Thursday, December 22, 2005

NepaLinux Launched

In the afternoon today, I attended the launching ceromony of NepaLinux. At first thought, I expected it to be a very dull programme with politicians/ministers who will talk bullshit about everything. But upon attending the programme, I was amazed and my expectations did a complete 180 degree turn. I found it very interesting and great.

NepaLinux is an operating system which has everything in Nepali now. Based on Linux, with the support of PAN and Canadian govt., the op sys was made by MPP. I had known about its development. I wanted to be a part of it but didn't get a chance. But I am happy I was invited (thanks to my brother's friends who I am close to, they didn't leave me behind).

In the seminar, people involved in different sectors had visited. Any people who is not from IT field wouldn't enjoy it at all, also a person to enjoy such a place must be a geek in true sense. I liked the presenters. They were all great minds at work. I feel great today cuz I got a chance to listen to the presentations of such great guys.

A professor from Lahore who is chief of an organization which works in localization of IT in the asian region, another professor from UK who also works on localization. It was great. There was another presenter, Internalization Activity Lead from W3C. His presentation was quite technical. People sitting around me were feeling bored and I got angry with them as I was enjoying it alot. The things he pointed out are very much true in our industry. I talked to him not even for 30 seconds but it felt great. I don't have any words to say such great guys. I am just a small time programmer, trying to make my own way. It is great to be with such people. I think I will learn great things from him if I get chance to spend some more time with him.

I don't have anything but praise and respect for such great guys. There are lots of things we can learn from them. They are the pioneers and we are the followers. I am very very very happy today.

Sunday, December 18, 2005

I like riding

An open road, no traffic at all, cool breeze hitting your face, warm sunny day with clear sky - what else do you want more? Yes, a bike and on that bike, you (in this case, me). Riding (actually gliding) along the road (and on the earth), feeling the breeze in your face, its so much soothing and enjoyable as well.

Thats what I want to do now. Besides, its very much difficult to find an open road around here, otherwise, I would be riding in lightening speed on my little bike. (Even now, I ride it in quite a high speed for it). I now like riding and want to go for a long ride (the way to DakshinKali is quite an ideal place, way to Banepa would also be good but it is prone to accidents).

While on bike (and when I am alone), I feel like a river flowing. Sometimes, flowing smoothly dow the path, and sometimes with bumps (the traffic, road blocks and ditches in the streets of Kathmandu), its all enjoyable. I hope all the bike riders feel the same way. When I find the road quite vacant, I don't let go the chance to reach highest speed I have reached so far in this bike.

While manoevering the bike along the busy traffic, cutting the twists and turns, I feel like a river flowing down the path hitting and bouncing back, making way for itself. I feel like just going with the flow. There is nothing much to stop me (except the red lights at the major junctions). It makes me feel free, I feel like a winged rider, except, I ride, don't fly (I hope I will get that experience as well).

I get more ecstasic when I am a bit tipsy. When the cool air hits my face, I feel fresh and lively again. I sing all the way back, and I love all those twists and turns which I hate when I am not tipsy. People, if they know what is going in my mind and see me riding, they will certainly think I am going mad or will have an accident. That never happens. I have full control of my bike.

While returning back home from office, a long tiring day I almost have, I get recharged and refreshed again when riding back (but I don't like the hustle and bustle of Ason). On the road, its like sailing on the smooth sea, nothing ahead, with couple of people crossing the road who let me twist my bike on sideways, which I even like, and makes me feel I AM a river flowing. I love it. By the time I get home, I am fresh again. The cool air hitting my face recharges me again. And I am ready for more.

I say, riding is a divine thing to do, whatever the time maybe, how chilly the air may be, the rush of air on my faces takes all the pain away.

Thursday, December 15, 2005

GoogleBombing - 'Failure' Search leads to Whitehouse Official Homepage

This was quite funny thing actually, when we search for failure, the first result is the official website of whitehouse with the page biography of the president. If we clicked on "I'm feeling lucky", then it would directly take to this page. That was all over the forwarded mails quite sometime before.

While surfing thru' the google blog, I found explanation for it. I have put it as it has been posted in the blog. Its url is: http://googleblog.blogspot.com/2005/09/googlebombing-failure.html

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Googler insights into product and technology news and our culture.

Googlebombing 'failure'



If you do a Google search on the word [failure] or the phrase [miserable failure], the top result is currently the White House’s official biographical page for President Bush. We've received some complaints recently from users who assume that this reflects a political bias on our part. I'd like to explain how these results come up in order to allay these concerns.

Google's search results are generated by computer programs that rank web pages in large part by examining the number and relative popularity of the sites that link to them. By using a practice called googlebombing, however, determined pranksters can occasionally produce odd results. In this case, a number of webmasters use the phrases [failure] and [miserable failure] to describe and link to President Bush's website, thus pushing it to the top of searches for those phrases. We don't condone the practice of googlebombing, or any other action that seeks to affect the integrity of our search results, but we're also reluctant to alter our results by hand in order to prevent such items from showing up. Pranks like this may be distracting to some, but they don't affect the overall quality of our search service, whose objectivity, as always, remains the core of our mission.

Sunday, December 11, 2005

Watched "The Goblet of Fire"

Yesterday was quite an eventful day for me. Watching movie and partying, all happened in a single day. That was quite an experience.

I went to watch "Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire". The movie hall was quite full with kids (though the movie is not for kids, maybe because of the impression of its previous installments). This installment was quite funny and adventurous one. I liked it. The whole audience blasted out in some of the scenes. I enjoyed that.

I have read all the Harry Potter books published till date and am proud owner of some. Of course, the movie version is not exactly the same to what is in the book. The movie has to strip off some scences and details to make watchable and to fit the timeframe. I think the director of this installment did quite an impressive work on that part, though some more funnier parts and more adventurous parts were missing in the movie. All in all, it was a great movie.

The action scenes are quite impressive, especially the dragons part. There was some lacking in the maze part cuz that as I think, that is the most important one. The maze is more scarier and deadly in the book. I think there is a dementor and a centaur (I am not sure about it) and Harry and Cedric Deggory fight with them. That part was missing in the movie. Those were the scarier ones. Maybe the director left those willingly.

Another one was the very end of the movie. Lord Voldemort should be made more scarier (he is now but more). The actor, Ralph Fiennes, suits well as the Dark Lord. The voice, the figure and the body language matches exactly I had imagined. I think he was made to do this role. The fight sequence between Voldemort and Harry should have been made more longer (maybe the cinema hall cut out some scenes) cuz that is an important one - the part where both enemies meet face to face for the first time and the war starts again.

Jeevan dai, thank you for taking me to the movie. I liked it alot and enjoyed my day.

I got some break after the movie and in the evening, I had to attend two parties (but made to one only). I had a couple of drinks there (enough to warm my body in that cold chilly night). Got some hearty laughs and little food.

People get really drunk when they get free drinks served (especially in parties). Well, to other people, that bothers much. I saw 2 guys completely drunk yesterday. Even I also didn't like it at all. Sometimes, it also happens to me but I control now.

People should hold their dignity anywhere they go. Even a small act could produce diasastrous results. I have learned my lesson on this. So I try not to loose my nerves or my control, especially when going to parties. I drink but not that much. Just enough to be tipsy and enjoy the moment.

Its difficult to earn respect and to loose that respect, it doesn't take more than a moment. So, composure is very much important. I hope everybody understands that. Free drinks are not always good. I had a headache in the morning today (I think the drink served yesterday was not good at all).

Sunday, December 04, 2005

Truely a Drunkard

There once were two Irishmen, named Shawn and Pat, who were the best of friends. During one particular night of revelry, the two agreed that when one passed on, the other would take and spill the contents of a bottle of fine, Irish whiskey over the grave of the fondly missed and recently dead friend.

And as fate would have it, Shawn would be the first to pass.

Pat, hearing of his friend's illness, came to visit his dear friend one last time.

"Shawn, said Pat, can you hear me?"

Faintly, Shawn replied, "Yes, Paddy, I can."

Bashfully, Pat started, "Do you remember our pact, Shawn?"

"Yes, I do Patty," Shawn strained.

"And, you'll also remember that I was to pour the contents of a fine, old bottle of whiskey over your grave, which we have been saving for, going on 30 years now?" said Pat.

"Yes Patty, I do," whispered Shawn.

"It's a very old bottle now, you know," urged Pat.

"And what are you gettin' at Pat?" asked Shawn, briskly.

"Well Shawn, when I pour the whiskey over your grave, would ya mind if I filter it through my kidneys first?"

Friday, December 02, 2005

Golf mania

A man playing on a new golf course got confused as to what hole he was on. He saw a lady playing ahead of him. He walked up to her and asked if she knew what hole he was playing. She replied, "I'm on the 7th hole, and you're a hole behind me, so you must be on the 6th hole." He thanked her and went back to his golf.

On the back nine, the same thing happened, and he approached the lady again with the same request. She said, "I'm on the 14th, you are a hole behind me, so you must be on the 13th." Once again he thanked her.

He finished his round and went into the club house and saw the lady sitting at the end of the bar. He went up to her and said, "Let me buy you a drink to show my appreciation for your help." He started a conversation and asked her what kind of work she did. She said she was in sales, and he said he was in sales also. He asked what she sold.

She replied, "If I told you, you would only laugh."

"No, I wouldn't," he said.

She said, "I sell tampons."

With that he fell on the floor laughing so hard.

She said, "See, I knew you would laugh."

"That's not what I'm laughing at," he replied. "I'm a toilet paper salesman, so I'm STILL one hole behind you!"

Search for Jokes

I am a a freak. I did google for finding some good joke sites. Some were lousy and some were great. But anyway, I hope they will make you laugh. Here are the links:

http://www.the-jokes.com
http://www.jokesgallery.com
http://www.ahajokes.com
http://www.lotsofjokes.com