Melvin Durai predicts..
In his column, Melvin Durai makes only one prediction for the coming year: that his readers will do something to help the Tsunami victims.
“It’s going to take years for them to recover and your money — whatever you can give, even a few dollars — will help them do it. That’s why you’re going to empty your jars of pennies, that’s why you’re going to search your couch for lost change, that’s why you’re going to stop taking regular baths until your co-workers cough up some money.
I’d expect nothing less from my favorite reader.”
Looks like everyone is doing their bit. At ASU, everyone received an email from President Michael Crow exhorting everyone to donate to the Red Cross/USAID. America has upped its aid to $350 million and Amazon has collected nearly 10 million in just a few days!
Posted by Anil on December 31st, 2004 :: Filed under
Uncategorized
The machine ate my change
 |
After losing my money in vending machines innumerable times, I am glad someone decided to fight back. [image: coke vending machine at the Goldwater Center, ASU] |
Posted by Anil on December 31st, 2004 :: Filed under
Uncategorized
One Hundred Thousand
100,000 is the estimated number of deaths in the South East Asian Tsunami. Dave tries to put this number into perspective.
Posted by Anil on December 30th, 2004 :: Filed under
Uncategorized
A Festivus for the rest of us!
The NYT has a story on the origins of Festivus and how it is catching on in the real world too.
Posted by Anil on December 30th, 2004 :: Filed under
Uncategorized
This picture is from the Lower Antelope Canyon in Arizona where water has created interesting shapes in the rocks. Of course, the shapes are all about perception, so see if you can spot something related to the Titanic (the movie) in this picture..
Posted by Anil on December 30th, 2004 :: Filed under
Uncategorized
Tsunami Relief – Every cent helps
More than 50,000 lives have been lost due to the recent Tsunami in the Indian Ocean region. A lot of money and help is needed to bring the lives of thousands of affected people back to normal, so please donate whatever you can. Tsunamihelp.blogspot.com is functioning as an excellent location for information on how to donate to the various agencies involved in relief work, including the American Red Cross, AID and others. Please choose an organization and donate whatever small amount you can. Remember, even a single dollar goes a long way in this region. If you choose to donate through the Red Cross, visit their donation page and make sure that you choose the International Response Fund as the recipient.
You can also help by spreading the word about the donation options (directing people to tsunamihelp is the easiest option). Wikipedia has a regularly updated page on the Tsunami with plenty of information about the disaster too. I visited Apple’s page today and was pleasantly surprised to find that their entire home page was devoted to tsunami relief organizations!
UPDATE 1:
* Google has a special page setup with a list of charities.
* Benjamin Rosenbaum has collected ratings of the charities mentioned in Google’s list and on Tsunamihelp.
* You can now donate to the American Red Cross through Amazon. Nearly $3 million has been collected through Amazon so far.
Posted by Anil on December 29th, 2004 :: Filed under
Uncategorized
Last page of the Internet
I used to be a champion surfer – websurfer, that is.. and one of my friends told me that if I browse so much, one day I would end up at a page that says “You have reached the end of the Internet”. Well, it turns out that there actually is a last page of the Internet. Take that buddy!
Posted by Anil on December 27th, 2004 :: Filed under
Uncategorized
Tsunami relief
tsunamihelp.blogspot.com is functioning as a clearing house for donations and relief activities and also provides updates about the ongoing relief work. Please pass this link around, and also chip in with your donations. I am reposting some of the donation links here:
* India: Prime Minister’s National Relief Fund, by bank transfer, or by credit card
* Reliefweb (United Nations office)
* Malaysian Bloggers Fund
* Red Cross Online Donations
* Oxfam online donation
* Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) – International
Posted by Anil on December 27th, 2004 :: Filed under
Uncategorized
Added a new blog for MATLAB hacks. Also put up some of the graduation pictures online. And yes, I do need to find a proper job before I make blogging my primary career 
Posted by Anil on December 23rd, 2004 :: Filed under
Uncategorized
It’s never been tried.
Dave Dufour has a collection of phrases that are typically heard in brainstorming sessions and have the effect of killing creative thinking. My favourites:
* It ain’t broke, don’t fix it.
* It’s too much trouble to change.
* We tried that before.
* It’s too much work.
Also worth checking out is this manifesto on “How to be creative” from ChangeThis.
Posted by Anil on December 21st, 2004 :: Filed under
Uncategorized
