Latin phrases are simply brilliant at times in succinctly expressing ideas. Take the following ones for example.
Vi veri veniversum vivus vici
"By the power of truth, I, while living, have conquered the universe."
Cogito ergo sum
"I think, therefore I am"
Si vis pacem, para bellum
"If you wish for peace, prepare for war"
Per aspera ad astra
"Through hardships to the stars"
E pluribus unum
"Out of many, one"
Sine qua non
"Without which (there is) nothing"
Tuesday, August 26, 2008
Sunday, July 20, 2008
I love Dr. Horrible
What a week it has been !!
One scary villain and one not so scary supervillain.
Heath Ledger totally rocked as the Joker in The Dark Knight. The movie as a whole was absolutely fabulous. This is one movie that haunted me for the entire day after leaving the theater.
Now, about the not so scary supervillain. Dr. Horrible comes from Joss Whedon, the man behind my television favorite, Firefly. His genius lies not only in creating intense drama but also in finding ways to insert comedy without breaking the flow of the narrative.
Dr. Horrible is divided into three acts each of which was available in the last week as a webisode (a portamanteau of web and episode, for those not in the know :)). Officially titled as Dr. Horrible's Sing-Along Blog, it tells the story of a supervillain who hasn't quite made it in the world of supervillainy. He needs to do something quick to be accepted in to the Evil League of Evil.
Everything starts of a lighter than air note and gradually slides down the slope of darkness till in the final shot it strikes you that all along you have been watching a tragedy disguised as a comedy.
Neil Patrick Harris (How I Met Your Mother, Doogie Howser) and Nathan Fillion (Firefly) play their parts fantastically well and Felicia Day as Dr. Horrible's love interest plays her part too. The show belongs, however, to the eponymous Dr. Horrible as played by Neil Patrick Harris.
And best of all: It is a musical. I can't get the songs out of my head :)
So, if you are in the mood for something very original and very creative go check out Dr. Horrible. It should be available till the night of July 20th, 2008 after which you can buy it on iTunes for $4. It is worth it !!!
Cheers.
Edit: It's now available on Hulu
One scary villain and one not so scary supervillain.
Heath Ledger totally rocked as the Joker in The Dark Knight. The movie as a whole was absolutely fabulous. This is one movie that haunted me for the entire day after leaving the theater.
Now, about the not so scary supervillain. Dr. Horrible comes from Joss Whedon, the man behind my television favorite, Firefly. His genius lies not only in creating intense drama but also in finding ways to insert comedy without breaking the flow of the narrative.
Dr. Horrible is divided into three acts each of which was available in the last week as a webisode (a portamanteau of web and episode, for those not in the know :)). Officially titled as Dr. Horrible's Sing-Along Blog, it tells the story of a supervillain who hasn't quite made it in the world of supervillainy. He needs to do something quick to be accepted in to the Evil League of Evil.
Everything starts of a lighter than air note and gradually slides down the slope of darkness till in the final shot it strikes you that all along you have been watching a tragedy disguised as a comedy.
Neil Patrick Harris (How I Met Your Mother, Doogie Howser) and Nathan Fillion (Firefly) play their parts fantastically well and Felicia Day as Dr. Horrible's love interest plays her part too. The show belongs, however, to the eponymous Dr. Horrible as played by Neil Patrick Harris.
And best of all: It is a musical. I can't get the songs out of my head :)
So, if you are in the mood for something very original and very creative go check out Dr. Horrible. It should be available till the night of July 20th, 2008 after which you can buy it on iTunes for $4. It is worth it !!!
Cheers.
Edit: It's now available on Hulu
Wednesday, July 16, 2008
A Soldier's Lament
A stanza penned by Javed Akhtar for the movie Border illustrating the feelings of a soldier torn between his duty and spending some time with his newly-wed wife.
मैं कहीं भी रहूँ ए सनम
मुझको है ज़िंदगी की कसम
फ़ासले आते जाते रहे
प्यार लेकिन नहीं होगा कम
जिन्हें चाहूँ जिन्हें पूजूँ
उन्हें देखूं उन्हें छू लूँ
ज़रा बातें तो कर लूँ
ज़रा बाहों में भर लूँ
मैं इस चाँद से माथे को चूम लूँ
तो चलूँ तो चलूँ ...
मैं कहीं भी रहूँ ए सनम
मुझको है ज़िंदगी की कसम
फ़ासले आते जाते रहे
प्यार लेकिन नहीं होगा कम
जिन्हें चाहूँ जिन्हें पूजूँ
उन्हें देखूं उन्हें छू लूँ
ज़रा बातें तो कर लूँ
ज़रा बाहों में भर लूँ
मैं इस चाँद से माथे को चूम लूँ
तो चलूँ तो चलूँ ...
Tuesday, July 15, 2008
Political Ideology
There is a field in my Orkut profile which I had always left unanswered; my political views. It wasn't so much that I didn't know where my views are but rather that I was just not sure what label was attached to my particular set of views.
After some reading on Wikipedia and taking a very short quiz I realized that the label that best fit my views was "Liberal".
Here's what the quiz website had to say about liberals.
LIBERALS usually embrace freedom of choice in personal matters, but tend to support significant government control of the economy. They generally support a government-funded "safety net" to help the disadvantaged, and advocate strict regulation of business. Liberals tend to favor environmental regulations, defend civil liberties and free expression, support government action to promote equality, and tolerate diverse lifestyles.
I also like the strong military viewpoint of the conservatives.
After some reading on Wikipedia and taking a very short quiz I realized that the label that best fit my views was "Liberal".
Here's what the quiz website had to say about liberals.
LIBERALS usually embrace freedom of choice in personal matters, but tend to support significant government control of the economy. They generally support a government-funded "safety net" to help the disadvantaged, and advocate strict regulation of business. Liberals tend to favor environmental regulations, defend civil liberties and free expression, support government action to promote equality, and tolerate diverse lifestyles.
I also like the strong military viewpoint of the conservatives.
Thursday, June 19, 2008
Disk Space Analysis
Have you ever wondered what ate up all the disk space on your hard disk?
This neat little utility gives you a graphical report of which folders are consuming how much space and much more.
JDiskReport
This neat little utility gives you a graphical report of which folders are consuming how much space and much more.
JDiskReport
Sunday, June 08, 2008
Entertainment Update
- Jaane Tu ... ya jaane na soundtrack is very good. A. R. Rahman in great form.
- Sarkar Raj. 7/10. Somewhat chaotic till the climax when it all comes together. Aishwarya Rai is not really essential to the plot. Abhishek Bachchan doesn't get a lot of scope to act while Amitabh Bachchan has played his part really well. The supporting actors Dilip Prabhavalkar (Rao Saab), Rajesh Shringarpore (Sanjay Somji) and Ravi Kale (Chander) have acted well too.
- Grey's Anatomy ended on a positive note. Lots of kisses in the season finale and a great song (The Quest by Bryn Christopher).
- House's season finale was spectacular. It was a two part finale and the first part reminded why this show is so great.
- The last season of Battlestar Galactica is proceeding well now. After a few filler episodes, things are beginning to pick up the pace.
- Tashan was horrible. I had a headache by the time the movie ended. Why should accomplished actors like Saif Ali Khan, Akshay Kumar, Anil Kapoor and Kareena Kapoor act in a movie like this?
- Heyy Babyy was a decent film for its genre. Not my type though.
- Curse of the Chalion was an average read. I expected better from Lois McMaster Bujold.
- Finally watched Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End. I felt it completed the story arc from the previous movies appropriately with no loose ends left dangling.
Aux Input
There is nothing fancy about an auxillary input for your car audio system. It's the simple input jack that allows all MP3 players to be connected. My car audio system didn't have it till now. When I first bought my car audio system to replace the one that came by default, I chose the JVC KD-G720. I chose it because it could play MP3/WMA files on a CD and through a USB input.
The USB input is great. I can connect a USB flash drive and it can play any song that is present on the drive. It can navigate folders and it even works with a 30GB external hard disk with a USB connection, although the advertised compatibility is only 1 GB.
This is all fine and dandy but I kept having to partition the hard drive on my Creative Zen Vision W into two parts. One partition for songs to play through the earphones and the other for playing via the USB connection on my car audio system. Essentially, I was duplicating content. Not an ideal solution at all.
I feel that the aux input, as it is called, a simple 3.5 mm stereo jack should be default on all car audio systems. For some reason it's not and I had to go ahead and purchase a special adapter (JVC KS-U58) to get that.
Installing it was fun though. I had to remove the dashboard fascia in my 2006 Hyundai Elantra and had to do some arm and finger contortions to get it done properly. The instructions from here and here helped tremendously. Moreover, the installation manual for the car audio system was invaluable.
The USB input is great. I can connect a USB flash drive and it can play any song that is present on the drive. It can navigate folders and it even works with a 30GB external hard disk with a USB connection, although the advertised compatibility is only 1 GB.
This is all fine and dandy but I kept having to partition the hard drive on my Creative Zen Vision W into two parts. One partition for songs to play through the earphones and the other for playing via the USB connection on my car audio system. Essentially, I was duplicating content. Not an ideal solution at all.
I feel that the aux input, as it is called, a simple 3.5 mm stereo jack should be default on all car audio systems. For some reason it's not and I had to go ahead and purchase a special adapter (JVC KS-U58) to get that.
Installing it was fun though. I had to remove the dashboard fascia in my 2006 Hyundai Elantra and had to do some arm and finger contortions to get it done properly. The instructions from here and here helped tremendously. Moreover, the installation manual for the car audio system was invaluable.
Thursday, May 01, 2008
मराठी मधे लिहून तरी बघुयात
आज असच मराठी मधे लिहावसं वाटलं. म्हटलं प्रयत्न तरी करु. वाटतं तितकं कठीण नाही.
दोन मार्ग आहेत.
1) मराठी टाईपरायटर सारखा कीबोर्ड वापरा.
2) इंग्रजी कीबोर्ड वापरा आणि एका सॉफ्टवेर द्वारे इंग्रजी अक्षरात लिहीलेले मराठी शब्दांचं देवनागरी लिपीत रुपांतर करा.
दुसरा मार्ग सोपा आहे पण थोडा वापरायला कटकटीचा आहे. पहिला मार्ग वापरायचा म्हटलं तर मराठी कीबोर्डची रचना शिकावी लागते पण तुम्ही जास्ती कुशलतेने लिहू शकाल.
- समिर गोविलकर
काही वेबसाईट्स:
http://www.bhashaindia.com/
http://www.baraha.com/
http://mr.wikipedia.org/wiki/विकिपीडिआ_साहाय्य:Setup_For_Devanagari
Translation:
I felt like writing in Marathi today. Thought that I should at least give it a try. It's not as difficult as it seems.
There are two ways.
1) Use a keyboard like the one on a Marathi typewriter.
2) Use an English keyboard and transform the Marathi words written using English characters to the Devnagari script.
दोन मार्ग आहेत.
1) मराठी टाईपरायटर सारखा कीबोर्ड वापरा.
2) इंग्रजी कीबोर्ड वापरा आणि एका सॉफ्टवेर द्वारे इंग्रजी अक्षरात लिहीलेले मराठी शब्दांचं देवनागरी लिपीत रुपांतर करा.
दुसरा मार्ग सोपा आहे पण थोडा वापरायला कटकटीचा आहे. पहिला मार्ग वापरायचा म्हटलं तर मराठी कीबोर्डची रचना शिकावी लागते पण तुम्ही जास्ती कुशलतेने लिहू शकाल.
- समिर गोविलकर
काही वेबसाईट्स:
http://www.bhashaindia.com/
http://www.baraha.com/
http://mr.wikipedia.org/wiki/विकिपीडिआ_साहाय्य:Setup_For_Devanagari
Translation:
I felt like writing in Marathi today. Thought that I should at least give it a try. It's not as difficult as it seems.
There are two ways.
1) Use a keyboard like the one on a Marathi typewriter.
2) Use an English keyboard and transform the Marathi words written using English characters to the Devnagari script.
Tuesday, April 01, 2008
Whistler, British Columbia
If you love skiing or snowboarding, go to Whistler. If not, then go to Whistler anyway.
The mountains of Whistler and Blackcomb are about a two hours drive from Vancouver on the scenic and aptly named 'Sea to Sky Highway'. They are a skiers paradise and even beginners or 'beginner-intermediates' can have a great time there. That much I can testify to from my own experience.
My latest trip to Whistler was a about a week ago and I had more fun skiing there than I have had at Snoqualmie in a long time. The Summit at Snoqualmie is a nice resort for beginners except for the fact that it is very crowded and the runs are woefully short. Their longest beginner runs last about 3 minutes at moderate speeds and their longest intermediate runs last about 10 minutes. After that you have to get in line for the ski lift which takes about 10-20 minutes to get you back up the slope including the time you have to wait in line.
Whistler is a different proposition altogether. The highest lift accessible point at Whistler is 7500 feet and you can ski all the way to Whistler Village at 2000 feet. I went up to Roundhouse Lodge which is at about 6000 feet. The lift takes about 20 minutes to get up there and then I started skiing. I was careful the first time around because I was unfamiliar with the terrain. I took about 1 hour to ski down the4000 feet from Roundhouse Lodge to Whistler Village. The second time around I took about 30 minutes.
This is one of the things that people love about Whistler: Long trails where you just ski and ski. This was just one of the trials. Whistler and Blackcomb have a total of 200+ such trails and over 8000 acres of area to ski on.
Now let me come to the part about how you can enjoy Whistler even if you aren't into snow sports. Whistler Village has retail outlets from many major brands, has great restaurants, pubs and accommodations ranging from cheap to extravagant. I have to admit though that the cheap accomodations aren't really close to the all the action. It's a great place to have a relaxing vacation at.
I have done a day trip from Seattle to Whistler. It is a lot of driving but it can be done. We left at 6 am in the morning. I was skiing at 11 am and we left Whistler at 4.30 pm to reach Seattle at 9 pm.
Oh and just in case you didn't know; the 2010 Winter Olympics are going to be held at Whistler!!!
The mountains of Whistler and Blackcomb are about a two hours drive from Vancouver on the scenic and aptly named 'Sea to Sky Highway'. They are a skiers paradise and even beginners or 'beginner-intermediates' can have a great time there. That much I can testify to from my own experience.
My latest trip to Whistler was a about a week ago and I had more fun skiing there than I have had at Snoqualmie in a long time. The Summit at Snoqualmie is a nice resort for beginners except for the fact that it is very crowded and the runs are woefully short. Their longest beginner runs last about 3 minutes at moderate speeds and their longest intermediate runs last about 10 minutes. After that you have to get in line for the ski lift which takes about 10-20 minutes to get you back up the slope including the time you have to wait in line.
Whistler is a different proposition altogether. The highest lift accessible point at Whistler is 7500 feet and you can ski all the way to Whistler Village at 2000 feet. I went up to Roundhouse Lodge which is at about 6000 feet. The lift takes about 20 minutes to get up there and then I started skiing. I was careful the first time around because I was unfamiliar with the terrain. I took about 1 hour to ski down the4000 feet from Roundhouse Lodge to Whistler Village. The second time around I took about 30 minutes.
This is one of the things that people love about Whistler: Long trails where you just ski and ski. This was just one of the trials. Whistler and Blackcomb have a total of 200+ such trails and over 8000 acres of area to ski on.
Now let me come to the part about how you can enjoy Whistler even if you aren't into snow sports. Whistler Village has retail outlets from many major brands, has great restaurants, pubs and accommodations ranging from cheap to extravagant. I have to admit though that the cheap accomodations aren't really close to the all the action. It's a great place to have a relaxing vacation at.
I have done a day trip from Seattle to Whistler. It is a lot of driving but it can be done. We left at 6 am in the morning. I was skiing at 11 am and we left Whistler at 4.30 pm to reach Seattle at 9 pm.
Oh and just in case you didn't know; the 2010 Winter Olympics are going to be held at Whistler!!!
Battlestar Galactica
My love for science fiction TV shows can't be overstated. I have watched the original Star Trek (Star Trek: TOS), Star Trek: The Next Generation (Star Trek: TNG), Star Trek: Voyager, Johhny Sokko and His Giant Flying Robot (aka Giant Robot for people who grew up during the late eighties and early nineties in India), Firefly and now Battlestar Galactica.
I hadn't really expected much from this TV show because of the mostly mediocre ratings it has recevied. It turned out to be good in a way because I went in with low expectations and was totally blown away by what I found.
Battlestar Galactica is the story of humans fleeing the destruction of their homeworlds. Their twelve planets are in ruins and they are pursued by a race of robots known as the Cylons. Cylons were first created by humans themselves in their metallic forms, but they rebelled and a war ensued. During the armistice which lasted for over forty years, the 'robots' evolved and now resemble humans to the extent that interbreeding is possible between the Cylons and humans.
The plot might sound dated and it is dated to an extent. My friend aptly put it as the Frankenstein complex which good science fiction has left behind some time back. However, Battlestar Galactica in its current incarnation has managed to put so much more depth to this basic plot that the result is fascinating.
Let me enumerate some of the points that I like about Battlestar Galactica
Religion: Few works of science fiction are able to work religion into the story as well as this show has been able to. Dune is another such work but unlike Dune the religion hasn't yet become an overwhelming part of the story. Depicting humans as polytheistic while at the same time depicting the Cylons as monotheistic was a wonderful touch.
Strong characters: Well developed characters which continue to do things that logically follow from their basic natures and which continue to evolve.
Space Battles: Realistic weapons which include missiles and nuclear weapons. There are no 'deflector shields'. If a missile hits your spacecraft, it blows up. Simple.
Look of spacecraft: No shiny plastic toy clean feel to any of the spacecraft or to their operators. They look like machines which that can be fixed and real ships that people might live on.
Philosophical questions raised: Choices between right and wrong, good and evil and between evils abound. The blurring of the line between right and wrong when the survival of the human race is at stake is always highlighted. The question of how long does one stick to his morals and principles when he is fleeing for his life is a question that befalls the two leaders of the human race in almost every other episode.
All in all, Battlestar Galactica has many elements that keep me entertained. I am looking forward to the last season which begins of Friday.
I hadn't really expected much from this TV show because of the mostly mediocre ratings it has recevied. It turned out to be good in a way because I went in with low expectations and was totally blown away by what I found.
Battlestar Galactica is the story of humans fleeing the destruction of their homeworlds. Their twelve planets are in ruins and they are pursued by a race of robots known as the Cylons. Cylons were first created by humans themselves in their metallic forms, but they rebelled and a war ensued. During the armistice which lasted for over forty years, the 'robots' evolved and now resemble humans to the extent that interbreeding is possible between the Cylons and humans.
The plot might sound dated and it is dated to an extent. My friend aptly put it as the Frankenstein complex which good science fiction has left behind some time back. However, Battlestar Galactica in its current incarnation has managed to put so much more depth to this basic plot that the result is fascinating.
Let me enumerate some of the points that I like about Battlestar Galactica
Religion: Few works of science fiction are able to work religion into the story as well as this show has been able to. Dune is another such work but unlike Dune the religion hasn't yet become an overwhelming part of the story. Depicting humans as polytheistic while at the same time depicting the Cylons as monotheistic was a wonderful touch.
Strong characters: Well developed characters which continue to do things that logically follow from their basic natures and which continue to evolve.
Space Battles: Realistic weapons which include missiles and nuclear weapons. There are no 'deflector shields'. If a missile hits your spacecraft, it blows up. Simple.
Look of spacecraft: No shiny plastic toy clean feel to any of the spacecraft or to their operators. They look like machines which that can be fixed and real ships that people might live on.
Philosophical questions raised: Choices between right and wrong, good and evil and between evils abound. The blurring of the line between right and wrong when the survival of the human race is at stake is always highlighted. The question of how long does one stick to his morals and principles when he is fleeing for his life is a question that befalls the two leaders of the human race in almost every other episode.
All in all, Battlestar Galactica has many elements that keep me entertained. I am looking forward to the last season which begins of Friday.
Friday, February 01, 2008
Rambo and Cloverfield
I watched these two movies on consecutive weekends.
I was very disappointed with Cloverfield. It seemed to me like a Godzilla clone done with a camcorder. It was done very stylishly, I admit. I still couldn't enjoy the movie at all. The camera shakes so much that I felt quesy for the last half hour of the movie. One of friends left within 10 minutes of the movie starting while another left midway through the movie. It's a monster movie so there isn't much of a story or character development going on. The monster itself and some of the effects are good but they are too few and are spaced too far apart. If the movie was intended to be scary, it failed. I wouldn't recommend this movie.
Rambo. This is how action movies should be made. It was totally worth it to see Rambo kick some ass. The action sequences will leave you wanting more. If you can't stand blood and gore, then stay away from this one. Many scenes are pretty graphic. My friends and I were cheering throughout the movie and the most of the audience seemed to be having a good time too. Although the movie has been pannned by critics, go see the movie if you like action movies and don't mind a predictable plot.
I was very disappointed with Cloverfield. It seemed to me like a Godzilla clone done with a camcorder. It was done very stylishly, I admit. I still couldn't enjoy the movie at all. The camera shakes so much that I felt quesy for the last half hour of the movie. One of friends left within 10 minutes of the movie starting while another left midway through the movie. It's a monster movie so there isn't much of a story or character development going on. The monster itself and some of the effects are good but they are too few and are spaced too far apart. If the movie was intended to be scary, it failed. I wouldn't recommend this movie.
Rambo. This is how action movies should be made. It was totally worth it to see Rambo kick some ass. The action sequences will leave you wanting more. If you can't stand blood and gore, then stay away from this one. Many scenes are pretty graphic. My friends and I were cheering throughout the movie and the most of the audience seemed to be having a good time too. Although the movie has been pannned by critics, go see the movie if you like action movies and don't mind a predictable plot.
Saturday, January 26, 2008
The Severed Link
No no ... this is not some philosophical post about failures at maintaining ties with people or something like that.
The title is literal. This is about a severed link from one of my tyre chains. Why is that worth blogging about you ask. Well, one of the links broke half way when I was using the tyre chains for the first time.
Instead of throwing the chains I had the brilliant idea of actually sawing off the link from the other end. So, I went ahead and purchased a hacksaw and 15 minutes later I had the severed link. Finally, I used one skill I had acquired during the workshops that were manadatory in the first year of engineering. Yay !!!
The title is literal. This is about a severed link from one of my tyre chains. Why is that worth blogging about you ask. Well, one of the links broke half way when I was using the tyre chains for the first time.
Instead of throwing the chains I had the brilliant idea of actually sawing off the link from the other end. So, I went ahead and purchased a hacksaw and 15 minutes later I had the severed link. Finally, I used one skill I had acquired during the workshops that were manadatory in the first year of engineering. Yay !!!
Thursday, January 17, 2008
Something Fishy
Growing up in Mumbai I had a chance to try different kinds of seafood. I have wondered in the past about the English names of the seafood common to India. I never gave it much thought though. Now, two things brought about the following post.
1) Koli songs. The Koli community are traditonally fisherfolk from the coast of Maharashtra and Goa (?). I heard a lot of words in the popular Koli songs that I knew referred to seafood but couldn't identify what they were referring to. I knew some of them, of course, but many escaped me.
2) My trip to Kerala. While in Kerala, I was dining at a seafood restaurant, apparently the best in Cochin (Fort Cochin at the Casino Hotel) and the entire menu was filled with seafood names in English. I was unable to order the fish (Surmai in Marathi) I wanted for lack of knowledge of its English name.
This post is an effort to help out other poor souls in similar situations. I haven't eaten most of the seafood listed below, so I can't really say which ones are good. Another disclaimer that I want to add is that the list below is a compilation from the teachings of Lord Google. Hence, accuracy is suspect. Please let me know if you find something wrong. Since, Lord Google reads my humble blog, future generations of his disciples will benefit from whatever corrections I make.
1) Koli songs. The Koli community are traditonally fisherfolk from the coast of Maharashtra and Goa (?). I heard a lot of words in the popular Koli songs that I knew referred to seafood but couldn't identify what they were referring to. I knew some of them, of course, but many escaped me.
2) My trip to Kerala. While in Kerala, I was dining at a seafood restaurant, apparently the best in Cochin (Fort Cochin at the Casino Hotel) and the entire menu was filled with seafood names in English. I was unable to order the fish (Surmai in Marathi) I wanted for lack of knowledge of its English name.
This post is an effort to help out other poor souls in similar situations. I haven't eaten most of the seafood listed below, so I can't really say which ones are good. Another disclaimer that I want to add is that the list below is a compilation from the teachings of Lord Google. Hence, accuracy is suspect. Please let me know if you find something wrong. Since, Lord Google reads my humble blog, future generations of his disciples will benefit from whatever corrections I make.
| Round bellied sardines | Tarsulo |
| Cat fish | Sangot /Sangtam |
| Long fin cavalla | Koncar |
| Gold spoted anchovy | Capsali Mandli |
| Indian Salmon | Raus/Rawas |
| Reef cod/ Rock Cod | Gobro |
| Pearl spot | Kalundar/ Karimeen |
| Whip fin majarra | Shetki |
| Dhoma / Croakar | Dodyaro (Hodki) |
| Butter fish | Saudalo |
| Common pony fish | Khampi |
| Mangrove red snapper | Tamoshi |
| Horse mackeral | Hado bangdo |
| Mullet | Shevtali / Shevto |
| Japanese thread fin bream | Rano |
| Black Pompret | Sagoti (Kayi) /Halwa |
| Indian Mackral | Bangdo |
| Indian oil sardines | Tarlo |
| Railbow sardines | Krishranchi peddi |
| Sead | Konkoro |
| Indian dog shark | Mori |
| Barracuda | Tonki |
| Hilsa ilisha | Peddi |
| Hilsa species | Vonog |
| Seer fish / King Mackerel Fish | Surmai/ Visonu / Viswon |
| Black tip shark | Pilo |
| Ribbon fish | Bale |
| Bombay duck | Bombil |
| Sole | Lep |
| Anchovy or silver belly | Velli |
| Pomfret/ Butterfish | Pomplet/ Paplet |
| Silver bar | Korli |
| Kite or Ray fish | Waghole |
| Butter fish | Karchani |
| Lady fish | Mudoshi/ Kane/ Nogli |
| Rock bream | Haddo |
| Perch | Palu |
| Ghol (Jew fish) | Ghol |
| Giant sea perch | Chonak |
| Naked head glassy perchlet | Buranto |
| Red Snapper Fish | Rane |
| Greas carp Fish | Rohu |
| Muliet Fish | Shevto |
| Mackerel | Bangda |
| Clams | Teesrya |
| Crab | Kekda/Kurlya |
| Prawn | Jhinga/ Chingri/ Chemen/ Sungat |
| Sardines | Pedvey |
I hope this will serve as a guide for people wanting to translate between English and Marathi/Konkani for the names of seafood of their choice.
Tuesday, January 15, 2008
Wisdom from my recent trip
1) The Seoul-Incheon airport doesn't have ATMs. So all purchases have to be made using a credit/debit card. The other option is to convert US to Won. Currency conversion is the only option if you wish to buy a phone card from the phone card vending machines.
2) The cell phone networks available at the airport are 3GSM (UMTS) hence, non-3G cell phones won't work.
3) Korean Air allows 32 kg per bag as against 23 kg per bag by paying only $25 extra.
4) The Regional Transport Office at Mumbai now issues Driver License smart cards instead of the old booklet form.
5) Kerala is a beautiful state.
6) Mumbai is a very very very polluted city.
7) Buses going from Pune to Mumbai spend 2 hours roaming around Pune picking up passengers.
8) Dominos pizzas are better in India. More variety in toppings.
9) Drunken driving is finally being taken seriously in Mumbai and other big cities.
10) India is a food-lover's paradise.
2) The cell phone networks available at the airport are 3GSM (UMTS) hence, non-3G cell phones won't work.
3) Korean Air allows 32 kg per bag as against 23 kg per bag by paying only $25 extra.
4) The Regional Transport Office at Mumbai now issues Driver License smart cards instead of the old booklet form.
5) Kerala is a beautiful state.
6) Mumbai is a very very very polluted city.
7) Buses going from Pune to Mumbai spend 2 hours roaming around Pune picking up passengers.
8) Dominos pizzas are better in India. More variety in toppings.
9) Drunken driving is finally being taken seriously in Mumbai and other big cities.
10) India is a food-lover's paradise.
Sunday, December 02, 2007
Character development in science fiction
I have read a lot of science fiction and I love it for the simple fact that science fiction lets the author explore ideas and situations that would be impossible in the real world. There is always hard science fiction which tries to predict the development of technology but leaving that most science fiction is really fantasy which uses a futuristic setting and technologies as plot devices. I know that for every statement I make about what science fiction is or isn't there will be someone to point out a sub-genre in science fiction where that statement doesn't apply. Hence, please understand that all my statements have the qualifier: "From what science fiction I have read."
I recently noticed the stark difference between the writing styles of science fiction authors regarding the definition and development of characters as the story progresses. Some science fiction authors create richly detailed worlds and universes, where characters are merely present to move the story along. In such stories, the development of the universe in which the story unfolds is the focus. These stories are are based on the idea of, "Imagine a world in which/where ...". Neal Stephenson's 'Diamond Age' is a perfect example. The characters are important, but the technology and society is even more important. Other examples being, Michael Crichton's books (Jurassic Park, The Andromeda Strain, Congo, Sphere, The Lost World, Prey, Next) or Larry Niven and Jerry Pournelle's books (Footfall, The Mote in God's Eye, The Gripping Hand). However, I concede that the character of Horace Hussein Bury was developed well in the last two books that I have mentione above. Even some of Isaac Asimov's Foundation series novels fall under this category.
Then there are books where the whole story moves forward as the development of characters in them. Lois McMaster Bujold's Vorkosigan series, Orson Scott Card's Ender series fall in this category. These have richly detailed worlds too but the characters are more important than the worlds then inhabit.
And then there are authors who manage to blend character and world development in eqaul proportions. David Weber's Honor Harrington series, Issac Asimov's Robot series with Elijah Baley and R. Daneel Oligvaw, Brian Aldiss' Non-Stop, Frederick Pohl's Heechee series or even Philip Jose Farmer's Riverworld series.
I have no prefercence amongst the three categories of stories. I like each style because it has its own merits. Of the authors and their works that I have listed not all of them have the same capabilities and some do better than others in terms of character development. Not all stories require character development to be told well. Sometimes the universe IS more fascinating than the characters in it. However, I can't appreciate stories where neither the universe nor the characters are detailed. The terms 2-D characters or cardboard cutout characters seem apt because the characters are not developed and consequently they lack the depth required to hold my attention.
A simple trick to identify a 2-D character is to try and describe him/her. If you can do it in less than 3 sentences then the character is just there to move the story along. Many a times you can do it in just one sentence. Let's take the movie Independence Day for example. It is a typical alien invasion movie. The actors and their characters:
Bill Pullman - President of USA who is an ex-fighter pilot.
Jeff Goldblum - MIT schooled engineer who hacks the alien's computers.
Will Smith - Hot shot USAF pilot who takes the fight to the aliens.
Do you see what I am trying to get at here ?
I recently noticed the stark difference between the writing styles of science fiction authors regarding the definition and development of characters as the story progresses. Some science fiction authors create richly detailed worlds and universes, where characters are merely present to move the story along. In such stories, the development of the universe in which the story unfolds is the focus. These stories are are based on the idea of, "Imagine a world in which/where ...". Neal Stephenson's 'Diamond Age' is a perfect example. The characters are important, but the technology and society is even more important. Other examples being, Michael Crichton's books (Jurassic Park, The Andromeda Strain, Congo, Sphere, The Lost World, Prey, Next) or Larry Niven and Jerry Pournelle's books (Footfall, The Mote in God's Eye, The Gripping Hand). However, I concede that the character of Horace Hussein Bury was developed well in the last two books that I have mentione above. Even some of Isaac Asimov's Foundation series novels fall under this category.
Then there are books where the whole story moves forward as the development of characters in them. Lois McMaster Bujold's Vorkosigan series, Orson Scott Card's Ender series fall in this category. These have richly detailed worlds too but the characters are more important than the worlds then inhabit.
And then there are authors who manage to blend character and world development in eqaul proportions. David Weber's Honor Harrington series, Issac Asimov's Robot series with Elijah Baley and R. Daneel Oligvaw, Brian Aldiss' Non-Stop, Frederick Pohl's Heechee series or even Philip Jose Farmer's Riverworld series.
I have no prefercence amongst the three categories of stories. I like each style because it has its own merits. Of the authors and their works that I have listed not all of them have the same capabilities and some do better than others in terms of character development. Not all stories require character development to be told well. Sometimes the universe IS more fascinating than the characters in it. However, I can't appreciate stories where neither the universe nor the characters are detailed. The terms 2-D characters or cardboard cutout characters seem apt because the characters are not developed and consequently they lack the depth required to hold my attention.
A simple trick to identify a 2-D character is to try and describe him/her. If you can do it in less than 3 sentences then the character is just there to move the story along. Many a times you can do it in just one sentence. Let's take the movie Independence Day for example. It is a typical alien invasion movie. The actors and their characters:
Bill Pullman - President of USA who is an ex-fighter pilot.
Jeff Goldblum - MIT schooled engineer who hacks the alien's computers.
Will Smith - Hot shot USAF pilot who takes the fight to the aliens.
Do you see what I am trying to get at here ?
Tuesday, November 06, 2007
What did I do this summer?
As often is the case with wonders, a wonderful summer is a culmination of a multitude of factors. Repressed anguish at the cold, damp weather finally starts bubbling over, only to be transformed by the Sun into a torrent of enthusiasm. The recovering Sun's promise of an unwavering relationship is taken with a pinch of salt, yet ideas that were biding their time, begin to send roots into the fertile soil that is just beginning to warm. The herald of summer starts working his magic and these ideas, now more confident, poke their heads above the ground.
In due course, as the summer makes its grand entrance, ideas that have blossomed through the spring need a timely harvest lest they wither away.
What blossoms graced my life this summer you ask? And I say, I discovered the great outdoors. Camping, trekking and visiting the beautiful parks in the Pacific Northwest made me fall in love with this region.
I say that photography gave me insights into how art could be meaningful, enabling me to try and capture the beauty in nature and experiences.
I say that I was reminded of the inherent fun in the dynamics of a large group of friends. This was a wholly unexpected gift though. Such blossoms grow with lots of good fortune; with seeds you never knew you sowed.
I say that I was surprised with how much I miss the culture that I grew up in. Food, festivals, songs, language and the people who enjoy these things and wish to preserve them, define culture for me. This was a blossom that I can't claim any right of ownership to. I was just lucky that I had the good sense to recognize its value.
Lastly, I say that this was a summer of discovery and realisation. A bouquet was formed that I hope will never wither. Each blossom should draw its strength from the others and all of them should draw their strength from me.
My strength, in turn, depends on having more summers like this one.
In due course, as the summer makes its grand entrance, ideas that have blossomed through the spring need a timely harvest lest they wither away.
What blossoms graced my life this summer you ask? And I say, I discovered the great outdoors. Camping, trekking and visiting the beautiful parks in the Pacific Northwest made me fall in love with this region.
I say that photography gave me insights into how art could be meaningful, enabling me to try and capture the beauty in nature and experiences.
I say that I was reminded of the inherent fun in the dynamics of a large group of friends. This was a wholly unexpected gift though. Such blossoms grow with lots of good fortune; with seeds you never knew you sowed.
I say that I was surprised with how much I miss the culture that I grew up in. Food, festivals, songs, language and the people who enjoy these things and wish to preserve them, define culture for me. This was a blossom that I can't claim any right of ownership to. I was just lucky that I had the good sense to recognize its value.
Lastly, I say that this was a summer of discovery and realisation. A bouquet was formed that I hope will never wither. Each blossom should draw its strength from the others and all of them should draw their strength from me.
My strength, in turn, depends on having more summers like this one.
Tuesday, October 09, 2007
The Fall Line Up
There are some TV shows that I have come to enjoy. Some of them are returning shows while some premiered this fall.
House: Hugh Laurie portrays wisecracking, sarcastic diagnostic physician supported by his team of doctors, friends (one friend, to be precise) and the chief of the hospital.
Heroes: X-Men like premise where "evolution" has conferred upon ordinary people extarordinary abilities, including but not limited to tissue regeneration, flight, telekinesis, telepathy, etc.
Grey's Anatomy: Soap about doctors in a hospital in Seattle, focussing on Meredith Grey and her fellow interns. Very well acted.
Journeyman: Interesting idea about a man who time travels to the past but doesn't know how or why. The first few episodes have been about his wife and him trying to come to terms with it and him trying to help people in the past. I want to give this show some more time to develop before I judge it.
Pushing Daisies: A romantic comedy (?) about a guy who can give life to dead people with one touch and kill them permanently with the next. The romantic angle involves a childhood crush whom he brings to life but can never touch again for the fear of her dying forever. The pilot episode was very nicely done. The style and tone of the show seems unique. Again, I want to leave the verdict for later.
How I Met Your Mother: Kind of like Friends but for the 2000's. Neil Patrick Harris, who played Doogie Howser, is wonderfully hilarious. So are Josh Radnor, Alyson Hannigan (Michelle in American Pie, Willow in Buffy the Vampire Slayer) and Jason Segal (Seth Rogen's roommate in Knocked Up). Cobie Smulders is just hot. :)
House: Hugh Laurie portrays wisecracking, sarcastic diagnostic physician supported by his team of doctors, friends (one friend, to be precise) and the chief of the hospital.
Heroes: X-Men like premise where "evolution" has conferred upon ordinary people extarordinary abilities, including but not limited to tissue regeneration, flight, telekinesis, telepathy, etc.
Grey's Anatomy: Soap about doctors in a hospital in Seattle, focussing on Meredith Grey and her fellow interns. Very well acted.
Journeyman: Interesting idea about a man who time travels to the past but doesn't know how or why. The first few episodes have been about his wife and him trying to come to terms with it and him trying to help people in the past. I want to give this show some more time to develop before I judge it.
Pushing Daisies: A romantic comedy (?) about a guy who can give life to dead people with one touch and kill them permanently with the next. The romantic angle involves a childhood crush whom he brings to life but can never touch again for the fear of her dying forever. The pilot episode was very nicely done. The style and tone of the show seems unique. Again, I want to leave the verdict for later.
How I Met Your Mother: Kind of like Friends but for the 2000's. Neil Patrick Harris, who played Doogie Howser, is wonderfully hilarious. So are Josh Radnor, Alyson Hannigan (Michelle in American Pie, Willow in Buffy the Vampire Slayer) and Jason Segal (Seth Rogen's roommate in Knocked Up). Cobie Smulders is just hot. :)
Wednesday, September 19, 2007
Evolution and Hinduism
I was wondering why Hindus accept evolution more easily than people of other religions. Christians, in particular, seem have to have the hardest time. Creationism and its modern form known as "Intelligent Design" find many takers even today. The idea that human beings and monkeys share a common ancestry is abhorrent to many. The blurring of the distinction between man and beast is a disturbing idea to others.
In contrast, Hindus have a different view towards animals. Many Hindu Gods ride animals (Ganapati - Mouse, Yama - Buffalo, Durga - Tiger) , some Gods and demi-Gods are animals themselves (Hanuman - Monkey, Jatayu - Vulture). Some Gods are half human - half animal (Narsimha - Lion, Ganapati - Elephant). Hindus worship snakes, cows and even rats.
It is believed amongst Hindus that one is born as the lowest of animals, something akin to insects or even lower in the hierarchy of life. Through doing one's duty in each life, is one able to reach the next level when one is reborn. Human beings are considered the final step in this ladder, with them being capable of achieving "Moksha" through performing their duties and good deeds in life. Moksha is the escape from the cycle of life, death and rebirth. An evil person may be reborn as the lowest of the creatures once again so that sins can be atoned for.
An interesting concept in Hindu mythology is that of the "Dashavtaar" or the "Ten Incarnations". These ten incarnation start from marine animals, and reach human beings going through the stages of amphibious animals, mammals, hominids, savage humans, humans setting up civilization, etc. The blog entry, Dashavtaar and Evolution of Life - some parallels explains this is some detail.
The three points mentioned above, give some insight into why Hindus see evolution as nothing to be afraid of. It doesn't go against any of their beliefs and rather it reinforces them to an extent. Emotions of repulsion and disgust are not evoked when a connection is suggested between humans and animals because of the respect towards animals, in general.
As such, I believe Hinduism and evolution to be compatible with each other.
In contrast, Hindus have a different view towards animals. Many Hindu Gods ride animals (Ganapati - Mouse, Yama - Buffalo, Durga - Tiger) , some Gods and demi-Gods are animals themselves (Hanuman - Monkey, Jatayu - Vulture). Some Gods are half human - half animal (Narsimha - Lion, Ganapati - Elephant). Hindus worship snakes, cows and even rats.
It is believed amongst Hindus that one is born as the lowest of animals, something akin to insects or even lower in the hierarchy of life. Through doing one's duty in each life, is one able to reach the next level when one is reborn. Human beings are considered the final step in this ladder, with them being capable of achieving "Moksha" through performing their duties and good deeds in life. Moksha is the escape from the cycle of life, death and rebirth. An evil person may be reborn as the lowest of the creatures once again so that sins can be atoned for.
An interesting concept in Hindu mythology is that of the "Dashavtaar" or the "Ten Incarnations". These ten incarnation start from marine animals, and reach human beings going through the stages of amphibious animals, mammals, hominids, savage humans, humans setting up civilization, etc. The blog entry, Dashavtaar and Evolution of Life - some parallels explains this is some detail.
The three points mentioned above, give some insight into why Hindus see evolution as nothing to be afraid of. It doesn't go against any of their beliefs and rather it reinforces them to an extent. Emotions of repulsion and disgust are not evoked when a connection is suggested between humans and animals because of the respect towards animals, in general.
As such, I believe Hinduism and evolution to be compatible with each other.
Ganeshotsav
This is the fourth Ganeshotsav that I am celebrating away from home. This year though, I am lucky enough to be able to do many things that I did in India.
As a kid, the Ganeshotsav always has had two aspects for me. The Ganapati at home, with relatives and friends coming to visit and the Sarvajanik (Community) Ganeshotsav, with the late night cultural programs and the processions. Hanging out with friends after the programs to help wrap up the stage and stack the foldable wooden chairs was a big part of the Sarvajanik Ganeshotsav or "Colony cha Ganapati", as we used to call it. The hot food that we got as a reward for our hard work was another attraction.
I love the aartis (prayers) that we sing during the Ganeshotsav. I have been hearing these aartis ever since I was born. I have come to associate the aartis with Ganeshotsav as much as I associate "Ukadiche Modak" (steamed rice dumplings with a sweet coconut interior) with the festival.
In these foreign lands, the legacy of Lokmanya Tilak is alive and doing very well. Getting people together on an occasion, which is equally social, cultural and religious. While talking to a friend he mentioned that we do this so that "Hum khud ko hi naa bhool jaaye" (we don't forget what makes us who we are). Like a fish who doesn't understand the absence of water, I never understood statements like this until recently.
What we enjoy constitutes a large part of who we are. I realized that memories of my enjoying the Ganeshotsav will fade if I don't keep them alive by celebrating it. As memories fade, a part of us that we hold very dear in our hearts becomes a ghost of its original self and we begin to lose ourselves slowly.
I celeberate the Ganeshotsav in an effort to preserve my image of myself: Ganapati Bappa Moraya !!!
As a kid, the Ganeshotsav always has had two aspects for me. The Ganapati at home, with relatives and friends coming to visit and the Sarvajanik (Community) Ganeshotsav, with the late night cultural programs and the processions. Hanging out with friends after the programs to help wrap up the stage and stack the foldable wooden chairs was a big part of the Sarvajanik Ganeshotsav or "Colony cha Ganapati", as we used to call it. The hot food that we got as a reward for our hard work was another attraction.
I love the aartis (prayers) that we sing during the Ganeshotsav. I have been hearing these aartis ever since I was born. I have come to associate the aartis with Ganeshotsav as much as I associate "Ukadiche Modak" (steamed rice dumplings with a sweet coconut interior) with the festival.
In these foreign lands, the legacy of Lokmanya Tilak is alive and doing very well. Getting people together on an occasion, which is equally social, cultural and religious. While talking to a friend he mentioned that we do this so that "Hum khud ko hi naa bhool jaaye" (we don't forget what makes us who we are). Like a fish who doesn't understand the absence of water, I never understood statements like this until recently.
What we enjoy constitutes a large part of who we are. I realized that memories of my enjoying the Ganeshotsav will fade if I don't keep them alive by celebrating it. As memories fade, a part of us that we hold very dear in our hearts becomes a ghost of its original self and we begin to lose ourselves slowly.
I celeberate the Ganeshotsav in an effort to preserve my image of myself: Ganapati Bappa Moraya !!!
Friday, September 14, 2007
Trails from Sunrise, Mt. Rainier
The hiking trails from Sunrise Visitor Center at Mt. Rainier are open only for three months of the year from July-September. I went there one weekend to climb to the Second Boroughs mountain from there and fell in love with the place.
In fact, I liked it so much that I went there again the next weekend. We started at 4 am in the morning in order to reach before sunrise. We were rewarded with clear skies turning orange and then blue. Mt. Rainier itself changed shades from pink, to orange, to yellow and then ultimately white.
The trek itself consisted of taking the Sunrise trail from the visitor center. The trail drops about 200 feet to meet the Wonderland trail which passes through meadows covered with wild flowers: a riot of colours on the green grasses. There are tall trees growing in the meadows and the place looks like something out of a fairy tale book illustration.
In fact, I liked it so much that I went there again the next weekend. We started at 4 am in the morning in order to reach before sunrise. We were rewarded with clear skies turning orange and then blue. Mt. Rainier itself changed shades from pink, to orange, to yellow and then ultimately white.
The trek itself consisted of taking the Sunrise trail from the visitor center. The trail drops about 200 feet to meet the Wonderland trail which passes through meadows covered with wild flowers: a riot of colours on the green grasses. There are tall trees growing in the meadows and the place looks like something out of a fairy tale book illustration.
The meadows found here are similar to the ones found in the Tundra region of the Arctic and hence are extremely sensitive to human activity. Walking on these meadows destroys them and it can take decades to repair the damage. Hence, it is important to stay on the trails.
The meadows end just past Shadow Lake from where there is steady ascent of about 900 feet to the top of the First Burroughs mountain. As we climbed, the valley of the White River lay to our left and Mt. Rainier was always in front majestic as I had never seen before. The weather at Mt. Rainier is very fickle and we were very lucky to see Mt. Rainier's summit against blue skies.
At the top of the First Burroughs mountain we stood on the ridge between the First and Second Burroughs mountains, we could see the valley of Lodi Creek on our right as we faced Mt. Rainier with Emmons Glacier to our 10 o' clock.
Then on its another 300 feet of climbing to the top of the Second Burroughs mountain. The view here is just awesome. We use "awesome" very lightly sometimes, but this is one place where the word truly applies. Any superlatives that I could use to describe the vista are completely justified.
The meadows end just past Shadow Lake from where there is steady ascent of about 900 feet to the top of the First Burroughs mountain. As we climbed, the valley of the White River lay to our left and Mt. Rainier was always in front majestic as I had never seen before. The weather at Mt. Rainier is very fickle and we were very lucky to see Mt. Rainier's summit against blue skies.
At the top of the First Burroughs mountain we stood on the ridge between the First and Second Burroughs mountains, we could see the valley of Lodi Creek on our right as we faced Mt. Rainier with Emmons Glacier to our 10 o' clock.
Then on its another 300 feet of climbing to the top of the Second Burroughs mountain. The view here is just awesome. We use "awesome" very lightly sometimes, but this is one place where the word truly applies. Any superlatives that I could use to describe the vista are completely justified.
While returning back we took the fork to the Burroughs Mountain trail that leads back to the Sunrise Visitor Center past Frozen Lake. The descent is a total of 1000 feet with about 500 feet dropped going from the top of Second Burroughs Mountain to Frozen Lake and about 400 feet dropped in the last quarter mile to the trail head at the visitor center.
Here is link to the topographic map for those interested.
http://www.topozone.com/map.asp?lat=46.91094&lon=-121.67636&datum=nad27&u=4&layer=DRG&size=l&s=50
Also, to better understand what I am talking about, take a look at the photos.
http://picasaweb.google.com/samir.govilkar/SunriseTrailTrek2
Here is link to the topographic map for those interested.
http://www.topozone.com/map.asp?lat=46.91094&lon=-121.67636&datum=nad27&u=4&layer=DRG&size=l&s=50
Also, to better understand what I am talking about, take a look at the photos.
http://picasaweb.google.com/samir.govilkar/SunriseTrailTrek2
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
