Government de-links poverty data with pro-poor schemes

When faced with barrage of questions from the TV show hosts about ridiculous poverty lines by planning commission and recent controversial drop in poverty reported by Government of India. Congress spokesperson argue - "The pro-poor schemes have been delinked with poverty data and cover 67% of population"

This comment begs to ask the question
1. If poverty data does not figure in subsidy distribution. What is the use of reporting it or even being happy about it because even after 22% poverty 67% of India will be covered by food security bill. Is this a poll trick for purchasing votes?Are we trying to create a nation of 100 billion poor happily subsidized Indians?

As per my knowledge subsidy was meant for weaker sections of society.

2. What is the reasoning for the 67% coverage of population?? Why not 80% or even 100%? Is it just whim of the government.
If this is a whim of ruling dispensation we may find ourselves in a soup sooner than later.

Teenage love and Mature Love

I have a somewhat cynical view of 'Love' because it is one of the most misused word of our times with people falling in and out of it at not so long an interval. Nevertheless here in is the description of the two kinds of love - Teenage love and mature love.

Teenage love is mostly about finding that special someone to confide one's insecurities because at that age we are for the first time in life thinking about Who am I? Why am I here? What makes me different from the rest? What makes me 'special'? (Of course we didn't ponder this question in childhood because we were always playing without a care in the world).

This question leads some people to try to find somebody who can define their purpose of living. They would hold on to this relationship with person as a cover against the idea that they are not special - same as all others.

If a relationship breaks up at this stage it results in self-effacing attitude towards life (depression) believing "nothing is worth living" or they would try to find other person to maintain the idea that having someone in your life makes it special.

But when you look deeper You realize: "You have been holding on to somebody to define yourself. Why shouldn't you define yourself by creating 'you' - a set of beliefs and actions that define you - instead of latching on to another person?"

I believe that's the seed of mature love when you seek somebody's company not because you want it to define yourself but because You believe their company would enrich your life as well as theirs. It enhances your 'self' instead of defining it.

Love is a serendipitous gift but not our 'whole lives' - we define our lives.

P.S.: It may seem not much of a flattering description of love but love does have its place in life.
The author believes love is not to inveigle oneself in other's feelings as the most common notion goes :)

Serendipity = the faculty or phenomenon of finding valuable or agreeable things not sought for

What inception teaches us :)

Inception : an act, process, or instance of beginning  : COMMENCEMENT

Inception beautifully captures the following real life experiences
1. We don't remember how our dreams started: Leave apart remembering how the dream began after getting up, we even don't remember how we came into this position (see pic below)

2. We feel time runs slow while we dream.

3. Even in dreams we feel fear, pain, joy etc. Sometimes feeling frozen due to fear and sometimes so elated in a beautiful dream that the mind refuses to get up. :P


Now for the ending scene of movie.

The main question of contention after the movie was: Does the spinning top wobble and fall showing it's reality OR it continues to spin showing it's a dream?

The important question is not whether Cobb (Leonardo DiCaprio) is still dreaming? But that whether he changes from the guy who obsessed about what is real to the guy who realizes that reality is relative while happiness is absolute? He does not check the spinning top, runs to meet his kids. Inception.

Inputs from : http://screenrant.com/inception-spoilers-discussion-kofi-68330/3/

Updating a dell inspiron 1300 BIOS without battery (also reported working for Dell Inspiron 9400 and Dell Latitude 2100 Mini)

I have a Dell Inspiron 1300 laptop and I wanted to upgrade its BIOS from version A07 to A10
The problem was it did not have a battery and the manufacturer provided BIOS upgrade file (ME051A10.exe) refuses to run without battery.

So what can I do?
The battery condition is to ensure that  that the BIOS update does not face a flash failure due to a power interrupt resulting in your laptop becoming a little more useful than a paper weight. (Of course, there are ways to rewrite a BIOS but that needs another compatible BIOS. Lot of efforts once your BIOS becomes corrupt)

After reading the above warning if you still want to take the risk of updating your BIOS and believe there will be no power failure leaving your BIOS corrupted and laptop useless.

Here is how to do it?
You will need the following things
1. A USB drive

2. Windows 98 boot files to allow you to boot in dos mode.
Download link: http://www.bay-wolf.com/utility/usbkey/win98boot.zip
Alternate link (Use in case if Download link is down): Link

3. HP USB disk format tool (Don't worry it works for all not just HP!)  This software will turn your usb into a bootable usb using the above windows 98 boot files.
Download link: http://www.bay-wolf.com/utility/usbkey/usbmemkeyboot.zip
Alternate Link (Use in case if Download link is down): Link

4. Latest Bios driver from the manufacturer's website.
In this case ME051A10.exe. Please rename the file to bios.exe for the sake of easily remembering the file when we use it later.

Now after you have downloaded all the above
Step1: Extract the zip to their respective folders.
So for win98boot.zip you have win98boot folder
and usbmemkeyboot.zip you have a corresponding usbmemkeyboot.zip folder

Step 2:Install the HP USB disk format tool by running the application file (SP27608.EXE) on your laptop.

Step 3: It will install the software in folder C:\Drive Key (I am assuming C is your root drive). Run HPUSBFW application present in the folder.

Step 4: For the Device drop box select the USB drive (Here it's H:)

Step 5: Select the file system as fat32

Step 6: Check Create a DOS startup disk

Step 7 - Now click on the square box with 3 dots and find the directory where you extracted the win 98 boot files. So In this case you would select the win98boot folder, you made earlier.

Step 8: Click OK button

Step 9: Select yes for the warning

Step 10 - Your USB memory key is now being formated and the DOS system files will be copied onto it.

Once the program has completed the operation, click on the Close button.

You now have a bootable USB memory key.

Step 11: Now copy the bios upgrade file (bios.exe) in the bootable USB

Step 12: Now boot your laptop using bootable USB device. You should get a stark command prompt

Step 13: Run the following command on dos prompt

bios.exe /forceit /nvram

Explaining the above override parameters:
forceit parameter: The /nvram switch will flash the BIOS even when it detects low battery or no battery
nvram parameter: The /nvram switch will make sure that you keep the Dell Splash Screen.

Step 14: Take action as the bios demands.

If all proceeds well Voila! You have upgraded your bios.

P.S: 
1. The same procedure also works for Dell Inspiron 9400 and Latitude 2100 Mini as per user feedback but please know that I have applied it only on my Dell Inspiron 1300.  :)

2. I have done the above process for Dell Inspiron 1300 and it worked. My limited intellect does not allow me to answer queries for any other model which may all have their respective override parameters. So Google is your guy. :)

Pic Courtesty: http://www.bay-wolf.com/usbmemstick.htm

2014 elections whom to vote for

Shit! Run He is talking politics...
No really! I am curious about the nature of national elections

Congress has not declared its official Prime Minister candidate and It seems to be banking on Food Subsidy Bill to lure the voters but in politics tomorrow is as predictable as weather.

BJP has not declared its official candidate but wants to take benefit of Modi's good governance image while opposition is out to question his record in 2002 riots making it look like He has been the only chief minister tainted with riots so far in 65 years of independent india.So ruling party is trying to win by creating fear of Modi coming to power while BJP is trying to win votes by creating hope of Modi coming to power.

To top it all the prime minister of country will not be elected by voters but by push and pull of coalition politics. So Voters would do well to look at the records of candidates fielded by parties instead of being swayed by debate of who will head the next government.

If you feel that no MP candidate represents your aspirations You can caste vote under section 49 O where you record that You did not vote for anybody. This is available on all election booths and no prior intimation is required.

Credits to respective artists of pictures