2007 Archives
Seems like a very short year. I still remember the last few days of 2006. I was a having a personal turmoil. It ended sometime in Jan and the next few months were spent finding out what went wrong. But once I got out of that imbroglio, it has been one heck of a ride.
- Met a whole lot of friends, whom I had not met in around 8-10 years.
- Visited a few places.
- Did gymming for a couple of months and have been regular to Yoga classes since July. This is a welcome change.
- Reduced coffee intake. From around 10 cups a day to around 5-6 cups a week.
- Spent some time clicking.
Hope 2008 gets even better.
I am mostly heading off to some remote place with a bunch of friends and will be back only next year. So here is wishing everyone a very happy and prosperous new year 2008.
I have a BSNL Cellone connection. BSNL has its portal for viewing / paying bills online. This was giving JS errors on FF while working fine on IE. I did not pay too much attention to debugging this. Today, I had enough time at hand and decided to poke around to see what was wrong. Within a few minutes, I was able to spot the error.
<input name="hdnBID" id="hdnBID" type="hidden" />
<input name="hdnCID" id="hdnCID" type="hidden" />
...
...
<script language="javascript">
function SubmitForm(BId,Cid){
document.getElementById("hdnBId").value=BId;
document.getElementById("hdnCid").value=Cid;
...
}
</script>
Simple enough to fix. But however, I was using a flawed approach of trying to replace the SubmitForm function with the correct values. Spent close to an hour reading Dive Into Greasemonkey and a few other documents on greasemonkey when I realised that there was something very much easier.
A few lines of code and this works fine now on FF
(function() {
window.addEventListener("load", function(e) {
var currentElement = document.getElementById("hdnBID");
currentElement.setAttribute("id", "hdnBId");
var currentElement = document.getElementById("hdnCID");
currentElement.setAttribute("id", "hdnCid");
}, false);
})();
May be there are more easier ways, but this solves my problem for now. So if you want to use the BSNL portal on FF, go ahead and install this user script.
Another funny flash ad. Check it out.
What is so good about December? There is some slack in work and I have 10 days of vacation to take. So here I am, sitting in Coimbatore, watching TV, listening to music, eating home food and most importantly sleeping.
I initially had plans of traveling to either Sri Lanka or somewhere outside but had to give my passport for renewal. Also, food poisoning put me onto bed rest for 3-4 days. So I decided to stay indoors except for a 4 day trip to Sabarimala.
I also watched most of the second and third test matches against Pakistan. If there is someone who has made a comeback in Indian cricket with a bang, it has to be Ganguly. I used to hate him when every other politician for lobbying for him to be included in the team. But he did make it to the team due to the lack of form of some cricketers and he has cemented his place now. I still remember the third test match against England. Rahul Dravid had a good lead and he did not enforce follow on saying his bowlers weren't fit. India started to bat and was soon 11/3. Dravid started his super slow innings taking ages to score 11 runs. While on the other side, Ganguly stroked brilliantly to get a half century. From then on, I have been keenly watching Ganguly. His emotions where very much in control when he got his century in Kolkata and the double century and the 90 odd runs in the Bangalore test that followed. I hope the big guns including Tendulkar, Dravid and Laxman have a good series in Australia since this is mostly going to be their last visit there.
I have been thinking about visiting Coastal Karnataka when Vivek mentioned about trekking to Kodachadri. So Naveen, Teja, Vivek and I backpacked and started on Wednesday, Oct 31, by a KSRTC bus to Kollur. After a bumpy drive for almost 12 hours, we reached Kollur the next day morning around 8AM. Kollur is a small village famous for the Mookambika temple. We checked into a room right opposite to the temple. Had a quick bath, visited the temple, and off we went to Udupi. The road again was very badly damaged and the journey took about 3 hours. We visited the Udupi Krishna temple first. When we were walking towards the temple, we saw a bunch of policemen and a few vehicles with flashing red lights on top. When we went in, I was surprised to see Yeddyurappa and a few other politicians.
We then lunched at Diana, a nice old hotel and then went to the Malpe Beach. The beach was awesome and there was very little crowd. Enjoyed playing in the water and took some shots of the fantastic sunset. We then headed back to Kollur for the night.
Since the bridge on the path to Kodachadry was broken, the morning bus in that route was cancelled. So we arranged for a taxi to drop us at Karakatta. We reached Karakatta around 6:30 and started the trek to the peak. After about an hour or so which was more or less plains, we started the ascend. It was a serene forest, a stream gushing below, a scenic path and sun rays falling through the trees. Somewhere in the middle we came closer to the stream. The water was very sweet. After walking for about 3 hours, around 9:30 or so, we came past the woods into a grass land. The scenery was fantastic, though the trek was very difficult since the path was very slippery. The sun rays were falling on one side and the stretch looked like a golden carpet. Another hour or so and we reached the Kodachadry village. There is a temple here called Moola Mookimbika temple and a couple of houses behind where they serve food. I went into one of the house and was surprised to see a private water falls. Again, the water was crystal clear and sweet.
After having breakfast and some rest, we started the climb to the peak, which was another 30-45 minutes away. On the way there are a couple of deviations, one to the Guha Ganesha and the other to Agasthiyar theertham. We were unable to go Agasthiyar theertham since there were lots of weeds on the path. We went to the Guha Ganesh and then started the climb to the peak.
Naveen decided to take rest amidst the clouds while the rest of us descended from there to a place called Chitramoola. Water collected from the mountains trickles through here and flows and forms Souparnika, the river that flows through Kollur. We then climbed back to the peak and then started our descend. We were planning to go to Gokarna (Cow's ear) beach that night and hence decided not to trek back. On reaching the Kodachadry village around 2PM, we had lunch and then took a jeep down to a village called Nedur. The jeep drive was also an experience in itself. At the hair pin bends, the vehicle tilts and I was thinking that I will be thrown out of the vehicle or the vehicle might even overturn
We took the bus from Nedur to Kollur and from there took a taxi to a place called Byndoor. From Byndoor we took a bus to Ankola. We got down at Gokarna Junction and from there took an auto to Gokarna. We reached Gokarna at around 11pm. We checked in immediately and then went to the beach. Vivek told that there is night life on the Gokarna / Om Beach but the beach was deserted. It was a very scary sight to watch the sea and the sounds of the waves at night. We returned to the hotel thinking of going to the beach early in the morning.
Everyone was really tired after the trek and we slept till 10 in the morning while Vivek went to the beach and came back. We then left for Om Beach from there. The beach is in the shape of an inverted "Om", is a very quiet place and has a few resorts. It was very sunny and I found it a bit difficult. After playing in the water for around three hours, we came back to Gokarna.
We had our return bus booked from Kondapur at 9:30 PM, about 120KM away. We were thinking that we could make it but thanks to some bad roads, reached Kondapur only around 10:30. We were looking for options when we found one travel agent willing to stop a bus at a nearby village if we were willing to reach there. We took a taxi from Kondapur and reached that village, got the bus and reached Bangalore the next morning around 8.
This has been one of my best trips and the most difficult treks in the recent times. I also felt very relaxed, thanks to the exhaustion, after the tip. Most of the photos taken during this trip is on Flickr. I am still in the process of uploading the rest.
A few points to note if you decide to do this trip. Every one gives their own estimate of the distance but there is no way for sure to know how long is the trek. It took us around 5 hours to reach the Kodachadri village and another hour from there to reach the peak. Try if possible to reach Mangalore or some place nearby by train. The roads are ravaged by rains and your back goes for a toss. Beware, there were a lot of leeches on the entire trekking path, waiting to take a few ml of your blood. You must be lucky to get a jeep on the way back from Kodachadri to Kollur or Nedur. If you dont get one, be prepared to walk back. Carry lots of chocolates, glucose and water. I have also heard / read that the sunset there is amazing. Also there are a couple of waterfalls nearby in case you are interested. Last but not the least, please do not litter. It is a virgin forest and let it remain that way. I was also told that they were planning to tar the path to Kodachadri but people are opposing it fearing that it will ruin the place.
Today I started driving from my home at 8, stopped at Adayar Anand Bhavan for break fast for about 20 minutes and still reached office by 8:45. There was absolutely no traffic. Wish every day was a Friday after Diwali.
Barcamp Bangalore 5 (BCB5) is on Nov 17th and 18th at IIMB. Registrations are now open. So what are you waiting for? Head over and register.
Don't burn money on crackers and protect the environment. Have a save and happy Deepavali.
Yesterday we had a GPG Key Signing Party at office. People had to read their finger prints and then identify themselves.
One interesting observation was that when people where trying to read out their finger prints, atleat 3 of them said 5 when they meant to say F if it came after a few numbers. Really funny. Reminded me of the forward circulating around which says people read the first and the last letters of the word and even if they are misspelled they get the word the right.
I was aimlessly browsing on Sunday night when I glanced upon Radioverve's new classical channel. I listened about for a couple of hours and the experience was fantastic. They are bringing together in association with Ananya, non-profit cultural orginazation. I hope this will help bring more new faces into fame and also help reach to a bigger audience. My only request now is to have a longer play list and more variety.
The website design is also amazing. Head over there, start listening and spread the word.
Ram has been planning to buy a car and when he decided to survey the market, I tagged along. We tried the Ford Fiest Diesel yesterday. Drove from Cauvery Ford to Kanakpura Road and then on the NICE road. Oh! boy, this car is fantastic. For a diesel car, there is no noise, it is smooth and the pickup is awesome. He did around 140km and it was just cruising. The Sxi model has leather seats, a 6cd changer and the dashboard looks compact. We also tried the Ford fusion but I was not impressed. I had driven this in the US and there it is a sedan while here it is a hatchback. Though the ground clearance is good, looks like a bit more spacious, it makes too much noise. And I did not find the drive smooth. I am really impressed with Fiesta and if I would buy anytime soon, I will go for it.
Have you seen this before? An ad for Yahoo! messenger to chat in your mother tongue. I loved this ad.
Its been crazy ever since I came back from Sunnyvale in the third week of September. The day I reached Bangalore, I was unable to get to my home, thanks to a power failure. They had also dug up the entire road and it was mess. So I went to my friend's place nearby. The situation did not get any better until they knocked of the compound wall of a nearby building, that was built illegally. But there was still no power. Also, I could not take out my car and hence could not go to the yoga classes in the morning. So I decided to stay at my friend's place until I had an alternative. In the meantime, I also spent an uneventful weekend in Chennai doing interviews for my team. Mid last week, I was able to borrow a bicycle and I moved back to my home. I was barely there a couple of days and I was again locked out on Monday. This time, my dad locked the house and went to Coimbatore and I forgot my keys inside. After some frantic phone calls, saved a trip to Coimbatore by finding someone who was coming from Coimbatore to Bangalore to get my house keys. Due to this mess, I was unable to go Nandi hills as planned earlier with the letsgoers. Spend most of my time yesterday with folks at the Open Hackday yesterday. Had a bunch of old friends from college today at home.
Its been hectic but I hope this gets better. The only good thing is Airtel's internet connection / phone has been down at home for most part of the last 3 weeks. This has helped me to go back to sleep at a sane time and do some reading. And though I have not been writing too much, I have been taking a lot of pictures in the last few months. Check them out on Flickr. Let me know your comments on the photos.
I have also watched a lot of cricket in the last couple of months, including the T20 win and the most recent thrashing by Australia. I am starting to like the T20 more than F50 matches. Indians screwing up along with the unneeded aggression is not helping either.
I went to Keeble & Shuchat Photography to buy a ball head for my tripod. I bought everything else except it and went poorer by approx $600. :-(
Things bought: A Tamron 17-50mm f/2.8 Lens, a UV filter, a polariser, and some misc items.
I am back from a three day trip to Thirunelveli / Kovil Patti. On Saturday and Sunday, I spent most of the time bathing to my hearts content at the various waterfalls in Coutrallam. I have never had so much fun in water. Travelling along with a local friend helped a lot. I also had a chance to visit places like the Papanasam Sivan Temple, Agasthiyar Falls, Kalyana Theertham and some places where the crowd was very less and enjoy some scenic beauty. Also met around 10 collegemates, 4 of them after almost 10 years in a friends marriage at Kovilpatti. It was good to talk about the golden times in college. I have had one heck of a time over the weekend. I am vacationing the rest of this week as well, catching up on sleep and travelling to Chennai tomorrow for another marriage. Also, travelling to Sunnyvale next weekend for an Expo and may be to Mumbai later next month. So more travel around the corner. I cannot ask for more :-)
Via BWS on Flickr. One camera that money can't buy.
Yesterday, we were lunching at Indijoe, when Vivek talked about walking back home from work. I was tempted but was not sure if I will be able to get out of office at a sane time. Around six, I felt that the days work was over and I could give it a shot. So Vivek, Naveen and me started walking back from office at around 8PM. Naveen had to Koramangala first block and he took an auto form the Sony World signal. Me and Vivek continued further and went to Murugan Idly shop for dinner. After that we continued to walk and by the time we reached Jayanagar 9th block, it was around 10:30PM. I then went Venky's place to watch comedy time and by the time I reached home, it was 11:30PM. Though we walked at a normal pace ,we were able to do around 12KM in about 3 hours excluding the breaks. Should do this more often :-)
In other news, the Gokulashtami festival at the SGBS trust starts today. The concert details are available here and here.
How do you change the priority of a running process?
This was a question in a recent written interview that we did in a college. This is the answer that someone wrote.
- Press Ctrl+Alt+Del
- Select Task Manager
- Go to the process tab
- Select the process for which you want to change the priority
- Right Click
- Select "Set new priority" and enter a number
- Priority of the process is changed
An excellent answer, though this was not what we were looking for. And the guy did get a mark for it.
Today was a much better day at BCB. The crowd was much less, there was space to walk around and talk to a lot of people. We had to time to do everything. Talk about life, philosophy, the world, the habitat / community, photography, mobile phones and bitch about everything including work. Interestingly there were people around with similar thoughts.
Also, spent a lot of time at the photography collective. Amogh showed how to post process an image and gave some cool tips. We tried to process a sunflower image I took and the result was amazing. I will try to get the image and post it sometime this week. It has been a fantastic two days, connecting to multiple people and interacting with them.
August promises to be an exciting month with lot of travel. I am in Hyderabad the next weekend, in Pune the week after that in Pune, and (most probably) in Coimbatore from August 15-19. A couple of my friends are getting married and I will be in Kovilpatti / Chennai during the last week of August. If anyone wants to connect, leave a comment or mail me.
I was at the Barcamp today. I reached there by about 12 and was really surprised to see a whole lot of people. The organisers put the total number of registrations at around 700 and a lot of them were first timers. Met a bunch of folks including LJers, ex colleagues and a few friends.
I spent most of the time hanging out with fellow photographers and at the photography collective. Getting some tips on how to compose a good shot, lighting, framing etc. Plan to meet again with the photography folks tomorrow. Photos up on Flickr.
India seems to be making some decent progress in the second test. After the initial three wickets, England tried to pull back but two quick wickets has got India back on track. And I guess the reason why India is doing well now seems to be because of this.
S Ganguly 8-4-11-1
S Sreesanth* 11-6-16-1
Runs seems to have dried up. Let us see how things goes .I do not know what has created the sudden interest in cricket for me now. Its been a while since I followed cricket, but I am watching these two matches closely.
India needed help from the rain god to save the test match. I was really surprised to see the Indian team struggle against a depleted English attack. The famous four failed miserably :-( I guess this is the first time that rain has come in India's favour. Let us see how the rest of the matches go.
In case you have not heard this, put on your headphones and listen to this. Virtual Babershop. Amazing what your brain can do. :-)
It was cricket time again at office. We played a day of cricket at the National College grounds. We played three games in all and it was fun to try my hand at bowling. Some photos by Abhinav on Flickr. This might not tell the true story, but Mahesh was one of the top scorers that day. He was furious with Abhinav for having missed out some of his good shots!
If you notice that your sound settings are not restored on reboot, check if the alsa-utils script is started at boot uptime. I upgraded to Edgy on my laptop and saw that this was not started automatically.
If you plan to do an upgrade of Gnome2 on FreeBSD, save some headache by reading this Gnome2 upgrading FAQ first.
Sree Rama Seva Mandali, Chamrajpet's Ramanavami concert schedule is out. Check out the star studded schedule at the link below. Enjoy!
69th Sreerama Navami Celebrations, Sree Rama Seva Mandali,Chamarajpet
I have been a moneycontrol.com user for a long time. I read the reports out there and use the portfolio tracker on their site to track my investments. Recently, they changed the UI of the site and brought in a bunch of ads all over their site. Unfortunately, this does not work correctly with FF, and I have the ad appearing right over my portfolio. Annoying and make the site useless.
Took me about 10 minutes to figure out how to use a simple greasemonkey script to remove the ad. Here you go. Enjoy! Power to Greasemonkey, Firefox and the OSS.
After a long time, we played cricket between two internal groups yesterday. We played 3 matches at the National College grounds, Jayangar. It was fun to run around and stretch. Almost every one who came, were there just for the fun and some exercise. I was there to stretch my body so that I can get some good sleep. My body still aches but this is the best sleep I have had in quite some time. Slept around 16 hours undistrubed in the last 24 hours :-) We need to play more cricket atleast for some sound sleep.
Got this one from Manoj. Watch these girls dancing for a tamil song. Nice coordination between every one and its very well done. Unfortunately I am hearing this song for the first time and dont even know which filim this is from. Tamil movies have a craze in Japan and Superstar Rajinikanth has a great fan following there. Enjoy the video.
Its been a while since I had my quota of sleep. And with nothing much to do and thanks to the long weekend, I caught up on my lost sleep. With the carnatic season around, was able to listen to Sanjay Subramaniam at the NMRKV college on Saturday and T.M.Krishna on Sunday at the Odakathur Mutt. Sanjay gave a stunning performance and kept the audience spell bound for more than a couple of hours. I liked his on stage mannerism :-) His facial expressions, hand movements and some times, the abhinayam, are an intergral part of the show.
And today was the bandh. I have no idea what was achieved by a complete shutdown. Productivity and money lost. With the goverment's decision on appealing against the tribunal still pending, this was a waste. I remember reading that in Japan, instead of shutting down for a strike, they increase their productivity by working over time. This causes a planning nightmare for the management and they look into the employees concern immediately. Win-Win for both. Can't we guys learn from this?
Looks like my wish of having processions outside the city limits might come true. The government seems to be planning on implementing a legislation for holding meetings and rallies outside the city limits. :-)
Someone sent me this.
The mind is, but not a programmable array !!
Hmm... Made me think, after a long time. If your life becomes predictable, will you start thinking that way?
