The 4th Dimension

Blue is Gold

2011-03-01T01:28:00.010-06:00

Isn't the world in a state of frenzy? Unrest in the middle east, constant terrorist threats and the financial crisis - there's clearly a lot to worry about! Sadly, even though there are many people in the world who are still fighting for basic human rights, we all have to be prepared to face the problems threatening our basic, most critical resource for survival: Water.

With only 3% of the earth's water bodies being freshwater, 30 billion gallons of groundwater being pumped daily, and 750 billion cubic meters of water being lost every year to runoff worldwide since the world war II - it is estimated that in 50 years there will be a complete collapse of all water systems. Are you scared yet?

Well if those figures are not scary enough, current technology demands certainly should be. The manufacturer of an average automobile uses 350,000 liters of water and one microchip uses approximately 30 liters of water.

After watching the PBS documentary on "Blue Gold: World Water Wars", my perspective on the water crisis changed completely. Protecting our water resources is not just some environmental priority that can be added to a long list of other global challenges. It is a fight to protect the resource from corporation and government misuse, and preserve it for the people, for ourselves.

Did you know that in many parts of Africa like Kenya, the Coca Cola brand Dasani, serves almost as a substitute for municipal water. Oh, and this you must have heard - the price of a 1 liter plastic bottle of Dasani water was 70 ksh and the price of a 1 liter plastic bottle of Coca Cola was priced at 40 ksh, making it cheaper to drink coca cola as compared to water.

The stories only get worse. Who hasn't heard of the famous "Cochabamba Water Wars" in 2000, in Cochabamba, Bolivia. Thanks to Bechtel's operations in Bolivia, water was costlier than food. Well Bechtel was thrown out, and the same happened to Suez S.A. from Uruguay. However, shifting from the privatization of water to placing it under government control, may not be the solution to the problem either. India is a great example of the mismanagement of water systems by the state. The Economist aptly underlines India’s extremes of hydrology, poverty and population as factors that present vast difficulties for water management. Further, it is estimated that without huge improvements, India will run short of water by 2050 when its population will approach 1.7 billion.

In my opinion, it is not all that grim, especially for emerging countries. In addition to strongly committing to and implementing changes in the management of water systems, countries like India, should note the potential risks and even ineffectiveness of some of the more advanced hydro-technologies used by developed countries like the U.S. and France. For example: Groundwater pumping, glorified in many developed countries, alters the earth's structure and causes desertification leading to a rise in earthquakes, rising ocean levels and even tsunamis!

Desalination plants, another technology that the GEs of the world are heavily investing in, convert seawater through reverse osmosis to meet the demands for drinking water. Unfortunately, this technology is just a way of overusing another resource. Desalination plants actually significantly increase the carbon footprint and rely on already waning fossil fuels, creating more problems than they solve.

Some interesting technologies that could be implemented include the Project Blue Alternative, Hydroponics (20-30% more efficient than crops growing outside), decommissioning dams by installing micro-turbines in the stream, limiting population growth based on available water supply (this has actually been implemented in Bolinas, CA!) or even the dual flush toilet, with a button for a short flush (3 liters) and a button for a longer flush (6 liters)are mandatory in Israel.

These are great, sustainable and viable alternatives to the imminent water crisis - and if implemented immediately, can be a positive step forward to preserving water, and protecting our survival.

The Crisis of Credit - Visualized!

2010-05-17T15:53:00.002-05:00

An entertaining and easy to understand video on what caused the credit crisis. A must-watch, even if you think you know everything about what happened!

The Crisis of Credit Visualized from Jonathan Jarvis on Vimeo.

Zappos and Amazon sitting in a tree...

2009-07-24T00:49:00.006-05:00

As Tony Hseih, CEO of Zappos.com would like to imply, the recent "Amazon-Zappos" deal is a happy marriage, with promising future prospects (Amazon privately bought Zappos for $847 million in cash and stocks and announced this deal, late on Wednesday). Wall Street seems to be wishing this union well - as the sentiment of the market, along with cheers from analysts, drove up Amazon.com's stock price by 5.8% to $94 by Thursday afternoon.

Zappos offers customers a huge selection: four million pairs of shoes (and other items, such as handbags and apparel). According to MarketWatch.com, Zappos has been a competitor to Amazon's own online-shoe destination called Endless.com, believed to be losing money. But what makes Zappos.com more interesting is its quirky, unconventional and yet successful culture.

Numerous articles, explaining the importance for companies to not only focus on a "hot product" or "hip style" but also on something important to "stand for" in the long term, have commended Zappos.com in how it conducts its business and serves its customers. "It's the emotional connection that seals the deal", explains Bill Taylor, a former associate editor with the Harvard Business Review, when describing what sets Zappos apart. In his recent article commenting on the Amazon-Zappos deal, he further comments on how "everything about how Zappos does business is meant to reassure, surprise, amuse, and otherwise engage customers — even as it attends to the basics of price, selection, and shipping."

Hseih's focus on lending a high touch (or give a "WOW" effect to)customer service like its popular free delivery service, or the "surprise upgrade" for its loyal customers - is remarkable! In one of my classes. I read about "servant leadership" (Read Robert Greenleaf's essay or authors like Stephen Covey) - and what I see in Zappos' culture, is a step ahead of that: they've gone above and beyond on their focus to "serve" their customers (and employees!) by adding a sensitive touch. Going back to the example of the "surprise upgrade" for its loyal customers - returning customers may make an order as late as 12am (midnight) and with the aid of overnight delivery, Zappos would surprise them with the order being delivered by 8am the following morning! Now, that would really set my morning off to a great start!

Zappos' unique approach extends its influence to its employees as well. They look for a very high level of energy in its employees, who undergo extensive training before being extended an offer for employment. Well, what's so great about that? Zappos pays a bonus and a salary for the amount they've worked during training to its new employees to quit the very day they're offered the job. By doing this, Zappos sort of tests the commitment of its new employees and bribes them to leave, so that only the truly committed stay behind.

A lot of concerns are voiced on whether Zappos would lose out on these singular traits - due to its acquisition - but that seems quite unlikely, owing to the fact that Amazon.com (with CEO Jeff Bezos) is also focused on similar long term goals as Zappos. Both companies are determined on providing quality service to its customers and both companies would highly benefit from the alliance: Zappos is now armed with the capabilities to leverage its services and expand its influence owing to the extensive resources and technological capabilities provided by Amazon and Amazon in turn bought over a competitor for a seemingly reasonable price

"According to Internet Retailer magazine, Zappos generated $600 million in revenue in '06 (up 62% year over a year), and generated $850 million in '07. This would imply a purchase multiple of well under 1x '09 sales," wrote Mark Mahaney of Citigroup in a note"

All in all, Zappos' culture is what most companies today should emulate. With the negativity and overall pessissm looming in the markets today, companies that are relatively stable, should focus on building customer loyalty and shareholder relationships by infusing a sense of genuine care, as Zappos has achieved. It's no wonder that Amazon, also emphasizing convenience and service for its customers, decided to acquire Zappos.

By honing this aspect, companies can elevate their positions and be successful players in the long term - even in the face of the downturn.

Leadership Anonymous

2008-11-12T23:47:00.003-06:00

Mahatma Gandhi, Winston Churchill and Abraham Lincoln have one, very obvious trait in common: Leadership. They were exemplary leaders and left a prominent footprint on the pages of history. But as with the many other lofty ideals that are often subject to my scrutiny, leadership has been my most recent victim.

The thoughts about leadership, that we experience when we imagine the impact that people like Ho Chi Minh and Martin Luther King have had on our world is marked with the giddy feeling of glory, like a rose-tinted dream. But what about the lesser known, yet impressive leadership challenges faced by people like Jacques Rogge

Being forced to act like the stuffing of a double layered sandwich, with angry human rights protesters on one side and the delicate, political sentiments of China on the other - managing, executing and negotiating must be the hardest endeavor ever. The worst part is - not many people even know about Jacques Rogge. Forget fame, Jacques Rogge's political tact is perhaps without much political impact - unlike that of Abraham Lincoln. It might be proper to even say that his attempts at preventing a tip in the balance of his front on the "Tibet" and "Darfur" issue might reflect a confusing model for the sportsmen participating in the Olympics.

What is the real recognition of such leadership? Is it personal satisfaction - is it thrill? Is it just the love of being in a squared situation? Perhaps it's just for the sake of the prestigious event. Anyhow - what I feel is the obscure leadership demonstrations as that displayed by Rogge, who stepped in to succeed the 20 years tenure of Juan Samaranch, while remarkable has very little appreciation tied to it - not to mention widespread impact. I, personally, would hate having to act like Kofi Annan when I actually want to work on sustaining the prestigious, glorifying experience for athletes participating in the Olympics.

Unrest?

2007-06-04T07:46:00.001-05:00

In college I would be comfortably and sometimes conveniently hidden from the constant chaos coloring newspapers and endless speculations on the "condition" of my country. Well, my world is whirring with activity all over again, as I just have to step out to find "unrest" walking on delhi streets. I'm talking about the Delhi "bandh" thanks to the sudden commotion by a certain Gujjar tribe of whom I've never heard about (and I'm sure not many others have either).

Why does our country need to compartmentalize our society, our people into different categories? I'm tired of hearing this question and the million answers to it. Most of the answers make sense, but nothing is ever done. Ultimately, the Gujjar's will be given Schedule caste status too, and I'm wondering what's stopping them from doing that anyway!

Is labeling people serving the right purpose? or is it just convincing them of their weakness? I've never understood socialism. In part, it is fair to protect the poor but the whole concept of protecting the poor or minority is to protect them from being wiped out by the leading power (ie. our government) or the majority in our country. Well the ironic part is that the majority of our government are minority/schedule castes/tribe or their supporters anyway! So are they really a minority?

The concept of socialism has been confused with broken pieces of communism, which have manifested itself into today's social and economic issues.. its festering product. It just defies the purpose of an economy. Economic principles somehow just fall out of sync with the ideals of socialism that are expressed into action in our country today.

Not Really Perfect!

2007-04-11T00:09:00.000-05:00

I attended the "MBA Panel" today which was organized by Alpha Kappa Psi (the Business Fraternity I'm part of) and I found answers to a lot of questions that kept whirring in my head about taking an MBA.

One of the questions that I was particularly thinking about before the panel took place was about what the ideal MBA applicant should be. And really haven't we heard a lot about who the perfect MBA applicant is? A consistent 4.0 GPA in college, college leadership experiences and a lot of work experience coupled with great recommendation letters.

The truth is that this perfect candidate is still quite imperfect. Attitude is what can tip the scale.

Going retrospective, I realized how much my own attitude has changed over the years. I've made so many mistakes but I'm happy I made them because I learned a lot from those mistakes. I remember the tough years I had at high school. Having social problems in high school is not something unusual, I'm sure. Each one of us have seen this. And although I didn't have the greatest times spent in high school, I know that those years were important. Because they helped me learn! I was a shy, introverted, taciturn, stubborn and sentimental individual who, in spite of getting good grades, was missing out on one major important thing: her attitude.

All the panelists emphasized the importance of attitude. Most top MBA programs hold interviews where they evaluate the candidate's attitude.

Forming a good attitude is almost a science. I don't think I'm exaggerating myself when I say this because developing a good attitude can be learned, even by introverts. Good attitude is something you see in many leaders today, or even in some of your friends! I think what I've observed in some of the people who I think have a good attitude is showing a genuine interest in other people. People who are always thinking of themselves can never find space in other peoples' lives. Maintaining eye contact and keeping in touch are two simple ways of expressing a positive interest. Yet, a lot of us forget to do even that. We all are busy and just a short, personalized e-mail or even a 5minute chat with complete attention to the person you're talking to can leave a favorable impression.

So you could have tremendous analytical skills or exceptional grades, but if you don't have a good attitude, you're not there yet.

The Extra Mile

2007-02-27T20:37:00.004-06:00

Challenge yourself everyday. One of the biggest mistakes we all make is not challenging ourselves enough, as a result of which, we never find out about our limitations and more importantly, our power!

Stretch, stretch, stretch! Go as far as you can and don't stop trying even when you think you can't reach farther. I read this story once, which motivates me till today to keep trying and running that extra mile:

During the 19th Century in America, many people headed west to search for gold, hoping to find their fortune. One such miner staked his claim in Colorado and began digging for gold. Within a few weeks he discovered a promising nugget, but to mine it, he was going to need mining equipment.

The miner covered up his find and retured home to raise the funds he needed from friends and family. Having done so, he returned to his mine with his new equipment and his dreams of riches. He began digging again.
He continued to dig for a long time, but did not find any more gold. Eventually he gave up, selling the mining equipment to a scrap merchant and returning home penniless.
The scrap merchant hired a geological specialist to survey the area. The specialist reported that the previous owner had not understood the "fault lines" and that the gold was probably near to where the miner had stopped digging.
The scrap merchant reopened the mine and started digging. He found the gold only three feet from where the first miner had stopped. The scrap merchant became a millionaire because he sought expert advice before giving up.

Every day is a learning experience, which is exciting, new and that one step I climb further in my personal and professional developments. As Winston Churchill said: "never, never, never, never give up!"

The True Professional

2007-02-16T21:45:00.001-06:00

I was asked this question, at a time when i least expected it. They say spontaneity brings out the thoughts that you have had on a certain concept or ideal, without superficiality, and succeeds in reflecting some of your inner values or thought-systems.

And that is exactly what happened.

I was blank.

You see, the truth is I've never really thought about what a true professional should be like. Being just in the first year of my college experience, I haven't yet had sufficient opportunities to be able to give a profound insight into that. But I had heard terms, terms like efficiency, reliability, time-management and integrity. I had heard these terms in speeches made by the fortune 500 CEOs and "How-to" books on developing your personality. These terms just simmered back to life in my mind, leaving a faded impression of what the true professional should be.

The good part is, that I was not really that dumbfounded and I did answer to the question. But what I did was blurt out all those terms that had sunk into my memory. It does help, at times, to be well read. :P

I was satisfied about my thoughts on some of the other ideas being discussed, like that of success, of ethics and the like. But i was unsatisfied with what I felt was a true professional.
I felt unsatisfied with the numerous terms that I shot back, pretending to be speaking them out from what I had thought, while I hadn't. And so you can probably predict what occupied my mind when I tried getting my three hours of sleep that night.

I've observed my father. I've read some really interesting books, written by Jack Welch or Carly Fiorina and what my limited horizon of thought could understand as being the most important aspect of a true professional, is self-respect and respect for others.
I vaguely remember one of my "Moral Science Class" teachers teaching us about "respecting oneself and respecting others," at a time when I was too little to understand the need of having to listen to a tall, grumpy lady talk while I could be home playing with my doll house.

I don't know if it requires several years of expertise, or a trail of leadership honors, or the title of an executive to understand what it takes to be a true professional, but I feel that respecting yourself and others plays an important role. Take any professional. And mind you, we deal with a lot of professionals through out the day like our professors, the store keepers, the bank customer service agents or even your phone service agents! They're all professionals, even though they might not be working in the tallest office building in New York.

Doesn't it put you off when a person doesn't respect you or your ideas? Forget ideas, doesn't it bother you when the person does not respect your time?
I'm sure there have been many instances in your life when you've been either stood up or kept waiting. Everyone is busy. No matter what his profession. Everyone is busy. Everyone might as well spend their time doing something else, other than talk to you. So respect does play an important part. I remember the times when I would have to hold onto the phone line for hours to get a simple roaming activation on my mobile, just to realize that either my call had been entirely forgotten or perhaps disconnected; and the times when I would have to wait in line for hours to see an adviser who was too busy discussing her shopping with her colleague to see any clients. A complete disregard for time. The first sign of a lack of professionalism.

Besides time, I feel that respecting someone else's idea, often works miracles as being a motivator. When you show respect for a person's ideas, you somehow elevate that person's own self-confidence and encourage him or her to bring out the best he or she's got. Each one of us like being respected, and we try hard to preserve that respect, even if some of us don't admit it. Most of us don't even respect our own selves and are very often insecure of some of our own ideas. Insecurity has its benefits, in that it provides a scope for change or expansion in perspectives, but it steals a good share of your self-respect with it too. And when you lose your self-respect, you lose a big chunk of yourself because you lose your biggest supporter: YOU

Start with respecting yourself for who you are, for what your capabilities are and then you'll find the ground for respecting others. Being a true professional, according to me, begins with coming to terms with yourself, not memorizing or scrutinizing the definitions of those lofty terms associated with professionalism.

Philosophy and Science

2006-11-02T23:27:00.002-06:00

One of the things I've particularly noticed and in some ways regretted, being a college student, is the incredible race for time. Time seems to assume dominance, sometimes even over what we study. This is obviously not what is probably intended when we're burdened with assignments, reading materials and tests. Yet, with most students, and i speak for myself, this eventually is what ends up being the case.

Isaac Asimov in his essay, "The Nature of Science," states that "it is not as important to save time and effort as to enjoy the time and effort spent. Why else should a man rise before dawn and go out in the damp to fish, waiting happily all day for the occasional twitch of his line, when without getting out of bed, he might have telephoned the market and ordered all the fish he wanted." In saying so, Asimov argues, that without the effort of learning about the history and past of science one cannot savor the completeness of learning science.

Perhaps, history does play an important role. And I certainly do agree that learning about the history of scientific thought does fill in a big missing piece. But really, is this effort we're actually looking at when it comes to learning about the history of scientific thought?

In other words, is it really the fact that we've put in a lot of effort to study the historical reference to a certain concept, that adds to the "joy" of science? I would certainly be skeptic when considering that as being true. I feel history is an important aspect of anything. The reason being that it leaves behind a map that has imprints of all the paths that have been followed before we've reached where we are today so we avoid those methods which have failed before.

However, the past should not restrict our thoughts for today. It is absolutely possible that certain trains of thought disregarded in the past may be actually useful today. For that reason, the journey that is the history of science helps us experience the evolution of science and understand the thought processes that help form the present face of science.

History is a valuable way of experiencing decades of human thought, development and ideas in a matter of just a few pages. And this experience is what is rewarding and what contributes towards providing the wholesome understanding of science. Not the effort on its own.

The Water Carriers

2006-09-06T20:50:00.001-05:00

My previous post left you with the thought of whether a person can be 'inspired' or highly 'motivated' to work in areas which can be generally considered more mundane as compared to other jobs.

Previously, I had cited the example of a street sweeper and quoted a few lines from Robert Frost's poem, "Two Tramps in Mud Time" and ever since, the thought has been lingering in my mind. The human mindset is way more complex than anything we can imagine. Perhaps, that is why Psychology and Neurosciences are still not able to predict, outline or graph the fluctuations of our mindsets and the effects of those fluctuations.

The truth is, that if there was anything that made the homo sapiens different and unique, it's the human mindset. The human mindset is powerful enough to change your life and the lives of all around you. It's really all about the way you think about it, be it your future or your present.

I came across this interesting example which proves that it's really the mindset which makes all the difference. If you want to believe that your situation is pitiable or boring, you will be unconsciously transforming your situation to just that! If you change that belief and embrace your situation as exciting or rewarding, your situation transforms into that!

Two men were responsible for carting water from the well for the whole village. The journey took half a day to get there and half a day to return with the full buckets back to the village.

One day a stranger asked what their responsibilities were. The first water carrier complained that he had to perform this tiring, hard and unappreciated duty.

The second water carrier explained that his role was critical to the survival of the village. He was entrusted by the elders of the village to provide the water that would refresh the children, wash the clothes and grow the crops.

In the above example, two distinct mindsets have been described, both arising from similar situations. My question here is, that in the case of the positive mindset, is there a certain amount of compromise involved in achieving that mindset?

Does the second person actually compromise on the possibilities of his future because he wants to believe that his current situation is aimed at a greater good - and therefore settles for this mundane job? Is it because he believes that there's no easy way out, that he takes his current situation in a positive light?

Wall-'Y' Street

2006-08-07T23:24:00.001-05:00

Yes, the world springs back in awe, as with the new century, comes the rise of a woman's era.
Why they call it a woman's era, beats me, but I guess, it's because the men around have finally woken up to the fact that women are indeed pretty much their equals, if not better, in most professional areas.

Success has nothing to do with sex. And I've firmly believed in that. I mean how does one chromosome determine your abilities and potentials. But success again is elusive in itself. We determine our own terms for success and make our own restrictions.

I came across an article on how very few women manage to survive at Wall Street. Moreso, the percentage of women opting for related professions has declined significantly.

The reason?

Well, women have to juggle two very demanding professions. One, which they've opted for after academic accomplishements etc. and the other, which they've been naturally assigned to by Nature.

If you've read the article I mentioned above (click on the link) you'd probably understand what I'm talking about.

What should a woman choose, when two roads lay ahead of her..
Her dream profession/job or her dream family life ?

For it seems that, for women who dream of a profession like the one described in the article can't afford to dream of being a successful mother/wife at the same time.
Why can't a father have restrictions of this nature?
Why must it be so, that a man can work as anything, be it a cook or an executive, and not worry about an imbalance in their personal lives?

The worst scenario is perhaps, when both man and wife are working in a similar, cut-throat, professional environment. Both are subjected to similar amounts of stress and lack of time. And at this point, it's usually the woman who must bow down and sacrifice her dreams for the happiness and comfort of her felicity.

Mind you, there's no hidden scorn in what I've written above. And in a way, I admire such women, who've had the courage to give up their dreams, their ambitions for something that has so much more value. Their Family and Children.
Indeed, personal fulfillments are more important than professional fulfillments because any woman is always 'incomplete' without being personally fulfilled.

They say work must always precede ones personal life. Well, that's easier to do when the woman is just about starting out with her life, her dreams fresh in the mind..

But what happens when she realises that her family's falling apart. That her home is less home and more of a 'structure'.. that she knows her files thoroughly but cannot remember when she last took her children for their medical shots?

That's when the chaos begins. And that's when the difficulty sets in.

There are very few women in this world, who are lucky enough to have an understanding and co-operative relationship, one that works on the 'symbiosis' mechanism. And what I mean by understanding or co-operative is not indicative of a partner who loves a woman any more than his counterparts, but one who realises the importance, the value of her dreams. A partner who cherishes her dreams as his own and partakes her responsibilites like she does his.

Am I talking about the ideal man?

Surely every woman would dream to belong to such a man!

Well, no. What I'm talking about is neither the man nor his woman, but the 'relationship' between them. A relationship that is like a bridge equally supported on both shoulders.

Well, is this impossible?

The Bull's Eye

2006-07-10T03:29:00.001-05:00

Yesterday's match was nothing short of a tragedy for French Fans (including myself). And whoever stayed up for the match yesterday night would've been shocked by how just one mistake can scratch out ones dreams. Well, unfortunately, some mistakes can't be given a second chance.

I don't know if I can be entirely neutral in my discussion of yesterday's match. I have to say this that the referee did seem to be blind to the fouls made by the Italians. I mean, Cannavaro made so many fouls and went unnoticed, be it repeatedly kicking Ribery or injuring Zidane. And what about the deliberate physical blocking by Materazzi. Shouldn't he have been given a yellow card at least for abusing Zidane and physically blocking him? Or is it just because Zidane gave him his two piece, that Materazzi's 'foul' move went unnoticed? How is it that each time Gatusso and Cannavaro would jump, or trip and foul.. they seemed to be overlooked? And when Henry was manouvering the ball, and Gatusso tripped on his way (over the ball) and kicked Henry in the process.. Henry got the foul.

However, it goes without saying that what Zidane did (way to go zizou!) was not in his best interests. And all of his fans felt like to strangle the commentators as they decried his action.. i mean "hey! we know what he did was wrong! we're hell shocked too! "

More than wrong, it was in the 'negative' interests of France. The consequences were inevitable and Zidane had to be out with that red card. A blatant, open aggressive action of that sort simply cannot go unnoticed and he should've had that in mind! The point is.. when it comes to someone like Zidane who's standing on a critical position, with the immense responsibilities of his team and future.. he just has to keep his cool. And if only Trezeguet was Zidane, then France would've never lost that chance!

I have to say I really felt depressed yesterday. Being a fan of Zidane myself, it's so mighty depressing to see his career end that way. And moreso, to think how much pressure he was under, how many expectations he shouldered, and how he must be feeling now after reflecting what happened on the field.

It would be unfair if i didn't applaud Gianluigi Buffon. Buffon was spectacular and rightly hailed as the best Goal keeper in the world. And what was more frustrating was that Barthez just wasn't upto his mark. The penalty shoot-outs were frightning and if only Trezeguet didnt miss that goal. If only his angle was a little more parabolic it would've changed the prospects. But with T. Henry, Ribery and Zidane out of the scene, one cannot hope for much good luck.

They say greatness lies in the attitude. And there's nothing more true. Anger, Frustration and Disappointments are but tests of your endurance and the tenacity of mind. In the end, the man with self control always wins.

Unified Field Theory

2006-05-03T09:11:00.001-05:00

There is a general aesthetic among high energy physicists that the more symmetrical a theory is, the more "beautiful" and "elegant" it is.

The beauty of any complex concept actually lies on that simple, fundamental base that unites them. Like the trunk of the tree that branches into diverse, non-converging concepts.
The most intriguing part, for any physicist, is the attempt to find that trunk that stems out into concepts as divergent as quantum mechanics and the theories of relativity which were proposed by Albert Einstein.
One of the most beautiful descriptions I've ever come that emphasizes this dilemma is quoted below:

"Calling it a cover up would be far too dramatic.But for more than half a century - even in the midst of some of the greatest scientific achievements in history - physicists have been quietly aware of a dark cloud looming on a distant horizon."
(From "The Elegant Universe" by Brian Greeene)

The truth is, this dark cloud looming in the distant horizon, was also responsible for Einstein to trip during his quest for a unified theory, a theory that would connect the two most
antithetical concepts in Physics: Quantum mechanics and the Theory of Relativity.

"Through years of research, physicists have experimentally confirmed to almost unimaginable accuracy virtually all predictions made by each of these theories. But these same theoretical tools inexorably lead to another disturbing conclusion:
As they are currently formulated, general relativity and quantum mechanics cannot both be right. "
(From "The Elegant Universe" by Brian Greeene)

In attempt to briefly describe what the Unified Theory in Physics aims at:

Unified Field Theory, in physics, a theory that proposes to unify the four known interactions, or forces—the strong, electromagnetic, weak, and gravitational forces—by a simple set of general laws. Four distinct forces are known to control all the observed interactions in matter: gravitation, electromagnetism, the strong force (a short-range force that holds atomic nuclei together), and the weak force (the force responsible for slow nuclear processes, such as beta decay). The attempts to develop a unified field theory are grounded in the belief that all physical phenomena should ultimately be explainable by some underlying unity.

Indeed, one of the biggest challenges today would be to find a concrete unifying theory, ironically the simplest and most fundamental explanation of what connects the different aspects of our physical world.

Physics has evolved into such magnanimous proportions that finding the root, the floor of this vast and endless ocean has become even more complex a task.

All concepts, ideas and systems are somehow connected to each other by an invisible thread.

Engineers v's Doctors

2006-03-21T11:44:00.000-06:00

Hail all engineers and aspiring engineers ;)

------------------------------------------------------

7 Engineers and 7 Doctors are going from PUNE to Mumbai.

So they both gather at Pune Station.

Both groups are desperately trying to prove their superiority.

SCENE 1 (PUNE- MUMBAI) :

---------------------------------------

7 engineers take only 1 Ticket and 7 doctors buy all 7 tickets..

Doctors are desperately waiting for TC to come......

When TC arrives,

All 7 Engineers get in one toilet So when TC knocks , one hand come
out with the ticket and the TC goes away....

----------------------------------------

NOW on return Journey All of them don't get a direct train to PUNE.
So they all decide to take a Passenger till Lonavala, from there they
can
easily get a LOCAL to PUNE

SCENE 2 (MUMBAI - LONAVALA) :

---------------------------------------------

Doctors decided, "this time we will prove that we ! too are
equal"....All 7 Doctors take 1 Ticket. Engineers don't buy any ticket at
all!!!!!..

TC arrives....

ALL DOCTORS IN ONE TOILET.ALL ENGINEERS IN THE OPPOSITE ONE..

One engineer gets out and knocks the door of Doctors toilet, One
Hand comes with the tickets, he takes the ticket and comes in engg.
Bathroom...

TC DRIVES out ALL the doctors from the toilet and they are heavily
fined

---------------------------------------------

SCENE 3 ( LONAVALA) :

-----------------------------------------

SO now both the group r on LONAVALA station. Doctors planning their
move for last chance, they board the local to Pune.

This time doctors decide that they will play the same(1 ticket) trick.

ALL Doctors take 1 tickets...Engineers BUY all 7 tickets this
time...

SO TC Comes. All Engineers showed their tickets.....

Doctors are still searching for toilet in the LOCAL train...........

----------------------------------------------------------------

Conclusion: Technically intelligent people are genius, but don't mess
with Engineers.

The Myth of Technology

2006-02-17T23:31:00.001-06:00

Very often in business or our daily transactions and dealings we often hear or see a supposedly inspiring/convenient/novel idea the possibilities of which seem to excite us and unleash a chain of expectations and hopes of how the ideas may impact our own lives or our business.

Unfortunately, more often than not, most of us immediately adopt the idea, without giving it a second thought. Even without understanding how it really works!

Robin Speculand, through the following anecdote, has very explicitly articulated the 'herd' mentality and the tendency of most people to plunge into an idea without analysing it to the fullest, understanding its mechanisms and testing it:

Two men were passing through Customs at an airport. The first, a Japanese, had two large suitcases and the other, a Texan, was helping him move them towards the Customs officer, when the Japanese man's wristwatch started to beep. He listened to the message and talked into a miniature telephone on his wristwatch. The Texan was amazed and offered the man $5000 for his watch. But the Japanese was not selling.
The Texan continued to help the Japanese man push his heavy bags forward and a few seconds later the watch beeped again. This time the man opened the watch to receive an e-mail on a small screen and used the tiny computer keyboard on the watch to reply to the message. The Texa watched in awe and offered him $25,000 for the watch. Again, he was told the watch was not for sale. And again, the Texan helped push the enormous bags forward.
The watch beeped a third time and out came a fax. The Texan, now determined to have the watch, upped the bid to $300,000. The Japanese asked if he had the money and the Texan wrote a check on the spot. The Japanese man processed the check on his watch and transferred the money to his Swiss bank account. He took off the watch, handed it to the Texan and walked away.

"Wait," the Texan shouted. "You've forgotten your luggage!"
"Those aren't my bags," the Japanese man shouted back, "Those are the batteries for your watch!"
(Adapted from Turning it On by Robin Speculand)

During the Internet boom, CEOs who did not immediately transform their companies into the e-world were considered old-fashioned, stubborn and even a threat to their companies' survival. Only three years later, the same CEOs were being regarded as strategic thinkers, leaders, visionaries and even genuises for waiting to understand the Internet better.

A Scientific Thesis on why the Chicken Crossed the Road

2006-01-24T04:23:00.003-06:00

Our intellectual gray haired noble scientists were summoned to speculate upon a complicated issue on a special conceptual model analysing a certain unusual physical activity:
The statement : "Why did the chicken cross the road?"
(a buzz of excitement in the background...arguments..thumping of fists on the tables and occasional 'Eurekas!')
Here are some of the collective thesis statements on the subject:
ARISTOTLE: It is the nature of chickens to cross the road .
Andre Ampere: To keep up with current events.
Alexander Graham Bell: To get to the nearest phone.
Robert Boyle: She had been under too much pressure at home.
Marie Curie: She was radiating with enthusiasm as she crossed the road
Nicolaus Copernicus: Despite the evidence of your senses I can show that itis mathematically simpler to describe it as the road passing under thechicken.
C. J. Doppler: For its effect on passer-bys.
Thomas Edison: She thought it would be an illuminating experience.
Richard Feynman: It didn't cross the road to the other side. It actually came back to where it started but was momentarily moving backward in time.
Jean Foucault: It didn’t. The rotation of the earth made it appear to cross.
Buckminister Fuller: Because we have not yet designed and implemented true,constantly forwardly/backwardly evolving, energy-transforming livingmachines which will enable us to perform all functions from the informedlyturbining hub of a single autonomous in-spiralling/out-radiating network ofspace-connected information vector transforms. Had the chicken beensupplied with my Dymaxion Tensegrity Coop, it would have remained at home,un-tempted by such risky spatial-temporal translations.
Galileo: To get a better look at the stars.
Karl Gauss: Because of the magnetic personality of the rooster on theother side.
Gustav Hertz: Lately, its been crossing with greater frequency.
Johannes Kepler: He crossed in an arc, not a straight line.
Newton: 1) Chickens at rest tend to stay at rest. Chickens in motion tend to cross the road.2) It was pushed on the road.3) It was pushed on the road by another chicken, which went away from the road.4) It was attracted to a chicken on the other side of the road 5)An apple fell on its head
Scientists have been unable to arrive at a major consensus and have declared the issue to be arbitrarily influenced by varying frames and different environments. There have been numerous attempts on experimentally verifying the cause of such an event, however, on examination of the experimental apparatus it was later discovered that the chicken was dead.
Conclusion: Since this unusual behavior has been demonstrated by a chicken that is currently out of order for experimental purposes it can be inferred that the absurd characteristic under observation cannot be generalised for other chickens.

Argue+?=Progress

2005-12-08T00:47:00.001-06:00

How argumentative ARE we? and is being argumentative really productive?

When i read through the first chapter of 'The Argumentative Indian' I discovered certain elements which are indeed an inherent aspect of me...because i'm an Indian!(?)

Apropensity to argue and seek answers is one of my passions. To seek, to question and change is really what makes arguments valuable everywhere.But do arguments really make an impact, a long lasting change? or is it more like the whimsical breeze that rustles up dead leaves only to let them fall again?

Indeed the argumentative idiosyncracies of the Indian folk, if utilized in blowing away the dogmatic doctrines and clearing the way for sunlight, into the deep stretches of untouched and marshy land is truly worthwhile.

This marshy land perhaps being the unused, rotting intellect of the millions who do not have the opportunity to rise like strong equatorial trees - not the roots nor means and thus suffer oblivion and darkness.

How do arguments help these darker reaches of the world?

Breaking the chains

2005-11-24T07:35:00.001-06:00

What exactly is the meaning of education?

I'd really like some comments on this one. Is education really just imparting and grasping knowledge? Can't education be on a deeper level - something beyond diplomas, academic courses or lectures?

I sometimes feel 'educated' when i glance into the eyes of a street orphan,just to enter his 'dimension' is something of an education. I'm sure never to encounter something like this in text books. Indeed i've seen my friends waste away so much time 'mugging' pages of text that supposedly enrich your knowledge database, they're really missing out on so much!

Why can't education be more of a discovery, a journey into indepth creativity and skills that constitute an individual? Why must we be trained to accept rigid barriers in education and transform ourselves into mechanical robots?

I think grades are so inappropriate! While prestigious institutions boast of having high score averages i believe that the core of the situation is missing something!Something beyond the symmetry of an A grade really...

I've come to think of knowledge as a universal binding force that exists in the soul of the universe. You can give this any fancy latin term for all i care but really the fact remains that no matter how competitive the world may get the true goal of every student and individual should remain to be connected to the soul of the universe. Maybe a proximity to this binding energy is what created Einsteins and Mozarts! ;)

How do you connect with this invisible energy?

Well, the way that works best with me is to be immersed in silence
does this sound like yoga? no! and its not that esoteric. When things seem pretty hard, i close myself and search within. I try to picture a glowing field of energy within me and meditate on that for a while. It is at these moments that i feel truly connected to every pulse of life. This is knowledge and this is how you learn. You get answers. The answers lie within us and we're all just terrible at looking at the right places.

Every individual has knowledge,a store of wonderful things that no research lab can probably ever discover...

Life isnt the construction of a building - it's the discovery of a mystic monument that tells us stories,secrets and the beautiful truths of life and helps us remember what we already know deep within.

Beware of National Pride

2005-11-11T01:27:00.002-06:00

Mussolini ordered his picture to be put on all stamps. Soon afterwards, the Italian post office received complaints from the postal workers that the stamps kept falling off the envelopes. Mussolini heard about it and ordered that the post office used a stronger glue.
"It's not the glue," the postmaster said, "it's because the people are spitting on the wrong side of the stamps!" :)

The Unsolvable Math Problem

2005-11-11T01:18:00.002-06:00

A student falls asleep during his math lecture. He wakes up just as the lecture ends and sees two problems on the blackboard. Assuming that they are the homework questions for next week, he quickly scribbles them down. That night he starts working on the first problem. It is tough and it takes him a few days before he finally solves it. He then starts on the second problem, but in the end concedes that he cannot solve it.

At the end of the next lecture he approaches the professor and explains how he could not finish the homework from last week. The lecturer looks at the student and asks him what homework he is referring to. The student shows the lecturer two problems.
Amazed, the lecturer checks the student's solution to the problem and ascertains he'd done it correctly.
It turned out that the two problems on the board were unsolvable mathematical enigmas that had baffled the greatest minds for years.
Now, if the student had been awake and heard that the problems were unsolvable, do you think he would have even tried?

Mother Teresa

2005-11-10T08:13:00.001-06:00

This is an interesting anecdote I read the other day... very inspiring too

One day Mother Teresa went to a local bakery to ask for bread for the starving children in the orphanage. The baker, outraged at people begging for bread from him, spat in her face and refused. Mother Teresa calmly took out her handkerchief, wiped the spit from her face and said to the baker, "Okay, that was for me. Now what about the bread for the orphans?"
The baker, shamed by her response, gave her the bread she wanted.

Ask yourself how you would have reacted in that situation