Last night I saw Casino Royale. The story lacked the light heartedness of previous bond movies. Granted, it's always about chasing the money until it is out of the hands of the bad guys. But, this one had just too many gory scenes, the action scenes were incredibly physical as opposed to clever--we actually watch him as he suffocates a couple of the bad guys.

On the pro side, I really liked watching the poker game embedded in the movie. Daniel Craig makes a real good bond. I really like his chiseled face and his smile. His arrogance is becoming him. Does he do his own stunts?! The opening chase is by far the most fantastic fight/chase choreography of the entire movie.

Overall a good candidate to watch on big screen!

Marketing Ads

Whoever comes up with these marketing slogans should receive the "foot in the mouth" prize of the year--I am not kidding there is such a prize. You don't believe me do a google on it.

My favorites are:

• Innovation. Available right off the shelf. Mix n match for your business!



• Unlocking the incredible potential of people through Internet connectivity.

Since when innovation has become so ubiquitous and easy to achieve that you can mix n match them? And how on earth can Internet connectivity unlock the incredible potential of people?

Granted these slogans are meant to be eye catchers but they shouldn't sound so shallow or should they?

The Marathon

The Toronto Marathon was this past Sunday. I cheered and clapped until my hands turned red and I started sounding like an old rooster. It was a rather cool day , but thankfully the sun was shinning. The first spot went to a guy from Vancouver who finished the Marathon in 2 hours 34 min and 11 sec. The first female runner finished 13. There were a couple of music bands playing and let me tell you their contribution was probably the most obvious. Every beat they played brought a smile to the tired face of the passing runners. Cheers!

Bioelectrics

The terms biomedicine, biomedical engineering and such are recent additions to my vocabulary as they are being more and more used in technical and non-technical context. Today I came across a brand new term, bioelectrics. As I am typing this up I realize it is being immediately underlined red—looks like the word has not made to the Word processor dictionary either. I am using Word 2002 – SP3. Just shows how fast we are moving forward and breaking new grounds in science and technology. Hold this thought.
Back to bioelectrics: the article appeared in IEEE Spectrum, August 2006 edition. Let me capture the thought by quoting directly from the article:
“40 Thousand volts, four thousand amperes, and over one hundred million watts squeezed into a cubic centimeter. You’d think that would be enough to vaporize just about anything, and it certainly doesn’t seem like the kind of electricity you’d want to apply to your body. But if our research continues to succeed as it has, years from now we’ll be asking some cancer patients to do just that. And it might just save their lives.”
Per the article the period this amount of energy is applied to the cell is in the matter of nanoseconds. The energy applied to the cell is enough to create a huge electric field at the membrane of the cell and break it down. As a result a hole will be created across the membrane of the cell. Ions will pour in and cause the cell to short circuit. We just destroyed a bad cell in matter of nanoseconds!
I admit it’s fascinating. Like any other R&D project millions of dollars is spent with a small hope that this: applying high voltage to the cell is going to someday be branded as the cure for cancer. That’s the goal. But, even if that is not achieved, the least something good comes out of it.
That concerns me most. You see each edition of Spectrum has many WOW stories like this. As mentioned before we are moving forward in the science and technology field with incredible speed—pairing disciplines that have almost nothing to do with each other. Despite this we still don’t have a cure for cancer and HIV. In the previous centuries, 18-20, I call these the golden centuries, so much good was done. Human life improved by Louis Pasteur’s extraordinary contribution to microbiology and medicine, getting an X-Ray would have been impossible had Marie Curie not discovered Radium and so much more.
Just what exactly do we, the generation of 21 century, have to be proud of? Oh, I know! ipod! (I know I am being too sarcastic) But, I think you get the point.

Fall

Time just flies. Have you noticed a change in your surroundings recently? Well, in my neck of the wood, it seems like people went from shorts and sandals to jackets and sweaters overnight. I am actually looking forward to the season of colorful leaves and crisp and cool weather. Happy Fall!

Moving up the escalator

Monday morning bright and sharp, I got off the train. I run ahead of everyone, wanting to be the first one getting on the escalator. After all, the goal is to beat the rush hour traffic and get to work early. Strangely, no one else feels as eager as I, to get on. How is that? But, I don't get a chance to think about an answer for my brain quickly switches to solving a much bigger problem. I can't move up this escalator! I try to take one step--up that is--but I lose my balance. I let go of my purse and lunch box and hold on to the rails tightly. I take one more step. Okay, I am going to make it, I think to myself. You wish. I lose my balance and fall on all four. Ouch that hurts. My knee is bleeding and I feel a sharp pain on my side. I can't let that get me down. Oh no! I am now further away from the top. A scary thought crosses my mind; I might die on this stupid escalator. I can't let that happen. I pull myself together. Get up. Grab the rails so tightly that my knuckles turn white and I climb. I finally make it. I pinch myself to see if I am awake or if this has all been a bad dream. The blood is dripping down my leg. It can't be a dream. I am all confused. I take this escalator every morning. In fact this escalator is the only reason I trek the platform all the way to get on the first car. I look down. Who on earth could have foolishly changed the direction of the escalator. It clearly has the sign "Going up"?!!!

I see a few gathered down the escalator. One is holding my bags. I can't hear what they are saying. But, I bet they are asking one another, who on earth these bags belongs to.

I better go get my bags...I have to move on. I have no time to stand here feel sorry for myself and angry at the person who did this to me!

Couple hours later, after I have vented my anger to one of the station superintendents, placed a band aid on my knee, which I had almost forgotten I had in my wallet, told my story to half a dozen people; I feel much better. In fact, a smile lits my face every time I think about the incident; definitely something to remember for years to come.

Finch Station is different ...

She plays keyboard and he plays violin. Together they create the most delighful music that ranges from "Waves of the Danube" to "La Cumparsita". As I proceed with my morning commute through Finch Station I listen to the art Indulis and Ilga Suna create. Each and everyday when I listen to them I feel the surge of excitement then comes the goose bumps as I hum the familiar tune, eventually I launch into this very happy go lucky mood that lasts even after the music fades away and through the hectic morning commute.

A great quote

"Most people say that it is the intellect which makes a great scientist. They are wrong: it is character."
— Albert Einstein, Swiss-American mathematician, physicist, and public philosopher (1879-1955)

3-days tour of Canada East

Quebec City is a beautiful jewel. It has 380 years of history and has been recognized by UNESCO as the World Heritage site. The most amazing feature of this city is its frontier--built over the span of many years to protect the city from the frequent attacks of British or the French. Today about 580,000 people live in this city.


This picture shows old Montreal, Place Jacques-Cartier, close to the port. For many years this area has been the center for celebration and joy for fishermen, residents and all. Today this area has the most amazing array of restaurants and live entertainment.

The Fab Four!

With four teams left and only 4 more matches to go it’s hard to believe that the Fifa World Cup 2006 is coming to a close. During the past 4 weeks about billion or more people watched the games as their favorite teams rose or fell out of the games. It was such a pleasure to watch so many different soccer styles. South Americans yet again became my all time favorite—and I am utterly disappointed of their early elimination. They play passionately, run feverishly, see each other in the field, play as a team and win as a team. Mexico versus Argentine was a classic, wonderful showcase of South American football.

Many of these players are on European teams and quite familiar with strategies and tactics of European football. Yet when confronted, their performance against European teams are fairly dismal—where was Rolandinho, Ronaldo and Robinho in the Brazil game against France. I have to admit Argentine played a fantastic game against Germany and if it wasn’t for their keeper having to leave the game due to injury they had high chances to advance to the semis.

In any case the Fab Four have been selected and I think this is how they will rank in the end: Portugal, Germany, Italy and France.

Cheap Chips

There is enough bandwidth above and around 60GHz to join a DVD and HD TV wirelessly and expect 2 gig-per-second transmission of data.
The problem is not that these frequencies are not utilized yet, in fact Mercedez-Benz uses 77-GHz bandwidth in its adaptive cruise control. The suggested manufacturer price for the 2007 Merecedez, S550 is only 85400 USD!

To take advantage of this frequency bandwidth in wireless consumer electronics cheap transceivers are needed.
Silicon!
IBM engineers revealed the first experimental 60-GHz transmitter and receiver this month. They have utilized an alloy of germanium and silicon. The working model is able to transmit and receive 630 megabits per second over a distance of 10 meters.
Concurrently, a group of researchers at University of California, L.A. are taking a different approach. They are taking advantage of the widespread CMOS technology.
CMOS technology is so common that there is no doubt that the chips that result will be cheap. Integration of many devices with CMOS technology is very easy. The drawback is inability to predict how transistors and everything else will behave at that frequency.
With the advent of R&D in this area there is hope that we can rid our lives from clutter and displeasure of looking at the farm of wires around the house. However, we shall await for when this technology is “mature and inexpensive”.

Greatest things come to those who wait!

no more comments ... self explanatory!

A mini vacation :)

I took a different bus to work today. It was just what I needed --a mini vacation. It was good for my brain which has seized up!

On a completely different note: Canada is an Indian word and it means village. How interesting!

Absences

I sat in the dark theater in the anticipation of Serge Bennathan’s latest creation—the last one for the Dancemakers. Absences is about Serge’s16 years encounter with creation of art in Toronto and for Dancemakers. In Absences Serge has created a full length piece on music by Bertrand Chenier that is performed by Eva Egoyan. Absences is a story of the art Serge developed during his journey with the company. He masterfully through his dancers narrates us moments that have had an impact on him as an artist. The interpreters merge and disperse, execute the dance movements in synergy yet interject their unique interpretation. Every time I see this group they are amazing.
For me the evening meant more than watching an excellent performance; it gave me an opportunity to dwell on the fun experience I have had over the past two years taking classes with the company.

Your call is important to us. Please continue to hold!!!

I didn't have to go down to their offices and frankly they were surprised I did. While the receptionist of one of the companies was trying to direct my "call" she had to emphasize to the support team that I was physically there, "customer is here --in person!"
I am glad I did go down and solved my problem and got my questions answered in person. This experience was much more pleasant than being on hold for close to an hour. Also, I felt more confident with the service I got!

Freedom ...

What is freedom, if I can't be me?

Where are you from?

With the current rate of immigration one is bound to see people from her own home country on some corner of the city one now calls home. I am also an immigrant and have chosen to call a new country and city home. I pass by and glance at many people on my daily commute, but somehow it is different when the features of the other suggests he or she might be a compatriot --I feel a sense of familiarity.

... well deserved Oscar went to Crash for the best movie of the year. The movie depicted eloquently cultural differences in a series of intertwined stories that had just the right amount of drama!

"Bluetooth on Steriods"

chip making material (silicon germanium)
+ unlicensed 60 gigahertz spectrum a.k.a millimeter wave band
= the bulky cables behind the TV becoming obsolete!

Change

I am sitting here and "blabbing" as I need to take care of dozens of things to make the changes go smoothly--unfortunately on a Sunday--but right now "blabbing" seems to be the most reasonable savior --escape-- from reality.
I can't see myself living a "monotone" life, but when I confront change there is always a part of me that longs for the routine!
On a completely different subject why is "weather" such a popular conversation starter and/or rescuer. Looks like weather is a more interesting or less threatening topic to break the silence with. So, how is the weather at your corner of the world?! Snow flurries are dancing in the air here--it's quite pretty actually!

Cell Trio

The tiny square shaped object that the guy in the image is holding is called "Cell trio" --the revolutionary new chip designed from ground up for multimedia applications running on networks.

You console gamers out there will be ecstatic to know that Cell trio is promising to provide a much more improved 3-D graphics --this translates to amazing game experience, doesn't it? The first product to use this new chip is Sony PS3.
Now, I am not a fan of playing console games, in fact I admit I have never played! But it seems there is a big market demand for such enhancements that has initiated collaboration among the three giant hi-tech companies, Sony, IBM and Toshiba to shell out $400 million to bring this chip to the market.
This is a significantly good start for the New Year for the chip industry since this chip is using the 32-nanometer technology --meaning the width of the smallest circuit wire on the chip is 32-nanometer. Amazing!

2006!

We are almost a week into 2006 and 2005 is beginning to feel and sound like so yesterday! I certainly don't think 2005 was a good year. There was too much death and destruction: massive earthquakes in Asia, mud slides in America, suicide bombers in Europe and Middle East.
May 2006 be a year of more harmony and peace among humans and between humans and nature.