Am getting married to Aparna on August 30th 2009 in chennai.
Please treat this as my personal invite and kindly grace the occasion.
Invitation follows ...
Saturday, July 25, 2009
My Wedding Invite
Hello Everyone ,
Am getting married to Aparna on August 30th 2009 in chennai.
Please treat this as my personal invite and kindly grace the occasion.
Invitation follows ...
Am getting married to Aparna on August 30th 2009 in chennai.
Please treat this as my personal invite and kindly grace the occasion.
Invitation follows ...
Saturday, May 2, 2009
Why Twitter?
4-5 months ago ,I used twitter for like 2 days - got pissed off - voluntarily deleted my account, but only to join Twitter back after a week. Twitter is very powerful - its faster than the media. If you ask me - why Twitter ? - then you also need to ask an extra question - why blog ?
Infact i like Twitter very much - that i have no reason to write a blog.
Evan Williams talk on Twitter must lighten the minds of many people who still seem to have a misconception about it. http://www.ted.com/index.php/talks/evan_williams_on_listening_to_twitter_users.html
With search available on Twitter , its not just following/listening to a group - it allows you to know what the whole world thinks about a buzz word...
eg:http://twitter.com/#search?q=wolverine
Applications like TweetDeck provide this search option with results rendered in a beautifully engineered adobe air application . So just set a buzz word that you are interested and see what the whole world says.
Join me on Twitter - http://twitter.com/sagopal
Eat ... Sleep ... Tweet
Infact i like Twitter very much - that i have no reason to write a blog.
Evan Williams talk on Twitter must lighten the minds of many people who still seem to have a misconception about it. http://www.ted.com/index.php/talks/evan_williams_on_listening_to_twitter_users.html
With search available on Twitter , its not just following/listening to a group - it allows you to know what the whole world thinks about a buzz word...
eg:http://twitter.com/#search?q=wolverine
Applications like TweetDeck provide this search option with results rendered in a beautifully engineered adobe air application . So just set a buzz word that you are interested and see what the whole world says.
Join me on Twitter - http://twitter.com/sagopal
Eat ... Sleep ... Tweet
Tuesday, April 7, 2009
Should i do MBA?
This is a concern amongst all of us.Everyone is confused by this so called `MBA`.Is it a Status Symbol ? I may be like a lot of ppl who dont know , about how to proceed further in one's career . But i know one truth.
Especially Indians want to do B.E , PH.D & if possible an MBA too all in succession after they complete school. ok - nothing wrong there. But whats the use ?
Clearly ,MBA is not reqd if you need to become a manager . Product/Process knowledge is more than sufficient. I have seen ppl with an MIT degree + Stanford MBA working under an employee who just did his B.A in computers & has 10 years of exp with the same company.
Doing MBA might be good, but one should not do it after his B.E , whats the use in studying MBA if you dnt knw what an industry is ? I am sure ISB/IIM will all have excellent faculties to teach you , but you got to relate to what they say , else it is gonna be text-bookish.
Anywhere in the world,dng a good MBA will definitely help one in fetching a lot of money - but will you be happy then ? I think guys like me like their work more than the money they are paid. isnt it ? :)
-------------
just my 2 cents...
PS:
I dont want to conclude anything with the above lines , i want it to be like a technical Interview question which cant be closed as the possibilities are endless. Keep your thoughts flowing..
Especially Indians want to do B.E , PH.D & if possible an MBA too all in succession after they complete school. ok - nothing wrong there. But whats the use ?
Clearly ,MBA is not reqd if you need to become a manager . Product/Process knowledge is more than sufficient. I have seen ppl with an MIT degree + Stanford MBA working under an employee who just did his B.A in computers & has 10 years of exp with the same company.
Doing MBA might be good, but one should not do it after his B.E , whats the use in studying MBA if you dnt knw what an industry is ? I am sure ISB/IIM will all have excellent faculties to teach you , but you got to relate to what they say , else it is gonna be text-bookish.
Anywhere in the world,dng a good MBA will definitely help one in fetching a lot of money - but will you be happy then ? I think guys like me like their work more than the money they are paid. isnt it ? :)
-------------
just my 2 cents...
PS:
I dont want to conclude anything with the above lines , i want it to be like a technical Interview question which cant be closed as the possibilities are endless. Keep your thoughts flowing..
Friday, April 3, 2009
Silent horror of the war in Sri Lanka
The below is an exact copy of article in TOI by Arundhati Roy
The silent horror of the war in Sri Lanka What is happening in Lanka, and is being so effectively hidden from public scrutiny, is a brazen, openly racist war
The horror that is unfolding in Sri Lanka becomes possible because of the silence that surrounds it. There is almost no reporting in the mainstream Indian media — or indeed in the international press — about what is happening there. Why this should be so is a matter of serious concern.
From the little information that is filtering through it looks as though the Sri Lankan government is using the propaganda of the ‘war on terror’ as a fig leaf to dismantle any semblance of democracy in the country, and commit unspeakable crimes against the Tamil people. Working on the principle that every Tamil is a terrorist unless he or she can prove otherwise, civilian areas, hospitals and shelters are being bombed and turned into a war zone. Reliable estimates put the number of civilians trapped at over 200,000. The Sri Lankan Army is advancing, armed with tanks and aircraft.
Meanwhile, there are official reports that several ‘‘welfare villages’’ have been established to house displaced Tamils in Vavuniya and Mannar districts. According to a report in The Daily Telegraph (Feb 14, 2009), these villages ‘‘will be compulsory holding centres for all civilians fleeing the fighting’’. Is this a euphemism for concentration camps? The former foreign minister of Sri Lanka, Mangala Samaraveera, told The Daily Telegraph: ‘‘A few months ago the government started registering all Tamils in Colombo on the grounds that they could be a security threat, but this could be exploited for other purposes like the Nazis in the 1930s. They’re basically going to label the whole civilian Tamil population as potential terrorists.’’
Given its stated objective of ‘‘wiping out’’ the LTTE, this malevolent collapse of civilians and ‘‘terrorists’’ does seem to signal that the government of Sri Lanka is on the verge of committing what could end up being genocide. According to a UN estimate several thousand people have already been killed. Thousands more are critically wounded. The few eyewitness reports that have come out are descriptions of a nightmare from hell. What we are witnessing, or should we say, what is happening in Sri Lanka and is being so effectively hidden from public scrutiny, is a brazen, openly racist war. The impunity with which the Sri Lankan government is being able to commit these crimes actually unveils the deeply ingrained racist prejudice, which is precisely what led to the marginalization and alienation of the Tamils of Sri Lanka in the first place. That racism has a long history, of social ostracisation, economic blockades, progroms and torture. The brutal nature of the decades-long civil war, which started as a peaceful, non-violent protest, has its roots in this.
Why the silence? In another interview Mangala Samaraveera says, ‘‘A free media is virtually non-existent in Sri Lanka today.’’ ‘This concern has not travelled to India’
Samaraveera goes on to talk about death squads and ‘white van abductions’, which have made society ‘‘freeze with fear’’. Voices of dissent, including those of several journalists, have been abducted and assassinated. The International Federation of Journalists accuses the government of Sri Lanka of using a combination of anti-terrorism laws, disappearances and assassinations to silence journalists.
There are disturbing but unconfirmed reports that the Indian government is lending material and logistical support to the Sri Lankan government in these crimes against humanity. If this is true, it is outrageous. What of the governments of other countries? Pakistan? China? What are they doing to help, or harm the situation?
In Tamil Nadu the war in Sri Lanka has fueled passions that have led to more than 10 people immolating themselves. The public anger and anguish, much of it genuine, some of it obviously cynical political manipulation, has become an election issue.
It is extraordinary that this concern has not travelled to the rest of India. Why is there silence here? There are no ‘white van abductions’ — at least not on this issue. Given the scale of what is happening in Sri Lanka, the silence is inexcusable. More so because of the Indian government’s long history of irresponsible dabbling in the conflict, first taking one side and then the other. Several of us including myself, who should have spoken out much earlier, have not done so, simply because of a lack of information about the war.
So while the killing continues, while tens of thousands of people are being barricaded into concentration camps, while more than 200,000 face starvation, and a genocide waits to happen, there is dead silence from this great country. It’s a colossal humanitarian tragedy. The world must step in. Now. Before it’s too late.
Article in TOI by Arundhati Roy
The silent horror of the war in Sri Lanka What is happening in Lanka, and is being so effectively hidden from public scrutiny, is a brazen, openly racist war
The horror that is unfolding in Sri Lanka becomes possible because of the silence that surrounds it. There is almost no reporting in the mainstream Indian media — or indeed in the international press — about what is happening there. Why this should be so is a matter of serious concern.
From the little information that is filtering through it looks as though the Sri Lankan government is using the propaganda of the ‘war on terror’ as a fig leaf to dismantle any semblance of democracy in the country, and commit unspeakable crimes against the Tamil people. Working on the principle that every Tamil is a terrorist unless he or she can prove otherwise, civilian areas, hospitals and shelters are being bombed and turned into a war zone. Reliable estimates put the number of civilians trapped at over 200,000. The Sri Lankan Army is advancing, armed with tanks and aircraft.
Meanwhile, there are official reports that several ‘‘welfare villages’’ have been established to house displaced Tamils in Vavuniya and Mannar districts. According to a report in The Daily Telegraph (Feb 14, 2009), these villages ‘‘will be compulsory holding centres for all civilians fleeing the fighting’’. Is this a euphemism for concentration camps? The former foreign minister of Sri Lanka, Mangala Samaraveera, told The Daily Telegraph: ‘‘A few months ago the government started registering all Tamils in Colombo on the grounds that they could be a security threat, but this could be exploited for other purposes like the Nazis in the 1930s. They’re basically going to label the whole civilian Tamil population as potential terrorists.’’
Given its stated objective of ‘‘wiping out’’ the LTTE, this malevolent collapse of civilians and ‘‘terrorists’’ does seem to signal that the government of Sri Lanka is on the verge of committing what could end up being genocide. According to a UN estimate several thousand people have already been killed. Thousands more are critically wounded. The few eyewitness reports that have come out are descriptions of a nightmare from hell. What we are witnessing, or should we say, what is happening in Sri Lanka and is being so effectively hidden from public scrutiny, is a brazen, openly racist war. The impunity with which the Sri Lankan government is being able to commit these crimes actually unveils the deeply ingrained racist prejudice, which is precisely what led to the marginalization and alienation of the Tamils of Sri Lanka in the first place. That racism has a long history, of social ostracisation, economic blockades, progroms and torture. The brutal nature of the decades-long civil war, which started as a peaceful, non-violent protest, has its roots in this.
Why the silence? In another interview Mangala Samaraveera says, ‘‘A free media is virtually non-existent in Sri Lanka today.’’ ‘This concern has not travelled to India’
Samaraveera goes on to talk about death squads and ‘white van abductions’, which have made society ‘‘freeze with fear’’. Voices of dissent, including those of several journalists, have been abducted and assassinated. The International Federation of Journalists accuses the government of Sri Lanka of using a combination of anti-terrorism laws, disappearances and assassinations to silence journalists.
There are disturbing but unconfirmed reports that the Indian government is lending material and logistical support to the Sri Lankan government in these crimes against humanity. If this is true, it is outrageous. What of the governments of other countries? Pakistan? China? What are they doing to help, or harm the situation?
In Tamil Nadu the war in Sri Lanka has fueled passions that have led to more than 10 people immolating themselves. The public anger and anguish, much of it genuine, some of it obviously cynical political manipulation, has become an election issue.
It is extraordinary that this concern has not travelled to the rest of India. Why is there silence here? There are no ‘white van abductions’ — at least not on this issue. Given the scale of what is happening in Sri Lanka, the silence is inexcusable. More so because of the Indian government’s long history of irresponsible dabbling in the conflict, first taking one side and then the other. Several of us including myself, who should have spoken out much earlier, have not done so, simply because of a lack of information about the war.
So while the killing continues, while tens of thousands of people are being barricaded into concentration camps, while more than 200,000 face starvation, and a genocide waits to happen, there is dead silence from this great country. It’s a colossal humanitarian tragedy. The world must step in. Now. Before it’s too late.
Article in TOI by Arundhati Roy
Saturday, March 28, 2009
Nokia E71 & Bar code reader
Its been really a great friend of mine for the past few months & i find it best when it comes to mobility, email-access, official-use, maps & apps. Combination of Fring/Nimbuzz with e71 is excellent & i do a lot of google-talk,skype for FREE.
I can also access my home WIFI like i do from my mac. It has a stunning look & feel second to none.
Barcode reader is my favourite on E71. Imagine taking pictures of code from your camera which could be decoded into any viewable content(link , text)
You just need to point your mobile phone at the code(code is scanned through device camera) & it spits out the data contained in it. This is extemely useful when it comes to downloading as you can just point at the barcode which could be an actual link.
Below is the code for the wiki main page - point your E71 mobile BC-reader at the below image & see the magick :-)
If you dont own an E71 , check Nokia website to see devices which support BC's.
I find it extremely timesaving , coz you needn't type huge links on you mobile when you have the code . If you're more interested , you could create a QR code & share - http://mobilecodes.nokia.com/
http://qrcode.kaywa.com/
http://qrcode.kaywa.com/
Conclusion:
I wish i had a E71 with Barcoder @ school , exams would have been fun. But since there is a size limit on that data it can contain , i think one should take pains in tatooing QR Codes all over the body like Ghajini before entering the exam hall. hehehehe . just kidding. please dont try this :-) Am soon planning to get a T-Shirt which will have a BC embossed on it. Am not gonna reveal the content now :-)
Friday, March 27, 2009
Bucket List
Let me start off my blog venture with this post. I will try to be interesting to my readers. your comments/criticism are welcome.
My selfish little list to do before i kick the bucket.
- I adore trains & especially travel - So wont this be awesome -Travel in TGV & Shikansen
- Read Fountainhead - being a poor reader , was surprised that i enjoyed it thoroughly & yes i like H.Roark. It wonderfully depicts human ego. -
- and read a lot many books - suggestions welcome
- Trip to Switzerland & Paris
- Pyramids of Eqypt & a Nile river cruise
- Write my own technical book
- Have a masculine physique :-)
- Ah yes - this one too - i dont even have my own car & house.
- Eat the choicest icecreams - somehow i never get satisfied when it comes to food & delicacies - Deep fried coconut icecream with banana fritters is my favourite . Let me know if its available somewhere in bangalore.
- Add more to my bucket list & keep doing them.
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