I suggest updating your blogroll, or bookmarks to the new address. Cheers!
Nerd. and so much More
[Listening to: Can't Take it in - Imogen Heap - The Chronicles of Narnia: the (4:42)]
Thursday, May 18, 2006
I have a new home..
I bought the domain Nerd. and so much More, and am on a hosting plan along with Jesse for a couple of years. I've been tinkering with Wordpress blog adding functionality and looking for cool themes. I am currently using a heavily ajax enabled theme which I like. I have to tweak it to look right. I still have a lot of work left on it.
I suggest updating your blogroll, or bookmarks to the new address. Cheers!
Nerd. and so much More
I suggest updating your blogroll, or bookmarks to the new address. Cheers!
Nerd. and so much More
Sunday, May 14, 2006
Crumbs for May 14, 2006
who said gurls can't play with men's toys?
Not typical…but still typical. French Canadian but can actually speak and write in English. Haitian. Open to anything. Adores music and photography. Trendwhore but don’t have enough money to actually show it. Moody…single
Blursoft MetaForum sprang from a need that simply was not being filled by any other forum software. We concentrated on the user, not the system. We maximized the efficiency of the click-economy. You shouldn't need to go 12 pages deep to find the informati
[Listening to: Old Whore's Diet featuring Antony - Rufus Wainwright - WANT two (8:54)]
Saturday, May 13, 2006
Picking crumbs on the web on 12 May 2006
- A Chinese-American surgeon, living in Manhattan, is shocked when her single mother shows up on her doorstep pregnant. To help her mom save face and avoid the taboo in the Chinese community of an unmarried woman pregnant, the doctor helps her mom find Mr.
- Web site Paul's tips has posted 6 steps for learning difficult subjects in as little time as possible.
Paul's method suggests a sort of information overload at the beginning, followed by taking a few steps back, getting a little feedback, then over
- The ever-useful wikiHow has posted a how to detailing the finer points of taking good lecture notes, splitting the process into what you need to do before, during, and after the lecture to be prepared and capture the "perfect" notes.
These suggesti
- The Google Operating System blog offers a simple hack that allows you to listen to Pandora from inside Winamp.
The method requires that you replace a line in a .ini file in your Winamp plugins folder, but the post is detailed enough that this is very e
- Democratic and Republican politicians on Thursday both promised to enact new federal laws by the end of the year that would restrict some commercial uses of Social Security numbers, which are often implicated in identity fraud cases.
- A proposed law banning social networks from computers in schools and libraries could block access to a huge slice of the Net -- without protecting kids
The campaign to crowd out predators from MySpace.com is gathering steam in Washington. House of Repr
- cnet-declan writes "Politicians are looking for reasons to convince citizens to vote in November, and polls say suburban parents are worried about the internet. Wednesday top House Republicans announced a bill to make 'social' Web sites unreachable from
- Throughout history, artists, inventors, writers and scientists have solved problems in their dreams. Brilliant Dreams has compiled a list of twelve famous discoveries and creativity in literature, science, music and even sports attributed to dreams.
- The dictionary will tell you a "limit" is defined as a boundary.
To many drivers it's a lower boundary. To the law it's an upper boundary.
"It's not a speed average, it's not a speed minimum, it's not a speed that 'I can do 6 or 7 more than,' it's a
Tags: Links
[Listening to: Life On A Chain - Pete Yorn - Music For The Morning After (3:47)]
Thursday, May 11, 2006
things I found on 11 May 2006
The Consumerist: Shoppers Bite Back
Welcome, internet, to The Consumerist, the latest title from Gawker Media. The Consumerist loves to shop, and is reconciled to utilities, but hates paying for shoddy products, inhumane customer support, and half-assed service.
Each week The Consumerist
Gawker, Manhattan Media News and Gossip
Gawker is Gawker Media's flagship title, a mix of pop culture and media gossip, updated up to two dozen times a day. Gawker is compulsory reading for New York editors and reporters, and often sets the agenda for the entertainment weeklies, gossip columns
101 Free Games: The Best Free Games on the Web from 1UP.com
You don't care how you get your fix. You just want to play a new game right now and you don't want to pay a lot for the privilege. Thank God for the Internet, where everything (and its mom) is available for free. So, taking a break from downloading patche
Iran Leader Calls Israel an 'Evil' Regime - Yahoo! News
I wonder if he is senile.. He sounds really moronic and/or extremist. Stupid Stupid Stupid..
Google Co-op is about sharing expertise. You can contribute your expertise and benefit when others do the same. Help other users find information more easily by creating "subscribed links" for your services and labeling webpages around the topics you know
Film Ignites the Wrath of Hindu Fundamentalists - New York Times
Movie: Water. Director: Deepa Mehta
About widows in Pre-independence era in India.
1- I am from Hijaz, Saudi Arabia. 2- I am currently studying in the US & fully legal. 3- Since I am an alien (according to the law), I am allowed to make grammatical mistakes and endless run-ons. 4- I do pick sides and call them "educated opinions." (I am
How do you know if you're already addicted or rapidly tumbling toward trouble? Everyone's situation is different, and it's not simply a matter of time spent on-line. Some people indicate they are addicted with only twenty hours of Internet use, while othe
Is Internet addiction a real problem?
USATODAY.com - NSA has massive database of Americans' phone calls
The National Security Agency has been secretly collecting the phone call records of tens of millions of Americans, using data provided by AT&T, Verizon and BellSouth, people with direct knowledge of the arrangement told USA TODAY.
Advanced online privacy protection - Homeland Stupidity
The U.S. government seems to have a dizzying array of programs, both already running and in the pipeline, to gather vast amounts of data on virtually everyone, store that data for who knows how long, and do who knows what with it. One thing they’re doin
onfocus.com | Finding Lost URLs
A week or so ago, a page by Professor Solomon called The Twelve Principles made the link rounds. The prof lays out a 12-step plan for finding any lost object. Most of the principles are mental tricks to get you back to the place you lost a physical object
Download of the Day: TimeTracker Firefox extension - Lifehacker
Firefox extension TimeTracker keeps track of the time you spend surfing with the ‘fox.
Instead of simply tracking the amount of time Firefox is open, TimeTracker has a several options you can tweak to get an accurate idea of the time you spend workin
Atlas - powered by Fresh Logic Studios
Atlas, a new mapping program from Fresh Logic Studios, is an ambitious new AJAX map along the lines of Google Maps.
All the usual features are there (directions, satellite and hybrid views, etc.), but Atlas has taken extra steps to make itself look and
Tags: Links
[Listening to: Go Daddy-O - Big Bad Voodoo Daddy - Swingers Soundtrack (3:09)]
raspberries
links for 2006-05-11
See what the world is searching for.
How to Rip DVDs to Small AVI or MPG Formatted Files - WikiHow
In real time, WhoLinked shows the other websites that are linking to you - from all over the Web.
More innovation with OPML. Grazr is a nifty way to embed an OPML browser in your site. It's also a good way to see how OPML works by grouping feeds in an outline view.
Tags: Links
[Listening to: Duane Joseph - The Juliana Theory - A Small Noise (4:00)]
Tuesday, May 09, 2006
Closing another marvelous chapter of my life
Here are the chronicles of the last 10 days of Joy (me ;) ) as an undergrad.. Here are pictures (flickr).
Finals week was me at my most boring self. I studied more than any other time during the school year. I was practically living in the library. There were a few people who studied with me on the last study table on the 2nd floor, most often being Angela F. I think we got to know each other better during the end of our time here. I'm glad about that. I guess the studying paid off. I made A's in Thermodynamics and Hindu Gods, A- in Modern Algebra, and B in Set Theory/Topology. Topology was the toughest and highest level course offered in my four years of math at Coe. So, I'm actually happy with that grade because I deserved it. Thermo was also my first A ever in Mario's class with a 100 on the final. Hindu Gods was a friggin' breeze, and Modern Algebra was interesting.
The week before graduation were incredible dinners. It started with the Annual Physics lavish feast at the Czech Village. We had a spectroscopy presentation by a Coe grad (Dr. Rachel Boekenhauer) doing research at Argonne National Lab. I like the fact that at this time of my academic life, I can actually understand basic and advanced talks at a higher level and can ask intelligent questions. I was very curious about the thin film analysis of Gen II superconductors. After that, physics seniors were invited by Doc for steak at his house. We finished 13 pounds of expensive T-bones within the 9 people present. I have never eaten such a big piece of red meat that was prepared so well. Doc is indeed a Pro. Finally, President Phifer had invited the Class of 2006 to the Country Club for dinner on Thursday and it was amazing! The set up was formal and it was great to see others dressed well. The food was great. Now that I think about it, I should have bought a senior picture because it may have turned out well. This was an excellent and relaxed night to be with people from our Class one last time before the craziness of Graduation decended on us.
Dad flew in on Thursday, and Robi on Friday to attend my graduation. Mum couldn't come because she had to stay for Dida's last rite. It was great having them around. Saturday, a bunch of friends and I went dancing at the Top of the Five, and had an amazing time. I really like slip and slidig on the floor. I was the only guy amongst 8 girls. I had a ton of fun dancing with Angela M and Kiki. I got a few pictures that I put up on flickr. I got to say this again. Angela is an amazingly natural dancer and she blows me away. She's only had one formal class in swing and she dances like she's been doing this for a while. Arm tension and movement is exactly what I look for. She also has a great time dancing and smiles through out. I wish I had known her before and gotten to dance with her some more..
Dad, Robi and I walked around a lot and saw quite a bit of downtown. It was nice to just hang out together. We were missing Mum. Goms ate out with us quite a bit. They got to see the campus and really liked it. Then came, D Day as in Graduation, and formal end to my life at Coe College. Graduation was practically flawless. After ringing of the Victory Bell, it was really quick after that. I had two tassles for double majoring, two sets of cords for Mortar Board and Sigma Pi Sigma (national Physics honors society), graduated with Cum Laude (GPA 3.6+) and College Scholars Program, GPA of 3.82, and along with some other miscellaneous honors for leadership and merit. The speaker Mass. Gov Mitt Romney was really good. We were happy that he didn't turn the commencement speech into a campaigning test bed. If you don't know who he is, he is Democrat-turned-Republican for the next Presidential election. A lot of people on Coe weren't too pleased about him speaking but it turned out to be a great speech, one which I didn't snooze through. I met Andi's parents later and then went out to Taj Mahal for some Indian food after taking more pictures with my friends. And so the day ended, and I hung out with Dad and Robi at the hotel again. They left the next morning, and I've been relaxing since.
And on to Graduation presents, my parents got a Swatch 2006 (Chemical Blue) from Dubai. It's an incredible good-looking watch. This is to augment my existing Casio wrist watch that I bought 4 years ago in Hyderabad with Bhavya.
Andi's parents gave me a quilt with written sentiments of my friends. She asked Komal to get them signed by my friends and then sew them together. I love it!
Goms and Himali got me a giftcard from Express. Anh got me a cute little memento, and some spending money.
Britta and Kelly bought me chocolate and The World Is Flat [Updated and Expanded] : A Brief History of the Twenty-first Century (Hardcover). I've wanted to read it for a long time, and I know it's going to be an addicting read..
Tags: Life, Pictures, Books
Finals week was me at my most boring self. I studied more than any other time during the school year. I was practically living in the library. There were a few people who studied with me on the last study table on the 2nd floor, most often being Angela F. I think we got to know each other better during the end of our time here. I'm glad about that. I guess the studying paid off. I made A's in Thermodynamics and Hindu Gods, A- in Modern Algebra, and B in Set Theory/Topology. Topology was the toughest and highest level course offered in my four years of math at Coe. So, I'm actually happy with that grade because I deserved it. Thermo was also my first A ever in Mario's class with a 100 on the final. Hindu Gods was a friggin' breeze, and Modern Algebra was interesting.
The week before graduation were incredible dinners. It started with the Annual Physics lavish feast at the Czech Village. We had a spectroscopy presentation by a Coe grad (Dr. Rachel Boekenhauer) doing research at Argonne National Lab. I like the fact that at this time of my academic life, I can actually understand basic and advanced talks at a higher level and can ask intelligent questions. I was very curious about the thin film analysis of Gen II superconductors. After that, physics seniors were invited by Doc for steak at his house. We finished 13 pounds of expensive T-bones within the 9 people present. I have never eaten such a big piece of red meat that was prepared so well. Doc is indeed a Pro. Finally, President Phifer had invited the Class of 2006 to the Country Club for dinner on Thursday and it was amazing! The set up was formal and it was great to see others dressed well. The food was great. Now that I think about it, I should have bought a senior picture because it may have turned out well. This was an excellent and relaxed night to be with people from our Class one last time before the craziness of Graduation decended on us.
Dad flew in on Thursday, and Robi on Friday to attend my graduation. Mum couldn't come because she had to stay for Dida's last rite. It was great having them around. Saturday, a bunch of friends and I went dancing at the Top of the Five, and had an amazing time. I really like slip and slidig on the floor. I was the only guy amongst 8 girls. I had a ton of fun dancing with Angela M and Kiki. I got a few pictures that I put up on flickr. I got to say this again. Angela is an amazingly natural dancer and she blows me away. She's only had one formal class in swing and she dances like she's been doing this for a while. Arm tension and movement is exactly what I look for. She also has a great time dancing and smiles through out. I wish I had known her before and gotten to dance with her some more..
Dad, Robi and I walked around a lot and saw quite a bit of downtown. It was nice to just hang out together. We were missing Mum. Goms ate out with us quite a bit. They got to see the campus and really liked it. Then came, D Day as in Graduation, and formal end to my life at Coe College. Graduation was practically flawless. After ringing of the Victory Bell, it was really quick after that. I had two tassles for double majoring, two sets of cords for Mortar Board and Sigma Pi Sigma (national Physics honors society), graduated with Cum Laude (GPA 3.6+) and College Scholars Program, GPA of 3.82, and along with some other miscellaneous honors for leadership and merit. The speaker Mass. Gov Mitt Romney was really good. We were happy that he didn't turn the commencement speech into a campaigning test bed. If you don't know who he is, he is Democrat-turned-Republican for the next Presidential election. A lot of people on Coe weren't too pleased about him speaking but it turned out to be a great speech, one which I didn't snooze through. I met Andi's parents later and then went out to Taj Mahal for some Indian food after taking more pictures with my friends. And so the day ended, and I hung out with Dad and Robi at the hotel again. They left the next morning, and I've been relaxing since.
And on to Graduation presents, my parents got a Swatch 2006 (Chemical Blue) from Dubai. It's an incredible good-looking watch. This is to augment my existing Casio wrist watch that I bought 4 years ago in Hyderabad with Bhavya.
Andi's parents gave me a quilt with written sentiments of my friends. She asked Komal to get them signed by my friends and then sew them together. I love it!
Goms and Himali got me a giftcard from Express. Anh got me a cute little memento, and some spending money.
Britta and Kelly bought me chocolate and The World Is Flat [Updated and Expanded] : A Brief History of the Twenty-first Century (Hardcover). I've wanted to read it for a long time, and I know it's going to be an addicting read..
Tags: Life, Pictures, Books
[Listening to: Why Worry - The All-American Rejects - The All-American Rejects (4:18)]
Saturday, May 06, 2006
Free, streaming prime time TV shows. Get it while it lasts!
However, for free fully legal, and authorized streaming prime time shows on ABC, visit's ABC's streaming video website. This is an experimental bed for ABC and I hope they keep this up. For now, it is going to be up from May 1, 2006 to June 30, 2006. I have watched part of the latest Desperate Housewives. The other shows are Lost, Commander in Chief and Lost thus far. They are going to put up Grey's Anatomy up too.
PeekVid
I found this great site to watch full episodes of several TV shows that are listed below by streaming and/or downloading. It's too good to last because it's bound to shut down soon. So, try it out and download as much as you can before that happens. I've been watching the TV shows (NCIS, Numb3rs) for some time now, and love it!
* 24 (17 episodes)
* Arrested Development (4 episodes)
* Battlestar Gallactica (2 episodes)
* Becker (16 episodes)
* Boondocks (12 episodes)
* Boston Legal (9 episodes)
* Buffy (57 episodes)
* Chappelle Show (1 episode)
* Charmed (20 episodes)
* Desperate Housewives (9 episodes)
* Earth 2 (4 episodes)
* ER (1 episode)
* Everybody Hates Chris (2 episodes)
* Everybody Loves Raymond (13 episodes)
* Family Guy (22 episodes)
* Farscape (4 episodes)
* Fat Actress (6 episodes)
* Greys Anatomy (16 episodes)
* Hoges The Early Years (5 episodes)
* Home Improvement (40 episodes)
* I Dream of Jeannie (11 episodes)
* Inspector Gadget (16 episodes)
* Lois & Clark (8 episodes)
* Lost (1 episode)
* MacGyver (16 episodes)
* Monty Pythons Flying Circus (44 episodes)
* NBA Action (1 episode)
* NCIS (5 episodes)
* Numbers (3 episodes)
* One Tree Hill (9 episodes)
* Pink Panther (32 episodes)
* Prison Break (3 episodes)
* Relic Hunter (3 episodes)
* Robot Chicken (10 episodes)
* Scrubs (12 episodes)
* Seven Days (9 episodes)
* Smurfs (38 episodes)
* South Park (4 episodes)
* Star Trek Deep Space 9 (10 episodes)
* Starhunter (44 episodes)
* Superbowl (2 episodes)
* Supernatural (3 episodes)
* The Ben Stiller Show (13 episodes)
* The Colbert Report (9 episodes)
* The Daily Show (21 episodes)
* The Exorcist - Movie (2 episodes)
* The Fresh Prince Of Bel Air (12 episodes)
* The Net (4 episodes)
* The Shield (1 episode)
* The Sopranos (14 episodes)
* Thundercats (31 episodes)
* Tom and Jerry (2 episodes)
* Tonight Show With Jay Leno (9 episodes)
* Untouchables (11 episodes)
Tags: Videos, Links
PeekVid
I found this great site to watch full episodes of several TV shows that are listed below by streaming and/or downloading. It's too good to last because it's bound to shut down soon. So, try it out and download as much as you can before that happens. I've been watching the TV shows (NCIS, Numb3rs) for some time now, and love it!
* 24 (17 episodes)
* Arrested Development (4 episodes)
* Battlestar Gallactica (2 episodes)
* Becker (16 episodes)
* Boondocks (12 episodes)
* Boston Legal (9 episodes)
* Buffy (57 episodes)
* Chappelle Show (1 episode)
* Charmed (20 episodes)
* Desperate Housewives (9 episodes)
* Earth 2 (4 episodes)
* ER (1 episode)
* Everybody Hates Chris (2 episodes)
* Everybody Loves Raymond (13 episodes)
* Family Guy (22 episodes)
* Farscape (4 episodes)
* Fat Actress (6 episodes)
* Greys Anatomy (16 episodes)
* Hoges The Early Years (5 episodes)
* Home Improvement (40 episodes)
* I Dream of Jeannie (11 episodes)
* Inspector Gadget (16 episodes)
* Lois & Clark (8 episodes)
* Lost (1 episode)
* MacGyver (16 episodes)
* Monty Pythons Flying Circus (44 episodes)
* NBA Action (1 episode)
* NCIS (5 episodes)
* Numbers (3 episodes)
* One Tree Hill (9 episodes)
* Pink Panther (32 episodes)
* Prison Break (3 episodes)
* Relic Hunter (3 episodes)
* Robot Chicken (10 episodes)
* Scrubs (12 episodes)
* Seven Days (9 episodes)
* Smurfs (38 episodes)
* South Park (4 episodes)
* Star Trek Deep Space 9 (10 episodes)
* Starhunter (44 episodes)
* Superbowl (2 episodes)
* Supernatural (3 episodes)
* The Ben Stiller Show (13 episodes)
* The Colbert Report (9 episodes)
* The Daily Show (21 episodes)
* The Exorcist - Movie (2 episodes)
* The Fresh Prince Of Bel Air (12 episodes)
* The Net (4 episodes)
* The Shield (1 episode)
* The Sopranos (14 episodes)
* Thundercats (31 episodes)
* Tom and Jerry (2 episodes)
* Tonight Show With Jay Leno (9 episodes)
* Untouchables (11 episodes)
Tags: Videos, Links
[Listening to: Drowned - Youth Group - Skeleton Jar (4:19)]
Monday, May 01, 2006
Stephen Colbert roasts the President
This guy (Comedy Central fame) has a lot of balls to crack at Bush while he is sitting two seats away. He is talking at the White House Press Correspondents Dinner, and the video is ripped from C-SPAN. Most of the people are trying real hard not to laugh. They keep looking at each other with surprise, and incredulous looks..
**
For the updated sites where the videos are hosted, visit DanB. Apparently, YouTube pulled the videos off for copyright infringement.
Tags: Videos
**
For the updated sites where the videos are hosted, visit DanB. Apparently, YouTube pulled the videos off for copyright infringement.
Tags: Videos
[Listening to: The Vast Spoils of America (From the Badlands Through the Ocean) - Saves The Day - Through Being Cool (3:08)]
Friday, April 28, 2006
Bush Opposes Singing Anthem in Spanish - Yahoo! News
Bush Opposes Singing Anthem in Spanish - Yahoo! News
Not allowing the largest minority population to sing the National Anthem in their native language. For being tolerant of other cultures, Bush rejecting the spanish version is rather intolerant.
As you can see, this version was well intentioned and I believe them. It was supported by artists such as Wyclef Jean, hip-hop star Pitbull and Puerto Rican singers Carlos Ponce and Olga Tanon.
Read Michelle Malkin's take on this issue.
Update:
shirley buxton said...
I'm with Bush. I love people of all nationalities, but this is America, and the national anthem should be sung in English.
My reply: You speak as though English is the state language of the US. Unofficially, maybe but that doesn't mean that people can't express patriotism in the language that they are most comfortable with. It almost seems like speaking english is critical to being American. I think if you or anyone else thinks that, you are delusional. In a cosmopolitan nation like the United States, diversity must be encouraged and cherished. Not suppressed. Are you scared of diluting US culture? You don't have an ethnic culture to dilute. Actually, we come into the country making you realize that there is more outside than just yourselves..
Tags: Politics
Not allowing the largest minority population to sing the National Anthem in their native language. For being tolerant of other cultures, Bush rejecting the spanish version is rather intolerant.
British music producer Adam Kidron, who came up with the idea of the Spanish anthem, said it was not intended to discourage immigrants from learning English or embracing American culture.
"We instead view `Nuestro Himno' as a song that affords those immigrants that have not yet learned the English language the opportunity to fully understand the character of 'The Star-Spangled Banner,' the American flag and the ideals of freedom that they represent," Kidron said in a written statement.
As you can see, this version was well intentioned and I believe them. It was supported by artists such as Wyclef Jean, hip-hop star Pitbull and Puerto Rican singers Carlos Ponce and Olga Tanon.
Read Michelle Malkin's take on this issue.
Update:
shirley buxton said...
I'm with Bush. I love people of all nationalities, but this is America, and the national anthem should be sung in English.
My reply: You speak as though English is the state language of the US. Unofficially, maybe but that doesn't mean that people can't express patriotism in the language that they are most comfortable with. It almost seems like speaking english is critical to being American. I think if you or anyone else thinks that, you are delusional. In a cosmopolitan nation like the United States, diversity must be encouraged and cherished. Not suppressed. Are you scared of diluting US culture? You don't have an ethnic culture to dilute. Actually, we come into the country making you realize that there is more outside than just yourselves..
Tags: Politics
performance under pressure?
I passed my Physics oral. So, I am officially allowed to graduate with a physics major. We do have stringent standards for graduating physics majors at Coe College. A written comprehensive on General Physics and oral comprehensive on Modern Physics just so we don't embarrass ourselves and our school when we go to graduate school..
UPenn sent me the most trite rejection letter ever. I just laughed and so did my friends when I showed them the letter.
My dad and brother are coming to my graduation. Dad's flying from India, and I bought him an incredibly expensive ticket from Chicago to Cedar Rapids because all the low priced tickets were gone. Now, since dad is not coming in till Friday, I have to change the reservation. Guess how much extra money is needed? $100 for penalties, and $100 ticket price increase. $200 friggin' on top of $450. Argghhh! Hopefully Dad can change his reservation in India..
Hear my previous podcast for the rest of the stuff that's going on in my life..
Tags: Life
UPenn sent me the most trite rejection letter ever. I just laughed and so did my friends when I showed them the letter.
My dad and brother are coming to my graduation. Dad's flying from India, and I bought him an incredibly expensive ticket from Chicago to Cedar Rapids because all the low priced tickets were gone. Now, since dad is not coming in till Friday, I have to change the reservation. Guess how much extra money is needed? $100 for penalties, and $100 ticket price increase. $200 friggin' on top of $450. Argghhh! Hopefully Dad can change his reservation in India..
Hear my previous podcast for the rest of the stuff that's going on in my life..
Tags: Life
[Listening to: Doris - Clemency - The Beauty Of It All (3:59)]
Wednesday, April 26, 2006
Time when Hell descends upon us..
I have been studying like crazy the last week which explains the lack of posts. I have another week or so of this stressful ordeal and then I'm free! I have 4 finals with most being comprehensive. Finals are crazy times. Tempers flaring, head aching, panicking, sweating profusely, lack of sleep, tensions right before the exams.. Ahh!! Shit, five more years of this! Thank God for the little break at home to recuperate, and revitalize and getting excited about graduate school, and work, and lack of life in general.. I have to keep sane. Being a bum in the summer never looked so inviting ;).
I also have to deal with moving out of Coe for the first time ever (sigh..), make plans to get across the country to DC before I leave for Nigeria (road trip with Jessi and her family!), figure out immigration details for graduate school (Beauracracy is taxing on my patience), and other such critical details.
On a positive note, my paper Structural studies of solution-made high alkali content borate glasses (PDF) got published in the Journal of Non-Crystalline Solids, which is the most prestigious journal for glass science. So, I'm a published first author along with my advisor Dr. Feller. This was the culmination of three summers of research using a novel technique making glasses no one had ever made before. I have journal entries describing my summer research days if anyone is interested ;). Exciting, eh?
Here is the abstract for those curious:
Keeping with PhDcomics humor, this strip is pertinent to the subject of me being published. This strip is not necessarily accurate in my case ;).
Tags: Life, Pictures, Science
I also have to deal with moving out of Coe for the first time ever (sigh..), make plans to get across the country to DC before I leave for Nigeria (road trip with Jessi and her family!), figure out immigration details for graduate school (Beauracracy is taxing on my patience), and other such critical details.
On a positive note, my paper Structural studies of solution-made high alkali content borate glasses (PDF) got published in the Journal of Non-Crystalline Solids, which is the most prestigious journal for glass science. So, I'm a published first author along with my advisor Dr. Feller. This was the culmination of three summers of research using a novel technique making glasses no one had ever made before. I have journal entries describing my summer research days if anyone is interested ;). Exciting, eh?
Here is the abstract for those curious:
The glass forming range of alkali borates has been extended to R = 5.0 (83 mol% alkali oxide) using a solution method. This method involves the reaction between solutions of boric acid (H3BO3) and alkali hydroxide (MOH). Physical properties and NMR studies were performed on the intermediate and final glass products of this method. We have obtained results for the entire alkali borate system including lithium, sodium, potassium, rubidium and cesium. The structure of these invert glasses remains enigmatic.
Keywords: Glass formation; Glass transition; Glasses; Raman spectroscopy; Oxide glasses; Borates; NMR, MAS-NMR and NQR; Structure; Short-range order; Glass transition; Water
Keeping with PhDcomics humor, this strip is pertinent to the subject of me being published. This strip is not necessarily accurate in my case ;).
Tags: Life, Pictures, Science
[Listening to: I Wish - Semisonic - All About Chemistry (7:55)]
Sunday, April 23, 2006
Pink - Dear Mr President (live music video, streaming mp3, and lyrics)
Pink - Dear Mr President (live)
Dear Mr. President - Pink (4:33)
Powered by Castpost| mp3 | 48 kbps VBR
Album: I'm Not Dead
Tags: Politics, Blog Finds, Music, Videos
Dear Mr. President - Pink (4:33)
Powered by Castpost| mp3 | 48 kbps VBR
Album: I'm Not Dead
"Dear Mr. President"
( PINK feat. Indigo Girls)
Dear Mr. President
Come take a walk with me
Let's pretend we're just two people and
You're not better than me
I'd like to ask you some questions if we can speak honestly
What do you feel when you see all the homeless on the street
Who do you pray for at night before you go to sleep
What do you feel when you look in the mirror
Are you proud
How do you sleep while the rest of us cry
How do you dream when a mother has no chance to say goodbye
How do you walk with your head held high
Can you even look me in the eye
And tell me why
Dear Mr. President
Were you a lonely boy
Are you a lonely boy
Are you a lonely boy
How can you say
No child is left behind
We're not dumb and we're not blind
They're all sitting in your cells
While you pave the road to hell
What kind of father would take his own daughter's rights away
And what kind of father might hate his own daughter if she were gay
I can only imagine what the first lady has to say
You've come a long way from whiskey and cocaine
How do you sleep while the rest of us cry
How do you dream when a mother has no chance to say goodbye
How do you walk with your head held high
Can you even look me in the eye
Let me tell you bout hard work
Minimum wage with a baby on the way
Let me tell you bout hard work
Rebuilding your house after the bombs took them away
Let me tell you bout hard work
Building a bed out of a cardboard box
Let me tell you bout hard work
Hard work
Hard work
You don't know nothing bout hard work
Hard work
Hard work
Oh
How do you sleep at night
How do you walk with your head held high
Dear Mr. President
You'd never take a walk with me
Would you
Tags: Politics, Blog Finds, Music, Videos
[Listening to: Illusions - Ryan Cabrera - Take It All Away (3:36)]
Sorrow
Grief. It's an incredibly intense emotion capable of rendering even the most powerful person helpless. It works by capturing all our attention and concentrating into one point. Like a black hole with infinite gravity. It takes a lot of will power and time to heal and move past it.
Now, all my grandparents are looking at me from up above. My maternal grandmother was the last to pass on. She lived a great 81 years survived by 4 children and a massive extended family. My parents are flying to New Delhi for her last rites this week. Mum won't be able to attend my graduation. I understand because her mom's funeral is more important, and this is not my last graduation. I will graduate at least once more. I mean graduate school.
I also realized that I don't know how to handle grief or sorrow. I feel strangely disconnected. I guess it still has to sink in that I will never see her again.
Tags: Life
Now, all my grandparents are looking at me from up above. My maternal grandmother was the last to pass on. She lived a great 81 years survived by 4 children and a massive extended family. My parents are flying to New Delhi for her last rites this week. Mum won't be able to attend my graduation. I understand because her mom's funeral is more important, and this is not my last graduation. I will graduate at least once more. I mean graduate school.
I also realized that I don't know how to handle grief or sorrow. I feel strangely disconnected. I guess it still has to sink in that I will never see her again.
Tags: Life
[Listening to: Armies Walk - Nada Surf - The Weight Is A Gift (3:28)]
Thursday, April 20, 2006
Rate Your Students: Advice to Parents: Which College Major is Best?
Rate Your Students: Advice to Parents: Which College Major is Best?
This post lists some of the majors and kind of people who do that majors. It also talks about their future. It's a hilarious read.
And while, we are talking about academic humor. I found a comic strip called "Piled Higher and Deeper" (PhD). It is the popular comic strip about life (or the lack thereof) in grad school.
It's ironic that I find this humorous because that's going to be my life in 3 months. I am going to be a PhD student in Materials Science and Engineering for the next 4-6 years.
Here is a sampler:
Tags: Blog Finds, Random, Pictures
This post lists some of the majors and kind of people who do that majors. It also talks about their future. It's a hilarious read.
And while, we are talking about academic humor. I found a comic strip called "Piled Higher and Deeper" (PhD). It is the popular comic strip about life (or the lack thereof) in grad school.
It's ironic that I find this humorous because that's going to be my life in 3 months. I am going to be a PhD student in Materials Science and Engineering for the next 4-6 years.
Here is a sampler:
Tags: Blog Finds, Random, Pictures
[Listening to: Something to Look Forward To - Spoon - Kill the Moonlight (2:16)]
Bulleted thoughts
- Missed Flunk day. Yeah! The day that I was looking forward to all year. I told everyone I knew about it. And. I friggin' miss it. I knew if I thought about it, I wouldn't be very happy. So, I suppressed all thoughts about Flunk Day while and after the PSU visit. I missed hanging out with friends, drinking endless amounts of beer, and taking ton of pictures. Flunk day would have been a great day for photography
- Swing at PSU sucked. This is one of my foremost passions. The swing lessons and social dance I went to was painful. It was so painful that I left part way. I hope it gets better when I start PSU. Let me tell you, I was sorely disappointed to sum this experience up.
- I'm in Who's Who Among Students in American Universities and Colleges. I guess I was nominated and selected. This is an annual award given to outstanding campus leaders for their scholastic ability, participation and leadership in academic and extra curricular activities and community service (link).
- Got PSU's official offer today. I have been given a Research Assistantship, with a bi-semester stipend and a summer stipend totalling around $18,700.
- Taking the oral Modern Physics test next Monday. I have to memorize a lot of equations, and understand the concepts to pass this trial of fire! Well, here's to hoping for the best..
- Browsing PhD Comics and getting addicted. I must have spent a few hours going through and saving my favorites. After I'm done saving all the ones I want, I'll put them up on Flickr.
- Had a bad dream about rejection. Again. I wish there was a better way for me to stop feeling this way. Well, apart from time anyway. I suppose this sort of dreams are getting sporadic and that is progress. There has been a lot of rejection in life so far. Grad schools, certain people, scholarships.
Tags: Life
[Listening to: She Was My Girl - Jerry Cantrell - Spider-Man [Soundtrack] (4:17)]
Wednesday, April 19, 2006
PSU impresses!
Travelling. I seem to do a lot of that. Even though, I have plenty of "air time", I still get nauseous when the plane bobs up and down. You know, I should have been acclimated to that by now. But, oh well! The trip was fine except for the 3 hour delay at Detroit. That meant I got to Penn Stater at University Park at 2.30 am. Include 5 hours of sleep.
I met with Dr. Carlo Pantano for breakfast and he talked to me about the two projects pertaining to glass fibres including one on nanodiameter fibreglass. He has a lot of projects from industry and no dearth of funding. I was also enlightened about an Entrepreneurial program that graduate students can enroll in to gain business sense. That is something I intend to look into more when I decide on Penn State. The MSE department at PSU is one of the best in the country ( ranked 8th for graduate school), and ranked 1 for highest research spending. This information was courtesy Dr. Pantano while exalting the Materials Science and Engineering program. I met three other professors who described the research (thin films, photonics) that they needed students for including a Chem professor (Dr. Karl Mueller) that collaborated with Dr. Pantano in NMR studies of fibreglass. I was also taken on a tour of the most of the research facilities (MRI, MCL, MRL and Steidle Building) and shown a ton of equipment. I was duly impressed by the sheer scale of instrumentation available in user facilities including W. M. Keck Smart Materials Integration Laboratory. They are also constructing a new building in the next couple of years of MSE which is a multi-million dollar project.
I am now waiting for an offer from Dr. Pantano. The stipend should be around $18000, and he wants me to start in the summer. Unfortunately, that will not be possible to the immigration constraints. I won't have my US visa in time for that to happen..
Apart from the science, I also got to interact with a few graduate students during the tours and meals (dinner: Korean). I have a good feeling of graduate life, and what is expected as a student. There is plenty to do outside work and school. There are a lot of clubs, and recreation opportunities. It is also within 4 hours of major cities like Philidelphia, Washington DC, Pittsburg and such. The town is essentially a college campus as PSU has 40,000 students. They are crazy about football. The downtown is compact but has plenty to offer with nightlife and stores. One of the grad students took me to a bar that had 180 different kinds of beers from various countries. The cost of living is not very high, and so I should be comfortable with the stipend. I need to get an apartment and lease a car. So, I will have quite a few expenses..
Now comes the tough decision of choosing in between Vanderbilt and PSU. I am calling Vanderbilt to see if a visit can be arranged because I want to see what else they have to offer. I am incredibly impressed with PSU's MSE department, and swaying in that direction for a fewreasons apart from being awed. I get to start in the fall and I can live off the stipend to state a few.
Need to sleep. Only had 10 hours of sleep in 3 days. Fatigued and lethargic. Need to replenish self.
Tags: Life
I met with Dr. Carlo Pantano for breakfast and he talked to me about the two projects pertaining to glass fibres including one on nanodiameter fibreglass. He has a lot of projects from industry and no dearth of funding. I was also enlightened about an Entrepreneurial program that graduate students can enroll in to gain business sense. That is something I intend to look into more when I decide on Penn State. The MSE department at PSU is one of the best in the country ( ranked 8th for graduate school), and ranked 1 for highest research spending. This information was courtesy Dr. Pantano while exalting the Materials Science and Engineering program. I met three other professors who described the research (thin films, photonics) that they needed students for including a Chem professor (Dr. Karl Mueller) that collaborated with Dr. Pantano in NMR studies of fibreglass. I was also taken on a tour of the most of the research facilities (MRI, MCL, MRL and Steidle Building) and shown a ton of equipment. I was duly impressed by the sheer scale of instrumentation available in user facilities including W. M. Keck Smart Materials Integration Laboratory. They are also constructing a new building in the next couple of years of MSE which is a multi-million dollar project.
I am now waiting for an offer from Dr. Pantano. The stipend should be around $18000, and he wants me to start in the summer. Unfortunately, that will not be possible to the immigration constraints. I won't have my US visa in time for that to happen..
Apart from the science, I also got to interact with a few graduate students during the tours and meals (dinner: Korean). I have a good feeling of graduate life, and what is expected as a student. There is plenty to do outside work and school. There are a lot of clubs, and recreation opportunities. It is also within 4 hours of major cities like Philidelphia, Washington DC, Pittsburg and such. The town is essentially a college campus as PSU has 40,000 students. They are crazy about football. The downtown is compact but has plenty to offer with nightlife and stores. One of the grad students took me to a bar that had 180 different kinds of beers from various countries. The cost of living is not very high, and so I should be comfortable with the stipend. I need to get an apartment and lease a car. So, I will have quite a few expenses..
Now comes the tough decision of choosing in between Vanderbilt and PSU. I am calling Vanderbilt to see if a visit can be arranged because I want to see what else they have to offer. I am incredibly impressed with PSU's MSE department, and swaying in that direction for a fewreasons apart from being awed. I get to start in the fall and I can live off the stipend to state a few.
Need to sleep. Only had 10 hours of sleep in 3 days. Fatigued and lethargic. Need to replenish self.
Tags: Life
[Listening to: Everything Is Alright - Motion City Soundtrack - Commit This to Memory (3:26)]
Sunday, April 16, 2006
EmpressOtterPop asks 5
EmpressOtterPop asks me five questions since I asked her five here.
1. Why did you choose the college you attend and your particular major?
Out of the twenty schools that I applied to, Coe gave me the best offer. I guess I knew I was going to study science from childhood. Coe had one of the best physics faculty in the country because the two professors were very well known. Additionally, I would be able to do research at undergrad level, and that sealed the deal.
2. If you could live anywhere in the world where would it be, and why?
Well, you never said that it couldn't be fictional ;). So I choose Atlantis for all its wonders and intrigue.
3. What superpower would you like to have, and why?
I would want the power of telekinesis because that would be just cool. Moving objects with mind. Mind over matter. That would be the ultimate powertrip.
4. What was your favorite childhood toy?
GI Joes and Hot Wheels.
5. If you could meet any author, living or dead, who would it be?
That's a tough one. The choice I would be tossing between is Arthur C Clarke and Orson Scott Card. I guess I would choose Arthur C Clarke.
I'm such a nerd.
Tags: Random
1. Why did you choose the college you attend and your particular major?
Out of the twenty schools that I applied to, Coe gave me the best offer. I guess I knew I was going to study science from childhood. Coe had one of the best physics faculty in the country because the two professors were very well known. Additionally, I would be able to do research at undergrad level, and that sealed the deal.
2. If you could live anywhere in the world where would it be, and why?
Well, you never said that it couldn't be fictional ;). So I choose Atlantis for all its wonders and intrigue.
3. What superpower would you like to have, and why?
I would want the power of telekinesis because that would be just cool. Moving objects with mind. Mind over matter. That would be the ultimate powertrip.
4. What was your favorite childhood toy?
GI Joes and Hot Wheels.
5. If you could meet any author, living or dead, who would it be?
That's a tough one. The choice I would be tossing between is Arthur C Clarke and Orson Scott Card. I guess I would choose Arthur C Clarke.
I'm such a nerd.
Tags: Random
[Listening to: I Won't Give Up - Everyday Sunday - Anthems For The Imperfect (4:29)]
Saturday, April 15, 2006
"Take the Lead" indeed..
I was wondering what I would do this Friday evening because I had no plans and nothing was happening on campus. As I was attempting to find people to eat with, Kiks called and asked me to hang out with her at her apartment. I saw her Honda Civic 2006 and was awed by the coolness factor. That's the car that I intend to buy in graduate school if I can afford it. We grilled, chilled and danced. She showed me a few videos that she took at the Iowa City swing workshop. Out of the ones that we watched, the trip move with partner's legs wrapping out mine was the coolest. So, we tried it and I finally got it after several tries. I found my mistake. I wasn't tripping the girl hard enough for her legs to get off the ground. I'll have to put a clip up sometime when I try that with a partner next. And oh, this move needs the dancers to be very close to each other, as in full frontal contact. Thereby marking this move as very intimate and not to be done with everyone..
After a Dairy Queen double fudge cookie dough, we head out to watch Take The Lead (Official, IMDB) starring Antonio Banderas, and a set of great young dancers. I enjoyed the dance sequences and loved the music. So, I got the soundtrack. Now, I wish I had better speakers to underline the bass in most of the hip hop music. I have noticed that the new fad in movies revolving around youth and creative arts is fusion. Fusion of the new and the old. This movie obviously mixed jazz and hip hop. We have always known that we can dance jazz forms to hip hop too. The style is more sensous and erotic. It's amazing! I've danced to hip hop music and love the innovations that can be brought to the form. The friction, the spins, the rhytmic gyrations 
.And while we are on the topic of dancing, I created a new YouTube group dedicated to swing dancing and all its forms.. A lot of swing dance videos have been added. So, go check them out
!There are a few nightmares that are really bad and make you sweat and palpatate. Well, I had one of those right before I woke up Friday morning. I had just given a test on Thursday on Thermodynamics and Statistical Mechanics. My dream was that I had gotten a D. I was really scared and depressed in the dream and then I snapped out of the dream. Thank God!
I need to remind myself not to wear jeans during the day before it's getting really hot and I get awful sweaty. Yuck!
Thursday night, it rained and hailed. There was a tornado warning but I didn't see a tornado again! I really want to see one before I leave. Kiki told that several car dealers in Iowa City were hit by the tornado and had serious damage to the cars..
To finish the post, I've been getting a ton of hits from google using the search query of "Flunk Day". It has become a public spectacle now. Someone really stupid released this private intra-college matter to the press
. It got featured in the Gazette.Tags: Life, Music, Movies
[Listening to: Rubber Mallet - Alien Ant Farm - TruANT (3:09)]
Wednesday, April 12, 2006
So, the Flunk Day shirt is raunchy!
This is a letter that was sent today to all students at Coe College pertaining to the Flunk Day shirt. It's a lot of feminist talk with subtle Christian overtones. Personally, I feel like this objectifies women as much as Playboy, and fashion magazines. It also stereotypes men as horn dogs, perverted and crude. However, we (men) know that it is not serious, and hence we aren't complaining about the shirt even though we have as much reason to as women. Do you really think we want to have that kind of an image? The reason why I am okay with the shirt even though it is raunchy and sexist because it was made in conjuction with all the female members of the Flunk Day Committee (FDC). Furthermore, the Student Body President who authorized the shirt is female. While we are on the subject of objectifying things that parents hate. Flunk Day is the epitome of that. It's a day the college condone while providing a safe zone for students to drink. Contrary to popular belief, Coe College doesn't buy the multitude of beer kegs, we do. Coe students donate money and FDC sells t-shirts (below), and that buys the beer. It's the biggest party that Coe has every year. Maybe the biggest party in Iowa! It is also insured by Coe by more than a million dollars in case of mishaps like accidental injury, alcohol poisoning, and people being generally stupid and drunk.
Coe College is wet and liberal. You know that, I know that, everybody knows that! I can't imagine how spicy the Flunk Day paper is going to be, if shirt is any kind of foreshadowing.. Can't wait for it to happen. My last Flunk Day. Yahoo-ooo!!
Disclaimer: I am against women being mistreated or abused in any way. This is however, a day in jest, and I take everything that happens during Flunk Day in jest including the Flunk Day paper.
Excerpt from an earlier entry:
I remember censorship came into play in Coe College's Flunk Day newspaper in fear of reprisals and lawsuits by parents. This isn't really free speech.
FYI: Coe's official description of Flunk Day is
My pictures from the Flunk Day the last three years at Coe are in this flickr album.
Here are some of the responses from Coe College students.
This is an article about Luther College's thoughts on adopting "Flunk Day" akin that of Coe. Coe is featured in the article.
Coe College is wet and liberal. You know that, I know that, everybody knows that! I can't imagine how spicy the Flunk Day paper is going to be, if shirt is any kind of foreshadowing.. Can't wait for it to happen. My last Flunk Day. Yahoo-ooo!!
Disclaimer: I am against women being mistreated or abused in any way. This is however, a day in jest, and I take everything that happens during Flunk Day in jest including the Flunk Day paper.
Excerpt from an earlier entry:
I remember censorship came into play in Coe College's Flunk Day newspaper in fear of reprisals and lawsuits by parents. This isn't really free speech.
FYI: Coe's official description of Flunk Day is
Flunk Day: A Coe tradition begun in 1911. Classes are canceled for a day in the spring so the student body can enjoy an all-school picnic, outdoor activities and fun.In reality, it's a day of drunken revelry for the drinking population of Coe ;).
My pictures from the Flunk Day the last three years at Coe are in this flickr album.
Here are some of the responses from Coe College students.
This is an article about Luther College's thoughts on adopting "Flunk Day" akin that of Coe. Coe is featured in the article.
Tuesday, April 11, 2006
Learnt something very interesting about mathematics, politics and war..
Why genuises are so impersonable? It's like God gives them an incredible boon with a bane for counter balance.. A bunch of math and economics nerds from Coe College (including me ;)) went up to University of Northern Iowa to see John Nash speak about his current research. He has long since moved past two player game theory (which won him the Nobel Prize in Economics) and showcased some of his three-player systems. He is a brilliant man with obvious shortcomings apart from the ones epitomized by A Beautiful Mind (Movie, Book). He is a bad lecturer as in he mumbles way too much, and can't seem hold a train of thought unless it is about his research. That may be a cause and effect of old age since he is 89 after all. He never answered any of questions posed accurately and went off course tangentially every time. I must say that the dumbest question that was asked was if Schizophrenia was viral or not. Apart from dozing off several time from the monotone, it was extremely humorous to watch his wife fall asleep too. I did take quite a few long exposures again to entertain myself before the talk began.
Now, to the part where I actually learnt about game theory. It was in class today and it substituted for Set theory and topology as Cal indulged our curiosity by giving us a great introduction to the topic. He talked about zero and non zero sum games, including the famous Prisoner's Dilemma (PD) and the Chicken game (or Hawk-Dove). What interested me the most was the application of PD to military thinking, more specifically arms race. The reason that interested me the most was to see the best course of action for India Pakistan nuclear weapons race. Looks like both accumalating arms is the best thing to do if war is in the backdrop of thought processes involved, which in this case is true.
So, we (India) should keep developing nuclear weapons and testing them too. After all, it's a mathematically logical path. Right?
Tags: Politics, Science, Life, Doodles
Now, to the part where I actually learnt about game theory. It was in class today and it substituted for Set theory and topology as Cal indulged our curiosity by giving us a great introduction to the topic. He talked about zero and non zero sum games, including the famous Prisoner's Dilemma (PD) and the Chicken game (or Hawk-Dove). What interested me the most was the application of PD to military thinking, more specifically arms race. The reason that interested me the most was to see the best course of action for India Pakistan nuclear weapons race. Looks like both accumalating arms is the best thing to do if war is in the backdrop of thought processes involved, which in this case is true.
So, we (India) should keep developing nuclear weapons and testing them too. After all, it's a mathematically logical path. Right?
Tags: Politics, Science, Life, Doodles
[Listening to: Never Be The Same - Ingram Hill - June's Picture Show (4:16)]
Monday, April 10, 2006
my good deed for the day?
So, I think I added one more person to Iowa's sex offender registry. I was minding my own business looking at VR videos of PSU's, University Park campus, and then something in my peripheral vision caught my attention. It was then I saw an older guy sitting there watching porn on a public computer that didn't require a sign in. While walking over to Goms, I glanced at what he was seeing, and found him scrolling through paedophilic porn. I was digusted, and approached the student librarian to see if there was any protocol for this, and I ended up calling security. They got there really quick, and got the guy out. The security guard saw the pictures before the old guy switched windows in haste when he realized that he was busted. I had no idea that Security would get CRPD involved. They (CRPD and security) asked me what I had seen and took down my details. I sure hope I don't have anything else to do with this.
Coe needs to secure all its computers because people have unrestricted access on those computers and is used from everything from chatting to downloading things. The community who needs to use those computers must be required to register, and only then given access..
On the brighter side of life, I got my cheat sheet for statistical thermodynamics test done, and went to Jenna's piano recital. And oh, I also heard from Dr. Carlo Pantano from PSU telling me about some of his future projects that could possibly pique my interest. I actually like his nanodiameter fibreglass project because it involves nanomaterials and glass..
Tags: Life
Coe needs to secure all its computers because people have unrestricted access on those computers and is used from everything from chatting to downloading things. The community who needs to use those computers must be required to register, and only then given access..
On the brighter side of life, I got my cheat sheet for statistical thermodynamics test done, and went to Jenna's piano recital. And oh, I also heard from Dr. Carlo Pantano from PSU telling me about some of his future projects that could possibly pique my interest. I actually like his nanodiameter fibreglass project because it involves nanomaterials and glass..
Tags: Life
[Listening to: Dead Here Anyway - Red Wanting Blue - Souvenirs of City Life (4:13)]
Sunday, April 09, 2006
Maybe I need to be more patient..
Things are coming into place. Schools are being to get back to me. PSU (MSE) is scheduling me for a visit in 10 days, and then I guess they'll tell me if they are giving me an offer. UMD (MSE) is yet to get back to me about money. So, here is the root to my grad school woes. A mediocre recommendation. That got me so riled up. That's about what I'm going to write about that.
Couple of nights back, I spent a few hours diagnosing and fixing yet another compatibility issue with Mozilla Firefox and one of the extensions. This time, the culprit was "Amazing Media Browser" which worked fine till the update I performed earlier in the week. I found the problem as firefox was not rendering Flash. I think I might walk through the process if any one cares. So, when I found the problem, my first impulse was to check extensions, especially the ones I had installed recently. But none of that worked. Then, I restarted the computer thinking it might just be that simple. Still no luck. So, I attempted to reinstall firefox which didn't really work either. And then, I went through the list of extensions to find possible culprits. I decided to take a chance by disabling Amazing Media Browser, and that worked. I think the latest update screwed up something. Anyway, after two hours of poking and prodding, I found the root to the problem and hence the solution.
I went out with a bunch of friends to watch Failure to Launch and She's the man. I drove up there with Jessi and caught up on the week. We also had some fantastic home made tacos from a small bar/restaraunt in Makoqueta, IA. Apart from getting really cold and taking a bunch of pictures while attempting long exposures, the movies were okay. I liked She's the Man better, and that was the general consensus with the girls in the other cars too.
Lazy saturdays are great. I woke up really late because I got to sleep around 3 am. The evening was excellent! After dinner, Komal and I went on a walk and talked. We went around the lake close to Coe. I wish it didn't stink so much due to all the pollution. And then ended the night on a high note going to the Top of the Five with Angela M. I invited her to go with me because she was a ton of fun to dance with at Presidential Ball this year. I really like talking to her because we can relate on several levels like academics, politics, and world view in general. So, I got great dancing, and excellent conversation. Now, that's a fantastic way to spend a Saturday in company of a beautiful intelligent girl who likes dancing. hehe..
Tags: Life
Couple of nights back, I spent a few hours diagnosing and fixing yet another compatibility issue with Mozilla Firefox and one of the extensions. This time, the culprit was "Amazing Media Browser" which worked fine till the update I performed earlier in the week. I found the problem as firefox was not rendering Flash. I think I might walk through the process if any one cares. So, when I found the problem, my first impulse was to check extensions, especially the ones I had installed recently. But none of that worked. Then, I restarted the computer thinking it might just be that simple. Still no luck. So, I attempted to reinstall firefox which didn't really work either. And then, I went through the list of extensions to find possible culprits. I decided to take a chance by disabling Amazing Media Browser, and that worked. I think the latest update screwed up something. Anyway, after two hours of poking and prodding, I found the root to the problem and hence the solution.
I went out with a bunch of friends to watch Failure to Launch and She's the man. I drove up there with Jessi and caught up on the week. We also had some fantastic home made tacos from a small bar/restaraunt in Makoqueta, IA. Apart from getting really cold and taking a bunch of pictures while attempting long exposures, the movies were okay. I liked She's the Man better, and that was the general consensus with the girls in the other cars too.
Lazy saturdays are great. I woke up really late because I got to sleep around 3 am. The evening was excellent! After dinner, Komal and I went on a walk and talked. We went around the lake close to Coe. I wish it didn't stink so much due to all the pollution. And then ended the night on a high note going to the Top of the Five with Angela M. I invited her to go with me because she was a ton of fun to dance with at Presidential Ball this year. I really like talking to her because we can relate on several levels like academics, politics, and world view in general. So, I got great dancing, and excellent conversation. Now, that's a fantastic way to spend a Saturday in company of a beautiful intelligent girl who likes dancing. hehe..
Tags: Life
[Listening to: Fast as You Can - Fiona Apple - When the Pawn Hits the Conflicts He Thinks Like a King... (4:40)]
Thursday, April 06, 2006
Senioritis and a few rants
The last few days have been a blur. I also realized that senioritis has fully settled in. While on my lunch date with Kristin, we were discussing about how quickly our time to leave Coe is coming up. We will be leaving familiar safe grounds onto unknown frontiers. So, this is the last bit of undergraduate college experience left. I am glad that Flunk Day is yet to come because it will be a day to reckon.
UMD is being very frustrating because I have been trying to get a hold of the people in charge of graduate admissions to get an update. They told me that their decisions would be complete on Monday. Vanderbilt is being to look better and better since they actually want me to come. Oh, also, they gave me money. My decisions after graduation rest on where I am going to grad school because I have to move or put my stuff somewhere!
I guess I have a rant of sorts. There is a friend of mine that I really care for. But there are people who don't care for her as much as I do. I hate it when that happens especially if she is such a great person (possibly misunderstood). I can write this because I doubt my friends can tell who I am talking about because there are a few people like that. Thank god! I may have to rant fully somewhere else to get this off my chest.
I am also growing on the shirt that I wore to Presidential Ball. I like the color on me! Everyone said that they really liked it. And yeah, I'm glad I didn't have a date. I was like a storm on the floor sweeping girls off their feet ;).
Something of a minor annoyance is that when I compliment my friends (female, of course!) on their appearance, I don't seem to really count. I wish that wasn't the case. Only when I compliment girls I don't know very well, I get an actual reply. I guess they know me so well, it's not particularly something that they would pay attention to. Although, I go to say that I can still make some of my female friends blush.
Tags: Life
UMD is being very frustrating because I have been trying to get a hold of the people in charge of graduate admissions to get an update. They told me that their decisions would be complete on Monday. Vanderbilt is being to look better and better since they actually want me to come. Oh, also, they gave me money. My decisions after graduation rest on where I am going to grad school because I have to move or put my stuff somewhere!
I guess I have a rant of sorts. There is a friend of mine that I really care for. But there are people who don't care for her as much as I do. I hate it when that happens especially if she is such a great person (possibly misunderstood). I can write this because I doubt my friends can tell who I am talking about because there are a few people like that. Thank god! I may have to rant fully somewhere else to get this off my chest.
I am also growing on the shirt that I wore to Presidential Ball. I like the color on me! Everyone said that they really liked it. And yeah, I'm glad I didn't have a date. I was like a storm on the floor sweeping girls off their feet ;).
Something of a minor annoyance is that when I compliment my friends (female, of course!) on their appearance, I don't seem to really count. I wish that wasn't the case. Only when I compliment girls I don't know very well, I get an actual reply. I guess they know me so well, it's not particularly something that they would pay attention to. Although, I go to say that I can still make some of my female friends blush.
Tags: Life
[Listening to: Paper Faces - Feeder - Yesterday Went Too Soon (13:20)]
Sunday, April 02, 2006
Weekend filled with dancing!
Since dancing is such a great stress buster, a lot of my stress was relieved through the art of moving to a beat ;).
To begin with, I finally have a standing admission cum monetary offer from Vanderbilt University for spring 2007. They are one of the prestigious schools in the US with an acceptance rate of 11%. I will be offered a TA position for the first semester I'm there and then get upgraded to RA. I am very happy with this offer because I get to be home for a little while longer and also go to India for a longer period of time to see family and friends.
Now onto the weekend. Friday, after watching 40 year old virgin with Britta, we head over the party at Charlie's just to check it out. I ended up staying there for the whole thing, and grooved to the house music that was playing. After that, I ended up going to Murray and hanging out there till 3 am! Doing the Polka with Kelly on 7th Murray around the walkway through the restroom was awesome!?
And finally, the limelight of the weekend. The Presidential Ball 2006. A group of Rugcutters went out to eat prior to the dance at Bennigans, and then head to the dance to find hardly anyone there. So, Kiki and I kicked off the floor and that induced more couples to get on and dance. It was slow starting and I used that time to take a lot of pictures with friends before I got sweaty and gross. I intended to dance with most of my friends and I am happy to say that I accomplished it. The best dances with people not in the dance group were with Angela M, Jessi, Beth and Komal. I had a ton of fun with Angela and Beth because they were natural follows. You have no idea how refreshing that is.
Here are pictures from the Coe College Presidential Ball in the years 2003, 2004, 2005 and 2006.
Tags: Life, Pictures
To begin with, I finally have a standing admission cum monetary offer from Vanderbilt University for spring 2007. They are one of the prestigious schools in the US with an acceptance rate of 11%. I will be offered a TA position for the first semester I'm there and then get upgraded to RA. I am very happy with this offer because I get to be home for a little while longer and also go to India for a longer period of time to see family and friends.
Now onto the weekend. Friday, after watching 40 year old virgin with Britta, we head over the party at Charlie's just to check it out. I ended up staying there for the whole thing, and grooved to the house music that was playing. After that, I ended up going to Murray and hanging out there till 3 am! Doing the Polka with Kelly on 7th Murray around the walkway through the restroom was awesome!?
And finally, the limelight of the weekend. The Presidential Ball 2006. A group of Rugcutters went out to eat prior to the dance at Bennigans, and then head to the dance to find hardly anyone there. So, Kiki and I kicked off the floor and that induced more couples to get on and dance. It was slow starting and I used that time to take a lot of pictures with friends before I got sweaty and gross. I intended to dance with most of my friends and I am happy to say that I accomplished it. The best dances with people not in the dance group were with Angela M, Jessi, Beth and Komal. I had a ton of fun with Angela and Beth because they were natural follows. You have no idea how refreshing that is.
Here are pictures from the Coe College Presidential Ball in the years 2003, 2004, 2005 and 2006.
Tags: Life, Pictures
[Listening to: The Starting Line - 09 Everything Is - The Starting Line - (3:07)]
Friday, March 31, 2006
NYTimes hits close to home: College Admission Angst Finds a Forum on Web - New York Times
College Admission Angst Finds a Forum on Web - New York Times
As I read the forementioned article on students getting frustrated and sad about undergraduate and graduate admission, I could relate to the pain. I am also in the same position as I am waiting for financial offers from three schools. It's really frustrating that the process is snail-paced as most of the deadlines were mid January! Once past this, I'll look back and learn that I should never take anything for granted. Even if I am that confident about the outcome. If you want to read the entire article and are unable to read it on NYT's site, follow this link.
Tags: News
As I read the forementioned article on students getting frustrated and sad about undergraduate and graduate admission, I could relate to the pain. I am also in the same position as I am waiting for financial offers from three schools. It's really frustrating that the process is snail-paced as most of the deadlines were mid January! Once past this, I'll look back and learn that I should never take anything for granted. Even if I am that confident about the outcome. If you want to read the entire article and are unable to read it on NYT's site, follow this link.
Tags: News
[Listening to: Find The River - R.E.M. - Automatic For The People (3:49)]
Secrets and friends
Darfur (Via Life of a Loony). This is not supposed to be funny, but it is. Sad, but true. We really need to do something about it.
I'm excited! I've found a safe place to rant and ramble! Yay! This way I can keep secrets and vent without being judged. Also what's weird is that I felt closer to three friends than I have in a long time. When I turn cynical, good things happen. Except when it comes to grad schools because that's still frustrating at hell.
Today was a beautiful day. It was warm, and mildly sunny. I walked around in a t-shirt. It was glorious! However, to turn things sour, it's raining now.
Now for more inane talk. I had a wonderful time watching One Tree Hill with Komal, while thinking it was the season finale while it really wasn't. And then today at Xaviers during the Senior Gift Committee dinner, Kristin finally asked me to do something with her. So, we are going to lunch on Monday. I was happy because I was about to give up asking her. And then today, after a long time, Britta and I finally got one on one hang out time away from the library and cafeteria. We hung out and watched TV and talked. She was rather hyper after 5 glasses of mountain dew at dinner. She is funny when hyper.
Also, Kristin wanted a picture from Presidential Ball last year and I sent her the mosy dynamic picture I had that turned out to be with Andi (go figure!). So, we were on the front page of the Coe College Cosmos (newspaper), and I took a picture of that and sent it to her.
I pray. This time for myself. And a future that is about to begin. Let the journey be not without obstacles, but let me pass them learning in the process. The tribulations of life is part of the process that defines us. It makes it stronger. It makes up appreciate what we truly value in life.
Tags: Life
I'm excited! I've found a safe place to rant and ramble! Yay! This way I can keep secrets and vent without being judged. Also what's weird is that I felt closer to three friends than I have in a long time. When I turn cynical, good things happen. Except when it comes to grad schools because that's still frustrating at hell.
Today was a beautiful day. It was warm, and mildly sunny. I walked around in a t-shirt. It was glorious! However, to turn things sour, it's raining now.
Now for more inane talk. I had a wonderful time watching One Tree Hill with Komal, while thinking it was the season finale while it really wasn't. And then today at Xaviers during the Senior Gift Committee dinner, Kristin finally asked me to do something with her. So, we are going to lunch on Monday. I was happy because I was about to give up asking her. And then today, after a long time, Britta and I finally got one on one hang out time away from the library and cafeteria. We hung out and watched TV and talked. She was rather hyper after 5 glasses of mountain dew at dinner. She is funny when hyper.
Also, Kristin wanted a picture from Presidential Ball last year and I sent her the mosy dynamic picture I had that turned out to be with Andi (go figure!). So, we were on the front page of the Coe College Cosmos (newspaper), and I took a picture of that and sent it to her.
I pray. This time for myself. And a future that is about to begin. Let the journey be not without obstacles, but let me pass them learning in the process. The tribulations of life is part of the process that defines us. It makes it stronger. It makes up appreciate what we truly value in life.
Tags: Life
[Listening to: Me and my shadow - Robbie Williams - Swing When You're Winning (3:16)]
Wednesday, March 29, 2006
Brain speed
My brain speed is 67 milliseconds. Here is a chart of the break up of brain speeds by age:
Posit Science: Brain speed test
Tags: Random
Posit Science: Brain speed test
Tags: Random
[Listening to: Everything's Not Lost - The String Quartet - The String Quartet Tribute to Coldplay (32:11)]
The Hejab, and Israeli-Palestinian conflict
Text
Today was again a rather unremarkable day. However the two religio-political talks were the highlights. The first one was about Hejab in Iran, more specifically titled, " Good hejab, bad hejab: Veiling as a form of imperfect obedience in Iran". Elizabeth Bucar had spent 3 months in Iran doing field work on her dissertation, and came back with different viewpoints of feminism and Islamic women's position in society. She talked about what was considered "good" hejab and "bad" hejab, along with different kinds of hejab. By the way, hejab means veil if you didn't know that already. From what I got out of her talk, women utilize whatever opportunities they have within the confines of Islam to further their cause including participating in politics and public offices. So, they are more progressive that they are given credit for. She and I too was surprised to hear that hejab was not the biggest issue in their lives. I guess as a feminist, she expected the position of women in Islamic society to be a big concern. It seems like the youth is heading the "bad" or more fashionable hejab practice while women in power positions respect the codes of clothing that has been imposed on them by religion and more so by society.
Here is an example of "bad" hejab:
Here is an example of "good" hejab:
And the other talk was about the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. It was supposed to be at grass roots level to provide an introduction to the controversy. It was pretty informative, and I learnt a lot more about the volatile politics of the region. I also got confirmation of the imminent collapse of the Palestinian government if returned to autonomy. They have no money, and simply can not survive economically. How can Hamas be so naive to think that if Israel gives them what they want, Palestine will be around to reap the benefits? I see so many parallels with the Indo-Pak conflict regarding Kashmir. Really, I can't believe that land is so integral to people's pride and ego. I guess it's hard for me to see that if I am a pragmatist. Anyway, there is no simple solution to the issue. So, I can't wait to see what the brilliant stragetists come up with.
Tags: Opinion, Politics
Tuesday, March 28, 2006
Cartoon: Have to ask Bill Napoli..
What do you guys think? I found this during one of my usual blog adventures..
Rest of her cartoon archives. I like her work and find it amusing..
Tags: Politics, Blog Finds
[Listening to: Wanted It To Be - Sister Hazel - ...Somewhere More Familiar (4:52)]
Monday, March 27, 2006
What a sinusoidal weekend!
Started with the low of panicking about graduate school. I can't believe how stressful this entire experience has been. I wouldn't have ever expected to be rejected by so many schools. I only have 3 more to go. I am calling them Monday morning to get an update because otherwise I have to start applying to other schools. So, sitting by myself in my room, I hit bottom in several weeks. And then quickly recovered, and went out to eat with Jessi to Kaji Japanese Grill for dinner. We had some good sushi and teriyaki chicken, and also realized too late that their dinner portions were too big for us to finish.. After that, we got back and watched the last three episodes of Related. To end the night, I went to the Coe College Annual Drag Show 2006. One of their main aims is to fund a "Gay? Fine by Me" campaign that started in Duke University. I am surprised no one has posted pictures from the drag show on Facebook. Maybe, I don't have friends in that group.. Wait, there were a ton of people taking pictures..
Anyway, then came Saturday. Jenn called at 8.30 am!?! That was a half an hour conversation that I don't remember completely. I talked to my parents as they were trying to reassure me about grad school, and applying to more schools. Nothing out of the ordinary happened till 6.30 pm when the weekend dancing began. I met Amber, one of Tara's friends, who happened to know how to swing dance exceptionally well. I got to dance with almost everyone and some of them were mighty fun. Cornell College hosted a jazz band called Phat Noise, and there were so many people there. It was crazy! The music beat was incredibly fast and the songs were long. I was wiped out after every dance.. And then, we head to the Top of the Five where we met more of Tara's friends including Heather. Once there, the pace of dancing mellowed with slower dances. I really enjoyed dancing with all of them, and loved teaching a few things to Heather.. After a late night stop at Perkins, I crashed..
And Sunday has been very unmemorable so far. My room is very warm, and I have been training Riya to recognize faces in my pictures. It's doing a decent job so far.
Tags: Life
[Listening to: Please Please - Jack Johnson - Untitled - 02-13-01 (4:40)]
Sunday, March 26, 2006
If you wanted to see what my childhood was like..
Flickr: Pictures from my childhood
I was thinking of my yester years and then I decided to put up pictures. I've had a very happy childhood. My parents made sure that I was comfortable and getting the best I could. My education, my experiences, ME. It's all been molded by the direction and motivation given to me by my parents. I love them.
And yeah, you get to see the progression of what I looked like through the years..
Tags: Life, Pictures
I was thinking of my yester years and then I decided to put up pictures. I've had a very happy childhood. My parents made sure that I was comfortable and getting the best I could. My education, my experiences, ME. It's all been molded by the direction and motivation given to me by my parents. I love them.
And yeah, you get to see the progression of what I looked like through the years..
Tags: Life, Pictures
[Listening to: Smooth Criminal - Alien Ant Farm - ANThology (3:29)]
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