Australian F1 GP 2009 Winners and Losers

Winners

1. Brawn GP. This is perhaps one of the greatest if not the greatest fairy tale story in the history of all sport, let alone F1. To come in to race with just 7 days of running, huge uncertainty for months. The cynics may say that this is after all just Honda in sheep's clothing, but let's not forget that this team got its engine deal with Mercedes less that 1 1/2 months. Its amazing how they put that engine into a car designed for something else.
2. Button. Its stating the obvious, but he's won his 2nd GP.
3. Red Bull. Even though they threw away points, they seem to be the fastest non-diffuser team. It also looks like KERS is a handicap in Qualifying. Since RB has no KERS they are better at Qualifying, but they also have the speed during the race.
4. Lewis Hamilton. To start dead last and yet finish 3rd is pretty special. That too with a car that most people have written off!
5. Beumi. 2 points on debut. Good one.

Losers

1. Ferrari. I'm sure they are thinking about last year where they didn't score points till the 3rd race and yet won the constructors and also came within a point of winning the driver's championship. However, I don't think that is probable this year. There's no scope for testing. Plus Brawn looks like they have a second a lap over them at this point. Plus having Massa make very negative statements doesn't bring in confidence.
2. Webber. He definitely got it wrong this GP. I don't know if it is bad luck or just plain bad driving, but every race I remember seems to have him in either a crash or the wrong side of a pitstop or the rains or something. Plus Vettel really rubbed it in.

Myopic view of f1, formula1, australian, 2009, gp, winners, losers

BMTC Volvo buses

Its really good!

I took the bus today to work. It takes about an hour and 15 mins. I caught the bus at 7.50. It reached the office around 9.00.

Airconditioned, smooth riding and very comfortable. I was able to read my newspaper on the way. Usually reading anything while on a vehicle in India gives you a headache or worse, this bus turned out to be surprising good!

Bus schedules and other information is available at http://www.bmtcinfo.com/english/volvo.htm

How to burn yourself out

Step 1. Agree to a WW (actually only between US and Ind) teleconf at 6.00PM. The call is pretty important as its a status call where you are one of the presenters

Step 2. Inform Spouse

Step 3. Spouse calls at 5.45 as there is a deadline and she needs to fix something ASAP.

Step 4. Spouse calls in temporary babysitter (a.k.a Granddad) to take over from the real babysitter. GP picks up Granddaughter at 6.15 (win-win for Granddad and Granddaughter).

Step 5. Pick up the little one (already fast asleep) from GP's house at 9.15. From now on, your KRA is to keep her asleep.

Step 6. Check if Spouse is at home. No.. She's still fire-fighting

Step 7. Juggle bundle-of-joy (starting to stir), car keys (which you drop to the garage floor), and house keys

Step 8. Enter house. Find Master bedroom door shut. (As per pre-arranged protocol).

Step 9. Still juggling the Apple-of-my-eye (nearly awake), car keys and house keys, search for master bedroom keys in the study. Don't find it, and so give up.

Step 10. Put the cuppy-cake in her room with the plan to move the crib after dinner. Pray to non-existent superior being that the sugar-plum remains in dreamland. She does!! (Superior Being does exist!)

Step 11. Search for keys and find it! Ya!

Step 12. Change and head to kitchen.

Step 13. Bad luck strikes. No rice. Clean rice, and put the rice cooker to work.

Step 14. Read a blog post about the virtues of having software engineers leave on time - http://asserttrue.blogspot.com/2009/03/developers-should-not-be-allowed-to.html. 

To add salt to the burn, skip breakfast, have lunch at 1.20 (instead of the usual 12.20), avoid eating anything since that time.

If that doesn't kill you. Rinse, and Repeat.

Avoiding Traffic

What's the best time to avoid Bangalore traffic in morning? That's what I spent my time thinking today while driving to work. I left home at 7.30 and reached at 8.10. If I were to leave anything after 8.00 it would take me an hour at the least. The peak rush hour is 8.30 to 10.30. So by leaving early, I saved 20 minutes at the least and close to an hour as compared to rush hour.

Leaving for office early, Pros:
1. 20 minutes saved.
2. Not many people in the office, so I get some work done.
3. Fewer autos.

Leaving for office early, Cons:
1. Instead of office traffic, you hit school traffic.
2. Not many people in the office, true..... except my boss and his boss. So.... I'm cornered in the morning.
3. More School buses.

Leaving for office late, Pros:
1. Consistent time. 1 hour. You expect some jams, whereas in the morning, the jams are unexpected and hence more irritating.
2. Most people are already in and busy. The boss is past his "productive" time and so, I can actually get some work done.
3. Fewer cars.

Leaving for office late, Cons:
1. Instead of getting on to the road, you hit a traffic jam right outside the apartment gate.
2. You end up working late because you don't have an excuse for leaving early. You can't leave between 5.30 and 8.00, because of rush hour. So, you end up leaving only by 8.30 or maybe even 9.30
3. Bad parking spot.

Myopic view of bangalore,, traffic,, funny

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