Headlights : High vs. Low beam

After long time suffering from the irritation caused by the irresponsible people who drive with high beam even on narrow lanes in heavy traffic, I decided to come up with this writing on the general rules regarding when to and when not to go on high beam. I feel this problem is happening majorly due to the ignorance of the public. I worry as to how many injuries and accidents happen due to this carelessness!!

The following are some of the rules that we should follow :

1. We should use high beam only when : a) there is no vehicle in front of us with a range of 500 meters. b) there is no vehicle coming against our direction in the range of 500 meters. c) majorly on highways while speeding to give us a better sight of distant objects if any.

2. High beam should not be used in narrow lanes and inner roads or to be precise any road wherein the traffic flow exists! ‘coz it blinds the drivers in front of us. And may cause up them hitting up something/someone.

This magic no. of 500 meters won’t be exact though, I suppose its just an estimated average depending on the varying intensities of light from various vehicles. And I feel that all the people who drive within the city should stick to the usage of low beam for the convenience of all.

Now, if the technical difference is concerned, its just a common sense that on narrow road or road with traffic, one will be more concerned with any obstacles on the road (low beam) rather that focussing slow moving traffic in front!!!

So, people its my honest appeal to you all whosoever reads this blog to stick to the ethics of driving to travel safe and sound!!!

Laptop at last :)

After a long waiting time and anxiety, finally the moment came when I was handed my laptop today morning, August 07, 2007 at 9.30. It was a pleasant moment taking the laptop in hand, I suppose maybe similar to the first time a father holds his child!!! Soon rushed home and opened up the piece to check out its beauty. It looked good, however, the first impression about the make (feel good factor) wasn’t as expected. I began to find a couple of problems at the first touch. However, told myself to await and check out all the features and with that hope carried it all along to the office. Now before I start off with the exploration, let me tell you the configuration of my laptop and its pros and cons.

Configuration:

Make: HP Pavilion dv2500
Processor: 2.0 GHz, Santa Rosa Platform T7300 – 800 MHz FSB
Memory: 2 GB
Hard Disk: 80 GB 5400 rpm SATA
Graphics Card: nVIDIA Ge Force 8400 GS M
Screen: 14.1 inch
Rest common things : DVD R/W, Card Readers, Bluetooth, et al.

Pros:

* Not of the typical rectangular look. I had wanted a sporty one and got one too!!
* Weighs less as compared to other competitors with this configuration. Also costs less comparatively!
* 14.1 inch screen goes in perfectly well with the keyboard layout.

Cons:

* Touch pad not comfortable for first time users. Its very smooth and slippery to some extent. Getting used to it may take up some time.
* Lots of lights glow here and there and sometimes that can be a nuisance.
* In my case the right button on the touch pad is kinda loose and it makes some noise (not much though).
* The switch given for activation wireless/bluetooth is very delicate and can easily get damaged unintentionally.
* HP committed a blunder. Instead of applying a HP Pavilion dv2500 label, it stuck its previous versions’ label HP Pavilion dv2000. Initially, I was wonder struck, but later on verifying the configuration, realized its just a mistake of labeling!!! Thank God!
* I felt keypad is not as smooth as that of DELL or LENOVO.
* Feel like its consuming lot of power and the backup dries up quite fast. Well, maybe that have not done some settings. Have to experiment on this front.

Though cons may be more than pros, the feeling of possessing such an almost upto mark laptop makes up for all drawbacks and I feel very proud to be its owner!!

Now coming back to where I had left in the first para. On reaching office, I started on thinking a mechanism to break up the memory space in the only partition. Using a DOS utility called DISKPART served my purpose. Then came the activity I liked the most. Personalize and install all utilities! Spent around an hour in setting up and configuring various softwares. I concentrated more on the equivalent open source or freewares for windows and thanks to the Open Source community, got a fair deal of them! Some of the equivalent ones are as follows:

Microsoft Office : OpenOffice
Outlook : Thunderbird
Photoshop : GIMP
Would prefer Firefox over IE, et al….

So, that was it….. I write these last lines as the battery of my laptop dies and am helpless for charging it (‘coz of US adapter incompatibility issues!)….. but satisfied that the day was very wonderful and exciting.

Well, I expect to blog regularly henceforth, now that i have a beautiful lappy to give me a good company!!! The reason has arrived…..

… TimePass …

Yest. at office when i got bored for sometime… just thought of doing something off the track. A idea clicked me. Thought of randomly searching for words on Google.com and checking out all those unknown words. So, the contest began and was supposed to type in 10 words, all randomly generating out of my think tank!! The following were the words out of which for only 1 did Google showed no meanings associated!

mascar
duodille — No meanings!!
fiscat
amiostat
kutenko
liami
festova
nemberly
mistonale
makauli

 Was really a good fun.. trying to compete with Google!

… Kya Muzhe Pyaar Hai — Copied!!! …

Was absolutely shocked on seeing a scrap about this song being copied from an Indonesian one. Its called Tek Bisakah (Bye PeterPan), you can find it here
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D-dONolbJbM

I couldnt believe it! Really has originality died up in the Indian Music? Remixes, copy cats.. are these going to determine the future of modern Indian music? But thanks to Pritam to bring the music before us…… Song in hindi is awesome though.

… Sanchita – L’le Champ …

(Sanchita became the Sa Re Ga Ma Pa Little Champ). As the final moments dawned wherein the DON was supposed to declare the results, my heart beats had come to a standstill thinking whether it would be Diwakar or Sanchita. And by the Sameer coming third didnt at all come to me a surprise coz his performance in the finals was not as good as his track records. And had the personal opinion that his voice only suited the high pitched songs, not the soft ones! Anyways, my choice after seeing and listening to the final performance was undoubtedly Sanchita. But always till the end had fear that Diwakar would win with the Compassion votes maybe as it was tough competition with marginal vote difference!
Somehow, according to me the deserving candidate did win! Though I have followed only the final two episodes of the whole event, but surely did those two draw me completely into the competition and made me a part of it! Especially with children of 6/7 years of age making it into the final 10! It was just unbelievable. Their voice, their dedication and the most amazing their confidence level at a age of around 10/12, performing in front of the whole world! Hats of to these little champions and their efforts.
Man… .Surely have a lots to learn from them!

… Pyaar Karke Pachchtaya …

Hey Hey Hey….. let me clarify one thing first…. This is not anywhere related to me. Any such references are  merely coincidental!!!!!

So the whole thought of writing this blog came as I was seeing ‘Pyaar Ke Side Effects’. A good movie. Eye Catcher to the topic of ‘Falling in Love’ I suppose.

Well the story revolves around a DJ (Rahul) who’s caught between love and marriage. And a girl (Mallika) who’s first against marriage but then falls in love with our hero and then staying for around 3 years, proposes him. But our hero, afraid of marrying and loosing ‘independence’ tries to extend the thought as far as he can….. and then the break in relationship….. how they try to be friends after break up and atlast how they get along together and get married…. A usual story line as it may seem but screenplay has been done to make it more of realistic sticking to today’s generations thinking and feelings!!

When can a boy get ready for marriage? What if the girl cant wait for that time? What if meanwhile, the girl gets a feeling that the boy is taking the relationship casually……. I mean he is serious about maintaing a steady relationship but the circumstances.. maybe like his family, his career, his aim dont go by (support) this decision…..? Indeed that makes Love very very complex…..  I think so…. At one moment, one will reach a stage when he/she has to favour/go one side compromising on the other (both being good!!).. Now the whole question is which side to go? Will it be an easy decision?  Listen to his/her heart or brain? How can one get both? First is that at all possible? 

Well lots of questions and puzzles in LOVE!!! I suppose!!!

And these all questions form the biggest of all questions …… How can one avoid the situation of crying over the condition of……………………….. “Pyaar karke Pachchtaya!!!”……….

… American Money Vs Indian Money …

Sorry friends, but I cant stop writing about this topic which attracts me the most…… As I see the things, the materialistic ones,  around me and the cost at which they come, I feel like crying over the comparisons. A software professional on an average earns 50K to 80K per annum. You get a decent luxury car for around 15K – 20K with all accessories. You get a good decent 2 Bed home for around 150K-200K. Ya of course you have, I think, direct 30% tax deduction over here. And the insurances cost much more than those in India, but still.. how much would it be!!!! And taking my own instance, getting a good decent camera (CANON S3 IS) over at India would cost me my one month salary… in fact slight more than that only…. But over here, I spend my 8 days salary and get the same!!!

The basic thing is that you dont get the feel of real money when u spend over here.  The population being less and the resources (both natural and artificial) being more over here…. thats what have been hearing over here….. But one thing, as the economists say, people do spend much over here. And for that matter why wont they!!!

Well .. well. well…. just was thinking .. living life as in India and earning as in US…. what a deadly combi would that be!!! WOW!!!! Indeed, MONEY flows here!!!!

And am not being greedy or something… but just an observation and a simple comparison….. Just realizing the things….

… Washington, D.C. …

So, here comes the Washington D.C. trip. First the preparations for the trip and the road maps and stuff. Here, driving is real trouble for people who don’t have a roadmap. With lots of highways of which I have seen the Interstate and State highways and lots of exits, it’s a bit confusing for beginners coz we generally tend to loose our nerves initially!!   A funny incident happened with me while searching for the route and the location of our destination. Searched the distance between Malvern (source) and Washington (destination). The ‘mapquest’ (website) came up with a long route. It was then I came to know of the existence of a state called Washington and the difference between Washington State and the Washington D.C.!!!!  Anyways…. So finally got ready with pre-trip requirements. 

Got up at around 6. We had planned to leave at around 7. But due to unavailability of breakfast before 7.30, had to delay the start by an hour. So, finally started at 8. Then started the fun on roads. With a road map enlisting all the highways and exits to take and the approximate distance to travel along each of roads, our ‘Saarathy’ Aravinda started off with Sanjeev’s car following us. We drove and drove and drove.. But would it happen that we get succeded in first attempt? Na Na Na Na……… got caught up at a point and realised we have missed an exit. Waited for some directions, and took help from a cop. Finally we were on track back again. By then, both the cars had got separated. We reached D.C. at around 11.30 and then searched for a parking lot. Parked the car. And then we were ready to explore the Capital of USA.    

Our first point was the National Air and Space Museum. Therein is a wonderful display of the Rockets and AeroPlanes and Space Satellites and related stuff. Lots of videos were being played explaining and creating interest especially in children about the space, planets and stuff. It was good. Then planned to see an IMAX short documentary on the Landing on Moon. Was directed and acted by Tom Hanks. Wore the specs (for viewing 3D movies) and experienced the world of 3D movies for the first time. It was simply wonderful and just thought how much fun it would be to watch a proper Action or Horror movie with 3D effects!!!! ……. After that proceeded with some flight simulator stuff and models of ships carriages…… Then some pet puja at MacD outlet withing the Museum. And we got out at around 3 p.m.  

 Now with great anxiety proceeded towards the Natural History Museum. There was fine depiction of all Natural things/Beings, ranging from animals to plants, stones, gems, human body, etc…… Models of Dinosaurs, African Elephants, Giant Bears, etc.. Just perfect for kids!!! Ya….. By then was bit bored of these things as they were all artificial (except for the stone and gems)… Anyways wrapped it up in an hour or so… And then proceeded to see the Washington Memorial. It was nothing but a long pillar with flags around it. Nothing great though for a visitor, but definitely it may be meaning lot for them. However, the cool breeze and the bright sunshine brought a kind of serenity and peace to that place. There were seats to just lie down and watch the big jumbo tower!!!! The moment was/is worth preserving!. 

And straight opposite to this memorial stood the WHITE HOUSE shining bright and reflecting the light as sun dawned exactly opposite to it!! There didnt seem to be much of security though near it. But there might have been a lot of hidden security measures, maybe!!! Anyways, took some snaps and by then it was 7.00 p.m. Then we decided to take the dinner and leave as ppl didnt wanted to stay late and drive!!. So, as we walked back to our car, we found all the roads deserted. Thought some election campaingn or what? On enquiring learnt that there was a Cancer Walk scheduled. So, we decided to stop somewhere and watch for some time. I was just taken aback seeing the amount of participation by the people. Right from kids to elderly ppl.. all were participating. Great Enthu yaar and that too for a right cause. A peaceful walk with all holding balloons that had a blinking led within! Felt good to see such a sight especially when its not politically provoked and all the ppl irrespective of gender, sex, religion, cast, creed take part for the betterment of religion called “Humanity”!!!…   Ok so, then we went back to the parking lot. Had our dinner. Waited for the roads to become clear, went back to the other car (they had parked somewhere far) and then left back towards home.. Maa kasam kya nazara tha raston par!!!… I mean the car lights on the highway and the roads at night!!!  And this time I was the guide with the map in hand and directing our driver saab. We reached back home by midnight.  

Wasn’t feeling sleepy so saw ‘Shiva’. …….. And slept at around 3.00 a.m. Thus ended my first visit outside Malvern!!!

Now well have taken picture of myself infront of White House.  Ab soch raha hoon MAMU ke saath photu edit kara loon White House ke saamne khade hoke….. arey bole to BUSH ke saath ekdum dhinchaak photu!!!!!   

… Money, Money, Money!!! … Its the rich man’s world! …

As I live past the days over here at Malvern, Pennsylvania, USA… just keep track of the costs of various things over here… be it cameras, memory cards, laptops, cars and so on .. the list is infinite!! But one thing really attracts me the most is the income over here and the command that a s/w professional has over his/her life as compared to in India….. A Luxury car, for example, over in India earning Indian income it may take 2/3 years to pay back…. whereas over here at US in say half years pay, its quite feasible!! Same applies to other things too… Just work over here and you are sure to possess all the worldly luxuries in say 2/3 years.. including a good house, car and all internal luxuries for these…. That sounds WOW indeed! And moreover the work pressure too is far too less as compared to in India!! But ya offcourse one may have to compromise with the culture, food (esp.. for ppl like me) and lifestyle.. Well but surely worth giving it a try I suppose….. Just a mere observation!! Everything seems to be within reach (affordable) over here without much thinking… Shopping will be surely a great fun with income as per US terms… And all this am telling today after just booking for a digital Camera…. Canon S3 IS worth $320… Doesnt seem much in USD…. .. Anyways. … Do din ki chandni hi sahi!!!!

… Just Do it Dude!! …

Horror gripped the heart of a World War-I soldier, as he saw his lifelong friend fall in battle. The soldier asked his Lieutenant if he could go out to bring his fallen comrade back.
“You can go,” said the Lieutenant,” but don’t think it will be worth it.
Your friend is probably dead and you may throw your life away. The Lieutenant’s words didn’t matter, and the soldier went anyway. Miraculously, he managed to reach his friend, hoisted him onto his shoulder and brought him back to their company’s trench. The officer checked the wounded soldier, then looked kindly at his friend.
“I told you it wouldn’t be worth it,” he said. “Your friend is dead and you are mortally wounded.”
“It was worth it, Sir,” said the soldier.
“What do you mean by worth it?” responded the Lieutenant.
“Your friend is dead.”
“Yes Sir,” the soldier answered,
“but it was worth it because when I got to him, he was still alive and I had the satisfaction of hearing him say….”Jim…I knew you’d come.”
Many times in life, whether a thing is worth doing or not, really depends on how u look at it. Take up all your courage and do something your heart tells you to do so that you may not regret not doing it later in your life……..