Could the ‘Absolute Morality’ be defined? Could someone someday provide an answer for how to judge whether something is moral or immoral, something is right or wrong? Something which would be acceptable to all?
“If you have to kill millions to save billions, would you do that?”
Watched the movie “The Watchmen” sometimes back. It is an amazing movie with some thought provoking dialogues and characters. At the climax of the movie, the hero/villain (its for you to decide) wanted to save a definite nuclear war between Russia and USA, which would have killed billions all over the world. He masters a plan for a nuclear-like explosion in New York which would appear to have been caused by one of the Superheroes endorsed by USA. This would divert the attention away from nuclear war. He did exactly this, killing millions in New York and as a result of which, USA and Russia became friends and the nuclear war was prevented. He claimed that by killing millions he saved billions. Some of the superheroes agreed with him and called him a hero, but others disagreed with him and called him a villain.
A similar thing happened in Sri Lanka very recently. LTTE had killed thousands of civilians in Sri Lanka over the last 20 years, and would have continued to do so had the government not launched an all-out offensive against them. The government was determined to defeat them, no matter what price they would have to pay. The LTTE used Tamil civilians as shield, and they were caught in the crossfire. Despite appeals from all over the world to stop fighting so that innocent civilians don’t die, the government attacked LTTE from all sides, not caring about the civilian deaths which ran into hundreds of thousands. In the end, the LTTE was eliminated once and for all, but over 25,000 civilians died and 300,000 moved to relief camps.
Again, this is a question as raised in the movie ‘Watchmen’. Was this the right decision? Was it moral or immoral? Did the Sri Lankan government kill thousands to save millions?
25,000 innocent civilians lost their lives, but LTTE has been eliminated and won’t kill civilians anymore. Had they not been eliminated, they might have killed another 30,000, or maybe a million more innocent civilians. They could have grown and could have been like Taliban. They could have been the Masters of Terror. They had already killed around 50,000 civilians in Sri Lanka in the last 20 years. The death of these 25,000 civilians is a price that has to be paid to prevent the worst.
On the other hand, there could have been another solution. The Tamils have been marginalised and discriminated in Sri Lanka, which gave rise to LTTE problem. The root cause of the problem should have been addressed, rather than being over aggressive. The 25,000 people that died were all Tamils, and this could give rise to a hatred filled society, with Tamils blaming the Sinhalese for their plight. The government could have talked to LTTE, and with international pressure and some compromise from both sides, this could have been averted. Sri Lanka could have given more autonomy to Tamils, and in return LTTE could have laid down their arms.
Both the scenarios have a lot of “could have”. Nobody knows what ‘would have’ happened if these ‘could haves’ had become reality. It’s not something which is in black and white. I’m unable to say if the Sri Lankan government did the right thing or the wrong thing. What do you say?
--Ashutosh
Sunday, September 27, 2009
Sunday, May 31, 2009
Who am I: 5 years later
around 5 years back...when I started my blog one of the first post was the "Personality Test" from this site. I doubt the correctness of such tests and believe that just by answering a few question nobody can make out who you are. Anyway, I took the same test today, after around 5 years, and the results have actually changed !!
Test in 2016 : 7 years gap
Test in 2009
Take Free Advanced Global Personality Test
personality test by similarminds.com
5 years back: 2004
Advanced Global Personality Test Results
Extraversion |||||| 30%
Stability |||||||||||||||| 63%
Orderliness |||||||||||||||||| 80%
Accommodation |||||||||||||| 56%
Interdependence |||||| 23%
Intellectual |||||||||||||||||||| 83%
Mystical |||||| 30%
Artistic |||||||||| 36%
Religious || 10%
Hedonism |||||| 30%
Materialism |||||||||||||||||||| 90%
Narcissism |||||||||||||| 56%
Adventurousness |||||||||||||||||| 76%
Work ethic |||||||||||| 50%
Self absorbed |||||||||||||||| 63%
Conflict seeking |||||||||||||| 56%
Need to dominate |||||||||||| 50%
Romantic |||||||||||||| 56%
Avoidant |||||||||||||||| 63%
Anti-authority |||||||||||| 43%
Wealth |||||||||||| 43%
Dependency |||||| 30%
Change averse |||||| 30%
Cautiousness |||||||||||||||| 70%
Individuality |||||||||||||||||| 76%
Sexuality |||||||||||||||| 70%
Peter pan complex |||||| 23%
Physical security |||||||||||||| 56%
Physical Fitness |||||| 24%
Histrionic |||||||||||| 50%
Paranoia |||||||||||||| 56%
Vanity |||||||||||||||| 63%
Hypersensitivity |||||||||||| 5
--Ashutosh
31st May
Test in 2016 : 7 years gap
Test in 2009
Advanced Global Personality Test Results
|
personality test by similarminds.com
5 years back: 2004
Advanced Global Personality Test Results
Extraversion |||||| 30%
Stability |||||||||||||||| 63%
Orderliness |||||||||||||||||| 80%
Accommodation |||||||||||||| 56%
Interdependence |||||| 23%
Intellectual |||||||||||||||||||| 83%
Mystical |||||| 30%
Artistic |||||||||| 36%
Religious || 10%
Hedonism |||||| 30%
Materialism |||||||||||||||||||| 90%
Narcissism |||||||||||||| 56%
Adventurousness |||||||||||||||||| 76%
Work ethic |||||||||||| 50%
Self absorbed |||||||||||||||| 63%
Conflict seeking |||||||||||||| 56%
Need to dominate |||||||||||| 50%
Romantic |||||||||||||| 56%
Avoidant |||||||||||||||| 63%
Anti-authority |||||||||||| 43%
Wealth |||||||||||| 43%
Dependency |||||| 30%
Change averse |||||| 30%
Cautiousness |||||||||||||||| 70%
Individuality |||||||||||||||||| 76%
Sexuality |||||||||||||||| 70%
Peter pan complex |||||| 23%
Physical security |||||||||||||| 56%
Physical Fitness |||||| 24%
Histrionic |||||||||||| 50%
Paranoia |||||||||||||| 56%
Vanity |||||||||||||||| 63%
Hypersensitivity |||||||||||| 5
--Ashutosh
31st May
Saturday, May 30, 2009
Tuesday, May 26, 2009
The great IPL final..
Well it was the IPL finals on Sunday...though I wasn't very exited about it and didn't support any team in particular, I was going to watch it as I had nothing else to do on a Sunday. There were two options before me - either watch the game on TV in the comfort of my home, or go to a sports bar/normal bar with someone. I chose the second option.
There is a good sports bar in Gurgaon - 'Howzzat'. I wanted to watch a match there, so when Nishant Mathur proposed to see the IPL final there, I was game. NM drove all the way from Noida to Gurgaon in about 1 hour to watch the game at Howzzat, and I joined him. However, when we reached there, it was packed to the capacity and we were not allowed to enter. I think if we had a girl with us, they would have allowed us inside, but we were not that fortunate. The match had already started with 2 overs gone.
Then I decided to go to our old bar 'Below 8' in the cybercity. I wanted to go there as I had watched T20 world cup final there, and it was really a great experience (and they offered free Vodka shots with every wicket:). We raced our bike to cybercity, parked it (for Rs 20/hour ! even parking is expensive in Gurgaon). We went there only to find my great 'Below 8' closed. What the hell! A bar closed on Sunday on the day of IPL final! Anyway, We couldn't do anything. We tried another restaurant near that but it wasn't showing matches.
Then we decided to go to Ambience Mall, the biggest in Gurgaon. There had to be atleast one place which was showing the match. we again raced our bikes to Ambience Mall. After some searching, we found a bar 'Beer Island' which was showing the match. We thought it was full, but luckily we got the seats. Finally we could see the match after 13 overs were bowled.
But..But ..
The place was good, the beer was amazing (brewed there itself), but there was no commentary. The music was also good, but it was way too loud and we couldn't even talk! we had some pork sausages and beer till the 1st innings were over. The music acually kept getting louder by all this time.
Finally, we decided that commentary was important, and there is no fun in watching cricket wthout commentary. Also, the closing ceremony was much hyped, and we wanted to see that 'with sound'. So, we decided to go back home.
Finally when we reached home, there were 6 overs to be bowled in second innings. We were happy that we would be able to watch the climax of the game and the closing ceremony 'with sound'.
The match was great, but the closing ceremony was pathetic. First of all, it was too long and surprisingly before the presentation ! What the hell was Lalit Modi thinking. Everyone got so bored that I think a lot of people went to sleeb before the presentation. Finally after 1 hour of bullshit, the trophy (design.. yuk! )was presented to Deccan Chargers.
We saw only 15 overs of the game out of 40 :(
-Ashutosh
26th March, 01:40 AM
There is a good sports bar in Gurgaon - 'Howzzat'. I wanted to watch a match there, so when Nishant Mathur proposed to see the IPL final there, I was game. NM drove all the way from Noida to Gurgaon in about 1 hour to watch the game at Howzzat, and I joined him. However, when we reached there, it was packed to the capacity and we were not allowed to enter. I think if we had a girl with us, they would have allowed us inside, but we were not that fortunate. The match had already started with 2 overs gone.
Then I decided to go to our old bar 'Below 8' in the cybercity. I wanted to go there as I had watched T20 world cup final there, and it was really a great experience (and they offered free Vodka shots with every wicket:). We raced our bike to cybercity, parked it (for Rs 20/hour ! even parking is expensive in Gurgaon). We went there only to find my great 'Below 8' closed. What the hell! A bar closed on Sunday on the day of IPL final! Anyway, We couldn't do anything. We tried another restaurant near that but it wasn't showing matches.
Then we decided to go to Ambience Mall, the biggest in Gurgaon. There had to be atleast one place which was showing the match. we again raced our bikes to Ambience Mall. After some searching, we found a bar 'Beer Island' which was showing the match. We thought it was full, but luckily we got the seats. Finally we could see the match after 13 overs were bowled.
But..But ..
The place was good, the beer was amazing (brewed there itself), but there was no commentary. The music was also good, but it was way too loud and we couldn't even talk! we had some pork sausages and beer till the 1st innings were over. The music acually kept getting louder by all this time.
Finally, we decided that commentary was important, and there is no fun in watching cricket wthout commentary. Also, the closing ceremony was much hyped, and we wanted to see that 'with sound'. So, we decided to go back home.
Finally when we reached home, there were 6 overs to be bowled in second innings. We were happy that we would be able to watch the climax of the game and the closing ceremony 'with sound'.
The match was great, but the closing ceremony was pathetic. First of all, it was too long and surprisingly before the presentation ! What the hell was Lalit Modi thinking. Everyone got so bored that I think a lot of people went to sleeb before the presentation. Finally after 1 hour of bullshit, the trophy (design.. yuk! )was presented to Deccan Chargers.
We saw only 15 overs of the game out of 40 :(
-Ashutosh
26th March, 01:40 AM
Monday, May 25, 2009
No work at office..
My new job at Dunnhumby is different than the one in marketRx. Here you are given a lot of responsibilities and lots of work; but it is better than marketRx because you have the complete ownership and responsibility of your project. Indiavidual projects also mean the guys in UK know when you are free and the again load you with ptojects. Bt the best part is, that they know we have to leave for home at 7, and they respect that (unlike in marketRx, where you are 'expected' to stay back and work after 7:30 PM.
But we also have few days in dunnhumby when there isn't much work. today is one such day as I have completed my work and UK office is on leave. Also, my ipod is at home, and I don't have the fun group that I had in marketRx(the best part of marketRx). I am getting bored at office, because I have nothing to do.
It's strange. Because when I had a lot of work I wished for a day off; but when I have it I'm getting bored. Am I becoming a workoholic (my worst nightmare)? Or is it just due to the quiet dunnhumby office?
I did absolutely nothing today. Came at 10:20, did some work till 11:00, wasted time till 12:30, played foosball, went to Siddhartha's treat, came back with heavy stomach and sleepy eyes (which again makes it difficult to work), foosball again, surfing the net, and then this blog. I was searching the net for some trekking expeditions where I can go and enjoy. It's been a long time since I took any leave, and I am definitely going to take one in july/aur for around 10 days; and before that I have to find a destination where I can go ! Well the main problem is findng people to go with you (or go alone, as I did the Triund Trek). I badly need a trekking partner with whom I can go anywhere I want.
I have made some plans for the trips this year and next year. I'll be utlizing all my leaves for the trips. I'm planning to go to Leh/Ladakh in Aug (though this trip doesn't seem to be happening), Thailand in sept end-october, and then Goa in december (new year) Hopefully I'll get people for these trips. I'm also planning to go to Everest base camp next year in summers. Let's see how many of these I'll be able to do.
These trips have to be done as they say "There is no surety in life... you can get married anytime..so fulfill all your wishes before that"
But we also have few days in dunnhumby when there isn't much work. today is one such day as I have completed my work and UK office is on leave. Also, my ipod is at home, and I don't have the fun group that I had in marketRx(the best part of marketRx). I am getting bored at office, because I have nothing to do.
It's strange. Because when I had a lot of work I wished for a day off; but when I have it I'm getting bored. Am I becoming a workoholic (my worst nightmare)? Or is it just due to the quiet dunnhumby office?
I did absolutely nothing today. Came at 10:20, did some work till 11:00, wasted time till 12:30, played foosball, went to Siddhartha's treat, came back with heavy stomach and sleepy eyes (which again makes it difficult to work), foosball again, surfing the net, and then this blog. I was searching the net for some trekking expeditions where I can go and enjoy. It's been a long time since I took any leave, and I am definitely going to take one in july/aur for around 10 days; and before that I have to find a destination where I can go ! Well the main problem is findng people to go with you (or go alone, as I did the Triund Trek). I badly need a trekking partner with whom I can go anywhere I want.
I have made some plans for the trips this year and next year. I'll be utlizing all my leaves for the trips. I'm planning to go to Leh/Ladakh in Aug (though this trip doesn't seem to be happening), Thailand in sept end-october, and then Goa in december (new year) Hopefully I'll get people for these trips. I'm also planning to go to Everest base camp next year in summers. Let's see how many of these I'll be able to do.
These trips have to be done as they say "There is no surety in life... you can get married anytime..so fulfill all your wishes before that"
Sunday, May 17, 2009
Trekking to Triund
I should have posted it long back....when I actually made the trip... anyways...better late then never...
Well I decided to go on a trek to some place as an extended weekend was coming. There was no other place I knew where i could go and come back within 3 days, than Dharamshala. I decided to go alone, even if nobody else comes, but Vikas Dhawan decided to come along. Due to certain reasons, we decided to go separately and do the trek alone, and meet up on top of the mountains.
We prepared for the trip as if we were going to Mt. Everest (though one day I'll definitely go there, atleast to the base camp). We purchased sleeping bags, juices, chocolates, biscuits, Gatorade, and a lot of other stuff which made my bag heavier than usual, and as a result I had to leave some stuff behind. My backpack was full.
I started at 6:30 PM on Friday from Delhi. To my luck, a pretty girl was sitting with me in the bus, and because of that I had a good time throughout the journey, and it didn't feel long. The girl was very talkative and fond of food, and she described some of the paranthas and other delicacies in such a way that increased my hunger and I ate a lot for dinner (I had decided to skip dinner coz I was going to start trekking in the morning itself, and there was no toilet).
I reached Macleodganj at 7:00 AM. It was chilling there. I was in a T-shirt only and had to take out my jacket. I had a cup of tea and started climbing immediately.
I was one of the first few travelers that morning. The weather was amazing, and it had snowed heavily just a day back. I met some of the DCE guys on the way, but as I was carrying a bag, they sped ahead of me very soon. Anyways, I continued at my own pace.
The trek was good foo the first few kilometers. The total length was around 10 kms, 6-7 kms of it was easy and 3-4 km was tough. And when you have a backpack with you, the difficulty level triples. There were few tea shops on the way which provided refreshments, but my stomach was still heavy with the last night dinner, thanks to the girl in the bus. Anyway, I maintained a decent speed and actually I was little bit proud of my fitness that I was able to do it inspite of the backpack etc.
The trek started becoming difficult after 3 hrs climb. I could see where I was going but it was very steep and I was very tired. Some of my fellow trekkers cheered me up and motivated me. The trek was narrow, and it became more dangerous when it become fully snow covered. One slip and you go down the valley.
Finally after 4 and half hours of trekking, I reached to the top. oh my God ! What a view !! It was the best mountain view I had ever seen. Mountains are almost same, but the viewpoint was so amazing! And everything around me was covered in snow. Perfect !
I met a German there and we became friends. The chaiwala with his finnish wife was nice, and his wife was too cool. DhawansaaB also joined me in the evening. I, DhawansaaB and Karen talked a lot in the evening.
We decided to sleep overnight in the tents. It was really a bold decision as it was f***ing cold, snow was everywhere, and nobody else was sleeping in the open like us. Just for the sake of experience, and because we had our sleeping bags with us, we decided to give it a shot. I proved to be disastrous in the night, when at around 2 AM both of us woke up because of cold. Clearly, the sleeping bags were not enough for the cold, and we couldn't do anything. Somehow we stayed awake till 4 AM when sleep overpowered our mind and body.
The morning was pleasant, and we decided to step down and visit Mcleodganj also. It took almost the same time to descend, which was really surprising for me. Me reached Mcleod at around 3:00 Pm, and roamed here and there. We decided to hit atleast 10 coffee shops in the evening. In the night, there was really a scarcity of rooms, and we were really lucky to get one otherwise we were going to sleep on the roadside, ofcourse with our sleeping bags.
Next morning we left for Amritsar as our train was from there, and we reaced there just in time to go to the Golden Temple also. We were dead tired but actually didn't feel much (thou my legs pained for rest of the week).
Overall it was really a nice and amazing experience. It really demands the best of you, and you have to be physically and mentally fit to undertake such an adventure. Triund is just the beginning. This year I am going on some more trekking as and when I get the time.
Next target : Ladakh.
--Ashutosh
Well I decided to go on a trek to some place as an extended weekend was coming. There was no other place I knew where i could go and come back within 3 days, than Dharamshala. I decided to go alone, even if nobody else comes, but Vikas Dhawan decided to come along. Due to certain reasons, we decided to go separately and do the trek alone, and meet up on top of the mountains.
We prepared for the trip as if we were going to Mt. Everest (though one day I'll definitely go there, atleast to the base camp). We purchased sleeping bags, juices, chocolates, biscuits, Gatorade, and a lot of other stuff which made my bag heavier than usual, and as a result I had to leave some stuff behind. My backpack was full.I started at 6:30 PM on Friday from Delhi. To my luck, a pretty girl was sitting with me in the bus, and because of that I had a good time throughout the journey, and it didn't feel long. The girl was very talkative and fond of food, and she described some of the paranthas and other delicacies in such a way that increased my hunger and I ate a lot for dinner (I had decided to skip dinner coz I was going to start trekking in the morning itself, and there was no toilet).
I reached Macleodganj at 7:00 AM. It was chilling there. I was in a T-shirt only and had to take out my jacket. I had a cup of tea and started climbing immediately.
I was one of the first few travelers that morning. The weather was amazing, and it had snowed heavily just a day back. I met some of the DCE guys on the way, but as I was carrying a bag, they sped ahead of me very soon. Anyways, I continued at my own pace.
The trek was good foo the first few kilometers. The total length was around 10 kms, 6-7 kms of it was easy and 3-4 km was tough. And when you have a backpack with you, the difficulty level triples. There were few tea shops on the way which provided refreshments, but my stomach was still heavy with the last night dinner, thanks to the girl in the bus. Anyway, I maintained a decent speed and actually I was little bit proud of my fitness that I was able to do it inspite of the backpack etc.
The trek started becoming difficult after 3 hrs climb. I could see where I was going but it was very steep and I was very tired. Some of my fellow trekkers cheered me up and motivated me. The trek was narrow, and it became more dangerous when it become fully snow covered. One slip and you go down the valley. 
Finally after 4 and half hours of trekking, I reached to the top. oh my God ! What a view !! It was the best mountain view I had ever seen. Mountains are almost same, but the viewpoint was so amazing! And everything around me was covered in snow. Perfect !
I met a German there and we became friends. The chaiwala with his finnish wife was nice, and his wife was too cool. DhawansaaB also joined me in the evening. I, DhawansaaB and Karen talked a lot in the evening.
We decided to sleep overnight in the tents. It was really a bold decision as it was f***ing cold, snow was everywhere, and nobody else was sleeping in the open like us. Just for the sake of experience, and because we had our sleeping bags with us, we decided to give it a shot. I proved to be disastrous in the night, when at around 2 AM both of us woke up because of cold. Clearly, the sleeping bags were not enough for the cold, and we couldn't do anything. Somehow we stayed awake till 4 AM when sleep overpowered our mind and body.
The morning was pleasant, and we decided to step down and visit Mcleodganj also. It took almost the same time to descend, which was really surprising for me. Me reached Mcleod at around 3:00 Pm, and roamed here and there. We decided to hit atleast 10 coffee shops in the evening. In the night, there was really a scarcity of rooms, and we were really lucky to get one otherwise we were going to sleep on the roadside, ofcourse with our sleeping bags.
Next morning we left for Amritsar as our train was from there, and we reaced there just in time to go to the Golden Temple also. We were dead tired but actually didn't feel much (thou my legs pained for rest of the week).
Overall it was really a nice and amazing experience. It really demands the best of you, and you have to be physically and mentally fit to undertake such an adventure. Triund is just the beginning. This year I am going on some more trekking as and when I get the time.
Next target : Ladakh.
--Ashutosh
Monday, February 9, 2009
No Matter What
This is a song from 'Boyzone'. A song which I think closely fits into my iconoclastic philosophy of life.
The song goes like this :
No matter what they tell us
No matter what they do
No matter what they teach us
What we believe is true
I don't believe in things blindly. I look for logic, and if there isn't any, I never believe it. Same goes for our society-destroying superstitions.
No matter what they call us
However they attack
No matter where they take us
We'll find our own way back
I don't care what others think about me. According to me, whatever you do, there'll always be some people who support you, and there'll always be some people who oppose you. If you give importance to all the opinions, you will never succeed in your life. If you believe in what you are doing, just go for it !
I can't deny what I believe
I can't be what I'm not
I know our love forever
I know, no matter what
I know what I want to do, and I do what I want. Even if people say that you should do something or you should be something because it has been the tradition and is being done from ages, I don't give a damn.
If only tears were laughter
If only night was day
If only prayers were answered
Then we would hear God say
I don't talk to God to help me out, but I carve my own way out. I don't need to go to temples to seek blessings from God, because I look to my inside to get motivation. I don't need any support from God, because my willpower supports me. And that's the reason I don't believe in God. I'm my own God
No matter what they tell you
No matter what they do
No matter what they teach you
What we believe is true
I do not follow rules / traditions just because they have been there since ages. They were made when I was not there, so why should I follow them? I'll make my own rules, as the situation demands.
And I will keep you safe and strong
And shelter from the storm
No matter where it's barren
A dream is being born
I believe in myself, and that gives me the courage to face difficult situations. It helps me to solve whatever challenges I face, whatever difficulty may arise. I dream big, and will do my best to achieve it, No Matter What !
No matter who they follow
No matter where they lead
No matter how they judge us
I'll be everyone you need
I AM WHAT I AM.
The song goes like this :
No matter what they tell us
No matter what they do
No matter what they teach us
What we believe is true
I don't believe in things blindly. I look for logic, and if there isn't any, I never believe it. Same goes for our society-destroying superstitions.
No matter what they call us
However they attack
No matter where they take us
We'll find our own way back
I don't care what others think about me. According to me, whatever you do, there'll always be some people who support you, and there'll always be some people who oppose you. If you give importance to all the opinions, you will never succeed in your life. If you believe in what you are doing, just go for it !
I can't deny what I believe
I can't be what I'm not
I know our love forever
I know, no matter what
I know what I want to do, and I do what I want. Even if people say that you should do something or you should be something because it has been the tradition and is being done from ages, I don't give a damn.
If only tears were laughter
If only night was day
If only prayers were answered
Then we would hear God say
I don't talk to God to help me out, but I carve my own way out. I don't need to go to temples to seek blessings from God, because I look to my inside to get motivation. I don't need any support from God, because my willpower supports me. And that's the reason I don't believe in God. I'm my own God
No matter what they tell you
No matter what they do
No matter what they teach you
What we believe is true
I do not follow rules / traditions just because they have been there since ages. They were made when I was not there, so why should I follow them? I'll make my own rules, as the situation demands.
And I will keep you safe and strong
And shelter from the storm
No matter where it's barren
A dream is being born
I believe in myself, and that gives me the courage to face difficult situations. It helps me to solve whatever challenges I face, whatever difficulty may arise. I dream big, and will do my best to achieve it, No Matter What !
No matter who they follow
No matter where they lead
No matter how they judge us
I'll be everyone you need
I AM WHAT I AM.
The Class is over.....
This is from my earlier blog which I deleted...posting it again
Originally posted on April 20, 2007, After my last class at IIT Kharagpur
The day is finally here. The day for which we all have been waiting since we started our academic life at IIT, and some of us have been waiting for this day since schooldays! The day when studies finally come to an end.
Going for a class has always been a difficult thing for me. I am one of those 'satanic' guys (at least the profs think so ) who believe that classes are absolutely unnecessary in the quest for knowledge. Getting up at 7:30 AM after sleeping at 3:30 AM for a class in which you have no interest and listening to a professor whom you hate ( and he hates you too) is the most difficult task still performed by IITians for the fear of deregistration. It was fine in 1st year when the class had 250-300 students, but in a small department like mine, 'proxy' and 'bunking' is next to impossible.
But when I look down at these 5 years of my life in my department, its an amazing assortment of fun, acads, games, innovative thinking, friendship and whatnot.
Things I liked the most...
My friends in the department, the B.tecs and the Duals, without whom I could not have managed to survive in the department. I can't even imagine how life would be in the department without them.
The Centrally Air Conditioned department, it was one hell of comfort in classes and labs (One thing which in good in our department, and even that 'sucks', literally)
No matter how bad you perform in Grand Viva/Lab viva/Project Eval, you will get minimum grade of B (in some cases C, but they are rare)
Things I'll miss the most...
My friends, and all the fun we had in these 5 years. It was really AMAZING
Dilip ka Kaatna, Mall & Nishant ki Maarna
The fun we had in all the Labs, without doing or learning anything
The Coffee-shop discussions over coffee, cold drinks, cigg, and snacks
The never-ending Bakhchodi spree, non-stop, and our only means of survival during these 5 years
Things I'll always remember...
The masti we did in classes & labs
How we 'cheated' in the exams, and the ultimate copying algorithm between me and Dilip. No matter how the conditions are, we can copy from each other :)
The 'NAM' (Non Apping Movement), the 'DNA' (Dilip, Nishant, Ashutosh), and the NAM awards
Anish Kumar's crucial lessons at the eleventh hour to save us from the wrath of exam
My Guide, and how 'well' I did my project work, and how happy he was with my 'work'
Bunking the lab after just 1 hour, and going to coffee shop as soon as it opened at 2:30 PM
Never studying for a class test, and still scoring 'above-average' marks, obviously by mutual cooperation
The never-ending list of nicknames, specially between me, Dilip and Nishant
Taking a particular "magazine" in the classroom and reading it in between the lectures
AKD's class, when I raised my hand in response to a question without having any idea about it.
The "Doc" who came to our class in our 5th year courses
Things I didn't like...
Attitude of the Professors in the Department ( Sadistic and aimed only at harassing the students)
The type of education we were getting. It was just mugging 2-3 kgs of notes before the exams. No Brains involved, only memorizing.
The agonizing lectures of the profs, and not giving the slides/notes for some crappy reasons of their own
Over-emphasis on attendance without caring about how much the student is learning
Things I would like to forget...
The summers of my fourth year, when we had to stay in Kgp for the whole summers
My close brush with getting dereg in a subject
Originally posted on April 20, 2007, After my last class at IIT Kharagpur
The day is finally here. The day for which we all have been waiting since we started our academic life at IIT, and some of us have been waiting for this day since schooldays! The day when studies finally come to an end.
Going for a class has always been a difficult thing for me. I am one of those 'satanic' guys (at least the profs think so ) who believe that classes are absolutely unnecessary in the quest for knowledge. Getting up at 7:30 AM after sleeping at 3:30 AM for a class in which you have no interest and listening to a professor whom you hate ( and he hates you too) is the most difficult task still performed by IITians for the fear of deregistration. It was fine in 1st year when the class had 250-300 students, but in a small department like mine, 'proxy' and 'bunking' is next to impossible.
But when I look down at these 5 years of my life in my department, its an amazing assortment of fun, acads, games, innovative thinking, friendship and whatnot.
Things I liked the most...
My friends in the department, the B.tecs and the Duals, without whom I could not have managed to survive in the department. I can't even imagine how life would be in the department without them.
The Centrally Air Conditioned department, it was one hell of comfort in classes and labs (One thing which in good in our department, and even that 'sucks', literally)
No matter how bad you perform in Grand Viva/Lab viva/Project Eval, you will get minimum grade of B (in some cases C, but they are rare)
Things I'll miss the most...
My friends, and all the fun we had in these 5 years. It was really AMAZING
Dilip ka Kaatna, Mall & Nishant ki Maarna
The fun we had in all the Labs, without doing or learning anything
The Coffee-shop discussions over coffee, cold drinks, cigg, and snacks
The never-ending Bakhchodi spree, non-stop, and our only means of survival during these 5 years
Things I'll always remember...
The masti we did in classes & labs
How we 'cheated' in the exams, and the ultimate copying algorithm between me and Dilip. No matter how the conditions are, we can copy from each other :)
The 'NAM' (Non Apping Movement), the 'DNA' (Dilip, Nishant, Ashutosh), and the NAM awards
Anish Kumar's crucial lessons at the eleventh hour to save us from the wrath of exam
My Guide, and how 'well' I did my project work, and how happy he was with my 'work'
Bunking the lab after just 1 hour, and going to coffee shop as soon as it opened at 2:30 PM
Never studying for a class test, and still scoring 'above-average' marks, obviously by mutual cooperation
The never-ending list of nicknames, specially between me, Dilip and Nishant
Taking a particular "magazine" in the classroom and reading it in between the lectures
AKD's class, when I raised my hand in response to a question without having any idea about it.
The "Doc" who came to our class in our 5th year courses
Things I didn't like...
Attitude of the Professors in the Department ( Sadistic and aimed only at harassing the students)
The type of education we were getting. It was just mugging 2-3 kgs of notes before the exams. No Brains involved, only memorizing.
The agonizing lectures of the profs, and not giving the slides/notes for some crappy reasons of their own
Over-emphasis on attendance without caring about how much the student is learning
Things I would like to forget...
The summers of my fourth year, when we had to stay in Kgp for the whole summers
My close brush with getting dereg in a subject
The power of POWER
This is from my earlier blog which I deleted...posting it again
Originally posted on April 8 2007
Here is a poem from my schooldays. This is probably the only hindi poem I remember and because of its strong meaning, this is my favourite poem. The poem is "Shakti aur Kshama" by Ramdhari Singh 'Dinkar'. The poem is a great lesson in diplomacy and human relations. Forgiveness of a weakling does not count. First have the power and capability to defeat the enemy, then only your offer of peace would carry weight. Virtues of forgiveness, kindness and tolerance are appreciated in society only if you first have the capacity to crush.
Originally posted on April 8 2007
Here is a poem from my schooldays. This is probably the only hindi poem I remember and because of its strong meaning, this is my favourite poem. The poem is "Shakti aur Kshama" by Ramdhari Singh 'Dinkar'. The poem is a great lesson in diplomacy and human relations. Forgiveness of a weakling does not count. First have the power and capability to defeat the enemy, then only your offer of peace would carry weight. Virtues of forgiveness, kindness and tolerance are appreciated in society only if you first have the capacity to crush.
Alvida......
This is from my earlier blog which I deleted...posting it again
Originally posted on April 7 2007
Around 5 years back, some 600-odd people came to IIT Kharagpur to became engineers (atleast that's what they thought then). They were teenagers, most of them 17-19 years old, who had just passed out of school and made their way through IIT-JEE by their hardwork and intelligence. They were starry-eyed, enthusiastic, and somewhat scared about the life that they were going to face.
The years passed on, one by one, and these very talented group of people were totally transformed from boys to men. They were no more scared, but confident to take on the world all by themselves. They achieved a lot during these 5 years, and learned a lot. They completely transformed their personality, and improved the skills they had. They came to IIT as intelligent guys, and became intelligent thinkers. Their dreams were small, but now they dream big, and can do anything to achieve their dreams. They were just the 'maggu' junta from school who did nothing but study, but now they have become the 'Jack of all Trades'. They came to IIT Kharagpur alone, but they made so many good friends here that they will never be alone in their entire life. They used to look to others to help them out, but now they make their own rules and take their own decisions. They have got what they wanted and what they deserved, and they are and will be successful in whatever they do.
They came to IIT Kharagpur to be engineers, and 5 years later, they became the IITians.
Originally posted on April 7 2007
Around 5 years back, some 600-odd people came to IIT Kharagpur to became engineers (atleast that's what they thought then). They were teenagers, most of them 17-19 years old, who had just passed out of school and made their way through IIT-JEE by their hardwork and intelligence. They were starry-eyed, enthusiastic, and somewhat scared about the life that they were going to face.
The years passed on, one by one, and these very talented group of people were totally transformed from boys to men. They were no more scared, but confident to take on the world all by themselves. They achieved a lot during these 5 years, and learned a lot. They completely transformed their personality, and improved the skills they had. They came to IIT as intelligent guys, and became intelligent thinkers. Their dreams were small, but now they dream big, and can do anything to achieve their dreams. They were just the 'maggu' junta from school who did nothing but study, but now they have become the 'Jack of all Trades'. They came to IIT Kharagpur alone, but they made so many good friends here that they will never be alone in their entire life. They used to look to others to help them out, but now they make their own rules and take their own decisions. They have got what they wanted and what they deserved, and they are and will be successful in whatever they do.
They came to IIT Kharagpur to be engineers, and 5 years later, they became the IITians.
Global Warming.... and making money out of it
This is from my earlier blog which I deleted...posting it again
Originally posted on March 26, 2007
The era of Procastination, of half measures, of soothing and baffling expedients, of delays, is coming to its close. In this place we are entering a Period of consequences.
These words were said by Sir Winston Churchill way back in 1936. He must have said them about something else but they are perfectly true in today's world where Global warming is the biggest threat for the existence of mankind (of course there was no global warming in 1936). I came across these words in the Oscar winning documentary " An Inconvenient Truth" by former US Vice President Al Gore.
'An Inconvenient Truth ' highlights the consequences of Global Warming due to uncontrolled CO2 emission worldwide, and how little is being done to stop it. According to the scientific datas and predictions, in another fifty years, it will be very very difficult to live on earth as all the resources will dry up and the climate will go crazy. If this continues, polar ice will melt, ocean levels will rise by 20 feet, and there will be draughts, cyclones, temperature rise and ultimate human misery.
But if everyone knows it, and it can be stopped, why isn't it being stopped? If we know the cause so well, why don't we set it right? Here comes the big question : Economy vs Environment. Nothing comes for free. To reduce the carbon emission, the developed countries will have to spend billions of dollars which, they say, will ruin their economy. But as Al Gore says in his documentary, "What will you do with all the gold if you don't have the earth?". Developed countries like USA and Australia which contribute to more than one-third of greenhouse gases have refused to sign the Kyoto protocol citng the same reason. For them, the simple answer to the 'Environment vs Economy' question is 'Economy'. Almost all other countries on earth have signed it, and they are trying hard to reduce the emission of greenhouse gases.
But everything is not easy for these companies. People all over the world are protesting against them, and they had to do something for it. Then came the concept of Carbon Trading. This Carbon Trading allows you to actually make money out of pollution. The funda is simple. The governments of these countries set a maximum limit for pollution. If the company pollutes the environment more than this limit, they will have to purchase 'Carbon Credits' as a fine equivalent to the excess pollution they have created. If a company's pollution level is below the maximum limit, it can sell 'Carbon Credits' equivalent to the difference and the company which pumps excess pollution can buy them.
The promoters of this 'Carbon Trading' justifies it saying that if a company is polluting in excess of the maximum limit, it is being compensated by the company selling the carbon credits as it is generating less pollution. When average emission of the two companies is taken, it will be equal to the maximum limit. Thus emission is controlled. Also, companies which can reduce their emission levels will be encouraged to do more, as they can sell the 'carbon credits'. So Simple. Isn't it?
But it is not as simple as it looks. There are many flaws in this cabon trading. Governments have been accused of selling 'carbon credits' to companies at 'dirt-cheap' price to protect their interests. The big companies sometimes threaten small companies to sell their carbon credits cheaply, off the record. Also, there are bound to be environmental problems near more-polluting entities as now they won't care about reducing it, they will just purchase carbon credits, and whoa ! their pollution comes under control, officially. The rich companies like oil companies will make no efforts to reduce the pollution emitted by them, but will simply purchase carbon credits, as they have all the money in the world. But all this is like beating someone and then giving him some dollars for his treatment. No doubt this will reduce pollutin to some extent, but it will be like one part of the world free of pollution and selling carbon credits, and other part of the world heavily polluted, but buying carbon credits. Take the average, and pollution is under control.
The idea was actually good, but the implemantation flawed. Instead of trading, companies must be made to pay heavy fines if they do not reduce their emission levels, and not just fine, they must be stopped if they do not do it. Some extra tax can be levied on companies polluting the environment, and tax exemption should be given to those who have their emission under control. Also, other causes must be addressed, like replacement of Petrol and Diesel by Ethanol and Biodiesel respectively, and intelligent usage of electrical appliances. I hope one day these people who put 'Economy' ahead of 'Environment' will wake up and Earth will be a better place to live in, otherwise be prepared for the worst.
"Depending on what is going on in this world, the map of the world will have to be redrawn" - An Inconvenient Truth
Originally posted on March 26, 2007
The era of Procastination, of half measures, of soothing and baffling expedients, of delays, is coming to its close. In this place we are entering a Period of consequences.
These words were said by Sir Winston Churchill way back in 1936. He must have said them about something else but they are perfectly true in today's world where Global warming is the biggest threat for the existence of mankind (of course there was no global warming in 1936). I came across these words in the Oscar winning documentary " An Inconvenient Truth" by former US Vice President Al Gore.
'An Inconvenient Truth ' highlights the consequences of Global Warming due to uncontrolled CO2 emission worldwide, and how little is being done to stop it. According to the scientific datas and predictions, in another fifty years, it will be very very difficult to live on earth as all the resources will dry up and the climate will go crazy. If this continues, polar ice will melt, ocean levels will rise by 20 feet, and there will be draughts, cyclones, temperature rise and ultimate human misery.
But if everyone knows it, and it can be stopped, why isn't it being stopped? If we know the cause so well, why don't we set it right? Here comes the big question : Economy vs Environment. Nothing comes for free. To reduce the carbon emission, the developed countries will have to spend billions of dollars which, they say, will ruin their economy. But as Al Gore says in his documentary, "What will you do with all the gold if you don't have the earth?". Developed countries like USA and Australia which contribute to more than one-third of greenhouse gases have refused to sign the Kyoto protocol citng the same reason. For them, the simple answer to the 'Environment vs Economy' question is 'Economy'. Almost all other countries on earth have signed it, and they are trying hard to reduce the emission of greenhouse gases.
But everything is not easy for these companies. People all over the world are protesting against them, and they had to do something for it. Then came the concept of Carbon Trading. This Carbon Trading allows you to actually make money out of pollution. The funda is simple. The governments of these countries set a maximum limit for pollution. If the company pollutes the environment more than this limit, they will have to purchase 'Carbon Credits' as a fine equivalent to the excess pollution they have created. If a company's pollution level is below the maximum limit, it can sell 'Carbon Credits' equivalent to the difference and the company which pumps excess pollution can buy them.
The promoters of this 'Carbon Trading' justifies it saying that if a company is polluting in excess of the maximum limit, it is being compensated by the company selling the carbon credits as it is generating less pollution. When average emission of the two companies is taken, it will be equal to the maximum limit. Thus emission is controlled. Also, companies which can reduce their emission levels will be encouraged to do more, as they can sell the 'carbon credits'. So Simple. Isn't it?
But it is not as simple as it looks. There are many flaws in this cabon trading. Governments have been accused of selling 'carbon credits' to companies at 'dirt-cheap' price to protect their interests. The big companies sometimes threaten small companies to sell their carbon credits cheaply, off the record. Also, there are bound to be environmental problems near more-polluting entities as now they won't care about reducing it, they will just purchase carbon credits, and whoa ! their pollution comes under control, officially. The rich companies like oil companies will make no efforts to reduce the pollution emitted by them, but will simply purchase carbon credits, as they have all the money in the world. But all this is like beating someone and then giving him some dollars for his treatment. No doubt this will reduce pollutin to some extent, but it will be like one part of the world free of pollution and selling carbon credits, and other part of the world heavily polluted, but buying carbon credits. Take the average, and pollution is under control.
The idea was actually good, but the implemantation flawed. Instead of trading, companies must be made to pay heavy fines if they do not reduce their emission levels, and not just fine, they must be stopped if they do not do it. Some extra tax can be levied on companies polluting the environment, and tax exemption should be given to those who have their emission under control. Also, other causes must be addressed, like replacement of Petrol and Diesel by Ethanol and Biodiesel respectively, and intelligent usage of electrical appliances. I hope one day these people who put 'Economy' ahead of 'Environment' will wake up and Earth will be a better place to live in, otherwise be prepared for the worst.
"Depending on what is going on in this world, the map of the world will have to be redrawn" - An Inconvenient Truth
A tale of two cricket matches....
This is from my earlier blog which I deleted...posting it again
originally posted on March 13, 2007
Cricket is the supreme religion in india.... everybody loves it..and I am no exception. I was fortunate to see the last two cricket matches at the Eden Gardens (though not as fortunate in the second match, when it rained).
The Eden Gardens, aptly named after the abode of Adam and Eve (and satan), is undoubtedly the best cricket ground in India. It looks like there is a lush green carpet that would get dirty if you put even one foot on it. And it becames amazingly awe-inspiring when the floodlights are switched on in a day-night match. If you happen to live in this part of India, I would strongly recommend you to see a match there.
NOVEMBER 2005 : Day-Night ODI between India and South Africa
It was during the end of our semester exams, when we got a chance to see a cricket match in the Eden Gardens. We got a day off in between our exams and I, andy, nishant and dilip grabbed the chance(and tickets) to see the match. The journey to Calcutta itself was very 'adventurous'. It started with a train accident ahead of our train, then boarding a bus full to thrice its capacity to the highway, then a taxi to another station, then again a bus to Howrah. However, we managed to reach there just in time for the first ball to be bowled.
It was a stunning site when we entered the ground. The lush green grass, and Indians and South Africans in their coloured dresses.... aswsome sight. The match was a disaster from the indian point of view as India lost badly, but since it was my first time, I enjoyed it a lot. Every run, every boundary, every wicket was worth watching on this beautiful ground.
Apart from cricket, there was another interesting thing in the match. It was just after the Chappell-Ganguly spat. Ganguly was NOT in the team for that series, and the match was on the home ground of Ganguly. About 20% of the stadium was empty (which normally doesn't happen) just because Ganguly wasn't there. And the crowd was cursing Chappell like anything. They were cursing Dravid, Sachin and the whole of Indian Cricket for throwing Ganguly out. They had absolutely no respect for players like Dravid and Sachin, who are like the Gods of cricket. And to my surprise, when India lost the match, I saw a lot of people CELEBRATING that India had lost as Ganguly was not in the team. What a Shame! Atleast they could've shown some respect for the national cricket team. Ganguly is the Hero of Bengal, but if he is not performing, heroism doesn't matter and he or any other player has to go out. And I think Chappell did the right thing by showing these people 'the middle finger'.
FEBRUARY 2007 : Day-Night ODI between India and Sri Lanka
This was our second chance to see the match at the Eden Gardens, between India and Sri Lanka, and we managed the tickets for it. There were chances of rain, but even the we decided to go.
The journey to the Eden was smooth (unlike the last time), and we reached there 1 hour before the play. The look of the ground was really as amazing as it was for the first time. The Indian and Sri Lankan Cricket teams were warming up, and fortunately our seats were near Indian team. That was the chance when we got to see the 'Gods' of cricket really close. Dhoni, Sachin, Ganguly, Sehwag, Zaheer, Irfan.... they were all there. The match ran for 18 overs before it rained forcing the play to be suspended, which was later cancelled due to excessive rains. It was really very very disappointing.
Unlike the first match, Ganguly was IN the team, and the stadium was packed to its capacity (100 % officially), and it was only and only because 'Dada' had made the 'mother of all comebacks', and the crowd was dying to see their Hero perform. During the warm-up session, Ganguly was near the boundary, and the crowd went crazy every time he caught a ball, or took a catch, or hit the stumps (it was just practice). They did not give a damn to any other player, but it was Ganguly, Ganguly..and Ganguly. I think they had every right to support their hero. And when it was announced that the match was cancelled, the crowd went crazy again. But unlike last time, it was a funny sight. They were cursing everyone... right from BCCI to the clouds, rain gods, Sharad Pawar (head of BCCI), Prasoon Mukherjee (head of Cricket Association of Bengal) and the groundsmen for not drying the ground in time. After all, they had been deprived of the performance by 'Dada'.
Overall, it was really a very nice experience in both the matches. Though I did not see India win any of them, I definitely enjoyed the beauty of the Eden Gardens. And for me, the best moment I had in both the matches was when I saw my hero 'Sachin Tendulkar' near the boudary at an arm's distance. It was a moment I will always cherish in my life. After all, Sachin is to me is what Dada is to bengalis.
p.s : I have nothing against Ganguly or Bengalis, but I really hated 'some' people of that weird mentality in the first match. After all, Cricket is the supreme religion in India.
I Remember....
This is from my earlier blog which I deleted...posting it again
I remember....
Those days when I studied at night
With one aim, with IIT in sight
I decided not to go down without a fight
And at the end of the tunnel, there WAS light
I remember....
The results came, and I got selected
Counselling time, and I got what I expected
IIT Kharagpur, a place so perfected
Came to IIT KGP, and got connected
I remember...
1st year, my stay at HJB hall
New place and new friends, one and all
Classes, lab, mess & weather taking a toll
Inspite of everything, I stood tall
I remember...
2nd year, a new hall, and a new life begun
RP, more friends, helpful seniors, and everything under the sun
Op, freshers, treats, and masti, all came one by one
And somewhere I forgot to study in all this fun
I remember....
3rd year, became a senior, and moved to a new wing
Had a new bonding with friends, it was like a new spring
AOE, tennis, volley and comp, I was feeling like a king
Didn't miss my home at all, thanks to the whole new thing
I remember....
4th year, thinking about career, and the aspirations did soar
Took life more seriously, with all those discussions, and suggestions began to pour
Explored new avenues, did new things, and thought a bit more
And there were friends, treats, CS and more fun to the core
I remember...
5th year, the super final year, everything was perfectly fine
Time for action, for showing what you are, to rise and shine
Acads, CAT preparation, placements and finally a job was mine
Got everything I came for, and I was on cloud nine
These 5 years at KGP have been the best years of my lfe
Transformed me into a new man, it was such a long stride
Got lifelong friends, had fun, learned a lot, what a great ride
IIT Kharagpur, you gave me what I wanted, and filled me with a new pride
I remember....
Those days when I studied at night
With one aim, with IIT in sight
I decided not to go down without a fight
And at the end of the tunnel, there WAS light
I remember....
The results came, and I got selected
Counselling time, and I got what I expected
IIT Kharagpur, a place so perfected
Came to IIT KGP, and got connected
I remember...
1st year, my stay at HJB hall
New place and new friends, one and all
Classes, lab, mess & weather taking a toll
Inspite of everything, I stood tall
I remember...
2nd year, a new hall, and a new life begun
RP, more friends, helpful seniors, and everything under the sun
Op, freshers, treats, and masti, all came one by one
And somewhere I forgot to study in all this fun
I remember....
3rd year, became a senior, and moved to a new wing
Had a new bonding with friends, it was like a new spring
AOE, tennis, volley and comp, I was feeling like a king
Didn't miss my home at all, thanks to the whole new thing
I remember....
4th year, thinking about career, and the aspirations did soar
Took life more seriously, with all those discussions, and suggestions began to pour
Explored new avenues, did new things, and thought a bit more
And there were friends, treats, CS and more fun to the core
I remember...
5th year, the super final year, everything was perfectly fine
Time for action, for showing what you are, to rise and shine
Acads, CAT preparation, placements and finally a job was mine
Got everything I came for, and I was on cloud nine
These 5 years at KGP have been the best years of my lfe
Transformed me into a new man, it was such a long stride
Got lifelong friends, had fun, learned a lot, what a great ride
IIT Kharagpur, you gave me what I wanted, and filled me with a new pride
God and the World of Computers
This is from my earlier blog which I deleted...posting it again
Saw this on a site....too good...
For those not into the Biographies behind UNIX and Perl and such:
First there was God. He was quite lonely, so he created Dennis.
Dennis was unimpressed with God.
So, . . . God created Brian.
But Brian got bored with God.
So Brian and Dennis started playing, and they created C. God saw C, and sawthat it was good. So he decided to let Brian and Dennis play some more.
Then Brian and Dennis created UNIX. God saw UNIX, and he was jealous. Sohe created Bill to torment Brian and Dennis and obscure their creation(for God could not destroy UNIX, for he secretly admired its perfection).
So Bill created Microsoft. And Microsoft created Windows. And God saw that it was bad, but it had market share, so he was happy. Then Bill got cocky, and his ego got bigger than God's. So to knock Bill down a couple of pegs, God put into effect, a wondrous plan.
First, God created Tim. And Tim created the World Wide Web (using UNIX, of course). This was good, but not THAT good. So God created Marc. Marc created Mosaic (using UNIX, of course). Mosaic created a huge feeding frenzy that has gotten a lot of people who are reading this their jobs.
But that's a different story. Mosaic was good, and God saw it was good, so he allowed Marc to start Netscape. (Back to this later.)
But all this time Brian and Dennis started to make something better than UNIX called Plan 9 (because God was successful in foiling Brian and Dennis' previous seven plans [there was no Plan 8 because Brian and Dennis pulled the wool over God's eyes and just jumped to Plan 9, which was too bright a move for even God to figure out.] )
Eventually, God figured out how to create Larry.
No one knows how or why he created Larry, except perhaps to reduce productivity at the Jet Propulsion Labs at NASA. [Rumors are that God created Larry because he secretly liked what Dennis and Brian had done with C, but didn't think C and UNIX were enough--this probably isn't true, because God believed he had destroyed Brian and Dennis' plans by destroying Plans 1-7, and by creating Microsoft to slay their beloved UNIX.
Anyhow, Larry created Perl (using UNIX and C, of course), and God saw it was good, so he made Randal. Larry and Randal wrote books about Perl. And everyone saw that this was good, except snobs who were too much into C, Windows, and Intel. (It so happens that Randal was so cool he figured out a way to break into UNIX at Intel, and Intel sued him for it--but that's another story, also. Chances are, Randal would not have been able to break into *Plan 9* at Intel, but Intel isn't cool enough to be running Plan 9)
Anyhow, back to Randal. . . . So Randal and Larry wrote books, but they had to be nice because of the people they worked for. So then came Tom.But back to Tom later.
Anyhow, God saw Netscape (made using UNIX and C, of course), and he saw it was good, and that annoyed Bill quite a bit. And that made Him very happy, and made Marc very rich. But Bill was very very rich. But that's a *completely* different story.
But as good as Larry's creation--Perl--was, it couldn't do everything,
so God created Scott. Scott announced Java, and this was big news. Now Java really pissed Bill off, because Bill also created Blackbird, and Java killed Blackbird. This was bad because killing Blackbird also meant killing the Microsoft Network. And many rejoiced over that; but that, too is another story.
Now Java obviously had done much to annoy Bill. For Java was so good that Bill had to license Java. All this time, Scott poked lots of fun at Bill because Sun, which was where Scott worked, made a better OS, derived--of course--from UNIX, which was better than Bill's and Microsoft's Windows.
Anyhow, even God's creations--Steve and Steve--who created Apple, couldn't make Bill license the much superior MacOS. But, finally, Bill had to license Java. So justice was served, and Bill's ego was served him on a platter for him to eat his words. Or something. That part is unclear.
So by this time, Windows and Microsoft and Bill, in general, really
sucked. Especially considering the advantages that Brian and Dennis' C and UNIX, running Marc's Netscape and Mosaic over Tim's World Wide Web, doing cool CGI stuff with Larry's Perl, which you learned from Randal and Tom, and got to program with Scott's Java . . .
And God realized he had put Bill down too far. So then God made it so that Marc's Netscape and Mosaic could run on Windows. We already know that Bill had to license Java from Scott. We know that Bill missed the boat for not beating Tim to the punch on the World Wide Web. The last straw was for God to make it possible for Larry's Perl to run on Bill's Windows.
So back to Tom. Tom was a Perl god. And God didn't like this, but Tom's a god so there isn't much God could do, so He couldn't stop Tom from saying things like "install an operating system on your poor lonely computer the way God and Dennis intended," and "Espousing the eponymous /cgi-bin/perl.exe?FMH.pl execution model is like reading a suicide note--three days too late."
The moral to the story? God is fickle. That's why Microsoft and Bill and Windows exists. Do what God intended, install C, UNIX, Mosaic/Netscape, Java, and Perl on your system, and make Brian, Dennis, Larry, Tim, Tom, Randal, Scott, and even Steve and Steve, I'm sure, happy by doing so.
Oh, yeah, Linus was cool, too. He's the guy you thank for being able to run all the cool stuff on your crappy little Pee Cee. (anything with x86 on it, by default, is crappy--no PERSONAL flames intended).
Saw this on a site....too good...
For those not into the Biographies behind UNIX and Perl and such:
First there was God. He was quite lonely, so he created Dennis.
Dennis was unimpressed with God.
So, . . . God created Brian.
But Brian got bored with God.
So Brian and Dennis started playing, and they created C. God saw C, and sawthat it was good. So he decided to let Brian and Dennis play some more.
Then Brian and Dennis created UNIX. God saw UNIX, and he was jealous. Sohe created Bill to torment Brian and Dennis and obscure their creation(for God could not destroy UNIX, for he secretly admired its perfection).
So Bill created Microsoft. And Microsoft created Windows. And God saw that it was bad, but it had market share, so he was happy. Then Bill got cocky, and his ego got bigger than God's. So to knock Bill down a couple of pegs, God put into effect, a wondrous plan.
First, God created Tim. And Tim created the World Wide Web (using UNIX, of course). This was good, but not THAT good. So God created Marc. Marc created Mosaic (using UNIX, of course). Mosaic created a huge feeding frenzy that has gotten a lot of people who are reading this their jobs.
But that's a different story. Mosaic was good, and God saw it was good, so he allowed Marc to start Netscape. (Back to this later.)
But all this time Brian and Dennis started to make something better than UNIX called Plan 9 (because God was successful in foiling Brian and Dennis' previous seven plans [there was no Plan 8 because Brian and Dennis pulled the wool over God's eyes and just jumped to Plan 9, which was too bright a move for even God to figure out.] )
Eventually, God figured out how to create Larry.
No one knows how or why he created Larry, except perhaps to reduce productivity at the Jet Propulsion Labs at NASA. [Rumors are that God created Larry because he secretly liked what Dennis and Brian had done with C, but didn't think C and UNIX were enough--this probably isn't true, because God believed he had destroyed Brian and Dennis' plans by destroying Plans 1-7, and by creating Microsoft to slay their beloved UNIX.
Anyhow, Larry created Perl (using UNIX and C, of course), and God saw it was good, so he made Randal. Larry and Randal wrote books about Perl. And everyone saw that this was good, except snobs who were too much into C, Windows, and Intel. (It so happens that Randal was so cool he figured out a way to break into UNIX at Intel, and Intel sued him for it--but that's another story, also. Chances are, Randal would not have been able to break into *Plan 9* at Intel, but Intel isn't cool enough to be running Plan 9)
Anyhow, back to Randal. . . . So Randal and Larry wrote books, but they had to be nice because of the people they worked for. So then came Tom.But back to Tom later.
Anyhow, God saw Netscape (made using UNIX and C, of course), and he saw it was good, and that annoyed Bill quite a bit. And that made Him very happy, and made Marc very rich. But Bill was very very rich. But that's a *completely* different story.
But as good as Larry's creation--Perl--was, it couldn't do everything,
so God created Scott. Scott announced Java, and this was big news. Now Java really pissed Bill off, because Bill also created Blackbird, and Java killed Blackbird. This was bad because killing Blackbird also meant killing the Microsoft Network. And many rejoiced over that; but that, too is another story.
Now Java obviously had done much to annoy Bill. For Java was so good that Bill had to license Java. All this time, Scott poked lots of fun at Bill because Sun, which was where Scott worked, made a better OS, derived--of course--from UNIX, which was better than Bill's and Microsoft's Windows.
Anyhow, even God's creations--Steve and Steve--who created Apple, couldn't make Bill license the much superior MacOS. But, finally, Bill had to license Java. So justice was served, and Bill's ego was served him on a platter for him to eat his words. Or something. That part is unclear.
So by this time, Windows and Microsoft and Bill, in general, really
sucked. Especially considering the advantages that Brian and Dennis' C and UNIX, running Marc's Netscape and Mosaic over Tim's World Wide Web, doing cool CGI stuff with Larry's Perl, which you learned from Randal and Tom, and got to program with Scott's Java . . .
And God realized he had put Bill down too far. So then God made it so that Marc's Netscape and Mosaic could run on Windows. We already know that Bill had to license Java from Scott. We know that Bill missed the boat for not beating Tim to the punch on the World Wide Web. The last straw was for God to make it possible for Larry's Perl to run on Bill's Windows.
So back to Tom. Tom was a Perl god. And God didn't like this, but Tom's a god so there isn't much God could do, so He couldn't stop Tom from saying things like "install an operating system on your poor lonely computer the way God and Dennis intended," and "Espousing the eponymous /cgi-bin/perl.exe?FMH.pl execution model is like reading a suicide note--three days too late."
The moral to the story? God is fickle. That's why Microsoft and Bill and Windows exists. Do what God intended, install C, UNIX, Mosaic/Netscape, Java, and Perl on your system, and make Brian, Dennis, Larry, Tim, Tom, Randal, Scott, and even Steve and Steve, I'm sure, happy by doing so.
Oh, yeah, Linus was cool, too. He's the guy you thank for being able to run all the cool stuff on your crappy little Pee Cee. (anything with x86 on it, by default, is crappy--no PERSONAL flames intended).
The meaning of Dharma
This is from my earlier blog which I deleted...posting it again
धर्मः मतिभय उद्घ्र्तह: (Dharmah matibhya udgritah ) - means Dharma is what originates from the logical mind. These words were said by Bheesma Pitamah in Mahabharata and recently the underlying theme of the movie Eklavya where I heard these words and realized how true is the meaning of these words in the present context of Indian society and the religious traditions.
Dharma does not mean only religion, as most people think and perceive, but Dharma means life's purpose, the righteous path one must follow throughout his/her life. The founders of different religions laid down certain rules to be followed by their followers so that they follow the right path. The basic aim of all the religions is the same, to do the right things in life. Anyway, I'm not going into those details but rather what they have become in the present times. The rules have evolved, modified, and changed to some extent during the past thousand years and now they are perceived in a totally different manner.
The foundation of the religion was laid by certain noble men who were saints or sages of the ancient times. They wrote the Vedas , the BhagwatGita, the Quran, the Bible and other holy books which are really a great source of knowledge and wisdom. However, due to the domainace of priests and pundits in the society, the religions have been modified by them for their own selfish needs. The traditions based on total superstitions have been created to fool the general people who follow them in their daily life without any doubt or question as they have been told to follow them by the so-called protectors of religion, the pundits, the priests and the maulvies. The very existence of these people depends on the people who follow the tradions blindly as they get paid to perform the rituals and the traditions. This is their only source of income and the only way they can still dominate the society by instilling fear in people's mind that they will burn in hell if they do not follow them. And the people oblige, as these are being done since centuries. No one even dares to think whether these are right or wrong, or are these totally necessary. But still they would follow, because everyone is doing the same.
If you apply a little bit of logic and thinking, you will realise that these are totally unnecessary. Who ultimately gets benefitted frome them? Only and only the pundits. Noone else. Imagine if everyone stops doing them, who will be affected the most? Only these priests and pundits. That's the reason they tell people to follow them otherwise 'gods' will become angry, and something bad will happen. And as no one wants to attract the wrath of these 'gods', they follow what the religion says.
This is not what is written in the religion. Take for example Hinduism. There are so many good books, the Vedas and the BhagwatGita, which are the ultimate source of knowledge and wisdom. But how many people have ever read them? Not even 1%. How many people actually know the meaning and teachings of Bhagwat Gita? Not even 1%. These great books teach so much, but people do not read them, because they have been told to follow other rituals and superstitions that have been created by the pundits. Does anyone remember Swami Vivekanada, the greatest Swami hinduism has ever produced? No one.The pundits will not earn anything or dominate the society if people start reading the teachings of Swami Vivekananda, or reading the Vedas, but they will earn only and only when people start following the traditions that they have created for their own good.
The words धर्मः मतिभय उद्घ्र्तह: (Dharmah matibhya udgritah ), although have somewhat different meaning, but are correct in this context also. Do what your mind says, and do not blindly follow what has been going on since ages. It's time to apply your own mind to whatever you follow. My heart pains when I see even my friends, the IITians, who are said to be most intelligent people in India, follow these superstitions. I have seen that they won't clean the room on thursdays, will not trim hair on saturday, will take fast on some days of the week, will go to the temple before exams (as if they will get better marks by doing it), will not purchase anything made of iron on saturday and so on. Even in the families, including mine, I have seen such things happening. These things are totally illogical, but everyone will do them, as they are being done since ages.
Why should people follow the rules made by someone else? Can't they think on their own and do what they think is right? Do they have to necessary follow what everyone is doing? Don't they have their own will, and believe in themselves rather than 'god'? Sadly, most people will not, as they fear something 'bad' will happen if they do these things and stop following the superstitions, as they have been told by their religion's Gurus. For them, Dharma is not what originates from the logical mind, but it is something which has been going on and will go on. I hope the situation changes and it is changing, but too slow and too little.
p.s. : Some people might think this post is offensive to their religion, but I don't give a damn.
धर्मः मतिभय उद्घ्र्तह: (Dharmah matibhya udgritah ) - means Dharma is what originates from the logical mind. These words were said by Bheesma Pitamah in Mahabharata and recently the underlying theme of the movie Eklavya where I heard these words and realized how true is the meaning of these words in the present context of Indian society and the religious traditions.
Dharma does not mean only religion, as most people think and perceive, but Dharma means life's purpose, the righteous path one must follow throughout his/her life. The founders of different religions laid down certain rules to be followed by their followers so that they follow the right path. The basic aim of all the religions is the same, to do the right things in life. Anyway, I'm not going into those details but rather what they have become in the present times. The rules have evolved, modified, and changed to some extent during the past thousand years and now they are perceived in a totally different manner.
The foundation of the religion was laid by certain noble men who were saints or sages of the ancient times. They wrote the Vedas , the BhagwatGita, the Quran, the Bible and other holy books which are really a great source of knowledge and wisdom. However, due to the domainace of priests and pundits in the society, the religions have been modified by them for their own selfish needs. The traditions based on total superstitions have been created to fool the general people who follow them in their daily life without any doubt or question as they have been told to follow them by the so-called protectors of religion, the pundits, the priests and the maulvies. The very existence of these people depends on the people who follow the tradions blindly as they get paid to perform the rituals and the traditions. This is their only source of income and the only way they can still dominate the society by instilling fear in people's mind that they will burn in hell if they do not follow them. And the people oblige, as these are being done since centuries. No one even dares to think whether these are right or wrong, or are these totally necessary. But still they would follow, because everyone is doing the same.
If you apply a little bit of logic and thinking, you will realise that these are totally unnecessary. Who ultimately gets benefitted frome them? Only and only the pundits. Noone else. Imagine if everyone stops doing them, who will be affected the most? Only these priests and pundits. That's the reason they tell people to follow them otherwise 'gods' will become angry, and something bad will happen. And as no one wants to attract the wrath of these 'gods', they follow what the religion says.
This is not what is written in the religion. Take for example Hinduism. There are so many good books, the Vedas and the BhagwatGita, which are the ultimate source of knowledge and wisdom. But how many people have ever read them? Not even 1%. How many people actually know the meaning and teachings of Bhagwat Gita? Not even 1%. These great books teach so much, but people do not read them, because they have been told to follow other rituals and superstitions that have been created by the pundits. Does anyone remember Swami Vivekanada, the greatest Swami hinduism has ever produced? No one.The pundits will not earn anything or dominate the society if people start reading the teachings of Swami Vivekananda, or reading the Vedas, but they will earn only and only when people start following the traditions that they have created for their own good.
The words धर्मः मतिभय उद्घ्र्तह: (Dharmah matibhya udgritah ), although have somewhat different meaning, but are correct in this context also. Do what your mind says, and do not blindly follow what has been going on since ages. It's time to apply your own mind to whatever you follow. My heart pains when I see even my friends, the IITians, who are said to be most intelligent people in India, follow these superstitions. I have seen that they won't clean the room on thursdays, will not trim hair on saturday, will take fast on some days of the week, will go to the temple before exams (as if they will get better marks by doing it), will not purchase anything made of iron on saturday and so on. Even in the families, including mine, I have seen such things happening. These things are totally illogical, but everyone will do them, as they are being done since ages.
Why should people follow the rules made by someone else? Can't they think on their own and do what they think is right? Do they have to necessary follow what everyone is doing? Don't they have their own will, and believe in themselves rather than 'god'? Sadly, most people will not, as they fear something 'bad' will happen if they do these things and stop following the superstitions, as they have been told by their religion's Gurus. For them, Dharma is not what originates from the logical mind, but it is something which has been going on and will go on. I hope the situation changes and it is changing, but too slow and too little.
p.s. : Some people might think this post is offensive to their religion, but I don't give a damn.
Who am I....
Who am I....
What type of a person you are? Surely, you must have written it into your about me of "orkut". But here is a site that supposedly gives out your personality traits after you complete a questionnaire. I saw this on Kartik's blog. I don't know how true these tests are, because in my opinion, you cannot judge a person just by asking him a few question. Everyone reacts differently in different conditions. Anyway, they do give a rough idea about personality, and found it right to some extent.
Advanced Global Personality Test Results
Extraversion |||||| 30%
Stability |||||||||||||||| 63%
Orderliness |||||||||||||||||| 80%
Accommodation |||||||||||||| 56%
Interdependence |||||| 23%
Intellectual |||||||||||||||||||| 83%
Mystical |||||| 30%
Artistic |||||||||| 36%
Religious || 10%
Hedonism |||||| 30%
Materialism |||||||||||||||||||| 90%
Narcissism |||||||||||||| 56%
Adventurousness |||||||||||||||||| 76%
Work ethic |||||||||||| 50%
Self absorbed |||||||||||||||| 63%
Conflict seeking |||||||||||||| 56%
Need to dominate |||||||||||| 50%
Romantic |||||||||||||| 56%
Avoidant |||||||||||||||| 63%
Anti-authority |||||||||||| 43%
Wealth |||||||||||| 43%
Dependency |||||| 30%
Change averse |||||| 30%
Cautiousness |||||||||||||||| 70%
Individuality |||||||||||||||||| 76%
Sexuality |||||||||||||||| 70%
Peter pan complex |||||| 23%
Physical security |||||||||||||| 56%
Physical Fitness |||||| 24%
Histrionic |||||||||||| 50%
Paranoia |||||||||||||| 56%
Vanity |||||||||||||||| 63%
Hypersensitivity |||||||||||| 50%
Female cliche |||||||||| 36%
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