What Is Intelligence, Anyway?

Came across this piece by Isaac Asimov, worth a read.

What is intelligence, anyway? When I was in the army, I received the kind of aptitude test that all soldiers took and, against a normal of 100, scored 160. No one at the base had ever seen a figure like that, and for two hours they made a big fuss over me. (It didn't mean anything. The next day I was still a buck private with KP - kitchen police - as my highest duty.)

All my life I've been registering scores like that, so that I have the complacent feeling that I'm highly intelligent, and I expect other people to think so too. Actually, though, don't such scores simply mean that I am very good at answering the type of academic questions that are considered worthy of answers by people who make up the intelligence tests - people with intellectual bents similar to mine?

For instance, I had an auto-repair man once, who, on these intelligence tests, could not possibly have scored more than 80, by my estimate. I always took it for granted that I was far more intelligent than he was. Yet, when anything went wrong with my car I hastened to him with it, watched him anxiously as he explored its vitals, and listened to his pronouncements as though they were divine oracles - and he always fixed my car.

Well, then, suppose my auto-repair man devised questions for an intelligence test. Or suppose a carpenter did, or a farmer, or, indeed, almost anyone but an academician. By every one of those tests, I'd prove myself a moron, and I'd be a moron, too. In a world where I could not use my academic training and my verbal talents but had to do something intricate or hard, working with my hands, I would do poorly. My intelligence, then, is not absolute but is a function of the society I live in and of the fact that a small subsection of that society has managed to foist itself on the rest as an arbiter of such matters.

Consider my auto-repair man, again. He had a habit of telling me jokes whenever he saw me. One time he raised his head from under the automobile hood to say: "Doc, a deaf-and-mute guy went into a hardware store to ask for some nails. He put two fingers together on the counter and made hammering motions with the other hand. The clerk brought him a hammer. He shook his head and pointed to the two fingers he was hammering. The clerk brought him nails. He picked out the sizes he wanted, and left. Well, doc, the next guy who came in was a blind man. He wanted scissors. How do you suppose he asked for them?"

Indulgently, I lifted by right hand and made scissoring motions with my first two fingers. Whereupon my auto-repair man laughed raucously and said, "Why, you dumb jerk, He used his voice and asked for them." Then he said smugly, "I've been trying that on all my customers today." "Did you catch many?" I asked. "Quite a few," he said, "but I knew for sure I'd catch you." "Why is that?" I asked. "Because you're so goddamned educated, doc, I knew you couldn't be very smart."

And I have an uneasy feeling he had something there.

DREAM WIN!!

FAIRY TALE, ABSOLUTELY!!!
Its been a dream run for the young Indian team and culminated in the thrilling victory over arch rivals Pak!! This is the stuff dreams are made of!! Hats off to Dhoni & his boys!!!! Bravo!!!!!

India were looking down the barrel after that loss against NZ and needed to play out of their skin to progress in the championship. And they did that in some style!!

India crushed England, sent SA packing and shocked Aussies with aggressive cricket. Yuvraj proved that he is a massive force to reckon with and those 6 sixes off a frontline bowler were unbelievable to say the least!

Aussies were thrashed and hit out of the park by Yuvi in the most dismissive manner! World champions? Oh Yeah!!

Coming to the final against Pakistan, India were favourites. But Pakistan contained India to a reasonable total with great bowling. Yuvraj and Dhoni were picked up by Gul who was the top bowler in the tournament. India needed to pick wickets regularly and thats just what they did, helped by poor shot selection of pak batsmen along the way.

But it was that guy again! Misbah-ul-Haq! he took them single-handedly (okay, 2 sixes by Tanvir did help) to the doorsteps of victory. But again, he failed to deliver the KO punch and India broke their zinx of losing finals!!

Awesome final to finish what has been the most exciting tournament in a long long time!! I guess last one was the 2003 World Cup in the same country!

And to think that we did it without the big 3 (sachin, sourav and rahul) and no zaheer either!!
Maybe it was the very reason we won ;)

Tee Off at Twenty20!!

So its begun!!!

The latest version of pajama cricket is here!! Helter-skelter cricket, its more akin to the gully cricket we all have grown up playing. I can imagine dressing room situations where the lower order guys would be itching to go out and tonk it around from the word go :D

Its tailor made for the Sehwags, Afridis & Gillies of the world.


Though a huge shocker already in the upset win of Zim over Aus would point to a method approach to the madness ;)

The opening match was a blinder with Gayle hitting proteas out of the park at will, some bloody innings that was!!
His effort was undone by Windies bowlers/fielders as only they can! and now they are out of the tourney thanks to another dasher from Bangladesh, Mhd Ashraful.

Customer Service?

Be sure and cancel your credit cards before you die. This is so priceless, and so easy to see happening, customer service being what it is today.
A lady died this past January, and The Bank billed her for February March for their annual service charges on her credit card, added late fees and interest on the monthly charge. The balance of $0, is now somewhere around $60. A Family Member placed a call to The Bank.

Here is the exchange:

Family Member: “I am calling to tell you she died in January.”
The Bank: “The account was never closed, and the late fees charges still apply.”
Family Member: “Maybe you should turn it over to collections.”
The Bank: “Since it is 2 months past due, it already has been.”
Family Member: So, what will they do when they find out she is dead?”
The Bank: “Either report her account to frauds division or report her to the credit bureau. Maybe both !”
Family Member: “Do you think God will be mad at her?” (I really liked this part !!!!)
The Bank: “Excuse me?”
Family Member: “Did you just get what I was telling you? The part about her being dead?”
The Bank: “Sir, you’ll have to speak to my supervisor.” !

(Supervisor gets on the phone)

Family Member: “I’m calling to tell you she died in January.”
The Bank: “The account was never closed, so the late fees and charges still apply.” (This must be a phrase taught by The Bank!)
Family Member: “Do you mean you want to collect from her estate?”
The Bank: (stammering) “Are you her lawyer?”
Family Member: “No, I’m her great-nephew.”
The Bank: “Could you fax us a certificate of death?”
Family Member: “Sure.” (fax number is given)

After they get the fax:
The Bank: “Our system just isn’t set up for death. I don’t know what more I can do to help.”
Family Member: “Well, if you figure it out, great ! If not, you could just keep billing her. I really don’t think she will care.”
The Bank: “Well, the late fees charges do still apply.”
(What is wrong with these people??!!)
Family Member: “Would you like her new billing address?”
The Bank: “Yes, that will help.”
Family Member: ” Odessa Memorial Cemetery, Highway 129, Plot Number 69.”
The Bank: “Sir, that is a cemetery!”
Family Member: “What do you do with dead people on YOUR planet?!!

Movie Review - Eight Below

If you are a dog lover, you owe it to yourself to watch this one!

You get to see the amazing huskies in their full glory in the frozen lands of antarctic.
Its not about the story but about the dogs :P

One does wonder on watching such movies where animals have a prominent part as to how the director manages to make them act! Quite mind-boggling!

The movie shows how a group of huskies who have been left behind, manage to survive on their own in the worsening weather in antarctic.

I would give this one 3.5/5

Greatest Prank Call?

LOL, this is a darn funny prank call alright :D
You'll start getting ideas after watching this ;)

Time Lapse video - LA to NYC

Came across this really cool video today!! Havn't seen anything like it ever!!
Its a time-lapse video or in layman's words a fast forwarded video of a car drive done in a convertible from LA to NYC.
Makes you want to go buy a convertible and head out on the highway, NOW!!!
But on second thoughts, just thinking of a similar video done on Indian highways, say Delhi to Mumbai, don't seem to match up anywhere near this :(

Movie Review - Chak De India

When I walked into watch this movie, I was hoping that this would turn out to be a good one. The plot seemed fresh for a bollywood flick anyway.
Released around the independence day (1 week prior actually) to cash in on the patriotic feelings in the air, the movie seemed to be a sure shot hit.

15 minutes into the movie and I realized that this was not a run of the mill bollywood film. Jingoism was curtailed, no long monologues or lecturing by SRK the coach, no song and dance routines, no love story even!!

The story is about a disgraced former India Hockey team captain Kabir Khan. He returns 7 years later to become the coach of the Women's Hockey team and guiding them to victory in the world championship, thereby reclaiming his honour. In between we see how he goes about uniting a bunch of individuals into a formidable team.

Somehow I couldn't help but think back about the Chappel regime in Indian cricket team and how similar situations must have cropped up. Once the cricket team watches this movie, they would be able to relate to it.

Good performances by everyone and SRK was rather understated in his acting, certainly not over-the-top as in so many of his movies. I would say one of his better performances this.

Other actors in the film were all newcomers and there performances were truly commendable. Especially the haryanavi girl's (can't recollect the name) dialogues were too good, giving comic relief in between.

There hasn't really been any sports centered movie since Lagaan and this one does leave some impressions after you have left the movie hall. Not since RDB have I come across a bollywood flick (or hollywood one for that matter!) that I would want to watch again on big screen. This is another one.

Go watch it and you will not be disappointed. My rating is 4.5/5

Oh Oval !

Over the last few days, watching the last test match on TV, I couldn't help but marvel at the magnificence of The Oval cricket stadium.

A most beautiful amalgam of tradition and modernity it is. On the one end you have the imposing Vauxhall stands reminding of the rich history associated with this ground. And on the other end, there is an ultra modern looking crescent shaped stand. What a contrast and it just looks awesome!!

The ground is not completely cordoned and is rather open from 2 sides which makes this ground different from most other stadiums around the world. Must say that this ground left me mesmerized, even just by watching over TV!!

Triumph on English soil

Terrific win for India on foreign shores, again!! After a hard earned test series win in West Indies last year, this win goes a long way in furthering India's resurgence in test cricket especially while playing abroad.

The heartening aspect of this particular series has been the way India played as a "team" and not a bunch of individual performers as they have been over much of our history.

Only hundred for us came from the willow of Kumble, of all people!! How shocking is that!!

Zaheer Khan led as the strike bowler and was suitably chosen as Player of the Series from Indian side. His 18 wickets were truly instrumental in securing the series.

One sore point was the way India played in the 2nd innings. It wasnt a performance becoming of a side that had had the upper hand over the last 3 days. Imagine the mighty aussies in the same situation as we were and you can visualize the mayhem they would have unleashed on the second string english bowling.

And yes, it was the young and inexperienced english attack that also contributed to the Indian cause. But hey, I am not complaining :D

Bravo India!! A nice present on the eve of 60th Independence day :)

Apache RTR 160 vs Pulsar 200

Theres a new kid on the block, the Apache RTR 160 ! (looks really hot in Yellow)
Tastefully done I must say, it oozes style alright.
Power specs are decent, with 15bhp available on tap. More than outright performance (compared to Pulsar 180/200), its the attention to details that wins you over. Take for example the racing stripe down the middle, red strip around alloys (in the pic above), petal disc brakes in front, brushed aluminium rear foot peg, split grab rail, and body colored engine fairing. Handlebars are also sporty and adjustable.

Another cool bike on show for some time has been the Pulsar 200. I really like what they did with the pulsar, making it more sporty and stylish. If I had to buy a bike right now, these are the ones I would shortlist. Pulsar 220 is fast, but looks bland and Karizma is an old wine in a new bottle right now.
Its a more powerful bike compared to the RTR, with 18 horses.
3 bhp might seem too little a difference, but let me tell you, it will leave the RTR gasping for breath. The one above in black looks a scorcher. Red is also a hot color. If you want to play cool, theres blue as well ;-)
Its an oil-cooled bike unlike the regular air-cooled ones, dont really know how much of a difference it makes! Split seats, split grab rail, sporty riding position, lower stance compared to other pulsars, exposed drive-chain all make it quite a beauty!!

So which one to pick then?

On performance alone, it has to be Pulsar 200. However in terms of looks the RTR takes the cake.

I would pick the 200 of course, and leave the RTRs behind in my rear view mirror :P

India vs England - Test Series

India vs England / 2nd Test of 3 / Trentbridge (27-31 July07)

What an incredible win for us! Labeled as poor travelers for long, but this decade has seen some memorable wins abroad by Team India.

So much so, that I would rate it as a better test side than ODI one presently.

Having miraculously survived the first test, it was a pleasant shock to see us dominating the 2nd test for the entire stretch.

Winning the toss helped of course. And the bowlers did the job, as they have done often in helpful conditions overseas. It has always been the failure of batters on the lively pitches that has resulted in the poor off-shore record.

Not this time. The newly forged partnership of Karthik-Jaffer came through with a gutsy and steady opening stand of 147 runs. That laid the foundation.
However I still don't agree with the make shift arrangement of having a non-specialist opener. Even though Sehwag and now Karthik in the brief stint have done very well.


The middle order built upon it, helped by the increasingly batsmen-friendly pitch now.
Ganguly and Sachin thrived but were very unlucky to be given out wrongly. Both could have easily got a 100 to their names, especially Sachin who went for 91.

Indians made sure of a big lead of 283. No 100s though, which was very unusual for an Indian innings of this magnitude.

With 2 days left in the match, India were clear favorites for the win. Only doubt was whether they could get the 10 wickets on a now flat track.

They needed the bowlers to win this now. And in stepped Zaheer. Great bowling from him as he took 5-75 to rip the top-order of England. Only Vaughan with a fine ton shone from the british side.

But the ball of the match was bowled by RP Singh. He clean bowled Matt Prior with a beaut of a delivery, coming round the wicket and a huge inswinger uprooting the middle stick of Prior beating him hands down. Akram couldn't have done it better!

We only needed 73 to secure the win in the last innings and a 7 wicket win was the final outcome.

A great chance then for a famous series win in England. Lets see!

Lambo Ad

An ad for Lamborghini Gallardo, looks mean in black. A dream car this.

Movie Review - Prestige

Just finished watching The Prestige.

Awesome movie!! a definite must watch.

I will rate it as 4.5 on 5.

Its a tale of two magicians who turn arch rivals, and it becomes an obsession for them to prove their superiority over the other.

Beautifully made with enough twists and turns to keep you guessing. It keeps you riveted for the whole part.

Directed by Christopher Nolan. If you have seen Memento, you will understand how he operates. Another notable movie by him is Batman Begins.

Actually I had got hold of this movie but kept postponing it as its a period movie and the backdrop kind of put me off. But had heard good things about it so decided to have a go today, and what a damn good movie it really turned out to be!!

Car ads

Pretty cool these, I am sure the first ad must have been seen earlier by you

BMW


Nissam SUV


Shell-Ferrari Ad


And the best ad, simply too cool!!!

More vids

Another cool video, this time a chemical experiment



We hear a lot about the human spirit. Heres something that makes you salute man's best friend!

Cool Ads

This is one cool ad!
Go ahead, have a look...



another publicity stunt, this time by Adidas (my fav sports brand)...

Some more pics

Wise guy!! :D

Amusing Images!

Starting out my first blog today!

Actually I intend to keep it as more of a photo-blog, rather than random musings from me.
A picture says a thousand words, as they say :)

Will start off with a few pics that I came across surfing today, quite creative I must say.
Found them worth sharing...

1 horse power anyone!! :D