. I have worked with such boss!

October 06, 2006

An Ostrich Act

Tiny little acts can make one lose his reputation and the respect others have for him.

I have (had) high regards to the protagonist of this story.

Before this incident took place, my regard to this guy - one of my bosses - was = 8/10. I had fixed an appointment on Friday with him to discuss certain issues. On the day, few minutes before the meeting was supposed to take place, I pinged him to check his availability. No response. I waited for a while. Our IM tool has this feature of checking whether the other person is typing something or not. I observed that he had typed something and then retracted. I guessed he was really busy. So I decided not to bother him. Hoping to catch him later I closed my IM window.

Regard to this guy is still = 8/10.

After a few days I catch him again on IM. This time he responds and asks me: "Why didn't you ping me last Friday?"
I'm taken aback: "I did!"
"Strange I didn't get your message!"

Regard to this guy = minus-minus

Moral of the story: Don't try to do an Ostrich Act. You will lose others’ respect.



October 02, 2006

Managed to pull one.

This pic I had clicked, managed to secure a prize in a flickr competition. Feels good :-) And I hope to win more... :-)


Gowrish