"Miles per gallon" to "litres per 100 km" conversion

I'm tired of reading(or watching) mpg comparisions, when they don't give me a frame of reference. As such, I'd decided to write my own online convertor for it.

This is the algorithm (in python):

def mpg2lpckm(mpg):
    one_mile=1.609344
    one_gallon=3.78541178
    kmpg = mpg * one_mile # km/gallon
    kmpl = kmpg / one_gallon # km / l
    lpkm = 1. / kmpl # l / km
    return lpkm * 100.

and here is the online conversion:

two more pictures from Kaunertal

on mindfulness

For a while now, I've told people that "I don't really meditate, but I practice mindfulness". It sounds good, which makes it the perfect excuse.

I realized this while I was reading Being and Mindfulness, by Judith Warner. She says:

It has dawned on me lately, meditating on the Metro, thoughts silenced so completely that I can hear every page being turned by passengers up and down the car (I am above reading — I am present to myself) that being fully in the moment, all senses turned on, feeling your hands in your lap and the ground under your feet, is a very good way of not being there at all.

That there was my mistake also: in my rush to be present, I ran off after "presence", after "being present" and "practicing mindfulness". In that rush, I lost what I was actually running after (and ended up taking myself too seriously).

Maybe I need to meditate more.

Happy StarWars Day!

May the 4^th be with you!

Playing for Change

I found this via reddit - via inspirationlounge - via movingpicturesmagazine. The site is playingforchange.

Mark Johnson describes how he was inspired to create it, while listening on a singing street performance by two monks, ten years ago.

In the videos, various people from around the world listen to the music (negative?) and contribute to it in various ways.

Stand by Me

Original lyrics:

When the night has come
And the land is dark
And the moon is the only light we'll see
No I won't be afraid, no I won't be afraid
Just as long as you stand, stand by me

And darlin', darlin', stand by me, oh now now stand by me
Stand by me, stand by me

If the sky that we look upon
Should tumble and fall
And the mountains should crumble to the sea
I won't cry, I won't cry, no I won't shed a tear
Just as long as you stand, stand by me

And darlin', darlin', stand by me, oh stand by me
Stand by me, stand by me, stand by me-e, yeah

Whenever you're in trouble won't you stand by me, oh now now stand by me
Oh stand by me, stand by me, stand by me

Darlin', darlin', stand by me-e, stand by me
Oh stand by me, stand by me, stand by me

No More Trouble

Original lyrics:

Until the philosophy which holds one race
Superior and another inferior
Is finally and permanently discredited and abandoned
Everywhere is war, me say war

That until there is no longer first class
And second class citizens of any nation
Until the colour of a man's skin
Is of no more significance than the colour of his eyes
Me say war

That until the basic human rights are equally
Guaranteed to all, without regard to race
Dis a war

That until that day
The dream of lasting peace, world citizenship
Rule of international morality
Will remain in but a fleeting illusion
To be pursued, but never attained
Now everywhere is war, war

And until the ignoble and unhappy regimes
That hold our brothers in Angola, in Mozambique,
South Africa sub-human bondage
Have been toppled, utterly destroyed
Well, everywhere is war, me say war

War in the east, war in the west
War up north, war down south
War, war, rumours of war

And until that day, the African continent
Will not know peace, we Africans will fight
We find it necessary and we know we shall win
As we are confident in the victory

Of good over evil, good over evil, good over evil
Good over evil, good over evil, good over evil