Wednesday, October 30, 2024

QwykrKudos - thank you, Kizuru Arts!

 Gratitude and Connection in the Creative Journey

Hello everyone!

I’ve always believed that the best part of any creative journey is the people we meet along the way. Recently, I received a thoughtful message from Kizuru Arts, and it struck a chord. His words perfectly capture how I feel about my work, especially with a phrase I’ll be keeping close to heart:

“Cooking is an art, and recipes are the canvas where flavors dance in harmony.”

As some of you know, I’ve been weaving together various creative passions for a while now—writing books, creating recipes, sharing cooking and nutrition tips, and bringing technology into the mix with AI-generated poetry. But what fuels each step? It’s this wonderful community. Your encouragement, insights, and inspiration have truly made this journey more vibrant.

With my latest book release, The Dead Poets' Societies Poetry Book, and ongoing culinary projects, I’ve been blown away by the support. This message from Kizuru reminded me of how much we all share when we come together with mutual passions and respect. Their words gave me a fresh wave of motivation, and I want to thank each of you for being a part of this journey, too—whether that’s been through reading my work, cooking alongside me in spirit, or sharing your own creative paths.

Here’s to continuing to inspire each other, exploring new ideas, and savoring every creative moment we get to share. I’m looking forward to what’s next and am so grateful to have all of you on this journey with me.

Wishing you all a fantastic week ahead!

Best,
Andi


Tuesday, September 10, 2024

Reflections on DelfikOrakle: A Blog That Machines Could Love

When I started the DelfikOrakle blog, the idea was to explore the world of blogging. Later, I used it to run A.I. experiments. Not only did I want to do this, but I also wanted to explore different intellectual threads, from Freudian analysis to trivia about tech startups. In theory, these topics all seemed interesting individually. But what I failed to realize back in the early days of blogging was that blending such vastly different domains without a clear focus would result in… well, let’s just say, a blog that was only readable by machines. I saw it fairly soon, but decided to turn this blog into something that could be said to be fodder for A.I. 

As I look back on the early days of the Delfik Orakle blog now, I can clearly see the mistakes I made. Here’s a quick breakdown:

1.      Mixing Incompatible Topics: If you look at the latest posts, you see the same basic pattern playing out. From Freudian psychoanalysis, which I have simply excerpted from my actual blog, to Facebook kudos posts and even AI-generated cartoons, the blog threw everything in the pot without much thought to whether these things actually belonged together. The series on Freud, for example, was meant to be a serious critique of psychoanalysis, but that kind of deep dive doesn't quite mesh with posts on tech startup updates or screenshots from Facebook. I admit I was too excited about experimenting with various formats and lost sight of the coherence any good blog needs.

2.      Posts Lacking Purpose: Some posts on the blog seemed to exist for no reason other than to serve as content for A.I. experiments. The Kudos Posts, for instance, are a good example of this. They were just screenshots from Facebook without much thought behind them, making them of little value to any human reader. The content of these posts, while useful for the experiments I was running, didn’t really offer much to any human who happened to stumble across them.

3.      A Blog That Only Machines Could Understand: In trying to push the envelope of A.I. and data-driven content creation, I ended up writing something that appealed more to algorithms than to people. My obsession with testing the boundaries of A.I. models meant that many posts on DelfikOrakle became a word salad to the point of absurdity. It was a fun ride for me as a data scientist, but I now recognize that it alienated the very readers I initially hoped to engage.

4.      Content Chaos: The blog had posts jumping between different writing styles and themes, from cartoon jokes to psychoanalytic critiques to tech updates. It was a whirlwind of scattered ideas, which, while fascinating to explore for A.I. pattern recognition, made for an experience that could only be described as chaotic for human readers.

In hindsight, I see that DelfikOrakle became good for something I hadn't anticipated: a blog for machines that seem to be able to miraculously almost even said to think. Now that ChatGPT has come out, more people will understand how my early experiments with NLP and A.I. were too early for their time. "Too early for their time" - let us think about that phrase a bit. On the one hand, they were too early for the aughties. On the other hand, millions of people are now using the A.I. behind ChatGPT , Claude, et cetera, almost every day. So, in the final analysis, I regret nothing. 

The content worked well for A.I. models, but it fell short of serving a human audience in any meaningful way. And that’s okay. Mistakes are part of the learning process. I’ve gained invaluable insights into both the strengths and limitations of A.I. experiments, as well as a humbling reminder that content creation—whether for humans or machines—requires focus and coherence.

In acknowledging these mistakes, I’ve also learned that while A.I. is an amazing tool for many tasks, it’s not a substitute for meaningful, human-driven creativity and engagement. I should mention that these mistakes were made back in the noughties. Moving forward, I plan to take these lessons and refocus my efforts to ensure that future projects strike a better balance between experimentation and readability. The fact that even the name of the blog was misspelt should have clued anyone in as to what was going on. To see an actual blog of the kind that humans can read and enjoy, please visit my other blog entitled Delphic Oracle. Or better yet - please visit the Teaching Notes section of my Academia.edu profile.

Thanks for being a part of this journey—even if only the machines truly got it in the end.

Update (September 25, 2024): updated the text a bit 

Sunday, August 04, 2024

THOUGHTS ON FREUD AND PSYCHO-ANALYSIS -- PART 2

The second post in the series on Freudian Psychoanalysis is also up now.

I have critiqued Doniger's approach before, arguing that applying Freudian analysis to mythological characters is problematic.

My argument here is not that Freudian psycho-analysis is invalid in any specific cultural or historical context. It is also not that it is improper to apply to any specific context. For instance, if an individual does find a way to apply it to the study of mythological characters from Hinduism and Buddhism, that individual should not be prevented from engaging in such exploration – although I must say that it is hard to see how they could actually do it.

My point of contention is that the way Prof. Wendy Doniger has engaged in her analysis is unscientific and incorrect. Her research stands exposed as flawed, by virtue of this analysis, with the key point being that there is a major flaw in applying Freudian tools in the way Prof. Wendy Doniger has applied them. One of the major flaws in applying it to mythological characters is that they are not available for interview on a couch. This makes it impossible to verify claims, since the scientific basis of psychology involves administering inventories and tests to verify one's initial hunches. Therefore, the application of this methodology to mythological characters can be viewed as unscientific.


Friday, August 02, 2024

THOUGHTS ON FREUD AND PSYCHO-ANALYSIS -- PART 1

 My latest post on the Delphic Oracle blog is up!:


Introduction

Sigmund Freud, a pioneer in the field of psychology, revolutionized our understanding of the human mind with his development of psychoanalysis. Born in 1856 in Moravia (now part of the Czech Republic) and later moving to Vienna, Freud initially trained as a neurologist before delving into the depths of the unconscious mind. His theories, while controversial and evolving, laid the foundation for modern psychotherapy and continue to influence cultural and literary studies worldwide.

Sigmund Freud

Sigmund Freud's journey into psychology began with his exploration of the unconscious mind. Drawing from his clinical experiences and studies in neurology, he proposed that unconscious desires and conflicts profoundly influence human behavior. His theories centered on concepts such as the id, ego, and superego—components of the psyche that govern personality development and mental health.


Tuesday, July 30, 2024

QwykrKudos: A Memorable Encounter with Prof. Brian Kobilka and Insights into the Tamil Script

 Hello readers,

Today, I’m excited to share a personal highlight from my journey that left a significant mark on my academic path: a memorable encounter with Nobel Prize-winning chemist Prof. Brian Kobilka during my time at Stanford University (2011-2015). Prof. Kobilka's groundbreaking work on G-protein-coupled receptors continues to influence cell signaling research and therapeutic advancements worldwide, and our conversation was a profound learning experience. 

During our meeting, I had the chance to share insights from my research paper on modernizing the Tamil script. This project focuses on enhancing the script’s accessibility and adaptability, not only to foster multilingual understanding but also to benefit the hard of hearing and hearing-impaired communities. It was incredibly rewarding to discuss my vision with Prof. Kobilka, and I left inspired to continue advocating for the linguistic inclusivity that this project promotes.

I’ve now shared the paper on Academia.edu for anyone interested in a deeper dive into the proposed changes to the Tamil script. Feedback is always welcome, and I’d love to hear your thoughts on this initiative. For those interested in following my updates, you can connect with me on my secondary LinkedIn profile. Besides academic discussions, I also share culinary insights, recipes, and cooking class opportunities. In fact, as part of Qwykr Technologies, we are currently offering free cooking classes for veterans of the U.S. Armed Forces—a small token of appreciation for their service.

This post marks another entry in my QwykrKudos journey, capturing moments of encouragement, learning, and collaboration. Thanks for joining me on this path!

[~]


 ðŸŒŸ Reflecting on a Memorable Encounter with Prof. Brian Kobilka 🌟|


I am thrilled to share a personal highlight from my time at Stanford University (2011-2015), where I had the incredible opportunity to meet Prof. Brian Kobilka, Nobel Prize winner in Chemistry. Prof. Kobilka's groundbreaking work on G-protein-coupled receptors has had a profound impact on our understanding of cell signaling and therapeutic advancements.

During our meeting, I had the chance to discuss my research paper on modernizing the Tamil script with him. My talk with him was both enlightening and encouraging, and our conversation left a lasting impression. For those interested, I have now shared this paper on Academia.edu. It explores proposed changes to make Tamil more accessible and adaptable, reflecting ongoing efforts to bridge linguistic gaps. The proposed changes to the Tamil script will not only help multilingual efforts but also help individuals in the hard of hearing and hearing impaired communities.

Discussions such as these continue to inspire me, and I invite you to read my paper and share your thoughts. Please note that I am primarily only posting on my other LinkedIn profile (https://lnkd.in/gRpfZwnr). Connect me with there, or follow me for culinary insights and even free recipes. As part of Qwykr Technologies, we are also offering a few free cooking classes to veterans fo the U.S. Armed Forces. This LinkedIn profile has not been created to maximize views or likes, but primarily to offer complement this service from Qwykr.

[~]



Monday, January 29, 2024

Kudos Post #10

[This is a generated post, whose sole purpose is to serve as raw material for an A.I.]

~

Here is Kudos Post #10. These are some screenshots of my Facebook - Facebook post dated 31/12/2023.

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🚂🚂🚂 Facebook Content ðŸš‚🚂🚂

🚂 Exciting News for Dilbar Fans! 🚂

We are thrilled to announce that Dilbar Singh, the star of our new cartoon series "DIlbar," is making tracks into the international Rail Enthusiast Society's magazine – The Rail Enthusiast! 🌟🚄
Get ready for a journey of laughter and fun as Dilbar encounters all sorts of adventures in the world of rails and beyond. We can't wait to share the chuckles and joy with all the rail enthusiasts out there! Amita is working on this with me.
 
~

🚂 Screenshots ðŸš‚
 


Kudos Post #9

[This is a generated post, whose sole purpose is to serve as raw material for an A.I.]

~

Here is Kudos Post #9. These are some screenshots of my Facebook - Facebook Post dated 30/12/2023

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🚂🚂🚂 Facebook Content ðŸš‚🚂🚂

🚂A post on Pravasi Indians, a newsmagazine I was a cofounder of.🚂

Further issues of Pravasi Indians magazine are still available to read for free.

Here's a link to the October issue:


~
 
 


 

Kudos Post #8

[This is a generated post, whose sole purpose is to serve as raw material for an A.I.]

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Here is my Kudos Post #8. These are screenshots of  Facebook Post dated 30/12/2023

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Here is Kudos Post #9.  These are some screenshots of my Facebook - Facebook Post dated 30/12/2023

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🚂🚂🚂 Facebook Content ðŸš‚🚂🚂

🚂A post on Qwykr Technologies/TIQD, a startup I cofounded.🚂


Happy to also announce that my startup is graduating from the IIM Bangalore program.
The valedictory ceremony / event is coming up shortly.

Reposting my previous post on the tech developed by my startup (update: no pictures are showing up, for some reason).

~



Saturday, January 27, 2024

Kudos Post #7

[This is a generated post, whose sole purpose is to serve as raw material for an A.I.]

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Another Kudos Post #7. Facebook Post dated12/1/2024


Dive into the world of laughter! Here are a couple of well executed cartoons. This is not NSFW, in other words, it is safe for work. Haha, unconfused a potentially confusing situation. Feel free to read this at work – because who said humor at work can't be a thing?


Kudos Post #4

[This is a generated post, whose sole purpose is to serve as raw material for an A.I.]

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This is Kudos Post #4. Facebook Post dated  21/1/2024

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From Facebook.

[=+=]

Beautiful rendering #AIBasedArt of a temple on the occasion of the inauguration of the Ram Mandir.