Further Up the Road

A great performance from Bruce Sprinsteen with the Sessions Band last year live in Dublin (dedicated to the legendary Jim Aiken), came across it while surfing TV, and since then, been hooked to it :) .. all songs in the CD are 'very' enjoyable. Here is one (quality is not the best, still):


keep rocking!!

Ultimate Frisbee

I have joined the summer league for Ultimate Frisbee here in Dublin, to have some summer (thou its hard to describe what irish summer is like) fun and further to get some sports done too :) .. As per the sport, if you don't know what is it, looks at what wikipedia says here about it. I would say its just pure fun to play. Thou' in the league, its a bit more professional and learning more pro rules and strategies for defense and offense. I would give the credit to Brad for introducing the sport to me, but i suppose never had the chance to play with him in Munich. Thou' last summer/autumn, did played some with friends back in Munich. Play it if you have a chance.. for fun and sports both. Enjoy the summer sun!!

Daily Show - Jon Stewart

iPhone - it indeed is good.. but so much craze .. enjoy the clip :))


On Immigration Law (rejected twice now by US senate).. watch the news clips they show about immigration issues which the immigrants are bringing to US.. unbelievable.. crazy talk..

New insights on poverty and life around the world - Hans Rosling

I just love TED talks.. so much information in single talk.. that makes you think and strive for more..

Again one of best talks of TED (all are marvelous).. listen here Prof. Rosling talking about golbal poverty and means to achieve it and the goal to achieve. Extremely informational and fully based on statistically sound data and one of best endings you will see for such talk.



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About this Talk (From TED.com)

In a follow-up to his now-legendary TED2006 presentation, Hans Rosling demonstrates how developing countries are pulling themselves out of poverty. He shows us the next generation of his Trendalyzer software -- which analyzes and displays data in amazingly accessible ways, allowing people to see patterns previously hidden behind mountains of stats. (Ten days later, he announced a deal with Google to acquire the software.) He also demos Dollar Street, a program that lets you peer in the windows of typical families worldwide living at different income levels. Be sure to watch straight through to the (literally) jaw-dropping finale.

Flickr Fav of the Week - Tokyo Sunset

Sangenjaya Sunset #2, originally uploaded by /\ltus.

A city to visit!!

The Landlord

this is one most hilarious clip have seen recently.. Pay your rent on time!!



Doesn't seem to work on Internet Explorer: Here is the Link to Click

Flickr Censorship!!

Against Censorship!, originally uploaded by vandyrk.

There has been a lot of talk lately about the censorship imposed by fickr on user photos, banning members and blocking specific photos. Also, based on my experience on flickrCentral group, that the moderators often lock topics, discouraging sensitive conversations and sorts (who gets to decide that, thou' personally I didn't feel those topics were sensitive). They also have now safe, moderate, etc. settings for every flickr member based on his/her photos, decided by flickr management, which sounds bit crazy to me. Also, in news that they have blocked turning on "Safe Search Off" feature in some countries.

I am a huge fan of flickr and its service.. and it has helped me grow my love for photography to a higher level. I have spent hours exploring it :)) ..

Although it is a sensitive topic for both sides, who want some sort of censorship and who are against it. I totally accept if its under some sort guidelines. They can't just one day, block pictures and members.. a protocol is necessary.

iQuit

No worries, I am not quitting blogging. Thou' there hasn't been anything interesting to blog in last few days. Thou', speaking of exciting news, I did celebrated my Bday on June 6 with some Irish Whiskey ;) (story another time)

Lets move to another topic, the reason I was posting.. you must have by now seen those iconic Windows vs Mac ads (my fav. is the Windows Guy). Here is one the recent commercials "I'm Steve Jobs and iQuit" - its abs. hialrious.. Watch out

Microsoft Photosynth & Surface Computing

The TED talks are meant to be instant fav., the time you see them. Here is one of most recent ones from March 2007. Blaise Aguera y Arcas of Microsoft shows a very interesting photo browsing, visualization, mutildimensionality technology called Photosynth and features which are mind-boggling and just leaves you wondering how technology will affect our lives in years to come. During the video, hear how the people gasp and hush's while he shows the awesome zooms he does on photos. He even got standing ovation for his talk, something which some people might probably won't relate to Microsoft in first place :). One of the best tech. demos of 2007.



A few weeks back, I posted about another cool demo by Microsoft, HERE. Also related to Jeff Han TED Talk in 2006. And, I thought it still might be few years before it comes out in market. But day before yesterday, Microsoft released the first commercial versions of it, calling it Surface Computing. (MS LINK). And wow, it def. takes computing to next level. Check out popular mechanics first preview of the Surface Computing.

Facebook Networking

For quite sometime now, I have been successfully avoiding getting signed up for another one of several networking sites around. And I seldom use the sites i have registered to, exception being orkut (to keep touch with some indian friends, apparently its quite huge there) and linkedIn (for its professional touch).

But yesterday, I signed up for facebook, and to be true, its been good fun. Their methodology seems different and i am sure, i won't be cluttered with random people (like in myspace) who i have noting to do with. But at same time, it gives options to do networking with groups from colleges, work places, regional etc etc and also same time, its like a personalized homepage with personalized contents. And yesterday, they even released some sort of facebook platform which will allow anyone (individual, companies) to make content for personalization.

In short - its different. Give it a try and if you know me personally, see you there :))

Shrek 3 Preview

Thanks to some Russians :), just watched the very awaited Shrek 3. Hmm, its kinda hard to put it into category, its not the best of the Shrek's but its def. an above average movie with stunning animations. The movie is a bit loose on story line-up, at least i thought so. Bit it has it good moments and a must see at least for once :). My fav. part was the "offspring's of Donkey and the Fire Dragon" .. perfect combination of flying-fire-donkey-dragon. You will also get to see some old fairy-tale characters. Overall, its an entertaining movie.

It was not as disappointing as the Spiderman 3, which was completly off-track, with tons of characters, plots, detours and too long with all the drama. Hopefully some good fast fight scenes kept me away from sleeping.

And looking forward to the final sequel of Pirates of the Caribbean. It has to be good ;)

Flickr Fav of the Week

2573, originally uploaded by magnus*.

Conference Invitation

now, this is what i call a perfect conference invitation, who wouldn't like to attend this one. Picnic (in their words: is a seductive, exciting, intangible, unpredictable, cosmopolitan and cheerful annual event for and by the creative industry) shot this video to promote the event.



AMsterdam is coool..

Cool Demo by Microsoft

This is a cool demo of how future desktops might look like. Still far away from getting myself one but the idea of visualization and interaction is def. more interesting. Check it out

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Not entirely related but somewhat on the lines of Jeff Han Mutl-Touch talk at TED last year, which is very interesting, if you haven't seen it yet. Would be an awesome combination!!

Stage6

I am sure everyone had seen and tried lot of different video sharing sites, and youTube def. has its big following but most of the times, the quality on youTube su*** bigtime too.

But remember our favourite compression technique DivX; DivX has a new video sharing site called stage6 and it rocks and the quality is awesome, like HD. Check it out.

And ya, they have another cool feature, which "dims" the desktop screen excluding the video viewing window, while watching the video. And the full screen online playback is wow :))
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Some videos to watch:

Spiderman-3

Pussycat Dolls remix

Bob Sinclair - Rock This Party

Blessed - Brett Dennen

Following up on last post about Brett Dennen, here is another good song.
Enjoy!!
--

--
I welcome the sun,
the clouds and rain,
the wind that sweeps the sky clean
and lets the sun shine again.
this is the most magnificent life has ever been.
here is heaven and earth
and the brilliant sky in between.

blessed is this life
and I'm gonna celebrate being alive.
blessed is this life
and I'm gonna celebrate being alive

I dwell in the darkness
I live in the light
I sleep in the afternoon
and become the noise in the night
I trespass in temptation
suffered in sacrifice
but I awake each day with a new sunrise

blessed is this life, oh
and I'm gonna celebrate being alive
blessed is this life, oh
and I'm gonna celebrate being alive

Flickr fav of the week: London Eye

London Eye, originally uploaded by ChrisAston.

Completely Unedited

Music Industry Sucks

I just received an email (and probably if you are living outside US and an avid pandora listener, you must have too) from Pandora Support giving the very unfortunate news that from tomorrow, they would be blocking access to Pandora from Ireland and all countries outside of the US. Some excerpts from the email:
--
We show your IP address is 'xxx.xxx.xxx.xxx', which indicates you are listening from Ireland.

Consequently, on May 3rd, we will begin blocking access to Pandora to listeners from your country. We are very sad to have to do this, but there is no other alternative.

We will keep a record of your existing stations and bookmarked artists and songs, so that when we are able to launch in your country, they will be waiting for you. We deeply share your sense of disappointment and greatly appreciate your understanding.
--
I appreciate Pandora's effort to send the email and for their disappointment. It is/was one of best services avaliable to listen to music of varied taste and got to hear several good singers from their recomendations.

Gonna miss it, until I find a proxy server ;) to listen to it.

But in short - music industry and their DRM & copyrights laws sucks big time. Also they want to increase their licensing fees for online radios, so its not only pandora, mebbe in future, they might just kill all.

Demonstrating - First Timer

For last few weeks, I have been demonstrating (TA for US system) for a software engineering project coursework to 3rd year students. Its been kinda strange to be on the other side. I took the position to gain some insight into tutoring, but only 6 weeks before the end of semester (sem ends this week) as they urgently needed someone to help out with project teams.

Telling students what they should do, seems a daunting task for myself. And then I keep imagining myself in their situation (until last year, i was in their position) and how to deal with students who don't work-at-all, work-a-bit and then there is always the one who does all the work. Its hard to make a choice between the one who does all the work and the one who doesn't do anything at all; but its still a team. And then if they don't complete assignments, then what, did they had valid reasons; late joiners to team, what about their reasoning. I am trying to be casual and do my task of motivating them to do their assignments, task completion and complete the project on time. Next week is final submission, will update about progress :)

ONE LOVE

whenever i listen this song, it gives me chills :)) .. do what you need to do!!

original:


also read grace article here (changing the world), only if everyone thinks like this, i am sure this world would be a much much better place and full of love

Peace and Love