This post might be my attempt to be "intellectual" or something like that, cuz I usually don't pen down such serious thoughts. Most of them are more about specific incidents and not about a general idea or concept.
But anyways, this incident got me thinking... has idealism finished its term. I mean is it passe? Or are we morally/socially so corrupt that we have no ideals, and any sort of moral/ethical act seems to be a burden on us.
Consider this... a student is caught cheating in an end semester examination and he's given an F grade (ie he is failed in that course) PLUS he is also given a "semester drop" (ie suspended for one whole semester)!! Don't you think that giving the F grade was punishment enough? I mean how many times are you supposed to punish a person for one act.
I probably feel that a semester drop is too big a punishment cuz I feel that cheating is not such a big crime. Probably that's cuz of the inherent level of corruption in me. I probably accept corruption to some level. It's like a de-facto standard. It's part of the system. Anyone not corrupt upto that level is a menace for the system.
For example, if, in an exam I ask my neighbour for help - and he denies it. He's breaking the system. I'll be displeased with him. Kya, behen chod, satyawadi harishchand bana firta hai! That's exactly what I'd say.
I won't come back from the examination and think, Fuck man, I was wrong - I should not have asked him for assistance during the exam! I'm certainly not going to do that!!
Now, where am I wrong. How many people can I (or you) find who do not cheat! Hell, I mean how many professors can "cross their hearts and hope to die" and swear that they did not cheat during their student days! What makes them take this path of rigid ideology once they earn their PhD's and become professors. I'm sure even during their PhD thesis they must've machaod some fraud
That somehow bring me back to my "intellectual" point - has ideology lived its life? Is it over? Is it dead?
What do you think?
Thursday, December 30, 2004
Sunday, November 14, 2004
Veer-Zaara
Veer-Zaara=One big headache, not to forget the 4 hours 10 mins (3 hours 30 mins movie + 40 min travelling) waste of time!!
Pathetic movie... how can a person do the same thing over and over and over again... and have the audience lap it up every fucking time! I'm talking about Shahrukh "I-Took-Only-One-Acting-Class" Khan. He SUCKS!
I was told, infact fooled into believing that the music was superb! "You'll like the songs even more after you watch the movie." Here's my take on the music - Belch!! C'mon Yash Chopra - can you please perturb your formula a wee bit more - every bloody movie has to follow the same format- one song for the credits, one song falling-in-love sequence, one song my-country-my-motherland, one song during the judaai, probably one qawaali or sufi song for the deewana crazy about his/her lost love. That's bloody it! Same thing in each and every movie. And barring one or two songs, you wont even remember the rest. And those two are played over and over again throughout the movie - probably that's why you'll come out humming them!
Story.... okay, here goes - two idiots - get their life screwed... royally! Twenty-two years of it to be precise... and all the other Hindu-Muslim, Hindustan-Pakistan shit was thrown in to give this much beaten dead horse some life (LOVE STORIES - that's what I'm talking about)! Take a load of this:
"Tumhaare mulk mein saare bete aise hi hote hain kya"
"Woh to nahin bata sakta... lekin saari maaein aapke jaisi hi hoti hain"
And you get the idea, loads of such humaara mulk, tumhaara mulk, adosi mulk, padosi mulk, throw in some tears, correction buckets full of tears and you have Veer Zaara there!
Serve hot, followed with an aspirin.... dont say I didnt warn you!
Good parts:
1. Amitabh Bacchan
2. The female who played Shabbo
3. Rani Mukherjee
Oh, I almost forgot - Hema Malini - you SUCKED! Go take some acting classes!
Peace
Nandz.
Pathetic movie... how can a person do the same thing over and over and over again... and have the audience lap it up every fucking time! I'm talking about Shahrukh "I-Took-Only-One-Acting-Class" Khan. He SUCKS!
I was told, infact fooled into believing that the music was superb! "You'll like the songs even more after you watch the movie." Here's my take on the music - Belch!! C'mon Yash Chopra - can you please perturb your formula a wee bit more - every bloody movie has to follow the same format- one song for the credits, one song falling-in-love sequence, one song my-country-my-motherland, one song during the judaai, probably one qawaali or sufi song for the deewana crazy about his/her lost love. That's bloody it! Same thing in each and every movie. And barring one or two songs, you wont even remember the rest. And those two are played over and over again throughout the movie - probably that's why you'll come out humming them!
Story.... okay, here goes - two idiots - get their life screwed... royally! Twenty-two years of it to be precise... and all the other Hindu-Muslim, Hindustan-Pakistan shit was thrown in to give this much beaten dead horse some life (LOVE STORIES - that's what I'm talking about)! Take a load of this:
"Tumhaare mulk mein saare bete aise hi hote hain kya"
"Woh to nahin bata sakta... lekin saari maaein aapke jaisi hi hoti hain"
And you get the idea, loads of such humaara mulk, tumhaara mulk, adosi mulk, padosi mulk, throw in some tears, correction buckets full of tears and you have Veer Zaara there!
Serve hot, followed with an aspirin.... dont say I didnt warn you!
Good parts:
1. Amitabh Bacchan
2. The female who played Shabbo
3. Rani Mukherjee
Oh, I almost forgot - Hema Malini - you SUCKED! Go take some acting classes!
Peace
Nandz.
Saturday, October 09, 2004
Encounters with the RSS: The Ancient, Medieval and Modern History Episode
[This is series of posts which started off with this and then followed by this. Keep coming back for more!!]
Okay, now after about 30-40 mins of furious debate with an RSS/BJP/VHP/Bajrang Dal hardliner if you're still in your senses and have not fainted due to the sheer incomprehensibilty of simple logic exhibited by an otherwise sane person (oooh - that was a Looong phrase), I'm sure the conversation would shape up something like this:
RSS: The problem is that we Hindus are too tolerant. Now enough is enough. We have to reply back. We have to fight back!
You: Tolerant? Tolerant to what?
RSS: To Muslim atrocities!
You: What? Has any Muslim ever done anything to you?
RSS: Ha! Don't forget history. Those who say that we should forget the history and look towards the future are condemned to repeat it. [Ed: Oh btw, this is an oft repeated statement. To save you from the sheer boredom of reading it again and again just try to think that I wrote this out, say, about 10 times in this convesation :-)]
You: Okay, so tell me the History Mr. Historian, what have - you a PhD in Indian history or something? [Ed: Uh-oh! Wrong question - now you're DOOMED!]
RSS: Gandhi was a bloody chutiya. He was anti-Hindu and always appeased Muslims. He supported the Khilafat movement which had nothing to do with the Indian freedom movement. He supported the Muslim League. And look what they did in the end. They wanted Pakistan. Gandhi and Nehru both agreed. The bloody muslim bastards. If we dont act they will take away all our land...
You: Whoa, whoa whoa! Calm down buddy! One issue at a time. Okay, so Muslims demanded Pakistan. Those were the Muslims 50 years back!! Are they here now?
RSS: Yes! These Indian muslims - jis thaali mein khaate hain, usi thaali mein chhed karte hain - whenever India loses a match against Pakistan they burst crackers. Muslims are anti-nationals. They are anti-Hindu.
You: Dude! I said ONE ISSUE AT A TIME! Being a hindu and being a nationalist is not the same thing. But that comes later. First of all - have you seen any Muslim bursting crackers?
RSS: Er..... um..... my friend lives near a muslim dominated area and he told me that he heard some crackers being burst in the recent India-Pakistan match. And I'm pretty sure that he won't lie to me. [Okay. If the guy is balls enough he might say that he had seen muslims bursting crackers himself]
You: Okay! Is that a friend from your good ol' neighbourhood RSS shaakha?
RSS: Yes! He is Shri Tanveer Pogadia. He is a noble man. He does a lot of social work, infact he even went to so-and-so relief camp in some far-flung area of the country on his own money....
[Let me add, the guy actually might say, that he himself has seen the crackers bursting, and then you wouldn't be able to say much. I too have heard these rumours (RUMOURS - if you missed it the last time)]
You: Great! Just my point. Believe that Pogadia guy and do what he says. Exaclty what he wants.
RSS: No! The muslims have been doing that to Hindus for centuries. Ab Hindu samaaj ko jaagna hai! We must unite. We must answer back. Ab bahut ho chuka Enough is enough.
You: Owwwwkay! So, for some atrocities and political moves taken by muslims centuries ago you'll crucify the muslims living in India, today! Great logic buddy! Tell that Pogadia guy that his speeches really work! Idiots like you stop thinking when they listen to him!
RSS: Blah, blooh, bleeh, blah [Ed: You can safely switch your ears off. Nothing even remotely sensible from this point onwards]
Quoting from another of many RSS propaganda texts going around:
Where they get this notion that Afghanistan was part of India (with reference to whatever that word meant centuries ago), I fail to comprehend. Check out Wikipedia for the history - and let me know if you find something to that tune.
The second thing is, the Hindutva brigade says that Muslims are anti-nationals and that they dont belong here. Then they say that we (India - the Hindu nation, which they proclaim it to be) - are losing Muslim dominated land, like Pakistan, Bangladesh, Kashmir, etc. Dudes! Stick to one stand. Either we are NOT a Hindu nation OR Muslim dominated land does not belong to us! You cannot have your cake and eat it too!
And puhleeeaase, spare us the long drawn sermons on your twisted Indian history. It puts us in a state of historia ;-)
Okay, now after about 30-40 mins of furious debate with an RSS/BJP/VHP/Bajrang Dal hardliner if you're still in your senses and have not fainted due to the sheer incomprehensibilty of simple logic exhibited by an otherwise sane person (oooh - that was a Looong phrase), I'm sure the conversation would shape up something like this:
RSS: The problem is that we Hindus are too tolerant. Now enough is enough. We have to reply back. We have to fight back!
You: Tolerant? Tolerant to what?
RSS: To Muslim atrocities!
You: What? Has any Muslim ever done anything to you?
RSS: Ha! Don't forget history. Those who say that we should forget the history and look towards the future are condemned to repeat it. [Ed: Oh btw, this is an oft repeated statement. To save you from the sheer boredom of reading it again and again just try to think that I wrote this out, say, about 10 times in this convesation :-)]
You: Okay, so tell me the History Mr. Historian, what have - you a PhD in Indian history or something? [Ed: Uh-oh! Wrong question - now you're DOOMED!]
RSS: Gandhi was a bloody chutiya. He was anti-Hindu and always appeased Muslims. He supported the Khilafat movement which had nothing to do with the Indian freedom movement. He supported the Muslim League. And look what they did in the end. They wanted Pakistan. Gandhi and Nehru both agreed. The bloody muslim bastards. If we dont act they will take away all our land...
You: Whoa, whoa whoa! Calm down buddy! One issue at a time. Okay, so Muslims demanded Pakistan. Those were the Muslims 50 years back!! Are they here now?
RSS: Yes! These Indian muslims - jis thaali mein khaate hain, usi thaali mein chhed karte hain - whenever India loses a match against Pakistan they burst crackers. Muslims are anti-nationals. They are anti-Hindu.
You: Dude! I said ONE ISSUE AT A TIME! Being a hindu and being a nationalist is not the same thing. But that comes later. First of all - have you seen any Muslim bursting crackers?
RSS: Er..... um..... my friend lives near a muslim dominated area and he told me that he heard some crackers being burst in the recent India-Pakistan match. And I'm pretty sure that he won't lie to me. [Okay. If the guy is balls enough he might say that he had seen muslims bursting crackers himself]
You: Okay! Is that a friend from your good ol' neighbourhood RSS shaakha?
RSS: Yes! He is Shri Tanveer Pogadia. He is a noble man. He does a lot of social work, infact he even went to so-and-so relief camp in some far-flung area of the country on his own money....
[Let me add, the guy actually might say, that he himself has seen the crackers bursting, and then you wouldn't be able to say much. I too have heard these rumours (RUMOURS - if you missed it the last time)]
You: Great! Just my point. Believe that Pogadia guy and do what he says. Exaclty what he wants.
RSS: No! The muslims have been doing that to Hindus for centuries. Ab Hindu samaaj ko jaagna hai! We must unite. We must answer back. Ab bahut ho chuka Enough is enough.
You: Owwwwkay! So, for some atrocities and political moves taken by muslims centuries ago you'll crucify the muslims living in India, today! Great logic buddy! Tell that Pogadia guy that his speeches really work! Idiots like you stop thinking when they listen to him!
RSS: Blah, blooh, bleeh, blah [Ed: You can safely switch your ears off. Nothing even remotely sensible from this point onwards]
Quoting from another of many RSS propaganda texts going around:
We have lost Afghanistan (for your kind information it was a part of India), we have lost Lahore, we have lost Bangladesh, we have lost our Sindhu river, Kashmir is having big questions mark and let me say that we have lost it as well because Hindus have been thrown out of Kashmir. Now what we are going to loose next?
Where they get this notion that Afghanistan was part of India (with reference to whatever that word meant centuries ago), I fail to comprehend. Check out Wikipedia for the history - and let me know if you find something to that tune.
The second thing is, the Hindutva brigade says that Muslims are anti-nationals and that they dont belong here. Then they say that we (India - the Hindu nation, which they proclaim it to be) - are losing Muslim dominated land, like Pakistan, Bangladesh, Kashmir, etc. Dudes! Stick to one stand. Either we are NOT a Hindu nation OR Muslim dominated land does not belong to us! You cannot have your cake and eat it too!
And puhleeeaase, spare us the long drawn sermons on your twisted Indian history. It puts us in a state of historia ;-)
Tuesday, October 05, 2004
Encounters with the RSS: The Social Organization Episode
[This is the first part of my series of posts which started off due to this.]
Talk about RSS feeding communal rot to the masses and blame them for propogating their shitty Hindutva agenda and this is what will ensue:
The RSS is a Social Organization
RSS: How can you even say such things about the RSS? You have no right to comment about the RSS if you dont know what it does?
You: Okay, so what is it that you guys do?
RSS: The RSS is a social organization. We do N number of things - lot many things.
You: Like?
RSS: Like, we were the ones to reach Bhuj first and start the relief camps and that too on our own money. And then the relief during the recent Bihar floods...
You: Oh great! Kudos to RSS. You guys are the real heroes.
RSS: Yes, that's what. But the media never reports these good deeds of ours. They simply want to malign RSS.
You: So why dont you tell people about what you do - why dont you start your own publicity and let people know that you are nice people and not bigots that you are made out to be.
RSS: But that would be like pushing your own agenda. We dont want to do that. We want to work silently - without the fanfare - so that people dont join us for name an glamour.
[Okay, you might just want to hit him with - "So, isn't ranting and raving about Hindutva, pushing your own propaganda?" But wait, not yet! We'll come to that]
You: Oh! That's really noble of you. So, why is the Ayodhya temple so imporant for RSS then? I mean you can do your good work without the temple as well.
RSS: No! That's the epitome of Hindu devotion to Ram. We have to build that temple... [blah blah blah]
You: But that will cause riots, as it already has. And causing riots should not be the aim for such a good organization like you.
RSS: No. The Musilims should vacate the masjid peacefully - it was ours. The foreigners came and broke the temple - the statues are still liying inside - you can go see them for yourself.
You: Did you see them?
RSS: No! But everyone knows. It's common knowledge.
You: Ok, so who built the mosque?
RSS: [Now, the guy gets confused! Exepect anything from Akbar, Jahangir, Aurangzed, Mohammed, Salman, Pathan, Irfan, etc]
You: Oh, great! You know a lot of history!
RSS: Yes! The Muslims should give us that land back - it is holy for us, it is the birthplace of Ram. The Muslim rulers have destroyed so many temples. Now we shall take them back. They should vacate them peacefully or else we shall have to snatch them. We dont want fights/riots but they should not force us! [blah blah blah...]
You: But hey! I thought you were a social organization. Not some Temple Building Authority. I'm confused! And why are you worried about temples of all things. Go work for the poor and downtrodden.
RSS: No! But Hindus have been tolerant for too long. Now the water is up to our noses....
You: Hey, hey! I thought you were a social organization - not a Hindu organization.
RSS: No! We're not a Hindu organization. We're not VHP. We're a social organization.
You: Okay, so how many Muslims are there in RSS.
RSS: [er... er....] The Imam of XYZ, the Jamam of ABC, etc. etc.
You: Okay, so when did they come in RSS?
RSS: Very recently. Didn't you read the news?
You: I thought so. Muslims joining RSS should make news!!
[I could go on an on.... but basically I think you got the point. Within moments the "do-gooder" attitude goes to the dogs - all that's left is the Hindutva crap - more on that in the next episode]
Talk about RSS feeding communal rot to the masses and blame them for propogating their shitty Hindutva agenda and this is what will ensue:
The RSS is a Social Organization
RSS: How can you even say such things about the RSS? You have no right to comment about the RSS if you dont know what it does?
You: Okay, so what is it that you guys do?
RSS: The RSS is a social organization. We do N number of things - lot many things.
You: Like?
RSS: Like, we were the ones to reach Bhuj first and start the relief camps and that too on our own money. And then the relief during the recent Bihar floods...
You: Oh great! Kudos to RSS. You guys are the real heroes.
RSS: Yes, that's what. But the media never reports these good deeds of ours. They simply want to malign RSS.
You: So why dont you tell people about what you do - why dont you start your own publicity and let people know that you are nice people and not bigots that you are made out to be.
RSS: But that would be like pushing your own agenda. We dont want to do that. We want to work silently - without the fanfare - so that people dont join us for name an glamour.
[Okay, you might just want to hit him with - "So, isn't ranting and raving about Hindutva, pushing your own propaganda?" But wait, not yet! We'll come to that]
You: Oh! That's really noble of you. So, why is the Ayodhya temple so imporant for RSS then? I mean you can do your good work without the temple as well.
RSS: No! That's the epitome of Hindu devotion to Ram. We have to build that temple... [blah blah blah]
You: But that will cause riots, as it already has. And causing riots should not be the aim for such a good organization like you.
RSS: No. The Musilims should vacate the masjid peacefully - it was ours. The foreigners came and broke the temple - the statues are still liying inside - you can go see them for yourself.
You: Did you see them?
RSS: No! But everyone knows. It's common knowledge.
You: Ok, so who built the mosque?
RSS: [Now, the guy gets confused! Exepect anything from Akbar, Jahangir, Aurangzed, Mohammed, Salman, Pathan, Irfan, etc]
You: Oh, great! You know a lot of history!
RSS: Yes! The Muslims should give us that land back - it is holy for us, it is the birthplace of Ram. The Muslim rulers have destroyed so many temples. Now we shall take them back. They should vacate them peacefully or else we shall have to snatch them. We dont want fights/riots but they should not force us! [blah blah blah...]
You: But hey! I thought you were a social organization. Not some Temple Building Authority. I'm confused! And why are you worried about temples of all things. Go work for the poor and downtrodden.
RSS: No! But Hindus have been tolerant for too long. Now the water is up to our noses....
You: Hey, hey! I thought you were a social organization - not a Hindu organization.
RSS: No! We're not a Hindu organization. We're not VHP. We're a social organization.
You: Okay, so how many Muslims are there in RSS.
RSS: [er... er....] The Imam of XYZ, the Jamam of ABC, etc. etc.
You: Okay, so when did they come in RSS?
RSS: Very recently. Didn't you read the news?
You: I thought so. Muslims joining RSS should make news!!
[I could go on an on.... but basically I think you got the point. Within moments the "do-gooder" attitude goes to the dogs - all that's left is the Hindutva crap - more on that in the next episode]
Hindutva Propaganda = Disease!
[I started off writing this as one single post - but in the end it's becoming so damn HUGE that I've planned to split it up into parts]
The Students' Film Society (SFS) had recently organized a mini film festival called Vikalp. It screened some rare (mostly unreleased and un-certified) documentaries, two of which have really got me thinking. Both of them were on very sensitive issues and the reaction of certain sects of the audience has actually disturbed me.
The first movie was "Men in the Tree" - a movie on RSS - how they recruit, the way they organize, the "education/knowledge" that they impart to their swayamsevaks, and basically how they organize and mastermind riots (especially the demolition of the Babri Masjid).
The second movie, "The Final Solution" - was a movie on the Godhra riots. It had people (mostly Muslims) talking about the way they were brutally killed, hacked, burnt, raped by the Hindus hand in hand with the Gujarat police. Apart from other things the director had actually followed Modi on his Gaurav Yatra trail, and it made me almost puke when I heard him proclaiming that there had been no riots in Gujarat and all this is just a concoction of the "enemies of Gujarat" (Congress) to mar the BJP's and the states image!! Further on, the bastard went on to proclaim that "all this" (whatever it was) - was just a reaction to what "they" did to the karsevaks in the Sabarmati Express! He was actually justifying the riots. And then, clipping of the VHP propaganda VCDs which showed footage of the burning train and the funeral rites of the victims with a marquee (scrolling text) which read something to the effect - "These are the karsevaks that had been brutally burnt/murdered by Islamic terrorists in the name of Jihaad!"
I could go on an on about what the movie uncovered - the way the BJP/RSS bastards were clearly instigating gatherings and spreading communal disharmony - but that would be in vain - all of us know that politicians are the scum of the earth. The are mother fucking bastards!
But what disturbed me more was the reaction of the audience, students from IIT Kanpur - the so-called "cream of the nation" - the intellectuals of the country. After the RSS movie people actually got up and started shouting and giving useless arguments.
The auditorium was turning into a catfight - so the SFS folks shut down the audi and asked everyone to continue the discussion outside. So I ended up "discussing" with an RSS hardliner outside the auditorium for a complete 1 hour or so.
[Their (RSS bigots) pscyhe is so damn botched up that reproducing each argument verbatim would take up so much of my blog space that I think I'll need to put each of them as separate posts.]
The Students' Film Society (SFS) had recently organized a mini film festival called Vikalp. It screened some rare (mostly unreleased and un-certified) documentaries, two of which have really got me thinking. Both of them were on very sensitive issues and the reaction of certain sects of the audience has actually disturbed me.
The first movie was "Men in the Tree" - a movie on RSS - how they recruit, the way they organize, the "education/knowledge" that they impart to their swayamsevaks, and basically how they organize and mastermind riots (especially the demolition of the Babri Masjid).
The second movie, "The Final Solution" - was a movie on the Godhra riots. It had people (mostly Muslims) talking about the way they were brutally killed, hacked, burnt, raped by the Hindus hand in hand with the Gujarat police. Apart from other things the director had actually followed Modi on his Gaurav Yatra trail, and it made me almost puke when I heard him proclaiming that there had been no riots in Gujarat and all this is just a concoction of the "enemies of Gujarat" (Congress) to mar the BJP's and the states image!! Further on, the bastard went on to proclaim that "all this" (whatever it was) - was just a reaction to what "they" did to the karsevaks in the Sabarmati Express! He was actually justifying the riots. And then, clipping of the VHP propaganda VCDs which showed footage of the burning train and the funeral rites of the victims with a marquee (scrolling text) which read something to the effect - "These are the karsevaks that had been brutally burnt/murdered by Islamic terrorists in the name of Jihaad!"
I could go on an on about what the movie uncovered - the way the BJP/RSS bastards were clearly instigating gatherings and spreading communal disharmony - but that would be in vain - all of us know that politicians are the scum of the earth. The are mother fucking bastards!
But what disturbed me more was the reaction of the audience, students from IIT Kanpur - the so-called "cream of the nation" - the intellectuals of the country. After the RSS movie people actually got up and started shouting and giving useless arguments.
The auditorium was turning into a catfight - so the SFS folks shut down the audi and asked everyone to continue the discussion outside. So I ended up "discussing" with an RSS hardliner outside the auditorium for a complete 1 hour or so.
[Their (RSS bigots) pscyhe is so damn botched up that reproducing each argument verbatim would take up so much of my blog space that I think I'll need to put each of them as separate posts.]
Wednesday, September 29, 2004
I'm back!
For all those who thought this blog was dead - Beware! For I Am Back! Muahahahaha...
I've not been blogging much since I got back from Korea - neither did I have the time, nor the computer to do it. Yes! It's true - I've been without a computer for almost two years now. It's surprising for me as well. I used to be this hardcore computer addict - all the time on the computer - trying to buils some Open Source application or the other. But the phase is over. And it's for the better. Without the comp I've suddenly got so much to do!
Anyways - right now installing Gentoo on one of the Gymkhana servers. It's been on Redhat - and it sucks! Redhat makes the machine so damn sluggish. There's another server machine I have on Gentoo and its rock stable AND it's blazing fast. If you're planning to do a server, go in for Gentoo. Just make sure you tone down the optimization flags and dont go in for experimental ~x86 stuff or something.
I'll be back with more :-)
I've not been blogging much since I got back from Korea - neither did I have the time, nor the computer to do it. Yes! It's true - I've been without a computer for almost two years now. It's surprising for me as well. I used to be this hardcore computer addict - all the time on the computer - trying to buils some Open Source application or the other. But the phase is over. And it's for the better. Without the comp I've suddenly got so much to do!
Anyways - right now installing Gentoo on one of the Gymkhana servers. It's been on Redhat - and it sucks! Redhat makes the machine so damn sluggish. There's another server machine I have on Gentoo and its rock stable AND it's blazing fast. If you're planning to do a server, go in for Gentoo. Just make sure you tone down the optimization flags and dont go in for experimental ~x86 stuff or something.
I'll be back with more :-)
Monday, July 12, 2004
!!!
It's 4:30 in the morning and now I've read it ALL!
From here.
Can pigs and dogs actually do this?!
Kenya town kills 500 pigs for mating with dogs
NAIROBI: A Kenyan mayor ordered more than 500 pigs to be shot dead because they were mating with stray dogs, the East African Standard reported on Friday.
A squad of town council guards moved from estate to estate shooting pigs roaming free in Nyahururu town, 150 km north of the capital Nairobi.
Town mayor Muritu Karumba said he ordered Thursday's cull to avoid an outbreak of disease caused by the pigs and dogs mating, which he said broke the laws of nature and "caused unnecessary commotion".
But the unfortunate pigs' owners immediately cried foul, claiming collusion between Nyahururu's authorities and the town's bacon traders to cut competition in pork supplies.
From here.
Can pigs and dogs actually do this?!
Sunday, July 04, 2004
You've spun your last web, Spider-Man.
Last week I watched Spider-Man.... TWO! Gawd... what came over me. Watching Spider-Man 2, after having endured the first one two freaking times!
Well, I'm a sucker for movies in the hall, and this one too was in the hall. And I'm dead sorry for that! 7400 Wons (~Rs 296) down the drain.
I'm not going to give you any warning about spoilers, cuz the movie aint got no story at all. Any kid would've guessed the story even before those buggers thought of making a sequel! And this movie is not about a story - it's about getting the kids to the theater and clapping in glee every time Spider-Man saves the world... and it's idiots like me who getted pulled along!
What's it about? The usual... another experiment which would change the face of humanity gets out of hand, another mad scientist ends up becoming the new monster villain. Doctavious (I think) - that's what they called this one. He's got four HUGE arms with super-duper-extra-hollywood-style aritfical intelligence, attached right to his spine. And these arms are mean. They can think, and they can scheme monstrous plans to destroy the world.... Muahahahaha - you didnt see that coming, now did you?
During a demonstration of a controlled nuclear fusion reaction one smart ass reporter asks - "Sir, if these arms have such advanced AI capabilities what's stopping them from controlling you?" Smart one lady. I'm sure you were a guest artist on the sets! That's where the "Inhibitor Chip" comes in. A blue LED attached to the arms which stops them from controlling Doctavious.
If you cant guess what happens next... well, go audition for a Hollywood or something!
Scriptwriter #1: Hey dude! It's just like the last movie. A new Sci-fi monster which Spidey's gotta cream.
Scriptwriter #2: Yeah, you're right man! The boss wont pay us nothin' for this shit!
Scriptwriter #1: What should we do now?
Scriptwriter #2: Hmmm... let me think.... how about throwing a love-angle to this story. Spidey want Mary Jane but cant get her cuz he's got to save the world. So he STOPS saving the world to get the love of his life!
Scriptwriter #1: Yeah dude! That's fucking awesome. And then he starts losing his powers cuz he ain't got no love in his life. Y'know love is the greatest power and shit!
Scriptwriter #2: Yeah man! And then we can throw in a big lecture by his Aunt which we can recycle at the very end of the movie along with all the other dialogues just before the climax. That's like so cool!
Scriptwriter #1: Yeah! And then Doctavious kidnaps Mary Jane just when she's about to kiss Parker to find out whether he's Spidey. You know - like kiss and tell. And that way we can put in links to Spidey Part One as well.
Scriptwriter #2: And you know man! Kirsten's got great tits. We'll make sure she doesnt wear a bra in that scene so we can see her nipples right till the end of the movie man!
Scriptwriter #1: Yeah! And then Spidey will get all fired up and all, and gets his Super Spider(tm) power back and beats the shit outta Doctavious.
Scriptwriter #2: And yeah, just to make sure that people know they're watching a sequel we'll put in the revenge shit too. Like Osbourne wants to avenge his father's death and makes a deal with Doctavious. Give me Spidey for one big ass ball of Titanium to destroy the world! How cool is that?
Scriptwriter #1: Man! We ROCK! Wanna pull another joint?
You still want to watch it?!
Well, I'm a sucker for movies in the hall, and this one too was in the hall. And I'm dead sorry for that! 7400 Wons (~Rs 296) down the drain.
I'm not going to give you any warning about spoilers, cuz the movie aint got no story at all. Any kid would've guessed the story even before those buggers thought of making a sequel! And this movie is not about a story - it's about getting the kids to the theater and clapping in glee every time Spider-Man saves the world... and it's idiots like me who getted pulled along!
What's it about? The usual... another experiment which would change the face of humanity gets out of hand, another mad scientist ends up becoming the new monster villain. Doctavious (I think) - that's what they called this one. He's got four HUGE arms with super-duper-extra-hollywood-style aritfical intelligence, attached right to his spine. And these arms are mean. They can think, and they can scheme monstrous plans to destroy the world.... Muahahahaha - you didnt see that coming, now did you?
During a demonstration of a controlled nuclear fusion reaction one smart ass reporter asks - "Sir, if these arms have such advanced AI capabilities what's stopping them from controlling you?" Smart one lady. I'm sure you were a guest artist on the sets! That's where the "Inhibitor Chip" comes in. A blue LED attached to the arms which stops them from controlling Doctavious.
If you cant guess what happens next... well, go audition for a Hollywood or something!
Scriptwriter #1: Hey dude! It's just like the last movie. A new Sci-fi monster which Spidey's gotta cream.
Scriptwriter #2: Yeah, you're right man! The boss wont pay us nothin' for this shit!
Scriptwriter #1: What should we do now?
Scriptwriter #2: Hmmm... let me think.... how about throwing a love-angle to this story. Spidey want Mary Jane but cant get her cuz he's got to save the world. So he STOPS saving the world to get the love of his life!
Scriptwriter #1: Yeah dude! That's fucking awesome. And then he starts losing his powers cuz he ain't got no love in his life. Y'know love is the greatest power and shit!
Scriptwriter #2: Yeah man! And then we can throw in a big lecture by his Aunt which we can recycle at the very end of the movie along with all the other dialogues just before the climax. That's like so cool!
Scriptwriter #1: Yeah! And then Doctavious kidnaps Mary Jane just when she's about to kiss Parker to find out whether he's Spidey. You know - like kiss and tell. And that way we can put in links to Spidey Part One as well.
Scriptwriter #2: And you know man! Kirsten's got great tits. We'll make sure she doesnt wear a bra in that scene so we can see her nipples right till the end of the movie man!
Scriptwriter #1: Yeah! And then Spidey will get all fired up and all, and gets his Super Spider(tm) power back and beats the shit outta Doctavious.
Scriptwriter #2: And yeah, just to make sure that people know they're watching a sequel we'll put in the revenge shit too. Like Osbourne wants to avenge his father's death and makes a deal with Doctavious. Give me Spidey for one big ass ball of Titanium to destroy the world! How cool is that?
Scriptwriter #1: Man! We ROCK! Wanna pull another joint?
You still want to watch it?!
Friday, July 02, 2004
Another role developed...
Hi guys - I'm back :-D
Had another role developed. I'm slowly getting better. Check out these pics - if you dont believe me. Three good shots in one role - that's progress!
The Ring
Terrace Stairs
Staircase
Comments? Critique?
One more post coming up!!
Had another role developed. I'm slowly getting better. Check out these pics - if you dont believe me. Three good shots in one role - that's progress!
The Ring
Terrace Stairs
Staircase
Comments? Critique?
One more post coming up!!
Tuesday, June 29, 2004
C E N S O R S H I P
The South Korean government has restricted access to many blog sites (blogspot.com, blogs.com, blogcity.com, etc) in an effort to restrict the South Koreans from viewing the Kim Seon Il beheading video. So I'm not able to access by own blog from here. Though I can create and edit posts (blogger.com is not banned), I can not access my blog.
Until this changes I might not be able to follow up comments.... so please bear with me.
Until this changes I might not be able to follow up comments.... so please bear with me.
Friday, June 25, 2004
Filled with mixed emotions this morning.
Adventures of President Kalam.
Prez and The Board Result
Which reminds me of my Class 12 board results. I was shit scared that I'd get 60% or something! I was in Lucknow at my mama's place and was sound asleep. I was woken up early in the morning by a call from my mother. Went rushing back to Kanpur straight to my school notice board.... and there it was 90.3% aggregate! What the fuck?
But what's the use of Board results nowadays? Every college worth its salt has an entrance exam. Just get a decent score in boards, say above 80%, and it is not difficult, mind you. The exam papers are so damn predictable. You dont need to learn, you need to strategize. Which portion to study, which portion to skip. What to write, how much to write, which heading to underline, etc, etc. It's all about your strategy!
What is not predictable though, is the grading of answer sheets. In the Maths exam for my 10th Class Boards, I had not attempted questions worth 25 marks. And my final score was 78! Beat that! In 12th class my Computer Science paper was 100% correct and I get 96. Ha!
I think Board exams are just a joke. But parents make such an issue of it... kids commit suicide over their board results! I cant get it. If you're from the Science stream all you need is a meagre 55% marks to be eligible for IIT-JEE or any other pre-medical exam. I'm not too sure about Commerece or Arts, though.
Prez and the Rapist
Now this one, really pissed me off. Leaving a rapist off the hook (or noose!). I mean, first of all the conviction rate for rapists is so damn low! And when they do get convicted you show mercy! Rapists, IMHO, should be given the worst punishment possible. Flog them in public, castrate them, pull out their nails, hot rods in their eyes... anything is less.
Down with RAPE!
Adventures of President Kalam.
Prez and The Board Result
Which reminds me of my Class 12 board results. I was shit scared that I'd get 60% or something! I was in Lucknow at my mama's place and was sound asleep. I was woken up early in the morning by a call from my mother. Went rushing back to Kanpur straight to my school notice board.... and there it was 90.3% aggregate! What the fuck?
But what's the use of Board results nowadays? Every college worth its salt has an entrance exam. Just get a decent score in boards, say above 80%, and it is not difficult, mind you. The exam papers are so damn predictable. You dont need to learn, you need to strategize. Which portion to study, which portion to skip. What to write, how much to write, which heading to underline, etc, etc. It's all about your strategy!
What is not predictable though, is the grading of answer sheets. In the Maths exam for my 10th Class Boards, I had not attempted questions worth 25 marks. And my final score was 78! Beat that! In 12th class my Computer Science paper was 100% correct and I get 96. Ha!
I think Board exams are just a joke. But parents make such an issue of it... kids commit suicide over their board results! I cant get it. If you're from the Science stream all you need is a meagre 55% marks to be eligible for IIT-JEE or any other pre-medical exam. I'm not too sure about Commerece or Arts, though.
Prez and the Rapist
Now this one, really pissed me off. Leaving a rapist off the hook (or noose!). I mean, first of all the conviction rate for rapists is so damn low! And when they do get convicted you show mercy! Rapists, IMHO, should be given the worst punishment possible. Flog them in public, castrate them, pull out their nails, hot rods in their eyes... anything is less.
Down with RAPE!
Thursday, June 24, 2004
From The Times of India
HA!! HA!! That's really really funny.
Scotching speculation over his retirement from active politics, former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee on Thursday said his surprise remarks on Wednesday night indicating such a course were made in "jest".
Addressing the concluding session of the three-day BJP National Executive here, he said his remarks in Marathi had raised a furore and that they were "made in jest".
Vajpayee also asserted that there was "no power struggle" within the party. Kursi ki ladai nahin hai , he said.
HA!! HA!! That's really really funny.
Helpline for the suicidal
Just had a small chit-chat with a person on my Yahoo! buddy list... I dont know who he is and where he came from... he's just there!
crazyabz: i am killing myself
nandz: great!
nandz: I wont stop you
crazyabz: no no no , i mustnt
nandz: just mail me a video of how you killed yourself
crazyabz: ought to
nandz: I'll plant myself in the background and read something in arabic and declare myself a terrorist
crazyabz: hmmm
crazyabz: but why wud u do that
nandz: this way, two of us get famous!
nandz: great plan man!
nandz: go ahead
nandz: kill yourself!
crazyabz: read smthg frm the bible and say ur white and u hate muslims and everybody else
crazyabz: only then i will be a part of our great plan
nandz: yeah
nandz: we'll start a world war man
nandz: the third world war!
nandz: sexy plan
nandz: okay DIE fast!
crazyabz: thanks man
Wednesday, June 23, 2004
To Google or not to Google?
Just when I awarded "Nanda's Award for the Best Internet Company" to Google, I come across this post.
I was going ga-ga over Google...
Free Internet Search...
Best Internet Seach...
Free Blogging...
Free Photoblogging...
Free 1GB e-mail account + blazing speed + great UI + Google Search!
Seriously, how much revenue can they generate with their AdSense technology!
I was going ga-ga over Google...
Free Internet Search...
Best Internet Seach...
Free Blogging...
Free Photoblogging...
Free 1GB e-mail account + blazing speed + great UI + Google Search!
Seriously, how much revenue can they generate with their AdSense technology!
GMail....
I got some spare invits... leave a message (with you full name and current e-mail ID) if you want one.
Wish you were here
We're just two lost souls
Swimming in a fish bowl,
Year after year,
Running over the same old ground.
What have we found?
The same old fears.
One of my favoutire songs. I never seem to get tired of it. I'll never really know what it means. But these lines seem to take me to some place within me... there's just something that this song does to me.
Thursday, June 17, 2004
Another role developed...
This time it was a Kodak Gold ISO 100. I thought that the pics would be razor sharp, but I was disappointed - a lot.
Most of them are hazy, even the ones which I exposed according to the light meter recommendation. Either the photolab is messing up like hell, or my lens sucks. It might also be the film, cuz the ones I've taken in bright sunlight are the ones which've come out good. I think I should go back to an ISO 400 or atleast a 200.
Getting artistic while putting out the clothes to dry! This one was taken with the cam on the clothes stand, down to a shutter speed of 1/4th second. Not great, but this is one of the few pics which isn't hazy!
Later.
Most of them are hazy, even the ones which I exposed according to the light meter recommendation. Either the photolab is messing up like hell, or my lens sucks. It might also be the film, cuz the ones I've taken in bright sunlight are the ones which've come out good. I think I should go back to an ISO 400 or atleast a 200.
Getting artistic while putting out the clothes to dry! This one was taken with the cam on the clothes stand, down to a shutter speed of 1/4th second. Not great, but this is one of the few pics which isn't hazy!
Later.
Wednesday, June 16, 2004
Taking down Microsoft
Just read this interview of Scott Collins (of Mozilla/Netscape fame). It was a rather different interview. I mean most of these IT interviews I've read are either highly technical or crammed with business jargon.
This one was philosophical. Check out one of the quotes...
This one was philosophical. Check out one of the quotes...
There's only one thing powerful in this world enough to topple Microsoft, if toppling Microsoft is your goal, and that is Microsoft. People and empires, they fall under their own weight, because they're the only ones heavy enough to take them down. I think we are seeing the beginnings of that, a tremendous backlash in the marketplace towards software companies that are taxing their users, hugely in the cases of these giants like PeopleSoft and Oracle, but even those that tax the middle class like Microsoft does.
There's also Microsoft's hubris, that they have all the answers, that they know what's right for you, but yet we keep getting more and more security patches from them, because they don't actually know what's right for us. And Ballmer is saying that they didn't make any mistakes. Everybody makes mistakes, I've certainly made my share, and I'm certain that Microsoft has made their share. And to say that the virus culture was different two years ago, that's not true. Viruses were bad two years ago just as they are now; it's the same environment and the same hostility. Microsoft didn't do the right thing then, it wasn't a different culture, and they made a mistake.
Pride comes before a fall, and it is their hubris in knowing what people want, and saying "we know what is good for you," that is eventually going to pull them down. It's not going to be that somebody else actually knows better, because Microsoft actually does have a pretty good idea of what one generalized virtual person wants. But I think in the new world it's not about one big program to solve everybody's needs, it's about a zillion tiny programs all stuck together. Stuck together one way for you, stuck together another way for me that do the right thing. I think people are becoming savvy enough where they don't want a general program, they want something customized, they want a software kit that does what they want. Maybe if you're a business, it's not that every employee has a software kit, but maybe you are willing to spend to have two IT guys take an existing software kit and make it exactly what your business needs.
Microsoft is going to make it so painful for people to have exactly what they want that they'll give up. Some of them will live with what Microsoft gave them, and others will turn to systems to where they can get exactly what they want. And since no two people want the same thing, it's going to be a world of putting the pieces together. Microsoft will be the fall of Microsoft, and that's when the little pieces that cooperate with each other will thrive. Will Mozilla beat Microsoft? No. Can Mozilla thrive? Yes. What will make Mozilla thrive? Microsoft's fall under their own weight.
How do I use this thing?
That's the labelled diagram of my flashgun. It's got freaking more controls than my camera. If anyone knows how to use this thing then please tell me. I wasnt able to find a manual on the net. (PS: It was a bitch drawing this in Photoshop) TIA.
Tuesday, June 15, 2004
Feminism?
I've been reading a lot of blogs lately. I feel many of the popular ones are of "feminists." Now, I really dont know how I came to this conclusion - statistically speaking I might be way off mark... but this conclusion is based more on intuition rather than statistical facts.
Somehow, I noticed that the psyche of these self proclaimed feminists (they might not like being called feminists, but I'll call this certain "class" of females, feminists for the want of a better word), is pretty similar. I mean all that they write about is...
1. How they are not taken seriously as compared to their male colleagues in their workplace?
2. Discrimination against women in any other social setup.
3. Sexual harassment, sexual abuse, rape, marital rape, molestation, etc.
4. Potrayal of women in media.
That might not be an exhaustive list, but you probably get the idea of what I'm talking about.
Most of these women are well educated and in control of their lives. Yet, to prove themselves they have to use male insecurity and discrimination as a yardstick for everything in their lives. They use the very things that they so vehemently oppose, in a patriarchic society, to measure their achievments.
I think, it's more like a tabloid. Tabloids sell on sleaze. The feminist talk sells on sleaze too.
Quoting from Wonderbug's Blog
Sleaze, or not?
Somehow, I noticed that the psyche of these self proclaimed feminists (they might not like being called feminists, but I'll call this certain "class" of females, feminists for the want of a better word), is pretty similar. I mean all that they write about is...
1. How they are not taken seriously as compared to their male colleagues in their workplace?
2. Discrimination against women in any other social setup.
3. Sexual harassment, sexual abuse, rape, marital rape, molestation, etc.
4. Potrayal of women in media.
That might not be an exhaustive list, but you probably get the idea of what I'm talking about.
Most of these women are well educated and in control of their lives. Yet, to prove themselves they have to use male insecurity and discrimination as a yardstick for everything in their lives. They use the very things that they so vehemently oppose, in a patriarchic society, to measure their achievments.
I think, it's more like a tabloid. Tabloids sell on sleaze. The feminist talk sells on sleaze too.
Quoting from Wonderbug's Blog
Do you know what it feels like to be raped? Not the polite ‘sexual abuse’ term that a reader used. The real thing. The type when you lose half the hair on your head and all of your soul. The type when your vagina burns so hard you cannot sit for all of the next day. The type when bruises all over your body remind you of how lowdown wretched you are, and how being woman can be such a crime. The type when you scrub yourself over and over again in the bathroom trying to wipe out every shred of skin you have so that you don’t have to feel it ever again. The type that leaves you hating sex and hating yourself more. The type that makes every night an ordeal, and you shiver with trepidation every time dusk falls.
Sleaze, or not?
Thursday, June 10, 2004
Here's one song which gives me the high whenever I listen to it... "I just want you" by Ozzy Osbourne. It sets the adrenalin pumping. I love the rush of going out and achieving something, might be anything at all.
Read through the lyrics, they might sound juvenile, but the song doesn't.
There are no unlockable doors
There are no unwinnable wars
There are no unrightable wrongs
Or unsingable songs
There are no unbeatable odds
There are no believable gods
There are no unnameable names
Shall I say it again, yeah
There are no impossible dreams
There are no invisible seams
Each night when the day is through
I don't ask much
I just want you (2 times)
There are no uncriminal crimes
There are no unrhymable rhymes
There are no identical twins or
forgivable sins
There are no incurable ills
There are no unkillable thrills
One thing and you know it's true,
I don't ask much
I just want you (4 times)
I'm sick and tired of bein' sick and tired
I used to go to bed so high and wired, yeah - yeah, yeah, yeah
I think I'll buy myself some plastic water
I guess I should have married Lennon's daughter, yeah - yeah, yeah, yeah
There are no unachievable goals
There are no unsaveable souls
No legitimate kings or queens, do
you know what I mean? Yeah
There are no indisputable truths
And there ain't no fountain of youth
Each night when the day is through,
I don't ask much
I just want you. (Lots of times)
Read through the lyrics, they might sound juvenile, but the song doesn't.
There are no unlockable doors
There are no unwinnable wars
There are no unrightable wrongs
Or unsingable songs
There are no unbeatable odds
There are no believable gods
There are no unnameable names
Shall I say it again, yeah
There are no impossible dreams
There are no invisible seams
Each night when the day is through
I don't ask much
I just want you (2 times)
There are no uncriminal crimes
There are no unrhymable rhymes
There are no identical twins or
forgivable sins
There are no incurable ills
There are no unkillable thrills
One thing and you know it's true,
I don't ask much
I just want you (4 times)
I'm sick and tired of bein' sick and tired
I used to go to bed so high and wired, yeah - yeah, yeah, yeah
I think I'll buy myself some plastic water
I guess I should have married Lennon's daughter, yeah - yeah, yeah, yeah
There are no unachievable goals
There are no unsaveable souls
No legitimate kings or queens, do
you know what I mean? Yeah
There are no indisputable truths
And there ain't no fountain of youth
Each night when the day is through,
I don't ask much
I just want you. (Lots of times)
Tuesday, June 08, 2004
Long Live Rock n' Roll...
Have you heard "Heartbreaker" by Led Zeppelin? I love the riff... and the funky guitar solo in the middle of the song!
Here are the lyrics... copied unabashedly from some site for your viewing pleasure...
Hey fellas have you heard the news?
You know that Annie's back in town?
It won't take long just watch and see
How the fellas lay their money down.
Her style is new but the face is the same
As it was so long ago
But from her eyes a diff'rent smile
Like that of one who knows.
Well it's been ten years and maybe more
Since I first set eyes on you;
The best years of my life gone by
Here I am alone and blue.
Some people cry and some people die
By the wicked ways of love;
But I'll just keep on rollin' along
With the grace of the Lord above.
People talkin' all around 'bout the way you left me flat,
I don't care what the people say, I know where their jive is at.
One thing I do have on my mind, if you can clarify please do,
It's the way you call me by another guy's name when I try to make love to you!
I try to make love but it ain't no use.
Give it to me, give it!
(Guitar solo)
Work so hard I couldn't unwind,
Get some money saved;
Abuse my love a thousand times,
However hard I tried.
Heartbreaker, your time has come,
Can't take your evil way;
Go away,
Heartbreaker.
Heartbreaker.
Here are the lyrics... copied unabashedly from some site for your viewing pleasure...
Hey fellas have you heard the news?
You know that Annie's back in town?
It won't take long just watch and see
How the fellas lay their money down.
Her style is new but the face is the same
As it was so long ago
But from her eyes a diff'rent smile
Like that of one who knows.
Well it's been ten years and maybe more
Since I first set eyes on you;
The best years of my life gone by
Here I am alone and blue.
Some people cry and some people die
By the wicked ways of love;
But I'll just keep on rollin' along
With the grace of the Lord above.
People talkin' all around 'bout the way you left me flat,
I don't care what the people say, I know where their jive is at.
One thing I do have on my mind, if you can clarify please do,
It's the way you call me by another guy's name when I try to make love to you!
I try to make love but it ain't no use.
Give it to me, give it!
(Guitar solo)
Work so hard I couldn't unwind,
Get some money saved;
Abuse my love a thousand times,
However hard I tried.
Heartbreaker, your time has come,
Can't take your evil way;
Go away,
Heartbreaker.
Heartbreaker.
Monday, June 07, 2004
The Obzerver Cometh.
An interview with The Obzerver.
The Sunday Herald for Important Things: For the benefit of the poor souls who've been waiting for so long, holding their bowel activity for what seems like ages now, simply dying to know more about you, would you care to introduce yourself?
The Obzerver: I'm The Obzerver. I don't always exist. And it's not that when I'm not existing I'm non-existant. I'm still there. Somewhere.
SHIT: Surely, you could be a little more lucid than that!
Obz: Screw you! You buggers never let me sound cool. I gotta build a fan following you know!
SHIT: Alright, alright! Just be a little more specific.
Obz: I've got a HUGE ego. So you better not mess with it. In fact that's all I have. Some say it's "Alternate". But I prefer to use that word with reference to a particular genre of music.
SHIT: So, you said that you don't always exist? How can that be possible? Are you some kind of ghost, vampire or other useless shit like that?
Obz: Muahahaha! Here comes the cool part.
I'm not a vampire,
Nor a man,
I go higher,
Higher than you can.
I'm not matter,
I'm not mind,
And I dont care,
Which ones behind.
Or over,
For that matter,
'Cause I'm neither,
And I'm both - former and latter.
Duality,
They gave it a name,
Confused,
Matter or wave.
Bah!
I scoff,
It's me,
And I have miles to go before I sleep.
SHIT: So you're a poet?
Obz: No, you fool! I'm the Duality! The crux of the world, the cosmic forces, the universe and all other cool words that I know.
SHIT: I can't understand. First you say that you dont exist. Then you say you have a HUGE ego. Then you come up with that shitty poem, and start blabbering about "Duality".... get to the freaking point!
Obz: Sum it all up you idiot! Go figure...
The Sunday Herald for Important Things: For the benefit of the poor souls who've been waiting for so long, holding their bowel activity for what seems like ages now, simply dying to know more about you, would you care to introduce yourself?
The Obzerver: I'm The Obzerver. I don't always exist. And it's not that when I'm not existing I'm non-existant. I'm still there. Somewhere.
SHIT: Surely, you could be a little more lucid than that!
Obz: Screw you! You buggers never let me sound cool. I gotta build a fan following you know!
SHIT: Alright, alright! Just be a little more specific.
Obz: I've got a HUGE ego. So you better not mess with it. In fact that's all I have. Some say it's "Alternate". But I prefer to use that word with reference to a particular genre of music.
SHIT: So, you said that you don't always exist? How can that be possible? Are you some kind of ghost, vampire or other useless shit like that?
Obz: Muahahaha! Here comes the cool part.
I'm not a vampire,
Nor a man,
I go higher,
Higher than you can.
I'm not matter,
I'm not mind,
And I dont care,
Which ones behind.
Or over,
For that matter,
'Cause I'm neither,
And I'm both - former and latter.
Duality,
They gave it a name,
Confused,
Matter or wave.
Bah!
I scoff,
It's me,
And I have miles to go before I sleep.
SHIT: So you're a poet?
Obz: No, you fool! I'm the Duality! The crux of the world, the cosmic forces, the universe and all other cool words that I know.
SHIT: I can't understand. First you say that you dont exist. Then you say you have a HUGE ego. Then you come up with that shitty poem, and start blabbering about "Duality".... get to the freaking point!
Obz: Sum it all up you idiot! Go figure...
Saturday, June 05, 2004
Getting cranky clicking away.
The beautiful lamp posts all around the POSTECH campus. I really like this shot. Taken perfectly. Stands out against the pitch black sky.
This one's great too. Love the variation caused due to the depth-of-field
Another depth-of-field experiment.
A nice reflection in the POSTECH Admin block
Wednesday, June 02, 2004
Random.
I think I'll make this into a Photography blog - I'm getting crazy about Photography these days.
Been reading and looking at a lot of photographs. Check out BetterPhoto.com and have a look at their contest finalists/winners.
This one's my favourite :-)
Keep clicking.
On a seperate note, I found this nice quote at the end of my Gaussian output.
Be like a postage stamp. Stick to one thing until you get there -- Josh Billings.
Nice thought.
Been reading and looking at a lot of photographs. Check out BetterPhoto.com and have a look at their contest finalists/winners.
This one's my favourite :-)
Keep clicking.
On a seperate note, I found this nice quote at the end of my Gaussian output.
Be like a postage stamp. Stick to one thing until you get there -- Josh Billings.
Nice thought.
Tuesday, June 01, 2004
Computer Mania
Literally going crazy spending too much time on the computer. I had left the computer for good about a year back and now I'm addicted to it again.
It's really a sad way to spend your day, sitting and staring at a screen. Your world confined to just 15 inches of an LCD screen.
In my hostel too I see people doing the same thing... throwing away their life for a dumb machine. Trying to get better download speeds for some stupid movie they're leaching off some FTP server. Why do these guys whore their machines for such dumbass leaches anyways? Or else if they've got a new comp they're trying to install Linux... for god knows what reason. They're never gonna boot into it, the next time they run out of space for movies, songs or cool videos that partition will be the first on to go.
I think computers will eventually end up doing more harm to our society than good. In IITs it's already begun I think. Chatting with the guy next to your room on a messenger instead of simply going up to him and saying a Hi! Simpy discussig stuff on the newsgroups, belting out theories and arguments by the dozen, and not even turning up when General Body Meeting are called to discuss issues. Why? Cuz that would mean leaving your precious computer and the movie or your CS game for a couple of hours and going out of the room.
And computer games, they're the most fucking addictive thing I've ever seen. AOE, CS, Warcraft, Civilization, Quake... folks spend the whole night fragging each other in virtual maps or building empires. What they dont realize is it's their life, this precious student life that they're wasting.
There's a flipside to this though. Getting addicted to a particular activity related to computers can introduce you to a whole new community. For example, gamers have their own community. By playing these multiplayer games on the LAN you become "pally" with a whole new set of people. But I guess that's the problem. After some time you end up having a social circle which consists mostly of those people. Cuz most of the time you're stuck to your comp screen and cut off from your room mate or the rest of your wing.
And then there's this bunch of downloaders. Who will go to any limits to download the latest "cool stuff" off the net or any FTP server on the LAN. And I guess they're online 24/7 on iitk.sharing.vidoes or iitk.sharing.music or whatever.
It's really sad to see people buy comps so that they can "learn" - and all they learn is how to install Windows for the n-th time. How to download and install stuff and how to use their comps as home theaters.
I guess I'm really not practising what I'm preaching right now. These days I'm really stuck on to blogging. It's fucking addictive. But I have yet to see a downside of this addiction. I blog for only about 30 mins a day, but I spend hours reading others' blogs. But I guess that's not much to do with computers as it's got to do with reading. And I guess reading is a good habit to cultivate - atleast that's what my mother told me :-)
Later.
It's really a sad way to spend your day, sitting and staring at a screen. Your world confined to just 15 inches of an LCD screen.
In my hostel too I see people doing the same thing... throwing away their life for a dumb machine. Trying to get better download speeds for some stupid movie they're leaching off some FTP server. Why do these guys whore their machines for such dumbass leaches anyways? Or else if they've got a new comp they're trying to install Linux... for god knows what reason. They're never gonna boot into it, the next time they run out of space for movies, songs or cool videos that partition will be the first on to go.
I think computers will eventually end up doing more harm to our society than good. In IITs it's already begun I think. Chatting with the guy next to your room on a messenger instead of simply going up to him and saying a Hi! Simpy discussig stuff on the newsgroups, belting out theories and arguments by the dozen, and not even turning up when General Body Meeting are called to discuss issues. Why? Cuz that would mean leaving your precious computer and the movie or your CS game for a couple of hours and going out of the room.
And computer games, they're the most fucking addictive thing I've ever seen. AOE, CS, Warcraft, Civilization, Quake... folks spend the whole night fragging each other in virtual maps or building empires. What they dont realize is it's their life, this precious student life that they're wasting.
There's a flipside to this though. Getting addicted to a particular activity related to computers can introduce you to a whole new community. For example, gamers have their own community. By playing these multiplayer games on the LAN you become "pally" with a whole new set of people. But I guess that's the problem. After some time you end up having a social circle which consists mostly of those people. Cuz most of the time you're stuck to your comp screen and cut off from your room mate or the rest of your wing.
And then there's this bunch of downloaders. Who will go to any limits to download the latest "cool stuff" off the net or any FTP server on the LAN. And I guess they're online 24/7 on iitk.sharing.vidoes or iitk.sharing.music or whatever.
It's really sad to see people buy comps so that they can "learn" - and all they learn is how to install Windows for the n-th time. How to download and install stuff and how to use their comps as home theaters.
I guess I'm really not practising what I'm preaching right now. These days I'm really stuck on to blogging. It's fucking addictive. But I have yet to see a downside of this addiction. I blog for only about 30 mins a day, but I spend hours reading others' blogs. But I guess that's not much to do with computers as it's got to do with reading. And I guess reading is a good habit to cultivate - atleast that's what my mother told me :-)
Later.
Hooked to blogging...
With so much of free time on my hands during the weekends I'm really hooked on to blogging. Not writing stuff of my own - but reading others' blogs. I must say it's a nice pastime - and very informative as well.
Found a couple of really interesting ones... I guess I'll add them to the links section on my blog.
Oh wait... there is no Links section on this template....SO I guess I'll just put them here on this post.
The Desi Bridget Jones Diary Nice name :-)
Vishal Patel's Website - it's not actually a blog but it's rather the most interesting home page I've ever come across. Be sure to read the Tasha files atleast. I'm sure you'll die laughing!
Sex tips for geeks - that's the weirdest place to find such stuff, Eric S. Raymond's home page. For the uninitiated he's one hell of a hacker and a Linux guru. One of his most famous essay's is The Cathedral and the Bazaar. I never expected him to write this kind of stuff :-)
So I guess it's not actually blogging but reading stuff that I'm interested in. Ah - back to being a voracious reader at last!
Nandz.
Found a couple of really interesting ones... I guess I'll add them to the links section on my blog.
Oh wait... there is no Links section on this template....SO I guess I'll just put them here on this post.
The Desi Bridget Jones Diary Nice name :-)
Vishal Patel's Website - it's not actually a blog but it's rather the most interesting home page I've ever come across. Be sure to read the Tasha files atleast. I'm sure you'll die laughing!
Sex tips for geeks - that's the weirdest place to find such stuff, Eric S. Raymond's home page. For the uninitiated he's one hell of a hacker and a Linux guru. One of his most famous essay's is The Cathedral and the Bazaar. I never expected him to write this kind of stuff :-)
So I guess it's not actually blogging but reading stuff that I'm interested in. Ah - back to being a voracious reader at last!
Nandz.
Monday, May 31, 2004
Sunday, May 30, 2004
Rendezvous with photography.
The title may suck... but my photographs dont. Check out some shots from my very first photography session. I became a member of the Photography Club in POSTECH and was taken around the campus by Chang - an Undergrad there.
I used his Pentamax camera (it's really cool...) in the fully manual mode with an ISO 400 black and white film.
Some of the shots were really pathetic because I was trying to get over with the reel - had to give him his cam back the same day :-) Some of the shots are really great for a first session - beginner's luck I might say.
Anyways.... really into photography nowadays - will blow a lot of moolah in this new found passion.
I used his Pentamax camera (it's really cool...) in the fully manual mode with an ISO 400 black and white film.
Some of the shots were really pathetic because I was trying to get over with the reel - had to give him his cam back the same day :-) Some of the shots are really great for a first session - beginner's luck I might say.
Anyways.... really into photography nowadays - will blow a lot of moolah in this new found passion.
Saturday, May 15, 2004
New blog...
Started a new blog - http://nandzkorea.blogspot.com
It has all my rants while in Korea, for my summer internship at POSTECH University.
Check it out.
It has all my rants while in Korea, for my summer internship at POSTECH University.
Check it out.
Saturday, May 08, 2004
Linux lacks...
It's been about a year since my computer conked off. So I've been working on other people's computers (which almost always are Windows PCs). Had a lot of graphic designing work to do - brochures, notices, visiting cards, letterheads for my counci. Working on my roomie's comp (who happens to be away to Italy) I got my hands on Photoshop and CorelDraw - and I must say they KICK ASS!!
I normally would have used GIMP or something.... man but I'm never gonna use it now. I mean the sheer magnitude of options that these software provide you with is mind blowing. The ease of use, the help facilities, the excellent UI... everything just rocks!
GIMP really really suffers from lack of consisten UI. I know it's not a professional piece of software and people are not actually paid to work on it - but atleast those who work can make an effort to keep the UI consistent. Each and every plugin/script-fu thingie has different UI. Sometimes the default fonts dont work... and the plugin crashes as soon as you click the OK button.
I seriously think that GIMP should consider moving from GTK to QT. The version of GTK it uses currently is inherently sucky... you build something on a sucky platform your product is bound to suck. QT on the other hand is one neat piece of work. It can even put Windows widgets to shame in the look-and-feel department. It's extremely coherent and plus it uses C++. Though that could be a negative as well - with the current state that g++ is in.
Another area which GIMP should really really concentrate on is - providing better text editing capabilities (GDynText is not at all adequate) and features to draw atlease some basic shapes like rectangles and circles (dont tell me to use the GFig plugin or something for that - it SUCKS).
But then again... GIMP will improve. It's an amazing piece of code. I feel the core (image processing code/algorithms) must be neat but it's the UI and useability which need a facelift.
Ciao
Nandz.
I normally would have used GIMP or something.... man but I'm never gonna use it now. I mean the sheer magnitude of options that these software provide you with is mind blowing. The ease of use, the help facilities, the excellent UI... everything just rocks!
GIMP really really suffers from lack of consisten UI. I know it's not a professional piece of software and people are not actually paid to work on it - but atleast those who work can make an effort to keep the UI consistent. Each and every plugin/script-fu thingie has different UI. Sometimes the default fonts dont work... and the plugin crashes as soon as you click the OK button.
I seriously think that GIMP should consider moving from GTK to QT. The version of GTK it uses currently is inherently sucky... you build something on a sucky platform your product is bound to suck. QT on the other hand is one neat piece of work. It can even put Windows widgets to shame in the look-and-feel department. It's extremely coherent and plus it uses C++. Though that could be a negative as well - with the current state that g++ is in.
Another area which GIMP should really really concentrate on is - providing better text editing capabilities (GDynText is not at all adequate) and features to draw atlease some basic shapes like rectangles and circles (dont tell me to use the GFig plugin or something for that - it SUCKS).
But then again... GIMP will improve. It's an amazing piece of code. I feel the core (image processing code/algorithms) must be neat but it's the UI and useability which need a facelift.
Ciao
Nandz.
Saturday, May 01, 2004
End sems over.... YIPPIE!
Awright... now I'm free. Free to do "other" work. The grand finale was one in true sense. An open book exam with all the questions from the solved examples with just the values changed. But it was freaking lenghty. But then that's ok!
One reason to sulk though, lost some very important data, thanks to a freak hard disk crash. I was gonna burn it on a CD today itself - and the damn magnetic storage had to crash!
Anywayz gotta go do some packing.
Nandz.
One reason to sulk though, lost some very important data, thanks to a freak hard disk crash. I was gonna burn it on a CD today itself - and the damn magnetic storage had to crash!
Anywayz gotta go do some packing.
Nandz.
Thursday, April 29, 2004
Hydraulics End Sem - Washed Away...
Gave my Hydro end sem today - open book. Man! Was it tough! I mean, I'm not against tough exams or something, but if you're gonna be so brutal in the end sem examination atleast give us a hint in the mid sems and quizzes. They were a cakewalk - no brainers. And this one was a real brain teaser!
Anywayz, I dont think I'm gonna cross 7.0 this semester. Screwed up my examinations real bad. And studying for 5 nights consecutively is a burn out. Wasn't even trying my best during this exam. Now, I'm so pissed that I came to the CC and started configuring the new Students' Gymkhana server. students.iitk.ac.in - it's called.
Pure-ftpd rocks man! Sweet and simple - and light. I had tried my hand once at proftpd and it's configuration file was waaaay too combursome. With all the XML tags and all... pure-ftpd is the best! No freaking configuration file... that's the first Linux app I've seen without a config file (other than ls ofcourse - duh ;-)
Nandz.
Anywayz, I dont think I'm gonna cross 7.0 this semester. Screwed up my examinations real bad. And studying for 5 nights consecutively is a burn out. Wasn't even trying my best during this exam. Now, I'm so pissed that I came to the CC and started configuring the new Students' Gymkhana server. students.iitk.ac.in - it's called.
Pure-ftpd rocks man! Sweet and simple - and light. I had tried my hand once at proftpd and it's configuration file was waaaay too combursome. With all the XML tags and all... pure-ftpd is the best! No freaking configuration file... that's the first Linux app I've seen without a config file (other than ls ofcourse - duh ;-)
Nandz.
Monday, April 26, 2004
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