Idle musings

    It is a sign of the times that I cannot imagine researching without the Web. On Twitter, I saw this link http://www.statisticbrain.com/attention-span-statistics/ which says that our average attention span in 2013 was 8 seconds. In 2000, the attention span was 12 seconds. The web site indicates that attention span is is the amount of concentrated time on a task without becoming distracted. When I searched for the source of the information, I was unable to locate it in the website of National Center for Biotechnology Information, which the link quotes as a reference. However, I did find a lot of web pages using this information.     Is our attention span just 8 seconds ? Let me see : 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7 and 8 ! By now, the average human being has lost interest, if there is nothing enticing. So if you are still reading this blog of mine, you are not (in a sense !) normal ! The infographic at http://www.nbcnews.com/nightly-news/infographic-shrinking-atten...

    On last Sunday, my wife and I watched the Hindi movie "Mary Kom" at Vision Cinemas, K. H. Road. I paid around Rs. 170 for a ticket, which was OK, considering the prices in the other multiplexes. This blog post is my review of the movie and also a tribute to Mary Kom.     Of course, I have had a week to let my thoughts settle, but the initial favourable impression of the movie lingers. I commend the effort that Priyanka Chopra has put in to the role. The producer and director deserve credit for converting the autobiography of a remarkable and courageous Indian sportswoman. There are very few world champions that India has produced in sports and fewer still from the north-eastern part of India.         Mary Kom's website is at http://www.mcmarykom.com/ and provides some information about her background. Her real name is Chungneijang, but since that is quite a mouthful, it has been simplified to Mary Kom. The wikipedia link ...

    My wife and I returned from a vacation to Singapore. This blog contains my description of the vacation and a few of my impressions. Note: As usual, I have not used names in this blog. Also, pictures with people are avoided in this blog.     The true test of a good vacation is that during the vacation, time seems to extend. This has nothing to do with the duration of the vacation : even on an extended weekend trip, the events of just a day earlier seem to have occurred a long time ago. This probably has to do with the fact that there are so many new experiences for the senses. Accustomed to city life and routine, every small change from the routine has a way of stimulating the mind, in my opinion. During this vacation, this was what we experienced. Our days felt long in a pleasurable kind of way. After the trip, I feel energised and am actually looking forward to resume working on Monday ! I don't know how long that feeling will last though : probably u...

INTERPRETATIONS     This blog is about interpretations of stories.     I have been watching "Mahabharat" on Star Plus for the past month or so. The website http://www.starplus.in/mahabharat/ has more information about the serial. The last few days saw drama in the serial as a cunning Shakuni and Duryodhana defeated Yudhistira in a game of dice, leading to the humiliation of Draupadi. What I liked was the fierce independence demonstrated by Draupadi.     As my blog http://fewidlethoughts.blogspot.in/2008/10/review-of-mahabharat-on-9x.html explains, I am a huge fan of the Mahabharat, simply taken as a story. Apart from the ambiguities of dharma and the lessons of the Bhagavad Geeta, I love the way that boons granted to people and curses bestowed culminate in a 18-day war that sets the stage for a new beginning. Different versions of the Mahabharat exist, particularly among its lesser known stories. To me, all of them are fascinating ! The sa...

    Like I do when I write all my blogs, I have a feeling that this one may also be long and about as exciting as watching the paint dry. In fact, this blog post is exactly about watching the paint dry ! We are getting our house painted. In this blog post, I shall describe what happened and what I have learned from the experience. First, some background :     The house that my uncle, mother, wife and I stay in will be 24 years old in March 2014 ! Our family has seen joy, sorrow, some sickness and its fair share of happiness in it. As spring settles in Bengaluru and the old trees in the roads and parks shed their leaves to don a new coat of refreshing green, it is apt that our house also has a new coat of paint both inside and outside ! My uncle stays in the ground floor of our house and it was he who pointed out that it was time for restoring and repainting our house.     The standard disclaimer applies : I have avoided names in this blog as...

    It is one month since my mother, my wife and I visited Dubai. This time, we had a purpose: it was my niece's first Bharatnatyam dance recital (called "arangetram"). Along with that, we did roam around Dubai. Apart from us, my sister-in-law's sister, her daughter, my maternal uncle and my mother's sister also joined us. My brother's house in Dubai was full !     The blog is delayed since I caught a fever that tired me out for a couple of weeks. I still have dry cough, but I am almost normal now.     Note: Like the previous paragraph indicates, I avoid names and photos with people in my blog.     I shall first talk about my niece's arangetram and then about Dubai.     I had not imagined that the preparations for the arangetram were that complicated. My brother and sister-in-law arranged for gifts for the artists who supported my niece ; organized the backdrop of flowers on the stage ; arranged for the ...