Ameet's blog

TED stands for T echnology E ntertainment and D esign conference. This is where each year, 1000 brilliant, passionate, creative people with original ideas meet and share those. It is an experience which only be recreated by listening to them directly. So, do watch Al Gore emphasize on global warming, Sir Ken Robinson discuss infusing creativity in education, Majora Carter on her sweet project of greening the south bronx, Larry Brilliantine who led the smallpox eradication campaign and now heads Google trust, the pastor Rick Warren ("The purpose driven life") and philospher Dan Dennett wrestle with meaning of idea of God & role of religion, Cameron Sinclair ('Architects for humanity' fame) describing his open souce architecture initiative, Jahane Noujaim , director of 'Control Room', documentary exloring the 'other side' of Iraq war; 100$ laptop visionary Nicholas Negroponte , Amy Smith on low cost clean fuels in developing world, Jeff Han ...

I was reading collection of his "Talks with students" given at varanasi school in 1954, where he is talking passionately with school children about what is education. I have read just a chapter, and its message is driving me nuts. Purpose of education is to get rid of fear . To discover your interests, abilities, nature of the world and how to interact fruitfully with it. But primarily to learn to stop acting based on fear and start acting on knowledge. Like avoiding a ditch by walking round it, instead of being afraid of it. Even courage is not opposite of fear. And here I am, with so many subtle insecurities that some of them have become part of the nature. Education should help us understand them and get rid of them. Fear of competition, fear of opinion of others, fear of losing job, fear of beasts in our nature, fear of loneliness, fear of morals.. so many fears.. But being aware of them is first step in freeing oneself from them. I found two of the talks online here ...

Ex President of USA, Jimmy carter was at UCSD, spreading the word about Carter foundation, which has been doing amazing work in developing countries. Just to cite a few, coordinating the eradication of Guinea worm from Africa, building one of largest public latrine systems in African villages to eradicate river blindness and trauchoma, and fostering democratic process around the world by acting negotiator between rival groups, laying out of constitutions, ensuring fair elections in many countries, most recent one being Palestine. Carter foundation bites what it can chew, and aims for efficiency and efficacy. Now that malaria bednet with 7 year impregnation roundtime has arrived, it has ambitious plans of rolling it out. It does not put names on the works it does. One of most heartfelt remarks he made was, "Through this process, one thing I intensely realized was that, we tend to gravely underestimate the quality of people in say Ghana, Nigre. They have same integrity, family value...

had met! I was surprised, shocked and then overjoyed to know this. For some reason, I had kept both of them in two disjoint compartments in mind. They seemed so different personalities. But now I know that similarities were probably more potent than differences. Its time to go into prejudice basement again, and do some repairs :-) Also found this superb clip by Chaplin in his movie "Great Dictator" made in 1940s, as act of defiance in face of fascism.

This is made from a b/w photograph of my mother in 70s, when she was a NCC cadet. My fondest memories of childhood are associated with this picture, thinking of all heroic deeds she did wearing that uniform. At one time, I believed she was a soldier in Indian army :-) If I have been able to reproduce even iota of her calm, steady, sure gaze, I consider it task well done. Drawing this picture has been truly a joyride in corridors of memory. The black corners in sketch are due to autocontrast in Picasa, sketch being too faint for contrast.

A kurta sitting on a chair, with a hand on his tummy, and a pat on his back, can truly come to life, not so much on paper, as so much in person like a cheshire cat with a wicked grin, as I sored my thumbs erasing away the charcoal :-)

Found this timepass code on net today! I am glad my trot-map is quite space filling, thanks to Indian Railways, and astute vacation instincts of my family :-) Far north, and north-east are still untouched :-( Brought to you by pratibha75 , quizling and teemus . Which states in India have you been to?