Goa is hosting a biker fest.
पूरे देश का midlife crisis मेरे दर पर आ गया है.
पूरे देश का midlife crisis मेरे दर पर आ गया है.
This one has dressed up as one of the teachers in their school. I think it's just low effort, lazy. Some people are always trying to get by on their charm.
There's a ghost in our street today.
Though he looks more like a Haryanvi farmer in dhoti and shawl going to the fields in the morning.
(He bought a new bedsheet and punched holes in it for the eyes. My 80s-kid ass is so hurt.)
Though he looks more like a Haryanvi farmer in dhoti and shawl going to the fields in the morning.
(He bought a new bedsheet and punched holes in it for the eyes. My 80s-kid ass is so hurt.)
One of our many neighbourhood Narkasuras.
Passing scooter for size reference.
(It is said that up North diwali is the celebration of the killing of Ravana by Ram. Down south it is the celebration of the killing of Narkasura by Krishna. And of course Jains and Buddhists have entirely different reasons for celebrating Diwali.)
Narkasura burns just before dawn tomorrow.
Passing scooter for size reference.
(It is said that up North diwali is the celebration of the killing of Ravana by Ram. Down south it is the celebration of the killing of Narkasura by Krishna. And of course Jains and Buddhists have entirely different reasons for celebrating Diwali.)
Narkasura burns just before dawn tomorrow.
The 8th All Goa Akash Kandil competition is happening today at Parra. Do visit if you're in Goa. There are some fantastic entries this year.
I'm scrolling through my feed when I see this ad. And its meta, because The Juggernaut is talking about Poorna Jagannathan. Would they know that their name Juggernaut is derived from the Odiya name Jagannath?
My brain is just this scramble of useless facts that keeps firing randomly. Is that why we exist?To keep filling the grand database perched on our shoulders, and see how many connections it can make.
My brain is just this scramble of useless facts that keeps firing randomly. Is that why we exist?To keep filling the grand database perched on our shoulders, and see how many connections it can make.
Conversations at the beach
About this morning
Men who grill
There are some things that we only truly understand by observation. We may have learnt it in school, and believe we know it, but it really only sinks in when we see it.
I've realised this year, during the monsoons in Goa, that plants do not come from soil. On the contrary, soil comes from plants.
Plants come from water and air. That's all they need. Keep pouring water on a concrete floor and moss will grow there. And after three months of incessant rain, when you pressure wash the moss away, soil will emerge from under the moss. Soil that wasn't there when the rains began.
So what's happening here? Don't we "plant" plants in soil? Don't plants need nutrients from soil? Isn't it only certain plants like moss and money plants that'll grow without soil.
Well I'm not an expert. I'm not a botanist. What I've figured out is that ornamental plants, crops, trees - these sort of things need soil. But weeds and a variety of local plants will literally grow on hard rock. Rough concrete, and naturally uneven stone like laterite, give plants the grip they need to start growing.
And well, there's soil and there's sand. And sand is just ground up rock (and sometimes ground up coral). Mangroves will grow in sand, even though it offers no nutrients because it isn't organic material. Whereas soil is entirely of organic origin. It's all poop. It's decayed organic material - plant material that microorganisms and worms and insects ate and then pooped out.
So far I thought that the organic fertiliser we put in soil is poop. The poop of large animals. Dung. But the rest of the stuff is also poop. Decayed material is poop, it just fungus and bacteria poop.
So you're pressure washing the green stuff and then some filthy brown stuff comes out from under it and after you've smeared yourself with this unexpected dirt, it makes you think. In a manner that your biology teacher could never make you think.
All of the organic material we see around us, in all its vibrancy and complexity, is largely synthesised by plants using water and air (and minerals dissolved in water). It is hard for me to imagine that all these solids come out of water and air. And that all the complexity of soil comes from transparent inorganic liquids and gases.
I've realised this year, during the monsoons in Goa, that plants do not come from soil. On the contrary, soil comes from plants.
Plants come from water and air. That's all they need. Keep pouring water on a concrete floor and moss will grow there. And after three months of incessant rain, when you pressure wash the moss away, soil will emerge from under the moss. Soil that wasn't there when the rains began.
So what's happening here? Don't we "plant" plants in soil? Don't plants need nutrients from soil? Isn't it only certain plants like moss and money plants that'll grow without soil.
Well I'm not an expert. I'm not a botanist. What I've figured out is that ornamental plants, crops, trees - these sort of things need soil. But weeds and a variety of local plants will literally grow on hard rock. Rough concrete, and naturally uneven stone like laterite, give plants the grip they need to start growing.
And well, there's soil and there's sand. And sand is just ground up rock (and sometimes ground up coral). Mangroves will grow in sand, even though it offers no nutrients because it isn't organic material. Whereas soil is entirely of organic origin. It's all poop. It's decayed organic material - plant material that microorganisms and worms and insects ate and then pooped out.
So far I thought that the organic fertiliser we put in soil is poop. The poop of large animals. Dung. But the rest of the stuff is also poop. Decayed material is poop, it just fungus and bacteria poop.
So you're pressure washing the green stuff and then some filthy brown stuff comes out from under it and after you've smeared yourself with this unexpected dirt, it makes you think. In a manner that your biology teacher could never make you think.
All of the organic material we see around us, in all its vibrancy and complexity, is largely synthesised by plants using water and air (and minerals dissolved in water). It is hard for me to imagine that all these solids come out of water and air. And that all the complexity of soil comes from transparent inorganic liquids and gases.
The sky above Dabolim right now. There's a ring around the moon. If you zoom in, you'll see it's a rainbow.
There are certain professions that thrive on ambiguity.
As engineers, we like to lay down processes based on our knowledge and the amount of effort we can justifiably spend on each task. Since our systems are artificial, we know quite a bit about them, and can easily verify outcomes.
Doctors have it hard, because precious little is known about the human body. Nevertheless, there are well laid medical protocols, and outcomes can be measured by running tests on the patient.
Chartered accountants, company secretaries, priests. These guys will never give you a straight answer. What is the right and canonical way to get to heaven? We don't know. The man hasn't spoken in recent times. He did speak millennia ago to some bearded men, but hasn't bothered to update the operational manual since.
The outcome is hard to test too - nobody's ever written a "how I got to heaven in 20 easy steps" listicle. Its the same with CAs and company law professionals. Each will give you a different opinion, and the outcome can only be tested when a government department audits or raids you.
And so the population lives in fear. And contributes bigger and bigger sums to temples and accountancy firms, in the hope of getting closer and closer to the elusive truth.
As engineers, we like to lay down processes based on our knowledge and the amount of effort we can justifiably spend on each task. Since our systems are artificial, we know quite a bit about them, and can easily verify outcomes.
Doctors have it hard, because precious little is known about the human body. Nevertheless, there are well laid medical protocols, and outcomes can be measured by running tests on the patient.
Chartered accountants, company secretaries, priests. These guys will never give you a straight answer. What is the right and canonical way to get to heaven? We don't know. The man hasn't spoken in recent times. He did speak millennia ago to some bearded men, but hasn't bothered to update the operational manual since.
The outcome is hard to test too - nobody's ever written a "how I got to heaven in 20 easy steps" listicle. Its the same with CAs and company law professionals. Each will give you a different opinion, and the outcome can only be tested when a government department audits or raids you.
And so the population lives in fear. And contributes bigger and bigger sums to temples and accountancy firms, in the hope of getting closer and closer to the elusive truth.
When your padre is an electrical engineer.
Thanks @[100000908314561:2048:Tushar] for writing this up. I was meaning to write myself.
Some points I want to highlight:
1. I ordered food from a @[100063894224598:2048:Bean Me Up] using @[100064411640740:2048:Zomato]. The delivery guy, Gaurav, met with an accident even before he reached the restaurant to pick up the order. Much later in the evening we learnt that this was a more than one inch gash on his head that required 5 stitches to heal.
[Always wear a helmet, no matter the distance or discomfort]
2. Why did a man bandage himself with a bandana and continue driving and working? Because he was terrified of losing his job. He is still under probation at Zomato. He said they only listen to customers and do not pay any attention to what their delivery guys say. So in order to keep his job, he went with a bleeding head to the restaurant, picked up the order, then drove to my place.
[As a society, we have failed to provide social security to people whose employment is seasonal or Covid impacted (he usually works in the hotel industry in Goa, but is unemployed right now). We have failed to generate employment in UP and Bihar where large swathes of our people live. And we tolerate companies like Zomato exploiting gig workers to the extent that they drive themselves to death.]
3. How did I discover the injury? While delivering the order, he apologised for being late, and begged me to not complain about him. I told him that I didn't even notice that he is late, and the restaurant also is quite a distance from my home. Then he started weeping. Why was he weeping? Because he did not expect any support from us customers, or from Zomato. He was feeling completely crushed by his circumstances, and even a little bit of humanity made him break down.
[The combination of our caste and class "superiority", and the general apathy that corporate jobs breed, has led to us urban Indians possibly being one of the worst specimens of humans anywhere in the world. We need to treat people who work for us, a lot, lot better.]
4. Then he talked about his injury. Even before I could attend to it, a minion from Zomato called me and started apologising for the late delivery. No point blasting this guy, so I just told him that the order has been delivered and the driver is severely injured, so I am attending to him. In spite of me informing Zomato, Gaurav kept getting notifications that he has not completed his ride/order for as long as he was with us.
[The app would not let him complete his ride. There was no signal near my house, and then when he got a signal he was outside the GPS range of my house. As an engineer I am appalled how other engineers cannot think through the human aspect of what they are coding when they make these apps.]
5. Being prepare for an emergency is critical. I did not have adequate first aid supplies at home. I did not have the stomach to deal with blood. I did not have the training to bandage an injury properly. Tushar bandaged the guy twice before he drove him to the hospital, so that when we reached the hospital, the bleeding had already stopped.
[I have helped more than a dozen accident victims by taking them to the hospital. But last night I realised that not once had I administered even basic first aid to the victims before handing them over to the hospital. I am glad my kids' school has been teaching them all kinds of first aid, even though it is most likely not mandated by the IGCSE board.]
6. On the way from my home to the District Hospital in Mapusa, the man begged not to be taken to the hospital because he could not afford it. I had to repeatedly assure him that the hospital was both free and high quality. When we reached the hospital, they did choose to charge ₹100 for a "paper" that is needed in order to treat a patient. If I remember correctly, that charge was merely ₹10 less than an year ago. Thankfully everything else was free, and they called him back today for free medicines also.
[Free healthcare for everyone is the cornerstone of a civilised society. Use your local government hospital, and insist on good services. I got my vaccine booster dose at the Badshahpur PHC instead of at Medanta, and I made noise about how unhygienic they were. If more of us use these services and demand quality, the services will improve. Don't have the attitude that "let the free services be for the poor".]
Anyway. Apologies for the long rant. I am ordering supplies from https://shop.stjohnsfirstaid.net/ . You should too. And I've uninstalled the Zomato and Swiggy apps. Rather than use these exploitative companies, I'll just call the restaurant and get things delivered. I've been told to do that many times before, but I'm lazy. But the price we pay for our laziness and convenience is too high.
#zwigato
Some points I want to highlight:
1. I ordered food from a @[100063894224598:2048:Bean Me Up] using @[100064411640740:2048:Zomato]. The delivery guy, Gaurav, met with an accident even before he reached the restaurant to pick up the order. Much later in the evening we learnt that this was a more than one inch gash on his head that required 5 stitches to heal.
[Always wear a helmet, no matter the distance or discomfort]
2. Why did a man bandage himself with a bandana and continue driving and working? Because he was terrified of losing his job. He is still under probation at Zomato. He said they only listen to customers and do not pay any attention to what their delivery guys say. So in order to keep his job, he went with a bleeding head to the restaurant, picked up the order, then drove to my place.
[As a society, we have failed to provide social security to people whose employment is seasonal or Covid impacted (he usually works in the hotel industry in Goa, but is unemployed right now). We have failed to generate employment in UP and Bihar where large swathes of our people live. And we tolerate companies like Zomato exploiting gig workers to the extent that they drive themselves to death.]
3. How did I discover the injury? While delivering the order, he apologised for being late, and begged me to not complain about him. I told him that I didn't even notice that he is late, and the restaurant also is quite a distance from my home. Then he started weeping. Why was he weeping? Because he did not expect any support from us customers, or from Zomato. He was feeling completely crushed by his circumstances, and even a little bit of humanity made him break down.
[The combination of our caste and class "superiority", and the general apathy that corporate jobs breed, has led to us urban Indians possibly being one of the worst specimens of humans anywhere in the world. We need to treat people who work for us, a lot, lot better.]
4. Then he talked about his injury. Even before I could attend to it, a minion from Zomato called me and started apologising for the late delivery. No point blasting this guy, so I just told him that the order has been delivered and the driver is severely injured, so I am attending to him. In spite of me informing Zomato, Gaurav kept getting notifications that he has not completed his ride/order for as long as he was with us.
[The app would not let him complete his ride. There was no signal near my house, and then when he got a signal he was outside the GPS range of my house. As an engineer I am appalled how other engineers cannot think through the human aspect of what they are coding when they make these apps.]
5. Being prepare for an emergency is critical. I did not have adequate first aid supplies at home. I did not have the stomach to deal with blood. I did not have the training to bandage an injury properly. Tushar bandaged the guy twice before he drove him to the hospital, so that when we reached the hospital, the bleeding had already stopped.
[I have helped more than a dozen accident victims by taking them to the hospital. But last night I realised that not once had I administered even basic first aid to the victims before handing them over to the hospital. I am glad my kids' school has been teaching them all kinds of first aid, even though it is most likely not mandated by the IGCSE board.]
6. On the way from my home to the District Hospital in Mapusa, the man begged not to be taken to the hospital because he could not afford it. I had to repeatedly assure him that the hospital was both free and high quality. When we reached the hospital, they did choose to charge ₹100 for a "paper" that is needed in order to treat a patient. If I remember correctly, that charge was merely ₹10 less than an year ago. Thankfully everything else was free, and they called him back today for free medicines also.
[Free healthcare for everyone is the cornerstone of a civilised society. Use your local government hospital, and insist on good services. I got my vaccine booster dose at the Badshahpur PHC instead of at Medanta, and I made noise about how unhygienic they were. If more of us use these services and demand quality, the services will improve. Don't have the attitude that "let the free services be for the poor".]
Anyway. Apologies for the long rant. I am ordering supplies from https://shop.stjohnsfirstaid.net/ . You should too. And I've uninstalled the Zomato and Swiggy apps. Rather than use these exploitative companies, I'll just call the restaurant and get things delivered. I've been told to do that many times before, but I'm lazy. But the price we pay for our laziness and convenience is too high.
#zwigato
Can't imagine what Modi is going through in the current circumstances.
A vast majority of Indian military hardware is Russian, or Russian derived/inspired. Same goes for our space and nuclear programs. I'm sure we have significant independence now in terms of parts and repairability. But our dependence on Russia does go far beyond cheap oil and gas. And Russia is getting sucked deeper into a war it cannot win.
Modi didn't even make these choices. Nobody in his party made these choices. And Russia, a nation friendly to us when we were born and chose to be non aligned, wasn't even the wrong choice. I'd also have chosen Russia over the US for military and technology supplies back then.
Russia is still friendly to us. But just how behind it is in terms of technology is for everyone to see.
Which wouldn't be a problem, really. If it weren't for neighbours breathing down our backs. Honestly, why should any economy sink so much money into the military industrial complex like America does. But America does it. And then it arms Pakistan. And now China is investing so much in military hardware.
Sigh. Some days it is just wise to not bother checking the news at all.
A vast majority of Indian military hardware is Russian, or Russian derived/inspired. Same goes for our space and nuclear programs. I'm sure we have significant independence now in terms of parts and repairability. But our dependence on Russia does go far beyond cheap oil and gas. And Russia is getting sucked deeper into a war it cannot win.
Modi didn't even make these choices. Nobody in his party made these choices. And Russia, a nation friendly to us when we were born and chose to be non aligned, wasn't even the wrong choice. I'd also have chosen Russia over the US for military and technology supplies back then.
Russia is still friendly to us. But just how behind it is in terms of technology is for everyone to see.
Which wouldn't be a problem, really. If it weren't for neighbours breathing down our backs. Honestly, why should any economy sink so much money into the military industrial complex like America does. But America does it. And then it arms Pakistan. And now China is investing so much in military hardware.
Sigh. Some days it is just wise to not bother checking the news at all.
The kids were listening to loud music, singing and dancing along while cleaning up their room.
So I walked into the room and yelled at them "Stop being so happy".
I think that's a pretty adult response to teenage.
So I walked into the room and yelled at them "Stop being so happy".
I think that's a pretty adult response to teenage.
The American people elected Trump as president. He won fair and square. American citizens gave that man legal access to sensitive information. No country is going to accept that America isn't responsible, as a collective, for that man selling out nuclear weapons information, and even more sensitive secrets, to terrorist states like Saudi Arabia.
When NTBT and similar treaties were being pushed, America called countries like India and Pakistan "unstable", "corrupt" and "prone to proliferation". America has lost that moral high ground for decades to come.
Search for "Trump raid confidential" if you don't know what I'm talking about.
When NTBT and similar treaties were being pushed, America called countries like India and Pakistan "unstable", "corrupt" and "prone to proliferation". America has lost that moral high ground for decades to come.
Search for "Trump raid confidential" if you don't know what I'm talking about.
Sunak is a bigger fraud than the Murthy family he married into
So, there is a doctor in Gurgaon who has been prescribing me a multivitamin for two years now. No matter how hard I try, I am unable to procure this capsule anywhere beyond the particular market complex that her clinic is in.
Today, I decided to dig deeper. Turns out, that although the medicine strip carries an address in Pune, the Private Limited company that manufactures it is registered at the address of her clinic. She is one of the two directors. The paid up capital of the company is a mere ₹1,00,000.
Are there no checks and balances in India for something like this?
Today, I decided to dig deeper. Turns out, that although the medicine strip carries an address in Pune, the Private Limited company that manufactures it is registered at the address of her clinic. She is one of the two directors. The paid up capital of the company is a mere ₹1,00,000.
Are there no checks and balances in India for something like this?
The #sky at #sunset burst into a riot of #colours today
#Goa is so fabulously #green in the #rains. The phone camera just does not do justice in these low light conditions. The #paddy #fields have different #shades of green, in waves. Its breathtaking.
https://www.latimes.com/opinion/story/2019-09-27/nicholas-effect-organ-donation-italy
Reading this will make you cry. Let that not deter you from reading it anyway.
I am registered to donate my entire body (for transplants and for science) when I die. I always wanted to do it, but never quite got around to registering. A cousin of mine (who has herself donated an organ to her father) makes sure that every family event in our extended family has an organ donation counter. That makes it stupidly easy for procrastinators like me to walk the talk and actually register.
Register to donate your organs. Make the lives of many families better when you die, without spending a dime.
Reading this will make you cry. Let that not deter you from reading it anyway.
I am registered to donate my entire body (for transplants and for science) when I die. I always wanted to do it, but never quite got around to registering. A cousin of mine (who has herself donated an organ to her father) makes sure that every family event in our extended family has an organ donation counter. That makes it stupidly easy for procrastinators like me to walk the talk and actually register.
Register to donate your organs. Make the lives of many families better when you die, without spending a dime.
Did you wish the birthday boy today?
श्री लंका का तो जो होगा सो होगा मगर हमारी तो लंका लग गई
The view of the Anjunem Lake from up above
Somebody's delighted to be here
From here, we will drive into those cloudy hills, on the border of Goa and KA
The rather Insta-famous Keri Foot Bridge
Traaaaaaain आई
Rather futile attempt at capturing the beauty of Goa in the rains
I have a Sri Lankan friend and she posted a story with a pic of the Sri Lankan public taking over the president's palace.
I almost responded "stay safe" and then I bit my tongue. Why should the people be afraid when taking power back from demagogues?
When that moron was running+ruining the country, I didn't tell her to stay safe. Now when the people have kicked him out, I'm afraid? Why do we fear crowds of protesters, and keep horrible people in power so they can keep up a semblance of peace by ruling with an iron hand?
I almost responded "stay safe" and then I bit my tongue. Why should the people be afraid when taking power back from demagogues?
When that moron was running+ruining the country, I didn't tell her to stay safe. Now when the people have kicked him out, I'm afraid? Why do we fear crowds of protesters, and keep horrible people in power so they can keep up a semblance of peace by ruling with an iron hand?
Lennart Poettering, creator of all things evil and monolithic in Linux such as systemd, pulseaudio and avahi, has recently become a Microsoft employee. This man who builds poorly documented stuff that Doesn't Work(TM) and breaks backward compatibility, has found the right resting place for himself.
(Over the years I've cultivated the wrong set of friends on FB. Y'all don't care about the important things in life, such as Linux and FLOSS politics. Y'all can use Windows and Mac and worship the likes of Lennart.)
My life has been a relentless struggle with systemd over the last decade. As recently as Monday I was grappling the bloody beast. And then yesterday Nilay wanted to use a system-wide audio equaliser on his Ubuntu powered Neo. Nobody wishes for their child to deal with the kind of trauma he went through, adding an equaliser to his pulseaudio chain.
(Over the years I've cultivated the wrong set of friends on FB. Y'all don't care about the important things in life, such as Linux and FLOSS politics. Y'all can use Windows and Mac and worship the likes of Lennart.)
My life has been a relentless struggle with systemd over the last decade. As recently as Monday I was grappling the bloody beast. And then yesterday Nilay wanted to use a system-wide audio equaliser on his Ubuntu powered Neo. Nobody wishes for their child to deal with the kind of trauma he went through, adding an equaliser to his pulseaudio chain.
A lazy Sunday... by the sea
So I'm just lying in my bed giving advice to my friends from college who've only recently sprouted kids.
But inside I'm like god damn I'd go nuts if I was running behind toddlers at this age.
But inside I'm like god damn I'd go nuts if I was running behind toddlers at this age.
Today, for the first time in my life, I received a telex message.
Our office does not have a teletypewriter connected to a circuit switched network. We do not even have a local loop terminating from the exchange to our office - all we have now is packet switched optical fiber.
The only time I've seen an actual teletypewriter was as a schoolchild, while visiting the Times of India office on Bahadur Shah Zafar Road in Delhi. I don't remember if it had ticker tape hanging out of it, with a message punched in 5 bit binary (ITA2 or Baudot-Murray code).
International shipping law requires electronic bills of lading to be sent by telex. So a shipper digitally stamped the word "telex" onto a computer generated document and emailed us the PDF.
Although I've never used a teletypewriter, I use descendants of it every day. It is bad day when I must exclusively use digital devices that do not have a tty compatible text terminal (Android, and the forsaken cmd in Windows).
Teletype highlights how incremental human technological progress is. Nothing we invent really ever goes away - we just keep bolting on newer features as the edifice grows. ITA2 lives on in ASCII and serial communication. Baudot lives on in baud rates. Sholes' typewriter lives on in the Qwerty keyboard I am using to type this message. And teletypes live on in the text and graphical terminal consoles that we simply refer to as "my computer's display and keyboard" in everyday parlance.
(It's always interesting when a bit of history comes along and makes you pause and reflect in the middle of a busy work day.)
Our office does not have a teletypewriter connected to a circuit switched network. We do not even have a local loop terminating from the exchange to our office - all we have now is packet switched optical fiber.
The only time I've seen an actual teletypewriter was as a schoolchild, while visiting the Times of India office on Bahadur Shah Zafar Road in Delhi. I don't remember if it had ticker tape hanging out of it, with a message punched in 5 bit binary (ITA2 or Baudot-Murray code).
International shipping law requires electronic bills of lading to be sent by telex. So a shipper digitally stamped the word "telex" onto a computer generated document and emailed us the PDF.
Although I've never used a teletypewriter, I use descendants of it every day. It is bad day when I must exclusively use digital devices that do not have a tty compatible text terminal (Android, and the forsaken cmd in Windows).
Teletype highlights how incremental human technological progress is. Nothing we invent really ever goes away - we just keep bolting on newer features as the edifice grows. ITA2 lives on in ASCII and serial communication. Baudot lives on in baud rates. Sholes' typewriter lives on in the Qwerty keyboard I am using to type this message. And teletypes live on in the text and graphical terminal consoles that we simply refer to as "my computer's display and keyboard" in everyday parlance.
(It's always interesting when a bit of history comes along and makes you pause and reflect in the middle of a busy work day.)
Thinvent is hiring!
Qualification: Diploma (or degree) in engineering - IT, electronics, or mechanical.
Location: Our computer hardware manufacturing plants in Gurgaon (Sohna Road) and Goa (Panjim).
Work: Quality control, manufacturing automation, firmware programming of our IT and electronics products.
Open positions: 10.
Prior experience required: None.
How to apply: Send your resume and SOP/covering letter to rubina@thinvent.in.
Thinvent कंपनी में दस हेल्पर और दस technician की आवश्यकता है।
योग्यता: Technician के लिए डिप्लोमा या ITI, हेल्पर के लिए दसवीं पास। पूर्व अनुभव कि कोई आवश्यकता नहीं।
स्थान: गुड़गांव और गोवा।
अपना biodata rubina@thinvent.in को भेजें, या 9311313987 पर संपर्क करें।
Qualification: Diploma (or degree) in engineering - IT, electronics, or mechanical.
Location: Our computer hardware manufacturing plants in Gurgaon (Sohna Road) and Goa (Panjim).
Work: Quality control, manufacturing automation, firmware programming of our IT and electronics products.
Open positions: 10.
Prior experience required: None.
How to apply: Send your resume and SOP/covering letter to rubina@thinvent.in.
Thinvent कंपनी में दस हेल्पर और दस technician की आवश्यकता है।
योग्यता: Technician के लिए डिप्लोमा या ITI, हेल्पर के लिए दसवीं पास। पूर्व अनुभव कि कोई आवश्यकता नहीं।
स्थान: गुड़गांव और गोवा।
अपना biodata rubina@thinvent.in को भेजें, या 9311313987 पर संपर्क करें।
I told this joke to Kavin and he grunted and said "Very bad. Very bad." Then he grunted again in pain.
Please tell this joke to your children also, and share the results here. I'm doing a survey 🤣
Please tell this joke to your children also, and share the results here. I'm doing a survey 🤣
/rant
The latest abomination one has to confront in Gurgaon is MyGate.
It is mindboggling how people are so willing to throw their private information at a random information system just because the the guards at a gated complex tell you they can't let you in without this information.
Why do citizens subject themselves to the tyrrany of an app in order to let their guests come and meet them? And why don't guests tell their hosts to "take a hike, come see me outside, because I'm not entering your walled garden at your RWA's terms".
Not too long ago, you would orally tell your name to the guards, they would call your host on the intercom and check if they wanted to allow said guest to enter the complex and meet them or not. Worked fine. If said guest created a nuisance inside the complex, the guards would hold the host liable.
Then people moved to a system where you would have to scribble your name and number on a paper register. You could refuse to provide information, or enter wrong information, because nobody verified.
Now there are long queues outside complexes, as guards collect phone numbers from every delivery person and visitor. OTPs are sent and verified, because the precious diamonds living inside the complex are to be protected from the evil outside world. And yet each apartment seems to require at least a dozen delivery people and service providers every day just to survive.
It is insanity. Recited out in a distinctly American accent by the MyGate app every time a resident receives a visitor. Why that accent? MyGate literally only operates only in India. Were they unable to find a TTS software that uses a localised Indian English accent, let alone use vernacular.
The privacy policy on the MyGate website gives me the chills. The RWA has access to the entire visitor history of every resident for up to 180 days. Every visitor, with validated mobile number, presented in tabular form to the sanghi unclejis who get voted in unopposed year after year (because nobody with a brain and conscience even bothers to stand up against these jobless rabblerousers).
(The MyGate privacy policy also straight up lies. No RWA guard will let you in without verifying your phone number. The app they receive simply does not allow it. Yet the website claims the phone number isn't necessary. Well clearly the foot soldiers aren't being trained in this "feature".)
The latest abomination one has to confront in Gurgaon is MyGate.
It is mindboggling how people are so willing to throw their private information at a random information system just because the the guards at a gated complex tell you they can't let you in without this information.
Why do citizens subject themselves to the tyrrany of an app in order to let their guests come and meet them? And why don't guests tell their hosts to "take a hike, come see me outside, because I'm not entering your walled garden at your RWA's terms".
Not too long ago, you would orally tell your name to the guards, they would call your host on the intercom and check if they wanted to allow said guest to enter the complex and meet them or not. Worked fine. If said guest created a nuisance inside the complex, the guards would hold the host liable.
Then people moved to a system where you would have to scribble your name and number on a paper register. You could refuse to provide information, or enter wrong information, because nobody verified.
Now there are long queues outside complexes, as guards collect phone numbers from every delivery person and visitor. OTPs are sent and verified, because the precious diamonds living inside the complex are to be protected from the evil outside world. And yet each apartment seems to require at least a dozen delivery people and service providers every day just to survive.
It is insanity. Recited out in a distinctly American accent by the MyGate app every time a resident receives a visitor. Why that accent? MyGate literally only operates only in India. Were they unable to find a TTS software that uses a localised Indian English accent, let alone use vernacular.
The privacy policy on the MyGate website gives me the chills. The RWA has access to the entire visitor history of every resident for up to 180 days. Every visitor, with validated mobile number, presented in tabular form to the sanghi unclejis who get voted in unopposed year after year (because nobody with a brain and conscience even bothers to stand up against these jobless rabblerousers).
(The MyGate privacy policy also straight up lies. No RWA guard will let you in without verifying your phone number. The app they receive simply does not allow it. Yet the website claims the phone number isn't necessary. Well clearly the foot soldiers aren't being trained in this "feature".)
I came back to Delhi, after the longest period I have been away from the city in a decade.
The first thing that hits you at the airport is the smell. The air in the city has a foul smell, that is distinct from the stuffiness and weird taste in the mouth caused by particulate pollution.
I've always felt the pollution, but never smelt the smell before. I assumed this was something at the airport, but I could smell it all the way till Gurgaon, through my N95 mask.
Of course I stopped smelling or feeling anything after a couple of days in the city.
The first thing that hits you at the airport is the smell. The air in the city has a foul smell, that is distinct from the stuffiness and weird taste in the mouth caused by particulate pollution.
I've always felt the pollution, but never smelt the smell before. I assumed this was something at the airport, but I could smell it all the way till Gurgaon, through my N95 mask.
Of course I stopped smelling or feeling anything after a couple of days in the city.
Last night I dreamt that Saddam Hussein visited me. He obviously hasn't been killed by the occupying forces. He has trimmed his beard slightly and that was enough to confuse everybody; although to me it was rather obvious that he was Saddam. Anywho.
We went out for lunch. After lunch I was unable to find my minivan that I drove him to lunch in. We kept searching in the parking lot and pressing the car's remote key in vain. It dawned too late to me that the car was in the parking lot on the other side of the restaurant. By the time I'd found the car and driven him back home, it was time to wake up.
Saddam wasn't too helpful in finding the car, because he clearly hasn't had to search for his car in a parking lot before.
I don't remember the conversations we had. Sads.
We went out for lunch. After lunch I was unable to find my minivan that I drove him to lunch in. We kept searching in the parking lot and pressing the car's remote key in vain. It dawned too late to me that the car was in the parking lot on the other side of the restaurant. By the time I'd found the car and driven him back home, it was time to wake up.
Saddam wasn't too helpful in finding the car, because he clearly hasn't had to search for his car in a parking lot before.
I don't remember the conversations we had. Sads.
Reading about the Uvalde massacre, I gather that
- there was an armed security officer at the school who did nothing
- two cops outside the school didn't stop the shooter
- cops reached the scene and proceeded to extract their own children from the school immediately
- they then stood around for 40+ minutes doing nothing, not engaging the shooter, claiming he has a bullet proof vest. He did not.
- the cops had vests and automatic rifles and other military gear because the Uvalde municipality spends 40% of their budget on cops. They still kept waiting for backup.
- all this while the cops actively blocked parents from taking direct action. They even handcuffed one parent who tried to enter the school.
- somebody not the police finally killed the shooter
Now the cops are calling themselves brave. Claiming they have PTSD from seeing dead children. They will investigate their own inactions themselves, then award each other a medal.
The thing is. If this was happening in India, I'd understand. Our police are just a militia protecting the powerful and the rich. Sometimes they even round up suspects and shoot them up to please the people and the media.
But this is America. How can you have the economic prosperity you have and still have such a flawed democracy. Where the cops are a force unto themselves and not answerable to the citizens.
- there was an armed security officer at the school who did nothing
- two cops outside the school didn't stop the shooter
- cops reached the scene and proceeded to extract their own children from the school immediately
- they then stood around for 40+ minutes doing nothing, not engaging the shooter, claiming he has a bullet proof vest. He did not.
- the cops had vests and automatic rifles and other military gear because the Uvalde municipality spends 40% of their budget on cops. They still kept waiting for backup.
- all this while the cops actively blocked parents from taking direct action. They even handcuffed one parent who tried to enter the school.
- somebody not the police finally killed the shooter
Now the cops are calling themselves brave. Claiming they have PTSD from seeing dead children. They will investigate their own inactions themselves, then award each other a medal.
The thing is. If this was happening in India, I'd understand. Our police are just a militia protecting the powerful and the rich. Sometimes they even round up suspects and shoot them up to please the people and the media.
But this is America. How can you have the economic prosperity you have and still have such a flawed democracy. Where the cops are a force unto themselves and not answerable to the citizens.
Comment on the internet: "Even adjusted for inflation, this price increase is too much."
My dude. This price increase is literally where the inflation is coming from. You can't adjust inflation for inflation 🤦🏽♂️
My dude. This price increase is literally where the inflation is coming from. You can't adjust inflation for inflation 🤦🏽♂️
Happy Birthday Gautama Buddha.
By far the most famous and revered Indian ever.
The OG Vishwaguru.
By far the most famous and revered Indian ever.
The OG Vishwaguru.
Why does nobody in India care about safety? Even basic safety.
That's a 20W fiber laser. Next to a finger that could easily be replaced with a clamp.
(This is at a vendor location. We are moving the machine in-house. We will define safety protocols before we begin using it. But safety protocols are often only as good as the value that the operator puts on their life and limb.)
That's a 20W fiber laser. Next to a finger that could easily be replaced with a clamp.
(This is at a vendor location. We are moving the machine in-house. We will define safety protocols before we begin using it. But safety protocols are often only as good as the value that the operator puts on their life and limb.)
The past was ours. The future is also ours.
(Gautam Adani is a Jain. Mind it.)
(Gautam Adani is a Jain. Mind it.)
Over the weekend I read about genetics. I had studied genetics for my master's research work 20 year ago, but this was more from a biological perspective.
One thing stood out to me. If I could only find the biological term for it, I could study it more. Therefore I am hamhandedly describing it here.
(It appear to me that) from a genetics and biology perspective, there is no process of the "creation" of life.
Single cell organisms reproduce through mitosis. So they aren't really born. They just divide and multiply. Multicellular organisms are also constantly growing or refreshing their cells using mitosis.
Mammals reproduce sexually through meiosis. But there is no birth of a new life. New life isn't being created. The ova and sperm are both alive when they merge to form a zygote. They already have life. Two lives, two living cells, merge to form a single life.
When we use the term "birth", it is as if an inanimate object is brought to life. That isn't happening. Neither gamete can be dead if a living organism is to be created.
Geneticists say, and the theory of evolution says, that all life can be traced to the primordial soup where chemical reactions transformed primitive chemicals into life. The genetic code began at some point (archaea?), and continues till now. My point is that even life can be traced back to that single source. You are not just inheriting genes from the tree of life - you are inheriting life itself.
So there is death. There is very much the death of individual cells, and of multicellular organisms. For the gene pool to improve, it is necessary that older members of the specie vacate the space and resources they consume in the habitat.
But there is no birth when a baby is born. No new life is created. Two leaves of the tree of life merge and a new leaf of the same living tree is formed.
The single strand (or strands) of life that was created 4.2 billion (or 3.7 billion) years ago continues till now.
I want to know what the scientific name for this concept is. Gaia isn't the right term, because I am not saying that the Earth is a living being. I am saying that all living beings on Earth are fragments of the same single living organism. So rabbits and pine trees aren't my distant cousins - they are in fact distant bits of me.
(Just trying to fit ideas from a book I read into current events related to abortion and "creation" in the US).
One thing stood out to me. If I could only find the biological term for it, I could study it more. Therefore I am hamhandedly describing it here.
(It appear to me that) from a genetics and biology perspective, there is no process of the "creation" of life.
Single cell organisms reproduce through mitosis. So they aren't really born. They just divide and multiply. Multicellular organisms are also constantly growing or refreshing their cells using mitosis.
Mammals reproduce sexually through meiosis. But there is no birth of a new life. New life isn't being created. The ova and sperm are both alive when they merge to form a zygote. They already have life. Two lives, two living cells, merge to form a single life.
When we use the term "birth", it is as if an inanimate object is brought to life. That isn't happening. Neither gamete can be dead if a living organism is to be created.
Geneticists say, and the theory of evolution says, that all life can be traced to the primordial soup where chemical reactions transformed primitive chemicals into life. The genetic code began at some point (archaea?), and continues till now. My point is that even life can be traced back to that single source. You are not just inheriting genes from the tree of life - you are inheriting life itself.
So there is death. There is very much the death of individual cells, and of multicellular organisms. For the gene pool to improve, it is necessary that older members of the specie vacate the space and resources they consume in the habitat.
But there is no birth when a baby is born. No new life is created. Two leaves of the tree of life merge and a new leaf of the same living tree is formed.
The single strand (or strands) of life that was created 4.2 billion (or 3.7 billion) years ago continues till now.
I want to know what the scientific name for this concept is. Gaia isn't the right term, because I am not saying that the Earth is a living being. I am saying that all living beings on Earth are fragments of the same single living organism. So rabbits and pine trees aren't my distant cousins - they are in fact distant bits of me.
(Just trying to fit ideas from a book I read into current events related to abortion and "creation" in the US).
So, umm, we are now laser etching product information directly onto our computers. Thought I'd share it with you guys.
(That's powder coating on Aluminium alloy. The housing is laser cut from recycled Aluminium sheets, bent and coated, after which a mild laser burns away the paint to create this beautiful, permanent marking. When using mild steel we are unable to burn all the paint away; it still leaves a nice print.)
(That's powder coating on Aluminium alloy. The housing is laser cut from recycled Aluminium sheets, bent and coated, after which a mild laser burns away the paint to create this beautiful, permanent marking. When using mild steel we are unable to burn all the paint away; it still leaves a nice print.)
Why y'all saying Eid Mubarak "to those who celebrate".
This is discrimination against us atheists. As if y'all want my day to not be mubarak.
This is discrimination against us atheists. As if y'all want my day to not be mubarak.
Have you been to Kashmir in recent years?
If I were to visit with my kids, what precautions would you recommend, if any?
My kids have never been to Jammu, Kashmir, or Ladakh.
If I were to visit with my kids, what precautions would you recommend, if any?
My kids have never been to Jammu, Kashmir, or Ladakh.
People are usually shocked when they find out I am not a good electrical engineer.
Some of us know him only as the creator of the Indian constitution and a champion of dalit rights.
Babasaheb was a great and very accomplished man, and these were just two of his many achievements. He started India's first trade union. As India's labour minister, he reduced the workday from 12 to 8 hours, and brought in numerous other reforms. As law minister, he fought bitterly with the Hindu upper caste for women's rights. He studied and wrote extensively. As an economist, he gave the framework for the creation of the RBI. He planned the Indian electric grid and various irrigation projects.
We are because he was. In giving dignity to the oppressed, he also gave dignity to oppressor classes like mine, by holding up a mirror to our oppression and showing us the path to reform.
A lifelong champion of democracy and equality. A day will come when the entire nation will remember him with love and respect on his birth anniversary.
Babasaheb was a great and very accomplished man, and these were just two of his many achievements. He started India's first trade union. As India's labour minister, he reduced the workday from 12 to 8 hours, and brought in numerous other reforms. As law minister, he fought bitterly with the Hindu upper caste for women's rights. He studied and wrote extensively. As an economist, he gave the framework for the creation of the RBI. He planned the Indian electric grid and various irrigation projects.
We are because he was. In giving dignity to the oppressed, he also gave dignity to oppressor classes like mine, by holding up a mirror to our oppression and showing us the path to reform.
A lifelong champion of democracy and equality. A day will come when the entire nation will remember him with love and respect on his birth anniversary.
The other day a frog visited us, and sat on Kavin's helmet.
Springtime in Goa.
Kavin: A Heritage school bus was lost for three hours. Nursery kids, stuck without AC for three hours in the heat.
Me: That's obviously not true.
Kavin: No no, one of my former classmates told me. His sister was on the bus.
Me: And the bus managed to be "lost", in Gurgaon of all places, for three hours, and the driver did not call for help, and nobody reached the bus.
Kavin: Oh they called all the parents but none of them picked up the phone.
Me: Yeah, totally believable.
I think it was two years ago that Heritage taught Kavin's elder brother about critical thinking. Or rather, how to tell if some news being shared with you is from a trustworthy source or not, is believable or not, how to question the source, how to do independent research to verify. Stuff like that. Kavin will need to be brought up to speed, obviously.
Kids are so gullible. One moment they are teaching you maths, and the next moment they are spreading fantastic rumours.
Me: That's obviously not true.
Kavin: No no, one of my former classmates told me. His sister was on the bus.
Me: And the bus managed to be "lost", in Gurgaon of all places, for three hours, and the driver did not call for help, and nobody reached the bus.
Kavin: Oh they called all the parents but none of them picked up the phone.
Me: Yeah, totally believable.
I think it was two years ago that Heritage taught Kavin's elder brother about critical thinking. Or rather, how to tell if some news being shared with you is from a trustworthy source or not, is believable or not, how to question the source, how to do independent research to verify. Stuff like that. Kavin will need to be brought up to speed, obviously.
Kids are so gullible. One moment they are teaching you maths, and the next moment they are spreading fantastic rumours.
Kavin: Don't look at my potatoes. I'm not giving you any. Took me one hour to make them.
Me: Where'd you learn to make boiled potatoes.
Kavin: I didn't. That's why it took me an hour. Half an hour in the pressure cooker and then some more.
Me: Why wouldn't you just eat dinner?
Kavin: I'll eat that too. But these are nice.
Boiled potatoes with salt and pepper 🤷🏽♂️
Me: Where'd you learn to make boiled potatoes.
Kavin: I didn't. That's why it took me an hour. Half an hour in the pressure cooker and then some more.
Me: Why wouldn't you just eat dinner?
Kavin: I'll eat that too. But these are nice.
Boiled potatoes with salt and pepper 🤷🏽♂️
Kavin: Nilay sends you this note.
Me: I shall post this on social media and destroy his carefully created image of being a goody good boy.
"Ha ha, excellent," said Kavin, rubbing his hands in glee. "I shall turn on the lights and take a good photo of this note to help you, father."
Me: I shall post this on social media and destroy his carefully created image of being a goody good boy.
"Ha ha, excellent," said Kavin, rubbing his hands in glee. "I shall turn on the lights and take a good photo of this note to help you, father."
Me: Go get scones and donuts from the bakery. And buy some ginger ale from the grocery while you're out. And ask the cook to make tomato and cucumber sandwiches.
Kavin: All this for a school picnic?
Me: How long since you read an Enid Blyton?
Kavin: Oh yes. Yes. They're going to the forest all the time with their picnic baskets loaded with goodies (now his eyes are twinkling). I will go find a good basket.
Me: And make some lemonade. And while you're in the loft, find our blue and white and red picnic blanket.
Oh. To be a child again.
Kavin: All this for a school picnic?
Me: How long since you read an Enid Blyton?
Kavin: Oh yes. Yes. They're going to the forest all the time with their picnic baskets loaded with goodies (now his eyes are twinkling). I will go find a good basket.
Me: And make some lemonade. And while you're in the loft, find our blue and white and red picnic blanket.
Oh. To be a child again.
If you're feeling unsettled, call me.
I'll ground you.
I'm an electrical engineer.
(as told by me just now over WhatsApp to a friend)
I'll ground you.
I'm an electrical engineer.
(as told by me just now over WhatsApp to a friend)
Ended up dunking an expensive camera in the sea when I slipped and fell on rocks this morning.
Anyone know of a good camera worksman in India who can remove water and salt from the PCB and optics? The camera was off when it went in the water, and has been off since. The batteries have been removed and it currently nests in silica gel.
I need the camera for work from tomorrow, and then this happens 🤦🏽♂️
Anyone know of a good camera worksman in India who can remove water and salt from the PCB and optics? The camera was off when it went in the water, and has been off since. The batteries have been removed and it currently nests in silica gel.
I need the camera for work from tomorrow, and then this happens 🤦🏽♂️
Kavin becomes eligible for his vaccine today. But there are no vaccination centres offering Corbevax, paid or free, anywhere in Goa.
Same situation in Gurgaon.
Anybody know what the plan is? How do we get the little ones vaccinated?
The District Hospital in Mapusa is offering free vaccines from 2:30pm to 4:00pm on Tuesdays and Thursdays. Nilay got his second shot there yesterday. Do we just show up there on Thursday for Corbevax too?
Same situation in Gurgaon.
Anybody know what the plan is? How do we get the little ones vaccinated?
The District Hospital in Mapusa is offering free vaccines from 2:30pm to 4:00pm on Tuesdays and Thursdays. Nilay got his second shot there yesterday. Do we just show up there on Thursday for Corbevax too?