Re: [silk] When I Have The Time
* cross the Tao Te Ching with Gonick's History and Feynman's Lectures * contribute to mailing list discussions with less than oort-cloud lag * apply duality and topology to software development * train more polo players, both human and equine * ride/hike the silk road and play buzkashi * party on and be excellent to others * develop useful haptic interfaces * fence in second intention * summit more 4000s * gig more -Dave (reflecting upon the list above, I suppose I should also attempt moving through matter via intermediate vector bosons...)
Re: [silk] When I Have The Time
On Wed, Nov 19, 2008 at 03:08:51PM +0530, . wrote: The black dots increased in size :) prompting this question : How is the above related to time (which i defined as destruction) vis-a-vis It is a very peculiar definition of destruction. In most human's value system breaking a rock is something different from breaking a human skull. Apart from abstract, artistic value most people don't care too much about some icy body in the Oort cloud. your idea of an atom or nuclei (assuming postbiota is one or even smaller) 'postbiota' reducing itself to random oscillations. I am wondering how time == 'postbiota' ? Postbiota is just life on steroids, in full technicolor, across the hitherto sterile cosmic petri dish. I understand it can be a pretty horrifying image to some people, and an exhilarating one to others.
Re: [silk] When I Have The Time
On Tue, Nov 18, 2008 at 7:52 PM, Eugen Leitl [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote: [...] Postbiota are evolutionary successors of us/our machines, living in deep space as native habitat. They will self-select to create a relativistic expanding pioneer critter wavefront, that tranforms any stellar system it passes by. By changing the dead dirt into self it prevents possible advent of future life (and is difficult to observe, due to relativistic speed and observer-extinguishing/emergence-preventing side effect (anthropic principle)). Being darwinian machines these will self-optimize until they reach ultimate or omega fitness regime at very high diversity, after which only change is random brownian spatiotemporal fitness oscillations. This kinda negates them being stranglers-in-the-crib of protolife and killers of subexpansive life (as us-current, for instance). In my book. Hey, I want to write like that! I didn't understand a damn word, of course. And even though I think it's just a crock of high-sounding crap that leads no where, it'd be damn cool to string together words like that. Cheeni
Re: [silk] When I Have The Time
On Tue, Nov 18, 2008 at 7:52 PM, Eugen Leitl [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote: On Tue, Nov 18, 2008 at 07:08:54PM +0530, Deepa Mohan wrote: Yes, yes, please explain. There was a loud zipping noise as this sentence shot past over my head. lol, Deepa ! I saw black dots before I typed explain Postbiota are evolutionary successors of us/our machines, living in deep space as native habitat. They will self-select to create a relativistic expanding pioneer critter wavefront, that tranforms any stellar system it passes by. By changing the dead dirt into self it prevents possible advent of future life (and is difficult to observe, due to relativistic speed and observer-extinguishing/emergence-preventing side effect (anthropic principle)). Being darwinian machines these will self-optimize until they reach ultimate or omega fitness regime at very high diversity, after which only change is random brownian spatiotemporal fitness oscillations. This kinda negates them being stranglers-in-the-crib of protolife and killers of subexpansive life (as us-current, for instance). In my book. The black dots increased in size :) prompting this question : How is the above related to time (which i defined as destruction) vis-a-vis your idea of an atom or nuclei (assuming postbiota is one or even smaller) 'postbiota' reducing itself to random oscillations. I am wondering how time == 'postbiota' ? -- .
Re: [silk] When I Have The Time
On Wed, Nov 19, 2008 at 4:00 PM, Eugen Leitl [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote: [...] It would make more sense if expanded into a couple pages, but a) it would be boring 2) I don't have the time. And so you are externalizing the costs by making the rest of us spend a lot more time reading or skipping as the case may be your unparseable text. Cheeni
Re: [silk] When I Have The Time
On Wed, Nov 19, 2008 at 4:41 PM, Eugen Leitl [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote: On Wed, Nov 19, 2008 at 04:29:42PM +0530, Srini Ramakrishnan wrote: And so you are externalizing the costs by making the rest of us spend a lot more time reading or skipping as the case may be your unparseable text. Ok, ok. I'm good. What needs expanding? I'll deliver. N! Aieee! *thud*
Re: [silk] When I Have The Time (Mayank) (Malini Aisola) (Mayank)
On Wed, Nov 19, 2008 at 4:09 AM, Srini Ramakrishnan [EMAIL PROTECTED]wrote: On Wed, Nov 19, 2008 at 2:10 PM, Biju Chacko [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote: Ah yes ... there *was* an introduction -- of sorts. i stand corrected. There was? /me searches the all remembering gmail archives using the all seeing gmail search Eh, you call that an introduction? by way of new information, my last name, Aisola is a well-accepted truncation of the original Andhra surname - Ayyalasomayajula. glad that it didn't make it into the subject line!
Re: [silk] When I Have The Time
Eugen Leitl wrote: Solar constant goes way up, Earth surface temperatures average 50+ C. Oceans vanish, only extremophiles remain. Soon, even they're gone. So we are the reason that the earth is habitable? I thought the planet went through cycles of cooling and heating and we are stuck in one of them. Guess I need to read more. Interesting to note that earth will become another Mars if all humans die. What's the name for those who think that the Universe (or the multiverse, on second thoughts do they think there is a multiverse?) exists primarily for us humans?
Re: [silk] When I Have The Time (Mayank) (Malini Aisola) (Mayank)
On Wed, Nov 19, 2008 at 8:39 PM, Malini Aisola [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote: by way of new information, my last name, Aisola is a well-accepted truncation of the original Andhra surname - Ayyalasomayajula. glad that it didn't make it into the subject line! Pronouncing that would be like yoga for one's tongue :) but eastern european surnames beat that in perplexity. -- Vinayak
Re: [silk] When I Have The Time
On Wed, Nov 19, 2008 at 3:38 PM, Eugen Leitl [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote: On Wed, Nov 19, 2008 at 03:08:51PM +0530, . wrote: It is a very peculiar definition of destruction. In most human's value system breaking a rock is something different from breaking a human skull. Apart from abstract, artistic value most people don't care too much about some icy body in the Oort cloud. That you compare tangible physical matter (Oort cloud) with the intangible abstract (time) is a stretch. your idea of an atom or nuclei (assuming postbiota is one or even smaller) 'postbiota' reducing itself to random oscillations. I am wondering how time == 'postbiota' ? Postbiota is just life on steroids, in full technicolor, across the hitherto sterile cosmic petri dish. I understand it can be a pretty horrifying image to some people, and an exhilarating one to others. Goog for postbiota spewed a domain with m.lists run by you. Got anything better? -- .
Re: [silk] When I Have The Time
On Thu, Nov 20, 2008 at 12:51:57AM +0530, . wrote: That you compare tangible physical matter (Oort cloud) with the intangible abstract (time) is a stretch. You're the panta rhei guy here, not me. The point is, who here would miss Quaoar, Haumea or Ixion? Goog for postbiota spewed a domain with m.lists run by you. Got anything better? You know, post + biota? Something that comes after biota http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Biota_(ecology) Postbiological critters. Oh, and it's not my fault if you never coined a word. No need to get rude.
Re: [silk] When I Have The Time
On Thu, Nov 20, 2008 at 1:48 AM, Eugen Leitl [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote: On Thu, Nov 20, 2008 at 12:51:57AM +0530, . wrote: That you compare tangible physical matter (Oort cloud) with the intangible abstract (time) is a stretch. You're the panta rhei guy here, not me. Am, yes! .but you got the gender wrong :) who here would miss Quaoar, Haumea or Ixion? ...pass!! Have had enough of the astrological humbug here (India), so i'll reserve my comments about the effect of dwarf planets on us mortals. Goog for postbiota spewed a domain with m.lists run by you. Got anything better? You know, post + biota? Something that comes after biota http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Biota_(ecology) Postbiological critters. ...well biota uses a time span but am not sure how one can co-relate that to the destruction of time itself, especially when it cannot be regenerated like a biological organism (call it biota if you like). To you time != destruction since it 'lacks a measurement process' but it does for me, so i can agree to disagree on this. Oh, and it's not my fault if you never coined a word. No need to get rude. Am not ! As for coining words, its a lot more fun and more complicated in languages other than English. -- .
Re: [silk] When I Have The Time (Mayank)
I will read all the books that I've bought and borrowed , travel both in India and abroad, preferably road trips and resume playing sports. Had a similar discussion some time back here http://tr.im/16wl
Re: [silk] When I Have The Time
On Tue, 2008-11-18 at 13:00 +0530, Srini Ramakrishnan wrote: Reading the responses so far it seems fair to make the working hypothesis that the average silk lister is interested in (in no particular order) - Reading up on history - Getting fit - Catching up with a long list of unread books - Traveling the world [...] I wonder why no one desires the most popular pastime of mankind when time and money are no object. [...] Perhaps this silk list place is a bunch of weirdos, eh? i'm a great believer in revealed preferences [1]. this implies that things to do when i have the time are basically things i don't do and don't actually want to do, that much. so the working hypothesis implies that the average silklister is not historical, fit, well read or well travelled. perhaps enough should be inserted as a qualifier. similarly, the implication here is that the average silklister is frequently occupied in the most popular pastime of mankind that it is not something left for when i have the time. although perhaps enough should be used as a qualifier here, too, for frequently occupied. -rishab 1. An example of a popular joke among economists: two economists see a Ferrari. “I want one of those,” says the first. “Obviously not,” replies the other. see http://www.economist.com/research/Economics/alphabetic.cfm?letter=R#revealedpreference
Re: [silk] When I Have The Time
On Tuesday 18 Nov 2008 12:12:29 am ashok _ wrote: Perhaps rationality follows a darwinian system of natural selection... with its own rules and mechanisms of selection.. You can rationally chose not to propagate...but that goes against darwinian selection...where the natural instinct is to use the ability to propagate... Correct. Check The Selfish Gene for views on morality and evolution. Rationally choosing not to propagate would reduce the presence in the gene pool of genes of people who rationally chose not to propagate. with a relative increase in proportion of people in the gene pool carrying genes that make them rationally choose to propagate shiv
Re: [silk] When I Have The Time
On Tue, Nov 18, 2008 at 6:30 PM, Srini Ramakrishnan [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote: I wonder why no one desires the most popular pastime of mankind when time and money are no object. Because it's not a thing I would like to do when I get the time it's the reason I don't have time to do those other things... -- Charles
Re: [silk] When I Have The Time
On Mon, Nov 17, 2008 at 3:40 PM, Kiran Jonnalagadda [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote: I'd rather ask it this way: can we rationally explain our morals without stating it as a *belief* that something is right or wrong? I can't. It appears to me that our brains are inherently irrational, but capable of rationality as a (self) imposed discipline. I can separate morality from religion, can rationally explain why I'm an atheist, but can't rationalise the morals. I've never understood how one defines theism or atheism for that matter even religion with a fixed frame of thought. .
Re: [silk] When I Have The Time
On Tue, Nov 18, 2008 at 3:37 AM, Eugen Leitl [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote: How do you define destruction? as each moment (nano seconds, if you wish) that just passed me by as I typed this, was destroyed forever, never to return. v.
Re: [silk] When I Have The Time
On Tue, Nov 18, 2008 at 04:34:55PM +0530, . wrote: On Tue, Nov 18, 2008 at 3:37 AM, Eugen Leitl [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote: How do you define destruction? as each moment (nano seconds, if you wish) that just passed me by as I typed this, was destroyed forever, never to return. Not nearly good enough. It lacks a measurement process for the information irretrievably erased (all assuming time travel is impossible), and which would involve a hierarchy of scopes each with their own dynamics (your CNS is adequately described at six orders of magnitude slower timebase, whereas things at Planck scale consider ~ns an effective eternity). In general destruction of inanimate things are cheap. Look at the Moon, no ecosystems to destroy. Inasmuch destruction of future potentials is to be considered you can always counter that by maximized potential/mole realized by postbiota.
Re: [silk] When I Have The Time
On Tue, Nov 18, 2008 at 4:59 PM, Eugen Leitl [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote: Not nearly good enough. It lacks a measurement process for the information irretrievably erased (all assuming time travel is impossible), and which would involve a hierarchy of scopes each with their own dynamics (your CNS is adequately how? evolution does take time so does not destruction of any sort (including cost of creation, probably in terms of time) make it measurable? In general destruction of inanimate things are cheap. Look at the Moon, no if you consider time inanimate, its still not cheap vis-a-vis the time it takes to create/grow anything. Even the Moon's evolution took some time. So destruction whilst a finality is not cheap, hence a loss. ecosystems to destroy. Inasmuch destruction of future potentials is to be considered you can always counter that by maximized potential/mole realized by postbiota. explain ? .
Re: [silk] When I Have The Time
Inasmuch destruction of future potentials is to be considered you can always counter that by maximized potential/mole realized by postbiota. explain ? Yes, yes, please explain. There was a loud zipping noise as this sentence shot past over my head. Deepa. .
Re: [silk] When I Have The Time
On Tue, Nov 18, 2008 at 4:25 PM, Charles Haynes [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote: On Tue, Nov 18, 2008 at 6:30 PM, Srini Ramakrishnan [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote: I wonder why no one desires the most popular pastime of mankind when time and money are no object. Because it's not a thing I would like to do when I get the time it's the reason I don't have time to do those other things... Despite the title, I think most people put down here wishes that they know they have a good chance of attaining. At least I did. Cheeni P.S. I didn't realize you led a rock star lifestyle, remind me to pay close attention to you the next time we meet :-)
Re: [silk] When I Have The Time (Mayank)
On Tue, Nov 18, 2008 at 3:04 AM, Mayank Dhingra [EMAIL PROTECTED]wrote: I will read all the books that I've bought and borrowed , travel both in India and abroad, preferably road trips and resume playing sports. I will do the same minus the sports (those I suck at). I will also watch a thousand movies, learn a new language, order cable TV to watch the news channels and food shows, and acquire a dog/cat/fish (depending on finances and willingness to take on responsibility).
Re: [silk] When I Have The Time
--- On Tue, 18/11/08, Srini Ramakrishnan [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote: From: Srini Ramakrishnan [EMAIL PROTECTED] Subject: Re: [silk] When I Have The Time To: silklist@lists.hserus.net Date: Tuesday, 18 November, 2008, 7:26 PM On Tue, Nov 18, 2008 at 4:25 PM, Charles Haynes [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote: On Tue, Nov 18, 2008 at 6:30 PM, Srini Ramakrishnan [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote: I wonder why no one desires the most popular pastime of mankind when time and money are no object. Because it's not a thing I would like to do when I get the time it's the reason I don't have time to do those other things... Despite the title, I think most people put down here wishes that they know they have a good chance of attaining. At least I did. Cheeni P.S. I didn't realize you led a rock star lifestyle, remind me to pay close attention to you the next time we meet :-) Given for a moment that he does lead a rock star lifestyle, what good reason does that give you to pay close attention to him? Unless you wish to pick up tips at the feet of the master. Add more friends to your messenger and enjoy! Go to http://messenger.yahoo.com/invite/
Re: [silk] When I Have The Time
On Tue, Nov 18, 2008 at 7:26 PM, Srini Ramakrishnan [EMAIL PROTECTED]wrote: Despite the title, I think most people put down here wishes that they know they have a good chance of attaining. At least I did. Cheeni P.S. I didn't realize you led a rock star lifestyle, remind me to pay close attention to you the next time we meet :-) Cheni! Still laughing. Deepa.
Re: [silk] When I Have The Time
On Wed, Nov 19, 2008 at 12:56 AM, Srini Ramakrishnan [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote: On Tue, Nov 18, 2008 at 4:25 PM, Charles Haynes [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote: On Tue, Nov 18, 2008 at 6:30 PM, Srini Ramakrishnan [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote: I wonder why no one desires the most popular pastime of mankind when time and money are no object. Because it's not a thing I would like to do when I get the time it's the reason I don't have time to do those other things... I didn't realize you led a rock star lifestyle, remind me to pay close attention to you the next time we meet :-) I know you're being facetious but to be slightly more serious for a second, while I don't consider it a rock star lifestyle, I *am* doing the things I want to do. Travel the world, eat in interesting places, meet interesting people, and yes, all the drugs I want (fortunately not many), and plenty of sex. I don't have a list of things I would do if I had the time - they're either things I'm actually going to do (a short list) or things I've said I'm never actually going to do this and regretfully let go of. In any case the world has a way of rearranging your priorities when you least expect it. -- Charles
Re: [silk] When I Have The Time
On Wed, Nov 19, 2008 at 3:21 AM, Charles Haynes [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote: [...] In any case the world has a way of rearranging your priorities when you least expect it. Amen to that. Cheeni
Re: [silk] When I Have The Time (Mayank) (Malini Aisola) (Mayank)
I will extend my list by adding things you've mentioned except for cable TV(not much into TV) and pet. I would also most definitely be involved in some form of social work and would trace my family tree back to a few centuries :)
Re: [silk] When I Have The Time (Mayank) (Malini Aisola) (Mayank)
Is there any reason you're editing the subject line to add your name and others'? It breaks threading in MUAs that use the subject to group messages (such as gmail). Udhay On Wed, Nov 19, 2008 at 9:51 AM, Mayank Dhingra [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote: snip -- ((Udhay Shankar N)) ((udhay @ pobox.com)) ((www.digeratus.com))
Re: [silk] When I Have The Time (Mayank) (Malini Aisola) (Mayank)
On Wed, Nov 19, 2008 at 10:19 AM, Udhay Shankar N [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote: Is there any reason you're editing the subject line to add your name and others'? It breaks threading in MUAs that use the subject to group messages (such as gmail). Thank you, +1
Re: [silk] When I Have The Time (Mayank) (Malini Aisola) (Mayank)
On Wed, Nov 19, 2008 at 10:27 AM, Malini Aisola [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote: On Tue, Nov 18, 2008 at 11:54 PM, Srini Ramakrishnan [EMAIL PROTECTED]wrote: Thank you, +1 me too, i'm feeling a little over exposed :) Subject lines are only one carriage return away from the from field, usually. How does this make you over exposed, and why the fear of exposure? Just curious, since the fear seems irrational. Cheeni
Re: [silk] When I Have The Time (Mayank) (Malini Aisola) (Mayank)
me too, i'm feeling a little over exposed :) Subject lines are only one carriage return away from the from field, usually. How does this make you over exposed, and why the fear of exposure? Just curious, since the fear seems irrational. ummm most fears are irrational but this is not fear, just fact. my name in the from line only appears on my posts but my name in the middle of the subject line appears on every post in the thread.
Re: [silk] When I Have The Time (Mayank) (Malini Aisola) (Mayank)
On Wed, Nov 19, 2008 at 10:43 AM, Malini Aisola [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote: me too, i'm feeling a little over exposed :) Subject lines are only one carriage return away from the from field, usually. How does this make you over exposed, and why the fear of exposure? Just curious, since the fear seems irrational. ummm most fears are irrational but this is not fear, just fact. my name in the from line only appears on my posts but my name in the middle of the subject line appears on every post in the thread. Now that you're exposed, maybe an introduction is in order? List convention is that non-lurkers introduce themselves. -- b
Re: [silk] When I Have The Time (Mayank) (Malini Aisola) (Mayank)
Now that you're exposed, maybe an introduction is in order? List convention is that non-lurkers introduce themselves. true, you'll have to dig through your old e-mails to find it then, won't you? ;)
Re: [silk] When I Have The Time
At 2008-11-17 15:40:46 +0530, [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote: I'd rather ask it this way: can we rationally explain our morals without stating it as a *belief* that something is right or wrong? I can't. Doesn't that depend on what your morals are? -- ams
Re: [silk] When I Have The Time
On Mon, Nov 17, 2008 at 2:26 PM, Ingrid [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote: BTW, isn't there anyone here who wants to save the planet and/or achieve world peace when they have the time? *raises hand* -- Please read our new blog at: http://blog.prathambooks.org
Re: [silk] When I Have The Time
2008/11/16 Kiran Jonnalagadda [EMAIL PROTECTED] * Make sense of how the rational (logical) and irrational (moral) sides of the brain reconcile Have never seen the brain hemispheres labeled that way. Are morality and rationality mutually contradictory?
Re: [silk] When I Have The Time
--- On Mon, 17/11/08, Eugen Leitl [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote: From: Eugen Leitl [EMAIL PROTECTED] Subject: Re: [silk] When I Have The Time To: silklist@lists.hserus.net Date: Monday, 17 November, 2008, 1:08 PM On Mon, Nov 17, 2008 at 08:45:44AM +0530, Chandrachoodan Gopalakrishnan wrote: I'm currently doing a pretty good thing that pays my bills. But I do want to not do it day in and day out, if that makes sense. And yes, off-roading in Iceland sounds like something I'd try, if I can get to a road in Iceland. They use trucks like that http://leitl.org/ice2/88.html More http://leitl.org/ice2/ Those pictures were nice; I am just at this moment going through them one by painful-treacle-through-a-needle one. I have seen a very nice web-site which has pictorial accounts of trucks off-road, in jut-jawed 4x4 mode. It's sad to read that this idyllic lifestyle is under economic threat. They seem to be such happy people with such a wonderful life-style. Since their national economy collapse it's getting pretty grim over there, though. 1/3rd are considering emigration. Add more friends to your messenger and enjoy! Go to http://messenger.yahoo.com/invite/
Re: [silk] When I Have The Time
I'd rather cultivate my garden. bonobashi --- On Mon, 17/11/08, Ingrid [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote: From: Ingrid [EMAIL PROTECTED] Subject: Re: [silk] When I Have The Time To: silklist@lists.hserus.net Date: Monday, 17 November, 2008, 2:26 PM I have a short list: 1. Earn the epitaph: Deeply superficial, outrageously graceful, ruthlessly compassionate. 2. Give away about 85% of the things I possess. BTW, isn't there anyone here who wants to save the planet and/or achieve world peace when they have the time? Add more friends to your messenger and enjoy! Go to http://messenger.yahoo.com/invite/
Re: [silk] When I Have The Time
On Mon, Nov 17, 2008 at 10:56:11AM +0200, Ingrid wrote: BTW, isn't there anyone here who wants to save the planet and/or achieve world peace when they have the time? You're thinking too small.
Re: [silk] When I Have The Time
On Mon, Nov 17, 2008 at 2:30 PM, Ingrid [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote: 2008/11/16 Kiran Jonnalagadda [EMAIL PROTECTED] * Make sense of how the rational (logical) and irrational (moral) sides of the brain reconcile Have never seen the brain hemispheres labeled that way. Are morality and rationality mutually contradictory? Isn't that the founding basis for nihilism, and anyway I think so too. Cheeni
Re: [silk] When I Have The Time
No point glossing over everything. in a half-assed manner at that. bonobashi --- On Mon, 17/11/08, Eugen Leitl [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote: From: Eugen Leitl [EMAIL PROTECTED] Subject: Re: [silk] When I Have The Time To: silklist@lists.hserus.net Date: Monday, 17 November, 2008, 3:13 PM On Mon, Nov 17, 2008 at 03:09:54PM +0530, Bonobashi wrote: I'd rather cultivate my garden. You're remarkably candid. Unlimited freedom, unlimited storage. Get it now, on http://help.yahoo.com/l/in/yahoo/mail/yahoomail/tools/tools-08.html/
Re: [silk] When I Have The Time
On Mon, Nov 17, 2008 at 2:30 PM, Ingrid [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote: 2008/11/16 Kiran Jonnalagadda [EMAIL PROTECTED] * Make sense of how the rational (logical) and irrational (moral) sides of the brain reconcile Have never seen the brain hemispheres labeled that way. Are morality and rationality mutually contradictory? I'd rather ask it this way: can we rationally explain our morals without stating it as a *belief* that something is right or wrong? I can't. It appears to me that our brains are inherently irrational, but capable of rationality as a (self) imposed discipline. I can separate morality from religion, can rationally explain why I'm an atheist, but can't rationalise the morals. -- Kiran Jonnalagadda http://jace.seacrow.com/
Re: [silk] When I Have The Time
Ingrid wrote: BTW, isn't there anyone here who wants to save the planet and/or achieve world peace when they have the time? 1. I don't think world peace is possible. We are a race that cannot be at peace with each other. I agree with all the aliens that say this. I am resigned to the fact that we humans will kill each other for a multitude of things that change periodically. Religion seems to be the current favorite. 2. The planet will save itself. We are incapable of getting over our selfishness. But, on the flip side, this might lead to World Peace by wiping out humans. An optimistic Venkat
Re: [silk] When I Have The Time
On Mon, Nov 17, 2008 at 05:40:53PM +0530, Venkat Mangudi wrote: 1. I don't think world peace is possible. We are a race that cannot be at peace with each other. I agree with all the aliens that say this. I am resigned to the fact that we humans will kill each other for a multitude of things that change periodically. Religion seems to be the current favorite. I agree there will be always conflict as well as cooperation. 2. The planet will save itself. We are incapable of getting over our Without us, the ecology is dead, cooked meat at about +500 megayears, probably much sooner if there's a great impactor or supervolcanism event. selfishness. But, on the flip side, this might lead to World Peace by wiping out humans. Humans (not necessarily the kind you see when you look into the bathroom mirror) either have no future at all (having joined the current autoextinction event as a yet another stratum in the fossil record), or be a local catalyst/nucleus of an expanding wave of life that will consume most of the visible universe. Making it aware, alive. A good thing, no? An optimistic Venkat -- Eugen* Leitl a href=http://leitl.org;leitl/a http://leitl.org __ ICBM: 48.07100, 11.36820 http://www.ativel.com http://postbiota.org 8B29F6BE: 099D 78BA 2FD3 B014 B08A 7779 75B0 2443 8B29 F6BE
Re: [silk] When I Have The Time
On Mon, Nov 17, 2008 at 1:10 PM, Kiran Jonnalagadda [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote: On Mon, Nov 17, 2008 at 2:30 PM, Ingrid [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote: 2008/11/16 Kiran Jonnalagadda [EMAIL PROTECTED] I'd rather ask it this way: can we rationally explain our morals without stating it as a *belief* that something is right or wrong? I can't. It appears to me that our brains are inherently irrational, but capable of rationality as a (self) imposed discipline. I can separate morality from religion, can rationally explain why I'm an atheist, but can't rationalise the morals. Perhaps rationality follows a darwinian system of natural selection... with its own rules and mechanisms of selection.. You can rationally chose not to propagate...but that goes against darwinian selection...where the natural instinct is to use the ability to propagate...
Re: [silk] When I Have The Time
On Tue, Nov 18, 2008 at 3:41 AM, Eugen Leitl [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote: Making it aware, alive. A good thing, no? Intrinsically good? Only as a matter of faith. If you believe more is better, perhaps so, but destruction is required for new creation to arise. I'm not sure I believe that the unlimited expansion of anything is inherently good. -- Charles
Re: [silk] When I Have The Time
On Tue, Nov 18, 2008 at 08:09:32AM +1100, Charles Haynes wrote: On Tue, Nov 18, 2008 at 3:41 AM, Eugen Leitl [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote: Making it aware, alive. A good thing, no? Intrinsically good? Only as a matter of faith. If you believe more is Spelling out the obvious: of course if you happen to share my local value system. YMMV. better, perhaps so, but destruction is required for new creation to How do you define destruction? I believe a nucleation punctuated-equilibrium event will maximize the amount of destruction/creation in a relativistic universe (and possibly, in the metaverse). arise. I'm not sure I believe that the unlimited expansion of anything is inherently good. Good as in you like?.
Re: [silk] When I Have The Time
Eugen Leitl wrote: Without us, the ecology is dead, cooked meat at about +500 megayears, How so?
Re: [silk] When I Have The Time
selfishness. But, on the flip side, this might lead to World Peace by wiping out humans. Yeah, personally I never liked that race. I wonder how easy it is for any one mortal to wipe out the earth if not the universe. The Dr. NOs of the world included seem to have miserably failed. I don't have any workable global destruction plans on hand, not that I haven't thought about it - it is a hard problem. Likewise it is a really hard task to be perfectly bad, that is to never do anything or anyone good. All things considered it is far easier to be good than bad. Cheeni
Re: [silk] When I Have The Time
On Sat, 2008-11-15 at 10:36 +0530, Udhay Shankar N wrote: That reminds me of all of the various things that I will do When I have The Time (small unrepresentative sample follows) ... i will make a list of things to do when i have the time. yay recursion. -r
Re: [silk] When I Have The Time
On Tue, Nov 18, 2008 at 9:15 AM, Rishab Aiyer Ghosh [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote: On Sat, 2008-11-15 at 10:36 +0530, Udhay Shankar N wrote: That reminds me of all of the various things that I will do When I have The Time (small unrepresentative sample follows) ... i will make a list of things to do when i have the time. You could plagiarize and you wouldn't be off the mark by much. Reading the responses so far it seems fair to make the working hypothesis that the average silk lister is interested in (in no particular order) - Reading up on history - Getting fit - Catching up with a long list of unread books - Traveling the world ... to name a few. I wonder why no one desires the most popular pastime of mankind when time and money are no object. Also the passion of Maharajahs and rock stars. India is most certainly a land with great experience in this matter, we have palaces, traditions and even the most ancient rituals and books on the subject. Perhaps this silk list place is a bunch of weirdos, eh? Ok, seriously now, all this is purely in jest, and no offense to women or sobriety intended. But surely, with such a large commonality of interests, we must be able to figure out a way to get to these end goals sooner, or at least chart a sensible path to there? Don't ask me how, my upbringing only taught me enough to ask these 'common sense' questions, not to answer them. Cheeni
Re: [silk] When I Have The Time
On Tue, Nov 18, 2008 at 9:15 AM, Rishab Aiyer Ghosh [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote: ... i will make a list of things to do when i have the time. Liked this one the BEST! Deepa. -r
Re: [silk] When I Have The Time
On Tue, Nov 18, 2008 at 08:05:45AM +0530, Venkat Mangudi wrote: Eugen Leitl wrote: Without us, the ecology is dead, cooked meat at about +500 megayears, How so? Solar constant goes way up, Earth surface temperatures average 50+ C. Oceans vanish, only extremophiles remain. Soon, even they're gone.
Re: [silk] When I Have The Time
On Sun, Nov 16, 2008 at 11:50:16AM +0530, Chandrachoodan Gopalakrishnan wrote: Define rich. Enough wealth so all this list-making loses significance and I can do anything I want and claim it is something I always wanted to do it. Even if I'd just heard about this something y'day. ITYM filthy stinking rich.
Re: [silk] When I Have The Time
--- On Sun, 16/11/08, Chandrachoodan Gopalakrishnan [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote: From: Chandrachoodan Gopalakrishnan [EMAIL PROTECTED] Subject: Re: [silk] When I Have The Time To: silklist@lists.hserus.net Date: Sunday, 16 November, 2008, 12:02 PM On Sat, Nov 15, 2008 at 10:36 AM, Udhay Shankar N [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote: Mohit (मॊिहत) wrote, [on 11/15/2008 9:05 AM]: I need to learn how to use chopsticks...and swimming...and dancing...and smiling while stabbing someone. That reminds me of all of the various things that I will do When I have The Time (small unrepresentative sample follows) * Masters degree in cryptography * Learn Perl * Find those treasured old college ripped jeans and lose 2 inches around the middle so I can wear them, dammit * Krav Maga * Finish off my TBR pile (~200 books at last count) * Get back to reasonable fluency in French * Meet up with all the several dozen friends with whom my primary interaction these days is occasional phone calls saying we MUST meet Share yours, o wise ones? This has the makings of a[nother] monster thread. Well, seriously though, here's what I'd like to do. 1) Really study history - not make jabs at it. 2) Learn three languages - one European, one Asian and one Indic 3) Do the east coast of India bike trip. (I've done about a third of the TN coast, though not on one trip) 4) Go from Madras to London on the bike 5) Sleep 6) Learn to decipher old tamil/grantha/brahmi scripts. Work with the Epigraphical society/ASI in TN 7) At least make a list of books that I have not read C Do you want to know a lot about history - and that's vague enough as it is - or do you want to be an historian? Those are two hugely different categories and states of being. Regarding your list of books, what books? Fiction, non-fiction, academic, belles-lettresUnless you're reasonably sure what you want to read, how easy or difficult is it to make a list? Just a silly, very silly example: Just taking up the influence of Gramsci on latter-day Marxism and how it seagues off into Derrida and deconstruction as a literary and philosophical tool, and the links with subaltern studies, could take a lifetime in itself. So would a sociological and historical analysis of Georgette Heyer. Or one could just curl up with a good book and to the devil with the serious stuff. My humble tuppence, which may be worth less, is that one needs to focus fiercely to get anything intellectually or academically useful done within a single lifetime. And it usually doesn't work even then. Did you read history in college by any chance? bonobashi Add more friends to your messenger and enjoy! Go to http://messenger.yahoo.com/invite/
Re: [silk] When I Have The Time
--- On Sun, 16/11/08, Eugen Leitl [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote: From: Eugen Leitl [EMAIL PROTECTED] Subject: Re: [silk] When I Have The Time To: silklist@lists.hserus.net Date: Sunday, 16 November, 2008, 2:17 PM On Sun, Nov 16, 2008 at 11:00:12AM +0530, Srini Ramakrishnan wrote: On Sat, Nov 15, 2008 at 8:37 PM, Chandrachoodan Gopalakrishnan [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote: [...] Get rich? Definitely want to do that. Define rich. Not having to work, of course. Necessary, but not sufficient. Don't you think you ought to add Being able to do whatever one pleases to be doing? Add more friends to your messenger and enjoy! Go to http://messenger.yahoo.com/invite/
Re: [silk] When I Have The Time
My first paper - an opinion piece, meaning it was very badly researched, and has few or no references or foot-notes - comes out in the next issue of SIOS - Journal of the Society for Indian Ocean Studies. I may take up a series of ten articles for them: we are talking about the scope and the direction of these, and should agree shortly. Regarding archival material, I wasn't aware until recently how much has already been written on the subject. It is a humongous amount of reading to do. As of now, I have been reading secondary texts on the subject, and drawing preliminary inferences from those. To do this seriously, it needs an investment in a couple of hundred books (most identified). Where do I get the money? More important, to bring this back on topic, when do I get the time? bonobashi --- On Sat, 15/11/08, Abhishek Hazra [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote: From: Abhishek Hazra [EMAIL PROTECTED] Subject: Re: [silk] When I Have The Time To: silklist@lists.hserus.net Date: Saturday, 15 November, 2008, 9:09 PM My guru parampara is Kuruvilla Zachariah-Sushobhan Sircar-Amalesh Tripathi/Ashin Das Gupta. super fascinating! would be great if you could point me to any one of your papers. also, which archives have you dipped into most? btw, ashin and sachin are almost anagrams :) On Sat, Nov 15, 2008 at 9:02 PM, Bonobashi [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote: --- On Sat, 15/11/08, Abhishek Hazra [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote: From: Abhishek Hazra [EMAIL PROTECTED] Subject: Re: [silk] When I Have The Time To: silklist@lists.hserus.net Date: Saturday, 15 November, 2008, 8:52 PM * Write the definitive maritime history of India; interesting! what got you interested in this area: fascination with the Indian ocean trade routes? (subrahmanyam, ashin chaudhuri etc...) Ashin Das Gupta (not Chaudhuri) was my tutor in College, as well as being the History head. My guru parampara is Kuruvilla Zachariah-Sushobhan Sircar-Amalesh Tripathi/Ashin Das Gupta. However, my interest in maritime history is only partly based on Ashin's work. Independently, I have been reading and exploring maritime history issues, and have written about it in professional journals. I have come to form some surprising hypotheses, and want to research things further to come to a conclusion about these. On Sat, Nov 15, 2008 at 8:46 PM, Bonobashi [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote: --- On Sat, 15/11/08, Udhay Shankar N [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote: From: Udhay Shankar N [EMAIL PROTECTED] Subject: [silk] When I Have The Time To: Silk List silklist@lists.hserus.net Date: Saturday, 15 November, 2008, 10:36 AM Mohit (मॊिहत) wrote, [on 11/15/2008 9:05 AM]: I need to learn how to use chopsticks...and swimming...and dancing...and smiling while stabbing someone. That reminds me of all of the various things that I will do When I have The Time (small unrepresentative sample follows) * Masters degree in cryptography * Learn Perl * Find those treasured old college ripped jeans and lose 2 inches around the middle so I can wear them, dammit * Krav Maga * Finish off my TBR pile (~200 books at last count) * Get back to reasonable fluency in French * Meet up with all the several dozen friends with whom my primary interaction these days is occasional phone calls saying we MUST meet Share yours, o wise ones? This has the makings of a[nother] monster thread. Udhay * Get my Master's degree in History; * Write the definitive maritime history of India; * Re-learn German; * Learn French and Sanskrit; * Tour those corners of India that I haven't seen yet, on my own set of rough-roading wheels; * Go to Leh by road, and bum around Ladakh for as long as I can afford (two days, at present levels); * Lose 20 kgs.; * Photograph Calcutta before it auto-destructs; * Try to understand the different Indian philosophical schools; * Try to understand Economics (if it's really possible; sometimes it seems to be something that Economists invented to keep themselves in an occupation not to be described as idling their time away); * Learn to ride a motor-cycle; * Complete my collection of Western classical music; * Listen to as much jazz as I can; * Travel through Cambodia (without losing limbs, it is to be hoped); * Travel through Scandinavia, and the Baltic states; * Backpack through Africa, and South America, and travel to China and Russia (they don't encourage back-packers, it is said); * Scuba-dive at every feasible Indian location; * Collect and print my daughter's poems; * Find my ancestral village in Bangladesh
Re: [silk] When I Have The Time
Just a silly, very silly example: Just taking up the influence of Gramsci on latter-day Marxism and how it seagues off into Derrida and deconstruction as a literary and philosophical tool, and the links with subaltern studies, could take a lifetime in itself. talking of influence, there has been some work which traces the interconnections between Gramsci's indirect influence on the later Wittgenstein through the intellectual inter mediation of the economist Pierro Sraffa (when they were colleagues in Cambridge) abhishek On Sun, Nov 16, 2008 at 2:36 PM, Bonobashi [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote: --- On Sun, 16/11/08, Chandrachoodan Gopalakrishnan [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote: From: Chandrachoodan Gopalakrishnan [EMAIL PROTECTED] Subject: Re: [silk] When I Have The Time To: silklist@lists.hserus.net Date: Sunday, 16 November, 2008, 12:02 PM On Sat, Nov 15, 2008 at 10:36 AM, Udhay Shankar N [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote: Mohit (मॊिहत) wrote, [on 11/15/2008 9:05 AM]: I need to learn how to use chopsticks...and swimming...and dancing...and smiling while stabbing someone. That reminds me of all of the various things that I will do When I have The Time (small unrepresentative sample follows) * Masters degree in cryptography * Learn Perl * Find those treasured old college ripped jeans and lose 2 inches around the middle so I can wear them, dammit * Krav Maga * Finish off my TBR pile (~200 books at last count) * Get back to reasonable fluency in French * Meet up with all the several dozen friends with whom my primary interaction these days is occasional phone calls saying we MUST meet Share yours, o wise ones? This has the makings of a[nother] monster thread. Well, seriously though, here's what I'd like to do. 1) Really study history - not make jabs at it. 2) Learn three languages - one European, one Asian and one Indic 3) Do the east coast of India bike trip. (I've done about a third of the TN coast, though not on one trip) 4) Go from Madras to London on the bike 5) Sleep 6) Learn to decipher old tamil/grantha/brahmi scripts. Work with the Epigraphical society/ASI in TN 7) At least make a list of books that I have not read C Do you want to know a lot about history - and that's vague enough as it is - or do you want to be an historian? Those are two hugely different categories and states of being. Regarding your list of books, what books? Fiction, non-fiction, academic, belles-lettresUnless you're reasonably sure what you want to read, how easy or difficult is it to make a list? Just a silly, very silly example: Just taking up the influence of Gramsci on latter-day Marxism and how it seagues off into Derrida and deconstruction as a literary and philosophical tool, and the links with subaltern studies, could take a lifetime in itself. So would a sociological and historical analysis of Georgette Heyer. Or one could just curl up with a good book and to the devil with the serious stuff. My humble tuppence, which may be worth less, is that one needs to focus fiercely to get anything intellectually or academically useful done within a single lifetime. And it usually doesn't work even then. Did you read history in college by any chance? bonobashi Add more friends to your messenger and enjoy! Go to http://messenger.yahoo.com/invite/ -- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - does the frog know it has a latin name? - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Re: [silk] When I Have The Time
That's a good definition. But IMHO it's rather more useful to define it slightly tightly. My definition is (and I borrowed it from somewhere, like all other good things in life): When I can live off the interest on the interest on the wealth. By today's standards of living, since I need about 25K p.m., assuming an interest rate of 7% post tax, it would probably imply Rs. 6.2 crores in the bank :) Mohit http://unjustly.wordpress.com http://www.linkedin.com/in/mohitmohit http://tinyurl.com/57lrf3 On Sun, Nov 16, 2008 at 11:50 AM, Chandrachoodan Gopalakrishnan [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote: On Sun, Nov 16, 2008 at 11:00 AM, Srini Ramakrishnan [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote: On Sat, Nov 15, 2008 at 8:37 PM, Chandrachoodan Gopalakrishnan [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote: [...] Get rich? Definitely want to do that. Define rich. Enough wealth so all this list-making loses significance and I can do anything I want and claim it is something I always wanted to do it. Even if I'd just heard about this something y'day. C -- http://www.flickr.com/photos/ravages http://www.linkedin.com/in/ravages http://www.selectiveamnesia.org/ +91-9884467463
Re: [silk] When I Have The Time
Sraffa and Wittgenstein? Good heavens. Not an easy or apparent connection. Do come off line and tell me more. bonobashi --- On Sun, 16/11/08, Abhishek Hazra [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote: From: Abhishek Hazra [EMAIL PROTECTED] Subject: Re: [silk] When I Have The Time To: silklist@lists.hserus.net Date: Sunday, 16 November, 2008, 3:16 PM Just a silly, very silly example: Just taking up the influence of Gramsci on latter-day Marxism and how it seagues off into Derrida and deconstruction as a literary and philosophical tool, and the links with subaltern studies, could take a lifetime in itself. talking of influence, there has been some work which traces the interconnections between Gramsci's indirect influence on the later Wittgenstein through the intellectual inter mediation of the economist Pierro Sraffa (when they were colleagues in Cambridge) abhishek On Sun, Nov 16, 2008 at 2:36 PM, Bonobashi [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote: --- On Sun, 16/11/08, Chandrachoodan Gopalakrishnan [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote: From: Chandrachoodan Gopalakrishnan [EMAIL PROTECTED] Subject: Re: [silk] When I Have The Time To: silklist@lists.hserus.net Date: Sunday, 16 November, 2008, 12:02 PM On Sat, Nov 15, 2008 at 10:36 AM, Udhay Shankar N [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote: Mohit (मॊिहत) wrote, [on 11/15/2008 9:05 AM]: I need to learn how to use chopsticks...and swimming...and dancing...and smiling while stabbing someone. That reminds me of all of the various things that I will do When I have The Time (small unrepresentative sample follows) * Masters degree in cryptography * Learn Perl * Find those treasured old college ripped jeans and lose 2 inches around the middle so I can wear them, dammit * Krav Maga * Finish off my TBR pile (~200 books at last count) * Get back to reasonable fluency in French * Meet up with all the several dozen friends with whom my primary interaction these days is occasional phone calls saying we MUST meet Share yours, o wise ones? This has the makings of a[nother] monster thread. Well, seriously though, here's what I'd like to do. 1) Really study history - not make jabs at it. 2) Learn three languages - one European, one Asian and one Indic 3) Do the east coast of India bike trip. (I've done about a third of the TN coast, though not on one trip) 4) Go from Madras to London on the bike 5) Sleep 6) Learn to decipher old tamil/grantha/brahmi scripts. Work with the Epigraphical society/ASI in TN 7) At least make a list of books that I have not read C Do you want to know a lot about history - and that's vague enough as it is - or do you want to be an historian? Those are two hugely different categories and states of being. Regarding your list of books, what books? Fiction, non-fiction, academic, belles-lettresUnless you're reasonably sure what you want to read, how easy or difficult is it to make a list? Just a silly, very silly example: Just taking up the influence of Gramsci on latter-day Marxism and how it seagues off into Derrida and deconstruction as a literary and philosophical tool, and the links with subaltern studies, could take a lifetime in itself. So would a sociological and historical analysis of Georgette Heyer. Or one could just curl up with a good book and to the devil with the serious stuff. My humble tuppence, which may be worth less, is that one needs to focus fiercely to get anything intellectually or academically useful done within a single lifetime. And it usually doesn't work even then. Did you read history in college by any chance? bonobashi Add more friends to your messenger and enjoy! Go to http://messenger.yahoo.com/invite/ -- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - does the frog know it has a latin name? - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Add more friends to your messenger and enjoy! Go to http://messenger.yahoo.com/invite/
Re: [silk] When I Have The Time
I calculated sometime ago, about two/three years ago, that 3.0 crores would be the figure. but then I took an aggressive ROI of 15%. Right, now that that's out of the way, where do I get ski-masks? bonobashi --- On Sun, 16/11/08, Mohit (मॊिहत) [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote: From: Mohit (मॊिहत) [EMAIL PROTECTED] Subject: Re: [silk] When I Have The Time To: silklist@lists.hserus.net Date: Sunday, 16 November, 2008, 3:18 PM That's a good definition. But IMHO it's rather more useful to define it slightly tightly. My definition is (and I borrowed it from somewhere, like all other good things in life): When I can live off the interest on the interest on the wealth. By today's standards of living, since I need about 25K p.m., assuming an interest rate of 7% post tax, it would probably imply Rs. 6.2 crores in the bank :) Mohit http://unjustly.wordpress.com http://www.linkedin.com/in/mohitmohit http://tinyurl.com/57lrf3 On Sun, Nov 16, 2008 at 11:50 AM, Chandrachoodan Gopalakrishnan [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote: On Sun, Nov 16, 2008 at 11:00 AM, Srini Ramakrishnan [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote: On Sat, Nov 15, 2008 at 8:37 PM, Chandrachoodan Gopalakrishnan [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote: [...] Get rich? Definitely want to do that. Define rich. Enough wealth so all this list-making loses significance and I can do anything I want and claim it is something I always wanted to do it. Even if I'd just heard about this something y'day. C -- http://www.flickr.com/photos/ravages http://www.linkedin.com/in/ravages http://www.selectiveamnesia.org/ +91-9884467463 Add more friends to your messenger and enjoy! Go to http://messenger.yahoo.com/invite/
Re: [silk] When I Have The Time
Do you want to know a lot about history - and that's vague enough as it is - or do you want to be an historian? Those are two hugely different categories and states of being. well, to state the obvious, the historian has to engage equally with historiography as well as 'history'. though putting it this way, gives one the wrong impression of two apparently autonomous and separate fields of history and historiography... what's your take? abhishek On Sun, Nov 16, 2008 at 2:36 PM, Bonobashi [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote: --- On Sun, 16/11/08, Chandrachoodan Gopalakrishnan [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote: From: Chandrachoodan Gopalakrishnan [EMAIL PROTECTED] Subject: Re: [silk] When I Have The Time To: silklist@lists.hserus.net Date: Sunday, 16 November, 2008, 12:02 PM On Sat, Nov 15, 2008 at 10:36 AM, Udhay Shankar N [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote: Mohit (मॊिहत) wrote, [on 11/15/2008 9:05 AM]: I need to learn how to use chopsticks...and swimming...and dancing...and smiling while stabbing someone. That reminds me of all of the various things that I will do When I have The Time (small unrepresentative sample follows) * Masters degree in cryptography * Learn Perl * Find those treasured old college ripped jeans and lose 2 inches around the middle so I can wear them, dammit * Krav Maga * Finish off my TBR pile (~200 books at last count) * Get back to reasonable fluency in French * Meet up with all the several dozen friends with whom my primary interaction these days is occasional phone calls saying we MUST meet Share yours, o wise ones? This has the makings of a[nother] monster thread. Well, seriously though, here's what I'd like to do. 1) Really study history - not make jabs at it. 2) Learn three languages - one European, one Asian and one Indic 3) Do the east coast of India bike trip. (I've done about a third of the TN coast, though not on one trip) 4) Go from Madras to London on the bike 5) Sleep 6) Learn to decipher old tamil/grantha/brahmi scripts. Work with the Epigraphical society/ASI in TN 7) At least make a list of books that I have not read C Do you want to know a lot about history - and that's vague enough as it is - or do you want to be an historian? Those are two hugely different categories and states of being. Regarding your list of books, what books? Fiction, non-fiction, academic, belles-lettresUnless you're reasonably sure what you want to read, how easy or difficult is it to make a list? Just a silly, very silly example: Just taking up the influence of Gramsci on latter-day Marxism and how it seagues off into Derrida and deconstruction as a literary and philosophical tool, and the links with subaltern studies, could take a lifetime in itself. So would a sociological and historical analysis of Georgette Heyer. Or one could just curl up with a good book and to the devil with the serious stuff. My humble tuppence, which may be worth less, is that one needs to focus fiercely to get anything intellectually or academically useful done within a single lifetime. And it usually doesn't work even then. Did you read history in college by any chance? bonobashi Add more friends to your messenger and enjoy! Go to http://messenger.yahoo.com/invite/ -- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - does the frog know it has a latin name? - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Re: [silk] When I Have The Time
Of course, for starters, in a way this can be an argument. But the historian's craft is a well-developed and demarcated one, and goes well beyond merely being knowledgeable about history, to the extent that one can pass exams, even pass exams brilliantly, and not be an historian. The historian, often but not always through applications of historiography - a slippery subject at the best of times - and always through painful acquisition of the professional discipline, through writing a variety of papers of fairly limited scope and very focussed content, and watching these being refined in the crucible of peer review, learns to do history. I notice that not all good historians are particularly into historiography. Some of them are empiricists to a fault; that itself might be taken up as an example of an historiographical position. One can't become an historian just by getting a degree, although the process of getting MAs, M Phils and PhDs does help hone the craft. After that, one has to specialise, to apply thought to the specialised area and come to say something either frightfully original or painstakingly well-researched and soundly founded on primary sources. This is not what a student of history does, or is asked to do. I think that the difference is in the way that an historian does things related to history, rather than in any hypothetical underpinning of historiography. bonobashi Don't you think we ought to take this offline? It's so grossly off-topic. --- On Sun, 16/11/08, Abhishek Hazra [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote: From: Abhishek Hazra [EMAIL PROTECTED] Subject: Re: [silk] When I Have The Time To: silklist@lists.hserus.net Date: Sunday, 16 November, 2008, 3:34 PM Do you want to know a lot about history - and that's vague enough as it is - or do you want to be an historian? Those are two hugely different categories and states of being. well, to state the obvious, the historian has to engage equally with historiography as well as 'history'. though putting it this way, gives one the wrong impression of two apparently autonomous and separate fields of history and historiography... what's your take? abhishek On Sun, Nov 16, 2008 at 2:36 PM, Bonobashi [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote: --- On Sun, 16/11/08, Chandrachoodan Gopalakrishnan [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote: From: Chandrachoodan Gopalakrishnan [EMAIL PROTECTED] Subject: Re: [silk] When I Have The Time To: silklist@lists.hserus.net Date: Sunday, 16 November, 2008, 12:02 PM On Sat, Nov 15, 2008 at 10:36 AM, Udhay Shankar N [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote: Mohit (मॊिहत) wrote, [on 11/15/2008 9:05 AM]: I need to learn how to use chopsticks...and swimming...and dancing...and smiling while stabbing someone. That reminds me of all of the various things that I will do When I have The Time (small unrepresentative sample follows) * Masters degree in cryptography * Learn Perl * Find those treasured old college ripped jeans and lose 2 inches around the middle so I can wear them, dammit * Krav Maga * Finish off my TBR pile (~200 books at last count) * Get back to reasonable fluency in French * Meet up with all the several dozen friends with whom my primary interaction these days is occasional phone calls saying we MUST meet Share yours, o wise ones? This has the makings of a[nother] monster thread. Well, seriously though, here's what I'd like to do. 1) Really study history - not make jabs at it. 2) Learn three languages - one European, one Asian and one Indic 3) Do the east coast of India bike trip. (I've done about a third of the TN coast, though not on one trip) 4) Go from Madras to London on the bike 5) Sleep 6) Learn to decipher old tamil/grantha/brahmi scripts. Work with the Epigraphical society/ASI in TN 7) At least make a list of books that I have not read C Do you want to know a lot about history - and that's vague enough as it is - or do you want to be an historian? Those are two hugely different categories and states of being. Regarding your list of books, what books? Fiction, non-fiction, academic, belles-lettresUnless you're reasonably sure what you want to read, how easy or difficult is it to make a list? Just a silly, very silly example: Just taking up the influence of Gramsci on latter-day Marxism and how it seagues off into Derrida and deconstruction as a literary and philosophical tool, and the links with subaltern studies, could take a lifetime in itself. So would a sociological and historical analysis of Georgette Heyer. Or one could just curl up with a good book and to the devil with the serious stuff. My humble tuppence, which may be worth less, is that one needs to focus fiercely to get anything intellectually or academically useful done within
Re: [silk] When I Have The Time
On Sun, Nov 16, 2008 at 4:00 PM, Venkat Mangudi [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote: Srini Ramakrishnan wrote: 6. Volunteer with a charity or foundation that helps children to read - time: 6 months-1 year; cost: $$$ Akshara Foundation (www.aksharafoundation.org) might be interested in your help. Wot Sez, Gautam? This is unfortunately not a plan for immediate pursuit. There's other things ahead of it in the queue, but perhaps in a few years. Cost need not be $$$. Opportunity cost can be. PS: Want to add a legend to define $ through $? It's a relative cost, and it's not perfect either - some items could have an extra $. I don't have the definition you are looking for, but it's easy to work out if there's sufficient interest I think. Cheeni
Re: [silk] When I Have The Time
Srini Ramakrishnan wrote: 6. Volunteer with a charity or foundation that helps children to read - time: 6 months-1 year; cost: $$$ Akshara Foundation (www.aksharafoundation.org) might be interested in your help. Wot Sez, Gautam? Cost need not be $$$. Venkat PS: Want to add a legend to define $ through $?
Re: [silk] When I Have The Time
Oh, I think that (building a key to define $ through $$$) is likely to be hopeless at a top-down level. There are too many diverse contexts on this list. Maybe the best would be to define only three levels, using the $ sign only as a signifier of value, and standing for 'very costly', 'valuable' and 'not expensive', and let everybody decide for herself/himself which activity is rated what. bonobashi --- On Sun, 16/11/08, Srini Ramakrishnan [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote: From: Srini Ramakrishnan [EMAIL PROTECTED] Subject: Re: [silk] When I Have The Time To: silklist@lists.hserus.net Date: Sunday, 16 November, 2008, 4:14 PM On Sun, Nov 16, 2008 at 4:00 PM, Venkat Mangudi [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote: Srini Ramakrishnan wrote: 6. Volunteer with a charity or foundation that helps children to read - time: 6 months-1 year; cost: $$$ Akshara Foundation (www.aksharafoundation.org) might be interested in your help. Wot Sez, Gautam? This is unfortunately not a plan for immediate pursuit. There's other things ahead of it in the queue, but perhaps in a few years. Cost need not be $$$. Opportunity cost can be. PS: Want to add a legend to define $ through $? It's a relative cost, and it's not perfect either - some items could have an extra $. I don't have the definition you are looking for, but it's easy to work out if there's sufficient interest I think. Cheeni Add more friends to your messenger and enjoy! Go to http://messenger.yahoo.com/invite/
Re: [silk] When I Have The Time
On Sun, Nov 16, 2008 at 4:39 PM, Bonobashi [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote: Oh, I think that (building a key to define $ through $$$) is likely to be hopeless at a top-down level. There are too many diverse contexts on this list. Maybe the best would be to define only three levels, using the $ sign only as a signifier of value, and standing for 'very costly', 'valuable' and 'not expensive', and let everybody decide for herself/himself which activity is rated what. Yep, I was thinking of the restaurant guide approach too. Cheeni
Re: [silk] When I Have The Time
On Sun, Nov 16, 2008 at 2:36 PM, Bonobashi [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote: --- On Sun, 16/11/08, Chandrachoodan Gopalakrishnan [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote: Well, seriously though, here's what I'd like to do. 1) Really study history - not make jabs at it. 2) Learn three languages - one European, one Asian and one Indic 3) Do the east coast of India bike trip. (I've done about a third of the TN coast, though not on one trip) 4) Go from Madras to London on the bike 5) Sleep 6) Learn to decipher old tamil/grantha/brahmi scripts. Work with the Epigraphical society/ASI in TN 7) At least make a list of books that I have not read C Do you want to know a lot about history - and that's vague enough as it is - or do you want to be an historian? Those are two hugely different categories and states of being. I don't want to be a historian. My interest in history is purely arm-chair and perhaps to impress the odd friend with knowledge about cultures. I do have a fairly good idea of south Indian/Tamil empires and would like to build on it. Regarding your list of books, what books? Fiction, non-fiction, academic, belles-lettresUnless you're reasonably sure what you want to read, how easy or difficult is it to make a list? Um, that was mentioned half in jest. I buy books based on how I feel for that month/quarter - currently I am in a fiction/classics phase. Three months ago it was graphic novels. Making a list is not very difficult, but I prefer to not make one. Just a silly, very silly example: Just taking up the influence of Gramsci on latter-day Marxism and how it seagues off into Derrida and deconstruction as a literary and philosophical tool, and the links with subaltern studies, could take a lifetime in itself. So would a sociological and historical analysis of Georgette Heyer. Or one could just curl up with a good book and to the devil with the serious stuff. :)) My humble tuppence, which may be worth less, is that one needs to focus fiercely to get anything intellectually or academically useful done within a single lifetime. And it usually doesn't work even then. Did you read history in college by any chance? Nope. Studied accountancy, business communication, economics. And received a totally worthless paper at the end of it. C -- http://www.flickr.com/photos/ravages http://www.linkedin.com/in/ravages http://www.selectiveamnesia.org/ +91-9884467463
Re: [silk] When I Have The Time
Before we take this off list... On Sun, Nov 16, 2008 at 3:54 PM, Bonobashi [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote: I notice that not all good historians are particularly into historiography. Some of them are empiricists to a fault; that itself might be taken up as an example of an historiographical position. One can't become an historian just by getting a degree, although the process of getting MAs, M Phils and PhDs does help hone the craft. After that, one has to specialise, to apply thought to the specialised area and come to say something either frightfully original or painstakingly well-researched and soundly founded on primary sources. My only coughrolemodelcough is a guy called Muthiah. As far as I know, he hasn't written any paper, nor has he passed any test/exam for historians. He has done original, painstaking research though, and applied years of journalism experience to ferret out information about his subject - Madras history. This he popularises with his weekly columns in the newspaper, and his few books. This is not what a student of history does, or is asked to do. As I mentioned, I do not want to be a historian professionally, nor be a full-time student of history. I do want to know a lot more and lot deeper (digging wide and deep) about where I come from, where my family comes from, the things we did to get there. If, in the process, I am able to achieve some level of expertise/get acknowledged, all the better. C -- http://www.flickr.com/photos/ravages http://www.linkedin.com/in/ravages http://www.selectiveamnesia.org/ +91-9884467463
Re: [silk] When I Have The Time
On Saturday 15 Nov 2008 10:41:57 am Suresh Ramasubramanian wrote: That reminds me of all of the various things that I will do When I have The Time (small unrepresentative sample follows) * Finish off my TBR pile (~200 books at last count) Actually most of the things in the When I have time list will never get done. I missed so many movies for a decade and a half that I told myself that I would (this was some technological years ago) set up a room with a VCR and watch all the movies I had missed. But then time moved on - tech improved - and many of the movies that I missed turned out to be bad. When I was in the UK I recorded hours and hours of wildlife video and cartoons, imagining that my daughter would never get to see such stuff when I returned to India. Luckily, I have now found a taker who will accept for recycling 45 Kilos of junk videotapes. I deliberately keep my to be read books list to 6 and refuse to acknowledge that there are others. They may be there - but knowing that is of no use to me. I always keep reading material in the craphouse - not to be crapped on - but to be read. What have I done when I have had time? Converted videotapes to Mpeg I format and redone the same stuff to make Mpeg 2 in some cases. because technology moved the goalpost. I have converted 1000 odd transparencies to digital images time and time again using different techniques - each giving a slightly higher resoultion. My current project is digitizing hours of gramophone and tape music so I can throw away kilograms of cassette tapes. I have backed up all this on CDs initially, later DVDs and now on almost-terabyte size external drives. In short I am packaging all my experiences into a format that is going to be as unreadable as my brain when I am dead. What a waste of time. When you have time, the best thing to do is play golf. shiv
Re: [silk] When I Have The Time
OK, thought back and here's a slightly fuller list. * Go back - this time on vacation, a week at a time - to at least some of the more interesting cities I've been to on conferences (aka airport - hotel - conference - dinner - hotel, catch up on work while also attending / presenting / taking part in panels, lather rinse repeat .. as for sightseeing, well, I saw the Eiffel tower and the Arc d'Triomphe from my taxi window once, when I was in Paris. For example..) * Paris, Perth, Singapore (which I've mostly only transited through), SFO, Boston, Kyoto, Buenos Aires, ... * Get back into quizzing - which I have shamefully neglected for some years now. And a lot of fun has gone out of my life thanks to that. * See more of various relatives, several of who live in the same city as I do but I haven’t seen in weeks, or even months. That's not even starting to count the relatives in Bombay, Delhi and parts unknown. * Get back to working on APCAUCE (www.apcauce.org) - which I have been falling behind on for the last year or so. srs
Re: [silk] When I Have The Time
ss wrote, [on 11/16/2008 10:12 PM]: Actually most of the things in the When I have time list will never get done. I don't know about many of the other posters in this thread, but at least part of my motivation in starting it was to wryly acknowledge this. On a similar note: http://quotagious.r08.railsrumble.com/tags/138 Udhay -- ((Udhay Shankar N)) ((udhay @ pobox.com)) ((www.digeratus.com))
Re: [silk] When I Have The Time
Well, having 'retired' twice before on achieving this once-desirable state of having enough money to 'not have to work' I can tell you that it's a state that is probably over-romanticised. In a word, two actually, I was soon bored shitless. And in each case, my retirement lasted about 3 months. It went something like this: 1. I enjoy a month of reading, watching TV, rooting around in the garden, hanging out at Borders. 2. Around week 6 the restlessness creeps in - was I really going to spend the rest of my life doing nothing? 3. Around week 9, the brain kicks in. There must be something interesting I could do. 4. By week 12, I've started something new. I am now happily consigned to the state of knowing that I can never really retire. And that is a retirement of some sort, actually :-) Mahesh On Sun, Nov 16, 2008 at 2:17 PM, Eugen Leitl [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote: On Sun, Nov 16, 2008 at 11:00:12AM +0530, Srini Ramakrishnan wrote: On Sat, Nov 15, 2008 at 8:37 PM, Chandrachoodan Gopalakrishnan [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote: [...] Get rich? Definitely want to do that. Define rich. Not having to work, of course.
Re: [silk] When I Have The Time
On Mon, Nov 17, 2008 at 01:24:51AM +0530, Mahesh Murthy wrote: And in each case, my retirement lasted about 3 months. It went something like this: Who said anything about retirement? It's about not having to work (to pay the bills). So you're free to pursue your heart's true desire, whatever that is.
Re: [silk] When I Have The Time
Zigackly. I think this is the tersest and most appropriate statement-of-purpose I've read. You don't do the shit you happen to be doing in order to pay the bills, you start doing the beautiful stuff just waiting to be done. Off-roading in Iceland, for instance, comes to mind. Put another way, it'd be nice to have my tires at 2 psi instead of 32. From fragmentary, blissful past experiences, this actually involves 'working' harder than ever, wringing oneself out physically and mentally, but enjoying every second, every little action involved to the fullest. bonobashi --- On Mon, 17/11/08, Eugen Leitl [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote: From: Eugen Leitl [EMAIL PROTECTED] Subject: Re: [silk] When I Have The Time To: silklist@lists.hserus.net Date: Monday, 17 November, 2008, 1:33 AM On Mon, Nov 17, 2008 at 01:24:51AM +0530, Mahesh Murthy wrote: And in each case, my retirement lasted about 3 months. It went something like this: Who said anything about retirement? It's about not having to work (to pay the bills). So you're free to pursue your heart's true desire, whatever that is. Add more friends to your messenger and enjoy! Go to http://messenger.yahoo.com/invite/
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] When I Have The Time
On Mon, Nov 17, 2008 at 5:18 AM, Bonobashi [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote: You don't do the shit you happen to be doing in order to pay the bills, you start doing the beautiful stuff just waiting to be done. Off-roading in Iceland, for instance, comes to mind. I'm currently doing a pretty good thing that pays my bills. But I do want to not do it day in and day out, if that makes sense. And yes, off-roading in Iceland sounds like something I'd try, if I can get to a road in Iceland. C -- http://www.flickr.com/photos/ravages http://www.linkedin.com/in/ravages http://www.selectiveamnesia.org/ +91-9884467463
Re: [silk] When I Have The Time
On Monday 17 Nov 2008 1:24:51 am Mahesh Murthy wrote: Well, having 'retired' twice before There is the story of the Alchemist's apprentice who beged his boss to teach him how to make god. The man taught him, but warned him that while he is chanting the magic words he must never ever think of the pink elephant. Elated, the apprenctice started wrok immediately, but found to his horror that the thought of the pink elephant kept coming and the gold failed to appear. He then complained to his master, Sire - if you had not told me about that pink elephant I would never hvae thought about it, but I am now unable to get it out of my mind Retirement is like the pink elephant. Whose bright idea was it to conjure up the idea that people need to retire What sort of stupid concept is that? shiv
Re: [silk] When I Have The Time - gold not god
On Monday 17 Nov 2008 9:21:30 am ss wrote: There is the story of the Alchemist's apprentice who beged his boss to teach him how to make god. I normally ignore my own typos - but this one changes the meaning too much to be ignored. It should have been how to make gold sorry shiv
Re: [silk] When I Have The Time
--- On Mon, 17/11/08, Chandrachoodan Gopalakrishnan [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote: From: Chandrachoodan Gopalakrishnan [EMAIL PROTECTED] Subject: Re: [silk] When I Have The Time To: silklist@lists.hserus.net Date: Monday, 17 November, 2008, 8:45 AM On Mon, Nov 17, 2008 at 5:18 AM, Bonobashi [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote: You don't do the shit you happen to be doing in order to pay the bills, you start doing the beautiful stuff just waiting to be done. Off-roading in Iceland, for instance, comes to mind. I'm currently doing a pretty good thing that pays my bills. But I do want to not do it day in and day out, if that makes sense. And yes, off-roading in Iceland sounds like something I'd try, if I can get to a road in Iceland. C ? You lost me on the bends. You want to get to a road in Iceland, so that you can go off the road in Iceland? I agree that there is a strange beauty, almost a symmetry, in that logic. If there is no road, one cannot after all go off-road. On the duller side, however, there are some gorgeous off-roading videos on You Tube, and any number of exhilarating web-sites on this. More when I have been pacified and brought down to the usual state of neurosis from my present distraught frame of mind. Add more friends to your messenger and enjoy! Go to http://messenger.yahoo.com/invite/
Re: [silk] When I Have The Time
On Mon, Nov 17, 2008 at 08:45:44AM +0530, Chandrachoodan Gopalakrishnan wrote: I'm currently doing a pretty good thing that pays my bills. But I do want to not do it day in and day out, if that makes sense. And yes, off-roading in Iceland sounds like something I'd try, if I can get to a road in Iceland. They use trucks like that http://leitl.org/ice2/88.html More http://leitl.org/ice2/ Since their national economy collapse it's getting pretty grim over there, though. 1/3rd are considering emigration.
Re: [silk] When I Have The Time
On Sat, Nov 15, 2008 at 10:36 AM, Udhay Shankar N [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote: That reminds me of all of the various things that I will do When I have The Time (small unrepresentative sample follows) * Masters degree in cryptography * Learn Perl * Find those treasured old college ripped jeans and lose 2 inches around the middle so I can wear them, dammit * Krav Maga * Finish off my TBR pile (~200 books at last count) * Get back to reasonable fluency in French * Meet up with all the several dozen friends with whom my primary interaction these days is occasional phone calls saying we MUST meet Share yours, o wise ones? Get rich? Definitely want to do that. C -- http://www.flickr.com/photos/ravages http://www.linkedin.com/in/ravages http://www.selectiveamnesia.org/ +91-9884467463
Re: [silk] When I Have The Time
--- On Sat, 15/11/08, Udhay Shankar N [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote: From: Udhay Shankar N [EMAIL PROTECTED] Subject: [silk] When I Have The Time To: Silk List silklist@lists.hserus.net Date: Saturday, 15 November, 2008, 10:36 AM Mohit (मॊिहत) wrote, [on 11/15/2008 9:05 AM]: I need to learn how to use chopsticks...and swimming...and dancing...and smiling while stabbing someone. That reminds me of all of the various things that I will do When I have The Time (small unrepresentative sample follows) * Masters degree in cryptography * Learn Perl * Find those treasured old college ripped jeans and lose 2 inches around the middle so I can wear them, dammit * Krav Maga * Finish off my TBR pile (~200 books at last count) * Get back to reasonable fluency in French * Meet up with all the several dozen friends with whom my primary interaction these days is occasional phone calls saying we MUST meet Share yours, o wise ones? This has the makings of a[nother] monster thread. Udhay * Get my Master's degree in History; * Write the definitive maritime history of India; * Re-learn German; * Learn French and Sanskrit; * Tour those corners of India that I haven't seen yet, on my own set of rough-roading wheels; * Go to Leh by road, and bum around Ladakh for as long as I can afford (two days, at present levels); * Lose 20 kgs.; * Photograph Calcutta before it auto-destructs; * Try to understand the different Indian philosophical schools; * Try to understand Economics (if it's really possible; sometimes it seems to be something that Economists invented to keep themselves in an occupation not to be described as idling their time away); * Learn to ride a motor-cycle; * Complete my collection of Western classical music; * Listen to as much jazz as I can; * Travel through Cambodia (without losing limbs, it is to be hoped); * Travel through Scandinavia, and the Baltic states; * Backpack through Africa, and South America, and travel to China and Russia (they don't encourage back-packers, it is said); * Scuba-dive at every feasible Indian location; * Collect and print my daughter's poems; * Find my ancestral village in Bangladesh (there are two, one easier to find than the other); * Learn to fly a plane; I'll be happy to achieve even one of these, any one. bonobashi Add more friends to your messenger and enjoy! Go to http://messenger.yahoo.com/invite/
Re: [silk] When I Have The Time
* Write the definitive maritime history of India; interesting! what got you interested in this area: fascination with the Indian ocean trade routes? (subrahmanyam, ashin chaudhuri etc...) On Sat, Nov 15, 2008 at 8:46 PM, Bonobashi [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote: --- On Sat, 15/11/08, Udhay Shankar N [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote: From: Udhay Shankar N [EMAIL PROTECTED] Subject: [silk] When I Have The Time To: Silk List silklist@lists.hserus.net Date: Saturday, 15 November, 2008, 10:36 AM Mohit (मॊिहत) wrote, [on 11/15/2008 9:05 AM]: I need to learn how to use chopsticks...and swimming...and dancing...and smiling while stabbing someone. That reminds me of all of the various things that I will do When I have The Time (small unrepresentative sample follows) * Masters degree in cryptography * Learn Perl * Find those treasured old college ripped jeans and lose 2 inches around the middle so I can wear them, dammit * Krav Maga * Finish off my TBR pile (~200 books at last count) * Get back to reasonable fluency in French * Meet up with all the several dozen friends with whom my primary interaction these days is occasional phone calls saying we MUST meet Share yours, o wise ones? This has the makings of a[nother] monster thread. Udhay * Get my Master's degree in History; * Write the definitive maritime history of India; * Re-learn German; * Learn French and Sanskrit; * Tour those corners of India that I haven't seen yet, on my own set of rough-roading wheels; * Go to Leh by road, and bum around Ladakh for as long as I can afford (two days, at present levels); * Lose 20 kgs.; * Photograph Calcutta before it auto-destructs; * Try to understand the different Indian philosophical schools; * Try to understand Economics (if it's really possible; sometimes it seems to be something that Economists invented to keep themselves in an occupation not to be described as idling their time away); * Learn to ride a motor-cycle; * Complete my collection of Western classical music; * Listen to as much jazz as I can; * Travel through Cambodia (without losing limbs, it is to be hoped); * Travel through Scandinavia, and the Baltic states; * Backpack through Africa, and South America, and travel to China and Russia (they don't encourage back-packers, it is said); * Scuba-dive at every feasible Indian location; * Collect and print my daughter's poems; * Find my ancestral village in Bangladesh (there are two, one easier to find than the other); * Learn to fly a plane; I'll be happy to achieve even one of these, any one. bonobashi Add more friends to your messenger and enjoy! Go to http://messenger.yahoo.com/invite/ -- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - does the frog know it has a latin name? - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Re: [silk] When I Have The Time
sorry_ i meant ashin dasgupta :( On Sat, Nov 15, 2008 at 8:52 PM, Abhishek Hazra [EMAIL PROTECTED]wrote: * Write the definitive maritime history of India; interesting! what got you interested in this area: fascination with the Indian ocean trade routes? (subrahmanyam, ashin chaudhuri etc...) On Sat, Nov 15, 2008 at 8:46 PM, Bonobashi [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote: --- On Sat, 15/11/08, Udhay Shankar N [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote: From: Udhay Shankar N [EMAIL PROTECTED] Subject: [silk] When I Have The Time To: Silk List silklist@lists.hserus.net Date: Saturday, 15 November, 2008, 10:36 AM Mohit (मॊिहत) wrote, [on 11/15/2008 9:05 AM]: I need to learn how to use chopsticks...and swimming...and dancing...and smiling while stabbing someone. That reminds me of all of the various things that I will do When I have The Time (small unrepresentative sample follows) * Masters degree in cryptography * Learn Perl * Find those treasured old college ripped jeans and lose 2 inches around the middle so I can wear them, dammit * Krav Maga * Finish off my TBR pile (~200 books at last count) * Get back to reasonable fluency in French * Meet up with all the several dozen friends with whom my primary interaction these days is occasional phone calls saying we MUST meet Share yours, o wise ones? This has the makings of a[nother] monster thread. Udhay * Get my Master's degree in History; * Write the definitive maritime history of India; * Re-learn German; * Learn French and Sanskrit; * Tour those corners of India that I haven't seen yet, on my own set of rough-roading wheels; * Go to Leh by road, and bum around Ladakh for as long as I can afford (two days, at present levels); * Lose 20 kgs.; * Photograph Calcutta before it auto-destructs; * Try to understand the different Indian philosophical schools; * Try to understand Economics (if it's really possible; sometimes it seems to be something that Economists invented to keep themselves in an occupation not to be described as idling their time away); * Learn to ride a motor-cycle; * Complete my collection of Western classical music; * Listen to as much jazz as I can; * Travel through Cambodia (without losing limbs, it is to be hoped); * Travel through Scandinavia, and the Baltic states; * Backpack through Africa, and South America, and travel to China and Russia (they don't encourage back-packers, it is said); * Scuba-dive at every feasible Indian location; * Collect and print my daughter's poems; * Find my ancestral village in Bangladesh (there are two, one easier to find than the other); * Learn to fly a plane; I'll be happy to achieve even one of these, any one. bonobashi Add more friends to your messenger and enjoy! Go to http://messenger.yahoo.com/invite/ -- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - does the frog know it has a latin name? - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - does the frog know it has a latin name? - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Re: [silk] When I Have The Time
--- On Sat, 15/11/08, Abhishek Hazra [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote: From: Abhishek Hazra [EMAIL PROTECTED] Subject: Re: [silk] When I Have The Time To: silklist@lists.hserus.net Date: Saturday, 15 November, 2008, 8:52 PM * Write the definitive maritime history of India; interesting! what got you interested in this area: fascination with the Indian ocean trade routes? (subrahmanyam, ashin chaudhuri etc...) Ashin Das Gupta (not Chaudhuri) was my tutor in College, as well as being the History head. My guru parampara is Kuruvilla Zachariah-Sushobhan Sircar-Amalesh Tripathi/Ashin Das Gupta. However, my interest in maritime history is only partly based on Ashin's work. Independently, I have been reading and exploring maritime history issues, and have written about it in professional journals. I have come to form some surprising hypotheses, and want to research things further to come to a conclusion about these. On Sat, Nov 15, 2008 at 8:46 PM, Bonobashi [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote: --- On Sat, 15/11/08, Udhay Shankar N [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote: From: Udhay Shankar N [EMAIL PROTECTED] Subject: [silk] When I Have The Time To: Silk List silklist@lists.hserus.net Date: Saturday, 15 November, 2008, 10:36 AM Mohit (मॊिहत) wrote, [on 11/15/2008 9:05 AM]: I need to learn how to use chopsticks...and swimming...and dancing...and smiling while stabbing someone. That reminds me of all of the various things that I will do When I have The Time (small unrepresentative sample follows) * Masters degree in cryptography * Learn Perl * Find those treasured old college ripped jeans and lose 2 inches around the middle so I can wear them, dammit * Krav Maga * Finish off my TBR pile (~200 books at last count) * Get back to reasonable fluency in French * Meet up with all the several dozen friends with whom my primary interaction these days is occasional phone calls saying we MUST meet Share yours, o wise ones? This has the makings of a[nother] monster thread. Udhay * Get my Master's degree in History; * Write the definitive maritime history of India; * Re-learn German; * Learn French and Sanskrit; * Tour those corners of India that I haven't seen yet, on my own set of rough-roading wheels; * Go to Leh by road, and bum around Ladakh for as long as I can afford (two days, at present levels); * Lose 20 kgs.; * Photograph Calcutta before it auto-destructs; * Try to understand the different Indian philosophical schools; * Try to understand Economics (if it's really possible; sometimes it seems to be something that Economists invented to keep themselves in an occupation not to be described as idling their time away); * Learn to ride a motor-cycle; * Complete my collection of Western classical music; * Listen to as much jazz as I can; * Travel through Cambodia (without losing limbs, it is to be hoped); * Travel through Scandinavia, and the Baltic states; * Backpack through Africa, and South America, and travel to China and Russia (they don't encourage back-packers, it is said); * Scuba-dive at every feasible Indian location; * Collect and print my daughter's poems; * Find my ancestral village in Bangladesh (there are two, one easier to find than the other); * Learn to fly a plane; I'll be happy to achieve even one of these, any one. bonobashi Add more friends to your messenger and enjoy! Go to http://messenger.yahoo.com/invite/ -- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - does the frog know it has a latin name? - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Add more friends to your messenger and enjoy! Go to http://messenger.yahoo.com/invite/
Re: [silk] When I Have The Time
:-) --- On Sat, 15/11/08, Abhishek Hazra [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote: From: Abhishek Hazra [EMAIL PROTECTED] Subject: Re: [silk] When I Have The Time To: silklist@lists.hserus.net Date: Saturday, 15 November, 2008, 8:55 PM sorry_ i meant ashin dasgupta :( On Sat, Nov 15, 2008 at 8:52 PM, Abhishek Hazra [EMAIL PROTECTED]wrote: * Write the definitive maritime history of India; interesting! what got you interested in this area: fascination with the Indian ocean trade routes? (subrahmanyam, ashin chaudhuri etc...) On Sat, Nov 15, 2008 at 8:46 PM, Bonobashi [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote: --- On Sat, 15/11/08, Udhay Shankar N [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote: From: Udhay Shankar N [EMAIL PROTECTED] Subject: [silk] When I Have The Time To: Silk List silklist@lists.hserus.net Date: Saturday, 15 November, 2008, 10:36 AM Mohit (मॊिहत) wrote, [on 11/15/2008 9:05 AM]: I need to learn how to use chopsticks...and swimming...and dancing...and smiling while stabbing someone. That reminds me of all of the various things that I will do When I have The Time (small unrepresentative sample follows) * Masters degree in cryptography * Learn Perl * Find those treasured old college ripped jeans and lose 2 inches around the middle so I can wear them, dammit * Krav Maga * Finish off my TBR pile (~200 books at last count) * Get back to reasonable fluency in French * Meet up with all the several dozen friends with whom my primary interaction these days is occasional phone calls saying we MUST meet Share yours, o wise ones? This has the makings of a[nother] monster thread. Udhay * Get my Master's degree in History; * Write the definitive maritime history of India; * Re-learn German; * Learn French and Sanskrit; * Tour those corners of India that I haven't seen yet, on my own set of rough-roading wheels; * Go to Leh by road, and bum around Ladakh for as long as I can afford (two days, at present levels); * Lose 20 kgs.; * Photograph Calcutta before it auto-destructs; * Try to understand the different Indian philosophical schools; * Try to understand Economics (if it's really possible; sometimes it seems to be something that Economists invented to keep themselves in an occupation not to be described as idling their time away); * Learn to ride a motor-cycle; * Complete my collection of Western classical music; * Listen to as much jazz as I can; * Travel through Cambodia (without losing limbs, it is to be hoped); * Travel through Scandinavia, and the Baltic states; * Backpack through Africa, and South America, and travel to China and Russia (they don't encourage back-packers, it is said); * Scuba-dive at every feasible Indian location; * Collect and print my daughter's poems; * Find my ancestral village in Bangladesh (there are two, one easier to find than the other); * Learn to fly a plane; I'll be happy to achieve even one of these, any one. bonobashi Add more friends to your messenger and enjoy! Go to http://messenger.yahoo.com/invite/ -- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - does the frog know it has a latin name? - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - does the frog know it has a latin name? - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Add more friends to your messenger and enjoy! Go to http://messenger.yahoo.com/invite/
Re: [silk] When I Have The Time
My guru parampara is Kuruvilla Zachariah-Sushobhan Sircar-Amalesh Tripathi/Ashin Das Gupta. super fascinating! would be great if you could point me to any one of your papers. also, which archives have you dipped into most? btw, ashin and sachin are almost anagrams :) On Sat, Nov 15, 2008 at 9:02 PM, Bonobashi [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote: --- On Sat, 15/11/08, Abhishek Hazra [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote: From: Abhishek Hazra [EMAIL PROTECTED] Subject: Re: [silk] When I Have The Time To: silklist@lists.hserus.net Date: Saturday, 15 November, 2008, 8:52 PM * Write the definitive maritime history of India; interesting! what got you interested in this area: fascination with the Indian ocean trade routes? (subrahmanyam, ashin chaudhuri etc...) Ashin Das Gupta (not Chaudhuri) was my tutor in College, as well as being the History head. My guru parampara is Kuruvilla Zachariah-Sushobhan Sircar-Amalesh Tripathi/Ashin Das Gupta. However, my interest in maritime history is only partly based on Ashin's work. Independently, I have been reading and exploring maritime history issues, and have written about it in professional journals. I have come to form some surprising hypotheses, and want to research things further to come to a conclusion about these. On Sat, Nov 15, 2008 at 8:46 PM, Bonobashi [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote: --- On Sat, 15/11/08, Udhay Shankar N [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote: From: Udhay Shankar N [EMAIL PROTECTED] Subject: [silk] When I Have The Time To: Silk List silklist@lists.hserus.net Date: Saturday, 15 November, 2008, 10:36 AM Mohit (मॊिहत) wrote, [on 11/15/2008 9:05 AM]: I need to learn how to use chopsticks...and swimming...and dancing...and smiling while stabbing someone. That reminds me of all of the various things that I will do When I have The Time (small unrepresentative sample follows) * Masters degree in cryptography * Learn Perl * Find those treasured old college ripped jeans and lose 2 inches around the middle so I can wear them, dammit * Krav Maga * Finish off my TBR pile (~200 books at last count) * Get back to reasonable fluency in French * Meet up with all the several dozen friends with whom my primary interaction these days is occasional phone calls saying we MUST meet Share yours, o wise ones? This has the makings of a[nother] monster thread. Udhay * Get my Master's degree in History; * Write the definitive maritime history of India; * Re-learn German; * Learn French and Sanskrit; * Tour those corners of India that I haven't seen yet, on my own set of rough-roading wheels; * Go to Leh by road, and bum around Ladakh for as long as I can afford (two days, at present levels); * Lose 20 kgs.; * Photograph Calcutta before it auto-destructs; * Try to understand the different Indian philosophical schools; * Try to understand Economics (if it's really possible; sometimes it seems to be something that Economists invented to keep themselves in an occupation not to be described as idling their time away); * Learn to ride a motor-cycle; * Complete my collection of Western classical music; * Listen to as much jazz as I can; * Travel through Cambodia (without losing limbs, it is to be hoped); * Travel through Scandinavia, and the Baltic states; * Backpack through Africa, and South America, and travel to China and Russia (they don't encourage back-packers, it is said); * Scuba-dive at every feasible Indian location; * Collect and print my daughter's poems; * Find my ancestral village in Bangladesh (there are two, one easier to find than the other); * Learn to fly a plane; I'll be happy to achieve even one of these, any one. bonobashi Add more friends to your messenger and enjoy! Go to http://messenger.yahoo.com/invite/ -- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - does the frog know it has a latin name? - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Add more friends to your messenger and enjoy! Go to http://messenger.yahoo.com/invite/ -- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - does the frog know it has a latin name? - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Re: [silk] When I Have The Time
On Fri, Nov 14, 2008 at 9:19 PM, Madhu Menon [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote: PS: Udhay, for a moment I thought you posted this on Satin, then realised it was on Silk, so quickly edited out the admin stuff I had written about the thread. :P What is this Satin business? Is that where the Silk cabal hangs out? Thaths -- Silly Indians. Our God made their God -- Homer J. Simpson
Re: [silk] When I Have The Time
Udhay: you are a sadist :p Ok. Just to put it in perspective. My comment was not with respect to if i had the time, but more to do with those someday wishes we all seem to have. The two lists are not mutually exclusive however, and so i'll just categorise them as things to do before i die. heh! My list (in no particular order): 1. Clear Google Reader - Starred items (700+ at the moment) 2. Financial Projections for 2008-2043 3. Plan European Trip - 4 weeks - May-June 2009 4. Form IT-BHU Ceramic Engineers' Association 5. Teach - Prepare course material for management Course, starting next sem) 6. Launch own business - performance management solutions for mid-sized firms 7. Travel to Australia, New Zealand, Yellowstone National Park, Rajasthan, Andaman Nicobar Islands, Lakshadweep, Munich, Italy, African wilds 8. Write a book 9. Learn Swimming 10. Learn poker 11. Finish off to-Read books on the shelf (30 fiction 10 non-fiction at the moment) 12. Read the books on the to-read list in excel file (110 at the moment) 13. go on a long trek Some of these are obviously more achievable (e.g. 1-3,11) than others; some will NEVER get done (e.g. 12 - there will always be people writing more more good books); some will take a fair bit of work planning (4-7); some are wishes will need help from other people (6-7; 9, 10 13) Actually, scrap that. Most of these will need planning, luck, courage support to accomplish. And that's what makes it all worthwhile. BTW, reading through others' lists is a great experience. I hope you guys won't mind if i get inspired :) Mohit http://unjustly.wordpress.com http://www.linkedin.com/in/mohitmohit http://tinyurl.com/57lrf3
Re: [silk] When I Have The Time
Suresh Ramasubramanian [EMAIL PROTECTED] writes: * Finish off my TBR pile (~200 books at last count) Mine will keep me occupied for several lifetimes yet. That and my unopened and some viewed years ago vcd/dvd collection. My unread books are now in the several thousand range, and it is clear I will be dead before I get through them, barring serious life extension or serious speedup of my mind. Perry
Re: [silk] When I Have The Time
On Sat, Nov 15, 2008 at 12:54 PM, Mohit (मॊिहत) [EMAIL PROTECTED]wrote: Udhay: you are a sadist :p Indeed. But this sounds like great fun, so I'll bite: 1. Travel more (particularly around Japan/China). See the world, in particular... 2. Go to India (I'm probably the only Silker who hasn't!) 3. Get at least a masters in Economics, probably a Ph.D. 4. Write the novel I've been tossing around in my head for the past two years. 5. Get through the 250+ books on my to read list. 6. Get SCUBA certified. 7. Get back into piano. 8. Obtain proficiency on violin. 9. Learn how to belly dance properly. 10. Learn at least one new language. 11. Take a few good cooking classes. 12. Volunteer. What a lovely thing to contemplate on a rainy day (at least in D.C.) Carey
Re: [silk] When I Have The Time
On Sat, Nov 15, 2008 at 10:36 AM, Udhay Shankar N [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote: [...] This has the makings of a[nother] monster thread. That's the mailing list equivalent of the sign that says jump off the cliff here for wonderful view. I will bite of course :-) Most of this is stuff that I know I can do; because having impossible dreams just eats me up. However there is no guarantee that I will get to do any of them, you know the vagaries of life and all that jazz. 1. Cross the ALCAN[0] in an RV - time: 1 month; Cost: $$$ 2. Pack my unread books and take a reading vacation - time: 2 months; cost: $$$ 3. Pack my laptop and take a writing vacation in the country, many book ideas in head - time: 6 months; cost: $$$ 4. Fit back into my old college jeans[1] (making time for this one whether I have it or not) - time: 1-2 years; cost: $$ 5. Learn sanskrit and the Upanishads - time: 3-5 years; cost: $$ 6. Volunteer with a charity or foundation that helps children to read - time: 6 months-1 year; cost: $$$ 7. Backpack in the Mediterranean, Eastern Europe and South America. - time: 3 months each; cost: $$$ 8. Settle down in an island [2] or in the hills [3] - time: 15 years; cost: $ 9. Live and work in all continents of the world. - time: 15 years; cost: 10. Jump off a plane, preferably intentionally - time: 3 months; cost: $$$ Nah, I'll never get to these: 1. A PhD in the anthropology of Iyers 2. Participate in the Olympics But I will probably get to a highly diluted equivalent. For example, I'd be happy to settle for a medal in a half way serious affair like a district / state level competition. Cheeni [0] http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alaska_Highway [1] Borrowing Udhay's - sounds nicer than lose xx kilos [2] The current list includes Sri Lanka and Hawaii. No, SG, AU and HK don't even count. NZ might just qualify. [3] The hills of NE India are tempting, but not realistic IMO. What would be great is to find an island with hills. Yes, that's one reason NZ qualifies.
Re: [silk] When I Have The Time
On Sat, Nov 15, 2008 at 9:18 PM, Thaths [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote: On Fri, Nov 14, 2008 at 9:19 PM, Madhu Menon [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote: PS: Udhay, for a moment I thought you posted this on Satin, then realised it was on Silk, so quickly edited out the admin stuff I had written about the thread. :P What is this Satin business? Is that where the Silk cabal hangs out? Yes, inquiring minds would like to know. Cheeni
Re: [silk] When I Have The Time
On Sat, Nov 15, 2008 at 8:37 PM, Chandrachoodan Gopalakrishnan [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote: [...] Get rich? Definitely want to do that. Define rich.
Re: [silk] When I Have The Time
Thaths wrote: On Fri, Nov 14, 2008 at 9:19 PM, Madhu Menon [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote: PS: Udhay, for a moment I thought you posted this on Satin, then realised it was on Silk, so quickly edited out the admin stuff I had written about the thread. :P What is this Satin business? Is that where the Silk cabal hangs out? It is a highly secretive mailing list I run. Some of the list's members have been suspecting of engineering the global economic crash. For some reason, Udhay is also a member. That is all I can tell you without the I'd have to kill you warning. M -- * Madhu Menon Shiok Far-eastern Cuisine Moss Cocktail Lounge 96, Amar Jyoti Layout, Inner Ring Road, Bangalore @ http://shiokfood.com | http://mosslounge.com
Re: [silk] When I Have The Time
On Sat, Nov 15, 2008 at 10:36 AM, Udhay Shankar N [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote: That reminds me of all of the various things that I will do When I have The Time (small unrepresentative sample follows) This has the makings of a[nother] monster thread. Here goes: * Get financially literate* Make sense of how the rational (logical) and irrational (moral) sides of the brain reconcile * Make sense of how mass consumption and individualism manage to pretend they are unrelated * Visit every continent in the world just to make the claim of having done that * Do the rickshaw rally * Visit Tibet and Xinjiang and understand what life is like on the other side of the Himalayas * Visit Varanasi and observe the interplay of its three claims as a site of learning, ritual and tourism * Grok the mythologies that inform the prominent cultures of the world -- Kiran Jonnalagadda http://jace.seacrow.com/
Re: [silk] When I Have The Time
On Sun, Nov 16, 2008 at 11:00 AM, Srini Ramakrishnan [EMAIL PROTECTED]wrote: On Sat, Nov 15, 2008 at 8:37 PM, Chandrachoodan Gopalakrishnan [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote: [...] Get rich? Definitely want to do that. Define rich. Enough wealth so all this list-making loses significance and I can do anything I want and claim it is something I always wanted to do it. Even if I'd just heard about this something y'day. C -- http://www.flickr.com/photos/ravages http://www.linkedin.com/in/ravages http://www.selectiveamnesia.org/ +91-9884467463
Re: [silk] When I Have The Time
On Sat, Nov 15, 2008 at 10:36 AM, Udhay Shankar N [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote: Mohit (मॊिहत) wrote, [on 11/15/2008 9:05 AM]: I need to learn how to use chopsticks...and swimming...and dancing...and smiling while stabbing someone. That reminds me of all of the various things that I will do When I have The Time (small unrepresentative sample follows) * Masters degree in cryptography * Learn Perl * Find those treasured old college ripped jeans and lose 2 inches around the middle so I can wear them, dammit * Krav Maga * Finish off my TBR pile (~200 books at last count) * Get back to reasonable fluency in French * Meet up with all the several dozen friends with whom my primary interaction these days is occasional phone calls saying we MUST meet Share yours, o wise ones? This has the makings of a[nother] monster thread. Well, seriously though, here's what I'd like to do. 1) Really study history - not make jabs at it. 2) Learn three languages - one European, one Asian and one Indic 3) Do the east coast of India bike trip. (I've done about a third of the TN coast, though not on one trip) 4) Go from Madras to London on the bike 5) Sleep 6) Learn to decipher old tamil/grantha/brahmi scripts. Work with the Epigraphical society/ASI in TN 7) At least make a list of books that I have not read C -- http://www.flickr.com/photos/ravages http://www.linkedin.com/in/ravages http://www.selectiveamnesia.org/ +91-9884467463