We Need Replicators

What Would You Invent to Make the World a Better Place?

I have a couple of ideas. Replicators as seen in Star Trek TNG onwards! Think about it; we could wipe out poverty, hunger, homelessness in one giant swoop. We would no longer have anyone hungry if I could come up with one replicator that can then conjure up replicators for all. So you can replicate parts for big homes for everyone. No homelessness! Food and drink – and most importantly, all kinds of food and drink so you have all the choice in the world – without having to cook will be available, so no one goes hungry. Build that house, get some luxury in your life and sleep in peace after a nice meal.

And you also get access to medicine easily. No more going to a store or waiting for it to get delivered to you. Press a button, name your item and boom it is now there with you. Medicine and food for your pets. Want to host a impromptu party for your friends or relatives coming over? No more slaving in the kitchen. Create your own menu or a buffet or let the individual folks decide what they want to chow down on that day. Drinks party! Pizza party! Beer party! It would be so much fun.

Prompt from The Learning Network At The New York Times

More Crazy Laws In Europe

1. Any child born in Llanfairpwllgwyngyllgogerychwyrndrobwllllantysiliogogogoch, Wales must be able to spell the town name by the age of six and pronounce it by the age of thirty-four.

2. In Turkey it is against the law to fall in love with a neighbor’s son, daughter, wife, servant, or animals.

3. During Sweden’s long hours of winter darkness, it is illegal to complain that you wish it were sunny.

4. Pinching a girl’s bottom is permitted by law in Italy.

5. Any Scotsman found to be wearing underwear beneath his kilt can be fined two cans of beer.

6. If someone knocks on your door in Scotland and requests the use of your toilet, you must allow them access.

7. It is illegal to ski down a mountain in Switzerland while reciting poetry.

8. Divorce is still illegal in the Vatican. In Malta it was legalized in 2011.

9. Noisy sandals are forbidden on the Isle of Capri, Italy.

10. In Denmark it’s not against the law to escape from prison.

My Afternoon Routine

What is your morning routine?

So I am gonna change it to my afternoon routine since my regular work shift is 6:30 pm to 3:30 am.

I usually end up waking anywhere between 12:30 pm to 1:30 pm depending on what time I fall asleep. I then proceed to lie in bed for a while, check my phone and see if I have any missed calls or messages and check Facebook. Then I check Instagram and Gmail to see if there is anything interesting. Then I get up and drag my carcass to the bathroom and wash my face and brush my teeth.

I then switch on my laptop and router and while it boots up, I go to the kitchen and get what will be the first of 3 or more coffees. I bring it back to my room and drink it slowly while I go to Youtube and check out the channels that I follow. By 2pm I start to get hungry so I look out for the first meal of the day, which will be lunch. Rice, curry and maybe fish. Once that is done, I check to see if there is any fruit and eat that.

I come back to the bedroom and by 2:30 pm or 3 pm I move the laptop aside and lie in bed and watch tv shows or sometimes even a movie if I am in the mood. By 5 pm I will be freshed and get more coffee and it’s back to more browsing on the laptop (Facebook, Youtube, Blog etc etc) and then by 6pm I start to get ready and take a shower as by 6:30 pm I login for work.

Prompt from 103 Blog Post Ideas That Your Readers Will LOVE

Arsenal Transfer Rumours 23-Nov-2020

The January transfer window is fast approaching and Mikel Arteta will have his eye on some potential deals in the hope of improving the options at his disposal, and with that in mind here are the latest Arsenal transfer rumours. Manager of Salzburg Jesse Marsch has confirmed he expects Dominik Szoboszlai to leave in the January transfer window. Arsenal have been heavily linked to the Hungarian midfielder who has a £23m release clause in his Red Bull Salzburg contract. Now, Salzburg manager Marsch has confirmed on the Futbol podcast with journalist Grant Wahl that he expects Szoboszlai to leave in January. “Yes,” Marsch said, when asked if he believes Szoboszlai will leave. “The reality is that a guy like Dominik Szoboszlai is likely to have many suitors this winter.

“He’s an incredible talent, and I say this: When you coach young players, you have to love them and love the fact that they’re going to move on and love that they’re going to have big opportunities to prove themselves and show how good they are.” The 20-year-old has been heavily linked to Arsenal after a deal to Milan fell through during the last transfer window.

Arsenal will complete a deal for Hertha Berlin’s Omar Rekik in January, according to reports. Rekik, 18, was strongly linked with a move to the Emirates in the summer, but the two clubs were unable to complete a deal in time for the deadline. The Daily Mail previously revealed that the club had agreed a £900,000 fee with Hertha for the defender’s services. Now, football.london can reveal that Rekik will link-up with Mikel Arteta’s side in January after the two clubs completed the deal. The teenager is the younger brother of Dutch international Karim Rekik and started his career with Manchester City like his brother. It is believed that Per Mertesacker has already told Rekik he will enjoy regular participation with Arsenal’s first-team once he arrives at the club.

How Do You Deal With Anger?

Sometimes I need to vent. Sometimes I need to shout it off and vent and walk (or stomp) around and let the pressure out of my system. And that’s because if I do not do that, I will bottle it up and it will burst at an awkward moment and that would not be a pretty sight.

Another way is to shut myself away from others. And just be quiet. Look at stuff, get some fresh air and not talk to anyone. Play some music and just let it play in the background and try not to think about anything else but let the lyrics and the music wash over me and concentrate just on that.

Watching a favourite movie or tv show helps. Again, the familiarity of the show/movie is really important. I may not even be concentrating on the movie that much but it helps to have it on and that I can see & hear it if I need to.

Prompt from 119 Journal Prompts for Your Journal Jar

3022

3022 is a 2019 science fiction film starring Omar Epps, Kate Walsh, Miranda Cosgrove and Angus Macfadyen. The film is set on a space station in the future. The crew suffers traumatic stress and considers abandoning their mission after they observe what they believe to be the destruction of Earth. The film is shown as a series of flashbacks and flash-forwards.

In 2190, the space station Pangea refuels ships bound for Earth’s first space colony, Europa One. Rotating crews from different countries maintain Pangea in 10-year shifts. Four American astronauts arrive to begin their term: Captain John Laine, engineer Jackie Miller, doctor Richard Valin, and Lisa Brown. In their first year, the crew interacts amicably, and Laine and Miller begin a romantic relationship. With each passing year, the crew drifts apart. By the fifth year, isolation takes a toll. Laine experiences night terrors, and Valin has stopped showering. Valin is forced to deem the crew mentally unfit to continue the mission. As the crew comes to terms with failing their mission, shockwaves from a massive explosion damage Pangea. Laine regains consciousness and finds Miller, who informs him Brown was seriously injured. Valin is unresponsive and in shock. The crew repeatedly tries to contact Earth but, after 62 hours, receives no response. Pangea eventually locates an asteroid field where Earth once was, implying the planet was destroyed.

Brown succumbs to her injuries. Valin is convinced the Earth was destroyed. Miller suggests using the escape pod to search for survivors, namely her daughter, but Valin notes there are not enough supplies to return to Pangea if Earth is truly gone. Laine suggests traveling to Europa instead, which Valin despondently rejects. Miller, who refuses to believe her daughter is gone, attempts to board the escape pod herself. The pod malfunctions; Laine saves Miller, but they lose the pod. Three months pass. Pangea’s life support systems reach 55%, Valin is talking to himself regularly, and Miller self-medicates with sedatives. Laine asks Miller to help him devise a survival plan. The two decide to separate Pangea’s two stations with a controlled explosion, allowing their oxygen supplies to replenish adequately. Valin sinks into defeatist nihilism and sees no point to their plan.

Valin says he has accepted his fate but panics at the emptiness of space as he leaves the station by launching himself into space. Laine fails to rescue Valin. As Miller proposes they consume suicide pills, she sees a space shuttle float by. Laine boards the shuttle and recovers three unconscious, malnourished astronauts. Captain Diane Ures is the first to awaken. She explains her team comprises French astronauts, Vincent and Thomas. They, and two Americans, were training on the International Space Station when the explosion destroyed the station and forced them to head for Pangea, a three month trip. The two American crew members died, which allowed them to survive on limited supplies. The presence of survivors renews the spirits of both crews, and they celebrate together. However, Miller calculates the addition of more crew members will deplete Pangea’s life support systems within one month instead of three years. She insists on traveling back to Earth in the ISS shuttle until Diane admits she saw Earth explode violently while receiving a final transmission saying, “What have we done? Do not return. Go to Europa.”

Vincent and Thomas express hostility towards the Pangea crew. Diane tells Laine her team discovered the lack of remaining life support, but she remains diplomatic. Vincent confesses to murdering his two American colleagues to ensure his own survival. He and Thomas stage a mutiny, kill Diane, then attack Laine and Miller. Laine is stabbed, and the two French astronauts escape. Miller chases Thomas into Station Two and kills him after a brief scuffle. Vincent and Laine scuffle in Station One over the station controls. Vincent overpowers Laine and triggers the explosion, breaking Pangea into two halves. Laine opens the outer hatch, expelling Vincent into space. Miller, still trapped in Station Two, contacts Laine over the intercom. The explosion damaged the shuttle, leaving Laine unable to travel to Miller in time.

As Miller drifts beyond communication range, Laine promises her he will find her one day. In 2198, Laine lives alone, appearing disheveled and suffering from hallucinations yet scanning space tirelessly. He locates the missing station on Day 3022. In a log entry, he explains that he finally understands why Miller always reserved hope for her loved ones despite understanding the reality. With the shuttle now repaired, he boards Station Two unsure if Miller is still alive. He finds Miller slumped in a makeshift quarters, weakened but alive.

It fails to impress and entertain. I was wondering what the purpose of this movie even was. Hope and loyalty in the biggest time of despair? I was more excited for the fact that Jorja Fox has a small role in the film than the actual film itself. Special effects & sets for the movie were actually good for a low budget film. 6.5 outta 10!

Self-driving Cars

Would You Like to Ride in a Car That Drives Itself?

Yes. Short answer.

Considering the fact that traffic jams, safety while on the road, tiredness and generally not having a license can be a deterrent to people not buying cars, I would think that the self-driving cars would be really popular. And for those who actually love to drive you can still do that once in a while. Just switch off the auto-drive option and do it manually. When you get tired, switch it back on again.

I would say that in the future if we had more roads and more space for those roads to be wide, a lot more wider, and much smoother to ride on, we can look at these kind of things. Self driving cars with an AI installed in it or a robot driver that is attached to the car that can navigate the roads much more easier and avoid accidents. Forget accidents, they will even avoid the mildest of nicks and bumps. No more people or animals getting hit by vehicles. No more crashes. That would be really cool.

Prompt from The Learning Network at The New York Times

Get To Know Me – 15 Qs

1. Where did you grow up?

A. Kuwait City, Kuwait till the age of 11 and then Cochin, Kerala.

2. Where do you currently live?

A. Cochin, Kerala India

3. Who is your first best friend?

A. I have 3 best friends – Anil, Madhu & Namratha

4. How tall are you?

A. 164 inches

5. Dogs or Cats?

A. Both but if I had to pick only one, dogs

6. Funniest moment throughout high school?

A. Too many to mention here.

7. What year were you born?

A. 1976

8. Are you in/have you gone to college?

A. Went

9. What is your favorite drink?

A. Vodka & Sprite, Espresso vodka & Coke/Pepsi. Otherwise just Sprite.

10. What is your spirit animal and why?

A. Golden Retriever dogs. Because I love their loyal, tail wagging selves.

11. You’re wearing perfume, what scent is it?

A. Deodorant and it’s Axe Gold

12. Tea or Coffee?

A. Coffee cold or hot and also Ice Tea in a peach flavour

13. What sports do you play or have you played?

A. Used to play football, cricket, badminton as a kid

14. What is your favorite movie?

A. Too many but let’s go with Star Trek II Wrath Of Khan & Star Trek Nemesis.

15. Who are your favorite YouTubers?

A. Ken Domik, Matthew Santoro

Is The All In 1 Desktop The Way To Go?

I have been thinking about it for a while now. Is the all-in-one desktop the way to go as far as home computing is concerned?

All-in-One PCs (AIO PCs) are streamlined desktop computers that integrate all of the components of a traditional desktop computer, except for the keyboard and mouse, into one single unit. Traditional desktop computers have a monitor and separate the computer case that holds the motherboard, hard drive, and all other components. Many AIO PCs have integrated touch screen monitors, touch-pads, and solid-state disk drives and memory. AIO PCs have a smaller profile than other desktop computers, reduce clutter and feature sleek designs.

Versus a regular desktop it does save space and look sleeker. However the disadvantages are :

  • The AIO computer has the less powerful components compared to the desktop.
  • All In One computer normally comes with the laptop version of CPU which generates the less power.

I’ve actually been thinking about getting an upgrade to a desktop but now sure if I should go for an all in one.

Children Competing On TV?

Should Children Be Allowed to Compete on TV?

It kind of depends on the type of competition. If it is a talent show or singing/musical competition, they I’d whole-heartedley say Yes. Sports. Even cooking contests. Have you seen angry, shouter Gordon Ramsey dealing with kid chefs who are struggling or who are nervous? He turns into another person altogether. Anything else I do not think they should be doing.

I have seen beauty contests for pre-teens and kids at the age of 6 or 7. Uh-huh! No way Jose. Child beauty pageants are a big disgusting thing. You can find kids being treated like commodities, the contestants facing eating disorders & mental issues and being possibly preyed on as some of the contestants sexualizes the girls. Certain pageants encourage contestants to emulate grown women, applying heavy makeup to create full lips, long eyelashes, and flushed cheeks, wearing high heels and revealing “evening gowns”, and doing provocative dance steps, poses or facial expressions. Which is disgusting. You have sexual perverts who hang around these pageants and the girls are prime targets.

Otherwise I find it to be ok. However parents and other role models should be there to guide the kids in the right way. Disappointments galore, kids shouldn’t get dejected too much and use them more as a learning experience.

Prompt from 401 Prompts for Argumentative Writing at The New York Times

Are School Dress Codes A Good Idea?

Are School Dress Codes a Good Idea?

Yes and this is why school uniforms actually help. I used to hate uniforms but one of the things that it encourages is some sort of standard dress code. It avoids some kids from having weird ideas of what clothes are to be worn in school property.

One of the other benefits is that you do not see much difference among the rich kids and the kids from poorer families as everyone wears the same outfits. Now I am not saying that the school uniform is the only option. Like I said earlier, I am not the biggest fan of them and hated them while I was a kid and was so happy that by age 16 I didn’t have to wear them. But it also helps to identify that you are a school kid and which school you are supposed to be in.

Also if you see some kids, they dress like adults. That is to be avoided. You get the idea. I don’t want to see a 14 year old girl exposing too much at that age. I don’t want to see a young girl sexualize herself like that. Guys too can wear stupid outfits so that avoids a lot of unnecessary issues in public. Dress codes are good if they are balanced.

Prompt from 401 Prompts for Argumentative Writing at The New York Times

ROSHAN’S ELEVEN : Sean Connery Films

Well, we lost one of the iconic actors of all time when Sean Connery passed away. I thought it’s time that I did a top 11 movies of his that I like. This is my list and it might be different from yours.

  • The Rock
  • Diamonds Are Forever
  • Outland
  • The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen
  • The Untouchables
  • The First Great Train Robbery
  • The Man Who Would Be King
  • Goldfinger
  • Thunderball
  • The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen
  • The Hunt for Red October

Another Rare Day Out

After almost 3 weeks I finally went out. Since I get most of my groceries and other stuff delivered to my apartment building, I rarely do need to go out. But yeah twice a month I do try to go out, get some money out of an ATM, do some other errands if needed, buy some beer and other liquor, check if there any parcels waiting for me at the post office, maybe get some lunch outside and anything else I need to do.

I have a cab driver, who uses Ola & Uber but since he is a nice older guy I call him up and ask him if he can come for my errands twice a month. I enjoy his company and he waits and is fair when he charges me; even giving back some money that I wanted to give him extra because he felt that the total ride wasn’t that long. So I call him up the previous night and then arrange for him to meet me the next afternoon at around 12 or so. Yesterday it was at 1:15pm since I woke up so late.

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At 11:40 pm I had a mayo sandwich for breakfast with coffee and then shaved and had a shower. By 12:45 I was ready to get dressed and iron my shirt. By 1:15 pm I got into the cab and before I went out to Palarivattom I needed to check something. An Amazon order from Amazon.com was left along with my packages last Wednesday and it turns out it was for an A Gopalakrishnan in an office nearby. However try as I might I couldn’t find the office and decided to let the post office know. I then went to Palarivattom to drop off some documents.

Then I went to buy some beer and unfortunately Couchyn/Grand Hotel had run out of beer. You see you can buy beer and liquour from bars at the regular price but they had run out. So I bought a bottle of Ceasar brandy for my dad and then went to Lotus Club so I could buy some beer. I bought 3 Beck’s Ice and 4 Budweiser Magnum. Then I went to buy some groceries, get some money outta an ATM and then took a quick lunch of a beef mince burrito at Cafe 17 with a Peace Ice Team and then headed home.

Emergency ‘Go-Bag’

What Would You Put in Your Emergency ‘Go-Bag’?

Some cash. You always need physical cash in an emergency even as online wallets and phone apps keep multiplying and usage of them expands. In certain conditions cash is the only way to go and sometimes that’s all that works. So yes I would keep some emergency cash with me. Not too much but enough for getting me from a place to home.

My asthma inhaler. A new one. I suffer from bronchitic asthma and I need my inhaler near me in case I suffer from a shortness of breath. There are a lot of things in the air that can trigger my asthma and it is always important for me to know that I can rely on something to clear up my trouble.

Change of clothes. A spare set of glasses. Identification papers. Keys. And yes my phone and charger will be in there as well.

Prompt from 50 Creative Writing Prompts for Student Blogging