but maybe worth a chuckle...
Wednesday, August 22, 2007
Friday, July 20, 2007
What seems to be the problem?
First, CNN interviewed Michael Moore about his latest film Sicko. However, just before they began the interview, they ran a report by Dr. Sanjay Gupta that claimed that Moore fudged some of the facts in his movie. Moore lost it when he heard that and blasted CNN for biased reporting, urging them to "tell the American people the truth" once in all these years. He also promised to post the facts on his website showing how all the facts in the movie were correct.
A day later, CNN admitted that they got some of their numbers wrong.
Finally, Gupta and Moore met head to head on Larry King Live, where they tried to explain their respective positions. As an impartial observor, I felt that Moore was basically right in principle, and while issue may be taken with his impolite behavior onscreen, we have to understand that not everyone can be sauve and smooth on television; however, that does not mean they are not speaking the truth, nor does it undermine the point they are making. Regarding specific objections about wait times being longer in Canada, I think these are observations tangential to the main discussion. If wait times are longer in Canada, they are much better in England and Australia, and nobody has claimed that the US clone the system in Canada or England. This is a discussion towards making a better health care system in USA, and the underlying intention is not to find solitary faults in other systems that are cited as examples, but to rectify faults in your own: if waiting times are longer in Canada, import that part of English policy that makes waiting times in UK shorter. If taxes are higher in France, look at what other countries are doing to keep them in check. Why should we pick up and slice and dice facts, when clearly this is a discussion about what is wrong with the system here: and it seems most people agree that it could use some reforms. Here is the head-to-head on Larry King Live:
Part 1:
Part 2:
Part 3:
On a parting note, am I the only one who felt annoyed that Larry King kept prompting them to finish their answers and indicating that they had only 'x' seconds left to answer? Let your guests make their points, thats the whole freaking point of inviting them to your show! Ah well, but what can you expect of a news network show that bumped Michael Moore's spot on Larry King just because Paris Hilton wanted to share her "growth as a person in prison".
A day later, CNN admitted that they got some of their numbers wrong.
Finally, Gupta and Moore met head to head on Larry King Live, where they tried to explain their respective positions. As an impartial observor, I felt that Moore was basically right in principle, and while issue may be taken with his impolite behavior onscreen, we have to understand that not everyone can be sauve and smooth on television; however, that does not mean they are not speaking the truth, nor does it undermine the point they are making. Regarding specific objections about wait times being longer in Canada, I think these are observations tangential to the main discussion. If wait times are longer in Canada, they are much better in England and Australia, and nobody has claimed that the US clone the system in Canada or England. This is a discussion towards making a better health care system in USA, and the underlying intention is not to find solitary faults in other systems that are cited as examples, but to rectify faults in your own: if waiting times are longer in Canada, import that part of English policy that makes waiting times in UK shorter. If taxes are higher in France, look at what other countries are doing to keep them in check. Why should we pick up and slice and dice facts, when clearly this is a discussion about what is wrong with the system here: and it seems most people agree that it could use some reforms. Here is the head-to-head on Larry King Live:
Part 1:
Part 2:
Part 3:
On a parting note, am I the only one who felt annoyed that Larry King kept prompting them to finish their answers and indicating that they had only 'x' seconds left to answer? Let your guests make their points, thats the whole freaking point of inviting them to your show! Ah well, but what can you expect of a news network show that bumped Michael Moore's spot on Larry King just because Paris Hilton wanted to share her "growth as a person in prison".
Wednesday, June 20, 2007
The audacity of hope
I am posting a clip of Paul Potts singing Opera from the 'Britain's Got Talent' competition. The story of Paul is the story of the audacity of hope (a phrase I borrow from Barrack Obama's famous 2004 keynote speech for John Kerry and which is also a 'must-listen'). Paul Potts, till just a couple of weeks back, worked as a phone salesman. But he always dreamt of making a career in singing.
As Paul was about to begin his audition for Britain's got talent, one could see that the judges were almost sure he would not come up with anything special. But, really, delving a bit deeper, I realized that I too was prejudiced against him at some unknown level. I wanted him to do well but didn't really feel he would. What is it inside us, that makes us discount people or their talent without so much as giving them a single change to prove themselves? What Paul reminds us is to give people a chance to show the world who they really are, before dismissing them. Here is what Paul came up with that day:
There are still some doubting Thomases who question his real talent and some even compared him unfavorably to Pavarotti, the famous opera singer. No doubt singing is about technique and style, but singing is also about emotions, about believing in the song, about making your audience feel the song and winning their hearts. And thats what Paul did. Needless to say, he won the competition:
As Paul was about to begin his audition for Britain's got talent, one could see that the judges were almost sure he would not come up with anything special. But, really, delving a bit deeper, I realized that I too was prejudiced against him at some unknown level. I wanted him to do well but didn't really feel he would. What is it inside us, that makes us discount people or their talent without so much as giving them a single change to prove themselves? What Paul reminds us is to give people a chance to show the world who they really are, before dismissing them. Here is what Paul came up with that day:
There are still some doubting Thomases who question his real talent and some even compared him unfavorably to Pavarotti, the famous opera singer. No doubt singing is about technique and style, but singing is also about emotions, about believing in the song, about making your audience feel the song and winning their hearts. And thats what Paul did. Needless to say, he won the competition:
Monday, June 04, 2007
Twitter is coming
When I first saw Twitter, it seemed to me like an entertaining but mostly useless exercise in vanity. However, the more I use it (see What am I doing on the RHS of this page), read about it and see it being used, I get convinced that there is some value here.
Can you believe it, John Edwards has a twitter page! What a great way to tell your voters what you have been thinking about, talking about and where you are at. Of course, these could easily be fake, like this one for Bill Clinton. Although the John Edwards one looks genuine.
Also found a similar twitter page for woot.com recently, where followers could get texted or IMed about a new product as soon as it as posted. It seems whenever instant status updates are required, be it product updates, shuttle/train progress or just plain lovebird updates for people who want to keep a check on their better halves, this might be a useful thing to have.
Is it just me or are the twitter guyz on to something here?
Can you believe it, John Edwards has a twitter page! What a great way to tell your voters what you have been thinking about, talking about and where you are at. Of course, these could easily be fake, like this one for Bill Clinton. Although the John Edwards one looks genuine.
Also found a similar twitter page for woot.com recently, where followers could get texted or IMed about a new product as soon as it as posted. It seems whenever instant status updates are required, be it product updates, shuttle/train progress or just plain lovebird updates for people who want to keep a check on their better halves, this might be a useful thing to have.
Is it just me or are the twitter guyz on to something here?
Battle at Kruger
This is the most amazing wildlife video I have seen in a long long time. You have to see it to believe it! It is also an amazing insight into the power of parental instinct to save one's kids, no matter what the danger is.
Thursday, May 31, 2007
When Stevie met Billy
A rare joint interview of Steve Jobs and Bill Gates at the D5 conference, May 30 '07. This one is a must watch!
Transcript and report about the interview here.
Transcript and report about the interview here.
Sunday, April 01, 2007
That day of the year...
Have u tried these yet? :)
- Add one more day to you calendar! (you may need to sign out to see the trick, and this trick prb wont be up for more than one day)
And finally... the hall of fame... from previous years:
- Prb the most well-known: Google Lunar Research Center
- My personal favorite: The technology behind Google rankings
- Love and such: One Click love
- Gulp!
Personally, I think the integrity section of pigeonrank is the most hilarious of all.
Happy April fool's day.
Happy April fool's day.
Monday, March 12, 2007
Wednesday, February 14, 2007
What is love?
Why do I keep thinking of Haddaway's song "What is love?" today ? ;)
What is love
Oh baby, don't hurt me
Don't hurt me no more
Oh, baby don't hurt me
Don't hurt me no more
What is love
Yeah
Oh, I don't know why you're not there
I give you my love, but you don't care
So what is right and what is wrong
Gimme a sign
What is love
Oh baby, don't hurt me
Don't hurt me no more
What is love
Oh baby, don't hurt me
Don't hurt me no more
Whoa whoa whoa, oooh oooh
Whoa whoa whoa, oooh oooh
Oh, I don't know, what can I do
What else can I say, it's up to you
I know we're one, just me and you
I can't go on
What is love
Oh baby, don't hurt me
Don't hurt me no more
What is love
Oh baby, don't hurt me
Don't hurt me no more
Whoa whoa whoa, oooh oooh
Whoa whoa whoa, oooh oooh
What is love, oooh, oooh, oooh
What is love, oooh, oooh, oooh
What is love
Oh baby, don't hurt me
Don't hurt me no more
Don't hurt me
Don't hurt me
I want no other, no other lover
This is your life, our time
When we are together, I need you forever
Is it love
What is love
Oh baby, don't hurt me
Don't hurt me no more
What is love
Oh baby, don't hurt me
Don't hurt me no more (oooh, oooh)
What is love
Oh baby, don't hurt me
Don't hurt me no more
What is love
Oh baby, don't hurt me
Don't hurt me no more (oooh, oooh)
What is love?
-Haddaway
Tuesday, February 06, 2007
She walks in beauty...
I am posting one of my favorite poems today, called "She walks in beauty..."
I had this poem in my Radiant Readers textbook in 7th grade.... I was very curious about it and really wanted our teacher to teach this poem, because I hadn't understood it by myself... Unfortunately, our english teacher thought it was too romantic a poem for our age and skipped it!
But I came back to read this poem a few years later... and this time I understood it much more... and came to appreciate Byron's definition of beauty of his love:-
One shade the more, one ray the less,
Had half impair'd the nameless grace
How amazing are these lines! He says... she is beautiful exactly as she is, and could not possibly be any more beautiful... in fact, even the smallest change in her will take away half her beauty... a beauty of such high proportions that he doesn't even know a way to describe it!...
Its an amazing read... take it away!
She walks in beauty...
She walks in beauty, like the night
Of cloudless climes and starry skies;
And all that's best of dark and bright
Meet in her aspect and her eyes:
Thus mellow'd to that tender light
Which heaven to gaudy day denies.
One shade the more, one ray the less,
Had half impair'd the nameless grace
Which waves in every raven tress,
Or softly lightens o'er her face;
Where thoughts serenely sweet express
How pure, how dear their dwelling-place.
And on that cheek, and o'er that brow,
So soft, so calm, yet eloquent,
The smiles that win, the tints that glow,
But tell of days in goodness spent,
A mind at peace with all below,
A heart whose love is innocent!
- Lord Byron
I had this poem in my Radiant Readers textbook in 7th grade.... I was very curious about it and really wanted our teacher to teach this poem, because I hadn't understood it by myself... Unfortunately, our english teacher thought it was too romantic a poem for our age and skipped it!
But I came back to read this poem a few years later... and this time I understood it much more... and came to appreciate Byron's definition of beauty of his love:-
One shade the more, one ray the less,
Had half impair'd the nameless grace
How amazing are these lines! He says... she is beautiful exactly as she is, and could not possibly be any more beautiful... in fact, even the smallest change in her will take away half her beauty... a beauty of such high proportions that he doesn't even know a way to describe it!...
Its an amazing read... take it away!
She walks in beauty...
She walks in beauty, like the night
Of cloudless climes and starry skies;
And all that's best of dark and bright
Meet in her aspect and her eyes:
Thus mellow'd to that tender light
Which heaven to gaudy day denies.
One shade the more, one ray the less,
Had half impair'd the nameless grace
Which waves in every raven tress,
Or softly lightens o'er her face;
Where thoughts serenely sweet express
How pure, how dear their dwelling-place.
And on that cheek, and o'er that brow,
So soft, so calm, yet eloquent,
The smiles that win, the tints that glow,
But tell of days in goodness spent,
A mind at peace with all below,
A heart whose love is innocent!
- Lord Byron
Tuesday, January 30, 2007
Munch tales...
I love lunch at my workplace. Its almost always a dilemma deciding where to eat and once that is decided, is the question of what all to eat (because there are so many choices!). When you do decide all that though, you are ready to have some goooooooood food!
Take today, for example.
I began with a nice hot "hearty vegetable soup".
Then I had some delicious "wild mushroom ricosto rice"... I loved this, the way ricosto rice is made makes it a little wet and a little sticky and you can take my word for it, its very nice...
This was followed by "fried eggplant" with a peculiar looking green paste, almost like the dosa chutney you get in south Indian restaurants.
Hmm... a little of this and that, don't remember now...
A "fresh fruit salad"... pretty good...
And wound up the whole deal with a "blackberry cheese cake"... well, only ate half of this though... Halfway through it I was reminded of all the hard work I have been putting in at the gym :-|
So yeah, that kinda stopped the joyride and I trudged my way back to my office, reflecting on a job well done!
Take today, for example.
I began with a nice hot "hearty vegetable soup".
Then I had some delicious "wild mushroom ricosto rice"... I loved this, the way ricosto rice is made makes it a little wet and a little sticky and you can take my word for it, its very nice...
This was followed by "fried eggplant" with a peculiar looking green paste, almost like the dosa chutney you get in south Indian restaurants.
Hmm... a little of this and that, don't remember now...
A "fresh fruit salad"... pretty good...
And wound up the whole deal with a "blackberry cheese cake"... well, only ate half of this though... Halfway through it I was reminded of all the hard work I have been putting in at the gym :-|
So yeah, that kinda stopped the joyride and I trudged my way back to my office, reflecting on a job well done!
Thursday, January 18, 2007
Wodehouse magic
I was a little disappointed with the first few pages of P.G. Wodehouse's "Carry on, Jeeves!". Nothing much happening in the first few pages and a good deal of lines were devoted to explaining how he came about to work for the author. By the end of the tenth page, however, Wodehouse had started weaving his magic around me... In simple words and casual conversations, I was being introduced to the wits of the amazing Jeeves... I couldn't stop laughing at the way he says "Very good, sir!" at the most solemn and unexpected occasions... It is the ability to the treat the reader to something he doesn't expect at a time he isn't ready... while retaining both men in character, that makes this so amazing to read...
Sample these:
On hearing about the author's broken engagement to Florence and showing no sympathy for the same:
"You're sacked!"
"Very good, sir."
He coughed gently.
"...(long discourse of fatherly advice)... You would not have been happy, sir!."
"Get out!"
"...(discourse continues)...You would not enjoy Nietzsche, sir... He is fundamentally unsound..."
"Get out!"
"Very good, sir."
By this time, I was pausing between laughs, careful not to finish the moment too soon and to savor it as much as I could :P If there was any doubt that Wodehouse had me totally enthralled in his piece of work by now, he sealed the deal with the end of the first chapter:
On hearing from Jeeves that his choice of the suit was not 'suit'-able (pun mine :P) and asking him to give it away to someone:
He looked down at me like a father gazing tenderly at the wayward child.
'Thank you, sir. I gave it to the under-gardener last night. A little more tea, sir?'
And I became a Wodehouse fan. Just like that. So much so that I couldn't stop reading it. Work life gives us few moments of our own, add to that my varied interests like salsa and badminton and the picture looks grim. But I couldn't put the book down. I started reading it at breakfast in the morning... And took it to my trip on the long weekend... Moments in the line for baggage claim, I discovered, are better utilized with Wodehouse in your hand and Starbucks is more fun with you imagining the server to be a likeness of Jeeves.
Wodehouse, to conclude, is pure magic... Read it if you get a chance!
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