Online Database course from Stanford University......Starting from today

A bold experiment in distributed education, "Introduction to Databases" is being offered free and online to students worldwide, October 10 - December 12, 2011. 

 

http://www.db-class.org/course/auth/index

 

Thank you Professor Jennifer Widom.

Don't Worry I Say........

Are you missing something in life.....? Dont worry. Enjoy what you have....read on.....

A father and his son went fishing on a small boat, hungry.

The father helped his son reel in his first fish, and it was a beauty. "Great catch, son," the father said.

"Yes, but I'm worried I'm missing out on better fish," the son said. "What if I could catch a bigger, tastier fish?"

"Maybe you should try," the father said.

And the son did, catching an even bigger fish an hour later. "A real beaut," the father said.

"But what if there are better fish out there?" the son asked.

"Maybe you should try," the father said.

And the son did, catching a bigger fish, then wondering if there were better fish, catching another, and so on.

At the end of the day, the son was exhausted. The father asked, "How did the fish taste?"

The son hesitated. "I'm not sure. I was so busy looking for better fish that I didn't taste any of them."

The father smiled contentedly, patted his belly. "Don't worry. They were delicious."

—

We are all of us like the son. We all worry, at some time or other, that we're missing out on things.

It's why we're so busy — we take on so much because we don't want to miss out. We take on dozens of goals and aspirations, because we don't want to miss out.

But here's the bare truth: we will miss out, no matter what. It's inevitable. We cannot do or try everything in the world, even with lives twice as long. We cannot see every town and city, read every interesting book, watch every important film. We will always, always miss out.

Here's the second, more important truth: if you always worry about what you're missing out on, you will miss out on what you already have.

Don't make a reading list a mile long — focus on the book in your hand. Don't pack your vacation itinerary with every highlight of the city you're visiting — walk around and enjoy what you find. Don't worry about traveling the entire world — be delighted with the world around you. Don't worry about what you're missing online, or in the news — what you're doing is good enough.

And let go of your long to-do lists and goal lists. They are a futile attempt to keep from missing out. You will miss out, but in striving to do everything, you'll miss out on the wonder of the thing you are doing right now.

What you're doing right now is all that matters. Let the rest go, and enjoy the fish you've already caught.

Krishna Janmastami.......Always a special day for me :-)

                                                                             All glories to Sri Krishna.
My association with K (I call him K :-)) started from my school days where the newly opened Iskcon (Hare Krishna Hill in Rajajinagar) near my school organized few inter-school quiz competitions.
In that, we were supposed to answer few questions related to past-times of Krishna. We were given few wonderful books with beautiful pics of Krishna for free as study material.
I always did well as I was very much interested in K and his pastimes :-P.
Every year, we were called to the temple in Rajajinagar for prize distributions [probably will upload few pics of them later] and I was mesmerized by the atmosphere there. Though this was back in 1994-97 ish and we did not have a big temple as it is now.
 And I was lucky enough to meet many true devotees of K and many are very very best friends of mine.

vasudevasutaḿ devaḿ kaḿsa-cāṇūra-mardanam

devakī-paramānandaḿ kṛṣṇaḿ vande jagadgurum 

This day Krishna Janmastami has always been very special to me...
2008: - I was in Iskcon at Orlando, Florida.
             That was a very wonderful experience. I believe that I went to US just to participate in those celebrations there.
2009: - I was in Krishna Temple at Katmandu, Nepal.
         - Awesome dance performances by nepalese. I realized very late that most favourite god in Nepal is Sri Krishna. You get to see his pic (kaalinga mardan) infront of every houseold, shop, office, vehicle in Nepal.
2010:
Obviously  2010 is very very special again.
I am gonna distribute sweets in my office today [it was pending from a long time though.....]
I am visiting the temple with my Love of Life. Even she is very excited about it.
Thanks to K. All glories to K.
Happy Happy Birthday.
I get to eat eggless cake [Cake=Radha :-P] today.

Hare Krishna Hare Krishna, Krishna Krishna Hare Hare

Hare Rama Hare Rama, Rama Rama Hare Hare !!!!!!

Invoking Gayathri... Sharada Tilakam!!!

“ muktA vidruma hema neela davalachhAyai, mukhais tree kshanai,
yuktAm indu kalA nibaddha makutAm, tatvArtha varnAtmikam,
gAyatri vardAbhayAngusa kasAs, subram kapAlam ,gadAm,
sankam chakram atharavinda yugalam, hastair vahanteem bhaje"

Meaning:

I pray to the three-eyed Gayatri, her five faces tinged with shades of pearl, coral, gold, sapphire, and white, whose crown studded with precious stones is topped by the moon, the embodiment of utterances signifying the Supreme Truth, who wields the goad, the whip, the white skull, the mace, the conch and the discus (in six of her hands), and holding a pair of lotuses in each hand, displays with the other two the mudras conferring boons and fearlessness. 

Reputation = Money. So Build and Maintain Your Reputation

These are James Bach's words!!
My good friend who is a great fan [rather devotee] of ARR, had put up nice post title "Be Prepared".
All I could say after reading that post was "Excellent"

do read this post @
Be Prepared.....

@Dhan: thanks ra machi for this nice post!

I'm Cool, I'm Mr.Imperfect!!!!

I'd like to make mistakes
I'd better be wrong
I'd prefer to stumble
I'd better fall down!

I'l pick myself up
I dont want to give up...
I'd like to shine
in the Dream Come True Time :)

I'm Mad, I'm Craazy
I'm Bad, I'm Laaazy
I know I aint Perfect
I'm Cool I'm Mr.Imperfect

Ranga Shankara - Yummy Yummy Mango Party '10 -- Sun Jun 13, 3 PM to 6:30 PM

Love:ARR:VTV:Thirukural.... wonderful combi!!

Usually I watch only selected movies, but few days back had no option other than to watch this VTV(Vinnai Thaandi Varuvaaya) along with few of my good friends. Had bunked office in the evening for this. Initially dint expect much from this, but over a period of time, I was totally in love with this movie. Though its an average movie in terms of story but had to give 5 stars for the rest.
 I liked:
  - Amazing chemistry between Simbu and Tri.
  - ARR music. [Amazing music and ultimate lyrics]
  - Kerala!!
  - Ganesh Sir's dailogues.. [dey thambi...orey kelvi....wortha illaya??...].

Especially this song "mannippaya....." with few lines from Thirukural too.....
anbilaar ellam thamakkuriyar anbudayaar
enbum uriyar pirarkku

[Loveless people are Selfish,

(On the contrary) Those who love are selfless to the core]

anbirkum undo aazhaikkum thaazh
aarvalar pun kann neer poosal tharum

[There is no lock that can hold back true love,

(Even if you find such a lock) the tears rolling down the cheeks, exposes the real feelings.]

GIRL:

OrunaaL Sirithen

MarunaaL Veruthen

Unai Naan Kollamal Kondru puthaithen,

Mannippaya ?

[ One day I smiled

The next day, I hated (myself)

I killed you...softly,

Will you be able to forgive me?]
BOY:

aatrile aadum kagitham naan
neethaan ennai kaditham aakkinaai
anbil thodangi anbil mudikkiren
en kalangarai vilakkamey

[(I was like) A piece of (worthless) paper, caught up in a breeze,

You transformed me into a letter (purpose and direction)

Started with love, Want to end up with (my) love,

Oh, my beacon (of hope)]

Climax in the tamil version shows how the leads of the movie take life more logically and practically.

I came to know that there is a telugu version of the movie by naga  chaitanya and some oder actor.

Clearly this guy doesnt know how to act and in telugu version its a different climax where both get married. It doesn't makes sense though with what happened in the second half...

Above lyrics are taken  from this nice blog with very good comments and translation Click here

Q's & A's Part-1

Got Q's....... Find A's....

ka preyasi vidheya
karuna dinesu sajjane maitri..
Q: What should be one's favorite duty in life ?
A: Being kind to all the suffering living beings and making friendship with the honest and holy.
ko muko yah kale
priyani vaktum na janati
Q: Who is a stupid man ? (ko muko)
A: He who does not know to speak sweetly (priyani vaktum)when needed.
kim danam
anakanksham
Q: What is a gift ?(kim daanam)
A: That which is presented without being asked for.
kah pujyo vidvadbhih
svabhavatah sarvada vinito yah
Q: Who deserves the respect (kah pujyo) of even the learned ? (vidvadbhih)
A: That one who is by nature (svabhaavatah) endowed with humility at all times.(sarvadaa viniito yah)
kah panguriha prathito
vrajati ca yo vardhakke tirtham
Q: Who (kah) is the really lame man ? (pangur-iha prathito)
A: That one who goes about on pilgrimage to holy places (vrajati -tiirtham) only after old age has set in.(vaarddhake)
kim smarttavyam pirusaih hari
nama sada na yvani basa
ko hi na vacyah sudhiyah
paradosascantaram tadvat
Q: What (kim) is fit to be remembered (smartavyam) always by man ? (purusaih)
A: The Holy Name of the Lord (Hari-naama) always (sadaa), and not (na) the speech (bhaasaa) of the unregenerate ones. (yaavanii)
Q:What (ko) should a wise man (sudhiya) avoid speaking ? (na-vaacyah)
A: Talking about others' faults (para-doshaa) and speaking falsehood (caanrtam tadvat)
mryutyhu yadavadhaanarahitam
Q:What (ko) is the cause of destruction (mrtyuh) ?
A: A lazy and listless attitude of mind.(yad avadhaana-rahitatvam)
kahi bhagavat priyah syat
yo'nyam nodvejayedabudvignah
Q:Who is (ko hi)  dear (priyah-syaat) to the Lord ? (bhagavat)
A: That one (yo) who does not get angry (anyam-n-odvejayed), nor causes others to get angry. (anudvignah)