salutation to the great indian drink-tea, ofcourse!!

just a random thought occured....why not write about the 2nd most favorite drink of mine(1st being water!), tea.
i am not goin to dwell upon the art of tea makin or tea preparation. but, just go on and share things about tea which i feel like.
i cannot live without my 2 cups of tea daily...it's an amazing addiction!!
the best tea as far as i am concerned ..i mean the tea preparation..is the indian masala tea.but, off late,i am tryin new ones..
the other day went to a tea bar..it's an amazing one,with a sense of humor too.....place was called
infintea.....they had written on the menu card...check the availibiltea before ordering.....when i picked up the tissue..it said...tea-shue!!!......
saw another tea bar..unitea in diversitea!!!
these tea ppl sure have some great sense of humor.another reason to have one cup!!

basic vs applied science

few days back, the union minister for science and technology,Mr.Kapil Sibal, had come to the place where i am doing phd to inaugarate a new facility "the nano laboratory". what struck me the most during his speech and Prof.C.N.R.Rao's (SAC-scientific Advisry Council Head and our chairman) speech was the fact that basic sciences,in it's purest sense, is boring and out of fashion. what these people called basic science-the semi-conductor revolution and the recent nano-revolution, even though, outgrowths of the basic sciences, but somehow, they don't fit my bill of what basic sciences is.
ofcourse,as i am into basic sciences..my point of view might seem biased towards it. i am an eternal romantic at heart,still believeing in the Archimedian Eureka!! but, let me argue with the points on both sides. chances are applied science will score more. still, if my points on basic sciences are sound enough, then my purpose of writing this post will be fulfilled .

basic science

1.satisfies the curious human. why, what,when,HOW??-these questions are what always excites human minds. and basic sciences feeds answers to these questions.
2. what is applied without the basic???where and what to we apply???we need to get all the basic mechanisms and functions right.
3.for me, it's like solving nature's puzzle.each question answered here, makes me wonder at the power of nature.

applied science

1. serves the great human, ofcourse.i mean,it is of the human, by the human and for the human.
2.the world wouldn't have been where it is today in terms of technology but, for those entrprising individuals who took it upon them to apply science.
3.i wouldn't have been writing this blog and u wouldn't have been able to read it!

i want to go a bit deeper into this topic.but, this is enough for 1 post.will get back with the finer points......the economy of science,ethics,etc.

so, at last here i start .......though wee bit too late,i suppose..................
but, kind of right time to start...

END OF A MAGICAL ERA IN TENNIS

the image of andre agassi, which is still etched in my mind is.........he falling on his knees and hiding his face in his hands and crying..............after winning the wimbledon.........yes, at that time, i liked him for his game...amazing returns,so quick and agile on the court,great backhand....also, for his flamboyance, style and long locks!!!! he was a Rockin(!!!,pun intended) tennis star.......
but, over the years...well, have been his fan for almost 15 years now.....i have started likin him for many more things.............
ofcourse, the game has been almost flawless. but, the same cannot be said for his dedication towards his game.from 1992 to end 1996.....upswing....was ranked no.1 for almost 8 months continuous.....there were 2 ways to go from there...uphill and downhill.uphill was too up.......where do u go up from no.1???......well, raising ur games to the levels of immortals.........but, easier way out is downhill..and that's what he took.....provin to be a mortal still!!!!!!from being ranked no.1 to being no.142...............might have taken lots of efforts..albeit in the wrong direction!!!!!!!!!!!!
but, period after this only made me a bigger fan of his....when i was thinkin, it's the time he retires (see, in retrospect..that seems so silly to even have thought such thing), he came out stronger and bigger....playing challengers to get back his form....going back to the basics and rising again......and this time to the levels of immortals!!!!!......some people are just born to be great... ...rose slowly up the ranks and started winning again........culminating in being only the 5th person to win all four grand slams......way to go andre!!!
this is uncommon, but not so rare in sports.....lance armstrong,michael jordan,etc....are up there with him...lance armstrong..a notch higher....but, what endears me to andre is his new found dedication, to find inspiration within self, belief in self and the most important of all...respect for the game and his opponents.....his amazing conduct on and off court......from being a brash, pony-tailed, arrogant american teenager to being a great, respectable, humble and such an endearing human..........amazing journey...............
somehow, he has been my inspiration........will always be.........
hope, his journey of life continues to be as amazing as it has been till now