To cut the long story short

 Last weekend, Nestor complained that I wrote too long a blog.

  

 I went back to my room and tried to read it myself. 

 I almost fell asleep.

 On his suggesttion I have edited them. 

 They are now divided it into a series of 3 blogs.

 Howzzaat ? 

 

Scientific Skepticism : Part 3

And what does these deliberations teach me as an engineer ?

As an engineer my pupose is to use scientific knowledge and creativity  to produce a technology for the upliftment to human lives. 

But there is a catch. Actually two catches !

1.Science is inexact. Engineer cannot rely completely on Science to create/design/modify his technology. He will have to use his imagination and intuition , which is beyond systematic step by stem evaluation system of  contemporary Science. It sometimes takes just a Blink to assimilate the complexity of a technological problem.

2.How will an engineer know what technology is best for the industry and in turn, society? (remember upliftment of humans) 

In the Institutes of Technology all we learn is Science (and in some better universities, technology). Do they also teach how to evaluate the benifits of technology ? I am proud to say that TU Delft confronts this problem through its emphasis on Sustainability. However, we students need more training in sustainable thinking to be able to apply it in practice.

I have come to realise that although an industry is driven by Technology, it is manoeuvred by Economy,Ecology,Ethics (ideally) on the path of Sustainability. It is therefore the essential for an engineer to be aware of these aspects. If misguided by frivolity, his invention and innovation can lead to disasters. The History teaches us from the horrors of Atom Bomb and the current global economic crisis. They both are  perfect examples of the need for a Sustainable way of thinking. 

Scientific Skepticism : Part 2

I differ to the claim that one day we will be able to discover that Ultimate Universal Law of nature solving all mysteries of nature. Its not that I am being pessimistic. There are so many events far way in universe , in this world, in our minds and souls which are beyond the receptory organs of petty humans.  We can only TRY to 'touch', 'see' 'taste' or 'smell' them, but they will always remain elusive to our observations and we might never know that they even exist.

Does that mean we are doomed to state of perpetual ignorance ? 

I am very optmistic in answering the question. I believe Science will keep discovering new facts and figures refining the understanding of the Nature, recieving vivid and varied interpretations. 

And what this means is that we are blessed with exciting  quest for knowledge perpetually !!

It also means that contemporary science needs reform. It must expand its scope to include unconventional domains like spirituality and meta-physics. Science must be more holistic in scope and in approach. 

Today,the scientific advancements are guided solely by technology and materialism. 

Gone are the days when science was the quest for knowledge guided by logic and spirituality.

The quest for 'hard' facts and figures has become the sole quest for a scientist. 

Scientists are  struggling to become specialist, striving to learn more and more about less and less. 

Scientific Skepticism : Part 1

Sanjay Joshi once commented in his blog that history is an Inexact Science, open to interpretations. 

He is right and he is wrong. 

History is inexact but so is SCIENCE. 

What is Science ?

Its a systematic study of reduced natural events (called experiments)  and proposal of rule (called Laws) which can manupulate future events (called technology) with certain accuracy.

And History ?

Is it not a systematic study of residuals of events (fossils,texts,artifacts) in nature and proposal of rule (Racism, Universal Rights) which can manupulate future events (politics, social behaviour) with certain success.

Napolean once said "History is but a fable agreed upon".

I say, " Science is but a theory agreed upon".

Newton's laws, once considered universal, were mere approximations to a more complex and bizarre Eintein's Equations, which also were not universal. They did not explain various events of nature like electro-magnetism, and quantum mechanics.

Some say we just need to discover the Ulitimate Unified Theory to explain all the Laws of  Universe. Once we do that, every event can be predicted precisely. There will be no scope for interpretations or approximations.

  

Now THAT is mountain bikinig

Mondial Du VTT Descente de Venosc caméra embarquée
by 103TuRtLe

Simple Truth

Siddhartha got me the book from India. I wanted to read it for quite some time. So when Sid decided to go to India over weekend, I had pleaded him to get me 

" My Experiments with Truth " by Mahatma Gandhi.

Did you know that Mahatma Gandhi wrote this book in his mother-tounge,Gujrati entitled 

Satyana Prayogo athva Atmakatha?

The first thing that struck me about the book (after reading couple of pages) was the blatant simplicity. I was expecting a highly sophisticated, phylosophically charged rhetoric with citations from Aristotle and Kant. 

I was blissfully dissapointed. Perhaps, I had forgotten that Mahatma Gandhi had always stood for Simplicity.

 

The Industrial Redemption

Today was the second day of 'De Delftse Bedrijvendagen' , a three day technology oriented career event organised in Aula, TU Delft. Its a platform to interact with more than 100 companies throught out Netherlands. 

The thing that struck me most was the absence of 1st year MSc international  students in the fair, especially, the Indian students. I was expecting the fair to be crowded with them. I met not even one !! 

Where are you guys ?

I am sure you all are looking for internships and industrial thesis. And this is the best opportunity that could land right on your campus (if not on your lap). 

DDB is a good forum to interact with  industry and get first hand information on their projects. The best part of the fair is the interview with the employees who are alumni of TU Delft. It gives you a completely different (and real) picture of the work place as compared to the company site or pamphlets. The In-House Days is icing on the top.

It was also nice catching up with some old friends too. Snehal and Sarita were jolly as always. They are finishing their MSc and PhD thesis respectively this month and looking for a job. Poor Max is also desperate to find an internship. I could not recognise David again, he has dyed his hair this time. He told me all about Carolyne's birthday party ! 

So, what did I learn from the DDB experience so far :

1. Recession has definitely affected the job scenario. Companies are interesting but not interested. On the bright side , none of them are laying off employees. Atleast our alumni won't be our competition ;). Those cheap bastards are however offering interships/graduation projects to get their job done for less.

2. Stop Matlab. Learn Dutch. The the only skill which will help you win that hard job is your Soft Skills.

Confusiuos for Confusion

I panic. I rush to the refrigirator for Smoked Salmon Sandwhich. 

Eating helps relieving stress. The thesis work ahead is enormous. And time too small. 

I am stuck with a bug in my matlab code.

Eat Smakelijk!

God bless the Salmon!

The bug in my code still exists !

Godddamit !!!

Time to take a break with my Stress Busters : Idiot box 

A glimse of reality from around the world:

 Europe faces recession

 USA struggles with 'depression'

 Australia is under fire

 China faces drought

 Gaza, Lanka wounded by war

 Africa haunted with epidemics

 India bleeds with religious conflicts

I wonder if mein kamf with petty challenges in my self contained life has any comparison with the greater challenges facing the world. The guilt of my selfish motives over altruism confuses me and stresses me out.

Well done Stress Buster !!

The phylosophy of Ayn Rand comes to rescue my troubling mind :

' A man is an end in himself '.

'Man—every man—is an end in himself, not the means to the ends of others. He must exist for his own sake, neither sacrificing himself to others nor sacrificing others to himself. The pursuit of his own rational self-interest and of his own happiness is the highest moral purpose of his life.   read more'

I don't know if I truely believe in it. Or is it just a my escape route.

Did I not believe in Gandhian Principles ? Did he not preach altruism ? or did he ?

The questions have always bothered me, and its about time I face them. 

The Stupid Case of Sports Centrum

 Last wednesday  we went to Sports Centrum, TU Delft to play badminton at 9 pm. On our way we were praying to Ram and Allah that the badminton courts be empty. Alas, God was not on our side. All the time slots of all the badminton courts were booked till 11 pm.

Anyway, we had expected this. So, we had brought our tennis gear as well. Thanks to Jaskaran, who had forssen this possibility. And, fortunately, there was a tennis court unreserved from 10pm till 11pm. 

By rule, you can reserve a tennis court with two Sports Card for a single time slot (half hour ). Since we were four of us : Jaskaran, Sonell, Yaseer and I, we were able to book one court for two time slots (one hour) and decided to play Doubles. But it was 9:15, so had to wait for almost an hour before we could claim our court.

At 10 pm, we claimed our court and started warm up practice session before starting a game. After ten minute practice we decided to start a match. We had barely finished a set, when these two guys approached us asking us to leave the court as they had reserved the next time slot (10:30 to 11 pm)on this court. When we protested, they told us that if you are playing Doubles, you are not allowed to reserve a court for more than half an hour. " We are sorry, but thats the rule" , said guys smiling. 

First we thought that the guys were playing trick on us. The rule seemed too stupid to be true.

But when these guys persisted on claiming the court we had to leave. We were furious, but kept our cool and headed straight to the reception and enquired if that was really a rule. To our great astonishment the receptionist told us it was. The rule was enforced to give opportunity to increasing number to students enrolling in sports centrum.

First of all, I believe this half an hour slot is too small for any player to practice properly. It takes about fifteen minutes for warm up and another 40 minutes (atleast) to play a decent match. You don't get to do anything wothwhile in just half an hour. 

Secondly, consider this scenario. A pair of students book a time slot (half hour) on a tennis court. While they sulk that they came all the way from home (half an hour away), to be able to play only half an hour ,they are approached by another pair of student who have booked the time slot on the same court after them.

They decide to play together (doubles) so that they can all play for an hour.

An excellent example of time management and optimisation and team spirit.

But how does TU Delft reward them ?

They snatch away their time slot !!

From my Work Bench

Today, after a week of hibernation , I forced myself to wake up early, threw myself out of home and cycle in the pouring rain to my work bench in Aerodynamics Department, TU Delft.
Now Its been an hour and am still staring the blcak screen of my computer.
I can't work. The brain refuses to anything that is called work. And so I blog :

This is my first visit to the work desk after the great war of GAS DYNAMICA I.
That dreaded exam has taken a toll on all my faculties : mental, physical and departmental [;)]

Departmental : Becasue, I have been neglecting my thesis work from the day I decided to start the preparation of Gas Dynamics. My Thesis Adviser is probably furious with me. Luckily, I am not alone. Even Jabus took a week off from ECN and came to Delft for the exam prep. You see, we both had failed the exam last year.

Nonetheless, it was good fun working with Jabus, again , after a long time. I have studied practically all my courses in TU Delft with Jabus and Nestor. We all respect each other's special skills and together we make a good team.

Nestor is an excellent organiser and very resourseful.
Jabus is a skilled, efficient and hardworker.
I have a huge list of qualities, am too modest to metion any of them.

Jabus and I still have to work on Boundary Layer Assignment. We plan to do it every weekend.
Nestor and I have taken two extra courses. I am looking forward to work with him as well.

While, I mention all my nerdy friends , I would like to say few words about Maryline too.
Although she prefers to work alone in her room, she has worked with us on a couple of assignments. I marvel her persistent hard working capability. She can work between lectures, over lunch, while travelling. She can study at home, in train, computer room, bus. That girl is a machine.

I wrote a poem when Marilyne anounced 9/10 score in the Oral Exam of Gas Dynamics II (she passed Gas Dynamics I with an 8/10) . I end today's posting with that poem.

Mary has an oral exam ,
her face is white as snow;
And everywhere that Mary went,
Her notes was sure to go.

She studied night and day for hours together;
which earned her 9/10 from the proffessor;
It made the students envy and coarse ;
To see a girl that scores.

"Why does the Prof love Mary so?
"The eager students cry;
"Why, Mary loves the Prof, you know,
" Dushyant did reply ;)

LOST IN LOST

I am glued to LOST. I proclaim it as the best television series of all time. 

Even though I am not sure what the hell is happening in that creepy island, I love LOST.

Michael Faraday is right now at the centre of all events : Past Present and Future. He holds the key to all mystries. He knew about time travel and space time manupulations, he knew about the hydrogen bomb, and he knew why Charlie is bleeding. I am keeping my ears doubly open to all his dialogues.

Here is a poem I wrote , inspired by LOST:

Lost in LOST

 

It is dark , now its bright 

the island is now out of sight?

no one knew where was I...

no one knew when was I ...

when came the blinding light !

Shuffling between present and past

I am Lost, I am lost 

he is Other, now he is ally

he is dead, now is he alive?

no one knows if I ll live...

no one knows if I ll die...

when the island moves in time 

Got to survive at all cost 

I am Lost I am Lost 

 

for all the fans of Lost , check out this site :

http://www.timelooptheory.com/

Discovery of Books

This is my Pichhanwe Karodwa attepmt to write something worthwhile on this blog.

Thanks to Sanjay Joshi , am actually gonna write one today.

A long time ago in 2002 , I can remember very vividly Sanjay was teaching me how to read.... Novels.

Back then I was na⋅ïve and nerdy kid who had never read any literature except the passages reccomended in English Language Class at school and the abriged versions of Tom Sawyer and Robinson Cruso which I glossed over on some hot summer holiday.

I was more intersted in Mathematics and Science, which still continue to exite me. World for me was bunch of equations which once solved , solved all mystries of life.  I truely and logically believed in my own personal bible : Physics by Resnic and Halliday. Newton, Einstein and James Watt were my Gods. (they still are; and like any Hindu Devotee, the list of Gods is still growing).  The IITians were my Dronacharyas and IIT was the Promised Land. 

And then I met Sanjay in Student's Home of Ramaiah Institute of Technology. We became friends instantaneously. Conversations with him ruptured my time-space cosmos and added a completely new dimension to my reality. He talked with me about Leonardo Da Vinci and Che Guvera and the same time. He respected my acadaemic , but encouraged me to think out of box .

We discussed contemporary philosophy, hollywood, science and music.

It was then that I realised , that there is a world out there waiting to be explored. I started reading all kinds of books, provoked by the conversations, to prepare better for the next conversations. It was not easy reading thoes thick novels. The first one took me six months to finish. 

It was the all time classic  'Gone With the Wind' by Margaret Mitchell. Its still my all time favourite, my First Love. I have now read it several times already. But back then, it seemed I would never finish it. I was enjoying each and very word of this magnificient novel. But, after every two pages, I had to sit back and think about what I just read. It was too much to take in and process it with my limited understanding of the world, of love, of war and complexities of human mind.

Since, Gone With the Wind, I have come a long way in the world of books and novels and the journey still seems as exciting as it was the first time. I will be speaking a lot in this blog, about the books I have discovered and enjoyed in the last seven years. But for now I will end this post with the famous quote by Rhett Butler.