Car

Car is freaking so expensive man. Especially car maintainence. Just spent $60 getting the Front wheels alligned. And now I have to change the Front two tires. Thats gonna cost me more than a 100$. Anyways I have decided that I will get some good Bridgestone tires...Just for the heck of it and of crse Pseud value that Bridgestone has...( I was told that Ferraris run on them).....Anyways had to cribb to someone about the expected expense.....

Proposal

For the last two weeks or so I have started thinking about my PhD Proposal. Basically, one day two weeks ago my advisor walked into my office and put the thought of Proposal in my mind. And ever since then I have been unable to get the thought out of my mind. Today the first step has been taken. I have decided (of crse subject to change) that my Proposal shall be called "Statistical Shape and Motion Models for Tracking and Activity Analysis"........Lets see how it goes.

Time Travel:Photographs of Madras

I just happened to fall on this wonderful collection of photographs

http://dsal.uchicago.edu/images/hensley/

I was interrested in the search term "Madras" though i am sure the photos for the other cities are also equally enthralling. I hope ppl have a nice time looking at places as they were about 40-50 years ago!!!

Soil

Hi all,

Yesterday when me and abbhi had gone to Stamps for coffee (her coffee of course) i met this guy called Dave(I think). The conversation with him ranged from the current Tsunami disaster, to titbits about India to the soil conservation course he TA ed this sem. Apparently, this soil conservation course that he TA ed was a competition course and the maryland team has progressed from the regional level to the national level competition. The national competition will be held in Arkansas (I wonder why arkansas). Anyway this brought abt more talk of Indian weather etc. During the course of the conversation i realized that back in India such topics like soil conservation or meteorology or for that matter Literature are not viewed in the same light as that of engineering or science. Though this could be as a result of the nature of the job market, it is definitely not a welcome trend. I wonder what the government can do to take care of such anamolies!!!(Or is it the governements JOB in any case I wonder).

Photo Album

The eventful 8 day long road trip to Florida is a topic i intend to write about in detail over the coming weekend. But as for now--" A picture is worth a thousand words". So i have uploaded most of the snaps from the road trip. You can check them at

http://www.cfar.umd.edu/~vashok/site/Photos.htm

Hope you enjoy the Photos.....And please do not forget to comment on them.

Awaiting your comments

Ashok