What have i been ???

I knew at once there was no place i'd rather be

2009-06-29T01:04:00.004-04:00

I am on Twitter now (@khopadi). Its nice.

Carnegie Mellon Parking Service running a Scam?

2009-06-21T23:57:00.002-04:00

Michelle Porter and her subordinates at the Carnegie Mellon parking services (which oversees both visitor parking as well as student/staff parking) might be running a scam.

Couple of months back (haven't had the time to blog about it till now), during the CMU Spring Carnival week, one of the parking services personnel mis-directed me to park in a handicapped spot since the parking lot i was allotted parking in was full. After being mis-directed by parking services, another one of their personnel wrote a ticket to me for parking in that spot.

Michelle, who is supposed to oversee this operation, wouldn't accept it as a case of mis-communication among her staff. Makes me wonder if it was a scam all along. After the episode, its very easy for the two different employees (the one who mis-directed me and the one who wrote the ticket) to easily claim that they were just doing their job. Hence they were not at fault.

For all practical purposes, the parking services scammed me into paying for the heavy work that Spring Carnival week generates for them.

In anycase, parking services runs in kind of autonomous mode in CMU. So its hard to bring them under scrutiny. All i can do at this time is caution other students and visitors to CMU to be very careful and explicitly clarify any direction given to avoid falling into this trap. Good luck.

But that was when i ruled the world

2009-01-15T22:17:00.002-05:00

Indie 103.1 FM was the best radio station i have ever listened to in the United States. Its morning commute programming was just the best there can be.

Since i moved back to Pittsburgh, i have been catching up on my dose of Indie 103.1 online and actually on the east coast it works out much better timing wise because now i get to listen to the 9pm music at Noon which is typically when i get to listen to music in my office.

I came to know today that Indie 103.1 FM is stopping its "terrestial" broadcasting in the Los Angeles and Orange County areas quoting "corporate" reasons! The announcement that went along with this stop says they are will "take an alternative course" moving to the Internet, "a place where rules do not apply and where new music thrives".

It seems, for now, their content is automated online too as its going through pretty much the same songs. But hopefully, they would be back soon enough.

BTW: If you go through their history (as per Wikipedia), these kinds of transitions are not new. The attempt to move to the internet from an earlier version of this station called Channel103.1 doesnt seem to be any good (didnt work for me!).

Lets see how far this alternative course takes Indie103.1 FM. I most sincerely hope that their format of radio gets to survives in the US.

I'll stay forever

2009-01-15T17:16:00.004-05:00

I have a problem with General Mills. The guys who make all the breakfast cereal in the world (pretty much!)

Their Cocoa Puffs Milk & Cereal Bars are the best. But the only way they seem to be available is by purchasing a combination box of Milk & Cereals bars which have 2 bars each of Cocoa Puffs, Honey Nut Cherios and Cinnamon Toast Crunch like here. Honey Nut Cherios are not so bad, but the Cinnamon things are not so good at all.

So, now i have to buy a box of 6 bars really to enjoy the 2 bars of Cocoa Puffs in them. Isnt that very much like some Software company bundling a (supposedly) undesirable software with another software that people do want (like i want those Cocoa Puff Milk & Cereal bars). Is this analogy grounds for a suit?

Why cant General Mills just sell a pack 6 Cocoa Puffs Cereal Bars??

Why i like this project?

2008-09-26T19:38:00.002-04:00

Hippo Water Roller
A solution for collection and transportation of water
http://www.hipporoller.org/why.php

What i really like about this solution is the realism that they have used to come up with this solution.

Instead of building billion dollar plans for laying pipelines and pumps, this approach is fundamentally what we (at the company i am interning at this fall) call as the incremental approach to problem solving.

In situations where an existing solution is being used by a ton of people and we realize that the solution is not the best, the incremental approach suggests making the largest possible change without having to ask the users to mend their ways except for just the one aspect which involves the switching from existing solution to the new solution.

In the specific case of the hippo water roller, the users can still go about their lives as usual except making the one aspect of life that this project deals with i.e. collecting and transporting water in a easier/safer way. Benefits by the use of new solution are good, but the new solution doesnt require the people to come up solutions to other new problems (except may be having to think about what to do with the saved time and energy).

The incremental approach to technology based solutions for real world problems solves problems without creating new ones. And thats why i like this project.

Psychotic synchypnotic

2008-09-18T00:04:00.005-04:00

I love this song!

I try to fit its many similarities to earlier records, but then i think- Who cares, Just enjoy.

The YouTube video is here.

Singing up some Vegetarian dishes

2008-05-18T23:59:00.004-04:00

Looks like this is becoming a series in the great work my friends from the Ryze Network in Hyderabad are doing.

Raaga has compiled a blog (http://chefatwork.blogspot.com/) with around 250 posts about her experiments with vegetarian dishes. As Aru calls them, these are traditional and fusion foods. By the looks of them, they look great, unlike the unbalanced concoctions i have posted about in the past.

I hope i get to sample some of them when i visit India next time now that they have moved closer to my hometown. Anyone looking for excellent recipes of Indian vegetarian food should get in touch with Raaga through her blog (http://chefatwork.blogspot.com/).

Traffic in Hyderabad - A Citizen Initiative

2008-02-21T12:10:00.006-05:00

My friend from Ryzerabad Sameer Mehta and his colleagues have been lately doing some commendable work at creating awareness about traffic rules and regulations in Hyderabad. It is a citizen effort to improve the traffic situation in Hyderabad which has dramatically deteriorated over the last 3-4 years.

Sameer has taken a grass root approach to solving the problem and has taken to the roads on occasions. At the same time they have been communicating with the city authorities for support as well as exchange of ideas. I believe its the right approach for an initiative from the citizens.

Sameer runs a blog which carries updates about their work and news-bits about developments on the issue of Traffic in Hyderabad. Please visit the blog and if you are in Hyderabad, contact Sameer and participate in their efforts in a coordinated manner.

Coupled with support from mass communication media, this approach is quite likely to find success. If you are in the media in Hyderabad, India or elsewhere, please contact Sameer to commend and promote his initiative.

I must mention that this is a good example of a sensible citizen initiative that is not motivated by Rang-De-Basanti! Its not a spur of the moment erratic act and it is an effort which is sustainable.

Thoughts on Orkut

2007-08-25T06:11:00.000-04:00

On the orkut blog i find two videos which are representative of the two most prominent countries on Orkut (Brazil and India). Here are the videos.

India (MTVIndian Youth Icon 2007 - Orkut)

Brazil (Independent Video)

See Something ? Say something ! The Brazil video is so much more sophisticated and cool. The India video is just wild and embarassing. Sort of Rang De Basanti which seems to be the defining aspect of everything the Indian Youth seems to be involved with. Is that the right way to discharge the energies of our UrbanYuva?

... "Chh chh chh" ...

2007-06-20T00:52:00.000-04:00

In the summer time,
Isn't it all women on our minds.

So, i have been enjoying the summer.
Plain simple enjoying as i have been for 25 yrs of my life.

Be anywhere.

2007-05-29T17:30:00.000-04:00

Google strikes again.

Click to be on the Golden Gate Bridge.

And feel free to drive around.

Explore the streets and roads and alleys and bridges and beaches ...
with the new Street View feature from Google Maps.

Feeling Lucky.. Arn't ya.

2007-05-26T04:28:00.000-04:00

They have this amazing ad. about California going on TV these days..
Featuring the like of Arnie and Clint Eastwood.

There is a really cool finish line by Clint Eastwood in this ad. You have to watch it. Love it.

Trouble with my apartment rental management

2007-05-25T01:49:00.000-04:00

I am subletting a place for the Summer and the place is supposedly "managed" by this management. Well clearly they are doing a terrible job at managing...

1. They have the least courteous staff (on phone) and otherwise too.

2. The dryer in the basement has been out of order for atleast two months (i.e. since i have seen it) and despite telling them about it for 6 times now they haven't done anything about it. And when you call them about it, they say "OK" .. ! So basically i have to walk to a laundromat to do the laundry despite paying for an apartment which is supposed to have a working laundry facility in the basement ! Being summer here these days, walking is manageable. I can't imagine that in the winter.

3. It seems they haven't paid the gas bill (supposed to be paid by management as a part of the leasing agreement). The gas company has put up a notice to shut down the service in a month ! Well i hope they take care of that immediately unlike the dryer.

4. There is something wrong in the piping of the basement. The water keeps leaking openly. Clear indication of the fact that management cares the least.

Now why am i writing this.

First, i think its quite probable that people would find this note here while googling around and be cautioned while choosing a management.
Second, i would like to know about your experience with rental managements in Pittsburgh. Put your notes in the comments.

Updated (May 30, 2007) : There is some update in this matter:

Clearly this post has been noticed. By the management company also. Anyhow, the proprietor called me up today to discuss this matter with a hint of legal action threat. Anyhow, there was also a hint of "lets talk about this". Also he did explain how things go wrong when you employ and work with people.
So, we agreed that he would get the dryer fixed and i would take off the name of the management company from my blog. (if you read this blog before, you must have noticed the changes). The dryer is fixed (atleast there is cable that goes into a plug, will test it when i use it next time). Lets see what happens with the other problems.
My thoughts about blogging about such issues coming up in another post.

Everybody wants her

2007-05-02T01:11:00.000-04:00

It's like a bad movie
She is lookin' through me
If you were me, then you'd be
Screamin' "Someone shoot me!"
As I fail miserably,
Tryin' to get the girl all the bad guys want.
She's the girl all the bad guys want!

Love the song.

Anyhow, this post is to recommend Buxfer (if i haven't already done it on this blog).

Bunch of CMU Grad students started this site. And they have recently added this budget tracking facility by which you can get a monthly budget and whenever you exceed your budget the system will notify you so that you can cut down on your whatever stupid beer your drink.

So do try
Buxfer - Personal and Shared Expense Management and Financial Analysis service

Arrey Vote Kiya Kya ?

2007-01-24T14:25:00.000-05:00

Dynamics of a Verbal Vote

2006-01-14T01:17:00.000-05:00

Conducting and biasing a verbal vote on a topic is truly an amazing Art in Social Manipulation. I am not sure if Psychology guys have studied the dynamics of it yet, but i am sure its got interesting patterns.

Consider you need to crush a motion or get some of your point approved in a situation such that

There is an appropriate size audience to whom rule created out of passing or failing the motion would apply.
By appropriate i mean, not too large such that conducting a verbal vote is not practical. And not too small because point 2 may not be applicable in that situation. I say am empirical estimate that population size is greater than 2.5 or 3 times that number of choices in the vote. And less than 10 to 15 times the choices.
Majority of the junta is really is unaware of the implications or just dont care.

In such a situation, suggest a verbal vote or show of hands.
Quickly go ahead and conduct the vote by calling out a show of hand for the motion that you want to be approved.
Now heres how the group dynamics would work out once you do that.
Some people would either be simply supporting you or will really be wanting that point. They will approve by gesture.
This set of a chain reaction in the people who dont care.
Majority of them will go with the flow.
Ofcourse this is sort of quasi static state which needed to be disturbed.
Sometimes the sheep mentality will be enough to shake this state up.
If it doesnt seem enough, a simple eye glare at one or two of the ones who you think dont care, will get the ball rolling.
Give this enough time till you clearly see you got the majority vote.
Now call for the second (and third...) option knowing that the vote is already in your favour.
And, for formality, declare the counts.

The things that can go wrong in this setup.

The question you are asking doesnt meet criteria 2. i.e. people have strong opinion about it.
The population is large.
Then during the second vote, the undecided might just go ahead and vote again (simply following the sheep again).
That is trouble.
In such a case, ridicule the first one who does that.
Chances are the remaining will become conscious about it and wont do it.
The initial sheep itself doesnt move either because everyone hates you or the proposal is absolutely totally junk.
Sorry in that case. That is something you really need to evaluate prehand.
Do the math.
You give people lot of time to think and learn and make a decision. No. You dont do that.

The above is my hypothesis formulated out of observations. Not formally evaluated. And, i dont care to evaluate it either. Suit yourselves.

Try it out sometime. And let me know if it helped. I ll be glad to tune up my opinion if i feel like.

Gettin Busy

2006-01-14T00:44:00.000-05:00

Spent the last couple of weeks working on putting together several new websites that i am affiliated with. Check them out if you wish to. I think i have done a decent job at this.

My New Website at http://www.rohitkumar.net/
My Photograph Compilation at http://photos.rohitkumar.net/
New Zincers Website at http://zincers.rohitkumar.net/
New IGSA Website at http://andrew.cmu.edu/~igsa/

Older version of my website has been moved to http://oldsite.rohitkumar.net/
Also, Deepti's website will be moving to http://deepti.rohitkumar.net/ on monday.

Lot of content still needs to be filled in at various places. Will do it gradually.

Zincers are organizing a contest at PECFest'06. Hope that works out fine. Lets see.

Meanwhile, semester started and already learning lessons of life from it.
Read more in the next post (i think it will appear above this one).

Therefore, men are men, not machines

2006-01-06T01:11:00.000-05:00

The web has always evolved very efficiently without any central governing body.

The collective mass and movement of the huge user population, makes and breaks rules every moment on the web.

Its like a dream come true global social system where no one governs anyone.
Everyone acts at their own will maximizing happiness and leading to sense of belonging.

The global response to actions by everyone else in the system keeps the equillibrium of the system.
Note that no response to an action by a subset is a kind of response in itself.
Bad things are subsided by an automatic poor response.

Ofcourse things work with safety bound protocols which are basically enactment of the Equillibrium by Response mechanism.

Nothing gets to access anything beyond what the user base of it lets it access.

Ofcourse, Exceptions do exist.

The one thing, we’re all waiting for
Is peace on earth, and an end to war
It’s a miracle we need - the miracle, the miracle
Peace on earth and end to war today

One of the Interpretations of Khopadi

2005-11-21T03:11:00.000-05:00

For the curious ones:

Actual derivation of the name can be found in historical archieves of PEC, Chandigarh.

Faith of the Heart

2005-11-21T02:02:00.000-05:00

I love this song :-)

It's been a long road
Getting from there to here
It's been a long time
But my time is finally near

And I can feel the change in the wind right now
Nothing's in my way
And they're not gonna hold me down no more
No they're not gonna hold me down

'Cause I've got faith of the heart
I'm going where my heart will take me
I've got faith to believe
I can do anything
I've got strength of the soul
And no one's gonna bend or break me
I can reach any star
I've got faith, I've got faith, faith of the heart

It's been a long night

Title track of Star Trek Enterprise (TV Series): Composed by Russel Watson

Check it out at

Audio/MP3 Video/MPG

Face of Govt. of India

2005-11-14T19:50:00.000-05:00

Check out http://www.india.gov.in/

Very well done website furthering the goals of Right to Information Act.

Great Initiative, Properly Executed.

Check out the Educations Sections.

This website is a wealth of Information and Numbers for a Social Researcher.

A very positive starting point for Exploring our India.

This is my first attempt at blogging through Email. I hope it works well.

Who was that !!!

2005-10-09T23:03:00.000-04:00

EarthQuake in Pakistan and India and the first thing that i think of is

Did the Recent Nuclear Tests by both the countries have any thing to with it ?

Did those tests contribute to chances of Earthquake in that terrain ?

Reflections:

1. Definitely insensitive on my part !!!

2. Did nature finally decide on getting into the decades old Indo-Pak conflict ??

3. Even if Nature did, does anyone care ??

Meanwhile:

Political Parties and consequently Media continue to make the best of event while the Earth Quakes !!

Everyone as usual back home. It seems.

30,000 : Definitely overstated.

I wonder:

Any effect on cross border "terrorism" !!

Is anyone reading this ??

2005-04-11T13:54:00.000-04:00

Its all in there :-p

Shantz has put up a Blog

2004-10-12T07:03:00.000-04:00

Check out Shantz blog at "I-AM-HUMAN"