Anurag Jain's Blog
Monday, November 22, 2004

Music Unlimited

At 24,000 songs I consider my music collection a fairly decent one. But here comes this hot-stepper guy and rains on my parade with his claims of having downloaded 900,000 songs! His aim is to collect every single song ever recorded! Pretty ambitious, eh!

As a music collector, in my opinion there are lots of issues/growing concerns when you have a huge music collection:
* How do you categorize yur music? By Genre? By Artistes? By Year? This guy uses Filemaker Pro 7. Gotta check that out. I still use genre-wise (and then artiste-wise) windows folder approach.
* Meta-data/MP3 Tagging is a big problem. Majority of MP3 files on Net are improperly tagged/not tagged at all.
* How do you make sure you are not seen as a big pirate and that RIAA/FBI don't come knocking on your door.
* Storage: Optimum drive-size, Kind of drives, storage architecture. I have 3 HDDs totaling to 200GB right now whereas 4th one (20GB) is lying outside as I can't use more than 3 drives with my old pentium. (Actually I had to remove my Zip-drive to put the third Hard Disk)

Even though it'd be neat to know of someone who has 900,000 songs, I have doubts about Doug's claims' authenticity. Apparently he's downloaded all this music in last 10 months only. Now my music collection which is 1/37.5th of the "King of Pirates" stands at 108 GB. So, for 900,000 tracks (assuming similar average track length and sampling rates), his collection would tantamount to 4,050 GB or 4 TeraBytes (TB). A lawyer with an ex-underwear-model wife has time to download 4TB of data in ten months!! Hmmm.. My contention is that any avid music downloader can vouch that this claim is pretty tenacious. Actually impossible. But lacking proof to that, for the moment I'll buy the story with a pinch of salt.

0 comments                                                                                              


Friday, November 19, 2004

Spam

Here comes the news that at 4 millions junk mails a day, Bill Gates (billg AT microsoft.com, billgates AT microsoft.com) is the most spammed person on this planet. (Btw, I also have email ID on gmail: billgates.microsoft AT gmail.com). Bill has a full department filtering his Inbox!

Some smart-ass comments from /. I really like the one about confusing hate mail with spam :))
-------------------------------------
# Maybe they think Bill needs viagra or he wants to help some nigerian millionare to transfer some funds?
# "In his case, I suspect the filters are human." Or possibly Morlocks.
Nah... they're obviously Mentats. They have a whole office chanting, "It is by will alone that I set my mind in motion."
# He should get a GMail account and scrap the department.
# At least now I know why he never replies to my requests for an interview ;)
Here's a tip:When asking for an interview, do not also offer to enlarge his penis.
# I'm comforted to know that when I use billgates@microsoft.com when signing up for something stupid, or for those sites that require an email for download, he actually gets those emails.
# anyone know Ballmer's?
developersdevelopersdevelopersdevelopers@microsoft .com
# I wonder if he gets spam about discounted copies of XP?
# For *once* I have to thank spammers for a job well done.
# They must have hate mail confused with spam.
# 640 emails.... ....ought to be about enough for anyone. ;-)
-------------------------------------

And I thought I was heavily spammed at some 250 spam mails everyday. When will I recieve 4 million spams a day! Won't you love to be in that position? :)

1 comments                                                                                              




Earliest human presence in USA

Sometime back, I wrote this piece on how and when humans arrived in the North America. Today, I see this news on CNN which claims that it might be 50,000 years and not 13,000 years that humans were present in the Americas. So far, the earliest human culture in the North America was believed to be Colvis.

The best thing about science is how relentlessly it keeps re-defining our reference points.

0 comments                                                                                              


Thursday, November 18, 2004

L-Square

IIMB's famed L-square (Licoln Sqaure) during February bloom (a year back). This is also the place where we have parties! I love this yellow tree in bloom. I think its called Amaltas but ain't sure.

About L-square itself, there's a kinda trivia question at IIMB: Why is L-Square called so?



(Answer: It is surrounded by the three blocks named A, B, and E!)

0 comments                                                                                              




MICAnvas '04

Blades of Grass... The cutting Edge. Nov 19-21, 2004. Click on pic for more details (or the site address http://www.mica-india.net/micanvas/).



0 comments                                                                                              


Tuesday, November 16, 2004

Wharton India Economic Forum 2004

*The Dawn of an Indian Century?*

"We invite you to the 9th Wharton India Economic Forum (WIEF). WIEF is the pre-eminent student-run forum in US focusing on business and economic issues impacting the Indian sub-continent and the integration of these issues in today's global economy."

More details at the official site.

0 comments                                                                                              




Its a Talab. Its an Airport.

Everybody knows that Lucknow has Amausi airport. But, did you know that there's another airport (Aerodrome) in Lucknow? Guess its name. I bet you can't. Well, its called Bakshi Ka Talab! Bowled over with the name? I was.

0 comments                                                                                              




Acumen 2004

CALLING ALL B-SCHOOL ALUMNI

Acumen - The National Level B-School Challenge from Business Today and The Aditya Birla Group, in association with Tata Consultancy Srvices will, this year, host a national Quiz for all B-School Alumni currently employed in India.

This is your chance to renew old rivalries and win fabulous prizes.

4 Zonal Rounds - of which Mumbai & Delhi are over.

Bangalore - 19th November - Sathya Sai Sadanam, 20 Hosur Road Kolkata - 3rd December - Kala Kunj Theatre, Shakespeare Sarani (Kolkata round may shift to the 4th - due to a 'Bandh' on 3rd December)

FREE REGISTRATION You may register FREE by sending your details (with contact number) at acumen@intoday.com or you may register on the spot between 6:30 - 7 pm at the venue. Written elimination will be at 7pm. Solo entry. Top 8 scorers will be paired to form teams for the on-stage round.

FINALS Finals - Delhi - FICCI Auditorium - 20th December

More details at official site

0 comments                                                                                              


Monday, November 15, 2004

Quizzes at Legala 2004

Note: Both Open quizzes will now happen on Sunday, 21 November 2004.

NATIONAL LAW SCHOOL OF INDIA UNIVERSITY (Nagarbhavi, Bangalore) will be hosting 5 quizzes as part of its literary and cultural festival `Legala' between November 19-21, 2004. Please note that while the General, Sports and Literature quizzes (teams of 3 members each) will be restricted to students (includes PUC, Under-grad, Post-grad et al) while the Audio-Visual quiz (teams of 3 again) and the Solo quiz are open to all. Even for the college quizzes, cross-institutional teams will be allowed.

The schedule stands as follows:-

Nov. 19, Friday 0930 hrs- Sports quiz (prelims) 1200 hrs- Literature quiz (prelims) 1530 hrs – Sports Quiz (finals) (QM: Arghya Sengupta & Vinay Joy) 1730 hrs – Literature quiz (Finals) (QM: Rohit De)

Nov. 20, Saturday 1000 hrs – General quiz (prelims) 1430 hrs – General Quiz (finals) (QM: Siddharth Nair)

Nov. 21, Sunday (both open events on sunday) 1000 hrs- AV quiz (prelims) 1130 hrs- AV quiz (finals) (QM: Arjun Krishnan & Sidharth Chauhan) 1330 hrs- Solo quiz (prelims & finals) (QM: Sidharth Chauhan)

Registration per event is Rs. 30-/- per team. College teams can save with the institutional registration of Rs. 500-/- that covers all the cultural and literary events (about 25 or so activities in all)at Legala. This year's Legala is happening alongside 'Strawberry fields' the rock-fest (Nov 19-20, prelims, finals on nov 21 at Palace Grounds), 'Rampart' the fashion show(nov 18) and the NLS Parliamentary debate which is getting more Pakistani teams than ever.

0 comments                                                                                              


Monday, November 08, 2004

Lord MacCauley Circa 1835's plan come true.

Read the following statement by MacCauley, British politician and historian. Taken from Lord MacCauley's Minutes of 1835, a famous speech in the British Parliament, Lord MacCauly said:

Lord Macaulay's presentation to the British Parliament "I have travelled across the length and breadth of Hindusthan [India ] and I have not seen one person who is a beggar, who is a thief, . Such wealth I have seen in this country, such high moral values, people of such calibre, that I do not think we would ever conquer this country, unless we break the very backbone this nation, which is her spiritual and cultural heritage, and, therefore, I propose that we replace her old and ancient education system, her culture, for if the Indians think that all that is foreign and English is good and greater than their own , they will lose their self-esteem, their native self- culture and they will become what we want them, a truly a dominated nation.

How truly said. English language has probably done good things to India and Indians in terms of inegrating Indian economy with the world, but at another level it sure has created a massive divide between urban/rich/educated and rural/poor/un-educated people.

0 comments                                                                                              




Economic and administrative Mismanagement in India

From an egroup I am a member of. Good points made.

The alarming situation that Indian economy is mired in despite tall claims of World Bank and Indian Government, calls for immediate attention of Indian Public.Some examples are as under:

1. Almost 50% of Union Government and State Government revenue is eaten away by the good for nothing and corrupt bureucracy on salaries, perquisites, and allowances ( A typical SP of plice costs almost 75,000 per month to State and eats another 3 times in bribery.)

2.30% of All expenditure in defense, infrastructure, power, health and other purchases is siphoned off by way of bribes and kick backs and the cost of purchase is almost 1.5 times of what would have been possible if the procurement would have been corruption free. This tantamounts to mind boggling figure of almost Rs 300,000 Millions ( Rs 300 Billions)every year.

With so much black money( My estimates are almost 80% of white money circulation and GDP)in system, inflation and inequitable distribution of wealth is inevitable.

3.Mindless opening up of economy particularly in White goods and automobiles is shooting up demand for Petrol and diesel and electricty, all in acute short supply in India and for which Billions of dollars are to be spend each year for improts.besides spoiling environment and creating garbage and noise.

India has failed to put in place Mass Rapid public transport system and the pool vehicles with acceptable level of quality and peformnace so that people are encouraged to use public transport for their office and day to day commuting.


4.despite heavy increase in inflation rate(Almost 8.5%) the savings bank and FD rates in banks is being maintained ridiculously low at 3.5 to 5.5% pern annum range.That means eroding the capital of common man in small savings. This will create serious social problems in coming times. How time deposit rates can be less than inflation rate? This is idiotic.

The PF deposit rates have been reduced despite protests.Any thing less than 10 % rate of such Deposits will put retired persons in real soup.India has no Social security scheme in place and government must meet interest gap by way of social security funds to be allocated in budget.

5.Foolish rhetoric of reservation system for employment generation and social justice will prove disastrous and unproductive , rather counter productive in coming times. On one hand Government talks of free market economy and liberalisation and on other hand it takes action that tanatamounts to interference and regulation on business.Against WTO directive of free labor market.

6.No where in world and in history any government could provide employment to more than 10 % of its population and Indian Government is trying to divert attention of people and make fraudulent promises to get jobs through reservation is one of the most sinister politicial fraud with the nation byv all politcial parties.

In fact required actions are not being taken to generate employment opportunities in economy and 70% of India's busget is being siphoned off or spent wastefully in government establishment cost and corruption.

7.The overdue legal reforms to ensure fast and fair justice is not being done as it does not suit 40% criminals in politics in all parties. What is happening in Best Bakery case in Gujarat is outcome of weak and fraudulent judical system in country where a witness can't even give testimony without pressure.Delays, foolish principles of criminal and civil jurisprudence and corruption and insensitised lawyers and policemen( Read gundas in uniform), is cause of all this state of affairs. despite several reports submitted, poice powers of arrest and prosecution are not being curtailed and fiancial and penal liabilities imposed.

It is time that citizens of India take on the corrupt and lethargic politicians, bureaucrates and police upfront and start punishing them .

Indian society has decayed in last 50 years appreciably and a kind of rennaisance or revolution is required to cleanse the society of corrupt, criminals and dirty politcians and the foolish laws.

Members are requested to send specific suggestions for reforms in india( Not the type of reforms like advocated by pseudo econnomists and puppets like the ilk of Man Mohan singh ,et. al) so that an approach paper can be prepaerd and sent to policy makers .

Moderator


0 comments                                                                                              


Friday, November 05, 2004

Reemic Resonance




Pictured here G-214, my abode. Also pictured are Reem and Pramod. Pramod is a terrific guy, who goes and falls in love with wrong girls! About Reem, I am not sure what all I can say. She is my sweetest friend, just the same way she prefers to call me. This is what I wrote about her recently:

Be careful dealing with this stunner: very, VEry, VERy, VERY infectious personality! :) Her liveliness, warmth, and charm reminds you of how people should be! She posseses magical powers evident in the fact that you are in a sort of trance all the time while with her. Rumored to be an angel who has been sent down from heaven to make people's lives better.

A wonderful, I say, a wonderful person.

Further, she is such a terrific combination of all the extremes possible. Whoever asked to take either Red Pill or Blue Pill. Meet Reem and you feel like you have taken both! As a result, when you meet her, following thoughts rush to your mind: Are you a believer? Or a non-believer? Can you be someone who's none of these? Are there any answers to such questions? Or, do the questions you think you just now saw even exist? Do you? Do I?

Matter|Anti-matter. Good|Bad. Imaginary|Real. Action|Reaction.

We only exist because we dont know that we dont exist! That's the divine rule of existence, and of all things known in the universe. There is only an alter-reality that exists as a result of the resonance of the matter and anti-matter. Wanna know what happens when when the two sides collide? Come, meet the beautiful resonance that is Reem! Reem, the force that makes you feel you exist!

In short, Reem = Frequency at which heart resonates.

0 comments                                                                                              




(G)Olden Engineering Days

An old pic from my engineering days at HBTI, Kanpur. I am on the extreme right. In retrospect, looks like Kaante walk.




0 comments                                                                                              


Thursday, November 04, 2004

Radio Jingles get a fresh Audience!

Fame (Think Shravan Shroff, Adlabs and Shringar Cinemas Pvt Ltd) has come out with a new concept! Currently only in Mumbai.



0 comments                                                                                              




Vasantahabba 2002

This is the marquee from Vasantahabba 2002, Bangalore. Apart from the fantabulous actual dusk-to-dawn show which has come to be known as the Woodstock of India, these guys also do a great job at creating marvelous marquees every year!



0 comments                                                                                              


Home