Geek culture [infographic]

via holykaw.alltop.com

:D

Long Live Geeks!

Posted via email from Aditya's Blog

Compass Box

I find this term really really fascinating. Compass Box. 

It is an absolutely childish term. I for one, cannot ever imagine a grown up using this term regularly. And I really love the way it rolls out of your mouth. I mean, not YOUR mouth. I guess you got what I mean. Apart from how it sounds, it is one of the few terms which directly transports you to only one undisputed place - School. Back in school when all of us used to look the same. Same uniform, same shoes for all. It was so difficult to stand out. My school did not allow the girls to wear any kind of jewelry as well. 

All that we had to show a difference were our bags, and, our Compass Box. Of course, back then, there were no exposure to famous football clubs, or IPL teams. There were your usual Superheroes and the popular (and now classic) Cartoon Characters. So bags in short had limited options. So, it all boiled down to the Compass Box. 

Girls had these neatly kept simple boxes, with appropriate number of pens and pencils with erasers and sharpeners. Boys however, were spoilt for choice. From the usual and the original Geometry Set Box (which actually held a compass), to plain plastic boxes, to the ones which were 'branded' pouches. However, the ones which never failed to impress were the ones which were robotic. I kid you not! These were EPIC in the truest sense of the word. They had buttons which made the box look like Swiss Army Knives shooting out erasers and sharpeners. It was almost pornographic with the amount of 'oohs' and 'aahs' it used to demand from its audience. It was like the only way one could actually get a toy to school and play with it. It was a rocket launcher, a battleship, a launchpad, an airport and anything a boy wanted it to be.

I know I have rattled on quite a bit about something as simple as a Compass Box, but come on! After all, it is about our Compass Box!

Posted via email from Aditya's Blog

10 things I learnt in Sikkim

I went on a week long trip to Sikkim. It was undoubtedly the best trip I have taken till date. The place is quite literally out of this proverbial world. The things I am listing down are not things that Sikkim taught me, but things that 'came to me' in this trip.

1. I nag. A lot. (You, yes you reading this right now, please don't give a 'finally!' smirk)
2. I am bad at bargaining. (I always kinda knew this though, but well, and again, do not smirk!)
3. Beauty is superficial. It should be. It can be.
4. Beauty is .....
5. English is an inadequate language. I wish there were words that could fill the above blank.
6. Looking at something that is unarguably one of the best that Nature could dish out, gives a new meaning to the word 'awe'. (Damn you English! And I am talking of Mt. Kanchenjunga here by the way)
7. Sports transcends, unites, exhilarates and is always loved.
8. 'Sheela ki jawaani' is popular is quite the understatement.
9. I am now unsure if I like the beaches or the mountains.
10. I have been scarred for life. By Sikkim.

Posted via email from Aditya's Blog

Don't know what...

Today, I had to drive my mom around (this is the weirdest way to start a post). Anyway, I will not get into the details of what and how and just get to the point: it involved going to a school. A very quaint old school in Chembur. It was just one storey tall and looked as if it could do with some upgrades. 

This was where I realised a couple of things:

1. I have not seen a school from the inside in a very long time
2. I do not know what upgrades schools have currently got compared to ten years back

Due to the above reasons, I could not decide if the school was good or bad (considering it was a Sunday and it was closed for the usual business). 

However, I did see a few things that made me think. Outside every class window, there hung these 'sayings' which are supposed to build a strong human character. These were the same lines which we were taught in school. And I was happy that they are still trying to instill them. The world seems so different than what it was when I was in school. It seems just more, layered. Everything is layered. Maybe it always was like this.

See the full gallery on Posterous

I am practical enough to realise that nothing much has changed in the way humans interacted then and the way we do now. The means have changed. But we are still the same fools. Just that new means of interaction have allowed us to do our foolery faster than ever before.

I am sure the people who taught me in school knew about all this. They knew what the world is like. Why did they still tell me these things? I feel cheated by all of them. But I guess if they would have gave us a reality check at 6, all of us would simply dread growing up. 

Idon't know what exactly went through my mind when I read these lines. I was not sure if these words hold true. If these words do not hold true, why do we use them to lie to kids? How much longer will we keep trying in vain to create ideal men? It is not possible to do it this way. 

I don't know what the solution is. Or maybe, I don't know what the problem is.

 

Posted via email from Aditya's Blog

Michael Schumacher explains 2011 F1 rules

via youtube.com

A nice video with a close up view of the DRS/ARW at work.

Only 4 more days to go! :D

Posted via email from Countdown to the Indian Grand Prix