How are tickets issued on buses? Suppose that I have to purchase tickets worth Rs. 20/-. Why is it that I am given a combo of Rs. 19/- + Rs.1/- ticket. Why not 15+5 or 10+10?
The other tickets are also there in the box. So, why the preference for this 19+1 combo?
Any answers?
Sunday, August 03, 2008
Wednesday, July 02, 2008
Long Needed Inspiration
This is a superb inspirational article for consultants especially. The situation that the protagonist finds herself in is kind of similar to my own world!! Whats the phrase that is used to describe the problem? Ah, yes; "And then, as summer turned to autumn in 2004, she realized she was weary of having to think about batteries in the ways her clients wanted her to."
The beauty of what Christina Lampe-Onnerud has done is that she has used relatively incremental steps as opposed to giant totally-innovative strides to achieve something revolutionary.
This paragraph summarizes her achievement perfectly:
Exactly the sort of direction that I feel I require in my life.
I guess I am beginning to understand why I didn't enjoy my M.Tech to the fullest. I was looking for that revolutionary "something" which never came and in the process missed out on incremental "many-things" which might have brought me joy!!!
The beauty of what Christina Lampe-Onnerud has done is that she has used relatively incremental steps as opposed to giant totally-innovative strides to achieve something revolutionary.
This paragraph summarizes her achievement perfectly:
Michael Feinstein, who led Venrock Associates’ investment in the company (the size of the first round of investment is not public), said that none of the design changes Lampe-Onnerud made were individually revolutionary. But sometimes a group of evolutionary changes are better than one dramatic innovation.
Exactly the sort of direction that I feel I require in my life.
I guess I am beginning to understand why I didn't enjoy my M.Tech to the fullest. I was looking for that revolutionary "something" which never came and in the process missed out on incremental "many-things" which might have brought me joy!!!
Sunday, June 29, 2008
Reservation for faculty in IITs
Mr. Arjun Singh feels that he has catered to only 50% of the Guru-Sishya tag-team in terms of doling out reservations and hence has gone ahead and introduced reservations for faculty in IITs.
One can understand the concept of reservations for studying - since many people do not get a chance to develop their skills with which they can take on the world.
I personally believe that reservations should be a definite no-no when it comes to employment. I will not use arguments such as 'diluting quality' etc because unknown to many of us discrimination might exist in the employment sphere also.
So, let me put my argument this way:
1) If, in-spite of all the help that any candidate obtains in the educational process- studying in the best institutes, coached by the best teachers, having the best lab facilities; if he/she is unable to attain the requisite excellence level to join the faculty of IIT, is it fair to provide such a student a backdoor entry considering that the faculty also play a crucial role in moulding the future talent of this country? IMHO, "No, sir!!!". So, replace "any" with reserved/general/special/favoured, and you will get your answer.
2) If Arjun Singh does believe that deserving candidates who hail from the "reserved" category of the 'great' Indian caste system do not get a fair evaluation due to discrimination, shouldn't he not be looking for means to introduce fairness in the process rather than arbitrarily lowering the bar?
One can understand the concept of reservations for studying - since many people do not get a chance to develop their skills with which they can take on the world.
I personally believe that reservations should be a definite no-no when it comes to employment. I will not use arguments such as 'diluting quality' etc because unknown to many of us discrimination might exist in the employment sphere also.
So, let me put my argument this way:
1) If, in-spite of all the help that any candidate obtains in the educational process- studying in the best institutes, coached by the best teachers, having the best lab facilities; if he/she is unable to attain the requisite excellence level to join the faculty of IIT, is it fair to provide such a student a backdoor entry considering that the faculty also play a crucial role in moulding the future talent of this country? IMHO, "No, sir!!!". So, replace "any" with reserved/general/special/favoured, and you will get your answer.
2) If Arjun Singh does believe that deserving candidates who hail from the "reserved" category of the 'great' Indian caste system do not get a fair evaluation due to discrimination, shouldn't he not be looking for means to introduce fairness in the process rather than arbitrarily lowering the bar?
Saturday, May 17, 2008
Maharashtrian Food, why hasn't it spread?
This article in the Economic Times, highlights a few probable reasons as to why Maharashtrian cuisine has not spread far and wide as compared to other cuisines like Gujarati, South Indian, Punjabi etc.
Please do not violently jump in support of or against the article. It is indeed sad that such a tasty and healthy cuisine is not getting the popularity that it should.
An instance comes to my mind in connection with the article-
The Maharashtra bhavan in Delhi- This place is supposed to be the symbol of Maharashtra in Delhi with the cuisine and the decor being the representative of Maharashtrian flavour. The decor hardly looked Maharashtrian and the food - there was more Chinese available than Marathi cuisine. Contrast with Andhra Bhavan who serves only authentic Andhra cuisine,
My recollection will only reinforce what the author has said in his article. But its the truth isn't it? If you try to be good at something else which someone else is an expert at, forgetting your own strengths, do you think you will get anywhere?
Please do not violently jump in support of or against the article. It is indeed sad that such a tasty and healthy cuisine is not getting the popularity that it should.
An instance comes to my mind in connection with the article-
The Maharashtra bhavan in Delhi- This place is supposed to be the symbol of Maharashtra in Delhi with the cuisine and the decor being the representative of Maharashtrian flavour. The decor hardly looked Maharashtrian and the food - there was more Chinese available than Marathi cuisine. Contrast with Andhra Bhavan who serves only authentic Andhra cuisine,
My recollection will only reinforce what the author has said in his article. But its the truth isn't it? If you try to be good at something else which someone else is an expert at, forgetting your own strengths, do you think you will get anywhere?
Wednesday, February 27, 2008
Nazi Hunting
It's a pretty famous legend - how some notorious Nazi criminals escaped persecution albeit for some time, but were tracked down eventually and were executed by the newly formed state of Israel.
Here is a story of The Angel of Death who made Paraguay his home and just escaped capture by a whisker. He died eventually but has left behind a legend that just refuses to die.
Apart from this article, this website, The Drexel Smart Set loks neat. It has given me sufficient motivation to start writing again. Someday I should publish something there.
Links courtesy: Sharath Rao, who though miles apart, remembers my interests and never fails to send me relevant links. May his tribe increase and may he start blogging again.
Here is a story of The Angel of Death who made Paraguay his home and just escaped capture by a whisker. He died eventually but has left behind a legend that just refuses to die.
Apart from this article, this website, The Drexel Smart Set loks neat. It has given me sufficient motivation to start writing again. Someday I should publish something there.
Links courtesy: Sharath Rao, who though miles apart, remembers my interests and never fails to send me relevant links. May his tribe increase and may he start blogging again.
Sunday, January 13, 2008
IIIT for IIT
The Andhra Pradesh CM has laid the foundation for an Indian Institute of Information Technology (IIIT) at Basar in Adilabad district.
The IIIT is a supposedly compensation for shifting the proposed Indian Institute of technology (IIT) to Medak.
Now, to the interesting part of this article -
Now, I have been to Basar as recently as November 2007. Its a peaceful place with the Godavari flowing nearby and the life of the people is linked with the Sharada temple. The people are nice and simple who would have every reason to believe the CM. And the opportunity to unleash some unrelated bull-shit has not been foregone by the CM.
But dear sir, there are a few doubting thomases in this world. Hence I checked the website of the IIIT at Allahabad, because that is the model I presume will be followed here. What does it say?
OK? Now, what is the means of admission to IITs? The JEE right?
Now,
1. Can this be a valid appeasement? - take an IIIT for an IIT. Why not an NIT? The purpose of asking this is - how does an Information technology institute replace an engineering institute? Even if it does, was this "replacement" IIIT shifted from somewhere else? And if so, what will that place get?
2. How can the CM guarantee in the scenario of competitive exams the proportion of students who will clear the entrance exams (JEE/AIEEE whatever)? What if more students from Adilabad clear JEE in comparison to their counterparts from Medak and show the proverbial middle finger to the CM? Will he revert the proposed IIT back to Basar?
3. Most importantly, since when has clearing competitive exams become an inter-district competition? I thought it was mostly about the achievement of the self.
The IIIT is a supposedly compensation for shifting the proposed Indian Institute of technology (IIT) to Medak.
Now, to the interesting part of this article -
Addressing a public meeting, he said the IIIT would be more useful than the
IIT, as many students from backward Adilabad district would benefit. If the IIT
had been established here, only a couple of students would have got seats.
Now, I have been to Basar as recently as November 2007. Its a peaceful place with the Godavari flowing nearby and the life of the people is linked with the Sharada temple. The people are nice and simple who would have every reason to believe the CM. And the opportunity to unleash some unrelated bull-shit has not been foregone by the CM.
But dear sir, there are a few doubting thomases in this world. Hence I checked the website of the IIIT at Allahabad, because that is the model I presume will be followed here. What does it say?
Entrance to these courses is through the All-India Entrance Examination
conducted by CBSE.
OK? Now, what is the means of admission to IITs? The JEE right?
Now,
1. Can this be a valid appeasement? - take an IIIT for an IIT. Why not an NIT? The purpose of asking this is - how does an Information technology institute replace an engineering institute? Even if it does, was this "replacement" IIIT shifted from somewhere else? And if so, what will that place get?
2. How can the CM guarantee in the scenario of competitive exams the proportion of students who will clear the entrance exams (JEE/AIEEE whatever)? What if more students from Adilabad clear JEE in comparison to their counterparts from Medak and show the proverbial middle finger to the CM? Will he revert the proposed IIT back to Basar?
3. Most importantly, since when has clearing competitive exams become an inter-district competition? I thought it was mostly about the achievement of the self.
Shame on you.....
... Mrs. Pratibha Patil. Why? For this.
What a steep spiralling descent it has been from the days of the ethical APJ Abdul Kalam.
The office of the President can deny until eternity about the events that took place, but, we all know that our president is yet to get over thinking like a politico.
Right now I feel the same way I felt when Ricky Ponting and Michael Clark appealed for the catches of Dhoni and Ganguly - i.e punched in the solar plexus!!
What a steep spiralling descent it has been from the days of the ethical APJ Abdul Kalam.
The office of the President can deny until eternity about the events that took place, but, we all know that our president is yet to get over thinking like a politico.
Right now I feel the same way I felt when Ricky Ponting and Michael Clark appealed for the catches of Dhoni and Ganguly - i.e punched in the solar plexus!!
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