Currently reading - William Gibson, "Neuromancer"

This cult classic was the source of the term 'cyberspace' as also many of the ideas behind the Matrix.
A friend of mine who dropped by today was discussing the game "Deus Ex" (based on the Unreal 1 engine, released around 2000) and the genre described by him as 'cyberpunk'. Which reminded me that I have this book, so now I'm reading it. Expect a review in a day or so.

Next Read: Philip K. Dick, "Flow my tears, the policeman said". By the same dude on whose books and short stories the movies "Minority Report" and cult classic "Bladerunner" ("Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep?") were based. I read this three or four years ago and don't remember it too clearly any more. Just that it was whacked out!

Take your Jung Typology Test here

http://www.humanmetrics.com/cgi-win/JTypes2.asp

and check up the details of the result here

Its pretty interesting because I turn out to be an INTP, but online my behaviour more closely resembles that of an ENTP - at least in the sense that I love to argue.

Fresher's Day

Well, the new batch of freshers at work are getting together for an ice-breaking session tomorrow at the office. We are a very diverse bunch - 11 Indians, 14 non-Indians. Here's the breakup:

• Among the Indians, there are only two "localites" including myself(thats slang for long-term resident of Bangalore and probaly implies that you're culturally a Kannadiga).
  
• A couple more are hostelites from engineering colleges, so they've been here for the four years of their courses.
• Five are from Pune
• Two are from Bombay

I didn't get much of a chance to chat up the non-Indian freshers - we spent an hour or so together attending a couple of real long sessions covering Lotus Notes and stuff. I'm not even sure if all of them attended. Guess I'll get to know 'em better tomorrow. I'm not too sure but here's the approximate breakup

• Two or three guys and one chica from the US
• Two (maybe three?) guys from Canada
• Two from China

I'm not sure how that makes 14, but I'll figure it out tomorrow :)

Just curious about yoga...

Just curious - how many of you think yoga is unchristian? I mean, technically it is categorized as heresy, being a central stream of philosophy in Hinduism, so...

Doc Ern's post here brought this to mind.

Start work today

Aaargh! Work! Wonder what its gonna be like. I'm going to find out the hard way in a few hours. better get some shut eye.

Here's a pic of my crazy mutt Elsa, who's half Labrador, half Alsatian and mostly hyperactive. Never mentioned her earlier - I'll try to get a better pic of hers. She turned a year old on 23rd June 2005. Not sure what my dad did with all the others he took...

About the Ayodhya attack

Two days ago, the Ram mandir on the disputed site of the Babri masjid was attacked by six terrorists. They didn't succeed. One poor old lady died.
Its a good sign that they tried this. After all these months, the assholes are getting panicky. They're worried that India and Pakistan may actually find peace. That the average Pakistani may discover that the average Indian does not have horns - despite all the propaganda their government has put out to the contrary over the last fifty years. That a Hindu like me could wait for Id as eagerly as any Muslim (heck - everyone knows that Muslim biryani is the best biryani, and my friend's mom makes totally awesome snacks; I always find an excuse to drop in when they are breaking fast).
Well, screw you, assholes. If you think thats gonna make me attack my neighbour you're mistaken. It isn't going work. Not in a million years. We were all part of Bharat long before we were Hindu or Muslim or Christian or whatever. Long before India and Pakistan. Under Ashoka. Under Akbar. Under the East India company, even. And thats how it will remain.

Refer:
Outlook on the Ayodhya attack
The Hindu (ironically, this is India's most sober and secular newspaper and also probably the oldest english daily)

About the London bombing

The right attitude is everything. Never let the trouble mongers get on your nerves. That's their objective - stir up anger. We're all members of diverse societies - and a terrorist's objective is to divide us along communal lines. Have us fight each other, doing his job for him. We should never let that happen. Never. See what cjm has to say - this dude has it right. Read his post here:

We are not afraid

Damn, but I missed that holiday

Well, I start work tomorrow and I was just regretting the fact that I didn't make it for a holiday anywhere at all! And all because I was going through some old snaps.

This here pics are from my trip to Goa with the herd a couple of years ago (that would be August 2002) just after the second semester exams...

Thats Ram footboarding on the way to Londa A view of the train

At Londa station
Benny and Ashit having a friendly discussion en-route from Londa to Goa
In the Western Ghats on the way to Goa
Abhi, Suhas, Ashit, Ram, myself, Greedy and BennyAshit in perspective, Western GhatsAbhi, myself, Ram and Suhas, Western Ghats
Inside the taxi when we reached Panjim after seven hours (instead of two), thanks to a traffic jam caused by...
..this truck.
The beach at last!
When the bike broke down...

At a hill next to Anjuna(is that how its spelt?) beach. Thats it there, by the coconut trees.Myself, same place
Outside our guesthouse, before heading of for the Independence day party

My first Speed-breaker!

I think I forgot to mention this little bit of info. Shortly after my offer from ThoughtWorks was confirmed I suggested to my dad that he loan me about 60K to buy a bike. I said I would pay him back in installments over the course of next one year.
I had it all planned. I mean the bike (the Bajaj Pulsar 180 DTSi) was now in its 3rd avatar and absolutely irresistable. And with a fuel efficiency of 45Kmpl - for all you metrically challended people thats roughly 106 miles per US Gallon - it would make expenses bearable (fuel costs Rs.50.60 for 93 octane in Bangalore!). It was perfect!




Obviously, my dad disagreed. Shortly after, I was saddled with a Maruti 800. No, not a bike. A car. The world's cheapest car, to be precise (supposedly...). Whats worse, it doesn't come in black. And it gives a wallet crippling 15Kmpl(55 mpg). Well, that's life. Atleast I don't have to pay for it- though I do have to pay for the fuel which is bad 'nuff.

Guess I'll have to start planning and saving for a 400cc second hand bike now...