When my son showed me a new service from Google, I just could not believe, how Google comes out with surprises frequently.
I have been using computers from IBM Pcs and then the Intel 486, from 1989 and still seeing the growth of this 'not- so' idiot box.
'What is a Googol'is still a favourite question in all school quizzes. But what is the power raised to is Google? It is an interesting history.
Basically we know that Google is a search engine that enables users to search the Web, Usenet, and images. Its features include PageRank, caching and translation of results, and an option to find similar pages.
Googling for 'Google' gave me so much of insight to the crawling beast on the net!
If you know about all these things about Google... you can log out and wait for my next post!
*Google Desktop - If you download this feature, you canView personalized news, photos, and many more on your desktop. You can search for files across all your computers. You can share information with your friends right from the Sidebar.and find your emails, files, web history, and more.
* This Web Word Processor which will help share documents instantly & collaborate real-time, pick exactly who can access your documents and edit your documents from anywhere. You can sttore your documents securely online. But right now you are placed on wait-list!
*If you are an avid reader on the Net, check Google Reader.
Reader automatically gets the latest news and updates for your favorite sites and can find the blogs and news sites you've been missing out on.
Sure, you won't miss my postings anymore!
*Want to see research papers in your subject of interest? Google Scholar will help you.
*If your site has dynamic content or pages that aren't easily discovered by following links, you can use a Sitemap file to provide information about the pages on your site.
*On Google Books, you can search the full text of books to find ones that interest you and learn where to buy or borrow them also. You can promote your books on Google for free here.
*All the recently acquired features in Google are available for a download at one click in Google Pack - A free collection of essential software
Though many around the world talk about the flipside of Google and keep a watch of their algorithms and privacy policies, it is growing, growing and growing to googolplex.
Do you wonder, which new feature / service I was talking about in the beginning?
It is Google pages. Online web page creator similar to Geocities of Yahoo!, not with 15 MB space, but 100 MB.
If you don't want to miss out on any new feature, keep a tab on Googles official Blog.
Happy Googling!
Sunday, March 26, 2006
Thursday, March 23, 2006
Search within!
The title of this post will be misleading if I don't make an intro of what is this about!
Of late, I see quite a few people have learnt to be proud of their area, community and neighbourhood. People who are from Saidapet in Chennai and now moved to San Diego are thrilled to meet others from their neighbourhood - not personally, but online.
And number of blogs and web site with 'namma' and 'my' prefixes are on the increase.
A few on history and some others on personal experiences!
When people are away, they start thinking about the goodness of the area they lived in during their school and college days!
The blogs range from Mysore to Pune to Madurai. The one on Madurai is really cool
And on the latest addiction - the orkut community groups, you can find all the suburbs in any city!
I was searching for all corners of Chennai. Mylapore, Triplicane, Nanganallur, Mambalam, Velachery. But what happened to George town, Tiruvottiyur, Washermanpet... As usual the north Madras is lagging behind!
There are also groups at Trivandrum, Patna, Pondicherry and so on. Its good to see people getting together. And think of their old times in their native place.
I wish they shared information about unknown book shops, chat corners, the woman who sells wire baskets and who can help you in packing appalams, podis and all other ready to eat snacks, when you catch a flight to the other side of the globe.
And if the group can do something useful to the community or help their neighbourhood and the younger generation now living there with lots of hopes on the society, nothing like that.
Of late, I see quite a few people have learnt to be proud of their area, community and neighbourhood. People who are from Saidapet in Chennai and now moved to San Diego are thrilled to meet others from their neighbourhood - not personally, but online.
And number of blogs and web site with 'namma' and 'my' prefixes are on the increase.
A few on history and some others on personal experiences!
When people are away, they start thinking about the goodness of the area they lived in during their school and college days!
The blogs range from Mysore to Pune to Madurai. The one on Madurai is really cool
And on the latest addiction - the orkut community groups, you can find all the suburbs in any city!
I was searching for all corners of Chennai. Mylapore, Triplicane, Nanganallur, Mambalam, Velachery. But what happened to George town, Tiruvottiyur, Washermanpet... As usual the north Madras is lagging behind!
There are also groups at Trivandrum, Patna, Pondicherry and so on. Its good to see people getting together. And think of their old times in their native place.
I wish they shared information about unknown book shops, chat corners, the woman who sells wire baskets and who can help you in packing appalams, podis and all other ready to eat snacks, when you catch a flight to the other side of the globe.
And if the group can do something useful to the community or help their neighbourhood and the younger generation now living there with lots of hopes on the society, nothing like that.
Tuesday, March 14, 2006
E-school bag!
It was not for watching colourful school bags carried by kids, I stopped over at a school.
I had to wait for getting a document attested by the Principal and I happened to watch school bags of different shapes, sizes, colours, patterns . . .
Many were back-bags and back-breaking bags too! A set of kids were moving in a line led by the class teacher to the ground, where parents were waiting to pick them up. Perhaps Class 6 students!
One among them spotted me and smiled. She was waiting for her mom to arrive. The bag looked very cute. "Nice bag, you have," I said. "Thank you, aunty, but you know, the books become shapeless at the end of the term, with this longish bag. It is hanging out of the back so much that it pulls my shoulders down. A horizontal bag like that is better," she pointed to her classmate's bag.
Now, the other girl became curious and came to us. I said, "she says that your bag is nice and comfortable."
"May be the books are neat and clean, but the breadth of the bag is always bigger than that of our shoulders. I always get hurt while getting in to the school bus." She pointed her fingers to another boy's bag. "The longish one with the straps apart and not from the centre of the bag is good."
The boy disagreed. "Even though I carry only 5 books and 7 notebooks, ("Mom counts the books and notebooks in the morning!") it looks like an astronaut's bag. When I sit in the pillion of my mom's bike, it looks as if three are travelling on the bike."
Observing the conversation, a little girl spoke her heart. "Auntie, bags are all bad. We should bring only one notebook to the school. All the books should be on the satellite!"
"Satellite?"
"Yes, auntie. They should be put on the satellite. Like TV channels, we should skip to the next channel in the next period. A 'remote' should also be there." She smiled at her own idea.
Hey, there she goes! She talked about an electronic revolution innocently.
When we look up to e-mails, do e-shopping, read e-newspapers, why not e-schoolbags?
The idea is wonderful!
Any takers in the blogosphere?
I had to wait for getting a document attested by the Principal and I happened to watch school bags of different shapes, sizes, colours, patterns . . .
Many were back-bags and back-breaking bags too! A set of kids were moving in a line led by the class teacher to the ground, where parents were waiting to pick them up. Perhaps Class 6 students!
One among them spotted me and smiled. She was waiting for her mom to arrive. The bag looked very cute. "Nice bag, you have," I said. "Thank you, aunty, but you know, the books become shapeless at the end of the term, with this longish bag. It is hanging out of the back so much that it pulls my shoulders down. A horizontal bag like that is better," she pointed to her classmate's bag.
Now, the other girl became curious and came to us. I said, "she says that your bag is nice and comfortable."
"May be the books are neat and clean, but the breadth of the bag is always bigger than that of our shoulders. I always get hurt while getting in to the school bus." She pointed her fingers to another boy's bag. "The longish one with the straps apart and not from the centre of the bag is good."
The boy disagreed. "Even though I carry only 5 books and 7 notebooks, ("Mom counts the books and notebooks in the morning!") it looks like an astronaut's bag. When I sit in the pillion of my mom's bike, it looks as if three are travelling on the bike."
Observing the conversation, a little girl spoke her heart. "Auntie, bags are all bad. We should bring only one notebook to the school. All the books should be on the satellite!"
"Satellite?"
"Yes, auntie. They should be put on the satellite. Like TV channels, we should skip to the next channel in the next period. A 'remote' should also be there." She smiled at her own idea.
Hey, there she goes! She talked about an electronic revolution innocently.
When we look up to e-mails, do e-shopping, read e-newspapers, why not e-schoolbags?
The idea is wonderful!
Any takers in the blogosphere?
Tuesday, March 07, 2006
Doubly focussed!
There is no change in the way of my holding the book. And the lighting in the room is good enough to read a book.
Yet, there is change in the way I hold a book! My arms stretch a bit further and I try changing the angle of my holding the book! Now, it's OK. I go ahead.
But it was on a bright morning, the distance between the knife and the vegetable was inassessible. Then, on the sewing machine, the position of the needle looked different.
But it really struck me when I was reading the proof of a work. Another collegue of mine put on her reading glasses hanging around her neck. Oh, I have gotten'Presbyopia'! (Wonder, why my grandma called it 'Saaleshwaram' - which God she was talking about?)
For the optician, it was a routine prescription for a reading glass. The options were many:
- You can wear a thin pair of reading glasses - however you have to look over or under it! Buy for a hundred rupees. And hang them around your neck!
- You can wear a bifocal glass. Permanently. No looking over and under the glass. But there is an annoying line separating the near and distant vision. You can not 'read between' these lines!
I happily chose the frame and ordered for a bifocal glasses for around five hundred rupees.
It was not easy to wear the glasses all through the day. Not because, I was not used to. But the glasses with separating lines were frustrating to wear. I started getting head aches, dizziness and nausea.
My cousin suggested PAL - Progressive addition lenses. There are no lines and they offer a more gradual visual transition between the two prescriptions. No visible lines? The idea sounded good. The cost went beyond three thousand rupees - a normal quality pair of glasses.
After wearing them, I felt I missed the perception at every staircase. People who saw me for the first time or even old friends were made to think that I suffer from a severe health problem that I was not able to take a step without any help. Above all, I experienced distracting double images from headlights of vehicles and streetlights.
The doc suggested Crizal lenses, that promise a clear vision. But the price (around ten thousand rupees!) discouraged me from experimenting.
I started observing people with glasses closely. The first thing I looked for was the lines in their glasses! And yes, almost 90% of my age group and above were wearing them with lines!
I told myself,"Be doubly focussed on the work. You will forget the lines." I started reading through bifocal glasses.
Yes, it works. There is nothing like self motivation. . .
Yet, there is change in the way I hold a book! My arms stretch a bit further and I try changing the angle of my holding the book! Now, it's OK. I go ahead.
But it was on a bright morning, the distance between the knife and the vegetable was inassessible. Then, on the sewing machine, the position of the needle looked different.
But it really struck me when I was reading the proof of a work. Another collegue of mine put on her reading glasses hanging around her neck. Oh, I have gotten'Presbyopia'! (Wonder, why my grandma called it 'Saaleshwaram' - which God she was talking about?)
For the optician, it was a routine prescription for a reading glass. The options were many:
- You can wear a thin pair of reading glasses - however you have to look over or under it! Buy for a hundred rupees. And hang them around your neck!
- You can wear a bifocal glass. Permanently. No looking over and under the glass. But there is an annoying line separating the near and distant vision. You can not 'read between' these lines!
I happily chose the frame and ordered for a bifocal glasses for around five hundred rupees.
It was not easy to wear the glasses all through the day. Not because, I was not used to. But the glasses with separating lines were frustrating to wear. I started getting head aches, dizziness and nausea.
My cousin suggested PAL - Progressive addition lenses. There are no lines and they offer a more gradual visual transition between the two prescriptions. No visible lines? The idea sounded good. The cost went beyond three thousand rupees - a normal quality pair of glasses.
After wearing them, I felt I missed the perception at every staircase. People who saw me for the first time or even old friends were made to think that I suffer from a severe health problem that I was not able to take a step without any help. Above all, I experienced distracting double images from headlights of vehicles and streetlights.
The doc suggested Crizal lenses, that promise a clear vision. But the price (around ten thousand rupees!) discouraged me from experimenting.
I started observing people with glasses closely. The first thing I looked for was the lines in their glasses! And yes, almost 90% of my age group and above were wearing them with lines!
I told myself,"Be doubly focussed on the work. You will forget the lines." I started reading through bifocal glasses.
Yes, it works. There is nothing like self motivation. . .
Monday, March 06, 2006
There is real money in blogs! Read on . . .
There are zillions of blogs up in the sky! May be more the number of stars!
While each one is trying to earn a buck or two in their own way, Xu Jinglie, the Chinese actor has a problem sharing the money earned through her blog with her host. Thats what happens when an actor starts doing something, even blogging. I wonder why our Kamal Hassans, Madhavans, Revathis and Suhasinis are not doing this!
By the way, there are again zilions of websites cropped up to tell you how to make money through blogs and make their money online!
The Chinese actor Xu Jinglei has started blogging. Just after a hundred days of launching her blog(Chinese), she gets 10 million page views each day. Dear me, thats really huge! The weblog is hosted by sina.com. The company argues that the entire earnings should belong to them for having hosted it free of cost. But obviously Xu likes to take home her share.
The web reviewers are actively following the dispute. Worldwide, bloggers are supporting Xu. They should, after all their blog will also earn that much money one day! The Senior VP of Sina has supposedly said once about blogs that blog "has nothing new, it is just personal homepage plus BBS."
Yet this 'personal page with BBS' is amazing space for the writers, rather thinkers. What do you think?
While each one is trying to earn a buck or two in their own way, Xu Jinglie, the Chinese actor has a problem sharing the money earned through her blog with her host. Thats what happens when an actor starts doing something, even blogging. I wonder why our Kamal Hassans, Madhavans, Revathis and Suhasinis are not doing this!
By the way, there are again zilions of websites cropped up to tell you how to make money through blogs and make their money online!
The Chinese actor Xu Jinglei has started blogging. Just after a hundred days of launching her blog(Chinese), she gets 10 million page views each day. Dear me, thats really huge! The weblog is hosted by sina.com. The company argues that the entire earnings should belong to them for having hosted it free of cost. But obviously Xu likes to take home her share.
The web reviewers are actively following the dispute. Worldwide, bloggers are supporting Xu. They should, after all their blog will also earn that much money one day! The Senior VP of Sina has supposedly said once about blogs that blog "has nothing new, it is just personal homepage plus BBS."
Yet this 'personal page with BBS' is amazing space for the writers, rather thinkers. What do you think?
Saturday, March 04, 2006
Call it Chennai or Madras!
Are you a Madrasi?
A question I was asked in all the places outside Tamil Nadu. Even after six years of renaming the city as Chennai. I personally prefer to call it Madras. But I find many others too!
The clubs still call it Madras - The Madras Club, Madras Boat Club, Madras Gymkhana, Madras Football Association, Madras Cricket Club, Madras Flying Club, . . .
There are a few colleges - Madras Christian College, Madras Medical Mission and the 'Big Brother' - IIT is IIT-Madras!
It is still Madras Bar Association and it is Madras Port Trust.
I am collecting a bunch of these names and I need help. Even if it is Madras Cycle stores and Madras Magazine shop, I would like to have them. But with complete address please!!!
Here is a bonus. If you love to see stamps and post cards on Chennai, click here! (Thanks Balaji)
Thanks friends!
A question I was asked in all the places outside Tamil Nadu. Even after six years of renaming the city as Chennai. I personally prefer to call it Madras. But I find many others too!
The clubs still call it Madras - The Madras Club, Madras Boat Club, Madras Gymkhana, Madras Football Association, Madras Cricket Club, Madras Flying Club, . . .
There are a few colleges - Madras Christian College, Madras Medical Mission and the 'Big Brother' - IIT is IIT-Madras!
It is still Madras Bar Association and it is Madras Port Trust.
I am collecting a bunch of these names and I need help. Even if it is Madras Cycle stores and Madras Magazine shop, I would like to have them. But with complete address please!!!
Here is a bonus. If you love to see stamps and post cards on Chennai, click here! (Thanks Balaji)
Thanks friends!
Friday, March 03, 2006
Chennai and Arts& Handicrafts
Chennai has been the cultural hub of South India. Agree. And why is this sudden inflow of arts and handicrafts items on sale at every available hall?
All the states in India have started looking at Chennai from the angle of marketing destination.
The famous 'Pongal Fair' at the Island grounds was the only exhibition we all used enjoy in our childhood days. The 'Giant wheel' used to be the main attraction.
But nowadays, every other hall, small or big, in the city is hosting a handloom and handicraft exhibition all through the year.
The Gujarat Handloom & Handicrafts-Exhibition-cum-sale was at Sankara Hall, Alwarpet, from Feb.15 and on vacation of the hall, we now have UP Handloom & handicrafts exhibition.
North East Handicrafts fair has just got over at the Corporation Community Hall on C.P. Ramaswamy Road. The Orissa Handloom Exhibition is on at C.P. Arts centre from March 3.
Lalit Kala Akademy hosts the Paramparik Karigar every year. And this is also on now.
And many more. . .
Shankar Lee's work at Vinyasa Art Gallery, Art exhibition by Progressive painters' Association at Lakshana Museum of Aarts, Paintings by college students from Gulburga at Sri Parvati.
And the Goodshephered Hall, Valluvar Kottam, Vimonisha Art Gallery, Apparao Galleries have regular shows and exhibitions.
Just curious to know. . . How many men shop at these places?
All the states in India have started looking at Chennai from the angle of marketing destination.
The famous 'Pongal Fair' at the Island grounds was the only exhibition we all used enjoy in our childhood days. The 'Giant wheel' used to be the main attraction.
But nowadays, every other hall, small or big, in the city is hosting a handloom and handicraft exhibition all through the year.
The Gujarat Handloom & Handicrafts-Exhibition-cum-sale was at Sankara Hall, Alwarpet, from Feb.15 and on vacation of the hall, we now have UP Handloom & handicrafts exhibition.
North East Handicrafts fair has just got over at the Corporation Community Hall on C.P. Ramaswamy Road. The Orissa Handloom Exhibition is on at C.P. Arts centre from March 3.
Lalit Kala Akademy hosts the Paramparik Karigar every year. And this is also on now.
And many more. . .
Shankar Lee's work at Vinyasa Art Gallery, Art exhibition by Progressive painters' Association at Lakshana Museum of Aarts, Paintings by college students from Gulburga at Sri Parvati.
And the Goodshephered Hall, Valluvar Kottam, Vimonisha Art Gallery, Apparao Galleries have regular shows and exhibitions.
Just curious to know. . . How many men shop at these places?
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