Fatally Flawed

Hue And Me

noreply@blogger.com (Fatally Flawed) — Wed, 29 Oct 2008 14:41:00 +0000

Just when the city sleeps,
And the moonlight creeps,
Between the clouds numbered nine,
You'll feel just fine,

Remember the night,
When the candles burned,
And the dreary emptiness felt right,
From the crimson sky to cerulean it turned,

As I float once again,
Dip in the water so blue;
While I enjoy the rain,
You savour the brilliant hue,

All the pieces fall into place,
Once I see that smile on your face,
Will search for a better way,
To make that smile ever to stay...

My First Permanent Tattoo

noreply@blogger.com (Fatally Flawed) — Fri, 03 Oct 2008 04:07:00 +0000

noreply@blogger.com (Fatally Flawed) — Fri, 15 Aug 2008 14:56:00 +0000

The Former President of India DR. A. P. J. Abdul Kalam's Speech in Hyderabad

Why is the media here so negative? Why are we in India so embarrassed to recognize our own strengths, our achievements? We are such a great nation. We have so many amazing success stories but we refuse to acknowledge them. Why?

We are the first in milk production.
We are number one in Remote sensing satellites.
We are the second largest producer of wheat.
We are the second largest producer of rice.

Look at Dr.Sudarshan, he has transferred the tribal village into a self-sustaining, self-driving unit. There are millions of such achievements but our media is only obsessed in the bad news and failures and disasters.

I was in Tel Aviv once and I was reading the Israeli newspaper. It was the day after a lot of attacks and bombardments and deaths had taken place. The Hamas had struck. But the front page of the newspaper had the picture of a Jewish gentleman who in five years had transformed his desert into an orchid and a granary. It was this inspiring picture that everyone woke up to. The gory details of killings, bombardments, deaths, were inside in the newspaper, buried among other news. In India we only read about death, sickness, terrorism, crime.

Why are we so NEGATIVE? Another question: Why are we, as a nation so obsessed with foreign things? We want foreign T. Vs, we want foreign shirts. We want foreign technology. Why this obsession with everything imported. Do we not realize that self-respect comes with self-reliance?

I was in Hyderabad giving this lecture, when a 14 year old girl asked me for my autograph. I asked her what her goal in life is. She replied: I want to live in a developed India. For her, you and I will have to build this developed India. You must proclaim. India is not an under-developed nation; it is a highly developed nation.

Do you have 10 minutes? Allow me to come back with a vengeance.

Got 10 minutes for your country? If yes, then read; otherwise, choice is yours:

YOU say that our government is inefficient.
YOU say that our laws are too old.
YOU say that the municipality does not pick up the garbage.
YOU say that the phones don't work, the railways are a joke.
The airline is the worst in the world,
Mails never reach their destination.
YOU say that our country has been fed to the dogs and is the absolute pits.

YOU say, say and say. What do YOU do about it? Take a person on his way to Singapore Give him a name - YOURS. Give him a face - YOURS. YOU walk out of the airport and you are at your International best. In Singapore you don't throw cigarette butts on the roads or eat in the stores. YOU are as proud of their Underground links as they are. You pay $5 (approx. Rs. 60) to drive through Orchard Road (equivalent of Mahim Causeway or Pedder Road) between 5 PM and 8 PM. YOU come back to the parking lot to punch your parking ticket if you have over stayed in a restaurant or a shopping mall irrespective of your status identity... In Singapore you don't say anything, DO YOU?

YOU wouldn't dare to eat in public during Ramadan, in Dubai YOU would not dare to go out without your head covered in Jeddah.

YOU would not dare to buy an employee of the telephone exchange in London at 10 pounds (Rs.650) a month to, 'see to it that my STD and ISD calls are billed to someone else.

YOU would not dare to speed beyond 55 mph (88 km/h) in Washington and then tell the traffic cop, 'Jaanta hai main kaun hoon (Do you know who I am?). I am so and so's son. Take your two bucks and get lost.’

YOU wouldn't chuck an empty coconut shell anywhere other than the garbage pail on the beaches in Australia and New Zealand.

Why don't YOU spit Paan on the streets of Tokyo?

Why don't YOU use examination jockeys or buy fake certificates in Boston???
We are still talking of the same YOU.

YOU who can respect and conform to a foreign system in other countries but cannot in your own. You who will throw papers and cigarettes on the road the moment you touch Indian ground. If you can be an involved and appreciative citizen in an alien country, why cannot you be the same here in India?

Once in an interview, the famous Ex-municipal commissioner of Bombay, Mr.Tinaikar, had a point to make. 'Rich people's dogs are walked on the streets to leave their affluent droppings all over the place,' he said…'And then the same people turn around to criticize and blame the authorities for inefficiency and dirty pavements. What do they expect the officers to do? Go down with a broom every time their dog feels the pressure in its bowels?In America every dog owner has to clean up after his pet has done the job.Same in Japan Will the Indian citizen do that here?' He's right.

We go to the polls to choose a government and after that forfeit all responsibility.We sit back wanting to be pampered and expect the government to do everything for us whilst our contribution is totally negative.We expect the government to clean up but we are not going to stop chucking garbage all over the place nor are we going to stop to pick a up a stray piece of paper and throw it in the bin. We expect the railways to provide clean bathrooms but we are not going to learn the proper use of bathrooms. We want Indian Airlines and Air India to provide the best of food and toiletries but we are not going to stop pilfering at the least opportunity. This applies even to the staff who is known not to pass on the service to the public.

When it comes to burning social issues like those related to women, dowry, girl child! and others, we make loud drawing room protestations and continue to do the reverse at home. Our excuse? 'It's the whole system which has to change, how will it matter if I alone forego my sons' rights to a dowry.' So who's going to change the system?

What does a system consist of? Very conveniently for us it consists of our neighbors, other households, other cities, other communities and the government. But definitely not me and YOU. When it comes to us actually making a positive contribution to the system we lock ourselves along with our families into a safe cocoon and look into the distance at countries far away and wait for a Mr.Clean to come along & work miracles for us with a majestic sweep of his hand or we leave the country and run away.

Like lazy cowards hounded by our fears we run to America to bask in their glory and praise their system. (We can neither be thankful to our humble beginnings; we sometimes pretend it not to be there. We become more white than the white. Despite contributing so much to the society there, we seem not able to influence public opinions and politics there to the interest of India.

Look at the Jews in America, they ensure that Israel is always favoured at any cost by the US). When New York becomes insecure we run to England When England experiences unemployment, we take the next flight out to the Gulf. When the Gulf is war struck, we demand to be rescued and brought home by the Indian government (at the cost of the Indian tax payer). Everybody is out to abuse and rape the country. Nobody thinks of feeding the system. Our conscience is mortgaged to money.

Dear Indians, The article is highly thought inductive, calls for a great deal of introspection and pricks one's conscience too.... I am echoing J. F. Kennedy's words to his fellow Americans to relate to Indians.....

'ASK WHAT WE CAN DO FOR INDIA

AND DO WHAT HAS TO BE DONE TO MAKE INDIA

WHAT AMERICA AND OTHER WESTERN COUNTRIES ARE TODAY

Let’s do what India needs from us.

Thank you, Dr. Abdul Kalaam

"Avial" - A Mallu Rock Band!!! - Kick Ass Stuff

noreply@blogger.com (Fatally Flawed) — Tue, 12 Feb 2008 16:21:00 +0000

The Song Is Called "Nada Nada" (of course it is a malayali song!)

The band Avial is from a small town in Kerala but its members are professional musicians who have played in various bands in India and have done tours around the world independently. They came together to create music which does justice to the word Mallu Rock!

Anandraj Benjamin Paul -- Vocals

Tony John -- Vocals, Turntables and Synth

Rex Vijayan -- Guitars and Synth

Naresh Kamath -- Bass

Mithun Puthanveetil -- Drums

Leh Trip Slide Show Video - A Teaser

noreply@blogger.com (Fatally Flawed) — Tue, 15 Jan 2008 16:21:00 +0000

Casabianca - Felicia Hemans

noreply@blogger.com (Fatally Flawed) — Wed, 09 Jan 2008 15:50:00 +0000

The boy stood on the burning deck,
Whence all but him had fled;
The flame that lit the battle's wreck
Shone round him o'er the dead,

Yet beautiful and bright he stood,
As born to rule the storm;
A creature of heroic blood,
A proud though childlike form,

The flames roll'd on; he would not go
Without his father's word;
That father, faint in death below,
His voice no longer heard,

He call'd aloud, " Say, Father, say,
If yet my task be done ! "
He knew not that the chieftain lay
Unconscious of his son,

" Speak, Father ! " once again he cried,
" If I may yet be gone ! "
And but the booming shots replied,
And fast the flames roll'd on,

Upon his brow he felt their breath,
And in his waving hair,
And look'd from that lone post of death
In still yet brave despair,

And shouted but once more aloud,
" My father ! Must I stay? "
While o'er him fast, through sail and shroud,
The wreathing fires made way,

They wrapt the ship in splendour wild,
They caught the flag on high,
And stream'd above the gallant child,
Like banners in the sky,

Then came a burst of thunder sound;
The boy, --- Oh ! Where was he?
Ask of the winds, that far around
With fragments strewed the sea, ---

With shroud and mast and pennon fair,
That well had home their part, ---
But the noblest thing that perish'd there
Was that young, faithful heart.

Best resignation letter ever!‏

noreply@blogger.com (Fatally Flawed) — Fri, 07 Dec 2007 10:17:00 +0000

Actual letter of resignation from an employee at Zantex Computers,USA, to her boss, who apparently resigned very soon afterwards!

Dear Mr. Baker,

As a graduate of an institution of higher education, I have a few very basic expectations. Chief among these is that my direct superiors have an intellect that ranges above the common ground squirrel. After your consistent and annoying harassment of my coworkers and me during the commission of our duties, I can only surmise that you are one of the few true genetic wastes of our time.

Asking me, a network administrator, to explain every little nuance of everything I do each time you happen to stroll into my office is not only a waste of time, but also a waste of precious oxygen. I was hired because I know how to network computer systems, and you were apparently hired to provide amusement to myself and other employees, who watch you vainly attempt to understand the concept of "cut and paste" for the hundredth time.

You will never understand computers. Something as incredibly simple as binary still gives you too many options. You will also never understand why people hate you, but I am going to try and explain it to you, even though I am sure this will be just as effective as telling you what an IP is. Your shiny new iMac has more personality than you ever will.

You walk around the building all day, shiftlessly looking for fault in others. You have a sharp dressed useless look about you that may have worked for your interview, but now that you actually have responsibility, you pawn it off on overworked staff, hoping their talent will cover for your glaring ineptitude. In a world of managerial evolution, you are the blue-green algae that everyone else eats and laughs at. Managers like you are a sad proof of the Dilbert principle. Since this situation is unlikely to change without you getting a full frontal lobotomy reversal, I am forced to tender my resignation;
however I have a few parting thoughts:

1. When someone calls you in reference to employment, it is illegal for you to give me a bad recommendation. The most you can say to hurt me is "I prefer not to comment." I will have friends randomly call you over the next couple of years to keep you honest, because I know you would be unable to do it on your own.

2. I have all the passwords to every account on the system, and I know every password you have used for the last five years. If you decide to get cute, I am going to publish your "favorites list", which I conveniently saved when you made me "back up" your useless files. I do believe that terms like "Lolita" are not usually viewed favorably by the administration.

3. When you borrowed the digital camera to "take pictures of your Mother's birthday," you neglected to mention that you were going to take pictures of yourself in the mirror nude. Then you forgot to erase them like the techno-moron you really are. Suffice it to say I have never seen such odd acts with a sauce bottle, but I assure you that those have been copied and kept in safe places pending the authoring of a glowing letter of recommendation. (Try to use a spell check please; I hate having to correct your mistakes.)

Thank you for your time, and I expect the letter of recommendation on my desk by 8:00 am tomorrow. One word of this to anybody and all of your little twisted repugnant obsessions will be open to the public. Never f*** with your systems administrator. Why? Because they know what you do with all that free time!

Wishing you a grand and glorious day,

Cecelia

Biking

noreply@blogger.com (Fatally Flawed) — Sun, 25 Nov 2007 12:41:00 +0000

A bike ride usually consists of leaving in the morning and coming back for lunch or usually involves in coming back to the same place you left from and you have this huge ribbon of tarmac ahead of us which keeps coming & keeps coming at you. You keep heading east, knowing every place you passed through, you are not coming back & every mile takes you further away from home & every mile takes you further away from your family & there’s a loneliness of not being able to be with the person you share your life with, not being able to be with your wife...

- Ewan McGregor in "Long Way Round"

Mind?

noreply@blogger.com (Fatally Flawed) — Mon, 15 Oct 2007 03:23:00 +0000

A step into the wilderness of the mind,
A giant leap of a varied kind,
To see a million hues of grey confined,
Glory be to the architect who designed,

Thoughts of the mind, unmined,
Motley mentation, just another find,
Brought forward but clearly undefined,
The creator, midway, just resigned,

Mind's eye has gone blind,
The deeds, indeed maligned,
Staggering along is the mankind,
Gathering pace, back to the grind.

Leh Trip - Photos

noreply@blogger.com (Fatally Flawed) — Thu, 13 Sep 2007 14:32:00 +0000

http://www.flickr.com/photos/mindisgod

Acute Mountain Sickness – An Article

noreply@blogger.com (Fatally Flawed) — Wed, 29 Aug 2007 03:19:00 +0000

Interesting read…found this on the internet…

For those heading to Ladakh and Spiti reading this guide is a must in order to prepare oneself for the AMS that you will encounter at High Altitude Places. Please go through this guide and in case you have been to High Altitude Places before then please go ahead and let us know what you did to combat AMS.

High altitude-we all enjoy that tremendous view from a high summit, but there are risks in going to high altitude, and it’s important to understand these risks. Here is a classic scenario for developing a high altitude illness. You fly from New York City to a Denver at 5,000 feet (1,525 meters). That afternoon you rent a car and drive up to the trailhead at 8,000 feet (2,438 meters). You hike up to your first camp at 9,000 feet (2,745 meters). The next day you hike up to 10,500 feet (3,048 meters). You begin to have a severe headache and feel nauseous and weak. If your condition worsens, you may begin to have difficulty hiking. Scenarios like this are not uncommon, so it’s essential that you understand the physiological effects of high altitude.

What is high altitude?

Altitude is defined on the following scale High (8,000 - 12,000 feet [2,438 - 3,658 meters]), Very High (12,000 18,000 feet [3,658 - 5,487 meters]), and Extremely High (18,000+ feet [5,500+ meters]). Since few people have been to such altitudes, it is hard to know who may be affected. There are no specific factors such as age, sex, or physical condition that correlate with susceptibility to altitude sickness. Some people get it and some people don’t, and some people are more susceptible than others. Most people can go up to 8,000 feet (2,438 meters) with minimal effect. If you haven’t been to high altitude before, it’s important to be cautious. If you have been at that altitude before with no problem, you can probably return to that altitude without problems as long as you are properly acclimatized.

What Causes Altitude Illnesses?

The concentration of oxygen at sea level is about 21% and the barometric pressure averages 760 mmHg. As altitude increases, the concentration remains the same but the number of oxygen molecules per breath is reduced. At 12,000 feet (3,658 meters) the barometric pressure is only 483 mmHg, so there are roughly 40% fewer oxygen molecules per breath. In order to properly oxygenate the body, your breathing rate (even while at rest) has to increase. This extra ventilation increases the oxygen content in the blood, but not to sea level concentrations. Since the amount of oxygen required for activity is the same, the body must adjust to having less oxygen. In addition, for reasons not entirely understood, high altitude and lower air pressure causes fluid to leak from the capillaries which can cause fluid build-up in both the lungs and the brain. Continuing to higher altitudes without proper acclimatization can lead to potentially serious, even life-threatening illnesses.

Acclimatization

The major cause of altitude illnesses is going too high too fast. Given time, your body can adapt to the decrease in oxygen molecules at a specific altitude. This process is known as acclimatization and generally takes 1-3 days at that altitude. For example, if you hike to 10,000 feet (3,048 meters), and spend several days at that altitude, your body acclimatizes to 10,000 feet (3,048 meters). If you climb to 12,000 feet (3,658 meters), your body has to acclimatize once again. A number of changes take place in the body to allow it to operate with decreased oxygen.

The depth of respiration increases.

Pressure in pulmonary arteries is increased, “forcing” blood into portions of the lung which are normally not used during sea level breathing.

The body produces more red blood cells to carry oxygen.

The body produces more of a particular enzyme that facilitates the release of oxygen from hemoglobin to the body tissues.

Prevention of Altitude Illnesses

Prevention of altitude illnesses falls into two categories, proper acclimatization and preventive medications. Below are a few basic guidelines for proper acclimatization.
• If possible, don’t fly or drive to high altitude. Start below 10,000 feet (3,048 meters) and walk up.
• If you do fly or drive, do not over-exert yourself or move higher for the first 24 hours.
• If you go above 10,000 feet (3,048 meters), only increase your altitude by 1,000 feet (305 meters) per day and for every 3,000 feet (915 meters) of elevation gained, take a rest day.
• “Climb High and sleep low.” This is the maxim used by climbers. You can climb more than 1,000 feet (305 meters) in a day as long as you come back down and sleep at a lower altitude.
• If you begin to show symptoms of moderate altitude illness, don’t go higher until symptoms decrease (“Don’t go up until symptoms go down”).
• If symptoms increase, go down, down, down!
• Keep in mind that different people will acclimatize at different rates. Make sure all of your party is properly acclimatized before going higher.
• Stay properly hydrated. Acclimatization is often accompanied by fluid loss, so you need to drink lots of fluids to remain properly hydrated (at least 3-4 quarts per day). Urine output should be copious and clear.
• Take it easy; don’t over-exert yourself when you first get up to altitude. Light activity during the day is better than sleeping because respiration decreases during sleep, exacerbating the symptoms.
• Avoid tobacco and alcohol and other depressant drugs including, barbiturates, tranquilizers, and sleeping pills. These depressants further decrease the respiratory drive during sleep resulting in a worsening of the symptoms.
• Eat a high carbohydrate diet (more than 70% of your calories from carbohydrates) while at altitude.
• The acclimatization process is inhibited by dehydration, over-exertion, and alcohol and other depressant drugs.

Preventive Medications

Diamox (Acetazolamide) allows you to breathe faster so that you metabolize more oxygen, thereby minimizing the symptoms caused by poor oxygenation. This is especially helpful at night when respiratory drive is decreased. Since it takes a while for Diamox to have an effect, it is advisable to start taking it 24 hours before you go to altitude and continue for at least five days at higher altitude. The recommendation of the Himalayan Rescue Association Medical Clinic is 125 mg. twice a day (morning and night). (The standard dose was 250 mg., but their research showed no difference for most people with the lower dose, although some individuals may need 250 mg.) Possible side effects include tingling of the lips and finger tips, blur ring of vision, and alteration of taste. These side effects may be reduced with the 125 mg. dose. Side effects subside when the drug is stopped. Contact your physician for a prescription. Since Diamox is a sulfonamide drug, people who are allergic to sulfa drugs should not take Diamox. Diamox has also been known to cause severe allergic reactions to people with no previous history of Diamox or sulfa allergies. Frank Hubbell of SOLO recommends a trial course of the drug before going to a remote location where a severe allergic reaction could prove difficult to treat.

Dexamethasone (a steroid) is a prescription drug that decreases brain and other swelling reversing the effects of AMS. Dosage is typically 4 mg twice a day for a few days starting with the ascent. This prevents most symptoms of altitude illness. It should be used with caution and only on the advice of a physician because of possible serious side effects. It may be combined with Diamox. No other medications have been proven valuable for preventing AMS.

Acute Mountain Sickness (AMS) AMS is common at high altitudes. At elevations over 10,000 feet (3,048 meters), 75% of people will have mild symptoms. The occurrence of AMS is dependent upon the elevation, the rate of ascent, and individual susceptibility. Many people will experience mild AMS during the acclimatization process. Symptoms usually start 12-24 hours after arrival at altitude and begin to decrease in severity about the third day. The symptoms of Mild AMS are headache, dizziness, fatigue, shortness of breath, loss of appetite, nausea, disturbed sleep, and a general feeling of malaise. Symptoms tend to be worse at night and when respiratory drive is decreased. Mild AMS does not interfere with normal activity and symptoms generally subside within 2-4 days as the body acclimatizes. As long as symptoms are mild, and only a nuisance, ascent can continue at a moderate rate. When hiking, it is essential that you communicate any symptoms of illness immediately to others on your trip. AMS is considered to be a neurological problem caused by changes in the central nervous system. It is basically a mild form of High Altitude Cerebral Edema (see below).

Basic Treatment of AMS

The only cure is either acclimatization or descent. Symptoms of Mild AMS can be treated with pain medications for headache and Diamox. Both help to reduce the severity of the symptoms, but remember, reducing the symptoms is not curing the problem.

Moderate AMS

Moderate AMS includes severe headache that is not relieved by medication, nausea and vomiting, increasing weakness and fatigue, shortness of breath, and decreased coordination (ataxia). Normal activity is difficult, although the person may still be able to walk on their own. At this stage, only advanced medications or descent can reverse the problem. Descending even a few hundred feet (70-100 meters) may help and definite improvement will be seen in descents of 1,000-2,000 feet (305-610 meters). Twenty-four hours at the lower altitude will result in significant improvements. The person should remain at lower altitude until symptoms have subsided (up to 3 days). At this point, the person has become acclimatized to that altitude and can begin ascending again. The best test for moderate AMS is to have the person “walk a straight line” heel to toe. Just like a sobriety test, a person with ataxia will be unable to walk a straight line. This is a clear indication that immediate descent is required. It is important to get the person to descend before the ataxia reaches the point where they cannot walk on their own (which would necessitate a litter evacuation).

Severe AMS

Severe AMS presents as an increase in the severity of the aforementioned symptoms, including shortness of breath at rest, inability to walk, decreasing mental status, and fluid buildup in the lungs. Severe AMS requires immediate descent to lower altitudes (2,000 - 4,000 feet [610-1,220 meters]).There are two other severe forms of altitude illness, High Altitude Cerebral Edema (HACE) and High Altitude Pulmonary Edema (HAPE). Both of these happen less frequently, especially to those who are properly acclimatized. When they do occur, it is usually with people going too high too fast or going very high and staying there. The lack of oxygen results in leakage of fluid through the capillary walls into either the lungs or the brain.

High Altitude Pulmonary Edema (HAPE)

HAPE results from fluid buildup in the lungs. The fluid in the lungs prevents effective oxygen exchange. As the condition becomes more severe, the level of oxygen in the bloodstream decreases, and this can lead to cyanosis, impaired cerebral function, and death. Symptoms include shortness of breath even at rest, “tightness in the chest,” marked fatigue, a feeling of impending suffocation at night, weakness, and a persistent productive cough bringing up white, watery, or frothy fluid. Confusion, and irrational behavior are signs that insufficient oxygen is reaching the brain. One of the methods for testing yourself for HAPE is to check your recovery time after exertion. If your heart and breathing rates normally slow down in X seconds after exercise, but at altitude your recovery time is much greater, it may mean fluid is building up in the lungs. In cases of HAPE, immediate descent is a necessary life-saving measure (2,000 - 4,000 feet [610-1,220 meters]). Anyone suffering from HAPE must be evacuated to a medical facility for proper follow-up treatment.

High Altitude Cerebral Edema (HACE)

HACE is the result of swelling of brain tissue from fluid leakage. Symptoms can include headache, loss of coordination (ataxia), weakness, and decreasing levels of consciousness including, disorientation, loss of memory, hallucinations, psychotic behavior, and coma. It generally occurs after a week or more at high altitude. Severe instances can lead to death if not treated quickly. Immediate descent is a necessary life-saving measure (2,000 - 4,000 feet [610-1,220 meters]). There are some medications that may be prescribed for treatment in the field, but these require that you have proper training in their use. Anyone suffering from HACE must be evacuated to a medical facility for proper follow-up treatment.

Other Medications for Altitude Illnesses

Ibuprofen is effective at relieving altitude headache.

Nifedipine rapidly decreases pulmonary artery pressure and relieves HAPE. Breathing oxygen reduces the effects of altitude illnesses.

Gamow Bag (pronounced ga´ mäf) This clever invention has revolutionized field treatment of high altitude illnesses. The bag is basically a sealed chamber with a pump. The person is placed inside the bag and it is inflated. Pumping the bag full of air effectively increases the concentration of oxygen molecules and therefore simulates a descent to lower altitude. In as little as 10 minutes the bag can create an “atmosphere” that corresponds to that at 3,000 - 5,000 feet (915 - 1,525 meters) lower. After a 1-2 hours in the bag, the person’s body chemistry will have “reset” to the lower altitude. This lasts for up to 12 hours outside of the bag which should be enough time to walk them down to a lower altitude and allow for further acclimatization. The bag and pump weigh about 14 pounds (6.3 kilos) and are now carried on most major high altitude expeditions. Bags can be rented for short term trips such as treks or expeditions.

Cheyne-Stokes Respirations

Above 10,000 feet (3,000 meters) most people experience a periodic breathing during sleep known as CheyneStokes Respirations. The pattern begins with a few shallow breaths and increases to deep sighing respirations then falls off rapidly. Respirations may cease entirely for a few seconds and then the shallow breaths begin again. During the period when breathing stops the person often becomes restless and may wake with a sudden feeling of suffocation. This can disturb sleeping patterns, exhausting the climber. Acetazolamide is helpful in relieving the periodic breathing. This type of breathing is not considered abnormal at high altitudes. However, if it occurs first during an illness (other than altitude illnesses) or after an injury (particularly a head injury) it may be a sign of a serious disorder.

There are inherent risks in traveling at high altitude. The information provided here is designed for educational use only and is not a substitute for specific training or experience. Princeton University and the author assume no liability for any individual’s use of or reliance upon any material contained or referenced herein. This paper is prepared to provide basic information about altitude illnesses for the lay person. Medical research on high altitude illnesses is always expanding our knowledge of the causes and treatment. When going to altitude it is your responsibility to learn the latest information. The material contained in this article may not be the most current.

Copyright © 1995 Rick Curtis, Outdoor Action Program, Princeton University.
__________________
Touring is not only about discovering places, its also about discovering yourself.

Delhi - Manali - Leh - Bike Trip

noreply@blogger.com (Fatally Flawed) — Tue, 28 Aug 2007 02:53:00 +0000

The trip itinerary given above looked pretty & flawless and I was proud of myself for having found an itinerary on the internet which could be tweaked to suit my 19 day schedule.
Ganesh, my friend, was in Thailand and Laos on a 2 month “uninformed” holiday and was to return to Delhi on July 14, 2007 and come to Bangalore on July 19, 2007 to get his bike ready for our trip. He works for Intrepid, an Australian travel company in Delhi.
Sameer, my brother, finished his final semester Mechanical Engineering exams on June 28, 2007 and was very keen on doing this trip to Leh.
As for me, I had been dreaming of this trip for the last four years!
The expectations from our trip and our spirits were soaring high. We enthusiastically made a list of things each one of us should be carrying on our trip - scissors to bike spares to video cam to medicines et al.
In the following 2 weeks prior to our departure, we bought 25 kilograms of bike spares, 6 bungee nets, 3 cross bungee cords, 8 bungee ropes, 4 tyre tubes, 3 helmets, 2 huge sleeping mats etc. got our bikes serviced and back in shape. We had booked our tickets to Delhi by Sampark – Kranthi Express from Yeshwanthpur to Hazrath Nizamuddin (Delhi) which was to depart at 10:20 PM on Aug 1, 2007 and the plan was to put all 3 bikes on to the train as luggage as it would then travel along with us.

Aug 1, 2007:

We all met up at the Yeshwanthpur railway parcel & luggage booking office at 4:00 PM. By the time the bikes were packed it was already 5:30 PM. I stood in the queue for over 2 hours to book our bikes. The booking clerk was a pain in the ass. He wanted some money, but when we refused, he just made us stand there for what seemed eternity. The first shock of the trip was when he said it would cost us Rs. 2500 per bike to transport it to Delhi. We were so confident (ignorant!) that it would cost us not more than Rs.1000 per bike!
Got out of the railway station at 8:00 PM, went home to finish packing. Left home at 9:15 PM and reached the railway station at 10:00 PM. The bikes were loaded on to the seal coach and the hamalis were paid Rs. 400 for the work done.

Aug 2, 2007:

Travel to Delhi

Aug 3, 2007:

7:00 AM: The second major shock of the trip came when there was a cloud burst just past Agra Cant station and it was raining very heavily all through our way to H. Nizamuddin station. It was a very gloomy day and our spirits were dampened when we heard that it was and had been raining heavily in Delhi for the last couple of days. We were mentally prepared to re-book our bikes back to Bangalore if the weather had been as bad. Anyways, we decided to take a call on that after we reached Delhi.
11:30 AM: We reach H Nizamuddin and loaded our entire luggage into a taxi and head back into the station to collect our bikes. After running around a while and pushing our bikes a long way, we reached the other side of the station (which was more or less like a slum) to reach a manned level crossing. The gates were closed and opened only after one and a half hours!
1:30 PM: Filled petrol and started riding towards our hotel in Karol Bagh.
3:00 PM: Dumped our luggage in the room and headed straight to get our bike’s side panniers (carriers) fixed. Got the tubes changed on both the thunderbirds. Bought additional bungee cords, foot pump, plastic fuel cans, sleeping bags etc.
8:30 PM: Came back to the room and repacked all the new spares. We decided to leave Delhi early morning, provided the weather held up.

Aug 4, 2007:

5:00 AM It was raining very heavily and our chances of starting off that day looked hopeless. We hit the bed again.
7:00 AM The rain had stopped but the sky looked very gloomy.
9:00 AM Packed the luggage on to the bikes only to find that Ganesh had a problem with the weight distribution and was finding that his front wheel was rarely on the ground!
9:15 AM Finally started riding out of Delhi.
11:30 AM Stopped for lunch at a dhaba when it started raining.
12:30 PM Reached Panipat. Terrible/fuck all roads!
1:00 PM Just out of Panipat, Sameer’s bike had a problem with a lot of noise emanating from the clutch case. Drained all the oil out…but couldn’t figure out the problem.
2:30 PM Rode to Karnal about 30 odd kilometers without oil in the clutch case and got it fixed at the royal enfield authorized showroom
7:00 PM Reached Chandigarh. Some good roads after Karnal. Overall, a terrible day of riding. Couldn’t cover much distance.

Aug 5, 2007:

8:30 AM Started for Manali
6:00 PM Reached Manali. One needs to pay a green fee of Rs. 100 for a pass valid for one week at the entrance of Manali town. My backside was hurting badly!

Aug 6, 2007:

Rested in Manali

Aug 7, 2007:

9:00 AM Topped up our tanks with fuel and started riding towards Rohtang Pass which is 52 kms from Manali.
10:30 AM Got caught in a terrible traffic jam on the mountains, which robbed 3.5 hours of us.
2:00 PM Just out of the traffic jam, pulled over for lunch (maggi noodles)
3:00 PM Reached Rohtang Pass
4:15 PM Khoksar – Tea
6:30 PM Tandi – Last fuel station on the Manali – Leh route. The next filling station is 365 kms in Leh.
7:00 PM Keylong – Halt for the night

Aug 8, 2007:

8:00 AM Started from Keylong for Sarchu/Pang
10:00 AM Darcha – Tea
12:45 PM Baralachala Pass
1:20 PM Reached Bharathpur bridge and found that a truck had got stuck. The stream was knee length deep and was too risky to try to cross on our bikes, especially with the load that we were carrying. We decided to stay back in the tented accommodation at an altitude of approx. 4700 M above mean sea level. Bad decision! My first brush with AMS (Acute Mountain Sickness). Had a throbbing headache and breathing was quite heavy even without realizing.

Aug 9, 2007:

7:00 AM Started riding from Bharathpur
9:00 AM Sarchu
9:45 AM Gata Loops
10:15 AM Nakeela Pass
10:45 AM Lachulungla Pass
11:45 AM Reached Pang. Had food and Slept for about an hour. My headache got worse. Was running temperature. Decided to stay back in Pang in the tented accommodation.

Aug 10, 2007:

7:30 AM Started riding from Pang.
8:15 AM More Plains
10:30 AM Tanglangla Pass
2:00 PM Leh

Aug 11, 2007:

2:00 PM Started riding to Khardungla
2:45 PM South Pullu – Check post
3:30 PM Reached Khardungla Top

Bike Ride to Leh, Ladhak (Khardungla)

noreply@blogger.com (Fatally Flawed) — Mon, 27 Aug 2007 15:15:00 +0000

Initial Itinerary:

Wednesday - 1-Aug-07 - Start From Blr to Delhi

Thursday - 2-Aug-07 - Journey to Delhi

Friday - 3-Aug-07 - Reach Delhi by Noon

Saturday - 4-Aug-07 - Shop around in Delhi

Sunday - 5-Aug-07 - Start Riding and reach Manali - 580 KMS

Monday - 6-Aug-07 - Manali

Tuesday - 7-Aug-07 - Manali to Sarchu - 230 KMS

Wednesday - 8-Aug-07 - Sarchu to Leh - 260 KMS

Thursday - 9-Aug-07 - Leh

Friday - 10-Aug-07 - Leh

Saturday - 11-Aug-07 - Leh

Sunday - 12-Aug-07 - Leh

Monday - 13-Aug-07 - Leh to Sarchu

Tuesday - 14-Aug-07 - Sarchu to Manali

Wednesday - 15-Aug-07 - Manali to Delhi

Thursday - 16-Aug-07 - Delhi

Friday - 17-Aug-07 - Journey to Bangalore

Saturday - 18-Aug-07 - Journey

Sunday - 19-Aug-07 - Reach Bangalore by Noon

A Dream & Destination

noreply@blogger.com (Fatally Flawed) — Fri, 13 Jul 2007 15:35:00 +0000

Don’t know where to start…I mean either from Bangalore or from Delhi…but for a change, I know exactly where to go…all roads lead to Leh, Ladhak.

Dreams are what people and lives are made of, a union of destiny and destination. Been dreaming of biking it to Leh for some 4 odd years, the passion so great, went ahead and bought the latest “old war horse” of a cruiser bike and still kept dreaming, don’t know of what…eh?..Err…Never mind.

Somewhere Life Is A Figment of Imagination!

Figment

noreply@blogger.com (Fatally Flawed) — Sun, 17 Jun 2007 04:08:00 +0000

I watch the evening stars,
My only friends in a while,
I raise a lusty toast,
And drink the water of time,

Memories ebb and fall,
Of the spirit, which now runs dry and all,
Reminiscing the happy hours spent,
Of half the life that was bent,

I build my ship and try to keep it afloat,
But the hole in the hull is chaffing,
My ever cheerful disposition teaches,
Each time to resurrect from a zygote

Scan - IMP: EED

noreply@blogger.com (Fatally Flawed) — Sun, 18 Mar 2007 19:47:00 +0000

There she was, a mother to be,
In all happiness and a joyful glee,
Counting down the days,
To see her new born baby’s face,

To her husband she’d talk,
For endless hours and chalk,
Plans for her unborn son,
Oh! Life was so much fun,

Her unborn dream,
Was like sugar and cream,
She longed to hold it in her palm,
Just the thought was her mental balm,

The day was announced to all,
It would be the last day of the fall
So, she bought wool and crochet,
Unaware of life’s ricochet,

Dream, turned nightmare,
Life didn’t care,
Purged her dream out of this world,
Blood and pain, her head just whirled

The Night That Was...

noreply@blogger.com (Fatally Flawed) — Thu, 08 Mar 2007 18:22:00 +0000

A fearful night,
When that life just held on tight,
A nightmare uninvited,
Came at the serene doorstep,

It showed its ugly face,
And the angel turned,
Dance of grace?
That night, brighter the oil burned,

The angel lay sprawled,
In disgraced splendor,
When death came calling,
She just hugged life

I am

noreply@blogger.com (Fatally Flawed) — Sun, 10 Dec 2006 09:22:00 +0000

Say a word,
And see the smile,
Lilt in the darkness,
While you walk another mile,

Sip on the feeling,
Whispering sweet everything,
Rest a while,
And bring on back that faded self denial,

Just lose all the reason,
Like a tear drop in every season,
In a state of self denial,
Oh! Yeah! It’s been a while

Winds of Change

noreply@blogger.com (Fatally Flawed) — Sun, 17 Sep 2006 03:09:00 +0000

A strong wind, Aeolian paradise,
Message floats away, picked up by the wind,
Caught shamelessly by the vicious & thorny flowers,
It bleeds and bleeds until death,

A new lease of life,
Nurtured until the wings reappear,
Wind dies,
But this time, confidence soars

Honeymoon Destination...

noreply@blogger.com (Fatally Flawed) — Mon, 11 Sep 2006 05:45:00 +0000

Honeymoon? Where t. f. do we go?

Way of Life

noreply@blogger.com (Fatally Flawed) — Sat, 09 Sep 2006 02:35:00 +0000

Withering whispers,
A smile from the weird sisters,
Time slips in to the future,
Just, swaying backwards and forwards,

A leap across the gilded sun,
And all that makes us run,
From hither and thither,
Oh! This life, ain’t it fun?

Pick yourself, from every fallen stair,
Let the blood & tear evaporate,
For, just play your part and be lost
Care not, what it cost,

Shadows of another day,
Long drawn, and dark,
Just a reminder,
Of a long night to come,

Way of life and starry nights,
Wicked throes of passionate bites,
Slithering smile on the lips of heaven,
Wallows and thunders, at this hour of eleven

It had to happen to him too...

noreply@blogger.com (Fatally Flawed) — Sat, 02 Sep 2006 02:53:00 +0000

It had to happen. It happened to me, so it had to happen to him too. “After all the Nakshatras are the same mama” ;)

LOL… I reminisce those days when I first met Keshav…he came across as a very soft-spoken-kiddish-charm-chocolate-hero type of a character. We instantly hit it off together…but then that’s where the story begins.

I had carried too many “backs” (read as backlogs) into my odd semester in Ramaiah (MSRIT). I knew it would be happy days for the next one year even while I was writing those useless exams. I had to dunk.
Previous year, Keshav…a brilliant guy that he is…decided that he was not exercising enough and that he needed to log more number of laps (his version of Sleep) in his everyday (also night) schedule. Conveniently sleeps through the most dreadful (S.o.M) exam, and as he was hardly ever seen attending classes, it was but natural for Dr. Muthu to take a call and dunk him.

Keshav & I meet up to form an India Light Music (ILM) band with Chinmayee, Muin and Nachiketh. And then the most famous “Arundathi” happens.

Keshav’s obsession for sleep is better explained in this anecdote:

We had newly started this band we called RASP (Ramaiah Akhil Sangeet Parishad) and we were supposed to start jamming. With my tooth extracted in the morning, and the blood still refusing to clot in my mouth, I rushed to Keshav’s place only to find that he was blissfully sleeping. When asked, he casually replied “Oh! That? Aaah! Nobody told you kya? Our jamming program was cancelled…Chinmayee called and asked me to inform you about it…thought I will inform you later!” (I am still amazed as to how I could control my anger when he said…“Oh! That? Nobody told you kya?”

Our mutual interest in music, movies, Ayn Rand’s philosophy, Physics (Astro Physics) etc. only brought us together, just as our alternate year dunking, which kept at least one of us free to concentrate on music ;))

And then, like always, good things had to come to an end. Time flew…we’re still great friends. I got hitched…he fell in love…and life goes on…

But good thing’s that…we are going to be classmates once again…@ NLS, Bangalore…yeah! F@*#! believe it…

Moved To www.ShashankHS.com

noreply@blogger.com (Fatally Flawed) — Sun, 18 Jun 2006 07:47:00 +0000

Have moved out of this place and have currently parked my butt here (www.ShashankHS.com)

Kindly click on the above link to be re-directed to my blog…You’ll find all my previous posts uploaded.

Thanks (

Woolgather

noreply@blogger.com (Fatally Flawed) — Fri, 16 Jun 2006 03:06:00 +0000

The tree line slowly fading at a distance,
As the night descends, on the face of the earth,
Headlights turn on to keep the wheels rolling,
Down the winding roads of the misty mountains,

Just the thought, a beautiful one at that,
Holding hands, swaying to the winds,
The chillness outside, and the warm within,
Beside the hearth, as the candle dies,

Hazy gray sky, the evening drizzle,
Brings on memories to reminisce,
As the head rests on the shoulder,
Love is in the air as she breathes low,

The sweet lullabies kiss,
And the dreams wave in

Warning

noreply@blogger.com (Fatally Flawed) — Wed, 14 Jun 2006 15:20:00 +0000

Alright…alright…if you see a guy driving a car with a single hand, swerving like a drunkard and changing gears with his right hand (right hand drive car…silly!) on the outer ring road and other roads in the city…please ignore

P.S: In case you’re wondering what his other hand’s doing…it’s busy holding on to “dear life”