to all the millions of my readers :), i am on vacation till the new year... for the first time since i started work
hopefully i'll be back with some great pictures of the great city of lahore.... cheers!!
meanwhile, check out these fantabulous pix by the guy at ddoi - if only peter jackson had him for art director - LOTR would have looked half-decent....
Friday, December 16, 2005
Friday, December 09, 2005
linus the creator
Linus almost sounds like Calvin when he makes a snowman but in the end, he shows he really is Linus...
Calvin is very active in the winters - this site is a testament to his creativity - read and enjoy
For those unaware of it, Calvin and Hobbes were two real life people from the 16th and 17th centuries whose philosophy about life is mirorred in the characters by their creator Bill Waterson
Wikipedia links to John Calvin, Thomas Hobbes and Calvin & Hobbes, the comic strip
Calvin is very active in the winters - this site is a testament to his creativity - read and enjoy
For those unaware of it, Calvin and Hobbes were two real life people from the 16th and 17th centuries whose philosophy about life is mirorred in the characters by their creator Bill Waterson
Wikipedia links to John Calvin, Thomas Hobbes and Calvin & Hobbes, the comic strip
Tuesday, December 06, 2005
new hotmail
hotmail, following the footsteps of gmail are using ajax to run their service
I received an email telling me that being a "VIP" hotmail member, I am invited to use their service - dunno what made me a VIP - maybe they are aware that we have many status-conscious people in Pakistan - yes, I am in Pakistan, only I set my location to USA to try one of those tricks for increasing mailbox storage
The service is nice and slick with an outlook like interface drag/drop for moving messages to folders and right-click context menus
In a clear "inspiration" from gmail, they have added auto-complete in the mailto address bar, their news about this feature is well worth a read:
"Start typing a name and—pow!—up pops a list of possible recipients from your contact list. Click on the one you want and you're done."
It's the "pow!" that converted me.... (sarcasm)
I received an email telling me that being a "VIP" hotmail member, I am invited to use their service - dunno what made me a VIP - maybe they are aware that we have many status-conscious people in Pakistan - yes, I am in Pakistan, only I set my location to USA to try one of those tricks for increasing mailbox storage
The service is nice and slick with an outlook like interface drag/drop for moving messages to folders and right-click context menus
In a clear "inspiration" from gmail, they have added auto-complete in the mailto address bar, their news about this feature is well worth a read:
"Start typing a name and—pow!—up pops a list of possible recipients from your contact list. Click on the one you want and you're done."
It's the "pow!" that converted me.... (sarcasm)
Monday, December 05, 2005
tv shows from too long ago
I remember very vaguely a few TV shows from the early 80's when I was in pre-school
Back in those days, there was only one channel, PTV, which showed (as far I remember) just one English TV show per week - since there was (and still is) a strict censorship policy in place, the shows hacked in places to make them kid-friendly
I was reminiscing with friends about them and was amazed to find they remembered almost all of them
If you grew up in Pakistan in the 80's, you might remember them too, being primary TV viewing for kids, in addition to Nazia, Zoheb songs
These are listed in the order I remember them being played on PTV, I am sorry I cannot find better links to the shows
1. Chips
2. The Man from Atlantis
3. Tales of the Golden Monkey
4. Voyagers
5. The Powers of Matthew Star
6. The Fall Guy
7. Airwolf
8. Knight Rider
Back in those days, there was only one channel, PTV, which showed (as far I remember) just one English TV show per week - since there was (and still is) a strict censorship policy in place, the shows hacked in places to make them kid-friendly
I was reminiscing with friends about them and was amazed to find they remembered almost all of them
If you grew up in Pakistan in the 80's, you might remember them too, being primary TV viewing for kids, in addition to Nazia, Zoheb songs
These are listed in the order I remember them being played on PTV, I am sorry I cannot find better links to the shows
1. Chips
2. The Man from Atlantis
3. Tales of the Golden Monkey
4. Voyagers
5. The Powers of Matthew Star
6. The Fall Guy
7. Airwolf
8. Knight Rider
follow-up on the mess-up
[Update:
. Bob responds to the controversy
. USAID's page about education reforms in PK
. Congressional Research Service Report (CSR) on education reforms in PK]
My last post was about a poem that is now part of the 11th Year curriculum for Pakistani students - the first letter of each verse of the poem reads the name of the US President
After a ruckus was raised in the Pakistani newspapers, the Education Ministry has announced that it will withdraw the poem from the textbook from next year - of course, no heads will roll, "it was an honest mistake", "our intentions were clean" - these are the words we will hear - a simple google search for one verse of the poem would have clarified the source - but who uses computers in the Ministry? They are certainly nothing more than decoration pieces for them
Of course, the real reason is that the poem must have had the stamp of approval of the Education Ministry and now lowly book editor would dare to raise his voice, even if he could
For those unaware of this, the US government is funnelling in money to "help improve" Pakistani education currculum - the Pakistani government (and all its predecessors) being more loyal than the king, fall head over heels to appease the Americans whenever they can and hence this poem
I imagine it went something like this in the funding agency's office:
Some guy in USAID: Dude, let's play a trick on these Pakis and send them this poem - bet you 10 bucks they will publish it without reading it
Another guy in USAID: Bet you 20 bucks they will publish it even after they read it
It must be said that USAID is doing a lot for education in the country - even the MBA programs in our top business schools are fully funded (tuition & living expenses) - see the info on financial aid at LUMS
I emailed the gentleman who wrote the poem, probably in 2003 - he was kind enough to write back in a very positive way - I really appreciate him for doing this - the response is produced below:
Dear Sami,
If I'm correct in assuming that your blog is Sami's Place, I must say
it's a very nice blog. You keep it updated much better than I do mine.
I do respect your feelings in the "Shameful" post. I don't recall
authorizing the reprint in the Pakistani educational textbook. To be
fair, I sometimes e-mail permission for limited copying without paying
too much attention to details, so I'm not sure.
While I still admire GWB, I have learned since I wrote "The Leader"
that he certainly has some shortcomings in the leadership role. The
vertical spelling of the president's name is, of course, intentional.
Even at the time I published it, along with the questions on the
worksheet, there were included these notes to the teacher in the
answer keys:
The Leader
Best answered in discussion format:
1. Student should refer to text when putting a characteristic in his own
words.
2.Answers may vary.
3. There is a clue in addition to inference: The name is spelled out
down the left column. Respect any opinion if student backs it with a
reason or reasons.
4. Answers may vary.
In other words, no brainwashing intended!
Thanks for writing and good luck with your blog.
Bob (RHL)
Please note the the author does not hide the fact that the name of George W Bush is hidden in the poem (link)
. Bob responds to the controversy
. USAID's page about education reforms in PK
. Congressional Research Service Report (CSR) on education reforms in PK]
My last post was about a poem that is now part of the 11th Year curriculum for Pakistani students - the first letter of each verse of the poem reads the name of the US President
After a ruckus was raised in the Pakistani newspapers, the Education Ministry has announced that it will withdraw the poem from the textbook from next year - of course, no heads will roll, "it was an honest mistake", "our intentions were clean" - these are the words we will hear - a simple google search for one verse of the poem would have clarified the source - but who uses computers in the Ministry? They are certainly nothing more than decoration pieces for them
Of course, the real reason is that the poem must have had the stamp of approval of the Education Ministry and now lowly book editor would dare to raise his voice, even if he could
For those unaware of this, the US government is funnelling in money to "help improve" Pakistani education currculum - the Pakistani government (and all its predecessors) being more loyal than the king, fall head over heels to appease the Americans whenever they can and hence this poem
I imagine it went something like this in the funding agency's office:
Some guy in USAID: Dude, let's play a trick on these Pakis and send them this poem - bet you 10 bucks they will publish it without reading it
Another guy in USAID: Bet you 20 bucks they will publish it even after they read it
It must be said that USAID is doing a lot for education in the country - even the MBA programs in our top business schools are fully funded (tuition & living expenses) - see the info on financial aid at LUMS
I emailed the gentleman who wrote the poem, probably in 2003 - he was kind enough to write back in a very positive way - I really appreciate him for doing this - the response is produced below:
Dear Sami,
If I'm correct in assuming that your blog is Sami's Place, I must say
it's a very nice blog. You keep it updated much better than I do mine.
I do respect your feelings in the "Shameful" post. I don't recall
authorizing the reprint in the Pakistani educational textbook. To be
fair, I sometimes e-mail permission for limited copying without paying
too much attention to details, so I'm not sure.
While I still admire GWB, I have learned since I wrote "The Leader"
that he certainly has some shortcomings in the leadership role. The
vertical spelling of the president's name is, of course, intentional.
Even at the time I published it, along with the questions on the
worksheet, there were included these notes to the teacher in the
answer keys:
The Leader
Best answered in discussion format:
1. Student should refer to text when putting a characteristic in his own
words.
2.Answers may vary.
3. There is a clue in addition to inference: The name is spelled out
down the left column. Respect any opinion if student backs it with a
reason or reasons.
4. Answers may vary.
In other words, no brainwashing intended!
Thanks for writing and good luck with your blog.
Bob (RHL)
Please note the the author does not hide the fact that the name of George W Bush is hidden in the poem (link)
Friday, December 02, 2005
shameful
What a dark day for Pakistan and for the students of Pakistan... this poem is now a part of the high-school syllabus for all Pakistani students
link to bbcurdu story
If you cannot read the above, don't worry - it was lifted from another source, read it in its full glory here - do check out the questionnaire at the end of the poem
Who does this remind you of? Read just the first letter of each verse and see what it all spells...
What a bloddy sovereign country we are... I wonder which picture now hangs in the Education Minstry where Jinnah's used to be?
(I wanted this blog to be apolitical - unfortunately, that's getting tough so I will start posting some news related to "politics" or "international relations" as I see fit - be assured, it will be interesting....)
link to bbcurdu story
If you cannot read the above, don't worry - it was lifted from another source, read it in its full glory here - do check out the questionnaire at the end of the poem
Who does this remind you of? Read just the first letter of each verse and see what it all spells...
What a bloddy sovereign country we are... I wonder which picture now hangs in the Education Minstry where Jinnah's used to be?
(I wanted this blog to be apolitical - unfortunately, that's getting tough so I will start posting some news related to "politics" or "international relations" as I see fit - be assured, it will be interesting....)
Tuesday, November 29, 2005
how to tick people off
this is doing the rounds on mailing lists these days... i refrain from publishing from these sources but this is too funny to pass up
how many people have actually tried one of these?
1. Leave the copy machine set to reduce 200%, extra dark, 17 inch paper, 99 copies.
2. In the memo field of all your checks, write "for sexual favors."
3. Specify that your drive-through order is "TO-GO."
4. If you have a glass eye, tap on it occasionally with your pen while talking to others.
5. Stomp on little plastic ketchup packets.
6. Insist on keeping your car windshield wipers running in all weather conditions "to keep them tuned up."
7. Reply to everything someone says with "that's what you think."
8. Practice making fax and modem noises.
9. Highlight irrelevant information in scientific papers and "cc" them to your boss.
10. Make beeping noises when a large person backs up.
11. Finish all your sentences with the words "in accordance with prophesy."
12. Signal that a conversation is over by clamping your hands over your ears and grimacing.
13. Disassemble your pen and "accidentally" flip the ink cartridge across the room.
14. Holler random numbers while someone is counting.
15. Adjust the tint on your TV so that all the people are green, and insist to others that you "like it that way."
16. Staple pages in the middle of the page.
17. Publicly investigate just how slowly you can make a croaking noise.
18. Honk and wave to strangers.
19. Decline to be seated at a restaurant, and simply eat their complimentary mints at the cash register.
20. TYPE IN UPPERCASE.
21. type only in lowercase.
22. dont use any punctuation either
23. Buy a large quantity of orange traffic cones and reroute whole streets.
24. Repeat the following conversation a dozen times.
"DO YOU HEAR THAT?"
"What?"
"Never mind, it's gone now."
25. As much as possible, skip rather than walk.
26. Try playing the William Tell Overture by tapping on the bottom of your chin. When nearly done, announce "No, wait, I messed it up," and repeat.
27. Ask people what gender they are.
28. While making presentations, occasionally bob your head like a parakeet.
29. Sit in your front yard pointing a hair dryer at passing cars to see if they slow down.
30. Sing along at the opera.
31. Go to a poetry recital and ask why each poem doesn't rhyme.
32. Ask your co-workers mysterious questions and then scribble their answers in a notebook. Mutter something about "psychological profiles."
how many people have actually tried one of these?
1. Leave the copy machine set to reduce 200%, extra dark, 17 inch paper, 99 copies.
2. In the memo field of all your checks, write "for sexual favors."
3. Specify that your drive-through order is "TO-GO."
4. If you have a glass eye, tap on it occasionally with your pen while talking to others.
5. Stomp on little plastic ketchup packets.
6. Insist on keeping your car windshield wipers running in all weather conditions "to keep them tuned up."
7. Reply to everything someone says with "that's what you think."
8. Practice making fax and modem noises.
9. Highlight irrelevant information in scientific papers and "cc" them to your boss.
10. Make beeping noises when a large person backs up.
11. Finish all your sentences with the words "in accordance with prophesy."
12. Signal that a conversation is over by clamping your hands over your ears and grimacing.
13. Disassemble your pen and "accidentally" flip the ink cartridge across the room.
14. Holler random numbers while someone is counting.
15. Adjust the tint on your TV so that all the people are green, and insist to others that you "like it that way."
16. Staple pages in the middle of the page.
17. Publicly investigate just how slowly you can make a croaking noise.
18. Honk and wave to strangers.
19. Decline to be seated at a restaurant, and simply eat their complimentary mints at the cash register.
20. TYPE IN UPPERCASE.
21. type only in lowercase.
22. dont use any punctuation either
23. Buy a large quantity of orange traffic cones and reroute whole streets.
24. Repeat the following conversation a dozen times.
"DO YOU HEAR THAT?"
"What?"
"Never mind, it's gone now."
25. As much as possible, skip rather than walk.
26. Try playing the William Tell Overture by tapping on the bottom of your chin. When nearly done, announce "No, wait, I messed it up," and repeat.
27. Ask people what gender they are.
28. While making presentations, occasionally bob your head like a parakeet.
29. Sit in your front yard pointing a hair dryer at passing cars to see if they slow down.
30. Sing along at the opera.
31. Go to a poetry recital and ask why each poem doesn't rhyme.
32. Ask your co-workers mysterious questions and then scribble their answers in a notebook. Mutter something about "psychological profiles."
Saturday, November 26, 2005
ex googler talks about his days
a 42 year old marketing guy joined google in '99 - he has now left google and is writing a blog of his experiences - very good read and very high on the del.icio.us rankings - xooglers
Excerpt:
"When Sergey showed up, my initial impression was even more reassuring. He was wearing gym shorts, a tee shirt and inline skates. He had obviously been playing hard. I'd known better than to wear a tie, but he took office casual to a new level."
wish my office was this casual... maybe when I start my own tech company.....
Excerpt:
"When Sergey showed up, my initial impression was even more reassuring. He was wearing gym shorts, a tee shirt and inline skates. He had obviously been playing hard. I'd known better than to wear a tie, but he took office casual to a new level."
wish my office was this casual... maybe when I start my own tech company.....
Thursday, November 17, 2005
my firefox
Following is a list of extensions that are *must-use* if you are a firefox user - if you are'nt one, do yourself a favor and go get it
. adblock - gives you the option to right click on an ad image and select "block image" or iframe or url with a wildcard (e.g. *_ad_click*) - the image is removed alongwith the whitespace that would have been left behind
Use the script here in tandem to give the best adblocking support
. apart from the heavy loading time, the one thing that was stopping me from switching to firefox was the terrible usage of tabs inside firefox - ctrl-tab opened the next tab in the firefox window and not the last selected - e.g. if you have 10 windows open on your windows machine and you opened window # 5 and then window # 8, pressing alt-tab would open 5 & 8 alternatively - in firefox doing the same for tabs would open tab 9 after tab 8 and then tab 10 next... grrrr.... fortunately we have lasttab now - not only it opens the previous tab but also gives a menu listing all the current tabs in the window
. this extension saves the state of your browser in real time (did not feel any difference in system performance on my p4/512 mb ram) - it's great in case your browser crashes with many tabs open - it even saves the text you are typing in an edit-box !
. one of the most annoying things on the web is when java applets decide to loading without asking you first - noscript can disable them (asking you politely at the bottom of the screen whether you want to run it or not) - it also disables javascript too - not sure if this is really useful...
. mouse gestures really improves your browsing experience, now you can only move your mouse without clicking to open and close tabs and windows - trust me, it's not an indication of laziness...
. firefox has a problem with adobe pdf files - use this extension to receive a prompt about whether you want to download the file
. use this extension to bypass compulsory website registration on websites (these come up often if you regularly read google news)
. stumbleupon - probably the best thing next to google for web browsing afficiandos
. I left Greasemonkey for the end but in the long term, this will probably overtake all the extensions - this is essentially a piece of code that acts as an extension engine - it lets people write scripts that can be run inside this extension - the coolest thing is that these are scripts, not compiled dll's or even zipped xpi files - so you can change variables, add functionality if you know even the most basic javascripting. Installation is very simple
1. just install the greasemoney extension and restart firefox
2. Next search for the best site-specific and generic scripts here and here
3. Click on the script you want to install - a whitepage with javscript mumbo-jumbo will open up - just click Options-> Install User Script and click OK on the window that opens up
4. Refresh the page on which you want to see the script action and you are ready to go
I have installed quite a few scripts including:
.Gmail delete button - this one is buggy, use the "smart" Gmail Delete Button
. adblocker
. bookBurro (let's you see prices of different books on different sites side-by-side, fantastic!!)
Please let me know of any other extensions if they are necessary for your firefox browsing
. adblock - gives you the option to right click on an ad image and select "block image" or iframe or url with a wildcard (e.g. *_ad_click*) - the image is removed alongwith the whitespace that would have been left behind
Use the script here in tandem to give the best adblocking support
. apart from the heavy loading time, the one thing that was stopping me from switching to firefox was the terrible usage of tabs inside firefox - ctrl-tab opened the next tab in the firefox window and not the last selected - e.g. if you have 10 windows open on your windows machine and you opened window # 5 and then window # 8, pressing alt-tab would open 5 & 8 alternatively - in firefox doing the same for tabs would open tab 9 after tab 8 and then tab 10 next... grrrr.... fortunately we have lasttab now - not only it opens the previous tab but also gives a menu listing all the current tabs in the window
. this extension saves the state of your browser in real time (did not feel any difference in system performance on my p4/512 mb ram) - it's great in case your browser crashes with many tabs open - it even saves the text you are typing in an edit-box !
. one of the most annoying things on the web is when java applets decide to loading without asking you first - noscript can disable them (asking you politely at the bottom of the screen whether you want to run it or not) - it also disables javascript too - not sure if this is really useful...
. mouse gestures really improves your browsing experience, now you can only move your mouse without clicking to open and close tabs and windows - trust me, it's not an indication of laziness...
. firefox has a problem with adobe pdf files - use this extension to receive a prompt about whether you want to download the file
. use this extension to bypass compulsory website registration on websites (these come up often if you regularly read google news)
. stumbleupon - probably the best thing next to google for web browsing afficiandos
. I left Greasemonkey for the end but in the long term, this will probably overtake all the extensions - this is essentially a piece of code that acts as an extension engine - it lets people write scripts that can be run inside this extension - the coolest thing is that these are scripts, not compiled dll's or even zipped xpi files - so you can change variables, add functionality if you know even the most basic javascripting. Installation is very simple
1. just install the greasemoney extension and restart firefox
2. Next search for the best site-specific and generic scripts here and here
3. Click on the script you want to install - a whitepage with javscript mumbo-jumbo will open up - just click Options-> Install User Script and click OK on the window that opens up
4. Refresh the page on which you want to see the script action and you are ready to go
I have installed quite a few scripts including:
.
. adblocker
. bookBurro (let's you see prices of different books on different sites side-by-side, fantastic!!)
Please let me know of any other extensions if they are necessary for your firefox browsing
Wednesday, November 16, 2005
Murphy's love laws
:)
More here
- All the good ones are taken.
- If the person isn't taken, there's a reason.
- Brains x Beauty x Availability = Constant.
- Money can't buy love, but it sure gets you a great bargaining position.
More here
Thursday, November 10, 2005
ms live
microsoft finally decides to go the google way through it's Live initiative - i.e. embrace online("live"), free, integrated services (think google maps integrated with local search, gmail integrated with orkut) using a combination of Javascript and DHTML called Ajax
Ajax is cool since it HTML, Javascript and basic database services and you don't need extra plugins like Flash etc. to create lightly animated, dynamic web pages (check out the google personalized page and protopage)
Some of the "new" inventions include"
"It’s all new web mail, built from the ground up. Preview your e-mail without loading a new page each time...."
Gmail copycat?
"Coming soon - This will be the next-generation MSN Messenger. The name is new, but it will still be free to download Messenger and use most of its features"
How about an option to cut out the crappy ads? Right now the only way to do it is through hacking the resource file
Ajax is cool since it HTML, Javascript and basic database services and you don't need extra plugins like Flash etc. to create lightly animated, dynamic web pages (check out the google personalized page and protopage)
Some of the "new" inventions include"
"It’s all new web mail, built from the ground up. Preview your e-mail without loading a new page each time...."
Gmail copycat?
"Coming soon - This will be the next-generation MSN Messenger. The name is new, but it will still be free to download Messenger and use most of its features"
How about an option to cut out the crappy ads? Right now the only way to do it is through hacking the resource file
Saturday, November 05, 2005
dapnhe & apollo
Adel Adili is an Iranian artist who was one of the winners of the Master & Servant Challenge at cgTalk, held earlier this year - this leading CGI forum hosts a now annual heavily sponsored contest based on a phrase and people create imagery using 2D and 3D software - it's essentially a contest for the emerging and the relatively well established artists to showcase their work to the world
© adel adili
Click here to read and see how the image was created - if you have ever wondered how they create those beautiful masterpieces, this is it
Adel's entry was based on the mythological story of Apollo, the Greek god, chasing Daphne, a nymph, who prayed to be changed to a tree in order to save her modesty (! - sounds like an Eastern story :)
© adel adili
Click here to read and see how the image was created - if you have ever wondered how they create those beautiful masterpieces, this is it
Adel's entry was based on the mythological story of Apollo, the Greek god, chasing Daphne, a nymph, who prayed to be changed to a tree in order to save her modesty (! - sounds like an Eastern story :)
pumpkins in the field
Sam Javanrouh proves his pictures are the most beautiful in a photoblog on the entire 'net
© ddoi
See larger images here and here
(writing this again - blogger ate my entry text :(
© ddoi
See larger images here and here
(writing this again - blogger ate my entry text :(
Wednesday, November 02, 2005
drag the div
ever wondered how you can drag and move the boxes in the personalized Ggl homepage?
Here is an excellent tutorial on how to do it... the Ggl page (and maps & gmail too) uses Ajax, a combination of different technologies and techniques to achieve this effect - the ability to drag and move the div elements takes place using javascript
see the previous post for more on ajax
Here is an excellent tutorial on how to do it... the Ggl page (and maps & gmail too) uses Ajax, a combination of different technologies and techniques to achieve this effect - the ability to drag and move the div elements takes place using javascript
see the previous post for more on ajax
Tuesday, November 01, 2005
ajax
Found this tutorial on Ajax through del.icio.us, the tagged bookmarks website
http://dhtmlnirvana.com/ajax/ajax_tutorial/#
(my del.icio.us page is here)
The tutorials starts from the basics and builds it up - have'nt gone through it completely but seems to be one of the best tutorials on the subject yet
Ajax is an acronym given to a collection of existing technologiesan which are intended to improved the user's web surfing experience by reducing the time taken between a click-button -> page submit -> page refresh with new data - Ajax reloads the data in a table or an image in a div etc. without an annoying page refresh
Ggl uses Ajax extensively including in maps, personalized home and gmail
Some other very good examples of Ajax usage are protoPage and start.com, supposedly the MSN portal for people with a normal aesthetic sense
http://dhtmlnirvana.com/ajax/ajax_tutorial/#
(my del.icio.us page is here)
The tutorials starts from the basics and builds it up - have'nt gone through it completely but seems to be one of the best tutorials on the subject yet
Ajax is an acronym given to a collection of existing technologiesan which are intended to improved the user's web surfing experience by reducing the time taken between a click-button -> page submit -> page refresh with new data - Ajax reloads the data in a table or an image in a div etc. without an annoying page refresh
Ggl uses Ajax extensively including in maps, personalized home and gmail
Some other very good examples of Ajax usage are protoPage and start.com, supposedly the MSN portal for people with a normal aesthetic sense
Wednesday, October 26, 2005
get your war on
Get You War On is a comic strip highly critical of US foreign and domestic policy following the war in Afghanisation - think of it as Doonesbury meets South Park meets whitehouse.org - it's vitriolic, incisive and takes a jab at everything the Bush government and it's stoolies are supposed to believe in
© get your war on
It's highly readable from the start - but be warned, it's not for kids or the faint hearted - the humor may seem off to people who think Everybody Loves Raymond is cute and The Simpsons is too rude
© get your war on
It's highly readable from the start - but be warned, it's not for kids or the faint hearted - the humor may seem off to people who think Everybody Loves Raymond is cute and The Simpsons is too rude
Monday, October 17, 2005
quake stricken areas
On Saturday, Oct 8, 2005, Pakistan was struck by a major earthquake measuring 7.8 on the Richter scale
Google Earth now has imagery and other data available with respect to the quake stricken areas
© Google Earth - Margalla Towers, Sector F10, Islamabad
The kmz file for this imagery is located here
Here is the link for updated data availability on current events
Updates on the Google Earth maps database are available here
Google Earth now has imagery and other data available with respect to the quake stricken areas
© Google Earth - Margalla Towers, Sector F10, Islamabad
The kmz file for this imagery is located here
Here is the link for updated data availability on current events
Updates on the Google Earth maps database are available here
Monday, October 10, 2005
Friday, September 30, 2005
piri reis map
In 1929, a group of historians found an amazing map drawn on a gazelle skin.
Research showed that it was a genuine document drawn in 1513 by Piri Reis, a famous admiral of the Turkish fleet in the sixteenth century.
The Piri Reis map shows the western coast of Africa, the eastern coast of South America, and the northern coast of Antarctica. The northern coastline of Antarctica is perfectly detailed. The most puzzling however is not so much how Piri Reis managed to draw such an accurate map of the Antarctic region 300 years before it was discovered, but that the map shows the coastline under the ice. Geological evidence confirms that the latest date Queen Maud Land could have been charted in an ice-free state is 4000 BC.
link
Research showed that it was a genuine document drawn in 1513 by Piri Reis, a famous admiral of the Turkish fleet in the sixteenth century.
The Piri Reis map shows the western coast of Africa, the eastern coast of South America, and the northern coast of Antarctica. The northern coastline of Antarctica is perfectly detailed. The most puzzling however is not so much how Piri Reis managed to draw such an accurate map of the Antarctic region 300 years before it was discovered, but that the map shows the coastline under the ice. Geological evidence confirms that the latest date Queen Maud Land could have been charted in an ice-free state is 4000 BC.
link
Tuesday, September 13, 2005
notpr0n
Updated 11/01/05 - Sweet, this post is top of Ggl's search results for notPr0n passwords
It is what the name implies, not pr0n!!
This is a web based game similar to... i don't think it has a precedent
You need to go from one screen to the other by giving a username/password or changing the url or clicking in a "special way"... it's very difficult sometimes and the creator of the game could have designed a couple of levels in a better way, imho but it's very interesting and when you pass a level, it's very satisfying :)
It's easier if you have some basic knowledge about how url's work and how a web page looks like in the web page source...
Unlike puzzle based games like the Monkey Island series, I found it easier to do without anyone looking over my shoulder
[WARNING!! MAJOR SPOILERS FOLLOW - do not read below unless u r stuck on a level and pulling hairs from your head... there are not hints, just answers...]
below is a list of the username, passwords for all the level I have done.. I will keep updating as I go along (notpr0n keeps changing passwords frequently since they come up in forums etc so I cannot confirm if these still work)
(level - username/password - url)
1 - click door - http://www.deathball.net/notpron/levelone.htm
2 - change level2 to level3 or open door quickly - http://deathball.net/notpron/not/level2.htm
3 - change false to true in url - http://www.deathball.net/notpron/false/gototheothersite.htm
4 - voodoo/power - http://deathball.net/notpron/true/gototheothersite.htm
5 - simple/songs - http://deathball.net/notpron/google/shestheoneforme.htm
6 - kill/hour - http://deathball.net/notpron/nothing/hesgotitall.htm
7 - http://deathball.net/notpron/sdrawkcab/tieman.htm - rename to http://deathball.net/notpron/sdrawkcab/rediar.htm
8 - inverted/levelten - http://deathball.net/notpron/sdrawkcab/rediar.htm
9 - turnmeon/deadman - http://deathball.net/notpron/luv2music/paulisdead.htm
10 - grey/world - http://deathball.net/notpron/wrong/roawr.htm
11 - funcking/pans - http://deathball.net/notpron/reality/mystery.htm
12 - remote/control - http://deathball.net/notpron/blame/crossview.htm
13 - devil/hell - http://deathball.net/notpron/ps/afterdeath.htm
14 - déjà vu - http://deathball.net/notpron/neo/beenthere.htm
15 - random/shit - http://deathball.net/notpron/rusty/board.htm
16 - doom/murder - http://deathball.net/notpron/zoo/mznvh.htm
17 - change pron.htm to lamp.htm - http://deathball.net/notpron/finale/pron.htm
18 - change lamp to deaf - http://deathball.net/notpron/finale/lamp.htm
19 - weird/stuff - http://deathball.net/notpron/finale/deaf.htm
20 - really/unfair - http://deathball.net/notpron/windows/something.php
It is what the name implies, not pr0n!!
This is a web based game similar to... i don't think it has a precedent
You need to go from one screen to the other by giving a username/password or changing the url or clicking in a "special way"... it's very difficult sometimes and the creator of the game could have designed a couple of levels in a better way, imho but it's very interesting and when you pass a level, it's very satisfying :)
It's easier if you have some basic knowledge about how url's work and how a web page looks like in the web page source...
Unlike puzzle based games like the Monkey Island series, I found it easier to do without anyone looking over my shoulder
[WARNING!! MAJOR SPOILERS FOLLOW - do not read below unless u r stuck on a level and pulling hairs from your head... there are not hints, just answers...]
below is a list of the username, passwords for all the level I have done.. I will keep updating as I go along (notpr0n keeps changing passwords frequently since they come up in forums etc so I cannot confirm if these still work)
(level - username/password - url)
1 - click door - http://www.deathball.net/notpron/levelone.htm
2 - change level2 to level3 or open door quickly - http://deathball.net/notpron/not/level2.htm
3 - change false to true in url - http://www.deathball.net/notpron/false/gototheothersite.htm
4 - voodoo/power - http://deathball.net/notpron/true/gototheothersite.htm
5 - simple/songs - http://deathball.net/notpron/google/shestheoneforme.htm
6 - kill/hour - http://deathball.net/notpron/nothing/hesgotitall.htm
7 - http://deathball.net/notpron/sdrawkcab/tieman.htm - rename to http://deathball.net/notpron/sdrawkcab/rediar.htm
8 - inverted/levelten - http://deathball.net/notpron/sdrawkcab/rediar.htm
9 - turnmeon/deadman - http://deathball.net/notpron/luv2music/paulisdead.htm
10 - grey/world - http://deathball.net/notpron/wrong/roawr.htm
11 - funcking/pans - http://deathball.net/notpron/reality/mystery.htm
12 - remote/control - http://deathball.net/notpron/blame/crossview.htm
13 - devil/hell - http://deathball.net/notpron/ps/afterdeath.htm
14 - déjà vu - http://deathball.net/notpron/neo/beenthere.htm
15 - random/shit - http://deathball.net/notpron/rusty/board.htm
16 - doom/murder - http://deathball.net/notpron/zoo/mznvh.htm
17 - change pron.htm to lamp.htm - http://deathball.net/notpron/finale/pron.htm
18 - change lamp to deaf - http://deathball.net/notpron/finale/lamp.htm
19 - weird/stuff - http://deathball.net/notpron/finale/deaf.htm
20 - really/unfair - http://deathball.net/notpron/windows/something.php
Friday, September 02, 2005
Monday, August 29, 2005
Monday, August 15, 2005
"killer mountain" resue attempt
Tomaz Humar is one of Slovenia's best-known mountain climbers
Recently he attempted to climb the treacherous Nanga Parbat, located in Northern Pakistan. It is popularly referred to as the "killer mountain" since many mountaineers have died attempting to climb it.
© humar.com
He got stuck on the way there and was rescued in a daring attempt by the Pakistan Army pilots. Please note that flying in a chopper, in the thin air at 6000 meters, is a very difficult thing to do
Tomaz has posted pictures and videos of his resuce attempt. Do check it out, they are really amazing
Recently he attempted to climb the treacherous Nanga Parbat, located in Northern Pakistan. It is popularly referred to as the "killer mountain" since many mountaineers have died attempting to climb it.
© humar.com
He got stuck on the way there and was rescued in a daring attempt by the Pakistan Army pilots. Please note that flying in a chopper, in the thin air at 6000 meters, is a very difficult thing to do
Tomaz has posted pictures and videos of his resuce attempt. Do check it out, they are really amazing
Monday, August 08, 2005
Thursday, August 04, 2005
Daily Dose of Imagery is a photoblog by Sam Javanrouh, a Canada based Iranian. He takes a photo every day when walking or cycling to or from work. All his photos are truly fantastic and help to take off the burden on a working day.
"Old reflected on new" © Sam Javanrouh 2005
In my opinion, his is the best photoblog by far on the web... keep it up, Sam!
"Old reflected on new" © Sam Javanrouh 2005
In my opinion, his is the best photoblog by far on the web... keep it up, Sam!
Tuesday, August 02, 2005
I really wanted to do this since I joined my present workplace...
There were interesting patterns in the seismic images taken of the earth's subsurface (to detect cavities, potentially for oil; very basic process in oil exploration)... and I wondered if a portrait could be made out of these seismic images... so here is my first attempt at making a seismic portrait of Jinnah, founder of Pakistan.
(688 X 1024) © sami jan
It was made using 17 tiles cut from a seismic image and fed to easyMosaic2005... the greyed areas were introduced by the software, they were necessary to bring out the features... maybe if someone spends more time on making better tiles for the seismic image, there will be no need for this greying
A print-out on A-4 sized paper looks pretty good
There were interesting patterns in the seismic images taken of the earth's subsurface (to detect cavities, potentially for oil; very basic process in oil exploration)... and I wondered if a portrait could be made out of these seismic images... so here is my first attempt at making a seismic portrait of Jinnah, founder of Pakistan.
(688 X 1024) © sami jan
It was made using 17 tiles cut from a seismic image and fed to easyMosaic2005... the greyed areas were introduced by the software, they were necessary to bring out the features... maybe if someone spends more time on making better tiles for the seismic image, there will be no need for this greying
A print-out on A-4 sized paper looks pretty good
Monday, July 18, 2005
halfway up the eiffel tower
See a panorama image of paris from half-way up the eiffel tower, really amazing, almost feels like you are there yourself - link
tapping into creative people
Harvard Business Review ran a feature recently on SAS, a privately held business software company that has revenues in excess of $1 billion, 3-5% employment turnover, sells its products to 90% of the Fortune 500 & has a 98% subscription renewal rate
The article tells us that SAS is successul mainly because:
a. it makes an effort to nurture creativity of its employees, from programmers to sales support to managers (sounds like an oxymoron, "creative managers" ;) by providing an obstacles free environment, and a team of supportive and creative middle and upper-level management
b. and it really focuses on providing the best support as possible to customers by delivering almost bug-free software and quick customer support
Highlights include:
"Help employees do their best work by keeping them intellectually engaged and by removing distractions. Make managers responsible for sparking creativity and eliminate arbitrary distinctions between “suits” and “creatives.” And engage customers as creative partners so you can deliver superior products."
"In all cases, form follows function. As much as leaders at SAS value technology, they strongly believe that it’s people who make technology useful, not the other way around. If a tool is constrictive or makes people change their preferred ways of working, then it gets scrapped. The goal is always the same—to help workers be great. "
"On campus, it has medical facilities for employees and dependents. Additionally, there’s a Montessori day care center, and children are welcome in the company cafeteria, so families can eat lunch together."
"Not only do the benefits make workers more productive, but they also help retain those workers, reducing the company’s expenses for recruitment and replacement. SAS saves about $85 million a year in such costs"
"The corporate philosophy is, if your fifth grader is in his first school play, you should be there to see it. SAS has earned a spot on Working Mother’s list of best companies so many times that professionals are lining up to apply."
"The importance of that point cannot be overstated. Knowing that your boss thoroughly understands and respects the work you do—because he or she has actually done it—has many positive outcomes. In addition to feeling that your contributions are appreciated, you’ll probably be less hesitant to ask questions, because you know your manager “gets it,” and you’ll have more faith in your boss’s decisions. Business life abounds with stories about managers who’ve failed to earn the respect of professional, technical, and other creative employees: the university president with no scholarly credentials, the law school administrator who’s not a member of the bar, the movie studio executive who provokes a rebellion among directors, actors, and other talent."
"That’s not to say that SAS never has difficulties with employees. With its enticing array of benefits, SAS is bound to attract a few people who would rather enjoy the perks than do the work. The company uses rigorous hiring practices to prevent such candidates from getting in the door; applicants may have to wait months for a decision while the company conducts a thorough vetting."
About the customer aspect of the company :
"Day in and day out, SAS gathers—and acts on—customer complaints and suggestions through its Web site and over the phone. The company also solicits feedback once a year through its Web-based SASware Ballot, which asks users about additional features they would like."
"Additionally, SAS collects feedback at an annual users’ conference, which is quite unlike the usual sales-pitch-in-disguise event. Imagine for a moment the vast creative potential of millions of users—highly intelligent professionals hailing from diverse disciplines and 110 countries. According to SAS’s marketing creative director, Steve Benfield, it’s difficult to develop software “when you don’t have some external validation of one particular set of ideas over another…. But finding out what resonates with those beyond the office walls—that’s gold!” "
"In large part, SAS can thank its subscription-plan business model for these regular interactions between employees and customers, and for its relatively stable revenue flows in a volatile industry. Customer loyalty is so high that the company saves money on advertising and other sales efforts. As a result, fully 26% of SAS’s budget gets channeled directly into research and development. The average for high-tech companies is 10%. A well-funded R&D department leads to better products, which leads to happier customers, which leads to—you can see where this is going. "
link
The article tells us that SAS is successul mainly because:
a. it makes an effort to nurture creativity of its employees, from programmers to sales support to managers (sounds like an oxymoron, "creative managers" ;) by providing an obstacles free environment, and a team of supportive and creative middle and upper-level management
b. and it really focuses on providing the best support as possible to customers by delivering almost bug-free software and quick customer support
Highlights include:
"Help employees do their best work by keeping them intellectually engaged and by removing distractions. Make managers responsible for sparking creativity and eliminate arbitrary distinctions between “suits” and “creatives.” And engage customers as creative partners so you can deliver superior products."
"In all cases, form follows function. As much as leaders at SAS value technology, they strongly believe that it’s people who make technology useful, not the other way around. If a tool is constrictive or makes people change their preferred ways of working, then it gets scrapped. The goal is always the same—to help workers be great. "
"On campus, it has medical facilities for employees and dependents. Additionally, there’s a Montessori day care center, and children are welcome in the company cafeteria, so families can eat lunch together."
"Not only do the benefits make workers more productive, but they also help retain those workers, reducing the company’s expenses for recruitment and replacement. SAS saves about $85 million a year in such costs"
"The corporate philosophy is, if your fifth grader is in his first school play, you should be there to see it. SAS has earned a spot on Working Mother’s list of best companies so many times that professionals are lining up to apply."
"The importance of that point cannot be overstated. Knowing that your boss thoroughly understands and respects the work you do—because he or she has actually done it—has many positive outcomes. In addition to feeling that your contributions are appreciated, you’ll probably be less hesitant to ask questions, because you know your manager “gets it,” and you’ll have more faith in your boss’s decisions. Business life abounds with stories about managers who’ve failed to earn the respect of professional, technical, and other creative employees: the university president with no scholarly credentials, the law school administrator who’s not a member of the bar, the movie studio executive who provokes a rebellion among directors, actors, and other talent."
"That’s not to say that SAS never has difficulties with employees. With its enticing array of benefits, SAS is bound to attract a few people who would rather enjoy the perks than do the work. The company uses rigorous hiring practices to prevent such candidates from getting in the door; applicants may have to wait months for a decision while the company conducts a thorough vetting."
About the customer aspect of the company :
"Day in and day out, SAS gathers—and acts on—customer complaints and suggestions through its Web site and over the phone. The company also solicits feedback once a year through its Web-based SASware Ballot, which asks users about additional features they would like."
"Additionally, SAS collects feedback at an annual users’ conference, which is quite unlike the usual sales-pitch-in-disguise event. Imagine for a moment the vast creative potential of millions of users—highly intelligent professionals hailing from diverse disciplines and 110 countries. According to SAS’s marketing creative director, Steve Benfield, it’s difficult to develop software “when you don’t have some external validation of one particular set of ideas over another…. But finding out what resonates with those beyond the office walls—that’s gold!” "
"In large part, SAS can thank its subscription-plan business model for these regular interactions between employees and customers, and for its relatively stable revenue flows in a volatile industry. Customer loyalty is so high that the company saves money on advertising and other sales efforts. As a result, fully 26% of SAS’s budget gets channeled directly into research and development. The average for high-tech companies is 10%. A well-funded R&D department leads to better products, which leads to happier customers, which leads to—you can see where this is going. "
link
Thursday, July 14, 2005
wanna be a manager?
a lot of people i meet in real life dream of the day they are promoted from coder to manager (i live in pakistan... great talent here but 50 years of a beuracracy led country has many kids dreaming of becoming a "babu", or "suit-wearing, platitude-speaking, looking-busing-doing-nothing kind of no-gooder" )
img © dilbert.com
i had the misfortune of working for a manager long time back who was the real-life version of dilbert's PHB, so i know what dilbert feels like.... i was also "manager" (coder/team lead/product manager/program manager) for a while so i know also why it's such a droll job, specially when you hate writing code higher-level than the windows API and you have to manage a web-based (JSP, Oracle, Javascript) web application !!! EEyucch!!!
Being a coder rocks because, as many of our taxi cabs say on their bumpers, "no tension"... design, code, unit test.... that's it, gimme coding any time of the day
img © dilbert.com
i had the misfortune of working for a manager long time back who was the real-life version of dilbert's PHB, so i know what dilbert feels like.... i was also "manager" (coder/team lead/product manager/program manager) for a while so i know also why it's such a droll job, specially when you hate writing code higher-level than the windows API and you have to manage a web-based (JSP, Oracle, Javascript) web application !!! EEyucch!!!
Being a coder rocks because, as many of our taxi cabs say on their bumpers, "no tension"... design, code, unit test.... that's it, gimme coding any time of the day
Wednesday, July 13, 2005
Pakistan cheer for the Indian side
Another example of the good spirit of Pakistanis, this time the military boxing team of Pakistan cheered and supported the Indian team in the Military Boxing Championships at Pretoria, South Africa link
Neither team won a gold at the championship but "friendship came out as the winner", as they say
In March 2004, India toured Pakistan in a cricket series and the reception Indian fans and team received surprised and overwhelmed everyone from across Wagah - the tour was won by India but the spirit shown by Pakistani fans was fantastic. The winning Indian team were cheered and given standing ovations and Irfan Pathan, the bowler, was cheered loudly in Peshawar as he bowled to the Pakistani batsmen. Top Indian actors, former sportsmen and politicians turned up for the historic series, even the two scions of the Kennedys of India, Rahul and Priyanka Gandhi
img © tribuneindia
In March 2005, the Pakistani team returned the visit and it left the Indians wondering if their countrymen could reciprocate Pakistani hospitality. Even though the Indian people were found to be generally supportive off the field, in the streets and markets, in the stands it was a different story. Eyewitness accounts of Pakistani fans sitting in the crowd tell how they started to feel hostility when the Pakistani bowlers started putting the pressure in Delhi and only singing we-love-delhi ditties created in run-time could helped them sit through them match
The biggest winner for Pakistan would be if the Indians could forget the previous Indian governments' propaganda that Pakistan is the Big-Evil and both countries could have a culture of hospitality and friendliness to match and even exceed that within the EU... england, france and the others forgot their centuries old tribal wars, why not the peoples of one of the richest and most ancient cultures in the world?
Neither team won a gold at the championship but "friendship came out as the winner", as they say
In March 2004, India toured Pakistan in a cricket series and the reception Indian fans and team received surprised and overwhelmed everyone from across Wagah - the tour was won by India but the spirit shown by Pakistani fans was fantastic. The winning Indian team were cheered and given standing ovations and Irfan Pathan, the bowler, was cheered loudly in Peshawar as he bowled to the Pakistani batsmen. Top Indian actors, former sportsmen and politicians turned up for the historic series, even the two scions of the Kennedys of India, Rahul and Priyanka Gandhi
img © tribuneindia
In March 2005, the Pakistani team returned the visit and it left the Indians wondering if their countrymen could reciprocate Pakistani hospitality. Even though the Indian people were found to be generally supportive off the field, in the streets and markets, in the stands it was a different story. Eyewitness accounts of Pakistani fans sitting in the crowd tell how they started to feel hostility when the Pakistani bowlers started putting the pressure in Delhi and only singing we-love-delhi ditties created in run-time could helped them sit through them match
The biggest winner for Pakistan would be if the Indians could forget the previous Indian governments' propaganda that Pakistan is the Big-Evil and both countries could have a culture of hospitality and friendliness to match and even exceed that within the EU... england, france and the others forgot their centuries old tribal wars, why not the peoples of one of the richest and most ancient cultures in the world?
Friday, July 08, 2005
cartoon laws of physics
full list: link
Cartoon Law I
Any body suspended in space will remain in space until made aware of its situation.
Daffy Duck steps off a cliff, expecting further pastureland. He loiters in midair, soliloquizing flippantly, until he chances to look down. At this point, the familiar principle of 32 feet per second takes over.
Cartoon Law VII
Certain bodies can pass through solid walls painted to resemble tunnel entrances; others cannot.
Cartoon Law Amendment D
Gravity is transmitted by slow-moving waves of large wavelengths.
Their operation can be witnessed by observing the behavior of a canine suspended over a large vertical drop. Its feet will begin to fall first, causing its legs to stretch. As the wave reaches its torso, that part will begin to fall, causing the neck to stretch. As the head begins to fall, tension is released and the canine will resume its regular proportions until such time as it strikes the ground.
Thursday, July 07, 2005
googleEarth - how to see NY in 3D
Download the free version of googleEarth from here
Start the application, it should login automatically or select "Free version"
In the menu on the top left, select "Fly To" and write "New York, NY"
Wait a little while and data is streamed, when the progress meter at the bottom shows 100%, all the satellite imagery has been loaded
In the toolbar at the bottom, click on the button that says "Tilt down"
The view should tilt and you can see the city of New York in perspective - only the earth is flat
In the "Layers" menu on the left, scroll down and select "3D buildings"
Wait a little and the earth will be populated with the skyscrapers of NY!! They are not texture mapped yet, maybe Google will fix this in the near future....
(Click to see large view)
You can navigate now using the toolbar at the bottom, try flying above the NY landscape...
Start the application, it should login automatically or select "Free version"
In the menu on the top left, select "Fly To" and write "New York, NY"
Wait a little while and data is streamed, when the progress meter at the bottom shows 100%, all the satellite imagery has been loaded
In the toolbar at the bottom, click on the button that says "Tilt down"
The view should tilt and you can see the city of New York in perspective - only the earth is flat
In the "Layers" menu on the left, scroll down and select "3D buildings"
Wait a little and the earth will be populated with the skyscrapers of NY!! They are not texture mapped yet, maybe Google will fix this in the near future....
(Click to see large view)
You can navigate now using the toolbar at the bottom, try flying above the NY landscape...
Tuesday, July 05, 2005
wacky dude face thingy...
USAF toystore
where they keep all their surplus planes, all shrink wrapped and ready to fly.... also have redundant planes like the B-52 bomber, these were mercilessly destroyed in large number after the cold war ended...
This is SE of Tucson, Arizona
This is SE of Tucson, Arizona
more googleMapping
I've been experimenting with Google Maps and it turns out that you can go to a location directly by giving a lat/long... could not decipher the url googleMaps generates when you click "link to this page", (solved it later) so tried it out in the edit box itself and it turns out you can specify lat/long in this form:
115 44 00 W 37 38 30 N -or- 45.9820 N 63.5560 E -or- 45.9820 , 63.5560
...don't need to give the tuntuna for degree, and hypehns etc, spaces will do.. you *do* need to specify W/E & N/S though...
so I googled for an Area 51 location (what ARE all those green thingies?) and the Baikonur Comsodrome, Kazakhastan and the Nazca Lines in Peru using lat/long values
since a google map search for these phrases would turn up nothing, my approach was to web search for: MY_PLACE latitude longitude - and someone had always had it listed somewhere, and then map search for that lat/long
- More Area-51 lat/longs here
While googling for this post, I came across this page... are they just bombing targets or is there something more sinister here?....
More sinister Area-51 GoogleMap images here... God bless google & gis, sniff sniff
115 44 00 W 37 38 30 N -or- 45.9820 N 63.5560 E -or- 45.9820 , 63.5560
...don't need to give the tuntuna for degree, and hypehns etc, spaces will do.. you *do* need to specify W/E & N/S though...
so I googled for an Area 51 location (what ARE all those green thingies?) and the Baikonur Comsodrome, Kazakhastan and the Nazca Lines in Peru using lat/long values
since a google map search for these phrases would turn up nothing, my approach was to web search for: MY_PLACE latitude longitude - and someone had always had it listed somewhere, and then map search for that lat/long
- More Area-51 lat/longs here
While googling for this post, I came across this page... are they just bombing targets or is there something more sinister here?....
More sinister Area-51 GoogleMap images here... God bless google & gis, sniff sniff
Monday, June 27, 2005
rock tha party (& how to record audio streams in xp)
"rock tha party" is a really cool new song by a danish/indian group called bombay rockers...
homepage at bombayrockers.com
i could not find an mp3 so i recorded the stream on my pc...
this is a how i recorded the media stream into mp3 format:
1. Do volume control->options->properties->recording->click OK. Select "Wave Out Mix"
2. Start Start->Programs->Accessories->Entertainment->Sound Recorder & Start Recording - (before you do that, you need to work around the SR 60 second limit, here is a tip how to do that - link (is there a better way to do this? maybe change a reg value)
3. Play stream. It's recorded by Sound Recorder as a wav file. (You can cut out start and end silence, increase/decrease volume inside of SR)
3.5 Save this to disk as wav file for later conversion by winamp or set option to "mpeg3" in the "save as" dialog box and save as mp3 here
4. Right click Winamp bar -> options -> preferences -> output -> disk writer -> click configure button -> convert to format -> mpeg 3
5. Click play (make sure cycle/repeat is off)
TIP: keep the "Wave Out Mix" volume low, keeping it high introduced noise for me..
homepage at bombayrockers.com
i could not find an mp3 so i recorded the stream on my pc...
this is a how i recorded the media stream into mp3 format:
1. Do volume control->options->properties->recording->click OK. Select "Wave Out Mix"
2. Start Start->Programs->Accessories->Entertainment->Sound Recorder & Start Recording - (before you do that, you need to work around the SR 60 second limit, here is a tip how to do that - link (is there a better way to do this? maybe change a reg value)
3. Play stream. It's recorded by Sound Recorder as a wav file. (You can cut out start and end silence, increase/decrease volume inside of SR)
3.5 Save this to disk as wav file for later conversion by winamp or set option to "mpeg3" in the "save as" dialog box and save as mp3 here
4. Right click Winamp bar -> options -> preferences -> output -> disk writer -> click configure button -> convert to format -> mpeg 3
5. Click play (make sure cycle/repeat is off)
TIP: keep the "Wave Out Mix" volume low, keeping it high introduced noise for me..
Thursday, June 23, 2005
flying with baloons... real ones
"Anyone who’s ever been eight years old has wondered the same thing: How many balloons would it take to carry me up into the sky? John Ninomiya knows the answer. He’s logged 32 flights—and ascended as high as 21,400 feet—dangling beneath clusters of between 40 and 120 helium balloons."
img © popSci
link (opens in new window)
img © popSci
link (opens in new window)
Wednesday, June 22, 2005
Google maps gone global
Now googleMaps shows almost all of the world, albeit without maximum zoom... Islamabad looks OK... Rawalpindi looks like a dump...
Moscow is really beautiful from in the sky...
I zoned into Gwadar, a hot topic of interest these days in Pakistan, the government and other "intellectuals" predict it to become another dubai.....
maybe this snap gives an inkling to why it's so important...check out the beautiful coastline and the apparently strategic land shape
© google
Moscow is really beautiful from in the sky...
I zoned into Gwadar, a hot topic of interest these days in Pakistan, the government and other "intellectuals" predict it to become another dubai.....
maybe this snap gives an inkling to why it's so important...check out the beautiful coastline and the apparently strategic land shape
Monday, June 13, 2005
what makes a good programmer
an excellent article by the guy who founded the company that went on to become store.yahoo.com
http://www.paulgraham.com/gh.html
some highlights:
Ordinary programmers write code to pay the bills. Great hackers think of it as something they do for fun, and which they're delighted to find people will pay them for.
The programmers you'll be able to hire to work on a Java project won't be as smart as the ones you could get to work on a project written in Python. And the quality of your hackers probably matters more than the language you choose.
One big company that understands what hackers need is Microsoft. I once saw a recruiting ad for Microsoft with a big picture of a door. Work for us, the premise was, and we'll give you a place to work where you can actually get work done.
If companies want hackers to be productive, they should look at what they do at home. At home, hackers can arrange things themselves so they can get the most done. And when they work at home, hackers don't work in noisy, open spaces; they work in rooms with doors. They work in cosy, neighborhoody places with people around and somewhere to walk when they need to mull something over, instead of in glass boxes set in acres of parking lots. They have a sofa they can take a nap on when they feel tired, instead of sitting in a coma at their desk, pretending to work. There's no crew of people with vacuum cleaners that roars through every evening during the prime hacking hours. There are no meetings or, God forbid, corporate retreats or team-building exercises.
http://www.paulgraham.com/gh.html
some highlights:
Ordinary programmers write code to pay the bills. Great hackers think of it as something they do for fun, and which they're delighted to find people will pay them for.
The programmers you'll be able to hire to work on a Java project won't be as smart as the ones you could get to work on a project written in Python. And the quality of your hackers probably matters more than the language you choose.
One big company that understands what hackers need is Microsoft. I once saw a recruiting ad for Microsoft with a big picture of a door. Work for us, the premise was, and we'll give you a place to work where you can actually get work done.
If companies want hackers to be productive, they should look at what they do at home. At home, hackers can arrange things themselves so they can get the most done. And when they work at home, hackers don't work in noisy, open spaces; they work in rooms with doors. They work in cosy, neighborhoody places with people around and somewhere to walk when they need to mull something over, instead of in glass boxes set in acres of parking lots. They have a sofa they can take a nap on when they feel tired, instead of sitting in a coma at their desk, pretending to work. There's no crew of people with vacuum cleaners that roars through every evening during the prime hacking hours. There are no meetings or, God forbid, corporate retreats or team-building exercises.
Thursday, June 09, 2005
sightseeing with google maps
http://www.googlesightseeing.com/
check it out... lots of cool stuff seen thru satellite images, sometimes an airplane, skiers and even potential UFO's...
check it out... lots of cool stuff seen thru satellite images, sometimes an airplane, skiers and even potential UFO's...
Thursday, June 02, 2005
The best of the best on the web (and some tips on better surfing)
(posting on office newsletter for may)
Next to Google on finding accurate information comes the excellent Wikipedia, which is a multi-lingual encyclopedia of information created and maintained by everyone. It is coded using wiki technology, which is "a web application that allows users to add content, as on an Internet forum, but also allows anyone to edit the content". The wonderful aspect of wiki is that it enables everyone to contribute freely and independantly to a topic of interest. It is again monitored by visitors to the site who notify moderators to any omissions or mistakes. Since anyone can contribute, the articles present a rich & exhaustive treasure of information without the usual bias found in corporate media. Check out the links on my hometown & Harry Potter. Another source for information is answers.com, which is the website behind the link if you click for a google definition.
If you are a veritable news reader, you may want to check out the new Customization feature of Google news. It allows a user to add specific sections of news to the main Google News Page. It also allows a user to share their customized news pages.
A very common annoyance on some news sites is a subscription requirement. You can get around it by using bugmenot, which lists logins submitted by users. If you can't find a login here, try pookmail, which is a disposable mail account. Just enter any username@pookmail.com and it is delivered to that mailbox where it is alive for 24 hours... no messy logins to your own email account and no fear of getting spammed
If you love reading comix off the web but don't have the patience to visit each website, try this site. It lists many daily comics. The best thing is that it is open-source so you can add your own comics and view them on your own PHP server
Probably the most pervasive word on the web these days is weblogging which is a website updated by users, or webloggers, daily. There are many blogging sites out there where you can make your own weblog including blogger & livejournal. Blogger is more user-friendly, with a host of useful templates to choose from. One of the most popular blogs is instapundit.com, a political blog. One of the most popular photoblogs is ddoi, updated by an Irani artist living in Toronto. Each picture here is a real gem, and the author gives details on the camera used and its settings, excellent for beginner photographers with a digital camera
What can be better than having access to a repository of sites based on your own interests. Instead of googling for sites, you can view sites recommended by like-minded people with the help of the stumbleupon application or del.icio.us bookmarks site. It is obvious that sites recommended by people are always better than those recommended by search engines, no matter how good they are or by corporate owned websites like msn who have their own preferences. Stumbleupon is installed as a toolbar. Once logged in, enter your interests and click stumble to see sites based on those interests recommended by people, not machines. I have stumbled across many gems stumbling (at home, of course :), including these singing horses, science of cooking, the internet as it was on a past date & flash-based robots, It is recommended that Firefox be used for stumbling, since it has better rogue-site blocking capabilities than IE. de.icio.us lists sites based on tags assigned to them by people and it can help find very relevant sites.
Last but not the least, one web browser that will enhance your browsing like no other is Mozilla Firefox. It helps manage multiple windows by opening each new window in a new tab and blocks ad-popups natively. My favorite feature of the browser is its adblocking capability. Installing this extension allows one to right-click and block the ad itself or even its frame, remove the dangling whitespace. Also, updating the usercontent.css file in the Firefox installation directory with the file listed here blocks websites or links based on url e.g. all urls containg _ad_ or _click_ are blocked, thus eliminating 99% of all ads. Imagine browsing without flashing promos and annoying smiley ads. (You may need a firefox or windows restart to see effects of changing your css file)
Tuesday, May 24, 2005
21st century in desi-land
a poster somewhere in pakistan blends the best of today and yesterday, desi and par-desi...
Translation: Telenor (then new gsm cell phone service) connections are available, and oh yeah, home-made butter is also available
Translation: Telenor (then new gsm cell phone service) connections are available, and oh yeah, home-made butter is also available
Wednesday, May 04, 2005
Friday, April 15, 2005
firefoxy
.
Been stumbling in Firefox..
Firefox works for me 'cause:
. it has pretty good adblocking capability... download and install the adblock extension (firefoxy for plug-in... damn all these abstractions) and right-click and block all the crap from the web.... imagine ad-clean browsing howstuffworks, fileplanet and even hotmail
Also check out the ad-parser/remover file for firefox, dunno if there is something similar for IE... looks and removes all urls which *may* be ads like /ad/ etc.
. I can do a right-click & open in tab in background - makes browsing so much easier
It *does not* work for me 'cause...
. Memory intensive... open a window with 2 tabs after a couple of hours and it takes soooo long to respond
. Tabbed browsing does not work with alt-tab, it takes you to the next tab in order, whereas it should take you to the previous tab, like in windows
. Cannot move the toolbar buttons as easily as in IE, gotta go into "edit toolbar buttons" mode and *then* move the buttons around... cannot resize toolbar as in IE e.g. one row of toolbar on my IE has 3 toolbars are compressed together...
. Seems bulky... IE is much cleaner and lighter.. or mebbe I can make it that....
In conclusion I *really* think IE can get more downloads if it implements tabbed browsing and an adblocker atleast as good as the one for FireFox
.
Been stumbling in Firefox..
Firefox works for me 'cause:
. it has pretty good adblocking capability... download and install the adblock extension (firefoxy for plug-in... damn all these abstractions) and right-click and block all the crap from the web.... imagine ad-clean browsing howstuffworks, fileplanet and even hotmail
Also check out the ad-parser/remover file for firefox, dunno if there is something similar for IE... looks and removes all urls which *may* be ads like /ad/ etc.
. I can do a right-click & open in tab in background - makes browsing so much easier
It *does not* work for me 'cause...
. Memory intensive... open a window with 2 tabs after a couple of hours and it takes soooo long to respond
. Tabbed browsing does not work with alt-tab, it takes you to the next tab in order, whereas it should take you to the previous tab, like in windows
. Cannot move the toolbar buttons as easily as in IE, gotta go into "edit toolbar buttons" mode and *then* move the buttons around... cannot resize toolbar as in IE e.g. one row of toolbar on my IE has 3 toolbars are compressed together...
. Seems bulky... IE is much cleaner and lighter.. or mebbe I can make it that....
In conclusion I *really* think IE can get more downloads if it implements tabbed browsing and an adblocker atleast as good as the one for FireFox
.
cool links
Fixed some bugs right before a close deadline.. been chilling today, stumbled alot.. found something really useful...
If u wanted to make a new blog interafce but did not have the time/knowledge to make one from scratch, try this one out... makes a nice 2 or 3 coulmn interface for u based on color choice for font, links etc. with the help of a generator..... support for Blogger and MovableType... font choices are limited but u can always change the code for that....just copy the source code and paste it in your blog template setting page... have'nt tried it for mine yet...
If u wanted to make a new blog interafce but did not have the time/knowledge to make one from scratch, try this one out... makes a nice 2 or 3 coulmn interface for u based on color choice for font, links etc. with the help of a generator..... support for Blogger and MovableType... font choices are limited but u can always change the code for that....just copy the source code and paste it in your blog template setting page... have'nt tried it for mine yet...
Wednesday, March 30, 2005
Jinnah saved man from gallows?
The story goes like this:
Once upon a time, long time ago (apparently in the early 1900's), Jinnah was a famous practicing lawyer. He took the case of a man about whome everyone said would get the death sentence... Jinnah promised that he *would* be spared no matter what.... As the trial wore on, the evidence kept piling up against him... at last he was convicted and ordered "to be hanged"
The convict and the people around him deplored Jinnah about how he promised the man's life would be saved but now his death was certain... Jinnah kept saying, just wait and see....
The dreaded day arrived and the guiltly man was made to climb the scaffold... the noose was placed around his neck and finally, the trapdoor opened...
As the man struggled against death, Mr Jinnah stood up and said, Release him, 'cause the sentence said "to be hanged" and not "to be hanged to death"...
so they released him and he went to have a long healthy life....
I thought this was some urban fiction passed around by people, but it turns out they all believed it to be true... I don't see how it can be... when you hang a man (and the executioner does it correctly), it is supposed to break the neck, causing instantaneous death; you don't *choke* to death by hanging....
Googling for the story yeilded nothing.... any ideas?
Once upon a time, long time ago (apparently in the early 1900's), Jinnah was a famous practicing lawyer. He took the case of a man about whome everyone said would get the death sentence... Jinnah promised that he *would* be spared no matter what.... As the trial wore on, the evidence kept piling up against him... at last he was convicted and ordered "to be hanged"
The convict and the people around him deplored Jinnah about how he promised the man's life would be saved but now his death was certain... Jinnah kept saying, just wait and see....
The dreaded day arrived and the guiltly man was made to climb the scaffold... the noose was placed around his neck and finally, the trapdoor opened...
As the man struggled against death, Mr Jinnah stood up and said, Release him, 'cause the sentence said "to be hanged" and not "to be hanged to death"...
so they released him and he went to have a long healthy life....
I thought this was some urban fiction passed around by people, but it turns out they all believed it to be true... I don't see how it can be... when you hang a man (and the executioner does it correctly), it is supposed to break the neck, causing instantaneous death; you don't *choke* to death by hanging....
Googling for the story yeilded nothing.... any ideas?
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