The Chaotic-Neutron

I have been meditating for a few years now and every now and then, I have this realization that I can expand to the entire size of the universe and contract myself to the size of an atom, just moving with my breath. It is a beautiful feeling but my words are inadequate to express them.

But when you look at two images side-by-side, representing the macro and micro universes and find similarities beyond comprehension, there is very little to express in words any more.

Oral surface of a young seastar (40x)

The neutron star in the Cassiopeia A supernova

Just look and meditate on it. Enough said.

I’ve hummed along to the beat of this song by Wolfmother so many times but just listened to the lyrics and found them graceful and beautiful. Here’s the full lyrics for the song.

When the time is right and the night is bright
We will see the things we’ve come to find
I’ve been searching for just a little more
but the days girl just slip away
And the red sunset that we just met
I can see forever

Come and see the mind’s eye
We can find it if we try
Come and see the mind’s eye
Transfixed upon the why
Come and see the mind’s eye
We can find it if we try

Well they say it’s right if it feels alright
When your love burns up in the mire
So I burnt a fire for a lost desire
See it burning higher

Come and see the mind’s eye
We can find it if we try
Come and see the mind’s eye
Transfixed upon the why
Come and see the mind’s eye
We can find it if we try

I’ve got to admit, there is some nice word play and poetry in there. Subtle and elegant.

I usually hate when people write about the food they just ate, or the wine they just tasted, especially when micro-blogging, but some times, it is absolutely necessary, as a memoir, to capture that instant of ecstatic happiness in a hectic life cycle.

I’ve been told before that I do cook really well, dishes that I can pass off as authentically Indian, a taste even my grandma might find agreeable, but today was one of those days, where all the elements came together, when hunger met aspiration, forging the hands to create something so delicious that it was almost divine. The end result was probably far from Indian but my taste buds are merry after days of devouring tasteless fast food.

The recipe itself, simple. Rice, a curry dish with potatoes, green beans, carrots and a broiled salmon with ginger/garlic anc black pepper to accentuate the flavor. Ahhh. And of course, couple glasses of wine and some strawberries to take it to that edge. Subtle but taste transcending mortal words. Or maybe it was just a simple man’s food that I happened to have at the right night, in the perfect setting. Nevertheless, it was worth the wait …

This is something I understand, strive to reach every day. And every time I try, I fail.

And what I have not expressed in words yet, this comic portrays, an inevitable and undeniable truth, beautifully, like a reflection of the full moon, on a lake without ripples.

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An interesting case-study on whether a couple can live, happily (?) and satisfied with only 72$ a week allotted for food. It would not have caught my attention since living in Texas, as a single guy, I can easily manage with 150$/month if I wanted to but since this involves 2 adults, who have been living unrestricted most of their lives, in LA, this provides a decent foundation to understanding what the people depending on food stamps are in for, every day.

Of course, you do have to be a staunch meat-eater to understand some of the plight that this couple went through but mostly, I think this is entirely possible if you cut down de trop spending. Especially during tough economic times like these.

Link: Can two people eat on $67 a week?.

Update: I must have missed this before but apparently, in 2007, several members of Congress budgeted just $21 a person, the national average a food stamp recipient receives weekly. Damn. Now that’s tight.

A beautiful video, showing how one game transcends borders, race, culture and religion. Every now and then, I end up arguing with someone on how this is true and why say American ‘Football’ or Baseball and even Cricket is not quite as prolific as Football. The reason probably is that all you need is one cheap ball and some people to start playing. Believe me, even good footwear isn’t quite a staunch requirement. Anyway, here’s the video.

Thanks to Brian for the link.

Stunning visualization with a very serene background music, presenting an abstract video, depicting fluidity of solids, fractal imagery in nature, patterns in chaos and the twin similarity of the micro/macro worlds. I have rambled enough. Now watch.

Original link via Fubiz.

I was watching TV, working on my code, not paying any attention to what was going on. And I look up and hear Achilles say,

I’ll tell you a secret. Something they don’t teach you in your temple. The Gods envy us. They envy us because we’re mortal, because any moment might be our last. Everything is more beautiful because we’re doomed. You will never be lovelier than you are now. We will never be here again.

Beautiful. ‘Troy’, a movie that is pretty normal in most aspects IMO, packed a dialogue so intense, so true and elegant. I cannot even begin to express my appreciation in mere words, on the subtlety this transcends. It was like poetry…

Every now and then, you hear how conservative Texas is. But you do not realize the stark reality until something like this comes up.

Read the article about a guy who got cited for Disorderly Conduct, a misdemeanor, for swearing in a Texas restaurant.

Reminder to self: The next time you are in a restaurant, watch what you say !

And here it is again. The celebration of that beautiful number, the mathematical uniqueness that occurs in our life repeatedly, whether you realize it or not. This is PI day: Mar 14 (3.14).

Since I’ve been doing this the past few years, I’m not going to repeat all the fun facts about PI. But I will nevertheless give you some more interesting facts and links I found recently.

1) The Pi day Sudoku puzzle.

2) Things that equal Pi. Btw, the 360 blog has some really interesting posts and you should definitely subscribe to it.

3) Oh and of course, the recent appreciation of the reverent number even by politicians. Check this out.

4) And if you want to buy some swag for your PI day party, I suggest getting these beautiful PI shaped ice maker.

5) Update: Just found out that old Al’ was born on PI day. How fitting ?! Thanks to Neatorama for the piece of trivia.

Hmm.. Another year. Another day. Time is flying I tell you …

If you haven’t heard about this, then take some time to watch `Sita Sings the Blues`. It is an animated feature film, written and directed by Nina Paley. After watching a few scenes, you will notice that it has primarily been done with just 2D CG effects only.

Of course, if you do not understand the background, it is based on an Indian epic `Ramayana`. The epic is the story of Rama, an Avatar to symbolize the perfect human, the perfect son, the perfect brother, the perfect king and follows his struggles with ethics and societal morals to do everything right. His wife Sita is another symbolism for the perfect wife who abides by her husband’s word and loves him immaterial of the inflictions and abuse she undergoes as a result of Rama’s pledge to uphold virtue. In simpler words, she is the epitome of womanliness emphasized throughout ancient Indian literature.

The movie though is based on this tale, is focused on the jazz music of Annette Hanshaw. And it has also been released under the Creative Commons share-alike license.

For those Indians who take offense to the depictions of Sita as a busty, gloomy woman, please relax and enjoy the animation and retelling of the epic tale with a different twist. Now grab some snacks, go to the site and enjoy.

Watch “Sita Sings the Blues” on Reel 13.

1) Official site
2) Wikipedia article

A cute little puzzle and if your eye-sight is shot, like mine, this might take a while to crack this nut… Check this out.

Via Boing-Boing.

Some more information about such figures: Learn about Tangrams which I guess is a more elaborate version of this puzzle here. (Thanks to a comment in the post!)

Over the past few months, I’ve become a huge fan of the ‘No Reservations’ show by Bourdain on Travel channel and to an extent, Andrew Zimmern’s ‘Bizarre Foods’. So of course, I’ve also started scourging the net for some really weird dishes to cook and absurd delicacies of different cultures.

But every now and then, I do find something that makes me say WTF ?! And here’s a good one: Tasty treat: Sea otter boogers.

Mmmm… Purple.

Dammit I’m mad.
Evil is a deed as I live.
God, am I reviled? I rise, my bed on a sun, I melt.
To be not one man emanating is sad. I piss.
Alas, it is so late. Who stops to help?
Man, it is hot. I’m in it. I tell.
I am not a devil. I level “Mad Dog”.
Ah, say burning is, as a deified gulp,
In my halo of a mired rum tin.
I erase many men. Oh, to be man, a sin.
Is evil in a clam? In a trap?
No. It is open. On it I was stuck.
Rats peed on hope. Elsewhere dips a web.
Be still if I fill its ebb.
Ew, a spider… eh?
We sleep. Oh no!
Deep, stark cuts saw it in one position.
Part animal, can I live? Sin is a name.
Both, one… my names are in it.
Murder? I’m a fool.
A hymn I plug, deified as a sign in ruby ash,
A Goddam level I lived at.
On mail let it in. I’m it.
Oh, sit in ample hot spots. Oh wet!
A loss it is alas (sip). I’d assign it a name.
Name not one bottle minus an ode by me:
“Sir, I deliver. I’m a dog”
Evil is a deed as I live.
Dammit I’m mad.

Poetry ? Well, it is a little hard to comprehend the meaning behind it but Palindrome you say ?! Yes. This is a 224 word Palindrome Poetry written by “Demetri Martin”.

via Neatorama and read from the original link at Slate Magazine.

True. If you are buzzed on beer or stoned on weed, and someone pays you to work on a new logo, this would be the exact result of such an effort.

It not only is hilarious, but brings about a sad truth as to why anyone would get paid millions of dollars for such an advertising when the economy is tanking while there are genuinely talented folks getting laid off and struggling to hold on to their jobs.

Well, enough of me ranting. If you got some time to kill, definitely check out the following link and do not forget to read the full document at the end. Enjoy creativity like you have never witnessed before.

Internal Memos: ‘Breathtaking’ Document Reveals Pepsi’s Logo is Pinnacle of Entire Universe.