Skeptical Thoughts

“In the depths of winter, I finally learned that within me there lay an invincible summer.”~ Albert Camus I woke up with the sound of the alarm ringing loudly in my ears. It was already nine in the morning but the bedroom was still unusually dark. I got up from the bed and pushed aside the curtains to let in the morning sunlight. No luck. The sun was obscured behind the grey clouds and the sky outside was grim and melancholic, flaunting a rather dusky look today. Perhaps it'll rain. I gazed outside the window for a few moments and then went in the kitchen to prepare my morning cup of coffee. The wall lizard upon seeing me quickly ran towards the container racks and hid behind them. I flicked on the light switch but no use. The electricity was out. Maybe yesterday night's rain had a role to play in this. Grabbing the milk carton from the fridge I poured it in the cup and then added sugar and coffee powder to it. Stirring it with a spoon I took the cup in the bedroom and pl

No thanks. Recently I had the opportunity to read and educate myself a bit about the cult hype surrounding the Cobrapost sting operations. Now many of you might be knowing about it and many of you might be wondering which is this new breed of snake. For those who haven't heard about Cobrapost or anything related to it, it's a news/investigative portal that did a series of sting operations on various television, news and digital media platforms. The sting operations revealed how big media houses and digital companies are willing to sell religious/political propaganda and agenda through their channels and platforms for money. There were many big names involved in this scandal and the outrage on the internet regarding this was tremendous. Especially on Twitter and Reddit. The two least toxic social media platforms out there as of now. (Can't say that about Twitter anymore though) Now the outrage was justified. News and media channels are ideally supposed to be unb

They're out there in the dark alleys, of shady bars and posh restaurants Dancing and drinking away on a Friday night losing themselves to the loud music. They're out there in their trendy sneakers, striving. The shoes for which they sold a chunk of their soul, just to show the world that they're arriving, gradually moving towards their estranged goal. *** He still remembers those days, how they used to tell him those tales "Strive and struggle son, for just this one time. Later on, life is as blissful as that delicious glass of sweet lime!" He still remembers those days, when he burnt the midnight oil to write his own story, for he believed them all, he believed those tales. He believed that slow and steady wins the race, Like a mouse turning the wheels of time, running away to be in a better place, to stay alive in the rat race. *** They're out there sitting in fancy cafes, sipping that cup of mocha latt

We are extremely sorry Asifa, we have despicably failed you. As the horrific case of rape and brutal murder of 8 year old Asifa shook the nation, it seems like we still haven't learnt shit since the Nirbhaya incident. The situation is so miserable that if you read the newspaper there are incidents of rapes and sexual harassment against women, almost every other day. It's all so disgusting that it just breaks you down and makes one's blood friggin' curdle with anger. The worst thing is that politicians are trying to roast their political bread over this. Also, some are out there giving a religious twist to this whole thing. And it just goes on to show our stoic indifference towards an issue of such appalling nature. From being known as the land of snake-charmers to being known as the land of rapists, we have come a long way indeed! Now, we've been plagued by this matter of violence and injustice against women since aeons. It's not a new thing. Right from

Rest in peace, you genius. (Pic Source: http://www.risefeed.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/10/tumblr_n57nzzgZwf1tash9io1_500.jpg) Just the other day I was having a conversation with my friend on the topic of artificial intelligence. He is of the opinion that AI will eventually take all our jobs and this will lead to a major revolution in 21st century. Now there's a lot going in the world of artificial intelligence and machine learning. The hype is just tremendous with everyone trying to get on the AI train to reap profits and benefits from it. From humanoids implementing concepts of neural networks and deep learning to interact with humans to nanobots that cure cancer to algorithms that analyze your online behavior and manipulate you into buying that limited edition,'just-one-left-in-stock' inflated Pikachu doll, the possibilities are just endless and crazy. However, there are mixed opinions regarding the benefits or the dangers of this rapid technological advancement

Happy New Year, my dear fellow readers! Now before you folks start hurling abuses at me I'd like to say that this article has nothing to do with rioting. In fact, it's a basics guide on how to write. Yes. My auto-correct has malfunctioned after my phone got damaged at Kurla station, while I was trying to board a Karjat fast train. Anyway, quite a happening week to start the new year. From whiskey on the rocks to throwing rocks, the frustration regarding 2017 still hasn't left us. In fact, it has grown so high that some people were still partying out there, setting buses on fire and shit and having the time of their life! A random and unnecessary snapshot from a book that was gifted to me by a dear friend. Because a picture speaks a thousand words which probably no one wants to hear. (Pic Source: 'ABC's of Anarchy' by Brian Heagney) Anyway, we all live in the age of artificial intelligence and machine learning. Of big data and small minds. And in case yo