My Head in His Hands

My heart racing like a horse in a race course,
As I ascend the barber's throne,
To keep my head in his hands...
As a reply to my greeting smile
"How are you sir" greets barber wrapping the hair armour around my torso,
he irrigates my hair with Pickled water,
then unleases magical weapons from their sheaths,
.....
The pair of scissors snips its' way,
wading through my side locks creating Dopplers' effect,
sending impulses through my auditory tunnels,
triggering my fear fright hormone,
His blades grazing my temple,
appeasing their hunger with bites of my hair,
munching their way behind my ears,
snip, snip, snip, snip....
then lands the comb,
on the white creases of my darklands,
Divides and rules the territory of my scalp,
with the 'scissors-comb' Combo,
snip, snip, snip, snip....
snippets of my hair flying around me,
As I close my eyes I pray,
That the scissors do not pierce into my brain,
the snipping music echoing my ears,
the magical comb,
combing its way back and forth,
creating shock waves in my heart,
As I feel this ordeal has come to an end,
Then the soap and lather encircles my cheek,
and oh no my throat!
Swiss, swash the swiss blade in Action,
just over my most important veins,
And over my tiny hill - my 'musicbox', then starts clammy sweat in my tightened fist,
moment of mixed feelings,
my mind murmers silently,
oh God! Let his blade not go astray....

Crossing all the rugosities,
it extends it's journey towards the plains of my cheeks,
Hah! cut, cut, cut ooo...me small cut,
to which the ruling barber never heads,
splashes Water and lotion to douse the fire on my cheek,
Finally he Gifts me freedom,
unwrapping me from all my shields
"You are ready sir"  he says.
I look myself in the mirror ,
to find a different 'ME'.....

                                      Srinivasa Raghu
                                       

This is just going to hurt a little bit

One of the interesting poems learnt as a school going kid.

One thing I like less than most things is sitting in a dentist chair with
my mouth wide open.
And that I will never have to do it again is a hope that I am against hope hopen.

Because some tortures are physical and some are mental,
But the one that is both is dental.
It is hard to be self-possessed
With your jaw digging into your chest.

So hard to retain your calm
When your fingernails are making serious alterations in your life line
or love line or some other important line in your palm;

So hard to give your usual effect of cheery benignity
When you know your position is one of the two or three in life
most lacking in dignity.

And your mouth is like a section of road that is being worked on.
And it is all cluttered up with stone crushers and concrete mixers and
drills and steam rollers and there isn't a nerve in your head that
you aren't being irked on.

Oh, some people are unfortunate enough to be strung up by thumbs.
And others have things done to their gums,
And your teeth are supposed to be being polished,
But you have reason to believe they are being demolished.
And the circumstance that adds most to your terror
Is that it's all done with a mirror,
Because the dentist may be a bear, or as the Romans used to say, only
they were referring to a feminine bear when they said it, an ursa,
But all the same how can you be sure when he takes his crowbar in one
hand and mirror in the other he won't get mixed up, the way you
do when you try to tie a bow tie with the aid of a mirror, and forget
that left is right and vice versa?

And then at last he says That will be all; but it isn't because he then
coats your mouth from cellar to roof
With something that I suspect is generally used to put a shine on a
horse's hoof.

And you totter to your feet and think. Well it's all over now and after
all it was only this once.
And he says come back in three monce.
And this, O Fate, is I think the most vicious circle that thou ever sentest, That Man has to go continually to the dentist to keep his teeth in good
condition when the chief reason he wants his teeth in good condition
is so that he won't have to go to the dentist.

– Ogden Nash

Tinkle: The childhood companion.

I found copy of Tinkle after long time and felt nostalgic. Kapish, Suppandi, Shikari Shambu, the eternal characters brought back my childhood days. Thanks to Anant Pai (affectionately referred as Uncle Pai) who dedicated his life for children.

Fritz 13 vs Stockfish 6 (64 Bit)

Another interesting game between Fritz and StockFish. This resulted in draw as well, but apparently StockFish (White) had an upper hand.

 Fritz 13 - Stockfish 6 64 [D00]

Aspire, Blitz 4m+2s Aspire (2), 01.10.2015

[0.29;0.14]

Intel(R) Core(TM) i5 CPU       M 480  @ 2.67GHz 2659 MHzW=18.0 plies; 1,678kN/sB=30.9 plies; 1,275kN/s 1.d4 Both last book move  0.29/19  13  1...Nf6  0.14/20  5  2.Nf3  0.23/19  14  e6  0.24/21  14  3.Nc3 (c4)  0.16/18  12  3...d5  -0.01/19  5  4.Bf4 (Bg5)  0.26/17  11  4...Bb4  -0.20/18  7  5.g3 (a3)  0.25/17  9  5...Ne4  -0.21/19  4  6.Bd2  -0.09/18  15  Nxd2 (Bxc3)  -0.14/22  18  7.Qxd2  0.21/16  2  b6 (Nc6)  -0.22/22  8  8.a3 (Bg2)  0.29/18  9  8...Be7  -0.19/21  5  9.e4  0.21/18  8  dxe4  -0.12/21  6  10.Nxe4  0.18/19  9  0–0  -0.05/20  11  11.Bd3  0.18/17  6  Bb7 (Nc6)  -0.13/20  6  12.Qe3 (0–0–0)  0.09/16  6  12...Nd7 (Qd5)  -0.42/18  5  13.0–0–0 (0–0)  0.31/16  7  13...c5 (Nf6)  -0.15/20  5  14.Bb5 (Rhe1)  0.16/16  6  14...Qc7  -0.31/18  4  15.Bxd7  0.16/17  7  Qxd7  -0.57/20  11  16.dxc5  0.13/16  8  Qc7  -0.52/19  6  17.cxb6 (Rhe1)  0.08/16  6  17...axb6  -0.84/19  4  18.Rd3  -0.18/18  21  b5 (Qc4)  -0.66/19  6  19.Rhd1  -0.08/16  6  Bc6  -0.65/18  4  20.b4  -0.25/15  4  Qb7 (Bd5)  -0.53/20  6  21.Ne5 (Re1)  -0.14/18  8  21...Bxe4  -0.63/22  5  22.Rd7  0.00/18  3  Qc8  -0.41/22  5  23.Qxe4  0.00/18  2  Rxa3  -0.33/21  6  24.R1d3  -0.17/18  16  Rxd3 (Ra1+)  -0.38/20  5  25.Qxd3  0.00/18  1  Bf6 (Bxb4)  -0.48/21  5  26.f4  -0.08/16  4  Qa6  -0.59/21  10  27.Ng4  0.00/17  3  Qa1+ (Ba1)  -0.36/20  6  28.Kd2  0.00/13  0  Bb2  -0.49/21  7  29.Ke2  0.00/16  4  Bc3  -0.42/21  4  30.Qxb5 (Nf2)  0.00/18  5  30...Qe1+  -0.37/20  8  31.Kf3  0.00/19  5  Qh1+  -0.22/22  5  32.Ke2  0.00/19  5  Qb1 (Qe1+)  -0.14/22  5  33.Ne3 (Qg5)  -0.05/17  10  33...Qe1+  -0.34/18  5  34.Kf3  -0.08/17  3  Qh1+  -0.48/20  5  35.Ng2  -0.18/18  6  Qxh2 (h5)  -0.29/20  7  36.Qc5  0.25/16  2  Bf6  0.00/21  6  37.b5  0.09/15  3  e5  0.00/21  3  38.b6 (Qd5)  0.00/15  4  38...Qh3  0.00/21  5  39.Rd2 (Qb5)  -0.09/16  8  39...exf4  0.00/18  4  40.Nxf4  0.00/17  2  Qf1+  0.00/19  2  41.Qf2  0.00/16  2  Qh1+  0.00/21  8  42.Qg2  0.00/18  2  Qa1 (Qb1)  0.00/24  6  43.Kg4 (Qe2)  0.00/13  2  43...Rb8  0.00/23  6  44.Qc6 (Rd7)  0.01/14  2  44...Qa5  -0.04/21  3  45.Re2  0.00/18  2  h5+  0.00/23  2  46.Kf3 (Kh3)  0.00/18  4  46...Qxb6  0.00/21  3  47.Qxb6  0.00/19  2  Rxb6  0.00/21  2  48.Nxh5  0.00/19  1  Ba1 (g6)  -0.02/16  2  49.Re8+ (Re1)  0.05/14  1  49...Kh7  -0.14/1  0  50.Re7 (Rc8)  0.00/14  3  50...f5  -0.10/20  3  51.g4 (Nf4)  -0.02/13  1  51...fxg4+  -0.09/19  4  52.Kxg4  0.00/16  2  Rc6 (Rb4+)  -0.09/21  3  53.Re2  0.00/17  2  Kg6  -0.06/21  2  54.Nf4+  0.00/18  2  Kf7  -0.06/20  2  55.Re1 (Nd5)  0.00/18  2  55...Bf6  -0.08/24  3  56.Nd5  0.00/18  1  Rxc2  -0.08/25  2  57.Nxf6  0.00/21  2  Kxf6 (gxf6)  -0.08/28  2  58.Ra1 (Re3)  0.00/17  2  58...Rc4+  -0.08/25  2  59.Kf3 (Kg3)  0.00/17  2  59...Kf5 (Rc3+)  -0.08/28  2  60.Ra2 (Ra5+)  0.00/16  2  60...Rc3+  -0.06/28  4  61.Ke2 (Kf2)  0.00/18  2  61...Kf4 (Rc5)  -0.06/29  2  62.Ra1 (Kf2)  0.00/16  1  62...Rc2+ (Rf3)  -0.06/28  2  63.Ke1 (Kf1)  0.00/18  2  63...Kf3 (g5)  -0.78/35  3  64.Kf1  0.00/18  0  Rc3 (Kg4)  -0.72/39  2  65.Rb1 (Kg1)  0.00/19  0  65...g5 (Rc2)  -0.71/37  1  66.Ra1 (Kg1)  0.00/18  1  66...g4 (Rc2)  -0.70/43  3  67.Rb1 (Kg1)  0.00/16  1  67...Ra3 (Kf4)  -0.70/42  1  68.Rc1 (Kg1)  0.00/16  1  68...Rb3 (Kf4)  -0.70/40  2  69.Ra1 (Kg1)  0.00/16  1  69...Rd3 (Kf4)  -0.70/40  2  70.Rb1 (Re1)  0.00/16  1  70...Rc3 (Kf4)  -0.70/41  1  71.Ra1  0.00/15  0  Rb3 (Kf4)  -0.70/42  1  72.Rc1 (Kg1)  0.00/16  1  72...Kg3 (Kf4)  -0.70/42  2  73.Kg1  0.00/16  1  Rd3 (Kf4)  -0.69/42  2  74.Ra1  0.00/17  0  Rc3 (Kf4)  -0.68/45  3  75.Rb1  0.00/17  1  Re3 (Kf4)  -0.68/37  1  76.Ra1 (Kh1)  0.00/18  1  76...Rd3 (Kf4)  -0.67/43  3  77.Rb1 (Kh1)  0.00/19  1  77...Ra3 (Kf4)  -0.67/42  1  78.Rc1 (Rd1)  0.00/18  1  78...Kh3 (Kf4)  -0.67/44  1  79.Rb1 (Rd1)  0.00/21  2  79...Rc3 (Rg3+)  -0.72/50  2  80.Ra1 (Kh1)  0.00/18  2  80...g3 (Rg3+)  -0.59/49  8  81.Rb1 (Kh1)  0.00/23  2  81...Re3 (g2)  -0.65/50  3  82.Ra1 (Rd1)  0.00/21  2  82...Re2 (g2)  -0.64/44  1  83.Rb1 (Rc1)  0.00/20  2  83...Ra2 (g2)  -0.64/47  3  84.Rc1  0.00/21  2  Rd2 (Rg2+)  -0.64/48  1  85.Ra1 (Kh1)  0.00/22  2  85...Rg2+  -0.58/43  2  86.Kh1  0.00/25  2  Rb2 (Rf2)  -0.58/41  2  87.Rc1 (Rd1)  0.00/23  1  87...Rh2+ (Rg2)  -0.64/44  1  88.Kg1  0.00/13  0  Ra2 (Rf2)  -0.58/46  2  89.Rb1 (Kh1)  0.00/23  2  89...Rg2+  -0.52/42  2  90.Kh1  0.00/25  2  Rc2 (Rf2)  -0.53/45  3  91.Ra1 (Rd1)  0.00/22  1  91...Rc3 (Rf2)  -0.53/46  1  92.Rb1  0.00/20  1  Ra3 (Rc5)  -0.53/45  1  93.Rc1 (Re1)  0.00/22  1  93...Rb3 (Ra2)  -0.53/50  7  94.Ra1 (Kg1)  0.00/19  1  94...Rb7 (Rb5)  -0.53/46  1  95.Rc1 (Rd1)  0.00/20  1  95...Rb2  -0.53/44  1  96.Ra1 (Rd1)  0.00/21  1  96...Re2 (Rg2)  -0.53/41  2  97.Rb1  0.00/21  1  Re7 (Rg2)  -0.53/43  1  98.Ra1 (Rc1)  0.00/19  1  98...Re4 (Re5)  -0.53/41  1  99.Rb1 (Rd1)  0.00/19  1  99...Re3 (Kg4)  -0.62/45  1  100.Ra1 (Rd1)  0.00/19  1  100...Re5  -0.53/44  1  101.Rb1  0.00/20  1  Re8 (Re2)  -0.47/43  1  102.Ra1  0.00/19  1  Rb8 (Re5)  -0.40/42  1  103.Rc1  0.00/19  1  Rb6 (Rb5)  -0.39/43  1  104.Ra1 (Kg1)  0.00/19  1  104...Re6 (Rb5)  -0.39/40  1  105.Rb1 (Rc1)  0.00/19  1  105...Ra6 (Re2)  -0.11/35  3  106.Rc1 (Re1)  0.00/19  1  106...Ra8 (Ra2)  -0.11/38  1  107.Rb1 (Re1)  0.00/19  1  107...Ra4 (Ra2)  -0.11/39  1  108.Rc1 (Rd1)  0.00/18  1  108...Rb4 (Kg4)  -0.11/41  1  109.Ra1  0.00/19  1  Rd4 (Kg4)  -0.11/41  2  110.Rb1  0.00/19  1  Rd5 (Kg4)  -0.11/41  2  111.Ra1  0.00/20  1  Rd3 (Rd2)  -0.10/42  2  112.Rb1 (Re1)  0.00/19  1  112...Rd2  -0.10/44  1  113.Ra1 (Rc1) Draw accepted  0.00/22  1  ½–½

Fritz vs StockFish

I had installed DroidFish in my mobile, which is considered to be the most powerful chess engines of the recent times (Stock Fish). Fritz is considered to be equally powerful, hence I was curious which one is the King, hence had them play with each other and surprisingly it was a draw!
A three fold checkmate by white resulted in draw. The above is the final position.


 The complete game is below.

StockFish(White) vs Fritz (Black).

1.e4 e5 [1...e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.0–0 Nf6 5.d4 Bxd4 6.Nxd4 Nxd4 7.Be3 Nc6 8.Nc3 d6 9.Nd5 Nxe4 10.Qf3 Nf6 11.Bg5 Nd4 12.Qg3 Nf5 13.Qb3 0–0 14.Bxf6 (14.Qf3 c6 15.Bxf6 gxf6 16.Bd3 cxd5 17.Bxf5 d4 18.Be4 Be6 19.Rad1 Rc8 20.c3 d5 21.Qg3+ Kh8 22.Bxh7 Kxh7 23.Qh4+ Kg7 24.Qg3+ Kh6 25.Qh4+ Kg7 26.Qg3+ Kh8 27.Qh4+ Kg7

Universe... and the mind

At times I sit all alone in my balcony during the wee hours at night gazing at the sky, looking at the Big Dipper , which is called the Saptha Rishi mandal in Sanskrit, and gazing at billions of stars remembering my child hood poem on the twinkling stars and forgetting the time.

There always remains an intriguing question which science and philosophy find it very difficult to answer. "What is reality?"

 Is what we as humans 'see' be proclaimed as reality? Are the billions or trillions of stars whose light infact has left them millions of years ago be perceived as reality?

If there was no evolution, would the planets or even matter would have ever existed - as what we see are the by products of our well developed conscious minds?

Science states that such questions are invalid. The so called consciousness is not a valid concept as per science. 

And then comes the concept of time.  Wikipedia defines time as follows:

Time is a measure in which events can be ordered from the past through the present into the future, and also the measure of durations of events and the intervals between them.^{[1][2][3][4][5][6][7]} Time is often referred to as the fourth dimension, along with the three spatial dimensions.^[8]

As per the definition there are three key elements: past present and future. But what exactly is "past", "present" and future and more specifically "present"


                                                                                                                                    --Continued.....

Water On Mars

Google has doodled the latest finding by NASA: existence of water on the Red Planet. The Doodle itself is one of the most creative works, depicting the Red Man sipping water with a straw :-)

 As per Wikipedia:-

Water on Mars exists today almost exclusively as ice, though it also exists in small quantities as vapour in the atmosphere^[1] and occasionally as low volume liquid brines in shallow Martian soils.^[2] The only place where water ice is visible at the surface is at the north polar ice cap.^[3] Abundant water ice is also present beneath the permanent carbon dioxide ice cap at the Martian south pole and in the shallow subsurface at more temperate latitudes.^[4][5][6][7] More than five million cubic kilometers of ice have been identified at or near the surface of modern Mars, enough to cover the whole planet to a depth of 35 meters.^[8] Even more ice is likely to be locked away in the deep subsurface.^[9]

Space always has fascinated humanity and the quest for extra terrestrial has always been ongoing.With growing technology, space missions have reached to higher levels in investigations and have been able to peek into the vastness of the universe giving more insights and changing the way the Universe was understood once upon a time. Very soon the evidence of extra terrestrial life will be inevitable and might provide the real reason of the existence of life,