Month: April 2007

Ancient Cities, Modern Slums

Isn’t it astonishing that around 2,600 BCE, when most of the world was living in tiny little human settlements, the Indus Valley civilization had well-planned cities of Harappa and Mohenjodaro?

“Some of these cities appear to have been built based on a well-developed plan. The streets of major cities such as Mohenjo-daro and Harappa were paved and were laid out at right angles (and aligned north, south, east or west) in a grid pattern with a hierarchy of streets (commercial boulevards to small residential alleyways), somewhat comparable to that of present day New York. The houses were protected from noise, odors, and thieves, and had their own wells, and sanitation. And the cities had drainage, large granaries, water tanks, and well-developed urban sanitation,” the Wikipedia article on urban planning says.
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Gmail on Paper!

Whatever are they going to think of next? Three years ago on April 1st, they announced 2 GB of free mail. Now this. Free paper mail. They will mail you a copy of any number of emails that you wish to save on hardcopy. Google is going to take over the earth 🙂

PS: It’s an April Fools’ joke.

PPS: Praveen C informs us that Google is also offering free broadband service called TiSP.

Happy April Fools

Happy April Fools’ Day!

For a fascinating account of April Fools’ day, see the Wikipedia article.

There are smart people with a sense of humor and as their targets there are billions of gullible people. The existence of organized religion is proof that there are billions of gullible people. But organized religion is not funny. It becomes funny though when ridiculed. Rowan Atkinson is the master of ridicule and humor. If you have not seen him as Bean, you have a treat waiting. (Don’t bother with the stupid Hollywood “Mr Bean” movie. It’s a pale imitation of the real Bean.) Even better, check out the Blackadder series. Wickedly funny.

Here’s a short clip of Rowan Atkinson on the Amazing Jesus of Nazareth.

Thank god that some humans have a sense of humor. The Anglosphere particularly appreciates a good joke. One cannot imagine anything comparable in the Islamosphere. If someone in some remote corner of the world were to poke a bit of fun at their idols, the Islamosphere would go an a worldwide rampage and before you know it a few dozen people would be dead. They do need to lighten up a bit.

Have fun!