Phatic Communions

How often do you use them?

It is common to see people starting a conversation with unfamiliar people in a small school campus, an office building, a small town, a party etc. I jotted down some of the most common spoken greetings that can take place among strangers. I intend to update this post as and when I remember more of those.

How are you?
How you doing?, How do you do?
What’s up?, ssupp??
How is it going?
What's happening?
Have a nice day.
You too!
Yo!

The following phrases were contributed by yugan:

Hey!!
Hi!!
Morning!!
Good Morning!

One thing is for sure; these communions leave a healthy and positive aftereffect.

Plagiarism

The more popular phrase among academia, “publish or perish,” is undergoing so many makeovers. Publish or Plagiarize, else Perish is one such expression. The article is a very interesting read. But, I am alarmed to see that plagiarism is widespread practice among Indians. I sympathize with the author’s personal experience in dealing with such inquiries.

I am impressed with the following quote from Nonoscience’s.

Publishing in peer reviewed research journals is to be seen a ‘personal academic duty’ of an academician, as a contribution to the growth of scientific knowledge rather as a means for (any) professional gains.

Spending enormous amount of time and earnest effort in the seeking of the ‘primary recognition’ naturally yields the ‘secondary recognition’ as a bonus. This is the only way one can become a successful researcher with conscience.

Apple Store

I have been yearning for this news.

As an avid user of many Apple products, I am glad to see an Apple Store opening up in Albuquerque. I am curious to see it open in the new ABQ Uptown mall.

Bookshelf

Whenever I am in need of a book, paper, or invoice, I forage into all shelves and closets both at my home and workplace. Today, I tried to organize all the documents and books in my house. I excavated all the memorabilia and looked at my book collection. I had all kinds of books: technical, children's, fiction, thriller, hornbook, documentary, etc.

All children's books are about ideals. Adult fiction sets out to portray and then explain the world as it really is; books for children present it as it should be.
– Humphrey Carpenter

Currently, I am reading “The Innocent Man” by John Grisham. The book is based on real-life incidents. It even has the pictures of the characters described. That proved the verity of the quote above.

"There Is No Such Thing As A Free Lunch"

Is the quoted phrase really true?
Let me explain my situation. I have many email accounts. Some services are free and some are paid. Since I pay for the school email account, I use it as my primary means of communication for all official purposes. Strangely, I am facing more service downtime from the school email account than my free email services. This means that I am available for all personal purposes than official purposes. It has been happening for over more than a week. So much for paid service!

I guess I am going to rely on the free email service and use it primarily. I find that free lunch is filling my appetite than paid lunch.

Don vs. Jann-e-Mann

These two Hindi movies are the subject of comparison as they were released at the same time for Diwali. I heard that they are going to play these movies in Albuquerque. I look forward to watching them and provide first-hand reviews.

Freedom

People do not deserve freedom unless they are wise enough to make good use of it. There are many instances where people don’t qualify. I am listing some of the instances below:
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Irresponsible students misuse the liberty given by teachers.
Negligent employees abuse the independence and trust of their employers.
Shameful criminals overuse the coddling of courts.
Disobedient children break the confidence of their parents.
And the list goes on.
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You might say that I am making a bold statement based on my experience and observations. You would be wrong. So, is freedom unwarranted? Not according to Constantine Karamanlis.

Let us hope that everyone on this earth will enjoy the blessing of freedom, and that when they attain it they will make prudent use of it.
— Constantine Karamanlis

Share your happiness

Thousands of candles can be lighted from a single candle, and the life of the candle will not be shortened. Happiness never decreases by being shared.
— Buddha

Stalin

Date: October 22nd
Time: Evening show (6:15 pm)
Venue: At SUB THEATER (Student Union Building, University of New Mexico, 87106)

National Boss Day

National Boss Day “offers employees an opportunity to recognize their supervisors.” Wal-Mart sold out of all Boss Day greetings cards. Smiths had a very limited number. We wished, thanks to the efforts of our secretary Monica, Peter Anselmo with a cake and card. ;)

Little Hail

The probability of hail for Socorro seems to be more in the month October. In 2004, the great hail storm took place on October 5th. Today there was little hail, and it was good and did not cause much damage.

Alternate ways to send SMS

One could either use SMTP, SNPP or WCTP for sending SMS to mobile phones.

Superstitions galore

When I woke in the morning I realized that it is Friday the 13th and is supposed to be a day that brings bad luck. I am no praskavedekatriaphobic (fear of Friday the 13th), but I would like to make an account of the things happening today.

So far today, I gave a ride to one of my friend to contest a traffic violation ticket in the courthouse. (Will update this section if I encounter anything idiosyncrasies for today)
Update at 12:50pm
The friend had to pay the price of the ticket.
I just heard that a guy wrecked his Porshe Boxster.
And the day is still young. :(

On another note, I have observed that I happen to look at my wristwatch mostly at the following times:
1:11
2:22
3:33
4:44
5:55
11:11
12:12
10:10

I did not peek at my watch deliberately. It is completely unintentional. I think a “superior power” is trying to tell me something. :p
As always, I looked up to Google for an answer to my puzzle.Spiritual Guardians reports that I am not the only person who is getting that message. Well, good to know that I have some company. ;)

I am not superstitious, am I?

Economic Sciences

Edmund S. Phelps was announced as the recipient of The Sveriges Riksbank Prize in Economic Sciences in Memory of Alfred Nobel 2006 "for his analysis of intertemporal tradeoffs in macroeconomic policy."

This year, it has been an all American show so far.

Play time

The beauties of nature can be funny. Here is the rain playing with the trees. The trees and plants stayed calm all the time when the rain was pounding over it. I am sure that the tree is enjoying the tantrums that the rain threw. But, I am having more fun watching this dance and music performance.

11 more hours to go

I am eagerly waiting for the announcement of noble prize in Economics.

Morning Moonlight

The sunrise on the eastern sky
Cast a reddish spell on the western mountain
The setting moon got caught in the fire

Change your perspective

We can't solve problems by using the same kind of thinking we used when we created them.
-Albert Einstein, physicist, Nobel laureate (1879-1955)

History Repeats

In 1959, Arthur Kornberg, was awarded noble prize in medicine jointly for the “discovery of the mechanisms in biological synthesis of ribonucleic acid and deoxyribonucleic acid.” Forty seven years later, in 2006, his son, Roger D. Kornberg, is awarded the nobel prize in Chemistry “for his studies of the molecular basis of eukaryotic transcription.” Both father and son are affiliated to Stanford University.

I can imagine the excitement at the Kornberg's residence.

Dasara

Everybody worshipped all the goddesses at Ajay's place.

An evening

Some random pictures near Ramya's apartment.