Posts
Any person watching some of the fringe news channels(read Times Now, Headlines Today) will be convinced that an Indian landing in Australia will be immediately put in a sack, beaten and then let out. It is just Australia's bad luck that publicity they could have treated differently got out of hand and before they reacted sufficiently, the damage had been done.
The blaze of 'Indian pride' and how Indians should exert themselves more sure induce patriotism. But the ground reality is very different.
Ask any American or Australian, he too will tell you that venturing out at odd hours is a very risky, for fear of mugging and robbery. I read a good number of blogs and several Americans themselves are victims of a mugging. I know of people who have been targeted for money.
Blankly stating that racism takes place is also a drop in the ocean. There were riots recently where Aborigines protested their economic and social status.
What I am trying to say is it happens to EVERYONE; that Asians, ladies, black, white. Singling out one incident and crying foul is so childish. The problem here is not racism; it is unemployed youth looking for a for easy money. I am sure these are definitely not groups of persons moving around looking specifically for an Asian victim.
It makes me wonder: if 'white' people target 'coloured' people, it is racism. What is it if 'coloured' people target 'white' people, like tourists,? what is it if 'white' people attack other 'white' people? How does motive change suddenly from
To anyone reading this post and prostrating over an Australian admit, I would suggest that you take it. The situation I am sure is not as bad as it seems. If anything, it has worsened after the mountain of a molehill by some sections of the Indian media.
Tuesday, June 2, 2009
If you didn't know: Jay Leno
Jay Leno moves to make space for a fresh face, Conan, for the revered late night brand, The Tonight Show. That is just the last page in the voluminous book documenting the high-stakes talk show. Some of the following, you will find interesting if you watched Leno, including the censored and delayed version on Zee Cafe.
Pre-1992, The Tonight Show was hosted by Johnny Carson, who was absolute king, beating all his competitors by the mile. David Letterman hosted the hour after this show, called Late Night. Jay Leno was a frequent guest host for Johny and a frequent guest on David's show.
Such was the charisma of Johnny and the then Tonight Show that everyone wanted to emulate him, and obviously succeed him. Letterman thought he was the rightful heir; Jay too wanted that job. Now NBC, the owner of both Tonight Show and Late Night, didn't want to lose both Leno and Letterman to a rival broadcaster. Apparently Leno had better clout with NBC, giving him the job, even hiding in a cupboard to listen in on a meeting of executives.
Obviously Letterman agreed to move to CBS, where he had a higher rating till 1995. That was when Leno welcomed a guest with a very embarassing crimesheet, the ink just drying up. Ever since Leno has been the leader, straight for 14 years. That is no small feat.
History repeats itself: in 2004, Conan gets good offers from other broadcasters; NBC guarantees he will get to succeed Leno in 2009. At the time Leno didn't know what 5 years would do to his prime standing, and then as time came near to hand over the baton, NBC was yet again in the same spot: if they let Leno out, other networks, like ABC, would definitely put him against Conan at the same time slot. They wanted to keep both in the network, so the solution was to put Leno in some other time slot, to which he agreed.
The announcement of new show which Leno will do shook the foundations of broadcast networks, because the 10 pm slot is 'primetime' which drama-based high-voltage shows occupied. The 'justification' provided by NBC for replacing drama based shows, which attract higher audiences and more revenues, is that for the cost of one drama episode, 5 Leno shows can be made, thereby reducing the stakes for the required advertising and the ratings.
The biggest loser in all of this is undoubtedly Conan, for now. For 16 years he followed Leno's show; now too, he will have to follow Leno's 10 pm show with his starting at 11.35 pm. Maybe people will not watch his show because it might have a similar monologue and a similar show. The biggest winner, in my opinion, is Leno, because he wins in all ways: he still remains the attention getter with a prime time slot.
Many say Leno is not as popular on the coasts as Letterman, who is more snarky, but I staunchly like Leno for his intelligent jokes while the other can be at times silly. Leno's jokes are highly observational - so election times are real fun, non-news days can be really boring.
Leno, or rather his writers, very accurately reflect the pop culture in the country, which is one of the reasons he still is so popular. Leno's style relies much on language, while Conan has based his show on skits and mannerisms. I prefer the clever Leno to the others(oh, about Craig Ferguson, that is another story altogether).
I never liked Conan, Leno at 10 pm won't make much of a difference for those who don't have a TV, but the bar is so low that any good ratings will be claimed as a victory.
Will be very interesting to watch how Leno fares at 10pm. Good luck to this highly respected selfless man.
Pre-1992, The Tonight Show was hosted by Johnny Carson, who was absolute king, beating all his competitors by the mile. David Letterman hosted the hour after this show, called Late Night. Jay Leno was a frequent guest host for Johny and a frequent guest on David's show.
Such was the charisma of Johnny and the then Tonight Show that everyone wanted to emulate him, and obviously succeed him. Letterman thought he was the rightful heir; Jay too wanted that job. Now NBC, the owner of both Tonight Show and Late Night, didn't want to lose both Leno and Letterman to a rival broadcaster. Apparently Leno had better clout with NBC, giving him the job, even hiding in a cupboard to listen in on a meeting of executives.
Obviously Letterman agreed to move to CBS, where he had a higher rating till 1995. That was when Leno welcomed a guest with a very embarassing crimesheet, the ink just drying up. Ever since Leno has been the leader, straight for 14 years. That is no small feat.
History repeats itself: in 2004, Conan gets good offers from other broadcasters; NBC guarantees he will get to succeed Leno in 2009. At the time Leno didn't know what 5 years would do to his prime standing, and then as time came near to hand over the baton, NBC was yet again in the same spot: if they let Leno out, other networks, like ABC, would definitely put him against Conan at the same time slot. They wanted to keep both in the network, so the solution was to put Leno in some other time slot, to which he agreed.
The announcement of new show which Leno will do shook the foundations of broadcast networks, because the 10 pm slot is 'primetime' which drama-based high-voltage shows occupied. The 'justification' provided by NBC for replacing drama based shows, which attract higher audiences and more revenues, is that for the cost of one drama episode, 5 Leno shows can be made, thereby reducing the stakes for the required advertising and the ratings.
The biggest loser in all of this is undoubtedly Conan, for now. For 16 years he followed Leno's show; now too, he will have to follow Leno's 10 pm show with his starting at 11.35 pm. Maybe people will not watch his show because it might have a similar monologue and a similar show. The biggest winner, in my opinion, is Leno, because he wins in all ways: he still remains the attention getter with a prime time slot.
Many say Leno is not as popular on the coasts as Letterman, who is more snarky, but I staunchly like Leno for his intelligent jokes while the other can be at times silly. Leno's jokes are highly observational - so election times are real fun, non-news days can be really boring.
Leno, or rather his writers, very accurately reflect the pop culture in the country, which is one of the reasons he still is so popular. Leno's style relies much on language, while Conan has based his show on skits and mannerisms. I prefer the clever Leno to the others(oh, about Craig Ferguson, that is another story altogether).
I never liked Conan, Leno at 10 pm won't make much of a difference for those who don't have a TV, but the bar is so low that any good ratings will be claimed as a victory.
Will be very interesting to watch how Leno fares at 10pm. Good luck to this highly respected selfless man.
Information overload: Facebook, Twitter
With the advent of an all-consuming Facebook, later with undeserving media darling Twitter, hiterto unknown, and sometimes unnecessary details about our lives are being displayed on a universal noticeboard, ready for anyone to misuse or judge inappropriately.
Earlier any grudges would be discussed with friends over the phone or would be swallowed in teeth clenches. Sitting in the privacy of our room or cubicle or lab with noone looking over our shoulder gives us the fake sense of security to put all sorts of silly stuff which we wouldn't dare speak about to our closest friends. And our friends take the time to read even reply to that.
Facebook is hugely popular because of what you can do, like develop an accurate profile and pronounce yourself better and find a virtual soulmate through groups and apps. I do not like Facebook because it gives you very little room to actually control your profile. By the time I could sufficiently suppress my skeleton profile, I was fed up with the depth I had to go to. Any change I made was notified to all. Why?
Many will argue that Facebook offers more 'privacy' than Orkut because you can determine more specifically what to display to whom. But what is gained in such privacy is lost in information given out to friends which they could have done without. For example you wrote on someone's wall at 2.15 am. So? It only says that you did not sleep till that late, and spent more time on it than on other work, and could explain your lethargic appearnce in the morning.
Earlier it was the MySpace mania; then the Facebook rush; now it is Twitter's turn. History clearly shows that online followings are short lived. However Facebook is growing, it is tempting to say it will disappear soon. It has already happened to AOL, Lycos, Yahoo, Friendster....
And so we come to Twitter. I try my best to share information in a mini-blog fashion, which will be of some use to me as well as to those who follow me. Some rant about work, some rant without reason, some share a few redundant links and some joblessly document each second of their life. Which will be useful if you were in a reality television serial or wanted some criminal to replicate your life right down to what you ate on the night of May 19 2009.
Essentially, we are sharing more than what should be, and are trying to grasp more than what is required. Will we remember what X felt like at 6 pm the day of the exam? Will we even bother to read our own scrapbook/wall all through from beginning to end? If you have a rival or a person of the opposite sex, and have loads of time to bide away, Facebook is for you. Like retirees and elders rediscovering school friends. Each new social media user account is another distraction which has to be tended to regularly. Being prudent here is key; or, even better, don't use them at all.
Earlier any grudges would be discussed with friends over the phone or would be swallowed in teeth clenches. Sitting in the privacy of our room or cubicle or lab with noone looking over our shoulder gives us the fake sense of security to put all sorts of silly stuff which we wouldn't dare speak about to our closest friends. And our friends take the time to read even reply to that.
Facebook is hugely popular because of what you can do, like develop an accurate profile and pronounce yourself better and find a virtual soulmate through groups and apps. I do not like Facebook because it gives you very little room to actually control your profile. By the time I could sufficiently suppress my skeleton profile, I was fed up with the depth I had to go to. Any change I made was notified to all. Why?
Many will argue that Facebook offers more 'privacy' than Orkut because you can determine more specifically what to display to whom. But what is gained in such privacy is lost in information given out to friends which they could have done without. For example you wrote on someone's wall at 2.15 am. So? It only says that you did not sleep till that late, and spent more time on it than on other work, and could explain your lethargic appearnce in the morning.
Earlier it was the MySpace mania; then the Facebook rush; now it is Twitter's turn. History clearly shows that online followings are short lived. However Facebook is growing, it is tempting to say it will disappear soon. It has already happened to AOL, Lycos, Yahoo, Friendster....
And so we come to Twitter. I try my best to share information in a mini-blog fashion, which will be of some use to me as well as to those who follow me. Some rant about work, some rant without reason, some share a few redundant links and some joblessly document each second of their life. Which will be useful if you were in a reality television serial or wanted some criminal to replicate your life right down to what you ate on the night of May 19 2009.
Essentially, we are sharing more than what should be, and are trying to grasp more than what is required. Will we remember what X felt like at 6 pm the day of the exam? Will we even bother to read our own scrapbook/wall all through from beginning to end? If you have a rival or a person of the opposite sex, and have loads of time to bide away, Facebook is for you. Like retirees and elders rediscovering school friends. Each new social media user account is another distraction which has to be tended to regularly. Being prudent here is key; or, even better, don't use them at all.
Biting the hand that feeds: Taliban, Saddam...
Evil begets evil. Always. Examples abound from recent history relating to vested interests.
1980's: LTTE is funded by the Indian state, partly to offset the US influence in Sri Lanka and partly due to ethnic relations in that country. Things fall apart, LTTE decides India has done enough and assassinates a senior politician, India washes its hands clean of the issue till very recently.
Saddam Hussein: An ally to offset Iran, he recieves copious amounts of aid resulting in a long war. Saddam goes too far ahead and the US decide he has had enough: Gulf war restricts him.
Iran itself, is an example. 1953 the Shah is installed after a CIA coup to remove the anti-West government, with oil installations in mind. 1979 an Islamic revolution exiles the Shah, making conditions even worse for the West.
Al-Qaeda is one of the groups formed out of US support to Mujahideen fighters during the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan, then bin-Laden not liking the presence of US troops in Saudi Arabia and bombing the Embassies in Africa.
Taliban are a group supported by both the Pakistani and the US military. Just now, the Taliban is retaliating against Pakistan itself, the Army is fighting to evict them from an occupied valley.
More examples welcome in the comments.
1980's: LTTE is funded by the Indian state, partly to offset the US influence in Sri Lanka and partly due to ethnic relations in that country. Things fall apart, LTTE decides India has done enough and assassinates a senior politician, India washes its hands clean of the issue till very recently.
Saddam Hussein: An ally to offset Iran, he recieves copious amounts of aid resulting in a long war. Saddam goes too far ahead and the US decide he has had enough: Gulf war restricts him.
Iran itself, is an example. 1953 the Shah is installed after a CIA coup to remove the anti-West government, with oil installations in mind. 1979 an Islamic revolution exiles the Shah, making conditions even worse for the West.
Al-Qaeda is one of the groups formed out of US support to Mujahideen fighters during the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan, then bin-Laden not liking the presence of US troops in Saudi Arabia and bombing the Embassies in Africa.
Taliban are a group supported by both the Pakistani and the US military. Just now, the Taliban is retaliating against Pakistan itself, the Army is fighting to evict them from an occupied valley.
More examples welcome in the comments.
Tuesday, May 12, 2009
Inner vest: Effect on comfortability
The wild swing of temperatures in Akron from -16 deg C to 35 deg C with daily swings of around 15 deg have allowed me to observe the effect of an inner vest in my not-so-temperature-controlled room.
At temperatures less than 22 deg C, the inner vest, worn with a shirt above, acts as an insulator, keeping the body warm.
Between 22 deg C and around 28 deg C, the inner vest keeps the body heat, increasing sweating, which is resolved by removing it.
Above 28 deg C, no matter what sweat is produced, the vest is essential in absorbing it and saving the shirt from getting wet.
After this I realised that a differential model can be developed to reflect the heat generation, with an adjustment for sweat production. I am sure a nuclear rod can be modified for this(Transport Phenomena). I will hopefully do it when I am even more bored than thinking about this.
At temperatures less than 22 deg C, the inner vest, worn with a shirt above, acts as an insulator, keeping the body warm.
Between 22 deg C and around 28 deg C, the inner vest keeps the body heat, increasing sweating, which is resolved by removing it.
Above 28 deg C, no matter what sweat is produced, the vest is essential in absorbing it and saving the shirt from getting wet.
After this I realised that a differential model can be developed to reflect the heat generation, with an adjustment for sweat production. I am sure a nuclear rod can be modified for this(Transport Phenomena). I will hopefully do it when I am even more bored than thinking about this.
The BBC's 'India Election Tran' Sham
This is a supposedly 'India' election train being brought out by the BBC, which is a sham for the basic fact that it does not cover south India. Hyderabad in itself does not reflect in any small sense all of south India, I expected atleast Bangalore, if not the four metros. Madras(Chennai) and Bangalore have been left out. To any foreigner who does not know much about India this 'train' gives the false impression that the routes covered(Delhi to Ahmedabad to Hyderabad to Calcutta) represent all of India, which is absolutely untrue. If anyone knows, Tamil Nadu and Karnataka alone can take down any government at the centre. As I have some sense of what real India is about, it angers me that the high command did not bother to go any further south than the upper Deccan plateau. What a sham.
To any BBC guy who reads this by virtue of a linkback, try as you might, you have not and for a long time will not feel the true pulse of the nation. Whoever made these decisions needs to be schooled.
To any BBC guy who reads this by virtue of a linkback, try as you might, you have not and for a long time will not feel the true pulse of the nation. Whoever made these decisions needs to be schooled.
Friday, April 24, 2009
GM to kill Pontiac Brand
CNN reports that GM, undergoing a severe cost cutting shake-up, is going to kill the Pontiac brand.
I always liked the looks of a Pontiac; it was undoubtedly the most glamorous in the GM family, and Sr said it was amazing to drive too. This is one bitter pill to swallow. Spot reactions:
Sr: "I am out of words... appalled"
VS: "That's horrible"
Su: "What??"
VK: "Sad"
I always liked the looks of a Pontiac; it was undoubtedly the most glamorous in the GM family, and Sr said it was amazing to drive too. This is one bitter pill to swallow. Spot reactions:
Sr: "I am out of words... appalled"
VS: "That's horrible"
Su: "What??"
VK: "Sad"
Thursday, April 23, 2009
Running a Distillation Column is harder said than done
At first it will seem like insulated glass tubes connected to complex front end dials and knobs and valves and software.
A day or two running up and down the stairs along the height of the column, and it's just another peaceful system offering no complicated resistance.
Running the column is one thing, understanding it is another. Mixing solutions and then letting the column unmix them is essentially the task. A very clever pump setup uses just one pump to operate the tanks to move solutions between the makeup, bottoms and distillate; one to feed and one to empty the column. A neat order of steps to switch on the utilities, namely air(controllers), heat(steam), water(cooling) is the precursor to actual running.
How does one know the column is working fine? Well, the more volatile should stay at top of column and least volatile at bottom. Filling up of 'trays' with either(flooding), stopping proper interaction of the substances is not preferred.
The main constraint is 'What can go wrong?' Well, here there isn't much that can go catastrophically wrong.... If the column doesn't have anything to process(excessive flooding/feed is low) steam is being unused which can cause steam coils to .............. maybe fail?
A perfectly running column is a beauty to behold. An hour of perfect alignments of turning down steam to stop flooding and allowing feed as required yields sweet fruits. Of course, opting to get a distillate, rather that turn the distillate back into the column(infinite reflux) gives you near-pure product.
And that, ladies and gentlemen, is the main purpose of a distillation column
A day or two running up and down the stairs along the height of the column, and it's just another peaceful system offering no complicated resistance.
Running the column is one thing, understanding it is another. Mixing solutions and then letting the column unmix them is essentially the task. A very clever pump setup uses just one pump to operate the tanks to move solutions between the makeup, bottoms and distillate; one to feed and one to empty the column. A neat order of steps to switch on the utilities, namely air(controllers), heat(steam), water(cooling) is the precursor to actual running.
How does one know the column is working fine? Well, the more volatile should stay at top of column and least volatile at bottom. Filling up of 'trays' with either(flooding), stopping proper interaction of the substances is not preferred.
The main constraint is 'What can go wrong?' Well, here there isn't much that can go catastrophically wrong.... If the column doesn't have anything to process(excessive flooding/feed is low) steam is being unused which can cause steam coils to .............. maybe fail?
A perfectly running column is a beauty to behold. An hour of perfect alignments of turning down steam to stop flooding and allowing feed as required yields sweet fruits. Of course, opting to get a distillate, rather that turn the distillate back into the column(infinite reflux) gives you near-pure product.
And that, ladies and gentlemen, is the main purpose of a distillation column
Why should circuits have all the fun?
A lot of persons blog or post about their coding endeavours. Which is pretty useful for those looking for such stuff too.
But why should the circuits have all the fun? Mainly they are already near an outlet to immediately share with the world some modification about two lines of charcters, whereas non-circuits are away in some weird costume hammering some dysfunctional set of parts.
I will make a sincere attempt to write about core tech which may, inspite of my efforts, sound like jargon to an uninformed person.
But this is just to show that all engineers can blog about their tech too. Ha.
But why should the circuits have all the fun? Mainly they are already near an outlet to immediately share with the world some modification about two lines of charcters, whereas non-circuits are away in some weird costume hammering some dysfunctional set of parts.
I will make a sincere attempt to write about core tech which may, inspite of my efforts, sound like jargon to an uninformed person.
But this is just to show that all engineers can blog about their tech too. Ha.
Monday, April 20, 2009
Thunder over Louisville and Mammoth Caves
In short: the air show and fireworks at Louisville, KY and Mammoth caves
Thunder over Louisville-Airshow
Coaxed by AP, S in turn called me for a trip to Louisville for 'an airshow' and fireworks. We arrived slightly later than the 3.3o pm start for the event, which started off with propeller planes flying in formation, followed by a helicopter doing tight manoeuvres: It was much like how a child would swing a toy helicopter in his own hands: turning left, right, upside down.
The entire air display was over the Ohio river, and we were on the Louisville side with the other bank being Indiana. The various aircraft demonstrated at approximately 20 min intervals, leaving some time to kill in between.
These were followed
by fighter planes: F16s, F22s, C130 Hercules, B52 bombers. Undoubtedly, the F-series were the star of the show: they would fly past at just sub-sonic speeds, with thunderous boom unmistakably attributable to a fighter plane. That roar sets your heart racing and adrenaline running. Especially the F22, which pushed the limits of how well one could control a plane. It would fly past at about 650mph and then suddenly rise, at a near 90 degree angle. Now the plane made a vertical climb - and then made a complete circle going upside down.
Also impressive was an aerobatic display in a single engine propeller plane, which mimicked losing control, spiralling and pulling up just short of hitting the bridges.
Unlike my wishes, none of the planes flew under the bridges, I guess they would have been too close to the water.
An Osprey aircraft, one which has two propeller engines, but can swivel its propellers from parallel to the wing to perpendicular and become a sort of helicopter and hover was impressive. Two Chinook or Sea Hawk transport helicopters hovered just above the water surface, showing skills of the pilot.
C130 Hercules and B52 bombers are humongous planes, which merely did a fly past yet stunned with their sheer volume. There was also a demo by a power boat, much like the ones used in racing, which was in use by the Navy.
Full list of planes; better closeup shots of the planes.
Thunder over Louisville-Fireworks
Spectacular would be an understatement. Two separate barges, along with a bridge, were used to launch the fireworks. Half an hour of lights - different colours, huge bangs, the largest area of fireworks - and, this was only on one of the barges. The other barge was afloat on another side of the bridge and was in near sync with the one closest to us.
The Trip
S, R, the other S and myself were the originally planned persons for the trip, but the other S had to drop out, due to illness. Not wanting to send out a last minute call for a replacement, we set out early in the morning with a GPS receiver to boot. I used the time between when I declared myself ready and when S said he was to pack some grapes and strawberries which would undoubtedly go rotten over the weekend(the strawberries have). Songs provided by V kept us from listening to the radio. Breakfast, we planned at Columbus, where we chanced upon a Ohio Department of Taxation building, but alas, the Taco Bell right next to it was closed(around 9 am). So after a couple or exits we made ourselves comfortable at Waffle House with a sufficient breakfast.
Downtown Columbus was nice, with the highway providing a good high ground to have a look at buildings. After the long drive was downtown Cincinnati, which was even more splendid, with a stadium and bridge to another state adding to the view.
What was so different in Kentucky? Not much... apart from the traffic light-boxes being all black(yellow in Ohio) and the speed limit being slightly relaxed.
Following instructions provided by AP, we headed to Shalimar(North Indian restaurant) via high-traffic highways. This restaurant, for a very reasonable $8-$9 had ~15 dishes, which was more than we had even imagined. Add gulab jamun and halwa and ice-cream, well, no comment. After roaming around a near by store, we headed to the river front. The instructed by-lane was closed, so we headed out and parked at 8th Street parking space(Public Parking) for $20(had to swallow this cost as entry fees to the airshow). Policewomen guided us to a nice spot where we could get a good sight of the river and the bridge(which was actually a small area on the lower level of the Galt hotel). It was already well occupied with many bringing folding chairs and SLRs. I noticed an elderly gentleman wearing an Asphalt-Association cap dozing on and off, woken by the loud roar of the flyby aircraft engines.
Seating was nonexistant, though any open space closer to the edge of the river(no beach) was quickly being taken up. S and R moved there, while I tried sitting on the ledge and wait for the next plane.
Towards the evening we alternated between the top level and the river front, but as 9pm approached we huddled together in the increasingly crowded space, waiting for the fireworks, which as I mentioned was the most spectacular I have ever seen.
To be honest, capturing planes on either video or still images is easier said than done. With a simple P&S given the farther object, one has to zoom in a lot; then catching the plane as it comes across is highly demanding. For video, a plane moves in a 2D plane with reference to the camera. On this cloudy day, as the planes climbed, squinting and capturing the tiny speck by straining you neck was a happy challenge: lose it, feel sad; bring it into the frame again, feel satisfied. As with all electronics today, memory and battery power were severely restricting. I had to go for normal quality for the fireworks, but then the battery finally sputtered out towards the end. And, a tripod or a placing on a flat surface is a must for fireworks.
Around 10 pm after half an hour of colour in the sky, we had to head back to our car. That was when we realised the multitude of people gathered. An estimated 700000 people witnessed the fireworks, I would say we were in a crowd of about 100000. R and S mentioned a certain 4th street, so we headed there realising getting our car out would take a while. Walking across barricaded streets, 4th street presented itself in the form of a brightly lit guitar along with the '4th street'. There was a nightclub with attractive persons outside, obviously baiting passersby(cough cough), a couple of pubs, a mall since closed and then the 4th street experience came to an end. Unmoving cars on the street pointed clogged traffic, we decided the time we took to our car would provide time for the traffic to ease.
S probably jinxed the trip saying "I want to see more of Kentucky". Well, a lot of diversions, a couple of missed exits, a few incorrect instructions by the GPS reciever, a handful of tough words back and forth and an hour later, we finally made it to AP's house for the night. We had actually crossed the bridge into Indiana tyring to figure out the exits.
AP wasn't surprised it took us this long; we went to have 'dinner' at Taco Bell only to be informed only the drive through was open. So we went back in line, ordered stuff and retired for the night.
What an amazing day.
Mammoth Caves was following CST, probably they are at the western fringe of the time zone, while almost the rest of Kentucky was on EST. So that meant our 8 o'clock alarms-snoozed-to-10 o'clock got us to Mammoth just after 11.30 CST. A debate ensued for the most affordable tours(by time, strain and of course money). It was decided that Historic entrance would be the one, for which tickets cost $12.
Formed naturally by water, the caves are long and tall; we saw only a section of the cave system. Nitrates deposited from bat dung were once mined; it was only later that caves were a tourist spot. Walking along in a temperature controlled closed environment was akin to being in the biggest opera houses: huge empty spaces yet all in stone.
Lit by artificial bulbs switched on at the beginning of the group and switched off at the end(2 rangers accompanied us), there were short opening to step down backwards, narrow passages where you had to lift your hands and walk without hitting the sides, followed by a huge drop, right below, all carved by water. Towards the end there was a circular shaft akin to a massive silo, with water still dripping from the ceiling above.
The cave tour was belittling in the sense that this process started way way before any of us, still continues to take place, with a grandeur that is unsurpassed. I(we) were sad that we couldn't check out all of the cave, for that would take more time, given that home was an additional 1 and half hours away, after the 5 hours from Louisville.
Lunch was at Pizza Hut for S and R, Subway for me(cheese!!). I pay them after a tuna sandwich and they are still waiting for their order to arrive. Looking around the place, there were portraits of a few Confederate high ranking army men, not surprising given that Kentucky was a major flashpoint in the civil war.
Somewhere after this the rain Gods decided it was time to dish out an impromptu 6-hour driving test for S and R. On the highways, at close to 70 mph, the water running off the wheels is instantly vapourised, adding to the misery of the pouring rain and the overworked wipers.
For dinner, it had to be Chipotle, as Mexican or Indian food is the only filling type. We found one in downtown Columbus, also noticing known-in-Akron Alladin's too. A nice bol later it was another one and half hours on the road. The rain Gods were so successful in their meticulousness that neither of us noticed that gas had to be filled soon. It's so uncanny that that is when you hit a stretch of wilderness without a gas station anywhere to be seen. Was quite a distance, though.
And that is when S discovered that is credit card was inoperative because it was scammed. The next day he would tell me that his card had been blocked by the issuer. Ah well, he would say, what hasn't happened to me in this strange land.
Louisville was one hell of a ride.
For anyone planning a trip during Thunder over Louisville, you will have to bother mainly about staying overnight, making plans for Sunday, wherein Mammoth Caves would be a good idea.
Thunder over Louisville-Airshow
Coaxed by AP, S in turn called me for a trip to Louisville for 'an airshow' and fireworks. We arrived slightly later than the 3.3o pm start for the event, which started off with propeller planes flying in formation, followed by a helicopter doing tight manoeuvres: It was much like how a child would swing a toy helicopter in his own hands: turning left, right, upside down.
The entire air display was over the Ohio river, and we were on the Louisville side with the other bank being Indiana. The various aircraft demonstrated at approximately 20 min intervals, leaving some time to kill in between.
These were followed
by fighter planes: F16s, F22s, C130 Hercules, B52 bombers. Undoubtedly, the F-series were the star of the show: they would fly past at just sub-sonic speeds, with thunderous boom unmistakably attributable to a fighter plane. That roar sets your heart racing and adrenaline running. Especially the F22, which pushed the limits of how well one could control a plane. It would fly past at about 650mph and then suddenly rise, at a near 90 degree angle. Now the plane made a vertical climb - and then made a complete circle going upside down.Also impressive was an aerobatic display in a single engine propeller plane, which mimicked losing control, spiralling and pulling up just short of hitting the bridges.
Unlike my wishes, none of the planes flew under the bridges, I guess they would have been too close to the water.
An Osprey aircraft, one which has two propeller engines, but can swivel its propellers from parallel to the wing to perpendicular and become a sort of helicopter and hover was impressive. Two Chinook or Sea Hawk transport helicopters hovered just above the water surface, showing skills of the pilot.
C130 Hercules and B52 bombers are humongous planes, which merely did a fly past yet stunned with their sheer volume. There was also a demo by a power boat, much like the ones used in racing, which was in use by the Navy.
Full list of planes; better closeup shots of the planes.
Thunder over Louisville-Fireworks
Spectacular would be an understatement. Two separate barges, along with a bridge, were used to launch the fireworks. Half an hour of lights - different colours, huge bangs, the largest area of fireworks - and, this was only on one of the barges. The other barge was afloat on another side of the bridge and was in near sync with the one closest to us.
The Trip
S, R, the other S and myself were the originally planned persons for the trip, but the other S had to drop out, due to illness. Not wanting to send out a last minute call for a replacement, we set out early in the morning with a GPS receiver to boot. I used the time between when I declared myself ready and when S said he was to pack some grapes and strawberries which would undoubtedly go rotten over the weekend(the strawberries have). Songs provided by V kept us from listening to the radio. Breakfast, we planned at Columbus, where we chanced upon a Ohio Department of Taxation building, but alas, the Taco Bell right next to it was closed(around 9 am). So after a couple or exits we made ourselves comfortable at Waffle House with a sufficient breakfast.
Downtown Columbus was nice, with the highway providing a good high ground to have a look at buildings. After the long drive was downtown Cincinnati, which was even more splendid, with a stadium and bridge to another state adding to the view.
What was so different in Kentucky? Not much... apart from the traffic light-boxes being all black(yellow in Ohio) and the speed limit being slightly relaxed.
Following instructions provided by AP, we headed to Shalimar(North Indian restaurant) via high-traffic highways. This restaurant, for a very reasonable $8-$9 had ~15 dishes, which was more than we had even imagined. Add gulab jamun and halwa and ice-cream, well, no comment. After roaming around a near by store, we headed to the river front. The instructed by-lane was closed, so we headed out and parked at 8th Street parking space(Public Parking) for $20(had to swallow this cost as entry fees to the airshow). Policewomen guided us to a nice spot where we could get a good sight of the river and the bridge(which was actually a small area on the lower level of the Galt hotel). It was already well occupied with many bringing folding chairs and SLRs. I noticed an elderly gentleman wearing an Asphalt-Association cap dozing on and off, woken by the loud roar of the flyby aircraft engines.
Seating was nonexistant, though any open space closer to the edge of the river(no beach) was quickly being taken up. S and R moved there, while I tried sitting on the ledge and wait for the next plane.
Towards the evening we alternated between the top level and the river front, but as 9pm approached we huddled together in the increasingly crowded space, waiting for the fireworks, which as I mentioned was the most spectacular I have ever seen.
To be honest, capturing planes on either video or still images is easier said than done. With a simple P&S given the farther object, one has to zoom in a lot; then catching the plane as it comes across is highly demanding. For video, a plane moves in a 2D plane with reference to the camera. On this cloudy day, as the planes climbed, squinting and capturing the tiny speck by straining you neck was a happy challenge: lose it, feel sad; bring it into the frame again, feel satisfied. As with all electronics today, memory and battery power were severely restricting. I had to go for normal quality for the fireworks, but then the battery finally sputtered out towards the end. And, a tripod or a placing on a flat surface is a must for fireworks.
Around 10 pm after half an hour of colour in the sky, we had to head back to our car. That was when we realised the multitude of people gathered. An estimated 700000 people witnessed the fireworks, I would say we were in a crowd of about 100000. R and S mentioned a certain 4th street, so we headed there realising getting our car out would take a while. Walking across barricaded streets, 4th street presented itself in the form of a brightly lit guitar along with the '4th street'. There was a nightclub with attractive persons outside, obviously baiting passersby(cough cough), a couple of pubs, a mall since closed and then the 4th street experience came to an end. Unmoving cars on the street pointed clogged traffic, we decided the time we took to our car would provide time for the traffic to ease.
S probably jinxed the trip saying "I want to see more of Kentucky". Well, a lot of diversions, a couple of missed exits, a few incorrect instructions by the GPS reciever, a handful of tough words back and forth and an hour later, we finally made it to AP's house for the night. We had actually crossed the bridge into Indiana tyring to figure out the exits.
AP wasn't surprised it took us this long; we went to have 'dinner' at Taco Bell only to be informed only the drive through was open. So we went back in line, ordered stuff and retired for the night.
What an amazing day.
Mammoth Caves was following CST, probably they are at the western fringe of the time zone, while almost the rest of Kentucky was on EST. So that meant our 8 o'clock alarms-snoozed-to-10 o'clock got us to Mammoth just after 11.30 CST. A debate ensued for the most affordable tours(by time, strain and of course money). It was decided that Historic entrance would be the one, for which tickets cost $12.
Formed naturally by water, the caves are long and tall; we saw only a section of the cave system. Nitrates deposited from bat dung were once mined; it was only later that caves were a tourist spot. Walking along in a temperature controlled closed environment was akin to being in the biggest opera houses: huge empty spaces yet all in stone.
Lit by artificial bulbs switched on at the beginning of the group and switched off at the end(2 rangers accompanied us), there were short opening to step down backwards, narrow passages where you had to lift your hands and walk without hitting the sides, followed by a huge drop, right below, all carved by water. Towards the end there was a circular shaft akin to a massive silo, with water still dripping from the ceiling above.
The cave tour was belittling in the sense that this process started way way before any of us, still continues to take place, with a grandeur that is unsurpassed. I(we) were sad that we couldn't check out all of the cave, for that would take more time, given that home was an additional 1 and half hours away, after the 5 hours from Louisville.
Lunch was at Pizza Hut for S and R, Subway for me(cheese!!). I pay them after a tuna sandwich and they are still waiting for their order to arrive. Looking around the place, there were portraits of a few Confederate high ranking army men, not surprising given that Kentucky was a major flashpoint in the civil war.
Somewhere after this the rain Gods decided it was time to dish out an impromptu 6-hour driving test for S and R. On the highways, at close to 70 mph, the water running off the wheels is instantly vapourised, adding to the misery of the pouring rain and the overworked wipers.
For dinner, it had to be Chipotle, as Mexican or Indian food is the only filling type. We found one in downtown Columbus, also noticing known-in-Akron Alladin's too. A nice bol later it was another one and half hours on the road. The rain Gods were so successful in their meticulousness that neither of us noticed that gas had to be filled soon. It's so uncanny that that is when you hit a stretch of wilderness without a gas station anywhere to be seen. Was quite a distance, though.
And that is when S discovered that is credit card was inoperative because it was scammed. The next day he would tell me that his card had been blocked by the issuer. Ah well, he would say, what hasn't happened to me in this strange land.
Louisville was one hell of a ride.
For anyone planning a trip during Thunder over Louisville, you will have to bother mainly about staying overnight, making plans for Sunday, wherein Mammoth Caves would be a good idea.
Sunday, March 29, 2009
Bobby Jindal's mockery blows up
Governor Bobby Jindal was replying to President's speech and mocked the use of funds to 'monitor volcanic activity'. So much for that.
Well a volcano erupted(repeatedly) in Alaska, causing a fair amount of difficulty to residents in its shadow, but Gov Jindal was nowhere to be seen when asked for comment.
This is such a PR disaster for someone with the calibre to lead the GOP. With this debacle Gov has shot himself in the foot pretty badly. This episode will definitely come back to haunt him. Not to mention his bad reply-speech to the President.
Well a volcano erupted(repeatedly) in Alaska, causing a fair amount of difficulty to residents in its shadow, but Gov Jindal was nowhere to be seen when asked for comment.
This is such a PR disaster for someone with the calibre to lead the GOP. With this debacle Gov has shot himself in the foot pretty badly. This episode will definitely come back to haunt him. Not to mention his bad reply-speech to the President.
Friday, March 20, 2009
A common man's President
And so, the President of the United States went on a late night talk show to pitch to the average American guy.
It took a moment for me to realise the gravity of the situation: Jay Leno's guest chairs are frequented by actors, celebrities and the odd interesting guy. Essentially, Obama had the guts to go 'so low'. It doesn't show that he's cheap. It shows that he is willing to meet the average Joe, damn the naysayer.
The show did not disappoint. Obama gave the best stripped down explanation of why AIG and the banking sector as a whole is in a mess. All of what he said any person could understand; Leno did well by asking a few sharp questions like the tax-the-hated one. It isn't Leno's character to ask rough questions, moreover it is the news media's failure if they let Leno ask those type of questions.
What was achieved in this conversation? President told the nation what the problem was with AIG, what happened to it, where to head hereafter and that everyone should not freakout. Clearly seeing President on a normal show really showed what a humble person is. It gives a reassurance that President hasn't forgotten the common man, and isn't all that high-and-mighty as his position suggests.
Oh Mr. President, can't you stop putting your foot in your mouth? Your joke about the Special Olympics and Nancy Reagan's seances would work in personal circles but however good they are, please, stop them. They're a waste of time.
Image via; used under fair use of Clause 5a of Terms and Conditions.
Friday, March 13, 2009
All networks need a Jon Stewart
The smackdown of the year clearly highlights a bunch of things:
1. Jon Stewart has a hunger to call out the rotten apples in the basket
2. Only Jon Stewart has b*lls of steel(or is it Comedy Central?) to take on an entire network
3. All other news organisations are reluctant to point their finger in fear of repudiation.
As Jon said I feel sorry for Cramer who seems to have been 'thrown under the bus' by CNBC. It is unfortunate that he is taking most of the heat while it should be CNBC as a whole. I agree with a lot of what Jon said: CNBC was short on journalism when it was needed most.
Cramer was short of words, cornered, made to eat his own words, helpless to summarize. If you ask me, Cramer made a mistake by even trying to take on Jon when the former was highlighted on the show. If you're wrong, admit it or keep quiet, no use defending yourself.
In this country it is an open secret that for news youngsters rely mostly on late night shows, including Jay Leno and of course The Daily Show with Jon Stewart. That, for this nation, is downright shameful. Reverse analogy works beautifully: why would people watch Jon Stewart if what he does(the news analysis) is shown on a major network?
In retrospect, all Jon Stewart does is splice a few clips interspersed with a couple of holy words and unfunny funny faces. It is obvious that he needs material for a memorable show, however he hides behind the facade that he is just a comedian whenever he is criticised for being too soft on guests or boldly identifying farced situations.
The time has come for all networks to be brave and become true journalists. Some networks do have stalwarts, but they have their own obvious deficiencies. Bill O R sometimes is downright untrue, like Sean H; Keith O is with MSNBC(big parent company) and a well known liberal, the same problem with Rachel M; Katie C, Charles G and Brian W are all 'icons' of their respective media companies and it will surely be below their stature to point out silly inaccuracies in the media.
Actually, that is where the problem lies: Jon Stewart makes fun of the media, of which all these anchors are part of and will not be willing to dirty their spotless coats.
In my honest opinion the sharpest commentators in US TV are Jon, Colbert, Leno, Letterman, Craig Ferguson and to an extent Bill Maher. The stuff they mention in their monologues is seldom talked about in a news channel. Is it any coincidence that all of them are... comedians? Why is the mainstream media so afraid to talk about what comedians love? This was all too obvious at the height of the Palin debacle and the run up to the election - suddenly all the media were not fact checkers but peddlers with a crowd mentality. I particularly call out CNN, which for some reason refuses to stick its neck out.
Stewart has everyone's attention. It is a clarion call: call out nonsense, you will be a hero. It's happening everywhere. The Madoff whistleblower, the Stanford whistleblower.. Truth can be hidden. It can't be denied.
1. Jon Stewart has a hunger to call out the rotten apples in the basket
2. Only Jon Stewart has b*lls of steel(or is it Comedy Central?) to take on an entire network
3. All other news organisations are reluctant to point their finger in fear of repudiation.
As Jon said I feel sorry for Cramer who seems to have been 'thrown under the bus' by CNBC. It is unfortunate that he is taking most of the heat while it should be CNBC as a whole. I agree with a lot of what Jon said: CNBC was short on journalism when it was needed most.
Cramer was short of words, cornered, made to eat his own words, helpless to summarize. If you ask me, Cramer made a mistake by even trying to take on Jon when the former was highlighted on the show. If you're wrong, admit it or keep quiet, no use defending yourself.
In this country it is an open secret that for news youngsters rely mostly on late night shows, including Jay Leno and of course The Daily Show with Jon Stewart. That, for this nation, is downright shameful. Reverse analogy works beautifully: why would people watch Jon Stewart if what he does(the news analysis) is shown on a major network?
In retrospect, all Jon Stewart does is splice a few clips interspersed with a couple of holy words and unfunny funny faces. It is obvious that he needs material for a memorable show, however he hides behind the facade that he is just a comedian whenever he is criticised for being too soft on guests or boldly identifying farced situations.
The time has come for all networks to be brave and become true journalists. Some networks do have stalwarts, but they have their own obvious deficiencies. Bill O R sometimes is downright untrue, like Sean H; Keith O is with MSNBC(big parent company) and a well known liberal, the same problem with Rachel M; Katie C, Charles G and Brian W are all 'icons' of their respective media companies and it will surely be below their stature to point out silly inaccuracies in the media.
Actually, that is where the problem lies: Jon Stewart makes fun of the media, of which all these anchors are part of and will not be willing to dirty their spotless coats.
In my honest opinion the sharpest commentators in US TV are Jon, Colbert, Leno, Letterman, Craig Ferguson and to an extent Bill Maher. The stuff they mention in their monologues is seldom talked about in a news channel. Is it any coincidence that all of them are... comedians? Why is the mainstream media so afraid to talk about what comedians love? This was all too obvious at the height of the Palin debacle and the run up to the election - suddenly all the media were not fact checkers but peddlers with a crowd mentality. I particularly call out CNN, which for some reason refuses to stick its neck out.
Stewart has everyone's attention. It is a clarion call: call out nonsense, you will be a hero. It's happening everywhere. The Madoff whistleblower, the Stanford whistleblower.. Truth can be hidden. It can't be denied.
Tuesday, March 10, 2009
Sort-of-New-Year resolution: Expense logging
Manju's standard reply every year is 1024 x 768. Which I adapt after I have seen his.
Otherwise, I think I can make this my New Year resolution: logging every expense on an Excel sheet.
I've been doing it since the mid of Jan, and you won't see it until you feel it. There are multiple entries, but none so costly requiring a 'cut' in expenses. Yet the month end balance is large.
I try to be as deep in details as possible: every receipt is reproduced, with items' weight/volume and price noted, ensuring a price per weight column helping to compare similar products from two retailers.
Just looking at one month's total is scary enough. I highly recommend it for anyone. No point of complaining of lack of time: it's just a matter of remembering to enter all expenses, you can do it while say watching a movie.
This is not exactly a budget excel sheet: it is just an expense sheet for comparisons. The expenses can always be tallied with a credit card statement or a bank statement, but if you are thorough it won't be necessary.
In fact, I challenge you. Keep it for atleast one month: each and every paisa or penny spent, note it in Excel and add it up for the month. It is the middle of the month, doesn't matter at all.
I can tell you one thing: You will quiver in your feet. It also helps compare prices over time: I have noticed that some items have decreased in price dramatically, while others have increased a bit. This will prove to be a brilliant historical archive too - 5 years down the line you can track inflation on your own or brag about the intricate pricings of a bygone era.
There are several online expense tracking sites, but they do not ensure privacy. Maintain a simple Excel sheet.
Leave a comment about your trials.
Otherwise, I think I can make this my New Year resolution: logging every expense on an Excel sheet.
I've been doing it since the mid of Jan, and you won't see it until you feel it. There are multiple entries, but none so costly requiring a 'cut' in expenses. Yet the month end balance is large.
I try to be as deep in details as possible: every receipt is reproduced, with items' weight/volume and price noted, ensuring a price per weight column helping to compare similar products from two retailers.
Just looking at one month's total is scary enough. I highly recommend it for anyone. No point of complaining of lack of time: it's just a matter of remembering to enter all expenses, you can do it while say watching a movie.
This is not exactly a budget excel sheet: it is just an expense sheet for comparisons. The expenses can always be tallied with a credit card statement or a bank statement, but if you are thorough it won't be necessary.
In fact, I challenge you. Keep it for atleast one month: each and every paisa or penny spent, note it in Excel and add it up for the month. It is the middle of the month, doesn't matter at all.
I can tell you one thing: You will quiver in your feet. It also helps compare prices over time: I have noticed that some items have decreased in price dramatically, while others have increased a bit. This will prove to be a brilliant historical archive too - 5 years down the line you can track inflation on your own or brag about the intricate pricings of a bygone era.
There are several online expense tracking sites, but they do not ensure privacy. Maintain a simple Excel sheet.
Leave a comment about your trials.
Saturday, March 7, 2009
We could have lost all the Sri Lankan players
The night it happened, the reports were scarce, I assumed it was a random group of gunmen trying to create a commotion by shooting at the bus.
The next day, things were much darker. The 'terrorists' shot at the tyres of the bus, tried to kill the driver and everyone(managed to kill the driver in the 2nd bus).
It is chilling to even imagine the situation of losing an entire sports team. Call it sheer luck, no one was critically injured. One of the umpires wasn't so lucky, with a collapsed lung and damaged liver.
The assailants killed policemen escorting the convoy and supposedly wanted to hijack the bus and hold them in exchange for jailed militants - an even worse situation.
Charges have been flying about a conspiracy to strand the convoy - vehemently denied - but yet, that the terrorists managed to ambush the bus a short distance from the stadium where SL won the World Cup shows that it was an elaborate plan to ensure maximum damage.
I shudder everytime I think of what might have happened if things had gone slightly differently - we could have lost an entire team of players.
Pakistan now essentially has had armed attacks on high profile targets both outside and inside its borders and seems to be losing grip over the state of affairs.
A peaceful Pakistan is essential for the a peaceful India. US involvement in the coming days will shape a lot of internal affairs now.
The next day, things were much darker. The 'terrorists' shot at the tyres of the bus, tried to kill the driver and everyone(managed to kill the driver in the 2nd bus).
It is chilling to even imagine the situation of losing an entire sports team. Call it sheer luck, no one was critically injured. One of the umpires wasn't so lucky, with a collapsed lung and damaged liver.
The assailants killed policemen escorting the convoy and supposedly wanted to hijack the bus and hold them in exchange for jailed militants - an even worse situation.
Charges have been flying about a conspiracy to strand the convoy - vehemently denied - but yet, that the terrorists managed to ambush the bus a short distance from the stadium where SL won the World Cup shows that it was an elaborate plan to ensure maximum damage.
I shudder everytime I think of what might have happened if things had gone slightly differently - we could have lost an entire team of players.
Pakistan now essentially has had armed attacks on high profile targets both outside and inside its borders and seems to be losing grip over the state of affairs.
A peaceful Pakistan is essential for the a peaceful India. US involvement in the coming days will shape a lot of internal affairs now.
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