So it goes

A very moving picture on his site (which will no longer be there someday (so i've reproduced it for you here)
The guy who gave me something to think and his novels were deep.
When I first read cat's cradle 10 years ago, it was just another humourous story.
Someone recommended it to me as science fiction. Only later did I realise the implied sarcasm. And then I read Slaughterhouse-Five. One of the foremost anti-war books.

And just 2 days ago, I was telling a friend that I was looking for a cheap copy of Slaughterhouse-Five. And today I read in the newspapers.
Now bookstores will organise retrospectives. I hope there is a discount sale too

Some of his last contributions can be found here.
And do try wikipedia

And do read the books.

Crop Circles - The modern way

Interesting activity.

Here's the pic

Read the story on the link above.

sorry for all the lacklustre posts.
Don't feel like posting about the exciting incidents in my life right now ;)

Stupid Post

I mean the one below.
Was just testing Odeo.
Do try it.
Yeah but 11000 people?
right!

some better posts coming up.
Watch this space ...

11000 people!

11000 people at a "He is risen" rally.
Too much time to waste.
Like me ... blogging away to glory.



powered by ODEO

What we learnt in class today

Mergers and Acquisitions are the result of three theories
Theory X
Theory Y
Theory Z

Theory X

is all about money. If you have money, buy companies. If you don't, sell yours

Theory Y

talks about the motivational factors. Maslow's motivational theories (?). If you feel motivated enough ... buy a company or several. If you are feeling blue sell out.

Theory Z

Is about contingency. Buy and sell as you feel the need.

You can see a combination of these theories at work, when you research mergers and acquisitions.

People in HBR (Harvard Business Review) write nice stories which are good to read. You can read them and feel good. Sometimes they feel the need to use bombastic words, but generally they are easy to read and understand.

People of the level of IAS (Indian Administrative Service) also copy ... word for word.

The West Bengal government is not a nice government

Lakshmi Mittal stayed in some building in Calcutta where a lot of other famous Marwaris also stayed.

"I" want numbers, I dont have any.

"I" love to spell words on the board.
===========================================

Learnings:
If you are hearing words for the first time, its high time you invested in a dictionary.
You came alone, you will go alone, so work alone.

In one word: Intreshting.

The land of Free and the Bigoted...

US government rejects Virgin America

Well that is what FT reported. Some snippets:

The US Department of Transportation ruled that the latest airline venture backed by Sir Richard Branson, the UK entrepreneur, was effectively controlled by overseas investors, failing its crucial test for granting an operating certificate.

and

“Virgin America would have to revise its ownership, corporate structure and associated agreements to be 75 per cent owned and actually controlled by US citizens before it can receive an operating certificate,” said the DoT ruling.

For a country that prides itself in its free market economy, this stinks of protectionism. Well 9/11 did happen didn't it?

Obviously there was Congressional interference.

What's the point I got to make?

I am a smart alec who reads international news.
:P

Question and answer

Well one fine morning this is what I found in my googletalk window
Well answered.
And toothpaste counts too. And I'd let you steal mine for a just cause
;)

clutching my head

I've taken so many pictures that i dont feel like sorting them anymore.
My computer is a mess.
HELP!!!

Butterfly Effect

See the link for more details ...

According to U.S. Mint Director Edmund Moy, the U.S. vending machine industry stands to save $1 billion if consumers ditch their flimsy paper bills for $1 coins. The switch would eliminate maintenance on bill acceptance slots.

Talk about interconnectedness.
The comments board is open.

Upto no Good

There was a little boy
Who just sat in class
Gave no answers
Just let them pass
They thought he never understood.
His teachers they glared at him
And said, "this boy is upto no good"

There was a little boy
Who wanted to see
The whole world
As far as could be
They always said he never would
The people around looked
And said, "this boy is upto no good"

There was a little boy
Who went to France
He said he wanted to
Enjoy the wine, song and dance
They say what got him was the food
The people around shook their heads
And said, "this boy is upto no good"

There was a little boy
Who travelled far and wide
He climbed every church spire
His joy he couldn't hide
So he hollered as loud as he could
People below just looked up
And said, "this boy is upto no good"

I met the little boy
One cold winter's day
As I looked into the mirror
What could I say?
I was in a pretty good mood
So i just shook my head
And said, "that boy is upto no good"
.

Apple ... the next generation

Apple is getting ahead ... the most interesting announcement among all the new iPods, iTunes 7 etc. is the launch of the iTV.

Convergence is the name of the game and Apple has thrown its hat in the ring.
Due to be out in early 2007, its a box the size of a small DVD player that 'you can just hook directly to your big flat-screen TV, or more likely, hook it to your set-top box.' It can wirelessly send the movies and music you download from the Internet to your television. Of course the content comes from the iTunes website which you buy. Apple is already offering DVD quality highights of NFL games on iTunes.
Lets see what MS does next.

Travelogue ... Travel Blog

Well I'm in Aix-en-Provence now... and I'll blog my experiences here ...
euro-diaries.blogspot.com

So some times i'll blog here ... mostly on the other one :)

Enjoy ... and keep the comments coming in ...

Dating can get you a PhD!

What do get when you cross absolutely jobless doctoral students with a top notch School and finding love?
Well ... a PhD in dating.
So? Its the business of love.
This work carried out @ MIT Media Labs by a doctoral student and profs at MIT and HBS tries to optimise dating sites... and apparently its working
Read on

Online Match-Making with Virtual Dates

More on peace...

This one is from the Vietnam conflict.
Amnesty got it modified slightly and this is what we have...

Peace!

For all my admiration for Israel ...
I think we need some peace in the world for now.



This man seems to agree to some extent

Floyd's different music

Floyd Landis wins the Tour De France.
Would have been unremarkable at the start of the tour. But after the 16th?
Lance won it after being cured of his cancer. Floyd won it with a rapidly degenerating hip. On the 16th stage he crashed from 1st to 11th place, a stunning 8 minutes, 8 seconds behind the leader.
And this is what people said
And then he crafted a miracle on the 17th. The same author had no words to describe it.
Some statistics here.
And a behind the scenes view here.
With a third place on the 19th, he took the yellow back.

Marvellous.

Or so I thought. But apparently I was proved wrong. Sport today isn't all about winning. Its about stretching the limit. Legally and illegally. Now the burden of proof is on the accused. And it has taught me not to jump to conclusions, as far as sport is concerned.

The Sailor

I'm a random wayfarer
Looking for the next wave
Trolling the deep sea
Resolute and grave

There is no respite
It demands too much
For a slow learner
No beginners luck as such

I take the tiller with hesitation
There is no guide
Trial and error
Its a rough ride

Storms there are many
But the sails seem to hold
But the rain its too much
And it makes me cold

Denizens of the deep
They just wait to pounce
You are just a tasty morsel
To be devoured to the last ounce

And when I've seen it all
And survived with scars intact
I begin a another journey
For that is a fact

If I do better
I get a new set of tools
And to pilot yet again
Another ship of fools

Term 4 is here ... and I am back.

Some posts in a long time.

Class A

Its apparently a beautiful morning
Whose beauty is lost on me
Instead of sleeping it out
This lecture I've come to see

Pickled brains and confused minds
They present ideas so crazy
They make you pull out your hair
For most its all too hazy

Having borne the torture
All through the night
I try hard not to listen
To stay awake, I put up a fight

I've missed some good matches
On twerps having spent my time
To throttle them for their deeds
My mind, it turns to crime

But finally realisation dawns
The halo of light shines on me
The path to eternal wisdom
Is just to be


Class B

'Twas early morning
When we came to class
To have a peek at investments
Through the looking glass

A roller coaster ride
Along the yield curve
There was oncoming traffic
And I had to swerve

There were bonds coming my way
And some capital gains
There were coupons in the baggage too
I faced learning pains

My sleepy brain is drugged with caffeine
Trying to make sense of the mess
And as I looked on
The interest rate became less

Those shapely curves yet
I must learn to admire
Bonds they say are risky
My fate seems dire


Music for my mood: "Somewhere over the rainbow"
I just feel like going to some dreamland.

Fuel to the fire

A few days ago
It was all quiet and calm
Just a few stray bullets
Causing no harm

Then this fat old man
He threw his hat in the ring
This he thought
To him would fame bring

So he went to the people
And spoke with passion
To inflame and excite
The heart of the nation

They need it he said
No they don't said we
He went red in the face
As if stung by a bee

And slowly from the smoke
The fire emerged
To protest and march
The people converged

Yet there were some
Who "believed" in him
And the cause they "fought" for
Their cup filled to the brim

They too marched
To places random
For the man in charge
They had a memorandum

Where their train was headed
No one knew
It was a matter of faith
The coming of "hope" anew

Politics of vote-banks
And people in misery
We're talking of reservations
To control the treasury

Lining their pockets
From the first round of doles
The beneficiaries few
Sitting cozy like moles

Having dug their holes
In the soul of the land
Now they stick in their heads
Like ostriches in the sand

Fifty years past
They couldn't throw off the yoke
to bring about "change"
They wait for one man's "masterstroke"
.

It will end soon, won't it?

Something I wrote to while away the time as I was waiting for breakfast.

Just a mundane life
and lots of work to do
Odd hours at work
And no socialisation too

I feel like a fish out of water
To use the cliched old phrase
But this has to be the summer of content
If I have to get out of the maze

Mornings are for sleeping
No time to get inspired
Work the evening out
And come back home tired

Then trying to wake up
Just in time to eat
The merry morning breakfast
That's a mean feat

My body clock is adjusting
It makes me throw tantrums
Freed of my company
Glad must be my chums

And all those mails keep coming
Promising parties wild
Just like mirages in the desert
You feel like a deprived child

And what to talk of the sun
All of us its going to roast
I feel burnt to a crisp
Just like my morning toast

So I'm counting the days
Till college begins again
Now come to think of it
A month ago 'twas our bane
.