Somehow, i have a problem believing in God, basically because it’s all stupid mythology. Of course, i do visit temples and say a quick prayer fore rising n shining and i want to beleive god is for real. But i just cannot come around to that kind of conclusion in the absence of solid proof. It really doesn’t bother me much anyway.
This entry is based on an article which claims Lord Rama was for real and he roamed the stretch of India. Actually, it’s pretty interesting. The author has used references from Valmiki's work (The sage who wrote Ramayana) and had gathered data about the position of stars and planets. Valmiki apparently happened to be an astronomer par excellence and had recorded the positions of stars and planets during major events/ incidents in Rama's life. Data thus gathered had been fed into a software which returns the date at which such a position of planets and stars could have been rendered possible. They have used the returned/ processed output (the date, basically) and cross-checked it with other references to Rama's life and found them to be accurate. I think that’s a cool research.
Apparently, these findings support what had been discovered sometime ago, by NASA, which published satellite pictures and provided proof for a bridge along the Palk Strait, between India and Lanka, which these guys claim was constructed by none other than Rama and his army of monkeys.
It all sounds alright, but somehow the sceptic in me seems unalterable. Or probably, i have already lost too much faith. Anyway, it’s not a big deal for me. I think i will beleive it when it appears as a published article in a reputed research journal. And the scepticism basically stems from an unshakeable beleif in Murphy's and Sod's laws, and Murphy's Law of Research does state that "Enough research will tend to support whatever theory."
I had earlier attached the entire article, but it is too lengthy. This research work was apparently done to prove Lord Rama was for real so that proof could be offered to the youth of India so that they can scientifically believe in God. My strong suspicion is that this research was done just to motivate the people and show them that it was the British influence that took away the belief, instilled caste systems etc. and why the British ass must be kicked. Basically, that was what the article was for. To offer reason as to why the British ass must be kicked!!
October 27, 2005
October 25, 2005
October 17, 2005
Stupid reactions to mugger attacks...
Ok, I have not been mugged, but i here recollect an incident that happenned a week ago to a friend (by name Gopi) in Logan....
Let me fill you in a little about Logan, Utah. Its a little like 'Pleasantville'. There are not a lot of crimes taking place there. The dumbest of the FBI lot get posted here, that kind of place. We never locked our homes and never was a thing found missing. I was there for 2 years and did not hear one case of a mugging. So, it came quite a shocker when NG was mugged. It had been a game day and Utah State had won (It certainly was a day for surprises) and he had been walking home alone ard midnight.
Its pretty lit up by the university. Its pretty much lit up whole of Logan. I mean, i used to walk home alone in the wee hours, and thats saying something. NG had just crossed the intersection at 5th North and 7th East and walking down when big drunk Afro dood put a knife to his neck and asked him to part with his wallet. Now, NG holds to his money like dear life. So, instead of parting with wallet and getting out of there, he sees a few people at the other side of the road and shouts for help. It is a pleasant surprise to us all why the Afro didnt slice him with the knife right then. Instead, he hit him and boy, was that a blow. It required no less than 13 stiches to cover that. He took NG's wallet, cell phone and took his jacket and shoes for good measure too.
This immediately reminded me about VSP. He had been working with the ASU police and was attending one of the parking units at a late night shift. A dood comes up driving his pickup and VSP stops him and asks for his parking stub. He points a gun at VSP and asks him to part with the day's collection from the parking place ka cash till. He immediately empties the cash registers and hands it. Afterall, its not his money, was it? The mugger then asks for his wallet and once VSP had given it, told him " Now i have ur ID. If any news of this ever leaks out, im going to find you and kill you.".
Now, having been so co-opearative VSP asks him " Tell you what? Do you really need my wallet? I do not have any cash in it. And anyway, i will cancel my credit cards the minute you were gone. All you needed was my ID, so why dont you just take that and give my wallet to me and save me a big bother?".
If you think that was the pits, listen to this. The mugger, apparently confused, looked at his wallet, found it had no cash and fished VSP's Id and said " Yea, that makes sense" and threw the wallet to him.
I mean, you are supposed to be muggers. You are supposed to be mean and frightening and intimidating and not agreeing to reason. And VSP swears he said ' Nothing personal dude. I am sorry it had to be you manning the counters today. Just remember, not a word and it'll be cool'. Which i tell you is a good use of imagination. They way he said, they laughed over a couple of drinks about it later.
Anyway, I still cant understand what they were thinking - Gopi shouting for help with a knife barely a cuppla inches from his face and VSP reasoning when a gun was at point blank range? Seriously, beats me..
When you have a knife pointed at neck by a drunk big guy, is it prudent to shout and ask for help? Is it worth the 10$ you carry in your wallet? He is drunk and he could stick it in. Does it amount to having balls/ courage? I thinks thats plain nonsense and stupidity. And the mugger's scheme beats me. Why should he take the victims shoes and jackets? I mean, he is is 6'2, 250 lbs and Gopi is a 5 point someone and 150 lbs max. He cant use it, nor i am certain is he intrested in selling it. But then, he was drunk and probably could have mugged a couple others if Gopi hadnt drawn attention... so he probably wanted to releive Gopi of everything.
And VSP.. that is a topper. Nobody knows how to react actually - whether to chastise him for reasoning, or to applaud him for his bravery to take it up and have a man-to-man talk with his tormentor. We wanted to hold a debate to decide which would have been the best course of action, but then, no brownie points for guessing right, we didnt.
VSP's has since become the most sought, after drinks story. Like we would be drunk, and people will want to listen to that. Its been told so many times that different people have a different version of it. Apparently, when i narrated the yarn to my American fellas, i named it 'spoof on muggers', not having the heart to teach them Americans a lesson or two about zen and the art of mugger negotiation.
Let me fill you in a little about Logan, Utah. Its a little like 'Pleasantville'. There are not a lot of crimes taking place there. The dumbest of the FBI lot get posted here, that kind of place. We never locked our homes and never was a thing found missing. I was there for 2 years and did not hear one case of a mugging. So, it came quite a shocker when NG was mugged. It had been a game day and Utah State had won (It certainly was a day for surprises) and he had been walking home alone ard midnight.
Its pretty lit up by the university. Its pretty much lit up whole of Logan. I mean, i used to walk home alone in the wee hours, and thats saying something. NG had just crossed the intersection at 5th North and 7th East and walking down when big drunk Afro dood put a knife to his neck and asked him to part with his wallet. Now, NG holds to his money like dear life. So, instead of parting with wallet and getting out of there, he sees a few people at the other side of the road and shouts for help. It is a pleasant surprise to us all why the Afro didnt slice him with the knife right then. Instead, he hit him and boy, was that a blow. It required no less than 13 stiches to cover that. He took NG's wallet, cell phone and took his jacket and shoes for good measure too.
This immediately reminded me about VSP. He had been working with the ASU police and was attending one of the parking units at a late night shift. A dood comes up driving his pickup and VSP stops him and asks for his parking stub. He points a gun at VSP and asks him to part with the day's collection from the parking place ka cash till. He immediately empties the cash registers and hands it. Afterall, its not his money, was it? The mugger then asks for his wallet and once VSP had given it, told him " Now i have ur ID. If any news of this ever leaks out, im going to find you and kill you.".
Now, having been so co-opearative VSP asks him " Tell you what? Do you really need my wallet? I do not have any cash in it. And anyway, i will cancel my credit cards the minute you were gone. All you needed was my ID, so why dont you just take that and give my wallet to me and save me a big bother?".
If you think that was the pits, listen to this. The mugger, apparently confused, looked at his wallet, found it had no cash and fished VSP's Id and said " Yea, that makes sense" and threw the wallet to him.
I mean, you are supposed to be muggers. You are supposed to be mean and frightening and intimidating and not agreeing to reason. And VSP swears he said ' Nothing personal dude. I am sorry it had to be you manning the counters today. Just remember, not a word and it'll be cool'. Which i tell you is a good use of imagination. They way he said, they laughed over a couple of drinks about it later.
Anyway, I still cant understand what they were thinking - Gopi shouting for help with a knife barely a cuppla inches from his face and VSP reasoning when a gun was at point blank range? Seriously, beats me..
When you have a knife pointed at neck by a drunk big guy, is it prudent to shout and ask for help? Is it worth the 10$ you carry in your wallet? He is drunk and he could stick it in. Does it amount to having balls/ courage? I thinks thats plain nonsense and stupidity. And the mugger's scheme beats me. Why should he take the victims shoes and jackets? I mean, he is is 6'2, 250 lbs and Gopi is a 5 point someone and 150 lbs max. He cant use it, nor i am certain is he intrested in selling it. But then, he was drunk and probably could have mugged a couple others if Gopi hadnt drawn attention... so he probably wanted to releive Gopi of everything.
And VSP.. that is a topper. Nobody knows how to react actually - whether to chastise him for reasoning, or to applaud him for his bravery to take it up and have a man-to-man talk with his tormentor. We wanted to hold a debate to decide which would have been the best course of action, but then, no brownie points for guessing right, we didnt.
VSP's has since become the most sought, after drinks story. Like we would be drunk, and people will want to listen to that. Its been told so many times that different people have a different version of it. Apparently, when i narrated the yarn to my American fellas, i named it 'spoof on muggers', not having the heart to teach them Americans a lesson or two about zen and the art of mugger negotiation.
October 12, 2005
Now who's next....
You know how when you are at marriages or engagements, old aunts/ relatives come upto you and hug you to death and say " You are next".
Well, they stopped doing that to me when i started doing the same to them at funerals.
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Now, why didnt i think of it when i was in India. Somethings wrong with me these days. It was the obvious joke and i missed out on it. Dear Lord, please restore me my insane mind. I won't badmouth you anymore...
Well, they stopped doing that to me when i started doing the same to them at funerals.
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Now, why didnt i think of it when i was in India. Somethings wrong with me these days. It was the obvious joke and i missed out on it. Dear Lord, please restore me my insane mind. I won't badmouth you anymore...
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