We have got cancer too, Mr Feynman !

Happen to read this book , Surely you are joking Mr Feynman, by brilliant physicist Richard Feynman , Could not resist to share a transcripts from a chapter from this book.

"At the end of the academic year, the students asked me to give a talk about my experiences of teaching in Brazil. At the talk there would be not only students, but professors and government officials, so I made them promise that I could say whatever I wanted. They said,

"Sure. Of course. It's a free country."

So I came in, carrying the elementary physics textbook that they used in the first year of college. They thought this book was especially good because it had different kinds of typeface--bold black for the most important things to remember, lighter for less important things, and so on.


Right away somebody said, "You're not going to say anything bad about the textbook, are you? The man who wrote it is here, and everybody
thinks it's a good textbook."


"You promised I could say whatever I wanted."


The lecture hall was full. I started out by defining science as an understanding of the behavior of nature. Then I asked, "What is a good reason for teaching science? Of course, no country can consider itself civilized unless . . . yak, yak, yak." They were all sitting there nodding, because I know that's the way they think.

Then I say, "The main purpose of my talk is to demonstrate to you that no science is being taught in Brazil!"


I can see them stir, thinking, "What? No science? This is absolutely crazy! We have all these classes." So I tell them that one of the first things to strike me when I came to Brazil was to see elementary school kids in bookstores, buying physics books.

There are so many kids learning physics in Brazil, beginning much earlier than kids do in the United States, that it's amazing you don't find many physicists in Brazil--why is that? So many kids are working so hard, and nothing comes of it.

Then I gave the analogy of a Greek scholar who loves the Greek language, who knows that in his own country there aren't many children studying Greek. But he comes to another country, where he is delighted to find everybody studying Greek--even the smaller kids in the elementary schools.


He goes to the examination of a student who is coming to get his degree in Greek, and asks him, "What were Socrates' ideas on the relationship between Truth and Beauty?"--and the student can't answer. Then he asks the student, What did Socrates say to Plato in the Third
Symposium?" the student lights up and goes, "Brrrrrrrrr-up"--he tells you everything, word for word, that Socrates said, in beautiful Greek.


But what Socrates was talking about in the Third Symposium was the relationship between Truth and Beauty!

What this Greek scholar discovers is, the students in another country learn Greek by first learning to pronounce the letters, then the words, and then sentences and paragraphs. They can recite, word for word, what Socrates said, without realizing that those Greek words actually mean something.

To the student they are all artificial sounds. Nobody has ever translated them into words the students can understand.

I said, "That's how it looks to me, when I see you teaching the kids 'science' here in Brazil." (Big blast, right?)


By flipping the pages at random, and putting my finger in and reading the sentences on that
page, I can show you what's the matter--how it's not science, but memorizing, in every circumstance. Therefore I am brave enough to flip through the
pages now, in front of this audience, to put my finger in, to read, and to show you.

So I did it. Brrrrrrrup--I stuck my finger in, and I started to read: "Triboluminescence. Triboluminescence is the light emitted when crystals are
crushed..

I said, "And there, have you got science? No! You have only told what a word means in terms of other words. You haven't told anything about nature-what crystals produce light when you crush them, why they produce light. Did you see any student go home and try it? He can't.


"But if, instead, you were to write, 'When you take a lump of sugar and crush it with a pair of pliers in the dark, you can see a bluish flash. Some other crystals do that too. Nobody knows why. The phenomenon is called "triboluminescence."' Then someone will go home and try it. Then there's an experience of nature." I used that example to show them, but it didn't make any difference where I would have put my finger in the book; it was
like that everywhere.


Finally, I said that I couldn't see how anyone could he educated by this self-propagating system in which people pass exams, and teach others to pass exams, but nobody knows anything. "


Well, after I gave the talk, the head of the science education department got up and said, "Mr. Feynman has told us some things that are very hard for us to hear, but it appears to he that he really loves science, and is sincere in his criticism. Therefore, I think we should listen to him. I came here knowing we have some sickness in our system of education; what I have learned is that we have a cancer!"--and he sat down."


No wonder , its not the state of Brazil , in 1950's or so when this book is written , its true even now in India , We have Got Cancer too, Mr Feynman !

Niluvadhamu ninu epudianaa english translation

The below is beautiful song and lyrics are taken from here
Song: Niluvadhamu
Movie:Nuvvostanante Nenoddantana
Language: Telugu
Music: Devi Sriprasad
Lyricist: Sirivennala
Singers: Karthik, Sumangali
Watch this song video on YouTube

[Male]
Niluvadhamu Ninu Epudaina
Nuvvu evvaru ani adigena
Aa chitrame gamanisthuna
Koththagaa

Essence : Iam noticing this strange thing newly,
of a mirror questioning me who am I ?

( for he has fallen in love and he cant see himself in a mirror, but seeing his beloved in it )

Literal Meaning:

Niluvu+addam a vertical mirror ( full length mirror ) ,
ninu - you
epudainaa - any time
nuvvu - you
evaru - who
ani adigena ? - asked

aa chitrame - That wonder
Gaministhuna -- observing
Kothhaga - Newly

Nuvvu vinnadhi nee pErayina
Ninu kaadhani anipinchaina
Aa sangathi kanipeduthunna
Vinthagaa

Essence : Iam trying to discover another strange thing
I hear someone calling my name , but i dont think its me,

Literal Meaning:
Vinnadi - Heard
perayina -- peru + aynaa -- Name
kaadhani - not
anipinchena - felt
aa sangathi - that matter
kanipeduthunna - discoveryng
vinthagaa - strangely


Nee kannula merise roopam
NaadhEna anukuntunna
Nee thEnela pedhavulu palike
Teeyadhanam naa pErEna
adhi nuvve ani nuvve cheputhuvunna

Essence : Images in your eyes looks to be mine ,
Sweet words from your honey lips looks to be my name ,
Can't believe it even if you confirm they are mine !

Literal Meaning :

kannula - eyes
merise - shining
roopam - image ( of person)
naadhe - mine
anukuntunna - thinking/imagining ( here its , 'felt')
thenela - honey soaked
pedavulu - lips
palike - uttering
theeyadanam - sweetness
naa perenaaa - is it my name ?

adhi nuvve - thats you
ani nuvve - yes it is, as told by you
chebuthu vunna -- telling

Lalalai…
Niluvadhamu…

Ha..prathi adugu, thanaku thaane
Saagindhi nee vaypu
Naa maata vinnantu
Nenaappalenanthaga

Essence : Every step my feet takes, goes towards you without my control ...
Literal Meaning :

Prathi - every
adugu - step
thanaku thane - by itself
saagindhi - proceeds
nee vyapu - towards you
naa maata - my word
vinnatu - not listening
nenaapalenthaga ( nenu + aapalenu + anthaga ) - i could not stop

[Female]

Bhayapadaku adhi nizame
vasthondhi ee marpu
Nee koti chindulni
Natyaluga marchagaa

Essence : Dont worry , its true , there is a change in you , for your monkey deeds are turning into beautiful dance forms

Literal Meaning :
same as essence ( in order of the words above )

[Male]
Nanninthaga marchendhuku
Neekevarricharu hakku

Essence :who gave you this authority to change me this much?

Literal Meaning :
Nanninthaga -- Nannu + inthaga , me this much
marchenduku -- for changing
neekevarricharu -- neeku + evaru + icharu , who gave you
hakku - authority

[Female]
Nee premane prasninchuko
Aa nindha nakendhuku

Why blame me for that , question your love it self !

Prasninchuko - Prasna is question , prasninchuko question itself

nindha - blame
nakenduku - naaku + enduku , why me
[Chorus]
Lalalai…

[Male]
Niluvadhamu…

[Female]
Ha..idhivaraku, yedhalayaku
Ye maathramuledhu horethu ee joru
Kangaru pettenthaga

Never did I felt my heart racing and its worry some too !

Idhivaruku - Never before
Yedhalayaky - yedha + laya , heart + beat ( or rhythm of heart )

yee maathramu ledu - not even there
horethu - Gushing water like
ee joru - this speed
kangaru pettenthaga - and its worrysome


[Male]
Thadabadaku, nanu adugu
cheputhanu pataalu nee letha
padhalu jalapadamayetuga


Dont worry , Ask me , Would teach you lessons which would make gentle feet would dance like water falls ..

Thadabadaku - hesitate / feel difficult to ask ( in this context )
adugu - ask
cheputhaanu - tell
pataalu -lessons
nee letha - your tender
paadhalu - feet
jalapathamayettuga - jalapathamu + ayettugaa- waterfalls + would turn

[Female]
Na darine marlinchaga
Neekendhuku antha pantham

Why are you so stubborn to change my way
naa darinee -- my way
marlinchaga - change
neekenduku -- neeku + enduku , you why
antha - that much
pantham - stubborn/adamant
[Male]
Manchethilo unte kadhaa
Preminchatam maanatam

manchethilo - mana + chethilo , our hands
unte kadha - is it there ?
preminchatam - loving
maanatam - not loving
(who am i to change your way ) Its not in our hands to fall in love or not
[Chorus]
Lalalai…

[Male ]
Niluvadhamu…

Becoming a Technical Leader

Becoming a Technical Leader: An Organic Problem-Solving Approach

the book by Gerald M WeinBerg , i have been reading, borrowed from office library
This is my second book from Gerry , and he does not disappoint me again .

In Short , The Book Rocks ......... ! This would change the way you look at what Leadership is all about ,

If you are one of those Technical Problem-Solving Leaders ( or wannabes )

This is one of the books You Should OWN it

If you are in india and want to buy this book , check this for best price

Statement of Purpose

Although not many knew i wanted to do doctoral program ( Yes Indeed i wanted and applied for 28 Universities all over Europe and Canada ). By now i got rejection mail from the last university too .

The point i want to make here is not that my application got rejected , The point is what i wrote in my statement of purpose , Yes the very statement why i wanted to do a doctoral program .

Any way who wants to copy some one's SOP whose application got rejected .

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Statement of Purpose – Sashank Dara

After a good academic track record and six years of exceptional industrial experience my thirst for creating more meaningful products which have an impact on masses of the mankind is not satisfied .


I have strong passion for researching and creating products which make an impact on this world , which can change the way people live , for much better world , for much better economy.

In my honest opinion , either Industry or Academia should thrive for such research ,
should work for such products which would make a difference in this world.
Unfortunately I sense there is a gap between industry and academia , most of the products produced by industry perish or don't make sense because of lack of research and most of academic research does not impact human life as there is lesser chance to make a meaningful product out of them and i want to do my part to bridge such gap.
I have strong passion for solving problems , real problems which can change the way we live ,in this age of computers and communications, there is not a problem that can be solved which can bring such change. At the same time , a strong passion in creating products of such solutions .

Coming to my interests in Doctoral Thesis I have chosen ,

1. Algorithms and CS theory , A real world application of a well researched algorithm
can have huge impact on our daily lives , it can be anything including economy , health or well optimized usage of our valuable available resources, It would be very challenging to do such research.

2. Networking wireless and Communications , Modern Days communications have
revolutionized the way we communicate , it reduced the distance between people at the
same time it complicated our relations too . So well researched networking application should add to the well being of such human relations, I would love to put my heart and soul in such research.

3. Security and cryptography , Its our responsibility , I mean computer science engineers responsibility to create more secure and meaningful applications , the world can bank on !

Its our soulful duty to save millions of people from the clutches of unending
vulnerabilities our computers have created in their day to day live , it can be their bank accounts or simply put their lives which is full of computers in one or the other form in their daily live . It would be definitely exciting to be part of such research . On a whole i think , i can put my research abilities and strong work experience to a proper use in such research which can create more meaningful Living on this planet !

On a long run , i would like to see myself as a Technology Evangelist and a Teacher , so that we can inspire and make more such research scientists required to make this world a better place to live in .