AT and T: Cheaters!!

This is my second wireless service provider (ATT). I got really fed up with Sprint 2 years ago when I decided to switch to Cingular in June 2006. We were really excited with Cingular's service... until... ATT merged with them.

It was not until I got a bill for $451.00 today for cellphone use, that I realised they started charging for incoming calls too. We have a FamilyTalk plan, with 700 anytime minutes and the standard unlimited nights and weekends. Until last month, we never saw any charge for incoming calls, even if we went over the allowed minutes. I looked online, and people say ATT is known to charge for incoming calls !

I am still awaiting a response from the customer service, to have them explain why all of a sudden they removed a feature from my plan without informing me. I am not letting this go by, enough is enough!

Regardless of what happens with this incident, guess what, ATT, our contract is over. So I am switching my carriers baby!!!!!!!!

Spell checks and a media Giant

I hate it when a big media giant like CNN get the names of a world leader like Mr. Dalai Lama wrong. If you catch it in time (before they correct the mistake), you can see the incorrect spelling in this article.

I took a screen shot just in case they deny this in future. Such a shame!

Changing lanes

So while I was on the road today, trying to get Radhika to the airport, I noticed the same strange behavior most of us are used to now: changling lanes in order to get there faster. But does it really work? It sounds like a mundane illusion that no one wants to get out of.

So I did a simple test today. I made a note of the car that was in front of me just before I changed lanes to another one which seemed faster. Then I let a couple of seconds pass.. and looked for that car in the previus lane again. To my surprise, that car was waaay ahead in my previous lane!! Well I felt left out again, and it seemed my previous lane was getting faster now JUST because I left it. So I noted the car that was ahead of me now, and changed the lanes back. Guess what, 10 seconds later, I was behind in both the lanes!!

This seems so counter-intuitive, right? But in a way I think thats what happens. We are able to see the traffic system only locally, where there is so much going on. But at a bigger level (if you look at the freeway at a scale of 5 miles lets say), this system averages out the speed for each vehicle in there. So ultimately you end up not gaining too much... you get there when the whole crowd gets there.

I did a quick seach online, and found this article that sort of explains this phenomenon.

That reminded me of this Jerry Seinfeld standup where he talks about everybody changing lanes in a slow traffic.

Funny how we do so much stuff that doesnt make any sense.:-)

Feels good to be 18 again...

I found an interesting test at a friend's blog. It estimates the age of one's brain, based on some simple keyboard based input. Now the fun part: my brain's age was estimated to be 18 years. I dont know what to think of that, perhaps just under-developed, ughhhhhh!!! Anyways, its nice to feel 18 again:-)

The age of your brain has been calculated to be: 18

Performance of these tests can be affected by a number of factors including: fatigue, noise and distractions, boredom, use of nicotine, alcohol or caffeine, use of illicit drugs. The tests have not been completed under stringent clinical conditions and are provided for informational purposes only. The results do not constitute a clinical diagnosis.

Oct 22 2007 - The moth

One of the best shots my FujiFilm FinePix digital camera took. It is a great camera for amateurs.

SMIViewer is now at 1.0.0.6 version...

.. and it has been downloaded by more than 180 unique users:-) It was even featured on RadRounds.com, check this link out.

We now have a dedicated page for its download:

It is in a much better shape than what it was 2 months ago: