The War Of Words

Post Secret: Life

Post Secret is an interesting project.

P.S.: This is how I feel about life.

She Will Be Loved - Maroon 5

This is a very beautiful song from Maroon 5.

Beauty queen of only eighteen
She had some trouble with herself
He was always there to help her
She always belonged to someone else

I drove for miles and miles
And wound up at your door
I've had you so many times but somehow
I want more

I don't mind spending everyday
Out on your corner in the pouring rain
Look for the girl with the broken smile
Ask her if she wants to stay awhile
And she will be loved
And she will be loved

Tap on my window, knock on my door
I want to make you feel beautiful
I know I tend to get so insecure
It doesn't matter anymore

It's not always rainbows and butterflies
It's compromise that moves us along
My heart is full and my door's always open
You can come anytime you want

I don't mind spending everyday
Out on your corner in the pouring rain
Look for the girl with the broken smile
Ask her if she wants to stay awhile
And she will be loved
And she will be loved
And she will be loved
And she will be loved

I know where you hide
Alone in your car
Know all of the things that make you who you are
I know that goodbye means nothing at all
Comes back and begs me to catch her every time she falls

Tap on my window, knock on my door
I want to make you feel beautiful

I don't mind spending every day
Out on your corner in the pouring rain, oh
Look for the girl with the broken smile
Ask her if she wants to stay awhile
And she will be loved
And she will be loved
And she will be loved
And she will be loved

Please don't try so hard to say goodbye
Please don't try so hard to say goodbye

I don't mind spending everyday
Out on your corner in the pouring rain

Please don't try so hard to say goodbye

Links
Maroon 5 homepage
She Will be Loved on FoxyTunes

Innumeracy - John Allen Paulos

Innumeracy by John Allen Paulos is a very interesting book. I heard it first from Prof. Bakshi.

From his website, INNUMERACY is an examination of some of the consequences in everyday life of mathematical illiteracy.

The book is a collection of anecdotes, examples, real life case studies on innumeracy. It talks how people fool themselves by coming up with incorrect judgements because of mathematical illiteracy.

Next on the list is Once upon a number, another book by John Allen Paulos and yet again recommended by Prof. Bakshi.

John Allen Paulos Official Website
Books by John Allen Paulos
Innumeracy on Amazon

P.S.: I am not doing justice by posting this much about the book. The book deserves lot more attention.

The New New Thing - Michael Lewis

James H. Clark or better known as Jim Clark or still better known as founder of SGI, Netscape, Healtheon (later merged with webMD), myCFO and a few others that did not make it to the popularity list.

Jim Clark is one of the few truly gifted people. His constant pursuit of innovation and better way to do things makes him different. Jim Clark can always find flaws in even the best systems and would strive hard to make it better. This means that once he has conceptualized something, then he would let someone else work on it and he will move on to something new. The next new new thing.

The key to crete great products and companies is people. A company is only as good as the best employee. Jim has this chicken and ham theory about people. He said

The difference between these two kinds of people is the difference between the pig and the chicken in the ham-and-eggs breakfast. The chicken is interested, the pig is committed. If you are going to do anything worth doing, you need a lot of pigs.

If you are to do something, pick as many committed people as you can. Basically you need to take the risk and back it up with all you have got.

The new new thing by Michael Lewis (author of Liar’s Poker) is a narrative of the revolution started by Jim Clark – the dotcom revolution where companies with zero revenues were being valued at billions of dollars. Michael Lewis has taken the Jim Clark story to talk about the new new thing and innovation and how certain people change the rules of the game.

There was a time when the industrialists ruled the world. One with the biggest assembly line could capture most of the markets. Then came the capitalists. One who could manage the capital most efficiently took disproportionate share of wealth. With Jim Clark and with Netscape, came the era where ideas and thoughts prevailed over everyone else.

The markets were moved not by hunger or greed but by fear. No one wanted to loose a pie in Jim Clark’s newest idea. Even if there was little evidence of it ever bringing in the money, just because everyone else was onto it and those missing out would look bad, venture capitalists wanted a piece.

In Jim Clark’s case, it was not only the venture capitalists; it was media, knowledge workers, employees at traditional organizations who wanted a share. Failure was not even a question. Jim Clark was considered the Midas of the era. Everything he touched would turn gold. Everyone believed that. Everyone knew that.

The book is very well written. The narrative has its share of humour, satire, irony, suspense in it (this can be said about any book anyways). Must read. 4 on 5.

Links
Wiki on Jim Clark
Wiki on Michael Lewis
The New New Thing on Amazon

Delhi and Mumbai

Delhi and Mumbai.
Two cities, poles apart. Two worlds, million differences.
Political Capital, Business Capital. City of Djinns, City of Dreams.
Trying to bridge gaps and understand - people, culture and souls.

After spending about 24 years in Delhi, I have moved to Mumbai for foreseeable future. Mumbai is teaching me new things everyday and I am always comparing Mumbai to Delhi and how good or bad things are at Mumbai vs Delhi.

I have also come across loads of people fighting out if Delhi was better or if Mumbai was good. Thought why can't we have people from both the cities give out their opinions? It would be even better if a Dilli Walla talks about Mumbai and a passionate Mumbaikar talks about Delhi.

Lets say we talk about street food. I am from Delhi and I know that Delhi has this thing called Chole Kulche and Gol Gappe. People just love it. I know about Mumbai. Vada Pao and those grilled sandwiches .. you can find them anywhere and its awesome.

Some other day we talk about people. People in Delhi are very very inquisitive. They would even want to know what did your maid eat when she was working at your house. In Mumbai, no one would give a second glance if you were dying ... !

There are so many fascinating things about both the places and I thought may be its time its all put down in black and white .. ?

I want to capture small things that people often overlook and things that are taken for granted. Safety of women is, safety of men isn't. "Metered" autorickshaws is and time taken to reach a place is not.

Me, a pucca dilliwala now in Mumbai want to look at things in Mumbai and compare them with Delhi and I want someone to do the same for Delhi.

Looking for someone, a pucca Mumbaikar, now in Delhi loving/hating things at Delhi and willing to talk about it.

Wondering if anyone is game ... ?

If you guys know any friends, relatives, random people interested in exploring and understanding Delhi and Mumbai, please shoot a mail to me at septemberthe22nd@gmail.com.

English, August

I am currently reading English, August by Upamanyu Chatterjee.

English, August is a story of one Agastya, 24, who has just enrolled in the prestigious IAS programme and is now posted in an obscure place in the middle of no where called Madna.

He is what a typical 24 year old is – restless, sceptical, flippant, whimsical, confused, disillusioned with life, and disconnected with reality.

Agastya has an interesting life. Son of a Bengali father and a Goanese mother, he has grown up in boarding school in Darjeeling. If all this did not provide him with enough novelty and variety, after his IAS, he is sent to a fictitious small town called Madna where the world is diametrically opposite to what he has ever seen. Some cope well with change and some don’t. Agastya falls into the later category. Most of the times, he is just irritated at how things are going around him. But at times he has those light-bulb-flashing-in-head moments when he discovers strange rituals and practises.

Although he was driven by his father to take up civil services, his father just wants to see him happy. He has a friend who is too critical about everything. He has an uncle who has an opinion on everything.

And then above everyone else, he has his personality where he has no magnanimous ambitions. He thinks he can stay content without owning the biggest business empire. He thinks he will be happy with record player and records from Tagore and Pink Floyd.

The first few pages tend to be boring but somewhere during this boredom, the life of Agastya starts looking interesting. All of a sudden, you want to know whats going to happen next. You want to know what would Agastya do next. More, you start predicting.

The book actually gets funny at times. I am not sure how many readers would appreciate the dry humor in the book but I certainly loved it.

Here is a thought provoking statement

Decide for yourself, it’s your nightmare. Or just live with the indecision, everyone does it all the time, you’ll get used to it soon enough. Then, when you ever take any snap decisions, you’ll feel odd, like withdrawal symptoms or something

Bottomline: Upamanyu chatterjee has done a good job with the book. I would rate the book as 4 on 5. Must Read!

Content Management System

I am planning to start a new website. This would work as information gathering and dissipation platform. I am wondering which content management system would work best. Blogger is one. Wordpress, Typepad, Drupal, Joomla, phpBB, phpNuke are few more. Wiki has got a list of quite a few content management systems.

Any advisers?

iGot iFlew

No, it aint no new product from Mr. Jobs and Mr. Ive @ Apple. iGot iFlew. I am down with conjunctivities.

New comment on Calvin and Hobbes with Post-It Notes.

I got this comment from MapmyIndia.com and I must say this is a CHEAP way of advertising the business.

Sorry guys. You need to think of another way to market your product aka service.

---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: Tarun Gupta < noreply-comment@blogger.com>
Date: Sep 29, 2007 1:22 PM
Subject: [The War Of Words] New comment on Calvin and Hobbes with Post-It Notes.

Tarun Gupta has left a new comment on your post " Calvin and Hobbes with Post-It Notes":

I read your blog and thought I could tell you about something else which would be useful for seeing maps and directions in India.

I am writing to tell you about MapmyIndia.com, a free interactive maps and directions portal for all India. See the map of connaught place, new delhi, get directions in mumbai from nariman point to juhu airport, and find nearby ATMs in kormangala, bangalore.

As a company and individual enthusiasts, we dream only of solving the problem of reliable directions and navigation for India. For your blog specifically, you can map enable it by using our youtube-style embeddable maps, and links to specific searches (of maps, directions, local and eLocation) on MapmyIndia.

Do give us feedback, suggestions, or get involved yourself by mailing me back at tarun@mapmyindia.com or marketing@mapmyindia.com.

And if you find the different services useful, we would be grateful to you for writing and telling your readers about us.

Warm Regards,
Tarun Gupta
The MapmyIndia Team
For directions in India, just search print and go with MapmyIndia.com

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Posted by Tarun Gupta to The War Of Words at Saturday, September 29, 2007 1:22:00 PM