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Gift of the Magi 2.0
Posted on August 9, 2012 |O. Henry's "Gift of the Magi" retold in the digital era -
Photosynth of Stanford on a beautiful cloudy day
Posted on August 9, 2012 |My first experiment with Microsoft’s Photosynth software that creates one large image stitched out of nearly 50 photos. A view of one of the most beautiful parts of Stanford. For best results, expand this to full view. -
Two bizarre gates
Posted on August 9, 2012 |I am sorry to disappoint you in case you came here for some gossip on our friends, Bill & Melinda. This article is about two bizarre structures, one in Delhi and one in Los Angeles. The front gate of the Delhi School of Economics is massive and ornate, and it is supported by pillars that hold the massive gate on either side. It is said that the two pillars are called truth and knowledge. What is special about these gates is that they have never been opened, and people have been forced to use the rear entrance to access the... -
Hawa mein bath: Stories from the Indian airspace
Posted on August 9, 2011 |The woman sitting next to me was travelling on air for the first time. She grew up in a small town and there was not much discussion about air travel among her friends. I did my share to make her feel comfortable. We did a round on how to buckle the seat belt, how to turn on the light, how to turn off the air vents and whether she should hold her three month old tight through the flight. After we reached the altitude she asked, “Chal rahi hai kya” (is it going?). I heard it as “Jal rahi hai... -
Nothing as entertaining as extremism
Posted on December 13, 2010 |In a world that is deeply worried about extremism I have learned to love it. In fact, there is nothing as entertaining as it is. Whenever I am bored and need a diversion, I find extremism and its close cousins: insanity and craziness, to be extremely reliable means of getting out of my boredom quickly. That’s insane, you must be thinking. Or perhaps not, if have a YouTube view of the world, as I do. All I need to do is to go to YouTube and start typing “extreme” or “insane” or “crazy” and it will give me an assortment... -
Publish and perish
Posted on August 29, 2010 |I discovered that the papers that I had written with a lot of hard work were cited only once in the last four years. A note on the academic peril of working hard in writing what will probably be never read by any one. To publish is to perish. Read on. -
Salsa in Madras: Social dance in a conservative city
Posted on September 3, 2009 |Madras is one of those conservative cities that likes to keep its boys and girls at a safe distance. Parents clamour to get their children enrolled in colleges that are rather strict about this, and colleges have responded to this with enthusiasm. One famous college made a rule that girls will sit at the front of the college bus and boys behind and there will be a firewall of teachers in between. To counter this attraction other colleges have come up with separate roads and staircases inside the campus for boys and girls. In this context of competitive conservatism, I... -
On being the target of targeted advertisements
Posted on June 7, 2009 |At one point I used to think that mothers know us the best. Today there is someone to beat mothers thumbs down in how well they know us – the advertiser. Unlike my mother they seem to have the access to my innermost thoughts, conversations and moods with access to my mails, facebook, search histories, and what not. With the advent of targeted advertising I have started learning what they have learned about me. Last week almost all advertisements carefully picked for me were buxom women, enticing me to join a dating service. These advertisements seem to suggest that the... -
My sex life
Posted on September 27, 2008 |My relationship with sex could be summarized in the following terms: ignorance, followed by awareness, followed by an absolute unwillingness to engage, academic engagements, followed by willingness (accompanied by lack of opportunities) and finally now, the curious sexual turn. After having had a fairly pristine life – sexually speaking – sex has now become an integral part of my life: they are always making love in the room upstairs. The charm of living in old wooden houses in America is that it gives you a sense of community. If (concrete) walls have ears in India, the wooden walls here have... -
Playthings by Tagore
Posted on August 2, 2008 |Tagore wrote a beautiful poem called “Playthings” that I was reminded of when I saw this child play Child, how happy you are sitting in the dust, playing with a broken twig all the morning. I smile at your play with that little bit of a broken twig. I am busy with my accounts, adding up figures by the hour. Perhaps you glance at me and think, “What a stupid game to spoil your morning with!” Child, I have forgotten the art of being absorbed in sticks and mud-pies. I seek out costly playthings, and gather lumps of gold and...
