What to do when your code suddenly slows down by 60%?

before running the tests multiple times to confirm that this indeed is the case...
before looking into the recent changes...
before looking into the test code...
before checking if swap is being used...
before checking if logging is enabled...
before doubting the kernel upgrade...
before using strace -c to find out unusual system calls...
before using valgrind --tool=callgrind to profile the code...

The first thing to do is to check cat /proc/cpuinfo and check in cpu Mz is same as advertised cpu speed. Laptops usually run in power saving mode. Not sure what is wrong with 64 bit Ubuntu 11.04, running on Lenovo Thinkpad T410. Even with power plugged in, it decided to run at 933Mz instead of 2.53 Gz.
Thanks to google for this link.

I am not with Anna

Call me pessimist, but I don't see corruption going away any time soon.

Loose definition of corruption would be using your "position" for "personal gains" instead of doing what is "right".  The operating word here is "position". How much corrupt can a beggar be? How much corrupt can a government be? Clearly government holds such an important position that it is very likely to be corrupt.  It pays to be corrupt government.

How about Lokpal? Does Lokpal holds important position? Yes it does and in some sense it holds a position more powerful than the government itself. Does it pays to be a corrupt Lokpal? Handsomely. Almost as much as a corrupt government.  I kind of believe in Murphy's Law as much as I believe in gravity.

Lokpal is as susceptible to corruption as much is government or a government employee. The process of choosing Lokpal is similar to aristocracy.  The difference is instead of choosing the government itself we are using it to choose the Lokpal. In some sense what Anna is saying is that Aristocracy is a better form of governance than democracy.  Is it?

Solving the corruption problem needs fundamental understanding and play between the concepts of "position", "personal gains" and what is "right".

Position:  Power corrupts, absolute power corrupts absolutely. How can we change the power equation?  Democracy gives people the power to change the government every five years. Government gets absolute power for five years. Here is my take on better democracy Dynamic Government.

Personal Gains:  This is usually money but it could be anything that can lead to money in the future. Again it need not be personal. It could easily go to friends and family.  I believe that the concept of money is broken. See Reinventing Money.  India badly needs to have Inheritance Tax.  In some sense money is equivalent to "position" if the person in "position" is corrupt. Hence absolute money for long duration is equivalent to absolute power and will lead to corruption. See  If Money Expired And People Had Choice .

What is Right: This one is hard to crack. Moral is right according to religion. Legal is right according to Law. Rational is right according to reason - but who knows what we are missing and how logical our minds think. Religion and Law are created by mortals only and could be wrong at times. I don't know the answers here but this is the direction I am looking at - On Reality Truth And Levels Of Abstractions and The Idiot Religion

I think corruption is a design issue, design of human interactions, how they help each other to survive together.

Mini Speed Breaker

The idea behind speed breaker is breaking the speed. The effectiveness of speed breaker drops with visibility. It is useless if driver cannot see it. In fact it can do more harm instead of providing safety.

Twist is, use a mini speed breaker before the actual speed breaker to give indication to the driver for the coming speed breaker. It is better than painting speed breakers or putting up boards because it doesn't needs  visibility for communication.  Basically if you hit a mini speed breaker, just reduce your speed as a big one will follow. 

Open Source vs Closed Source

Love this ;)

Optimizing time in getting off the plane

Two cases:  With or without check-in baggage?

• Get your hand baggage as soon as possible and stand in the line.
• This will take around 5 minutes.
• Get into the bus, but make sure you take the seat close to the gate or preferably stand
• Get out of the bus and go out (no check-in baggage) 
• Get out of the bus and wait for baggage to arrive. 
• Usually baggage will come first if you were the last one to check-in the flight (FILO).
• Wait for baggage 

When getting out of the landing airport is decided by when you arrive at the departure airport, then why do people continue to fight for being first to get out of the plane.