Jeremy Hermanns dot org » Alaska Flight #536 - Rapid De-Pressurization and Panic at 30K Feet

More power to the people - yes man, that's what citizens' media is all about. Obvioulsy, Jeremy's blog with first person account and pictures from the troubled Alaska Airlines has ruffled a lot of airline officials.

Isn't Alaska the same airlines that lost a plane (another MD-80 or DC-10 I think) off Los Angeles a few years back - and that accident was caused because they had outsorced their maintenance to some shitty third-party. Looks like some people never learn. What about FAA - are they sleeping on their jobs again?

Jeremy Hermanns dot org » Alaska Flight #536 - Rapid De-Pressurization and Panic at 30K Feet: "flight "

Sania Mirza - baltimoresun.com

"She reads the Quran and prays five times a day. She also wears torn jeans and listens to hip-hop artist Eminem."

- Well, I wonder what she thinks about Eminem's often misogynistic lyrics - like the excerpt here:

"Now I don't wanna hit no women when this chick's got it coming
Someone better get this bitch before she gets kicked in the stomach
And she's pregnant, but she's egging me on, begging me to throw her
Off the steps on this porch, my only weapon is force"

Come on girl - drop the pretence - you can't be enjoying Eminem and praying 5 times a day - the two just ain't compatible.

Sania Mirza - baltimoresun.com: "Sania Mirza
WTA Tour
Originally published December 26, 2005
Sania Mirza, 19, made history on the pro tennis tour this season and is expected to make more in 2006.

Mirza is 34th in the WTA Tour's year-end rankings -- the highest any Indian woman has ever been ranked.

Advertisement
And during this season in which she beat two top 10 players, she became the first women's player from India to reach the fourth round of a Grand Slam tournament.

The last time an Indian man orwomanmade it that farwas 1987. But as popular as she is becoming as a tennis player, she is even more popular as a symbol for Indian women.

Mirza has been described as awarrior princess on the court and a rock star off it. In tennis, her forehand has been compared to Steffi Graf's. Off court, she has become a symbol for what is possible among a new generation.

She reads the Quran and prays five times a day. She also wears torn jeans and listens to hip-hop artist Eminem.

'I just hope five years from now or seven years from now, we have a lot more tennis players out there -- and not only one woman [from India] competing,' she said.
"

Life in the fast lane

Life in the fast lane

afterlife for your cars :-)

Best of television: 25 reasons to tune in

Looks like last few days I've been posting all the best of lists that I have come across - well, that's alll there is in the news this holiday week.

Here's another one of the top 25 shows on TV - again from Mercury News.
MercuryNews.com | 12/26/2005 | Best of television: 25 reasons to tune in: "It gets "

Here's a good one on the subject of meetings :-)

Meetings

CNN.com - Sharon taken to hospital - Dec 18, 2005

What a break for CNN and other 24x7 news netowrks on a slow news day - or rather a slow news period till the end of the year. Last year it was Tsunami, this year it might be Mr. Ariel Sharon's hospitalization.

It seems to me that Wolf Blitzer in his eagerness to make this into a big story was literally putting words in the mouth of the hospital spokesperson. However, I think that the Israelis are much better at being tight-lipped than their American counterparts - and the spokesperson refused to take the bait. The doctor came up with a very concise statement later and refused to answer any questions.

I wonder when will CNN come up with a news anchor with more class than Wolf Blitzer.

CNN.com - Sharon taken to hospital - Dec 18, 2005

JibJab.com does it again

Here's a great one from JibJab to put the year 2005 in perspective.

Read more at www.jibjab.com/Home.asp...

Comedian Richard Pryor dies at 65 - Los Angeles Times

This summary is not available. Please click here to view the post.

True standing of India in the world today

Here's a true reflection of where India stands in the world today. This shows the relative size of countries based on their population. I think in a decade from now, India and China will be as large as in this map, even if the map was drawn based on the size of their economies.

podbazaar - podcasts for US audience of Indian ethnicity

Wow - a podacast site featuring content catering to the Indian audience in USA. I wonder how strong the podcast growth is amongst this population - considering that such a large number of Indian population is in the technology business and have long commute to jobs in the major metropolitan areas and there are hardly any traditional media outlets catering to the Indian taste, podcast might just be the best thing.

I would really love if some of the Indian content producers - like the private cable TV and FM radio channels in India were to adopt this technology and remix content for the expat audience in USA. Wouldn't it be great to get Radio Mirchi, etc. in USA via podcasts!!!

podbazaar

Mt. Fuji on a clear Tokyo night

Japan's highest peak of Mt Fuji in silhouette is seen behind the Shinjuku city district in Tokyo December 5, 2005. The 3,776-metre (12,388 feet) peak is about 100 km southwest of Japan's capital. (Reuters)

MSN-Mainichi Daily News: Photo Specials

Wikis in Business

Wikis are yet to make a major dent in the business market. Once touted as the killer collaboration application, the format is not quite suitable for many of the processes that take place in a typical business. Businesses do not always run by peer review or consensus - in fact the more successful leadership styles do not necessarily encourage too much consensus building, etc.

Also, Wikis are notoriously prone to being misused - as the LA Times and Wikipedia incidents have shown recently.

Anyway, here is a good primer on Wikis and their potential use in the workplace.

In Today's India, Status Comes With Four Wheels - New York Times

A good article on the car boom in India.

I might like to add here that India is now one of the few countries worldwide to have its own indigenous car design and manufacturing capabilities. Indian manufacturers like the TATA group, Mahindra, etc. are giving a tough fight to foreign car companies - specially in the economy car and SUV segment. Today, when even the old world's colonial power - Britain - does not a have car brand to call its own, India has a few which are intending to become global players.

In Today's India, Status Comes With Four Wheels - New York Times

Scary Halloween Costume - OPEC Sheikh

How apt that the most scary thing this Halloween was the fear of gas prices on US consumers' minds. Here's a picture of a guy dressed up as an Arab (OPEC) Oil Sheikh in LA.

Calif. Man Caught in 'HOV' Lane With Dummy - Yahoo! News

So, what's next - cars with fake "Hybrid" decals :-)

Calif. Man Caught in 'HOV' Lane With Dummy - Yahoo! News: "people "

Celebrate Diwali with Chinese idols- The Times of India

India is becoming more and more like USA - everything you see in the market is "Made in China". All the holiday ornaments, lights, etc. in USA have been manufactured in China for the last decade or more - now India is hurtling down the same path.

What this does to the poor Indian workers and artisans is the real question though. While this outsourcing is generating better paying jobs for the chinese peasants, what kind of jobs are we creating for the workers, peasants, craftsmen whose already low paying jobs are being taken away by this global outsourcing.

It is alright for the Indian economic and political think-tank to sing songs about the globalization and the benefits of outsourcing that India itself is enjoying, but without a serious strategy of job creation and trickle-down expansion in India, this globalization will not result in making India a contry with living standards comparable to our neighbors in the South East Asia, let alone the developed Western countries.

Celebrate Diwali with Chinese idols- The Times of India

A Doll strapped to a Palm tree in Florida - being battered by Hurricane Wilma

A doll is seen strapped to a palm tree battered by winds from Hurricane Wilma Monday, Oct. 24, 2005 in downtown Naples, Fla. (AP Photo/Wilfredo Lee)

Hurricane Wilma lashes Mexico's beach resorts - Yahoo! News

Palm trees buckle under heavy rain and strong winds as Hurricane Wilma approaches the resort town of Cancun in Mexico's state of Quintana Roo October 21, 2005. (Daniel Aguilar/Reuters)
- Sanjay Kalra
Hurricane Wilma lashes Mexico's beach resorts - Yahoo! News

Auto Shows & Concept Cars on Yahoo! News Photos

Japanese motorcycle giant Yamaha unveils the concept model of a high-performance hybrid motorcycle, the 'Gen-Ryu,' equipped with a 600cc engine and electric motor hybrid system which can achieve over 1,000cc class machine performance at the 39th Tokyo Motor Show in Makuhari.(AFP/Yoshikazu Tsuno)
- Sanjay Kalra
Auto Shows & Concept Cars on Yahoo! News Photos

Super Seventies RockSite!

A great collection of 70's trivia - all the songs that you could not forget (even though you wish that you would forget at least some of the more sugary ones)
Super Seventies RockSite!

Top 100 Hits of 1981 / Top 100 Songs of 1981

Top 100 Hits of 1981 / Top 100 Songs of 1981: "American "

Here are the top hits from 1981 - one of my favorite years:

1. Bette Davis Eyes, Kim Carnes
2. Endless Love, Diana Ross and Lionel Richie
3. Lady, Kenny Rogers
4. (Just Like) Starting Over, John Lennon
5. Jessie's Girl, Rick Springfield
6. Celebration, Kool and The Gang
7. Kiss On My List, Daryl Hall and John Oates
8. I Love A Rainy Night, Eddie Rabbitt
9. 9 To 5, Dolly Parton
10. Keep On Loving You, REO Speedwagon
11. Theme From "Greatest American Hero", Joey Scarbury
12. Morning Train (Nine To Five), Sheena Easton
13. Being With You, Smokey Robinson
14. Queen Of Hearts, Juice Newton
15. Rapture, Blondie
16. A Woman Needs Love, Ray Parker Jr. and Raydio
17. The Tide Is High, Blondie
18. Just The Two Of Us, Grover Washington Jr.
19. Slow Hand, Pointer Sisters
20. I Love You, Climax Blues Band
21. Woman, John Lennon
22. Sukiyaki, A Taste Of Honey
23. The Winner Takes It All, Abba
24. Medley, Stars On 45
25. Angel Of The Morning, Juice Newton
26. Love On The Rocks, Neil Diamond
27. Every Woman In The World, Air Supply
28. The One That You Love, Air Supply
29. Guilty, Barbra Streisand and Barry Gibb
30. The Best Of Times, Styx
31. Elvira, Oak Ridge Boys
32. Take It On The Run, REO Speedwagon
33. No Gettin' Over Me, Ronnie Milsap
34. Living Outside Myself, Gino Vannelli
35. Woman In Love, Barbra Streisand
36. Boy From New York City, Manhattan Transfer
37. Urgent, Foreigner
38. Passion, Rod Stewart
39. Lady (You Bring Me Up), Commodores
40. Crying, Don Mclean
41. Hearts, Marty Balin
42. It's My Turn, Diana Ross
43. You Make My Dreams, Daryl Hall and John Oates
44. I Don't Need You, Kenny Rogers
45. How 'Bout Us, Champaign
46. Hit Me With Your Best Shot, Pat Benatar
47. The Breakup Song, Greg Kihn Band
48. Time, Alan Parsons Project
49. Hungry Heart, Bruce Springsteen
50. Sweetheart, Franke and The Knockouts
51. Someone's Knockin', Terri Gibbs
52. More Than I Can Say, Leo Sayer
53. Together, Tierra
54. Too Much Time On My Hands, Styx
55. What Are We Doin' In Love, Dottie West
56. Who's Crying Now, Journey
57. De Do Do Do, De Da Da, Police
58. This Little Girl, Gary U.S. Bonds
59. Stop Draggin' My Heart Around, Stevie Nicks With Tom Petty and The Heartbreakers
60. Giving It Up For Your Love, Delbert McClinton
61. A Little In Love, Cliff Richard
62. America, Neil Diamond
63. Ain't Even Done With The Night, John Cougar
64. Arthur's Theme, Christopher Cross
65. Another One Bites The Dust, Queen
66. Games People Play, Alan Parsons Project
67. I Can't Stand It, Eric Clapton
68. While You See A Chance, Steve Winwood
69. Master Blaster, Stevie Wonder
70. Hello Again, Neil Diamond
71. Don't Stand So Close To Me, Police
72. Hey Nineteen, Steely Dan
73. I Ain't Gonna Stand For It, Stevie Wonder
74. All Those Years Ago, George Harrison
75. Step By Step, Eddie Rabbitt
76. The Stroke, Billy Squier
77. Feels So Right, Alabama
78. Sweet Baby, Stanley Clarke and George Duke
79. Same Old Lang Syne, Dan Fogelberg
80. Cool Love, Pablo Cruise
81. Hold On Tight, ELO
82. It's Now Or Never, John Schneider
83. Treat Me Right, Pat Benatar
84. Winning, Santana
85. What Kind Of Fool, Barbra Streisand and Barry Gibb
86. Watching The Wheels, John Lennon
87. Tell It Like It Is, Heart
88. Smoky Mountain Rain, Ronnie Milsap
89. I Made It Through The Rain, Barry Manilow
90. You've Lost That Lovin' Feelin', Daryl Hall and John Oates
91. Suddenly, Olivia Newton-John and Cliff Richard
92. For Your Eyes Only, Sheena Easton
93. The Beach Boys Medley, Beach Boys
94. Whip It, Devo
95. Modern Girl, Sheena Easton
96. Really Wanna Know You, Gary Wright
97. Seven Year Ache, Rosanne Cash
98. I'm Coming Out, Diana Ross
99. Miss Sun, Boz Scaggs
100. Time Is Time, Andy Gibb

The Basic Laws of Human Stupidity

The Basic Laws of Human Stupidity

The basic laws of human stupidity:

1. Always and inevitably everyone underestimates the number of stupid individuals in circulation.

2. The probability that a certain person be stupid is independent of any other characteristic of that person.

3. A stupid person is a person who causes losses to another person or to a group of persons while himself deriving no gain and even possibly incurring losses.

4. Non-stupid people always underestimate the damaging power of stupid individuals. In particular non-stupid people constantly forget that at all times and places and under any circumstances to deal and/or associate with stupid people always turns out to be a costly mistake.

5. A stupid person is the most dangerous type of person.

The corollary of the Law is that:

A stupid person is more dangerous than a bandit.

Read the full thesis by clicking on the link above.

- Sanjay Kalra

Disruptive technology - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Disruptive technology - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia: "A disruptive technology is a new technological innovation, product, or service that eventually overturns the existing dominant technology in the market, despite the fact that the disruptive technology is both radically different than the leading technology and that it often initially performs worse than the leading technology according to existing measures of performance. A disruptive technology comes to dominate an existing market by either filling a role in a new market that the older technology could not fill (as more expensive, lower capacity but smaller-sized hard disks did for newly developed notebook computers in the 1980s) or by successively moving up-market through performance improvements until finally displacing the market incumbents (as digital photography has come to replace film photography)."

Sanjay Kalra

Howard Stinger, CEO, Sony

Here's a discussion of Sony's recent woes. Sounds pretty interesting.

Personally, I think Sony should lay off all its people and shut down the company - that will cure all their problems. And it will be good for their people too - they will all be picked up by Samsung, LG and other Chinese and Taiwanese manufacturers.

I stil can't fathom as to how a company that literally owned the personal music player space could lose out to an industry outsider like Apple.

As for the legendary Sony quality, these days Samsung quality is a whole lot better than Sony.

Sanjay Kalra

Japan Today - Quote Of The Day - We have made promises before but we failed to execute them. We must fight like the Sony warriors that we are. - Japan's Leading International News Network: "We have made promises before but we failed to execute them. We must fight like the Sony warriors that we are.
Sony CEO Howard Stringer, announcing a major restructuring program."

Honda rolls out new hybrid Civic

I like Honda's strategy for Hybrids better than Toyota. Civic looks good - like the regular civic - but gives you great mileage and is eco-friendly like a Hybrid.

If you wanna go arond making an environment-friendly statement, but a Toyota Prius. But if you are the slient, non-exhibitionist type, just do your "Civic" duty :-)
Japan Today - News - Honda rolls out new hybrid Civic - Japan's Leading International News Network: "hybrid system"

DEMOfall 05

DEMOfall conference is being held in Huntington Beach this week from Sept. 19-21. This is where a lot of innovative products have first seen the light of day over last several years. What do you think will be the big winners this year. Personally, I would look out for the following:

1. ATG www.atg.com

2. EverDesk www.everdesk.com

3. H3.com www.h3.com

4. Peerflix www.peerflix.com

More to come...

A lot of blogging going on at the Demofall show this year as you would imagine. Some noteworthy blogs are:

http://blogs.demo.com/

http://shaw.blogs.demo.com/

http://shipley.blogs.demo.com/

http://www.networkworld.com/community/?q=taxonomy/term/213

DEMOfall

Sanjay Kalra

Dell Axim X51v - Windows Mobile PDA Reviews by Mobile Tech Review

Here's a good review of the latest in the Dell Axim lineup of PDAs. While this PDA is as good as it gets these days - VGA screen, wi-fi, size factor, multimedia capabilities, etc. I still don't understand why Dell isn't combining it with cell phone capabilities.

To me it looks like the standalone PDA is a useless device - I am not going to stuff a PDA in one pocket and a cellphone in another. Palm Treo has demonstrated beyond doubt that these two things go together. But somehow the industry doesn't seem to be getting it.

On one hand you have Palm Treo - which could definitely benefit from wi-fi and windows mobile OS (it seems that is what they are planning for their next product - Treo 670). On the other hand you have smartphones based on PDA's from HP etc. which are not the right form factor and are way too expensive for the cell phone market. I bought a Treo 600 for just $125 with a one year service plan earlier this year. I might be willing to pay upto $200 for a good PDA phone with wi-fi but not much more.

Sanjay Kalra
Dell Axim X51v - Windows Mobile PDA Reviews by Mobile Tech Review

Next generation workflow - Vendor Voice - Network Magazine India

An excellent perspective on how Business Process Management practices can make organizations speedy and efficient. The author is Diwakar Nigam, founder Chairman of Newgen Software Technologies - a leading provider of BPM and Content Management solutions worldwide with 40% market share in its home base of India.

Diwakar makes a few very good points here - the primacy of processes in today's business environment, well defined objectives of BPM, the various underlying technologies that come together in a BPM solution (EAI, Middleware, SOA, etc.). He also talks about how BPM is helping companies in the emerging markets where paper based processes still reign supreme - by streamlining process flow and providing central repository of images of business critical paper documents.

The author feels very strongly that BPM would be a significant technology in the coming years that will help businesses in all industries across the board. E-Governance is another key area that would gain a lot from BPM technology.

Sanjay Kalra

Next generation workflow - Vendor Voice - Network Magazine India: "activities"

The Trigger Effect (2003) Synopsis - MovieWeb

The Trigger Effect (2003) Synopsis - MovieWeb
The lights go on; the television plays; the telephone rings.

Your comforts increase as you relinquish control over your life to the technology that sustains you. Enemies are images on a small screen, blips on a radar tracker... bloodless, remote.

One day, technology crashes. Lights go off; the TV stops playing; the phone goes dead.

Cut off from that which consoled you, the enemy is now a shadow at the window... a noise in the kitchen... the guy across the street... your own fears.

Amblin Entertainment and Gramercy Pictures present the directorial debut of David Koepp, THE TRIGGER EFFECT, starring Academy Award nominee Elisabeth Shue ("Leaving Las Vegas"), Dermot Mulroney ("Copycat" and "Living in Oblivion") and Kyle MacLachlan ("Twin Peaks" and "The Flintstones"). Written and directed by Koepp (whose writing credits include "Jurassic Park," "Mission: Impossible" and the award-winning "Apartment Zero"), the psychological thriller is produced by Michael Grillo. Walter Parkes, Laurie MacDonald and Gerald R. Molen are executive producers.

Out for a quiet night at the movies, Matt (KYLE MacLACHLAN) and Annie (ELISABETH SHUE) abide a series of petty annoyances that spill like uncapped soft drinks from one theatergoer to the next. Among the annoyed is Raymond (RICHARD T. JONES).

Returning to their suburban home, Matt and Annie discover that their infant daughter has an ear infection. Matt calls the pediatrician who says he'll phone in a prescription in the morning, but during the night there is a power failure. And in the darkness, the network of support for everything on which their daily lives have come to depend begins unraveling.

Matt goes outside and finds his neighbors - including Steph (BILL SMITROVICH) - checking their circuits and speculating on what may have caused the outage. With the phones dead, the pharmacist hasn't received the prescription and won't give Matt the medicine. Spurred on by the increasing lawlessness, Matt steals the penicillin his daughter needs.

At home, the couple gets a surprise visit from Matt's old friend, Joe (DERMOT MULRONEY). Joe brings rumors about "looting and shooting" in town. They go into town to see for themselves how the system is breaking down.

With the world around them appearing more threatening, Annie invites Joe to stay with them. Joe's presence triggers tensions between the two men. The relationship between the three of them suffers further after a confrontation with a prowler turns violent. The technological island that has been their life support system no longer seems safe. They decide to leave.

Raymond, whose path has crossed Matt's several times without either knowing it, is also on his way to find sanctuary. At a roadside diner, a traveler named Gary (MICHAEL ROOKER), who is having car trouble tries to bargain with Ray for a gallon of gas. Ray turns him down.

Farther down the road, an event occurs in which the lives of Annie, Matt and Joe ricochet off those of Gary and Raymond. Fears for survival create mistrust. Lives hang in the balance as a test of wills turns into a test of faith. And nothing in their comfortable urban existence could possibly have prepared them for this.

Man's survival in face of disaster

Hurricane Katrina and the power outage in Los Angeles today reminded me of this movie I'd seen a few years back - The Trigger Efect. It's one of the noir movies that inspire a cult following amongst few despite getting mediocre ratings and box office success.

http://movieweb.com/movies/synopsis.php?id=2220&ns=1

The film focuses on a family in the middle of an unexplained power outage. The breakdown of modern society without the power that runs everything is a lesson that we all need to examine. There are a few lessons that we need to learn:

- This is an important issue - you can't explain away what happened in LA today as a mistake by a utility crew. The progressive deterioration of basic infrastructure in USA is making it look more and more like the third world - from Louisiana to LA to NY to the rotting downtown areas in major US cities.

- Our reliance on modern technology is making us less and less able to cope with disasters. In Louisiana, the best form of communication would have been CB radios and AM radio stations. But I doubt that many people their had AM or CB radios - 'cos no one uses them anymore. The modern alternatives - cellphones, internet, IM, etc. don't work very well in tough conditions - as was well demonstrated here. While CB radios are bulkier, we do have the FRS radios today that are quite ubiquitous - but we need a nationwide emergency channel, nationwide weather channel, etc. on FRS frequencies and we need to popularize these radios for emergency and relief situations.
The Trigger Effect (2003) Synopsis - MovieWeb

Stevie's Little Wonder - Apple iPod Nano

Apple and Steve Jobs has done it again - Wowed the public! iPod Nano has the sex appeal that Sony will kill for. Definitely high on my Holiday Gifts list for my daughter (maybe she'll let me borrow it occassionally:-) )
TIME.com Print Page: TIME Magazine -- Stevie's Little Wonder: "'Not very many companies are bold enough to shoot their best-selling product at the peak of its popularity,' Gartner analyst Van Baker says. 'That's what Apple just did.'"

The Mississippi Flood of 1927 and Katrina

Here's a poignant post by Amardeep Singh on the current travails of Louisiana, Mississipi and Alabama residents devastated by hurricane Katrina and a historical parallel from 1927. The 1927 flood was followed by a nationwide recession - hope that's not the case this time.

"The Flood," by Robert Frost; and the 1927 Mississippi Flood
The Flood

by Robert Lee Frost

Blood has been harder to dam back than water.
Just when we think we have it impounded safe
Behind new barrier walls (and let it chafe!),
It breaks away in some new kind of slaughter.
We choose to say it is let loose by the devil;
But power of blood itself releases blood.
It goes by might of being such a flood
Held high at so unnatural a level.
It will have outlet, brave and not so brave.
weapons of war and implements of peace
Are but the points at which it finds release.
And now it is once more the tidal wave
That when it has swept by leaves summits stained.
Oh, blood will out. It cannot be contained.


Update: This poem was published in 1928, in a collection called West-Running Brook.

I believe it is a response to the great Misssippi River flood of 1927, which killed and displaced thousands of people -- including, again, many African Americans. Herbert Hoover, one of the most incompetent Presidents in U.S. history, supervised the rescue efforts. His betrayal of African American victims of the flood led blacks to leave the Republican party, and may have changed the face of American politics.

Here is a PBS timeline detailing the events. The racial nastiness of the era makes this week's FEMA failure seem almost small.

With "blood," I think Frost is in some sense referring to the ugly human politics that came with (and followed) the disaster.
sanjay kalra

Globalization - History becomes an organic whole

"Now in earlier times the world's history had consisted, so to speak, of a series of unrelated episodes, the origins and results of each being as widely separated as their localities, but from this point onwards history becomes an organic whole: the affairs of Italy and Africa are connected with those of Asia and of Greece, and all events bear a relationship and contribute to a single end."

The above seems like a contemporary quote - maybe someone like Tom Friedman writing about Globalization. It may shock you to know, however, that this quote is from Polybius (who died in 118 B.C.) writing about the rise of Rome.

Seems like Globalization has been going on for a long time. Yet some of our people and policymakers behave as if they are insulated from the rest of the world - thus the unilateralism that we see so often today.

{for your reference, I picked up this quote from the prologue of "Among the Believers" by V.S. Naipaul}

Gas prices

gas_prices
Originally uploaded by caseyhelbling.

A picture sure is worth a thousand words! I think you'll see a lot of this in the coming days when the American dream starts coming apart under stress from a twin forces of high gas prices and slowing real estate market. It's almost turning out to be a perfect storm.

Talk about gas guzzlers and American myopia

It was not so long ago that the market was so crazy about hummers, their competition decided an even bigger, badder, luxury truck - the NaviStar CXT. At a street price of over $100,000 and a spectacular gas mileage of 6-10 miles per gallon, the company spokesperson said "We can see it as a vehicle for business people who want to make a distinct impression. For personal use, it's for people who want to make a statement.

I am wondering how this vehicle is going to do - with gas prices well over $3 per gallon. It would cost about $450 per month in gas cost alone to drive it an average of 1,000 miles per month.
Tags: gas,
gas prices

Bushido & other Musings of a Japanophile

See the latest posting on the Tokyo Samba Festival in my blog:
Bushido & other Musings of a Japanophile

Explosion in downtown San Francisco

There was an explosion in downtown San Francisco at 9:50 am this morning. I was on my way to the city from East Bay at the time. Luckily the traffic was not affected much except in the downtown area (which is to say that the traffic was a bad as ever but no worse :-)).

After a couple of hours, investigators determined the cause to be an electrical explosion in PG&E's aging infrastructure in the city. Although it turned out to be an accident, the chaos and lack of information and direction for about 2 hours clearly suggests that the city is far from prepared to deal with terrorism incidents. The needs to be clear channel of information in such cases - the public should know who to listen to for authoritative directions. While all this was going on, Ron Owens - the popular talk radio host on KGO 810am was busy selling mattresses:-)

Here are some links for more information:

http://cbs5.com/local/local_story_231131708.html

The new economy

About managers

Compliance is making work easier for some people :-)

Career goals in the WorldCom, Enron age

Petroleum - the new after shave :-)

With gas prices at the pump almost touching $3 for a gallon of regular, Petroleum might be the next after shave - enjoy and share this one:

The Nine Reasons We Don't Do What We Should

A good read - it might just help put your professional and personal lives in order :-)
How to Save the World

OrganizedHome.Com: clean, cut clutter, get organized

We really, really need to read this.
OrganizedHome.Com: clean, cut clutter, get organized

A Primer on Gasoline Prices

One needs to know what's happening with the world Oil situation these days - here's a good primer on where does the money you pay at the gas station eventually goes to.

Pop quiz for you - the tax component as a % has remained almost the same over the years - considering that the gas price in California today is almost twice what we were paying in 2000, that would mean the the government is earning twice as much in gasoline tax revenues - and certainly their costs related to administering gasoline tax has not increased much.

Also, considering that the property values have doubled in California over the last 4-5 years, again resulting in doubling of property tax revenues for the state government - why is the State government running on a deficit then.

Any comments explaining the above paradox would be welcome.

Primer on Gasoline Prices: "A PRIMER ON GASOLINE PRICES"

InformationWeek > India > India's Next Step > August 8, 2005

A very insightful article by Paul McDougall at InformationWeek magazine. Paul is the resident Outsourcing expert at InformationWeek and has written many good articles on the subject. Here he writes about the "Next Step" in the evolution of the Indian software industry - the move to selling software products as opposed to only services.

While selling software products bring to the mind the specter of Indian companies getting even higher value addition and hurting US based competitors, the reality is likely to be different. In a mature free-market economy like USA, there is always room for competition and competition brings with it the added advantages of better products at lower cost for the customers and eventually results in an expansion of the market itself. This compensates for ay market share loss for the existing players.

Besides, software product development is becoming increasingly like car manufacturing. The so called "Japanese cars" like Toyota Camry and Honda Accord, etc. may actually have as much local content as cars from GM and Ford. Similarly, to sell products to US customers, Indian software companies are making great investments in establishing a team in US that works closely with potential customers in pre-sales, post-sale implementation, training and on-going support. These teams become the core of knowledge in these enterprises and continues to be expanded in USA to stay close to the customers.

Another advantage with Indian software companies offering products in the USA market is the new opportunites that it offers to US partners to offer more customer friendly business models. For example, document management used to be a very expensive, enterprise technology - where the customer had to invest huge amounts in software license fee and hardware to achieve the benefits. My company - Newgen Software - partnered with a Silicon Valley startup to offer Document Management to Enterprises as a hosted, subscription only business model. We are now trying to offer similar solutions in the Business Process Management area with our US partners focusing on vertical and horizontal segments of the market.

Read more in this article by Paul McDougall...

InformationWeek > India > India's Next Step > August 8, 2005:

Here's the reference to my company in this article:

"Like other foreign software vendors that saw big opportunities in the United States--SAP among them--Indian companies increasingly want to turn their local successes into a greater U.S. presence. That includes business-process and document-management application vendor Newgen, which says it has a 40% share of the Indian market for software that connects workflows. The company wants to partner with vertical-apps developers in the States to aim its offerings at health care, financial services, and the government. 'People take us more seriously now because many of these enterprises have themselves gone to India for services,' says Sanjay Kalra, VP for business development.

While he's focused mostly on large companies, Kalra believes the low price of the company's various business-process modules, which cover functions such as invoicing and accounts payable, also could appeal to the small- and midsize-business market. 'Even a company with only five or 10 people in accounts payable could break even on our product in a year,' he says. 'They could get rid of three people.' That raises the specter that low-cost automation will join outsourcing as a threat to U.S. jobs--again, thanks to India.

But that may be jumping the gun. While the comfort level with Indian IT expertise has greatly increased, and the cost savings of using lower-priced software is attractive, going up against name-brand players in more established Western markets won't be easy. Newgen offers a lower total cost of ownership, Kalra says, but he concedes that the U.S. market for the software his company sells is mature."

Argue, you're an Indian!- The Times of India

Unlike Amartya Sen, I'm not so sure it's a good thing. I think being analytical is constructive but being argumentative - just for the sake of arguing - is wasteful - and eventually self defeating.
Argue, you're an Indian!- The Times of India:

Why is the telephone touch-tone key pad arranged differently from the calculator key pad?

A very interesting trivia question - but I haven't been able to find a definitive answer yet. The article linked here does try to provide some information. Please do comment if you have any ideas.
Keyboard Trivia: "Why is the telephone touch-tone key pad arranged differently from the calculator key pad?"

Wired 13.08: We Are the Web

Very, very informational and educational - a must read!

The mention of Howard Dean is really interesting in this context - using the power of web for political fund raising.

Seems kind of odd though that the Web is already old enough for someone to write about the history of web. For most of us in India, our first exposure to web was only in the mid-1990's - about a decade ago.
Wired 13.08: We Are the Web

Great Advertising

Wired News: Sagging Radio Plays Digital Card

Yes, I'm a sucker for good old-fashioned broadcast radio - will this technology save it? I doubt it - too many proprietary standards. It does have a better chance of succeding in UK though - with their BBC monopoly and backing.Wired News: Sagging Radio Plays Digital Card

Beer Label a Hate Crime - Sepia Mutiny

Well, I don't know what to say 'bout it. Do you have any reactions? Please do leave your comments.
Beer Label a Hate Crime - Sepia Mutiny: "."

The Triforce » Tubes really are cunts. So are terrorists. And Tony Blair.

The Triforce » Tubes really are cunts. So are terrorists. And Tony Blair.: "it"

I just love radios - Russian radios museum

Plan of the Gallery

Wildfalcon Photo Gallery - Misc/London Sprit

London Spirit

Wildfalcon Photo Gallery - Misc/London Sprit

NARA | The National Archives Experience

NARA | The National Archives Experience: "We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.--That to secure these rights, Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed, --That whenever any Form of Government becomes destructive of these ends, it is the Right of the People to alter or to abolish it, and to institute new Government, laying its foundation on such principles and organizing its powers in such form, as to them shall seem most likely to effect their Safety and Happiness. "

Joke of the day

Pew Global Attitudes Project: Introduction: 16-Nation Pew Global Attitudes Survey: U.S. Image Up Slightly, But Still Negative

Pew Global Attitudes Project: Introduction: 16-Nation Pew Global Attitudes Survey: U.S. Image Up Slightly, But Still Negative: "The latest survey by the Pew Global Attitudes Project, conducted among nearly 17,000 people in the United States and 15 other countries from April 20-May 31, finds that America's image is strongest in India. Fully 71% in India express a positive opinion of the United States, compared with 54% three years ago."

Brand Autopsy: The Evolution of the Starbucks Logo

Brand Autopsy: The Evolution of the Starbucks Logo: "The Evolution of the Starbucks Logo

The Deadprogrammer's Cafe Blog did some expert sleuthing to show the evolution of the Starbucks logo from the old school brown Nordic-inspired woodcut to the slicker, more contemporary logo we know today."

How to pitch an idea - scottberkun.com

How to pitch an idea - scottberkun.com: "Coming up with good ideas is hard enough, but convincing others to do something with them is even harder. In many fields the task of bringing an idea to someone with the power to do something with it is called a pitch: software feature ideas, implementation strategies, movie screenplays, organizational changes, and business plans, are all pitched from one person to another. And although the fields or industries may differ, the basic skill of pitching ideas is largely the same. This essay provides a primer on idea pitches, and although most of my experience is in the tech-sector, I pitch to you that the advice here will be relevant to pitching business plans, yourself (e.g. job interviews), screenplays, or anything else."

lifehack.org � Fifty (50!) Tools which can help you in Writing

lifehack.org � Fifty (50!) Tools which can help you in Writing: "Fifty (50!) Tools which can help you in Writing

Roy Peter Clark from Poynter Institute has posted up 50 tools that can help you when you do any kinds of writing. This is a extensive list of writing tools, but by no mean you need to apply all of them when you do any writing. There are the Writing Tool links:"

'You've got to find what you love,' Jobs says

Streve Jobs speech to Stanford Class of 2005
"Your time is limited, so don't waste it living someone else's life. Don't be trapped by dogma - which is living with the results of other people's thinking. Don't let the noise of other's opinions drown out your own inner voice. And most important, have the courage to follow your heart and intuition. They somehow already know what you truly want to become. Everything else is secondary."
'You've got to find what you love,' Jobs says: "Stay Hungry. Stay Foolish."

Turn On, Tune In, Veg Out - New York Times

Turn On, Tune In, Veg Out - New York Times: "Scientists and technologists have the same uneasy status in our society as the Jedi in the Galactic Republic. They are scorned by the cultural left and the cultural right, and young people avoid science and math classes in hordes. The tedious particulars of keeping ourselves alive, comfortable and free are being taken offline to countries where people are happy to sweat the details, as long as we have some foreign exchange left to send their way. Nothing is more seductive than to think that we, like the Jedi, could be masters of the most advanced technologies while living simple lives: to have a geek standard of living and spend our copious leisure time vegging out."

How long does it take to double your money? (by Jeremy Zawodny)

The "Rule of 72" says that you take the interest rate (assuming that it's compounded annualy) and divide 72 by it. For an investment that yields 7% annual returns, that means 72 / 7 which is roughly 10.3 years.
How long does it take to double your money? (by Jeremy Zawodny): "How long does it take to double your money?"

NOVA | World in the Balance | PBS

It took all of human history until the year 1804 for our population to reach its first billion. Now a billion new people are added every dozen years. In the industrialized world—Japan, Europe, and the United States—birthrates are falling steeply while the senior citizen population is booming. In this two-hour Earth Day special, NOVA explores these and other trends in the relationship between people and the planet.
NOVA | World in the Balance | PBS

Not much to say here - this just says in pictures what Friedman says in words in his book "The World is Flat".

Nice piece of Elephant :-)

No comments required - the T-Shirt says it all!

Most Emailed Photos on Yahoo! News Photos: "Indianapolis"

Star Wars Episode III: a steaming pile of Sith.

Well, here is an honest, down to earth critique of Star Wars III. Not my opinion, but I have to agree that this wasn't the best Star Wars movie.
Star Wars Episode III: a steaming pile of Sith.: "your characters "

The Credit Card Prank II

If you loved the earlier post, you'll find this one even more amusing- or frightening :-)

The Credit Card Prank II

The Credit Card Prank

I've always suspected the same myself - but you've gotta see it to believe it. You will never feel the same signing your credit card charge slips again. :-)

Happy signing :-)

The Credit Card Prank

Sudoku - a numbers game

This game seems to be getting a lot of buzz on the web right now. I tried this myself and it's pretty cool - but I'm not sure if I'll pay $15 for it. What do you think?
Sudoku

THE TANDOOR-LOIN / A mecca for curry and naan emerges among smoke shops and massage parlors

THE TANDOOR-LOIN / A mecca for curry and naan emerges among smoke shops and massage parlors

This is a test blog

Joltin' Joe / In Starbucks country, caffeine hooks us and constantly lures us back to feed our addiction

Joltin' Joe / In Starbucks country, caffeine hooks us and constantly lures us back to feed our addiction

Carl's Jr. Readies 'Hot' Paris Hilton Spot

Carl's Jr. Readies 'Hot' Paris Hilton Spot: "Carl's Jr."

In n Out Burger

In n Out Burger - boy what a business. Their menu has just 3 types of burgers, fries and soda. But it's all fresh and juicy. Right now it is 1:00 pm on saturday and there must be at least 35 cars ahead of me. They have their waiters take orders right outside long before you get to the window.
I guess doing one thing well beats trying to everything poorly.
Take note mcdonalds

Daily Kos :: Fox News Channel reporter

Just another example of the heights to which Fox News is willing to go to, to report the truth, the complete truth and nothing but the truth :-)
Daily Kos :: Fox News Channel reporter

Graffiti

Graffiti

Ten ways to live longer - Forbes.com - MSNBC.com

Ten ways to live longer - Forbes.com - MSNBC.com: "'I don't want to achieve immortality through my work...I want to achieve it through not dying.'"

Dewang Mehta Award for Sugata Mitra - The Economic Times

Dewang Mehta Award for Sugata Mitra - The Economic Times

India in the New World Order

tompeters! management consulting leadership training development project management: "In England more people are employed by Indian restaurants than in steelmaking, coal mining, and ship building combined!"

Google circa 2014

I have no idea who these guys are - but this short animation of the shape of things in the year 2014 is both awe inspiring and scary. It talks about the evolution of Google, its epic battle against the traditional information sources - like the New York Times and with its adversaries like Microsoft and Amazon. Well, I won't give away the ending - see for yourself.
ols-master

Forbes.com: Lakshmi Mittal's $19 Billion Year

Indian-born Lakshmi Mittal catapults his way into the world's richest Top 10 - coming in just behind Bill Gates and Warren Buffet!

Watch out world - Indians are taking over the reins.

Forbes.com: Lakshmi Mittal's $19 Billion Year

Some great quotations about Cycling

Quote:Unquote: "'Nothing compares to getting your heart rate up to 170-something, riding hard for an hour-twenty, getting off and not hurting, as opposed to 24 minutes of running, at the end of which I hurt. When you ride a bike and you get your heart rate up and you're out, after 30 or 40 minutes your mind tends to expand; it tends to relax.'
President George W Bush"

King of the Hill - TV Series - TV Tome

King of the Hill - TV Series - TV Tome: "King of the Hill is another animation hit for Beavis and Butthead creator Mike Judge, who also voices the starring character Hank Hill, a propane gas salesman in the fictional town Arlen, Texas. Hank is often besieged by the idiosyncrasies of society, but he finds (some) serenity in his home-life with his wife, substitute Spanish teacher Peggy, his awkward son Bobby and his live-in niece-in-law Luanne Platter. Adding flavor to the ordinary dish the series serves are Hank's friends, divorcee military barber Bill Dauterive, paranoid Dale Gribble (with an obsession with Government conspiracy theories) and gibberish spouting Boomhauer."

Around the world in 67 hours - solo, non-stop, no refueling!

Congrats Steve Fossett for shattering yet another record!

Virgin Atlantic Global Flyer : Home Page

Review: The Trigger Effect

A real intriguing movie - I watched it a long time back - didn't remember the name though. I searched all online resources for this movie but no luck. This afternoon I came across the new movie search on Google and gave it a shot by generally describing the theme "power outage" and lo and behold, here it is.

If anyone of you come across this in the tv programs listings, let me know so I can watch it again.
Review: The Trigger Effect

Rumsfeld Shaking Hands with Saddam Hussein

Shaking Hands with Saddam Hussein

USA NETWORK | Monk

USA NETWORK | Monk

OpinionJournal - Peggy Noonan

OpinionJournal - Peggy Noonan: "bloggers "

AmIAnnoying.com

Look up the annoyance index of various celebrities - very interesting site!
AmIAnnoying.com

The Origins of Aids

I don't know what to say - I just saw documentary on Sundance Channel and I was all shook up. I am a firm believer in science and scientific method, but I guess that scientist are no more honest than the regular population.

Read on and decide for yourself...
The Origins of Aids

Dictionary of Political Terms

ALARMIST, n. Any respected scientist who understands the threat of global warming. (Dave Nold, Berkely, California)

ALLIES, n. Foreigners who do what Republicans tell them to do. (Gary Schroller, Bellaire, Texas)

BALANCED, adj. 1. favoring corporations (a more balanced approach to the environment.); 2. favoring conservatives (fair and balanced reporting). (Scott Davis, Grand Prairie, Texas)

CLASS WARFARE, n. Any attempt to raise the minimum wage. (Don Zwier, Grayslake, Illinois)

COALITION, n. One or more nations whose leaders have been duped, pressured or bribed into supporting ill-conceived, unnecessary, under-planned and/or illegal US military operations. (Michael Shapiro, Honolulu, Hawaii)

CONVICTION, n. Making decisions before getting the facts, and refusing to change your mind afterward. (Paul Ruschmann, Canton, Michigan)

CULTURE OF LIFE, n. A reduction of reproductive freedoms. (Sean Sturgeon, Fredericton, New Brunswick, Canada)

DEMOCRACY, n. My way or the highway. (Daniel Quinn, London, UK)

ECONOMIC RECOVERY, n. When three out of five software engineers who lost their jobs to outsourcing are able to find part-time work at Wal-Mart. (Rob Hotman , Houston, Texas)

ELECTION FRAUD, n. Counting every vote. (Sean O'Brien, Chicago, Illinois)

GIRLY MEN, n. Those who do not grope women. (Nick Gill, Newton, MA)

HARD WORK, n. What Republicans say when they can't think of anything better. (Brian McDowell)

HEALTHY FORESTS, n. No tree left behind. (Ron Russell, San Francisco, California)

JOB GROWTH, n. Increased number of jobs an individual has to take after losing earlier high-paying job. (John E. Tarin, Arlington, Virginia)

JUNK SCIENCE, n. Sound science. (Geoffrey King, Austin, TX)

OFFICE OF FAITH-BASED INITIATIVES, n. Christian Right payoff. (Michael Gendelman, Fair Haven, New Jersey)

OWNERSHIP SOCIETY, n. A society in which no one ever needs to own up to their mistakes or the consequences of their actions. (Sharon Gallagher, New York, New York)

PARTIAL BIRTH ABORTION, n. A non-medical term invented by anti-choice zealots that refers to a broad class of abortion procedures; employed as a first step in reversing Roe v. Wade. (David McNeely, Lutz, Florida)

POLITICAL CAPITAL, n. What a Republican president receives as a result of a razor-thin margin of victory in an election. (Joy Losee, Gainesville, Georgia)

PRESS CONFERENCE, n. A rare event designed for the President to brag about his prowess as a leader while simultaneously dodging difficult questions. (Jim Nidositko, Westfield, New Jersey)

REFORM, n. Rollback of New Deal reforms, laws, standards and social protections. (Nick Gill, Newton, MA)

RESOLUTE, adj. Pig-headed. (Paul Ruschmann, Carlton, MI)

SMALL BUSINESS OWNER, n. rich person (Michael Mannella, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania)

SOCIAL SECURITY REFORM, n. Leave no Wall Street broker behind. (Ann Klopp , Princeton, NJ)

STAYING THE COURSE, v., The act of being stubborn and unable to admit glaring policy mistakes; being wrong and sticking with the wrong idea regardless of the consequences. (Jillian Jorgensen, Staten Island, New York)

TAX SIMPLIFICATION, n. A way to make it simpler for large US corporations to export American jobs to avoid paying US taxes. (Seth Hammond, Goodwell, Oklahoma)

VERY CLEAR, adj. Modifier used immediately before any preposterous explanation or rationale. (Lance L. Prata, Eastlake Weir, Florida)

Slate discovers airport security loophole

Map my Blog

Why Everybody's Talking About Rabbi Shergill

Why Everybody's Talking About Rabbi Shergill

Tehelka - The People's Paper

Tehelka - The People's Paper: ". "

Rhythm divine - Rabbi Shergill and other Sufi music revivalists

The Telegraph - Calcutta : Metro: "Shye Ben Tzur "

The Telegraph - Calcutta : Metro

The Telegraph - Calcutta : Metro

Meet Rabbi Shergill - the guitar playing, Sufi singing Sikh rockstar!

rediff.com: Meet Rabbi Shergill!