On my way to India I was stranded for over 12 hours on the runway due to bad weather. So what was to be a 4 hour flight turned out to be a 12 hour nightmare with a detour to another airport and 200 passengers just waiting to get home. While I can talk about the pains of being couped up in an aircraft with no food and small doses of water, I found reprieve and inspiration in WNYC’s Radio Lab podcasts that I had downloaded as a last minute effort to keep me company on the long haul. While podcasts have been gaining popularity around the world, I am a late adopter of this media. In fact I am a new podcast fan ever since I discovered the Radio Lab series. What Radio Lab does well is content and delivery, two key ingredients often lacking in podcasts. The content is intriguing and thought-provoking and the voices behind these series have a great style that keep you engaged for the 30 minute shorts. Each series is further broken up into 5-7 minute features that cover one aspect of the overall theme. My all-time favorite is the “Musical Language” series that breaks down music as a language spoken around the world. My favorite line “Music is touch at a distance” is what threads each feature into this podcast.

Download these podcasts

Every once in a while I am silently reminded of this thing called life. While I keep my instrospections away from public domain, this time I feel compelled to write, and forget that my life is compartmentalized into personal, public and private.

A father, a sister, a brother, a daughter - four deaths that have touched me in the last 4 weeks. Each week bringing a new wave of sorrow. Four incidents unrelated yet connected through me. I sense their pain and their loss yet there is nothing I can do. I continue to live my life the same way, just aware that there is life and there is this unexplained thing called death.

My work revolves around solving information problems and bringing meaning to information. Annotations are the lifeline of explaining these information islets with the goal of simplifing the blob. Emotions are high and patience a virtue and I sometimes forget that tied to every information problem is the sound of the beating heart.

And so I am reminded that outside the information microcosm that I am so consumed with, there is the meaning of life that I will never solve or comprehend.

With the recent recall of Mattel toys, I am sure every parent lives in fear of what next. While China is obviously trying to cope with the recent flak and corporations are stepping up their quality control, here is an innovative idea that helps parents take control of their children’s safety. Rick Klau launched Safertoys.org to help parents and people in general track and submit stories on unsafe toys - ala digg style.

Ever thought about capturing the infinite universe of changing information in a computer program? See this unbelievable attempt to capture present day mythology.

Jonathan Harris is the mastermind behind this visualization. Part visual designer, part anthropologist, part artist, part storyteller, Jonathan has a body of work that is often my source of inspiration. As I watched this new applet transforming gobs of infinite data into finite visualizations, I was fascinated at how he uses technology to tell a story.

His philosophy of passive information gathering is an interesting concept, especially when I am building interaction models based on contrived forms of user feedback. Passive information gathering as Jonathan says is about living life, while what you say or do on the web is captured without your knowledge.

Data then is real and spontaneous helping create richer experiences within the web sphere. Universe is one example of that richer experience.

Last night I watched an ad for Spot Runner that talked about “affordable” television advertising. Having been privy to that world, I have known that television advertising has always been elitist, catering to the big fish of the consumer experience. So now that small businesses can advertise and more importantly compete with the big fish, it is going to be interesting to watch the new wave of Spot Runner ads.

While the concept is revolutionary, what piqued my interest is the approach. (more…)

Clive Thompson talks about Twitter in this week’s issue calling it the “social sixth sense”. While some would think that this new app is just another dying fad I tend to agree with a lot of what Clive talks about. Having experienced it myself I now have a better understanding of some of my peers who have hooked this app to their chat client creating as Clive calls it “social proprioception”. (more…)

Twitter serves as a tool to keep friends connected, joining the social networking bandwagon as yet another Web 2.0 technology. I rolled my eyes when I first heard about the tool but then curious, I checked the site out and I am hooked.

I find that this can be useful especially in the corporate space. Think about all the micro managers that you wished could leave you alone.Twitter away! Bombard them with second by second updates of your whereabouts. SMS, IM - the opportunities are endless.Micro managers beware.

• Check the site out

It’s tangy, “tomatoey”, yummy and really simple.

Avg time: 20 - 30 minutes
Pair with bread or rice

Ingredients:

• 1 cup pigeon pea lentils (also called toor dal)
• 1 cup crushed tomatoes
• 1 tsp cumin seeds
• 1/4 tsp asfaoetidia
• 1 tbsp tamarind paste mixed with 1/2 cup water
• 1/2 tsp turmeric powder
• 1/4 tsp chilli flakes/powder
• salt to taste
• 1 tbsp olive oil or vegetable oil

(more…)

I often find it hard to find good Sindhi recipes online and here is my attempt to document recipes inspired from my mother’s culinary perfections in the hope that others enjoy this cuisine as much I do.
Before you start to experiment, equip your self with the 5 must-haves that comprise any type of Indian cooking in general and will apply to almost all of these recipes.

• For cookware, I recommend getting a pressure cooker (think Rachel Ray and 30 minute meals). If you are not crazy about this must-have, stick to the open pot style but beware of the time-consuming process
• For ingredients keep the following handy:
  • Coriander/Cilantro Powder (available in any grocery store in the “International” aisle or just stop by your neighborhood Indian store and ask)
  • Asafoetidia
  • Turmeric
  • Chilli Flakes/Powder

You are now ready to cook anything Indian and Sindhi!

I have often underestimated the importance of role-playing in interaction. While business leaders are role playing to predict markets and forecast growth, I realize it can be a useful tool in helping me face my opponent in a difficult siutation. I use the help of close friends and family simulating the situation and observing their reactions as I enact the conversation. I hone my actions and choose my words wisely. I have seen great results in the past. I am better prepared and composed. I know what I am going to say and how I am going to say it.
I am waiting to see how my next one goes. I have been role-playing for several days now.