My transition is now complete

For a long time, I was programming in Microsoft technologies. But I have always been proud to claim that I never programmed in Visual Basic. And for that reason and others, I have also always used Windows-based systems.

For many years, I believed the canard that the security vulnerabilities of Windows are due to its widespread use. And that if Unix or other systems were as popular that they would have as many vulnerabilities. This despite the fact that I worked with Unix systems exclusively for several years. How naive was that?

In 2000, my then boss set me on a course correction. He wanted me to perform a technology landscape evaluation for the benefit of the company. I reluctantly undertook that effort - knowing fully well what I would find. The result was an overwhelming recommendation for the company to shift its infrastructure to J2EE-based solutions. And inevitably, I would lead the charge to train, equip and mentor the developers to start J2EE development.

However, I continued to use Windows based systems at home. And increasingly getting frustrated with the security vulnerabilities. Even Swiss cheese has less holes than this operating system. Can we even call it an operating system? And every new release they tout as being better, is much more insecure than the one before.

So, I have been considering switching to Mac for a few months now. But never ventured into an Apple store - knowing that if I did, I would love what I see.

Finally, last weekend, I went to an Apple store with my wife and kid. I loved what I saw. What I had not imagined that my wife, usually not quick to want to buy something, loved it as much. I expected to hear excuses why we don't need to make the purchase then. Nope...nada. She liked it and we were buying one right away.

And, thus I came home with an iMac. For one thing, it is a piece of art. And then came the big surprise. Setting up a new computer is never easy - although, I like new toys. I pulled it out of the box, plugged it into a power outlet. Turned it on - voila, it picked up my wireless network - asked for the credentials, and tada...it is all set. Can there be anything more simple than that?

There is absolutely no reason that I can think of that a normal home user would buy anything but a Mac.

I consider my transition now complete.

What's not to love a Mac!!!

Maestro: Not so sure

He had been the darling of the media - for much of the 90s and even recently. He is known as the Maestro - for his skillful handling of the US Monetary policy. He is the venerable Alan Greenspan.

I think he is a brilliant economist of all times. And a top notch Fed chairman too. And he is most well known for his 'irrational exuberance' comment. He was dead on. Except, the market did not tank after that comment. So, he too was more guarded later on. No one, apparently, even the Fed chairman wants to second guess the wild beast - aka, the Market.

My point is not to take any credit away from him. But to dispel the mystique about him.

Wall Street Journal always pointed out that the Fed uses trailing indicators and is always using its monetary policy in a reactive mode. It had warned repeatedly in and after 2003 that the Fed easy money policy will lead to huge problems in the future. And their analysis was simple. They were looking at forward looking indicators - dollar and gold.

Fed, although independent, is not immune to political pressure. And this is essentially what has led to this sorry state of affairs right now. And the media circus too. He reveled in that.

Poor Bernake had to inherit this mess. And also to live up to this out sized void of Greenspan. Not an easy task.

He was right in wanting to include Food & Energy back in the Core Inflation indicator. Any one but an economist can think of a 'Core Inflation' indicator without Food & Energy. Isn't that what people use and measure their well being based on that?

However, Bernake would not be able - at least at this time, to modify core inflation indicator. Political pressure is too great. It also happens to be an election year.

So, in conclusion, Greenspan deserves some weighted blame for the current mess in our markets. Maestro - not quite.

Evolution

Each side of this debate will put me on the other side. I guess that would put me in the mainstream.

I believe in 'The Creator'. And I also believe in the evolution. It couldn't work any other way.

Let's look at the facts. Through our scientific discovery we know the expanse and the complexity of the universe. Just the multitude of beings on our planet (past and present) is so enormous that if the creator were to micromanage each of our concerns, he would be very busy.

I like this passage - a true story that happened in the beginning of the 20th century in South Africa. Gandhi (Indian Freedom fighter) was fighting for the just cause of liberating Indian miners in South Africa from bondage. And a young Charlie Andrews, a British clergyman who had a profound impact on Gandhi's life, visited Gandhi in South Africa. And the two were headed into Capetown. On their way they run into a gang of white kids who wanted to rough up the colored man and the priest. However, one of the boy's mother, unsure of her son's actions drives the boys away from the confrontation. At that point, Charlie remarks that they were lucky. And Gandhi, looking at Charlie's tunic, responds: "I thought you were a god's man." To which Charlie replies, "I am too modest to think that he (God) plans his days around my dilemmas."

This is a powerful statement coming from a devout Christian. Just think about it.

In the same way, I don't think "The Creator" - God, meant to create every being from scratch and control their destiny personally. Evolution, God's creation also, is at work. Beings were to evolve from the original creation, prosper, breed and die in a complex of circle of life. Everything we know in the Universe is interacting with each other and evolving. It is in a constant state of change. Call it whatever - but that clearly is evolution.

I enjoy Astronomy a lot. Read a lot about it and contemplate a lot about it.

Considering Big Bang - that is the handy work of "The Creator". And the primordial stew from which everything evolved till today and continues to evolve is his masterful creation. Can you think of anything more divine than that?

Scientists are hard pressed for any other explanation as to the "perfect mix" that led to this Universe - the one and only that we know and inhabit.

In conclusion, I think the creationists and the evolutionists need not be at odds with each other. No one theory is complete without the other.