I discovered that neutrinos have mass, a fact proven by oscillation patterns back in 1998. This fundamental shift in particle physics surfaced while I was reading about recent research into anti-neutrino behavior.

A little article on anti-neutrino behaviour. All very fine, except for a line towards the end: The oscillations are a result of the neutrinos having slightly different masses, ... Since when did neutrinos start having mass!? (OK, it was in July 98. And no one even told me!)

Neutrinos have mass


I noted the launch of the .name top-level domain and predict that domain name prices will continue to crash. This expansion of the domain space offers more personal options and drives down registration costs.

.name is out. Domain name prices should continue crashing.

New domain name


I reviewed Altavista's latest features and found the updated interface impressive, particularly the tool for opening results in new windows. I also discovered that I am currently the third result for my name on their engine.

Altavista's new features are pretty good. What I liked best, though, is their new interface. Especially the bar used to open the search result in a new window. Good to know that I rank 3rd on their search.

New features on Altavista


I'm highlighting research from Japan where scientists developed new DNA bases, essentially creating synthetic components for life. This breakthrough in molecular biology expands the genetic alphabet beyond the standard four nucleobases.

The Japanese are creating new forms of life. (OK, they just created new bases.)

New forms of life


I highlight the release of the swivel-arm iMac G4 designed by Jonathan Ive, linking to Apple's official product page and a satirical infographic from The Onion regarding the computer's distinctive new industrial design.

The new iMac was designed by Jonathan Ive. (Aside: Onion spoof.)

New iMac


I share my support for New York City's decision to sell naming rights for public parks. It’s a pragmatic strategy to boost municipal revenue by leveraging corporate sponsorships to fund and maintain urban green spaces.

New York is selling park names. Not a bad idea.

New York is selling park names


I highlight how an innocuous business article mention inadvertently led to the arrest of Patrick Critton, a man who had successfully evaded authorities for decades after a 1971 airplane hijacking to Cuba.

This article mentions a Patrick Critton. Thanks to this innocuous reference, he ended up in jail.

News puts hijacker in jail


I’m frustrated that Geocities is discontinuing free FTP access for home pages starting April 2, 2002. While they gave advance notice, removing this core feature makes managing my free site significantly more difficult.

I hate this. "Beginning April 2, 2002, we -- Geocities -- will no longer provide FTP access as part of our free home page service." Nice of them to let me know well in advance, though.

No FTP on Geocities


I’m taking a short break from site updates until November 11th, so don't bother visiting until then. I'll be away celebrating Diwali and will return with more links and posts once my holiday is over.

I'm going to try and not update until Monday (11th Nov, not 4th). Don't even bother visiting. Happy Diwali!

No more updates for a while


I discovered that almost no websites link to my Geocities page. I actually appreciate that my daily visitors arrive by manually typing the URL, suggesting a more intentional and dedicated audience than those coming from search engine referrals.

Almost no site has linked to my page. (I sort of like that a bit. It means the 30-odd hits a day that I get are from people who TYPE my URL.)

No site has linked to my page


I compiled a list of functional codes for my Nokia 3310, covering system menus, software versions, and battery-draining sound enhancements. I also included BPL Mobile USSD strings for managing various call divert settings.

Nokia codes (works on my 3310) war0anty# Warranty details 3370# Better sound, drains battery 3370# Deactivates above 0000# Software version 06# IMEI number sim0clock# Allow simclock stoppage 3001#12345# Enables field test mode, other options 92702689# System menu BPL Mobile Call Divert options 67700# If number is busy 62700# If number is unreachable 61700nn# If no reply for nn seconds 21700# All calls 002# Cancel all call diverts

Nokia codes


Explore a comprehensive guide to body language, gestures, and facial expressions. This non-verbal dictionary defines hundreds of physical cues and signals, helping you interpret the silent language of human interaction and social behavior.

A non-verbal dictionary.

Non-verbal dictionary


I shared a link questioning the practicality of notebook computers. This brief 2002 post points to an article suggesting that portable PCs might not be the revolutionary "good idea" everyone assumed at the time.

Notebook computers are not such a good idea after all.

Not such a good idea


I analyzed my site traffic and discovered a direct correlation between the number of posts and total visits, calculating that each blog entry I write generates an average of 12 hits for my website.

After analysing my site traffic, I found that each entry of mine is worth 12 hits. Number of blog entries drives weblog traffic


I explore Jean Bricmont's insights on how chaos theory supports determinism and distinguish between objective probability, which describes informed system constants, and subjective probability, which represents our evolving best guesses about unique events.

Determinism, Chaos and Quantum Mechanics [PDF]. Interesting 30-pager by Jean Bricmont. He begins by differentiating predictability from determinism, and proceeds to explain how chaos theory supports determinism by enhancing predictability. As an interesting aside, Bricmont's article points out that there are 2 kinds of probabilities. Objective probability is where I know that if I toss a fair coin enough times, it'll turn up heads 50% of the time. Subjective probability is where I think there's a 10% chance it'll rain tomorrow, and I don't care to repeat the event. The former is an informed statement about a system. The latter is our best guess about an event. The former number is a constant, if we've done the calculations right. The latter number can change as our knowledge of the event increases. Comments Taye 24 Dec 2002 12:00 pm: The difference between subjective and objective probability is elegantly stated. I think I got it right. Thanks! shahzad munir 23 Oct 2008 3:29 am: there no comment Sadaf 18 Jan 2009 2:33 pm: The difference is stated the way it can be easily grasp by a beginner. Good work! Sajid 6 Sep 2009 11:04 am: example best describes the difference.thanks Aby Tellas 3 Mar 2010 5:26 am: Anand, Well explained. Clear Spic and span How To Bet On Football Successfully 24 Apr 2013 1:44 pm (pingback): [...] Tips can be both objective and subjective. To get success and profit you must be a good and skilful observer. The historical data that you have will help you to set up a plan. You must keep records of goals scored by your player or team. All you need is to understand the complexity of the game. If you go for harder practice you will become an expert. [...] anurag 1 Mar 2017 10:18 am: nice sir

Objective vs Subjective Probability


I'm looking at how Microsoft requires Windows 2000 or XP for Office 11, effectively forcing users to upgrade their operating systems. This strategy deliberately phases out older versions like Windows 98 and Me to drive new sales.

Sorry. You have to buy Windows 2000 or XP to use Office 11. Microsoft's next strategy to sell their operating systems. via Google News

Office 11 needs Windows 2000 or XP


I highlight how Pervez Musharraf solidified his power in Pakistan through constitutional changes, effectively becoming a dictator with the authority to dissolve parliament and dismiss the prime minister at his own discretion.

Musharraf is now officially a dictator. In all but name.

Officially a dictator


I was surprised to see news of a submerged city found near Mahabalipuram treated as a discovery. Growing up, I heard stories of these ruins and always assumed their existence was common knowledge rather than mere local legend.

A very old city has been found submerged near Mahabalipuram. Funny. I never knew people didn't know about it... I knew of the story since a kid, except I had no idea it was supposed to be a "story".

Old city below Mahabalipuram


I discovered the Open CD project, a collection of high-quality open-source Linux programs ported to Windows. I found the Celestia space simulator especially noteworthy among their suite of tools aimed at introducing users to free software.

Several cool Linux programs available on Windows via The Open CD project Celestia looked particularly interesting.

Open CD project


MIT launches its Open Courseware initiative on September 30th, providing free public access to a collection of university-designed course materials and educational resources online.

Open Courseware from MIT will be open to the public on Sep 30th. OCW is a set of MIT-designed courses that will be available online to the public. via MetaFilter

Open Courseware from MIT


I examine the Initiative for Software Choice’s stance against government-mandated open source. While meritocracy is a valid goal, their corporate funding reveals a self-serving push to protect proprietary software markets from legislative interference.

Open source should not be forced by governments, argues the Initiative for Software Choice. Their argument (which open source proponents agree with) is that software should be chosen on merit. But the argument is also self-serving, as the initiative is funded by software companies.


Explore how open-source principles apply to physical products and knowledge sharing through OpenCola’s soft drink formula, legal collaboration via OpenLaw, and the community-driven encyclopedia Wikipedia.

OpenCola has an open source cola recipe. You also have OpenLaw and Wikipedia.

OpenCola


I tested the Opera 7 beta and found that while the new visual design quickly becomes tiring, the browser remains fast and offers significantly better standards compliance than previous versions.

Opera 7 Beta is out. It sports a new look, which one tires of quite soon. But it's as fast as ever, and has better standards compliance. via Anand

Opera 7 beta


I'm exploring Opera's move into the smartphone market after they revamped their site to focus on mobile. Even though I don't fully understand the tech, their browser seems to handle small-screen rendering and mobile web browsing effectively.

Opera works well with mobile phones. I don't understand how, personally, but Opera has revamped its site focusing on smartphones, and seems to have a good technology here.

Opera works on mobiles


I found the Oracle of Google, a web app that guesses answers to multiple-choice questions using search result frequencies. While effective for queries like India's President, it highlights how current popularity can sometimes skew algorithmic results.

The Oracle of Google is the coolest Google app so far. Ask it a question with 4 choices, and it uses Google to guess the answer. It knows that Abdul Kalam is India's President, though it did prefer Vajpayee to former Presidents. via Google Weblog

Oracle of Google


I found this speech by Gregory Chaitin on the paradox of randomness particularly insightful regarding complexity theory. It examines how algorithmic information theory defines randomness and the inherent limitations of logical systems.

Another interesting piece related to complexity: a speech on the paradox of randomness by Gregory Chaitin. via missing matter

Paradox of randomness


I found an insightful Guardian piece comparing the Roman and American empires, focusing on their shared trajectories of military expansion, global dominance, and the internal political tensions that define a superpower's shift toward imperial control.

The Guardian on the parallels between the Roman and the American empires.

Parallels between the Roman and the American empires


I tried making pasta using a simple pesto sauce recipe, spending about Rs. 500 on the ingredients. While we managed to finish the meal, it was barely edible, marking a struggle in my latest kitchen experiment.

Incidentally, this kitchen hosted my latest attempt at making pasta. I found a simple pesto sauce recipe, and ended up spending about Rs. 500 for the ingredients. We managed to eat it. Barely.

Pasta


I found a resource for John Horton Conway's Game of Life patterns. It provides a collection of configurations and behaviors for the iconic cellular automata simulation, highlighting the diverse structures possible within the system.

Patterns of life. Yes, the life that JHC created. No, not THAT one. This is John Horton Conway's.

Patterns of life


I improved my PC's performance using PC Pit Stop to diagnose bottlenecks. I specifically boosted my hard disk speed by enabling DMA and reclaimed system memory by reducing the video card's shared memory allocation.

PC Pit Stop. A good tune-up for your PC. I managed to improve my hard disk performance by enabling DMA, and my memory by reducing the video card shared memory.

PC Pit Stop


I found Simon Høegsberg's photography project featuring pedestrians at Marble Arch incredibly inspiring. It offers a unique look at street life in London through candid portraits, capturing the diverse energy of people passing through this iconic location.

Pictures of pedestrians at Marble Arch. Now, that's an inspiring site (to me, at least!)

Pedestrians at Marble Arch


I found a dedicated resource for learning the art of pen-spinning. This site provides tutorials and tips for mastering the skill of twirling pens around your fingers through various complex tricks and movements.

The art of pen-spinning. A site dedicated to teaching you about twirling pens on your fingers.

Pen-spinning


IBM research shows that people who are inherently trusting adopt the internet more quickly than those who are naturally suspicious. This finding suggests that social trust is a key driver in the diffusion of new technologies.

IBM's research shows that people who are trusting adopt the Internet more than those who are suspicious by nature.

People who are trusting adopt the Internet


I've found the English edition of China's People's Daily to be a valuable source for news and global perspectives. It provides an alternative viewpoint that I find useful for staying informed on international affairs and Chinese policy.

People's Daily from China. In English. I've found it quite a good source of news recently.

Peoples Daily


I look at Peru and California’s adoption of open source software and suggest that if governments mandate compatible systems for suppliers, it would provide a massive boost to the growth of open systems.

In June, Peru decided to use open source software. Today, California plans the same. If governments catch on to this trend, and go further by enforcing suppliers to use compatible systems, it'd be a real big boost to open systems.

Peru to use open source software


I highlighted two glowing reviews of Peter Jackson’s Lord of the Rings adaptation. I especially enjoyed the specific level of detail provided by both Stephanie Zacharek and Jackson himself in their discussions of the film's creation.

Reviews of Lord of the Rings (Peter Jackson, Stephanie Zacharek). Full of glowing praise, but with a kind of detail I liked.

Peter Jackson


I found two useful visual tools: Photoblogs, a directory for photo-based journals, and the Visual Thesaurus, an interactive mapping tool that visually connects related words and concepts to help explore semantic relationships.

Photoblogs and the Visual Thesaurus via Kribs

Photoblogs and the Visual Thesaurus


I'm highlighting a photographic retrospective of Atal Bihari Vajpayee from Rediff, commemorating his 78th birthday. The collection tracks the former Prime Minister's political journey through key historical moments and candid personal shots.

A photographic history of Vajpayee from Rediff, to commemorate his 78th birthday.

Photographic history of Vajpayee


I found Eric Myer's photography project where you can combine the top and bottom halves of twenty different faces. It is impressive how realistic the resulting composite portraits look despite mixing features from different people.

Eric Myer's stereotypes. Photographs where you can combine the top and bottom halves of 20 faces. It's incredible how realistic the final combinations look. via Blogdex

Photographs by stereotypes


I'm sharing PhotoSIG, a community-driven website where photographers exchange detailed critiques and technical feedback. It serves as a collaborative hub for artists to upload images, improve their skills, and engage with other photography enthusiasts online.

PhotoSIG: a community of photographers.

PhotoSIG


I found an evaluation of the scientific realism in popular cinema. This resource rates films based on their adherence to physics, highlighting common inaccuracies like sound in space and rare examples of accurate portrayals.

Good and bad physics in movies.

Physics in movies


I shared a discovery about folding the US twenty-dollar bill to reveal hidden imagery of the September 11th attacks on the Twin Towers and the Pentagon, illustrating a widely discussed urban legend or visual coincidence.

The US $20 bill can be folded to create "pictures" of the 9/11 explosions. Comments bob 29 Nov 2006 1:40 pm: now that is some fucking crazy shit

Pictures of the Sep 11 explosions


I came across Google's PigeonRank page, a classic April Fools' joke describing how pigeon clusters compute search results. It's a fun look at early internet humor and how Google marketed its PageRank algorithm through parody.

PigeonRank. Google's amazing technology (funny).

PigeonRank


I shared a satirical piece from The Onion detailing the career plans of top Indian physicists, highlighting the humorous disconnect between high-level scientific talent and global labor market trends.

The Onion on the plans of top Indian physicists.

Plans of the top Indian physicists


Track the 2002 discovery of the AKS primality test, a deterministic polynomial-time algorithm for determining if a number is prime, finally placing primality testing within the complexity class P.

Progress on the polynomial-time computability of prime numbers.

Polynomial-time computability of prime numbers


I’m following the discovery of a polynomial-time primality test by researchers at IIT-K. If proven, this breakthrough challenges the core assumptions of RSA cryptography and might force us to rethink digital security protocols entirely.

Prof. Manindra Agarwal and his students at IIT-K have figured out a polynomial time test for primality. It was an unsolved problem. The RSA algorithm assumes that this is impossible. (NYTimes) Of course, others have claimed the same. To my knowledge, none is conclusively proven. What if they're true? Well, in a few years, our cryptography algorithms will be useless. So it's back to the drawing board, with security-related dot-coms from Univs popping up.

Polynomial time test for primality


I found a portable solar charger for powering my cellphone, digital camera, and other gadgets. While it adds a pound to my pocket, it's a useful tool for staying charged while keeping my mobile setup relatively compact.

Geeky gadget of the day: portable solar charger. I can charge your cellphone / CD / digital camera. It will also add a pound to my pocket, in addition to my purse, and cellphone, and digital camera, and office keys, and ... my laptop case. Still, might be worth it. And maybe, some day, all my gadgets will fit in my pocket without making me look bloated.

Portable solar charger


I found a resource featuring in-depth portraits of open source pioneers. It provides detailed profiles of the foundational figures behind free software, offering historical context on the people who shaped the open source movement.

In-depth portraits of open source pioneers.

Portraits of open source pioneers


I found a report about Gurinder Chadha, director of Bend It Like Beckham, taking on an adaptation of Pride and Prejudice. I noted that it sounds like it might be less lighthearted than her previous film.

Pride and Prejudice, from the director of Bend It Like Beckham. This doesn't sound like a light entertainer the way Bend It Like Beckham was... via RobotWisdom

Pride and Prejudice


I've shared an update on the groundbreaking prime factorization algorithm developed at IIT Kanpur. The linked Science News report explores the discovery's impact on computational number theory and its significance for modern cryptographic security.

An update on the IIT-K prime factorisation algorithm. via Matthai Markose

Prime factorisation algorithm


I examine how high plagiarism rates in online courses highlight a conflict between academic originality and corporate report-writing needs, suggesting that the core objectives of online certifications may soon undergo a significant shift.

Problems in online education. David McGrath teach English online. He ends up ... spending hours copying excerpts from her paper into cheater catching software programs and search engines to verify that it was authentic. [It is not authentic] 30 to 40 percent of the time. Universities today certify the ability to do original work, in addition to training students. Corporates, I think, value the ability to create a good quality report, irrespective of originality. This is a mismatch. Maybe the whole objective of courses, at least online courses, will change shortly. via Plastic.

Problems in online education


I found a curated collection of professional news feeds that serves as a treasure trove for RSS junkies. It highlights high-quality sources for staying informed through syndication during the early growth of the blogosphere.

Professional news feeds. A treasure for RSS news junkies.

Professional news feeds


After reading about the psychology of weblogs, I realized I had actually run out of things to say nearly a year ago. This reflects the common experience of creative exhaustion and self-reflection within the early blogging community.

The psychology of weblogs. After reading this, I realised I ran out of things to say almost a year ago.

Psychology of weblogs


I’m sharing a link to XMethods, a directory for discovering publicly available web services. It’s a helpful resource if you need to find and integrate various SOAP or XML-RPC interfaces into your applications.

Publicly available web services from xmethods.

Publicly available web services


I found a series of hilarious restaurant signboards by Mickey Kapoor. He creates clever pun-based retorts to the neighboring Pappadeaux's signs, turning simple business advertising into a public display of wordplay and lighthearted rivalry.

Mickey Kapoor owns a restaurant in the US, opposite to Pappadeaux's restaurant. Every time Pappadeaux puts up a signboard, Mickey puts up a pun-board in retort. Hilarious. via Mala

Pun board


I share a personal anecdote about observing the surprising reputation for punctuality among Mumbai's local trains. While waiting at Bandra station at midnight, I watched passengers assume a delayed train had already left solely based on the clock.

12:05 Churchgate Hmm, maybe it's not just the London and Tokyo trains you can set your watch by. On the way back from my trip to Ullas Nagar, I was sitting at the Bandra station waiting for the 12:05 to Churchgate. (That's 12:05AM -- as in the middle of the night.) The train was late, and I was enjoying the last of my plum cakes on the platform. Two old people clad in khadi strutted in, and looked at the display. It said "12:05 C". The older one said, "Heck, we've missed the train. Let's go to the next platform." "No, we couldn't. It says '12:05 C'. The train's coming," says the "younger". The older one purposefully turns towards the big clock on the station, points to it, and says, "Look. It's 12:10. The 12:05 train has left." End of argument. Maybe there's something to be said for the punctuality of local trains in Mumbai, after all. Comments raj 7 May 2007 4:54 pm: ullas nagar is not anywhere near on the bandra-churchgate railway link, but miles apart on different part of the town. don't fool the people, learn bombay's geography first raj 7 May 2007 4:56 pm: and ullas nagar is not spelt as you have spelt it. It's called Ulhas Nagar. And if you have missed the 12:05C train, you don't have to change platforms, but simply wait there for arrival of the next train. you don't change platforms for evry missed train. wake up, man. S Anand 7 May 2007 5:02 pm: Raj, correction noted on the spelling of Ulhas Nagar. I was lugging furniture from Ulhas Nagar to my new house in Bandra. After moving it in, I was waiting to take the train to Churchgate, which was where my old house was. Trains from Bandra to Churchgate come on platforms 2 and 4. The 12:05 was on platform 2. The 12:10 was at Platform 4. You didn't HAVE to change platforms, but catching the next train, in this case, meant you did.

Punctuality of Bombay trains


I highlight a rare purple and crimson diamond cited as the most valuable object in the world by weight. The post links to reports on its unique coloring and immense market value per gram.

This purple and crimson diamond is supposed to be the most valuable object in the world. (Weight for weight.)

Purple and crimson diamond


Recent milestones in quantum computing include storing 1000 bits in a single molecule and running the Grover search algorithm on molecular systems, bringing the field closer to solving real-world computational problems.

Quantum computing takes steps forward. First, we improve our storage ability with 1000 bits in 1 molecule. Then we perform the Grover algorithm using molecules. Now, all that's needed is a good set of problems to solve.

Quantum computing


I explore the convergence of complexity theory and quantum mechanics within the field of quantum information science, highlighting how these disciplines integrate to redefine our understanding of computational limits and fundamental physical systems.

Quantum information science: a convergence of complexity theory and quantum mechanics. via missing matter

Quantum information science


I shared a CNN timeline detailing major rail accidents in India. The list shows that these disasters are a persistent issue, tracking significant derailments and collisions across the Indian railway system over several decades.

Rail accidents are nothing new to India.

Rail accidents are nothing new to India


I shared a report on Ilayaraja's "Rakkamma Kaiya Thattu" being voted into the BBC Top 10 world music poll. It is a significant moment for Tamil cinema music gaining international recognition through a global audience vote.

Ilayaraja's Rakkamma on the BBC Top 10 songs via Prachi

Rakkamma on BBC Top 10


I found a long, compelling rant about HP's customer service that explores how impersonal big corporations become. It details specific bureaucratic failures, making it a curious study in poor tech support and corporate culture.

Rant on HP's customer service. Long, but interesting. I read it end-to-end. It's curious, how impersonal a big company can get. via Metafilter

Rant on HP customer service


I tried out an online palm reading tool on Yahoo Astrology to see what my hands revealed about my future. It was a simple way to explore digital divination and fortune-telling in the early 2000s.

I read my palm online.

Read my palm online


I found a resource for realistic lateral thinking puzzles that skip the usual surreal clichés. These scenarios are based on real-life events or logical situations, offering a more grounded and satisfying challenge for deductive thinkers.

Realistic lateral thinking puzzles.

Realistic lateral thinking puzzles


I highlight a critique of three websites, including two based in India, that implement remarkably poor security policies. The linked post examines how these platforms fail to prioritize basic digital safety and user data protection.

Really stupid security policies. On three sites (two Indian) that don't take security seriously. via Ravikiran

Really stupid security policies


Explore various methods for receiving email on mobile devices using early 2000s technology. The guide highlights legacy solutions like SMS alerts, pager notifications, and specific Microsoft Outlook add-ins for remote mail management.

Several ways of receiving mail on a mobile phone.

Receiving mail on a mobile


I shared a satirical article from The Onion about the RIAA suing radio stations for playing music. Even as a spoof, the aggressive copyright climate of 2002 made this scenario feel surprisingly plausible to me.

RIAA sues radio stations for playing their music. (No, not really. It's a spoof. But I wouldn't be surprised.) via Scripting News

RIAA sues radio stations


I highlighted two positive developments in the Indian telecommunications sector from 2002: a reduction in mobile roaming charges and a cut in bandwidth rates, both of which improved the landscape for connectivity and internet access.

2 good things: roaming rates cut, bandwidth rates cut.

Roaming rates cut


I found an intriguing $1,500 robot-building kit from Evolution Robotics with an open platform architecture. It looks like a powerful hardware and software environment for creating autonomous machines, and I really wish I could get my hands on one.

Wow! A robot-building kit with an open platform architecture. Wish I had one of these. ($1,500)

Robot-building kit


I've been using NewsIsFree.com to speed up my morning news routine and am now exploring various RSS newsreaders to see if they offer even more efficiency, though I find myself spending more time reading overall.

Ever since I started using NewsIsFree.com, I manage to run through my morning news much faster. Now, I'm trying to use some of these RSS newsreaders to see if they can speed it up even further. (Note: Though I read news faster, I've ended up spending more time on it, not less!)

RSS newsreaders


Sachin Tendulkar reaches the historic milestone of 20,000 runs in international cricket. This achievement highlights his incredible longevity and dominance as one of the sport's most prolific batsmen across all formats.

Sachin Tendulkar scores 20,000 runs in international cricket.

Sachin scores 20000 runs


I am troubleshooting formatting issues on my new site layout. If you're experiencing technical bugs, please email me at s.anand@bcg.com so I can identify the cause and fix the design for all visitors.

Sathish, got your comment about problems on my new format. What's your e-mail ID? Please mail me at s.anand@bcg.com and I'll try to fix it.

Sathish


I retracted my skeptical post from May 31st after discovering that Satish’s site actually links to mine. I confirmed this using a Google link search, which serves as a small but meaningful validation of my early blogging efforts.

I take my post on 31st May back. Satish's site links to mine.

Satish links to me


Access a comprehensive guide on improving image and document scanning quality. This resource offers technical advice on resolution, color settings, and hardware optimization to help you get the best digital results from your scanner.

Scantips. Ways to improve your scanning.

Scantips


Explore these curated resources on scenario planning to help your organization manage uncertainty. Learn to develop multiple plausible future narratives and use strategic frameworks to improve long-term foresight and decision-making processes.

Resources for scenario planning.

Scenario planning


I curated a collection of classic science jokes and puns, including Lewis Carroll's witty take on the branches of arithmetic. This archive covers humor across physics, biology, and math for fellow enthusiasts of academic wit.

Science jokes. Includes several old classics like "The four branches of arithmetic - ambition, distraction, uglification and derision." (Lewis Caroll).

Science jokes


I've linked to a BBC feature exploring the science behind superheroes, focusing on the biological and physical feasibility of their powers. This resource builds on concepts of movie physics to examine how comic tropes relate to reality.

On a similar note to movie physics, the science of superheroes

Science of superheroes


I started using SearchOnline, a meta-search engine that pools results from several sources. It's working well so far, providing a more comprehensive look at the web than single engines while keeping the interface simple and fast.

SearchOnline meta-search engine. Seems quite good so far.

SearchOnline


I'm tracking how China surpassed Japan to become the world's second-largest PC and internet market. They already lead in mobile users, making their rapid growth across all digital platforms quite remarkable.

China, which anyway has the largest mobile user base, has now beaten Japan to the second largest PC and Web base in the world. Wonder how they do it.

Second largest PC and Web base


Scientists demonstrated that the Second Law of Thermodynamics can be violated at the micrometer scale for fractions of a second. This discovery has significant implications for the efficiency limits of nanotechnology and microscopic heat engines.

For a few tenths of a second, at the micrometer level, the Second law of Thermodynamics can be violated. The interesting thing is that it happens at such a large scale.


I highlight Joel Spolsky's strategy regarding free products, where companies commoditize complements to drive sales of their own goods. It explains the economic logic behind giving away software to sell more hardware or services.

Joel on why companies try to sell free products. (To sell more complementary products, to spare you the suspense.)

Sell free products


I share a speculative story that dreams of a future for the semantic web, exploring how structured information and metadata might eventually organize and transform the vast landscape of the internet.

A story dreaming for the semantic web.

Semantic web


I was amazed by JP Brown's incredible Lego Rubik's cube solver. It's a sophisticated example of robotics and mechanical engineering using standard bricks, and seeing projects like this makes me want to build similar complex systems myself.

Serious lego. The Rubik's cube solver by Brown is so incredible that I can't even believe it! Some day, I'd like to do stuff like this.

Serious lego


I found this mindless and addictive puzzle game called Collapse on Shockwave.com. It is a classic browser-based experience that is perfect for wasting time when you need a quick mental break from your work.

Mindless addictive Shockwave game.

Shockwave game


I'm looking at Scientific American's review of the Simputer, an early attempt at a low-cost handheld for developing countries. The central challenge remains whether people can afford a $250 device that isn't strictly essential.

Scientific American's review of the Simputer. Perhaps the greatest obstacle for the Simputer, though, is cost. Will people in developing countries be able to justify the expenditure of $250 on a device that may be helpful but is not essential? via Kamat's Potpourri

Simputer


I found a site by Beflix exploring the aesthetics of digital corruption through screen captures of crashed computers. I recognized some of the glitch animations, particularly from the ZX Spectrum, which capture the unique beauty of technical failure.

And speaking of glitches, Beflix has a site on the "aesthetics of digital corruption". He posts screen images of computers that have gone kaput. Some of the animations, especially the ZX Spectrum ones, are a bit familiar.

Site on the aesthetics of digital corruption


I think this SMS weblog is a cool idea for posting updates via text. It shows how early mobile blogging worked by bridging cellular technology with the web to enable quick, remote updates long before smartphones.

An SMS Weblog. That's a cool idea.

SMS Weblog


Snopes is expanding from its online home to television. The new show will bring the site's signature urban legend debunking to a visual format, exploring the truth behind popular myths and internet folklore.

Snopes is soon to be on TV.

Snopes on TV


I explore the blurred line between spam and computer viruses, specifically referencing Friend Greeting cards that spread like malware. This case illustrates unsolicited commercial email adopting the self-replicating, infectious characteristics typically associated with digital viruses.

The thin line between spam and virus. In the form of a "Friend Greeting". via Metafilter

Spam is a virus


I argue against using voice to communicate with computers because speaking requires significant physical energy and cognitive effort. Recent research supports my intuition that speech recognition might hinder thought processes during task execution.

I always felt using voice to communicate with computers was a bad idea. In my case, it's more because speaking takes up a lot of energy. But looks like it takes up a lot of thought power as well. Maybe speech recognition is not such a good idea.

Speech recognition is not such a good idea


I highlight a technology that uses sprayed microscopic dots to prevent theft by marking property with unique identifiers. This forensic method offers a wide range of applications for tracking stolen items and protecting valuable assets.

Spraying dots prevents theft. The range of application for the technology appears wide.

Spraying dots prevents theft


I found a helpful resource defining spyware and its impact on privacy in the early 2000s. This guide covers how these programs track user behavior and the general threat they posed to internet security at the time.

Spyware.

Spyware


I found a collection of scripts for all ten Star Trek movies hosted on Geocities. Reading through them makes me nostalgic for the films, though the site is prone to hitting its bandwidth limits.

Star Trek scripts. All 10 of them. Makes me nostalgic. (Please don't overload the site: it's hosted on Geocities and has exceeded its transfer limit.)

Star Trek scripts


I revisited the ASCII version of Star Wars accessible via Telnet at towel.blinkenlights.nl. It is an impressive piece of internet history that renders the entire film in text characters and is still worth a look.

Star Wars on Telnet. In text. Still worth a look.

Star Wars


I discovered research showing how data can be stolen by recording the flickering of LED status lights on modems or routers. This side-channel attack uses optical sensors to capture information remotely without any physical connection to the target.

Who'd have thought that you could steal data by recording LED lights!

Steal data by recording LED lights


I explore why the stock market drops during parliamentary sessions and budget discussions. Rather than blaming bad policy, I attribute this trend to excessive investor over-optimism leading up to the session's start.

The stock market falls when the Parliament is in session. Particularly if the Budget is discussed. Personally, I would attribute it to investor over-optimism. I don't see how the politicians take bad decisions more than half the time, because in that case, we're better off without them. Hmm...

Stock market falls when the Parliament is in session


I learned from Straight Dope that 'lorem ipsum' placeholder text is actually based on a classic speech by Cicero, not just random gibberish. It is a mangled version of his philosophical work De Finibus Bonorum et Malorum.

Straight Dope tells me that lorem ipsum dolor sit... is not complete nonsense after all. It's based on a speech by Cicero.

Straight Dope


I found a BBC report exploring the theory that nuggets of strange quark matter passing through Earth could cause earthquakes, potentially explaining seismic events that do not fit standard tectonic models.

Strange quarks causing earthquakes. Literally. via RobotWisdom

Strange quarks cause earthquakes


I found Strategic Competitor, an innovative news presentation tool from Arkzin. It uses a non-traditional interface to display information, offering a unique take on early 2000s digital journalism and interactive data visualization.

Strategic competitor. A cool way of presenting news.

Strategic competitor


I discovered a collection of bizarre and outdated US laws, including a strange Indiana statute that prohibits bathing during the winter. It is a humorous look at some of the most peculiar legal relics across the country.

Stupid US laws. I'm sure this Indiana law is quite popular: Bathing is prohibited during the winter. via kuro5hin

Stupid US laws


I shared a link to Suku's thoughts on movies because they perfectly capture how I feel about cinema. It's a brief but beautiful reflection that resonated deeply with my own perspective on films.

Suku on movies. Beautiful. Says what I feel.

Suku on movies


I examine how supercomputing is outpacing Moore's Law, noting that computational power is doubling every 15 months rather than the expected 18, marking a faster trajectory for high-end hardware performance.

This article on supercomputing mentions that supercomputing is beating Moore's law. Computing power is doubling roughly every 15 months (instead of 18).

Supercomputing


I shared a link to an archival resource on Surrealism that explores the movement's history, manifestos, and core definitions. It provides a foundational look at the artistic and philosophical shifts that shaped early 20th-century avant-garde culture.

Surrealism.

Surrealism


I've successfully registered my blog feed on Syndic8, a major directory for RSS and Atom feeds. This addition marks an important step in making my content discoverable through early web syndication platforms and feed aggregators.

I've been syndic8ed.

syndic8ed


I share an article arguing that Tamil nationalism acts as a moderating force against religious politics in South India, explaining how linguistic identity prevents the Hindutva movement from gaining significant political ground in the region.

Interesting article: suggests that Tamil nationalism a moderating force to religious politics.


I reflect on the Kelkar report's tax reform proposals and a Tom Clancy quote about the unnecessary industry created by complex tax codes, reconsidering my initial skepticism toward the idea that tax systems are unnecessarily convoluted.

Interesting article on the Kelkar report on tax reforms. The point about simplifying tax and removing exemptions reminds me of a statement by George Winston in Tom Clancy's Executive Orders: The purpose of taxes is to provide revenue for the country's government so that the government can serve the people. But along the way we've created an entire industry that takes billions of dollars from the public. Why? To explain a tax code that gets more complex every year, a code that the enforcement people themselves do not understand with a sufficient degree of confidence to undertake responsibility for getting it right. Well, frankly, I thought Clancy was being naive.

Tax complexity


I recommend checking out Tech Review for its coverage of emerging technology trends. It is a great resource for staying informed about innovations in science and engineering through their insightful articles and reporting.

Tech Review. Interesting magazine with recent tech trends. Comments

Tech Review


I highlight a search showing SQL, UNIX, and Oracle as the most in-demand technical skills, followed by C and Java. It is an intriguing snapshot of the core technologies driving the job market right now.

What technical skills are in demand? Just a quick sketchy search by Keith. Intruiging that the top 3 technologies in demand are SQL, UNIX and Oracle, followed by C and Java.

Technical skills in demand


I explain why Tetris is NP-Hard by defining P and NP complexity classes in plain English. I use simple analogies like addition and primality testing to show how computational difficulty scales as problems grow larger.

Tetris is NP-Hard. Let me explain, in English, what that means. The toughness of problems is how much time it takes to solve them. Adding two 3-digit number takes less time than adding two 30-digit numbers, and hence is easier. Similarly, figuring out if a 3-digit number is prime or not is easier than a 30-digit number. Some problems grow tough very quickly. Adding two 30-digit numbers is 10-times slower than adding two 3-digit numbers. But checking if a 30-digit number is prime is several trillions of times slower than checking a 3-digit number. That is because, to check if a number is prime, you need to repeatedly divide it by numbers smaller than it. For a 3-digit number, you need to divide by around 1,000 numbers. For a 30 digit number, it's several trillions. Problems that grow tough at a constant rate are 'P'. What this means is: if you keep on doubling the number of digits, the problem repeatedly becomes twice as tough (or 3 times as tough, or whatever -- some constant rate). Adding of numbers is an example. ('P' stands for polynomial time.) Problems that grow tough at a constant rate if you already know how to solve them are 'NP'. For instance, to check if a 30-digit number is a prime, you needn't check with all numbers below the number. You just need to check with all primes below the number. That takes about 10-times as much time as for a 3-digit number. Hence, if you knew which primes were below the number, it would be 'P'. 'P' is a subset of 'NP'. The real question is, are there any problems that are 'NP' and not 'P'. That is, are there problems for which you really need to know how to solve the problem to be able to solve them in polynomial time? Or is it that we've just not been smart enough to come up with solutions that are fast enough? We don't know. The first step is to make a list of NP problems that are not obviously in 'P'. Then, we try converting these problems into each other in polynomial time. NP problems that can be converted into each other in polynomial time are 'NP-hard'. So, if you solve any one of these 'NP-hard' problems in polynomial time, you can solve all NP-hard problems in polynomial time. Figuring out the right moves in Tetris is one such problem.

Tetris is NP-Hard


I explore the potential resurgence of text-based games and point to Skotos as a noteworthy platform. It is a brief look at how interactive fiction and prose-driven gaming continue to evolve.

Text-based games on the rise? Skotos' site looks interesting anyway.

Text-based games


I explore Textarc, a tool for visualizing text by mapping word frequency and relationships in a circular display. It offers a unique structural overview of long-form literature through interactive typography and spatial patterns.

Textarc -- a visual way of representing text.

Textarc


While traveling in Mumbai, a stranger told me that real strategy is just a 7-column blueprint for assigning roles. This humorous encounter reminded me that business strategy means something very different depending on who you ask.

I was traveling from VT to Ullas Nagar to buy furniture. Since it's an hour-and-half, I had taken a printout of an article on Scenario Planning to read. Being the gripping reading that it was, I'd fallen asleep on page 4, when I feel a gentle tap on my shoulder. "Excuse me, are you reading this?" Since I was asleep, I clearly wasn't. But I looked at him, just to make sure he hadn't mistaken it for a newspaper or something. He had a moustache, was wearing a blue shirt, and didn't looked like the type who could mistake Scenario Planning with the latest political gossip. "Could I have a look?" He sure could. The article had made no sense to me so far. If it helped him, great! He started leafing through it. "Did you download it?" I had. I nodded. Then I went back to sleep. After a few minutes, when I woke up to see what station had arrived, he started off again. "So are you studying this only now?" (His tone was like, "So, are you learning to read at THIS age?") I said, "Yeah." "Haven't you taken any classes on strategy before?" Now, how do I explain that I work for a strategy consulting firm? But then, that wasn't his question was it? To be honest, I've taken only one class on strategy, and I'm not really sure I understand it, so I said "No." "I work for BPL Mobile, you see," he continued. "We had this class on strategy where they gave out this blueprint. You should read it." Well, if he's from BPL Mobile, I have a few strong thoughts as a customer that I'd want to share with him. But then again... maybe I'd learn something. I asked, "Blueprint? What's that?" "Oh, it's a sheet that has 7 columns. It tells you what all you have to do for a company's strategy -- from deciding everyone's designation to putting names in each of the boxes and so on. It's really detailed. It has 7 columns. You should get it and read it." "Oh, you mean a business plan!" "No, no, no. This has 7 columns. It's a blueprint. You should read it." Of course. 7 columns. Should anyone spot a blueprint with 7 columns, do pass it to me. I should read it. In the meantime, I'll stick to sleeping on trains.

The 7-column blueprint


I share a report on the sale of the billionth personal computer, marking a major milestone in technology history and reflecting on the rapid adoption of computing as a global commodity since the 1970s.

The billionth computer.

The billionth computer


Researchers at the University of Sussex used genetic programming to evolve a sound-producing circuit. Unexpectedly, the evolutionary process exploited ambient electromagnetic signals, effectively turning the hardware into a radio receiver instead of the intended oscillator.

An interesting application of genetic programming. Two people at the University of Sussex wrote this genetic program to make a circuit produce sound. The circuit became a radio instead.

The circuit became a radio instead


Mobile phones provide essential accessibility for the deaf community through SMS messaging. This adaptation repurposes cellular technology, enabling text-based communication as a functional alternative to traditional voice calls.

The deaf use mobile phones through SMS. Good idea.

The deaf use mobile phones


I'm sharing The Economist's take on the 2002 Nobel Prize in medicine, emphasizing how Sir John Sulston was recognized for his fundamental scientific research rather than the managerial success of the Human Genome Project.

The Economist on the Nobel prize in medicine. The Human Genome Project was a formidable achievement, but one that was managerial as much as scientific, and there is no Nobel prize for management. Instead, Sir John has been given a prize for real scientific work which nobody could doubt was of Nobel quality.

The Economist on the Nobel Prize in medicine


I found a resource tracking web services moving from free to paid models. It highlights the challenge of implementing fees without triggering user revolts like the Unisys GIF patent controversy and the "burn all gifs" campaign.

The End of Free. What's going from free to fee. Of course, the service has to be immune to reactions like burn all gifs.

The End of Free


I’ve compiled reports from Reporters Without Borders and other organizations documenting how various countries censor the internet. These resources identify the specific nations acting as 'enemies of the internet' through online restriction and surveillance.

The Enemies of the Internet. A report on the censorship of the Internet, by country. (Another report)

The Enemies of the Internet


I share a fascinating look into the etymology of 'hello,' covering its rise as a telephone greeting championed by Thomas Edison over Alexander Graham Bell's 'ahoy' and its origins in older hailing calls.

The etymology of hello.

The etymology of hello


I found a map of the human footprint showing global population density. It highlights extreme density in Europe and coastal China versus the vast emptiness of the Sahara, Siberia, and the Australian outback.

The homo sapien footprint. Shows the population density of the world. Here's the result at a glance. The densest spots: Europe, India, the East coasts of China and the US. The sparsest: north Canada, Sibera, Sahara, the Andes, the Himalayas, and most of Australia. via Plastic

The homo sapien footprint


I found that the Internet operates as a scale-free network, characterized by a few highly connected hubs and many poorly connected nodes. This topological structure explains why the network is robust against random failures but vulnerable to targeted attacks.

The Internet is a scale free network.

The Internet is a scale free network


I reflect on Tim Berners-Lee’s vision for an Interplanetary Internet. As the web becomes ubiquitous, the idea of extending communication protocols beyond Earth moves from science fiction toward a technically feasible reality for future space exploration.

In the meantime, Tim Berners-Lee is talking about the Interplanetary Internet. Given the Internet's ubiquity, it sounds a lot more real than it did a few years ago.

The Interplanetary Internet


I found a fascinating link between Isaac Asimov’s Foundation series and Al-Qaeda: the Arabic translation of the book’s title is actually "Al-Qaeda," a connection explored in depth by The Guardian.

Asimov's Foundation was translated into Arabic. Title: Al-Qaeda. The Guardian explores the link between Asimov and bin Laden.

The link between Asimov and bin Laden


I found The Memory Hole, a project dedicated to preserving and disseminating endangered information, suppressed documents, and obscure records. It serves as a vital digital archive for public data that is otherwise difficult to access or at risk of being lost.

"The Memory Hole exists to preserve and spread material that is in danger of being lost, is hard to find, or is not widely known." via RobotWisdom

The Memory Hole


I’m noting another failure in the online pay-model as The Newspaper Today shuts down. It’s a significant early example of the struggle to monetize digital news through subscriptions rather than free access.

The Newspaper Today is dead. Yet another blow to the pay-model. via Netahoy

The Newspaper is dead


I discovered that the Oracle of Google is surprisingly resilient to typos. When I asked it who coined the word "robot," it correctly identified Karl Capek even though I misspelled his name as "Capec" in the query options.

Remember the Oracle of Google? Looks like it's a lot more versatile than I thought. I asked it who coined the word "robot". And the Oracle picked the right answer despite a mis-spelling!. (The answer is Karl Capek)

The Oracle picked the right answer despite a mis-spelling


I highlight a report suggesting that patent laws are skewed toward producer interests while ignoring the needs of consumers, raising significant concerns about the current evolution of intellectual property policy.

This Economist article talks about the problems with patent laws. A recent report by the Commission on Intellectual Property Rights says: the interests of the "producer" dominate in the evolution of IP policy, and those of the ultimate consumer are either not heard or heeded.

The problems with patent laws


I look at the argument that .NET’s true purpose was bringing Windows to UNIX. By abstracting the operating system, Microsoft aimed to extend their dominance into competitor territory rather than just improving their own internal stack.

The real reason for .NET: taking Windows to UNIX.

The real reason for .NET


I explored the Forbes list of high-earning dead celebrities, noting Elvis Presley's continued dominance at the top. It is particularly satisfying to see the enduring commercial legacies of creators like Charles Schulz and J.R.R. Tolkien.

Forbes has a list the rich and the dead (dead celebrities who continue to earn a lot.) Elvis, of course, tops the list, but it's good to see Charles Schulz and Tolkien on the list as well.

The rich and the dead


I found a fascinating project called "The Secret Lives of Numbers," which used Google search results to catalog the frequency of every integer up to one million, visualizing numerical popularity and patterns across the web.

The secret lives of numbers. These people searched Google for the number of occurrences of EACH number upto 1 million.

The secret lives of numbers


I highlight a Xerox PARC article examining the social role of documents in the New Economy. It argues that documents are active agents in building communities and facilitating communication, rather than just static information containers.

The Social Life of Documents. Interesting article by Xerox's PARC on the role of documents in the New Economy.

The Social Life of Documents


I found NASA JPL's Solar System Simulator, an interactive tool for generating custom views of planets and moons from any location in space. It's a fascinating way to visualize celestial bodies and their relative positions.

The Solar System. From anywhere.

The Solar System


I explored Christophe's experiment on the monetary value of keywords via Google AdWords. His results identified 'free' as the most valuable term, worth approximately $7,500 a day in advertising revenue.

While on the subject of free, Christophe's little experiment on the value of words via Google lists "free" as the most valuable word, at $7,500 a day.

The value of words


I read Frederick Forsyth's collection 'The Veteran' and found it excellent. This book showcases his signature attention to detail and suspenseful pacing, making it a standout pick for anyone who enjoys intricate, masterfully crafted thriller fiction.

Just read Forsyth's The Veteran. Excellent.

The Veteran by Frederick Forsyth


I'm increasingly bored with the Web and am searching for new paradigms beyond existing structures. I want to move past the stale design patterns of 2002 to find more engaging ways to build and interact online.

It's true. The Web is boring. I am increasingly bored. Can't somebody come up with new paradigms?

The Web is boring


I explore the nature of humor by revisiting Isaac Asimov’s short story "Jokester." I reflect on why humans find dark subjects like adultery and murder funny, drawing on the search for the world's funniest joke.

The world's funniest joke. The joke deals with a man getting shot. And when I think about it, I can't phrase is better than Asimov did in Jokester. "The point is," said Meyerhof, "that I have pictured a husband being humiliated by his wife; a marriage that is such a failure that the wife is convinced that her husband lacks any virtue. Yet you laugh at that. If you were the husband, would you find it funny?". He waited a moment in thought, then said, "Try this one, Trask: Abner was seated at his wife's sickbed, weeping uncontrollably, when his wife, mustering the dregs of her strength, drew herself up to one elbow.' " 'Abner,' she whispered, 'Abner, I cannot go to my Maker without confessing my misdeed.' " 'Not now,' muttered the stricken husband. 'Not now, my dear. Lie back and rest.' " 'I cannot,' she cried. 'I must tell, or my soul will never know peace. I have been unfaithful to you, Abner. In this very house, not one month ago' " 'Hush, dear,' soothed Abner. 'I know all about it. Why else have I poisoned you?' " Trask tried desperately to maintain equanimity but did not entirely succeed. He suppressed a chuckle imperfectly. Meyerhof said, "So that's funny, too. Adultery. Murder. All funny." And these are the "clean" jokes. Why is humour funny?

The worlds funniest joke


I argue that current 1.6GHz processors provide more speed than I actually need. Instead of buying faster PCs, I'd rather invest in peripherals like digital video cameras and hard disks to expand my computer's utility.

There's no point buying faster PCs, since there aren't many applications that need more computing power, says this NY Times article. via Scripting News In the past, the bulk of PC sales came from replacements. I've seen PCs being replaced because they didn't have enough RAM for Windows 3.1, or Windows NT ran too slow on them. Today, I'd rather spend the money on a digital video camera and an additional hard disk. My 1.6GHz processor is faster than I need anyway. What I like best is that three years from now, I don't need to feel embarrassed about owning an archaic 1.6GHz P4. It's enough for me!

There is no point buying faster PCs


I shared a link to Mil Millington's exhaustive list of petty arguments with his girlfriend, reflecting on how these domestic disputes make me apprehensive about my own future relationships and the inevitable bickering of long-term partnership.

Things Mil and his girlfriend have argued about. I dread to think of my future.


I explore how a Metafilter link crashed a Geocities site documenting time travel anomalies in films. It illustrates the downside of bandwidth limits and the 'hug of death' common on early web hosting services like Yahoo.

Here's a good reason for me not to advertise my website. Here's a site on time travel anamolies in films, which is not accessible, thanks to Yahoo's restrictions on data transfer. One listing on Metafilter probably killed the site. But then, the question probably is, is that a reason to hate Yahoo?

Time travel anamolies


Explore this vintage collection of snarky takes on J.R.R. Tolkien’s Middle-earth. It lampoons common tropes and inconsistencies in The Lord of the Rings through a lens of dedicated but irreverent early internet fandom humor.

The Tolkien sarcasm page.

Tolkien sarcasm


I found this amusing gallery of a couch entirely upholstered with mousepads. It’s a classic example of early internet weirdness and a testament to what happens when someone accumulates far too much obsolete computer gear.

Some people have too many mousepads.

Too many mousepads


I found this ranking of the top ten books from the last thousand years, noting Edward Gibbon’s Rise and Fall of the Roman Empire as a key inclusion. The list explores the most significant works of literature and history.

Top 10 books of the millenium. Notables: Rise and Fall of the Roman Empire.

Top 10 books of the millenium


I reviewed Jakob Nielsen's list of the top web design mistakes for 2002 and realized I was only guilty of using fixed font sizes. I've since corrected this to improve my site's accessibility and usability.

Jakob Nielsen's top 10 web design mistakes of 2002. Fortunately, I was committing only one of them -- fixed font sizes. Now rectified.

Top 10 web design mistakes of 2002


I explored the top twenty dictionary searches from Cambridge, which lists 'serendipity' as the most-queried word. This term identifies the lucky tendency to find valuable things by chance, highlighting a popular interest in unexpected discovery.

The top 20 dictionary searches on Cambridge's dictionary puts serendipity on top. It means "the lucky tendency to find interesting or valuable things just by chance."

Top 20 dictionary searches


I shared a link to Anita's article exploring the community of top book reviewers on Amazon. It provides a look into the culture and influence of the platform's most frequent and prominent early contributors.

Stars of Amazon -- Anita's article on book reviewers at Amazon. via Anita

Top reviewers on Amazon


I discuss technology allowing touch over the internet and express my desire for sensory expansion into taste and smell, specifically so I can sample recipes online while browsing the web.

You can hear people over the Internet. You can see people over the Internet. Now you can touch people over the Internet. When can we smell and taste them? Or are these senses too mundane to worry about? I, for one, would be very happy to be able to taste recipes online. via Ravikiran

Touch people over the Internet


Visualize your site's Internet neighbourhood using TouchGraph GoogleBrowser. It generates interactive maps of related websites based on Google's search index, helping you see how domains link together and cluster around specific topics.

TouchGraph GoogleBrowser. A graphical representation of your site's Internet neighbourhood.

TouchGraph GoogleBrowser


I examine the tension between reciprocal link building and website quality, noting how aggressive link exchanges can compromise editorial standards for the sake of SEO, as discussed in Joshua’s analysis of these competing priorities.

Joshua, in an insightful article, talks of the tradeoff between reciprocal links and quality.

Tradeoff between reciprocal links and quality


I discovered the Tron Killer App website and its trailer, featuring early 2000s CG animation that channels the neon aesthetic of the Grid. It explores potential fan-made or promotional extensions of the Tron universe.

Tron killer app: what is it? (a trailer!)

Tron killer app


Tuvalu is a tiny island nation where the highest point is under five meters, leading to annual flooding. Despite its small size and environmental vulnerability, it famously provides the .tv top-level domain name.

Tuvalu is a small country with 11,000 people. It's highest peak is under 5 metres. (Yes, metres.) It pretty much gets submerged every year. Incidentally, it's also the home of the .tv domain name. via Maltesh

Tuvalu


I highlight a bizarre online petition claiming "The Two Towers" was named after the World Trade Center. Surprisingly, this effort attracted significantly more votes than the counter-petition defending Tolkien's original title from the 1950s.

Some people petitioned that "The Two Towers" (sequel to "Fellowship of the Ring") was named after the World Trade Centre. Curiously, this petition has a far larger number of votes compared to its counter-petition.

Two Towers named after the WTC


I explore the potential of typing using eye movements through the Dasher project from Cambridge. I hope this gaze-based text entry technology is commercialized soon to provide a faster alternative to traditional keyboards for accessibility.

It's possible to type with your eyes. Hope this is commercialised soon. The details are available for free.

Type with your eyes


I'm tracking the UK's move to adopt a law similar to the US DMCA. This proposal introduces restrictive digital rights management and anti-circumvention rules, signaling a significant shift in European copyright enforcement and technology policy.

Now the UK wants a DMCA-like law.

UK wants a DMCA


I photographed a two-story apartment built under a Bandra station staircase, reflecting on Mumbai's extreme density. Despite cramped conditions, migrants repurpose every inch of space for shelter and livelihoods, prioritizing economic opportunity over comfortable housing.

House under Bandra station staircase Under the staircase of Bandra station lies a two-storeyed apartment. Dupleix layout, single room. East-facing, with elevated entrance. It's 8:00am. The man on the ladder is a boot polish-walla. He's picking up his box, getting ready for work, while his colleague watches. Their families is still asleep in the single room. And in the room, along with them, is a rather cramped storage space. I wonder how many live in such conditions. Of course, it's much better than the slums around Mahim. Still, it looks like a rather difficult life. Yet people manage. I asked a driver a few months ago why he'd migrated to Mumbai. "Livelihood," was his simple answer. At the end of the day, there are far more well-paying jobs in Mumbai than most other cities. Despite the ridiculous rents and cramped spaces. Comments Aparna 16 Aug 2002 12:00 pm: Anand, If someone does not stop the torrential pouring of men in Mumbai, very soon the city will have no space left! Mumbai has close to 29000 people per sq km, can you believe it. I am agitated not amazed. And yes, severely pained for the state of my country's financial capital.

Under the staircase of Bandra station


I found an extensive online archive documenting the history and evolution of airline stewardess uniforms. It features diverse designs from global carriers, highlighting the intersection of fashion and aviation history through unique cabin crew attire.

Interesting site on uniforms of airline stewardesses. via boing boing

Uniforms of airline stewardesses


I confirmed that coincidencedesign.com was an elaborate hoax after receiving a tip from a reader. The project, which had garnered significant online intrigue, turned out to be a piece of digital performance art or an early viral prank.

An update on coincidencedesign.com. I got a mail from "Your Biggest Fan". It's a hoax, after all.

Update on coincidencedesign


I shared a link to a humorous piece on 'upsizing' and modern linguistic trends from Vocabula. It captures the irony of how we use words today, providing a brief but amusing look at vocabulary inflation.

Upsizing. Funny.

Upsizing


I look at the extensive history of United States foreign interventions through William Blum's research and contrast it with The Economist's perspective on why the US should continue engaging in global affairs despite past meddling.

Looks like the US has interfered a lot in all kinds of things. The Economist wants them to "... try again".

US has interfered a lot


I note how major Indian corporations like L&T, Ashok Leyland, and Infosys are integrating digital signatures into their operations, signaling an early shift toward secure electronic authentication and digital business workflows.

Companies like L&T, Ashok Leyland, Infosys are using digital signatures already.

Using digital signatures


I've linked a Time magazine report on Atal Bihari Vajpayee's failing health, which triggered significant controversy and defensive responses from Indian officials and media outlets during his time as Prime Minister.

An article in Time about Vajpayee's failing health has provoked some controversial responses.

Vajpayees failing health


I shared my positive outlook on Valentine’s Day in 2002, noting the contrast with news reports of protests and opposition to the holiday happening in India at the time.

Valentine's day. This year, I rather looked forward to it. Funny that some people didn't.

Valentines Day


I found the Vice Fund, a mutual fund investing in tobacco, gambling, and other 'sin stocks.' I am intrigued by the concept and hope this contrarian approach to the market is a legitimate investment vehicle.

Vice Fund is a mutual fund investing in vices. Tobacco companies, casinos, etc. I do hope it's not a hoax. Such a nice idea...

Vice Fund


I explore the Economist's argument that corporate social responsibility creates a cycle of guilt. I agree, but question if manager incentives truly align with stakeholder interests when short-term performance dominates the modern job market.

The Economist argues that in making 'ethical practices' and 'social responsibility' prominent, corporates create a vicious cycle of guilt-until-proven-innocent. I agree with that part. But I wonder if the incentives in companies are aligned to benefit all stakeholders. Sure, in the long-run, everything is factored into the stock price. But the short (not even the medium) run is what managers need worry about, given the dynamic job market.

Vicious cycle of guilt


I highlight the emergence of virtual game economies where trading digital assets resulted in a GNP per capita between Bulgaria and Russia. These early reports analyze how massively multiplayer games function as legitimate economic systems.

On the virtual economy. No, this is not about the dot-com boom. This is about the trading of goods in online games, which has created an economy with a GNP per capita somewhere between Bulgaria and Russia. (More at New Scientist). via missing matter

Virtual game economy


I discuss early optical keyboard technology and speculate on its future potential. I envision using similar optics for digital handwriting recognition on paper and projecting interactive virtual screens from tiny, portable devices.

Virtual Keyboard Cool picture of a virtual keyboard. The article talks about a purely optical keyboard. You move your fingers, and the "keyboard" detects what you're typing. Now, if optics are that advanced, they should be able to figure out what I'm writing and put that on the computer. So I won't need a digital pad -- I'll just write on paper. Or even better, project the screen! Then I'll just carry a little 1" x 1" x 1" box that'll project a virtual screen that I can draw / write on.

Virtual keyboard


I explored Vivisimo, a service that automatically clusters search results from multiple sources into hierarchies. It provides a fresh, organized approach to meta-searching by grouping data into logical categories for more intuitive navigation.

Vivisimo, a document clustering service. As far as I can understand, it collects data from multiple sources and clusters it into hierarchies. Automatically. Sounds good, and seems to work reasonably well on Net searches too. At the very least, it's a fresh way of searching. via Markose

Vivisimo


I suggest Sachin Tendulkar resolve the controversy over his Ferrari's waived import duty by driving it briefly and then auctioning the car for charity. Publicly announcing this intention early would turn a PR issue into a positive gesture.

Waiving import duty for Sachin's Ferrari is kicking up a controversy. Fair enough. The smartest thing I see Sachin do is drive it for a while, and auction it for charitable purposes. Announcing, of course, his intentions beforehand.

Waiving import duty for Sachin


I highlight a Reuters piece on the emergence of war reporting via blogs, discussing how early digital platforms allowed individuals to share direct dispatches from conflict zones, bypassing traditional editorial filters and reshaping modern journalism.

Reuters on war reporting through blogs.

War reporting through blogs


I highlight the growing water crisis across Indian cities like Chennai and Mumbai, noting that these local shortages reflect a looming global scarcity reported in various news outlets and environmental reports.

Water problems at Chennai. And Mumbai. And Ahmedabad. And Andhra. The rest of the world will, too, in a short while.

Water problem in cities


Explore how neurological experiments show the subconscious can guide us toward better decisions before we can rationally explain them. These findings suggest that physiological responses often precede and inform our conscious understanding during complex tasks.

A neurological experiment indicates that we can make better decisions sub-consciously, even if we can't explain why.

We can make better decisions sub-consciously


I've slowed my online updates because life in Mumbai and Delhi has become more captivating than the web. I'm documenting my travels and experiences across India rather than focusing on my search engine rankings.

No, I haven't stopped updating because I wanted my Google entry to be on top for a long time. It's just that the web is boring, and my life has become interesting otherwise. Read more in Mumbai. I'm in Delhi these days, so I hope to add a Delhi chapter as well.

Web is boring and life is interesting


I tracked early-2000s internet fraud through this MSNBC report on web scams. It catalogs various deceptive online tactics, serving as a reminder of how long these security threats have persisted in digital spaces.

More web scams.

Web scams


I found two comprehensive directories of early weblogging software and publishing platforms. These lists from Lights.com and Business 2.0 provide a snapshot of the tools available for creators during the blogosphere's formative years in 2002.

Weblog tools and more weblog tools.

Weblog tools


I observed that mainstream outlets like USA Today and MSNBC are increasingly prioritizing weird news sections, signaling a shift where professional journalism sites embrace human interest oddities to capture reader attention across the internet.

Weird news on the rise. A search for weird news on Google reveals popular news sites like USA Today, MSNBC, ABCNews and even Reuters (via Yahoo) taking an interest in this area.

Weird news


I found a collection of bizarre and unconventional Star Trek fan websites, highlighting the stranger corners of the fandom's online presence as featured on TechTV's list of internet oddities from the early 2000s.

Weird Star Trek sites.

Weird Star Trek sites


I discovered a Stanford project called Well Connected, a database for building trust networks of websites and email addresses. It mirrors Google's early academic start and explores how we might map reputation across the web.

Well connected. A database of sites and e-mails that people trust. You can build your own trust network on this. (Given that Google once started out as google.stanford.edu, I wonder what this one could become.)

Well connected


Understand why the Salomon Smith Barney deals with WorldCom were illegal. While many business perks resemble bribes, these IPO spinning arrangements were distinct because of their massive scale and the misuse of shareholder capital.

Salomon Smith Barney sold the CEO of WorldCom lots of IPO shares at a low price. The CEO made lots of money. Technically, that's a bribe to your customer. But then, so is every free offer, or cross-sale. What makes the SSB-WorldCom deals illegal, this article argues, is that they're so BIG, and they're made of OTHER people's money.


I found a helpful summary from the Economist detailing Microsoft's strategic moves in 2002, focusing on their market position and business challenges during a pivotal period of software expansion and regulatory scrutiny.

Good summary of what Microsoft is up to at the Economist.

What Microsoft is up to


I revisit a 1999 Search Engine Watch report that humorously compared Microsoft’s corporate reputation to Satan’s, capturing a nostalgic moment in tech history when the company’s market dominance and perceived evilness were the industry’s primary focus.

Nostalgia. Remember when Microsoft was more evil than Satan himself?

When Microsoft was more evil than Satan himself


I shared a satirical piece from Denounce that pokes fun at Microsoft’s ubiquitous 'Where do you want to go today?' advertising slogan, capturing the tech-focused humor and corporate skepticism of the early 2000s.

Where do you want to go today?

Where do you want to go today


I reflect on a 2002 report showing that internet luminaries still prioritized traditional outlets like CNN and the New York Times over blogs for news, highlighting the early tension between established media and the emerging blogosphere.

Where Net luminaries turn for news. Strange that blogs are not on top. Google, CNN and NY Times are. via Blogdex

Where Net luminaries turn for news


I found a comprehensive resource explaining which side of the road people drive on globally, detailing the historical origins and specific country regulations for international travelers and those curious about traffic laws.

All you ever wanted to know about which side of the road to drive on.

Which side of the road


I shared a link about a man whistling a 2600Hz tone to hack phones while critiquing an intrusive floating ad format. I prefer Google's non-intrusive, search-based advertising over disruptive animations that force clicks.

Read about the guy who hacked phones by whistling a perfect 2600Hz tone while watching the most intrusive ad format I've seen so far -- animations floating around in the background. This is the first ad that forced me to click on it. Result: I'm going to avoid such sites. I still like Google's concept: give ads only to those who ask for them -- and keep them seperate.

Whistling a perfect 2600Hz tone


I reflect on the surprising lack of legal action from whitehouse.gov against the satirical parody site whitehouse.org, noting a moment of official restraint regarding domain name use and political satire in the early 2000s.

Nice of whitehouse.gov not to have sued whitehouse.org.

whitehouse.gov


Discover how technical constraints and a specific recording of Beethoven’s 9th Symphony led Sony and Philips to settle on the 12cm, 74-minute CD format instead of the originally proposed 11.5cm, 60-minute disc.

Why is a CD 74 minutes long? Answer: Beethoven. Sony and Philips worked under the following constraints: The bits to be etched the CD had to be 0.83 microns long and 1.6 microns apart. Hence about 750,000 bits fit in 1 sq. mm CD uses 16-bit audio with 2 (stereo) channels. Sound is sampled at at 44.1 KHz for historical reasons. So 1 sq mm translates to about 750,000 bits / 44,100 Hz / 32 = 0.53 seconds of music. Philips came up with a 11.5cm CD that could store about 65 minutes of music. Sony made that 12 cm because 11.5cm can store around 65 minutes of music, while a CD that's 12cm can store about 74 minutes. One of the supposed reasons is that a slow rendering of Beethoven's 9th symphony (a popular piece in Japan) would take 74 minutes. References: 1 2 3 4 5 6 7

Why a CD is 74 minutes long


I explore Jared Diamond’s insights on why human history followed different paths across continents. He emphasizes environmental and geographic factors over biological ones, as detailed in his book Guns, Germs, and Steel.

Broad and insightful talk by Diamond on why history unfolded differently across continents. Note that he's talking about why and not how. Based on his book: Guns, Germs and Steel.

Why history unfolded differently across continents


I explore the chemical reaction triggered by cutting onions, where specific enzymes release a gas that turns into a mild acid upon contact with moisture, causing the eyes to sting and produce tears.

Why onions make you cry. via Potti

Why onions make you cry


I explore the hidden fragility of digital storage compared to paper. Digital data is surprisingly less permanent than physical media, making long-term preservation a significant challenge as formats and technology rapidly evolve.

A good article on why your digital data could one day disappear. Digital, when you think about it, is far less permanent than paper.

Why your digital data could disappear one day


I'm exploring Wiki Weblogs to transition my manual blog into a system organized by both dates and keywords. I want to combine chronological posting with the associative, non-linear structure of a wiki for better information organization.

Wiki Weblogs. This is a feature that I could use. You can have a weblog organised around dates (or whatever), and around keywords. Several blogs already use this. Question: how should I transition from my (currently 100% manual) blog to one of these?

Wiki Weblogs


I found Omar Zabir's impressive web-based Windows XP simulation, which allows users to experience the OS interface and features through a browser. It is a clever piece of early 2000s programming that provides a functional desktop tour.

Omar Zabir's portal. Let's you use Windows XP without having Windows XP. Well, actually, it's just a tour of Windows XP features, but you pretty much get to "use" XP. Quite a piece of programming! via MetaFilter Comments desi yazzie 6 Sep 2006 3:48 am: Good, wonderful, and would like to use it to troubleshoot S Anand 6 Sep 2006 4:05 pm: I wonder if it has any deep XP functionality, though...

Windows XP simulation


A woman sued a man with epilepsy after mistaking his seizure for a heart attack and becoming traumatized by the event. This bizarre lawsuit highlights legal challenges and public misunderstandings regarding emergency medical conditions and involuntary physical episodes.

Man has epilepsy. Woman thinks it's a heart attack. Gets upset and sues epileptic. via Metafilter

Woman gets upset and sues epileptic


I recommend the World Gazetteer as a fantastic resource for demographic and geographic data. It offers detailed population statistics and administrative information for cities and regions worldwide, providing a comprehensive look at global population trends.

World Gazetteer: a fantastic demographic and geographic database.

World Gazetteer


I discovered how modern screenplays often mirror classic fairy tales, such as Psycho being based on Little Red Riding Hood and Pretty Woman on Cinderella. These structural parallels reveal the timeless narrative templates used in popular filmmaking.

Writing screenplays. Interesting: modern murder-movies are based on Three Little Pigs, Psycho is based on Little Red Riding Hood, Pretty Woman on Cinderella, ...

Writing screenplays


I shared a surprising report that writing software to pirate DVDs is legally protected. It’s an interesting piece of history regarding the early legal battles over encryption bypass tools and developer freedom.

This one is funny. It's legal to write software that pirates DVDs.

Writing software that pirates DVDs is legal


I noticed Yahoo! Mail started charging for its autoforwarding service. Since I've been used to this feature being unavailable for a while, it doesn't bother me, but it marks a shift in their free service model.

Yahoo! starts charging for autoforward facility. I've been used to its unavailability for quite a while, so it doesn't bother me too much.

Yahoo charges for autoforward


I share a hilarious transcript of a conversation with Yahoo's Magic Crystal Ball chatbot, a New Age oracle. This follows up on my previous interaction with the bot, highlighting early internet chatbot humor and quirky AI personas.

Yahoo's "Magic Crystal Ball" New Age Oracle or Ouija2K? I got a mail from a Brian, who found my chat with magiccrystalball@yahoo.com through a Yahoo search. I did the same, and came up with this even more hilarious conversation.

Yahoo Chatbot


I finally found a dedicated TV guide for Yahoo India after a long wait. While I'm excited for the launch, early feedback suggests it is primarily a collection of links compared to specialized alternatives like Zipazap.

Yahoo India's TV Guide. I've been waiting for this for sooooo long! Comments Som Patterkine 23 Sep 2002 12:00 pm: Hi. The Yahoo India TV Guide is really just a list of links. Not very good. The one that I have found better is http://www.zipazap.com This is perhaps one of the better TV Guides especially on accuracy. I looked up the promoters of Zipazap and they all seem to be solid TV professionals that explains the quality of info on this site. Bye Som

Yahoo India TV Guide


I'm watching Yahoo PayDirect become free again after previously charging for the service. It’s the first time I've seen a paid site revert to a free model, marking a unique moment in internet history.

Yahoo PayDirect is free again. This is the first time I'm seeing a paid site turning free. I'm sure Internet history of some sort was made. Yahoo!

Yahoo PayDirect is free again


I point out Yahoo's crude email virus filter, which replaced the string 'eval' with 'review' to block malicious scripts. This created unintended search results for 'medireview' instead of 'medieval' across historical and travel sites.

Yahoo's been filtering e-mail viruses. Good, but they've been a little crude. So a Google search for medireview reveals a book on Middle Ages: that medireview chronology, and a treasure ride with medireview jewels, a medireview city and medireview treasures.

Yahoo virus filter a little crude


I discovered that my tendency to eat when I'm not hungry is likely due to an over-developed dorsal striatum. This part of the brain triggers a desire for food simply because it is available, rather than out of necessity.

I have an over-developed dorsal striatum. That's the brain part that makes you want to eat when you're not hungry, just because the food's there. via Plastic

You want to eat when you are not hungry


I shared a link to Mark Pilgrim's blog recommendation tool, discovered via Anita. It provides a personalized list of weblogs to follow, reflecting the collaborative spirit and link-sharing culture of the early 2000s blogosphere.

Your recommended blog list via Anita

Your recommended blog list


I finally found a comprehensive collection of Zen stories after first reading them in Godel, Escher, Bach. These bizarre, paradoxical tales, like Zen Master Gutei's story, offer unique philosophical insights through short, striking narratives.

Zen stories. Read some of these first in Douglas Hofstader's Godel, Escher, Bach. Searched for a collection for a long time. This looks like quite a comprehensive one. If you want a flavour of these, Zen Master Gutei's story is one of those bizarre ones.

Zen stories


I reflected on the technological evolution of seeing the ZX Spectrum, once the most powerful computer I had ever touched, reduced to a functional Java applet running inside a web browser.

Gosh, a ZX Spectrum emulator in Java. Hadn't thought of the day when the most powerful computer I had once touched would be reduced to an applet.

ZX Spectrum emulator


I discovered an extensive collection of ZX Spectrum emulators and games that sparked significant nostalgia. It serves as a helpful resource for anyone interested in revisiting 8-bit computing and classic retro gaming from the early home computer era.

Lots more ZX Spectrum emulators and games. Makes me nostalgic.

ZX Spectrum


I shared the photos from the 2003 Mumbai Bloggers' Meet, now available on Yahoo Groups. It’s a nostalgic look back at one of our early community gatherings for bloggers living in Mumbai.

The Mumbai Bloggers' Meet photos are online. Comments Mumbai Man 3 Dec 2006 10:57 pm: try this http://mumbainews.wordpress.com/2006/08/30/local-trains-time-table/

2003 Mumbai Bloggers meet photos


I've shared a 2003 list from The Guardian highlighting twenty-five emerging technologies. Looking back, it provides a snapshot of the tech landscape during the early 2000s, featuring trends that were expected to shape the year.

25 technologies for 2003. via Anders

25 technologies for 2003


I explored the hierarchy of the PC industry through a look at 64-bit processors. Seeing Microsoft atop Intel, HP, and Dell provides a useful framework for predicting how the market and hardware standards will evolve over time.

Article on 64-bit processors. Interesting description of the PC industry pecking order: Microsoft > Intel > HP / Dell. Keeping that in mind does help predict a lot of the PC's future. via RobotWisdom

64-bit processors


I discovered a real invisibility cloak developed by researchers in Japan that mirrors Harry Potter’s magical gear. Using optical camouflage, the tech projects background scenery onto the wearer to create a functional, transparent visual effect.

An invisible cloak, a la Harry Potter. Except that it's real, and Japanese. via KurzweilAI

A real invisible cloak


I shared a review of contemporary science fiction from Kuro5hin. While I have only read Orson Scott Card among the mentioned authors, Neal Stephenson’s Cryptonomicon caught my eye as a potential future read.

A Review of Contemporary Science Fiction at kuro5hin. Of the authors mentioned, Orson Scott Card is the only one I've read. Neal Stephenson's Cryptonomicon looks interesting, though.

A review of contemporary science fiction


I’ve linked to a detailed guide on Google’s PageRank algorithm. It explains how link-based authority and importance are calculated to rank web pages, serving as a technical reference for early search engine optimization and discovery.

About PageRank

About PageRank


I’ve been playing a lot of Age of Empires lately—probably too much. I'm sharing some useful resources for fans, including links to GameSpot features and the HeavenGames community site to fuel the RTS obsession.

I've been playing a bit. (A bit too much.) AoE. Some links. 1 2 Comments Aurelia 19 Oct 2006 1:25 pm: DOES ANYONE KNOW WHAT THE HELL THE CHARACTERS ARE SAYING WHEN YOU CLICK ON THEM?

Age of Empires mania


I’ve hit my lowest blogging frequency since 2000 as the combination of consulting work and family life takes priority. I’m stepping back from frequent updates until I find a more manageable balance between work and home.

I have blogged about 5 days last month -- my lowest since June 2000. Guess it shows that the combination of consulting and family life cures even the most determined Web addicts. I'm not sure when life will return to normal. Please excuse the infrequent updates until then.

Am busy


I examine how Apple's iTunes business model transitioned from a break-even service meant to drive iPod sales into a profitable platform. By renegotiating credit card fees and music label agreements, Apple eventually secured margins of roughly ten cents per song.

However, Apple doesn't make money on iTunes. It goes to the RIAA and credit card companies. Update: 24 Apr 2007 -- Looks like Apple is making money on iTunes after all. They've renegotiated agreements, especially with credit card companies, and make as much as 10 cents per song. Comments drew 15 Feb 2011 2:08 am: it obviously does its a company from what revenue they get get say 1.5 B they would give alot to companies (who then takes some and gives it to the artists) and they're left with around 500 M and then thats what they earn

Apple does not make money on iTunes


I'm surprised Apple's music store sold one million songs to Mac users in its first week. At 99 cents per track, I don't see why consumers prefer it over the free alternatives found on P2P networks.

Apple's music store sold over 1 million songs in a week. To Mac users alone. At 99c (Rs 50) a song, I don't see how that happened. Or why it's better than P2P. via MetaFilter

Apple iMusic store sells 1 million songs


I explore a discussion on how inflation changed currency's role. While money once stored value and measured wealth, its constant fluctuations mean it now serves primarily as a medium for exchanging goods and services.

Good discussion on inflation. Talks about how currency used to be a way of exchanging stuff, a way of storing value and a measure of wealth. Today, it's just a way of exchanging stuff. It's value keeps changing (inflation or deflation), so it's not much good for the last two.

Article on inflation


I discovered a gallery of detailed ASCII art portraits featuring famous Bollywood heroines. This creative project translates iconic Indian movie stars into text-based characters, showcasing a unique and nostalgic intersection of digital folk art and cinema.

Impressive ASCII art of Bollywood heroines. via Rajneesh

ASCII art of Bollywood heroines


I found the text for the classic moment when Bertie Wooster first meets Jeeves in P.G. Wodehouse's 'Jeeves Takes Charge.' It marks the start of one of literature's most famous and humorous partnerships.

The first time Bertie meets Jeeves. via RobotWisdom

Bertie meets Jeeves


I explored Bitzi, a community-driven catalog for identifying and tracking digital media files. It uses content-based signatures and user-contributed metadata to help organize files across various platforms and file-sharing networks.

Bitzi. "The Free Universal Media Catalog".

Bitzi tracks digital media


I highlight Ovidiu Predescu's account of his first week working at Google in 2003, providing a rare look at the internal engineering culture and tools during the search company's early period of rapid growth.

A blogger's first week at Google. Ovidiu Predescu. via GoogleBlog

Blogger at Google


I shared a link to the newly redesigned Blogger interface, codenamed Dano, noting the platform's updated home page and layout as discovered through a tip from the Lazy Geek blog.

The redesigned blogger -- Dano. via lazy geek

Blogger redesigned


I'm checking out Blogshares, a fantasy stock market for blogs where users trade with $500 of notional currency. It creates an artificial economy by allowing participants to buy and sell stakes in their favorite weblogs.

Blogshares -- creating an economy out of blogs. You get $500 (notional) and you can buy or sell blogs with it. via andersja

Blogshares


I found that ICICI Bank now allows users to book and pay for Indian railway tickets online. This service simplifies travel planning by providing a digital alternative to standing in line at physical booking counters.

Now you can pay for railway tickets online.

Book railway tickets online


I explored Google's list of 591 different spellings for "Britney Spears" found in search logs. It is a fascinating look at how the search engine maps diverse user typos back to a single popular entity.

The 591 spellings of Britney Spears on Google searches. What's also interesting is to read the sites that have linked to the mis-spellings.

Britney Spears spellings


I am noting the closure of Caltiger, a pioneer in providing free internet access in India. Commenters share their nostalgia for the service, which served as the first point of web entry for many.

Caltiger is dead. Comments Ranabir 8 Mar 2011 9:43 am: Caltiger was a company which brought internet for common.. I don't know how and why it is dead, but it is... I was in class 7 that time when caltiger guys came to our school and gave us a floppy containing something , I was not having a computer at my home that time ... but one of my senior had it .. so he took it from me and used it .. and then returned it to me.. :) Now I know what he did with the disk and the password page... But whatever happened is happened.. caltiger must rise again.. I would love to support it once again jose 3 Jun 2012 7:56 am: Long live caltiger, it was every indian's first internet access opportunity. Joginder singh 12 Feb 2019 9:30 am: We are indebted to India's first people's internet service. They will be legends forever

Caltiger is dead


I found a chess set designed by Karim Rashid that is identical to a single piece I photographed recently. It confirms the origin of the minimalist set I encountered and highlights his distinctive industrial design style.

Chess Set designed by Karim Rashid, next to the piece I photographed a couple of months ago. They're identical. Chess set designed by Karim Rashid Chessmen, 2003-09-10 via Markose

Chess set designed by Karim Rashid


I found this fascinating report on physicists reaching the coldest temperature ever recorded. By cooling sodium gas to half-a-billionth of a degree above absolute zero, they achieved a milestone in Bose-Einstein condensation and quantum physics.

Cool. Cold, actually.

Coldest temperature ever


I share John Ashmead's perspective on eliminating the collapse of the wave function. Since our world is fundamentally quantum mechanical, classical physics should be fully explicable through quantum terms without requiring a separate, distinct domain.

John Ashmead offers a view of quantum mechanics in which the collapse of the wave function can be done away with. Given that the world is emphatically quantum mechanical, there should be no separate domain of competence for classical physics. All classical results should ultimately be explicated in quantum terms. I was long hoping this was the case.

Collaps of the wave function is not required


I found Complexity Digest, an extensive collection of articles and papers on complexity science curated from across the internet. It provides a central hub for exploring research on complex systems, emergence, and interdisciplinary scientific developments.

Complexity Digest. A collection of articles on complexity from cyberspace. via missing matter

Compexity Digest