A paradise called Ventura!

What was supposed to be a business trip turned out to be an immensely relieving and refreshing personal trip as well. My conference at in Ventura, CA gave us some wonderful moments to cherish and even better weather to relish. 

There are very few things that I am a captive of. Nature is foremost amongst them. And nature in any form of water – lakes, rivers, seas or oceans, enthralls me the most. My hotel was on the pacific coastline. My room overlooked Pacific Ocean. What more can I ask. I spent hours effortlessly watching the waves splash the coast. Whenever I had a break in my conference, I was back in my balcony watching nature at its best. 

For someone from Phoenix which has an average summer daytime temperature of 110F, 70F on the coastline is a dream come true. Throw in a resort-type atmosphere, a laid back but interesting conference and paid trip into the mix and the outcome is very satisfying. It is not an overstatement that this is the best personal trip I’ve had. I did not attend the casual dinners that were included by my conference sponsor. All the 4 days, I had my dinner out with my wife, after we spent hours on the beach sand. I could see the ocean meeting the sky at the end of horizon on all the three directions and it was a treat to watch.

 Sometimes, I tried preparing for the conference and the presentation that I was supposed to deliver  by sitting on the balcony deck that faces the ocean front and all that I ended up doing was watching the endless magical waves. I strongly recommend Ventura and its surroundings as a very good vacation spot. I see myself visiting Ventura often in the coming days, thanks to US Air.

Federer reigns.

As expected (and as I hoped), Federer won US Open and with that created record of sorts. He is the first player in the history of tennis to win five successive titles at two different grand slam events (Wimbledon & US Open). 6-2 7-5 6-2 showed how stark the difference was between Federer and Murray, a first-time grand slam finalist. Federer started the match with an ace and from then it is history.

There is something I always believe is true about Roger Federer. He is the best tennis player ever. I admired Borg, Sampras, Agassi but none so much as I did Federer. That is because of his versatility. His all-court mastery coupled with extraordinary athleticism and determination puts him way across the rest (excluding Rafael Nadal, who is not very far off). But Nadal has lots to prove and achieve to even be compared with Federer. He has a long way to go and the more tougher part is remain consistent as Federer to be considered as a great player. Federer was stung by mononucleosis which affected the way he played over the last couple of months but it is a great time to come back and prove your fans and detractors wrong. Isn't it?
All said and done, I still do not like Federer winning in straight sets. I like to see someone (Nadal for instance) stretch Federer into 5-sets like in this year's Wimbledon final. And then I like to see Federer win. That extracts the best tennis from Federer. Some of his shots under pressure are a treat to the eye. The angles that his cross-courts create are mind-boggling. That is what I yearn to see from Federer - high quality tennis and not 6-0 6-0 6-0 domination stuff.

A thing of beauty is a joy forever. And so is Federer's tennis.

Purchasing a Car.

My research into economics and efficiencies of various cars finally culminated on Aug 15, 2008 and I chose Honda Civic LX Sedan amongst nearly a dozen similar cars. Though it is slightly more expensive than the nearest rival, Toyota Corolla, Civic's more urbane interior more specifically its digital dashboard tilted my decision in going for the Civic. People like me who find it tough to keep an eye on speed will love this feature. Speaking of my speed, incidentally I happened to cruise at 40 mph in a 15 mph school zone in my DMV driving license test. Luckily, I got my license on that day with a minor warning as other aspects of my driving that day were perfect.

Coming back to the dashboard, I love the digital speedometer that helps me keep track of my speed continuously. I strongly recommend a Civic for someone who has a similar problem. Moreover it is highly fuel efficient with 25/36 mpg, a boon in this economy. Another very good feature in Civic is its overall handling. The car is compact yet spacious and easy to drive. Throw in Honda's historical resale value and high security standards and you can get the best bang for your buck. Initially I had concerns over Civic's style but as I saw it as a prospective car of mine and delved a bit further into its details, I started to like the styling. For a comprehensive review (US News) on Honda Civic click here.

Toyota Corolla isn't far behind though. 2009 version is far stylized than its predecessor. In fuel economy it has the best figures in the segment with 26/35 with many consumers reporting 27-28 in city. Corolla doesn't seem to have any significant cons but has most of the features on a basic level. For someone who isn't concerned about styling/handling as much as fuel economy Corolla is apt. Corolla is overshadowed by its sibling Prius, which is way more fuel efficient albeit lacking in power. US News' review on Corolla can be found here.

I also compiled a list of vital stats of compact cars and it can be accessed here. I spent nearly a month in finalizing my choice. Test driving the cars that I short-listed was the crucial factor that enabled me take a decision. My order of factors in determining the car to purchase were suitability (through test driving), price, fuel economy and security. I hope you find this helpful to decide the car of your choice.

Federecession

Roger Federer, synonymous to perfection in tennis, is in a recession and this is obvious. 2 grand slam finals, 1 grand slam semi-final, 2 ATP titles and 47-12 singles record in 2008 is great for mortals but not so for Federer. What's more disconcerning is the way he is losing. It is one thing to lose to Rafael Nadal, who by the way is on cruise control, and is totally different and dismaying to lose to Simons and Blakes of the world. But the writing is clear that Federer is not in command of his game (I wouldn't use 'no longer' yet). The beating at Wimbledon was more than what the scoreboard read. It inflicted a greater damage on his confidence and mindset. Nadal grabbed Wimbledon's keys from Federer's closet, ofcourse when the latter was watching.

For someone familiar with Federer's game, there is one aspect in his game that looks to be strikingly unfamiliar. His volleying. Federer is one of the unique players who is equally strong in serve-and-volley and baseline styles. All-court mastery is his forte and that enables him to chip in classy backhand crosscourts and equally poised shots at angles that others can merely dream of. But after Roland Garros 6-0 whipping and more so after Wimbledon's epic five-setter Nadal has managed to breach into Federer's confidence, a territory untouched for about 5 years. He was thus brought down from his pedastal and looks like a pale shadow of himself ever since.

Agreed, every champion has to fall and change in guard is inevitable. But tennis is not yet ready for a change in guard. I was revetted to my screen when Federer conquered Pete Sampras, another favorite of mine, in 2001 Wimbledon. I was so craving for Sampras to hold and it was deja-vu in 2008. This time it was Federer who was hanging. Hats-off to Rafael Nadal. One great quality in Nadal is his never-say-die spirit. There were moments in Nadal-Federer encounters where Nadal looked lost. Other players gave up. But, what sets Nadal apart is that he simply never gave up and in turn, forced Federer to give up. These matches were huge tests of persistence and mental strength in addition to skill. But as the saying goes, will is greater than skill. Ultimately, both of them bring great tennis to fans and what else do we want.

I personally hope Federer rediscovers his touch and brings back his magic to US Open. Last week he lost his World #1 ranking (which he held for a record 237 weeks) and I hope this ranking doesn't topple further. Since beginning of 2004 (till early 2008) he has compiled a match record of 315-24 => 92.9% win percentage which shows how indelible his stamp was on the tennis circuit. This menancing record has started to liquidate. Though it is only Nadal (in top 10) who has a better one-on-one record against Federer others are fancying their chances against the wounded tiger. I am eagerly waiting in anticipation to see how strong Federer's resilience is. And I am pretty sure he is not a rabbit caught in headlights.

Vamos Rafa..... !!!!

When is a tennis match called a classic? It is when you cannot decide whom to applaud the most - the winner or the loser. And yesterday's Wimbledon's final between Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal is right up there as an all-time classic.

I have never had such a dilemma as to whom I wish should win. Deep in my heart, I am always a die-hard Roger fan. His class and composure cannot be matched. Period. But, back in 2005 when Nadal outclassed Federer in Roland Garros semi-final, I had a feeling that Nadal will be the one who can constantly challenge and outshine Federer in years to come. My feeling fortified in their subsequent clashes - Miami, Monte Carlo and Roland Garros again. Check out this link that highlights Federer-Nadal rivalry. But when Nadal demolished Federer 6-1 6-3 6-0 in the 2008 edition of French Open, I was shocked. 6-0 against Federer, no matter what surface, is truly remarkable and exceptional. The last time Federer lost a set 6-0 was in 1999 when he was 18 and was a non-entity.

Then the big thing happened. But, many saw it coming. Bjorn Borg was one. He tipped Nadal to win 2008 Wimbledon. I believed that after 2008 French Open final. I did not want Federer to lose, especially at SW19 where he won 5 Wimbledon titles in a row. But the way Nadal played, I did not want him to lose either. Had Federer won a 6th consecutive title, he would have been the first to do so in 122 years of Wimbledon history. But destiny had other ideas. Federer's 65 grass-court victory run (40 of them at Wimbledon) finally ended. And a new run has begun. I won't term it as change of guard. Not yet. But definitely phenomenal. Beating Federer on grass, in Wimbledon, in 5 sets is phenomenal. Nadal is now on a 24-match grass-court victory streak and has won French Open and Wimbledon back to back. How many times can he repeat it?

The Federer-Nadal rivalry has only beefed up with this match. Nadal is now 545 points shy of Federer's 6600 ATP points as World No. 1. With only US Open left this year, Nadal has a very good chance to dethrone Federer (again). I don't think I will see such a match again, where every point was fiercely competed and every stroke elegantly matched. I am also happy that Federer has true competition now and that will extract the best tennis out of him. And what is more blissful than watching Federer on the flow. But if Federer is an paint brush, Nadal is a sledge hammer. If Federer is an alpine craftsman, Nadal is a gladiator. And that adds beauty to their rivalry. I look forward to many more such encounters. And before I sign off, here is congratulating Rafael Nadal for his magnificient 6-4 6-4 6-7(5) 6-7(8), 9-7 Wimbledon victory. He was leading 5-2 in the third set. From Federer perspective, only solace is - How would 6-4 6-4 6-2 have been?

Vamos Rafa........

Best of CAT (Common Admission Test) - 1

After a relatively refreshing hibernation, I am back to my web log to write a simple terse article, which is the beginning of a series of such articles that deal with some of the best CAT puzzles I encountered. Computational Mathematics - a domain that I am wildly passionate about, is trying to solve these puzzles in both theory and programming. I will start off with a very simple CAT problem that I encountered sometime back. It was rather interesting and deals with Number Theory, which is one of my favorite areas in Mathematics. I transitioned this logic in C++ and it was truly a good exercise.

It is to determine number of zeros in a given number's factorial. Determining the number of zeros in say, 10! is pretty straightforward. But to determine number of zeros in 100! for example is unwieldly - especially from an examination point of view.

Question: What are the number of zeros in 100!

Solution: To determine number of 0's, it is equivalent to determine how many 10's make up the number. For that 10 = 2 x 5 and (2,5) are co-prime. Hence the number of 10's in number N can be determined by N/5 + N/5^2 + N/5^3+ ..... + N/5^n, as long as N/5^n > 1. '^' stands for exponential operator.

=> 100/5 + 100/5^2
=> 20 + 4 = 24.

Answer: 24

I built this into C++ and the code is intuitive.



Click on this code image to enlarge. Also, edit your headers/libs as necessary.

I will keep posting similar problems (especially from CAT) and I believe this would be mutually beneficial.

Microsoft yahooing?

Last week ended (atleast for now) speculation about Microsoft acquiring Yahoo. But the intent and the way Microsoft carried on this process left a sour impression on techie community and consumers in general. Check out this letter that Steve Balmer, Microsoft CEO wrote to Jerry Yang, Yahoo CEO.

May 3, 2008

Mr Jerry Yang
CEO and Chief Yahoo
Yahoo! Inc.
701 First Avenue
Sunnyvale, CA 94089

Dear Jerry:
After over three months, we have reached the conclusion of the process regarding a possible combination of Microsoft and Yahoo!.

I first want to convey my personal thanks to you, your management team, and Yahoo!'s Board of Directors for your consideration of our proposal. I appreciate the time and attention all of you have given to this matter, and I especially appreciate the time that you have invested personally. I feel that our discussions this week have been particularly useful, providing me for the first time with real clarity on what is and is not possible.

I am disappointed that Yahoo! has not moved towards accepting our offer. I first called you with our offer on January 31 because I believed that a combination of our two companies would have created real value for our respective shareholders and would have provided consumers, publishers, and advertisers with greater innovation and choice in the marketplace.
Our decision to offer a 62 per cent premium at that time reflected the strength of these convictions. In our conversations this week, we conveyed our willingness to raise our offer to $33.00 per share, reflecting again our belief in this collective opportunity. This increase would have added approximately another $5 billion of value to your shareholders, compared to the current value of our initial offer. It also would have reflected a premium of over 70 per cent compared to the price at which your stock closed on January 31.
Yet it has proven insufficient, as your final position insisted on Microsoft paying yet another $5 billion or more, or at least another $4 per share above our $33.00 offer.

Also, after giving this week's conversations further thought, it is clear to me that it is not sensible for Microsoft to take our offer directly to your shareholders. This approach would necessarily involve a protracted proxy contest and eventually an exchange offer. Our discussions with you have led us to conclude that, in the interim, you would take steps that would make Yahoo! undesirable as an acquisition for Microsoft.

We regard with particular concern your apparent planning to respond to a "hostile" bid by pursuing a new arrangement that would involve or lead to the outsourcing to Google of key paid Internet search terms offered by Yahoo! today. In our view, such an arrangement with the dominant search provider would make an acquisition of Yahoo! undesirable to us for a number of reasons:

• First, it would fundamentally undermine Yahoo!'s own strategy and long-term viability by encouraging advertisers to use Google as opposed to your Panama paid search system. This would also fragment your search advertising and display advertising strategies and the ecosystem surrounding them. This would undermine the reliance on your display advertising business to fuel future growth.

• Given this, it would impair Yahoo's ability to retain the talented engineers working on advertising systems that are important to our interest in a combination of our companies.

• In addition, it would raise a host of regulatory and legal problems that no acquirer, including Microsoft, would want to inherit. Among other things, this would consolidate market share with the already-dominant paid search provider in a manner that would reduce competition and choice in the marketplace.

• This would also effectively enable Google to set the prices for key search terms on both their and your search platforms and, in the process, raise prices charged to advertisers on Yahoo. In addition to whatever resulting legal problems, this seems unwise from a business perspective unless in fact one simply wishes to use this as a vehicle to exit the paid search business in favor of Google.

• It could foreclose any chance of a combination with any other search provider that is not already relying on Google's search services.

Accordingly, your apparent plan to pursue such an arrangement in the event of a proxy contest or exchange offer leads me to the firm decision not to pursue such a path. Instead, I hereby formally withdraw Microsoft's proposal to acquire Yahoo!

We will move forward and will continue to innovate and grow our business at Microsoft with the talented team we have in place and potentially through strategic transactions with other business partners.

I still believe even today that our offer remains the only alternative put forward that provides your stockholders full and fair value for their shares. By failing to reach an agreement with us, you and your stockholders have left significant value on the table.

But clearly a deal is not to be.

Thank you again for the time we have spent together discussing this.

Sincerely yours,

Steven A Ballmer
Chief Executive Officer
Microsoft Corporation

It is a win-win situation for Microsoft. Irrespective of whether or not Yahoo accepts their offer, Microsoft is set to gain from this episode. Yahoo is now in dire straits. Their shares fell down by 18%. I feel Microsoft knew in the first place that Yahoo will decline their bid. After fending off months of threats by Microsoft Corp, Yahoo Inc's directors still will have to fight for their jobs as the company's own irate shareholders plot a mutiny. I feel it is a very clever strategy from Microsoft to de-stabilize Yahoo. Their motive must have been to severely weaken Yahoo (as a competitor) or to acquire it. Either one is good for Microsoft - the latter, a better option. Now, with these diversions, Yahoo will either retrace back to Microsoft or will take a long long time to recover.