My Personality Disorders

Disorder	Rating
Paranoid:	Moderate
Schizoid:	Low
Schizotypal:	Moderate
Antisocial:	Low
Borderline:	Low
Histrionic:	Moderate
Narcissistic:	Moderate
Avoidant:	Low
Dependent:	Moderate
Obsessive-Compulsive:	Low
-- Personality Disorder Test - Take It! --

Whe I was very young, I used to have these strange fantasies.

I used to wish that one day, all the dirt, the grime, the sludge, all the muck in the world would suddenly levitate, fly up into the air, hover over the atmosphere and then disappear, and everything would be spotless, clean and... nice.

When I grew older I saw this article in the paper. It was an interview with this Serbian (or was it Bosnian?, or Slovak? I dont remember). He was talking about how he used to kill mothers and children in a small mountain town thereabouts. At long range.
First, he would get them in their sights.
The mother would probably be running, with her child held protectively in front of her.
Then, he would take careful aim.
Shoot
And get the child in the stomach. So he wouldnt die instantly.
Then, he would watch the mother in agony while she screamed and her child's lifeblood drained away in jerks and shivers.
Then he would shoot her in the head.

I think it was that night when I went to bed and dreamed that somehow, all the bad men, the evil men, they were suddenly levitated, lifted high into the sky, and then, somehow, in the midst of all the screaming and the moaning and the wailing, they were ripped, spliced, shredded into particulate matter, and a fine rain of blood, and a fine snow of bones would fall over the earth.

And everything would be perfect. No bad men left in the world. No more evil. Nice.

Why did I share this with you? I dont know. I just had that same dream again recently, and all the "bad people" had faces I could recognise. They weren't necessarily people I knew, but I knew their faces. They were faceless when I was younger. Why can I recognise them now?

Douglas Adams' Ugly Mug and his Homepage

The man himself,find out more if you want.

Douglas Adams, As Always

Here's a speech of Douglas Adams' about the internet. If any of your grandparents, friends, parents, whatever, think the internet is the first sign of the coming of the Antichrist, give this to them. He's fun, he's witty, he's irreverent, and, in my opinion, scarily prophetic. And the quiet measured reasoning that comes through the chaos is my favourite thing about him. Hats off, if i wore a hat. Doulglas Adams on the Internet

I lost my ring today.

Hey! I bought a ring today! The first piece of ornamentation i have ever bought for myself in my entire life! Decided to go wild, bunked work and went to Dilli Haat to buy gifts for people, with a friend. She showed me hers, which looked really nice. Then she suggested i try one. She took me to this stall there, and i found this interesting metal ring, not very fine or anything, but with some rather interesting looking characters in a strange language. I must get that translated, by the way, cause for all i know, it might just say "go stick your head up a pig (Douglas Adams, a toast).
Also, I saw what has to be one of the most beautiful (NOTE: not sexy) girls in my life today. She was seated at a stall selling some paintings, and her face was turned away as i was approaching the stall. She was wearing a blue sweater. Then she turned and I stopped in my tracks. She had the most innocent features i've ever seen. Her skin was radiant, like nothing i've ever seen before. She had on no makeup or anything, it was just like that.
And the eyes.
My God.
They were the most beautiful eyes i've ever seen in the world. I mean, they were grey... grey like brushed silver. With shine in them so beautiful i didnt know it was possible without an experienced fashion photographer. I wanted to take her photograph, and i would have, i was that determined to remember those eyes. My friend had a camera she was willing to lend me if i didnt involve her in the whole thing and get us both chappaled out off dilli haat. But i gave up the idea. I know that beauty like that is not going to show on a piece of chemically treated paper. The only place i can really keep it fresh is in my head. I'll never get those eyes out of my mind.
Besides, we also discovered that my friend had been walking around for two days with a camera without any film in it.
God. Those eyes.

Social Science Class

One thing that really bugs you when you're doing a lot of researchonline is the profusion of on-the-point, relevant websites which you know will just spit out what you need, but which you probably have to pay$45 per mont, with a $100 deposit (or some shit like that). There is, however, one place i have my eye on, and i'm gonna get it baby, coughing up or no coughing up. Its a place called Questia ,and it supposedly has 50,000 odd books and 400,ooo odd journals! and this includes works of fiction such as john steinbeck's the grapes of wrath and innumerable (ok, a lot of) chomsky tomes. The best part... subscription for one year amounts to just Rs. 6000/-. For a net addict cum book-o-phile like me, that sounds (painful but) payable. Ok, ok, ok, went tangential there for a second. My POINT is... here's one pretty comprehensive site of legal and basically most types of social sciences research which you don't have to pay through your nose for. The Social Sciences Research Network is a pretty well laid out place for research on economics, law and accounting, with information systems and marketing coming up. Ok, thats not exactly the social sciences we expected, but hell, for a (not necessarily enthusiastic) law-gopher like me its pretty damn useful. Extensive links to quite a few US and international journals, MOST of the articles free and a pretty easy search engine. Not a bad deal. Just 1 thing. unless you want to contribute an article, dont register.It's free but worthless. Happy researching?

I FOUND IT I FOUND IT I FOUND IT!!!

Ok, first, a little history... about 5 years ago, in the 12th standard, I used to love visiting this place called MrCranky's. It was this amazing site on the net where this guy let loose all over all the movies ever made. Good or bad, it didnt matter to him. If you think what he did to American History X was bad (snd I thought that was a pretty GOOD movie), you have to see what he did to Spice World. All in all, i totally forgot about the plae till a month ago. The sad part is, that by then i'd totally forgotten the name of the place, leading me to try any number of insane and dangerous combinations to get where i needed. (sample:Mr. Nasty. [Ok, i'm not hlinking this site cause its porn and maybe its not a good idea to go that way right now.]).
But finally, i have found it, in all its caustic glory. Please, lets all give a low bow to Mr. Cranky's

The First Comedian

The World has seen much comedy, some of it rather funny. The World has seen Oscar Wilde, Roald Dahl, P. G. Wodehouse, Douglas Adams, Terry Pratchett, and hopefully, it will survive Adam Sandler. However, I dont care what the world has seen, this George Bush guy is GREAT!!!! I mean, I haven't seen a class act like his since... I don't know, since... Bal Thackeray! I'm sure most of you know what I'm talking about, but for those of you who don't here's a small sampler of the First Comedian. Read this first and then move on the greater things. This is a poem comprised of actual quotations from the King himself, and arranged by Washington Post writer Richard Thompson. LadieeeeeeesanGennelmen, lets hear it for Make the Pie Higher!
Ok, people, if you enjoyed that, then you should know you've only had a small sample of the Man's Genius. Here's a link to a site selling this EXCELLENT book I really hope to own on the same lines, with FREE SAMPLE QUOTES. Chuckle through the Presidential Eletion Fiasco, Snap your ribs through the World Trade Center Bombing and suffer Cardiac Arrest at the expense of Saddam Hussein. Ennnnnjoooooiiiiiiiiii the Presidential (Mis)Speak Calendar.

Also, I really get pissed of when people put this guy down, cause, as a friend of mine told me earlier, if this stuff had been written by a guy like Syd Barrett or Jim Morrion or any other psychotic genius, people would be worshipping him like a GOD.

Neo Bill Gates

I'm just wondering if Bill Gates has any ability to appreciate irony whatsoever. Here are the two head honchos of the one of the most widely reviled (even by people who use their stuff) companies in the world, and THEY'RE talking about rebelling against the Evil Empire. It's Beautiful. It's like casting Caesar and Brutus to play Asterix and Obelix against the Romans. I wish i could link you guys to a photo, cause its too hilarious for words. Maybe i will later, but still, here's the story morning glory, and i think its a laugh riot. Check out Agent Bill Smith

Free Association Poetry

Signboard Signboard burning bright
In the sputtering neon light
By what twist of fate did I
Find myself beneath this sign?
What're the odds that my brain
Has gone over the edge again?
Free at last, bounden never
Do I not think I'm too clever?
To think at all there is no need
My fingers on this keyboard bleed
Cockroach, cockroach bleeding white
Beneath
the

Sputtering

Neon

Light

Arty Farty

ok, before i start on anything here, i'd like to point something out... Art can be Really Cool!! The reason i'm pointing this out is this: Everytime i download what i feel to be a fun picture from the net, and spend about half an hour admiring it, i realise that i want to share this incredible thing with my buddy-boys. So i take all the effort of copying out on floppy, carting off to said buddy's computer and showing him, voila, cool pictures! He stares and then goes, "Vaat all this art fart gas (Annirudh and Koshy, if you're reading this, please do something unspeakable to yourselves). At any rate, i dont think people should see art as "egads! look at the interplay of light and shade across the right ass cheek", or "gosh, those lines are so indicative of a classic oedipus complex". In other words, i feel that art is not to be the preserve of the few who can talk technical about it. On the other hand, i also have a problem with those guys who automatically dismiss anything classified as "art" from the purview of their mental mindscape. Basic upshot, you dont need a 90 degree nose or a degree in Artistic Appreciation to enjoy art. Here's a collection of a few of my thus far favourite artists. i found this really good site which provides pretty high-def online copies of their work called Art54 . It's got a lot of pictures of a wide range of artists. My favourites are:

1. edvard munch . When you check out this site, make sure to look for the pictures of the lovers painted in a blue light. I think its one of the most beautiful i've ever seen.

2. h r giger . One of the totaly weirdest artists i've ever seen. if you like very in your face psycho art, check this out.

3. m. c. escher who seems to be a brilliant sketcher, please notice the "face-belt in the sky" painting, as made famous by the two famous art critics,Koshy John and J. Anniruddha. If you dont like these, please surf around. You're bound to like something. Give it a shot.

Origin of Name ViralFish

Ok, there's this absolute moron of a buddy of mine who says i'm a ripoff artist over the name of this blog. Ok, for anyone who's interested, this is how i got the name:

I found it on a matchbox.

There, now that I've got that off my chest, here's the sad truth about my efforts at getting this blog listed on Google:

Viralfish's Lodi

Interesting argument for free software in schools

A brilliant case here for using free software in schools. More importantly, it argues for the knowledge to read code as something to be made available to all. Check out this link on free software and code for all

Comment Away, and Lawrence Lessig

ok, faithful multitudes of eager followers of my now incredibly popular, featured on wired magazine's blog of the year blog (yeah, right). I have a comments section. no longer need the common reader suffer in silence. Post your views, one and all!! post away! i love it when you do that. By the way, i realise that i havent hyperlinked a cool place to go to in ages, so here's lawrence lessig's blog. He's a person everyone who's passionate about the internet, and the freedom and opportunities it gives you should take a look at. And his articles are incredibly fascinating. check it out. oh, and now you can post stuff to me telling ME what's interesting. cool, no?

Viva cheap books and darya ganj

"The Sexual Politics of Meat"
"The Use of Light and Shade in Close Combat"
"The Tongue- a Creative Tool" (Philosophy, i swear it.)
I pray that every major city in every country has its own version of darya ganj. As far as ive seen, every major city in India ive been to does. Delhi’s darya ganj needs little description for the dedicated book lover. Something of a 3 kilometer stretch of books stocked with books of all types, falling over each other… its too brilliant for words. As brilliant an area is koti and abids in hyderabad on Sundays. A whole lot more chaotic but all the more fun because of the infinitude of exploring you have to do. Madras’s Moore market is supposed to be pretty good too, but all I’ve seen of it is a desultory four or five shops selling old text books and pirated bestsellers. Bombay’s stretch of booksellers between churchgate and fountain is really good in terms of quality books but very OUCH pricey.. well, for a second hand book junkie at least. And its not as if the only fun part is the actual acquisition of the books.. that's pretty cool, no doubt, but the really amazing bit is in the major fast paced bargaining, the back and forth duel for the best price, the (usually) jocular exchanges of famous bargaining one liners ( try mentioning the quality of the book, the fact that its so old, look, see, someone’’s scribbled all over this page). Try doing this with the equivalent knowledge of hindi as an American who’s just done with an ISKCON conference and the fur’ll really fly. The best part is the fact that these areas are usually (with exception of Mumbai) located in the “proper” areas of their respective cities, the “old towns” so to speak. Happily divorced from any semblance of a Barristas or a Pizza Hut, you can munch on bread pakoras and kachoris all over darya ganj, or have lots and lots of chai and chaat in Koti and Abids (try looking for a place called, I think, Gokul’s Chaat Bhandar, if you can find it, you’ll know it by the AMAzing bhelpuri), and in Mumbai, ok, you can have lots of peanuts in Mumbai. Unfortunately, it’s also my belief that these places are starting to… somehow, sag. 3 years ago in darya ganj, the sellers were exploding with offers, deals, buy 1 kg of books for 10 bucks, buy 2 books for 15 etc. now it seems they’ve become a whole lot more, I don’t know, professional? Here, this book costs 50, take it or leave it. No saar, fixed rate. This time’s trip was a whole lot less productive thatn the last, but I still got hold of: the wilder shores of marx, 1 michael moorcock satire collection, l ron hubbard, aldous huxley’s a brave new world revisited and a full William blake reader for only total Rs 200. ok. Im cheap. I love books. What better combination could exist for me?

Hurriedly Written Post

Greetings from delhi people. Busy as a bee on double expresso. Why life not vat zee frenz? Sorry, tribute to one of NALSAR's finest, there. Would'nt make much sense to outsiders. No time must run. Oh VAt a Fun.
I warned you there'd be writing like this on some days.

Post Fever Delirium

Two Words.

Fever Bright.

Dilli Chalo, Beer... um. Drinko

The brilliant thing about being slioghtly tipsy...
you dont careweq if you misspell all the damn words.
Yiou dont care if the woerld sucks
Yoiu dont care if you cant finfish stupid lists like this...

Now, moving on. I'm off to Dilli todaqy. Dilli chalo!!!!

Darya Ganj, here I come. 15 buck vodka shots, here I come. 15 hour workdays, here I come. AAARGH.

While we're on this little trip, I hope your life is pleasant. I hope you're really happy doing what you're doing right now. If not, if its just for the money, or the prestige, or the long term benefits, or whatever, chuck it. Its just not worth it if you are not truly happy.

I hope I can follow this advice. I really do.

In the meantime, there's beer.

VIVA LA BEER!!!

Hope to watch 2 brilliant movies today, Requiem for a dream and Dead Man. Dead Man, with johnny depp in it. MY GOD, what an actor!!! Ok, i exaggerate, but still one of the best ibve seen in ages. From edward scissorhands to don juan to nick of time to Pirates of the Caribbean.

Ok, ok, I'M not the one obsessed with the Depp guy. I've got a friend whose dialoogues are 3/4ths johnny depp in POTC. God, he's stranglerable when he goes "Welcome to the Caribbean" for the 113th time.

At any rate, he's a brilliant actor. Majorly

To prove i can still go off on a mindless tangent, here's a link to The Onion, one of the funniest sites on the web that I know of. If you know any funnier or cfooler ones, mail me at george_rohan@rediffmail.com

Viva La Free Book Revolutione

Long live the Free Access To Literature Through The Internet Movement! (I'm sure they have a shorter name for it, but what the hell...).
Viva la Revolutione!!

I'm really happy to see so many efforts at preserving works of literature and great books on the internet.I'm even really happier to see that they're doing it for FREE. I love the feeling of mentally flashing the "V" at the the checkout attendant at the local air conditioned-get-out-if-you-don't-have-more-than-300 bucks- flashy bookstore everytime I hit the download button for another Balzac classic.

It's really sad though, you don't get too much post war literature, or even very much immediately pre-war stuff, like George Orwell or Joseph Heller... DIE DIE Copyright Enforcement Pigs!

Anyways, check out these three fascinating places.
1. The Nalanda project (a bit of a pissoff, cause you have to be a member to access some of the cooler categories )
2. The Digital Library of India ( Kinda hard to browse)
3. The Gutenberg Project (So far THE most comprehensive site of this kind I've visited. But again, not so easy to browse.)

AAALeluiah, AALeluiah, Aleluiah, Aleluiah, AAAAALEEELULIAH...

This too shall pass... i hope

Greetings bored net users... This is my sorry excuse at an attempt at creative writing... and stuffs. Here, i you are lucky you will encounter potatoes, death clocks, communist flamingoes and other such florid psychedelia. If you are unlucky, you will encounter writing similar to that displayed above...
To begin....
What the hell is the point of this pathetic miseable existence we call life?? Is it...

Scared you there did'nt I?

But no, seriously...
Currently, and I know you dont care, I'm going through a period in my life when I have no idea where the hell my life is.... (Something gives me the feeling this whole "L" word thing is what causes so many blogs to die every day).... So suffer as I totally go off on a tangent and describe a brilliant Tamil movie I just saw a week ago...

Tirunelveli. Present Day. Chaos. Organised Crime (Slightly oxymoronic?). Prostitution. Illegal Booze. Rampant Corruption. Beer and Idli. It is into this fascinating and slightly suffocating milieu that Deputy Commisioner AaruSaamy, IPS steps in.
Brilliant start. Rowdi walks into a wine shop, hungover, asks for a beer, goes to a chai kaddai, asks for an idli, mashes idli into choru, sprays beer into choru (nee idli)...yenjaais. Cut to song and dance scene.Cut to police corruption. Cut to rowdi taking on cops singlehanded and, (Wooohooo)turning them over to the police for arrest.
This is Aarusaamy's entry. At what point? At the point where he arrests rowdi for smashing property left, right and center duri9ng song and dance? At point where he arrests rowdi for totalling marketplace and causing untold thousands of damage while beating up a squad of 6 oplice officers armed with lathis?
Nope. Rowdi=Aarusaamy... "Naan police illai da... Naan Porukki" (I'm not a cop da. I'm a rowdy).

Ok, I dont feel much like talking about this movie anymore, and I'm just about out of time. If you're totally jobless and feel like checking this out, go to this site for a review :)
. What is this site? Hell, I dont know, I just looked for a review in the last 2 minutes so you would'nt get pissed off that I didnt tell you more about the movie...

Bye now.