tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26090859114249375842024-03-06T05:27:05.139+05:30ParrhesiaDijohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05244021272062729413noreply@blogger.comBlogger22125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2609085911424937584.post-47771038224607386302010-01-26T19:38:00.000+05:302010-01-26T19:38:10.912+05:30ProactivenessOn the 60th anniversary of the day that we became a republic, each one of us probably looked back at the past; praised what went right and wondered how so much went wrong. But this process of reflection wouldn't be complete if we didn't spend some time contemplating what direction our country should take from this day forward.<br />
One change that I am hoping for is India letting go off its reluctance to actively engage in geo politics and start playing an active role in determining what the new equilibrium in the sub continent will look like. Although its been a long time since we buried the principles of the Non Aligned Movement, the detachment that was the fundamental governing principle of the movement still seems to hold us back. And as a growing economic power surrounded by extremely hostile neighbors, its a strategy that is bound to fail. <br />
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If we are going to get into specifics, I would like to see India take an active role in the Afghanistan conflict. Making sure that the Afghan does not make a comeback is of vital strategic importance to us. If Pakistan becomes secure on their western front, their targets will quickly turn back to India. For more on that <a href="http://www.indianexpress.com/news/unquiet-on-the-western-front/571310/">read this</a>.<br />
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Wishing you all a very happy republic day.Dijohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05244021272062729413noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2609085911424937584.post-39376112978121401922010-01-02T09:09:00.000+05:302010-01-02T09:09:53.129+05:30Yglesias attempts to do the math on the <a href="http://yglesias.thinkprogress.org/archives/2009/12/very-rare-terrorists-are-very-hard-to-find.php?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+matthewyglesias+%28Matthew+Yglesias%29&utm_content=Google+Reader">probability of finding a terrorist</a>: <br />
<blockquote>The other point is that monitoring the UK’s 1.5 million Muslims is a lost cause. If you have a 99.9 percent accurate method of telling whether or not a given British Muslim is a dangerous terrorist, then apply it to all 1.5 million British Muslims, you’re going to find 1,500 dangerous terrorists in the UK. But nobody thinks there are anything like 1,500 dangerous terrorists in the UK. I’d be very surprised if there were as many as 15. And if there are 15, that means you’re 99.9 percent accurate method is going to get you a suspect pool that’s overwhelmingly composed of innocent people. The weakness of al-Qaeda’s movement, and the very tiny pool of operatives it can draw from, makes it essentially impossible to come up with viable methods for identifying those operatives.</blockquote>Yglesias proves that he knows nothing about quantitative reasoning. You do not use a single screening test to find terrorists. As a number of filters are applied, the number of false positives goes down substantially. So there is no need for it to have 99.99% accuracy. Do we have such filters? I do not know. But to say that we need a "99.9 percent accurate method" is ignorant.<br />
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Moreover whatever happened to logical reasoning? Since when did we start treating 1.5 million people as suspects? Surely there must be some criteria which shows what socio - economic groups will show a greater tendency to become terrorists.Dijohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05244021272062729413noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2609085911424937584.post-26195223909582198552009-11-19T20:13:00.002+05:302009-11-19T20:13:37.693+05:30Enemies<blockquote>Rejoice not at thine enemy's fall - but don't rush to pick him up either.—Jewish Proverb</blockquote>Dijohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05244021272062729413noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2609085911424937584.post-81921902593690629052009-11-19T20:00:00.000+05:302009-11-19T20:00:22.190+05:30Death Metal MarioMario's castle theme in heavy metal.<br />
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<object height="344" width="425"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/98ew0VtHmik&hl=en_US&fs=1&rel=0"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/98ew0VtHmik&hl=en_US&fs=1&rel=0" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="425" height="344"></embed></object>Dijohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05244021272062729413noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2609085911424937584.post-20480399247289062002009-11-13T20:53:00.000+05:302009-11-13T20:53:18.979+05:30The Lazy Man's Guide To Choosing His Religion<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7tNznpgWx4HDkP90tLwlir8_wlUwJnnAN7gfvEKtA3y7VnIErYHsbw9RKmQ9obeHbtlDPzCsxXPe_hPxLBlfaOKdoSHX_Cz5H4h5vLVDau3e23YXMY2xyZCRd8pa-EIqbKz7gZrHjuVU/s1600-h/Religion-Flowchart_1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" sr="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7tNznpgWx4HDkP90tLwlir8_wlUwJnnAN7gfvEKtA3y7VnIErYHsbw9RKmQ9obeHbtlDPzCsxXPe_hPxLBlfaOKdoSHX_Cz5H4h5vLVDau3e23YXMY2xyZCRd8pa-EIqbKz7gZrHjuVU/s400/Religion-Flowchart_1.jpg" /></a><br />
</div>Via <a href="http://www.holytaco.com/flowchart-determine-what-religion-you-should-follow">HolyTaco</a>Dijohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05244021272062729413noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2609085911424937584.post-51740761007219123392009-11-13T20:25:00.001+05:302009-11-13T20:25:55.421+05:30We are the herd<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqYzTNF0EqaIXRZYihwCvmiylsL2byiIzjrlw1QotSa8ES6grusAE-ZvAX7aLvwLKXKFwpASTSGYqeAw_xX-GXvTenzuEnGJK_YeYn6DYzw-Zn9SW8zIl-kBgKyvrUgiYK_WfsS-4IPtk/s1600-h/ef639_ORIG-herd_mentality.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" sr="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqYzTNF0EqaIXRZYihwCvmiylsL2byiIzjrlw1QotSa8ES6grusAE-ZvAX7aLvwLKXKFwpASTSGYqeAw_xX-GXvTenzuEnGJK_YeYn6DYzw-Zn9SW8zIl-kBgKyvrUgiYK_WfsS-4IPtk/s400/ef639_ORIG-herd_mentality.jpg" /></a><br />
</div>Dijohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05244021272062729413noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2609085911424937584.post-24339948010428207522009-11-07T23:46:00.000+05:302009-11-07T23:46:12.162+05:30Know where the money is..<blockquote>If you believe the doctors, nothing is wholesome; if you believe the theologians, nothing is innocent; if you believe the military, nothing is safe. -- Lord Salisbury<br />
</blockquote>Dijohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05244021272062729413noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2609085911424937584.post-39114033000272209622009-11-07T00:11:00.001+05:302009-11-07T00:13:58.219+05:30Ganguly returns as captain<div class="zemanta-img" style="display: block; float: right; margin: 1em; width: 310px;"><a href="http://commons.wikipedia.org/wiki/Image:Ganguly_shirt.jpg"><img alt="Shirt that Ganguly took of in his infamous cel..." height="225" src="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/f/f5/Ganguly_shirt.jpg/300px-Ganguly_shirt.jpg" style="border: medium none; display: block;" width="300" /></a><a href="http://commons.wikipedia.org/wiki/Image:Ganguly_shirt.jpg"></a><br />
</div>After last year's atrocious performance by the Kolkata Knight Riders, it was evident that large scale changes were going to be made. Not surprisingly, <a class="zem_slink" href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sourav_Ganguly" rel="wikipedia" title="Sourav Ganguly">Ganguly</a> will be back as the captain. Dave Whatmore has replaced Buchanan and Wasim Akram joins the Knight Riders as the Chief Mentor.<br />
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The announcement about Sourav's return to the captaincy was to be expected. He had been replaced by <a class="zem_slink" href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brendon_McCullum" rel="wikipedia" title="Brendon McCullum">Brendon McCullum</a> in this year's edition of the IPL but when you come back with a 3-10 win loss record, the captain's head is among the first to roll.<br />
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But more than the captain, the coach, <a class="zem_slink" href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Buchanan_%28cricketer%29" rel="wikipedia" title="John Buchanan (cricketer)">John Buchanan</a> was the target of much of the criticism and ridicule. In fact so atrocious were his decisions that I wonder how the Australian team of the 2000s managed to win with him as the coach. Whether Dave will be any different from Buchanan remains to be seen. Even Buchanan had a very impressive record before joining KKR...<br />
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Whatmore's support staff will include Delhi coach Vijay Dahiya as his deputy, Andrew Leipus as the physio Adrian le Roux as the team trainer.<br />
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All in all the changes seem sensible. Ganguly will get the chance to make yet another comeback and prove to his detractors that the qualities that made him one of India's best captains have not abandoned him. McCullum is a fantastic cricketer but his leadership abilities were always in question. The sacking of Buchanan was also absolutely necessary to restore some confidence in the ranks. But what is inexplicable is the appointment of Wasim Akram as the team mentor. I feel that with three over achievers (Ganguly, Whatmore and Akram) making decisions, it will lead to ego clashes and the nightmares of the last season may well return. <br />
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<div class="zemanta-pixie" style="height: 15px; margin-top: 10px;"><a class="zemanta-pixie-a" href="http://reblog.zemanta.com/zemified/c2c0a9a5-dbcd-4624-a122-a85e26285e82/" title="Reblog this post [with Zemanta]"><img alt="Reblog this post [with Zemanta]" class="zemanta-pixie-img" src="http://img.zemanta.com/reblog_e.png?x-id=c2c0a9a5-dbcd-4624-a122-a85e26285e82" style="border: medium none; float: right;" /></a><script defer="defer" src="http://static.zemanta.com/readside/loader.js" type="text/javascript">
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</div>Dijohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05244021272062729413noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2609085911424937584.post-33541220535543293332009-11-04T19:09:00.001+05:302009-11-04T19:14:18.100+05:30Consuuuuume the animal's fear<object width="425" height="344"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/D-RinnfW52c&hl=en&fs=1&"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/D-RinnfW52c&hl=en&fs=1&" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="425" height="344"></embed></object><br />
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And dehydrated meat balls made out of nuts!<br />
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<object width="425" height="344"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/ZupQCDAHgnk&hl=en&fs=1&"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/ZupQCDAHgnk&hl=en&fs=1&" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="425" height="344"></embed></object>Dijohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05244021272062729413noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2609085911424937584.post-29144036411864594862009-11-02T12:35:00.001+05:302009-11-02T12:37:52.748+05:30<div class="wp_quotepage"><div class="wp_quotepage_quote"></div><blockquote><div class="wp_quotepage_quote">The tooth fairy teaches children that they can sell body parts for money. </div><div class="wp_quotepage_author">—David Richerby</div></blockquote><div class="wp_quotepage_author"></div></div>Dijohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05244021272062729413noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2609085911424937584.post-34510458176803561722009-09-15T20:59:00.005+05:302009-09-15T21:07:39.333+05:30I know how to ruin your day (NSFW)Look out for the logo at the bottom:<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_hnTBgmY45OM/Sq-zRxVIw2I/AAAAAAAAAOw/-NUp5o5j0Nw/s1600-h/Mithun+Chakraborty_at_his_best_craziest+pic.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 283px; height: 400px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_hnTBgmY45OM/Sq-zRxVIw2I/AAAAAAAAAOw/-NUp5o5j0Nw/s400/Mithun+Chakraborty_at_his_best_craziest+pic.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5381717197612172130" border="0" /></a><br /><br />MOAR:<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_hnTBgmY45OM/Sq-zj1Exb3I/AAAAAAAAAO4/CVAF0J_h6CY/s1600-h/Ranjeet.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 293px; height: 400px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_hnTBgmY45OM/Sq-zj1Exb3I/AAAAAAAAAO4/CVAF0J_h6CY/s400/Ranjeet.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5381717507854921586" border="0" /></a>Second pic <a href="http://memsaabstory.wordpress.com/">MemsaabStory</a><br /><br />Feel free to curse me in the comments section.Dijohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05244021272062729413noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2609085911424937584.post-401163391432365862009-04-16T19:05:00.002+05:302009-04-16T19:11:20.134+05:30Sometimes these talent hunts are worth itGo watch this:<br /><a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9lp0IWv8QZY">http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9lp0IWv8QZY</a><br /><br />What kind of a bias are we facing here? A bias against anybody older than 25? Or are we so used to judging products by their packaging that it has become a habit?Dijohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05244021272062729413noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2609085911424937584.post-37274958278324703142009-01-25T12:35:00.002+05:302009-01-25T12:38:18.894+05:30SlumdogI saw the movie yesterday. Very very mediocre. Still have no clue what the hype was all about. While i didnt want to run out of the cinema hall at any point of time; this is definitely not a movie i would watch again. Dijohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05244021272062729413noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2609085911424937584.post-42995493456404957672009-01-24T23:47:00.002+05:302009-01-24T23:54:17.749+05:30Killing the dead<a href="http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20090118/od_uk_nm/oukoe_uk_cruise_valkyrie_korea;_ylt=AplohBG1efbUwqGPj2ASpYLtiBIF">Tom Cruise grew up wanting to kill Hitler</a>.<div><br /></div><div>That makes him about 70 years old. Hmm. <br /></div>Dijohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05244021272062729413noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2609085911424937584.post-4276594198046632372009-01-21T07:10:00.001+05:302009-01-21T07:11:38.781+05:30UnbelieversIs this the first time that atheists have been mentioned in a non negative context by an American president? Dijohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05244021272062729413noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2609085911424937584.post-44628900618068473822009-01-20T23:09:00.003+05:302009-01-20T23:19:28.855+05:30The "facts" according to CNNFACT: "The temperature in Washington is 25 degrees Farenheit but it feels like 11 degrees."<div><br /></div><div>Feelings = facts?</div><div><br /></div><div>P.S. Now 28 feels like 17. WTF?</div>Dijohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05244021272062729413noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2609085911424937584.post-23134374747009068252008-12-14T19:11:00.001+05:302008-12-14T19:11:29.791+05:30But sometimes you do have one..<object width="425" height="344"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/VxpQ0FrPxKw&hl=en&fs=1"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/VxpQ0FrPxKw&hl=en&fs=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="425" height="344"></embed></object>Dijohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05244021272062729413noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2609085911424937584.post-63931182925151781622008-12-14T19:03:00.002+05:302008-12-14T19:08:54.154+05:30The binding qualities of a banana...I don't know if there is any other game - other than test cricket- that:<br />(a) Gives the umpire enough time to eat a banana.<br />and (b) Allows the umpires enough time to contemplate whether he had the banana was a cure for Billy Bowden's troubles with his bowels.<br /><br />Apparently, <a href="http://www.getridofthings.com/get-rid-of-diarrhea.htm">it does work.</a>Dijohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05244021272062729413noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2609085911424937584.post-59527524703662180472008-12-14T18:59:00.000+05:302008-12-14T19:01:01.422+05:30Because sometimes, you have no choice<object width="425" height="344"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/Nggu06XWTFU&hl=en&fs=1"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/Nggu06XWTFU&hl=en&fs=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="425" height="344"></embed></object>Dijohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05244021272062729413noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2609085911424937584.post-53510372197404541632008-09-17T20:34:00.003+05:302008-09-17T20:43:13.554+05:30Links for the day<a href="http://jrc-1138.blogspot.com/2008/09/oddest-book-titles.html">Oddest book titles.</a> My favourite was "Natural Bust Enlargement with Total Power: How to Increase the Other 90% of Your Mind to Increase the Size of Your Breasts." What about you?<br /><br /><a href="http://www.toxel.com/tech/2008/08/14/top-10-brilliant-watch-designs/">Top 10 brilliant watch designs.</a> Most off them have very little going for them in terms of user friendliness but i guess that wasn't the criteria.<br /><br /><a href="http://startswithabang.com/?p=878">Why the earth won't be devoured by a black hole anytime soon.</a> There are a number of blogs saying the same thing, but numbers always help.Dijohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05244021272062729413noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2609085911424937584.post-40028573925581189512008-09-17T20:18:00.002+05:302008-09-17T20:32:08.762+05:30OktapodiAn octopus couple's adventure in the Mediterranean. Simply beautiful. The twist at the end leaves me with some hope for a sequel.<br /><br /><br /><object width="425" height="344"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/VaM9mrnOMJo&hl=en&fs=1"><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/VaM9mrnOMJo&hl=en&fs=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowfullscreen="true" width="425" height="344"></embed></object>Dijohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05244021272062729413noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2609085911424937584.post-34267997868937225672008-09-17T12:36:00.001+05:302008-09-17T13:12:37.629+05:30The World Is What It Is...The world is what it is, and men who are nothing, who allow themselves to become nothing, have no place in it.<br /><br />- A Bend In The River<br /> V.S NaipaulDijohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05244021272062729413noreply@blogger.com0