Art And Me...

For long I've wondered how art fits into the human thought. Accustomed to the rational way of thinking, I had never given art its importance. Now, when I read Dr.S. Chandrasekhar's views about it and my dear Destiny's work, I begin to realize how important art is to the human psyche and what a treasure trove I've missed all my life.

Now for all the math and physics people ranting how futile the exercise (art) is...here's something logical to think about. Art evolved much earlier in humans than math or (of course) physics. The abstract world that mathematicians live in is that part of the brain that was created and furnished by our artist ancestors. Yes, art is highly personal but think of some form of art that is universal and you end up with math.

When I sit around with my darling Destiny and talk about her work, (she's specializing in Painting), I see how fulfilling the whole idea of looking at the world through your eyes and then letting the world know how it looks is. Mind you, the skills required to do so are extremely hard and I can't imagine myself , forever wielding a pen and writing equations, ever holding a brush (i'd love to though). Equations are beautiful in their own right, of course, but then art is much deeper.

Da Vinci is a great example of what I'm trying to explain = Scientartist!

I find Dr.Feynman's views seem extremely befitting now that I see all the art around me. I've started noticing how detailed the world is (through Destiny) and also knowing how it works at the finest levels (through Physics). I hope to get deeper into both realms, someday ending up someplace where I can't distinguish both anymore. Unification as the physicists would call it. Namaste.

My journey till now, with LINUX!

I have to admit. I was introduced really late. I was around 15, and thought I new more about computers than the average computer-owning person on the road. I was wrong by light years! I hadn't known LINUX yet! I knew a little about the history and how Windows came about, but as some pseudo-scientists would call it, Microsoft had monopolized my brain. Well... I am in love with Linux now. And when I see people struggling around with viruses and error messages, I haven't had a crash worth mentioning ( anything qualifies if it caused any discomfort) in all the years I've used linux, Ubuntu to be precise.Agreed, the OS can't be of much use unless you have an internet connection (for all the codecs and peripherals  you may need) but if you do have an internet connection and still are stuck with Windows, I do feel pity on you (not on people like Destiny though who are just starting out and don't wan't to experiment...yet (: ).
So, I'd point out a few things that make Linux so good...

1) Its free! Most of it at least. I know most of you reading this would shrug and say that you got your OS for free but then Microsoft would call you a thief ( though i totally vouch for what you've done ). And the Mac people would say that they got their OS bundled. But then you can't play around with it (more on that later).
Whats even more appealing is the fact that even the customer support is free, considering that most Linux Distributions don't have customer support. Its the community of people online who usually aid you. The least time I've had with someone from the other side of the planet helping me with the system is around 1 min. Compare that to the Microsoft Error Message that asks you to write a mail to them outlining the problem which you promptly click on 'Don't Send' knowing you haven't bought the software. Its no better with the people buying the thing either. Not that you'd require help so often in Linux but its better.

2) Its faster, looks better and does everything your Windows system does (if not more efficiently ). Gone are the days when you had to be more than a newbie to navigate Linux. The GUI is more work friendly and looks really cool (Mandriva Linux being the OS in question ). There are software applications to suite to your every need (of course free ) and even whole Linux OSes for specific needs. Whats even more cool are the really small linux systems. Damn Small Linux is aroung 50 Mb and is an OS you can carry around in your pen drive. Geexbox (around 16 mB) turns your PC into a media centre ! You don't even have to install it !

3) You can tweak anything and everything. Not that most people would do that but then it becomes an ethical question. Would you rather have intellectual property that you think you can (or random somebody) can better and suite it to your needs or would you take whatever that comes out of the production line ? I'd suggest that you read about FOSS and Stallman and then you'd know what I'm talking about.

I can't help a smirk when i see friends starting up anti-virus scanners whenever a pen drive is plugged in or whenever the 'bomp' sound comes out of a Windows system. I've left those days behind and I hope more and more people do. Namaste.

Metamorphosis of What ?!?

Metamorphosis of Prime Intellect - A novel by Roger Williams

It has been a day I'd rather not remember. :-( Depressing since it began. And then I had the (mis?)fortune of reading this (free) online book called "Metamorphosis of Prime Intellect". (Warning : Spoilers coming your way).
Its a nice read and gives an account of what happens once we reach the stage popularly known as Technological Singularity (MATRIX, Terminator anyone ?). You have to be stupid to read this book on a sad day. With lots of gore sex (there's even incest) and mindless graphic violence, the story does force you to think (when its not describing sex between a zombie and the protagonist lady). Would we turn into vegetables, if we had a generous God-like computer taking care of our every whim and need ? How much as I told myself that if I'd been in that world,  I'd be rather having a family and pursuing my hobbies, but given that in the story, you're immortal and more importantly, all of science is now known (huh?), I don't think anyone would be spared from the abyss that the story puts forth for every human soul, making everyone a masturbating vegetable. The book has a lot of things that speaks volumes about human lives and its messed up my mind for a few days at least.

For everyone whose going to read the book after reading this, especially people who know (and maybe like?) quantum physics, please don't pay attention to all the random stuff about it. Looking for gore scenes or interesting questions, either way, interesting read but not on a Monday. :-) Namaste.

Flower Power !

Taking a stroll by the Viceregal Lodge with Destiny, she goes crazy. The sheer number and variety makes her jump in joy... here are a few.  

Namaste... 

A first... and thanks for that

I began quizzing when I was in class 8^th (thanks Dhruv) and was a regular quizzer till class 11^th. Then the boards and destiny took prominence and I stopped.(Destiny, though, must be thanked for making me realize how unjust I had been in not allowing anyone else in participate in quizzes. So...thank you destiny )

I'm deeply regretful but leaving that apart, one thing that was common to every quiz that I've done till today (today is different (-: ), I've always come a close (not so close on many occasions) second. Never won a quiz till date. Yes, you got that right. None. Always second. Maybe it reflects on my abilities as a quizzer, maybe it doesn't. Never mind that.

Second...at Jack Kilby Science Quiz.

But today it was different. I won a quiz !!! More on that later. But first a small thanks...

I went to the LSR QUIZ today and didn't have a partner. Siting alone in a crowd, I was wondereing how bad I would perform. “Some one needs a partner?”. My hand goes up involuntarily. Then I see him... bald, french beard and a lanky walk. “Hi...I'm Varun” Skipping everything in between, let me get to the point. This guy is amazing. Period. We won the quiz of course. And I believe even Varun would say that my contribution wasn't zero, but then, the credit of winning the thing rests on Varun. Apart from the few tips I got from the seasoned quizzer, I learnt how a quiz is supposed to be played. “I didnt know shit when I was in first year, and then I realized that to get better, you just had to go for these things again and again.” Realizing that I'm in first year and then realizing that I didn't know shit either (I do, but compared to this behemoth, its negligible – this guy can make connects on the fly – he'll write the stuff and then I'd realize – Oh...I know this ). So, its uplifting to know that I have time and that I can (and believe me, I will) make it to this guy's league.

So, here's the thing. We won today ! A lot of money too. Maybe a small thing for him. But a first for me. Thank you Varun. Maybe it was the first and last time that we were a team. But it has changed my outlook. As you rightly said, “Enjoy the thing. Have fun, stupid!” .  

PS : And thank you Varun for helping me with my Valentine's Day budget. :-)

PPS : - I still have your pen...oooh never mind... :-)