Sunday, August 22, 2004
Mrs. Einstein Revealed
I am guilty of being a male chauvinistic pig for harboring certain opinions about women in the past. But with experience, I have realised that there are many factors that aren't accounted for in calculations of intelligence... that any generalizations cannot accommodate the many variables that could catalyze / hamper genius. The vast majority of Nobel Prize Winners are men, but it could be that expectations and support for intelligent women in society are such that they don't allow women to have incredible careers. Maybe its a huge male conspiracy. I am rethinking some of those thoughts now with some revelations about the genius of our time, Albert Einstein.
In a program on PBS, historians talk about an investigation into the facts behind the annulus mirablis (miracle year 1905), in which Einstein published 5 papers, each revolutionizing physics. Photoelectric effect, Special Theory of Relativity and Brownian motion are the first to come to my mind. Historians find it hard to believe that someone who was working fulltime (6 days a week) at the Swiss Patent Office, could manage to publish such path-breaking papers. When one then considers the fact that Mileva Maric, Einstein's first wife was a Haus Frau with more time to devote to physics things start looking fishy. What arouses even more suspicion is the fact that an editor at Annalen Der Physik recalls seeing two names on the papers and not just Uncle Albert's.
Then there is the fact that Einstein secretly shares the prize money with Mileva Maric evenly many years after the discoveries. Mileva was also an academic star at ETH and in fact takes one attempt to enter ETH (as opposed to 2 attempts for Einstein), and does much better than Albert in college too.(Maybe I don't count that much because I didn't do too well in college either... just waiting for that miracle year too.;)) The historians also point to the fact that Albert Einstein never produced anything as incredible as his theories from 1905 after he divorces Mileva. They don't completely discredit Albert Einstein, but contend that Mileva might have been a contributor to some of the papers.
If you wanna read more about this I refer you to The PBS Website.
You can also read about another lady genius Sophie Germain here. She was an 18th century mathematician who studied Math disguised as a man and dreamt about proving Fermat's Last Theorem. That's located at http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/nova/proof/germain.html
I am guilty of being a male chauvinistic pig for harboring certain opinions about women in the past. But with experience, I have realised that there are many factors that aren't accounted for in calculations of intelligence... that any generalizations cannot accommodate the many variables that could catalyze / hamper genius. The vast majority of Nobel Prize Winners are men, but it could be that expectations and support for intelligent women in society are such that they don't allow women to have incredible careers. Maybe its a huge male conspiracy. I am rethinking some of those thoughts now with some revelations about the genius of our time, Albert Einstein.
In a program on PBS, historians talk about an investigation into the facts behind the annulus mirablis (miracle year 1905), in which Einstein published 5 papers, each revolutionizing physics. Photoelectric effect, Special Theory of Relativity and Brownian motion are the first to come to my mind. Historians find it hard to believe that someone who was working fulltime (6 days a week) at the Swiss Patent Office, could manage to publish such path-breaking papers. When one then considers the fact that Mileva Maric, Einstein's first wife was a Haus Frau with more time to devote to physics things start looking fishy. What arouses even more suspicion is the fact that an editor at Annalen Der Physik recalls seeing two names on the papers and not just Uncle Albert's.
Then there is the fact that Einstein secretly shares the prize money with Mileva Maric evenly many years after the discoveries. Mileva was also an academic star at ETH and in fact takes one attempt to enter ETH (as opposed to 2 attempts for Einstein), and does much better than Albert in college too.(Maybe I don't count that much because I didn't do too well in college either... just waiting for that miracle year too.;)) The historians also point to the fact that Albert Einstein never produced anything as incredible as his theories from 1905 after he divorces Mileva. They don't completely discredit Albert Einstein, but contend that Mileva might have been a contributor to some of the papers.
If you wanna read more about this I refer you to The PBS Website.
You can also read about another lady genius Sophie Germain here. She was an 18th century mathematician who studied Math disguised as a man and dreamt about proving Fermat's Last Theorem. That's located at http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/nova/proof/germain.html
Thursday, August 19, 2004
I want to believe that I can make a difference.
I want to believe that truth always triumphs.
I want to believe that goodness doesnt go unrewarded.
I want to believe that evil doesnt go unpunished.
I want to believe that looks don't matter.
I want to believe that things happen for a reason.
I want to believe that truth always triumphs.
I want to believe that goodness doesnt go unrewarded.
I want to believe that evil doesnt go unpunished.
I want to believe that looks don't matter.
I want to believe that things happen for a reason.
Friday, August 06, 2004
COEPaen! (Paen to COEP)
I am proud of my alma mater, the College of Engineering, Pune (COEP - more recently known as Pune Institute of Engineering and Technology). I think it is human psychology to criticize an institution when one is part of it (inherently some form of self-deprecation is common I think, as pessimistic as that sounds). But lately I have realized what a wonderful place COEP was to go to college. Few COEPians realise how lucky they were to learn there. I have this habit of bragging, but trust me when I say that on many counts, COEP really does deserve many plaudits. First the syllabus at COEP was superior. I've met many people from various universities in India and US, and none of them had VLSI design, Advanced Computer Architecture, Networking AND Image Processing at the undergraduate level. Admittedly few of these subjects were treated by anyone with expertise in the field, but a fair amount of it sinks in nevertheless due to independent study and discussion.
Which leads me to my second point, the excellent intellectual company you are in. I wont comment on some of the other departments in COEP, but E & TC had some of the brightest people I have known in my life. (For instance, Nachiket Kapre, my class topper is stunning people in Caltech with his brilliance ... Ajit Oke, from my class set a record highest CGI at Indian Institute of Science in Bangalore... Sumeet Kulkarni, the funniest engineer I've met, won a DAAD Scholarship to Germany after working at TI India... the list is really long).
I think there is more to learn from fellow students at COEP than from the faculty themselves. And most kids in COEP aren't just academically brilliant but talented as well. Most of them posess this rare humility and refineness that I have only seen in people from Pune. Like my project partner, Sankalp Dravid, who is a really nice guy and in addition won the best artist prize at Firodiya Karandak almost 4 times.(This is a inter-collegiate talent show contest).
In addition, there are atleast many interesting things to take part in, such as Rowing, Quiz Club, the College Magazine (winner of the best college magazine in the state for 3 years running in my times). J Ramanand, a good friend of mine from the BC Quiz Club won the Mastermind India contest last year. I think we at COEP, dont give ourselves credit for the many good things that COEP really deserves a pat on the back for. COEP, really is the cremè de la cremè in the Oxford of the East.
I am proud of my alma mater, the College of Engineering, Pune (COEP - more recently known as Pune Institute of Engineering and Technology). I think it is human psychology to criticize an institution when one is part of it (inherently some form of self-deprecation is common I think, as pessimistic as that sounds). But lately I have realized what a wonderful place COEP was to go to college. Few COEPians realise how lucky they were to learn there. I have this habit of bragging, but trust me when I say that on many counts, COEP really does deserve many plaudits. First the syllabus at COEP was superior. I've met many people from various universities in India and US, and none of them had VLSI design, Advanced Computer Architecture, Networking AND Image Processing at the undergraduate level. Admittedly few of these subjects were treated by anyone with expertise in the field, but a fair amount of it sinks in nevertheless due to independent study and discussion.
Which leads me to my second point, the excellent intellectual company you are in. I wont comment on some of the other departments in COEP, but E & TC had some of the brightest people I have known in my life. (For instance, Nachiket Kapre, my class topper is stunning people in Caltech with his brilliance ... Ajit Oke, from my class set a record highest CGI at Indian Institute of Science in Bangalore... Sumeet Kulkarni, the funniest engineer I've met, won a DAAD Scholarship to Germany after working at TI India... the list is really long).
I think there is more to learn from fellow students at COEP than from the faculty themselves. And most kids in COEP aren't just academically brilliant but talented as well. Most of them posess this rare humility and refineness that I have only seen in people from Pune. Like my project partner, Sankalp Dravid, who is a really nice guy and in addition won the best artist prize at Firodiya Karandak almost 4 times.(This is a inter-collegiate talent show contest).
In addition, there are atleast many interesting things to take part in, such as Rowing, Quiz Club, the College Magazine (winner of the best college magazine in the state for 3 years running in my times). J Ramanand, a good friend of mine from the BC Quiz Club won the Mastermind India contest last year. I think we at COEP, dont give ourselves credit for the many good things that COEP really deserves a pat on the back for. COEP, really is the cremè de la cremè in the Oxford of the East.
Sunday, August 01, 2004
Two Movies - Indians come of age in the American Entertainment Industry
Well slowly but surely, Indian faces are becoming more common in the American entertainment industry. Yesterday I saw two movies with Americans of Indian origin playing siginificant parts in each.
The first was Harold and Kumar go to White Castle. It was the opening weekend for this movie and I think it's doing quite alright in a place like Madison. (where Indians are easily the smallest minority group) My take on the movie... I think it's okay. What makes a movie great is the re-watchability... meaning how likely are people to watch this movie again. H & K go to White Castle is probably worth one visit atleast. Kumar, played by Kal Penn (to my mind the first person of Indian origin as a lead in a Hollywood movie), has done a fabulous job!! I loved his performance in both American Desi and Van Wilder, so this didnt come as a surprise to me.The whole plot is about two guys, who want to have some White Castle burgers and how it takes them the whole night to have their hunger doused. Some parts are a lil too ludicrous and some are lil too gross but hey, maybe it was supposed to be funny. But you come out feeling happy about the time spent in the theater, with quite a few laughs.
The other movie I saw yesterday was M Night Shyamalan's The Village. It has been written, produced and directed by M Night Shyamalan, but was a huge disappointment. I won't give out the plot of the movie, but the first hour is very boring with the story hardly making any progress. I think the idea was very novel but the execution very poor. The timing when the suspense of the movie is given out is wrong and basically I was able to predict the rest of the movie from it. I just felt bad that I watched this movie after H&K go to WC. (okay not the effect I was aiming for ;) but works for me) My recommendations are that this one is best avoided.(not worth 8$) Maybe if its being shown free on TV, you can watch it while flipping other channels, but in the theaters its an absolute waste of money and time.
Well to mention the other Indians on TV these days: a) Apu & co in the Simpsons, b) Parminder Nagra in ER c) an Indian family in the VW ad d) an Indian grocery store owner in a Mountain Dew ad with Steven Seagal. Fairly long list and I guess future generations of Indians in the US would see a lot of people like themselves on TV.
Well slowly but surely, Indian faces are becoming more common in the American entertainment industry. Yesterday I saw two movies with Americans of Indian origin playing siginificant parts in each.
The first was Harold and Kumar go to White Castle. It was the opening weekend for this movie and I think it's doing quite alright in a place like Madison. (where Indians are easily the smallest minority group) My take on the movie... I think it's okay. What makes a movie great is the re-watchability... meaning how likely are people to watch this movie again. H & K go to White Castle is probably worth one visit atleast. Kumar, played by Kal Penn (to my mind the first person of Indian origin as a lead in a Hollywood movie), has done a fabulous job!! I loved his performance in both American Desi and Van Wilder, so this didnt come as a surprise to me.The whole plot is about two guys, who want to have some White Castle burgers and how it takes them the whole night to have their hunger doused. Some parts are a lil too ludicrous and some are lil too gross but hey, maybe it was supposed to be funny. But you come out feeling happy about the time spent in the theater, with quite a few laughs.
The other movie I saw yesterday was M Night Shyamalan's The Village. It has been written, produced and directed by M Night Shyamalan, but was a huge disappointment. I won't give out the plot of the movie, but the first hour is very boring with the story hardly making any progress. I think the idea was very novel but the execution very poor. The timing when the suspense of the movie is given out is wrong and basically I was able to predict the rest of the movie from it. I just felt bad that I watched this movie after H&K go to WC. (okay not the effect I was aiming for ;) but works for me) My recommendations are that this one is best avoided.(not worth 8$) Maybe if its being shown free on TV, you can watch it while flipping other channels, but in the theaters its an absolute waste of money and time.
Well to mention the other Indians on TV these days: a) Apu & co in the Simpsons, b) Parminder Nagra in ER c) an Indian family in the VW ad d) an Indian grocery store owner in a Mountain Dew ad with Steven Seagal. Fairly long list and I guess future generations of Indians in the US would see a lot of people like themselves on TV.
