ExpertDabbler

Symmetry, originally uploaded by expertdabbler.

Cut the image right in the middle and each half would talk exactly the same language here.

location: chromepet flyover

cellphone-capsule, originally uploaded by expertdabbler.

Same subject, same day of shoot as the other capsule shot.
Only the lighting and composition varies. I had used a torch for lighting the capsule in the earlier one. No such tricks here.

Cropped the top in photoshop.

Its digital, so shoot as many as you want, says the photographer in me.
Its digital so try out as many ideas as you want, says the designer in me.
Its digital, so anything which does not seem obviously nonsense gets published in my blog.

I, the PC user, select ‘Save as’ by reflex; give a random file name, and store it in my desktop. Once my desktop starts resembling Ranganathan street, I create a folder called ‘Desktop_backup’ and move all the files there. I have a 160GB USB hard drive in addition to what I get along with my laptop. I have 1+2 GB SD cards. But I already envy the SDHC cards which can store 8GB, 16GB.

All the printers in IT offices are abused. We talk about paperless offices but the work space is full of papers. We print multiple copies of 100 pages of nonsense everyday.

It can be digital but we fail to realize the strain and costs involved in making someone read an unwanted mail. In short, we do more but think less. I think subconsciously we realize this and that’s precisely why we, the consumers of this digital era are so restless and discontented with ourselves. Wait. I think you get the picture. That’s enough for now.
Do whatever your thinking mind says.

Go to Ashok Pillar area and ask for one Ravi aka V.Ravichandran, the founder chairman of Citizens Guardians Trust. Chances are you will be taken straight to his place by the locals.

Citizens Guardians is a trust which was formed with the sole motto of taking up public interest/civic issues that affect the common man of Chennai.

He has been in the news on the CCRCP issue, allegedly one of the biggest con-acts by the bureaucracy in the history of Tamil Nadu state.

Before someone starts off with,”aama, ivaru case pottu.. adhu vandhu.. jeyuchu.. ” raagam, let me tell you he has already been quite successful in rescuing a public park in Ashok Nagar area. That is just a single instance that i recollect now. I am sure there are lot more successful initiatives to his credit.

More on him here and here

I was told he was even featured on ibnlive.
I have promised to do a website for him. I have also offered to assist him in taking photographs for his public interest initiatives when I am free.

It takes a lot of guts, gumption and good sense to stand against the political big wigs of chennai, endure the apathetic ‘india urupadadhu’ junta, the judicial delays, the ever pervasive corruption and yet win landmark cases for the common man. Mr. Ravi has been doing just that.

Why don’t you guys call and convey your ‘outside’ support, if not inside support? After all he is working for us. A work in which we have as much responsibility as this forty-two year old resident of Ashok Nagar.

Citizens Guardians Trust
V. Ravichandran, contact no: 9941376330.

Even I too would’ve liked him to be written about in Vikatan, Kumudam etc than a blog which is read by a handful at best. But then he is neither Shreya nor Kadu Vetti Guru. Whats the point? Totally bland. No masala

Date, Place: 06-Jul-08, Ashok Nagar

Friend:(he started his bike and was about to move): ….”nee kudutha helmet dhaan da innum pottutu irukken” - he was referring to the helmet I gave him sometime back.

I saw his head. No helmet there for sure. How come he is talking about the helmet now?

I lowered my eyes and saw it. He had carefully placed the helmet I gave in the bike carrier in the rear. Grr….!

Why do people guard their bike handle bars and carriers more than their heads? Probably they know what is more valuable of the lot better than me. At least that’s how I explain myself. Sigh!!

Totally awesomely brilliantly out of the wordly captivating!!!

Thanks to Gopi

This post is in honor of my friend and colleague S~ herein after referred to as CCW.

What’s so smart about him? Can you get a loan of Rs. two lakhs at a net interest rate of 9-10% per annum without security, without blank cheques, without any records against your name? And without any due dates to pay?
He still stays within the legal ambit. He does not commit any fraud for sure, I can vouch for that.

He has managed so far with nothing but just credit cards. Please bear in mind that ordinary users in India end up paying as much as 37% for credit cards debts. Also bear in mind that its difficult to get home loans at 9% now in India.

He would like to publish the way it works, but only after he is done with all his commitments lest the banks and card companies change the rules of the game

He is a pucca hacker in positive sense even otherwise. He is junior to me by five years. I wish I had his current maturity and intelligence now, or at least five years into the future. Very smart character.

Finance matter
Forex derivatives and ‘Armstrong’ Palanisamys - a very interesting article by Gurumurthy

Fun matter
Manal Kayiru = Linked list - funny post by Vettipaiyal. English blogs (well most of them) sucks when compared to thamizh blogs. Do check out Gilli for the GPS in Chennai post too. Reminded me of my own traffic tips written two years ago. Total fun

Tech matter
Joel Spolsky regulars would know this was written loooong back. But I read this only last weekWhat is Design?(First Draft)

The last few days have been boring to say the least – like a low score one sided ODI.

Of blogworthy mention is that I got a hike which I honestly do not think I deserve. And at last I made a successful visit to the ration office and I am well on course to get a new ration card in Chennai. I realize that being independent and dealing things alone makes one an SME in a lot of stuff. It can be both frustrating and a liberating experience.

My close friend’s periamma, who was normal when I spoke to in person on Saturday in Coimbatore passed away the same night even as I was returning to Chennai. The entire family is yet to get out of the shock. I spoke to my friend’s father and he completely broke down while talking. Strangely, I could hear Ilayaraja’s BGM in Devar Magan climax even as my friend’s dad was crying to me over phone. I think some BGMs are just embedded in my subconscious.

What is a tragedy? In a way it’s the conflict between the conscious and the subconscious. The conscious would say the person is no more and the subconscious would simply refuse to accept it. We get over it when the subconscious realizes that the person is indeed no more.

Three days have already gone in this week. Nowadays I am taking one day at a time, like the batsman chasing a low score in ODI. Things are under control, but should not do anything silly. The goal is important, no matter how boring the task is. One day at a time is what I keep saying to myself.

With the sensex falling everyday, talking about the market is taboo. But heck, i like this taboo topic at least.
Agreed the inflation is in double digits, the FIIs are selling but the world has not stopped yet. And most likely it will not.
This too shall pass.

I am curious to know the fate of the following in the coming months/years:

Tata Motors
Amara raja Batteries
JK Lakshmi Cement
PNB, Canara Bank and the gang.
India Glycols
ABG Shipyard
Bharati Shipyard
ITC
Idea (possibly a debt free company post spice merger)
Marico
Quintegra Solutions
Wipro
Sasken
ICSA

One can have fun by periodically investing some savings in any of these stocks for the next five years. People who make money are those who buy less and sell for more. I believe that is not going to change because of sub-prime mortgage. Just like irrational exuberance, irrational pessimism do not last either.

PS: I am having lot of fun looking at real estate stocks and Reliance Power everyday. Prajay Engineering is attractive though.