India is a country of million gods and goddesses. Among the many gods and goddesses each state/region has one which is most revered in that region. In Maharashtra that is most definitely Lord Ganesha. Every year during this time, you can hear loud slogans of "Ganpati Bappa Morya" (Lord Ganesha is mine). This festivity is celebrated for 11 days. Many Ganpati idols will be put in homes and public places. And at the end of worship days (some do for 5 whereas others for 7, 9 or 11 day) Ganpati idols are immersed in river/sea with loud requests to Ganesha for coming early next year. Immersion is preceded by a procession in which trained people will play many musical instruments in a very coordinated way. The beats of drums are very splendid to hear. Here is one such procession video which happened near my home
Saturday, September 29, 2012
Pandit Vishweshwar Sharma
Today while watching a new show (Waah Waah Kya Baat Hai) on SAB TV i came across some very beautiful lyrics and poems from veteran poet Pandit Vishweshwar Sharma. So here i am sharing one political satire by him which i found on Youtube.
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Friday, September 28, 2012
Book Review : The New Collected Short Stories
Author : Jeffrey Archer
This is a collection of short stories, 41 in total. The book is divided into three parts
This is a collection of short stories, 41 in total. The book is divided into three parts
- To cut a long story short
- Cat O' Nine Tales
- And there by hangs a tale
- The expert witness
- The endgame
- Too many coincidences
- The grass is always greener...
- Maestro
- The wisdom of Solomon
- The Commissioner
- The Queen's birthday telegram
- Members only
- The undiplomatic diplomat
Monday, September 24, 2012
Circle vs Straight Line
A Circle represents "Completeness". You can start from any point on the circle and if you keep traveling along other points you will reach to same point. So any point on the circle is both the beginning and end.
Whereas a Straight Line is never complete. You can start from one point and if you keep moving with other points on the line you will never reach your origin state. Thus there is no beginning and no end.
Human efforts also fall under these two categories. Circular category will refer to the daily chore done by us, to sustain ourselves. Cooking our food, Going to work etc. You can keep on doing this circular work today, tomorrow or any other day. It is very important but nonetheless it doesn't advance you much in life.
Whereas acquiring new skill, learning how to improve your productivity, learning new ways of doing thing is an effort of Straight line category. It will bring you from point 1 to point 2. You will feel more fulfilled, more energized.
So in my view we should keep moving in circles and on frequent intervals move in straight line.
Whereas a Straight Line is never complete. You can start from one point and if you keep moving with other points on the line you will never reach your origin state. Thus there is no beginning and no end.
Human efforts also fall under these two categories. Circular category will refer to the daily chore done by us, to sustain ourselves. Cooking our food, Going to work etc. You can keep on doing this circular work today, tomorrow or any other day. It is very important but nonetheless it doesn't advance you much in life.
Whereas acquiring new skill, learning how to improve your productivity, learning new ways of doing thing is an effort of Straight line category. It will bring you from point 1 to point 2. You will feel more fulfilled, more energized.
So in my view we should keep moving in circles and on frequent intervals move in straight line.
Sunday, September 23, 2012
Movie Review : Rise of the Planet of the Apes
Yesterday i got a chance to watch "Rise of the Planet of the Apes" (starring James Franco directed by Rupert Wyatt), which was premiered on Star Movies as Movie of the Month.
I had seen the 2001 movie "Planet of the Apess" (starring Mark Wahlberg and directed by Tim Burton). Now this is a true entertaining movie. The movie is fast paced and keeps you thoroughly entertained.
In this sequel, i was hoping that they will continue from the point where Mark crashed in the distant future of planet of apes, where apes had become sophisticated and had simply replaced humans in the modern world.
But in this movie it has no correlation with the previous movie. Rather it starts with current world where a scientist is trying to discover high potential cure for brain diseases (which incidentally his father is also suffering). The drugs get tested on a chimpanzee who was pregnant at that time and gives birth to a very smart chimpanzee whom he had to bring home due to unavoidable circumstances.
Well now rest of the story is not too brilliantly new. You keep such pet at home and trouble will arise. So this smart chimpanzee gets transferred to a government facility where he is mistreated and kept with many other chimpanzees. Now you can imagine what will happen. Of course he will hate the bad behavior of humans and organize his chimpanzee army. So that was the rise of the apes.
The actors have done an OK job, neither too great nor too shabby. The movie lacks in speed. Sometimes it get little boring when they try to push the emotions of the apes to a little extreme.
My overall rating is 3/5
I had seen the 2001 movie "Planet of the Apess" (starring Mark Wahlberg and directed by Tim Burton). Now this is a true entertaining movie. The movie is fast paced and keeps you thoroughly entertained.
In this sequel, i was hoping that they will continue from the point where Mark crashed in the distant future of planet of apes, where apes had become sophisticated and had simply replaced humans in the modern world.
But in this movie it has no correlation with the previous movie. Rather it starts with current world where a scientist is trying to discover high potential cure for brain diseases (which incidentally his father is also suffering). The drugs get tested on a chimpanzee who was pregnant at that time and gives birth to a very smart chimpanzee whom he had to bring home due to unavoidable circumstances.
Well now rest of the story is not too brilliantly new. You keep such pet at home and trouble will arise. So this smart chimpanzee gets transferred to a government facility where he is mistreated and kept with many other chimpanzees. Now you can imagine what will happen. Of course he will hate the bad behavior of humans and organize his chimpanzee army. So that was the rise of the apes.
The actors have done an OK job, neither too great nor too shabby. The movie lacks in speed. Sometimes it get little boring when they try to push the emotions of the apes to a little extreme.
My overall rating is 3/5
Friday, September 14, 2012
Book Review : The Sins of the Father
Author : Jeffrey Archer
This book is in continuation of "Only Time Will Tell". I am wondering what made author to choose this title. For me an apt title would have been "Love Never Fails". As this is the tale of Emma Barrington who painstakingly searches for her fiance and father of her child.
Story is again well written. However it doesn't keep the suspense and excitement to a level which was found in first book. But i guess that is always with the problem with subsequent parts of a great series. Twists and turns of the events in life of Harry, Giles and Hugo has been described in fascinating details. I couldn't stop reading it and finished it in one go. Author ends this installment at a very exciting end where we are waiting for final verdict on the fate of Harry and Emma.
I am sure that people will have to read this installment when they have read the first one, as one cannot hold himself back from a gripping story.
My rating is 4/5
Other reviews in this series
Only Time Will Tell
This book is in continuation of "Only Time Will Tell". I am wondering what made author to choose this title. For me an apt title would have been "Love Never Fails". As this is the tale of Emma Barrington who painstakingly searches for her fiance and father of her child.
Story is again well written. However it doesn't keep the suspense and excitement to a level which was found in first book. But i guess that is always with the problem with subsequent parts of a great series. Twists and turns of the events in life of Harry, Giles and Hugo has been described in fascinating details. I couldn't stop reading it and finished it in one go. Author ends this installment at a very exciting end where we are waiting for final verdict on the fate of Harry and Emma.
I am sure that people will have to read this installment when they have read the first one, as one cannot hold himself back from a gripping story.
My rating is 4/5
Other reviews in this series
Only Time Will Tell
Wednesday, September 12, 2012
Book Review : Rich Dad's guide to investing
Author: Robert T. Kiyosaki
A few years back i had read "Rich Dad, Poor Dad". It has been a very popular book. It talked what is the basic philosophical attitude difference does exist between a rich and successful man vs a common man who is dependent on job.
I got my hands on "Rich Dad's guide to investing" from the same author. So my curiosity picked up. I am now working in an organization and as per the previous book, i stand in the category of not so financially successful person. So i thought, lets learn how can i or some one in similar position like me can benefit from this book.
Although the start of the book seems very promising. Starting with the author who is just about to retire from military and has very little savings. Now the conversation with author and his rich dad begins as was in the previous book.
However the interest soon starts waning out when author keeps on repeating the same thing over and over which is what is the difference between his poor dad and his rich dad. Common man we get it.
Give me the good stuff. How do i take it to next level.
Some useful tips are provided. As one should be aware of tax laws, invest in business, don't gamble. But it is not something earth shattering new.
My rating is 2/5. You can skip it if you have read the first book.
A few years back i had read "Rich Dad, Poor Dad". It has been a very popular book. It talked what is the basic philosophical attitude difference does exist between a rich and successful man vs a common man who is dependent on job.
I got my hands on "Rich Dad's guide to investing" from the same author. So my curiosity picked up. I am now working in an organization and as per the previous book, i stand in the category of not so financially successful person. So i thought, lets learn how can i or some one in similar position like me can benefit from this book.
Although the start of the book seems very promising. Starting with the author who is just about to retire from military and has very little savings. Now the conversation with author and his rich dad begins as was in the previous book.
However the interest soon starts waning out when author keeps on repeating the same thing over and over which is what is the difference between his poor dad and his rich dad. Common man we get it.
Give me the good stuff. How do i take it to next level.
Some useful tips are provided. As one should be aware of tax laws, invest in business, don't gamble. But it is not something earth shattering new.
My rating is 2/5. You can skip it if you have read the first book.
Saturday, September 8, 2012
Moral Policing by Police
We Indians never lose a chance of talking about high morals and values. We are always clinging to our glorious past and of the achievement that we invented zero. However things are not improving upon that zero.
Recently read a news that Police in Pune raided a so called high class party. There were pictures of man and women drinking and smoking in the newspaper, as if it was crime. Police used sticks and other means of physical force on man. Even women were slapped on being questioned of their crime. What is this. A moral policing. But why is police doing it. Has a law been broken? Has a crime been conducted? Has the police a right to beat innocent people? These are the questions no one either bothers or dares to ask.
I have heard that young couples are always harassed by Police on the beaches and in the park. I am sure that there will be few who are using this opportunity to do what should have been done in the privacy of a room. But most of the couples are not there to cause embarrassment and they are just having a nice time which is most probably being paid by their tax money. So why do Police or other vigilante of moral police torture and harass them.
I will like to change the term "Moral Policing" to another vulgar term "Sexual Policing" which is more apt to what these people are trying to do and should be aptly reported as that. And does our society need "Sexual Policing" to control whom and how we are supposed to live our lives.
Thoughts and feedback are welcome.
Recently read a news that Police in Pune raided a so called high class party. There were pictures of man and women drinking and smoking in the newspaper, as if it was crime. Police used sticks and other means of physical force on man. Even women were slapped on being questioned of their crime. What is this. A moral policing. But why is police doing it. Has a law been broken? Has a crime been conducted? Has the police a right to beat innocent people? These are the questions no one either bothers or dares to ask.
I have heard that young couples are always harassed by Police on the beaches and in the park. I am sure that there will be few who are using this opportunity to do what should have been done in the privacy of a room. But most of the couples are not there to cause embarrassment and they are just having a nice time which is most probably being paid by their tax money. So why do Police or other vigilante of moral police torture and harass them.
I will like to change the term "Moral Policing" to another vulgar term "Sexual Policing" which is more apt to what these people are trying to do and should be aptly reported as that. And does our society need "Sexual Policing" to control whom and how we are supposed to live our lives.
Thoughts and feedback are welcome.
Friday, September 7, 2012
Road Rage : Sad Ending
We rushed into the emergency room. A doctor immediately started looking at him. He was unconcious but alive. Maybe a few broken bones. I had a very sinking feeling. My heart was telling me "Its your fault. Only if you had a little less ego." But how could i have known that a perfect day would have ended like this.
Today was very quiet in office. In first half i was working on the prototype application which i have been trying to build for past couple of weeks. Then in afternoon one defect got assigned to me. Grudgingly i had to stop my prototype work and start working at this defect, as we are very close to the release date and thus makes it urgent. By 7:30 PM i have figured out the root cause of the problem, found a solution and sent my code for review. Tomorrow it will be checked in the accurev (place where programmers keep their code).
I packed my bag and started my 20 km drive from office to my house. It typically takes about an hour to reach home during normal traffic. India is a developing nation. Further Pune is a growing city in India. A sleepy pensioner's paradise has suddenly emerged as a major IT hub. Thus Pune has seen lot of growth in last one decade. However development of infrastructure has not kept its pace with growing population. Further people are always in a rush. So driving during peak hours can be very challenging. It gets worse if you are on a car, as 2 wheelers will try to overtake you from left and right. And if you escape them, then you have pedestrians coming from every direction. Sometimes your driving experience will be rewarded with presence of a herd of cows and buffalos.
If it is not raining or too cold i too prefer to commute on my motorcycle, but today it was both rainy and cold. So i was driving back home in my car minding all the usual hurdles along the way. I will say that my driving skills in India have improved a lot in past one year. Truly practice makes a man perfect or near perfect. To make this journey enjoyable i typically listen to songs or play some audio books. Today i was listening to Atlas Shrugged. Right now it has come to a very interesting turn. There is a stretch of two way one lane each side road along the way. So here i was minding my own way and listening to the audio book. Suddenly I heard an irritating sound of horn. I looked ahead. There was a car in front of me. I looked in rearview mirror. There was a person driving a scooter and honking continuously. As nothing i could do i ignored him. Then again "Peep Peep" and again and again. Now it was getting irritating. What did he want from me? Can my car fly? Of course not. He kept on doing this for next 5 minutes. Now i had decided that i must give him a taste of his own medicine.
A narrow space emerged and this guy overtook me. Now i was behind his scooter. And here it comes. A big "Pop Pop" and then another one. He raced his scooter. I speeded my car. And then another honking and another. He looks behind and i press horn hard. And then another horn. Ah it was so pleasing. By now we have reached the Khadki over bridge. And suddenly that happened. A truck was coming from the other side of the road. Probably he couldn't make out the difference between truck's horn and my horn. It hit his scooter. Truck driver tried to stop but not before pushing his scooter for next 100 yards. People came from all sides. I had to stop and see. People said that we need to take him to hospital. I too followed the auto in which he was taken.
I hope he get well soon. This event has certainly taught me a lesson.
(c) 2012 Anup Mayank
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
An alternate ending of this story is available at
Road Rage : Happy Ending
Today was very quiet in office. In first half i was working on the prototype application which i have been trying to build for past couple of weeks. Then in afternoon one defect got assigned to me. Grudgingly i had to stop my prototype work and start working at this defect, as we are very close to the release date and thus makes it urgent. By 7:30 PM i have figured out the root cause of the problem, found a solution and sent my code for review. Tomorrow it will be checked in the accurev (place where programmers keep their code).
I packed my bag and started my 20 km drive from office to my house. It typically takes about an hour to reach home during normal traffic. India is a developing nation. Further Pune is a growing city in India. A sleepy pensioner's paradise has suddenly emerged as a major IT hub. Thus Pune has seen lot of growth in last one decade. However development of infrastructure has not kept its pace with growing population. Further people are always in a rush. So driving during peak hours can be very challenging. It gets worse if you are on a car, as 2 wheelers will try to overtake you from left and right. And if you escape them, then you have pedestrians coming from every direction. Sometimes your driving experience will be rewarded with presence of a herd of cows and buffalos.
If it is not raining or too cold i too prefer to commute on my motorcycle, but today it was both rainy and cold. So i was driving back home in my car minding all the usual hurdles along the way. I will say that my driving skills in India have improved a lot in past one year. Truly practice makes a man perfect or near perfect. To make this journey enjoyable i typically listen to songs or play some audio books. Today i was listening to Atlas Shrugged. Right now it has come to a very interesting turn. There is a stretch of two way one lane each side road along the way. So here i was minding my own way and listening to the audio book. Suddenly I heard an irritating sound of horn. I looked ahead. There was a car in front of me. I looked in rearview mirror. There was a person driving a scooter and honking continuously. As nothing i could do i ignored him. Then again "Peep Peep" and again and again. Now it was getting irritating. What did he want from me? Can my car fly? Of course not. He kept on doing this for next 5 minutes. Now i had decided that i must give him a taste of his own medicine.
A narrow space emerged and this guy overtook me. Now i was behind his scooter. And here it comes. A big "Pop Pop" and then another one. He raced his scooter. I speeded my car. And then another honking and another. He looks behind and i press horn hard. And then another horn. Ah it was so pleasing. By now we have reached the Khadki over bridge. And suddenly that happened. A truck was coming from the other side of the road. Probably he couldn't make out the difference between truck's horn and my horn. It hit his scooter. Truck driver tried to stop but not before pushing his scooter for next 100 yards. People came from all sides. I had to stop and see. People said that we need to take him to hospital. I too followed the auto in which he was taken.
I hope he get well soon. This event has certainly taught me a lesson.
(c) 2012 Anup Mayank
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
An alternate ending of this story is available at
Road Rage : Happy Ending
Google App Engine and Java Session
In JEE web application, we are used to keeping objects required in session, so that it can be retrieved in some other call flow.
But by default GAE doesn't support session management.
To enable it you have to do following.
Open WEB-INF/appengine-web.xml
Enable session by uncommenting
true
But to make it work on hosted app engine, all the objects which you are planning to put in session must implement Serializable interface.
Now app engine will put your session data into storage system (Bigtable). You can see it by viewing your datastore viewer. Search by kind _ah_SESSION
To enable it you have to do following.
Open WEB-INF/appengine-web.xml
Enable session by uncommenting
But to make it work on hosted app engine, all the objects which you are planning to put in session must implement Serializable interface.
Now app engine will put your session data into storage system (Bigtable). You can see it by viewing your datastore viewer. Search by kind _ah_SESSION
Wednesday, September 5, 2012
Happy Teacher's Day
Today is teachers day. My son's school had been off today. Today morning when i switched on TV, there were reports of all the famous Gurus of famous pupils. The latest addition in this list is Saina Nehwal and Phulela Gopichand.
All this has brought my memories back to one teacher who holds special place in my heart. He is Binod Sir. I was in Samastipur Bihar in my class 8-10th. He was instrumental in my studies during that period. His patience and faith is remarkable. He has the true ingredients of a good teacher. After 10th we moved to Darbhanga. He visited couple of times in Darbhanga. But when i went to Varanasi for studies, i lost touch with him.
So today i want to say Happy Teacher's day to my Binod Sir. I hope you are doing well sir.
All this has brought my memories back to one teacher who holds special place in my heart. He is Binod Sir. I was in Samastipur Bihar in my class 8-10th. He was instrumental in my studies during that period. His patience and faith is remarkable. He has the true ingredients of a good teacher. After 10th we moved to Darbhanga. He visited couple of times in Darbhanga. But when i went to Varanasi for studies, i lost touch with him.
So today i want to say Happy Teacher's day to my Binod Sir. I hope you are doing well sir.
Sunday, September 2, 2012
Book Review : Only Time Will Tell
This weekend i got an opportunity to catch up on fiction. This time it is the first book on Clifton Chronicles by Jeffery Archer. The book is titled 'Only Time Will Tell.'
On the art of story telling in english fiction, Jeffery Archer and Frederick Forsyth are my favorites. I was introduced to Jeffery Archer by 'The Fourth Estate' in my engineering college days.
Then i read 'Honour Among Thieves'. Both had been a delight.
Now coming back to this current book 'Only Time Will Tell'. This is a story of a family in England during the backdrop of second world war. Although the story is focused on main character 'Harry Clifton', but it is a story containing many stories as is the style of any great book. Ex. 'Godaan' by Premchand. As we progress through the book, the story is being narrated from the viewpoint of all characters starting with 'Harry Clifton' and ending again with 'Harry Clifton' and all other important characters (for example his mother, uncle etc) introduced and described in between. The plot is so gripping that it will be hard for you to put the book down and do anything else as it was with me.
My recommendation is to go for it. Now i am eagerly waiting for the next book in this series ('The Sins of the Father').
Other reviews in this series
The Sins of the Father
Saturday, September 1, 2012
Flipkart vs Homeshop18
I like to read books and thus occasionally buy books. Now with so many good websites catering to my need, i have almost stopped going to a bookstore. The last bookstore i visited was in Aundh about 6 months ago just to kill some time.
So far i have been using the services of Flipkart . I have been thoroughly impressed with the ease of usage of this website and their prompt delivery. Within 2-3 days of ordering book is in my hand. And they had free shipping on orders above Rs 200. So whenever i needed to buy a book, i just did some comparative analysis and most of the time flipkart was my choice, however sometimes crossword also took the prize. But recently flipkart has changed their policies and they have bumped up the free shipping to orders above Rs 300. Now it hurts me, since most of my book orders are below Rs300.
So i had to research for other useful website, and www.homeshop18.com came very highly recommended by a source. The price on homeshop18 are comparatively cheaper than flipkart and they have free shipping above Rs 200. So now i have used it to order my last 2 purchases. But i am not satisfied. Their delivery system is nowhere comparable to flipkart. It takes 7-8 days. If only they can speed up their delivery process, otherwise i will be forced to club my book purchases and get back to flipkart.
So far i have been using the services of Flipkart . I have been thoroughly impressed with the ease of usage of this website and their prompt delivery. Within 2-3 days of ordering book is in my hand. And they had free shipping on orders above Rs 200. So whenever i needed to buy a book, i just did some comparative analysis and most of the time flipkart was my choice, however sometimes crossword also took the prize. But recently flipkart has changed their policies and they have bumped up the free shipping to orders above Rs 300. Now it hurts me, since most of my book orders are below Rs300.
So i had to research for other useful website, and www.homeshop18.com came very highly recommended by a source. The price on homeshop18 are comparatively cheaper than flipkart and they have free shipping above Rs 200. So now i have used it to order my last 2 purchases. But i am not satisfied. Their delivery system is nowhere comparable to flipkart. It takes 7-8 days. If only they can speed up their delivery process, otherwise i will be forced to club my book purchases and get back to flipkart.
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