The debates

I guess this is a favorite topic among bloggers this morning. I don't think the debates will alter this race dramatically. I think Kerry has more of an uphill task in this debate than Bush. Bush as long as he doesn't screw up should sail through this pretty smoothly. Tuned my radio to a rock station this morning and the DJ was imploring everyone to vote for Kerry. Shouldn't be surprising because the station was located in the bastion of liberal thought: San Francisco.

George Will

I respect his views and though I often disagree with them, I am in awe of his command of the English language. He writes a column for Newsweek every fortnight and I often have to reach for the dictionary to look up the meaning of obscure words that dot his columns. His column this week is a serious indictment of the neo-conservative point of view and the failure of the Kerry campaign to seize on it and exploit it. Will, who appears on ABC's This Week program on Sundays questions the merit of the neocon view that American democracy is a good thing for the rest of the world and that nation building is a facile exercise. I knew Will had reservations about the war in Iraq, but he seems to have turned into a full fledged critic. His views seem very similar to those espoused by Pat Buchanan. You can read his article here.

Kerry is doomed

I was reading this weeks edition of Newsweek. A majority of the columnists are liberal and it is sad to read some of their columns. "What did Kerry do wrong?" read one headline. They seem to be resigned to a Kerry defeat and they may be right on that fact. I was thinking of what the debates will sound like. Imagine Kerry standing up there and accusing Bush of ineptitude and pulling this country into an unnecessary war. All Bush has to do is to turn to Kerry and ask him, "Senator Kerry: did you vote for the Iraq war resolution in 2002?". Kerry will admit he did (while Bush chortles), but then add that Bush went into this war without a plan for winning the peace, putting soldiers in harms way. In response Bush will say, "Senator Kerry: did you not vote against a 87 billion dollar bill that would help the troops in Iraq?". The straight answer is yes, despite the fact that Kerry's vote was more a protest vote because the bill was assured of passing the Senate. But try explaining that in a debate where responses have to be precise and to the point. I can't imagine a scenario where Kerry scores in the debates. Bush and his team know how to win and want to win badly, while Kerry and his team have mostly proved to be inept opponents. It is still the end of September, but I think it is game, set and match to Bush.

Mom doesn't sound too good

I spoke to Mom the other day and she didn't sound too good on the phone. All the tests for a heart problem have come up negative. I think I should go visit her this December. The only thing that sucks being here is that I am so far away from Mom. I wish Mom and Dad were here with me. Anyways, W is looking for tickets and I think the cheapest one will set us back by about 1700 dollars each. A big hole in the wallet, but I guess money well spent.

Awkward Silences

I am taking a Project Integration and Risk Management class at the local university extension center in a bid to shore up my project management credentials. The first day I introduced myself to a fellow student. After he asked me where I worked at, he said he knew a girl who worked here. As it happens, she worked in my group. She had this abrasive personality that drove people crazy. You couldn't predict what she would do next and rumor has it that she fought with a couple of customers on the phone. They finally had to let her go. When he said her name, I nodded and there was this brief moment of awkward silence; he thinking his thoughts and I mine. When you don't have any positive things to say about someone, its best to skip forward and that is what I did by changing the subject.

Possibilities...

I have a followup interview scheduled this afternoon at Big O. I usually like to interview first thing in the morning; go in at 8a and get the thing over by 12. But the manager here made it clear that they all get free after 3p. So I guess I'll spend the rest of the day fretting about it. All I need to do is to put my thinking cap on, be calm and composed and things will take care of themselves. I tend to be harsh on myself and not too confident of my own abilities. Not for nothing have I survived in this company for 5 years through tough times and seven layoffs. My managers must have seen something in me that they did not see in others. I am not the brightest light in the room, but I am above average and I need to be cognizant of that and back myself to do well.

I have another interview scheduled tomorrow morning with the director of engineering at another company. This is for a position that I am really interested in. More interested than the job at Big 0. It is a management + technical job that I think will be an ideal fit for me. In a management position, you need to project a picture of calmness and control. So I need to be relaxed when I talk. Wish me good luck!

Talking about confidence here is an interesting article in todays Times.

Rathers eats humble pie

So CBS and Dan Rather finally owned up to the fact (albeit begrudingly) that they cannot prove the authenticity of the documents shown on 60 Minutes. Now all the conspiracy theorists are out alleging collusion between the Kerry campaign and CBS. It does appear that someone in CBS (either Rather or a producer Rather trusted too much) desperately wanted to believe this story and did nothing to crosscheck the facts. There is room therefore to question the persons motives. It also plays into the often heard remark these days that the elite media has a liberal bias. I switched on Fox News this morning and their caption referred to this as "CBS Docu-drama". Rather must be seething everytime he sees that caption on the screen.

Home refinance

Made the big mistake of applying online at Lending Tree and now I am bombarded at work with phone calls by these various lenders enticing me to refinance. All I wanted to do was find out if it the rates had dropped enough for me to think of refinancing. I should have just checked on ELoan and called up my loan agent instead of applying online. Anyways have left vmail for my loan agent to find out what rates she can offer. I hope she is competitive or I may have to switch.

Talking about spice...

W's cousin was in town visiting from Bangalore. He is a school dropout who taught himself computers, set up a software company on his own and now has over a 1000 customers across the globe, all at the tender age of 28. Makes me feel worthless compared to him. If you see him in person, you won't even guess that he runs a successful company. He practises yoga and meditates with a zeal that I have not seen before. He has quite a few quirks. The quirkiest one is that he cannot have any spice in his food. Baked potato without any seasoning is his kind of delicacy. We took him out to dinner last night and it was so hard to pick anything from the menu for him. The dishes we ended up ordering were bland but he still couldn't handle the spice that wasn't there. He says he is very sensitive to spice and can detect even the slightest hint of it. He says it gives him a headache. It is almost funny to watch him eat. He is always nibbling at food and tasting just a pinch of it. I guess the next time he visits we should confine ourselves to cooking for him rather than taking him out to a restaurant and wasting food.

Autumn is upon us

The weekend suddenly turned cold with the temperature dropping almost 25 degress from Friday to Saturday. Quite a turn in the weather. And the weatherman promises El Nino to hit our neck of the woods almost guaranteeing a wet winter. Had a friend and his wife over for lunch on Saturday. W takes great pains to entertain my friends and I am grateful for that. She cooked chiken biryani and a vegetable. I bought some Nan from an Indian fast food joint. And for dessert she made my favorite caramel custard pies. I absolutely love it. My friend and his wife were Germans and we were fearful of how they would cope with spicy Indian food. But as it turned out, they have gotten used to spicy food over the years. Actually W can't handle spicy food, so she is quite frugal with it when she cooks. Food at home is probably the lamest when it comes to spice compared to traditional Indian fare.

Suttons failed gamble?

It is still just the end of the first day in the Ryder Cup but it sure looks like Hal Sutton's gamble to pair Mickelson and Woods together bombed. What a pathetic performance by the U.S. team? They have dug themselves in a huge hole and only a gritty comeback performance tomorrow will save them from inglorious defeat. Somehow the Europeans seem to gel together better as a team. Should be an interesting weekend.

The Apprentice

First, I must confess that I am a big fan of The Apprentice on NBC. This is its second season. What a shocker last night? Bradford the project manager on the first project was exempt from elimination this week because his team won last week. But in the board room, he volunteered to relinquish his exempt status because he was so confident of not being fired. That was such a stupid thing to do. Donald "My Hair" Trump called him on it and let him go. Absolutely the right decision! Yes, business is all about taking risks. But it is also about taking the right risks. That was a stupid, hare-brained, emotional and inexcusable rush of blood on Bradford's part that deserved to be punished.

Lawn mower weekend

I bought a lawn mower last weekend and I will be putting it through its paces this weekend. Excited about playing with a new toy, though my other friends who own houses say it is no fun mowing the lawn a month or two later. Almost all have hired gardeners. I loved gardening back in India, when I helped my father out in the garden. I have memories of it being such a peaceful, relaxing almost meditative activity that I think I will enjoy it once again. Lets see how it goes.

Rather in a lather of trouble

Dan Rather seems to be in a potful of trouble after his story on Bush's National Guard days on 60 Minutes II. This is such an overblown story. I am quite sure that Bush did receive favors to avoid the draft during the Vietnam war. I am sure this was the case with everyone who was born into wealth and influence during that time. So whats new? Why do we have to dredge up events that unfolded 30 years ago today? Why don't we debate the issues that confront us today? Was the war in Iraq a sound decision? Was it justified? What was the rationale behind it? What are the candidates worldview? What about healthcare? What are their views on outsourcing? What are their views on corporate corruption?

I can only imagine one side chortling with glee over the media coverage these past few weeks. And that has to be Karl Rove and his clique. First it was the Swift boat veteran ads that kept the media transfixed for a couple of weeks. Now it is Rathergate. I can't think of a better way to keep people from really focusing on the issues that matter in this election.

In hindsight I think Kerry miscalculated by so heavily stressing his service in Vietnam. Not only did he serve in Vietnam, he came back to lead the anti-war movement and that hurt many veterans. It was bound to be a double-edged sword. Bush's folks have exploited it ruthlessly (being a political junkie, I say it with some admiration...this has to be added as a case study in political science classes if Bush wins) and turned what everyone considered to be his strength into a major weakness.

Again, I predict a double-digit victory for Bush. This election is not going to be close come Election Day. And you heard it here first!

Kerry....Loser

I think Kerry has the look of a loser written all over him. He looks tired and unfocused in his campaign speeches, searching almost aimlessly for a cogent strand of thought as he speaks. On the other side of the ring is a confident Bush who knows he has Kerry cornered and is waiting to deliver the knock out punch come Election Day. I think a more competent candidate than Kerry would have been able to throw a stiffer challenge. There are a range of issues on which the Bush administration is vulnerable. Even Bush's war policy has more holes in it than a slice of swiss cheese. But Bush's team has effectively defined the issue as one of national security. Bush has so effectively controlled the message, that Kerry's criticisms come of as being partisan. If Kerry wins - and that truly seems less likely every passing day - it will be a miracle!

Payback time

I can't believe that the media is paying attention to another group called "Texans for Truth" that is hurling allegations against Bush. I guess this is payback time for all the publicity that was meted out to the "Swift Boat Veterans". This election should be fought on the twin issues of war and economy. The campaigns seem to be talking about it, but the media coverage is based solely on what is sensational and I guess any discussion on outsourcing, economy, war and health care is just not sexy enough to talk about. I wish these guys would realize that all this innuendo and insinuation far from attracting voters to the booth on election day will drive them away. It will only reinforce a cynics view that elections are merely a choice between the devil and the deep sea and serve as a convienient excuse for someone inclined to abstain from participating in the electoral process.

Bush was competent

I thought Bush delivered a competent, moving and powerful speech at the Republican convention last week. I think he basically sealed the deal and made the case for re-election. Kerry has run such an unfocused campaign, that he deserves not to win. I don't think this election will be as close as everyone makes it out to be. I just have the gut feeling that Bush at the end will win comfortably. Remember! you first heard it here!!

Hopelessly rusty

I performed pathetically in the interview. I really don't think I am cut out for the technical gig. I am more a big picture, gut feel, intutive feel kinda guy and I wish I can summon the focus and the energy to pursue an MBA degree. Anyways, this really nice Desi guy quizzed me on my programming skills and I floundered for answers like a meandering ignoramus. It was a feckless performance and quite frankly unforgivable. The interviewer was kind enough to provide clues and help me out and that was the only redeeming part of the experience. He didn't just dismiss me for being so woeful. If I were interviewing someone who performed like me, I think I would give them a unequivocal thumbs down. Anyways, rather than brooding about it, I guess I need to be better prepared next time. I went there with no preparation and got caught with my pants down. The job was a development position, which basically requires me to write tons of code. I don't know if that is what I want to do. As I said I am more a people guy and getting people to work together as a team and deliver on a product is a challenge I would welcome. I guess my resume has more of a technical bent to it and I seem to be getting more calls from recruiters who are trying to fill technical positions.

Moved...

Labor day weekend aptly described what we did this past weekend. We labored hard to move out of our apartment and into the new house. Boy, does it feel good to be done or what? I was impressed with the movers I hired. They arrived at 8 am sharp on Saturday and set to work almost immediately. They did not waste time or slack off. By 11 a.m. they were done. I'd heartily recommend them to anyone. W got to work after lunch and by midnight, we had the kitchen, living room and the guest room all set up. While W set up the house, I went back to the apartment and cleaned up. It was a hot day in a very hot weekend, and I was almost constantly gulping down water. V & R paid us a visit on Sunday and I invited H as well. V offered to cook for us and while he cooked, we went out and got some wine and champagne. It was a great way of celebrating our first full day in the house. My sister visited us on Monday. On a whim I took Tuesday off and relaxed at home before going out in the afternoon to interview at Big O.

State Farm Cuts Auto Rates in California

State Farm Cuts Auto Rates in California

Ought to check this out. I could use the money that I save. Wonder if the other auto insurers will follow suit much like the airlines do when one of their brethren drops rates.

Republican convention

With the impending move this weekend staring me in the face, I have hardly had any time to tune into the Republican convention this week. I read that Guiliani gave a stellar speech and signalled that he would be a very strong candidate in '08. I read a transcript of Arnold's speech and it was a strong one too. I read that the Bush girls, Jenna and Barbara introduced their mother yesterday and gave a funny speech. Cheney is to speak today and he is a very effective speaker. He has this understated, avuncular tone, that sets his audience at ease, and I am quite sure he will go for Kerry's jugular today with sharply worded rhetoric that jabs and cuts and tweaks Kerry every which way. The Republican faithful will love it. Zell Miller, a Democratic senator by title, who has sided more often with Bush then his own party will speak tonight as well. This guy spoke in '92 at the same venue on behalf of Bill Clinton. 12 years later, in stark contrast he is speaking on behalf of Bush, who one can easily argue has very little in common with Clinton. Mr Miller must have had a heck of ideological journey in the interim.

Upgrading to Windows 2000

For the longest time, I had put off upgrading from Windows 98 SE. I finally got around to doing it this weekend and upgraded to Windows 2000. I chose the upgrade option rather than the clean reinstall option. Of course as all windows upgrades go, it wasn't as smooth as I would have liked. The very first time I connected to the Internet, my computer got infected with the Blaster worm. I tried to download a fix from symantec for this fix, but the virus successfully aborts the download. I finally managed to outsmart the worm by downloading the fix from a different website that I found googling. But the saga wouldn't end there. When I ran the fix, the worm managed to avoid detection. Trying a different tack, I tried installing Windows Service Pack 4, but again was unsuccessful because the worm sabotaged the download.

I finally managed to get a copy of the service pack on CD and installed it successfully. I tried to install McAfee Anti-Virus software, but the worm again aborted the installation. As a last ditch effort, I then kept an eye on the processes running in the Task Manager and the first time I saw the blaster worm exe running (msblast.exe), I ran the fix that I had downloaded earlier. This time the fix caught the worm and repaired the registry that had been corrupted. I re-ran the McAfee installation and this time it installed correctly. The Anti-Virus software was able to find a half dozen more viruses. After that, I downloaded all the windows hotfixes from the windows update website. Now my system seems to be running quite smoothly. Hopefully it is the last that I have seen of those worms.