tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-135206172024-03-07T15:27:11.560+05:30self.reflect(...)# a reflection of me and everything else onto myself, and vice versaSriram P Chttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00171425045901098106noreply@blogger.comBlogger65125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13520617.post-88022149302742927272010-04-21T12:53:00.001+05:302010-04-21T12:53:41.110+05:30Issue : Solve Halting problem.<div class='posterous_autopost'> <p>In the contributiong page for V8 ( <a href="http://code.google.com/p/v8/wiki/Contributing">here</a> ), I read the following comment.</p> <blockquote class="posterous_medium_quote"> <p>I use javascript a lot in my webpages. It would be useful for web designers if v8 could implement a safeguard against infinite looping statements which freeze the browser. (which would occur if the programmer makes a coding mistake)</p> </blockquote> <p>In other words, the issue is to solve halting problem.</p> <p style="font-size: 10px;"> <a href="http://posterous.com">Posted via web</a> from <a href="http://srirampc.posterous.com/issue-solve-halting-problem">Sriram's posterous</a> </p> </div>Sriram P Chttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00171425045901098106noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13520617.post-41995719698620529922009-05-09T12:19:00.002+05:302009-05-09T12:42:26.650+05:30you cant please every oneA review of Kurt Vonnegut's novel "Slaughterhouse Five" in <a href="http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/0440180295/ref=cm_rev_sort/102-3154905-5245705?show=%2Brating&v=glance&vi=customer-reviews&s=books&Go.x=16&Go.y=13&Go=Go">Amazon.com</a> (I burst out laughing reading it)<br /><br /><blockquote><p>This without a doubt ranks up there with the WORST books I have ever read. Pointless, poorly written, and incredibly dull.</p> <p>If you want some great writing, try Ayn Rand.<br /></p></blockquote><br /><br />Ayn Rand, <a href="http://www.mcsweeneys.net/2008/11/20tucker.html">really</a> ? You can't please every one, <a href="http://www.cynical-c.com/?cat=85"> right </a> ?Sriram P Chttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00171425045901098106noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13520617.post-23534741897505149092008-12-06T16:02:00.003+05:302008-12-13T13:53:12.401+05:30munich and then...Few days ago, Spielberg's movie 'Munich' was on STAR TV. Its a fictional, I stress fictional here, about Israeli's response to the 1972 Munich Massacre. (The <b>Munich massacre</b> occurred during the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1972_Summer_Olympics" title="1972 Summer Olympics">1972 Summer Olympics</a> in <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Munich" title="Munich">Munich</a>, <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/West_Germany" title="West Germany">West Germany</a>, when members of the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Israel" title="Israel">Israeli</a> Olympic team were taken <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hostage" title="Hostage">hostage</a> and eventually murdered by <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Black_September_%28group%29" title="Black September (group)">Black September</a>, a militant group with ties to <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yasser_Arafat" title="Yasser Arafat">Yasser Arafat</a>’s <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fatah" title="Fatah">Fatah</a> organization.) I mean, the response was real, but movie's depiction of the response is fictional. These were the movie-lines for the Gold Meir, who was the Israeli prime minister when the Massacre happened. Remember, this is fictional Golda Meir, taken from the script of the movie. You can get a soft copy, if you google it.<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;">GOLDA MEIR<br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">These people ... They're sworn to destroy us. Forget peace for now. We have to show them we're strong.<br />(a beat)<br />We have laws, we represent civilization. Some people say we can't afford to be civilized. I've always resisted such people.<br /><br />...<br />GOLDA MEIR (CONT'D)<br />There are no such people. They're not... recognizable. You tell me, what law protects people like these?<br />Today I'm hearing with new ears.<br />...<br />Every civilization finds it necessary to negotiate compromises with its own values. I have made a decision. The responsibility is entirely mine.<br /></div><br /><br />I can not stop but think these lines in light of the recent attacks in Mumbai. Similar thoughts can be heard every where in Television, Newspapers, Forums etc. Sure, Spielberg made sure that we see a vengeful Meir. But, many don't agree with such a depiction. Looking through Wikipedia, I hit a newspaper <a href="http://www.blogger.com/www.haaretz.com">Haaretz</a>'s interview with Zvi Zamir, who was the head of Mossad, the Israeli spy agency at that time. <a href="http://www.haaretz.com/hasen/pages/ShArtStEng.jhtml?itemNo=683846&contrassID=1&subContrassID=1&title=%27title%27">He says</a>,<br /><blockquote><span class="t13">"It is a disgrace that Spielberg compares Golda Meir to terrorist leaders in Lebanon. For quite a lengthy period Golda rejected our proposals - of the Mossad, Military Intelligence and the Shin Bet [security service] - for operations against terrorism in Europe. She hoped the Europeans would be vigilant and would take action themselves against Palestinian terrorism aimed at Israel. ... "<br /></span></blockquote><br />Zvi Zamir also tells incidents that he thinks exemplifies Golda Meir's character. Of course, it can be said Zvi is far from the truth just as Speilberg is. But there is one line of Zvi's interview, which I think we should think about in the light of Mumbai attacks.<br /><br /><blockquote>I will say only that the whole issue of whom to strike at was given meticulous consideration and the probable consequences were evaluated. What guided us was [the need] to strike at the infrastructures of terrorism and at those who might attack Israelis in the future.</blockquote>That is more insightful than the rhetoric of our politicians and the drama of 24-hour news channels.<br /><br /><blockquote></blockquote>Sriram P Chttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00171425045901098106noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13520617.post-59696906213670222842008-11-07T10:08:00.002+05:302008-11-07T10:46:04.732+05:30disgusting scienceA 60% real - 40% fictional conversation.<br /><br />She: Why did you fall in love with me ?<br /><br />He : If you think about it, it is all about survival. Human beings for the matter of the survival of their genes, need to find mates. Driven by such a survival instinct, they choose their mates, have kids, and pass on their genes. Did you know, scientists have found that the activity in brain when you fall in love, is similar to the activity of a person on <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cocaine">Cocaine</a> ?<br /><br />She : Well, that sounds true - you laugh and cry without any reason. But my question is : Why did you choose me ? Why not some one else ?<br /><br />He : Again, scientifically, there are many reasons - First, the sense of being physically attractive. We tend to think that by choosing attractive people, it can lead to a better chance of survival of our progeny. Studies have shown that one of the most common trait of attractiveness is symmetry.(Think: Survival) Second, there are other non-physical traits like kindness. We tend to see these traits, because, physical attractiveness may be faked. Any kind of difficult experience would make us more mean. Kindness is a trait that has a better chance of survival. Third, bandwidth of risk. Empirical studies have shown that we are likely to choose some one in a high-risk environment than in a low-risk environment. We tend to believe that some one with a higher bandwidth for risk has a better chance for survival.<br /><br />She : Is this your idea of being romantic ? OK. I will humor you. There are scientific reasons for you falling in love with me. But, Why are you still stuck with me ?<br /><br />He : Well, after making a choice, there is a need to stick together until our progeny is able to survive on its own. It is all hormones all the way from there.<br /><br />She : You are disgusting.<br /><br />He : No, science is disgusting.Sriram P Chttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00171425045901098106noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13520617.post-58016865970433675892008-10-30T14:37:00.001+05:302008-10-30T14:40:25.422+05:30wow!<blockquote>But the economics profession for the past thirty years instead focused on producing stochastic calculus porn to satisfy young men's urge for mathematical masturbation.</blockquote><br />Wow! That is from <a href="http://econlog.econlib.org/archives/2008/10/economists_pretending_to_have_knowledge.html">here</a>.Sriram P Chttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00171425045901098106noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13520617.post-84148473968017844852008-10-25T16:19:00.003+05:302008-10-25T16:23:51.674+05:30intellectI read a great quote today by Randall Jarrell,<br /><br />"I think that one possible definition of our modern culture is that it is one in which <br />nine-tenths of our intellectuals can't read any poetry."<br /><br />When I was in School, our teachers work hard to make sure that I rather read maths and science and not poetry. How un-interesting-ly young had I been !Sriram P Chttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00171425045901098106noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13520617.post-32026670583611753772008-10-08T08:45:00.002+05:302008-10-08T08:50:13.142+05:30big pictureIf you are fan of photography, I am sure you already subscribed to the <a href="http://www.boston.com/bigpicture/">Big Picture</a> web site. This recent <a href="http://www.boston.com/bigpicture/2008/10/earth_from_above_comes_to_nyc.html">installment</a> of <a href="http://www.yannarthusbertrand.org">Yann Arthus-Bertrand</a>'s photographs are just breath taking.Sriram P Chttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00171425045901098106noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13520617.post-83463236068208090562008-10-02T11:39:00.002+05:302008-10-02T11:48:10.519+05:30memory problemA real conversation.<br /><br />He : "You make me happy."<br /><br />She : "Don't ever forget that. OK ?"<br /><br />He : "If you can make me happy all the time, I don't have to 'remember' that. You know ?"<br /><br />She : "Ah! Smart Ass!"Sriram P Chttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00171425045901098106noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13520617.post-52151503132141963282008-09-13T13:49:00.002+05:302008-09-13T14:02:10.282+05:30bhOndOOYou know, there are some days, when some one sends you a link to a blog, and you spend the whole day reading all the posts since its inception - spending 8 hours straight. Well, today is one such day for me and the blog is <a href="http://iisc.wordpress.com/">bhOndOO's life at IISc</a>. bhOndOO is an research student "earning" his Ph.D in IISc, Bangalore, and the blog is all about his life. The posts - <a href="http://iisc.wordpress.com/2007/11/24/coffee-with-shami/">coffee with shami</a>, <a href="http://iisc.wordpress.com/2007/10/30/a-mobile-in-the-lab/">mobile in the lab</a> and <a href="http://iisc.wordpress.com/2008/07/19/j-n-tata-and-unix/">jn tata and unix</a> are just three of the many hilarious anectodes. Go, Read it.Sriram P Chttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00171425045901098106noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13520617.post-10958294934109259522008-09-10T09:14:00.003+05:302008-09-10T09:43:49.237+05:30gender differences and culture.This is something I wrote to a friend just two weeks ago.<br /><div><blockquote>It is quite a common a site in India, especially in South India, to be hugging and holding hands in groups of men. The symbols, that would probably be indication of a Gay group in USA or Europe, is very common in India. I think, when we hang out together, it was no different from how girls hang out together. I mean, if a group of girls hug and hold hands togeather, it would NOT look lesbian in any part of the world. But a group of guys somehow become 'Gay' in the eyes of a Westernized observer.<br /><br />This might also explain some characteristics of Indian Men, that most commonly observed among Gay men - certain likes, dislikes, behaviors. But a majority of them are heterosexual males. This also might explain certain tendencies - how men and women in India tend not be in extreme stereo types, but some where in the middle. In US, I saw these stereotypes very strong - like there is a stark difference between how a heterosexual man should behave; and any sign of a female sense within a man would be considered being 'gay' like watching romantic movies or listening melodramatic music. They call these chic movies and chic music. I was really surprised to see that how Men and Women are like from totally different planets there.(in US) And God help you if you are a transvestite living in US. (or for that matter any country in the world).<br /></blockquote></div><br />Here are a few quotes from an article in NY Times about this <a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2008/09/09/science/09tier.html?scp=3&sq=john%20tierney&st=cse">gender differences</a>.<br /><blockquote>It looks as if personality differences between men and women are smaller in traditional cultures like India’s or Zimbabwe’s than in the Netherlands or the United States. A husband and a stay-at-home wife in a patriarchal Botswanan clan seem to be more alike than a working couple in Denmark or France. The more Venus and Mars have equal rights and similar jobs, the more their personalities seem to diverge. ... The biggest changes recorded by the researchers involve the personalities of men, not women. Men in traditional agricultural societies and poorer countries seem more cautious and anxious, less assertive and less competitive than men in the most progressive and rich countries of Europe and North America.</blockquote>Sriram P Chttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00171425045901098106noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13520617.post-23103206392812163342008-09-03T12:05:00.003+05:302008-09-03T12:14:50.327+05:30chrome<a href="http://www.google.com/chrome">Google Chrome</a> is a new web browser released by Google. I might switch, if I could get <a href="http://www.zotero.org">zotero</a> on it. Just try it!Sriram P Chttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00171425045901098106noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13520617.post-3344468662476719112008-08-14T09:56:00.007+05:302008-08-15T10:05:42.971+05:30about:meA few thoughts, I had written down from time to time. I have intentionally left out the context.<br /><ul><li>Just when you think you have a pretty good understanding of how things are, you suddenly realize (or made to realize) how fragile things are.</li></ul><ul><li>Einstein said, "Imagination is more important than knowledge". This quotation can be improved by appending "in bed"/"except in bed", as the case may be. (Derived from <a href="http://xkcd.com/425/">this comic</a>.)</li></ul><ul><li>Revolutions are so natural. Proof: World sucks! <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Q.E.D.">Q.E.D.</a></li></ul><ul><li>We are inherently stupid. That is why it takes a lot of effort to be/appear smart.</li></ul><ul><li>But again, being smart makes you unhappy(or restless) most of the time.</li></ul><ul><li>All subjects, except sex, are dull until somebody makes them interesting. (I wrote it down once. Recently I found that Paul McHenry Roberts wrote it long before I thought of it)</li></ul><ul><li>And that somebody could be you. (follows the last line)<br /></li></ul><ul><li>Fall in love, at least once. Fall in love, at least to fail. </li></ul><ul><li>Because, as Chuck Klostermann once said, "Meaningful failure trumps meaningless achievement every time."</li></ul><ul><li>I am ready for a meaningful failure.</li></ul>Sriram P Chttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00171425045901098106noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13520617.post-3249686634836154332008-05-02T17:36:00.004+05:302008-05-02T17:46:23.177+05:30pretensionThe most difficult thing in being a parent: It is easier for the kid to "pretend to be" that to "really be".<br /><br />I understood this just by observing a few parents(including mine) and kids(including me). And since I am not a parent, I don't know how it feels like to be one. But I believe, this is a serious impediment to understanding.<br /><br />But you know what ? It is easier of the parent too, when the kid is sold to the idea of pretension.Sriram P Chttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00171425045901098106noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13520617.post-6342097022754787162008-04-01T11:12:00.002+05:302008-04-01T12:09:14.365+05:30productivity appsDo you really wonder, how much time you spend each day browsing <a href="http://www.wikipedia.org/">Wikipedia </a>? -or- <a href="http://icanhascheezburger.com/">Lolcats</a> ? Do you want to control the time you spend at Orkut or Facebook ? Yes, you can. There is a Firefox plugin for you at <a href="http://8aweek.com/">8AWeek</a>. It adds a toolbar in firefox, with which you can configure which sites you want to restrict and the time you want to spend with restricted sites. And at the end of the day, it produces a graph something like this.<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2139/2378854715_efafe3d653.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2139/2378854715_efafe3d653.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><br />The ones in red color are my restricted sites. It also gives grades based on the how well you group your browsing, % Restricted, and Overtime. My grade report looks like this.<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3180/2379690660_6d95356e73.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3180/2379690660_6d95356e73.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><br />Nah, I am not really proud of that, but I get a feel about what kind of online grazing I do. Now, if you want to expand such an analysis to your desktop - Yes, there is an application for that too. <a href="http://www.rescuetime.com/">Recuetime</a> is desktop application, that keeps track of the time you spend on each desktop application. Unlike 8AWeek, you have to signup on their website. It gathers information and sends to rescuetime.com servers, where you can analyze the your desktop habit stats. This is how my dashboard looks like.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2340/2379716908_ff987f7d9b.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2340/2379716908_ff987f7d9b.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><br /><br />Of course, there are a lot of options in RescueTime - such as rating your tags, setting up productivity goals, which I haven't explored. Still, I find the application very useful.<br /><br />I can't say I am productive using these applications, but I can say they have changed the way I work. Now, I no longer wonder, where did all the time go. The answer is right there on these pretty bar charts.Sriram P Chttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00171425045901098106noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13520617.post-67275940693413025872008-02-27T16:57:00.002+05:302008-02-27T17:54:39.290+05:30zotero, a cool firefox pluginIf you do a lot of search, while gathering material for a particular topic, it would be better to do it as if you are writing a research paper on the topic. For that, I recommend this Firefox plugin : <a href="http://www.zotero.org/">Zotero</a>. Its really cool, and works with <a href="http://www.flock.com/">Flock</a>too! <br /><br />I recommend Flock too!Sriram P Chttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00171425045901098106noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13520617.post-18431756228415375502008-02-21T15:12:00.003+05:302008-02-21T15:59:51.588+05:30terminology usageOften, we come across situation we some terminology is blatantly misused, probably because of mis-understanding of the terminology. But sometimes, we come across creative use of certain terms. I was reading <a href="http://www.ralentz.com/old/space/feynman-report.html">this report</a>, an appending to the Rogers Commission Report on the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Space_Shuttle_Challenger_disaster">Space Shuttle Challenger Accident</a>.<br /><blockquote><br />In spite of these variations from case to case, officials behaved as if they understood it, giving apparently logical arguments to each other often depending on the "success" of previous flights. For example. in determining if flight 51-L was safe to fly in the face of ring erosion in flight 51-C, it was noted that the erosion depth was only one-third of the radius. It had been noted in an experiment cutting the ring that cutting it as deep as one radius was necessary before the ring failed. Instead of being very concerned that variations of poorly understood conditions might reasonably create a deeper erosion this time, it was asserted, there was "a safety factor of three." <span style="font-weight:bold;">This is a strange use of the engineer's term ,"safety factor."</span> If a bridge is built to withstand a certain load without the beams permanently deforming, cracking, or breaking, it may be designed for the materials used to actually stand up under three times the load. This <span style="font-weight:bold;">"safety factor" is to allow for uncertain excesses of load, or unknown extra loads</span>, or weaknesses in the material that might have unexpected flaws, etc. <span style="font-weight:bold;">If now the expected load comes on to the new bridge and a crack appears in a beam, this is a failure of the design.</span> There was no safety factor at all; even though the bridge did not actually collapse because the crack went only one-third of the way through the beam. The O-rings of the Solid Rocket Boosters were not designed to erode. Erosion was a clue that something was wrong. Erosion was not something from which safety can be inferred.</blockquote><br />Feynman calls this "fooling oneself while degrading standards". While Feynman ends the report by "For a successful technology, reality must take precedence over public relations, for nature cannot be fooled.", What were these officials actually fooled by ? I would say, a sense of unbridled optimism.Sriram P Chttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00171425045901098106noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13520617.post-36776096843025879572008-02-20T18:14:00.005+05:302008-02-20T18:53:59.477+05:30my origami boatsWell, You are in this really neat restaurant - one of those where the waiters wear uniforms and you have your water in glass(!) cup. Of course, You are hungry and need something fast. Naturally, for some reason, - may be, because the kitchen is as dimly lit as your table - the Chef takes way too much time to get your "Hyderabadi Prawn Biriyani" done. Now what do you do ? Apart from offering a Phillips energy-saving light bulb for the supposedly dimly lit restaurant's Kitchen, you can of course yell at the waiter three or four times. But this is not really going to make things better. Every one seem to expect this reaction, especially those restaurants, where it is a habit to serve you late. They have grown insulated to such yelling. I guess, may be, even dancing won't work there. So, my answer is Origami!<br /><br />Yes, really. They have paper napkins on every table in such restaurants - at least in the restaurant I went to.(If its not there ask for a few paper napkins.) Do origami with paper napkins. Well, the only thing I know how to make out of a paper is the lame 'Origami Boat'. So, I start to make boats out of paper napkins, and place it every where on my table. (I was planning get down the floor, when the table fills up -or- Ask for more paper napkins from the next table). It worked! Probably the waiter was worried about cleaning the mess I am happily and willfully generating. I saw him head for the kitchen at my 4th boat. And Tada! There is my Biriyani. Try it(Of course, I didn't mean the biriyani. Not that I don't want you to have Biriyani) and let me know, if it works for you.Sriram P Chttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00171425045901098106noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13520617.post-67524971205280806862007-12-11T12:36:00.001+05:302007-12-11T12:43:39.812+05:30in the newsThis is probably old news. But I just found it today on BBC : <a href="http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/south_asia/7132124.stm">Hindu gods get summons from court</a>. As the story goes<br /><blockquote>Judge Sunil Kumar Singh in the eastern state of Jharkhand has issued adverts in newspapers asking the gods to "appear before the court personally".</blockquote><br />Further below,<br /><blockquote>The two Hindu gods have been summoned as the defence claimed that they were owners of the disputed land.<br /><br />"Since the land has been donated to the gods, it is necessary to make them a party to the case," local lawyer Bijan Rawani said. </blockquote><br />Hopefully, the Gods answer our <s>prayers</s> notices.Sriram P Chttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00171425045901098106noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13520617.post-67315299695496485052007-11-30T18:28:00.000+05:302007-11-30T19:14:58.593+05:30கற்றது தமிழ்.கற்றத்து தமிழ் திரைப்படம் பார்த்தேன் - சுமார் ஒரு வாரத்திற்க்கு முன்பு. படம் பார்த்து முடிந்ததும், சினிமா விமர்சகர் ரே கார்னி திரைப்படங்கள் எவ்வாறு இருக்க வேண்டுமென்று <a href="http://people.bu.edu/rcarney/carncult/showbiz.shtml">இங்கு சொல்வதைப்</a> போன்றதொரு உணர்வு. இதோ அவருடைய வார்த்தைகள்..<br /><blockquote><span style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Truth is messier and more complex than a trick. Art doesn't give us pre-cooked, pre-digested experiences, but raw, rough, unclassifiable ones. <span style="font-weight: bold;">Real emotions defy verbal summaries. And they leave us more confused than analytic. In fact, if you can say what emotions you are feeling while you watch a film, you probably aren't having an emotional experience in the way I mean.</span><br /></span></blockquote><span style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"></span><blockquote></blockquote>"உங்களை கல்லாக்கும் உணர்வுப் பொய்களை (emotional lies) வெளிக் கொண்டுவிடும்" என்று சொல்கிறரர் ரே. படம் பார்த்து எழுந்த சிந்தனைகள் பமுறுத்த செய்தன. எவ்வளவு தான் நீங்கள் தாங்குகிறீர்கள் பாக்கலாமென்று என்னைக் கேள்வி கேட்டன.<br /><br />மீண்டும் மைப் பேனாவில் எழுதத் துவங்கினேன். பத்தரை வருட இடைவெளி்க்குப்பின் எழுதுகிறேன். நான்கு நாட்களுக்கு பின் தான் nib-ன் மூலம் எழுதிய என் எழுத்தில் நிதானம் வந்த்தது... ஆனால் சிந்தனையின் சலனம் இன்னமும் தெளியவில்லை.Sriram P Chttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00171425045901098106noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13520617.post-32760689297065794842007-11-28T12:52:00.000+05:302007-11-28T17:03:45.951+05:30My GRE experienceI wrote GRE, the Graduate Record Examination, an year and half ago. Recently, some one asked via e-mail, for advice and tips. I started to write the reply, but it turned out to be too long. I thought it would be better if I put this somewhere on the web, and send the URL, so that it would be useful later. So, this is my place on the web, and here is my GRE story. Skip this, if you don't care about GRE. And I wrote this in the blog, so that if someone thinks I am blockhead for writing this or whatever, they can do so in the comments section.<br /><span style="font-size:100%;"><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">So, What is my score ?</span></span><br /><br />Yes, I should tell my score first, so you know the credentials I have to talk about the Exam. Verbal was good : 660 (93 percentile) Quans was, lets say, "not bad" : 730 (78 percentile). Analytical writing was pathetic : 4.0 (32 percentile). Having written GRE qualifies me to write advice for every one else. And hence for the benefit of everyone writing GRE, here are my pearls. (Of course, If the pattern changes, this is useless). That also induced me into thinking that I would write all these standardized exams just to pass on advice and tips. Yeah, seriously... (only,if some one could give me money)<br /><br />My preparation was just 3 months, well actually 3 months and 2 weeks (Because my car radiator burst three days before my initial GRE's date. So, I had to re-schedule.)<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Plan of Study:</span><br /><br />To make the plan of study, I used Google Calendar. I, probably, did not stick to my calendar like 40% of the time. But at least, it would be there in my face - questioning those things I do, not suggested by the calendar. I try to keep the plan as rigid as it was possible, and as flexible as it was needed. I used three books - an used <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Kaplan-GRE-Exam-2005-Gre/dp/0743251695">Kaplan GRE prep book/CD</a>, a new <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Prepare-CD-ROM-Barrons-Graduate-Examination/dp/0764178784">Barrons GRE prep book/CD</a> and a used <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Kaplan-GRE-Verbal-Workbook-2nd/dp/0743230590">Kaplan GRE verbal workbook</a>.<br /><br />I was trying to write the exam, while I was working full time. Work was 8-5 every day, and doesn't usually exceed that. Hence, on week days, I planned 2 hours in the morning, 2.5 hours in the evening for word list learning, and a 15-min flash card session in the afternoon just after the lunch (Courtesy: <a href="http://www.flashcardexchange.com/">Flash Card Exchange</a> ). In the weekends, I mostly do math exercises, and verbal practice tests. In the beginning, I also learnt word lists during weekends, but later I just had revisions. I am almost certain that, I never worked more than 14 hours of study each weekend(Sat and Sun), and that includes time for practice tests.<br /><br />I used my work as my distraction for GRE prep. I felt work was a better distraction. In other words, I felt my work helped, rather than, hurt my preparation for GRE. So, lets start with...<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Mastering the word list.</span><br /><br />Mastering the word list is useful for Analogues and Antonyms. This task alone consumed around 70% of my preparation time. I felt, there were three issues/caveats in mastering the list.<br /><br /><ul><li> The sheer size of Barron's word list(around 4000 words) is enough to kill any sane human being's confidence that, they know English. So, I felt that Barron's word list is a wrong place to start. I felt, I should start with some sub-set of words, and incrementally add new words. In that way, I would have a better coverage of words from A-Z, then add new words, as they come to me. At the least, I would not feel bad that I never got to those words starting with 'S' or 'T'.</li><li>Words are related. But every word list doesn't show these relationships. If I ask you 10 difficult words you know, you wouldn't start with 'A'. You would start with one of the difficult words you know, and look for words that are related to it. Our brain stores words in a non-linear fashion, but word lists, like dictionaries are linear representation. I need to some-how build a non-linear way of storing the information using the linear input. (so that I can revise the word relationships easily) </li><li>Words are easy to forget. Forgetting is so easy that I don't remember any of the new words, I learned for GRE anymore. I have to find some ways to remember them. What should I do to remember them ?<br /></li></ul><span style="font-weight: bold;">These were my solutions...</span><br /><ul><li>I started with the word list in the <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Kaplan-GRE-Verbal-Workbook-2nd/dp/0743230590">Kaplan GRE Verbal workbook</a>. They weren't as much as Barrons (Actually the whole of Kaplan had less than half of what Barrons had!!!). Another advantage with the words in Kaplan was, the word list was given in a non-linear fashion. For each word, the related words are listed just below, along with them. That would be really easy way to build my non-linear notebook. After I completed that, I then finished the words list given in suffixes, and prefixes section. After that, I went on the root words and words with similar meanings... (Barrons List comes later - Only after 5-6 weeks!!!)</li><li>While I did those things in Step 1, I wanted to build this corpus of information - word, meaning, its usage and its relationships- into a non-linear method of storage. I used <a href="http://www.tiddlywiki.com/">tiddlywiki</a> to store them. It is a reusable non-linear personal note-book. It is actually a Wiki in a single HTML file. As the description in the page says, "It contains the entire text of the wiki, and all the JavaScript, CSS and HTML goodness to be able to display it, and let you edit it or search it. Without needing a server."<br />For example, If I store the word "veracity" in a page, then I add a links to other words such as "mendacious", "verity", just below the description of "veracity". When I click on "verity", it opens up information contained in same file, in the same window, and shows its description. Its all Javascript magic. I use this to just browse related words, without having to open a thesaurus. I need to make this on my own, so that focus is only on GRE words. Also that everything is contained in a single page. Aint that cool ?</li><li>I thought that I should listen to lot of words. I learnt a lot of words, just by listening radio/video/audio books on the Internet. Idea is that, if these words were reach my other senses, I would remember. Remember, the idea is to build associations.<b><br /></b></li><li><b>iPod solution:</b> I recorded myself learning the words, made into to small MP3 files, and stored in my iPod. For example, I can never forget the few words I made play lists interspersed with songs. My play list looked like this</li><ul><li>"Mississippi" - Bob Dylan.</li><li>Words that approximately mean "sadness" - GRE.</li><li>"I am not crazy" - Rob Thomas.</li><li>Words that approximately mean "craziness" - GRE and so on.... I was just trying to associate vocals with meanings.<br /></li> </ul></ul><ul><li><span style="font-weight: bold;">Classical solution :</span> Flash Cards. I make sure that, I spend at least one hour every day entirely for flash cards. I made my own flash cards. I made 3x2.5 cards(almost looks like a square) out of 3x5 index cards, and wrote each word I learn, and the meaning behind the card. Every time I go through them, I separate into three parts of cards.</li><ul><li> Words I think, I would never forget.</li><li> Words I think, I might forget.</li><li>Words I think, I just don't remember. I try to spend more time covering the third division, allocating time proportionately from there on.<br /></li></ul></ul><span style="font-weight: bold;">Did my solution work ? </span><br /><ul><li> The idea of making smaller steps first, and then slowly growing confidence worked. I was able to lean enough words, and feel confident that I can learn more, if I work at this pace. I could see that I completed something (which was more important that what was in-complete). After 4-5 weeks, I completed all the words in Kaplan (almost 2000), and then I started working on Barrons list. I, then, used a DOS program from the internet called Advanced Vocabulary Enhancer or AVE to update new words to my learning. It is a flash card program, that keep track of what words you make mistakes, and what words you are OK with. I used the program during the whole second half of my preparation. It was just unbelievable. I have the link, but the link is broken. I do have the copy of the program. If I could find a hosting service for uploading that some where, I would do and update the link here. I also wanted to re-write the program in a easy to port manner, but I never go to do that.<br /></li><li>Tiddly wiki was not as useful as I thought it would be. In the end, I had a single HTML file of size almost 600 KB, and the browser would just cry to load it. Firefox would say that Javascript is not responsive, and call 911. Still, it was useful to revise word-relationships. Probably, more could have been done to keep track of coverage and frequency, while browsing a network of words. If I had enough time, I would have done some hacking to make the wiki better suited for my purpose. But Firefox/IE is no emacs, and javacript is no e-lisp. I might try this, some time in the future.</li><li><span style="font-weight: bold;"> iPod Solution:</span> Listening to my own voice for a sustained period of time is one of the most dreadful thing, I ever did. But still, it was quite helpful. I added a few passages from a websites and articles (from Newyorker etc.) gathered using google search of difficult words. After a few words, my mouth went dry. I mean, every word has a fascinating history of its own. 3 months is too short. If I had 6 months to work, I would have done this better. I had to reduce the content of my reading. I used to hear, when there is nothing on TV. Since, I no longer wanted anyone to listen to that drudge - not even me, I deleted everything. World is a safe place now.</li><li><span style="font-weight: bold;"> Flash Cards:</span> One thing that works without any problem is Flash Cards. It really works. I can not recommend it enough. It is easier to control, easier to change - very flexible. For example, in case of the iPod recordings, I was not able to skip to next word, or discard a word forever easily. But using Flash cards, takes time of flipping a card. Splitting them was easier, and focus was clear. I vote flash cards as the ultimate study tool ever.<br /></li></ul>Probably, one might feel that these novel techniques are completely useless. Not really. I had fun while making them, and I was learning those words too. Every word I learn, I record it, Enter into the tiddly, and write down on the flash card. So, not everything was lost. If possible, I might use the Youtube as a study tool next time :)!!!<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">And finally</span><br /><br />On any given day, if you ask me the opposite of word "baroque", I would say "elegant"/"simple". But if its a GRE question, I would ask, "What are the choices ?". GRE's Verbal Section is difficult, for the reason that "All human languages are ambiguous". So, the problem isn't just learning words, but to understand the meaning without ambiguity. The only way is to read some context along with learning the meaning of the word. In this sense, I liked <a href="http://www.thefreedictionary.com/">the Free dictionary.</a> Not only the dictionary lists the meanings of the given word, it also gives a section called "References in Classic Literature". It was quite helpful.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Quans Practices</span><br /><br />The only way I prepared for quantitative section is by practice tests. It took less than two weeks to learn all the Math formulas and other concepts (Ratio, Geometry etc.). After that, its all just practice. I had enough number of practice questions in both the books and the CDs, and just do it all of them! Its pretty much what you learn in high school. I just have to do it as many times as possible, to get over those loopholes, where its get me.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Analytical Writing</span><br /><br />I just wrote two essays each week during the three months of my preparations. The problem with this section is that you have no idea how your writing would be evaluated. And I don't know how to evaluate my essays. I don't know how good I was. I thought just mentioning the points would be sufficient. Looks like, one needs a lot more than a set of bullet points. I wonder, if buying an official advice would help. I am not sure.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Run-up to the finals</span><br /><br />I did six full-length practice tests, starting in the final month. The run-up to the exam was mostly practice tests and flash-cards. You should not assume the score you get in practice tests to be anywhere near the final exams. In practice tests, I got around 520-550 in Verbal and 760-790 in Quantitative - way different from what I got in the finals.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">The Exam</span><br /><br />It was raining. So, I decided to take the local route, rather than the highway. I started early so that I can drive at half the speed of the allowed speed limit, which as 30mph. I played Enya while driving to the Exam Center.<br /><br />The first mistake I did was being in the thinking that the initial section was an Experimental section. I didn't read the rules properly or something. But, I was doing the whole Quantitative section, thinking that this is an experimental section. I was doing it slow, and then later I had to catch up the time. Is it because of the Music I listened ? I don't know, if this is fair, but I still blame the music for my less than expected Quantitative score. Probably its not true, but psychologically, it helps. If I had to do the exam again, the only thing I would have done different is to choose hear <a href="http://sports.espn.go.com/espn/page2/story?page=pearlman/071116">this play list I read in ESPN Page 2</a>, as I head for the Exam Center. It could be. The problem could be that that I was setup with the tempo of "Wild Child" by Enya rather than "LOSE YOURSELF" by Eminem. I wasn't very well pepped up.<br /><br />My second section was Analytical Writing, which of course was a disaster. And When Verbal Section came, it was like a breeze. I finished Verbal in 21 minutes, 9 minutes earlier than the stipulated time. And just when I was getting ready to face the difficult questions, the exam was already over. It always happens in all of my exams. (Yes, almost every one of them) I don't know why. Probably I have a longer lead time or something.<br /><br />Still, I have no idea how to solve my lead time problem. The exam was over, and the screen flashed my scores after the statutory warning. I blame it all on Enya. (Sorry Enya. I really like your voice. Only problem is that it didn't work before a GRE exam).<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">What I should have done ?</span><br /><br />Read the instructions properly.Sriram P Chttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00171425045901098106noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13520617.post-17314258144795209362007-11-12T12:11:00.000+05:302007-11-12T12:34:35.909+05:30மாவு உண்வு ?இது ரொம்ப சின்ன போஸ்ட்...<br />தமிழ மொழிபயர்ப்பு பல நெரங்களில் கொஞ்சம் காம்டியாத்தான் இருக்கு. இரு தின்ங்களுக்கு முன் சுட்டி டி.வி.யில் கேட்ட வார்த்தை - "வாழைபழ மாவு உணவு". அது வேற ஒன்னும் இல்லீங்க. இது தான்!<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Banana_pudding"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px;" src="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/4/46/Banana_pudding%2C_homemade.jpg/800px-Banana_pudding%2C_homemade.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a>அது தான் இங்கிலிஷ்ல : Banana Pudding!!!Sriram P Chttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00171425045901098106noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13520617.post-57630503451425736052007-06-22T21:51:00.000+05:302007-06-22T22:48:15.748+05:30gift ideaI forget birthdays. It always happens that I remember the birthday either a week earlier or a week later. The other day was my colleague's birthday. He turned 26. Other co-workers reminded me and were discussing what kind of gift would be good for him. Ah! Finally, One birthday I can make a difference. One of them was making a joke, "He is the kind of guy, who would drink Phenoyl for free! You can just gift him anything".<br /><br />Well, technically there is no such thing as Phenoyl. Its an Indian spelling of this strong and pungent liquid with phenolic odor, typically used as a sanitizer and deodorant for toilets, drains, grease traps, septic run-off areas, kennels, poultry and animal pens. Some websites spell it as phenyle, but I am not so sure. If you know what it is exactly, Please let me know. Whatever it is, it is not edible, and <a href="http://www.diggersaust.com.au/files/Phenyle.pdf">this link</a>[pdf] says it is "Irritating. Ingestion may cause nausea and abdominal pains. Severely irritating to eyes."<br /><br />I said, "Why don't we gift him that ? A bottle of phenyle ?". She said, "No!!! I was just joking. He always said he wanted a photo album. We can buy a good photo album." She might have told it as a joke, but I can't get rid of the idea of buying a bottle of pungent, irritating liquid as a birthday gift. So, I bought them both - a photo album and a a bottle of pheyle (Its really cheap! Only Rs. 10/bottle). I gift wrapped the bottle of phenyle with this note stuck on the bottle. <blockquote>Talk is that you would drink a bottle of phenyle, when its free. <br />I would say,<br /> There's no better day to clean your toilet, than your birthday.<br />Happy Birthday.</blockquote><br />At the party, the un-wrapping of the photo album was un-eventful. I told him I have a special gift, that he should open. I gave him the bottle, wrapped with a really nice, light brown gift wrapper. He felt it was a bottle, and asked if it was some kind of champagne or wine. I said, "Not exactly. But, you are on the right track. Its something you would drink!" <br /><br />He was surprised, of course. I encouraged him to open and smell it, so he could be sure. And, what you know, he did smell. He said this gift would be most unforgettable one in his life. Yeah! Sure. I can't forget giving it either. Well, it takes just 13 rupees(bottle+gift wrap) to make one of those moments of life, that you can laugh about. Now he has a story, that he can tell his grand children, later in his life. So do I.Sriram P Chttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00171425045901098106noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13520617.post-10050526362543830022007-06-19T20:19:00.000+05:302007-06-19T21:17:14.533+05:30contemplating gloryI was reading the blog <a href="http://www.happinessproject.typepad.com/">Happiness Project</a> today. I was reading <a href="http://www.happiness-project.com/happiness_project/2007/06/this_saturday_a_2.html"> this long quotation from Victor Frankl's book</a> - "Man's Search For Meaning.". The quote is a great read. This line at the end of the post was thought provoking. I had read that book long ago, but didn't contemplate this much about these lines, then.<br /><blockquote>For the first time in my life I was able to understand the meaning of the words, "The angels are lost in perpetual contemplation of an infinite glory."</blockquote><br />Perpetual Contemplation of an Infinite Glory - Moments of glory can be infinite in the dimension of space, but it can not be perpetual. They can't perpetuate, can't last forever. Only thing that is left then is the contemplation about such moments. I think, that just means that memories of the past and hope for the future makes us happier than the moments themselves.<br /><br />Happiness is what happens between. Because when those moments happen, we know very little about how good or bad they really are.Sriram P Chttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00171425045901098106noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13520617.post-47274415597556148512007-06-18T18:45:00.001+05:302007-06-18T23:11:13.975+05:30the rajini experienceThere is a festival in India, predominantly celebrated in the north, called <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Holi">Holi</a>. Well, the idea of the festival is to spend a whole day throwing color powder and water on each other. I don't know what that sounds like to you, but personally, I think that festival is a conspiracy by the laundry owners association of India. I don't buy this holi-thing at all. Making my clothes colorfully dirty isn't something I would be really happy about. They may be colorful, but Come on! It's still dirt. I think it has no logic to it. It seems bizarre that people fall for such a trick by those laundry owners. But people celebrate it anyway - and celebrate it in loud, muddy, mucky, and may be even in unhygienic ways. Funny how, they seem to be genuinely happy about it. So are hundreds of festivals around the world, that have absolutely no logic. <br /><br />That is the only way to approach <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rajinikanth">Rajinikanth</a>'s movie release. It is a film festival. No, not those film festivals, where these big shots of movie business get together and watch painfully sad movies, that are purported to be the exemplars of modern cinema. This is a celebration about an addition of this unclassified genre of colorful, stylish and enjoyable movies, and only way to call them, ah well,is Rajini's movies. (This is a post, that assumes a little knowledge about Tamil movies, especially Rajinikanth. Some information available <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kollywood">here</a>, <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sivaji:_The_Boss">here</a>, and <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rajinikanth">here</a>. You can skip this post anytime, you don't like.) <br /><br />So, a new Rajini's movie - <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sivaji:_The_Boss">Sivaji</a> - was released on Friday. Anyone who hasn't been brushed by the Rajini's phenomena before, would ask, "I don't understand <a href="http://thestar.com.my/news/story.asp?file=/2007/6/16/nation/18049505&sec=nation">this kind of fan frenzy</a>. Whats so great about this guy or this movie ?". You don't understand a Rajini's movie, you celebrate it. You are just happy that there is another Rajini's movie released today, you can go watch, and live the Rajini experience. If you still say,"I don't get it". Yeah, I don't get that holi-thing either. But, hey, it is a part of the culture, anyway.<br /><br />I am in Hyderabad now, and so I would have to settle with a telugu-dubbed version of Sivaji. This makes it very difficult to imagine the equivalent dialogues in Tamil.(I am native of Tamil Nadu) But, Rajini could have spoken Japanese on screen, and it wouldn't have mattered anyway. Its impossible for the language to get in the way of Rajini's ultimate screen presence. The first scene in the flashback, where Rajini returns from USA, is just AWSUM. I remember, how I felt after a 17 hour flight back from the US. I could describe myself feeling like human feces, and probably smelling like that too.(Can I use the word SH*T?) But when Rajini arrives on flight from US, on screen with a white suit and an orange tie, I couldn't help looking him at awe. What shall I say ? I am a fan and was exited like a little girl with her pink new shoes.<br /><br />Story line is a successful merge of the stereotypical Rajni's movie with stereotypical Shankar's plot. Rajini returns from the US, very rich, builds a university in India (and get a girl in the mean time), but loses everything building the university, thanks to a corrupt system. The rest of story is all about how he gets back at the system, by recruiting local rowdies(for his own law-enforcement) and then by money laundering. And thus, Rajini gets his revenge-of-a-wronged-man story line, inter wined with Shankar's usual screw-corrupt-system-literally plot. <br /><br />Well, the story may be typical and dubious, but Rajini is no stereotype. It is impossible to look anyone but Rajini, when he is on the screen. Every frame, when Rajini is on, has been enhanced and worked upon meticulously with such a finesse, that, it is just magical. Ground breaking work on stunts, camera, special effects, art and direction. Flipping coins, swinging the coin back and forth with sleight of hands, catching the gum on the rebound - Rajni is so conscious on what he does on screen, he sure is super star. Man, I want to see the movie again (again, language doesn't matter!). And after a long time, I watched a movie with pieces of paper flying all over in every song! (It is customary to throw bits and pieces of paper overhead especially for movies with super stars, such that it glitters on the light from the projector and gives an illusion that Rajini is dancing in paper rain. It might actually annoy you, if you aren't used to it. But, its a lot of fun, if you are part of it!!!)<br /><br />I don't think any actor is as frame-aware and fan-aware as Rajini. <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kamal_Haasan">Kamalhassan</a> is sure a better actor than Rajinikanth, but there is a difference. Kamal not only acts, but becomes the character, and doesn't give a damn about who is going to watch his movie. Rajini, on the other hand, talks to the camera and the fan, as the character/as himself, in way that doesn't insult the intelligence of the fan. (Many who try to emulate Rajini - Simbu, Danush etc. - end up offending the viewers, making them feeling stupid for paying for the ticket.) <br /><br />Overall, Sivaji yet another Rajini experience. But if you aren't a fan of Rajini and still wonder how seemingly smart people would fall for cheap tricks for a man who, according to you, is just over-hyped crap, I would just say this - with a wink -<br /><br />Coool!!! (You have to watch the movie to get this ;))Sriram P Chttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00171425045901098106noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13520617.post-85619219504539679542007-05-30T11:07:00.000+05:302007-05-30T15:05:16.095+05:30bengaluruLast weekend, I was at Bangalore - my first trip. A few thoughts on the way back.<ul> <li>I was very afraid to ask directions in Tamil, even by accident. Nothing happened really. But, very afraid - yes!</li><br /> <li>Every person <strong>not</strong> earning their livelihood by IT thinks, that, the reason Bangalore "has gone bad" is the IT industry.(Unless, you are talking to a non-IT person with a sound investment in Real Estate). Every IT person either thinks that Bangalore has become better because of IT -or- blames the politicians for lack of better infrastructure. Every politician, by virtue of <strong>not</strong> being an IT person, blames of-course, the IT industry. So, there it goes - a full circle.</li><br /> <li>I found the houses <strong>relatively</strong> smaller. Probably, because I live in a <strong>relatively</strong> bigger house in Hyderabad. Are the houses smaller in Bangalore, relatively ? -or- Are the houses relatively bigger in Hyderabad ? My friend thinks they live in smaller houses in Bangalore. Probably, they are inspired by the Japanese. Or They just have the problems of Japan - Too little space with Too much development.</li><br /> <li>There is a stark contrast between the citizen classes in the City. For example, the Shopping crowd at MG Road/Brigade Road, consists of the affluent and the pretend-to-be-affluent crowd, where as, shopping crowd around the Majestic Bus station is made of the penny-wise, pound-wiser gang. The contrast jumps on your eyes like power-point slides - so quick and ugly. The difference is right at your face(at least my face), and it questioned my urban livelihood and existence.... again!.</li></ul>My friend asked, if I would be interested to move to Bangalore. Well, I really don't have any reasons to move there. Also beyond any logical reasons, I neither do have the desire to do any living there. So, it goes.Sriram P Chttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00171425045901098106noreply@blogger.com1