The Gift of GaB

My rants, writings, outpourings, musings and whatever else can be penned/typed down!

Tuesday, April 25, 2006

Wish, Click, Go! - at your nearest ATM!

As technological innovations continue to break new grounds, innovative services also keep showing up their pretty face. Back in 80s, nobody in India would have thought much about ATMs. Shift to current day scenario, banks not offering ATM facility are not preferred as much. Such has become the pervasiveness of the ATMs in our lives.

Similarly, there was a time when you would either visit a travel agent or an airline booking office to book your flight tickets. Internet changed it all with e-bookings. And then came the e-ticket, which did not even require you to hold a paper ticket. A print out would do. In many US airports, even this is not necessary. Just swipe your credit card, and the reader would find your name registered on a flight and with a little assistance, print out your boarding pass.


With NCR coming up with its newest innovation, you just need to visit your nearest ATM to buy your flight tickets. Check this link that showed up on rediff today.

Book air tickets from ATMs soon

Am sure, it would be a feature that many would love to access, what with so much of budget air travel happening in our country. I only hope that it does not become a poorly implemented feature giving more room for financial transaction hiccups! Until, this is implemented in a sure way, I would just wait and watch.

Wednesday, April 19, 2006

Bad Code Spotter's Guide

I hope many of the readers here know about this great informative site called "informit.com" which provides a virtual library where you can literally browse books and read a lot of them too. That apart, it carries wonderfully researched articles that I find very enlightening.


informit.com

A few weeks back, there was this article called "10 things I hate about UNIX" (printer friendly format) which really opened my eyes to new perspectives in our choice of OS in business situations. And this time, "Bad Code Spotter's Guide" (printer friendly view) has been showcased. Read it and you are sure to come back enlightened, unless you know a few other bad coding spots.

I specifically loved the paragraph on "Gratuitously Complicated Design". I remember instances where I have looked at previously written code that were needlessly complex. In such instances, I advise you should try finding out about the author of the code. Little known trivia about the author will help you understand why he wrote such a code. In the code that I was checking out, the author had needlessly used linked lists where small arrays could have done the job. It seems that the author, a contractor in the project, wanted to learn about linked lists and implemented linked lists to prove his capability! How's that?

There was this book called "Bitter Java" which highlighted those aspects of programming that usually get unnoticed. Bugs that creep in unnoticed to our "trained" eyes. Like the classic "try-catch-throw" problems or the "double-if-whammy". Back in 2000, I remember from a session that I attended where the class leader mentioned that he always included the parenthesis together to avoid missing the closing parenthesis. As in - you type '(' and immediately follow it up with another ')' before pressing a back arrow and typing what you want inside the parenthesis. That is something that I did catch on then and have not left it till date. I simply know that I do not miss a parenthesis in my code.

These are the true "Lessons Learnt" that we all can use for our advantage. Afterall, nobody did reinvent the wheel. Or did they? :-)

Radio Mirchi in Bangalore



Turn your dial to 93.3FM... it's *HOT*!

Is an expensive memorial really necessary?

"Karnataka to build Rs. 100 million memorial for Dr. Rajkumar". This actually got me thinking... is it really necessary to incur this kind of expenditure? There are, probably, 100 million more worthy causes for using that kind of money. But a memorial? I know, Annavaru has done a lot for the propogation and safe-guard of Kannada language, Kannada culture and the Kannada Film Industry. I respect the departed soul for what he was. But then, this kind of expenditure in his name is not quite justified.

More at Bangalore Metblog.

Tuesday, April 18, 2006

Cyborgs will be a reality sooner than you think

Ask any guy from my generation to list down the favorite movies and these movies are sure to make their presence.

Terminator 1 and 2, Robocop - mostly all parts, Star Wars and more recently, I Robot.

Why? The ever-captivating convergence of humans and machines. What science calls as "cyborg". And the futurist Ray Kurzweil claims that this convergence will come to reality in 2045. In his book "The Singularity is Near", he writes the following...
"I've become aware of a transforming event looming in the first half of the 21st century … the impending Singularity in our future is increasingly transforming every institution and aspect of human life, from sexuality to spirituality."

Read the original article that appeared on LA Times. Worth a read.

Futurist Sees Machines, Humans Merging in 2045 - Los Angeles Times

The human fascination with making robots work for us has been long known and published. The science of robotics has been very influencial in development of prosthetics that enable handicapped in living normal lives. However, not many would have imagined, or atleast I didn't... that robots could be used in simulating pregnancy and child-birth. Surprised? Don't be. Check this post on engadget.

Issac Asimov is going to be smiling up there from the heavens with a I-told-you-so expression!

Move over Simputer, here comes "Solo"

India, proudly, has been involved in the development of the Simputer. The one that they believe would be the portable alternative to PCs. But it still has the same constraints that affects the normal desktops.

Like they say - it is an adverse situation that brings about the quest for true solution for the problem. And where else other than the dust bowel of the world - Africa. Nigerian innovators have created what they call as the "Solo" which would work with solar cells and have no moving parts. Sounds unrealistic? Read this article on that appeared on Yahoo!

Africa designs 'Solo' computer to beat heat and dust

"Flash"y... ain't it?

Monday, April 17, 2006

So, that is IT!

Received these in my email today from DirtyDoggy!

Official Project Stages:
Uncritical Acceptance
Wild Enthusiasm
Dejected Disillusionment
Total Confusion
Search for the Guilty
Punishment of the Innocent
Promotion of the Non-participants


IT PMs Oath:
We, the unwilling,
led by the unknowing,
are doing the impossible
for the ungrateful.
We have done so much,
for so long,
with so little,
we are now qualified to do anything
with nothing.


And what do I have add? Ahem!

Wednesday, April 12, 2006

Annavaru passes away.

I am a relatively new Bangalorean, if you really consider my 7 year residence in this city in comparison to native Bangaloreans. But that did not matter when it came to knowing Dr. Rajkumar as the greatest actor from Karnataka. His contributions to Kannada cinema, Kannada literature and culture cannot be described in ample words. His impact on Kannada populace is so great that masses move just on his request. When he was kidnapped in 2000 by Veerappan, the riots that broke out in Bangalore and in Karnataka took heavy toll of property. That is when I truly was able to gauge his impact and importance on the common man. He was released after 108 days in captivity. It was like a new lease of life for the iconic personality. For most Kannadigas, he is the representation of the most virtuous person.


Dr. Rajkumar :: 1929 - 2006

Today, at 2PM, Karnataka lost one of its most illustrious personalities in Dr. Rajkumar. He passed away due to cardiac arrest. He was 77. Heartfelt condolence to the bereaved family.

There are enough internet sites solely dedicated to chronicling his life. So, I will not launch into describing his lifetime here. I cannot do enough justice as I am not informed well enough. Please read more about Dr. Rajkumar's life on this Deccan Herald article.

On another note, as was expected, riots broke out as soon as news of Rajkumar's demise reached various parts of Bangalore. Please check my Metroblog post on the same.

Tuesday, April 11, 2006

Rocking PDA Phones on the anvil...

I am a gizmo-freak and I do not hide it. I own a Sony Ericsson P910i, which is probably one of my dream gadgets till date. It has multiple connectivity options, has an expandable memory slot, the Symbian OS is strong enough for my use, has a VGA-camera with which I can take snaps and videos, has full function PDA features that can make PDAs go green... and not to forget, a BT headset to go with it.

I have grown to love gadgets that give me more bang for the same buck. PDA-phones are in that league. While I may compromise on its camera features, I would not compromise on a phone's PDA features, connectivity options and scalability. And I keep an eye out for devices that continue to enthral me in their ability to deliver more!

Found this piece on Business Week. You must give it a read if you are also a gizmo-freak like me.

Killer PDAs Are Coming Your Way

At the risk of sounding cliched by now, I will say it again. Device convergence will hold the sway in the days to come. What you use for your telephonic conversations will do a lot more. What you use for your computing needs will offer a lot more. What you use for your recreational needs will be a lot more. And yes, with all these... your dependence on devices and technologies are also going to increase.

I cannot seem to drive so easily with those wired headsets anymore. Bluetooth has made it so much more easier!

Monday, April 10, 2006

Best of Luck, Shashi Tharoor!

I follow Shashi's columns regularly on The Hindu. And needless to mention, his writings reflect his experience, intelligence, exposure, diplomacy and dignity. Obviously one of India's more well known faces at the UN, he has carved out a name for himself. And now, he is being projected as the Sec-Gen of UN. The top job at the UN!

IBNLive : Tharoor hot favourite for UN top job

Best Wishes, Shashi Tharoor! It would be a big plus for India and Asia. From the way US is warming up to India, I just feel that US may just offer their support to Shashi and the rest, as they say, might just be history!

Did you know there was a Red Panda?

I saw this news item on CNN-IBN and I began to wonder about nature's unknown bounds. I had never known about a "Red Panda". A Google Image search yields quite a lot of results and the animals beats a vague resemblance to a Racoon. I am even more alarmed about its rarity. As such the pandas (the white ones) are just on the precipice of extinction, red ones are even more.

IBNLive : Brothers film Red Panda, win award

Now, thanks to Ajay and Vijay, there is atleast a film of this elusive rare animal. I would love to see this movie some day.

Another startling fact is that there are passionate wildlife movie makers like these in India. I never knew of other Indian wild life movie makers. Or you can say that, thanks to the cable tv invasion and presence of channels like Nat Geo, Discovery and Animal Planet, we rarely get to see wild life movies made by Indians. Nat Geo sometimes plays the movie of "Snow Leopards" which is made by an Indian. I love watching that movie. Catch it on Nat Geo sometime...

Murder for success?

Barely a week has passed since I posted my rant on atrocities on females. And now this...

IBNLive : Man kills, burns wife for 'success'

When will people have the intelligence enough to distinguish between sensible and insensible stuff? With men like Ramaswamy around, it may never be possible! He should be barbequed to death!

Friday, April 07, 2006

Keep the Faith!

Albert Einstein is someone who has inspired me endlessly. With his views on science, philosophy, religion and general life. I still read up anything that is related to him. I own a complete biography about him and 2-3 books related to his theories and related subjects. The biography is a revelation of who he was a person and how he lived his life.



One of the stories that proved to be ground breaking in my theological understanding was Einstein's discussion about faith with his professor. This discussion occasionally did the rounds in email circuits. I have read it countless times and read it today also when I received it. I am including it here for your reading pleasure.

An atheist professor of philosophy speaks to his class
on the problem science has with God, The Almighty.

He asks one of his new students to stand and.....

Prof: So you believe in God?

Student: Absolutely, sir.

Prof: Is God good?

Student: Sure.

Prof: Is God all-powerful?

Student: Yes.

Prof: My brother died of cancer even though he prayed
to God to heal him. Most of us would attempt to help
others who are ill. But God didn't. How is this God
good then? Hmm ?

Student: (Student is silent.)

Prof: You can't answer, can you? Let's start again,
young fella. Is God good?

Student: Yes.

Prof: Is Satan good?

Student: No.

Prof: Where does Satan come from?

Student: From.....God...

Prof: That's right. Tell me son, is there evil in this world?

Student: Yes.

Prof: Evil is everywhere, isn't it?

Student : Yes

Prof : And God did make everything. Correct?

Student: Yes.

Prof: So who created evil?

Student: (Student does not answer.)

Prof: Is there sickness? Immorality? Hatred? Ugliness?
All these terrible things exist in the world, don't
they?

Student: Yes, sir.

Prof: So, who created them?

Student: (Student has no answer.)

Prof: Science says you have 5 senses you use to
identify and observe the world around you. Tell me,
son...Have you ever seen God?

Student: No, sir.

Prof: Tell us if you have ever heard your God?

Student: No , sir.

Prof: Have you ever felt your God, tasted your God,
smelt your God? Have you ever had any sensory
perception of God for that matter?

Student: No, sir. I'm afraid I haven't.

Prof: Yet you still believe in Him?

Student: Yes.

Prof: According to empirical, testable, demonstrable
protocol, science says your GOD doesn't exist. What do
you say to that, son?

Student: Nothing. I only have my faith.

Prof: Yes. Faith. And that is the problem science has.

Student: Professor, is there such a thing as heat?

Prof: Yes.

Student: And is there such a thing as cold?

Prof: Yes.

Student: No sir. There isn't.

(The lecture theatre becomes very quiet with this turn
of events.)

Student: Sir, you can have lots of heat, even more
heat, superheat, mega heat, white heat, a little heat
or no heat. But we don't have anything called cold. We
can hit 458 degrees below zero which is no heat, but
we can't go any further after that. There is no such
thing as cold. Cold is only a word we use to describe
the absence of heat. We cannot measure cold.
Heat is energy. Cold is not the opposite of heat, sir,
just the absence of it.

(There is pin-drop silence in the lecture theatre.)

Student: What about darkness, Professor? Is there such
a thing as darkness?

Prof: Yes. What is night if there isn't darkness?
Student: You're wrong again, sir. Darkness is the
absence of something. You can have low light, normal
light, bright light, flashing light....But if you have
no light constantly, you have nothing and it's called
darkness, isn't it? In reality, darkness isn't. If it
were, you would be able to make darkness darker,
wouldn't you?

Prof: So what is the point you are making, young man?

Student: Sir, my point is your philosophical premise
is flawed.

Prof: Flawed? Can you explain how?

Student: Sir, you are working on the premise of
duality. You argue there is life and then there is
death, a good God and a bad God. You are viewing the
concept of God as something finite, something we can
measure. Sir, science can't even explain a thought. It
uses electricity and magnetism, but has never seen,
much less fully understood either one. To view death
as the opposite of life is to be ignorant of the fact
that death cannot exist as a substantive thing. Death
is not the opposite of life: just the absence of it.

Student : Now tell me, Professor , do you teach your
students that they evolved from a monkey?

Prof: If you are referring to the natural evolutionary
process, yes, of course, I do.

Student: Have you ever observed evolution with your
own eyes, sir?

(The Professor shakes his head with a smile, beginning
to realize where the argument is going.)

Student: Since no one has ever observed the process of
evolution at work and cannot even prove that this
process is an on-going endeavour, are you not teaching
your opinion, Sir? Are you not a scientist but a
preacher ?

(The class is in uproar.)

Student: Is there anyone in the class who has ever
seen the Professor's brain?

(The class breaks out into laughter.)

Student: Is there anyone here who has ever heard the
Professor's brain, felt it, touched or smelt
it?.....No one appears to have done so. So, according
to the established rules of empirical, stable,
demonstrable protocol, science says that you have no
brain, sir. With all due respect, sir, how do we then
trust your lectures, sir ?

(The room is silent. The professor stares at the
student, his face unfathomable.)

Prof: I guess you'll have to take them on faith, son.

Student: That is it sir.. The link between man & God
is FAITH. That is all that keeps things moving & alive.

The student was.......... "Albert Einstein"

Thursday, April 06, 2006

Rama Navami and Namada Chilume


Lord Rama along with Sita, Lakshmana and his ever faithful Lord Hanuman. This is a picture from Lord Rama's coronation ceremony (Rama Pattabhishekam) Image courtesy: Wiki

Hindus worldover would celebrate today as Rama Navami which signifies Lord Rama's birthday and also the occasion of his marriage with his divine consort Sita. Rama Navami falls on the 9th day after the first New Moon in the Hindu Lunar Calendar, called as Chaitra Maasa Shukla Paksha Navami.

Lord Rama holds great religious significance amongst Hindus as he is called as The Most Ideal Man or Uttama Purushan. The life he lived and the virtues he practiced set an example for all mankind. Lord Rama is the 20th incarnation of Lord Vishnu, and as per scriptures, Lord Vishnu took this birth to set an example of ideal principles in a man.

You can read more about Lord Rama on Wiki.

And more about Rama Navami: here, here and here.

I do not know if it is a common practice across most communities but Tamils do prepare a special preparation called "Paanagam". Check this article for the recipe of Paanagam.

Talking of Lord Sri Rama, there is a place about 85 kms from Bangalore, near Tumkur, that has a mythological association with Lord Rama. It is called Namada Chilume. You need to get there via NH4 which goes all the way to Pune and beyond.

Namada Chilume has a mythological legend associated with it. Literally it means "Namam's Fountain" or you can say "Fountain of the Namam". Take your pick. It is a natural spring and is said to be the source of the river Jayamangali. As the legend says, Lord Rama was once roaming in these parts of the country. He was looking for water to make the paste for his namam and apply it on his forehead. He took one of his arrows and pierced the ground with its tip. And water started coming from that place. Therefore it was named nama-da chilume.

The place is esconsed within a well forested area where monkeys abound. You can also see a lot of deers roaming inside. Pics below have been clicked by my wife, also an avid photography buff!


The spring associated with the legend mentioned above.


A herd of deers grazing in the sanctuary.


A view of the green expanse that is Namada Chilume. Pic clicked en route to Devarayanadurga.

I will do a separate post on Reflectarium with pictures clicked at Devarayanadurga and Namada Chilume. Look for a post with a link to those pics.

Tuesday, April 04, 2006

Housewives != Donkeys

As such, there is no dearth of atrocities committed on women in India. From illiteracy and bonded labour to forced marriage and rapes, the entire spectrum.

Many superstitions are specifically applicable only to the women folk. A certain family needs a quick dose of good luck, the women of the family must undergo a fast. Some family not enjoying good times, some woman of the family gets designated as the witch and gets thrashed with brooms and what not. Some woman raises a voice against the local powerful men, she gets gang-raped and paraded naked on the streets. Elsewhere women get sold for a price at melas so that the man can get some money for whatever he needs. Recently my eyes even caught a news item that talked about a woman being rescued from a 20 year imprisonment in a solitary room by her husband. Why? Because the husband "thought" she was being unfaithful. Grrr...

And now this... Textbook likens donkey to housewife

It is a classic manly thing in India to take their women for granted. As if they owned them like commodities. Women should not be educated. Women should not be allowed to work. Women... Somebody has to wake up these MCP samples and tell them - All these beliefs held true only in Stone Age. Not anymore. I doubt how many husbands in India are progressive minded and really appreciate the presence of their wives in their lives. Even if they were just housewives. They really have to start counting all the services a housewife provides to the man, the home and their children. It is then that they would realise that being a housewife is not such an easy task.

BTW, this post is not a precursor to a political agenda. Me and politics will never have a connection. Nor is it any kind of post designed to get me brownie points amongst the women folk. I do not need that. ;-)

AND... I completely appreciate my wife's contribution to my well-being. I am incomplete without her, respect her for what she is, love her for what she is, and do recognize her needs as an individual. Suzy - you're the one! :-)

I remember a quote from a long time back. Every marriage (God bless!) should be this...
"The I in the I is the I in You, and the You in the You is the You in I".
Ponder and you will realise how deep this quote is.

Ps: I am not going to accept any comments about preachings of Manu or Thirukural on the above aspect. Manu's writings are definitely outdated and MCP-isitc.

Way to go, Indian Bloggers!

Yahoo India carried an article today that credits the increasing blogger's presence in India. The Indibloggers seem to be growing into a force to reckon with. Check this article below for more.

Indian bloggers shaping their own identity

LG, your name is mentioned in the article. Kudos, friend!

BTW, Yahoo probably did not know that Bangalore is the newest city to be added on the Metroblogging list. :-) Check the Bangalore Metblog for more.

Monday, April 03, 2006

India humble England on 3rd ODI at Goa

In a match that was not supposed to yield more than 220 runs per innings, India amassed 294 runs for the loss of 6 wickets. The pitch did behave strange. The seamers did bowl quick. But it was Yuvraj and Raina's day today.

And when it came to bowling to England, Pathan made sure he contributed as usual. With 4 wickets, he sure laid the foundation for a sure Indian win. Collingwood hit a defiant 93 runs, enjoying a good partnership with Geraint Jones.


India's 5th wkt partnership between Yuvraj and Raina did England in...
Pic courtesy: Cricinfo.com

Highlights:
Yuvraj scored his 7th ODI 100.
Raina scored his second consecutive 50.

More later...

Bangalore 1946

How would Bangalore look in the year 1946? A true pensioner's paradise, the ever-cool garden city where you needed a warm blanket even in the peak summer...

A tour of Old Bangalore. Posted on Bangalore Metblog. Take a look...

Metblog #45 goes live... Bangalore Metblog!!

Yayyyyyyyyyy!!!

Bangalore Metblog has gone live!



And I am one of the contributing authors on the blog. The author team - as of now - includes Anita Bora, Ramses, Smyta, BangaloreGuy, KK, Ravikumar, Sujatha Bagal, Truth Fairy, Usha Vaidyanathan and ... *bowing* Your's Truly! ;-)

It is the 3rd Indian city to gain the metblogging status.

Bookmark it, Blogroll it... whatever you want. Make sure you check it every now and then!

Adios!

PS: More about Metroblogging.

Saturday, April 01, 2006

Affaire De Camera

Someone asked me today what camera I use. My immediate response was the name of the camera that I use currently. Question came back to me. And before that?

And that started this trip. Of my affair with cameras. And here I am listing down all the models that I have been associated with.


My first was a Voigtländer Perkeo II. It belonged to my late grandfather, and dates back to WW2 days. Released in 1939, I am not sure how my grandfather got this one. But he did use it quite a lot. I guess the love for photography (& many others including love for cars, driving skills, geology/geography, handwriting, architecture and reading) must have come down to me from him only. It had rectractable lens chamber built inside a bellow. You can read more about this vintage camera series on this link. After much use, a thin tear appeared in the bellow fabric (which I think was paper) and the camera got packed into its leather casing. It was then kept in a shelf and remains there till date. I intend to get it cleaned and renovated sometime. And maybe even use it occasionally. Just for kicks.

The second was a point and click 35mm variety. Nothing much to write about. It had 2X optical zoom, was battery operated and showed how many photos have been clicked. However my hands used to long for ones that had 3X and more zoom, could imprint the date on the film and had shutter advance protection (the one that prevented double exposure on the same part of the film).


Then, as the cost of using films slowly became prohibitive and we had advanced pretty much into the computer age, I decided to go digital. And the first one was a Toshiba PDR M25. 2Megapixel, 3X optical zoom and some good features like Night Potrait, Macro etc, used a Smartmedia card. The only reason why I decided to move from this camera was its speed. Sometimes my photo-frame used to vanish away by the time the shutter got released. I had to sell it off. This camera stayed with me from Oct 2002 till March 2003.


The next was a very innovative camera with its lens construction being fully internal. March 2003 - August 2003. The Minolta Dimage X. 2 Megapixels, 2X optical zoom, SD card, very crisp, had those mandatory modes - night shot, landscape, macro etc. But these were via menu. Much less options via buttons. It was fast enough. Best aspect was that it was as slim as a cigarette case. I bet this was the one that launched the slim camera race in the digital still camera world. This camera allowed me to experiment only so much as it permitted, and I wished for more.


The next camera was something that I had deeply wished for. All the experimentation possibilities (sparing a few which are possible only with a SLR) were available at my disposal. The Canon Powershot G2 from the Pro range. It was what they called as a "Prosumer" camera. And with this, I had all the photographic fun since Aug 2003. It has only 3X optical zoom but a host of features that allow you to practically do anything you want. It also has provision to fit on adapter lens - wideangle or telephoto. It has the manual mode for your personalised touch. This uses the Compact Flash memory cards.


Like they say, man is never satisfied and his wants are only increasing. Same goes with me too. I am now looking in the digital SLR range. And which one would be that? Canon EOS Rebel XT 350D. Nothing less. But it costs a bomb! Someday I would have enough to pamper myself with a complete kit. And what might I click first? The Moon and its craters. I have been wanting to do it ever since 8th grade when I first learnt about the Moon in detail.

Did you also realise that when it comes to still cameras, Canon literally rules the market space? Oh yes, it does. Still camera and Canon have been synonymous with each other. And once a Canon, always a Canon. So, when you are looking out for a camera - simply Canon for it. :-) I bet you cannot be disappointed.

Happy Clicking!