Very catchy, very anthemic, consequently very concert-friendly and ultimately *very* Boss is his new song _Radio Nowhere_, a song that I heard on Radio Indigo yesterday and again today, riding home after a really fun session with Sky, Dinesh and Rene at Janaastu.
I met the abovementioned trio and Kavitha, at BarCamp Bangalore. Well, actually I'd met Sky a day earlier at RangaShankara, where I acted in a play by David Horsborough called 'The Ungrateful Man'. More on David and the play sometime later.
Sky is doing her Ph.D while not espousing Ubuntu, traveling on grants and in general, learning and teaching lots of things. She taught me to play capoeira at BarCamp and we play everytime conversation flags, which is often the case with me at one end :). She is interesting and vital, this Aussie, with a strong Padmanabha chakra. She doesn't believe in characteristics of blood groups, so I asked her to read this, though there was a better site on the topic earlier.
Kavitha is a professor at UCI. Very enthu about many things and very knowledgeable, K. is a one of the best orator/presenters I have heard. She gave a talk at NIAS that I understood very little of - I was concentrating on the performance more than the content. She also gave me a couple of Sci/Fi books. I will read one of them before she returns :).
Rene is a programmer from Germany - he has set up Community Wireless networks and gave a talk at BarCamp on the same topic and got folks in Bangalore very interested. Also got to know a little about German politics and squatting from him.
TB Dinesh is probably the wackiest of the lot - he had us protesting against the Nandigram violence after BarCamp. We stopped people at Church Street, gave flyers and asked them protest visually, which meant people did some crazy stuff like kick imaginary balls, stare at the moon and dance. All this while the jazz band at JavaCity was playing great 60s/70s music for us. At other times, he runs a software company, an NGO and lectures on Principles of Programming. Whew!
So I guess I can safely answer Springsteen - "Yes, Boss!"
Thursday, November 29, 2007
Friday, October 12, 2007
That's music to my ears
It's what I have been listening to that makes me what I am.
Two bands. Two different kinds of music. One outcome - exhilaration.
Mili Bhagat
It's the most exciting sound to come from India since Indian Ocean. Techno-Sufi they like to call themselves. Find them on YouTube or Tyoogle for them.
Emergence: A fusion band from Auroville. Fusion in more ways that one - Sri Lankan/American and many other nationalities form the band. They sing in atleast 3 languages - and they are groovy.
www.myspace.com/emergencemusic
Happy Listening. I'll sign off with what a kiddo at Poseidon told me today - "However hot it be outside, you gotta be cool inside."
Two bands. Two different kinds of music. One outcome - exhilaration.
Mili Bhagat
It's the most exciting sound to come from India since Indian Ocean. Techno-Sufi they like to call themselves. Find them on YouTube or Tyoogle for them.
Emergence: A fusion band from Auroville. Fusion in more ways that one - Sri Lankan/American and many other nationalities form the band. They sing in atleast 3 languages - and they are groovy.
www.myspace.com/emergencemusic
Happy Listening. I'll sign off with what a kiddo at Poseidon told me today - "However hot it be outside, you gotta be cool inside."
Monday, August 06, 2007
The Good, Bad and Ugly inside us
My Dad has told me a few things in life. Apart from bringing me to the Earth in this janma, he has told me some facts of life. Most were borrowed, I feel, not owned. But then he has told me stories.
I don't remember much of my childhood other than the joy on listening to stories he told me. Most of the stories were from the Great Indian Epics. Then I contrived to learn to read :(. And that was the end of the bonding.
However, sometime after my rebel-without-a-cause years, he told me something that I felt came like oil from a sea bed (Bad simile? I know:). He told me how the Mahabharata happens inside us. The Pandavas and Kauravas are reflections of our qualities. The bad ones do outnumber the good :). Like most things we truly understand, this didn't require any proof. I remember thinking 'Dad actually knows something'. Also, confronted with 'my' negativities, it was comforting to hear that at the time :).
Sri Sri, in his inimitable, wise and simple style, says, "You have to go beyond Gold and Good to find God". Offering our actions, thoughts and feelings, both Good and Bad, is not easy, but that is what we need to do. And I am always searching for affirmations of this truism. Luckily, when I went to VP's house after coffee with him on this particularly good non-productive day at office, I learnt about www.vedicscholar.com
It's a great site - and offers a lot of free knowledge based on birth information, including a horoscope, probable career paths and planetary transitions likely to affect you in the coming future. And it told me that I could be And a pimp :). And an astrologer! As if one needs a reason to look at the stars! Go find what's in store for you. The freedom you will feel is great - These bad qualities are not 'mine'. It's really liberating. Along with it also comes the humbling reality - The good qualities are not 'mine'.
Some kind of Wonderful.
I don't remember much of my childhood other than the joy on listening to stories he told me. Most of the stories were from the Great Indian Epics. Then I contrived to learn to read :(. And that was the end of the bonding.
However, sometime after my rebel-without-a-cause years, he told me something that I felt came like oil from a sea bed (Bad simile? I know:). He told me how the Mahabharata happens inside us. The Pandavas and Kauravas are reflections of our qualities. The bad ones do outnumber the good :). Like most things we truly understand, this didn't require any proof. I remember thinking 'Dad actually knows something'. Also, confronted with 'my' negativities, it was comforting to hear that at the time :).
Sri Sri, in his inimitable, wise and simple style, says, "You have to go beyond Gold and Good to find God". Offering our actions, thoughts and feelings, both Good and Bad, is not easy, but that is what we need to do. And I am always searching for affirmations of this truism. Luckily, when I went to VP's house after coffee with him on this particularly good non-productive day at office, I learnt about www.vedicscholar.com
It's a great site - and offers a lot of free knowledge based on birth information, including a horoscope, probable career paths and planetary transitions likely to affect you in the coming future. And it told me that I could be And a pimp :). And an astrologer! As if one needs a reason to look at the stars! Go find what's in store for you. The freedom you will feel is great - These bad qualities are not 'mine'. It's really liberating. Along with it also comes the humbling reality - The good qualities are not 'mine'.
Some kind of Wonderful.
Tuesday, July 17, 2007
Ogden Nash rocks!
On the basis of the quotations alone, he is on par with Shaw, Twain and Wilde.
Simbly wonderful.
Enjoy :)
---------------------------------------------------------------
A family is a unit composed not only of children but of men, women, an occasional animal, and the common cold.
The cow is of the bovine ilk; one end is moo, the other milk.
(And some truths in palatable form)
Do you think my mind is maturing late, or simply rotted early?
I would live all my life in nonchalance and insouciance
Were it not for making a living, which is rather a nouciance.
-Ogden Nash
-------------------------------------------------------------------
Simbly wonderful.
Enjoy :)
---------------------------------------------------------------
A family is a unit composed not only of children but of men, women, an occasional animal, and the common cold.
The cow is of the bovine ilk; one end is moo, the other milk.
(And some truths in palatable form)
Do you think my mind is maturing late, or simply rotted early?
I would live all my life in nonchalance and insouciance
Were it not for making a living, which is rather a nouciance.
-Ogden Nash
-------------------------------------------------------------------
Monday, July 16, 2007
A good Monday
What a wonderful Monday - heard a lot of Alan Watts - he is super cool. Search for him and listen! He is a wonderful speaker.
In one of his talks he tells about the Yetzer Harra - the irreducible rascal as he calls it... Here is a great article on the same aspect.
Sum Of His Parts
A good word about the evil inclination.
........................
by David Holzel
Beam back with me now to one of the early episodes of the original "Star Trek" series, "The Enemy Within." Pity poor Captain Kirk -- a transporter malfunction splits him in two. Kirk No. 1 is a wild, irrational brute -- pure
id. Kirk No. 2 is gentle and compassionate. He is presumed the real captain, until the crew notice he is unable to make a decision -- fateful or otherwise -- and, in fact, is sinking into paralysis.
All ends well, of course. The transporter is patched together. And so is Captain Kirk. He emerges unified, greater than the sum of his parts, and fit enough to survive three seasons of the TV series plus a half-dozen mostly forgettable movies.
Viewed through a Jewish lens, this episode is an allegory of a man whose yetzer hara, or evil inclination, is split from his yetzer hatov, or good inclination.
Philosophically, we're told we need yetzer hara, because our struggle to overcome it characterizes the Jewish belief that people are endowed with free will.
But there is something more fundamental about our need for yetzer hara: Without it, we'd become the sniveling Captain Kirk, or a Paul McCartney who, liberated from John Lennon's dark scrutiny, is free to write "Silly Love Songs."
"If not for the evil impulse," says the midrash, "no one would build a house, marry, have children, nor engage in trade."
So maybe the evil inclination isn't so bad after all.
Far from a demonic force that needs to be destroyed, yetzer hara represents creativity, ambition and will. It is more morally neutral than its name suggests.
"Yetzer hara is not necessarily evil," says Jeffrey Salkin, a Reform rabbi in New York and author of "Being God's Partner." "It has been called the selfish inclination, and yetzer hatov the selfless piece of us."
Rabbi Steven Lebow, of Temple Kol Emeth in Marietta, Georgia, describes yetzer hara as a person's "dark well of energy. It would be better if we understood it in the Freudian sense of the id," he says.
The trick, according to Judaism, is what you do with what you've got.
"Balance is an integral part of a Jewish lifestyle," Rabbi Salkin says. "Judaism doesn't believe in getting rid of the body, in getting rid of desire. The focus is sanctifying what you do. That's a profoundly humanistic way of looking at the world."
That's why any meal can become a mirror of a service in the ancient Temple -- compliments of a few blessings.
And that's why Judaism neither bans drinking nor encourages drinking freely. Instead, it encourages making kiddush -- the sanctification over wine.
Sexuality often is associated with yetzer hara. But sexuality is neutral, Rabbi Salkin points out. "It is sanctifiable. It includes marriage -- the holy of holies -- and it includes rape."
Others believe the dark well of yetzer hara represents a dread that we never can quite shake: our fear of death. In this view, yetzer hatov is our drive to connect with the eternal. Judaism says this is accomplished by our relation with God.
Yetzer hara is our sneaking suspicion, or out-and-out conviction, that this life is all there is. It pulls us from the holy to the corporeal. To defy death, our yetzer hara stirs us to build monuments to ourselves -- families, businesses, works of art. These, we know, will survive us. (Why else do captains of the starship Enterprise leave detailed mission logs? Why else are there reruns?)
One thing more -- if it's all a question of balance, can there be too much yetzer hatov? Yes, Rabbi Salkin says.
"Too much leads to premature saintliness. If one is overly righteous, one is likely to become suicidal."
It was Rabbi Hillel who, 2,000 years ago, set the balance between the two warring impulses: "If I am not for myself, who is for me? And if I am only for myself, what am I?"
It's a lesson James T. Kirk learned early on. After he got himself together.
In one of his talks he tells about the Yetzer Harra - the irreducible rascal as he calls it... Here is a great article on the same aspect.
Sum Of His Parts
A good word about the evil inclination.
........................
by David Holzel
Beam back with me now to one of the early episodes of the original "Star Trek" series, "The Enemy Within." Pity poor Captain Kirk -- a transporter malfunction splits him in two. Kirk No. 1 is a wild, irrational brute -- pure
id. Kirk No. 2 is gentle and compassionate. He is presumed the real captain, until the crew notice he is unable to make a decision -- fateful or otherwise -- and, in fact, is sinking into paralysis.
All ends well, of course. The transporter is patched together. And so is Captain Kirk. He emerges unified, greater than the sum of his parts, and fit enough to survive three seasons of the TV series plus a half-dozen mostly forgettable movies.
Viewed through a Jewish lens, this episode is an allegory of a man whose yetzer hara, or evil inclination, is split from his yetzer hatov, or good inclination.
Philosophically, we're told we need yetzer hara, because our struggle to overcome it characterizes the Jewish belief that people are endowed with free will.
But there is something more fundamental about our need for yetzer hara: Without it, we'd become the sniveling Captain Kirk, or a Paul McCartney who, liberated from John Lennon's dark scrutiny, is free to write "Silly Love Songs."
"If not for the evil impulse," says the midrash, "no one would build a house, marry, have children, nor engage in trade."
So maybe the evil inclination isn't so bad after all.
Far from a demonic force that needs to be destroyed, yetzer hara represents creativity, ambition and will. It is more morally neutral than its name suggests.
"Yetzer hara is not necessarily evil," says Jeffrey Salkin, a Reform rabbi in New York and author of "Being God's Partner." "It has been called the selfish inclination, and yetzer hatov the selfless piece of us."
Rabbi Steven Lebow, of Temple Kol Emeth in Marietta, Georgia, describes yetzer hara as a person's "dark well of energy. It would be better if we understood it in the Freudian sense of the id," he says.
The trick, according to Judaism, is what you do with what you've got.
"Balance is an integral part of a Jewish lifestyle," Rabbi Salkin says. "Judaism doesn't believe in getting rid of the body, in getting rid of desire. The focus is sanctifying what you do. That's a profoundly humanistic way of looking at the world."
That's why any meal can become a mirror of a service in the ancient Temple -- compliments of a few blessings.
And that's why Judaism neither bans drinking nor encourages drinking freely. Instead, it encourages making kiddush -- the sanctification over wine.
Sexuality often is associated with yetzer hara. But sexuality is neutral, Rabbi Salkin points out. "It is sanctifiable. It includes marriage -- the holy of holies -- and it includes rape."
Others believe the dark well of yetzer hara represents a dread that we never can quite shake: our fear of death. In this view, yetzer hatov is our drive to connect with the eternal. Judaism says this is accomplished by our relation with God.
Yetzer hara is our sneaking suspicion, or out-and-out conviction, that this life is all there is. It pulls us from the holy to the corporeal. To defy death, our yetzer hara stirs us to build monuments to ourselves -- families, businesses, works of art. These, we know, will survive us. (Why else do captains of the starship Enterprise leave detailed mission logs? Why else are there reruns?)
One thing more -- if it's all a question of balance, can there be too much yetzer hatov? Yes, Rabbi Salkin says.
"Too much leads to premature saintliness. If one is overly righteous, one is likely to become suicidal."
It was Rabbi Hillel who, 2,000 years ago, set the balance between the two warring impulses: "If I am not for myself, who is for me? And if I am only for myself, what am I?"
It's a lesson James T. Kirk learned early on. After he got himself together.
Friday, May 18, 2007
Bug (ger)!
This is a small post. Had a thought some time back that said "Software bugs and stress in life are connected". This is a brief elaboration of that thought's core idea.
For those who don't know what a bug is - it is simply software not fuctioning as it should.
Bob Kembel did trainings at HCL, where I used to work. During one of these, he told us that to solve a bug, we need to know two things:
1. What should happen (the correct flow)
2. What is happening (the 'buggy' flow)
Stress is also a difference between 'What is' and 'What should'. We keep an idea of what should happen in our lives and when this is not in sync with what is happening, stress is created. This takes various forms: fear, anxiety and so many of the psychosomatic disorders that we see today.
Is there a way that will solve the second problem (in our lives), that might give us insights into how to solve the first? Wait and watch!
For those who don't know what a bug is - it is simply software not fuctioning as it should.
Bob Kembel did trainings at HCL, where I used to work. During one of these, he told us that to solve a bug, we need to know two things:
1. What should happen (the correct flow)
2. What is happening (the 'buggy' flow)
Stress is also a difference between 'What is' and 'What should'. We keep an idea of what should happen in our lives and when this is not in sync with what is happening, stress is created. This takes various forms: fear, anxiety and so many of the psychosomatic disorders that we see today.
Is there a way that will solve the second problem (in our lives), that might give us insights into how to solve the first? Wait and watch!
Monday, May 07, 2007
Digg this!
It's a nice Monday afternoon. I haven't got any work done yet and (therefore?) I'm feeling happy. And the coffee is making me put this blog down - something I'm doing after a long time.
So, what I'll do is plug some sites that I've been visiting to keep me from work.
1. Coverville is a cool podcast by Brian Ibbott. Although I'm not a big fan of his voice, I really like the stuff he plays (most of the times :). Like this morning, I heard this cover of Def Leppard's 'Photograph' that is surely better than the orig. This was on his first edition of coverville.
2. www.digg.com
(These guys were under pressure but they bow(i)ed to their readers' wishes. gotta love them.
3. Wikipedia:
Ok VP I agree! Wiki is cool.
Cheerio
I'll slog on the bug...
So, what I'll do is plug some sites that I've been visiting to keep me from work.
1. Coverville is a cool podcast by Brian Ibbott. Although I'm not a big fan of his voice, I really like the stuff he plays (most of the times :). Like this morning, I heard this cover of Def Leppard's 'Photograph' that is surely better than the orig. This was on his first edition of coverville.
2. www.digg.com
(These guys were under pressure but they bow(i)ed to their readers' wishes. gotta love them.
3. Wikipedia:
Ok VP I agree! Wiki is cool.
Cheerio
I'll slog on the bug...
Friday, January 19, 2007
Words spoken by the Elders of Oraibi, Arizona Hopi Nation
"You have been telling the people that this is the Eleventh Hour.
Now you must go back and tell the people that this is the Hour.
And there are things to be considered:
Where are you living?
What are you doing?
What are your relationships?
Are you in right relation?
Where is your water?
Know your garden.
It is time to speak your Truth.
Create your community.
Be good to each other.
And do not look outside yourself for the leader.
This could be a good time!
There is a river flowing now very fast.
It is so great and swift that there are those who will be afraid.
They will try to hold on to the shore.
They will feel they are being torn apart, and they will suffer greatly.
Know the river has its destination.
The elders say we must let go of the shore, push off into the middle of the
river, keep our eyes open, and our heads above the water.
See who is in there with you and celebrate.
At this time in history, we are to take nothing personally.
Least of all, ourselves.
For the momnet that we do, our spiritual growth and journey comes to a halt.
The time of the lone wolf is over. Gather yourselves!
Banish the word struggle from your attitude and your vocabulary.
All that we do now must be done in a sacred manner and in celebration.
We are the ones we've been waiting for."
Now you must go back and tell the people that this is the Hour.
And there are things to be considered:
Where are you living?
What are you doing?
What are your relationships?
Are you in right relation?
Where is your water?
Know your garden.
It is time to speak your Truth.
Create your community.
Be good to each other.
And do not look outside yourself for the leader.
This could be a good time!
There is a river flowing now very fast.
It is so great and swift that there are those who will be afraid.
They will try to hold on to the shore.
They will feel they are being torn apart, and they will suffer greatly.
Know the river has its destination.
The elders say we must let go of the shore, push off into the middle of the
river, keep our eyes open, and our heads above the water.
See who is in there with you and celebrate.
At this time in history, we are to take nothing personally.
Least of all, ourselves.
For the momnet that we do, our spiritual growth and journey comes to a halt.
The time of the lone wolf is over. Gather yourselves!
Banish the word struggle from your attitude and your vocabulary.
All that we do now must be done in a sacred manner and in celebration.
We are the ones we've been waiting for."
Thursday, December 21, 2006
So much to say
One of the resolutions of the new year can be - be more consistent blogging - maybe once I get a net connection @ home and I stop surfing TV for something remotely interesting (or titillating), maybe this will happen. Actually, am reading Psycho-cybernetics, which puts the self-image as the driving force of all actions rather than the Will. All this is so interesting!
Anyways, a lot happened and a lot of thoughts but didn't find time to put it down. Got to see Shivamani live in action and he blew me off my feet - literally. Was the only one dancing at Palace Grounds - was laughed at but not much time to ponder that when the root chakra was being pumped by the mad man playing the drums of the world and things from the kitchen and the bathroom. He was admirably complemented by a group of traditional temple drummers from Kerala I think - but not sure - could be K'taka though. But awesome stuff - it was part of Bengalooru Habba '06 (and to think I went thinking TAAQ would be playing!)
Also went for Shakti - very decent stuff and quite the showmen these guys are - but didn't come close to the madness that Shivamani chanelled into his playing... also caught Rajan/Sajan Mishra with Birju Maharaj. The old man wasn't able to move much but the jugalbandi that they did with the bols was quite outstanding - surely a special form of super-sanity is required for such magic.
Neways, will post some more - soon enough, hopefully - and will tell about why the colour of the season is green!
Anyways, a lot happened and a lot of thoughts but didn't find time to put it down. Got to see Shivamani live in action and he blew me off my feet - literally. Was the only one dancing at Palace Grounds - was laughed at but not much time to ponder that when the root chakra was being pumped by the mad man playing the drums of the world and things from the kitchen and the bathroom. He was admirably complemented by a group of traditional temple drummers from Kerala I think - but not sure - could be K'taka though. But awesome stuff - it was part of Bengalooru Habba '06 (and to think I went thinking TAAQ would be playing!)
Also went for Shakti - very decent stuff and quite the showmen these guys are - but didn't come close to the madness that Shivamani chanelled into his playing... also caught Rajan/Sajan Mishra with Birju Maharaj. The old man wasn't able to move much but the jugalbandi that they did with the bols was quite outstanding - surely a special form of super-sanity is required for such magic.
Neways, will post some more - soon enough, hopefully - and will tell about why the colour of the season is green!
Wednesday, November 15, 2006
I heart Linux
Really - all you Windoze freaks are just that, you know - dozing your way in cyberspace - doing what the system tells you to do. How about doing it the other way for a change, eh? How about having u'r say on what the program should do - how the program should look and behave? And how about typing in commands for a change - or will u just be frickin-clickin all the time?
Ok - have got sound, a 1024*768 and a keyboard shortcuts for the terminal - Nothing much needed, I'd say - well, Eclipse is good to have for dumb Java that doesn't work on Makefiles (one has to earn to eat!) - Actually I'm hoping MadWifi works too - and then pretty much don't need Windoze (which I unintentionally sent to long hibernation while installing linux). My stars are in ascencion ever since. Read
Also, if you are a programmer, you might want to know if you the real deal :)
Enjoy!
Ok - have got sound, a 1024*768 and a keyboard shortcuts for the terminal - Nothing much needed, I'd say - well, Eclipse is good to have for dumb Java that doesn't work on Makefiles (one has to earn to eat!) - Actually I'm hoping MadWifi works too - and then pretty much don't need Windoze (which I unintentionally sent to long hibernation while installing linux). My stars are in ascencion ever since. Read
Also, if you are a programmer, you might want to know if you the real deal :)
Enjoy!
Monday, October 02, 2006
Agar tune mera (iodized) namak khaaya hai OR Common salt and the Bhagvad Gita
So let's get down straight to it - how is salt connected to the Gita? It started when Sri Sri told us some time back about the The Government of India ban on non-iodized salt in the country. In fact, Roger Moore came as a rep from UNICEF for promoting iodization of salt. Sri Sri, a wise man by any standard, was very serious and has taken up this issue with a lot of vigour after a deliberation of 3 months and has asked all of us to protect our right to choose which salt we want to use.
There are many levels to this issue, something that I found out a little talk with my friend Dr. Kunal and then browsing the universal mind (WWW :). Let us consider the problem at the different levels:
1. Health
The enforcers of the ban say that Iodine deficiency causes lack of brain development and will lead to goitre and that salt fortification is a cheap and easy way to ensure that this problem is solved. Universal Salt Iodization(USI) is the term used and you don't need to be a conspiracy theorist to see the reference to Big Brother. For the history and effects of USI, the Salt Institute is a good site - but hey, it is obviously industry driven.
Those against the law say that Indians have a high salt diet (ahh Mom's pickles) and forced iodization will make people hyperthyroid. An endocronologist argues quite well against the usefulness of USI - Iodine is quickly lost on cooking and due to high moisture in salt. Hyperthyroidism definitely seems to be a problem, especially in urban areas. But the greatest threat of Iodine seems to be AIDS - if you believe this awesome site
2. Economy
Pro-USI: Iodization of salt is cheap - "only the cost of a cup of tea a year per person". This seems patently false. Iodized salt manufactured by biggies like Tata and HLL are Rs. 10 a packet and 'common' salt that I bought in Bangalore is Rs. 5 (was this shopkeeeper plainly ignoring this law?). In villages, the iodized version is almost three times the vanilla version. No wonder then, that talks of the salt lobby being behind this law are commonplace. But there is an Agent Smith to the Neo here too. (take that article with a pinch of salt, however - it uses the same method that it argues against - emotion - to pitch USI!)
3. Effected populace
The figures are also inconsistent - the pro-USI people say that 254 out of some 350 surveyed districts had goitre problems - and this they say is not limited to the Himalayan belt that is known for the goitre problems. The doctor however says that only 2.5% of Indians are iodine deficient. It seems like you can find what you are looking for :)
4. Values
Sri Sri is now talking of a second salt Satyagraha. Basic freedom (at least in matters of food!) and self reliance are at stake. Next, there will be iron fortified wheat - which again might have to imported - our villagers will not be able to eat what the neighbouring village produces! Of course, the job of the government is not easy, given that many of the educated doctors feel that there is no substitute to iodization of salt.
It seems to me that both parties are well-balanced and this is not an easy matter to decide. Of course, there is the mandatory third option - don't eat salt altogether:) What I love is that I am taking a side knowing fully well that this is not a cut-and-dried issue. I even have a friend on the other side (Dr. Kunal). And herein lies the fun - I am going to go full out and protest against the ban - And that is what I think the Gita exhorts us to do.
This is a blog that I loved thinking about. I can consider my Vijay Dasami well-spent :)
Cheerio All - Have a good fight :)
There are many levels to this issue, something that I found out a little talk with my friend Dr. Kunal and then browsing the universal mind (WWW :). Let us consider the problem at the different levels:
1. Health
The enforcers of the ban say that Iodine deficiency causes lack of brain development and will lead to goitre and that salt fortification is a cheap and easy way to ensure that this problem is solved. Universal Salt Iodization(USI) is the term used and you don't need to be a conspiracy theorist to see the reference to Big Brother. For the history and effects of USI, the Salt Institute is a good site - but hey, it is obviously industry driven.
Those against the law say that Indians have a high salt diet (ahh Mom's pickles) and forced iodization will make people hyperthyroid. An endocronologist argues quite well against the usefulness of USI - Iodine is quickly lost on cooking and due to high moisture in salt. Hyperthyroidism definitely seems to be a problem, especially in urban areas. But the greatest threat of Iodine seems to be AIDS - if you believe this awesome site
2. Economy
Pro-USI: Iodization of salt is cheap - "only the cost of a cup of tea a year per person". This seems patently false. Iodized salt manufactured by biggies like Tata and HLL are Rs. 10 a packet and 'common' salt that I bought in Bangalore is Rs. 5 (was this shopkeeeper plainly ignoring this law?). In villages, the iodized version is almost three times the vanilla version. No wonder then, that talks of the salt lobby being behind this law are commonplace. But there is an Agent Smith to the Neo here too. (take that article with a pinch of salt, however - it uses the same method that it argues against - emotion - to pitch USI!)
3. Effected populace
The figures are also inconsistent - the pro-USI people say that 254 out of some 350 surveyed districts had goitre problems - and this they say is not limited to the Himalayan belt that is known for the goitre problems. The doctor however says that only 2.5% of Indians are iodine deficient. It seems like you can find what you are looking for :)
4. Values
Sri Sri is now talking of a second salt Satyagraha. Basic freedom (at least in matters of food!) and self reliance are at stake. Next, there will be iron fortified wheat - which again might have to imported - our villagers will not be able to eat what the neighbouring village produces! Of course, the job of the government is not easy, given that many of the educated doctors feel that there is no substitute to iodization of salt.
It seems to me that both parties are well-balanced and this is not an easy matter to decide. Of course, there is the mandatory third option - don't eat salt altogether:) What I love is that I am taking a side knowing fully well that this is not a cut-and-dried issue. I even have a friend on the other side (Dr. Kunal). And herein lies the fun - I am going to go full out and protest against the ban - And that is what I think the Gita exhorts us to do.
This is a blog that I loved thinking about. I can consider my Vijay Dasami well-spent :)
Cheerio All - Have a good fight :)
Wednesday, September 20, 2006
Some crap before linux boot please!
So here we were, trying to install Fedora Core 4 so we can get some decent development going in our new office, and we get a kernel panic immediately.
Google is mostly a dont-wanna-use-brain-so-will-just-look-it-up device. Denial is pointless. So we look up this site first and there is all this talk about SATA and initrd and all other logical BS.
Then I find this solution in fedoraforum - just type a nonsensical word first and then boot as usual. Like type 'this is crazy' first - and then linux mediacheck - and no kernel panic, no nonsense. The idea probably being - all garbage out first, then it's all smooth cruising. And you thought such things happened only in Windoze and Harry Potter.
Google is mostly a dont-wanna-use-brain-so-will-just-look-it-up device. Denial is pointless. So we look up this site first and there is all this talk about SATA and initrd and all other logical BS.
Then I find this solution in fedoraforum - just type a nonsensical word first and then boot as usual. Like type 'this is crazy' first - and then linux mediacheck - and no kernel panic, no nonsense. The idea probably being - all garbage out first, then it's all smooth cruising. And you thought such things happened only in Windoze and Harry Potter.
Thursday, August 31, 2006
Hammerspace!
...and there might be an MC before that too. Just Hammerspace. Was reading the Wiki for Manga (came to this through a forward, initially from a girl who loves Anime) when this delightful concept of Hammerspace jumped out of nowhere. As defined in Wiki:
Hammerspace draws its name from a semi-common cliché in humorous anime and manga: Male character Y offends or otherwise angers female character X. X then draws a wooden mallet—ranging in size from large to downright ludicrous—out of nowhere and bashes Y with it.
NOw you see where the MC might have come from? :). And in India it might be Belanspace!
Hammerspace draws its name from a semi-common cliché in humorous anime and manga: Male character Y offends or otherwise angers female character X. X then draws a wooden mallet—ranging in size from large to downright ludicrous—out of nowhere and bashes Y with it.
NOw you see where the MC might have come from? :). And in India it might be Belanspace!
Wednesday, August 16, 2006
Krishna stories and Janmashtami (double meaning!!)
The past three days I have been going to the Art of Living Ashram and every day there is something new to learn. Yesterday was Krishna Janmashtami. Apart from a nice dance and skits by children, there was a lot of learning. We heard a recitation of the Gita and were exhorted to just read the Bhagvad Gita with its simple translation.
A lot of our stories have multiple levels of meaning. Or atleast two :). Like some of the stories of Krishna seem to be plain simple fun but experts say that the essence of Vedanta is distilled into them. The story of Janmashtami and its meaning as told by Sri Sri (all mistakes are mine):
Krishna was born to Devaki (body) and Vasudev(Prana). Krishna stands for Ananda or bliss while his Uncle Kamsa is ego or (dur)Ahamkara. The jail where Krishna was born is the world and the sentries are the five senses. When the senses are asleep (i.e. not involved in the world), Ananda is born. To save Krishna from Kamsa, you have to cross Yamuna or love. On the other side is Go-kul, where knowledge permeates. Go means knowledge or the senses, depending on context.
A sure sign of a wise man is the light (but not disrespectful) manner that very high knowledge rests upon him. A Swamiji from Rishikesh, regular visitor to the Ashram and wonderful orator is a case in point. Regaling us with stories of Krishna as a child, he himself became childlike and innocent. He told the story of Krishna and his friends causing havoc by having peeing competitions in the aangan of a house and of course the stealing butter. In the middle, and you'd have missed it if you were distracted by a bee buzzing, he told about birth and death:
Death is only the Big Sleep, but what we are really afraid of is not dying, but our possessions not remaining with us when we awake.
Much like why we lock our houses when we sleep, i guess. But is that bad?
A lot of our stories have multiple levels of meaning. Or atleast two :). Like some of the stories of Krishna seem to be plain simple fun but experts say that the essence of Vedanta is distilled into them. The story of Janmashtami and its meaning as told by Sri Sri (all mistakes are mine):
Krishna was born to Devaki (body) and Vasudev(Prana). Krishna stands for Ananda or bliss while his Uncle Kamsa is ego or (dur)Ahamkara. The jail where Krishna was born is the world and the sentries are the five senses. When the senses are asleep (i.e. not involved in the world), Ananda is born. To save Krishna from Kamsa, you have to cross Yamuna or love. On the other side is Go-kul, where knowledge permeates. Go means knowledge or the senses, depending on context.
A sure sign of a wise man is the light (but not disrespectful) manner that very high knowledge rests upon him. A Swamiji from Rishikesh, regular visitor to the Ashram and wonderful orator is a case in point. Regaling us with stories of Krishna as a child, he himself became childlike and innocent. He told the story of Krishna and his friends causing havoc by having peeing competitions in the aangan of a house and of course the stealing butter. In the middle, and you'd have missed it if you were distracted by a bee buzzing, he told about birth and death:
Death is only the Big Sleep, but what we are really afraid of is not dying, but our possessions not remaining with us when we awake.
Much like why we lock our houses when we sleep, i guess. But is that bad?
Thursday, July 20, 2006
MLM schemes and Dan B
First, let's get over the sad part. One Art Of Living member told me she had a business oppurtunity when I told her I was a software engineer looking for a change of job. I went to her place at the appointed hour and found another AOL member sitting near a Mac Powerbook. She asked me to help opening a document and I was quite excited - maybe these guys are real novices and somehow have chanced upon a technical venture for which they don't have expertise. The sight of an IIT engineer enthused me even more - although we have never been great friends.
The second slide she showed brought me to the ground. I was soon to go under. It was an MLM. Multi-level marketing. Searching for 'making money online' or 'home business' should give you examples of these. However, read through this blog before you do that.
So, I sat and heard how I can be financially free - I would have to make $3000 a day for that, according to the presentation. The product was a 2gm gold coin - it really doesn't matter - it can be personal hygiene to personality development. The actual cost, she claimed, was Rs. 8000 (not really, but i'll humour her). And the joining fee, was Rs. 32, 000. Anyway, after I found that she was quite dumb, I left - however, I didn't make some scathing remark that I ought to have. It was a shock that these people who I admired were perpetrating such offenses. Thankfully, however, I think these are a minority - Sri Sri still makes a lot of sense and the Sudarshan Kriya is really good!
Anyways, I looked up the internet for some facts on such 'organizations' and here are a couple for you to ponder:
Robert Fitzpatrick's 10 lies of MLM
Center for Entreprenuerial leadership
In fact there are so many ways to make money online that this blog is making money online talking about making money online. Man, I should do something like this...
And in a close by land, not so far ago...
Bhauji was reading Dan Brown. Although he seems to copy a lot of his material, he at least doesn't dupe people. I read Digital Fortress and Angels and Demons recently - and both were quite fast and gripping. It's not great literature - but hey, it keeps the mind occupied.
Another book I shouldn't be reading is 'Perfect sight without eyeglasses'. All such books preach the Bates' Method. Bates was a doc who found that glasses were not the method to correct bad sight - instead they worsen vision by 'helping' us form bad habits. Compulsive reading against reading.
The second slide she showed brought me to the ground. I was soon to go under. It was an MLM. Multi-level marketing. Searching for 'making money online' or 'home business' should give you examples of these. However, read through this blog before you do that.
So, I sat and heard how I can be financially free - I would have to make $3000 a day for that, according to the presentation. The product was a 2gm gold coin - it really doesn't matter - it can be personal hygiene to personality development. The actual cost, she claimed, was Rs. 8000 (not really, but i'll humour her). And the joining fee, was Rs. 32, 000. Anyway, after I found that she was quite dumb, I left - however, I didn't make some scathing remark that I ought to have. It was a shock that these people who I admired were perpetrating such offenses. Thankfully, however, I think these are a minority - Sri Sri still makes a lot of sense and the Sudarshan Kriya is really good!
Anyways, I looked up the internet for some facts on such 'organizations' and here are a couple for you to ponder:
Robert Fitzpatrick's 10 lies of MLM
Center for Entreprenuerial leadership
In fact there are so many ways to make money online that this blog is making money online talking about making money online. Man, I should do something like this...
And in a close by land, not so far ago...
Bhauji was reading Dan Brown. Although he seems to copy a lot of his material, he at least doesn't dupe people. I read Digital Fortress and Angels and Demons recently - and both were quite fast and gripping. It's not great literature - but hey, it keeps the mind occupied.
Another book I shouldn't be reading is 'Perfect sight without eyeglasses'. All such books preach the Bates' Method. Bates was a doc who found that glasses were not the method to correct bad sight - instead they worsen vision by 'helping' us form bad habits. Compulsive reading against reading.
Friday, June 16, 2006
We are in denial
(A write up by Sri Sri - it seems to apply very much to me right now)
Negating identity causes inaction, sloth and lethargy
SRI SRI RAVI SHANKAR
If you come across a Communist, with a Hindu name, and ask him about his
identity, he will deny being a Hindu. Yet, a Muslim Communist often claims
his identity without hesitation. One wonders what causes this difference in
attitude.
It is interesting to probe into the psyche of identity, which often is a
source of security, insecurity, conflict and comfort. Perhaps the following
reasons would answer the identity crises of the Hindus. The broadmindedness
of Hinduism, its inherent inclusiveness and secularism, makes Hindus feel
guilty about claiming their identity, as it is embedded in their philosophy
that it is wrong to exclude others. Claiming a religious identity makes them
feel they are excluding others and so they shy away from doing so.
Hindus have been traditionally groomed by the Vedanta to drop all
identities. This has deeply influenced the Hindu psyche. Hindu philosophy is
woven around egolessness. Let alone their religion, some sadhus don’t even
say their name; they would say, “What’s in a name?” Sanyasis are even shy to
talk about their parentage. A renowned ascetic in Rishikesh would meet with
everybody, but not his own mother and family. When asked, he would say, “I
am Vedanti; once I have taken sanyasa, I have dropped all my identities.”
This is an erroneous understanding of Vedanta. Why do we fear the identity
so much? Seeing identity as stumbling blocks for one’s growth is ignorance.
Sanyasa is transcending identity; it is being in that centredness from where
you have equal love and compassion for all. It is the unshakable light and
richness that one has found in one’s Being which is universal. Transcending
identity is different from denying identity. When religious leaders
themselves denounce their identity, the community follows suit. This is akin
to the thought that secularism is anti-religion.
Caste identity is in some places much stronger than religious identity. The
normal tendency is to go for one single identity than for a dual one. So,
between caste and religion, many Hindus seem to go for caste. Hindus feel
ashamed of the ills of Hinduism — its superstition, untouchability, and
practices like sati are usually highlighted in the media, rather than its
unparalleled philosophy and scientific temperament. Thus, for several
centuries Hindu bashing has been a fashion.
The media seems to have given the prerogative of Hindu identity to the RSS
and VHP and secular-minded Hindus would not like to associate with these two
organisations. As a result they shy away from their own identity.
Within India itself, we witness a great deal of ignorance about the Hindu
religion and its scriptures. Although Hindus form 80 per cent population of
India, there is still only one university which teaches Hinduism — whereas
there are five which teach Islam, five which teach Christianity, two which
teach Sikhism and one that teaches Jainism. You would find every Muslim
would know a couple of verses from the Quran; you can hardly find a
Christian who has not read the Bible.
But Hindus who know Sanskrit or a few shlokas are rare. Most educated Hindus
know the Bible; they know Christmas carols. When they know nothing about
their religion, how can they take pride in it?
There are 1.25 billion Hindus in the world, a little over one-sixth of the
world’s population, but you hardly find a single Hindu lobby at
international forums. You will find a Christian lobby, a Muslim lobby or a
Jewish lobby, but you can’t find a Hindu lobby. Just 12 million Jews in the
world are such a powerful voice. Buddhists also have a voice and make their
presence felt at world forums.
In countries of south and central America and in Europe, although they are
secular democracies, they are not shy to proclaim their allegiance to
Christianity. You will find the religious symbol of the Cross placed in
their parliaments; chaplains offer prayer before every official dinner.
While associations like YMCA (Young Men’s Christian Association) have gained
wide acceptance. Why then is it that Hindu associations are viewed with
scepticism?
A strong community is an asset to any nation. A weak community will always
be in fear and because of insecurity will become aggressive. It is the pride
in one’s identity which strengthens the community. Identity is in no way
contradictory to universality.
People often ask, “Will not the concept of global family, Vasudhaiva
Kutambakam, contradict patriotism? Similarly, will your religious identity
not conflict with your universality?’’ The answer is “No”. Your duty as a
family man is not a hindrance for your realisation that you are Brahman. You
don’t need to run away to the forest to realise “All this is Brahman”. Your
being spiritual in no way contradicts your being a socially responsible
citizen. In fact, it enhances your ability to care and share.
The conflict in the world is because people are either stuck in their
identity, and die for it, or shy away from their identity and lose their
roots. One has to opt for a middle path. The ideal situation will be when
every religion transcends its identity. Until that time, it is unwise for
the Hindus to let go of their identity. We cannot, and should not, eliminate
differences on this planet. We need to celebrate the differences. And this
is the uniqueness of Bharat — from the atheism of Charvaka to Bhakthi Panth
and Sufism, it’s one beautiful bouquet.
An identity is related to an action. Denial of identity will dump you in
inaction, sloth and lethargy and hence Krishna reminds Arjuna of his
Kshatriya identity even while giving “Brahma gyan” to remind him of his
duties and responsibilities. Otherwise while giving this High knowledge of
the Self, why would Krishna remind him again and again of his limited
identity. The limited identity in no way contradicts the universal one. A
policeman cannot perform his duties — steer the traffic — if he fails to
acknowledge his identity. Similarly, if a businessman shies away from his
identity, he cannot function. The same is the story of Hindu identity. India
cannot make a distinct mark on the world if it ignores its religious and
spiritual heritage.
- Previous message: [Ornet] Emailing: 111004st8
- Next message: [Ornet] Real Thanks Giving ...
- Messages sorted by: [ date ] [ thread ] [ subject ] [ author ]
More information about the Ornet mailing list
Thursday, June 15, 2006
D.D
Ambroce Bierce did us all a big service by putting into words what words stand in the hearts and minds of men and women like you and me. He also adorned it with some verse so we can nod assent and feel guilty doing it. It is now downloadable free of cost from Gutendberg.
Some gems (and I'm in 'A' yet):
ACTUALLY, adv. Perhaps; possibly. (! That's how I use it!)
ADVICE, n. The smallest current coin. (!awesome!)
"The man was in such deep distress,"
Said Tom, "that I could do no less
Than give him good advice." Said Jim:
"If less could have been done for him
I know you well enough, my son,
To know that's what you would have done."
ADMIRATION, n. Our polite recognition of another's resemblance to
ourselves. (insightful and brutally honest!)
AIM, n. The task we set our wishes to.
"Cheer up! Have you no aim in life?"
She tenderly inquired.
"An aim? Well, no, I haven't, wife;
The fact is -- I have fired."
(for those about to marry, we salute them!)
AIR, n. A nutritious substance supplied by a bountiful Providence for the fattening of the poor.
ALLAH, n. The Mahometan Supreme Being, as distinguished from the
Christian, Jewish, and so forth.
Allah's good laws I faithfully have kept,
And ever for the sins of man have wept;
And sometimes kneeling in the temple I
Have reverently crossed my hands and slept.
-Junker Barlow
Some gems (and I'm in 'A' yet):
ACTUALLY, adv. Perhaps; possibly. (! That's how I use it!)
ADVICE, n. The smallest current coin. (!awesome!)
"The man was in such deep distress,"
Said Tom, "that I could do no less
Than give him good advice." Said Jim:
"If less could have been done for him
I know you well enough, my son,
To know that's what you would have done."
ADMIRATION, n. Our polite recognition of another's resemblance to
ourselves. (insightful and brutally honest!)
AIM, n. The task we set our wishes to.
"Cheer up! Have you no aim in life?"
She tenderly inquired.
"An aim? Well, no, I haven't, wife;
The fact is -- I have fired."
(for those about to marry, we salute them!)
AIR, n. A nutritious substance supplied by a bountiful Providence for the fattening of the poor.
ALLAH, n. The Mahometan Supreme Being, as distinguished from the
Christian, Jewish, and so forth.
Allah's good laws I faithfully have kept,
And ever for the sins of man have wept;
And sometimes kneeling in the temple I
Have reverently crossed my hands and slept.
-Junker Barlow
Tuesday, June 13, 2006
The six wealths
How wealthy are you?
According to ancient Indian knowledge, you are wealthy if you have a lot of:
1. Sama: Having a say over mental faculties - not letting the mind dictate terms.
2. Dama: Having a say over you physical body - able to stay awake when you want etc.
3. Titiksha - Forebearance. Ability to forbear opposing forces with equanimity.
4. Uparati - Ability to enjoy what one is doing.
5. Shraddha - Faith.
6. Samadhaana - Contentment.
All of us have each of these to differing extents. Are you wealthy? I surely need more!! How do I do it - One of the ways to do that is to do the Art of Living Part 2 course.
Enjoy!
According to ancient Indian knowledge, you are wealthy if you have a lot of:
1. Sama: Having a say over mental faculties - not letting the mind dictate terms.
2. Dama: Having a say over you physical body - able to stay awake when you want etc.
3. Titiksha - Forebearance. Ability to forbear opposing forces with equanimity.
4. Uparati - Ability to enjoy what one is doing.
5. Shraddha - Faith.
6. Samadhaana - Contentment.
All of us have each of these to differing extents. Are you wealthy? I surely need more!! How do I do it - One of the ways to do that is to do the Art of Living Part 2 course.
Enjoy!
Quotes are great
... especially if they say what you want them to say :)
Here are a few that did...
1. Idleness, like kisses, must be stolen to be sweet.
2. It is impossible to enjoy idling thoroughly unless one has a lot of work to do - Jerome K Jerome
3. You know, you can't please all the people all the time... and last night, all those people were at my show - Mitch Hedgeberg
Cheerio!
Here are a few that did...
1. Idleness, like kisses, must be stolen to be sweet.
2. It is impossible to enjoy idling thoroughly unless one has a lot of work to do - Jerome K Jerome
3. You know, you can't please all the people all the time... and last night, all those people were at my show - Mitch Hedgeberg
Cheerio!
Monday, May 22, 2006
Morning laughter...
I like kelas.
As I stood contentedly in the centre of the bus as it approached a bus stop, a woman nearing 50 came plodding to the guy sitting in the window seat closest to her. Me and another man, also in a window seat, disinterestedly observed
"Does this bus go to Ambattur OT"
"Yes", said the guy clearly, with his voice betraying the little satisfaction one gets in helping people in ways that don't stretch us in any way.
The woman, however, started to walk away from the bus instead of getting on. The other man shouted out and told the lady that the bus was indeed going to Ambattur.
Our friend the helper was, however, totally unfazed by this and looked ahead, wide eyed, as if nothing out of ordinary happened.
As the lady finally sat down, I started laughing.
If none of you are laughing, know that you had to be there.
www.sinfest.net for more 'u had to be there'. Enjoy!
As I stood contentedly in the centre of the bus as it approached a bus stop, a woman nearing 50 came plodding to the guy sitting in the window seat closest to her. Me and another man, also in a window seat, disinterestedly observed
"Does this bus go to Ambattur OT"
"Yes", said the guy clearly, with his voice betraying the little satisfaction one gets in helping people in ways that don't stretch us in any way.
The woman, however, started to walk away from the bus instead of getting on. The other man shouted out and told the lady that the bus was indeed going to Ambattur.
Our friend the helper was, however, totally unfazed by this and looked ahead, wide eyed, as if nothing out of ordinary happened.
As the lady finally sat down, I started laughing.
If none of you are laughing, know that you had to be there.
www.sinfest.net for more 'u had to be there'. Enjoy!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)