Facebook Dump II
A collection of some of my FB posts over the years.
Here’s the link to the first dump, so you know what this is about.
25/01/2022
On this day in 1959, the first transcontinental commercial jet trip in the US took place between Los Angeles and New York. Highlights from the American Airlines menu that day included fresh Maine lobster with capers, filet mignon, herb-buttered fan tan rolls and macaroon ice cream balls with brandied apricot sauce.
The Wright Brothers had successfully flown a plane in 1903 but delays in improving aircraft designs coupled with some fatal accidents made it more than fifty-five years for the humble jet to catch the fancy of the American public. The two wars certainly helped in improving the design for military use. After all, you can’t advertise technical issues as causes of death for your brave soldiers. Lethal gases and other weapons are any day better instruments to rile up the all-important nationalistic fervour. In the latter war, when Boeing aircrafts dropped off two bombs to wipe off the population of two entire cities without a scratch on themselves, pundits back home probably thought it was laughable not to let a 707 for civilian purposes.
In hindsight, it looks pretty weird that the Americans were yet to make jet-flight mainstream when the Soviets had already sent two Sputniks into space and were preparing for manned missions. Yet, in the next ten years, they ensured man would step on the moon.
There are some decades when centuries happen.
06/11/2021
The American political economist Mancur Olson, in his fin de siècle book Power and Prosperity, wrote about roving bandits and stationary bandits. In a lawless land, the roving bandits come once in a while in their periodic hunts, mercilessly ravage the place and go away. To provide protection to the hapless, the stationary bandits enter. They understand that people are the ultimate resource, so why kill the goose that lays the golden egg in a single blow?
The Indian state (or many nation-states for that matter) are stationary bandits. But that is true for a larger subset of its subjects. Down the social hierarchy, the establishment is often a collective of roving bandits. If you are tilted towards nuance, the way the state deals with extremism can be an eye-opener in this regard.
In Karnan, the eagle perched high up in the sky occasionally swoops down to take away young chicks, thus showing the flock their rightful place. In Jai Bhim, the bird of prey simply sits and checks on the tribespeople at night. It has ulterior motives. The owl is a stationary bandit.
08/08/2021
One of the things we take for granted is how the entire machinery works day in and day out to present the Olympics to every nook and corner of the world. In Rio 2016, half of the world's population tuned in for the greatest show on earth.
For Tokyo 2020, it is even more relevant. Spectators weren't allowed and revelling in inspirational stories amidst the raging gloom is something we really looked forward to. The Nippon Hōsō Kyōkai, translating to English as Japan Broadcasting Corporation, is the country's public broadcaster and they have a historical tryst with the Games.
Tokyo 1964 was spectacular in many ways. Rising up from the ashes of World War II, Japan put together a show widely observed by many people. And this was largely possible due to the technology of NHK. They ensured the first colour coverage which greatly added to the sheen.
But it was eight years later in 1972 that they stamped into the Olympic legacy. Sapporo was the host of the Winter Olympics that year. NHK provided the television feed for broadcasters to choose the coverage they want. This has been the model for today’s host broadcast organization.
In 2021, they streamed more than 200 hours in 8K, an idea they have been toying with since the 2012 London Olympics. The technology finally saw the light of the day in terms of live Olympics coverage after nine years. One can only gauge the sleepless nights the organizing committee must have had all these days. And this is not yet over with the Paralympics around the corner.
Once all of this is over, here's hoping they take care of the mental health of their employees. Karoshi (death due to overwork) is a serious problem in Japan and NHK's experience on that front has not been spotless. Sports broadcasting is a tedious task, to put it mildly. You can't ask for a retake in sports.
On to Paris. And this time it's only three years of wait!
29/07/2021
I turned 25 a couple of days back. Here’s what I have learned in the early stage of the startup that is my life:
👇👇👇👇
Your ears are Goldilocks zone. The rhythm of digging them should be halfway between Andhadhun and Ram Gopal Varma Ki Aag.
The job of a lifeguard during Olympics swimming events is only the second most useless in the world. Catering in the veg section of a Bengali wedding still tops the list.
If someone can hold the folded sal leaf constant during the entire course of eating panipuris, give that person a permanent position in your company.
Also, the transition from sal leaf to stitched little bowl is a significant change in the UI/UX of consuming panipuris.
If there are only two people in a panipuri stall and you see the other person has finished eating the last four panipuris with ease before the seller is ready with his fifth, consider recruiting him/her in a crisis management role.
The smell from the mutton roll counter is always inversely proportional to your willpower to avoid it.
It’s best to avoid a specific kind of person in life. This can be judged by some factors, like if they are averse to the aloo in a Kolkata Biriyani, or wear mufflers in Kolkata in early November.
"Mutual funds investments are subject to market risks" is their way of saying if your expectation is Hrithik Roshan, be prepared for Harman Baweja.
Show your work in public. The moment one says ‘golden guy’, chances are Bappi Lahiri flashes in your mind before Michael Phelps.
If you think of having “EVERYTHING IS PLANNED” as an important password, please remember to set it in exactly this combination. No one will think of hacking it with caps and spaces included.
I am 25, look like 35, talk like 45, and when it comes to relationships, only 5. Hence no advice on that front, except if someone does not
a) ask you to invest in Bitcoins on your first date,
b) order a veg salad for lunch,
she is a keeper.
26/05/2021
Nichidatsu Fujii was the founder of the Nipponzan-Myōhōji order of Buddhism. A close associate of Mahatma Gandhi, he met Bapu at the Wardha ashram. In fact, the Buddhist temple in Calcutta near Dhakuria Lake was founded by him during one of his India visits.
World War II and the bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki prompted him to build peace pagodas across the world, a decision that has over the years become the most recognizable legacy of his order.
The first peace pagoda was built in Kumamoto, Japan in 1954 by Fujii Guruji. Incidentally, the Buddha relics enshrined therein were presented by Jawaharlal Nehru.
Closer home, on November 3, 1972, the most venerated Nichidatsu Fujii laid the foundation stone of the Darjeeling Peace Pagoda. As happens with many projects in this part of the world, it materialized only in 1992.
When we visited the place a couple of years back, it was one of those cloudy days. But the Gautama was as resplendent as ever.
#BuddhaPurnima
