OK ... I have tried to not be too political on this blog but I am giving up. Don't worry ... it will be over after the election.
Check this one out ...
McCain's VP Supports Teaching Creationism
Awesome. Just the kind of leader we need when McCain croaks two years in.
Saturday, August 30, 2008
Wednesday, August 27, 2008
Age and Inexperience
A lot has been said about Obama's age and relative inexperience. I realized something interesting tonight...
Clinton was 46 when he was elected. He spent no time in either the House or Senate before his election. He was the Governor of Arkansas for ~14 years.
JFK was 43. He was a House Representative for 6 years, and a Senator for 8 years.
Abraham Lincoln was 51. 8 years in IL Legislature, 1 term in Congress.
Obama is 47 years old. Obama was a community activist and lecturer at UofC for 6 years. He was a IL House member for 8 years, and US Senator for 4.
Clinton was 46 when he was elected. He spent no time in either the House or Senate before his election. He was the Governor of Arkansas for ~14 years.
JFK was 43. He was a House Representative for 6 years, and a Senator for 8 years.
Abraham Lincoln was 51. 8 years in IL Legislature, 1 term in Congress.
Obama is 47 years old. Obama was a community activist and lecturer at UofC for 6 years. He was a IL House member for 8 years, and US Senator for 4.
Wednesday, August 20, 2008
To all you Gmail Users ...
There is a new feature in gmail that you should all enable. It addresses a new vulnerability that was recently identified. It is really simple to do.
Login to gmail.
Click on "Settings" in the upper right.
Make sure the "General" tab has been selected (it should be by default).
Scroll down to the bottom to the "Browser Connection" section.
Select the "Always use https" option.
Save your changes.
Usually when you login to gmail, it will encrypt your password when you send it across. However, future transactions inside of gmail are done via cookies and may not use SSL (encryption). Enabling this feature forces all communication to be done over SSL.
This addresses a hack that will be released in ~2 weeks. You can read about it here if you are so inclined.
Login to gmail.
Click on "Settings" in the upper right.
Make sure the "General" tab has been selected (it should be by default).
Scroll down to the bottom to the "Browser Connection" section.
Select the "Always use https" option.
Save your changes.
Usually when you login to gmail, it will encrypt your password when you send it across. However, future transactions inside of gmail are done via cookies and may not use SSL (encryption). Enabling this feature forces all communication to be done over SSL.
This addresses a hack that will be released in ~2 weeks. You can read about it here if you are so inclined.
Sunday, August 3, 2008
Weddings
We were back in Chicago at the beginning of July for a couple of weddings. First we had Katie McFadden's wedding out at Notre Dame. It was a good time. Rohini and Steve were there, and it was great to catch up with Rohini and spend some more time getting to know Steve.
Here is a photo of Janel and Ro.
And a photo of Ian and Steve, holding the girl's purses :P.
During the week we spent some time with family and friends. Got to see Megan and Trevor ... played some risk with Bober, Jim, and Matt. Good times :). Janel was busy with all sorts of stuff for Rohini's wedding...Bachelorrette party, Sangeet, Rehearsal Dinner, and more.
Saturday we had a couple of weddings. It was chaos (for me at least). Janel's day was a bit less chaotic as she was in Rohini's wedding. I started out the day at Rohini's Catholic ceremony. Then I went to Jeff's wedding. Then to Rohini's Hindu ceremony, which was a lot different than your traditional Christian ceremony.
Here is a photo of Janel and I at Ro's wedding. Janel got to wear a sari :).
After this I headed on over to Jeff's reception for a couple of hours. This was a lot of fun -- I got to catch up with a lot of old friends from LT/UIUC. After dinner I headed on back to Rohini's ceremony. This too was a lot of fun. We had a nice mix of American dance music and Hindi music which was a lot of fun. I had to be good and not drink (much at least) because I had an early flight to London the next morning.
Here is a photo of Janel and Ro.
And a photo of Ian and Steve, holding the girl's purses :P.
During the week we spent some time with family and friends. Got to see Megan and Trevor ... played some risk with Bober, Jim, and Matt. Good times :). Janel was busy with all sorts of stuff for Rohini's wedding...Bachelorrette party, Sangeet, Rehearsal Dinner, and more.
Saturday we had a couple of weddings. It was chaos (for me at least). Janel's day was a bit less chaotic as she was in Rohini's wedding. I started out the day at Rohini's Catholic ceremony. Then I went to Jeff's wedding. Then to Rohini's Hindu ceremony, which was a lot different than your traditional Christian ceremony.
Here is a photo of Janel and I at Ro's wedding. Janel got to wear a sari :).
After this I headed on over to Jeff's reception for a couple of hours. This was a lot of fun -- I got to catch up with a lot of old friends from LT/UIUC. After dinner I headed on back to Rohini's ceremony. This too was a lot of fun. We had a nice mix of American dance music and Hindi music which was a lot of fun. I had to be good and not drink (much at least) because I had an early flight to London the next morning.
England
After my trip to Chicago and all the weddings (see below) I flew directly to England on my way to India. I stayed with some of my relatives (my 2nd cousin once removed) in England and had a great time. I spoke with them for the first time about 6 weeks before going to England, and took them up on their offer to stay with them. They were great hosts.
Monday I headed out to Cambridge with Francis. Cambridge was a a beautiful campus. It is arranged a lot different than your standard American University (Oxford is the same way). They have a bunch of little "Colleges" within the University. You actually apply to the college, and spend most of your time with the prof's and students in that college. There are some university-wide lectures, but for the most part you stay within the college. Different colleges are "known" for different things, but there is no "College of Engineering" per-say.
Anyway, here is a picture of "the backs", which is some small fields and a river on the back-side of all the colleges.
You can see all my pictures of Cambridge here.
The next couple of days I hung out in London on my own. I did spend an evening with my 3rd cousin Michael which was a lot of fun. We wandered around a bit downtown and then took the tube out to an English pub out in the more residential part of London that he likes to frequent.
I did most of the tourist stuff in London and really enjoyed the city. I started out in St. James Park and then hit up Westminster Abby (photo below). Both were great. No photos were allowed inside most of the "religious" buildings (which was fine) so I only have photos of the outside.
After Westminster I walked by Parliament and Big Ben (which looks way cooler than Congress in DC in my opinion).
Then I headed up to Trafalgar Square (for the first time) and then headed over to the London Eye (photo below), which is a HUGE ferris wheel on the Thames across from Parliament but decided not to go up because of time constraints. Trafalgar Square was nice -- but I enjoyed it a lot more when I swung by again around 5pm as there were a ton more people there.
I took a boat tour up the Thames to Greenwhich which was one of my favorite things that I did. Here is a photo of the meridian point:
Here is a photo looking down from the hill at the Meridian to the Naval College and across the Thames to the rest of London. Don't get confused -- that is a different ferris wheel than the Eye.
That evening I had dinner with Michael.
The next day I started at the Tower of London, which was okay. The Tower is actually a large fort that has been used for a variety of different purposes of the years. Today it houses the crown jewels. I enjoyed seeing the jewels, as there is a story in Janel's family that one of her ancestors was a lady-in-waiting to the queen and got caught trying on the crown jewels, and was then kicked out of the country. Not sure if it is true :), but it is a fun story! Below if a photo of the outer walls, and the "white-ish" building in the middle is the "white tower" which I think is what the fort is named after.
Next I hit up Tower Bridge, which is commonly mistaken for "London Bridge" which actually was a rather uneventful bridge which now lives in Arizona. I went up Tower Bridge, which was okay. Mostly just fun since now I can say I was in it :P.
After Tower Bridge I headed on over to St. Paul's cathedral which was great. They were practicing for a symphony when I was in there, so I go to enjoy the acoustics for (relatively) cheap :). I also walked to the top which was a good time. I would highly recommend St. Pauls. Below is a photo from the highest lookout level.
After St. Pauls I hit up the British Museum for a few minutes to see the Rosetta Stone. Below is a photo of the central hall at the museum which has a really cool roof.
Next I headed over to the Natural History museum, and then walked through Hyde Park to see Kensington Palace. It was pooring down rain, so I don't have any (good) photos. Then I met Francis and John for dinner. We had a fantastic dinner at this little French restaraunt in Kensington called "Le Circe" that is owned by the company that John runs. It was amazing food and I would highly recommend checking it out if you are ever in London.
The last day I headed out to Stratford-upon-Avon, the town that Shakespeare was born in. Francis and I enjoyed seeing the countryside and scoping out the town. Below is a photo of what for a while was thought to be his wife's childhood house. It turns out it is not, but it was a nice place to visit :).
You can see all my photos of England here.
Monday I headed out to Cambridge with Francis. Cambridge was a a beautiful campus. It is arranged a lot different than your standard American University (Oxford is the same way). They have a bunch of little "Colleges" within the University. You actually apply to the college, and spend most of your time with the prof's and students in that college. There are some university-wide lectures, but for the most part you stay within the college. Different colleges are "known" for different things, but there is no "College of Engineering" per-say.
Anyway, here is a picture of "the backs", which is some small fields and a river on the back-side of all the colleges.
You can see all my pictures of Cambridge here.
The next couple of days I hung out in London on my own. I did spend an evening with my 3rd cousin Michael which was a lot of fun. We wandered around a bit downtown and then took the tube out to an English pub out in the more residential part of London that he likes to frequent.
I did most of the tourist stuff in London and really enjoyed the city. I started out in St. James Park and then hit up Westminster Abby (photo below). Both were great. No photos were allowed inside most of the "religious" buildings (which was fine) so I only have photos of the outside.
After Westminster I walked by Parliament and Big Ben (which looks way cooler than Congress in DC in my opinion).
Then I headed up to Trafalgar Square (for the first time) and then headed over to the London Eye (photo below), which is a HUGE ferris wheel on the Thames across from Parliament but decided not to go up because of time constraints. Trafalgar Square was nice -- but I enjoyed it a lot more when I swung by again around 5pm as there were a ton more people there.
I took a boat tour up the Thames to Greenwhich which was one of my favorite things that I did. Here is a photo of the meridian point:
Here is a photo looking down from the hill at the Meridian to the Naval College and across the Thames to the rest of London. Don't get confused -- that is a different ferris wheel than the Eye.
That evening I had dinner with Michael.
The next day I started at the Tower of London, which was okay. The Tower is actually a large fort that has been used for a variety of different purposes of the years. Today it houses the crown jewels. I enjoyed seeing the jewels, as there is a story in Janel's family that one of her ancestors was a lady-in-waiting to the queen and got caught trying on the crown jewels, and was then kicked out of the country. Not sure if it is true :), but it is a fun story! Below if a photo of the outer walls, and the "white-ish" building in the middle is the "white tower" which I think is what the fort is named after.
Next I hit up Tower Bridge, which is commonly mistaken for "London Bridge" which actually was a rather uneventful bridge which now lives in Arizona. I went up Tower Bridge, which was okay. Mostly just fun since now I can say I was in it :P.
After Tower Bridge I headed on over to St. Paul's cathedral which was great. They were practicing for a symphony when I was in there, so I go to enjoy the acoustics for (relatively) cheap :). I also walked to the top which was a good time. I would highly recommend St. Pauls. Below is a photo from the highest lookout level.
After St. Pauls I hit up the British Museum for a few minutes to see the Rosetta Stone. Below is a photo of the central hall at the museum which has a really cool roof.
Next I headed over to the Natural History museum, and then walked through Hyde Park to see Kensington Palace. It was pooring down rain, so I don't have any (good) photos. Then I met Francis and John for dinner. We had a fantastic dinner at this little French restaraunt in Kensington called "Le Circe" that is owned by the company that John runs. It was amazing food and I would highly recommend checking it out if you are ever in London.
The last day I headed out to Stratford-upon-Avon, the town that Shakespeare was born in. Francis and I enjoyed seeing the countryside and scoping out the town. Below is a photo of what for a while was thought to be his wife's childhood house. It turns out it is not, but it was a nice place to visit :).
You can see all my photos of England here.
India
After London I headed over to India for work. I arrived on Saturday, and had Sunday off to be a tourist.
After arriving on Saturday, I tried to stay awake as long as possible, and stopped by the LaBagh Botanical Gardens which was pretty nice. Not a lot of flowers, but a lot of trees and a nice little lake.
After this I headed by the Parliament building and then headed back to the apartment.
On Sunday, the plan was to head out to Mysore and see the palace out there. On the way, my driver got in a pretty good car accident. Not sure what happened, but he slammed into two cars who were going over speed bumps. We were going pretty fast, but he managed to slide between the two of them. The car was pretty hosed, but nobody was hurt which was good. For a while I was afraid that my driver was going to get his ass kicked and I would be in the middle of nowhere in India with no idea what to do, but luckily that did not happen.
I was eventually picked up by another driver who was bringing a guy from HP out to Mysore. He had already been to the palace, so we scoped out an area outside of Mysore called Srirangapatnam. This is a large island that was the site of an old fort and some mosques on such. We started out at one end of the island which apparently is a place where people go to leave the ashes of their loved ones.
Next we headed to a mausoleum where the Tipu Sultan was buried. It was pretty cool.
After this, we headed into downtown Mysore into the middle of a Monsoon. I got to see the outside of the palace, but that was it :(. Oh well ... maybe next time. We were planning on checking out a market (not to buy anything -- just to look) but that plan was cancelled because of the rain and we just headed home with no more excitement.
The rest of the week was pretty uneventful. Despite being really careful, I came down with something nasty on Thursday and spent the last 72 hours in my apartment ordering room service. India and my stomach do not get along so well.
After arriving on Saturday, I tried to stay awake as long as possible, and stopped by the LaBagh Botanical Gardens which was pretty nice. Not a lot of flowers, but a lot of trees and a nice little lake.
After this I headed by the Parliament building and then headed back to the apartment.
On Sunday, the plan was to head out to Mysore and see the palace out there. On the way, my driver got in a pretty good car accident. Not sure what happened, but he slammed into two cars who were going over speed bumps. We were going pretty fast, but he managed to slide between the two of them. The car was pretty hosed, but nobody was hurt which was good. For a while I was afraid that my driver was going to get his ass kicked and I would be in the middle of nowhere in India with no idea what to do, but luckily that did not happen.
I was eventually picked up by another driver who was bringing a guy from HP out to Mysore. He had already been to the palace, so we scoped out an area outside of Mysore called Srirangapatnam. This is a large island that was the site of an old fort and some mosques on such. We started out at one end of the island which apparently is a place where people go to leave the ashes of their loved ones.
Next we headed to a mausoleum where the Tipu Sultan was buried. It was pretty cool.
After this, we headed into downtown Mysore into the middle of a Monsoon. I got to see the outside of the palace, but that was it :(. Oh well ... maybe next time. We were planning on checking out a market (not to buy anything -- just to look) but that plan was cancelled because of the rain and we just headed home with no more excitement.
The rest of the week was pretty uneventful. Despite being really careful, I came down with something nasty on Thursday and spent the last 72 hours in my apartment ordering room service. India and my stomach do not get along so well.
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