Tuesday, June 30, 2009

Mars on Google Earth

Hi...Google Earth for Mars has been around for a while now...just added it coz i found it very interesting...it does n't require additional download or anything...all you need to do is change the mode on Google earth...do check the video out...cheers...

(for those who see this on facebook, click on "view original post" below)



Sunday, June 28, 2009

The monsoons

If you ask me what the best thing about my place is, I would say it is the monsoons. Starts in June usually. But it has been wavering forwards and backwards over the past few years . First rain is always very special. The skies rumble as if its calling out and telling everybody that the wait is over. The clear skies would soon be covered with grey clouds. I like walking up and down my courtyard when it is about to rain. As the first few drops kiss the earth, the odour of the earth will be drawn to your soul. No wonder this place is called "God's own country". The drizzle would soon promote itself to heavy showers. The fade of the trees and plants will be gone in mere minutes. Roses always have an extra scent in them when it rains. Droplets of water will slide along the surfaces of leaves, dancing over its way to earth. They patter on roof tops as if trying to wake the house up after the long summer. As far as I'm concerned, the best thing that can accompany a heavy rain would be a cup of coffee.

Back during school days it was not a new thing to forget to load your bag with an umbrella. And most often, the walk back home, would be in the rain. Used to love the walk. The feel of rain drops dripping over your face is something anybody would fall in love with. My shirt would soon be soaking wet and hugging onto my body. There are loads of memories associated with rain. There used to be a friend of mine (not to mention the name or I would be dead meat soon) who had a crush on his neighbour and they used to travel in the same private van to school. The downpour was pretty heavy that day. This guy acted as if he forgot to take his umbrella so that he could share the umbrella with the gal. Luckily for him the plan worked and our circle of friends soon received a phone call later that day with a boringly elaborate description of a 10 minute walk.

Football in the rain is another unforgettable experience. Football has never been my cup of tea, but the muddy ground can always be used to your advantage if you 've the ball. But always had to watch out for ruthless players who would come flying into you from nowhere taking you with their trajectory. Nobody was ever bothered about getting hurt. Goals used to be followed by screaming out allowed and throwing oneself in the mud. It was last year while I was returning from the uni I believe that it started raining heavily all of a sudden. Climate in the UK is unpredictable. I pulled my hood over to cover my head. But that didn't prevent the heavy rains from keeping my head dry. The twenty minute walk flashed glimpses of the life I lived back home and during college days. It is often good to turn around and rejoice and above all be thankful about the life one has been given.


I won't say those days are gone yet. Life still has loads of surprises in store. Memories made in the rain always get reloaded when the monsoon returns. The brain "googles" them out automatically. People change but rains don't. They return every year to see how things have changed. To see how you have grown. To listen to what you got to say. And in the end to tell you that life is an occasion to love, share and celebrate.

Wednesday, June 24, 2009

Over a cup of coffee...

Beep...beep...beep...the microwave called for attention. Milk had started oozing out of the Stone-Henge imprinted coffee mug. Had got this coffee mug around an year ago during the Stone henge visit with Juanjo, Vanessa and Fahad. More than the thrill of seeing the famous Windows XP wallpaper in real, it was the opportunity to take photographs that inspired me. After coming from a country which can boast of unbelievably complex architectural marvels, the Stone Henge was not good enough to make a big impressive impact. Anyhow historians do say that mystery still sleeps peacefully amongst those tall stone structures waiting to be revealed. Juanjo, who I had gone there with was one of the first few people I made friends with after coming to the UK. He, like almost every other Spanish I've met so far was a very jovial and sensible person. While me and Fahad were always on the look out for chances to tease each other, Juanjo used to take sides in a very much diplomatic fashion. ;). Its very strange how even a humble coffee mug can stir up memories and pull out files out of nowhere.

I started this habit of drinking coffee during my dissertation. Used to help me postpone my breakfast, lunch and dinner. ;). At times the number of times the mug got refilled even touched 7-9 times a day. I've cut down on that now. After long heavy day's work, coffee used to help me calm down. Atleast that used to be the time when I would just shut up and relax. But a hot cup of coffee can help you forget everything and just enjoy the warmth of the bean juice running down your throat.

As I sat my desk and turned on my Thinkpad, thoughts wandered back to how things were one and a half years ago. I did mention in one of my previous articles that it is my convocation on July 4th. Networked Centred Computing had taken most of my time...sorry...all of my time during the past one and a quarter years. Anyhow making new friends and experiencing new culture was obviously there in the package. The pics that were taken during the course often help to review the transition. Just like a photographer uses D.O.F. to stress on the subject in focus and blur the background out, the pics simply blur the present for a very brief span of time. It is complete fun to go through the pics but the bad times left blemishes around. But evidently, instead of using the scales to ponder over what you lost or gained, it is better to look at where you stand today and take steps accordingly for a better future.

As I finished my last sip of coffee, I clicked on the sign out button of my gmail account. I closed the browser and double clicked on the application I was after. Microsoft Robotics Studio. Sleep will have to wait. Back to business.

Monday, June 22, 2009

Google shows its magic again with google waves...

Google recently did a demo of what can be called as the next generation e-mail called google waves...not only does it present a very much enhanced collaborative environment but it being open source also let developers add their own extensions and contribute extensively to the project...but there is much more in it than what I just mentioned...I've added the 1 hour 20 min video below...Make sure u don't miss out on a single minute of the video but at the same time just to mention the bits I liked the best are the spell checker(44:00), the collaborative editing tool (35:30) and the search facility (41:40) ...do check it out...


Saturday, June 20, 2009

Back in the UK

A day has passed since I returned to the UK. After a horridly delayed flight, I was almost completely drained out when I rang the calling bell. 30 hours. That is what it took me to reach my door in Reading. Arnab opened the door with the same old innocent smile. He had returned 9 days before me and seemed to have fixed himself into place. As far as I was concerned, things were still in IST. Jet lag is usual. One deep sleep is all it takes to get back.

Questions at the immigration is usually the most interesting part of an Indian's trip to the EU. I do understand why but they pose as if they don't trust anybody. As if everybody coming in about to rob them of their 10 quids in a bet. They shoot questions as if out of personal interest and actually pretend if they are asking a very genuine question. "So where is University of Reading", the guy at the immigration asked me. "At Reading", I replied. "Reading is not in London,right?",he asked again. "Could have saved on 15 pounds and one hour had it been in London", I responded. Just to let him know that I knew how much a RailAir bus ticket from London to Reading costed. "Alright, here is your passport and good luck.Cheers!", he said with a smile which said he was convinced.

As I entered my room, I gave a sigh. Not of relief completely, but a mixture of home-sickness and realization of the challenges lying ahead of me. It is my convocation on the 4th of July. Have worked really hard for one year for the scroll they hand over on that day. Big day. And if asked to summarize the experience over the past one and a half years, two words would be ample enough - "Life changing".

I dropped my bag onto my bed making sure my lap inside would turn on when I switch it on. I'm pretty sure my bag would have shouted "Thank you so much. Now for heaven sake go take a shower!!!" if it had a mouth. And I knew there wasn't much I could have responded with. ;). The Bhagavat Gita I carry along with me was the first thing I took out from my bag. There are few things that are constantly on the move with me. Mostly gifts from friends and relatives. The most recent addition to this collection is a novel. "COMA" by Robin Cook. The person who gifted me the book had written their name on the first page. Every time I miss this person, all I do is open this book and read the name. It somehow brings a smile on my face. Let me tell you...THERE IS MAGIC IN THIS WORLD!!!

A shower and a cup of coffee is all I wanted to end the day. The caffiene doesn't have much influence on my sleeping habits. It has been that ways since school days. Soon I plunged myself into the comforts of my bed. The next lap was about to commence.

Thursday, June 18, 2009

"This is the final call for..."





"This is the final call for flight no. blah blah blah (read out as slowly as possible). All passengers are requested to go immediately to gate no.XX where the flight is ready to depart." I doubt if there could be an even more annoying dialogue when your own connecting flight has been delayed for 7 bloody hours. I have been sitting in this waiting lounge for 2 hours now. Another 3 hours to go. After 2 hours of heavy duty shopping (the prefix "window" may be taken for granted) there is nothing much you could do at an airport.


Almost all security guards seemed to move around with a face that said "My dad built this airport when I was 7". And all the cleaners move around as if they were secret agents under cover...raising their eye-brows and moving the mop in very slow zig-zag fashion...as if they are thinking all the time...;)...or expecting something to go wrong any second.

The only good thing that happened today was the short chat with the arab model who was standing near the Jaguar, which is supposed to be the prize of the lucky draw. As I was taking a pic of the Jag, I asked her how much the ticket costed..."50 BHDs" she replied with a sparkling smile. "Go ahead...take one" she said with a tone which said she knew I would nt take one unless given away for free. And I must say she was spot on. 50 BHDs!!! I must be barking mad if I buy one of those.If my maths isn't bad 50 BHDs is somewhere around 85 pounds. 6400 indian rupees!!! That money could be used for something creative or useful instead of being wasted away in lottery.



To add to my irritation the guy sitting near me has just started snoring. I even doubt if he is doing it deliberately to irritate me. I better find another place to sit. "This is the final call for...". Damn.