Different Hues of My Mind

Deviating a bit from the usual stuff I write about in my blog, this one has a more technical context (not to say I'm technically savvy) to it. Of late, I have been trying to use open-source software to see how it fares in meeting my requirements. So, out of interest, I read quite a bit about Linux. I search the internet for the different available options (distributions). So, a simple search on Google for "review+ name of the linux distribution " reveals a lot of results. Sadly, more often than not, the so called reviews are just poor expressions of one's (author's) opinion. I often find them a waste of time, misleading & biased. For e.g. I've read a so called review of an operating system, where the reviewer wrote off the operating system because he/she didn't like the default colour scheme (theme), and refused to review it!! We know that changing the colours or themes is just a matter of couple clicks on any operating system, but to say that I will

Following my previous post about the so called "dog menace", I can't help but write this blog after my recent visit to a place called Valparai, in Tamilnadu. This is a very typical small town, with a few small restaurants, boarding and lodging places, a main street and hills dotted with houses. The only difference is that, the weather is typical hill-station like, town is unspoilt by visitors, and it is very less commercialized. We were told by the locals that there is not much to see. However, when we started exploring the place on bike, we soon found a clean little stream flowing between the tea plantations. It was breathtaking place. We spent quite some time here. We were also told that there is a waterfall named "Chinnakallar". The water falls are named after the place; but it is the dam that holds the significance. We parked our bikes, and enquired about the falls at a tea-shop on the way. We were told that water is less at this time of the year. Regardle

Recent news about stray (street) dogs fatally attacking 2 children in separate incidents has suddenly caused the government officials to sit up and start doing something about the "menace". We have stray animals to tackle on our roads today to add to the woes of road conditions & traffic. Stray dogs chasing 2 wheeler riders in the night & attacking pedestrians is very common. Isn't "Dog is a man's best friend?" We take pride in the development, with cities outgrowing themselves, people trying hard to acquire land & property and have all the creature comforts. However, we also take the land & space for granted. We claim stake to land where animals lived amicably, and then blame them as nuisance. Would we appreciate it if somebody were to intrude into our space and call us a nuisance? Certainly not! So, the next time you pick up a stone or stick to hit a dog, or curse a stray animal on the road, remember, these animals may not have come your wa