David Vs. Goliath

I have always had a keen interest in business case studies and business rivalries. I have been reading a whole lot of stuff related to it these days. Right from Cola wars to Bank of America Vs Citibank to MasterCard/Visa Vs American Express to Airbus-Boeing standoff.

The rivalry of our times/generation is going to be Google Vs Microsoft. Click on the link below, this is by far the best Flash work I have come across http://www.albinoblacksheep.com/flash/epic.

Not just on the basis of this video, but by the other things that I am reading, I predict there will be no Microsoft by the year 2015. Imagine the world of computers, without Microsoft...Food for thought I guess!

Heartland Hindustani!

Couldn't resist from putting this one up. Click on the photogarph for a closer look. It is 'It happens only in India' at its killing best!

*Maharaja's Tommy Gun*

Featured here is the world's biggest cannon. Photograph is from road trip to Jaipur in 2005. Location: Amber Fort, Jaipur

Reduce the Drag Coefficient

This one is about the 'parachute effect' inside the car. When cruising at a speed of 80-85 kmph there is enough atmospheric friction that any moving object would encounter. All the fighter planes have a needle/nose in front to negate the atmospheric friction they encounter at Mach speeds and above. Car manufacturers design the car after studying the 'air-flow' around the shape of the car in a computer stimulated environment. When car makers study it, they just take it for granted that windows of the car would be closed. On a highway, if you just keep any one of the four windows open or just the 2 windows at the rear or in front open, there is inlet for air, but there is no outlet which results in a 'parachute effect' inside the car. 'Parachute effect' puts more pressure on the engine where in it consumes more fuel to provide the same thrust. At the same time if you keep one of the front window and one of the rear window open it facilitates cross ventilation and reduces the drag on the engine.

It is easy for me to go on and on about it with many examples...but I want to keep the blog short. For more on drag coefficient click http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Drag_coefficient

In any case, best thing to do is to keep all 4 windows closed when on a highway for better energy efficiency.

Get Needled..(for a good cause)

I really get spooked out with needles and stuff but I think whoever is healthy and is a able blood donor, that person should always take that extra step to donate blood. I donated blood today to Red Cross. 'Good Citizenship' is really encouraged and it is one of the core values of the company where I work in. I plan to donate blood once in every 4 months, I feel it is a great social cause. Apart from donating blood and paying taxes I do not think I am really making any contribution to the society.

Readers give me some bright ideas..how I can contribute more!

I Spy

My spy antennae are sending a lot of signals. Mira Nair(Monsoon Wedding fame) has plans finalized for a Hollywood remake of Munna Bhai M.B.B.S. The movie will be named 'Gangster M.D' with Chris Tucker in the lead role. Ms. Nair is waiting for Chris Tucker to get over with Rush Hour 3. Production is scheduled to start by January 2007.

Vinayakan

Fuel Efficiency

In these times of rising fuel prices, I thought pushing for energy efficiency when we drive our cars would be our minute contribution to the overall well being of the 'system'. Things like avoiding sudden acceleration, braking etc can be easily avoided if one is quite calculative. I mean if one is approaching a red light at a speed of 50 kmph (approximate distance of 100 meters) one can just switch to neutral and let the momentum carry the car through instead of closing the gap to 30 meters and then pushing the brakes. On a highway one can maintain a constant speed of 80-85 kmph than clocking 120 kmph, at this speed the engine obviously is revving more and guzzling lot more fuel.

Have made some more observations, its about the right kinda music for the road(which keeps you awake), 'parachute effect' inside the car etc...Will post them soon.

Vinayakan

My Friend and My fancy Wheels

Featured here>>>Gev and my car. Now you all know why he was mistaken for a westener. This photo was taken on one of our prevuious road trips. It is at the McDonald's on the Delhi-Agra highway.

Vinayakan

What Are You Lookin' At?

It's me>>> The photo is taken at 06:10, with the camera on self clicking mode at the monument site. Last weekend I drove down from Delhi to visit the Taj. I started off at around 02:00 with my friend. Something really funny happened at the Taj entrance...My friend 'Gev' is a Parsee(from Jamshedpur), he is so fair that most people mistake him for a westener. At the entrance I asked for 2 entry tickets for Indians. The person at the counter took one hard look at Gev and said "you have to buy 1 Indian and 1 foreigner ticket"...I said we are Indians, what is the problem? Then he says "Aap to teek hain, aap ke saath jo hain unka kya?"..Gev was quite irritated by now, he replied in brute bihari "Arey chamdi pe mat jao, Zuban pe jao"(meaning do not go by skin colour, go by what we speak)...

Vinayakan