Blog of Parag

Finally...

It was a love at first sight. At that time, we were not meant to be together. I pined in the pain of separation for more than a year. Finally, today was the day of our first meeting.

At first, I was very tentative and afraid even to touch. But soon, I couldn't keep my hands to myself and it was a joy to completely uncover this thing of beauty. As my fingers touch the cool skin and trace the beautifully sensuous curves, all my senses await eagerly for complete satisfaction. I know that I'll be satisfied and it is going to be a very very long night.

concept of this post was stolen shamelessly from arunshanbhag.

Big crash...

What if part of New York broke off and slammed into New Jersey? Something similar happened in Antartica over the last couple of months.

Check out the following link for details.
APOD: 2005 February 23 - Voyage of an Antarctic Iceberg

Save premature babies

Premature birth is the leading cause of newborn death in the first month of life. It affects 1,305 babies a day in the United States. Those who survive may have lifelong health problems. And premature births are on the rise -- up to 27% since 1981.

My daughter as well as I were born prematurely. Thankfully, both of us are doing well but, there are many who are not so fortunate.

I am asking you to support me in March of Dimes WalkAmerica, because premature birth can happen to any pregnant woman. In nearly half the cases, the causes are unknown. The March of Dimes is supporting research into the causes of premature birth. I'm joining the walk in Ann Arbor, MI on May 1st, and so can you!

Your support helps fund:
-Research into stress and other factors that may trigger preterm labor.
-Programs to educate pregnant women to recognize the warning signs of preterm labor.
-Tools to help health care providers find better ways to detect women who may be at risk for preterm labor.

Please visit my webpage and sponsor me in the Walk that saves babies!

If you wish to participate in the walk visit Walk America website and find a walk in your area.

Corrupt politicians

It was interesting to read Paul Krugman's op-ed, Wag-the-Dog Protection, in the New York Times. Here are a couple of quotes from there. Wonder why we point fingers towards India while talking about corrupt politicians. In US, there are plenty of them who have no regard for their country.

Just days after 9/11, many analysts identified sites that store toxic chemicals as a major terror risk, and called for new safety rules. But as The New York Times reported last fall, "after the oil and chemical industries met with Karl Rove ... the White House quietly blocked those efforts."

Nearly three and a half years after 9/11, those chemical plants are still unprotected.
.....
An audit of the Homeland Security Department's (greatly inadequate) program to protect ports found that much of the money went to unlikely locations, including six sites in landlocked Arkansas, where the department's recently resigned chief of border and transportation security is reported to be considering a run for governor.

Is this real???

Two die in Mumbai chill (NIGHT LEAD)

At least two people died Monday following a cold wave in the country's financial capital with minimum temperatures hovering around 12 degrees Celsius for the past two days.

Police discovered two bodies, suspected to be of homeless vagrants who froze to death, from the suburbs. The deceased, both middle-aged men, are yet to be identified.

I don't believe this is true. The cause of death must be something else. The police is trying to hush up some murder case here. There is no way that someone will actually die from 12 degree C temperature. It is cold by Mumbai standards and people are not used to it, but, die from it... no way.

Nikon 50mm f/1.8

Who owns the fish? -- Solution

On a street there are 5 houses painted with 5 different colors. Occupant of each house has a different nationality, drinks a different beverage, smokes a different brand of cigarettes and keeps a different pet.

THE QUESTION : WHO OWNS THE FISH?

Hints
1. The Brit lives in a red house
2. The Swede has a dog
3. The Dane drinks tea
4. The Green house is on the left (adjacent) of the White house
5. The owner of the Green house drinks coffee
6. The person who smokes Pall Mall has birds
7. The owner of the Yellow house smokes Dunhills
8. The man living in the center house drinks milk
9. The Norwegian lives in the first house
10. The man who smokes Blends lives next to the one who has cats
11. The man who has horses lives next do the man who smokes Dunhills
12. The man who smokes Blue Master drinks beer
13. The German smokes Prince
14. The Norwegian lies next to the blue house
15. The man who smokes Blends has a neighbor who drinks water

There is a lot of information to figure it out correctly. I'll post my solution (the right one, of course!) on Friday.

taken from surendra

Update: Many of you, who commented or emailed, got it right. Sujit, Leena and Simi got it right. Congratulations! You win a high resolution photo to put on your PC as background. Pick any one from my photoblog and I'll send you a high res version of it.

Medhavi and Deven claim that they have the right answer. But, didn't send it to me. Anyway, they are welcome to ask for the prize too.

Here is the solution as promised. Click on the link below to view it.

The German man owns the fish.

Google maps

Check out the latest Google tool: Google Maps.

The scrollable map feature definitely makes this better than Yahoo!Maps and Mapquest. It is also connected to Google Local, which is their version of Yellow Pages.

Feel the power of Javascript.

Update: A nice review of all the map tools available on the internet. Thanks for the link, Mahesh. Google maps is still in beta. I am sure a lot of other features are still under development and will be made available in the final production version.

In the middle of nowhere

I had earlier posted about a show called 'This American Life' on NPR. I continue to like it more and more everytime I hear it.

Check out this show that was originally broadcast in Dec. 2003.

The first part is about the destruction of island nation of Naureau. It is quite a sad but interesting story.

If you ever have had a problem with MCI over-charging you and then, screwing you with refunds, you'll understand the second story of the broadcast. These bastards still owe me more than $200. I hope Bernie Ebbers burns in hell.

Who owns the fish?

On a street there are 5 houses painted with 5 different colors. Occupant of each house has a different nationality, drinks a different beverage, smokes a different brand of cigarettes and keeps a different pet.

THE QUESTION : WHO OWNS THE FISH?

Hints
1. The Brit lives in a red house
2. The Swede has a dog
3. The Dane drinks tea
4. The Green house is on the left (adjacent) of the White house
5. The owner of the Green house drinks coffee
6. The person who smokes Pall Mall has birds
7. The owner of the Yellow house smokes Dunhills
8. The man living in the center house drinks milk
9. The Norwegian lives in the first house
10. The man who smokes Blends lives next to the one who has cats
11. The man who has horses lives next do the man who smokes Dunhills
12. The man who smokes Blue Master drinks beer
13. The German smokes Prince
14. The Norwegian lies next to the blue house
15. The man who smokes Blends has a neighbor who drinks water

There is a lot of information to figure it out correctly. I'll post my solution (the right one, of course!) on Friday.

taken from surendra

Where do babies come from???

For parents who will be answering to their children's "where do babies come from?" question, here is a new book that will definitely be of help. It is recommended for kids, age 4-8.

Dhoom machaale dhoom...

After hearing praises from some unreliable sources, I decided to ignore my dear friend Vinayak's admonitions about 'Dhoom'. Within first 10 minutes, I knew that I had made a mistake. All this movie had was meaningless story with mindless stunts and action.

Children of bollywood stars shouldn't get into acting just because their parents did. Abhishek Bachchan acts like a mannequin. Esha Deol definitely got the wrong sets of genes from her parents. It is quite sad for her that her mother looks more beautiful than her.

People who get into movies just because of connections are even worse. This Chopra chap who played Ali, is in the movies just because he is Yash Chopra's son or nephew or something like that. My butt looks prettier than his face. Yes, I did go in the bathroom and checked in the mirror before writing this.

 The only redeeming qualities of the movie is its short length and the title song 'Dhoom'. Stay away from Dhoom if you haven't already suffered through it.

Happy Valentine's day

Bob Dylan's 'It Ain't me, Babe' is probably the best response if you wish to reject someone's 'Be Mine' request.

Go 'way from my window, Leave at your own chosen speed. I'm not the one you want, babe, I'm not the one you need. You say you're lookin' for someone Never weak but always strong, To protect you an' defend you Whether you are right or wrong, Someone to open each and every door, But it ain't me, babe, No, no, no, it ain't me, babe, It ain't me you're lookin' for, babe.

Go lightly from the ledge, babe,
Go lightly on the ground.
I'm not the one you want, babe,
I will only let you down.
You say you're lookin' for someone
Who will promise never to part,
Someone to close his eyes for you,
Someone to close his heart,
Someone who will die for you an' more,
But it ain't me, babe,
No, no, no, it ain't me, babe,
It ain't me you're lookin' for, babe.

Go melt back into the night, babe,
Everything inside is made of stone.
There's nothing in here moving
An' anyway I'm not alone.
You say you're looking for someone
Who'll pick you up each time you fall,
To gather flowers constantly
An' to come each time you call,
A lover for your life an' nothing more,
But it ain't me, babe,
No, no, no, it ain't me, babe,
It ain't me you're lookin' for, babe.

Legislating fashion

Don't these legislators have anything better to do? I hope they amend the law to make it applicable only to men.

RICHMOND, Va. (AP) - Virginians who wear their pants so low their underwear shows may want to think about investing in a stronger belt.

The state's House of Delegates passed a bill Tuesday authorizing a $50 fine for anyone who displays his or her underpants in a "lewd or indecent manner." Delegate Lionell Spruill, a Democrat who opposed the bill, pleaded with his colleagues to remember their own youthful fashion follies.

During an extended monologue Monday, he talked about how they dressed or wore their hair in their teens. On Tuesday, he said the measure is an unconstitutional attack on young blacks that would force parents to take off work to accompany their children to court just for making a fashion statement.

"This is a foolish bill, Mr. Speaker, because it will hurt so many," Spruill said before the measure was approved by a vote of 60-34. It now goes to the state Senate.

The bill's sponsor, Delegate Algie Howell, has said constituents were offended by the exposed underwear. He did not speak on the floor Tuesday.

HR gobbledeegook

It is interesting to see how goal setting and performance evaluation policies are changed by HR.

From this year, goals should be written at a very high level; not too much detail. There is no such thing as a stretch goal. Every goal must be a stretch goal. One will not be penalised for not reaching the goal as long as there is documented proof of trying really hard.

So, it is possible for a person to not successfully complete even a single goal through the year but, exceed expectations while doing that.

Huuh!!!

Mandalit del Barco

Some people have names that just sound so great. This NPR reporter is one of them. When she signs off at the end of the report, it is worth listening to. Whenever I hear her reporting, I stay in the car even after reaching my destination to hear her sign off at the end. Check out this report that appeared yesterday. If you don't want to listen to the whole thing, just forward to about 3min 40sec. and have a listen to her say her own name. It is a treat, at least to my ears.

Don't miss ...

..... Aishwarya Rai on the Late Show with David Letterman tonight at 1130 pm ET.

Back from India - IV

After coming back from India, I am missing my parents and friends and then, all the good food. A close third behind that is all the great remix videos that are aired on MTV and channel V. I can't say that the music is better than the original renditions; in most cases it is horrible. But, the videos are fabulous. While watching some of them, your ears don't even hear any music. All these good-looking young girls showing off dance steps that may even shame Britney Spears and her friends. These videos are so much better than watching the likes of Asha Parekh, Waheeda Rahman etc. with their bird-nest hairstyles and atrocious makeup and dresses (not to mention their fat behinds). I was just addicted to them. I used to turn on MTV/channelV with my first cup of tea in the morning.

One of my most favorite songs was "Rangeela Re vs. Ho Ja Rangeela Re" by Babydoll. I was trying to find the name of the girl in that video. Finally, found her after googling a little bit. Her name is Deepal Shah (or Shaw).

I am sure all these remixes is just a fad and people will forget them pretty soon. Hopefully, they will keep making similar videos for new Indipop songs. :)

Pet peeve #3

People that keep their home thermostats set at 75-80F. All that dry heat is so bad for health. It dries up your eyes, skin and breathing passages causing nose bleeds and scratchy throat. Any setting above 68F makes me very uncomfortable. When it is winter-time, people should dress appropraitely for it and not prance around in shorts and T-shirts with thermostat set so high.

We used to have this fight at home; me bringing the thermostat setting down and V increasing it. But, now with Ashwini, who is like me in terms of temperature preferance (and in many other ways), we have a majority. :)