Una verdad simulada

Patrix feels that a toilet bowl could well be a piece of art owing to its “smooth rounded and elegant curves.” As a control engineer, I want to comment on another aspect of the toilet bowl, as well as the septic tank. It might well be amongst the oldest automatic control system still in use close to its original form.

There are so many control elements in that single, relatively simple, system. First the flush: the water in the tank has to flow into the bowl until the tank is drained. The level of water in tank triggers the outflow valve in “off” position. When the water flows into the bowl, the bowl should not overflow. When the water gushes in at a high rate, the bowl has to empty its contents. Water then partly fills up the bowl so that there is some of it remaining in the bowl at the end of a flush. Finally, the tank has to fill up. When the water is at a certain level, the inflow automatically switches off.

Isn’t it amazing how many control elements are packed in that single humble device that we use everyday?

Some people say, correctly, that the kitchen is the most automated part of an American house. But the automation of a toilet bowl amazes me due to its simplicity.

Tags: General by Niket
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A couple of weeks back, we rented a CD-version of Brian Peterson’s Understanding Exposure from the Mountain View Public Library. The CD was published in 1994 and was made for Windows 3.1 and Mac. While P’s macbook refused to read the CD, the entire tutorial worked like a charm on Win XP. Imagine how much one needs to bend over backwards to accommodate a piece of software written over a decade ago.

I have been critical previously of MS products; so its only fair that I acknowledge them when their products exceed expectations.

Tags: General by Niket
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We have all heard the story about an Italian premier, who observes that his country’s victory in a soccer game and people celebrating are linked, and decrees that all the citizens have to celebrate during a soccer game.

We all know how crazy that decree is. But this is exactly what the right wing “pundits” like Instapundit and Frank Gaffney do. They truly believe that US is winning the war in Iraq and anything that goes wrong is because of people criticizing the war.

Finally, Instapundit’s call to assassinate Iranian mullahs and nuclear scientists it more than despicable.

PS: If I were Amit Varma, I would take the term ”Instapundit of Indian blogosphere” as an insult.

Tags: General by Niket
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The best feature of shopping at Amazon is not the range of products that they carry or the discounted price that you can buy the stuff for. The best feature is product reviews.

I am currently shopping around for a printer for my home-office. I have narrowed down to two choices: HP Laserjet 1020 and HP Laserjet 1022. Basically, this specific series fits the budget and printing requirement; it is just a matter of deciding whether the “upgraded” version is worth the extra $70.

This review by “Y. Kwon “geeky girl”" was extremely helpful in arriving at this decision. The review is detailed, neither too gushing nor ranty. She states in a matter-of-fact way what her experiences were with the printer. Other reviews, which explain the important features (important to the owner) that drive the star-rating given by the users are the really useful ones. If you want to rant or gush, as why HP is evil corporate or how the printer is a superman reincarnate, then its better to keep the review to yourself.

Thank you Y. Kwon for the good review. It was very helpful.

Tags: General by Niket
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the weather in Newark, DE and Sunnyvale, CA.

25 degrees, snow, wind at 31 mph.
61 degrees, mostly sunny and sitting at home with all windows open.

Tags: General by Niket
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While thinking for a name for this blog, I thought of using “A Simulated Truth.” One, because I am a big Stephen Colbert fan, the same guy who popularized the term truthiness. Second, because I write about the perception of “truth” I glean after reading news reports and opinion pieces, a truth that actually passes through layers of filters. Finally, because my research involves building models and performing simulations.

“Una verdad simulada” was the term obtained using Google to translate from English to Spanish.

Tags: Blog by Niket
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By allowing your employee, mired in a controversy fabricated by the sabre-rattling right-wing hacks, to resign. Show some spine, man, and stand up for your employees.

And to think about it, does Edwards stand any chance of getting even a single vote from the herd following ramblings of Donahue or Malkin?

Tags: General by Niket
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