Category: general

As you might have figured out by now (if you are not reading this through a feed browser), this journal now has a new theme. I kinda got bored of that notepad theme, and wanted somethign more cluttered!

Tell me if you like it.?

Amit Varma has linked to this piece by Vir Sanghvi in the Hindustan Times. It’s about the recent incident in Baroda where the artist was arrested, dean chucked out and a lot of protests happened.

Now, HT, in an attempt to make some money from this online edition, features some ads by Google. Now, I don’t know what ads you will see when you go to the site, but I saw these.

Too much. And to actually think that these islamic sites actually advertise through google! even more amazing!

Update

I just read through the piece. An extremely strong piece of writing. Completely endorse it. Too bad the HT is not available in Bangalore.

Now, in the context of the article, the choice of ads by Google looks much more unmitigated!

I’m writing this as I eat an apple – a “Washington apple” to be precise. A few years back, I don’t think I would’ve had the luxury of eating an apple in may! The profusion of these “foreign apples” now makes this possible.

I have been brought up with the belief that apple is a seasonal fruit, and you get it only during July – September, immediately after the mango season. That is still the case with the “Delhi apple”. However, apples from Australia, New Zealand and the US seem to be available all over the year.

Is it a phenomenon of the monsoon? (you may notice that the Delhi apple season coincides with the monsoons) Is it that apple trees need lots of rain to bear fruit, and hence bear fruit throughout hte year in the US and New Zealand where, unlike in North India, rains are not seasonal?

Or is it that trees are seasonal – something like each tree bears fruit on its birthday (ok i’m exaggerating here, but using it to clarify my point)? And that the american nad NZ farmers have taken care to plant trees around the year? And this might not be possible in india due to the rain situation?

Or, it it the case of better preservation and storage? Is it that the trees in US and NZ are also seasonal, but just that the fruits are preserved better, and hence available throughout hte year? If that is the case, there is both a worry and an opprotunity for Indian apple farmers. If it is possible to store apples in good condition thorughout the year, then such facilities must be brought in to India. If we can cut wastage, and if we increase area under apple cultivation (ok the latter is a really long term thing), couldn’t the apple growing industry in India do so much better?

All said and done, the Delhi apple is far superior to all other varieties when it comes to taste. Or maybe it is that since I’ve grown up eating the Delhi apple, the taste of “apple” i have grown up with is that of the Delhi apple and hence don’t really accept other varieties. Waiting for the Delhi apple season to begin. Till then, I guess I should better stick to mangoes.

Got this mail in my official inbox today.

Hi All,

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We have XYZ ABC celebrating his birthday on Sunday i.e. on 20^th May.

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Please join me in wishing him many many happy birthday in advance!!!!

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Regards,

*Name blanked out to protect identity*

Human Resource

I’ve retained the fonts and colors from the mail that i had received. A couple of things you might want to notice, if you haven’t already – “many many happy birthday”, the underlining and highlighting, etc.

The best of all however is “Human Resource”!

Scott Adams writes, “My hypothesis for today is that a person’s need for social interaction is inversely related to the quality of his or her imagination”.

And I’ve spent most of the day trying to reconcile myself with this statement.

Given that I do indulge in a lot of “social interaction”, i’m wondering if i’m not imaginative enough, and not willing to accept that. I’m also wondering if I actually interact more than what I NEED TO. Or it is that I interact in order to show off that i’m more imaginative than most!
???

arvindn

?points out that a google search for Delhi yields the first result to be some obscure village called Delhi in New York state!

How shameful.

So here I am, doing my bit, linking to the wikipedia article on our Delhi. I request you people also to do the same.

So what if the city churns out TDCs by the thousands, and exports them all over the country, and even abroad! It is still the capital of our country, and we must do our bit to save it’s reputation on the internet.

So Sarkozy has comfortably won the election and will be sworn in as the French President next week. Good to know that a right-wing guy has won with a comfortable majority in mainland europe.

I have one concern though. Sarkozy is known to be an immigrant-baiter, despite being an immigrant himself. Rather, he is supposed to be against immigrants of Arab and African origin.

I’m wondering what will happen to the French national football team! No Henry, no vieira, no makelele, no gallas, no cisse….?

😛