Re: [silk] BLR Meetup?
On Mon, Oct 31, 2011 at 5:35 PM, Xxxrum xxx...@yahoo.com wrote: Let's meet on the terrace open area. I hate AC ! I hate AC too!
Re: [silk] BLR Meetup?
Okay this seems far from where I stay (HSR Layout), is there anyone going there from near abouts HSR Layout? Would be grateful for a list for me and Deepak Jois (who lurks here).
Re: [silk] BLR Meetup?
On Mon, Oct 31, 2011 at 10:12 PM, divya manian divya.man...@gmail.com wrote: going there from near abouts HSR Layout? Would be grateful for a list for me and Deepak Jois (who lurks here). err lift not list.
Re: [silk] BLR Meetup?
Helloo everyone To flog a dead horse, seems like Nov 1st would be best for me and deepak if everyone else is up for it! Obviously I am clueless to suggest venue and time, but ideally dinner/drinks somewhere. - divya
Re: [silk] Norwegian/Swedish
Norway has a lot of Pakistani refugees (you should corner one at 7/11s in Oslo) who seem to only speak Norwegian or Urdu (or very broken English). I did not think it was familiar, just seemed slightly more guttural. On Thu, May 19, 2011 at 5:20 PM, Sidin Sunny Vadukut sidin.vadu...@gmail.com wrote: Anyone here who speaks both an Indian language and a Scandinavian one? I was in Norway recently, and something about the way they speak seemed very very similar to the Indic languages. I couldn't put my finger on it. Wikipedia gives me the notion that it could be the fact that it is a pitch accent language. This had me wondering if perhaps such a similarity, if it exists, it might make Scandinavian languages easier to learn for an Indian. Or is there such a thing as propensity to learn one language if you know another? I need to get some sleep now. Good night, Sidin/Amit/Rahul On Thursday, 19 May 2011 at 18:57, Lahar Appaiah wrote: No mail from Sidin for 24 hours. He's probably left the group by now after seeing this thread. On Thu, May 19, 2011 at 4:59 PM, Ingrid ingrid.srin...@gmail.com wrote: As P J O' Rourke put it: The Democrats are the party that says government will make you smarter, taller, richer, and remove the crabgrass on your lawn. Republicans are the party that says government doesn't work, and then they get elected and prove it. Versus Karl Rove: As people do better, they start voting like Republicans - unless they have too much education and vote Democratic, which proves there can be too much of a good thing. - Ingrid P.S. Welcome, Sidin.
Re: [silk] Sidin Vadukut - Introduction
On Tue, May 17, 2011 at 4:41 PM, Sidin Vadukut sidin.vadu...@gmail.com wrote: Hello All, Udhay has just graciously added me to your august grouping here. Welcome! You will find so many familiar faces :))
Re: [silk] A crisis of confidence
On Wed, Mar 30, 2011 at 1:50 AM, Suresh Ramasubramanian sur...@hserus.net wrote: And the dividing line between self help rubbish and sensible management books is rather thin. Some of them are definitely not bite size platitudes Or non-existent? I think Cheeni wants us all to believe we have a crisis in India which is staggeringly disappointing to anyone who claims to be from India :))) People in India suffer from the same crises of confidence that plague the Americans or the English - give or take a few cultural biases. Yes, India is not developed but that is not really because Indians lack confidence but just the right elements for development has not come together yet (things are happening, so some serendipity might favour India soon). And to put the development of the White World as the work of confident white people is to devalue the right potent circumstances that helped bring it about.
Re: [silk] Stochastic Terrorism
On Mon, Jan 17, 2011 at 11:38 AM, Bharath Chari ch...@arachnis.com wrote: I notice that you refuse/omit to preface a lot of your posts about Pakistan/Islam with I think/I believe. Sacrosanct? Borders? Nation States? Somehow, implicit in (now over a decade) your arguments, is that _India_, as a concept, has existed far longer than evidence/history warrants. In keeping with the Silk tradition of going way off-topic, I used to always preface my opinions with I think but I do not think it is necessary to do so because if I do not give citations and references, it is, by default, my opinion? When it is a fact, we always anyway mention why it is a fact or (the truth is…, etc).
Re: [silk] In NY: 19th - 30th Nov
Ha ha ha ha. Randomly I will be in NY from 19th - 22nd :) :) - divya On Thu, Nov 11, 2010 at 11:38 PM, Suresh Ramasubramanian sur...@hserus.net wrote: Folks, Its that time of the year where I am making some travel plans and am to be in New York from the 19th of this Month, till the 30th (I know its a bit of a bad timing around Thanksgiving). Interests are around startups, entrepreneurship, crazy ideas and anything else that goes over good food and wine. Not sure if the Silk list has folks from there, but if so, do ping, would love to catch up. Vijay -- --- The Blog: www.vijayanand.name Twitter: www.twitter.com/vijayanands Linkedin: www.linkedin.com/in/vijayanands
Re: [silk] Kindle your children?
On Thu, Oct 28, 2010 at 11:21 PM, Ashwin Kumar ashwi...@gmail.com wrote: someone mentioned color ? - http://goo.gl/RoDU this is tempting. ~ashwin The nook got universally bad reviews for their previous version. Will have to see what they bring to the new one. On Fri, Oct 29, 2010 at 2:14 AM, Mahesh Murthy mahesh.mur...@gmail.com wrote: Do we really need specialised devices? My 12-year old is an android geek and does all his reading, surfing, video watching and listening on his $200 Samsung Galaxy 3, where he downloads and stores all the books, videos and music that interests him. And Kindle is just another app on it. I cannot imagine taking in all that bright screens every day for more than 12 hours. The Kindle uses the e-ink so the screen has absolutely no brightness, it appears like a paper and you can only view it under the light. It makes the Kindle a much better device for reading. I do like that I can do focussed reading and not multi-task.
Re: [silk] Kindle your children?
I strongly think a kindle is not something a kid would warm up to. As a kid (3-9), I really loved books with illustrations a lot more than text heavy books. I think a kindle will not be as interesting as a graphic book at that age. But, for someone who is 14 and above a Kindle would be a good addition. Also, the only book I have bought in one month of owning a kindle is The Girl Who Kicked The Hornests Nest. I dont think books are the attraction for me with the kindle - it is the ability to read long-form articles on the web that I find hard to read on my laptop or desktop. There is, of course, the added advantage of ePub books from, ahem, trusted sources, working remarkably well on the Kindle. I bought a kindle last-minute for a trip to Australia, and it has served me very well there (mainly as my sole means of checking email and twitter). Those who have the propensity to buy books (as opposed to borrowing from library) would be the people for whom a Kindle would be of greatest benefit as a book reader. I am glad I have an awesome library nearby so I do not have to do this, so Kindle has become the device I use to read with focus. - divya
Re: [silk] Kindle your children?
On Thu, Oct 28, 2010 at 11:22 AM, Thaths tha...@gmail.com wrote:. How about well-written applications on the iPad? I saw this awesome version of Alice in Wonderland including illustrations on the iPad that looked visually beautiful and had excellent UI (sort-of like pop-up books). It does look good, but I don't think an iPad has the strength to withstand being a child's toy (Kindle does I think). As a child, I was delighted to be able to trace these illustrations, or tear them and stick them into my scrapbooks. I am surely outdated by now, but I think these shouldn't be replaced with a kindle or an e-book reader :(
Re: [silk] Kindle your children?
On Thu, Oct 28, 2010 at 6:33 PM, Deepa Mohan mohande...@gmail.com wrote: I don't have an iPad or Kindle or Nook...you mean, they don't have many books with illustrations? It is hard to read an illustration heavy book like Tintin or Asterix. It needs a touchscreen for comics to be readable.
Re: [silk] Kindle your children?
On Thu, Oct 28, 2010 at 9:32 PM, ss cybers...@gmail.com wrote: My uncle Google tells me that Kindle currently displays only 16 shades of grey. I am a serious reader of heavy books and get caled to do book reviews now and then. For that I make *copious* notes and annotations. It that possible on the Kindle? There are facilities to annotate and create notes. However, you are limited by the keyboard that is available. The keys are tiny for anyone who has average to large fingers (I don't!) It is possible that you might get used to the keyboard and type as fast as you do on your desktop keyboard (but this requires use of different set of fingers so it might take a while). What I really like is the feature to see popular annotations. Sometimes, you wonder what it is that made people note a certain line. Or be enlightened. Either way it is food for thought.
Re: [silk] Dogs can detect bed bugs!
I had a bedbug issue in my apartment in seattle and I can confidently say it is hogwash. They had this so-called bedbug detecting dog in, and it detected the bed bug exactly in the room where we moved the bed to AFTER we detected the bugs in the other room. The dog detected no bug in the other room which was the original source of the bugs. The dog did not even detect bugs IN the bed frame that I found and killed. But the point was, it confirmed the existence of the bed bugs and then they brought in some sort of heating system that heated the apartment to more than 120F or something that kills those bugs. At least the bed bugs went away after that. The bed bug source was found to be the other apartment (coz they had travelled recently). But it seems the dog simply confirmed whatever suspicion the humans have. Deepak should have more to say on that as he saw the dog at work. - divya On Sat, Aug 28, 2010 at 3:22 AM, Deepa Mohan mohande...@gmail.com wrote: Could not resist sharing this: Journal of Economic Entomology 101(4):1389-1396. 2008 Ability of Bed Bug-Detecting Canines to Locate Live Bed Bugs and Viable Bed Bug Eggs Margie Pfiester1, Philip G. Koehler, Roberto M. Pereira Department of Entomology, Building 970 Natural Area Drive, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL 32611–0620 1Corresponding author, e-mail: inse...@ufl.edu. Abstract The bed bug, Cimex lectularius L., like other bed bug species, is difficult to visually locate because it is cryptic. Detector dogs are useful for locating bed bugs because they use olfaction rather than vision. Dogs were trained to detect the bed bug (as few as one adult male or female) and viable bed bug eggs (five, collected 5–6 d after feeding) by using a modified food and verbal reward system. Their efficacy was tested with bed bugs and viable bed bug eggs placed in vented polyvinyl chloride containers. Dogs were able to discriminate bed bugs from Camponotus floridanus Buckley, Blattella germanica (L.), and Reticulitermes flavipes (Kollar), with a 97.5% positive indication rate (correct indication of bed bugs when present) and 0% false positives (incorrect indication of bed bugs when not present). Dogs also were able to discriminate live bed bugs and viable bed bug eggs from dead bed bugs, cast skins, and feces, with a 95% positive indication rate and a 3% false positive rate on bed bug feces. In a controlled experiment in hotel rooms, dogs were 98% accurate in locating live bed bugs. A pseudoscent prepared from pentane extraction of bed bugs was recognized by trained dogs as bed bug scent (100% indication). The pseudoscent could be used to facilitate detector dog training and quality assurance programs. If trained properly, dogs can be used effectively to locate live bed bugs and viable bed bug eggs.
Re: [silk] Fwd: [qfi] Chennai invite-book launch
I am leaving at 6am on 28th morning to BLR :'( On Wed, May 19, 2010 at 4:02 PM, Suresh Ramasubramanian sur...@hserus.net wrote: Samanth is a good friend - and writes some very fishy stories indeed - as you can see from this excerpt - http://www.livemint.com/2010/05/14211205/Shaaaping-in-God8217s-own-l.html I'd say silkmeet #2 if everybody else (Divya etc) is in town on the 28th? suresh Original Message Subject: [qfi] Chennai invite-book launch Date: Wed, 19 May 2010 15:42:03 +0530 From: GOPAL KIDAO gopal.ki...@vsnl.com To: 'qfi' q...@yahoogroups.com Dear Members, Its not very often that we have a quizzer write a book and in this case the author is among the best quizzers in India. What's more-he will discuss the book with India's best quizmaster, Dr. Navin Jayakumar. Be there to get all the fundas!! Here's Samanth's invite.. Hello! My first book, Following Fish: Travels Around the Indian Coast, will launch in Chennai on Friday, May 28, at the Landmark bookstore in Nungambakkam. (The official Penguin invite is attached.) If you're in Chennai on the day, it would be great if you could make it. I promise it'll be something more substantial than me simply reading sections out of the book; I will be in conversation with Dr. Navin Jayakumar, renowned quizmaster and a highly engaging host. The book has now been in the making for two-and-a-half years, and I'm looking forward most to the Chennai launch -- the homecoming, so to speak. Please feel free to forward this invitation to absolutely ANYbody who you think might be interested in the event or the book (parents / spouses / mistresses / children / friends / distant relatives / mediapeople). It's completely open house, and we welcome all comers. The bigger the posse you bring, the better. Hope to see you next Friday. Thanks! Samanth Yahoo! Groups Links * To visit your group on the web, go to: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/qfi/ * Your email settings: Individual Email | Traditional * To change settings online go to: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/qfi/join (Yahoo! ID required) * To change settings via email: qfi-dig...@yahoogroups.com qfi-fullfeatu...@yahoogroups.com * To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to: qfi-unsubscr...@yahoogroups.com * Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to: http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/
Re: [silk] Chennai Silk Meet May 23rd?
On Fri, May 14, 2010 at 12:10 PM, Udhay Shankar N ud...@pobox.com wrote: Just pick a place and we will meet there. Cafe Ashvita then! :)
[silk] Chennai Silk Meet May 23rd?
Hi people, The Almighty Udhay is going to be in Chennai on May 23rd and I thought it would be a good time to renew my plea (request) for a meetup in Chennai. I am clueless on what constitutes good place for conversation + food, and am hoping Chennai residents will suggest a place and time. I would prefer lunch/coffee than dinner. - divya
Re: [silk] Silk Meet?
Yes Saturday would work, but I need to get back by 9.30pm :/ On Mon, May 3, 2010 at 8:48 AM, Udhay Shankar N ud...@pobox.com wrote: Xxxrum wrote, [on 5/3/2010 4:58 PM]: Can this happen on Saturday evening 8th instead? Schedule conflict !! Works for me. What about the others? I count (including backchannel communication) Madhu Divya Meera Vinayak Pranesh Savita (?) Venky (?) Biju (?) apart from you and I. Please speak up - does Saturday evening work for you? Udhay -- ((Udhay Shankar N)) ((udhay @ pobox.com)) ((www.digeratus.com))
Re: [silk] Silk Meet?
On Thu, Apr 29, 2010 at 11:10 PM, Xxxrum xxx...@yahoo.com wrote: Yes of course.come by and check it out.99% complete by tommorrow Yay! Bangalore meetup all set at 7th May at Jaaga? 7pm?
[silk] Silk Meet?
Hi peoples I am on my annual pilgrimage to the sub-continent and as usual would love to meet you all and have interesting conversation! So, here is when I will be where: Bangalore: 6th - 8th May 2010 Chennai: 14th May - 30th May 2010 Do let me know if we can have a silk-meet at (preferably) both/one location! - divya
Re: [silk] Silk Meet?
On Thursday, April 29, 2010, Krish Ashok krishas...@gmail.com wrote: On 30-Apr-2010, at 8:18 AM, Suresh Ramasubramanian wrote: Can do one on a sunday, madras no calendar in front of me, do suggest a date! Also suggest location. I am clueless about that.
Re: [silk] Generalized mailing list thread
Obligatory this is epic comment. (no excuses for top-post) On Wed, Mar 31, 2010 at 10:45 AM, Charles Haynes charles.hay...@gmail.com wrote: Accidental top-post [sent from my smart phone] -- Charles On Thu, Apr 1, 2010 at 2:34 AM, Udhay Shankar N ud...@pobox.com wrote: Thaths wrote, [on 3/31/2010 6:47 PM]: This tautological thread is tautological. Obligatory .sig: Pronoun verb article noun preposition article noun adjective noun verb. -- ((Udhay Shankar N)) ((udhay @ pobox.com)) ((www.digeratus.com))
Re: [silk] The silliness and corruptness of Indian media
On 3/6/10 11:08 PM, ashok _ listmans...@gmail.com wrote: Sorry, just catching up on older emails. But I am curious, what would you expect in an objective photograph ? Wars, famines, child soldiers, suicide bombers etc are usually results of irrational, subjective reasoning of a narrow group of interests or people . You cannot have an objective view of an event that isn't objective to start with -- there are no grounds for objectivity. What you practically get is different subjective views ... to arrive at your own conclusions... My thoughts here: http://nimbupani.com/the-danger-of-story.html
Re: [silk] The silliness and corruptness of Indian media
On 3/2/10 2:38 AM, Srini RamaKrishnan che...@gmail.com wrote: On Tue, Mar 2, 2010 at 5:10 AM, Udhay Shankar N ud...@pobox.com wrote: I don't have any A Priori objection to activism activism. I *do* take serious exception to _dishonesty_ masquerading as jounalism - whether it is Sainath, Tom Friedman or Arundhati Roy. *Almost* all journalism is of this kind, the rarer form that is actually objective is almost never found, a few of that kind wins Pulitzer Prizes, but almost all of them have an axe to grind and write eloquently about their pet theory. I especially hate photo journalists who show pictures of torture, babies dying of hunger while vulture waits nearby, etc. They are meant to titillate and blind us with excess anger and fury. After seeing those pictures, we can never have an objective opinion about the evil men who are the cause for such atrocities. What I have realised is that every human being is as capable of those exact atrocities. It does not take an evil person to do it, just you and me with an extra push (or for some none at all). For all you care, these titillating pictures might be sufficient to turn us into violent zombies with intention to crush/kill the perpetrators. /end rant
Re: [silk] The silliness and corruptness of Indian media
You cannot interpret facts without adopting a subjective opinion - however slight. Yes, the very act of interpreting should mean you consider the context for why the act occurred, which means you hear from both sides of the story the perceived aggressor and the victim. Not all stories are black and white as a robbery or rape. a few of that kind wins Pulitzer Prizes, Palagummi Sainath - 2007 Ramon Magsaysay Award for journalism Tomas Friedman - Order of the British Empire Arundhati Roy - Booker Prize, 1997 Please give me some examples of objective journalism that you'd like to see more of, and who in your opinion is a model journalist? Almost all of these stories: http://www.amazon.com/New-Kings-Nonfiction-Ira-Glass/dp/1594482675 It is your responsibility to choose how you interpret facts - the authors and journalists are just interpretive aids. Authors and journalists are not aids to facts, but our *sources* of facts. Wikipedia, or any other encyclopedia or book use these articles/books as sources. Very few people think of questioning every article they read (especially if it agrees with their world view). And there is no such category of journalists called interpretive journalists. All human beings interpret, so do journalists. But journalists, by nature of their profession, should question every decision or opinion they form about the nature of the article they are writing and provide the reader with as much context so that the reader can form their own opinion. A biased article provides a biased opinion. I don't understand the search for objectivity in individuals - I don't believe it's possible. Exactly, which is why we can never be objective when faced with atrocities. Emotive events like looking at a picture of a child dying of hunger invoke ideas that are already in our heads. Agreed, every picture can invoke opinions of a world-view that is formed in our head. But that is precisely the issue, that you form an opinion without knowing the context of the story, or what led to it. [In World War II] the best showing that could be made...was that one man in four had made at least some use of his firepower. — S.L.A. Marshall, 1947 I am not talking about just war, but genocide, the kinds that occurred in Germany, Armenia, Rwanda, India, US, Australia, Sri Lanka, etc. Almost no country has been *peaceful* without having violent acts committed against people that are different and in minority as compared to some other people. But then, it is just my opinion. BTW, can this thread gently drift back to the topic I originally started? It's easy to beat up on individuals and their reporting style, but I was hoping there'd be some debate on the larger issue at hand. Ha, I will stop here then :) But just saying, that article is not sufficient to form an opinion on Indian Media's activities.
Re: [silk] The silliness and corruptness of Indian media
On 3/2/10 9:24 AM, Thaths tha...@gmail.com wrote: Before you write off photojournalists as manipulators out just tug at your heartstrings with a hidden agenda, you should read about what happened to the photographer who took the iconic photograph of that starving child with a hovering vulture nearby. http://www.mukto-mona.com/Articles/kevin_carter/sudan_child.htm I have read it. It actually proves my point of how we cannot be objective when you see such atrocities. But I would be wary to think the photographer committed suicide because of being in such a warzone. I have not come across any evidence of that.
Re: [silk] The silliness and corruptness of Indian media
On 3/2/10 9:24 AM, Thaths tha...@gmail.com wrote: Before you write off photojournalists as manipulators out just tug at your heartstrings with a hidden agenda, you should read about what happened to the photographer who took the iconic photograph of that starving child with a hovering vulture nearby. http://www.mukto-mona.com/Articles/kevin_carter/sudan_child.htm Sorry, to be clear, the suicide note includes other things too: depressed . . . without phone . . . money for rent . . . money for child support . . . money for debts . . . money!!! . . . I am haunted by the vivid memories of killings corpses anger pain . . . of starving or wounded children, of trigger-happy madmen, often police, of killer executioners . . . And then this: I have gone to join Ken if I am that lucky. But you have triggered me to think about my pet topic of The Danger of a Story [1][2]. [1] http://blog.ted.com/2009/10/the_danger_of_a.php [2] http://tedxmidatlantic.com/live/#TylerCowen
Re: [silk] Heard outside the Basavanagudi NRI association
On Wed, Feb 3, 2010 at 8:57 PM, ss cybers...@gmail.com wrote: Bengalooru Blahnteru (Secretly taped snappy snippets of day to day Benglur talku) http://bengaloorubanter.blogspot.com/search/label/Audio Blog This is the correct URL: http://bengaloorubanter.blogspot.com/search/label/Audio%20Blog
Re: [silk] Engineers of Jihad
On 1/11/10 8:47 PM, Thaths tha...@gmail.com wrote: On Tue, Jan 12, 2010 at 3:37 PM, Suresh Ramasubramanian sur...@hserus.net wrote: Thaths wrote: http://www.nuff.ox.ac.uk/users/gambetta/Engineers%20of%20Jihad.pdf Bah. Almost everybody in the developing world gets himself an engineering / science degree rather than an arts degree because it¹s a passport to a stable job. The authors normalized their data by correcting for varying levels of enrollment in engineering programs and got similar results. Any study that attempts to explain the randomness of human lives goes straight into my Bullshit folder these days. There are way too many variables for this study to be anything other than a thought experiment.
Re: [silk] Ignite
On 1/9/10 5:26 AM, Srini RamaKrishnan che...@gmail.com wrote: A 5 minute talk is harder IMO to pull off than a longer one. But you make it sound like an evening outing, I am confused. I saw the first youtube video on the website and I don't have the appetite to watch anymore. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eHtmF9xODp0 Ignite was first started in Seattle and it happens every quarter here with a huge turnout. The talks are partly entertaining, partly inspiring, partly food for thought. It is very hard to speak when the slide moves automatically every 15 seconds. Not all talks are great, but some are really good: there is one about lego, and another about how a guy found success building an iphone app (videos should be there on ignite site). It is definitely not TED, it is a light-hearted gathering of geeks who share, through Ignite, what they are passionate about in 5 minutes. Regards, Divya
Re: [silk] Why is Indian English so floral?
On Tue, Nov 24, 2009 at 10:25 AM, Thaths tha...@gmail.com wrote: I do love hyper loquaciousness (sp?) in principle (c.f., Wodehouse, P.G.). However, these particular ones are somehow archaic, chintzy and even awkward. You have, er, hit the nail on the head. English is taught using old, archaic texts (some schools still teach Shakespeare for non-detailed text). Wren and Martin is still standard issue grammar, and kids are still being taught to write a letter. The more floral, the better it is. I think the major issue is lack of teachers. Teaching is such a critical job, but those who are teachers get barely any benefits. Most people are now keen to leave India for, erm, greener pastures. I have had at least two amazing teachers who did so, and this was in the early 90s - I am sure the deluge is much bigger now. Those who are left behind are those who use floral language.
Re: [silk] Why is Indian English so floral?
On 11/24/09 8:27 PM, ss cybers...@gmail.com wrote: But is is only Indians who seek to mimic a particular variant of spoken English and virtually haul over the coals other Indians who are unable to conform. Shiv, you are right to an extent. My pain point is when it becomes so floral that the meaning is lost in the maze of words. I am always point blank in my speech and (hopefully) in my writing, so it annoys me when I need to spend more than a minute analyzing what someone wrote. But, I have always been a member of Simple English campaign, so I am ready to haul over anyone who uses floral language (be it Indian, American, Irish, Welsh, or Alien). fractal recursivity. AWESOME PHRASE!
Re: [silk] Any tips on getting a helper
On 11/14/09 10:24 AM, ashok _ listmans...@gmail.com wrote: Can anyone recommend a professional home cleaning service who can come and thorough job once a month ? I dont mind paying above market rates I am just curious why it is so hard in cities to find professional labor despite being willing to pay above market rates. Is it because the smart ones have already moved on to better paying jobs, and those left are those who are unwilling to work? Singaporean maid market, on the contrary, is excellent (mostly). Though, I do think the maids do not get as much as they should, but they are professional and their cleaning is really an art.
[silk] Any tips on getting a helper
Folks My grandma is 78 and is quite fragile. She has already fractured her bones twice and docs have advised it better not happen again. My mom had employed a sort-of nurse who used sleep next to her in the night and give her bath once she wakes up and wash dishes/sweep house for extra money. But this person quit suddenly protesting my mom's insistence that she come on time. So, I know these kinds of requests are frowned upon, but I am at my wit's end here. My mom says the Hospital which sent the original helper says our house is too far (Adyar) to send people to and we might not get any replacement. Has anyone in had any experience with getting someone like this? My mom is willing to pay 4K INR per month (is that too low/high?). Regards, Divya
Re: [silk] Any tips on getting a helper
On 11/3/09 1:36 AM, Deepa Mohan mohande...@gmail.com wrote: Divya, what you could do is to go to Malar hospital and ask to talk to the nurses and get some leads. Well...you probably have already done this, but your mother will have to put up with a full-time live-in help.The visiting sort are just NOT reliable enough, as you have found. Thanks! Ah, I guess my mom is not trusting enough to put up with a full-time live-in help. But I will try to convince her. Otherwise, you might have to go to Kerala to get one of the Kottayam nurses, or get a nursing attendant from one of the smaller hospitals. Not a great solution, but at least your mother will be able to cope. U mean as a full-time nurse? Interesting, you mean we can do that by just walking into hospitals and talking to nurses? Getting a woman to help out is that much more difficult Yeah, so it seems like! The ones who do the visiting behave like we are obligated to them and are completely unprofessional. Let me know how things shape up. Believe me, I am very concerned for you. Thanks, you have given me great suggestions I can try! Will let you know how it went. Regards, Divya
Re: [silk] For Googlers
On Wed, Oct 14, 2009 at 9:09 AM, Srini RamaKrishnan che...@gmail.com wrote: Sorry, I handed out all the ones I had - mostly to people on this list, so Udhay, Sirtaj, Divya to name a few benefactors might have their quota to hand out. My quota got over within seconds. :(
Re: [silk] Ombaba gets Nobel peace
On Fri, Oct 9, 2009 at 9:22 AM, Deepa Mohan mohande...@gmail.com wrote: Exactly what I think. And...I think that reducing the stature of the person whom a prize is given to reduces the stature of the prize itself. Mother Teresa...yes. Obama...no. NOT in the same league. I wonder why such a furore did not occur when Al Gore won the Peace Prize? After all, his efforts also were a miracle of good public speaking and some good administration. - divya
Re: [silk] Ombaba gets Nobel peace
On Fri, Oct 9, 2009 at 9:39 AM, Deepa Mohan mohande...@gmail.com wrote: Four comments on silk is not = furore! :) No, I meant outside of Silk too, not just within it!
Re: [silk] Gender on Silk
On 10/3/09 10:18 PM, ss cybers...@gmail.com wrote: To be fair Indian women too are often guilty of this - a least in my personal experience. I have found friends and collegues beginning to imagine that I am about to express lewd thoughs or tell a dirty joke when nothing of the sort is likely. And of course the ubiquitous and unconscious so called wrist sign where the woman brings her hand up to her face in an ostensibly needless gesture that is actually intended to cover a bare neck and imaginary cleavage from prying eyes. But here Indian women have a pallu/dupatta that they pull across the area when they feel that the pink elephant has squares on his mind. I am guilty of this as well. I do the pallu/hand cover/other methods since any (un)intentional display of the cleavage is considered slutty and a desperate measure to seduce a male within 4 feet perimeter.
Re: [silk] Gender on Silk
On 10/3/09 9:25 PM, ss cybers...@gmail.com wrote: So why not move with the times and call a boob a boob and not consider it a booboo to do that? Nothing like Shiv calling a Ball a er..ball. I wholeheartedly agree. Meanwhile, I still find (my stereotyped view of course) attitude of Indian men lecherous and disgusting (more so the ³educated² ones). For some reason I have always tied this with their attitudes on religion, caste, and economics and ignored it. But, I hate it that I need to wear salwaar kameez with a dupatta when visiting relatives, as though my breasts are that intimidating. And the stupid giggling and avoiding the issue of sex. Pisses me off. End rant.
Re: [silk] Silk-meet in BLR (Oct 17-21)
Adding silk-lurker Deepak Jois to the list: Divya Freeman Udhay Kiran Karthikeyan Vinayak Hegde Venkat Pranesh Deepak Jois
Re: [silk] only one alternative? (was has the time come to move away from google?)
On Thu, Oct 1, 2009 at 4:21 AM, Giancarlo Livraghi g...@gandalf.it wrote: Any words of wisdom? I google mainly for webdesign/tech information which I think delicious.com covers very well. I use it like a curated search engine, but their search could be a LOT better than what they offer currently. delicious is awful for anything else.
[silk] Silk-meet in BLR (Oct 17-21)
Hellow all Udhay asked me to ³scream² about a SILK MEET here, so here I am trying to politely SCREAM. I will be in Bangalore from Oct 17th to Oct 21st. Would love to meet whoever will be around at that time. I will be located in HSR Layout, but can travel to whatever Bangalore deems ³downtown². Regards, Divya
Re: [silk] Silk-meet in BLR (Oct 17-21)
On 9/30/09 8:58 PM, Udhay Shankar N ud...@pobox.com wrote: On Thu, Oct 1, 2009 at 9:25 AM, Biju Chacko biju.cha...@gmail.com wrote: I'm available except on weekdays when I work for my employer and weekends when I work for my wife. Twilight on Friday evening? Are we talking of Hiranyakashipu Or Biju? :P
Re: [silk] Manchurian
On Fri, Sep 25, 2009 at 9:57 AM, Thaths tha...@gmail.com wrote: Actually, Suraiya is wrong on at least this front. Probably comes from being computer-illiterate and being proud of it http://www.timesnow.tv/Debate-Whats-the-big-deal-about-Tharoors-tweet/videoshow/4327575.cms - divya
Re: [silk] And all the yankees go OM!
On 8/20/09 9:10 PM, Kiran K Karthikeyan kiran.karthike...@gmail.com wrote: I assure you I had no such intent. My reason for posting it was simply to see what silklisters thought could be the reason/motivation for this quite significant change in religious thought among Americans. I go all weird when reasons/motivations are attributed to all Americans or all Indians or all whatever segmentation of humanity. I think anything can be extrapolated to make it seem like a majority believe in it.
Re: [silk] And all the yankees go OM!
On 8/20/09 10:20 PM, Kiran K Karthikeyan kiran.karthike...@gmail.com wrote: Your derision for the science of statistics notwithstanding :), to me it does seem interesting. I have great respect for that science. I have no derision for it. It is good to know the numbers, but not stereotype people just because of it. Note how According to a 2008 Pew Forum survey, 65 percent of us believe that many religions can lead to eternal lifeincluding 37 percent of white evangelicals, the group most likely to believe that salvation is theirs alone is very different from just being tolerant of other religions because you don't believe in God in the first place. We have no idea why people said what they did in response to the survey. Perhaps they had a different interpretation of the question. Did they have enough time? And I have no idea how that survey was conducted. For all you care, it might have been the idiotic SMS y 567888 for YES kind of surveys too. I am very skeptical of any survey of decisions by human beings unless it is conducted over a long period of time and takes into account enough variables that might affect the survey. OTOH, I am quite willing to trust surveys that measure facts where people cant lie or choose the closest statement that matches their thoughts.
Re: [silk] Anybody know where to get Mysore Concerns coffee in madras?
On 7/30/09 8:31 PM, ss cybers...@gmail.com wrote: I have (home delivered) freshly ground coffee called Mysore nuggets from Kalmane coffee in Jayanagar. It costs a bomb - @ Rs 220 for 500 grams, but I like coffee minus chicory and use only a cappucino maker that typically extracts almost twice as much flavor per gram than a coffee filter. And then again - we all just have the one cup in the mornings and generally no coffee for the rest of the day. My gawd. If you have any more, I think you will be an insomniac for a year (if you survive not being hungry that is). -- I blog at http://nimbupani.com/blog
Re: [silk] on being a bit of an idiot
On 7/20/09 7:07 PM, Deepa Mohan mohande...@gmail.com wrote: We also have the culture of kill-the-messenger...the person who proves you an idiot is, in a reflex reaction, proved to be an idiot hesself, and hence, incapable of passing judgement on us or our work. The not-so-good-friend who says pleasant things (or even damns with faint praise) gets away with it, and is, indeed, appreciated for hes compliments. Each of us prides ourselves on, and is vain about, something..intelligence, looks, breeding, wealth, connections, power...and it's difficult to take when one is exposed as a fool. I have had narrow escapes of being called an ass and pride myself for not being called out yet - in mailing lists at least! (and hopefully won't be with this post). I do smirk when I see an idiotic post or people making, ahem, cardinal sins of email etiquettes. Mostly because, this soothes my ego that I may not be the most successful person among my peers/acquaintances, but at least I am not as bad as THAT guy. Which means, even though my life might be miserable, there is someone whose life is worse! And I also think, we are all caught out as idiots very early in life - that experience probably still rankles most people and hence they don't want to go through that again. - divya -- I blog at http://nimbupani.com/blog
Re: [silk] Is voter ignorance killing democracy?
On 7/8/09 5:53 PM, Charles Haynes charles.hay...@gmail.com wrote: It's not difficult to imagine, what is difficult to imagine is that it will improve things. Literacy requirements (for example) have been tried in the past. The actual effect is to disenfranchise minorities and lower classes (even more than before.) Further, once a privileged class gets into power it's rare that they relinquish it voluntarily. So your at least for a few years is a chimera. Old people want to restrict the vote to more mature voters. Rich people want to restrict the vote to self sufficient or propertied voters. Technical people want to restrict the vote to educated voters. Incumbents want to restrict the vote to generous voters. Isn't this what exactly brahmins were doing in Indian Bureaucracy till about 20 years ago (or probably are still doing in some areas)?
Re: [silk] Burnout
On Mon, Jun 1, 2009 at 7:36 AM, Kiran Jonnalagaddaj...@pobox.com wrote: I figured the only way to remain sane was by joining the mainstream and leading an unhurried life. If this puts me in the category of those people who are mysteriously of lower productivity when in India, so be it. The price of added productivity is not worth it. I'd rather be unhurried and focus on doing something meaningful. Sorry for flogging a dead horse, but I do want to add my rant about India. I left India at 16 and do not get to experience the day to day troubles of living in India. But it amazes me that living in India can be summed up in a slogan: adjust please. My parents are middle-aged and taking care of my grand mother who can hardly walk. With the searing heat in Chennai, there are constant power cuts and voltage fluctuations. So the fridge stops working. Electrician, does not come immediately, but comes when he pleases. There is no competition but just one or two electricians covering a beat. He fixes it but the voltage stabilizer he has installed does not work after he leaves. So he comes back, in his own sweet time, and fixes it AGAIN. The Cable TV randomly shows channels as and when they want to show. My dad wanted to see the T20, and the channels go missing. Calls go unanswered. Then after 4 days of repeated calls, someone deigns to come to my place and fix the cable TV. Every freaking electricity connection is loose. Move the computer / mixie / coffee maker / TV a little bit and the power goes off on that machine. My sister-in-law bought an iMac and it has the same blasted loose connection. People are never on time - or never bother to inform if they are coming or not. Nobody says No or even Yes. I had so much trouble managing one of the employees of an outsourcing outfits. He seemed to understand, but never did what was asked. But, it seems to be the case otherwise. My sister-n-law seems to have the same problem interacting with ppl at her work place. One guy (an experienced senior) who was fired seems to be hell bent on making her resign from her job (she did resign eventually, but for different reasons). I know it is not a problem in India alone. But this has been my experience in India. I doubt if I can get even 10% of the usual stuff I get done here, in India. I don't really look forward to living in India but I would have to at some point in the future to take care of my parents. Sigh.
Re: [silk] Why have Indian exit polls been so off lately?
On 5/17/09 9:10 PM, ss cybers...@gmail.com wrote: If you take a country that is wholly Christian in ethos, lighting up an entire street with a string of lights, playing loud devotional music and pulling around a chariot with an idol of Ganesha accompanied by incredibly loud drums at 10 PM would offend enough sensibities to make it a law and order issue. The government of the land will have to take a stand and take one side and say whether this is acceptable or not as per the existing laws. Again, this sort of public act is not allowed in most islamic countries. Should it be allowed in India or not? Would a complaint that such a public act of devotion by Hindus in a public space offends Muslim or Christian sensibilities be a valid reason for judging such acts in india? If such acts are allowed, is India secular? My opinion is offending anyone's sensibilities is not an inviolable human right. By that manner, non-vegetarians eating near some vegetarians offend some vegetarian's sensibilities. On the other hand, anyone inciting anybody else, or dehumanising some people is a threat to secularism and should be stopped. I think a similar issue cropped up in France[1]. Singapore is the other extreme where Muslims technically live in an Islamic nation, have Islamic rules. Anyone who is not a Muslim is prohibited from marrying one / all food products have Halal certifications / court cases are judged on Sharia laws if all parties are Muslim / Muslim kids mostly study in Madrassas / All major Islamic holidays are public holidays. All this is possible only because of a strong government which allows such deep divisions in society and yet function efficiently. Of course, any act in the interest of secularism will probably be projected by those adversely affected by it, as being in the interest of their opponents. I doubt India will ever get down to implementing such rules. [1] http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/europe/3325285.stm - divya -- I blog at http://nimbupani.com/blog
Re: [silk] Why have Indian exit polls been so off lately?
On 5/17/09 11:19 PM, Mahesh Murthy mahesh.mur...@gmail.com wrote: AFAIK, Singapore is NOT a Muslim nation. Perhaps you meant Malaysia. It is in Malaysia that Muslims can't marry non-Muslims. My cousin, a Malaysian Tamilian had to move to Singapore with his Malay Muslim girlfriend to marry her - where it's perfectly legal. Singapore follows Chinese, Western, Tamil and Muslim festivals. This is not true anymore. I got married in Singapore, and I distinctly remember there is a separate Muslim Registrar of Marriages for muslims. Here is the FAQ from Registrar of Marriages: http://app.customerfeedback.mcys.gov.sg/romm_faqmain.asp?strFaqSysid=2004119 14231strItemChoice=2004119134037strSubItemChoice=20041214145255action=SHO WTOPICSm_strTopicSysID=20041214145548#200411914231 Your cousin might have gotten married before the Women's charter came into effect. I do know singapore follows all festivals, but it gives a lot of freedom to practice your religion which goes above and beyond what any other non-islamic country provides to muslims. - divya -- I blog at http://nimbupani.com/blog
Re: [silk] Why have Indian exit polls been so off lately?
On 5/17/09 11:45 PM, Divya Manian divya.man...@gmail.com wrote: Your cousin might have gotten married before the Women's charter came into effect. I do know singapore follows all festivals, but it gives a lot of freedom to practice your religion which goes above and beyond what any other non-islamic country provides to muslims. When I said your religion, I meant any religion and not pointing fingers (sorry if it came across that way)!
Re: [silk] Why have Indian exit polls been so off lately?
On 5/17/09 5:00 PM, Suresh Ramasubramanian sur...@hserus.net wrote: but the terms you used are exclusively the province of the hindutva parties out here. I think it is ridiculous to censor words just because it is a jargon employed by some hardliners. Bharat is trying to present a view point that is most common among middle class Hindus. The least we can do is to listen to what he has to say. Anyhow, my opinion is India is not secular by virtue of action but only because of in-action. Congress is really just the lesser evil right now and not really a party committed to secularism (I don't think any party in India is).
[silk] Indian Men Living in U.S. Strike Out
Came across this, and found it too funny! http://online.wsj.com/article/SB123896998996190775.html Here is an extract: Given the difficulty in finding matches for Indians abroad, some matchmakers are now charging them more. Mr. Dave of Klassic Match charges a minimum fee of $100, versus $50 for candidates living in India. He charges more for specific requirements. For instance, he says some overseas Indians want a bride who is smart, fluent in English, and simultaneously, docile in the house. He says such women are now harder to find, so he bumps up his fees for some searches. I suspect this is satire, even the names of the marriage bureaus seem too fantastic! - divya http://nimbupani.com/blog
[silk] References for top posters
Found this in another mailing list, thought it might be helpful to the top posters here :) - How to Write Effective Mailing List Email http://www.digital-web.com/articles/how_to_write_effective_mailing_list_emai l/ - A Beginner's Guide to Effective Email http://www.webfoot.com/advice/email.top.php - Quoting style in newsgroup postings http://www.anta.net/misc/nnq/nquote.shtml - Problem Solving: Sending Messages in Plain Text http://helpdesk.rootsweb.com/listadmins/plaintext.html - Godwin's law http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Godwin%27s_law
Re: [silk] Twitter users
On 3/17/09 10:28 AM, Priyanka Sachar priyan...@gmail.com wrote: 2009/3/17 Chandrachoodan Gopalakrishnan chandrachoo...@gmail.com Twitter is perfect if you want quick conversations and instant answers to questions. It is less of a blogging medium for me than, say, flickr is. Twitter seems so easy to use, but becomes very dangerous when you post your thoughts uncensored. I used to have twitter as a friend on IM which shows you messages from your followers and you can post your message too. I had made many mistakes of wrongly typing in a message meant for someone else into the twitter public domain (and getting unfollowed by people in protest!). I am now attempting an experiment with a private twitter account - where I follow and get followed only by people I know. I can be more free here, but the bottom line is twitter now owns my thought - which seems scary on reflection! http://twitter.com/nimbupani
Re: [silk] Twitter users
On 3/17/09 10:53 AM, Bonobashi bonoba...@yahoo.co.in wrote: Hmmm. So are the Indian posters keeping this activity as one of the last things at night? Presumably the Amriki and other ones are doing the same. I check in whenever I am in between tasks at work.
Re: [silk] Tribal Dance
On 3/16/09 7:57 PM, Charles Haynes charles.hay...@gmail.com wrote: I disagree. While this may have been true in the past, with the advent of electronic communities, I think you will find tribe-like groupings that have nothing to do with blood, or physical proximity. The question that started this discussion for example - is Silklist a tribe? Personally I don't think so, I think it's a looser association, but I think there are true tribal groupings in online communities. The question to me is, what are the essential elements of a tribe? Are urban gangs tribes? I think it's clear they are - so blood would not appear to be a requirement. What aspect of tribalism makes geographic proximity a requiement for tribe? Actually, if you notice, almost all online phenomenons end up having an offline counter parts in meetups (tweetups, flickr meetups, etc). I think physical interaction is important to a tribe - be it online or offline.
Re: [silk] A question of density and weight...
On 3/14/09 8:55 AM, Gautam John gkj...@gmail.com wrote: And it seems wrong. While helium might possibly be less dense and lighter than what you're shipping, will it reduce the weight of the package? See: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lighter_than_air
Re: [silk] What is Indian culture?
On 3/10/09 8:38 PM, lukhman_khan lukhman_k...@yahoo.com wrote: If divorces are becoming rampant, somehow the broken families will deal with themselves. The society will also find a way. The people whose families broke will get along. (A breakup)? it will all be normal. Getting along is not the equivalent of a solution. Getting along is just a survival mechanism that kicks in, but not without shaping your thought process (which could affect you in other ways - not always positively). Shiv is holding on to the notion that the family setup should stay and nothing new can replace it. Can he? then, be accused of cognitive dissonance (incorrectly spelled?) I don't think there has been any good replacement for the family setup as you mentioned yet. People are at best coping. Divorce of parents always leaves some mark on children (which affects their perception of marriage and raising of kids - cant find link to this) and there is no best way yet to eliminate it.
Re: [silk] 'Sita sings the blues' - now online (legally)
On 2/28/09 8:19 AM, Tim Bray tb...@textuality.com wrote: On Fri, Feb 27, 2009 at 11:12 PM, Jai Iyer iyer@gmail.com wrote: Animator Nina Paley's much anticipated 'Sita sings the blues' is now online, for free viewing : http://www.thirteen.org/sites/reel13/blog/watch-sita-sings-the-blues-online/3 47/ That is *astounding*. Thank you. -T On that note, if you like the movie, you might want to contribute to get her out of Copyright Jail: http://www.questioncopyright.org/sita_distribution - divya
Re: [silk] US returnees wanted for interview
On 2/27/09 4:55 AM, Udhay Shankar N ud...@pobox.com wrote: From a reporter friend. Any ideas? He could talk to K Srikrishna: http://twitter.com/ksrikrishna He has a startup here and returned from the US about 2 years ago (I think). - divya
Re: [silk] [New Member]
On 2/17/09 3:00 AM, Jai Iyer iyer@gmail.com wrote: Known super powers include amazing autorickshaw-fu. -Jai Iyer http://iyermatter.wordpress.com Wow, the cartoons on the blog are amazing! Does autorickshaw-fu involve knowing the magic of haggling with auto drivers?
Re: [silk] Houston/Seattle
On 1/31/09 6:53 AM, Gautam John gkj...@gmail.com wrote: Anyone in the Seattle area? I'm there the 15th through the 20th of February. A meet-up? I live there with Deepak Jois (a lurker). We could discuss off list where and when. Regards, Divya
Re: [silk] Favourite books read in 2008
On Mon, Jan 12, 2009 at 5:57 AM, Udhay Shankar N ud...@pobox.com wrote: I'm trying to get some recommendations, and further disturb the balance of the TBR pile on my shelves. What were the best books you read last year? These are my favourites from what I read last year: 1. Kitchen by Banana Yoshimoto: A very slim book that gets to you about death and mourning. 2. The Ballard of Halo Jones by Alan Moore: I liked it better than Watchmen or V for Vendetta. 3. What is the What: A very shaking the foundation kind of book that you must read to understand what is happening in Sudan. 4. Good Omens: The Nice and Accurate Prophecies of Agnes Nutter, Witch by Neil Gaiman, Terry Pratchett: HILARIOUS! 5. The Pillow Book of Sei Shonagon by Sei Shonagon: I found myself dreaming of living in such palaces with such societies long after reading it (possibly appeals only to the romantics!) 6. Africa: A Biography of the Continent by John Reader: The best introduction you can get to Africa right from the origin of humans to the late 60s. 7.Lord of the Flies by William Golding: A very terrible but (I think) realistic view of humanity. 8. The In-between World of Vikram Lall by M. G. Vassanji: Story of the violent struggle for independence, the silent rise of corruption after that in Kenya through the eyes of a boy of Indian origin. - divya
Re: [silk] Bangalore meetup?
On 11/26/08 4:53 PM, Vinayak Hegde [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote: Time 7.00pm. Want to leave early. Even I could make it for the meet up. In Bangalore on 26th night. - Divya
Re: [silk] Bangalore meetup?
On 11/26/08 5:27 PM, Vinayak Hegde [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote: On Wed, Nov 26, 2008 at 2:47 PM, Divya Manian [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote: On 11/26/08 4:53 PM, Vinayak Hegde [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote: Time 7.00pm. Want to leave early. Even I could make it for the meet up. In Bangalore on 26th night. I did a quick poll here at foss.in. People have already committed for today 26th. 27th tomorrow seems to be convenient for everyone. Show of hands please so that we can book tables in advance. And I thought it was 27th of December! - divya
Re: [silk] When I Have The Time
Here is mine: 1. Learn swimming 2. Be consistent in working / out get a trainer to work out 3. Run a marathon 4. Become a full time illustrator. 5. Write at least 1 book (on any topic). 6. Travel all continents specially Africa. 7. Be the owner of a big (finger-in-many-pies) company (like Martha Stewart). 8. Read all my unread books which are in a list here ( http://www.bookjetty.com/people/nimbupani/books?category=wanted)
Re: [silk] Food and Empire
On 9/29/08 2:46 PM, Srini Ramakrishnan [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote:
I know of the South Indian Parotta as the Ceylon parotta or sometimes
the Kerala P{a,o}rotta. I speculate that this comes from the term
purattu in Tamil which means thrash about, which is roughly
similar to the process of making the Ceylon Parotta where the chef
wrestles and smacks the dough into submission.
Of course, this is merely speculation.
Not to mention the Malay version of it called Roti-Prata - does not taste
anywhere close to the South Indian version of Parotta.
Re: [silk] Food and Empire
On 9/27/08 11:57 PM, . [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote: In school, my Bong friend kept insisting he was a veggie, until his mother would stop our arguments with besides Bong's none else think so.. so too with Maharashtrian konkanastha brahmins who eat non-veg. I still dont grok how a fish-eater can call themselves a veggie, or maybe, their coastal region roots has something to do with it. I know a lot of coastal Americans call themselves vegetarian coz they eat only fish and no meat.
[silk] What is Enlightenment by Immanuel Kant
I am a philosophy newbie and came across this from Two Bits by Christopher M Kelty (it was cited a few months ago on Silk-list for its references to Silk-list). I couldnt resist enjoying what Mr. Kant has written about Immaturity. Here it is in full: IMMANUEL KANT An Answer to the Question: What is Enlightenment? (1784) Enlightenment is man's emergence from his self-imposed immaturity. Immaturity is the inability to use one's understanding without guidance from another. This immaturity is self-imposed when its cause lies not in lack of understanding, but in lack of resolve and courage to use it without guidance from another. Sapere Aude! [dare to know] Have courage to use your own understanding!--that is the motto of enlightenment. Laziness and cowardice are the reasons why so great a proportion of men, long after nature has released them from alien guidance (natura-liter maiorennes), nonetheless gladly remain in lifelong immaturity, and why it is so easy for others to establish themselves as their guardians. It is so easy to be immature. If I have a book to serve as my understanding, a pastor to serve as my conscience, a physician to determine my diet for me, and so on, I need not exert myself at all. I need not think, if only I can pay: others will readily undertake the irksome work for me. The guardians who have so benevolently taken over the supervision of men have carefully seen to it that the far greatest part of them (including the entire fair sex) regard taking the step to maturity as very dangerous, not to mention difficult. Having first made their domestic livestock dumb, and having carefully made sure that these docile creatures will not take a single step without the go-cart to which they are harnessed, these guardians then show them the danger that threatens them, should they attempt to walk alone. Now this danger is not actually so great, for after falling a few times they would in the end certainly learn to walk; but an example of this kind makes men timid and usually frightens them out of all further attempts. Thus, it is difficult for any individual man to work himself out of the immaturity that has all but become his nature. He has even become fond of this state and for the time being is actually incapable of using his own understanding, for no one has ever allowed him to attempt it. Rules and formulas, those mechanical aids to the rational use, or rather misuse, of his natural gifts, are the shackles of a permanent immaturity. Whoever threw them off would still make only an uncertain leap over the smallest ditch, since he is unaccustomed to this kind of free movement. Consequently, only a few have succeeded, by cultivating their own minds, in freeing themselves from immaturity and pursuing a secure course. But that the public should enlighten itself is more likely; indeed, if it is only allowed freedom, enlightenment is almost inevitable. For even among the entrenched guardians of the great masses a few will always think for themselves, a few who, after having themselves thrown off the yoke of immaturity, will spread the spirit of a rational appreciation for both their own worth and for each person's calling to think for himself. But it should be particularly noted that if a public that was first placed in this yoke by the guardians is suitably aroused by some of those who are altogether incapable of enlightenment, it may force the guardians themselves to remain under the yoke--so pernicious is it to instill prejudices, for they finally take revenge upon their originators, or on their descendants. Thus a public can only attain enlightenment slowly. Perhaps a revolution can overthrow autocratic despotism and profiteering or power-grabbing oppression, but it can never truly reform a manner of thinking; instead, new prejudices, just like the old ones they replace, will serve as a leash for the great unthinking mass. Nothing is required for this enlightenment, however, except freedom; and the freedom in question is the least harmful of all, namely, the freedom to use reason publicly in all matters. But on all sides I hear: Do not argue! The officer says, Do not argue, drill! The tax man says, Do not argue, pay! The pastor says, Do not argue, believe! (Only one ruler in the World says, Argue as much as you want and about what you want, but obey!) In this we have examples of pervasive restrictions on freedom. But which restriction hinders enlightenment and which does not, but instead actually advances it? I reply: The public use of one's reason must always be free, and it alone can bring about enlightenment among mankind; the private use of reason may, however, often be very narrowly restricted, without otherwise hindering the progress of enlightenment. By the public use of one's own reason I understand the use that anyone as a scholar makes of reason before the entire literate world. I call the private use of reason that which a person may make in a civic post or office that has been
Re: [silk] A Capital Idea
On 8/20/08 12:58 AM, Deepa Mohan [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote: That brings me to wonder, why capital letters came to be, at all...or, to be more precise, why there are capital and small letters, some of which actually look different from each other? Are there scripts other than the Roman, which have capital letters? Capital letters seem to be a way of distinguishing the word from the others in the sentence in some way...how do other scripts do this? mera naam krishna hai, mein punjaab sey aaya hoon seems perfect without the capitals It seems capital letters are the reserve of Latin-derived languages. Any of the Indian, Arabic, Chinese scripts don't seem to need them. Malay language uses the english script for its written form, hence uses capitalizations inherent in English. But there is no capitalization for the letter I. - divya
Re: [silk] Anarchy
On 7/23/08 4:17 PM, va [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote: Umm...According to a roshi/zen master, for people in India (and probably elsewhere) he/his statue represents the closest they get to God (this despite Buddha preaching an 8-fold path/concepts as against idol worship). In some Japanese temples (idols) there is no idol, whilst in almost every Indian Buddhist temple there is a statue. Not sure how/why it is so differently practiced across nations. Did I mention the intense difference of opinions, practice and customs between Theravada, Mahayana and Vajrayana followers... In Bangkok there is the statue of the Emerald Buddha - which is really tiny but is supposed to have great powers - up on the pedestal that reaches at least 10 meters high. Plus not to mention the huge gold Buddha that resides in another temple (the name escapes me). Buddhism is equivalent in these parts to Hinduism in terms of idol worship (of the Buddha). The majority of overseas visitors to these Bangkok temples are Japanese. - divya
Re: [silk] Did anyone else see the Dark Knight?
On 7/23/08 1:33 PM, Ashwin N [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote: The only Batman I knew was from the TV series too. This must be 10 years ago or earlier, I had nothing better to watch at that time slot and so I must've seen every single episode, a few times over. (Star Plus in India used to air it daily in the evening by repeating their seasons.) I now find the TV series silly, actually extremely silly. Coming from that I found Batman Begins to be okay and The Dark Knight good. TDK was just too long though. Same for me too. For a 10 year old nothing works better than eastman color baam! and biff! with multi-hued Joker and Riddler (and a very sexy catwoman). It is quite silly when I look at it now, but I think it was a great gripping series for kids! :)
Re: [silk] Intro
On 7/14/08 10:46 PM, Chandrachoodan Gopalakrishnan [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote: Who are the other SGers here? :-) Divya Balaji are in. Me, Ashwin K, Deepak Jois, Balaji Dutt AFAIK
Re: [silk] Another plea for help!
On 7/14/08 1:44 AM, Bharat Shetty [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote: So, how do you people manage when devouring and dissecting hordes of information which is up for grabs in today's globalized world ? Am I not managing Google reader categorizations well ? Am I missing something ? Am I not systematic in assimilation of the information ? I'd be most interested to know. I found categorizing my feeds into Daily, weekly and monthly works best for me. I don't mind reading different categories at one go. I once had about 800 feeds but I prune them at least once every six months and put the feeds to be pruned into a when I have time folder. Most of the time I never have time to read them and after a week I delete all the feeds in the when I have time folder. I subscribe to http://chrisblattman.blogspot.com/, http://whiteafrican.com/, http://www.kiwanja.net/ and http://twitter.com/maratriangle for my African development news. If anyone knows any other interesting blog on Africa, I am interested :) These days most of my daily subscriptions are http://friendfeed.com; items (I am at http://friendfeed.com/nimbupani). - divya
Re: [silk] Disadvantages of an Elite education
On 7/1/08 3:08 PM, Venkat Mangudi [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote: I drink, I used to smoke and I eat meat. Am I still considered a tambram? Did I say I love wine? :-) I find it very interesting and curious that we tambrams love to analyze ourselves to death. Non-tambram brothers and sisters[1] of India seem almost anonymous in their existence and rituals. Not even other language brahmins seem to have much to say about why they do what they do as much as the tamizh ones. [1] http://teck.in/school-days-and-pledge-india-is-my.html
Re: [silk] Adios Banana?
On 6/19/08 4:58 PM, ashok _ [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote: I think the article is a bit presumptuous to assume that its the end of the banana simply because a variety of banana eaten by americans is dying out because of the botanical equivalent of incest. i have never eaten or seen this 'cavendish'. Unfortunately this is the only banana variety we get in Singapore imported all the way from Philippines. Though I am not sure if Malaysia imports its Bananas. - divya
Re: [silk] Laptop procurement help
On 5/23/08 1:58 PM, Madhu Menon [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote: Kiran Jonnalagadda wrote: Tiger Airways is starting discount flights between Bangalore and Singapore from June 1. The price for a round trip is about Rs 10,500. Excluding taxes and fees, of course. I think it is including. Tiger Airways is known for its promos of SGD59 per ticket (approx. Rs.1800) without taxes. - divya
Re: [silk] One Laptop Per Hamster
On 4/24/08, Kiran Jonnalagadda [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote: Given how inexpensive these are, I'm looking forward to the improvements ASUS can come up with in a year. The 7-incher can affordably be retired to some corner of the home. Probably to the kitchen as a recipe manager/meal planner?
Re: [silk] One Laptop Per Hamster
On 4/23/08, Kiran Jonnalagadda [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote: What bugs me is the lack of a decent outliner on Linux. FreeMind is unusable on the small screen. I find it best useful for viewing PDFs or writing blog entries on the go - in a starbucks while sipping coffee. I have a pink one without the camera.
Re: [silk] Fwd: The lesser known aspects of kAmasutra and panchatantra
I wonder who brainwashes these relatives of ours. Probably their parents. And them? their parents again. Seems like a never ending cycle of brainwashing! On 4/15/08, Deepa Mohan [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote: What do you mean, AN aunt..I have whole hordes of relatives and friends whose only aim in life seems to be to prove How Wonderful We Indians Were (as Udhay would say, in Capital Letters.) - divya
Re: [silk] Very Novel Open Source Project
On 4/15/08, Udhay Shankar N [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote: Aiee! Von Neumann machines on the loose! Flee! Reminds me so much of Tintin and the lake of sharks[1] where Calculus invents a 3D duplication machine! divya [1] http://www.amazon.com/Tintin-Lake-Sharks-Herge/dp/1405206349/
Re: [silk] Governance and the Sclerosis That Has Set In
On 4/14/08, Badri Natarajan [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote: How do you design a bureaucracy that works? I've heard a lot of good things about Singaporean civil servants. Is the reputation justified? I believe they are very well paid..presumably that's one thing which sets them apart. I think more than well paid, the structure of the system itself lends to efficiency (or better than most countries). There is no payment in cash anywhere for any service (mostly it is through bank transfers called NETS using your ATM card). A lot of the loop is cut and there are customer service officers attending to your govt requests (e.g. getting a tax statement printed etc). I got my tax statement within 5 minutes. Moreover, the govt also is actively into pursuing the internet transactions to cut costs of labour and improve efficiency. You can start a company within 10 minutes of using the ACRA website (which has the power to recognize companies in singapore). All petitions etc are swiftly dealt with (even murder charges are dealt with, within a year). Moreover, Singapore govt provides scholarships for students at the Junior College to study in LSE, Harvard, Stanford, in return for them to come back and serve the govt as a highly placed official (who can become a minister). Divya
Re: [silk] Copying is Good: Different is not better
On 4/10/08, ashok _ [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote: Different is not better At Intel's advanced-chip plants, normal consistency doesn't cut it: The company even copies the air in the room http://www.oregonlive.com/business/oregonian/index.ssf?/base/business/1194591355141180.xmlcoll=7 Isnt this what McDonalds does to every franchise that opens up around the world for their staple recipes?
Re: [silk] rant - Re: Wanted: Exceptional parents
On 4/8/08, Ramjee Swaminathan [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote: Seriously, if pa feels that it is important enough to be part of such tamaashas, there is nothing wrong in the kid following in the footsteps of pa? On the contrary, assuming that he had gone to some museum or library or had some fun with math or juggling or painting or whatever, along with the kid - may be the kid would have asked for something more of this? Am just wondering.8-) All in all, I think I would like to box the ears of all such offending parents (including that of my children) and give them a slap or two and ask them to look at themselves. Completely agree with this! I grew up with minimal toys not even the token robot or a barbie. But I make my own doll house with old school notebook covers and remained happy by scrawling all over the walls and important documents with my crayons :) Of course, it did help that other kids had cool stuff to play with, but I never thought of owning them myself - except for the origami stuff tht one of the kids had. I think it has more to do with my parents who taught me to read books as a hobby, collect stamps, draw and paint rather than play with expensive toys. Regards, Divya
Re: [silk] romance and reading
On 4/4/08, Biju Chacko [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote: My wife's tastes and mine do not overlap at all. Neither, for that matter, do our music tastes. Doesn't seem to make the slightest bit of difference, though. -- b (happily into his 7th year of marriage without an itch in sight) Interesting! Neither does my taste match with my boyfriend. He likes only non-fiction and fiction recommended by Economist while I am all for Tintins, Agatha Christies, Satyajit Rays, R K Narayans, Batman, Wodehouse, etc. The only thing we have in common is the love for the works of Vikram Seth. I do occasionally read the books with animals on the cover as Danese put it so rightly. But mostly I re-read my small collection of the above mentioned.
Re: [silk] romance and reading
WOW On 4/4/08, Srini Ramakrishnan [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote: http://cheeni.net/books/ That's our book collection as of a few months ago, my wife and I intersect about 20% of the time. I wonder if you can make that out from this combined list. Alexander McCall Smith and Dorthy L Sayers definitely your wife. I love such stuff so I am hazarding a stereotype :D (I love PGW too so I guess that forms a part of the 20% :) )
Re: [silk] romance and reading
On 4/4/08, Abhishek Hazra [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote: and to you dear reader, who didn't question the crude credentials of this verse / but backed your brashness with your purse (from golden gate. approx) which is your favourite Seth? You know, I first came across him in my 9th standard english poetry Frog and Nightingale[1]. That was love at first verse. Apart from that I love his Suitable Boy. Lovely way he weaves the words and stories. [1] http://www.karaditales.com/Charkha/Poetry/Frog-Nightingale.html
Re: [silk] BigDog
HOLY #$$$% This is the beginning of the end as they say in Animatrix. :) - divya On 3/28/08, Srini Ramakrishnan [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W1czBcnX1Ww I've been waiting for this to show up on Silk, I guess I'll get the thread started then. Cheeni
Re: [silk] (S)He and us?
On 3/27/08, Charles Haynes [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote: I can see a number of directions implied by those two articles, I'd be curious which of them are the ones you had in mind. The implication I see from them is towards more violence, misogyny, prudery, sexism and intolerance. The first article claims we do Athithi Devo Bhava for domestic tourists. But that is not true. If Scarlett was an Indian, she still would have suffered the same fate. There is, frankly, no Athithi Devo Bhava, only a lot of hypocrisy. The jargon applies only if the guests subscribe to similar thoughts as the hosts. And as history and current news shows us, we are highly intolerant people. divya
[silk] Satelllite Radio in India
Hi My parents are looking at getting a satellite radio to listen to their favourite old music. Currently the only publicized option in India is Worldspace. Are there any other alternatives? I really dont like the design of their radio. Looks almost like one of those devices in the physics lab. Regards, Divya
Re: [silk] Randy Cassingham's This is true- feminist take on polygamy
On 3/2/08, Suresh Ramasubramanian [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote: divya manian [02/03/08 17:56 +0800]: I do not see what is feminist in her ensuring her husband had clean shorts in the morning and dinner at night. :) Seems kinda anti-feminist! Yup but saying that at a feminist convention? Me, I'd rather walk into a BJP/VHP/RSS party convention wearing a skullcap and a beard .. Ah, I thought NOW was an Evagelical Christian initiative on teaching women how to rear kids with faith :)
Re: [silk] Randy Cassingham's This is true- feminist take on polygamy
On 3/2/08, Suresh Ramasubramanian [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote: Pull Out a Spare Meanwhile, Elizabeth Joseph was the keynote speaker at a conference of the Utah chapter of the National Organization of Women. She told attendees she has discovered the ultimate feminist lifestyle: polygamy. Ms Joseph, who shares her husband with seven other wives, said she .was able to go to law school 400 miles away, knowing my husband had clean shorts in the morning and dinner at night,. thanks to the other wives. .I.ve maximized my female potential without the tradeoffs associated with monogamy,. I do not see what is feminist in her ensuring her husband had clean shorts in the morning and dinner at night. :) Seems kinda anti-feminist!
Re: [silk] Write a book, go to jail?
On 3/2/08, ss [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote: I mean that if I feel insulted I will protest and say that I have been insulted. That seems to be the norm for India and I am merely continuing a tradition. Nothing wrong with that is there? What with all this talk of swinging fists and noses, a verbal protest should not be causing such widespread takleef should it? And I thought Indians worshipped Gandhi http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gandhism#Religion On 3/2/08, Sirtaj Singh Kang [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote: I've often wondered: can a religion be monotheistic, anti-idolatory, anti-superstition (at least in theory if not in general practice) and caste-blind and still be considered Hinduism? If so, then to my mind Hinduism is everything and nothing, and the term devoid of value. As you said, I think Hinduism is everything and nothing. I think you can be an atheist and still be a Hindu. And I really like the part of Hinduism that talks of the Meaning of Life etc. And of course, Bhagavad Gita has some answers too (not that I have read any part of it apart from what appears on a few websites). It seems to me that your assumption is a religion needs to be monotheistic, anti-idolatory, anti-superstition. But I think no religion needs to be anything. Christianity as practicsed in India is as much idolatory as the version of Hinduism that is practicsed by most people in India. I do not believe in religion, but I do not think any religion is right or wrong. It is just the way different people see the purpose of humanity. Regards, Divya
Re: [silk] Write a book, go to jail?
On 2/29/08, Charles Haynes [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote: I thought much of the objection was to converting to Buddhism? Buddhism does not say that only one god is correct and that other gods are wrong. As far as I know, Hindus consider Jainism and Buddhism as offshoots of Hinduism and do not object as vehmently as they do to Islam or Christianity. A lot of Dalits convert/converted to Buddhism (that it did not change their status in society is a different matter). I vaguely remember Mayawati promising to convert to Buddhism (not sure if that really happened). For that matter, I've heard that the Buddha is supposedly the ninth avatar of Vishnu, so what's the problem with converting to Buddhism? This is exactly what most Hindus think. So I dont think they consider that a big issue ( unless they have no other big issues to fight about). - divya
Re: [silk] IHT.com Article: First transsexual celebrity, Rose, makes a TV debut
I had ok-ok teachers of Carnatic music and, as you all mention, was forced to learn singing and dancing for a while. I then started learning to play the Veena, but stopped it in time for my X standard preparation. My interest in carnatic music deepened only after coming to Singapore and being fortunate enough to have Gayatri the disciple of Veena Balachander to teach me. She taught me the intricate systamatic arrangement of ragaas as well as playing the veena not with the notes but following the way the keethanas are sung. Very eye opening. Of course, loved the maths that was so intricately a part of Carnatic music. I heard people are nowadays learning carnatic music online through teachers who are teaching them through the voice chat, sitting in Chennai and students who reside in the US.
