It is not so much that I abuse alcohol to harm myself as it is that I abuse alcohol to harm alcohol itself.
It is also not so much that I am inexperienced at fingering as it is that I am having trouble of late.
Let me explain. In the India stores in my neighbourhood you get this wonderful product called 'mango pulp' in a can(Yes, that's the beginning!). If one adds yoghurt and some water to some of this pulp and blends it all together it makes a most delicious mango lassi! I bought one such can yesterday. There are two stores close by and I usually get all my desi products only from one of them because the other is reputed to have outdated stuff often. But this latter store is open longer. So at the sunset hour that I went, only the latter store was open. I searched the store and didn't find this mango pulp can. So I asked the store owner if they had any, in case I overlooked, and he pulled one lone can out of some corner. Naturally, it was terribly old, and quite rusted too. But I figured the rust must only be on the outside and was a little uncomfortable at the thought of refusing to buy it when he took all the trouble to hunt one out for me. I bought it and took it home to make my lassi. The can had a large circular base. So in order to open the can fully, one has to crank the opener several turns. Now, there are three openers at my home, but all three are rusted. So it takes quite some effort to do all that cranking. So what I did, I opened a little and then thought I'd let my muscle power do the rest for me. Accordingly, I put the tip of my index and middle finger against the edge of the cut lid of the can and exert my muscle to try and rip the can open. Instead, I nearly rip my index finger against the sharp edge of the lid that was sticking out. Oddly enough, the edge was rusted. That wasn't good news. Now all this I did at around 6:15 pm in the evening. At 6:30 I had to go play sand volleyball. I didn't want to miss my dear volleyball so I did what I usually do when I have blood oozing out of my body. I poured some of my aftershave on the wound. It has alcohol which would temporarily do something to kill all the unwanted stuff looking to have an orgy on my wound. BUT, I cannot forgo volleyball. So I poured lots of aftershave and ran to the sand courts to play. I played for a good one hour and got the cut covered in a mixture of dried blood and sand and it remained that way for a good hour or so till the germs probably formed an army large enough to concur the world. I came back and washed my hands with running water and soap, and poured more aftershave on it. But today at work, it started hurting again when I tried to lift some piece of equipment which was heavier than I expected and ended up putting the cut against the edge of that equipment while trying to lift it. There are some little luxuries of being in an experimental science lab. There is bound to be alcohol, which a good solvent and is often used for cleaning stuff. So I went to pick up the usual ethyl alcohol squeeze tube and pour some of it on the wound. It stings of course. But that's a sign, hopefully, that it is screwing those germs! Unfortunately, today the ethyl alcohol squeeze tube was empty. So I took the isopropyl alcohol squeeze tube instead and poured it on the cut. My lab mate then put a band-aid on the cut and wound it up with some tape to keep it in place because it was more at the fingertip, which has a curvature to it. So far so good. But what I didn't tell you was that yesterday's mango pulp not only looked old on the outside, but also tasted a little odd. As I wasn't prepared to risk an upset stomach, I threw the can away and bought one from the other store today. Laziness prevailed again. I cut through half the circumference of the lid, which was more than I had done yesterday, but it still proved insufficient for my muscle power act. Same story, I cut a finger? No. There's a twist. I cut two! Two new ones. So now I had three fingers with cuts on them. Two bleeding. More aftershave. Call for volleyball comes. Irresistible urge. At the courts, I found that today's cuts were starting to bleed while fingering. (We Indians call the 'setting' fingering. Actually, that is how it used to be called in the US too, until the more perverted connotations took prevalence I believe.) So what I did, I pulled the extra tape off the band-aid and wound the tape directly on top of the cuts to stanch the flow of blood. I hope that adhesive contains harmless stuff. The odd shape of the fingertip and the fact that I was still trying to spike and finger the ball meant that the tape fell of in a few shots. Some great matches today. A good three hours in the sand courts. Good fun. But all three cuts were covered in a mixture of dried blood and sand. I do hope I don't suffer from Tetanus. It is a while since I've taken my last shot but I'm reluctant to go and get a shot. We'll wait and see?
Wednesday, February 18, 2009
Monday, February 16, 2009
Funny americans
So Obama arrived today in Arizona to show off his deceptive smile and dole out more hyperbole that the american public, and the world in general seems to be craving from this man. He is greeted by the mayor of Phoenix who gifts Shaquille O'Neal the basketball player's SHOE as a souvenir! The president proudly displays it for the cameras and then departs in his cavalcade. If all this isn't amusing enough, Shaquille O'Neal was born in New Jersey and played for the Los Angeles lakers for most of his basketball career and transferred to Phoenix only last year.
God Bless America.
Proof: http://www.azcentral.com/community/phoenix/articles/2009/02/17/20090217obamavisit0217-ON.html
God Bless America.
Proof: http://www.azcentral.com/community/phoenix/articles/2009/02/17/20090217obamavisit0217-ON.html
Fantastic idea
http://www.rangde.org/
About
What's in a Name?
The word /rung de/ in Hindi means to give colour. Through Rang De we hope that many of us will be able to share and spread the colours of joy with other individuals. Rang De is an attempt to bring together the India that is economically progressing rapidly and the India that has been ignored and needs all our attention. Rang De is a platform for individuals to make a sustainable difference and join a mission to alleviate poverty.
Genesis of Rang De
Living in India had prepared us to accept everything. We sure did complain about things that were not right or about the system that needed a revamp but never did anything to question the status quo. It seemed as if we had built a feeling of comfort that arose from the myth that it was a difficult to change anything in India. The same comfort began to impinge on our senses when we left India. We began to realise that bridging the gap between the developed and the developing India needed concerted efforts from everyone and we as individuals had a responsibility too.
It took a little more research for us to realise that most of the issues India faced were manifestations of a deep rooted and a multidimensional situation- "Poverty".
The quest to find a sustainable solution to poverty led us to Microcredit and the different approaches to it. This helped us crystallise our core beliefs that shaped Rang De into what it is today.
The Core beliefs that shaped Rang De are:
1. That most social issues if not all, are manifestations of poverty. Unless we address poverty holistically, our attempts will remain futile.
2. That microcredit is a sustainable means of alleviating poverty if it is affordable and can be accessed by all.
3. That charity and donations are hardly sustainable means to financial independence. In fact, it hinders an individual's spirit to fight against poverty.
Rang De's mission is to make microcredit accessible to all by lowering interest rates by doing things differently. To know how you can become a part of this mission please read further.
Why Rang De?
When we look back into our own lives, most of us realise that there were times when we faced a financial crunch. Thanks to the plastic card, the crunch was overcome almost instantly. What happens to those who do not have access to credit cards or even a bank loan for that matter? This is the situation of most low income households in lndia. Thanks to microcredit, many such people are beginning to gain access to small loans and credit. And it is our firm belief at Rang De that unless opportunities to access financial credit are provided through a holistic approach, the impact will remain insignificant.
Rang De is a unique platform for individuals to become Social Investors and connect with borrowers of microcredit by lending small sums of money.
You too can make a difference today as a Social Investor - At Rang De, a social investor is someone who can lend at least Rs.500 to an individual in need and in turn earn a nominal return as well as make a positive social impact.
Unique features of Rang De are:
1. Mission to drive down interest rates and make microcredit accessible to all. Rang De will always remain non profit to ensure this happens.
2. The only online microlending platform that does not use a payment gateway and still makes payments possible. Register and see how we make this possible.
3. 30 day loan disbursal guarantee.
How Rang De works?
Step 1. Register and become a Social Investor.
Step 2. Choose borrowers to make a social investment. You can invest as little as Rs.500.
Step 3. Rang De 's field partners receive and disburse loans to their borrowers.
Step 4. Borrower repays loan according to a repayment schedule.
Step 5. You receive a return of 3.5% on your social investment at the end of the tenure.
What's in it for Rang De?
Rang De is an initiative to make low cost microcredit a reality. By enabling individuals to become online Social Investors, Rang De hopes to bring microcredit and online lending to the forefront. Rang De is a non profit entity with the sole objective of connecting individuals who need money to social investors like you. Rang De will create a sustainable alternative to charity by promoting online lending as a way of life.
Warning: At present, international credit cards are not accepted.
About
What's in a Name?
The word /rung de/ in Hindi means to give colour. Through Rang De we hope that many of us will be able to share and spread the colours of joy with other individuals. Rang De is an attempt to bring together the India that is economically progressing rapidly and the India that has been ignored and needs all our attention. Rang De is a platform for individuals to make a sustainable difference and join a mission to alleviate poverty.
Genesis of Rang De
Living in India had prepared us to accept everything. We sure did complain about things that were not right or about the system that needed a revamp but never did anything to question the status quo. It seemed as if we had built a feeling of comfort that arose from the myth that it was a difficult to change anything in India. The same comfort began to impinge on our senses when we left India. We began to realise that bridging the gap between the developed and the developing India needed concerted efforts from everyone and we as individuals had a responsibility too.
It took a little more research for us to realise that most of the issues India faced were manifestations of a deep rooted and a multidimensional situation- "Poverty".
The quest to find a sustainable solution to poverty led us to Microcredit and the different approaches to it. This helped us crystallise our core beliefs that shaped Rang De into what it is today.
The Core beliefs that shaped Rang De are:
1. That most social issues if not all, are manifestations of poverty. Unless we address poverty holistically, our attempts will remain futile.
2. That microcredit is a sustainable means of alleviating poverty if it is affordable and can be accessed by all.
3. That charity and donations are hardly sustainable means to financial independence. In fact, it hinders an individual's spirit to fight against poverty.
Rang De's mission is to make microcredit accessible to all by lowering interest rates by doing things differently. To know how you can become a part of this mission please read further.
Why Rang De?
When we look back into our own lives, most of us realise that there were times when we faced a financial crunch. Thanks to the plastic card, the crunch was overcome almost instantly. What happens to those who do not have access to credit cards or even a bank loan for that matter? This is the situation of most low income households in lndia. Thanks to microcredit, many such people are beginning to gain access to small loans and credit. And it is our firm belief at Rang De that unless opportunities to access financial credit are provided through a holistic approach, the impact will remain insignificant.
Rang De is a unique platform for individuals to become Social Investors and connect with borrowers of microcredit by lending small sums of money.
You too can make a difference today as a Social Investor - At Rang De, a social investor is someone who can lend at least Rs.500 to an individual in need and in turn earn a nominal return as well as make a positive social impact.
Unique features of Rang De are:
1. Mission to drive down interest rates and make microcredit accessible to all. Rang De will always remain non profit to ensure this happens.
2. The only online microlending platform that does not use a payment gateway and still makes payments possible. Register and see how we make this possible.
3. 30 day loan disbursal guarantee.
How Rang De works?
Step 1. Register and become a Social Investor.
Step 2. Choose borrowers to make a social investment. You can invest as little as Rs.500.
Step 3. Rang De 's field partners receive and disburse loans to their borrowers.
Step 4. Borrower repays loan according to a repayment schedule.
Step 5. You receive a return of 3.5% on your social investment at the end of the tenure.
What's in it for Rang De?
Rang De is an initiative to make low cost microcredit a reality. By enabling individuals to become online Social Investors, Rang De hopes to bring microcredit and online lending to the forefront. Rang De is a non profit entity with the sole objective of connecting individuals who need money to social investors like you. Rang De will create a sustainable alternative to charity by promoting online lending as a way of life.
Warning: At present, international credit cards are not accepted.
Sunday, February 15, 2009
My valentine
So the randomness of the world conspired to fetch me a valentine. Most of the day went by in a happy way, with nothing spectacular. By about 9:30 pm I was really frustrated I didn't have a valentine! Actually, I was reading a non-fiction book the facts of which were overwhelming me AND I hadn't had dinner because I was too lazy to cook. My stomach had started to mourn. So I called up a certain someone with whom I have a very ambivalent relationship and suggested that we go have some ice-cream downtown. We got to the Coldstone ice-cream shop there and ordered one large bowl of dark chocolate ice-cream(no prizes for guessing who made the order). I courteously offered to pay for the two of us, and then we happily took two spoons, went outside and sat under one of the awnings in front of their store, making conversation while enjoying the FANTASTIC weather(it was slighly windy and about 10oC). Somewhere in between, a guy selling flowers passes by. He sees the two of us, probably notices that we are eating ice-cream from one cup, walks up to us and asks if we'd like to buy flowers. Only, he looks at one, then the other, and repeats his question still unsure whom to look at.
Saturday, February 14, 2009
Shakespeare in me
If Shakespeare can invent words, so can I. It is another matter whether people choose to use them. These modern feminist type women tend to get offended by the use of the entirely arbitrary word 'chick', more because of the connotation attached to it. Since it is an entirely arbitrary choice of word for a woman. I hereby offer that the women may refer to a man who is looked upon as nothing but a bodily object as 'chuck'. The name has a masculine tint to it, and in order to be given a word origin for wiki entries and stuff, I propose that it originates because of the extreme popularity of the hot bod and looks of Chuck Norris which led to its initial coinage by me, and then the later use by the larger public in general!
So if you are a girl reading this, the next time someone refers to you as a 'hot chick' and you are offended, just reply, "You are a cold chuck!" and amuse yourself.
So if you are a girl reading this, the next time someone refers to you as a 'hot chick' and you are offended, just reply, "You are a cold chuck!" and amuse yourself.
Friday, February 13, 2009
My advisor's valentine
So today, Friday the 13th, I head to lab a little dull from a shortage of sleep, and not too excited at the prospect of some experiments I had to repeat. As I sit at my desk in the morning, promptly catching up on world news, I take a peek into my advisor's room to see if he's free for a meeting. I get the shock of my life when I find a big bouquet of flowers with glittering balloons sticking out of it reading 'Happy Valentine's day'. Now my advisor is married with a wife and a kid. Although I realise America is wilder than India I didn't know my advisor to be this sort of a man! So later that afternoon, when I did meet him, I stole a glance towards the label on the bouquet to find that it was from his wife and darling son of 5 years! :) They were celebrating the love of family I guess. Something less illusory than the love of teenagers, and perhaps worth celebrating.
Since I'm on the theme of love and valentines, I might as well narrate another incident. I was returning from some volleyball yesterday evening when I saw a professor from my department. Now he is this big shot PhD from Stanford whose advisor collaborated with Shockley(of transistor fame). But he's a terror to work with because he is extremely demanding, and very manipulative. He would've been a very successful businessman. And he partly is, because he is one of the best funded professors in the university. Anyhow, perhaps because of his poor character, or for other reasons, his first wife divorced him, and one of his students had informed me that he had a new girlfriend. Now mind you, this is a professor of 50 something. So I was quite mortified when I saw him coming towards me, holding hands with his girlfriend. I was also very amused at the site of this stern, shrewd, scheming and terrfiying man holding and swaying hands like a teenager with his girlfriend. Love is indeed a funny thing. But it is a good thing. It does more good than evil, on the whole.
Since I'm on the theme of love and valentines, I might as well narrate another incident. I was returning from some volleyball yesterday evening when I saw a professor from my department. Now he is this big shot PhD from Stanford whose advisor collaborated with Shockley(of transistor fame). But he's a terror to work with because he is extremely demanding, and very manipulative. He would've been a very successful businessman. And he partly is, because he is one of the best funded professors in the university. Anyhow, perhaps because of his poor character, or for other reasons, his first wife divorced him, and one of his students had informed me that he had a new girlfriend. Now mind you, this is a professor of 50 something. So I was quite mortified when I saw him coming towards me, holding hands with his girlfriend. I was also very amused at the site of this stern, shrewd, scheming and terrfiying man holding and swaying hands like a teenager with his girlfriend. Love is indeed a funny thing. But it is a good thing. It does more good than evil, on the whole.
Tuesday, February 10, 2009
Fat Boy and Fat Man - the Twin Bombs on the United States
First a failed $700 billion stimulus package attempting to directly buy out the bad bank loans and stimulate bank lending. This when the total of bad debt is in several trillions of dollars.
Then, Obama and the Democrats' $800 billion stimulus package which happily spends on everything from discount coupons for digital TV conversion to improvement of highways and projects on climate research. For all I know a part of the money might also be allocated to financing his kids' education so that they may become future presidents. Only about 20% of the 800 billion will flow into the economy during FY '09 as a stimulus. Another 40% percent during FY '10. The rest is a clever manoeuvre to get funding for general ambitious projects for the future while the economy is still in tatters now. Does anyone even know the Republicans had an alternate bill proposing greater tax cuts' and more money allocated to 'stimulus' plans? That is why the democrat bill passed House with 0 republican votes. The poor souls were yelling their lungs out in the debate to get the point across that the package needs more programs that have effect NOW!
Then, Obama and the Democrats' $800 billion stimulus package which happily spends on everything from discount coupons for digital TV conversion to improvement of highways and projects on climate research. For all I know a part of the money might also be allocated to financing his kids' education so that they may become future presidents. Only about 20% of the 800 billion will flow into the economy during FY '09 as a stimulus. Another 40% percent during FY '10. The rest is a clever manoeuvre to get funding for general ambitious projects for the future while the economy is still in tatters now. Does anyone even know the Republicans had an alternate bill proposing greater tax cuts' and more money allocated to 'stimulus' plans? That is why the democrat bill passed House with 0 republican votes. The poor souls were yelling their lungs out in the debate to get the point across that the package needs more programs that have effect NOW!
Monday, February 09, 2009
The pink chaddi campaign
The pink chaddi campaign is awesome! Well done.
Send your chaddis to:
BANGALORE
The Pink Chaddi Campaign,
C/O Alternate Law Forum,
122/4 Infantry Road
(opposite Infantry Wedding House)
Bangalore 560001
Karnataka
Send your chaddis to:
BANGALORE
The Pink Chaddi Campaign,
C/O Alternate Law Forum,
122/4 Infantry Road
(opposite Infantry Wedding House)
Bangalore 560001
Karnataka
Wednesday, February 04, 2009
Is India creating a growth bubble?
The inflation is at a staggering 5.4% in spite of a drop in commodity and oil prices and a slowdown of the economy(the US inflation by contrast is 0.1%). It was as high as 13% around July 2008 last year. The main reason for the rising inflation, I gather, is the price of primary articles like food stuffs. What worries me now is that India, in the name of economic growth, is laying undue emphasis on growing the Industrial sector(that is, IT and financial services primarily) while completely neglecting the already inefficient agricultural sector! How is this economic growth? It will only lead to surging inflation and an empty growth bubble that is going to come crashing down when the corporate sectors become unable to borrow money, leading ultimately to hyperinflation followed by a recession that might slip into a depression! Isn't anyone concerned? Or am I wrong?
Friday, January 30, 2009
When an idiot writes a fortune cookie it reads...
"Many of your doubts will be cleared early this month." on a fortune cookie picked up from an asian restaurant on the 30th of January! :-| The sensible thing of course would've been to replace 'this' with 'next'.
Also, I know I'm in the midst of a bunch of people growing older, and maturer, and wiser, and generally more boring when the time for a birthday party changes from 12 a.m. to 10 p.m. because they have an assignment to worry about, and then from 10 p.m. to 8 p.m. because they now sleep at 9 p.m. in order to go slave the next day! Of course I know I am not allowed to complain about birthday parties but at least I have been sensible enough to do away with a birthday altogether instead of making it this wish-wash, toned down and sober affair with cliched jokes backed by fake laughter and a general artifice of pleasantries attempting to stifle the boredom of the same humdrum birthday routine for one birthday after another. Anyways, I am quite out of touch with people so it doesn't bother me. So long as they have fun, all is well! :)
I wrote this today because I suddenly got an invitation to attend some party at 10 p.m. and feel terribly uncomfortable at the prospect of going as I haven't been speaking to any of the members of that circle that she's invited for at least a few months now and I am at a loss for what to say to the various people and the birthday girl in general, except of course, 'Happy Birthday!'. If I go too early, there's too many people to greet and talk to as they drop in one by one. If I go too late, then everyone will see me enter at the odd time and get curious to talk to me. Its best to go in just before the cake-cutting, when they switch off the lights, and quietly sneak in at the back. Then wish her at the right time, take a big slice of the cake, then some chips and coke, and keep stuffing myself in a very preoccupied manner so that nobody is really interested in coming anywhere close to me. And then make a hasty exit with some doomsday excuse(its saturday tomorrow so excuses are harder to come by and I haven't found a good one yet. Suggestions welcome.).
Also, I know I'm in the midst of a bunch of people growing older, and maturer, and wiser, and generally more boring when the time for a birthday party changes from 12 a.m. to 10 p.m. because they have an assignment to worry about, and then from 10 p.m. to 8 p.m. because they now sleep at 9 p.m. in order to go slave the next day! Of course I know I am not allowed to complain about birthday parties but at least I have been sensible enough to do away with a birthday altogether instead of making it this wish-wash, toned down and sober affair with cliched jokes backed by fake laughter and a general artifice of pleasantries attempting to stifle the boredom of the same humdrum birthday routine for one birthday after another. Anyways, I am quite out of touch with people so it doesn't bother me. So long as they have fun, all is well! :)
I wrote this today because I suddenly got an invitation to attend some party at 10 p.m. and feel terribly uncomfortable at the prospect of going as I haven't been speaking to any of the members of that circle that she's invited for at least a few months now and I am at a loss for what to say to the various people and the birthday girl in general, except of course, 'Happy Birthday!'. If I go too early, there's too many people to greet and talk to as they drop in one by one. If I go too late, then everyone will see me enter at the odd time and get curious to talk to me. Its best to go in just before the cake-cutting, when they switch off the lights, and quietly sneak in at the back. Then wish her at the right time, take a big slice of the cake, then some chips and coke, and keep stuffing myself in a very preoccupied manner so that nobody is really interested in coming anywhere close to me. And then make a hasty exit with some doomsday excuse(its saturday tomorrow so excuses are harder to come by and I haven't found a good one yet. Suggestions welcome.).
Thursday, January 22, 2009
Short story
A shriveled and shrunken old man wearing sunglasses crosses the street urgently on a dark and cloudy day as if god were calling him to heaven from across the street. The devil picks him up from the side.
Monday, January 19, 2009
Middle name
After much thought, I have decided to give myself the middle name 'Candidappan'. I shall henceforth be called Karthik Candidappan Sivaramakrishnan.
Saturday, January 17, 2009
BULB
This is just ROFL bulb by me.
vaishnavi: i am in good spirits now after going to Indian Institute of biotechnology and toxicology.
Have u seen an electron Microscope?
me: yes :)
which one did you see
vaishnavi: used one?
me: scanning or transmission?
12:12 AM vaishnavi: scanning
me: nice
what do you mean used one?
:O
its a microscope
Obviously the one I saw is a used one!
:)
vaishnavi: I was asking if u have used one
me: oh!
lol
vaishnavi: i am in good spirits now after going to Indian Institute of biotechnology and toxicology.
Have u seen an electron Microscope?
me: yes :)
which one did you see
vaishnavi: used one?
me: scanning or transmission?
12:12 AM vaishnavi: scanning
me: nice
what do you mean used one?
:O
its a microscope
Obviously the one I saw is a used one!
:)
vaishnavi: I was asking if u have used one
me: oh!
lol
Vanaprastham query
If anyone has seen the malayalam movie Vanaprastham, I have a question: Why was Kunhikuttan treating his wife so terribly? I don't mean by loving Subhadra. He basically never showed any affection towards her :-? He dotes on his daughter, loves his mother, but ignores his wife, although she loved him :-? Did I miss something?
Opinion on movie: Shaashtanga namaskaram to Mohanlal for his acting! But story was way too melodramatic and fairy-tale-istic I thought. And Suhasini's acting was terrible! Ugh. Poor thing couldn't emote well at all. They should've cast Shobana.
Opinion on movie: Shaashtanga namaskaram to Mohanlal for his acting! But story was way too melodramatic and fairy-tale-istic I thought. And Suhasini's acting was terrible! Ugh. Poor thing couldn't emote well at all. They should've cast Shobana.
Wednesday, January 14, 2009
How about a cooking blog?
I've seen some ladies run cooking blogs. I am thinking of starting my very own cooking blog too. While they tell you how to make great recipes, I can tell you how to avoid devastating disasters!
So I was going to have some good old fashioned curd rice with peas. Last week's yoghurt was over so I opened a fresh carton that i'd bought this week. It turns out I'd accidentally picked up strawberry flavoured yoghurt. But a man has to eat, so I thought, "Ah, what the heck!" and poured a tonne of it over the rice and happily mixed it. Then I dumped the peas on top of all that as I usually do. Since I don't wish to waste food, I think I'll be having strawberry flavoured curd rice for the rest of this year.
So I was going to have some good old fashioned curd rice with peas. Last week's yoghurt was over so I opened a fresh carton that i'd bought this week. It turns out I'd accidentally picked up strawberry flavoured yoghurt. But a man has to eat, so I thought, "Ah, what the heck!" and poured a tonne of it over the rice and happily mixed it. Then I dumped the peas on top of all that as I usually do. Since I don't wish to waste food, I think I'll be having strawberry flavoured curd rice for the rest of this year.
Tuesday, December 16, 2008
Please save the Chimpanzee
It is perhaps a defeatist cause to be writing something like this on a blog that is hardly read. But I have nothing to lose.
See this.
I'm not being all emotional here about the cuteness of the animal or something. We are wiping off several species everyday anyways, and I shut up and mind my business. But the chimpanzee is our closest relative, and a critical element in understanding our own evolution, and our nature. We just cannot afford to wipe off such a species! Too much information is lost in the process. Of course we can clone them or breed them like we do chickens and preserve them. But that alters behavioral patterns tremendously from when they are in the wild. So while it may help with structural and genetic studies, it destroys considerable behavioral information I think. So I mechanically signed here. I'm feeling kinda desperate right now, so I won't even urge you. Its just some rant.
I also sometimes imagine a world without animals. But I suppose I'll never live to see that day. So its all good.
See this.
I'm not being all emotional here about the cuteness of the animal or something. We are wiping off several species everyday anyways, and I shut up and mind my business. But the chimpanzee is our closest relative, and a critical element in understanding our own evolution, and our nature. We just cannot afford to wipe off such a species! Too much information is lost in the process. Of course we can clone them or breed them like we do chickens and preserve them. But that alters behavioral patterns tremendously from when they are in the wild. So while it may help with structural and genetic studies, it destroys considerable behavioral information I think. So I mechanically signed here. I'm feeling kinda desperate right now, so I won't even urge you. Its just some rant.
I also sometimes imagine a world without animals. But I suppose I'll never live to see that day. So its all good.
Monday, December 15, 2008
Because I'm stranded
My advisor has left for home and is on a two week vacation starting yesterday. That kills all incentive to work because things were already pretty relaxed at work and I was under no deadline pressures. I am reading a book which I enthusiastically took to lab this morning thinking I'd read it there. But we made other plans, and the book is in lab, and I'm at home now. Its too late and too cold for me to go all the way to lab and get it. So I have nothing to do. Hence I'm going to try one of those ramble posts.
I had finished the work for some paper a little ahead of the thanksgiving deadline that my professor had assigned. So that tuesday I was totally idle, and my labmate and friend was bored. The advisor had left for some conference out of campus and would be heading home. He was in the thanksgiving mood already it seemed. So friend and I decided to catch a matinee by slipping out of lab. At the ticket counter, I flashed my asu id in the hope of getting the usual student discount. The issuer replied, "Sir, the matinee tickets are already at the discounted rates so we don't offer any further discount." Embarassed, I slipped my id back in and bought the tickets. As we stepped in, I realised why they were already discounted: There was not a single person in the entire multiplex which had almost 14 screens! That was a little eerie. My friend and I were laughing at ourselves and our vettiness for having come to a matinee movie on a tuesday! Anyhow, we had bought tickets for this movie called Madagascar, which turned out to be a movie which even Miss teen south carolina would find dumb. We were 15 minutes ahead of time and when we took a peak inside the theatre, there was no one! Naturally. So we idled away the time by looking at the various new movies to be released on all the 14 screens in the next month or so. About 5 minutes prior to the movie we entered the theatre again, and to our mortification saw three young blonde kids, and their parents staring at us two young men in disbelief! I literally ran out of the room at top speed because I had burst out laughing at our awkward situation! After uncontrolled riotous laughter for almost 10 minutes, my friend and I decided that it would be best if we kept our faces down and quickly moved to the last row of seats and slid down on our seats and stayed that way till the end of the movie. As we walked in, I burst out laughing again and walked in only after another 5 mintues, while my friend managed to make it successfully.
Today was another such day. No advisor, no work. Labmate/friend and I decided to go hiking on a mountain range in the phoenix area. We took friend's roommate along too. He's this stupid, impulsive and hence hilarious character. Friend and I were going to look for directions on google maps when be butts in declaring he's been to the starting point before and hence knows the directions! We ask him for reassurance at least 10 times and are still skeptical. He's one of those show off types. Anyways, we didn't want to offend him, because he's also one of those short-tempered types. So we decided to take him on faith and hit the streets. We decided to lunch before starting the trek as we were hungry. So I had taken a gallon of water from my home because I drink a lot of water in general and the last thing I want is to fall short of water on a trek. My friend knew about it but his roommate didn't. So we are sitting there and lunching and his roommate declares, "We forgot to get water for the trek." Before I could let him know that I'd brought a gallon he impulsively blurts: "But that's ok. We can asked for a sealed cup of water at the counter." Happily, I ROFLed inside my head at this precious gem! I was imagining us carrying sealed coffee cups filled with water in one hand and trying to do a trek which is rated as strenous! See:
http://www.phoenixasap.com/camelback-mountain.html
Summit Trail. ( Echo Canyon)
Trail ascends through spectacular sandstone rock formations and unparalled views from the summit into Greater Phoenix.
Trail Length: 1.2 miles
Elevation Gain: 1,264 feet
Summit: 2,704 feet
Difficulty: Strenuous
It turned out we had to use both hands at several places as there were some really steep climbs. Let alone that we ended up needing a lot more than just one sealed coffee cup of water!
Anyways, so we finished lunch and headed of towards the mountains following this chap's directions. As we approached the mountains, he got confused. I said, we should call someone up and ask for directions to the parking. He said, "No dude. That's not necessary. We can see the mountains right. Let's just head towards it and we should be there." Ahem, a mountain range extends over several miles and all roads in phoenix probably lead to the mountain range ultimately. He then started pointing to random houses and saying they looked familiar and he had a strong gut feeling we were on the right track. So friend and I humoured him and we continued on. Eventually we realised we took a road that was actually climbing up the hill! Not exactly our idea of trekking. So after going about a quarter of the way to convince him that his familiar houses were perhaps deceiving him, we took a u-turn and headed back down. Eventually, I got off the car and trespassed into some private mansion, where a dog charged at me and was stopped only by the owner closing the gate just in time, and took directions on how to get there. It sucked that we couldn't all go up together. The friend's roommate gave up at 1/3rd of the way. Friend gave up at half way and asked me to go ahead. I was determined to finish for having taken all this trouble to get here. So I marched on and got to the top. It wasn't all that bad. Friend meanwhile managed to gather some determination and made it 3/4ths of the way. So I met him on the way down and at least down part we did together. It started raining on our way down and the rocks became a little slippery, so that made it somewhat tricky to climb down these steep rocks. Turns out even a monolayer of water is sufficient to make palpable difference to friction coefficient. Friend twisted ankle on one of those slippery rocks. That's not good.
I saw moonam pakkam over the weekend. Thilakan was brilliant as always. I realised that Jagathy can act as more than just a goofy idiot. He was impressive in the movie. I also realised what happens if one creates a movie/story where the main character is killed mid-way. It started off realistic and interesting. Everything upto the killing of the main character was nice. Tragedy in movies is rare, and hence appealing to me. But when the rest one hour was spent in different people taking turns crying it taxed me emotionally, and when they took turns staring at the sea in the hope of spotting a dead body, it taxed me intellectually. Its like having a one hour cookery show and completing the preparation of the dish in half an hour. The rest half hour being spent on showing different people chewing on the food.
Good, so I've killed time and can now go to sleep and pick up that book tomorrow. That reminds me, library has been giving me hell. About a month back I got a notice to return a book called 'Digest of catholic mission history'! I went to them and said, I'd never issued such a book. I also hinted that they could take a look at the other books I'd had issued to rest any doubts they might have on my claims. They agreed to do three searches in their library to see if they can spot it(don't ask me why three!). They've done that and not found the book. So now i've got a notice to pay up for a book I never took!
I had finished the work for some paper a little ahead of the thanksgiving deadline that my professor had assigned. So that tuesday I was totally idle, and my labmate and friend was bored. The advisor had left for some conference out of campus and would be heading home. He was in the thanksgiving mood already it seemed. So friend and I decided to catch a matinee by slipping out of lab. At the ticket counter, I flashed my asu id in the hope of getting the usual student discount. The issuer replied, "Sir, the matinee tickets are already at the discounted rates so we don't offer any further discount." Embarassed, I slipped my id back in and bought the tickets. As we stepped in, I realised why they were already discounted: There was not a single person in the entire multiplex which had almost 14 screens! That was a little eerie. My friend and I were laughing at ourselves and our vettiness for having come to a matinee movie on a tuesday! Anyhow, we had bought tickets for this movie called Madagascar, which turned out to be a movie which even Miss teen south carolina would find dumb. We were 15 minutes ahead of time and when we took a peak inside the theatre, there was no one! Naturally. So we idled away the time by looking at the various new movies to be released on all the 14 screens in the next month or so. About 5 minutes prior to the movie we entered the theatre again, and to our mortification saw three young blonde kids, and their parents staring at us two young men in disbelief! I literally ran out of the room at top speed because I had burst out laughing at our awkward situation! After uncontrolled riotous laughter for almost 10 minutes, my friend and I decided that it would be best if we kept our faces down and quickly moved to the last row of seats and slid down on our seats and stayed that way till the end of the movie. As we walked in, I burst out laughing again and walked in only after another 5 mintues, while my friend managed to make it successfully.
Today was another such day. No advisor, no work. Labmate/friend and I decided to go hiking on a mountain range in the phoenix area. We took friend's roommate along too. He's this stupid, impulsive and hence hilarious character. Friend and I were going to look for directions on google maps when be butts in declaring he's been to the starting point before and hence knows the directions! We ask him for reassurance at least 10 times and are still skeptical. He's one of those show off types. Anyways, we didn't want to offend him, because he's also one of those short-tempered types. So we decided to take him on faith and hit the streets. We decided to lunch before starting the trek as we were hungry. So I had taken a gallon of water from my home because I drink a lot of water in general and the last thing I want is to fall short of water on a trek. My friend knew about it but his roommate didn't. So we are sitting there and lunching and his roommate declares, "We forgot to get water for the trek." Before I could let him know that I'd brought a gallon he impulsively blurts: "But that's ok. We can asked for a sealed cup of water at the counter." Happily, I ROFLed inside my head at this precious gem! I was imagining us carrying sealed coffee cups filled with water in one hand and trying to do a trek which is rated as strenous! See:
http://www.phoenixasap.com/camelback-mountain.html
Summit Trail. ( Echo Canyon)
Trail ascends through spectacular sandstone rock formations and unparalled views from the summit into Greater Phoenix.
Trail Length: 1.2 miles
Elevation Gain: 1,264 feet
Summit: 2,704 feet
Difficulty: Strenuous
It turned out we had to use both hands at several places as there were some really steep climbs. Let alone that we ended up needing a lot more than just one sealed coffee cup of water!
Anyways, so we finished lunch and headed of towards the mountains following this chap's directions. As we approached the mountains, he got confused. I said, we should call someone up and ask for directions to the parking. He said, "No dude. That's not necessary. We can see the mountains right. Let's just head towards it and we should be there." Ahem, a mountain range extends over several miles and all roads in phoenix probably lead to the mountain range ultimately. He then started pointing to random houses and saying they looked familiar and he had a strong gut feeling we were on the right track. So friend and I humoured him and we continued on. Eventually we realised we took a road that was actually climbing up the hill! Not exactly our idea of trekking. So after going about a quarter of the way to convince him that his familiar houses were perhaps deceiving him, we took a u-turn and headed back down. Eventually, I got off the car and trespassed into some private mansion, where a dog charged at me and was stopped only by the owner closing the gate just in time, and took directions on how to get there. It sucked that we couldn't all go up together. The friend's roommate gave up at 1/3rd of the way. Friend gave up at half way and asked me to go ahead. I was determined to finish for having taken all this trouble to get here. So I marched on and got to the top. It wasn't all that bad. Friend meanwhile managed to gather some determination and made it 3/4ths of the way. So I met him on the way down and at least down part we did together. It started raining on our way down and the rocks became a little slippery, so that made it somewhat tricky to climb down these steep rocks. Turns out even a monolayer of water is sufficient to make palpable difference to friction coefficient. Friend twisted ankle on one of those slippery rocks. That's not good.
I saw moonam pakkam over the weekend. Thilakan was brilliant as always. I realised that Jagathy can act as more than just a goofy idiot. He was impressive in the movie. I also realised what happens if one creates a movie/story where the main character is killed mid-way. It started off realistic and interesting. Everything upto the killing of the main character was nice. Tragedy in movies is rare, and hence appealing to me. But when the rest one hour was spent in different people taking turns crying it taxed me emotionally, and when they took turns staring at the sea in the hope of spotting a dead body, it taxed me intellectually. Its like having a one hour cookery show and completing the preparation of the dish in half an hour. The rest half hour being spent on showing different people chewing on the food.
Good, so I've killed time and can now go to sleep and pick up that book tomorrow. That reminds me, library has been giving me hell. About a month back I got a notice to return a book called 'Digest of catholic mission history'! I went to them and said, I'd never issued such a book. I also hinted that they could take a look at the other books I'd had issued to rest any doubts they might have on my claims. They agreed to do three searches in their library to see if they can spot it(don't ask me why three!). They've done that and not found the book. So now i've got a notice to pay up for a book I never took!
Saturday, December 13, 2008
Evolution isn't evolved!
Stupid evolution! Why the hell did nature lose wings along the way?! Couldn't there have been some random mutations to permit growth of hands on top of the wings? And all creatures subsequent to birds retained those wings? You know where I'm headed? Yes, I could've been flying now, damn it!!
On second thoughts, if that did happen, would there have been too many flying creatures then making me feel so damn bored of flying about with all those other stupid creatures?
Who knows!
On second thoughts, if that did happen, would there have been too many flying creatures then making me feel so damn bored of flying about with all those other stupid creatures?
Who knows!
Monday, December 08, 2008
2 minute crash course in cooking
I'd bought a can of condensed mushroom soup this weekend. Having returned home late from lab I wasn't in the mood for a full fledged dinner. Thought I'd make the soup. Here's how I did it:
1) Place a large empty vessel on the stove and turn the flame to maximum so that the soup will be ready in 2 minutes to eat!
2)Then, get down to washing a ladle with which to stir the soup, and a spoon with which to empty the condensed can of soup into the vessel.
3) Read the instructions on the back of the can. All this while the pan is still on maximum with nothing in it.
4) Read the following instruction: Heat soup + 1 can of milk. Also read that it serves 4 people.
5) Wonder if I should really be emptying a one gallon can of milk into just 10 ounce of condensed soup.
6) Decide wisely against it but pour 5 cups anyways so that it can be had twice.
7) Dig around in the fridge for some veggies to make the soup tasty.
8) Find a huge bag of cole slaw veggies lying around and discover with considerable shock that it is one whole day past expiry.
9) Decide to get creative and quickly empty the whole bag into the soup only to realise there's so much cabbage it rises to twice the height of the soup which already has 5 cups of milk in it.
10) Decide there's just way too much milk already and wisely avoid adding any more water.
11) Go sit in front of TV while milk reaches a boil and ask roommate whether one should really be adding a one gallon can of milk to just 10 ounce of consensed soup??
13) Get the following response: One can milk implies fill the empty soup can with milk and pour once!
14) Lavish praise on roommate's intellgence.
15) Comment on the stench that always arises from cabbage.
16) Realise that its not the stench of cabbage but a strong burning smell.
17) Run hastily to switch off gas.
18) Empty half the unnameable unsightly uninhalable mess into a bowl and attempt to taste it.
19) Burn tongue.
20) Wait a minute and taste again.
21) Retch.
22) Make realisations:
Realise that it is the milk that burns if flame is on maximum. Cabbage doesn't.
Realise that cabbage too burns given enough time.
Realise that a pound of cabbage in half a gallon of burnt milk+condensed mushroom soup is not quite creativity.
23) Take consolation in the fact that it was all done in 2 minutes at any rate! :)
1) Place a large empty vessel on the stove and turn the flame to maximum so that the soup will be ready in 2 minutes to eat!
2)Then, get down to washing a ladle with which to stir the soup, and a spoon with which to empty the condensed can of soup into the vessel.
3) Read the instructions on the back of the can. All this while the pan is still on maximum with nothing in it.
4) Read the following instruction: Heat soup + 1 can of milk. Also read that it serves 4 people.
5) Wonder if I should really be emptying a one gallon can of milk into just 10 ounce of condensed soup.
6) Decide wisely against it but pour 5 cups anyways so that it can be had twice.
7) Dig around in the fridge for some veggies to make the soup tasty.
8) Find a huge bag of cole slaw veggies lying around and discover with considerable shock that it is one whole day past expiry.
9) Decide to get creative and quickly empty the whole bag into the soup only to realise there's so much cabbage it rises to twice the height of the soup which already has 5 cups of milk in it.
10) Decide there's just way too much milk already and wisely avoid adding any more water.
11) Go sit in front of TV while milk reaches a boil and ask roommate whether one should really be adding a one gallon can of milk to just 10 ounce of consensed soup??
13) Get the following response: One can milk implies fill the empty soup can with milk and pour once!
14) Lavish praise on roommate's intellgence.
15) Comment on the stench that always arises from cabbage.
16) Realise that its not the stench of cabbage but a strong burning smell.
17) Run hastily to switch off gas.
18) Empty half the unnameable unsightly uninhalable mess into a bowl and attempt to taste it.
19) Burn tongue.
20) Wait a minute and taste again.
21) Retch.
22) Make realisations:
Realise that it is the milk that burns if flame is on maximum. Cabbage doesn't.
Realise that cabbage too burns given enough time.
Realise that a pound of cabbage in half a gallon of burnt milk+condensed mushroom soup is not quite creativity.
23) Take consolation in the fact that it was all done in 2 minutes at any rate! :)
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