tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-176359952024-03-07T10:30:27.355+05:30Bills of ladingA bill of lading is issued by the Master of a merchant ship to signify the true description of the cargo loaded. I wanted to put here in this blog the description of the things I come across on my voyages ( and now ashore)Veluhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09663873372964194895noreply@blogger.comBlogger293125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17635995.post-49277893914000628572012-08-30T14:44:00.000+05:302012-08-30T14:46:12.488+05:30Wink at the moon<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrs_H1JKt_c_MjZGRo4f4vuxp2ROJv-UcnIYSHyl8D-qeQOseWTpbrpzv36e6sXYOvRQTcOoauuaGcqGeAKjRnloetSiSyg9qt0qztvTDLFTVHJFbBgmZw6HljtfPZ2aiasMUt1g/s1600/PHO-09Jul08-169686--606x404.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" fea="true" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrs_H1JKt_c_MjZGRo4f4vuxp2ROJv-UcnIYSHyl8D-qeQOseWTpbrpzv36e6sXYOvRQTcOoauuaGcqGeAKjRnloetSiSyg9qt0qztvTDLFTVHJFbBgmZw6HljtfPZ2aiasMUt1g/s320/PHO-09Jul08-169686--606x404.jpg" width="320" /></a>Yesterday It was a beautiful moon out here in Singapore & I as I showed it to my 3 year old daughter, I told her about how Niel Armstrong had gone all the way over to it. Her first question was,</div>
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"When?"</div>
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I think she was mortified that she had missed the event happening. I had to explain that was many years back.</div>
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"More than 20 years back?"</div>
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"Yes."</div>
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"More than one hundred thousand years back?"</div>
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"No. About forty years back."</div>
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She digested this for a while.</div>
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"Did he go in a Rocket?"</div>
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"Yes. It was a big beautiful rocket with big jets and painted black and white."</div>
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"Not red?"</div>
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"No not red. Would you like me to show you the pictures?"</div>
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"Yes. Did he come back?"</div>
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"Yes he did. & there was a big parade. But now he's gone away again."</div>
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"Where?"</div>
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"I hope to the moon baby. Do you want to say bye to him with me?"</div>
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And so we waved our hands & said our goodbye's. </div>
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"Can I go to the moon?"</div>
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"Ofcourse you can."</div>
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"Will you come with me?"</div>
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"I'll always be there with you babe."</div>
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"Can I watch Dora now?"</div>
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RIP Niel.</div>
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Veluhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09663873372964194895noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17635995.post-17795533185115328942012-08-30T14:42:00.000+05:302012-08-30T14:42:20.241+05:30Happy independence day!<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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Happy Indian Independence day you all!<br />
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A glorious day here in Singapore & I hope it leads to a wonderful year ahead for all of us. It is 65 years today for India and its about the length of time that we have to decide to stop blaming problems in our country on forign influences such as the Aryan invasion of 3200 BC or any subsequent people.<br />
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I think that the biggest difference between a child and an adult is the capacity to question "Why". As the child grows up, its not that he gets smarter, but rather the fact that he relizes that it does not really matter if the reasons are not known or the situation unchanged.<br />
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Such is inevitably the case with Nations. I look at USA. A country whose history inspires me greatly. Obviously not by its length, but simply because nowhere in its history have the men & women of that nation stopped asking the question "why". Their short history is replete with people who have refused to accept questions left hanging, barriers drawn and will broken. The day when that question is stopped being asked, is the day that apathy will step in. <br />
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The problem with us in India is that we forget that we are a country only 65 years old. We carry with us a baggage of the Purans, scars of Alexanders conquest and the burden of a Mellinia.<br />
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That is not for us. As a country, we are children. Born to great potential, dancing around in glory of a carefree life. Every step of that dance graceful in its perfection because there has been no child as beautiful or perfect and there can be none. And as that child, we need to have the capacity to ask "Why". <br />
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Why should we tell our kinds to stop asking Why? Why is that boy hungry? Why are we fighting? Why is that man ruling us? and why for heavens sake are we killing our daughters?<br />
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It is a glorious day today & if you do aim for anything this year, stay healthy, dance with your children, and keep asking "why". Also don't be a dick.<br />
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Veluhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09663873372964194895noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17635995.post-42135554986463024902012-07-18T08:56:00.000+05:302012-07-18T08:56:04.365+05:30UNCLOS - in the news and proposed changes<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
The UNCLOS (United nations convention on the law of the seas) convention, is a relatively new convention when you consider SOLAS or MARPOL. The Convention was passed in 1982, but only adopted in 1994. So really speaking its not even 20 years since it has started appearing in the courtrooms. Inspite of this, the convention is probably something that affects us more profoundly then any other convention. <br />
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As described by the UN during the 25th anniversary of the convention :<br />
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"The United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea … is perhaps one of the most significant but less recognized 20th century accomplishments in the arena of international law.... Its scope is vast: it covers all ocean space, with all its uses, including navigation and overflight; all uses of all its resources, living and non-living, on the high seas, on the ocean floor and beneath, on the continental shelf and in the territorial seas; the protection of the marine environment; and basic law and order.... The Convention is widely recognized by the international community as the legal framework within which all activities in the oceans and the seas must be carried out."<br />
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Recently UNCLOS has been in the news quite a lot. <br />
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One place where this is being brought up repeatedly is the South China Sea between China and Philippines. There are further parties to the dispute, but the current round seems to be between the two of them. Philippines is claiming the Islands on Basis of UNCLOS wherein, the Islands fall on their continental shelf and thus belong to them. China on the other hand is basing her claim on the concept of "historical sovereignty", a concept which America is against. China is producing evidence of 2nd century BC Han dynasty maps showing the area under Chinese rule, whereas, there is not much in the American archives during that time frame. <br />
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The problem is that America cannot really harp on the adherence of UNCLOS in the international forum, because they have not yet ratified the UNCLOS. The US government is trying to rectify that. The Obama administration has got around to presenting this bill and the Senate is due to vote on the bill in the coming month. This is a huge thing in the US as most opponents to the convention are afraid that it will impinge on the American sovereignty and its ability to project force. Civil liberties and state liberties are very touchy subjects in US and while most republicans view it as another sell out of the national interests by the Democrats, the democrats are portraying the bill as vital for America to be on the same page as the international community and something the industry needs to feel secure in the American legal space. <br />
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As if there were less reasons for the Americans to worry about, there are moves to actually change UNCLOS itself. One of the strongest pushes for this has come through Greenpeace and this is also being supported by the EU. Greenpeace is trying to change the UNCLOS in two ways. One, it is trying to limit developement and management of resources in the continental shelf. This is tricky because states have already laid claim to these resources. For example Greenpeace wants to limit development in the Arctic region which would severely limit countries such as Russia and Greenland to dig for oil or other resources. Greenpeace is also pushing for the convention to address how resources in the deep seas are to be managed. For example, there are no restrictions on over fishing in the deep<br />
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There is a natural reluctance in most parties as to amendments, but it will be interesting to see how the situation turns out over the next few months. <br />
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Sources : <br />
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http://www.greenpeace.org/international/en/publications/reports/suggested-draft-high-seas-impl/<br />
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http://www.maritime-executive.com/article/shipping-s-environmental-impact-is-well-regulated-by-imo-and-unclos-should-be-left-alone-says-ics<br />
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http://www.thenewamerican.com/usnews/foreign-policy/item/11824-will-our-freedoms-be-lost-at-sea<br />
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http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spratly_Islands_dispute<br />
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http://www.un.org/Depts/los/convention_agreements/convention_25years/unclos25years_info.pdf<br />
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</div>Veluhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09663873372964194895noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17635995.post-17382922864293285532011-08-09T11:05:00.000+05:302011-08-09T11:05:39.925+05:30Singapore - national day!<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-vzFmGyVm5SE/TkDFRX6SQmI/AAAAAAAAGY0/NMYHKzD0M74/s1600/singapore_national_day11-hp.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="153" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-vzFmGyVm5SE/TkDFRX6SQmI/AAAAAAAAGY0/NMYHKzD0M74/s400/singapore_national_day11-hp.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br />
Today is Singapore's national day and Google as usual did come out with something nice on its search page. <br />
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Coincidentally this also marks almost one year since we moved to Singapore and so thanks to Singapore and friends to have made it a fantastic last year... Atleast parts of it! </div>Veluhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09663873372964194895noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17635995.post-67252141046623139582011-07-08T09:44:00.000+05:302011-07-08T09:44:37.113+05:30Japanese Food<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLSIJettu9NeM-xy6I33K0lBZgMmOkLSctf13gpGss0xl-zON21RzXoyOhE1ARPyPmcm63-MwKIeFbkOYoTFbfcClE0mJqDloAghl1jhReASXWTd4LJ8ENmO8qKY3-brGOaVPGDw/s1600/IMG_0816.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLSIJettu9NeM-xy6I33K0lBZgMmOkLSctf13gpGss0xl-zON21RzXoyOhE1ARPyPmcm63-MwKIeFbkOYoTFbfcClE0mJqDloAghl1jhReASXWTd4LJ8ENmO8qKY3-brGOaVPGDw/s640/IMG_0816.JPG" width="480" /></a></div><br />
I liked the kimchi, but sometimes you just have to say "No".Veluhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09663873372964194895noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17635995.post-75532322350318339782011-06-10T16:24:00.000+05:302011-06-10T16:27:27.754+05:30Changi airport<p class="mobile-photo"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAlwpUtsEBS2BDJpAWFJuVjdMBipvevf1YwhBzeRdDDQ7_pQ9dz5wIMS5UVJB1hbCdY7q1nYBiKSYqtVh0d-zAVLH_ZpBA8hWvhZnZswCKD6Q5ykkFoM6OUqBz3O_nKLrYHtZcNQ/s1600/photo-747755.jpg"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAlwpUtsEBS2BDJpAWFJuVjdMBipvevf1YwhBzeRdDDQ7_pQ9dz5wIMS5UVJB1hbCdY7q1nYBiKSYqtVh0d-zAVLH_ZpBA8hWvhZnZswCKD6Q5ykkFoM6OUqBz3O_nKLrYHtZcNQ/s400/photo-747755.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5616543542822102930" /></a></p>Veluhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09663873372964194895noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17635995.post-65445679375241438092011-04-12T15:25:00.004+05:302011-04-12T15:42:13.435+05:30Purana Qila - Light & sound show<div><br /></div><div><div>Saw an amazing light & sound show on the Humayun Gate of the Purana Qila.</div><div><br /></div><div>Below a few of the visuals as taken from the iphone. Great fun.</div></div><div><br /></div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDICb1sL2RzN1Ipd5JrYx7ufmWi4wnAgWbSdocCMdRrXUOII2mZC1CWrWhnez7XpB8T52GggitNzO5hCxRb2ibTxA05a6sg9lYUnV2_CT_g-jcm1bnHXiQCdd_T7ZG0Q6bOETXEA/s1600/IMG_0404.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDICb1sL2RzN1Ipd5JrYx7ufmWi4wnAgWbSdocCMdRrXUOII2mZC1CWrWhnez7XpB8T52GggitNzO5hCxRb2ibTxA05a6sg9lYUnV2_CT_g-jcm1bnHXiQCdd_T7ZG0Q6bOETXEA/s400/IMG_0404.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5594637706297571922" /></a><br /><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8Gm_iFlw05sRIzi5UwVPG7GWDRAIHh8aM4NybMcwMheNhy1ZKSBC10aSYFiovTS6cvWkU6byqHRu8E2PCrEENDGLjPyFZ8V2DW37e-UR5dJpC2BpPMpxmRllMrnwv9uyozB4FhQ/s1600/IMG_0396.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8Gm_iFlw05sRIzi5UwVPG7GWDRAIHh8aM4NybMcwMheNhy1ZKSBC10aSYFiovTS6cvWkU6byqHRu8E2PCrEENDGLjPyFZ8V2DW37e-UR5dJpC2BpPMpxmRllMrnwv9uyozB4FhQ/s400/IMG_0396.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5594637155485291906" /></a><br /><div><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDNkWtZSDec9-HoFl1FRVOw8VNfVFoCjAlCO8aSLYz1w3_fmBXPTNr4BYSDxh6Momll5UwXNo-2ar69-5Mk7x1YkU_w7KzWQsMvxz4LepZxuXZPmiKK7AJTJG4IMr1RFttEov66A/s1600/IMG_0395.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDNkWtZSDec9-HoFl1FRVOw8VNfVFoCjAlCO8aSLYz1w3_fmBXPTNr4BYSDxh6Momll5UwXNo-2ar69-5Mk7x1YkU_w7KzWQsMvxz4LepZxuXZPmiKK7AJTJG4IMr1RFttEov66A/s400/IMG_0395.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5594637148522599762" /></a><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKRG672cf166ETjbPC6a0BbNuHX4tLnDU93vxU0lytytkhvQyc16Z1e7kE-aoIK6VOyvdiv2vcEz_dnZgk7AI6QJp942Tn2djXn9sZRpJgzK_fK_iaLK8-GNmbeLf_Kcg-czgcgA/s1600/IMG_0390.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKRG672cf166ETjbPC6a0BbNuHX4tLnDU93vxU0lytytkhvQyc16Z1e7kE-aoIK6VOyvdiv2vcEz_dnZgk7AI6QJp942Tn2djXn9sZRpJgzK_fK_iaLK8-GNmbeLf_Kcg-czgcgA/s400/IMG_0390.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5594637139511204082" /></a><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" ><u><br /></u></span></div><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZhxvaQ61sxKC4z2xKC_ME5BRMP_xBD7zrIfmHi92ysvUvWD2AxTXuuD48kMvvCVwky37oXltRoQNnZKF-Nfad-QXZ206P6AXvQW43T_vH-Oo8LUD6ex5fIx8IjdFCCT9dATjYJA/s1600/IMG_0388.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZhxvaQ61sxKC4z2xKC_ME5BRMP_xBD7zrIfmHi92ysvUvWD2AxTXuuD48kMvvCVwky37oXltRoQNnZKF-Nfad-QXZ206P6AXvQW43T_vH-Oo8LUD6ex5fIx8IjdFCCT9dATjYJA/s400/IMG_0388.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5594637131454179922" /></a><br /><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3swDYQd7QKiWc0T3ldFC6NzpFpFFqmllx-_5mkTPy0ROLbfxrpmKkBN1RDQI0jv0jjXkFXhSperMioPcWeevriln4tpKY4cKrz7kcTmO6xDP89JdIVzqmErMY3GlS5V6oJxHdMw/s1600/IMG_0379.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3swDYQd7QKiWc0T3ldFC6NzpFpFFqmllx-_5mkTPy0ROLbfxrpmKkBN1RDQI0jv0jjXkFXhSperMioPcWeevriln4tpKY4cKrz7kcTmO6xDP89JdIVzqmErMY3GlS5V6oJxHdMw/s400/IMG_0379.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5594636267393587058" /></a><br /><div>Her<a href="http://www.delhitourism.com/dttdc/index.htm">es a link from delhi tourism for the show timings.</a></div><div><br /></div><div><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjh9xBihgyY6AObNWW41LkSHJVOUj0YXpMjItMqL3MI2br_ui9QciBSoJyn0sbKVZxOB5NKY0EUTIsubJsABnDxlhS2wgzX6Y31iNZ1pl0ll4448-44QVjJMV5wNTk3bOcqfsWKGg/s1600/IMG_0379.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjh9xBihgyY6AObNWW41LkSHJVOUj0YXpMjItMqL3MI2br_ui9QciBSoJyn0sbKVZxOB5NKY0EUTIsubJsABnDxlhS2wgzX6Y31iNZ1pl0ll4448-44QVjJMV5wNTk3bOcqfsWKGg/s400/IMG_0379.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5594636265565806978" /></a><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqetQJSVnneDZ9sVcPftq2PsUb0zeT2q_9k11c2s519V1F81sHTJCg7VOBDMmgPiwz558u4DRHpJ2vJXNw7yRMCyku-B6XVbe6_KB1zDvmKWmLTikr_qdNqfAFyUqLdJNbUPocLA/s1600/IMG_0371.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqetQJSVnneDZ9sVcPftq2PsUb0zeT2q_9k11c2s519V1F81sHTJCg7VOBDMmgPiwz558u4DRHpJ2vJXNw7yRMCyku-B6XVbe6_KB1zDvmKWmLTikr_qdNqfAFyUqLdJNbUPocLA/s400/IMG_0371.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5594636252646465762" /></a><br /><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-BDSn0e-p50I/TaQkBgpoFKI/AAAAAAAAFn8/8ZjHczb6XeQ/s1600/IMG_0362.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-BDSn0e-p50I/TaQkBgpoFKI/AAAAAAAAFn8/8ZjHczb6XeQ/s400/IMG_0362.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5594636245463995554" /></a><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhI2A_Lk30U7C3m_J1gdh14D4X93MO_7BHYpz7qG5WKuQC2Gg4OEcCRQ8mV0Uz6QKNLlIChd1COG635BnT2eqxDEmZkboCFm_nTn0q_RRI_OdO2KuBJhBYE1LJ46piHg3Qh_2-JZA/s1600/IMG_0358.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhI2A_Lk30U7C3m_J1gdh14D4X93MO_7BHYpz7qG5WKuQC2Gg4OEcCRQ8mV0Uz6QKNLlIChd1COG635BnT2eqxDEmZkboCFm_nTn0q_RRI_OdO2KuBJhBYE1LJ46piHg3Qh_2-JZA/s400/IMG_0358.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5594636242126279922" /></a><br /><br /></div></div>Veluhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09663873372964194895noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17635995.post-56898067730735531272011-01-05T04:58:00.001+05:302011-01-05T04:58:47.779+05:30Morning at the Singapore anchorge<p class="mobile-photo"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhckExZ-2fHr0-Y1YO0lRUCwHa40P3zOO2iS35qj5f1dpcHiJ5mZ9e1VOKXmcc9LJfqWl1V123ToF5ltO1rwZ0DtgfBXK9yw_L5JLUXinItCMPjPZxH8EW1f8jiOQdx5gnkSQuMgg/s1600/photo-727780.jpg"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhckExZ-2fHr0-Y1YO0lRUCwHa40P3zOO2iS35qj5f1dpcHiJ5mZ9e1VOKXmcc9LJfqWl1V123ToF5ltO1rwZ0DtgfBXK9yw_L5JLUXinItCMPjPZxH8EW1f8jiOQdx5gnkSQuMgg/s400/photo-727780.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5558476790147568354" /></a></p>Veluhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09663873372964194895noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17635995.post-1191474481238286232010-07-25T20:49:00.001+05:302010-07-25T20:51:10.414+05:30It is a worrisome thing when...... your agent sends you the message...<div><br /></div><div>"</div><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"; mso-fareast-font-family:Calibri;mso-fareast-theme-font:minor-latin;mso-ansi-language: EN-SG;mso-fareast-language:EN-SG;mso-bidi-language:AR-SA"><br /><br /></span><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"; mso-fareast-font-family:Calibri;mso-fareast-theme-font:minor-latin;mso-ansi-language: EN-SG;mso-fareast-language:EN-SG;mso-bidi-language:AR-SA">Good evening Sir;</span><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif";mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri;mso-fareast-theme-font:minor-latin;mso-ansi-language:EN-SG;mso-fareast-language: EN-SG;mso-bidi-language:AR-SA"><br /><br /></span><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"; mso-fareast-font-family:Calibri;mso-fareast-theme-font:minor-latin;mso-ansi-language: EN-SG;mso-fareast-language:EN-SG;mso-bidi-language:AR-SA">Good afternoon Sir ;</span><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif";mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri;mso-fareast-theme-font:minor-latin;mso-ansi-language:EN-SG;mso-fareast-language: EN-SG;mso-bidi-language:AR-SA"><br /><br /></span><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"; mso-fareast-font-family:Calibri;mso-fareast-theme-font:minor-latin;mso-ansi-language: EN-SG;mso-fareast-language:EN-SG;mso-bidi-language:AR-SA">We tried to do the best but did not found the second Tug.Next High tide tomorrow 16:00lt .</span><span style="font-size:12.0pt; font-family:"Times New Roman","serif";mso-fareast-font-family:Calibri; mso-fareast-theme-font:minor-latin;mso-ansi-language:EN-SG;mso-fareast-language: EN-SG;mso-bidi-language:AR-SA"><br /></span><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"; mso-fareast-font-family:Calibri;mso-fareast-theme-font:minor-latin;mso-ansi-language: EN-SG;mso-fareast-language:EN-SG;mso-bidi-language:AR-SA">Awaiting yours</span><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif";mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri;mso-fareast-theme-font:minor-latin;mso-ansi-language:EN-SG;mso-fareast-language: EN-SG;mso-bidi-language:AR-SA"><br /><br /></span><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"; mso-fareast-font-family:Calibri;mso-fareast-theme-font:minor-latin;mso-ansi-language: EN-SG;mso-fareast-language:EN-SG;mso-bidi-language:AR-SA">Brgds</span><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif";mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri;mso-fareast-theme-font:minor-latin;mso-ansi-language:EN-SG;mso-fareast-language: EN-SG;mso-bidi-language:AR-SA"> <br /> "</span><div><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif";mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri;mso-fareast-theme-font:minor-latin;mso-ansi-language:EN-SG;mso-fareast-language: EN-SG;mso-bidi-language:AR-SA">Stuck high and dry!</span></div>Veluhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09663873372964194895noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17635995.post-37571134606811113002010-06-02T12:03:00.000+05:302010-06-02T12:04:06.083+05:30The smaller they are, the harder we fall<span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">Kaya</span> (my daughter) turned one year recently & it has certainly been an awesome journey. I'd sure like to wax lyrical about how much she has learnt and what all great things she does, apart from saluting me at regular intervals, but she has her own blog. This is my blog and here I am allowed to write about how much I have learnt over the last year.<div><br /></div><div>I think as a parent the biggest thing I have learnt over the last year has been to appreciate the small things. The ability to support your own neck. The ecstatic jumping with joy on someones ability to poop. The satisfaction on feeling a burp. The pride on seeing somebody urinate in the potty seat. The awe at the complexity of the human body to actually stand in place, bend down and pick up a round object.</div><div><br /></div><div>I like to think that I am still learning. I am learning that it is a privilege when someone rests her head on your shoulder. and I am learning that it is harder then I expected to watch your kids fall. The day my kid learnt to roll over, it seems to have been a series of suicidal rushes as a carry over of some Jihad from her last life. As she is now learning to walk, things have only gotten worse. The last time, she dived off her Pram in great style to land face first in grass.</div><div><br /></div><div><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre; "> </span>The problem that I am facing is that the realization is dawning that this is not going to get easier. Today itself she seems to be more keen on running, rather then understand how walking works. After the pram incident she has hopefully understood that flying would take longer to master.</div><div><br /></div><div><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre; "> </span>The only solution to this seems to be to restrict her movements to an area two by two feet covered below by an mattress, above by limitless air and surrounded on all sides by parents. And every time I do this, I only feel that I am holding her back from achieving her true potential. She would probably be already running laps around the house If it hadn't been for the dammed mattress.</div><div><br /></div><div><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre; "> </span>I realize that the actual problem might be metaphorical. Maybe I am actually getting myself to come to grips with the fact that kids will grow up and that they will take actions that will cause pain, hurt and other associated emotions in varying percentages. And over time, my words will progress from orders to instructions to advice to suggestions to guidelines to garbage. And not necessarily in that order.</div><div><br /></div><div><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre; "> </span>There are of course ways in which new parents can get over their fear of their children hurting. Much like microwaving eggs, this would involve dropping kids from progressively greater heights and leaving them in progressively hazardous situations. Once we have a detailed database, we can then carry out a detailed risk analysis and set our risk limits in which to expose the little chaps. The only downside with this approach that I see, is that due to the changing physical nature of kids, we will have to undertake the study every alternate year. An alternate to this would be to set a height limit. i.e you could say that once your kid was as tall as your shoulder, you would let them do whatever the hell they wanted. reaching your ear would mean free prophylactics on the dinner table. There are further options, and as I weigh the merits of each of them versus the two by two mattress approach, I fear and fret.</div><div><br /></div><div>That is another thing I am learning. I am learning to be afraid.</div>Veluhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09663873372964194895noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17635995.post-71629991573894888152010-04-28T21:47:00.003+05:302010-04-28T21:53:29.030+05:30Oil spill of the Southwest pass.<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRstz94TreQTxu2NFEuLdclbxpPjA2QrFn3EJCgDHiPnPRXRr_GY-fBmYI2cv_kHoMgtcO-G2gwagIrDKDNigJYFPfXK9SGA8TSy3kB0hXDNeq-E2DK_GY_sBjdd0q-8hESt5FCw/s1600/_47737884_delta_nwr_466+(1).gif"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 219px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRstz94TreQTxu2NFEuLdclbxpPjA2QrFn3EJCgDHiPnPRXRr_GY-fBmYI2cv_kHoMgtcO-G2gwagIrDKDNigJYFPfXK9SGA8TSy3kB0hXDNeq-E2DK_GY_sBjdd0q-8hESt5FCw/s400/_47737884_delta_nwr_466+(1).gif" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5465223354844475666" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br />The recent explosion of the oil rig off Louisiana has resulted in oil leaking from underwater pipelines. This picture of the oil slick right next to the Southwest pass entrance does bring the situation to focus. I have benn trading in this area for the last few years so it fells like my own backyard. <br /><br />This taken with the Eagle Otome oil spill in the sabine river earlier this year sure seem to indicate that the US gulf isn't having a good year till now. And the hurricane season is yet to start!Veluhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09663873372964194895noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17635995.post-16665018157270700392010-03-11T04:21:00.001+05:302010-03-11T04:21:38.736+05:30Conversations at a French airport<p class="mobile-photo"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBWzbKlwXeBId-Ej_X-NAl6U63-l_fM30kBt4_af8R6xZAe9AhmGd8Svzsw7oL6dB56_7xG6PCcu8PEO6-mWpAdoWZhxXi8G_UVLw3C911aEgRsnkLC_YjihNHDNY5RDo8h7uzdg/s1600-h/photo-798737.jpg"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBWzbKlwXeBId-Ej_X-NAl6U63-l_fM30kBt4_af8R6xZAe9AhmGd8Svzsw7oL6dB56_7xG6PCcu8PEO6-mWpAdoWZhxXi8G_UVLw3C911aEgRsnkLC_YjihNHDNY5RDo8h7uzdg/s320/photo-798737.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5447141657283538994" /></a></p>A : so this sign indicates that these seats are reserved for the <br>handicapped, blind and the deaf. Who are the fourth set?<p>B : maybe it's you know the speech impaired people<p>A : oh ! I thought it was meant to be a couple of gay guys.<p>B : why would they reserve seats for gay guys?<p>A : I don't know. Maybe because they are french. Plus why do dumb <br>peole need seats? Why can't they fucking stand quitely in a corner <br>Like the rest of us?Veluhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09663873372964194895noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17635995.post-91556988619602205862010-03-10T06:42:00.000+05:302010-03-10T06:45:34.645+05:30Why does bad food happen to fat people?<p class="mobile-photo"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNZX3BPz4rAbvEpH2aAvhPbCMw4aMhG4nP1EyyvwjPAWHUng0Gf7_9i5qeNA71k1_WMT_rI2Xn0ACIVcDk2d253xYw4_OzaJk1_GnZIlMj8LkskUXg22k4Y8aO5FgmyIG8bjdXAw/s1600-h/photo-734646.jpg"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNZX3BPz4rAbvEpH2aAvhPbCMw4aMhG4nP1EyyvwjPAWHUng0Gf7_9i5qeNA71k1_WMT_rI2Xn0ACIVcDk2d253xYw4_OzaJk1_GnZIlMj8LkskUXg22k4Y8aO5FgmyIG8bjdXAw/s320/photo-734646.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5446807669529242066" /></a></p>The problem with fat people like me is that we have tasted good food. <br>And after tasting good food we have liked it. And after liking it, we <br>have eaten more of it. Make no mistake, we have become fat by working <br>hard at eating good food.<p>Which is why it was a bit tragic for me when all my lifes dedication <br>and efforts were disregarded by aeromexico when they put this thing in <br>front of me on the Mexico city - Paris connection.<p>Now the previous post was about Mexican food and heaven knows I have <br>put enough posts praising mexiccan food, but what I fail to understand <br>is why a bunch of mexicans would try to feed me French food in a <br>location from which I could not concievably escape.<p>Now I do not hate French food. Fat people with food are like mother <br>Teresa with lepers. We love all food. But like her we understand that <br>there is simply not enough time to take care of all the food in the <br>world and we have to decide which food group needs us more.<p>People have gotten fat on frech food, but he fact is that whenever I <br>have tried the same, I have found it so exhaustively pretentious that <br>it burns off all the bloody fat. French dishes are named something <br>like "mon de rue el carap" which probably translates into something <br>like "crappy food from the roadside". Something which have been <br>sucessesfully feeding white tourists for the last fifty years at a <br>fraction of the cost.<p>I had thankfully eaten a hearty Mexican meal of something that sounded <br>distinctly more exotic ( diabla anyone?) before boarding, so I just <br>prodded around at it to check if it would retaliate and cut a cross <br>section of it. As you can see in the picture, it didn't make things <br>any better.<p>Next time if these guys do make me fly with these guys again, I hope <br>they will be considerate enough to provide parachutes as well as the <br>sissy life jackets.Veluhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09663873372964194895noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17635995.post-52159760933641923972010-03-06T23:58:00.000+05:302010-03-06T23:57:58.668+05:30Shrimp diabla<p class="mobile-photo"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVSZEgqFUzcovHwzynP-IG6Hio8Bu_qFG5YulHt89PysNEKvvjAz3aV7e43BSBwj7SL92qqYdnl1oCyqGEDuJ2t37aVXQ8Fmsjg5X0FuGOvH8ndLXnveSCMhSzRu6mPugMqA3tDg/s1600-h/photo-778671.jpg"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVSZEgqFUzcovHwzynP-IG6Hio8Bu_qFG5YulHt89PysNEKvvjAz3aV7e43BSBwj7SL92qqYdnl1oCyqGEDuJ2t37aVXQ8Fmsjg5X0FuGOvH8ndLXnveSCMhSzRu6mPugMqA3tDg/s320/photo-778671.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5445589369669262882" /></a></p>Last mentioned in vincents post, it is the most amazing shrimp dish <br>ever. Recommended with a chilled beer.<p>Life is good. :)Veluhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09663873372964194895noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17635995.post-51338472190115685072010-03-02T05:34:00.000+05:302010-03-02T05:41:16.234+05:30DIE LOBSTER DIE!!<p class="mobile-photo"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgotw7FpD7LSMEtNFncmJcb-Ao2Aw65ehtsxaGENg8spp604Rxo51BNwX6E6tHXR1AESVbesW_SavrZ6pVOF5HZm4RT-4bk-pwqpKh-YRJUHvxFeSRzWeOt145G1ST0T4gAvG6m5w/s1600-h/IMG_2491-776235.jpg"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgotw7FpD7LSMEtNFncmJcb-Ao2Aw65ehtsxaGENg8spp604Rxo51BNwX6E6tHXR1AESVbesW_SavrZ6pVOF5HZm4RT-4bk-pwqpKh-YRJUHvxFeSRzWeOt145G1ST0T4gAvG6m5w/s320/IMG_2491-776235.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5443822412437469186" /></a></p><p class="mobile-photo"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnMbwO5rxoh-fpzTMJdeKbfTEYxEw17MLqVVS4fAAe5Hlma0Zwlo8BBaZQWYsMRC3C8HQoM4fyVxV94U6weQrJvshB-WOC-0X2-B1mJIkbVX9B4EGZc7P34sP712NJ95Nqc3HPhg/s1600-h/IMG_2485-777550.jpg"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnMbwO5rxoh-fpzTMJdeKbfTEYxEw17MLqVVS4fAAe5Hlma0Zwlo8BBaZQWYsMRC3C8HQoM4fyVxV94U6weQrJvshB-WOC-0X2-B1mJIkbVX9B4EGZc7P34sP712NJ95Nqc3HPhg/s320/IMG_2485-777550.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5443822418986498066" /></a></p>There definitely seems to be something in the Pagan religious practice of <br>sacrifices. The sacrifice of my reproductive organs, as mention in the last <br>post, did certainly seem to please Neptune, and we got some splendid weather <br>for the next couple of days. And as the sea seemed to be in a particularly <br>benevolent mood, all sorts of fauna and Aquana were being showered on us. I <br>saw my first Turtle at sea, as it lazily gobbled at a bunch of sea weeds. <br>The first night at anchor we set ourselves up on the poop deck with fishing <br>tackles and beers. I ofcourse maintained my record of never catching <br>anything, but the guys got a fair amount of Red snappers and these white <br>fishes, the nomenclature of which we argued over the beers. A few years back <br>and we would have lit up a barbeque and tossed them right there on the <br>grill. But these days people are actually expected to follow these pesky <br>safety regulations. Damn them all!<p>I have to admit that safety regulations do help. They tune the mind to some <br>Zen like state, where you are able to sense danger. For example, when I <br>looked out of the porthole on the next glorious morning, I immediately <br>sensed danger as I saw the bosun running back along the deck with what was <br>evidently an alien object eating his arm right up to his shoulders.<p>Like all prudent masters, except Nelson and James Cook- who wound up dead at <br>sea, I immediately swung into action and prayed to god. Then I sat down at <br>the desk and looked at the phone for the next five minutes. At the end of <br>that time, as the phone had not rung, it was evident that the alien <br>infestation had spread among the whole crew, which in an zombie inspired <br>orgy of blood and trailing entrails, had hacked each other to bits. I felt <br>deep sympathy for my young valiant mess man as he bravely tried to warn me <br>on phone as the zombie oiler nibbled on his feet. Rookie mistake. Aliens <br>always use phone lines to spread and as he would have held the phone to his <br>ears, the small ant aliens would go into his ears and all that would have <br>remained of Eddie would have been an agonizingly silent cry of blinding pain <br>as his brain imploded. I sincerely grieved for Eddie. Or it was equally <br>possible that nothing of great importance had occurred. Either way, it <br>didn't look like I would be required to do anything, so I decided that it <br>was safe to venture out of my cabin.<p>As it turned out, the light and its refraction through my dual layered <br>porthole had played tricks on my mind. It was actually a small bosun who had <br>caught a big Lobster. And as big lobsters go, this was huge. Minus its <br>antennae, which were longer then it, this chap was about half a meter in <br>length. Lobsters apparently don't die when you take them out of the water. <br>But it certainly looks out of sort when placed on a steel platter surrounded <br>by the ships crew who were excitedly pointing out which part they would eat. <br>As I looked at its majestic sweep lying on the galley table, Eddie happily <br>showed me where he would cut along the back to put in the masala and let me <br>stew. I have honestly not seen such a big lobster in my life. There <br>definitely can't be too many of this size out there in the world. It seemed <br>crazy that a bunch of sailors eat this chap in the middle of the sea. The <br>guy deserved to be in some aquarium looking out at the passing gaggle of <br>school kids with its unblinking eyes. If this was a couple of hundred years <br>back, this chap would probably land up on the table of the local ruler to <br>get his favours. As I looked up, I saw the faces of the Excited crew staring <br>back at me.<p>With a deep sigh, mustering up all of my Captains demeanour, I pointed to <br>the sea creature and declared,<p>"I want to eat this part."Veluhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09663873372964194895noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17635995.post-66735927595353185122010-02-28T10:20:00.000+05:302010-02-28T10:26:13.998+05:30Sea, sofa, so good<p class="mobile-photo"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_xPavWP4gVkw/S4n3bmQatlI/AAAAAAAAFFc/nyYwwF0pnrc/s1600-h/IMG_2483-773999.jpg"><img src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_xPavWP4gVkw/S4n3bmQatlI/AAAAAAAAFFc/nyYwwF0pnrc/s320/IMG_2483-773999.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5443153678151890514" /></a></p>The last few days have been hectic. The fog from the last post did give us a <br>night off at Houston, but the night blew in a nasty cold wind from the north <br>that killed the fog and made me hate the cold again with a new intensity.<p>Another problem with cold fronts, ( apart from the aforementioned basic <br>problem that they are bloody cold), is that they bring bad weather with <br>them. The above picture of the houston channel, was the last day of good <br>weather that we had for the past week and by the time we had dropped anchor <br>in the Mexican oil fields two days out of Houston, the northerly swell has <br>started to roll in. It ended up dragging our anchor and forcing us out into <br>the Gulf of Campeche to fight it out with the sea. I don't think you ever <br>win with the sea, and we came back battered a couple of days later when she <br>calmed down a bit.<p> The problem with the hands on bigger ships like ours, is that we really <br>are a bit spoilt. So when the sea does get rough enough to make us <br>uncomfortable, we get really uncomfortable. I had thought that my cabin <br>furniture was firmly bolted to the deck, but a bout of particularly bad <br>rolling woke me up to a crash in my day-room in the middle of the night. As <br>I rushed in there in my boxers, my sofa, which is usually a rather inert <br>object, hurtled itself from the other end of the room right into my nuts. I <br>think its for the best that I'm already a dad.<p> Next morning did see the sea in a better if still disgruntled mood, a <br>dazed bunch of crew and a rather sheepish sofa.Veluhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09663873372964194895noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17635995.post-40514657384831475402010-02-21T22:32:00.000+05:302010-02-21T22:36:10.228+05:30Boxed in at houston<p class="mobile-photo"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpwhfBzQFWNlIL784C7eGY08TODqCwjD3gsnkdqywW4jtTxhjnJkduhFpDRlzFLe-bM_C5fxmP8d24_28Qm_Wzbpl7x8s-rNC05w1hnBfvvgMB2O7JCnFm3XSsMkgD1wC1PvT7vQ/s1600-h/Picture-770229.jpg"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpwhfBzQFWNlIL784C7eGY08TODqCwjD3gsnkdqywW4jtTxhjnJkduhFpDRlzFLe-bM_C5fxmP8d24_28Qm_Wzbpl7x8s-rNC05w1hnBfvvgMB2O7JCnFm3XSsMkgD1wC1PvT7vQ/s320/Picture-770229.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5440744184976581154" /></a></p>Woke up today morning with a thick fog blanketing the Houston ship channel.<br>We will be done with the cargo in a few hours & if this doesn't lift, we<br>should have a few hours to ourselves. Its sunday out here and it really<br>looks like a sunday sent by god to eat a few hot pakorahs and samosas with a <br>cup of steaming tea.Veluhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09663873372964194895noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17635995.post-3817791537196162772010-02-19T12:17:00.000+05:302010-02-19T12:20:15.302+05:30My latest jokeWhat did Mao say when Dalai Lama shouted "Free Tibet!" ?<p>"OK I'll take it."Veluhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09663873372964194895noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17635995.post-15885913429420483432010-02-18T09:02:00.003+05:302010-02-18T09:05:48.505+05:30Good riddance to bad wires<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6513rvl9v8nBQc9MGz9bg-L2QW-jrs7i_ZDdoXm-PC_CBw1XoEkHbjlcU76cjAYvlB1cKIM8QuZ_DuRgG226UVT7D3a2N9ZlXX_NzU5hbNsNo8N7BPXeGUs_lOmGZarcdIQO4jw/s1600-h/Ship++(1).jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 231px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6513rvl9v8nBQc9MGz9bg-L2QW-jrs7i_ZDdoXm-PC_CBw1XoEkHbjlcU76cjAYvlB1cKIM8QuZ_DuRgG226UVT7D3a2N9ZlXX_NzU5hbNsNo8N7BPXeGUs_lOmGZarcdIQO4jw/s400/Ship++(1).jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5439421560721736786" /></a><div>Anyone sailing on oil tankers has grappled with fire wires. Fire wires, also referred to as (ETOPS- emergency tow-off pennants system) must have seemed to be a swell thing to the guy who came up with the idea. The concept is that if there is a fire onboard an oil tanker or the terminal when a tanker is tied alongside, the oil tanker is to keep wires ready hanging overside on the sea side. Shore tugs will simply tie up to these wires and pull the ship off the jetty to safety. Thus in an emergency, there would be no confusion such as tying up the tugs and all that. </div> <div> </div> <div>Well apparently it worked out well only in theory. Firewires (38mm in dia and about 120 m in length) are the crappiest piece of gear that is found on modern oil tankers. And we have our share of crappy gears. Everything about the fire wire from stowing, to deploying to adjusting it is a pain. All we ever got out of the fire wire was trips, bruises and a filthy mouth. </div> <div> </div> <div>Apparently, word does get around. In 2007, OCIMF asked LR to carry out a risk assessment for fire wires in the industry and the results surprised even me. Apparently, fire wires have been deployed on tankers since 1967. And in that time they have not been used even once. Not once. On the other hand, fire wires have caused about seventeen hundred minor or major injuries in that period. </div> <div> </div> <div>Thanks to this study by LR, OCIMF has finally stopped recommending the deployment of fire wires. Also they have amended the SIRE VIQ accordingly. This is great news. 1967 was a long time back so by the time the terminals and loading masters decide that its allright not to rig the wire, it might be a fair amount of time. But still, it is a beginning and hopefully soon we'll have one less thing to swear about at sea.</div><div><br /></div><div>If you are interested, you can read the <a href="http://www.ocimf.com/view_document.cfm?id=1316">Risk assessment by Lloyds out here</a>. Its an interesting read.</div>Veluhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09663873372964194895noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17635995.post-29859473288131699302010-02-16T09:17:00.003+05:302010-02-16T11:20:32.172+05:30I'm sorry Mama<object type="application/x-shockwave-flash" id="video" width="320" height="280" data="http://www.myfoxhouston.com/video/videoplayer.swf?dppversion=6300"><param value="http://www.myfoxhouston.com/video/videoplayer.swf?dppversion=6300" name="movie"><param value="&skin=MP1ExternalAll-MFL.swf&embed=true&adSrc=http%3A%2F%2Fad%2Edoubleclick%2Enet%2Fadx%2Ftsg%2Ekriv%2Fnews%2Fmetro%2Fdetail%3Bdcmt%3Dtext%2Fxml%3Bpos%3D%3Btile%3D2%3Bfname%3D100208%2Dofficer%2Dshot%2Drecovery%3Bloc%3Dsite%3Bsz%3D320x240%3Bord%3D973324706777930200%3Frand%3D0%2E8809050703421235&flv=http%3A%2F%2Fwww%2Emyfoxhouston%2Ecom%2Ffeeds%2FoutboundFeed%3FobfType%3DVIDEO%5FPLAYER%5FSMIL%5FFEED%26componentId%3D131639238&img=http%3A%2F%2Fmedia2%2Emyfoxhouston%2Ecom%2F%2Fphoto%2F2010%2F02%2F08%2F100208offshot%5Ftmb0001%5F20100208211231%5F640%5F480%2EJPG&story=http%3A%2F%2Fwww%2Emyfoxhouston%2Ecom%2Fdpp%2Fnews%2Flocal%2F100208%2Dofficer%2Dshot%2Drecovery" name="FlashVars"><param value="all" name="allowNetworking"><param value="always" name="allowScriptAccess"></object><div><br /></div><div> For the last few days, the people of Texas were focused on the case of a teenager who shot a police man in the stomach when the cop tried to break up the burglary. Eventually after a chase when the kid was caught, he had three words to say to the TV cameras, "I'm sorry mama."</div><div><br /></div><div>Eminem said in his song <a href="http://www.justsomelyrics.com/1058208/Eminem-I'm-Sorry-Momma---Eminem-Lyrics">with the same title</a>,</div><div> "<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: verdana, arial; font-size: small; ">I'm sorry mama </span></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: verdana, arial; font-size: small; ">I never meant to hurt you<br />I never meant make you cry<br />But tonight, I'm cleaning out my closet."</span><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: verdana, arial; font-size: small; "> </span><div>It really is a privilege to sail on ships and de-facto be parts of the lives of people in different corners of the world. But the more you look at the differences, the more you are reminded of the universality of emotions and the crushing weight of a mothers sorrow. And how we all need to apologise to it. </div><div><br /></div></div>Veluhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09663873372964194895noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17635995.post-58810860217874573422010-02-14T10:40:00.001+05:302010-02-14T11:55:50.008+05:30Vincent the patchy-white-skinned Pimp<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_xPavWP4gVkw/S3eXSehX8II/AAAAAAAAFAQ/bTE0f9Ofg7k/s1600-h/Picture+026.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_xPavWP4gVkw/S3eXSehX8II/AAAAAAAAFAQ/bTE0f9Ofg7k/s400/Picture+026.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5437981418759647362" /></a><br />Vincent is a pimp. He really is. Its not like the time I got drunk and<br />called Mr Verma, my social studies teacher a pimp. Vincent really is a pimp<br />and gets distressed at the thought that people might mistake him for someone<br />facilitating sex out of the goodness of his heart. I met Vincent in a<br />crowded bar in Mexico. Crowded bars are a great place to meet men. Some of<br />them are pimps. A few of our crew were having drinks there and someone<br />pointed me out as the captain. I'm not sure what Motion picture or TV series<br />they show in Pimp school, but Vincent has a very high regard for captains.<br />Vincent has in his head a vague plan involving a flotilla of ships filled<br />with Mexican prostitutes sailing to the farthest corners of the worlds<br />engaging in debauched acts in international waters. I think he has that in<br />his mind because he told it to me over his second drink. Its hard to<br />understand what Vincent is really thinking because you can barely see him.<br />He unfortunately suffers from that disease in which your skin gets those<br />white patches that then spread all over your body till you become all white<br />and stuff. That thing. It is unfortunate because Vincent tries to cover it<br />all up with wearing full sleeves in a sweltering heat and by hiding his face<br />behind all sorts of hand gestures. Infact he is so uncomfortable that at<br />those rare moments that he is shaking someones hand and flicking the ash<br />from<br />his cigarette at the same time, everyone respectfully looks at their drinks<br />till one of his hands is in place.<p>Vincent explains that he is a freelance pimp. That means that he simply<br />makes a profit from references, and doesn't need to maintain an exclusive<br />clientele, or girls or hit around any women. He says that is a very<br />convenient. Principally because it is very difficult to hit around Mexican<br />women.</p><p>Every company is required to have core policies that guide them in<br />everything that they do. I have diligently looked through all the policies<br />onboard and have not come across any policy that requires me to tell pimps<br />that I cannot let my ship be used as launchpad for boatloads of sex crazed<br />low cost prostitutes in nations with favourable forex conversion rates. I<br />have thus maintained silence on this issue. In all honesty, if Vincent ever<br />does give me a written request, I promise to forward it to the HQ. But in<br />the meanwhile, Vincent is a friend.</p><p>Vincent meets you at the boat jetty and takes you shopping. He haggles with<br />the cab drivers and the shopkeepers and takes you to quaint eating sea side<br />joints where he then translates the menu and orders the most awesome sea<br />food such as shrimps Diabla and the local cocktails such as the "Torito" .<br />All while describing in most vivid details how he could get you in bed with<br />women whose current loss of virginity might be actually doubtful. I am not<br />sure if you have ever shopped or had dinner with a similar topic being<br />spoken, but it sure beats watching seagulls fight over a fish thrashing<br />around in its dying throes. Vincent also has stories to match any<br />situation. You might get into a taxi with him and he would resume his<br />conversation with, "One time, I was in the taxi with another captain and<br />three of my friends, ..." and other such stories, too outrageous to be<br />anything but true. Taxi rides in Mexico are disappointingly short.</p><p>If you do ever feel indebted to him for these services and hesitatingly ask,<br />"Vincent, would you mind of I gave you some money."<br />Hiding his face behind a set of complicated hand gestures Vincent replies,<br />"If it makes you happy."</p><p>When things make people happy, Vincent becomes very happy.</p>Veluhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09663873372964194895noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17635995.post-20070199787767576672010-01-31T20:01:00.000+05:302010-01-31T20:03:35.150+05:30Post pirates movie marathonThe heartlands of India were rather untouched by the salt of the sea until<br>the "Pirates of the Caribbean" came to be released. I ofcourse raise no<br>claims regarding the accuracy, or the lack thereof, of<br>this classic feature presentation, but looking at Capt. Jack Sparrow, it is<br>possible to reach certain assumptions regarding seafarers which may be<br>erroneous.<p> I am given to understand that these days one of the first question a father<br>asks of his prospective<br>seafarer son-in-law, is if he has been to the pirate port of Tortuga. My own<br>father-in-law ofcourse realised that at this point of time, it was probably<br>better that he did not know of the fact but being a doctor, couldn't resist<br>asking me one rather unremarkable evening,<p>"So how frequently do you guys take a bath on ships?"Veluhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09663873372964194895noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17635995.post-13602569675847181142010-01-23T11:22:00.000+05:302010-01-23T11:27:08.256+05:30AIS - Internet interfacing - dangers further exploredA couple of posts back, I tried to give examples regarding the <br>indiscriminate proliferation of internet AIS feeds, as seen from a <br>landlubbers perspective. Now I'm hoping to wade into the practical dangers <br>of this as faced by seamen.<p>Honestly, I have seen very less resistance from people regarding this trend, <br>but whenever something along this line does get raised, there are four basic <br>responses that crop up.<br>1. The info is already out there. The logic is that the feeds are already <br>out there if we like it or not. So might as well use them for whatever <br>benefit that we can get out of them. This is like justifying buying fur <br>because its already there in the store. Let me explain. The people who have <br>set up the AIS antennae on the shore are in it for the money. They are not <br>doing it because they want to see their dad sail into the harbour. John from <br>gCaptain explained the economics of the iphone Apps. His iPhone app for the <br>AIS (gTrax) sells for about five dollars on iTunes. Plus for every port that <br>you require a feed to, you need to pay ten dollars every month. Out of all <br>the revenue generated, about 50 percent goes to the people providing the <br>feed. Do the maths.<p>2. The threat is too improbable for any actual danger to ships. In forum <br>discussions I gave an example of sailing into an US port on a ship named <br>"Allah Laden" and how that might be targeted by college students with <br>iphones. Laughable right? Sitting in a US city, it certainly seems so. But <br>try sailing into the middle east with a ship named " Jesus H Christ" and are <br>you still that comfortable? You see, this is not something local to US <br>Coast. This is happening all over the world and personally as a guy who <br>might be sailing anywhere, it worries me. And the Americans should worry <br>too. The ISPS regulation was pushed through the IMO by the Americans mainly <br>as an response to 9/11. So the whole point of a regulation, in which you put <br>equipment on ships for better monitoring, is lost when you make it available <br>to the very people you want to keep out. Small boats and yachts are common <br>sights in US ports. Probably most of contributors of gCaptain have a couple <br>of boats themselves. If a bunch of Somalians can climb fast moving ships in <br>the middle of the sea while fighting resistance, there is not much stopping <br>an Al Quida cell from boarding slow moving LNG tankers in the miles of <br>inland US waters. Americans should worry. 9/11 was a local incident.<p>3. Just switch off the AIS. Sounds very simple. Infact, readers from a <br>non-sea background are probably going to ask at this point, "So if you <br>switch off the AIS, the transmission stops? Then what was all this bitching <br>about?"<br>Well its not so simple. Making the master responsible for switching off the <br>AIS is a very convenient ploy. He is anyway the guy who gets screwed <br>whenever there's a cock up, so why can't he be the fall guy for this as <br>well? The AIS is not to be switched off unless the master has good reasons <br>for switching it off. Who decides these good reasons? Sailing in the <br>Somalian coast is a very clear example. Even my company orders state that I <br>should switch off the AIS. But what about Sailing off the Benin, Nigerian <br>and the west African coast? Statistics prove that there are more piracy <br>incidents on West coast Africa then off Somalia. They are just low key. Can <br>I switch it off there? Suppose I'm an Indian Ship coasting Pakistani <br>waters, or an American ship coasting Iranian waters, then what? If some <br>incident does happen, the first thing that is going to be said is that the <br>Captain should have known better. So is the captain now supposed to read the <br>news daily and make threat assessments, that the whole Obama administration <br>routinely misses?<br>.<br>Take another case. I read the news. Diligently. And I arrive off Houston in <br>my assumed ship "Allah Laden" a day after the Fort Hood incident. A Muslim <br>has killed more than a dozen chaps and Obama issues a warning fearing for <br>reprisal attacks on Muslim targets. Hearing this, I immediately switch off <br>my AIS. Houston pilots have an intricate AIS system and our good friend <br>oneeighteen, boards and refuses to take in the ship unless I switch it back <br>on. What then?<p>I have been accused of making silly connections, but to me, passing the <br>onus, on switching off the AIS on the master, seems like an old western <br>movie, in which the local goons insist that they will shoot in the main <br>street and people who don't want to get shot can simply sit in their houses.<p>4. Lets just do it in America. The US is an awesome country. idea's born <br>here are going to take flight and go everywhere. AIS iphone apps for china <br>are not far and are probably already out there. There is nothing stopping it <br>from replicating anywhere. God knows that the Somalian pirates have enough <br>money to start off a system that they can use within their own network if <br>they put their mind to it. Give me a couple of million dollars and I will <br>set up an awesome system that will stream live info to only my core group.<p>And AIS is not the end. LRIT is just being started. An Antennae off Scotland <br>could pick up a ship off Somalia and feed it live on the internet. Is <br>something in place to stop that?<p>The tragedy of this whole thing is that the people feeding this whole <br>movement are the shipping fraternity. Joe, who goes online from his mom's <br>basement when not in college is not the one paying these AIS stations for <br>live feeds. Its the yatchmen, pilots, tugsters, shipping companies and <br>seagoing folks who are paying this and jeopardising themselves and their <br>fellow mates. People are taking any mention of stopping this as invasion of <br>their personal rights. Guys, this is a new technology and just because there <br>are no laws against it doesn't make it right. Just because god gave you a <br>big dick doesn't mean you have to fuck yourself in the arse with it. Another <br>silly connection, but there it is.<p>PS: As I am posting this by email, I couldn't put any links to the above. Am <br>writing this as a reminder to myself & to you if you need me in the future <br>to give you the links :<br>01. gTrax's business model<br>02. IMB's Piracy statistics.<br>03. Fort Hood incident<br>04. LRIT detailsVeluhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09663873372964194895noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17635995.post-87513501983718796592010-01-23T02:30:00.004+05:302010-01-23T02:34:40.312+05:30Safety First !<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7SmKzyZL2r5bHO3CenfpbO-0hMQ9m_7jRxSP9fPSIYHSkDeiT9i7U8b3Sh3oGySZYZ8Qeb4HVT2wDrWHESOeIDuxhY904NYH8K-1HVIRK8t-mnF71mF-5VWibFK05RPJMJqPe6A/s1600-h/image0096oa.jpg" style="text-decoration: none;"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 304px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7SmKzyZL2r5bHO3CenfpbO-0hMQ9m_7jRxSP9fPSIYHSkDeiT9i7U8b3Sh3oGySZYZ8Qeb4HVT2wDrWHESOeIDuxhY904NYH8K-1HVIRK8t-mnF71mF-5VWibFK05RPJMJqPe6A/s400/image0096oa.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5429672482411381986" /></a><div style="text-align: center;"><i><br />Photo courtsey : gCaptain Forum</i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i><br /></i></div><div style="text-align: left;">We might be scurvy-ridden-pirate-scum, but we also have ISM Checklists.</div>Veluhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09663873372964194895noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17635995.post-31865767316879606412010-01-21T23:02:00.006+05:302010-01-22T02:26:31.739+05:30AIS - right information in the wrong hands<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_xPavWP4gVkw/S1iyQXptZ-I/AAAAAAAAE-A/kkzL6_hhc64/s1600-h/1.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 300px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_xPavWP4gVkw/S1iyQXptZ-I/AAAAAAAAE-A/kkzL6_hhc64/s400/1.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5429285345091741666" /></a><br />In the mid 1990's when I visited the Indian <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Karwar">port of <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">Karwar</span></a>, Trucks full of villagers came over to visit the ship for sightseeing. The same would happen when we went to Calcutta. Yet once on Gangway duty, when I asked one visitor to put down her address and phone number on the Gangway log, she hesitated. I reasoned with her, that since she had come over to visit my ship, I might also take it into my mind to visit her house to look around and to maybe have Dinner. <div><br /></div><div>All I got was an earful from the captain who apparently already had her address.</div><div><br /></div><div>Yet the incident has stuck with me as a reminder of the fact that the landlubbers often take the privacy of seafarers for granted. It would be a tough fact to forget, given that I am reminded of it often enough. We seafarers take it for granted that any port <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_1">official</span> with a badge can enter a crew members cabin with sniffer dogs. Yet that same <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_2">official</span> would demand a search <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_3">warrant</span> for the cops to check his apartment. </div><div><br /></div><div>I view the proliferation of the Ships AIS information on the <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_4">Internet</span> as yet another example of the same syndrome. Today, anyone with an <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_5">Internet</span> connection can spot in real time the location, course , speed , destination, draft etc of a ship in a huge chunk of coastal area. </div><div><br /></div><div>For the kind reader who is not from a ship background, let me explain. Under the <a href="http://www.imo.org/Safety/mainframe.asp?topic_id=897"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_6">ISPS</span> regulations</a>, every ship is fitted with an <a href="http://www.navcen.uscg.gov/enav/AIS/default.htm">Automatic Identification System (AIS)</a> which transmits the above information on VHF frequencies to the world in general. The purpose envisaged for this was two-fold. Primarily, this would give the coast state information on all the ships lurking around its waters (ensuring better traffic management, SAR etc) and as a bonus, other ships could also use this information for safety of navigation and in collision avoidance. What has happened now is that private individuals / companies have set up AIS receiver antennae on the coast and are putting feeds of all the vessel information live on the <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_9">Internet</span>. <a href="http://www.marinetraffic.com/ais/#">This is an example of such a site</a>. Now developers are putting up applications on even the <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_10">iPhone</span> that lets you access this information. <a href="http://gcaptain.com/maritime/blog/announcing-gtrax-vessel-tracking/">GCaptain has an excellent</a> such app. Pictured above is a screenshot from another such app. <a href="http://5956n.typepad.com/59_56_n/2010/01/every-ship-a-news-channel-ais-ship-tracking-and-valueadded-data.html"><span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_11">Ryan</span> at his neat website 59 56 N </a>suggests that we can further make it better by adding machinery data, and as he says, "<span class="Apple-style-span" style=" color: rgb(51, 51, 51); font-family:arial, helvetica, hirakakupro-w3, osaka, 'ms pgothic', sans-serif;font-size:13px;">Better yet, shippers could also provide information about the owner, charterer, insurer, the works. And all of these, equipment supplier, owner and everyone else, could include a news feed, for the latest on the companies involved and their products/services."<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family:Georgia, serif;font-size:16px;"> </span></span></div><div><br /></div><div>Tracking blue whales is cool. Tracking emperor Penguins as they do their half yearly mating march is cool. Tracking Sputnik while it passes overhead is cool. Tracking ships is not. Granted I am being a bigot because I am not a whale, penguin or Sputnik. But here is the thing. This is my house. Unlike an airline pilot, I don't park this thing in an hanger for the night and go for the Mandatory 24 hour rest in a 5 star hotel. I sleep here. I eat here. And I miss my wife and daughter from here. And I do that for six months in a year. And when I am not doing that, some other chap is doing exactly that in this same chair.</div><div><br /></div><div>Let me illustrate with another example. Suppose you lived in a neighborhood where the police feared that crime might rise in the near future. To preempt this rise in crime, the police chief decided to take a complete inventory of all the members and all the appliances of all the houses in the neighborhood. Now some of you agreed to it because you were good chaps and the rest of you did it because it was the law. Plus if you all had inventories ready, you could readily exchange it with your friends inventory and realize, say that John, three houses down had a nice lawnmower which you could use. A win-win situation for all.</div><div><br /></div><div>Now in the middle of this, the teenage son of the Police Sergeant, who happened to take lunch to his dads office came across the inventories on his dad's desk and took copies of them. He then proceeded to stick all the inventories on all the street corners, the local pubs, motels, Biker gang dens and near the parole counter of all police stations. As they were pasting the last set near the out gate of the local correction facility, the <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_12">teenagers</span> friend turns around to him and says,</div><div>"Dude, you know what would be cool? If we could identify which of these guys had daughters over twelve years old. And to make it like really really cool, we should make those guys come over here and update their daughters age every six months. With their blood reports. " </div><div><br /></div><div>Just pray that you live in a nice neighborhood. </div><div> </div>Veluhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09663873372964194895noreply@blogger.com6