Filter Bubble

Birds of a feather flock together even in the age of twitter and Facebook. 

Irrespective of the number of people you are following on twitter they are all saying what you want to hear. No, it isn't that you are that mesmerizing it's just that you have chosen the people you want to follow.

People in general prefer to be agreeable - it's easier to get along if you go with popular belief but the extent of this popular belief may end with the outer edge of your circle of people. This circle of people who agree with you was curated by you. This is why high school is difficult. High school is when you are trying to form opinions, make friends, and subconsciously create ways of filtering what your like and don't. Now there's a name for such an environment resulting from this kind of filtering of opposing views - filter bubble.

Now we don't need researchers to tell us that one can and should make conscious attempts at bursting this bubble by walking in other's shoes i.e. learning about the opposing views. Why? Because that's the way to truly understand. 

This latest research indicates you can learn about alternative views best from people with whom you agree at least on some other topics.

iWatch

I'm looking forward to iWatch's debut. For one I like to have lot of time on my hands :) and secondly Apple is known to redefine products.

Here are the gadgets I'm hoping an iWatch would consolidate - 

1. Watch
2. Calendar
3. iPod Shuffle - for those workout playlists and this means bluetooth sync would be needed
4. Personal Alarm Clock - which will silently wake just you and not your partner
5. Pedometer - Accelerometer in iPods is already in use by iPod+Nike kit creating a pedometer so they are can just cut Nike out of the equation. Think Nike Fuel Band. 
6. Heart Rate Monitor
7. Sleep Monitor - think of something akin to Sleep Tracker

Apple has great advantage over other competitors since iWatch can be designed to sync wirelessly with iPhone and mac (perhaps iTunes). And this sync makes this data readily available for boasting on social networks.

The year of classics!

It felt like the bullets that pierced Gatsby's heart ricochet thru mine. Such a sad story! A story of such dichotomy!

When the movie's release was nearing and the gaudy posters went up in movie theaters I wanted to read the American classic before seeing it alive with it's period costumes on screen. Didn't wanna live thru the agony again, at least then. I like movies with entertainment value but a happy and definite ending is a must.

As if that wasn't enough I decided to read yet another classics. The story of Scarlett O'Hara was gripping and is no doubt my fastest read tome. Gone with the wind is an excellent read and so much to learn about Civil War. I was severely disappointed by the abstract ending.

When I discussed my dismay with a friend he joked that I wouldn't like Christopher Nolan's movies for that very reason. I quipped I didn't wanna take homework when I was paying ten bucks for his movie.

Wiki has amusing demographics analysis of fans of this book noting they are mostly middle aged Southern or Midwestern women :)

As the idea of synchronicity would have it, I've been noticing the book's characters and themes in multiple places most notable being the apple chart in a Shenandoah gas station. It listed Scarlett O'Hara as one of the modern varieties of apple.

Next in line, the catcher in the rye.

You can stand under my umbrella

This post has nothing to do with the Rihana's song...but everything to do with an umbrella. I'd seen this DIY stripped umbrella project on whatiwore that I loved. I wanted some colors so went with VIBGYOR and this rainy afternoon completed my little project. It took a couple of hours while watching What happens in Vega$.

 

Woot!

Highest score (513) ever with three bingos.

 

Happy Valentine's Day

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This is the cake I made for pre-Valentine Day Scrabble play. My first foray into decorative icing using sugar sheets. Took about 15 minutes to draw the template, revise and cut! Not too shabby eh :)

My new roomies

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Late last year I moved into a new place with three roomies and two of them are adorable dogs (they don't share rent but do help keep the kitchen floor clean).

Bentley is a little old fashioned and always wear black and white while Mowgly goes with a workspace khakhi look.