I found a hilarious account of dealing with hotel bandwidth hogs: identifying the P2P user via Netbios, calling their room pretending to be an RIAA investigator, and watching the network speed recover as they panic.

Hilarious post on how to stop filesharers from stealing hotel bandwidth. So, I’m in Milwaukee at ye olde Holiday Inn Express. They have a wireless internet connection here and it’s been suckin’ all night, like I couldn’t even do anything on it. I suspected someone running a p2p program and taking up all of the bandwidth, so I fired up ntop to analyze the type of traffic on the network, and just who it was generating it. Lo and behold, someone was running a p2p app, and taking up 1.6Mbit worth of bandwidth. That’s just not fair to the 20 other people on the network, so I decided to boot him from the network. I tried poisoning his arp cache and the default gateway’s cache, but that only works on some wireless access points, apparently not this one. I can’t send an 802.11 deauth message from my OS X box, because the card doesn’t support raw packet injection, so what to do??? I notice that his IP in the ntop interface changed into a name. His windows machine was spewing Netbios packets with his computer name in it. For the sake of his privacy, I’ve changed the name, but let’s say it was “smith-laptop”. So I pick up my cellphone and call the front desk at the hotel and as for Mr. Smith’s room. The lady at the front desk says “Eric Smith?” And I tell her yes. The phone rings, someone picks up, the conversation goes like this: Me: Eric Smith? Eric: Uhh, yeah? Me: My name is Jim Grant, and I’m an investigator with the RIAA. Have you heard of us? Eric: Uhhhhh….. What does that stand for? Me: Recording Industry Association of America. We represent several large record companies. In monitoring several p2p filesharing networks, we have found that you Eric, are currently downloading copyrighted material. Are you aware that this is illegal? Eric: Ummm…. my laptop is off. (At this point, I no longer see him on the network) Me: We are in the process of filing 18182 lawsuits against people who steal copyrighted music on the internet. We will continue monitoring these networks, and if we see you on them again, you will hear back from us. Eric: Ok, thanks. Bye. So, now my network is nice and speedy again. And some guy is in his room trying to dry out his underwear. :) I should have recorded the call since my cellphone has the capability to record conversations. The above conversation can’t even begin to show the fear in his voice. I’m sure he’s scared as hell wondering how they found out his name and that he was staying at a hotel and exactly what room he was in.

How to stop filesharers from stealing hotel bandwidth


I've shared a resource on surviving extreme emergencies like plane crashes, riots, and vehicle brake failure. It covers practical tactics for dire situations and even includes advice for more improbable events like alien abductions.

How to survive worst case scenarios, like a riot, plane crash or car without brakes. Also includes an alien abduction scenario. Comments Rajiv 5 Dec 2005 7:50 pm: Are you still at BCG? S Anand 5 Dec 2005 9:08 pm: Infosys Consulting right now.

How to survive worst case scenarios


I highlight an analysis of Yahoo’s 2005 resurgence, detailing how the company leveraged its media assets and integrated platform to compete against Google and Microsoft during the peak of the portal era.

How Yahoo got its Mojo back.

How Yahoo got its mojo back


I explore how to use the HTML accesskey attribute to define keyboard shortcuts for better website accessibility. This technique allows users to navigate via key combinations, following the principles of the Dive Into Accessibility guide.

HTML keyboard shortcuts using the "accesskey" attribute.

HTML keyboard shortcuts


Memory capacity is determined by how effectively we filter out irrelevant information rather than raw storage volume. High-capacity individuals use neural mechanisms to prevent distractors from occupying space in their limited working memory.

Human memory capacity is about filters, not storage.

Human memory capacity is about filters not storage


I downloaded the entire IMDb database to view offline using MovieDb software. I’m also using this local copy to track my progress as I work through watching every movie on the IMDb Top 250 list.

You can download an up-to-date copy of the entire Internet Movie database, and use software like MovieDb to view it remotely on your computer. My current project: watch the entire top 250 films. Comments Cell Burner 22 Sep 2008 6:28 am: Suppose I want to download the entire imdb site, will downloading everything from the link you have given also give images of the movies? Because without images, I don't know what the point is.\ \ I came across another method to download imdb, as a TomeRaider (not Tombraider) ebook, and that is only 157 MB, so I am not sure if it contains images as well.

IMDb Download


I found a GreaseMonkey script that integrates torrent search results directly into IMDb pages. It helps you quickly locate downloadable versions of movies while you browse the database for titles, ratings, and cast information.

IMDb Torrent linker -- a GreaseMonkey script that shows torrents available when you browse the IMDb.

IMDb Torrent linker


Explore research showing that humans are hard-wired to imitate even unnecessary steps, while chimpanzees focus more efficiently on goals. This complex social learning likely evolved to help our ancestors master the use of sophisticated tools.

Research suggests that chimps learn differently from humans. When they showed the chimpanzees how to retrieve the food, the researchers added some unnecessary steps. Those chimps could see that the scientists were wasting their time sliding the bolt and tapping the top. None followed suit. They all went straight for the door. The children could see just as easily as the chimps that it was pointless to slide open the bolt or tap on top of the box. Yet 80 percent did so anyway. ... humans are hard-wired to learn by imitation, even when that is clearly not the best way to learn. As human ancestors began to make complicated tools, figuring out goals might not have been good enough anymore. Hominids needed a way to register automatically what other hominids did, even if they didn't understand the intentions behind them. They needed to imitate. Not long ago, many psychologists thought that imitation was a simple, primitive action compared with figuring out the intentions of others. But that is changing.

Imitation is tougher than we thought


I found a bizarre news story about a man who turned his home into a bank, staged a robbery, and then called a radio station to brag. It is an incredibly strange example of an imperfect crime.

You turn your house into a bank. Act it out. Take the money and run. And then you call up and brag.

Imperfect crime


Indian Railways launched its e-ticketing service through IRCTC, starting with pilot routes like Amritsar, Kalka, and Lucknow. This rollout marks a major step in digitizing train bookings and moving beyond physical ticket counters.

Indian Railways introduces e-ticketing. Comments ritzkini 25 Oct 2005 1:16 pm: wouldnt it make more sense for them to introduce it on on a pilot basis in one of the more e-savvy states ? rather than amritsar,kalka and lucknow..bu then again we are talking indian railways here..

Indian Railways introduces e-ticketing


I've curated a collection of top resources for finding Indian torrents, specifically targeting Tamil and Hindi movies. My list includes active sites like TamilTorrents, TMSTorrents, and DesiTorrents, alongside a custom Google search for broader results.

There are a fair number of Tamil torrent and Hindi torrent sites. TamilTorrents.net and TMSTorrents.com look good for Tamil, and DesiTorrents.com ( search for invites ) & bwtorrents.com for Hindi. I've collected a bunch of sites that have Indian torrents . Loading // Tamil movies are available for online viewing here . It's not a frequently refreshed list, but I hope to get there soon.

Indian Torrents


I met a consultant who flew from Boston to Bangalore assuming he would receive a visa on arrival. Instead, he was immediately sent back to London, highlighting strict entry requirements despite the simplicity of the formal application process.

For a long time, I thought the problems associated with getting an American visas was mainly for Indians. Today, I met someone at a Lebanese restaurant near Marble Arch. (It's called Maroush III. There are at least a couple of other Maroushs in the area.) He's a consultant, and has been travelling around the globe for over 20 years. He recently flew from Boston to Bangalore. Without a visa. Why? Because he would be issued a visa at the port of entry, of course. Stands in the queue. Hands his passport to the officer. The officer leafs through the pages. Halts. Studies each page very carefully. Gets puzzled. "Where is the visa?" "I don't have one. So please issue me on." At this, the official is startled. "Come this way, please." And they go into a room in some corner. Left alone for a while. Two officials come back with lots of forms. While patiently filling the forms, one of the officials says, "You'll have to go back, you know?" There must have been a faint smile as he said it. "No, you're just kidding me!" "No, no. You must go back on this flight to London." Disbelief. "Ha, ha! Quite funny. You're just pulling my leg. Now, just give me a visa." "No, really. You must return by this flight immediately. Having travelled for 16 hours from Boston, he heads back to London spending another 8 hours on the flight. He is, incidentally, the only person I know (Indian or otherwise) who would have to tick "Yes" to the question "Have you ever been refused entry at the port of disembarkation?" P.S. He DID get an Indian visa later. It was a painless process -- apply in the morning, collect in the evening.

Indian visa


I was detained and arrested at Southwark tube station during a 2005 security alert in London. While the bomb squad cleared my rucksack and laptop, Reuters reported on the station evacuation I inadvertently triggered.

Innocent in London. LONDON (Reuters): - A London underground train station was evacuated and part of a main east-west line closed in a security alert on Thursday, three weeks after suicide bombers killed 52 people on the transport network, police said. A Transport Police spokeswoman said Southwark station was closed and Jubilee Line services suspended between Waterloo and Canary Wharf in the east London business district. This Reuters story was written while the police were detaining me in Southwark tube station and the bomb squad was checking my rucksack. When they were through, the two explosive specialists walked out of the tube station smiling and commenting nice laptop. The officers offered apologies on behalf of the Metropolitan Police. Then they arrested me. ALL MEN ARE SUSPECT. BUT SOME MEN ARE MORE SUSPECT THAN OTHERS. (with apologies to George Orwell)

Innocent in London


I curated a list of compelling videos from Google Video’s early library, featuring classic Honda and Nike ads. The most significant discovery is a deep-dive, five-hour Google factory tour exploring the company’s internal operations.

Some interesting ads on Google video: FotoPrix: perfect pictures for an imperfect world. Nike ad in Lisbon. Honda car assembly (a classic). Google Video also has Google Current, which is a newsreel about Google's top searches. But the find was a 5-hour Google factory tour. Comments ritzkini 23 Nov 2005 9:07 am: Thanks for your interest in Google Video.Currently, the playback feature of Google Video isn't available in your country.We hope to make this feature available more widely in the future, and we really appreciate your patience. S Anand 23 Nov 2005 7:25 pm: That is truly a pity. Wonder if any of the proxys will take care of it...

Interesting videos


I posted a link to a site called 'The Internet is shit,' which perfectly captures the cynical and disillusioned attitude some users held toward the evolving digital landscape back in 2005.

The Internet is shit.

Internet is shit


I'm highlighting the Kids with Cameras project, which empowers children by providing cameras and basic training. It's a fascinating way to see the world through their unique perspectives and captures moments adults often miss.

Kids with cameras. Give cameras to kids. Train them a bit. See what they see. Comments Dhar 8 Mar 2005 9:02 am: Not relevant to this post, but I see from the fiction collection you read a lot of Sci-Fi and Fantasy. But I did not find the "Song of Fire and Ice" in your list. If you are interested, I have a copy. (Oh, those Russians) Sathish 8 Mar 2005 11:21 am: Dhar, I was also thinking of that.. I am currently reading the last part of it.. It is excellent. and thanx for your list.. I got some links to read from them

Kids with cameras


I found Kiko Calendar, a promising online scheduling tool that features a powerful servlet API. It allows developers to build third-party tools that enhance the calendar's value through flexible integration and customization options.

Kiko Calendar looks like a promising online calendar, offering "A powerful and flexible servlet API that allows third party developers to produce tools which enhance the value of your Kiko Calendar."

Kiko


Optimize your laptop's performance and longevity with these practical tips for extending battery life, cleaning keys effectively, and saving web pages for offline viewing during travel or commutes.

Laptop hacks. Includes extending battery life, cleaning the keyboard, and reading web pages offline.

Laptop hacks


I found fascinating reports on robots that learn to walk through trial and error and others that have begun mastering language translation, showcasing how machine learning is bridging the gap between hardware and intelligence.

Of robots that learn to walk and robots that learn to talk (well, translate, at least).

Learning robots


I describe my methods for reading books for free, from standing in bookstores for hours to leveraging public libraries and digital copies. I include a six-step process for maintaining an extensive reading habit on a budget.

I'm fairly stingy. When it comes to books, I've always taken it to extremes. For example, I've read several Asimov novels at Landmark (Chennai). I'd walk into the stoor, pick up an Asimov, just stand there (no seats) and read for 4 hours. After the neck-ache becomes unbearable, I'd leave and come back the next day. I got pretty tech-savvy once I got a laptop and a mobile phone. I would walk over to bookshops, note down the names of interesting books on my mobile, and download books in digital format. I've a pretty large collection now. Last week, I went over to Waterstone's at Oxford Street. Armed with a cameraphone, I had the ability to even take pictures of books I wanted to read. A few days ago, I discovered the Redbridge Council Libraries. Council libraries are free. Well-stocked. Well-spread. I casually walked in to one of them, and as I strolled through the aisles, I had more goose-bumps than I've ever had in a long time. The collection is excellent! A few minutes ago, I've perfected the art of stingy book reading. Here's my six-step process. Process for reading books Comments Jyoti 7 Jul 2006 7:44 pm: Your blog is a riot! :)

Libraries


Use the Lickr Greasemonkey script for Firefox to strip Flash components from Flickr pages. It replaces them with an equivalent HTML and JavaScript interface to eliminate loading delays and improve the browsing experience.

lickr: Flickr, without the Flash. Flickr is a popular photo hosting service that uses embedded Flash files as part of their interface. On every page, there will be a little delay while a new Flash file loads. Lickr removes the need for Flash. It runs within the web browser Firefox, stripping the Flash before the user can even see it, and replacing it with an equivalent interface in pure HTML and Javascript.

lickr


I found a comprehensive roundup of 2005 year-in-review lists from Fimoculous. It tracks the best books, movies, and cultural trends from that period, providing a nostalgic deep dive into the media landscape of the mid-2000s.

Top lists for 2005 -- books, movies, etc.

Lists for 2005


Transform simple text lists into interactive, structured maps by leveraging web-based tools and geocoding services. This approach automates the process of visualizing location data extracted from unstructured or semi-structured text sources.

How to turn text lists into structured maps using the Web.

Lists to Maps


I missed a London geek dinner in June 2005, finding out about the event only after it occurred. This brief note records my regret over missing a chance to connect with the local tech scene at the time.

There was a geek dinner at London yesterday. Pity I didn't know about it.

London geek dinner


I attended the London Marketing Soiree and met Leonard Payne. We discussed a Seth Godin analogy for web design: treat distracted visitors like monkeys wearing a 'Big Red Fez' and ensure they can quickly find the 'banana' they want.

I met Leonard Payne, The Priest, Andrea Casalotti and Scott Caplan at the London Marketing Soiree. Quite a diverse bunch of people. Leonard quoted Seth Godin on something neither he nor I will never forget. They say, if a website is well designed, people will find what they want. That's not true. Think of the visitors as monkeys, wearing a 'Big Red Fez', going itchy on the keyboard. What's the one thing on the monkey's mind? Where's the banana!? Comments S Anand 13 Jul 2005 10:02 am: See more at GeekDinner.

London Marketing Soiree


I note the resilient, classic British reaction to the July 2005 London bombings. Comparing my office's mood to online sentiment, I highlight links that capture the collective refusal to be intimidated by the attacks.

Londoners' reaction to the bombing. Feels like a classic British reaction. That seems to be feeling around office too. More from IrishEyes. Comments S Anand 13 Jul 2005 11:50 am: More at We're Not Afraid.

London reaction


Explore how search engines derive power and profit from the long tail. While top queries are popular, 97% of traffic often comes from niche, low-frequency searches, illustrating the significant economic value found in the distribution's tail.

The long tail of software. The most interesting statistic however, was that while the top 10 searches were thousands of times more popular than the average search, these top-10 searches represented only 3% of our total volume. 97% of our traffic came from the long tail: queries asked a little over once a day. Search is a long tail business and that is the source of its power and profit. Read Chris Anderson's Wired article Comments Arun 17 Mar 2005 8:44 am: Excellent Articles S Anand 17 Mar 2005 9:33 am: Jason has another interesting post on the long tail of paypal S Anand 17 Mar 2005 10:11 am: Chris Anderson has a website about the long tail

Long tail of software


I recounted my grueling relocation from India to London, facing excessive baggage fees, repetitive security checks, a mandatory chest x-ray for immigration, and transportation mishaps on one of the longest days of my life.

The longest day.\ We relocated to London on 30th May. This was one of the longest days of my life.\ 5:30am India. Wake up. Brush teeth. Bathe. Shave. Pack toiletries.\ 6:25am India. All set. Leave the house.\ 6:26am India. Forgot spectacles. Rush back and get them. Forgot many other things, but ignore them.\ 7:15am India. Long queue outside the airport to get an entry ticket.\ 7:25am India. Long queue in front of the security machine.\ 7:35am India. Very long queue to check into Emirates Air.\ 7:55am India. "Sorry sir. Your luggage is 38 kgs overweight."\ "Can I pay for the excess baggage?"\ "Sure. That will be Rs. 1,107..."\ "No problem."\ "... per kilo."\ (long pause)\ "OK, I'll take some things out."\ 8:00am India. Unpack bags. Remove pickles -- about 5 kilos. Go back to security counter. Seal bag again.\ 8:10am India. Back at check-in counter.\ "Sorry sir, you're allowed only 40 kgs. I can stretch that to 60. You'll have to pay for the remaining 13 kgs."\ "Could I pay for 5 kgs, please? That's all I have money for."\ "No, sorry. If you were flying to Dubai, that might've been fine. But you're heading to London, and there might be problems on that sector."\ "Please?"\ "Can you pay for 8 kgs?"\ 8:20am India. Scrape all the cash available with relatives. Rs. 9,000 available. Barely.\ 8:25am India. Stand in queue to pay Rs 8,856 for excess baggage.\ 8:40am India. "Sorry sir. Excess baggage is to be paid in the next counter."\ 8:45am India. Finally pay for baggage. Back to check-in counter. Wait in queue\ 8:50am India. All settled. Say "Goodbye" to everyone. Walk over to immigration.\ 8:55am India. "Sorry sir. You need to have filled these forms. You can't fill them up while standing in the queue."\ 9:00am India. Forms filled in. Stand in another long queue for immigration.\ 9:15am India. "No, sir. You don't need a customs document for your digital camera."\ "OK, but can I please have one? Just to be safe... It's been a tough day so far."\ 9:20am India. Customs cleared. Walk over to security.\ 9:25am India. "Sorry sir. The customs seal isn't on your boarding passes."\ 9:30am India. Walk back to customs, get stamp, go through the security machine.\ 9:32am India. "Sorry sir, no scissors allowed."\ "OK." (dump scissors)\ "Are you carrying any spoons?"\ "No... why?"\ "Can you please unpack this bag?"\ Long search for spoon reveals some puja items. Duly entered and signed for.\ 9:43am India. We board the flight. Flight departure time is 9:45am.\ 10:10am India. "What would you like to have, sir?"\ "Apple juice, please."\ "Sorry, sir. We're just out of apple juice..."\ 10:40am India. "Could you please ask the person in front to sit straight? We can't eat!"\ 12:15pm Dubai. We land. Long queue for transit security.\ 12:45pm Dubai. Beep. Security alarm goes off. "Sorry sir. You'll have to take off your shoes."\ 1:15pm Dubai. Try calling a relative at Dubai. Credit card doesn't work.\ 1:30pm Dubai. Try again. This time, the number doesn't work.\ 2:00pm Dubai. "Excuse me, but are you boarding my seat number now?"\ "Yes sir. Please go right ahead!"\ My best moment of the day.\ 2:45pm Dubai. "Excuse me, the movies aren't working on my screen."\ 6:40pm UK. Flight lands without further incidents. Long queue for immigration.\ 7:30pm UK. "I'm afraid I have to detain you for health control, sir, since you're staying for more than 6 months."\ 8:00pm UK. Realisation that we don't have a chest x-ray.\ 8:30pm UK. "Sorry sir. You'll need a chest x-ray. Please wait here with the others."\ 8:40pm UK. "Sorry sir. You'll need to take off your shirt."\ 8:45pm UK. "Sorry sir. You'll have to take off that white thread as well for the x-ray."\ 9:00pm UK. Clear immigration, and pick up baggage. Walk to foreign exchange.\ 9:05pm UK. "I need to make a call. Could I have change for 10 pounds, please?"\ "Sorry sir, all I have are one pound coins. You'll lose a fair bit if you use these for calls."\ "Excellent."\ 9:10pm UK. Call car company. "Sorry sir. The driver waited until 7:00pm and left."\ 9:15pm UK. Very hungry. Walk over to coffee shop. "Could I have that casserole, please?"\ "The ham & cheese, sir?"\ "Oh... no. Anything vegetarian?"\ "That will be 3 pounds 10, sir."\ I pass him a five pound note.\ "Sorry sir. These are old notes. You can get them changed at the travel counter."\ 10:00pm UK. Driver arrives. We leave for Jurys Inn.\ 10:05pm UK. Driver's parking pass doesn't work at the machine.\ 11:00pm UK. Jurys Inn. "Can you please help us with our luggage?"\ "Sorry sir, most of our staff have left..."\ 11:15pm UK. Sleep. Almost instantly

Longest day


I share techniques for shooting at low shutter speeds without a tripod. This guide covers how to achieve sharper handheld photos in low light by focusing on stability, breathing, and camera handling to prevent motion blur.

Taking pictures at low shutter speeds without a tripod. Comments Anonymous Hero 5 Jul 2005 9:56 am: About why Google History is important: I had searched for something from home laptop and I was at office and needed the same info. Went into Google history and found the same thing... So the search history and the links I clicked on were available from any computer attached to the Net. Found it pretty useful... Ram 5 Jul 2005 4:51 pm: Pls update the placement section with new useful links... S Anand 5 Jul 2005 6:36 pm: Ah... that's a good use. I was also wondering if we could do some profiling of the kinds of sites we visit -- perhaps by checking what their tags are on technorati or del.icio.us sathish 22 Jul 2005 11:14 am: probably based on our search history, there could some recommendations to given

Low Shutter Speeds without Tripod


Maciej Ceglowski invites a single $300,000 donation via cheque to become an Idlewords macropatron. This humorous take on funding rejects micro-donations and digital payments, seeking one massive contribution instead of the typical small-scale patronage.

Maciej Ceglowski invites you to become an Idlewords macropatron by donating $300,000. Only cheques. No Paypal. And smaller amounts won't be accepted. Comments sathish 29 Mar 2005 12:00 pm: :).

Macropatron


I built a Perl tool to identify music directors by matching misspelt Tamil movie names from Raaga with my MP3s. I used custom phonetic normalization rules and fuzzy matching to achieve 90% accuracy across my collection.

I don't like hunting for new songs either. Too much effort. External recommendations like Raaga Top 10 help, but not much. I usually like only 1 of the top 10. I don't really know the recent music directors. But many interesting songs I've heard recently (like Ondra Renda in Kakka Kakka, Vaseegara in Minnale, and Kaadhalikkum in Chellame) are by Harris Jayaraj. So maybe if I can find the music directors I like, other songs by them would be good recommendations. I have an automated way to find the music director for a movie. First, I spent a few hours renaming my MP3s to a Movie.Song.mp3 filename format (using Excel and Perl liberally). After that, I wrote a Perl program that reads movie names and the movie directors from Raaga and matches the Raaga movie names with my movie names. (Raaga has all but 5 movies whose songs I've heard.) Then I rate music directors based on my songs' ratings. Unfortunately, the matching worked only for 45% of my 273 movies. The rest were spelt differently on my list and Raaga. I checked CPAN if there was a way to match Tamil words roughly. The closest was Lingua::Phonology, but Jesse, the author, mailed me saying that was "like slicing your bread with a chainsaw". So I developed these rules. The -> arrow below is to be read as "is also spelt as". By just applying them sequentially, I matched 33% more movies. Vowel rules\ AEdhiri -> Edhiri\ kadhal kondEIn -> kadhal kondEn\ chellamEY at end-> chellamE\ sachIEn -> sachIn\ marupadIUm -> marupadIYUm\ OI, OY, OVI, OYI are all the same\ AAthma -> Athma\ azhagiya thEEye -> azhagiya thIye\ abOOrva ragam -> abUrva ragam\ Ignore H. It is redundant. Consonant rules\ arasakTCHi -> arasakSHi\ CHippikkul muthu -> Sippikkul muthu\ thenNDRal -> thenNRal\ devar maHan -> devar maGan\ bagaWathi -> bagaVathi\ avvai shanmuGi -> avvai shanmuKi\ konJi pesalam -> konCHi pesalam\ anDha 7 naatkal -> anTha 7 naatkal\ aBoorva sagodharargal -> aPoorva sagodharargal\ agni natchaTHIRam -> agni natchaTHRam The remaining movies either had spelling mistakes (e.g. Kilipethcu Ketkavaa) or had structural differences (Ilamai Oonjal Aadugiradhu vs Ilamai Oonjal Aadudhu). By permitting approximate matches using String::Approx, I was able to match 12% more, making my total accuracy 90%. Though this is good enough for identifying music directors, I'm working on improving the approximate matching rules. I hope to have 98% accuracy, and then I can match individual songs -- and know who the singers are. Hopefully, this can be extended to other sites like MusicIndiaOnline, and who knows -- maybe even IMDb. Comments Ashwin 10 Dec 2005 3:36 am: I use www.arthika.net for downloading high quality MP3's. Their song ratings are good. This is my strategy. S Anand 12 Dec 2005 6:55 pm: I tried it out... maybe it was just me, but I thought they had a smaller collection than Raaga. Is that right? Ashwin 18 Dec 2005 6:41 am: Ya, They have only a small collection but he quality of the songs are very good. Bala 9 Dec 2005 12:00 pm: Can you make the script you made downloadable for folks to normalize their unwieldy MP3 library? Even 80% would do for me considering the amount of chaos that prevails! :) Thanks

Matching misspelt Tamil movie names


I'm exploring my growing addiction to memory-lapse and alternate-reality films. I’ve compiled a list of favorites like Memento and Donnie Darko, while adding mind-bending titles like Being John Malkovich and David Lynch's surreal works to my watchlist.

I'm getting addicted to memory-lapse related / alternate reality-based movies, like: Total Recall, 12 Monkeys, The Bourne Identity, Memento, The Butterfly Effect, 50 First Dates, Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind, Groundhog Day, The Matrix, Frequency, The Usual Suspects, and Donnie Darko. Twin Peaks too, I guess. But that was too extreme for me. Next on my list are: Being John Malkovich, Paycheck, Adaptation, The Cell, The Long Kiss Goodnight, and The Manchurian Candidate. Comments Dhar 20 Jul 2005 10:13 am: How about Mulholland Drive? I really dont know what category to put it into. Wierd Mind Fuck is certainly one possibility. In fact all David Lynch movies can come under this category. S Anand 20 Jul 2005 3:28 pm: Mulholland Drive, yes. What others, though? Dhar 21 Jul 2005 1:02 am: The other movies that you can try are Blue Velvet, The Elephant Man, Lost Highway, The Eraserhead etc. Dhar 21 Jul 2005 1:06 am: Of the Lynch movies mentioned, I have so far seen only Mulholland Drive and Blue Velvet. The others are on the wishlist. :)

Memory movies


I found MERLOT, a curated repository for online learning materials that functions like a Wikipedia for educators. It features peer-reviewed content and assignments to help you find and implement high-quality educational resources.

MERLOT is like a Wikipedia for online learning materials are collected here (along with annotations such as peer reviews and assignments).

MERLOT


I'm exploring Metafor, an MIT Media Lab tool that translates natural language English into programming code. It uses common-sense reasoning to map descriptive sentences to object-oriented structures, showcased in their bartender movie demonstration.

Metafor is a tool that turns English into code. Check out the movie demo and Hugo's Metafor website.

Metafor


I discovered a collection of parody ads and logos that satirize famous brands, including Microsoft. These "false advertising" examples use humor and graphic design to mock iconic corporate visual identities and marketing messaging.

False advertising. Ads that make fun of famous ads / logos. Comments Aditya Chaturvedi 27 Jan 2005 12:00 pm: Really Cool

Microsoft. Is it going to work today


I wonder what kind of inappropriate developer comments are hidden in Microsoft's proprietary code, as reports suggest that cleaning up such unprofessional remarks is one reason the company hesitates to open source more of its software.

Why is Microsoft not opening more source code? Apparently inappropriate code comments is one of the reasons according to this story. I wonder what kind of things developers put in comments that would be so bad for the rest of us to see? Comments sathish 10 Feb 2005 12:00 pm: checking if the contact name is coming properly.. Venkat 10 Feb 2005 12:00 pm: GMaP is cool! Better than mappy. Do we have something like this for India?

Microsoft not opening more source code


I recommend using Stephen Covey's Mission Builder to define your personal values and goals. It is a structured tool for crafting a mission statement that helps guide your long-term life decisions and professional focus.

Stephen Covey's mission builder. Comments Aditya Chaturvedi 25 Feb 2005 12:00 pm: Using site tool Anonymous 25 Feb 2005 12:00 pm: Does it realy help? Anand, you can tell better.

Mission Builder


I found that MIT OpenCourseWare has indexed its educational materials on Google Base, making their collection of free course content more accessible through Google’s structured data search platform.

MIT OpenCourseWare on Google Base.

MIT OpenCourseWare


I highlight the MIT prank where students used SCIgen to submit a nonsense computer-generated paper to a conference. After being spammed by the organizers myself, I watched them crowdfund a trip to deliver a random talk.

MIT pulls a prank on the World Multi-Conference on Systemics by submitting a computer-generated paper titled "Rooter: A Methodology for the Typical Unification of Access Points and Redundancy". I was among the people spammed by Nagib Callaos, the organizer of the conference. The students were soliciting cash donations so they could attend the conference and give what Stribling billed as a "completely randomly-generated talk, delivered entirely with a straight face." They exceeded their goal, with $2,311.09 cents from 165 donors.

MIT paper prank


I explore mobile deception tools like SounderCover for fake background noise and services that trigger rescue calls. I'd personally value a feature that tells callers I'm unreachable rather than busy when I reject their incoming calls.

The Economist talks about how mobile phones are used for deception. SounderCover allows certain Nokia handsets to play pre-recorded bursts of traffic noise, airport announcements or other sounds in the background during a conversation. Two services offered by American operators, Cingular's Escape-A-Date and Virgin Mobile's Rescue Ring, allow customers to prearrange a call at a given time, to enable them to get out of a disastrous dinner date or boring meeting. I would personally like a service that says "This phone is unreachable" instead of an engaged sound, when I cut the call off.

Mobile phone deception


I shared a useful resource detailing methods for hacking Google Print. It explores techniques to bypass viewing limitations and extract full-page content from Google's book digitization project using scripts and browser-based workarounds.

Hacking Google Print

More Google tricks


I highlight the rise of MoSoSos (Mobile Social Software) through Dodgeball's early location-based alerts. The service helped users connect in real life by notifying them of nearby friends and crushes via text message.

MoSoSos: Mobile Social Software services. I checked in to dodgeball, she said, and "I got an alert that 'so-and-so has a crush on you, and he is at X bar, go and say hi.'" she said. So McGunigle went to the bar, and by coincidence, it was the same guy she'd just seen on the subway. Like her, he'd been too shy to make an approach, but not to send a text message. Comments Dhar 8 Mar 2005 2:06 pm: Nor do I. I host on Geocities, which serves ads.\ So why not try rootshell.be. They give a free \nix account and currently they often have problems with quota system. So technically unlimited space, no banner ads, amazing uptime... blah... blah... blah. S Anand 8 Mar 2005 3:06 pm: www.freestarthost.com is what I am testing right now. S Anand 8 Mar 2005 4:47 pm: But in the meantime, the ads seem to have vanished! Dhar 8 Mar 2005 6:54 pm: Yeah.. that is right. I wonder what happened.

MoSoSos


Explore a New York Times feature from 2005 that identifies the books most frequently discussed across the blogosphere, offering a nostalgic look at the literary trends that defined online culture that year.

Most blogged books of 2005.

Most blogged books


I explore the MPAA's decision to use digital fingerprinting against P2P movie sharing. This shift indicates the industry is finally moving from legal regulation toward technological solutions to manage content distribution on file-sharing platforms.

MPAA to use digital fingerprints to fight P2P movie sharing. At last, they're beginning to use technology, instead of regulation, to fight technology. Comments S Anand 14 Feb 2005 12:00 pm: Yeah, had a heart attack when I saw it the first time :-) TOPFRAME 14 Feb 2005 12:00 pm: :-) lol! funny comment-ator Venkat 14 Feb 2005 12:00 pm: I think you can have an upper limit on the number characters that one can type. (rather cut-n-paste) :-)

MPAA to use digital fingerprints


I'm sharing the story of Lal Bihari, who founded the Mritak Sangh to help Indians declared legally dead. He used extreme tactics like kidnapping and running for parliament to prove he was alive, earning an Ig Nobel Peace Prize.

Lal Bihar formed a society of dead people. In 2003, he won the Ig Nobel Peace Prize. ... to prove that he was living sought arrest, tried to run for parliament, kidnapped the son of the uncle who had stolen his property, threatened murder, insulted judges, threw leaflets listing his complaints at legislators in the state assembly and demanded a widow's pension for his wife.

Mritak Sangh


Use MSN Search's Search Builder feature to customize your results ranking. You can manually adjust sliders for recency, popularity, and accuracy to influence how the search engine prioritizes and displays your search results.

MSN search has a feature that lets you rank results your own way. Go to "+Search Builder" and select "Results ranking". You can decide how important recency, popularity and accuracy are to your search.

MSN search


I found this hilarious article by AJ Jacobs about how he outsourced every aspect of his professional and personal life. It is an amazing look at extreme delegating that seems almost too wild to be true.

My Outsourced Life. Hilarious article by AJ Jacobs on how he outsourced his professional and personal life. I think it's true -- hence amazing.

My Outsourced Life


I'm following the story of an unprepared Brit who traveled to Thailand for post-tsunami rebuilding. He captures the messy reality of disaster volunteering and his irritation with the influx of American Christian groups.

Naive in Thailand. The misadventures of an unprepared 43-year-old Brit who drops everything to try and help with tsunami rebuilding. Pet peeve? "The only real irritation has been the American Christian volunteers."

Naive in Thailand


I note that Netflix doesn't charge customers for DVDs lost in the mail. I wonder if they have special legal rights to copy discs to replace transit losses, which would make this generous policy more sustainable.

Netflix doesn't charge you if you lose DVDs in the mail. Nice of them. The only way I see it work is if they have the right to copy a DVD if they lose it in transit. Do they?

Netflix and lost mail


I built a new commenting system based on the concept of "scribbling on the margin." I am iteratively refining the UI and text visibility based on user feedback to make the messy source code more functional for readers.

My new commenting system is based on the principle of "scribbling on the margin". If you're interested, have a look at the source code for this page. It is as clear as mud, so best of luck! Comments Ammadio 1 Feb 2005 12:00 pm: Where do these comments get stored Navneet 1 Feb 2005 12:00 pm: Nice commenting system. A couple of points though...It took me a while to figure out how to post the comment :). Maybe a note on that somewhere would help.. Also the text colour when I'm typing in the comment is almost invisible. S Anand 1 Feb 2005 12:00 pm: I fixed those two. Is it OK? Anything else? TOPFRAME 1 Feb 2005 12:00 pm: Good to see you back, Anand. :)

New commenting system 2


I successfully implemented a new commenting system on my blog to encourage reader interaction and feedback. This update marks my return to regular blogging, and I am inviting users to test the functionality and share their thoughts.

I've managed to get my commenting system to work. Feedback welcome. Comments ashish 25 Jan 2005 12:00 pm: cool harishan 25 Jan 2005 12:00 pm: hey snand... howdy? back to regular blogging i guess ritzkini 25 Jan 2005 12:00 pm: good to have u back anand...been irregular with ur posts last few months... SHAMIT 25 Jan 2005 12:00 pm: Javascript ?

New commenting system


I’ve registered for the upcoming London Geek Dinner on July 11th. These gatherings serve as informal networking events for the local technology community, focusing on collaborative exchange and marketing topics within the London tech scene.

The next London Geek Dinner is on July 11th. I've registered.

Next London Geek Dinner


I found an experimental interface at dontclick.it where you navigate entirely without clicking. It challenges standard UI conventions by relying on hover and movement to interact with menus, offering a unique perspective on web interactivity.

Don't click it. An interface where you navigate completely without clicks.

No clicking


I discuss the early implications of the rel=nofollow tag, specifically how webloggers might monetize their sites by charging fees to remove the tag and pass along valuable PageRank to external links.

On the impact of 'rel=nofollow' tag. Or, perhaps, some prominent webloggers will use "nofollow" as a money-making technique: for a fee, they'll take the "nofollow" off your link and let you have their PageRank.

nofollow tag


I found a way to use Google Maps with GPS on Nokia mobile devices. This resource highlights early 2005 efforts to integrate real-time location data into mobile mapping long before it became a standard smartphone feature.

Mobile Google Maps with GPS.

Nokia GPS and Google Maps


I summarized Danny O'Brien's NotCon talk on life hacks, focusing on how geeks use command-line shells, todo.txt, and private RSS feeds to automate their lives and maintain secret productivity scripts.

Notes from Danny O'Brien's NotCon Recap of Life Hacks. Summary: People use shells. People use todo.txt. We'll have private blogs. We'll have private RSS feeds. Geeks use secret scripts.

NotCon Life Hacks


I watched a video preview of Office 12's radical new interface. I was most impressed by PowerPoint's ability to automatically convert text into complex diagrams, a feature that notably allowed a blind user to create graphics for the first time.

A 40-minute video preview of Office 12. I don't normally watch videos this long. But it was worth it. Office 12 has a REALLY different user interface (critique). It's also supposed to have a lot of new features. What struck me the most in the video is how Powerpoint creates diagrams. You type text, and Powerpoint can automatically convert that into value chains, org charts, etc. Julie mentions that a blind user was able to create graphics using this feature, and that this was the first time she has been able to create graphics in all her life!

Office 12


I share a contemporary look at the cultural and financial impact of Google's initial public offering, examining how the search giant's 2004 transition to a public company permanently reshaped the Silicon Valley business landscape.

On Google going public.

On Google IPO


I'm looking at OpenSearch, a powerful concept using RSS to syndicate search results. It aims to do for search what RSS did for content, creating a standardized way to share and consume search engine results across platforms.

OpenSearch. "We want OpenSearch to do for search what RSS has done for content." It's an RSS interface to search, and is an extremely powerful concept.

Open Search


I examine the Optimus keyboard concept from Art. Lebedev Studio, featuring individual displays on every key. I find it a remarkable tool for visualizing shortcuts in complex software like Photoshop or mapping controls for gaming.

The Optimus keyboard. Every key of the Optimus keyboard is a stand-alone display showing exactly what it is controlling at this very moment. See it -- it's a remarkable concept. Comments Jayant 16 Jul 2005 5:49 am: Not sure of commercial application esp to laptops whose sales are inc and PC dec. So, quite niche S Anand 16 Jul 2005 8:16 am: Well, laptop keyboards could have this functionality too I guess. Francis 16 Jul 2005 10:03 pm: i would want to focus on the screen as opposed to the keyboard. S Anand 17 Jul 2005 11:10 am: True. But it helps teach shortcuts as well. It would help me with Photoshop and some games.

Optimus keyboard


I shared a striking night panorama of Paris, capturing the city's illuminated landmarks and streets. This link provides a wide-angle perspective of the French capital, showcasing its unique atmosphere and architectural beauty after dark.

Paris by night. A panorama of Paris.

Paris by night


I shared a classic IRC chat log where a user is tricked into revealing their password, 'hunter2,' believing the system automatically masks it with asterisks. It remains a legendary example of internet culture and social engineering humor.

A hilarious chat on IRC about passwords. More at QDB. via Dhar

Password on IRC


I highlight Paul Graham's distinction between good and bad procrastination. By intentionally ignoring small tasks to focus on ambitious projects, you can leverage procrastination as a tool for high-impact work instead of viewing it as a simple character flaw.

Good and bad procrastination by Paul Graham. The most impressive people I know are all terrible procrastinators. So could it be that procrastination isn't always bad?

Paul Graham on procrastination


I discovered that Gmail can convert PDF, DOC, and PPT files to HTML using its preview feature. It is a simple workaround for format conversion, though regional restrictions applied to GoogleMail users in the UK.

Convert PDF to HTML via Gmail. This is the only way I know of converting something from PDF into another format. Unfortunately, it doesn't work for GoogleMail in the UK.

PDF to HTML via Gmail


Follow these tips for a perfect shave: keep your face wet with hot water, use a shaving brush, and switch to a double-edged safety razor for the best results and minimal skin irritation.

How to get that perfect shave. Keep your face wet with hot water, use a brush, and a double-edged razor. Comments Jetru 7 Apr 2005 9:18 am: errr.cool!

Perfect shave


Create a permanent paging file in Windows XP to boost performance when running multiple applications. Setting a fixed size prevents disk fragmentation and ensures smoother multitasking by stabilizing the virtual memory swap file.

Create a permanent paging file in Windows XP. It speeds up the system when you have lots of applications running. Comments S Anand 30 Mar 2005 9:28 am: More tweaks here Samba 28 Mar 2005 12:00 pm: Want to know more about Paging!!!

Permanent paging file in Windows XP


I shared Petals Around the Rose, a classic dice-rolling riddle where players must deduce the secret rule for calculating totals. The name provides the crucial hint, though Bill Gates reportedly solved it through brute-force memorization.

Petals Around the Rose. A simple dice parlour game that Bill Gates apparantly cracked by memorising the sequences. Comments SlaSh 17 Oct 2005 11:15 am: hey is that you who writes articles and does interviews by the name S.Anand in the mag Outlook S Anand 17 Oct 2005 1:29 pm: No, that is someone else. jayant 18 Oct 2005 4:08 pm: Any place where I can get a solution. Sorry to say but I am dumb..:-( Raghav 18 Oct 2005 7:41 pm: As the man says - "The name of the game is petals around the rose, and the name is important" :-) Dhar 19 Oct 2005 3:29 am: Arrgh! I have not been able to figure this out. Utterly Frustrating...Solution appreciated... Please mail me at sumit.dhar at gmail Aman 19 Oct 2005 10:59 am: the solution is in the name.......for every odd no throw of dice, simply add the digits surrounding the centre on on each dice... A 19 Oct 2005 2:37 pm: aman, I dont know if I shld kill you for posting the solution or shld thank u for making my day... R 20 Oct 2005 3:22 am: what happened to your blogroll? ritzkini 20 Oct 2005 5:36 am: fantastic game..and so simple a solution..once u have read it... :P S Anand 20 Oct 2005 8:25 am: Killed my blogroll. I use Google Reader now. Will post the OPML. jayant 20 Oct 2005 3:25 pm: Well still didnt figure out...it does nt add up...and if even throw, then? jayant 20 Oct 2005 3:26 pm: Anand, any clues...since u posted, u know of any answers? S Anand 20 Oct 2005 3:39 pm: Have mailed you. Prakash 17 Nov 2005 11:55 am: I got the answer for the same ! it was a good one

Petals Around the Rose


I share a warning about the consequences of letting others photograph your debit cards. Exposing card details leads to immediate fraud and empty bank balances, serving as a reminder to protect sensitive financial information.

If you let people photograph your debit cards, don't be surprised if the balance drops to zero.

Photograph debit cards


I found a helpful guide for creating a classic comic book art effect in Adobe Photoshop. This tutorial walks through using filters and image adjustments to transform standard photos into stylized, hand-drawn illustrations.

Adobe Photoshop comic art effect.

Photoshop comic effect


I recommend Paul Graham’s essay on picking a programming language, which argues that using powerful, unconventional tools like Lisp gives startups a significant competitive advantage over competitors stuck with mainstream technologies.

Paul Graham on picking a computer language. Excellent read.

Picking a computer language


I highlight The Pirate Bay's sarcastic and defiant responses to legal threats from companies like Microsoft and EA. They mock these notices by citing Swedish copyright law and making jokes about polar bears and moonshine.

Pirate Bay has been receiving threats from various firms, like Microsoft, EA, SEGA, etc. Their response has been straightforward. via Dhar Hello and thank you for contacting us. We have shut down the website in question. Oh wait, just kidding. We haven't, since the site in question is fully legal. Unlike certain other countries, such as the one you're in, we have sane copyright laws here. But we also have polar bears roaming the streets and attacking people :-(. Please don't sue us right now, our lawyer is passed out in an alley from too much moonshine, so please atleast wait until he's found and doesn't have a huge hangover...

Pirate Bay


I pass my 90-minute commute listening to various podcasts and audio recordings. My favorites include the Berkeley Groks Science Show and Tamil comedies or dramas, which provide engaging content for my daily travel from work.

I listen to Podcasts on my 90-minute commute from work. Like Berkeley Groks Science Show for instance. Tamil comedies and dramas are another option I have. Sometimes, even movies.

Podcast favourites


I recommend Why’s Poignant Guide to Ruby, a legendary and whimsical tutorial that uses surreal cartoons and stories to teach the language. It captures the unique, creative spirit of the early Ruby community.

Why's Poignant Guide to Ruby

Poignant Guide to Ruby


I found an analysis using wage report data to show why the "Pointy Haired Boss" is a mathematical certainty. The massive, high-paying "General and operations managers" category lacks strict hiring criteria, inevitably leading to Dilbert-style management.

Why Your Pointy Haired Boss Is A Mathematical Certainty. The Occupational Employment and Wages report ... [shows] how many people have what job and what they get paid. But what is that dot ... that employs nearly 2 million people and pays nearly $90,000? Why it's General and operations managers, of course. It's an attractive, well-paying job, that doesn't seem to be too discriminating about who gets hired. Comments Aditya Chaturvedi 14 Feb 2005 12:00 pm: Cool

Pointy Haired Boss


I track the growth of AJAX-based personal home pages, looking at how Google, Microsoft, Yahoo, and Netvibes are using dynamic web tech to build customizable start pages and portals for organizing the web.

AJAX-based personal home pages: Google's personalised home page, Microsoft's start.com, Yahoo's My Web 2.0, and now, Netvibes.

Portals


I highlight PostSecret, a platform where individuals anonymously mail in their secrets on handmade postcards. The project provides a raw and artistic window into human idiosyncrasies and private experiences through a unique crowdsourced format.

PostSecret, where people mail-in their secrets anonymously on a homemade postcard. Showcases the extremities of human idiosyncracy.

PostSecret


I shared this classic IBM film that illustrates the scale of the universe by zooming in and out by powers of ten every ten seconds, moving from human scales to galaxies and subatomic particles.

Powers of Ten, a video for IBM zooming 10 times every 10 seconds through the universe.

Powers of Ten


I shared a link to a 43 Folders discussion focused on practical presentation tips. It highlights various community-sourced strategies for effective public speaking, visual communication, and staying organized during professional presentations.

Discussion on 43 Folders on presentation tips. Comments Sathya 28 Nov 2005 7:02 am: Anand ... can you RSS-enable your website ? S Anand 29 Nov 2005 7:52 pm: It alread is. The XML link is on the rop right, in the bookmarks.

Presentation tips


I reflected on the identity of the 2005 London bombers, specifically their Pakistani origins, while worrying about potential backlash. I initially hoped for higher tolerance in the UK compared to the US but noted reports of anti-Asian discrimination.

Profile of the London bombers. I hope their Pakistani origin does not create a backlash. But then, this is the UK. Not the US. Comments Francis 14 Jul 2005 5:13 pm: http://www.wherearethejobsgoing.com harish 15 Jul 2005 1:58 am: you can never say. places supposedly tolerant like new zealand had a few attacks on mosques. also i heard the discrimination on the pakis particularly is a long standing issue. am i wrong? the link incidentally doesnt click through to the page intended. its on the index page S Anand 16 Jul 2005 8:05 am: Fixed the link. Thanks, Harish. And yes, I have heard about some incidents against Asians outside London. You are right.

Profile of the London bombers


I found a map from Net lettings that classifies London neighborhoods by rental costs. It is a useful visual tool for comparing property rates across different areas, supplemented by reader suggestions like Gumtree for private ads and flatshares.

Net lettings has an interesting map of London areas classified by how high the rent is. Comments Sashi 2 Jun 2005 1:35 pm: another good site is gumtree.com. where you can also search for flatshare. unlike findproperty.com, this is a site filled with private ads as opposed to real estate agents S Anand 3 Jun 2005 7:19 am: Thanks, Sashi. How're you doing? Will catch up.

Property rates in London


I recommend checking out the puzzle collection at kuro5hin.org and the extensive rec.puzzles archive. These resources are perfect for puzzle enthusiasts looking for a variety of brain teasers and logic challenges.

Puzzles at kuro5hin.org. If you're a puzzles freak, the rec.puzzles archive is also recommended. Comments Aditya Chaturvedi 28 Jan 2005 12:00 pm: Yes, Java Scipts. Goto http://rootnode.freestarthost.com/comments.js you will find source code. Some Part is taken from http://www.webreference.com/js/column8/functions.html. S Anand 28 Jan 2005 12:00 pm: Yeah, coded it myself. Still several bugs and interface features to iron out, though. Any critique would help! SHAMIT 28 Jan 2005 12:00 pm: Great systen of commenting - its a innovative step in evolution of blogs, if you or whoever has done this ... Simplifies things. TOPFRAME 28 Jan 2005 12:00 pm: Hi Anand... This is a really cool tool

Puzzles at kuro5hin


Experience an optical illusion where fixating on a central cross causes rotating magenta patches to leave green afterimages. With steady focus, the original patches disappear entirely, leaving only a single rotating green spot.

Michael demonstrates an interesting Optical illusion. On the right you see a circle of blue-violettish (=magenta) patches, one of which briefly disappears, circling around. Let your gaze rest on the central fixation cross, but observe with your "inner eye" the patches just when they disappear. With good fixation, you should see a strong greenish colour whenever the violet patch has disappeared. When you are fixating well, after a few cycles you will actually see a rotating green spot! If your gaze is really steady, the magenta patches will disappear, leaving only a rotating green spot!

Rapid Color Afterimage


I'm sharing a New York Times article exploring Ray Ozzie’s challenge to modernize Microsoft. It examines whether Ozzie can successfully reprogram the company's culture and strategy to embrace the shifting landscape of internet services.

An article on NYT about Ray Ozzie: can this man reprogram Microsoft?

Ray Ozzie


I found a collection of real-life snowmen recreations inspired by the classic Calvin and Hobbes comic strips. These photos capture the imaginative and darkly humorous snow art that Calvin famously created in his front yard.

Real-life Calvin snow art.

Real-lfe Calvin snow art


I observed London transport's resilience after the 2005 attacks when four consecutive 259 double-decker buses arrived at Finsbury Park. They efficiently handled the surge in passengers, operating almost like a train to maintain mobility during the crisis.

The public transport reacted beautifully to the damage. I had to take Bus 259 from Finsbury Park to Tottenham Police Station. As I waited at the bus stop, I saw a 259 double decker pull in. Followed by another. And another. And another. Four double-decker buses following one after the other -- and they ended up getting filled. Almost felt like a train, except without rails and a floor above. Comments harish 15 Jul 2005 1:52 am: hey i did not know you were in london. glad to know u guys r fine.

Resilience of London transport


I’ve gathered a list of the incredible and sometimes scary ways RFID and GPS are used to track everything from soda cans and tires to kids and employees, highlighting the pervasive reach of modern surveillance technology.

It's incredible what RFID and GPS are being used to track: cars, trucks, drug bottles, passports, driver's licenses, ID cards, loyalty cards, luggage, rifles, casino chips, shopping carts, soda cans, newspapers, razor blades, clothing, books, tyres, etc. What's even more interesting (scary?) is when it's used to track kids, students, teens, girlfriends, employees, patients and criminals. Comments S Anand 17 Feb 2005 12:00 pm: I use a domain hosting service that uses hidden frames to point to my Geocities site. Know of any better (cheaper) ones? TOPFRAME 17 Feb 2005 12:00 pm: why do you have to keep the URL at "http://www.s-anand.net" when I follow a link from your page? It's very irritating actually.

RFID and GPS


I shared a clip of a fan proposing to cricketer Zaheer Khan on the pitch. The discussion highlights 2005-era regional restrictions on Google Video in India and Germany, requiring proxies for access.

Romance on the cricket pitch. Fan proposes. Zaheer Khan gracefully accepts. Watch it on Google Video. Comments Dhar 23 Oct 2005 10:47 am: I have had great difficulty in watching videos from Google and this one is no exception. I wonder if I am the only one facing this problem. AlphaGeek 23 Oct 2005 6:26 pm: Me too.. Facing the same problem !!! Anyone can u pls help us ? Amit 24 Oct 2005 6:47 am: the India head of Google said this a few days ago that video.google.com is not allowed in countries like India, Germany, etc because of some compllicated laws. Guess thats what is causing these problems. Dhar 24 Oct 2005 9:13 am: Wow... this is very interesting. I tried accessing this through a proxy server in Britain and was able to view the video. There may be something in what Amit said.... S Anand 24 Oct 2005 9:17 am: Hey, that explains why my family is not able to view my videoes!

Romance on the cricket pitch


I've shared a resource exploring the psychological and aesthetic reasons behind our preference for rounded corners in design, looking at how they appear friendlier and more natural to the human eye than sharp edges.

Why we love rounded corners.

Rounded corners


I found a resource on RSS clustering that applies Gmail-style threading to news sources. It groups related articles from different feeds into clusters, helping you manage information density and stay focused on unique stories.

RSS clustering is about doing what Gmail does on news sources, to RSS feeds of your choice. Comments Arun 28 Jul 2005 4:01 pm: How do you get to all these amazing links? S Anand 29 Jul 2005 6:01 am: Mainly using del.icio.us these days. Arun 29 Jul 2005 2:30 pm: Ah, okie... But there is so much crap there...You are darn good at filtering stuff then! :-) Arun 29 Jul 2005 2:36 pm: btw, dunno if it's a bug, but there is a problem with the cursor in this text book. If I leave the page and return to the text box after i start typing, am not able to get the cursor to refocus on the text box. It just disappears. In firefox. RaM 29 Jul 2005 4:36 pm: Update the placement section also RaM 29 Jul 2005 4:44 pm: Your Placement Section is static. Pls Update it. Your search tactics are very good Dhar 30 Jul 2005 5:28 am: Arun, I too have had that problem with the cursor. Howie 30 Jul 2005 7:56 am: few links are dead in Placement section S Anand 31 Jul 2005 9:07 pm: Could you give me a step-by-step regarding the cursor problem? I couldn't reproduce it. Dhar 2 Aug 2005 2:50 pm: http://digg.com/spy has an excellent collection of whacky/interesting links. And they use Ajax too. Another nice place to pick up good interesting posts.

RSS Clustering


I successfully restored my blog's RSS feed, allowing subscribers to once again follow my updates and links through their favorite feed readers. You can access the XML file directly to stay synced with my latest content.

My RSS feed is back.

RSS feed


I share an encounter at King's Cross where a stranger used a 'lost wallet' ruse to ask for money. By offering to take him to the police instead of giving cash, I successfully identified and avoided the scam.

King's Cross station. 6:20pm. I'm rushing along to catch the next train to Liverpool Street, when a jacket and suitcase step in front of me. "Salaam alekum." This has happened to me before. 5 years ago. My response hasn't changed. "Huh? "Salaam alekum?" "Huh? "SALAAM ALEKUM?" "Huh? "Aap Pakistani ho?" "No, India actually." (smile) "I just lost my wallet, and I don't have a ticket. Could you please help me?" I had all of 5 pounds in my pocket. And I needed that. "I don't have cash on me, just a card." (I meant my travel card. I didn't have a credit card then.) "Have you tried the Information desk, there? They could help you out, perhaps." "Oh, I asked them. But they said I needed a ticket. Even if you have a credit card, that's fine." Hmm, that's being pretty leading... "Well, if you go over to the Information desk, they can direct you to the nearby police station. And I'm sure the police will find you a way to get home." No response. "OK, let me take you to the Information desk. We'll ask for the police station." "No, no, no. That's OK. I'll find my way. Thanks. Bye!" Vanishes. Not only am I becoming more socially astute, I'm even beginning to become smart.

Salaam alekum


I highlight Scientific American's satirical apology for their "one-sided" coverage of evolution in favor of Intelligent Design. I initially missed the punchline: it was an April Fools' prank mocking the lack of detail in non-scientific theories.

Scientific American gives up. In retrospect, this magazine's coverage of socalled evolution has been hideously one-sided. For decades, we published articles in every issue that endorsed the ideas of Charles Darwin and his cronies. True, the theory of common descent through natural selection has been called the unifying concept for all of biology and one of the greatest scientific ideas of all time, but that was no excuse to be fanatics about it. Moreover, we shamefully mistreated the Intelligent Design (ID) theorists by lumping them in with creationists. Creationists believe that God designed all life, and that's a somewhat religious idea. But ID theorists think that at unspecified times some unnamed superpowerful entity designed life, or maybe just some species, or maybe just some of the stuff in cells. That's what makes ID a superior scientific theory: it doesn't get bogged down in details. Get ready for a new Scientific American. This magazine will be dedicated purely to science, fair and balanced science, and not just the science that scientists say is science. And it will start on April Fools' Day. I didn't notice the last bit about the April Fool's joke until now.

SciAm gives up


I used Browsershots to capture and view how my website renders across different browsers and platforms in 2005. The tool provides a quick way to check cross-browser compatibility and visual consistency without manual testing.

Screenshots of my website. From Browsershots.

Screenshots of Website


I added a search box to the top of my blog that allows users to search through posts using regular expressions. The feature is implemented entirely with JavaScript, providing a fast and simple filtering method.

I have introduced a "Search" box near the top. It searches for posts that contain the string (regular expression) you type in that box. Comments Jetru 17 Mar 2005 7:51 am: Superb! man you are smart! S Anand 17 Mar 2005 9:29 am: Just Javascript, actually. Jetru 17 Mar 2005 5:48 pm: Whatever.Looks impressive here. ritzkini 24 Mar 2005 5:18 am: tooo much !! too bloody much ! bu the event isnt shown taking place and fasssssssssssst !! good on u ! Deshi 24 Mar 2005 6:19 pm: Like he says, this is quite simple to do. But it makes the page more clutterred. Blogs have to be simple, and easy to read.. Kind of loses the purpose Jetru 26 Mar 2005 5:14 pm: No I like this format, except for the Permalink button S Anand 28 Mar 2005 3:17 am: Yeah, I don't like the Permalink button either. Any suggestions?

Search box


I found a comprehensive guide to searching the invisible web, detailing how to access databases and scholarly resources that standard search engines miss. It’s an essential toolkit for finding information hidden from traditional crawlers.

Searching the invisible web. Comments S Anand 11 Apr 2005 3:42 am: More here

Searching the invisible web


I detail a UK taxi ride where the driver bypassed seatbelt alarms with a spare buckle. He cited legal exemptions and fear of passenger assault for staying unbuckled, reflecting the tense social atmosphere following the 2005 London bombings.

I got on to a taxi at the station. As usual, I sat in the front. When the engine was turned on, it started making loud siren noises. "Oh, you have to put your seatbelts on, you see," the driver said. So, I did. "It's really annoying," he continued. "You'd think it'd shout a few times and then shut up, but no, it just goes on and on." "Well, good isn't it," I countered, "if it's the law to have your seatbelts on if you're sitting in the front?" "Actually, you've got to have seatbelts on even if you're in the back. But funny, they haven't got any sirens if you don't put your seatbelts on in the back!" "Pity," I said. "Yeah. It was driving me mad. I had to buy a second-hand seatbelt and plug it in to my clasp, to stop the sound." I noticed, at that point, that he wasn't wearing a seatbelt. I didn't notice if any other taxi drivers wore them. So after considerable deliberation, I ventured. "You don't have your seatbelt on." "Yeah. That's right." He said it with confidence. I didn't want to debate it with him, but I was curious. "Why?" "Well, because you might assualt me!" A beat. This was after the London bomb blasts. And I do look Asian. But surely! "I mean, it's tough enough having to drive, without having to worry about passenger assault." He proceeded to explain the seatbelt laws to me. "I don't need to wear a seatbelt when I'm with a passenger, you see. When I'm not, I need to -- except mostly people don't do that if it's short trips. And if I'm going outside my area, even if I'm with a passenger, I need to. Of course, I'd like to anyway, because it's safer. But lorry drivers, for example, don't need a seatbelt. That's downright unsafe, with their low steering..." Which is all very fine, but I wonder why he thought I would assault him.

Seatbelts in the UK


I found the story of Esref Armagan, a painter blind from birth who creates realistic art. Neural scans show his visual cortex activates while painting, suggesting that spatial perspective might be hard-coded into the human brain.

Esref Armagan, blind painter. He has been blind all his life. Yet his paintings are realistic. Neural scans indicate that when he is painting, his visual cortex is stimulated as much as it is for normal people when they see objects. Comments naru 29 Jan 2005 12:00 pm: this guy (esref) is cool..a genius of sorts,,of course stud is cool too S Anand 29 Jan 2005 12:00 pm: I would also mention the genius of evolution. If he can know things like perspective without ever having seen, it means that sort of thing is hard-coded in our brain!

Seeing without seeing


I documented my shortest ever commute from Croydon to Newbury Park, managing perfectly timed train transfers at London Bridge and Bank stations. It was a rare moment where London's transport connections aligned without any waiting time.

After a long time, things started going right for a change.\ 7:15pm: Get out of office.\ 7:22pm: Walk into train platform exactly as the train arrives. The right train.\ 7:40pm: Long walk to change trains at London Bridge. Once again, the train arrives bang on cue.\ 7:47pm: Another change of platform at Bank. Train to Newbury Park arrives almost immediately.\ 8:15pm: Out of Newbury Park station.\ That was easily the shortest ride I had from Croydon to Newbury Park. Probably will continue to be the shortest ever.

Short ride


I highlight how framing uses specific vocabulary to embed worldviews into public discourse. By looking at examples like tax relief, I show how even opposing a statement can reinforce its underlying psychological and political frames.

Framing - using words to build a frame of mind. A Senator goes on a Fox News show in which a conservative argues with a liberal. The conservative host says: "Some say that more tax relief creates more jobs. You have voted against increased tax relief. Why?" The Senator is caught. Any attempt to answer the question as asked simply reinforces both the Tax Relief frame and the "Tax Relief Creates Jobs" frame. The question builds in a conservative worldview and false "facts". Even to deny that "tax relief" creates jobs accepts the Tax Relief frame and reinforces the "Tax Relief Creates Jobs" frame. Comments Dhar 24 Sep 2005 12:00 pm: LOL. Dhar 24 Sep 2005 10:45 am: Had heard about concept of Framing earlier too. For example, it is always "Defense Spending". While the fact of the matter is that all weapons creater are for offense. But it is easier getting buget for a Defense program rather than an Offense Program. Lakoff I believe has done a lot of work on Framing and his books are mentioned on the side bar in the link you provided. Dhar 25 Sep 2005 12:34 pm: Just found out Lakoff is the person behind Rockridge Institute. I am just going through his book "Metaphors We Live By". Slightly dense, takes time to read/understand. Alpha Geek 26 Sep 2005 5:29 pm: I logged to google fight web page and gave S-Anand.net as one key word and sumitdhar.bogspot.com as another keyword.The result was, S-Anand.net got a maximum hits of 276 result and dhar's page got 267 hits. S-Anand.net won by 9 hits. S Anand 26 Sep 2005 6:46 pm: Pity. My vote would've been for Dhar's site. Name M 4 Oct 2005 10:30 pm: AlphaGeek, you may have had better luck if you used sumitdhar.blogspot vs bogspot

Simple framing


I found Site Helper, a useful resource that provides straightforward instructions for setting up a website. It offers clear steps for beginners on domain registration, web hosting, and basic site management tasks.

Site Helper: simple instructions on how to get a web site up and running.

Site Helper


I found the Skycar, a personal flying vehicle priced near $1 million. It aims to serve as a more practical alternative to traditional helicopters for vertical takeoff and landing transport in personal aviation.

The Skycar. It's a flying car. Priced at close to $1 million, but probably better than using a helicopter.

Skycar


I'm sharing a prompt to disconnect and slow down. Constant digital connectivity can be overwhelming, so it's vital to intentionally switch off your devices and step back from the technological noise to reclaim your time.

It's time to switch off and slow down.

Slow down


I found a detailed D-Lib Magazine review of early social bookmarking tools. It provides an academic perspective on the landscape of link-sharing services during the mid-2000s, useful for understanding the history of digital curation.

D-Lib magazine reviews Social Bookmarking Tools. Comments Jetru 18 Apr 2005 7:38 am: i think you forgot something:D

Social Bookmarking Tools


I catalog my essential software inventory for new laptop setups, featuring tools like ActivePerl, WinAmp, and NoteTab Light. I also weigh my preference for tools like Firefox and MSN Messenger against those I choose to skip.

I end up changing my office laptops every year or so, and hence reinstall lots of software. Here's my inventory. I most certainly will install the following.\ ActivePerl. I still program. I know Perl. I love Perl.\ Acrobat Reader\ BitLord\ DivX player\ Dave's quicksearch deskbar\ Microsoft Office 2003. Has some really good improvements over Office 2000.\ NoteTab Light. Multiple tabs notepad. But is there anything better?\ Nero Express\ Picasa 2\ WinAmp (with Media Library import/export)\ WinRar\ WinZip I most likely will install the following, but not necessarily.\ Adobe Photoshop. Almost vital, but I can live with Microsoft Office Picture Manager.\ Goldwave. I often record interviews, or give commentary for home-made movies.\ Google Earth (with Fraps). To browse the world and make movies out of them.\ Google Toolbar\ Mozilla Firefox. For multi-tabbed browsing, mainly. Otherwise, IE is fine.\ MSN Messenger. Just for the interface. Somehow, it feels "smoother" than Yahoo.\ RealPlayer. Don't listen to RealAudio that much. Still...\ UnixUtils. I use "grep" and "less" more often than "dir"\ VirtualDub. For the occasional movie editing that Microsoft Movie Maker can't handle.\ WinHtTrack. To browse offline.\ Google Desktop Search. Helps remember my browsing history. Tempting, but no thanks.\ Opera. Mozilla's fine, thank you.\ Yahoo Messenger. MSN Messenger's better, thank you.\ Yahoo Desktop Search. Better interface than Google's. But no browsing history. Comments Krishna 20 Jul 2005 6:08 pm: Looks like bloglines has issues with showing the RSS of the post. Especially the list of programs. I get a blank list :( Krishna 20 Jul 2005 6:09 pm: And a really nice way to show comments! I love it! S Anand 20 Jul 2005 7:44 pm: Hope the RSS feed is fixed now. And thanks! Dhar 21 Jul 2005 1:11 am: Does Winzip do something that Winrar doesnt? Dhar 21 Jul 2005 1:13 am: No anti-virus software?Tipping my hat to you... You, sir, are a brave man! Try Avast, it is free and it is good! Shiva 21 Jul 2005 2:05 am: 'Digit ' One of the popular PC magazine rated it as the â€˜Bestâ€™, i tried it believe me after that my system had 50 Trojans and worms and my Laptop was badly affected S Anand 21 Jul 2005 4:52 am: I just like WinZip's interface. As for anti-virus, believe it or not, yes, I am quite foolish on that front. S Anand 21 Jul 2005 4:55 am: How's AVG? Heard it was good. Krishna 21 Jul 2005 7:11 am: RSS Feed is fine now. Thanks! Dhar 21 Jul 2005 8:25 am: Since I did not want to shell out loads of moolah, I just downloaded Avast to give it a shot. I have been pretty impressed by it since then. Another one you might want to give a shot is Clamwin (www.clamwin.com) Dhar 21 Jul 2005 10:37 am: Are you able to run Bitlord from behind firewalls? Or do you use some kind of tunneling software? I have been unable to get bittorrent to work with tunnelling software. :( S Anand 21 Jul 2005 11:47 am: Not behind a firewall, luckily. A Karthik 22 Jul 2005 4:33 pm: jedit is good S Anand 22 Jul 2005 7:17 pm: Hey, great to hear from you, Karthik! Will mail you. Dhar 25 Jul 2005 10:37 am: Just saw that you will be installing DivX player. Why not give MPlayer or VLC a try. I personally love Mplayer. sathish 26 Jul 2005 4:05 am: for editors, I have off late starting using ScitE editor.. It is pretty good with multiple tabs and coloring based on the language one uses for coding Dhar 26 Jul 2005 5:57 am: Somehow I still prefer VIM for simple editing. I tried convincing people at work that I use LaTe X for all document preparation needs, but somehow it got shot down. :( S Anand 31 Jul 2005 9:05 pm: I tried Avast. Pretty impressive.

Software inventory


I explore how Steven Spielberg’s sound designers created iconic movie sounds, like using jet takeoffs for Indy's whip, leather jackets for punches, and blending animal calls to produce the Tyrannosaurus's roar.

It's interesting how Steven Spielberg created his sound effects in movies. For example, in Raiders of the Lost Ark, Indy's whip is the treated sound of a jet taking off; the punches in fist fights are the result of bashing leather jackets with baseball bats; and the rolling boulder rumble is a Honda station wagon coasting down a gravel road mixed with a rocket blast-off. ... or in E.T. The Extra Terrestrial ... the bulk of E.T.'s utterances were delivered by Pat Welsh, a 65-year-old Marin County housewife. The sound designer, Ben Burtt, overheard her distinctive vocals in a camera store and cheekily asked the retured elocution teacher to remove her dentures and talk without her teeth. Convinved that her screechy voice was ideal for the role, Burtt paid her $350 to spend a day recording E.T.'s minimal dialogue. Subsequently her voice was enriched by watery textures. ... or in Jurassic Park ... many raptor screams were taken from dolphins recorded at Marine World. The call of the brachiosaurus came from both whale songs and donkey brays slowed down with added echo. The dilophosaurus had its sound broken into two types: for the early, playful spitter, Rudstrom employed a variety of swan calls; yet as it turns nasty, and egret sound is mixed with Rydstrom's own voice (to add a sense of weight) to suggest venom. The rattling noice produced by an exotic insect doubled for the sound of the spitter's vibrating cowl. Yet the most complex-sounding character was the mighty tyrannosaurus. The vocal effects came from a diversity of sources -- elephant, alligator, penguin, tiger and dog sounds -- all mixed together to create a rich, naturalistic dinosaur vocabulary. Whale blowholes repeated into a regular rythm created tyrannosaurus breathing patterns. For his world-shattering road, a blast from a baby elephant created the high end of the frequency, while the low end was provided by alligator growls and tigher shrieks. Comments Dhar 29 Jun 2005 2:33 am: Anand, can you put up the link from where you got this info? S Anand 29 Jun 2005 8:01 am: Typed it in from The Complete Spielberg jayant 30 Jun 2005 4:14 am: Will not mobile theft be very high in London given this door security system? Guess they must have some other system too, like some door code other than pressing just 0...may be ppl dont do such things there... jayant 30 Jun 2005 4:29 am: huh..had put something on mobile phone and door security...where did it disappear? S Anand 30 Jun 2005 6:40 am: Mobile theft is pretty high, but not because of the door security system, I think. That's only for new constructions, and they are not too common.

Sound effects


Explore common tactics used by spammers to bypass filters and deceive recipients, as illustrated by Scientific American. The graphic details technical maneuvers and psychological tricks employed in mass email campaigns during the mid-2000s.

Spammer ploys. From the Scientific American.\ Scientific American: spammer ploys

Spam techniques


I discovered Spanish and Argentinian cuisines while walking in Croydon, expanding my perspective on global food beyond familiar staples like Indian and Thai. I documented these new culinary finds by photographing restaurant menus during my stay.

I always wondered what cuisines were famous other than the ones I knew (Indian, Chinese, Thai, Mexican, Italian, Lebanese, Continental). I'd heard of Ethiopian food from Rajeev Ved, but never of Argentinian and Spanish. I spotted a couple of menu cards while walking down Croydon. Spanish Restaurant Menu, 2005-06-12 Argentinian Restaurant Menu, 2005-06-12

Spanish and Argentinian cuisine


I found a creative Flickr set showcasing sparkler art created through long exposure photography. These images demonstrate how light painting with simple sparklers can produce intricate, glowing patterns against dark backgrounds.

Sparkler art. Long exposure photos on Flickr with a sparkler. via Dhar

Sparkler art


I explored a collection of unique mathematical properties for the first 10,000 integers, highlighting curiosities like 8281's consecutive digit pairs and 5851's digit-sum consistency across its square and cube.

Every number is special. Here's what's special about the first 10,000 numbers (almost). For instance, "8281 is the only 4-digit square whose two 2-digit pairs are consecutive." And "5851 is the only prime so that it, its square, and its cube all have the same sum of digits."

Special numbers


I shared a striking fisheye photograph of a stadium found on File Magazine. The wide-angle perspective captures the massive scale and unique architecture of the venue, evoking a visual style reminiscent of comic art.

Fisheye photo of a stadium. Comments Aditya Chaturvedi 7 Mar 2005 7:28 pm: Really Nice Pictures Nik 20 Mar 2005 12:22 am: Reminds me of a Calvin

Stadium photo


I found a visualization comparing the iconic London Underground schematic to a geographically accurate version. It’s a great way to see how the traditional map distorts actual distances and station locations for better readability.

Stand clear of closing doors. Ever wonder what the London Underground Map would look like if it were geographically accurate?

Stand clear of closing doors


I found a fascinating article explaining supercooled water, where liquid remains below its freezing point until disturbed. It details the physics behind this metastable state and provides instructions on how to achieve the effect at home.

Super cooled water.

Super cooled water


Explore how high-resolution satellite imagery reveals dramatic global events as they happen, from the devastating Sri Lankan tsunami and volcanic eruptions to the aftermath of bombings in Baghdad captured in digital maps.

Surprises lurk in satellite maps. Like the tsunami hitting Sri Lanka, an erupted volcano, bombing at Baghdad, etc.

Surprises in satellite maps


I tracked the 2005 tagging explosion by compiling this directory of Web 2.0 services. It covers early tools for organizing URLs, RSS feeds, source code, and academic papers before metadata became a standard feature of modern platforms.

Tagging is in full swing. del.icio.us, Furl, My Web 2.0, Spurl etc. tags URLs Yummy tags PDFs Rojo tags RSS feeds Tagcloud, 24 eyes, Feedmarker, etc. tag RSS posts Technorati tags blog posts Tagsurf tags discussions Job Bazaar tags job postings Gmail tags e-mails (but you can't share tags) Connotea and CiteULike tag academic references Swik tags open-source projects Snippets tags source code 43 things tags things you want to do 43 places tags places you want to visit Diggs tags stories Library Thing tags books Reader 2 tags books Upcoming tags events Dinnerbuzz tags restaurants Flickr tags photos Tagzania tags locations Freesound tags sounds Podcast tags podcasts Upto 11 tags P2P music Music mobs and Genie Lab tag music You tube tags videos In fact, supr.c.ilio.us tags tagging sites! Comments REMO 23 Jul 2005 4:29 pm: we expect something with a flavour of FINANCE from your page REMO 23 Jul 2005 4:34 pm: Enlighten our life with your financial Aura. S Anand 9 Aug 2005 9:41 pm: A tagged list of tagging sites at supr.c.ilio.us.

Tagging


I highlight a 2005 Forbes insight where Bill Gates identifies Goldman Sachs as Microsoft's primary competitor for high-IQ talent. Google’s significantly higher revenue per employee suggests it has now overtaken Microsoft in the recruitment war.

Talent wars. The interesting part was the first three paragraphs. Flying on the Delta Shuttle with Bill Gates 12 years ago, I asked, "What Microsoft competitor worries you most?" "Goldman Sachs." I gave Gates a startled look. Was Microsoft about to try the investment banking business? "Software," he said, "is an IQ business. Microsoft must win the IQ war, or we won't have a future. I don't worry about Lotus or IBM, because the smartest guys would rather come to work for Microsoft. Our competitors for IQ are investment banks such as Goldman Sachs and Morgan Stanley." I spent five days traveling the country with Gates, and he must have talked about IQ a hundred times. Getting the brightest bulbs to work at Microsoft has always been his obsession. It's paid off. Microsoft does close to $40 billion in sales and has some 60,000 employees. That's a whopping $650,000-plus of revenue per employee, topping IBM's sales per employee twofold. Along comes Google, with its revenue run rate of $6 billion and about 4,000 employees. Google's sales per employee are $1.5 million, or 2.3 times that of Microsoft. This is like comparing Babe Ruth to Home Run Baker. Google now beats Microsoft in the IQ war. Comments Jayant 3 Nov 2005 2:46 am: Just an opinion. I think there is subtle difference between the two talents. Both are sharp but one is more commercially driven. I do think lot of behaviour changes happen due to that orientation

Talent Wars


I shared a collection of hilarious anecdotes from an American teacher working in Japan. These stories provide a comedic look at cultural misunderstandings and the daily life of an expat educator in a Japanese school.

Hilarious anecdotes from an American teacher in Japan. Comments Anonymous 22 Dec 2005 8:51 am: Good stuff Anand - and great placement of the link on Anecdotes - needed it after the example on leasing !!

Teacher in Japan


I found a resource for accessing free O'Reilly tech books and discovered a method for viewing entire volumes on Google Print. These links offer valuable ways to find technical literature and digital archives without cost.

Tech books for free from O'Reilly. Speaking of which, it looks like you can read whole books on Google Print.

Tech books for free


I found TechCrunch, a blog dedicated to obsessively profiling and reviewing every newly launched web 2.0 business and service. It’s a deep dive into the emerging startup landscape and new internet product launches.

TechCrunch. A weblog dedicated to obsessively profiling and reviewing every newly launched web 2.0 business, product and service

Tech Crunch


I share a resource on tech support tricks, reflecting on how computers often seem to fix themselves when I'm around. It details the common troubleshooting patterns and methods IT professionals use to solve persistent user issues.

Tech support tricks of the trade. This one is very true. And I used to think computers just started working better when I was around...

Tech support tricks of the trade


I'm checking out Technorati Blogfinder, a service that tags and categorizes blogs. It’s a handy tool for organizing the blogosphere and helping users discover new content through community-driven metadata and specific topic search.

Technorati Blogfinder tags blogs.

Technorati Blogfinder


I highlighted Telecom Italia's notable advertisement featuring archival footage of Mahatma Gandhi. The commercial, which won an Epica Award, uses the historical figure to emphasize the unifying power of modern telecommunications and global connectivity.

Telecom Italia's Gandhi ad.

Telecom Italia Gandhi ad


I'm finding the British habit of saying "No" to agree with negative statements quite disorienting. While I expect a "Yeah" to confirm something isn't happening, their literal negation feels like a disagreement during casual conversation.

I need to get used to the British way of responding with "No" when they really agree with you. For example, in response to "The weather's not looking good," I would say "Yeah." The British say "No." (No, it isn't.) It's a bit jarring -- feels like they're disagreeing. For instance, "London isn't expensive."\ "No." (what? you're saying it's expensive?) "I don't have a ticket."\ "No." (what? you're telling me I have a ticket?) "There's not enough room."\ "No." etc. Quite disorienting. I guess it's also a little more hard work. You have to keep track of when to say "Yes" and when to say "No". Comments Sri 23 Aug 2005 12:54 pm: All three questions seem to suggest a negative property. COuld it be that they are saying "No?" as a way of confirming your observation? Sri 23 Aug 2005 12:55 pm: I meant so start with 'All three observations...".. Ram 19 Sep 2005 5:48 pm: I think now itâ€™s the time to teach them back, what we learned from them.

The British no


I looked through the winners of Timex's Future of Time design contest, which showcases futuristic concepts for watches. My favorite is the 'nail watch,' a creative take on how we might wear clocks in the future.

Winners of The Future of Time contest by Timex. Showcases futuristic designs for watches. I liked the "nail watch". Nail watch

The Future of Time


Explore the historical construction of Hinduism as a unified identity during the 18th and 19th centuries. This consolidation merged diverse sub-continental practices into a global rival to monotheistic faiths, fundamentally altering its traditional pluralism and tolerance.

The invention of the Hindu. Hinduism is largely a fiction, formulated in the 18th and 19th centuries out of a multiplicity of sub-continental religions, and enthusiastically endorsed by Indian modernisers. Unlike Muslims, Hindus have tended to borrow more than reject, and it has now been reconfigured as a global rival to the big three monotheisms. In the process, it has abandoned the tradition of toleration which lie in its true origins.

The invention of the Hindu


I discovered Simon Høegsberg's photography project that captures portraits of strangers in Copenhagen and New York alongside their immediate thoughts, creating a unique documentary record of internal monologues during chance encounters on the street.

The Thought Project Over a period of three months, the 28-year-old Danish photographer stopped random passersby on the streets of Copenhagen and New York City and asked them what they were thinking just before he intercepted them. Then he snapped their photos and transcribed their thoughts word-for-word.

The Thought Project


I found that Microsoft's IT department successfully applied the Theory of Constraints to software development. This approach focuses on identifying and managing system bottlenecks to optimize overall project flow and engineering throughput.

Microsoft's IT department has used the Theory of Constraints in software development. Comments Suresh 17 May 2006 5:39 am: Interesting and informative


Adopt a productive mindset by visualizing problems from multiple perspectives, making novel connections between unrelated concepts, and prioritizing a high volume of ideas to uncover creative breakthroughs and innovative solutions.

Think like a genius.

Think like a genius


I found that Tim Berners-Lee has finally started his own blog. The comments on his inaugural post serve as a digital tribute to the father of the World Wide Web and his lasting impact on global communication.

So I have a blog is Sir Tim Berners-Lee's blog. The comments on the first post pay homage to the father of the WWW. via LazyGeek

Tim Berners Lee - blog


We missed a conference call after miscalculating the offset between India and the UK. I learned that because the UK uses British Summer Time, Greenwich itself isn't always on GMT, creating a common trap for international scheduling.

We had a conference call planned at 8:00am. Reva was to join in from India. We got on to the call, and were done by 8:40am.\ 9:10am: SMS. Waited in conference now off to lunch\ 9:56am: Mail. You didnt initiate the call!\ 10:03am: Reply. I guess you dialled in at 9am UK time. We had the call at 8am.\ 3:17pm: Mail. I dialled at 8 GMT = 13.30 IST ? Correct?\ 3:19pm: Reply. Ah, no. We're 4.5 hours ahead.\ 3:25pm: Mail. Great Britain is one hour ahead of GMT during summer!\ 3:53pm: Reply. Yeah, you're right -- most people don't realise Greenwich isn't always on Greenwich Mean Time :-)

Time zone confusion


I found that while most countries use whole-hour offsets from GMT, India, Afghanistan, Australia, Burma, Iran, Nepal, and New Zealand are notable exceptions that use fractional time zones instead.

Most countries' time zones are separated by a whole hour from GMT. The only countries that are NOT seperated by a whole number of hours from GMT are India, Afghanistan, Australia, Burma, Iran, Nepal and New Zealand.

Time zones


I discovered a list of the top ten IT-related videos from Google, showcasing early technical presentations and developer talks that provide historical insight into software engineering and computing concepts from 2005.

Top 10 IT Google Videos.

Top 10 IT Google Videos


I share Feedster's monthly list of the top 500 most influential blogs, a curated resource for discovering new voices, trending topics, and popular RSS feeds across the evolving blogosphere.

Top 500 blogs. Each month, Feedster brings you a list of 500 of the most interesting and important blogs. Enjoy browsing to see what people are reading, to find feeds that will bring topics of interest to you... and to discover new voices in the Blogosphere.

top 500 blogs


I found Total Immersion, a technology that overlays real-time 3-D graphics onto live video feeds. Their demos showcase early augmented reality capabilities, allowing users to interact with virtual objects in a physical space via video.

Total immersion has technology that lets you create real-time 3-D images on a video feed. It's more impressive to watch one of their demos. Comments Prakash 7 Feb 2005 12:00 pm: I think the demos link needs authorizations S Anand 7 Feb 2005 12:00 pm: Strange... it seems to work fine for me. What error does it report?

Total immersion


I share an insightful speech by Michael Nielsen on the process of deep learning. It argues that a fundamental change in perception is worth 80 IQ points, providing a refreshing take on mastering difficult subjects.

Tough learning. Excellent article (speech, actually) by a physicist on how to learn. Very readable, and has a quote I won't forget: "A change of perception is worth 80 IQ points." Comments Ramesh 10 Sep 2005 9:50 pm: That was really a good article would highly recomment others to read the same Arun 11 Sep 2005 3:20 pm: Illuminating. Needed that right now.Thanks.

Tough Learning


I found these clever transparent laptop screen illusions on Flickr. They use carefully aligned desktop wallpapers to match the physical background behind the device, creating a seamless visual effect that makes the hardware appear invisible.

Transparent laptop screens. Quite clever, actually. via Dhar Comments S Anand 30 Mar 2005 6:15 am: More transparent screens at Flickr

Transparent laptop screen


I found a clever method for transforming an iPod into a universal remote control by using the headphone jack to transmit infrared signals. This hardware hack allows you to control various home entertainment devices using specifically encoded audio files.

Turning iPod into a universal remote.

Turning iPod into a universal remote


I explore Bruce Schneier’s insight into why two-factor authentication fails against modern threats. Despite using tokens and passwords, systems remain vulnerable to man-in-the-middle and trojan attacks that hijack active, authenticated user sessions.

Bruce Schneier on The Failure of Two-Factor Authentication. Two factor authentication replaces passwords with two things: something you have (e.g. a security token that changes numbers every minute) and something you know (e.g. password). Bruce says this won't help against two new kinds of attacks we're seeing: Man-in-the-Middle attack. An attacker puts up a fake bank website and entices user to that website. User types in his password, and the attacker in turn uses it to access the bank's real website. Done right, the user will never realize that he isn't at the bank's website. Then the attacker either disconnects the user and makes any fraudulent transactions he wants, or passes along the user's banking transactions while making his own transactions at the same time. Trojan attack. Attacker gets Trojan installed on user's computer. When user logs into his bank's website, the attacker piggybacks on that session via the Trojan to make any fraudulent transaction he wants.

Two Factor Authentication


I use twofifty.org to track my progress through the IMDb top 250 movie list. I've currently seen 71 out of the 250 films and am using this tool to manage my watchlist.

twofifty.org lets you track which movies from the IMDb top 250 you've seen. My twofifty.org list has 71/250 crossed off.

Twofifty.org to track movies


I highlight Uncyclopedia, a satirical wiki that is surprisingly harder to maintain than Wikipedia. The real challenge is internal consistency—making sure all the jokes and fabricated facts align perfectly with every other lie on the site.

Uncyclopedia. As Arnab points out, this is much tougher than Wikipedia. Comments Jetru 30 Mar 2005 6:38 am: what the heck is this? TOUGHER???! S Anand 30 Mar 2005 6:41 am: Yeah. The lies have to be consistent with all previous lies. Jetru 30 Mar 2005 1:21 pm: oh.lol

Uncyclopedia


I found out that Uri Geller, the famous spoon-bending psychic, has started a personal blog. This post captures a moment in 2005 when public figures were first beginning to experiment with the blogosphere to reach fans directly.

Uri Geller, the spoon-bender, has a blog. via Monish

Uri Geller blog