Ok I might be a computer scientist, if that is what you call a MS in Computer Science, and I may have studied the higher level of mathematics and physics and what not but one thing baffles me even today? Okay let me lay it out in my language (layman's :P get it...lay? )...
Why doesnt a fly stuck inside a car going at 120km/h not get splashed on the windscreen? or back screen depending no whether the car is going forward or in reverse :P?
Can somebody tell me? The fly is definitely not flying at 120 km/h. Neither is it staying still in the air at while flying at 120km/h...
It baffles me. What phenomenon of physics is this? Is this inertia? Wasn't inertia about the front push we feel when standing in a bus and it comes to a halt?
Too many questions...no answers.
Dear readers, can any of you solve this mystery for me? Really appreciate it. Professor UTP is confused...
Kaash Aisa Koi Manzar Hota
Leading from the post about UAE Traffic Jams, I thought I'd bring in something which could be a regular post every week. I have come up with the title Traffic Jammed Tuesdays for which I will use the MAYG-recommended short form, TJ-ed Tuesdays. No its not a podcast, which is something that I learnt very recently. Why am I always the last one to know about "in" things?.
Anyway, the idea is that since I have such a beautiful voice (NOT!) and I have a phone that can record sound and just to reiterate my traffic jammed life while going and coming from work, I have decided to record my singing (self-proclaimed) talent and make a blog post out of it every Tuesday. Thrilled? Of course you are not. At least all of you readers get a blog-post out of me every week? And one never really knows if there are people who like my kind of music and my voice you know...baysura (out-of-tune).
The songs would be sung in the most casual-est of ways of Radio/Stereo Humming with the song playing in the background and UTP trying to catch up and sing correct lyrics. There will be elements of SUR here and there in the middle somewhere. There would be beats off my thighs, there may be the infrequent motorbike passing by and the police siren as well but I assure you I will try to make my "performances" as entertaining as possible. Ignore the occasional yawn, burp, fart...apologies. I wouldn't be able to pause recording due to those natural elements of life.
Anyway, this is a done deal and I am not hearing any negative criticism for this. Its my blog, I am allowed to do what I want right? Bear me on tuesdays and hopefully you will continue to come back to read the other stuff that I write from time-to-time. I mean if I keep at this, I should start to improve right?
Just to get started, here is the distorted version of "Kaash Aisa Koi Manzar Hota..." (Sorry Hariharan...:$)
If the above doesnt work and you are just DYING to listen...Click here
Enjoy...
Anyway, the idea is that since I have such a beautiful voice (NOT!) and I have a phone that can record sound and just to reiterate my traffic jammed life while going and coming from work, I have decided to record my singing (self-proclaimed) talent and make a blog post out of it every Tuesday. Thrilled? Of course you are not. At least all of you readers get a blog-post out of me every week? And one never really knows if there are people who like my kind of music and my voice you know...baysura (out-of-tune).
The songs would be sung in the most casual-est of ways of Radio/Stereo Humming with the song playing in the background and UTP trying to catch up and sing correct lyrics. There will be elements of SUR here and there in the middle somewhere. There would be beats off my thighs, there may be the infrequent motorbike passing by and the police siren as well but I assure you I will try to make my "performances" as entertaining as possible. Ignore the occasional yawn, burp, fart...apologies. I wouldn't be able to pause recording due to those natural elements of life.
Anyway, this is a done deal and I am not hearing any negative criticism for this. Its my blog, I am allowed to do what I want right? Bear me on tuesdays and hopefully you will continue to come back to read the other stuff that I write from time-to-time. I mean if I keep at this, I should start to improve right?
Just to get started, here is the distorted version of "Kaash Aisa Koi Manzar Hota..." (Sorry Hariharan...:$)
If the above doesnt work and you are just DYING to listen...Click here
Enjoy...
UTP's Sports Talk Forums [BETA]
Calling all Sports Fans out there. Being a wannabe die-hard sports fan myself and never passing on a sports discussion without having my say, I have finally decided to get a forum going. I already had UTP's Sports Blog which I plan to get going again more regularly, I now present to you UTP's Sports Talk Forums.
A few of my friends have been asking to work on some sort of a forum to have some serious discussions on various different sports. That always sounded like a great idea considering so much of heated discussions take place on sports while at work or while meeting up in the evenings with friends. I have always been exploring various options to get something of the sort going. The result is UTP's Sports Talk Forums.
It is still in a BETA version as I didn't want to delay the launch too much. It will be under constant improvement as it grows. I know how so many people love talking about various different sports. I can assure that you should be able to find your particular section of the sporting world and get started with a discussion. As the idea is in it's nascent stage, feel free to get in touch with feedback or suggestions at sportstalk@umarpirzada.com
My main objective is to get together some serious sports fans who really want to speak their hearts out. This is by no means a commercial stint and I do plan to manage the people involved in discussions. Guests can come and read but the contributors will really be some die-hard fans. That should automatically mean some very timely discussions all around the year.
Spread the word and let it reach the people you know who would love to be part of such discussions. Lets help make a serious sports fans community. Looking forward to some action at UTP's Sports Talk Forums.
Fun with Adsense
Sometimes it can get really funny with Adsense. I am sure people who have it on their websites would know what I am talking about. The question is whether you can REALLY trust the inteligence of Adsense on your blogs or not.
We were first hit by the shock at Mayg & UTP which is by the way the couple's blog with Mayg being my better half. Adsense brought up advertisements for Divorce Lawyers...
I dont remember bringing up any such topic in the post and we ensure that we bring out the lighter side of the married life so that particular topic was completely out of the blue...and quite embarassing just to add.
Wherever you use the word Love you are bound to get a dating or get UAE girls...ewww... ad...
If you write about mobile phones or anything to do with it... you would be getting iPhone mobile covers advertisement from I dunno which company. I remember it has an Italian name.
Let's see what comes up there. I have mentioned some really popular ads so that should confuse the Adsense engine a bit. Hehe... let's see...
Somehow My Sports Blog gets a lot of Citibank for NRI ads. I have no idea how that links up with sports. It works well though on most occasions so not really complaining. In fact I think I am doing ok on the Adsense part considering I have been on and off from the blogosphere. Working hard to increase revenue though... somehow...
Do you have an Adsense story?
We were first hit by the shock at Mayg & UTP which is by the way the couple's blog with Mayg being my better half. Adsense brought up advertisements for Divorce Lawyers...
I dont remember bringing up any such topic in the post and we ensure that we bring out the lighter side of the married life so that particular topic was completely out of the blue...and quite embarassing just to add.
Wherever you use the word Love you are bound to get a dating or get UAE girls...ewww... ad...
If you write about mobile phones or anything to do with it... you would be getting iPhone mobile covers advertisement from I dunno which company. I remember it has an Italian name.
Let's see what comes up there. I have mentioned some really popular ads so that should confuse the Adsense engine a bit. Hehe... let's see...
Somehow My Sports Blog gets a lot of Citibank for NRI ads. I have no idea how that links up with sports. It works well though on most occasions so not really complaining. In fact I think I am doing ok on the Adsense part considering I have been on and off from the blogosphere. Working hard to increase revenue though... somehow...
Do you have an Adsense story?
A typical ironic situation in UAE
If you have heard of UAE which you would have probably, you couldnt have done without hearing the miseries of traffic.
In the absence of a useful transport system, most people who work here travel by cars. Since Dubai is so expensive to live most people come from neighbouring Emirates like Sharjah, Ajman & Ras-al-Khaimah... add both together and the equation spells TRAFFIC JAM. Today's post is dedicated to this aspect of living in UAE which everybody pretty much gets used to and accepts as a given for living and working in the UAE.
Emirates Road is the route for most people coming from outside Dubai. Its a great idea of a freeway connecting all the Emirates. However it to has not stood the load of thousands of cars going in the same direction at the same time. The speed limit is 120km/h... officially.
One would expect the next line to read that people dont follow that limit and race through... hehehe...sorry to disappoint you. Remember that this post is about irony.
So what I really was trying to say is that if you get stuck in a a jam which I was a few days back... in front of a sign board saying maximum speed 120km/h and minimum 60km/h should they penalize me for driving slow?
That is one ironic spot to be in. Almost like someone played a joke on you...don't you agree?
In the absence of a useful transport system, most people who work here travel by cars. Since Dubai is so expensive to live most people come from neighbouring Emirates like Sharjah, Ajman & Ras-al-Khaimah... add both together and the equation spells TRAFFIC JAM. Today's post is dedicated to this aspect of living in UAE which everybody pretty much gets used to and accepts as a given for living and working in the UAE.
Emirates Road is the route for most people coming from outside Dubai. Its a great idea of a freeway connecting all the Emirates. However it to has not stood the load of thousands of cars going in the same direction at the same time. The speed limit is 120km/h... officially.
One would expect the next line to read that people dont follow that limit and race through... hehehe...sorry to disappoint you. Remember that this post is about irony.
So what I really was trying to say is that if you get stuck in a a jam which I was a few days back... in front of a sign board saying maximum speed 120km/h and minimum 60km/h should they penalize me for driving slow?
That is one ironic spot to be in. Almost like someone played a joke on you...don't you agree?
Celebrity Branded Real Estate in UAE
With the financial turmoil and recession effecting everyone from rich to poor, it is amazing to see how everybody manages to bring out the survival instinct out from within and somehow manages to make the now much more difficult extra buck that was flowing like anything early this year.
All industries have taken a hit with the banking and mortgage side of things being hit the worse. Who would have thought names like Lehman Brothers and Merrill Lynch could be threatened? Nobody has been spared. Take AIG, Morgan Stanley some serious role players in the market. Governments have come out with bailout and rescue plans to save the favoured organizations.
UAE has not been at the worst end but it has felt the heat also. The big boom in UAE has been the Real Estate market in recent times where there have been many people who have made millions in months with a simple strategy. Buy at the property launch and sell at double, triple price. Just these turnover investors who had the initial investable capital have been able to raise the prices. Unfortunately, the low liquidity has hit those now and to add to that some scandals and increased regulations to stop this unnatural price hike has led to the property boom just mellowing down a bit.
So the recommendations for people like me who have grown up playing monopoly till fajr on weekends is to just sit and lay eggs on your money. For me that is pretty much butt on the cold floor. The advice is to play safe and if really wanting to invest then do it in good property. So how does one define good? Good stable company with government backing preferably and good financial standing. Since the average person wouldn't know what that would mean, the marketeers have come up with a new & brilliant concept. Celebrity Branded Real Estate...
The Trump Towers had a great opening boasting a AED 35 million pent house and The Tiger Woods golf community something and Michael Schumacher theme park. I know Pamela Anderson has something here as well and just yesterday I heard Mr. Antonio Banderas is launching Spanish Ranches. The way things are we should pretty much have all housing schemes named after some celebrity. So that is what is selling these days. The "Novelty" element. The amazing thing is that it's working. People are wiling to spend on branded property even in these days of a credit crunch and liquidity crisis. These people are obviously the money kings of UAE and probably some european investors who are moving here after being financially body-slammed in their own countries.
Owning a home in UAE is an even more distant dream now and I have actually stopped thinking about it. Just save the extra penny in savings bonds and put some maybe in gold and thats that. Its time to stay put for a while.
All industries have taken a hit with the banking and mortgage side of things being hit the worse. Who would have thought names like Lehman Brothers and Merrill Lynch could be threatened? Nobody has been spared. Take AIG, Morgan Stanley some serious role players in the market. Governments have come out with bailout and rescue plans to save the favoured organizations.
UAE has not been at the worst end but it has felt the heat also. The big boom in UAE has been the Real Estate market in recent times where there have been many people who have made millions in months with a simple strategy. Buy at the property launch and sell at double, triple price. Just these turnover investors who had the initial investable capital have been able to raise the prices. Unfortunately, the low liquidity has hit those now and to add to that some scandals and increased regulations to stop this unnatural price hike has led to the property boom just mellowing down a bit.
So the recommendations for people like me who have grown up playing monopoly till fajr on weekends is to just sit and lay eggs on your money. For me that is pretty much butt on the cold floor. The advice is to play safe and if really wanting to invest then do it in good property. So how does one define good? Good stable company with government backing preferably and good financial standing. Since the average person wouldn't know what that would mean, the marketeers have come up with a new & brilliant concept. Celebrity Branded Real Estate...
The Trump Towers had a great opening boasting a AED 35 million pent house and The Tiger Woods golf community something and Michael Schumacher theme park. I know Pamela Anderson has something here as well and just yesterday I heard Mr. Antonio Banderas is launching Spanish Ranches. The way things are we should pretty much have all housing schemes named after some celebrity. So that is what is selling these days. The "Novelty" element. The amazing thing is that it's working. People are wiling to spend on branded property even in these days of a credit crunch and liquidity crisis. These people are obviously the money kings of UAE and probably some european investors who are moving here after being financially body-slammed in their own countries.
Owning a home in UAE is an even more distant dream now and I have actually stopped thinking about it. Just save the extra penny in savings bonds and put some maybe in gold and thats that. Its time to stay put for a while.
The most important thing in life
Take it your profession, your studies, anything whatsoever that makes you do something. Something that is close to you, something that you wish to achieve. The most important thing in life is ..."Showing Up..."
Sounds simple but it is the one thing that can be the difference in landing that dream job or cleaning the streets the next day. I mean who says opportunity knocks again? No one. Opportunity never knocks twice...I mean the great quoter didn't say thrice or phrice [utp word invented] just twice. So opportunity only comes once and you have to be smart enough to avail it at the time or regret forever.
For example, its not only about literally being present for the dream job interview call, its more about being physically and mentally present there. Lots of times, since interviews and recruitments are a whole day affair, at least we tell our current bosses that, the late night preparations and the sleepless night and the early morning wake-up leads to the mental and social self-presence still in bed while the freshly groomed person is sitting the waiting room for the interview. That is what I am talking about. One has to SHOW UP in the full costume to have the best chance.
So I have decided to show up more often here. With a blog post here and there.
Sounds simple but it is the one thing that can be the difference in landing that dream job or cleaning the streets the next day. I mean who says opportunity knocks again? No one. Opportunity never knocks twice...I mean the great quoter didn't say thrice or phrice [utp word invented] just twice. So opportunity only comes once and you have to be smart enough to avail it at the time or regret forever.
For example, its not only about literally being present for the dream job interview call, its more about being physically and mentally present there. Lots of times, since interviews and recruitments are a whole day affair, at least we tell our current bosses that, the late night preparations and the sleepless night and the early morning wake-up leads to the mental and social self-presence still in bed while the freshly groomed person is sitting the waiting room for the interview. That is what I am talking about. One has to SHOW UP in the full costume to have the best chance.
So I have decided to show up more often here. With a blog post here and there.
Where have all the Cowboys Gone?
I mean what I actually meant was, where have all the readers gone? I know I am being stupid by writing something like this. I mean of course people would have given up one me. Wrote me off from their feedburners. Nobody likes a dead blog. I dont blame you at all.
But...yes..there is a BUT. I am back. Yet again.
I will start letting everybody know that I am back. How? Of course by coming on to their blogs and starting to read again...I have been out of the scene. Blog posts due. Enough said.
But...yes..there is a BUT. I am back. Yet again.
I will start letting everybody know that I am back. How? Of course by coming on to their blogs and starting to read again...I have been out of the scene. Blog posts due. Enough said.
Wordpress Blogger Recommendations
As one could expect I have been spending a lot of time exploring the new gadget and also how I could have all the tools to get my blogging experience in place.
While doing the same I have come across two great wordpress plugins.
1-WPHONE
This one gets the blogger a much more useful wp-admin interface on the PDA. (this post is being written using the same)
2-WORDPRESS PDA & iPhone
This one helps better viewing of your wordpress hosted blog on a PDA.
So the second one is something that is recommended for all wordpress bloggers as it will help you get a much wider audience (including me) who use PDAs to browse your blog.
The first one is for people who write and manage their blogs from their PDAs.
You can find them both on wordpress plugins directory.
While doing the same I have come across two great wordpress plugins.
1-WPHONE
This one gets the blogger a much more useful wp-admin interface on the PDA. (this post is being written using the same)
2-WORDPRESS PDA & iPhone
This one helps better viewing of your wordpress hosted blog on a PDA.
So the second one is something that is recommended for all wordpress bloggers as it will help you get a much wider audience (including me) who use PDAs to browse your blog.
The first one is for people who write and manage their blogs from their PDAs.
You can find them both on wordpress plugins directory.
Testing new blogging tool
I finally got it. My very first qwerty based piece of gadgetry. Yes people. You are looking at the new generation blogger who blogs from his phone. To be more precise, a PDA...
After evaluating many options I finally went ahead and got myself a HTC Tytn II. To explore the neat piece of machinery that I am holding in my hand, you can head to the HTC website. Its the ultimate business tool and has an arsenal of options which pretty much meet my requirements.
Anyway, this is my first post from my phone. Let's see how this goes.
P.S. Actually it didnt go as well as I would have liked and had to edit it a bit from the laptop. There are a few things to learn I suppose. It will come back. The bottom line is I am very happy with my purchase.
After evaluating many options I finally went ahead and got myself a HTC Tytn II. To explore the neat piece of machinery that I am holding in my hand, you can head to the HTC website. Its the ultimate business tool and has an arsenal of options which pretty much meet my requirements.
Anyway, this is my first post from my phone. Let's see how this goes.
P.S. Actually it didnt go as well as I would have liked and had to edit it a bit from the laptop. There are a few things to learn I suppose. It will come back. The bottom line is I am very happy with my purchase.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)