Supernova Watch

Supernova Watch will not watch for supernovae. We shall watch for new and interesting papers on supernovae, their mechanisms, their connections with other phenomenon including GRBs, their circumstellar interactions, the supernova remnants that they produce and the pulsars and pulsar wind nebulae that they leave behind. We shall try to give the links to the astro-ph eprint wherever possible.

Scoopal.com

My friend Tatha and I have started a new social networking and collaborative blogging website at Scoopal.com. Its meant to be a place for you to blog and read your friends' blogs within an unified interface. The site is still in Beta, so do check it out, and suggest improvements to me.

Ubuntu is there!

I dont know if Ubuntu has reached there, but it has definitely reached here!

I came home today to find a box full of Ubuntu CDs waiting for me. I wanted to try them out, but not disturb my tried and tested Debian installation. And what better way to run an Ubuntu Live CD, configure PPP-Over-Ethernet connection to BroadBand, write a post with OpenOffice and post it with Firefox? Been there, done that! Now, now, isn't Tathagata getting jealous?

I have been a Debian user for a long long time, I dont really feel the need to change to one of its derivatives, but I just might, its that good! Anyone sincerely wanting to try this hot new distro out, collect your free CDs from me.

Bloggers, bloggers, everywhere!

I had gone to take a test, not of the medical kind, but an entrance test. Now suddenly one of the invigilators seem to flash a smile of recognition. My mind races, do I know him? Turned out to be a fellow blogger! I had read his blog for months, even talked on email! Was definitely happy to see him. Anyway, some bloggers do seem to enjoy the anonymity offered by the internet, so let them be anonymous.

Empire Strikes Back

Here are a few lines from a comment at Slashdot.

Boss: What's that? [pointing to screen]

Worker: Ubuntu. Been using it for a while. Works so much better than Windows and I'm much more productive.

Boss: Excellent! Good job! Keep it up!

[Boss shuffles off to his office, closes the door, and kneels before raised, circular object on the floor. Hologram of hooded figure appears.]

Figure: What is it?

Boss: My Master, there is a Linux-user here!

Figure: I see. The Rebels are becoming bold, moving faster than anticipated. No matter!

Boss: What shall we do?

Figure: Do nothing. I will send Darth Ballmer to deal with this "Linux-user."

Boss: Very well, My Master.

[Hologram disappears]

Got a new Multimeter

I cant stop bragging about new electronic equipment. So, here I go. Bought a new Multimeter. Its a M890G. Here are the specs.

DCV:0-200mV-2V-20V-200V-10000V±0.5%
ACV:0-200mV-2V-20V-200V-700VV±1.2%

DC A: 2mA-20mA-200mA-20A±1.2%
AC A:20mA-200mA-20A(40-400Hz)±3.0%
R:0-200-2K-20K-200K-2M-20M-200MOhm±2.0%

Capacitance:2000nF-20nF-200nF-2uF-20uF ±2.0%
Temp:-50°C---- + 1000 °C±5.0% Resolution 1 °C

Frequency: 20Khz Resolution: 10Hz
Audible continuity
Clamp size:1.30inch max.
batt:1.5Vx1 AA

Belated Pujo Posts :: Ponchomi

I had no plans for Ponchomi, was woken up by Tathagata, only to be informed that Anjan and Ranabir are taking us out to lunch? So, we promptly skipped breakfast and donned a newly acquired pair of jeans ...

Hey! I had other business to attend to. I called them up again ... I have to write my TIFR application ... Should I write it in Latex? ... Use word ... I have never used Word apart from stupid exams ...

My phone rings again... I'm at it ... You're late ... I'm typing ... We are coming over to HELP you ...

They arrived promptly and I gave them my handwritten letter and went in for my bath. I came out to find it nicely typeset. Friends in need ...

Since I didn't have a printer, and BroadBand was not working, we transferred the file from my computer to my cellphone to Tatha's computer. Tatha's didi seemed amused at these geeky activities. I left a copy of Chandrabindoo's Tanana Tana Nana Na for her on Tatha's computer.

By this time, rest of the gang is already at Ranabir's house. Phone rings. Tora kothae? ... Ei rastae ... Ki korchish ... Ekta form courier korei ashchi ... We are getting hungry ... One of the sponsors is with us. Ha ha!

We try to pack all the stuff and just before we manage to hand it over, phone rings again, I pick it up and make a deal. We are to meet them directly at Sanjha Chulah, not the Kinnilworth one, but the Bypass one.

We get a S9 bus from Jadavpur and suprise, suprise, we have another South Point gang on it... They find out that Anjan is the Bali-ka-Bakra of the day.



So, they decided to rob Anjan. But, we managed to save him (and our treat) in due time, and get off the bus.

We had arrived before the rest. So we occupied the largest table, and informed the waiters that we have lots of people still to come.



Here is Nilushua. (For the Uninitiated: Nilushua = Niladrish + Anushua, simple enough, eh?) They are the longest surviving couple in our groups history.



Here are Anjan and Rudrajit. Anjan has till now kept his smoking habits hidden from Kaku, but, that leads to a lot of blackmailing on our prts ... Mr Dutta on the other hand is currently busy in the business expansions of the Dey & Dutta Group of Companies at Kharagpur. As to the activities of this clandestine organiation, I hope Tathagata will provide further information...



So, I present you Tathagata and Ranabir. Tathagata seems to be conducting Linux "tuitions" at night, only for girls, or so it is rumoured ... Or is the class only open to penguins? Anyway, he is too busy to update his blog. The other guy in the pic... The name is Dey, Ranabir Dey. Needs no introduction, co-founder of D&D Group of Companies... Has recently acquired a passion for carbonated nicotinated polluted air, much to the anguish of Tathagata, the president of ASS, the Anti Smoking Society.



And at last Shamashish and your's truly. Shamashish has a nice excuse for looking so grave. Our future revolutionary and benevolent dictator is going through some problems of the heart. And I had my excuse for loosing eight kilos of weight too, but trust me those reasons have been cured.

After a nice lunch, we took a walk down the Bypass, much to Anushua's dislike.



Tatha and I ended up at BCL while the others headed for Hobby Centre for some icecream. We joined up later but had to return pretty soon.



I was supposed to go out with Mehuli the next day, but she called up to inform me that she has to attend a marriage reception. Sayam-M called me, Sayan-N, up.

M: Boddo Chap!
N: Keno?
M: Kaal ekta biebari jete hobe.
N: Sheki! Kothae?
M: Tor barir kachhei.
...
N: Amae tor shathe nie jete parbi?
...
M: Amar mamato bhai bole chalano jete pare.
...
M: Beshi barabi hoe jachchhe!

Stay tuned for the Shoshti chronicles, same place, same time. OK, I correct myself. Same place, sometime during the next week, if my readers seem to be interested, or if I have readers at all!