TIL : World Map

As they say everyone has blind spots in their Knowledge and sometimes they can be baffling. I know I have lot, apparently lot of them. I thought about taking at least one of them head on ( I am hoping to make a mini series out of this )

So my findings over at Starbucks

World Map , Basic geography of India and countries:

1.          World map we see in textbook and Google maps is grossly misleading in many cases. Check out this Video from west wing explaining it pretty nicely.  Two main reason the world map is the way it is, are 
1. It has western influence to suit their perception ( aptly explained in video ) 
2. Its difficult accurately mapping globe in rectangular format.
2.  Asia, has more than half the World’s population (4.5+ Billion out of estimated 7 ).  I often find it funny that more than 1 billion people in India and people forget that we are also from Asia. Also, Middle East – Saudi, Iran, and Iraq is also Asia. So don’t understand how only oriental people (Mongoloid race) are called Asian in North America ( Ignorance ?)
3.  Bangladesh is in really strategic position for India to connect to its North Eastern state. It's religious demographics is strikingly similar to that of Pakistan, Yet skirmishes between Bangladesh and India are far and few. Probably because India helped Bangladesh gets freedom.
4.  When you look at the map, you may get the feeling that USA/Canada/Greenland is farthest to India but in reality its Chile ( because need to consider travelling antipodal also) . 

I still don't understand formatting in blogger. Grrr

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5 things I did which I would not have anticipated 10 years ago

Adding one more to my trend of posting Idiotic lists.

5 things about me I would not have believed about myself 10 years ago. I may come across as pompous ass in this post, but I am just trying to remind myself that I have a reason to be happy.

1.       10 years ago, I would have been in my second year with not much idea of how the job scenario is; I would not have imagined /guessed working for Infosys. I didn't realize how easy it was getting in; I was almost disappointed it was so easy for everyone.

2.       Coming to USA. May be not a very big deal, but I definitely would not have bet on it 10 years ago.  I never imagined myself looking from top of empire state building and saying Meh, or absolutely chilling at Vegas casinos. Consider going to Miami beach as just another weekend

3.       Sky Diving: Knowing that someday I would sky dive would have made my day. I was really fit back then, and would have been more open to adventure sports. ( I guess we can also include jet skiing in this )

4.       Driving my own car. To be fair, once you come to USA it pretty much mandatory, but I could not easily imagine myself driving (or owning) a car. I just assumed if I was very rich and absolutely had to buy a car, I would also get a driver.: D

5.       Working (even though just as a contractor) for Disney, In Disney Park. I specifically remember reading 'The Last Lecture' and how Randy Pausch finally got opportunity to work with Disney, and a ever so slight sadness spread across me, knowing this can never be me :(  :) (To be fair he worked for Disney Animations which is much bigger deal). On the same line going to every single park in Walt Disney World and getting bored of it.

Closely looking at this list it seems everything was pretty much Causation effect of me getting placed in good IT Company and being sent to US.

     I guess this has to be my last being grateful/gloating post for quite some time now.    Unless you know I have near death experience or so ..

Judging book by its cover

Yesterday I went to a book store and started browsing for books. In course of action, I realized my predictable nature and instantly realized how I decide to buy my books. Not that it matters, but here is list of things which determine if I am going to buy the book.

1. If your book name has ‘Dark’, ’Night’, ‘Silent’ or similar words I am going to pick up your book to read     the synopsis. (‘Into the Silent Land’, ‘Into the Woods’ ,’Silence of Lambs’ ,’Midnight’s Children’, ‘The    Graveyard Book’)
2. If I pick up a book and in the back page, Instead of synopsis I see an Ann Coulter like smiling pic of blonde Author, I am going to put it down. (Little Sexist?)
3. If your book cover is overtly colorful or happy, I will refuse to acknowledge its presence. So much for not judging it by cover.
4. If book cover has a picture of pretty girl who looks happy, I am not going to buy the book. Caricatures on other hand are fine.
5. If book name is a paradox or difficult to comprehend ( in spite of knowing all words) you have my interest (‘ Fragile Eternity, A Brief History of Time’, ’Wings of Fire’, ’This Book Doesn't Exist’)
6. If it is about marriage/ family life , good chances I will not even complete the synopsis ( though I did read Freedom a Novel and regretted it )
7. If you have recommendations and quotes from people and publication I don’t know about, I am going to trust you even less than a book with no quotes /reviews from anyone.
8. If I have not heard about you and your book has small fonts, I am not going to be very inclined to buy it.
9. If books has less than 250 pages or more than 1000 pages, I am going to be more skeptical
10.  Adding 10 point just for my OCD, If it is collection of short stories, I would probably read one story and then not but it.