Passport Photo Ripoff
I am miffed by the rip-off they call passport photos in places like walgreens.
You get your picture taken by a plain digital camera and then get charged like 8 bucks to get TWO prints..
For most people this is ok when they do like one passport photo probably there whole life. BUt if you have a family of say 5 , that is 40 $ .
Well to some extend I can understand the costing , pricing , employee wages what really gets on my nerve is that if you need just plain extra copies , you still pay 8$ for every additional two , Now that does not make any economic sense . There is not extra labour involved.
And this photo gets printed on a 4*6 photograph with 6 copies on it , they cut out 2 and dispose off 4 into trash ..
So time to get back with technology in this age of smart and savvy spending.
Check out this post by someone who got this whole expense down to 2 bucks setup ( if you alredy have a digital camera ) and less than $1 per 6 copies..
Got to love this great service which lets you resize photos the way you want to passport photo sizes
Tuesday, September 01, 2009
Monday, July 27, 2009
10 Pillar test of a Free Economy
These principles are a guiding light towards a free economy.
I have copied this from an internationally accepted working paper developed by The American Economic Foundation
1. Nothing in our material world can come from nowhere or go nowhere, nor can it be free: everything in our economic life has a source, a destination, and a cost that must be paid.
Simply put, there is no such thing as a free lunch. Everything has a cost regardless of promises from politicians.
2. Government is never a source of goods. Everything produced is produced by the people, and everything that government gives to the people, it must first take from the people.
Recently, 25 percent of Americans who were asked in a survey how the government pays for its programs said it was because the US "has its own money." Those people need to be familiar with this Pillar. The bailouts we have seen by many countries will have cost plenty and will have a profound impact on our economy.
3. The only valuable money that government has to spend is that money taxed or borrowed out of the people's earnings. When government decides to spend more than it has thus received, that extra unearned money is created out of thin air, through the banks, and, when spent, takes on value only by reducing the value of all money, savings, and insurance.
Much of the new spending we have seen and is being financed by fiat money (essentially counterfeit) and will result in rampant inflation. Other parts of the spending will be paid for by future generations. Finally, some will be paid by foreign governments who invest in such debt
4. In our modern exchange economy, all payroll and employment come from customers, and the only worthwhile job security is customer security; if there are no customers, there can be no payroll and no jobs.
Labor unions have long tried to create an economic world that is detached from reality. If labor wants job security, they must accommodate customers. There is no other way to assure long term job stability.
5. Customer security can be achieved by the worker only when he cooperates with management in doing the things that win and hold customers. Job security, therefore, is a partnership problem that can be solved only in a spirit of understanding and cooperation.
Unions often want an adversarial relationship with business, but job security can only come if the two are partners pursuing customers together.
6. Because wages are the principal cost of everything, widespread wage increases, without corresponding increase in production, simply increase the cost of everybody's living.
An example of this is minimum wage. When it goes up, so do prices, and if the job isn't worth the wage, it will be lost. This solves the mystery as to why minimum wage increases are both rare and devastating. For eg My parents chose not to harvest some of our coconut crop as it is not economicallyt feasible to pay someone to harvest and sell it at a loss.
7. The greatest good for the greatest number means, in its material sense, the greatest goods for the greatest number which, in turn, means the greatest productivity per worker.
Production is the best way to keep an economy strong, and those who participate in it growing financially. The best way to encourage productivity is for a government to keep the costs of production as low as possible. This is done through a stable money supply, low taxes, and few regulations.
8. All productivity is based on three factors: 1) natural resources (NR), whose form, place and condition are changed by the expenditure of 2) human energy (HE) (both muscular and mental), with the aid of 3) tools (T).
This is straight forward enough. These three factors make up the totality of the economy. As a formula, this is seen at NR + HE x T = Man's Material Welfare.
9. Tools are the only one of these three factors that man can increase without limit, and tools come into being in a free society only when there is a reward for the temporary self-denial that people must practice in order to channel part of their earnings away from purchases that produce immediate comfort and pleasure, and into new tools of production. Proper payment for the use of tools is essential to their creation.
Tools are the only one of these that can increase without limit. An example of this is agriculture, which was the dominant industry in the late 1700s and early 1800s, with the majority of our population working in that area. Today, the number who work in it are in the single digits and the abundance of food could not be greater. Tools are what have changed everything.
10. The productivity of the tools — that is, the efficiency of the human energy applied in connection with their use — has always been highest in a competitive society in which the economic decisions are made by millions of progress-seeking individuals, rather than in a state-planned society in which those decisions are made by a handful of all-powerful people, regardless of how well-meaning, unselfish, sincere and intelligent those people may be.
The genius of the many individuals when it comes to economic prosperity is always greater than the few or even the majority that would impose its view of "fairness" on the economy. This is the "invisible hand" that Adam Smith spoke of so eloquently in his The Wealth of Nations.
These Pillars are factual, logical, and without a political agenda. They provide excellent benchmarks on what works in the economic system. Pass this tool on to others who are trying to figure out the headlines and let freedom ring!
These principles are a guiding light towards a free economy.
I have copied this from an internationally accepted working paper developed by The American Economic Foundation
1. Nothing in our material world can come from nowhere or go nowhere, nor can it be free: everything in our economic life has a source, a destination, and a cost that must be paid.
Simply put, there is no such thing as a free lunch. Everything has a cost regardless of promises from politicians.
2. Government is never a source of goods. Everything produced is produced by the people, and everything that government gives to the people, it must first take from the people.
Recently, 25 percent of Americans who were asked in a survey how the government pays for its programs said it was because the US "has its own money." Those people need to be familiar with this Pillar. The bailouts we have seen by many countries will have cost plenty and will have a profound impact on our economy.
3. The only valuable money that government has to spend is that money taxed or borrowed out of the people's earnings. When government decides to spend more than it has thus received, that extra unearned money is created out of thin air, through the banks, and, when spent, takes on value only by reducing the value of all money, savings, and insurance.
Much of the new spending we have seen and is being financed by fiat money (essentially counterfeit) and will result in rampant inflation. Other parts of the spending will be paid for by future generations. Finally, some will be paid by foreign governments who invest in such debt
4. In our modern exchange economy, all payroll and employment come from customers, and the only worthwhile job security is customer security; if there are no customers, there can be no payroll and no jobs.
Labor unions have long tried to create an economic world that is detached from reality. If labor wants job security, they must accommodate customers. There is no other way to assure long term job stability.
5. Customer security can be achieved by the worker only when he cooperates with management in doing the things that win and hold customers. Job security, therefore, is a partnership problem that can be solved only in a spirit of understanding and cooperation.
Unions often want an adversarial relationship with business, but job security can only come if the two are partners pursuing customers together.
6. Because wages are the principal cost of everything, widespread wage increases, without corresponding increase in production, simply increase the cost of everybody's living.
An example of this is minimum wage. When it goes up, so do prices, and if the job isn't worth the wage, it will be lost. This solves the mystery as to why minimum wage increases are both rare and devastating. For eg My parents chose not to harvest some of our coconut crop as it is not economicallyt feasible to pay someone to harvest and sell it at a loss.
7. The greatest good for the greatest number means, in its material sense, the greatest goods for the greatest number which, in turn, means the greatest productivity per worker.
Production is the best way to keep an economy strong, and those who participate in it growing financially. The best way to encourage productivity is for a government to keep the costs of production as low as possible. This is done through a stable money supply, low taxes, and few regulations.
8. All productivity is based on three factors: 1) natural resources (NR), whose form, place and condition are changed by the expenditure of 2) human energy (HE) (both muscular and mental), with the aid of 3) tools (T).
This is straight forward enough. These three factors make up the totality of the economy. As a formula, this is seen at NR + HE x T = Man's Material Welfare.
9. Tools are the only one of these three factors that man can increase without limit, and tools come into being in a free society only when there is a reward for the temporary self-denial that people must practice in order to channel part of their earnings away from purchases that produce immediate comfort and pleasure, and into new tools of production. Proper payment for the use of tools is essential to their creation.
Tools are the only one of these that can increase without limit. An example of this is agriculture, which was the dominant industry in the late 1700s and early 1800s, with the majority of our population working in that area. Today, the number who work in it are in the single digits and the abundance of food could not be greater. Tools are what have changed everything.
10. The productivity of the tools — that is, the efficiency of the human energy applied in connection with their use — has always been highest in a competitive society in which the economic decisions are made by millions of progress-seeking individuals, rather than in a state-planned society in which those decisions are made by a handful of all-powerful people, regardless of how well-meaning, unselfish, sincere and intelligent those people may be.
The genius of the many individuals when it comes to economic prosperity is always greater than the few or even the majority that would impose its view of "fairness" on the economy. This is the "invisible hand" that Adam Smith spoke of so eloquently in his The Wealth of Nations.
These Pillars are factual, logical, and without a political agenda. They provide excellent benchmarks on what works in the economic system. Pass this tool on to others who are trying to figure out the headlines and let freedom ring!
Friday, July 17, 2009
Real time Terrain generation , depth sensing camera
Surface computing is becoming more and more mainstream .. Surface appsa have been rolling out . The At& T store in atlanta , An hotel in Dubai . Casinos in vegas.
This one is Andy Wilson showing off real time terrain generation / XNA .
Mindblowing
Surface computing is becoming more and more mainstream .. Surface appsa have been rolling out . The At& T store in atlanta , An hotel in Dubai . Casinos in vegas.
This one is Andy Wilson showing off real time terrain generation / XNA .
Mindblowing
Monday, April 06, 2009
I am in love with TED . Dont mis understand me . I am talking about TED (Technology, Entertainment, Design) is an invitation-only event where the world's leading thinkers and doers gather to find inspiration.
I dont know if you have watched some of the latest ted news , I am blown away by vemost but one thing that caught my fancy is the BumpTop . A collegue of mine was gracious enought to send me an invite and I am hooked on this thing . It does take a little it of time to get used to the new paradigm and I am resisting the urge on certain times to go back to the standard feel I have with held that .
You can watch the bumptop video here .
I played around with some photos on the bumptop of Adithi and here is what I got .
BumpTop
I dont know if you have watched some of the latest ted news , I am blown away by vemost but one thing that caught my fancy is the BumpTop . A collegue of mine was gracious enought to send me an invite and I am hooked on this thing . It does take a little it of time to get used to the new paradigm and I am resisting the urge on certain times to go back to the standard feel I have with held that .
You can watch the bumptop video here .
I played around with some photos on the bumptop of Adithi and here is what I got .
BumpTop
Wednesday, March 04, 2009
Rediscovering Shuttle
My recent not so good blood work has me taken up my old passion for sports , esp Shuttle . First and foremost shuttle is not a very popular sport in the US . I went to Academy , went to couple of sport store and none of them carry the feathers that we all love to play with , feathers are more nice as they give you more initial top speed and then a good drag allowing for more nicer shots that you can play and master like cuts and back hands.
I found a few good stuff online and got them ordered . I already lost a few pounds and according to Mrs Lee who is my family doctor within a year I could get back to maybe just a pill . WE south asians as a race has got addicted to rice. Cutting down rice is the important lesson that I learned in these last 3 weeks and also the amount of love and support that I am getting from my friends :-)
Love you all .
I wanted to write this post on shuttle but got sidetracked ,oh well will do that the next post
My recent not so good blood work has me taken up my old passion for sports , esp Shuttle . First and foremost shuttle is not a very popular sport in the US . I went to Academy , went to couple of sport store and none of them carry the feathers that we all love to play with , feathers are more nice as they give you more initial top speed and then a good drag allowing for more nicer shots that you can play and master like cuts and back hands.
I found a few good stuff online and got them ordered . I already lost a few pounds and according to Mrs Lee who is my family doctor within a year I could get back to maybe just a pill . WE south asians as a race has got addicted to rice. Cutting down rice is the important lesson that I learned in these last 3 weeks and also the amount of love and support that I am getting from my friends :-)
Love you all .
I wanted to write this post on shuttle but got sidetracked ,oh well will do that the next post
Thursday, October 02, 2008
Wednesday, October 01, 2008
Board Games
I have been spending many weekends now playing boardgames with friends . I used to be a Monopoly addict as a kid , I am now playing "ticket to ride" , UNO, Muchkin , Guillotine and Carcassone . All excellent games in my opinion .
It has added a lot of color to my weekends and I watch less TV whihc I think is a good thing
I have been spending many weekends now playing boardgames with friends . I used to be a Monopoly addict as a kid , I am now playing "ticket to ride" , UNO, Muchkin , Guillotine and Carcassone . All excellent games in my opinion .
It has added a lot of color to my weekends and I watch less TV whihc I think is a good thing
Saturday, August 16, 2008
Typo's and Misspells
I got some comments on one of my articles below , regarding misspellings and typo's and here is my reply. This is my own little real estate in cyberland . Like your house it could sometime be a mess sometime be pristine. I never proof read it especially an emotional piece like that one written over 7 years ago . The misspells are a nostalgic touch . For a spell check done tech site I write , Check out my profile.
I do appreciate feedback , but sometimes you just have to be what you are to enjoy y this digital life.
I got some comments on one of my articles below , regarding misspellings and typo's and here is my reply. This is my own little real estate in cyberland . Like your house it could sometime be a mess sometime be pristine. I never proof read it especially an emotional piece like that one written over 7 years ago . The misspells are a nostalgic touch . For a spell check done tech site I write , Check out my profile.
I do appreciate feedback , but sometimes you just have to be what you are to enjoy y this digital life.
Saturday, May 17, 2008
Scraps on Freinds and Friendship
This is an old artice of mine reposted.
Hi folks
Abhi: So here I am again with another edition of voltage
You :wont this guy ever stop
Abhi : well not yet, I thought you might like to ..
You : What you thought ..
Abhi: I mena I thought oyu might be interested in,..
You : well frankly I am not but.. go ahead if you are particular
ABhi : It's voltage 4 ,So folks interested read on..
Unlike the the first 3 editions of voltage this voltage is differenet as
there are not many chareters in this like before ,the only charecer that
is i this story is Me and Myself , and another important feature is that this time it is
being published from London ah ! nothing liek an oversees edition
I dont know why I am writing this but I just write ..as I have always written
and the most important thing about what I write is I rarely read them once I have written so folks pease generously forgive all spelling grammer and illegibele words sentences Now that I have taken advance Jamyam . the story begins..
ACT 1
The story begins in a litle library called kishath ,this library is a situated in a pretty rusky old building which was once a palace officials house ,the memnership fee of this library s 3 Rs per month , another important feature of this librabry is the number of afternoon chess players that you will see in the library and on a dusky evning you see
Abhi and Shyam playing chess
Abhi : your move
Shyam : Iknow . ( shyam is pondering .. over how to save his bishop )
Abhi : You know I have to head home it's seven now
Shyam : Nee kurachu advantageous position aanengi ninakkudan veeti ponam ,
I am takig my time
Abhi : oh ok but make it fast ok . I need to get ready for that Math test coming up
Shyam : since when did you start studying for maths tests Holmes
Abhi : Well I have decided to chage no more ozhappal Watson
Shyam : Somebody please pinch me
Abhi : No da I am serious
Shyam : I know and you know that you are the residnet Math whiz of our class
Abhi :Yeah , and you are the physics whiz I suppose. So what was that flaw in the
Einsteins theory of relativity that you found out..
Shyam : There now (moves the rook into position ) now ah
Abhi : Good move.. (thinks over he board )
Shyam : Dont you want to go home now
Abhi : well hang on..
Shyam : Remember the Maths test ..
Abhi : ok ..ok. write the board down .. we will catch up after Math test on thursay
Shyam : ok.. notes down the position and returns the board to the cabinet
Both come out of the library
Abhi : (climbs on the cycle) need a lift home ..
Shyam : Yes .. mind the gutters ok .
Abhi : No one is compelling you .. ah.
Shyam : Hey man have you wondered what will happen to us in future
Abhi : yeah well kind of..but I want to be an engineer you know build dams and stuff
Shyam : I would like to take a PhD in physics
Abhi : Well who know s what life has in store .
Shyam : True but whatever it is going to be I know we wil always be friends..
Abhi : yeah.. I was thinking of that.. math question ..
The cycle and riders fade into the night ..
ACT 2
football ground Zameer is sitting on the half wall near the ground , Abhi comes
Abhi : So had lunch?
Zameer: yeah somehow managed to send it doen my easophagus
Abhi : what ?
Zameer: Food pipe
Abhi : well never was much good at biology though see cant draw much
Zameer: sure, No wonder scince maam caught you with that predrawn picture you traced from
the text book
Abhi : Well I knew how the oicture went but I just was not able to draw it free form
Zameer: But that's cheating
Abhi : well anyway she almost flunk me by giving 42 although I had scored 92 actually she
penalised me 50 marks so this time no A+
Zameer: Its a good lesson for you
Abhi : Anyway I dont need to learn much biology later on thank god to get into engg
Zameer: we will see where life wil take us pal.One thing I think is we will always be
friends
Abhi : What what did I do to deserve that torture ,I protest
Zameer: You can save the protests for later lets put team gotta play atleast 15 over match
today
Abhi : Ok pal but somebidy got to umpire neutral LBW
Zameer: come on. dont crib just becasue you lost the last match with us
Abhi : well that decision of LBW was not correct you knwo
Zameer: oh yeah..
( both gets up and sprints of.. )
ACT 3
Chemistry lab , students busy with different lab excercises in groups of two we see one
girl frantically looking out of the window. Abhi walks in
Anita : Well there you are ? what took you so long, you know we have to find
analyse 3 salts today ,
Abhi : Skip the lecture ,So yo ugot the salts good
Anita : yeah, and I bet you havent ought Match box
Abhi : well yes , How did you guess that ?
Anita : Never Mind (mutters something )
Abhi : You said something
Anita : well I bought an extra match box for you and one more thing dont speak to me
while I am doing these tests ok .
Abhi : ok , just becasue you bring the match box for me.. in lab does not mean you have to
act so pricey ..and.. well that composition that you let me copy.. and..standing by
my side in that Editorial issue
Anita : looks on.. oh.. really ..
Abhi : But hey Hang on, who helps you with your Pascal lab .
Anita : Hang on . I can ask anyone else .ok.
Abhi : Oh , really accidentaly spill some chemical on his hands
Anita : Mind it , damn .wash your hand
Abhi : Ok. cool you know i dont know why I have to go through chemistry to become an
Engineer,
Anita : stupid question , you got chemistry in the entrance
Abhi : yeah but this lab ..
...........
..........
Anita : Well catch you in class ,
Abhi : why dont you help me with this brown ring experiment for nitrates
Anita : Frankly you are getting a violitish shade ring instead of a brown ring if I were you
I would skip this nitrate part and try Iodide test .
Abhi : ( smiles ) Thanks I owe you one
...............
.............
Act 3
House no 70 C wing ,you can see a lake in the picture and there seems to be muffled sounds
oming form a room and in the room is a guy with a guitar and another guy slouched on the
coach
GWTG (Guy With The Guitar ) : you like this song
GOTC (Guy On The Couch ) : too much noise
GWTG : oh yeah this is the Wall
GOTC : oh really well frankly befeor I met you I never knew much english music
GWTG : This is not english music man this is metal
GOTC : whatever
GWTG : Here listen to this part about where you will feeli like helicopters allaround you
GOTC : What of that
GWTG : Thats just guitar and Drums
GOTC : Oh that really smart
GWTG : See yo are geting the hang of rock and roll
GOTC : Wont impress Liz though
GWTG : What ,What did yo say
GOTC : Nothing,
GWTG : No you said somethig ,
GOTC : Oh yeah , what if I did
GWTG : Well say it agian
GOTC : Well I just wanted to say if you want to impress Liz this wont work
GWTG : Who said I wanted to impress Liz
GOTC : Hey man , you claim I am your best frinend and remeber the day you bought those
drawings to class
GWTG : well yeah , what of that
GOTC : When I asked you for a small draing once I remember your lecture on how you are
attached to that drawing and stuff like that and when Liz cams and asked you said
"Sure Liz ... "
GWTG : Well that does not prove a thing
GOTC : oh yeah it does ,at lease it proves that your best friend wont get a drawing but
Liz can
GWTG : Ok but that is circumstantial evidence
GOTC : and in the class party you were dancing with her
GWTG : What of it you were dancing with Anita too
GOTC : oh well that is different you see eveyone knows me and Anita are freinds from day 1
we were friends even before we were friends
GWTG : Ok agreed then liz is also my friend ok
GOTC : Friend my foot , what was this bands name again "Pink panther did you say ?"
GWTG : (throws up his handds ) Pink Floyd !!
GOTC : Whatever i am hungry
GWTG : Well tell me when you are not ?
voices die down..
well time has passed by I have completed the BTech course which in itself is a big journey
most of my friends I have mentioed bfeore got into engineering colleges , Shyam got into CET
, Anita into REC , GWTG into MA , Zameer ino Model , All of them were really really close
friends of mine at some point in time and in engg colleges I have met so many more friends
some of whom are vert dear and near to me . Deepa , Archie , Jayson ,Siad, SPK (Sam Pavana
and Kaks ) , Ani , vineet, shyam ,Harish ,sanoop to name a few but time has slowly widened
the gap between us and today sitting here I was pondering what is that about life that is so
amazing so mystic that it is never prdictable .Inspite of being so close one drifts apart
from them slowly slowly without you yourself tknowing that the drift has come , slowly but
surely you enter into different worlds into diferent realms
Now today sitting here in London I was saying good bye to a freind whom I met Ahamed and
in just 2 months we have become so good friends and while he was saying that " I will miss
you whe you are gone " I sat down and started writing this "what is it that point when a
casual acquaintance becomes a frined and what is friendship anyway ,wha makes you gel with
some but not with the others
" someody once told me friends are people with whom you can sit on a
porch silently all day and them walk out as if you had the best conversation of all "
Yes thats true frieds are indeed a gift ,and I have also known that
" FRIENDSHIPS are different from relationships ,You can be great chums
with your partner, of course, but a relationship is so much more complex.
It is not only about that enrapturing feeling called love, but -
if you are unlucky - also a host of murky emotions like jealousy, resentment,
anger, pain and despair. Friendship is simpler and fills you, mostly, with harmless Type B emotions-kindliness, fondness, warmth and cordiality. With a lover, you
make demands and have expectations. But with a friend, you're cool.
You don't really owe him or her anything, or have to explain much, because,
ultimately, you demand nothing more from each other than pleasant
company and an occasional listening ear"
The older I get the more I value my freinds buy strangely it gets harder and harder for me to maintain them ,In schools you moved in a group and you become close just naturallly but then as you move up into college you are a bit more cautious and when it comes to workplace you are relly scared to make a friend but then some do become close and you never know when they become an integeral part of life one thing could be the same probles or difficult times tat you undergo or helping ewach other out on a rough patch but the fact remains the older you get you will get less and less new freinds you get The most cruellest part of friendship is that it can die ,some through sheer distance ,some through sheer circumstances when somebody moves up in life he or she becomes too busy for you and you dont want to risk rejection by trying to keep in contact with him or her Some you lose when they get married you are not sure if they would still like to be contacted while some simply stop checking mails ,some just gets a new mail id and give it to the list of people they can think on the first shot ,sadly many they miss out unknowingly
such are the cruelties of time
Why I mentioed this is becasue of how my friendship with shyam suddenly died ,we used to talk for long hours in the library under he moonlight when we were walking home ,and we used to call each other and one day he had moved to pandalam and he said he will leave me his new number ,He called me from pandalam once left me his number i wrote it down and that paper got washed in the washing machine and then I waited for his next call for some days he didnt call (whihc was normal) and then some months passed by ( I was a bit alarmed ) and then months became years ( time had pulled the cord on the relation ) and then one day I saw him
we talked for few minutes but we were both rushing off me to office and he to receive somebody but it never felt the same ,I felt awkward stupid,I wished him all the bes t and that was it
Now coming to the present after 2 years of college life I can see thew same thing happen to me with many of my frined slowly but surely I see them drifting apart ,I have not always tried my level best to keep those bonds but surely I have tried one of the reason why I made this mailing list ,I dont know if I will write another voltage I am hoping that I wil but I am starting to feel awkward writing voltage now and presenting to you as the number of people I can assosciate are slowly fading in numbers So waht I would like to say is that please keep in touch with your friends dont lose them even if you have not phoned them up for months its ok ,pick up that phone and call them now . or take a post card and write a letter , and lastly let me quote something that i heard once
" Many times in our lives, we are dropped, crumpled, and ground into the dirt by our own wrong decisions and by circumstances and by others. But no matter what has happened or what will happen, you will never lose your value. Each one is special in his own way - Don't ever forget it! Never let yesterday's disappointments overshadow tomorrow's dreams. "
I wish you all the very best !!
This is an old artice of mine reposted.
Hi folks
Abhi: So here I am again with another edition of voltage
You :wont this guy ever stop
Abhi : well not yet, I thought you might like to ..
You : What you thought ..
Abhi: I mena I thought oyu might be interested in,..
You : well frankly I am not but.. go ahead if you are particular
ABhi : It's voltage 4 ,So folks interested read on..
Unlike the the first 3 editions of voltage this voltage is differenet as
there are not many chareters in this like before ,the only charecer that
is i this story is Me and Myself , and another important feature is that this time it is
being published from London ah ! nothing liek an oversees edition
I dont know why I am writing this but I just write ..as I have always written
and the most important thing about what I write is I rarely read them once I have written so folks pease generously forgive all spelling grammer and illegibele words sentences Now that I have taken advance Jamyam . the story begins..
ACT 1
The story begins in a litle library called kishath ,this library is a situated in a pretty rusky old building which was once a palace officials house ,the memnership fee of this library s 3 Rs per month , another important feature of this librabry is the number of afternoon chess players that you will see in the library and on a dusky evning you see
Abhi and Shyam playing chess
Abhi : your move
Shyam : Iknow . ( shyam is pondering .. over how to save his bishop )
Abhi : You know I have to head home it's seven now
Shyam : Nee kurachu advantageous position aanengi ninakkudan veeti ponam ,
I am takig my time
Abhi : oh ok but make it fast ok . I need to get ready for that Math test coming up
Shyam : since when did you start studying for maths tests Holmes
Abhi : Well I have decided to chage no more ozhappal Watson
Shyam : Somebody please pinch me
Abhi : No da I am serious
Shyam : I know and you know that you are the residnet Math whiz of our class
Abhi :Yeah , and you are the physics whiz I suppose. So what was that flaw in the
Einsteins theory of relativity that you found out..
Shyam : There now (moves the rook into position ) now ah
Abhi : Good move.. (thinks over he board )
Shyam : Dont you want to go home now
Abhi : well hang on..
Shyam : Remember the Maths test ..
Abhi : ok ..ok. write the board down .. we will catch up after Math test on thursay
Shyam : ok.. notes down the position and returns the board to the cabinet
Both come out of the library
Abhi : (climbs on the cycle) need a lift home ..
Shyam : Yes .. mind the gutters ok .
Abhi : No one is compelling you .. ah.
Shyam : Hey man have you wondered what will happen to us in future
Abhi : yeah well kind of..but I want to be an engineer you know build dams and stuff
Shyam : I would like to take a PhD in physics
Abhi : Well who know s what life has in store .
Shyam : True but whatever it is going to be I know we wil always be friends..
Abhi : yeah.. I was thinking of that.. math question ..
The cycle and riders fade into the night ..
ACT 2
football ground Zameer is sitting on the half wall near the ground , Abhi comes
Abhi : So had lunch?
Zameer: yeah somehow managed to send it doen my easophagus
Abhi : what ?
Zameer: Food pipe
Abhi : well never was much good at biology though see cant draw much
Zameer: sure, No wonder scince maam caught you with that predrawn picture you traced from
the text book
Abhi : Well I knew how the oicture went but I just was not able to draw it free form
Zameer: But that's cheating
Abhi : well anyway she almost flunk me by giving 42 although I had scored 92 actually she
penalised me 50 marks so this time no A+
Zameer: Its a good lesson for you
Abhi : Anyway I dont need to learn much biology later on thank god to get into engg
Zameer: we will see where life wil take us pal.One thing I think is we will always be
friends
Abhi : What what did I do to deserve that torture ,I protest
Zameer: You can save the protests for later lets put team gotta play atleast 15 over match
today
Abhi : Ok pal but somebidy got to umpire neutral LBW
Zameer: come on. dont crib just becasue you lost the last match with us
Abhi : well that decision of LBW was not correct you knwo
Zameer: oh yeah..
( both gets up and sprints of.. )
ACT 3
Chemistry lab , students busy with different lab excercises in groups of two we see one
girl frantically looking out of the window. Abhi walks in
Anita : Well there you are ? what took you so long, you know we have to find
analyse 3 salts today ,
Abhi : Skip the lecture ,So yo ugot the salts good
Anita : yeah, and I bet you havent ought Match box
Abhi : well yes , How did you guess that ?
Anita : Never Mind (mutters something )
Abhi : You said something
Anita : well I bought an extra match box for you and one more thing dont speak to me
while I am doing these tests ok .
Abhi : ok , just becasue you bring the match box for me.. in lab does not mean you have to
act so pricey ..and.. well that composition that you let me copy.. and..standing by
my side in that Editorial issue
Anita : looks on.. oh.. really ..
Abhi : But hey Hang on, who helps you with your Pascal lab .
Anita : Hang on . I can ask anyone else .ok.
Abhi : Oh , really accidentaly spill some chemical on his hands
Anita : Mind it , damn .wash your hand
Abhi : Ok. cool you know i dont know why I have to go through chemistry to become an
Engineer,
Anita : stupid question , you got chemistry in the entrance
Abhi : yeah but this lab ..
...........
..........
Anita : Well catch you in class ,
Abhi : why dont you help me with this brown ring experiment for nitrates
Anita : Frankly you are getting a violitish shade ring instead of a brown ring if I were you
I would skip this nitrate part and try Iodide test .
Abhi : ( smiles ) Thanks I owe you one
...............
.............
Act 3
House no 70 C wing ,you can see a lake in the picture and there seems to be muffled sounds
oming form a room and in the room is a guy with a guitar and another guy slouched on the
coach
GWTG (Guy With The Guitar ) : you like this song
GOTC (Guy On The Couch ) : too much noise
GWTG : oh yeah this is the Wall
GOTC : oh really well frankly befeor I met you I never knew much english music
GWTG : This is not english music man this is metal
GOTC : whatever
GWTG : Here listen to this part about where you will feeli like helicopters allaround you
GOTC : What of that
GWTG : Thats just guitar and Drums
GOTC : Oh that really smart
GWTG : See yo are geting the hang of rock and roll
GOTC : Wont impress Liz though
GWTG : What ,What did yo say
GOTC : Nothing,
GWTG : No you said somethig ,
GOTC : Oh yeah , what if I did
GWTG : Well say it agian
GOTC : Well I just wanted to say if you want to impress Liz this wont work
GWTG : Who said I wanted to impress Liz
GOTC : Hey man , you claim I am your best frinend and remeber the day you bought those
drawings to class
GWTG : well yeah , what of that
GOTC : When I asked you for a small draing once I remember your lecture on how you are
attached to that drawing and stuff like that and when Liz cams and asked you said
"Sure Liz ... "
GWTG : Well that does not prove a thing
GOTC : oh yeah it does ,at lease it proves that your best friend wont get a drawing but
Liz can
GWTG : Ok but that is circumstantial evidence
GOTC : and in the class party you were dancing with her
GWTG : What of it you were dancing with Anita too
GOTC : oh well that is different you see eveyone knows me and Anita are freinds from day 1
we were friends even before we were friends
GWTG : Ok agreed then liz is also my friend ok
GOTC : Friend my foot , what was this bands name again "Pink panther did you say ?"
GWTG : (throws up his handds ) Pink Floyd !!
GOTC : Whatever i am hungry
GWTG : Well tell me when you are not ?
voices die down..
well time has passed by I have completed the BTech course which in itself is a big journey
most of my friends I have mentioed bfeore got into engineering colleges , Shyam got into CET
, Anita into REC , GWTG into MA , Zameer ino Model , All of them were really really close
friends of mine at some point in time and in engg colleges I have met so many more friends
some of whom are vert dear and near to me . Deepa , Archie , Jayson ,Siad, SPK (Sam Pavana
and Kaks ) , Ani , vineet, shyam ,Harish ,sanoop to name a few but time has slowly widened
the gap between us and today sitting here I was pondering what is that about life that is so
amazing so mystic that it is never prdictable .Inspite of being so close one drifts apart
from them slowly slowly without you yourself tknowing that the drift has come , slowly but
surely you enter into different worlds into diferent realms
Now today sitting here in London I was saying good bye to a freind whom I met Ahamed and
in just 2 months we have become so good friends and while he was saying that " I will miss
you whe you are gone " I sat down and started writing this "what is it that point when a
casual acquaintance becomes a frined and what is friendship anyway ,wha makes you gel with
some but not with the others
" someody once told me friends are people with whom you can sit on a
porch silently all day and them walk out as if you had the best conversation of all "
Yes thats true frieds are indeed a gift ,and I have also known that
" FRIENDSHIPS are different from relationships ,You can be great chums
with your partner, of course, but a relationship is so much more complex.
It is not only about that enrapturing feeling called love, but -
if you are unlucky - also a host of murky emotions like jealousy, resentment,
anger, pain and despair. Friendship is simpler and fills you, mostly, with harmless Type B emotions-kindliness, fondness, warmth and cordiality. With a lover, you
make demands and have expectations. But with a friend, you're cool.
You don't really owe him or her anything, or have to explain much, because,
ultimately, you demand nothing more from each other than pleasant
company and an occasional listening ear"
The older I get the more I value my freinds buy strangely it gets harder and harder for me to maintain them ,In schools you moved in a group and you become close just naturallly but then as you move up into college you are a bit more cautious and when it comes to workplace you are relly scared to make a friend but then some do become close and you never know when they become an integeral part of life one thing could be the same probles or difficult times tat you undergo or helping ewach other out on a rough patch but the fact remains the older you get you will get less and less new freinds you get The most cruellest part of friendship is that it can die ,some through sheer distance ,some through sheer circumstances when somebody moves up in life he or she becomes too busy for you and you dont want to risk rejection by trying to keep in contact with him or her Some you lose when they get married you are not sure if they would still like to be contacted while some simply stop checking mails ,some just gets a new mail id and give it to the list of people they can think on the first shot ,sadly many they miss out unknowingly
such are the cruelties of time
Why I mentioed this is becasue of how my friendship with shyam suddenly died ,we used to talk for long hours in the library under he moonlight when we were walking home ,and we used to call each other and one day he had moved to pandalam and he said he will leave me his new number ,He called me from pandalam once left me his number i wrote it down and that paper got washed in the washing machine and then I waited for his next call for some days he didnt call (whihc was normal) and then some months passed by ( I was a bit alarmed ) and then months became years ( time had pulled the cord on the relation ) and then one day I saw him
we talked for few minutes but we were both rushing off me to office and he to receive somebody but it never felt the same ,I felt awkward stupid,I wished him all the bes t and that was it
Now coming to the present after 2 years of college life I can see thew same thing happen to me with many of my frined slowly but surely I see them drifting apart ,I have not always tried my level best to keep those bonds but surely I have tried one of the reason why I made this mailing list ,I dont know if I will write another voltage I am hoping that I wil but I am starting to feel awkward writing voltage now and presenting to you as the number of people I can assosciate are slowly fading in numbers So waht I would like to say is that please keep in touch with your friends dont lose them even if you have not phoned them up for months its ok ,pick up that phone and call them now . or take a post card and write a letter , and lastly let me quote something that i heard once
" Many times in our lives, we are dropped, crumpled, and ground into the dirt by our own wrong decisions and by circumstances and by others. But no matter what has happened or what will happen, you will never lose your value. Each one is special in his own way - Don't ever forget it! Never let yesterday's disappointments overshadow tomorrow's dreams. "
I wish you all the very best !!
Sunday, March 30, 2008
Wii, Mii and Lots of fun.
Back in 2006 , I had this little prediction when Wii was just coming out that it will be a huge hit though I was owning an XBOX at that time.I did not buy a Wii for a long time initially because my good friend Jacob and I play on weekends with his son Dennis . Then later on I did not want to spend crazy money on ebay or Amazon to get hold of one. The part where being an MVP you get games at a discount from the MS Store also added to my XBOX affiliation. The starting of the year had some darstic changes prompted by one of my new year resolution to lose some extra pounds. Well not that I have not taken this resolution in the past , but have never been committed to it . But this time there is more than a few pounds of steak but more prides at stake ( my lame attempt to make it rhyming hm..! ) .Most of you who know me , know about my crazy cousins too . This time we have turned it into our own version of the biggest loser with online tracking and statistics . Check it out here .
What does all that got to do with Wii. Well after weighing in for the initial base weight and agreeing on percantage weight loss achieved as our winning criteria . There is a prize for total weight loss too clearly skewed in favour of the big guys, I came back to NY and realized in Jan that I am actually going the other way that is (gulp!) gaining ! . Well now once a game is on , it's on . Probably all that good food at home and the amount of stuff that gets packed for you by family , that you are literally hoping no one opens your bags in airport :-) lest they suspect you are opening a mini indian store
So my game plan came down to this , Cut my gym membership! yeah sounds crazy ! I realized I was not going there as often as I used to and I had many excuses to bunk , Too much work at office, too cold, too chilly , cant clear the snow today morning, will start from next week , my fingers are hurting, Headache , I am really creative here sometime when my wife pushes me to get going. My favorite one I want to play with Adithi our little one , sure to hit home. :-).
Well my strategy was if something has not worked before , find out what is the base reason , In my case I realized what it is , "I plain hate excercise". The very thought of excercising turns me off. There is no intellectual stimulation , neither do I think that is a valuable use of say an hour in your day. The next thing I could do is to play some outdoor games which I really like but being in Corning where you have winter/cold for almost six months does not help . So that boils down to playing an outdoor game indoors or finding a new job. This is exactly where Wii comes in, I have been playing wii for about an hour 2 month now and I have been noticing that I am losing weight and havnig a lot of fun. Binitha also have picked up on wii tennis , she normally does not like video games and Adithi laughs like crazy when she sees both of us making those funny actions and jumping from one part of the room to another swingin and shouting . We are having lots of fun.. I recommend the wii for all you people out there who like games but hate excercise like me . Let me know your wii stories...
Back in 2006 , I had this little prediction when Wii was just coming out that it will be a huge hit though I was owning an XBOX at that time.I did not buy a Wii for a long time initially because my good friend Jacob and I play on weekends with his son Dennis . Then later on I did not want to spend crazy money on ebay or Amazon to get hold of one. The part where being an MVP you get games at a discount from the MS Store also added to my XBOX affiliation. The starting of the year had some darstic changes prompted by one of my new year resolution to lose some extra pounds. Well not that I have not taken this resolution in the past , but have never been committed to it . But this time there is more than a few pounds of steak but more prides at stake ( my lame attempt to make it rhyming hm..! ) .Most of you who know me , know about my crazy cousins too . This time we have turned it into our own version of the biggest loser with online tracking and statistics . Check it out here .
What does all that got to do with Wii. Well after weighing in for the initial base weight and agreeing on percantage weight loss achieved as our winning criteria . There is a prize for total weight loss too clearly skewed in favour of the big guys, I came back to NY and realized in Jan that I am actually going the other way that is (gulp!) gaining ! . Well now once a game is on , it's on . Probably all that good food at home and the amount of stuff that gets packed for you by family , that you are literally hoping no one opens your bags in airport :-) lest they suspect you are opening a mini indian store
So my game plan came down to this , Cut my gym membership! yeah sounds crazy ! I realized I was not going there as often as I used to and I had many excuses to bunk , Too much work at office, too cold, too chilly , cant clear the snow today morning, will start from next week , my fingers are hurting, Headache , I am really creative here sometime when my wife pushes me to get going. My favorite one I want to play with Adithi our little one , sure to hit home. :-).
Well my strategy was if something has not worked before , find out what is the base reason , In my case I realized what it is , "I plain hate excercise". The very thought of excercising turns me off. There is no intellectual stimulation , neither do I think that is a valuable use of say an hour in your day. The next thing I could do is to play some outdoor games which I really like but being in Corning where you have winter/cold for almost six months does not help . So that boils down to playing an outdoor game indoors or finding a new job. This is exactly where Wii comes in, I have been playing wii for about an hour 2 month now and I have been noticing that I am losing weight and havnig a lot of fun. Binitha also have picked up on wii tennis , she normally does not like video games and Adithi laughs like crazy when she sees both of us making those funny actions and jumping from one part of the room to another swingin and shouting . We are having lots of fun.. I recommend the wii for all you people out there who like games but hate excercise like me . Let me know your wii stories...
Tuesday, November 20, 2007
The year end approaching
The holidays are here , we are into thanksgiving week and we will soon be into christhmas, As usual we take off the foot of the gas pedal and enjoy the slower pace of life. Here in Corning it snowed yesterday and I had to get my winter coat out. somehow that marks the holiday season for me , the white christhmas .
For me it is also a time for introspection as I take a vacation and travel all the way around the world to meet my loved ones . This year has been special from all perspective , both in the technology world with me being re-awarded as BizTalk MVP for the second consecutive year and personally with the birth of our little daughter Adithi . She has changed our world in more ways than I could imagine.
Well this is probably the last post for the year as I am off to India tomorrow . The blog is also completing 6 years , starting in 2001 when I was in London when blogging was not yet the phenomenal craze as we see it today . It has been a great experience writing these thoughts in the digital life.
The holidays are here , we are into thanksgiving week and we will soon be into christhmas, As usual we take off the foot of the gas pedal and enjoy the slower pace of life. Here in Corning it snowed yesterday and I had to get my winter coat out. somehow that marks the holiday season for me , the white christhmas .
For me it is also a time for introspection as I take a vacation and travel all the way around the world to meet my loved ones . This year has been special from all perspective , both in the technology world with me being re-awarded as BizTalk MVP for the second consecutive year and personally with the birth of our little daughter Adithi . She has changed our world in more ways than I could imagine.
Well this is probably the last post for the year as I am off to India tomorrow . The blog is also completing 6 years , starting in 2001 when I was in London when blogging was not yet the phenomenal craze as we see it today . It has been a great experience writing these thoughts in the digital life.
Tuesday, November 06, 2007
Sunday, November 04, 2007
Fall Roses
It is that time of the year , Fall , For those of you in upstate , there are lot of Maple leaves lying on the road , Here is a way to make roses from Maple leaves
So this is really FALLing for a Rose :-)
It is that time of the year , Fall , For those of you in upstate , there are lot of Maple leaves lying on the road , Here is a way to make roses from Maple leaves
So this is really FALLing for a Rose :-)
Get The Movie Fonts you like
Ever seen a movie font and then wanted to write something using that font ..
Well now here is a site that lets you download some popular movie fonts
Check out Type Now
Ever seen a movie font and then wanted to write something using that font ..
Well now here is a site that lets you download some popular movie fonts
Check out Type Now
Monday, October 29, 2007
Passage of Time
Today I found an old picture on my brothers orkut profile page. I have often mentioned in my posts about the lot of cousins that I have and I have infact posted some recent photos as well
But this one is probably the oldest I think that is there in color and it does bring back sweet and scary memories of childhood. we did some crazy things and if you see more than 3 of us together that usually meant trouble is brewing .. and more than 4 of us quiet means a volcano is exploding ...
Well now all in this picture is working and will never connect who is who ?
Can you guess Who is who ? Maybe you can start by trying to find me ?
If you found out then post a comment
Today I found an old picture on my brothers orkut profile page. I have often mentioned in my posts about the lot of cousins that I have and I have infact posted some recent photos as well
But this one is probably the oldest I think that is there in color and it does bring back sweet and scary memories of childhood. we did some crazy things and if you see more than 3 of us together that usually meant trouble is brewing .. and more than 4 of us quiet means a volcano is exploding ...
Well now all in this picture is working and will never connect who is who ?
Can you guess Who is who ? Maybe you can start by trying to find me ?
If you found out then post a comment
Sunday, September 23, 2007
Tuesday, May 29, 2007
Indian NetFlix
Looks like online movie rentals are on a roll in India. They emulate the popular netflix style of watching and renting you rmovie at home .
http://www.seventymm.com/Browse/Default.aspx
The difference seems that the company has adapted it to the indian Market by doing free delivery and pickup . The plans look a little steep at 199 and 599 for unlimited movie but every friends you refer brings down your price by 1/6 , effectevily using viral marketing . They have also got a round of venture capital investment . Will be interesting to watch this one . Presently this is offered in delhi , bombay, chennai and bangalore
Looks like online movie rentals are on a roll in India. They emulate the popular netflix style of watching and renting you rmovie at home .
http://www.seventymm.com/Browse/Default.aspx
The difference seems that the company has adapted it to the indian Market by doing free delivery and pickup . The plans look a little steep at 199 and 599 for unlimited movie but every friends you refer brings down your price by 1/6 , effectevily using viral marketing . They have also got a round of venture capital investment . Will be interesting to watch this one . Presently this is offered in delhi , bombay, chennai and bangalore
Thursday, April 26, 2007
Adithi
Kids are miracles from heaven . we had our little Miracle on Aprill 11 2007 ;our little daughter Adithi, In a few weeks my life has tottally changed , Unlike many people who say there will be so much stress once you get kids ,strangely i find myself more at peace , That is not to say she is not waking up in the night or anything ,but watching these little ones are truly a different experience . The experience of parenthood is definitely enlightening .
I have her pictures here http://www.abhilash.in/adithi/adithi.htm
Kids are miracles from heaven . we had our little Miracle on Aprill 11 2007 ;our little daughter Adithi, In a few weeks my life has tottally changed , Unlike many people who say there will be so much stress once you get kids ,strangely i find myself more at peace , That is not to say she is not waking up in the night or anything ,but watching these little ones are truly a different experience . The experience of parenthood is definitely enlightening .
I have her pictures here http://www.abhilash.in/adithi/adithi.htm
Friday, March 23, 2007
Indian MVP's at the summit
Thanks to Abhishek kant our India MVP Lead for getting all of us together for this nice photograph . I guess there were around 35 MVP's from India who were at the summit . It was great to meet these folks who represented various facets of IT and who were working on such diverse stuff . The euphoria and the upbeatness of the professionals is amazing.
I was fortunate to meet so many MVP's from different parts of India working on so many different things
Thanks to Abhishek kant our India MVP Lead for getting all of us together for this nice photograph . I guess there were around 35 MVP's from India who were at the summit . It was great to meet these folks who represented various facets of IT and who were working on such diverse stuff . The euphoria and the upbeatness of the professionals is amazing.
I was fortunate to meet so many MVP's from different parts of India working on so many different things
Thursday, March 08, 2007
MVP Summit 2007 coming up
The summit is here and I am excited . This will be my first time at the summit and I am excited to meet a lot of my netizens in person . It is a great opportunity to interact with a lot of great minds . I should be posting on my technical blog soon .
The summit is here and I am excited . This will be my first time at the summit and I am excited to meet a lot of my netizens in person . It is a great opportunity to interact with a lot of great minds . I should be posting on my technical blog soon .
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