On putting things off...

"Its never too late to reconsider an Important Decision
It helps you attain more Precision
You can explain things with Concision
But everything is Preceeded by a Distant Vision"

- An anonymous BITSGian Spamming on DC

Of the innumerable things that each of us has to do, we choose to put off some for later, while concentrating on few others. Often, there are things we keep putting off without realizing what we are losing out on. And most often than not, its the long term things that we put off, and prefer to complete the short term ones, so that we may focus on the long term "things" when the time comes.
But then that time will probably never come until we choose to make time for them.
And for me, that time has to come.
Now.

State of statelessness

It is at times such as these that you wonder the state that you're in. And the only solace you can find, is in the belief that "itll pass".
If you're confused, so am I. Coz I find myself in a state where I have ample time for nothingness, and no time for work. Will get back to blogging when I'm out of this state...

(Picture courtesy phdcomics.com)

The Smurfs...

This is a tale of a place far away
paradise on earth, its an island at bay

The 'Smurfs' as the inhabitants were fondly called by the people,
Had nothing to do with their skin-colour being purple

The smurfs were happy, they knew no desire
No competition, no fancy fashion, no claim on property, no quest for attire

It was all fun and joy, and everyone was content
until one fine day, arrived a jew... , with a malicious intent

He sold them an idea, a business, a plan
He sold them a dream, He said 'together we can'

And so it was, and indeed, together they did
The smurfs worked hard, they were diligent and intrepid



Scrooge, the Jew was visibly overjoyed
It was his farmland for which the smurfs were employed
He grew crops and fruits and vegetables that were nice
of breeds exotic, befitting the smurfs' paradise

The smurfs were happy, for they got fat payments
10 coins each, for a day's work, for enjoyment

Within under a month, Scrooge was overjoyed and excited
for his tiny little market, brimming with buyers, was crowded
He also ran a restaurant, where he offered delicacies exotic
The smurfs watched in amazement -
-as the fruits and vegetables of their island, transformed-
-into delicious retreats of wonder and magic

Scrooge was happy, satisfied, overjoyed and content
He brought new joy and pleasures to the ignorant smurfs; he had a happy intent.

Even the smurfs, their payments increased
With new delicacies to relish, their excitement had peaked

And so the smurfs were happy again, they knew no more desire
No competition, no fancy fashion, no claim on property, no quest for attire



Until one fine day, a new dish adorned the menu. It was called the 'paradise bright'
Those who had relished it, cried out in ecstacy; nowhere on earth will you get such a delight
But alas, the heavenly desire cost 50 coins per dish
'How are we to arrange, for so costly a dish?'

Dont worry, said scrooge, you can take it now, if you want, for ten
your earnings will increase, and with your savings, you can payback then
But every day you delay, you incur upon yourself
A payment of interest amounting to a coin a day in itself

The smurfs thought for a moment, decided it through, and said why not
"we earn 15 coins a day; and for today's delight, we can spare a coin or two a day, can we not?"

So it was decided, and the smurfs were happy again
From every perspective, it was everyone's gain
They were overjoyed and content, it was anyone's call
Living beyond one's means is so much fun after all



But then one fine day, Scrooge decided
It was time to expand, new land to be added
More smurfs to be hired, expansion is fine
"But How am I to pay, the new smurfs who join?"

"Dont worry, I know what ill do" thought Scrooge, he was proud.
He summoned the new joinees, and told them aloud
"I'll pay you half your wage, every day for this month
and give you your rightful due, in installments from next month."

So it was decided, and Scrooge was happy again
From every perspective, it was everyone's gain
He was overjoyed and content, it was anyone's call
Living beyond one's means is so much fun after all



Until one fine day, the weather gods relented
It thundered, it stormed, it poured unbounded
The crops were destroyed, the produce wasted
The land was flooded, and the smurfs were disappointed

With nothing to grow, the profits finished
The employed smurfs, had their incomes diminished
A frustrated Scrooge demanded his due: "You all owe me for the 'paradise bright'
Which you so excitedly relished, with much delight"
"How can we pay, with our incomes dwindled?", said the smurfs with exhaustion
The end of the month was soon approaching, it was a perilous situation
For now it was time, for the installments to begin
"What do I do now?" thought scrooge, from within

The smurfs owed Scrooge, and he owed them
"The bubble's burst; this crisis, I have to stem"



The smurfs, concerned, demanded a fresh start
But despite the crisis, Scrooge was smart
He went to the landlord, of his own accord
and Demanded some credit. "Liquidity Crunch, My Lord"

And so they discussed, and they all agreed
That liquidity and credit was the solution indeed
"Why not?" said the landlord, "I have some credit"
If you promise to repay from a part of your profit

So it was decided, and everyone was happy again
From every perspective, it was everyone's gain
They were overjoyed and content, it was anyone's call
Living beyond one's means is so much fun after all

Until, that is, the bubble bursts again; and you fall...

Yes, I know what you're thinking, and before we jump to that, lets see what different people say about the situation:

The nazis would blame the jew. The jew robbed the honest and hard working smurfs, a rich and happy and content island; and corrupted them with greed. The jew should be executed and all those who dissent should be too.

The Socialists and communists would blame capitalism and the free market system. "Its evil" they'll say. They'll criticize the landlord for supporting the Jew. And would ask for a complete nationalization of the land and resources and let everything be owned by the state. They forget, though, that by doing so, they are putting themselves in Scrooge's shoes; except, they have absolute power and control over law.

The free market thinkers of the likes of Edmund spencer would put this off as a case of inflated economy, and would call for corrective measures and increase in credit and liquidity...

Me? I just feel that the people are dumb. The free market way is the best way there is. Its the people who misuse it. If a street rogue comes to you and sells you a watch which you later find out is fake, who are you going to blame? Its you who is to blame.
If someone commits a murder with a swiss army knife, you arent going to sue the manufacturers, the culprit is the guy who misused it.
Its the people who misuse the system and since no-one likes themselves blamed, the blame shifts on to the system.

As long as our mindset will be focused on the belief that we can relish, now, the fruits of seeds we are yet to sow; then there is something fundamentally wrong with our thinking...

Within the margin of error

This post is inspired by an anonymous saying which goes 'Dont let art be all about comprehending the expression of the artist. Its so much more than that, and indeed it is this very incomprehensibility that makes art truly and uniquely beautiful' 

Indeed, what I gather from this saying confirms what I believe generalizes all of human emotion. If you ever give it a sincere thought, human emotion has arisen from things beyond our understanding. There's no clear definition of beauty that is documented; neither is there an epitome of perfect beauty accross which anything else could be compared. The inability to understand ourselves, the working of our mind and that of our own body confuses us, and causes us to react so. 

Just to make it clearer for those who have reached so far, this post may seem utterly pointless and even a waste of time for most of you; and indeed you would be right. To those of you, please proceed and devote your time to something more fruitful. But to the rest of you, I would like to appeal to your sense of understanding, to grasp the inadequacies of the heuristics we take for granted; and relate to what I feel truly describes our life - within the margin of error.

Lets start with an example. Lets start with the word 'Ideal' (you would associate it with perfect). For those of you who watch Boston Legal, you would recall a scene in Season 1, episode 6 'Truth be told' :

(background: Sally is defending a guy who jiggered in a spoon right thru a toaster and got himself electrocuted. Sally's case - its the toaster manufacturer's fault for not considering safety of users, while the defendant claims its the guy's fault for behaving non-idealistically)

Sally Heep exits Alan’s office, walks down the hallway, and enters a library area and picking out a book.Denny Crane is there.
Denny Crane: Ever used a computer?
Sally Heep: Denny. Um, yes. Yes, I have.
Denny Crane: Remarkable machine.
Sally Heep: Let me ask you a question. A manufacturer of toasters should anticipate that their written safety instructions will be ignored to the extent that they’re counterintuitive and should plan for that contingency, right?
Denny Crane: In an ideal world

My second take: In an ideal world, we would expect every user to use the toaster only within the limits of its stated usage. And in such a scenario, It makes no sense for the manufacturer to plan for contingencies arising out of un-idealistic behaviour, in an Ideal world. 

I know I'm playing around with point-of-view or frame-of-reference (From the point-of-view of the toaster manufacturer, an ideal world would be one where every user behaved ideally and within limits of stated usage instructions; while from the user's point-of-view, an ideal world would be where every toaster were manufactured to handle any conceivable usage), but whatever it is, we have just succeeded in thwarting the impression of the word 'ideal'. So now, 'Ideal' is not so ideal after all.

Similar arguments apply to beauty as well; and in fact to any known human emotion. Going back to the original saying:

'Dont let art be all about comprehending the expression of the artist. Its so much more than that, and indeed it is this very incomprehensibility that makes art truly and uniquely beautiful'

Okay, so when the artist goes about making a piece of art - be it a painting, sculpture, inscription, or anything, s/he has a mental picture of what s/he wishes to convey. And more often that not, the mental picture is either a mixture of emotion, or a message. Whatever it is, once the art-form is ready, what it conveys differs from observer to observer. Many artists have considered this implication a positive one. They say: The true beauty of art is to convey an expression and let it imply different meanings to different people. And if you happen to observe true art, you must find the conveyed meaning in your own way, and not necessarily the way the artist meant it. This is why art is 'so much more' than just a medium of communication. 

I do not disagree.

But I would like to point out an objective view, that questions this behaviour. First of all, if the observer is unable to determine what the author had in mind while creating the art, it is evidently clear that either the artist was incapable of, or the mode of art chosen was insufficient to convey the emotions / expressions effectively to the user. And this incapability / insufficiency is something which we as humans cannot bring ourselves to face. So we find solace and choose to extoll this rather unique form of expression, where the incapability / insufficiency is regarded as necessary for the resulting beauty that art cannot do without. 

Since it is unclear as to what the artist wishes to express, the observers make their own interpretations of what the artist probably meant. And since this interpretation depends on individual personality, it must be different for different people. 

Associating this differentiation with beauty or the brilliance of art is something that artists take great pride in doing. Indeed, this is probably the only reason that art as a profession even exists.

And yet, there is another explanation. Probably, art is indeed not about a form of expression or communication. It is about rediscovering ourselves, as we observe the piece of art. 

Often, as a part of psychological analysis of patients, researchers display them abstract images drawn on a paper by threads dipped in paint. They make no logical sense, but when forced, the brain tries to draw analogies to make sense of the painting. Through these analogies, patients either see 'snakes' or 'cats' or 'lions' or 'tigers' or what not. It is these interpretations that lead researchers to their understanding of the patients' mind or cognitive state. But is it really true 'understanding'? In my opinion it is just a manifestation of how little we understand ourselves, so much so that we pride ourselves for researching on how little we know about it. And the more we know, the more we realize how little we know. 

We constantly live in heuristics of what we consider to be benchmarks of beauty, of joy, of happiness, of freedom, of serenity, of peace, or of emotion. How can you define peace, when your definition of violence itself is clouded? How can you define imperfection when you cannot know what perfect or ideal is? I do not wish to be misunderstood, and am not against the claim made by artists. Indeed, what our mind conjures or is capable of conjuring in the form of art or science (yes, true science is inseparable from art), truly transcends all our perceptions of beauty and emotion. But taking such an interpretation for granted and as the basis for understanding is, in my honest opinion, a false premise. 

Writing has always been considered a mode of communication and expression. However I believe it is much more than that, it is also an art. What you interpret from what I've written above may not be what I intended to convey in its entirety. Probably you have formed an interpretation that draws meaning in your own unique way; that instills in you an understanding of a different kind. In such a case, you will truly realize the essence of what I intend to convey, that we live in our own unique world bounded by its own heuristics that we have learnt not to question. But when we do question, we realize how little we know without the heuristics to support us. And scary though that thought may be, it is the true reality. we live within a Margin of Error, the bounds of which we still do not know...

Goa Beer Festival 2008

Anyone wants to join in?
Goa Beer Festival, coming soon...

Yes, I know. Its been postponed to October this year.
Its goin' to be a fun experience, the first of its kind. You Game?

Amazing...

Amazing by aerosmith... Its been twisting, turning, ringing and churning in the depths of my subconscious all morning.
The Lyrics just don't seem to slip out of my mind...

I kept the right ones out
And let the wrong ones in
Had an angel of mercy to see me through all my sins
There were times in my life
When I was goin' insane
Tryin' to walk through
The pain
When I lost my grip
And I hit the floor
Yeah, I thought I could leave but couldn't get out the door
I was so sick and tired
Of livin' a lie
I was wishin' that I
Would die

It's Amazing
With the blink of an eye you finally see the light
It's Amazing
When the moment arrives that you know you'll be alright
It's Amazing
And I'm sayin' a prayer for the desperate hearts tonight

That one last shot's a Permanent Vacation
And how high can you fly with broken wings?
Life's a journey not a destination
And I just can't tell just what tomorrow brings

You have to learn to crawl
Before you learn to walk
But I just couldn't listen to all that righteous talk
I was out on the street,
Just tryin' to survive
Scratchin' to stay alive

(Chorus)

"So, from all of us at Aerosmith
to all of you out there, wherever you are.
Remember- the light at the end of the tunnel
may be you. Goodnight!

The last time...

A long time since I updated anything here, and this post wont do justice to the short interlude between the two 'eras' of my college life.

There are a lot of experiences that all of us go through, and never have a chance to experience again. Yes, the list goes on... childhood, friends, the first time you went to a new school, the first time you went out with friends for a weekend trip, the first time you you came to college, the first time you spent a night out with friends... All of these and more will always be cherished and probably never forgotten.

But then there are other experiences. When you know you can only have it one last time. And you cant really plan it out. Like the ones I'm gonna talk about in this post...

It all probably started on 25 July 2008.

I finished My internship at IISc, and left for home by bus, bang in the middle of the bangalore blasts. The bus was delayed by more than an hour and as is typical of lady luck, it started pouring as I (and the other passengers of the ill-fated bus) desperately waited for it to arrive at the KSRTC bus stand.
After boarding, a general discussion swept us all inside the bus about the bomb blasts and the traffic situation.
And we soon discovered it ourselves, when our bus was checked twice for bomb suspects in front of hyderabad house!.
I can distinctly remember a gentleman too fat for anyone of his stature on an adjacent seat, praying over and over again. There was this young business-professional lookalike in a 3-piece suit sitting behind the fat-ass, who was always on the phone; and every now and then when the connection snapped, he would begin to panic. What added to this truly unique atmosphere were 2 kids on the last seat who couldn't stop howling and screaming all the while, and all the cajoling that their moms could offer seemed insufficient.

And as it played out, we were watching Live on the news about the discovery of 2 more bombs in other areas of bangalore within the last half hour. Our bus was enclosed with surrounding traffic by the police and separated from the maddening crowd for fear of a live bomb.
Thrilling - You say? Gross understatement.
But it was all over by midnight, and we were out of bangalore for good!

"Finally Going home!" I thought. But somewhere at the back of my mind it echoed "For the last time". It was the last time I was going to Kochi, calling it my home. In another 2 months, our family would shift to Delhi which would be our new home.

So the next 5 days (yes, thats how long my summer vacation lasted) was fun. Back at home with family. Kochi, the green, cool and beautiful place (with lots of rain and insects though).
It was fun driving along the foreshore road facing the backwaters at Katari Bagh, into the golf course and around the place in the morning. Its probably the last experience I will have, of living at 04-Katari Bagh.

And then, I had to return to college for my last semester on campus, with just 4 months of college life left.
After the course registrations and placement worries drift into the past, I still have to figure out how to spend the last 3 months of college life I have left.

Beauty

It seems to me that whatever else is beautiful apart from absolute beauty is beautiful because it partakes of that absolute beauty, and for no other reason. Do you accept this kind of causality? Yes, I do. Well, now, that is as far as my mind goes; I cannot understand these other ingenious theories of causation. If someone tells me that the reason why a given object is beautiful is that it has a gorgeous color or shape or any other such attribute, I disregard all these other explanations—I find them all confusing—and I cling simply and straightforwardly and no doubt foolishly to the explanation that the one thing that makes the object beautiful is the presence in it or association with it, in whatever way the relation comes about, of absolute beauty.

I do not go so far as to insist upon the precise details—only upon the fact that it is by beauty that beautiful things are beautiful.

This, I feel, is the safest answer for me oranyone else to give, and I believe that while I hold fast to this I cannot fall; it is safe for me or for anyone else to answer that it is by beauty that beautiful things are beautiful.

- (Plato, Phaedo, 100c-e)

Don’t you agree? I do.

Multiple Personalities

There is this magical connotation attached to the word 'personality'.
Everyone is obsessed with it, without exception.

From concerns of a first impression, to job prospects to even social interactions, personality is always at the forefront.
And the only thing that's constant about it is change.

With all the experience that life brings our way, we change; and so does our personality. But somewhere on this transition, we leave behind footprints and memories of what we were earlier.


From when I've arrived at bangalore, its been almost a new start.
Even though I wouldn't say I'm a hard-working-student here at IISc (am I? :-D), my every effort here is in trying to prove just that to my mentor and guide. Back at hostel, though, my sincere room-mate believes I'm a party freak and night-life addict who just comes back to the hostel for the night, late, and goes off in the morning (sometimes even staying all the night out, and almost more regularly recently!). I would've told him that its not really regular parties that keep me up every night, if it werent for this strong urge to play along... I'm still trying to understand the source of this great urge to 'play along' so to say. Probably its fun to just let people make assumptions and see how things go on. And probably it brings the fun back into your life and makes it a little more entertaining.

And again, there's this veteran owner of a chain of restaurants here who thinks I've just entered college. Of course he would, I had figured that while seeking accommodation, rather than explaining people about the concept of summer internship, I'd rather blend into the crowd and become a college-goer looking for a decent dorm. And now its fun to see him advising me about college life whenever theres an opportunity for an interaction between us. Again, wouldnt it spoil the fun if I told him I was 3/4th of my way through college already?

Of course, all of us have differing personalities. We are different to different people, and different at different situations. Some are radically different, while the others are far more subtle. But here's one thought worth deliberating: what if somehow one or more of these personalities came to a clash? Imagine if, say the veteran restaurant owner somehow turns out to be a relative of my faculty guide at college (O.o) Such are the what-ifs which convince one to live a simple and transparent life, void of inconsistencies. But living on the edge somehow seems to be a fascinating exercise for me (of course, only when taken lightly and not on a very serious note). Probably just adds a little spice to the mundane life we have. Or probably I'm just too idle to be thinking up all this (then again, if I wouldnt be so jobless, I wouldnt be writing this post).

I guess its time to try and figure out which of these personalities probably got someone to puncture my cycle tyre today morning...

Random Musings...

'convince the unconvinced'
---------------------------------------------------------
There was once this eccentric professor at college who was known for his absurd obsessions especially when it came down to testing the students for what they had learnt in a semester long course of Philosophy and spiritualism.

It was one such occasion, when the professor handed out test questions to all of his class students. The paper had just one question. Before the start of the exam, he had placed a wooden chair atop a table. The question asked the students to argue and prove that the chair did not exist using all the profound knowledge they had supposedly gained after the Philosophy course.

While all the students were busy jotting down theories, arguments and counterarguments to prove the nonexistance of the chair, one student had surprisingly finished the paper and handed it back within a minute. Considering him to be an ill-prepared student sure to flunk, the others continued on their quest. From buddhist non-materialistic view of the world to the various other analogies, the students profoundly related them to this particular chair, all in an effort to imply its non-existence.

Later after the exam, when the results were announced, it came as a surprise that apart from that one student, the professor didn't consider anyone worthy of having completed the course.

Upon request of the answer sheet, it was found that his paper had a one-line answer "What Chair ?"
-------------------------------------------

A little snippet I found adorned on someone's gtalk status :-P

Positive thinking is....

A little bird up in the sky,
U look up & it shits in your eye,
U dont mind & U dont cry,
U just thank god that...cows dont fly!!!!!

--------------------------------------------

I'm Looking for a dream...

I'm looking for a Dream
a glad respite yet a true calling...
savouring memories, so close and yet so far
Its not easy, not now or ever, to be me

I'm just here to find
the better part of me
and I realize I'm the kind
who was never meant to be

"close the world,think it through
is this, really, who is you?
not today, not tomorrow
maybe when your time is through...

They won't tell you,neither can I
it's your prerogative, learn to Fly
You are the one, just haven't figured it out yet
there's still Time, take the Plunge, make a Bet"

Im looking for a Dream
A Vision of hope, without judge
a glad respite yet a true calling...
until I find, decide and take the plunge...

Bangalore Calling

After a semester (rather eventful one), I find myself in Bangalore this summer, as a research intern at SERC(Supercomputer Education and Research Centre), IISc.

Barely did I come here that it began to rain. A glad respite from the unrelenting heat in goa.

Just got my accommodation fixed up at a pretty decent dorm.
Still waiting for more bitsians to join me. Itll definitely not be lonely with friends and college-mates around. Some will be coming around the end of this month, while others will be coming in july (PS2). Till then, its working time. (The pic on the left is the main building - IISc)


Bangalore is a pretty nice place to be, quite contrary to what one would expect of a growing metropolitan. The photograph on the left is that of a botanical garden close by. I would love to share my experience here at bangalore (or rather bengaluru now), but that will be some other day. Here is a short description by a once-upon-a-time blogger; but IISc has changed a lot since then.

A pretty random post. So ill end it up pretty randomly with a song that echoes through me right now:

Enjoy yourself, it’s later than you think.
Enjoy yourself, while you’re still in the pink.
The years go by as quickly as a wink.
Enjoy yourself, enjoy yourself. It’s later than you think.

(180 version of Enjoy Yourself from The Specials)

On Letting go...

To let go isn't to forget, or to ignore. It doesn't leave feelings of anger or regret. Letting go isn't about winning,losing ,giving in or giving up. It isn't about loss or defeat. To let go is to cherish the memories, &to overcome and move on & have confidence in d future. Letting go is learning & experiencing. To let go is to 2b thankful for the exp that made you laugh, made you cry, and made you grow. It's about all that you have, all that you had, and all that you will have. To let go is to open a door, and to clear a path 2 set yourself free.

The 3rd year

This post is a later update to serve as a substitute for the missing continuum in my sporadic posts...

The 3rd yr whizzed by with Quark 2k8 occupying most of the time and effort spent.
Was also involved in Evangelizing sun technologies and learning and using them as the Sun Campus Ambassador and coordinator of Sun Club.
LUG-BITSGoa (Linux Users Group) also grew in activities and structure.
Also qualified for the nationals of IC08. Waves and Spree also fell in the same semester, so activities were on a high.

Next, looking ahead into the internship @SERC, IISc, Bangalore.

End of update...

Hypocrisy as a way of life

Yes, thats true. Hypocrisy has come to become a part of our lives whether we like it or not. Hell, we might as well like it, considering the kind of hypocrites we've become.

First, its the sena against valentines day. Then its the BJP against the cheerleaders in IPL (although the very same members of the party prolly enjoy the item numbers on bollywood). The double talk by ppl like mayawati and the enforcement of 'standards' by the mumbai police. As gowry puts it,

"Ur Free to piss on the streets, but not kiss"

Its everywhere around us. Those who deny it are the worst of the hypocrites.

And it doesnt end there. Even at BITS, with the self proclaimed aim of nurturing its students enabling their self development to the fullest, the treatment actually is akin to that of a prison cell. With specific time (4 hours each day on a weekday) where students are allowed out of campus, and a lockdown of hostels at 11! The ban on birthday parties in hostels by the chief warden and the clear and distinct expression of dislike at any activity that indulges the students in any kind of pleasure. But ofcourse, as they always claim, they dont mean to harm the students, neither do they intend to keep us from doing what we like. They 'want' us to be 'happy'. And they're doing whatever they are, coz its good for us! Welcome to the age of hypocrisy.

But looking at the bright side of things, it brings out the rebellious and brave front within us. An irony of sorts, but yes, the reality. The last day of waves and all the people who were a part of it and witnessed it will agree.


It started off on the usual note. Events galored and everyone had fun. Ofcourse we as an educated institute denied the display of blatant hooliganism during shows like fashp. But thats just the tip of the iceberg. More than 3/4th of the campus probably wouldnt know what actlly went on during those 3 days at the J. Or in the parking lot. Neither do they know about the quarrel on the maingate that led to the police arrival.
But what everyone does know, is that the wonderful performance by Junkyard groove on our own open air stage, was interrupted by the arrival of the police van with its interminable echoing of the siren amid growing silence. And soonafter everyone was dispersed back to the hostels within 5 minutes. And that is when DC came in to feed on the rumours. Within half an hour of the incident atleast 10 different stories, all claiming credibility, were floated and discussed on mainchat freely as though they were matter-of-fact.
I do join everyone in condemning the way the night ended. Everyone seemed to be looking for a scapegoat to dump the blame on. Of course, what could you expect? But that is the kind of end that the festival had. Waves '08. The only way one could be oblivious to it, is by attaining Nirvana; the state of statelessness that the cultural festival claimed to be all about.

And the ripples that it started off are felt even today... But nevertheless, the day was entertaining in the least expected manner. And denying that I enjoy entertainment would be hypocritical.
I'm just happy Quark didnt end up in a mess like this.

Yes, even I'm Hypocritical at times. And I dont admit it.

Random Musings...

A man piloting a hot air balloon discovers he has wandered off course and is hopelessly lost. He descends to a lower altitude and locates a man down on the ground. He lowers the balloon further and shouts, "Excuse me, can you tell me where I am?"

The man below says, "Yes, you're in a hot air balloon, about 30 feet above this field."

"You must work in Information Technology," says the balloonist.

"Yes I do," replies the man. "And how did you know that?"

"Well," says the balloonist, "what you told me is technically correct, but of no use to anyone."

The man below says, "You must work in management."

"I do," replies the balloonist, "how did you know?"

"Well," says the man, "you don't know where you are, or where you're going, but you expect my immediate help. You're in the same position you were before we met, but now it's my fault!"

-----------------------------------------------------

A radio conversation between a US naval ship and Canadian authorities...

Americans: Please divert your course 15 degrees to the North to avoid a collision.

Canadians: Recommend you divert YOUR course 15 degrees to the South to avoid a collision.

Americans: This is the captain of a US Navy ship. I say again, divert YOUR course.

Canadians: No. I say again, you divert YOUR course.

Americans: This is the aircraft carrier USS Lincoln, the second largest ship in the United States' Atlantic Fleet. We are accompanied by three destroyers, three cruisers and numerous support vessels. I demand that you change your course 15 degrees North, that's ONE FIVE DEGREES NORTH, or counter-measures will be undertaken to ensure the safety of this ship.

Canadians: This is a lighthouse. Your call.

-----------------------------------------------------

Three engineering students were gathered together discussing the possible designers of the human body.

One said, "It was a mechanical engineer. Just look at all the joints."

Another said, "No, it was an electrical engineer. The nervous systems many thousands of electrical connections."

The last said, "Actually, it was a civil engineer. Who else would run a toxic waste pipeline through a recreational area?"
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Reaching the end of a job interview, the human resources person asked a young engineer fresh out of Stanford,

"And what starting salary were you looking for?"

The engineer said, "In the neighborhood of $125,000 a year, depending on the benefits package."

The interviewer said, "Well, what would you say to a package of 5-weeks vacation, 14 paid holidays, full medical and dental, company matching retirement fund to 50% of salary, and a company car leased every 2 years--say, a red Corvette?"

The engineer sat up straight and said, "Wow! Are you kidding?"

And the interviewer replied, "Yeah, but you started it."
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When my three-year-old son opened the birthday gift from his grandmother, he discovered a water pistol. He squealed with delight and headed for the nearest sink. I was not so pleased. I turned to Mom and said, "I'm surprised at you. Don't you remember how we used to drive you crazy with water guns?"

Mom smiled and then replied..."I remember."
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An astronomer, a physicist and a mathematician (it is said) were holidaying in Scotland. Glancing from a train window, they observed a black sheep in the middle of a field.

"How interesting," observed the astronomer, "All Scottish sheep are black!"

To which the physicist responded, "No, no! Some Scottish sheep are black!"

The mathematician gazed heavenward in supplication, and then intoned, "In Scotland there exists at least one field, containing at least one sheep, at least one side of which is black."
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One day, a professor was giving a big test to his students. He handed out the tests and went back to his desk to wait. Once the test was over, the students all handed the tests back in.

The professor noticed that one of the students had attached a $100 bill to his test with a note saying: "A dollar per point."

The next class the professor handed the tests back out. This student got back his test...and $64 change!