tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34336723568870657812024-03-24T00:00:01.596+05:30His Master's ToysToying with Films, Media, Technology and FuturologyUnknownnoreply@blogger.comBlogger58125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3433672356887065781.post-25462818755971084422007-11-26T15:53:00.000+05:302007-11-26T15:57:34.164+05:30On Writer's Guild StrikeDouglas McGrath writes on the strike...<br /><br /><blockquote><br /><span style="font-style:italic;">But there is a much bigger issue at stake, because it concerns where the future—and a good deal of the present—is: the Internet. The studios can now sell you a movie, or an episode of a TV series, or a whole series of series, right over your computer. Not only is it convenient for you, it has dramatically reduced the studios' costs: they need not make a videotape, with its plastics and tape and spools and boxes. They need not print and package a DVD, with their team of overzealous shrink-wrappers that make your average DVD harder to get into than Princeton. They have no shipping costs, no storage costs, only the movie or TV show that already exists.<br /><br />With their costs substantially reduced, this would be the right time to correct the old imbalance of the DVD rate and give writers a share more fairly in line with the level of our contribution. But the studios are not looking to find a more equitable residual rate—it seems they are hoping that the new media will allow them to do away with the idea of residuals altogether.<br /><br />Right now, if you go online and watch a streaming version of a TV show, the company that owns that property is getting paid by the advertisers whose commercials appear at the top of it. Just like TV, but with one difference: the writers are paid no residual, not even the four cents. The companies say they don't need to pay us for this: it's "promotional." By that I suppose they mean that it promotes the size of their earnings from smaller to larger. <br /></span></blockquote><br /><br />Read more <a href="http://www.newsweek.com/id/70297/page/1">here...</a>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3433672356887065781.post-57311407021465124682007-09-07T14:43:00.000+05:302007-09-07T14:52:00.486+05:30NTSC-PAL Conversion In MacI had always struggled with finding a good NTSC-PAL converter on MAC (or even PC!). In fact, its one of the few services that I have paid for in the past.<br /><br />Today, I discovered that the solution was sitting right in Apple my lap(top) - Toast Titanium 7. The in-built NTSC-PAL conversion feature is one of the best that I have seen (most plugins for Final Cut Pro has failed me miserably). <br /><br />Just add your uncompressed Quicktime file into the DVD video section, and export it back as Quicktime after setting your preferences correctly! <br /><br />I am still trying to figure out how to kick myself for not trying this out in the past. Unfortunately, human body has been designed in a way where its extremely painful to kick any part of yourself properly (unless you are a kung-fu master!).Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3433672356887065781.post-91932492528501043692007-09-06T16:24:00.000+05:302007-09-06T16:29:15.044+05:30Hidden Flight Simulator in Google Earth!<img src="http://www.techcrunch.com/wp-content/sim1.jpg" align=right vspace=5 hspace=5 width=50% /><br />In case you didn't know, Google has hidden a flight simulator in Google Earth. The option to uncover the easter egg is - Command+Option+A (note it must be capital A) or Ctrl+Alt+A if you’re using a Windows Machine.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3433672356887065781.post-10989102612746479612007-09-04T13:59:00.000+05:302007-09-04T14:27:14.850+05:30The History of the Multiverse<img src="http://images.wikia.com/marvel_dc/images/4/41/MultiFlash.jpg" align="right" margin=5px padding="5px" border="5px" />Just came across the Wikia hosted DC Database Project, which has an incredibly detailed description of the Multiverse.<br /><blockquote><span style="font-style: italic;">"The Multiverse consist(ed) of multiple versions of the universe existing in the same physical space, but separated from each other by their vibrational resonances.<br /><br />The Original Multiverse was created as the result of interference in the Big Bang by Krona. It was destroyed by the Crisis on Infinite Earths.<br /><br />An Interregnum Multiverse was created by Alexander Luthor during Infinite Crisis.<br /><br />After the events of Infinite Crisis, the remaining Earths created collapsed back together, combining historical remnants to form one New Earth. However, the single universe was too small to contain the energy inside it and it began replicating - into 52 identical Universes, the 52 Multiverse."</span><br /></blockquote>Continue reading <a href="http://www.dcdatabaseproject.com/Multiverse">here...</a> BTW, I am quite impressed by the Wikia project by Jimmy Wales. Apart from the fact that its highly usable, generating 40-50 mil pageviews simply through viral marketing (after raising 10 mil series B funding from Amazon) is the sign of a *very* smart venture.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3433672356887065781.post-22652733231519635432007-08-17T19:20:00.000+05:302007-08-17T19:23:26.770+05:30Cloverfield's Monster Movie!I get bored. I watch YouTube. and this is the stuff I come across...<br /><object width="425" height="350"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/rKjbaB42YFc"></param><param name="wmode" value="transparent"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/rKjbaB42YFc" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" wmode="transparent" width="425" height="350"></embed></object>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3433672356887065781.post-27807935294686479602007-08-17T19:07:00.000+05:302007-08-17T19:14:31.475+05:30The Two Moons Hoax!<img src="http://www.universetoday.com/wp-content/uploads/2007/07/2007-0724mars.jpg" padding="5px/" align="right" width="40%" />I just got this email:<br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">"*Two moons on August 27th 2007*</span><br><br /><span style="font-style: italic;"> *August 27th, the day the Whole World is waiting for ......</span><br><br /><span style="font-style: italic;"> Planet Mars will be the brightest in the night sky starting in August.</span><br><br /><span style="font-style: italic;"> It will look as large as the full moon to the naked eye. This will</span><span style="font-style: italic;"> cultivate on Aug. 27 when Mars comes within 34.65 Million miles of</span><span style="font-style: italic;"> earth.</span><br><br /><span style="font-style: italic;"> Be sure to watch the sky on Aug. 27 12:30 am. It will look like the</span><span style="font-style: italic;"> earth has 2 moons.</span><br><br /><span style="font-style: italic;"> The next time Mars may come this close is in 2287.</span><br><br /><span style="font-style: italic;"> Share this with your friends as NO ONE ALIVE TODAY will ever see it again.</span><br><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">Atleast not in this body !"</span><br /><br />Apparently, this is a hoax that is circulated through email every year in July (see that the email doesn't mention the year). <br><br>But given the useless interesting nigerian scam email, I would take this any day! Wonder who originates it....<br /><br /><a href="http://www.universetoday.com/2007/07/25/will-the-mars-look-as-big-as-the-moon-on-august-27-nope/">http://www.universetoday.com/2007/07/25/will-the-mars-look-as-big-as-the-moon-on-august-27-nope/</a>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3433672356887065781.post-48951409298331419852007-08-10T14:16:00.000+05:302007-08-10T14:20:04.034+05:30The Battle at KrugerAbsolutely brilliant! YouTube rocks...<br /><object width="425" height="350"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/LU8DDYz68kM"></param><param name="wmode" value="transparent"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/LU8DDYz68kM" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" wmode="transparent" width="425" height="350"></embed></object>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3433672356887065781.post-21236053488473294692007-06-26T05:56:00.000+05:302007-06-26T06:01:30.905+05:30Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End trailersAnother one of my favorites in our site. Brilliantly done (watch it in fullscreen - click on button on bottom right hand):<br /><br /><embed src="http://asset.mixercast.com/share/resources/modules/blogifiedz/editor/bree/embedPlayerNew.swf" allowFullScreen="true" quality="high" pluginspage="http://www.macromedia.com/go/getflashplayer" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" bgColor='#000000' flashvars="playerUrl=http://asset.mixercast.com/share/resources/modules/blogifiedz/editor/bree/player.swf&blogifiedId=2923&storyboardUrl=http://asset.mixercast.com/1/xml/0/0/0/34/52.2923.blogfied.xml&playerConfigUrl=http://asset.mixercast.com/share/resources/modules/blogifiedz/editor/bree/player.xml&xmlURL=http://www.mixercast.com/" BASE="http://asset.mixercast.com/share/resources/modules/blogifiedz/editor/bree/" width="506" height="411"></embed>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3433672356887065781.post-9895462899572550072007-06-26T05:51:00.000+05:302007-06-26T05:54:41.695+05:30Shrek 3 Trailer channelCheck out this channel of Shrek 3 trailers created using the <a href="http://www.mixercast.com">MixerCast</a> application. Its quite a feeling when your one and half year of efforts come to fruition in creations like these (hint: click on the curtain.. duh!!). <br /><br /><embed src="http://asset.mixercast.com/share/resources/modules/blogifiedz/editor/bree/embedPlayerNew.swf" allowFullScreen="true" quality="high" pluginspage="http://www.macromedia.com/go/getflashplayer" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" bgColor='#000000' flashvars="playerUrl=http://asset.mixercast.com/share/resources/modules/blogifiedz/editor/bree/player.swf&blogifiedId=2830&storyboardUrl=http://asset.mixercast.com/1/xml/0/0/0/34/52.2830.blogfied.xml&playerConfigUrl=http://asset.mixercast.com/share/resources/modules/blogifiedz/editor/bree/player.xml&xmlURL=http://www.mixercast.com/" BASE="http://asset.mixercast.com/share/resources/modules/blogifiedz/editor/bree/" width="506" height="411"></embed>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3433672356887065781.post-34393441951165724952007-06-02T21:02:00.000+05:302007-06-02T21:05:16.518+05:30Do You Need A Second Life?<img src="http://www-personal.umich.edu/~esrabkin/pics/entropia.jpg" /><br>You might, if you feel incumbered by the politics of the current one! Guardian has done a <a href="http://technology.guardian.co.uk/news/story/0,,2093758,00.html">nice roundup of the current state of affairs in the virtual universe,</a> your chance to lead your life a second time. <p>Of course, the world's catching up. The Swedish embassy has opened its office, and Linden Labs, the creators of <a href="http://secondlife.com/">Second Life</a>, claim that they have a daily turnover of $600,000, and have already created 6000 full-time jobs. UK government has started taxing money earned in SL (don't you remember... nothing's more certain than death and taxes!).</p><p>But then, SL isn't the only one, and the list is growing by the day. For the moment, the two biggest contenders are <a href="http://www.entropiauniverse.com/">Entropia Universe</a> and SL. In a year and half, there would be hundreds of businesses cropping up in trying to seamlessly merge the two worlds... or at least, import / export from one to the other. There will be virtual world and virtual existence mashups created.</p><br />Here's a bit from Guardian. <br /><p><i>"This week may mark a coming of age for virtual worlds - the three-dimensional spaces on the internet where people have their own avatars, or on-screen characters. Last night BBC2's The Money Programme was screened in Second Life, the best known of the dozens of virtual realities that are springing up. This week Sky News opened a replica of its studio in Second Life and IBM sponsored a ballet.<br /><br />Yesterday the Swedish virtual world Entropia Universe announced that it was teaming up with CRD, an offshoot of the Beijing municipality, to build a virtual universe able to handle 7 million users at any one moment. David Liu, chief executive of CRD, claimed that virtual worlds would generate about 10,000 jobs in China."</i></p><p>I am going to be hanging out for extensive periods of time in SL. Let's meetup, if you are going to be there!</p>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3433672356887065781.post-4415043563026943702007-06-02T00:06:00.000+05:302007-06-02T00:16:25.925+05:30Twitter widgets in Mixercast!Months ago, when we were developing the platform for Mixercast, it was unanimously decided to keep the architecture as open as possible. We sincerely believed that the Web 2.0 (yeah, yeah... I know that the word really doesn't mean anything anymore) is not just about social networking and user generated content... its really about the seamless integration/mashup of a multitude of services. Today, now that the site is alive and kicking, that decision might well turn out to be one of the best ones we ever made.<br /><br />The integration of Twitter into Mixercast, literally took us no more than a week, and more such services are "coming soon". If you are a flash developer, you would really understand the beauty of this - flash running inside flash, and all the users need to do, is drag-and-drop! Isn't that how the world is supposed to be?<br /><br /><embed src="http://asset.mixercast.com/share/resources/modules/blogifiedz/editor/bree/embedPlayerNew.swf" allowFullScreen="true" quality="high" pluginspage="http://www.macromedia.com/go/getflashplayer" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" bgColor='#000000' flashvars="playerUrl=http://asset.mixercast.com/share/resources/modules/blogifiedz/editor/bree/player.swf&blogifiedId=2218&storyboardUrl=http://asset.mixercast.com/1/xml/0/0/0/36/54.2218.blogfied.xml&playerConfigUrl=http://asset.mixercast.com/share/resources/modules/blogifiedz/editor/bree/player.xml&xmlURL=http://www.mixercast.com/" BASE="http://asset.mixercast.com/share/resources/modules/blogifiedz/editor/bree/" width="506" height="411"></embed>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3433672356887065781.post-77150019435292966212007-06-01T22:13:00.000+05:302007-06-01T22:15:46.879+05:30Bank of America employee mistakes faulty fax as a bomb threatThis gotta be one of the funniest news I have heard in a while!. Via <a href="http://www.iht.com/articles/ap/2007/05/30/america/NA-GEN-US-False-Bomb-Threat.php">International Herald Tribune</a><br /><p><i><br /> "A Bank of America employee misinterpreted a faulty fax about a bank promotion as a bomb threat Wednesday, leading authorities to evacuate more than a dozen neighboring businesses.<br /><br />The fax from a marketing group about a Bank of America small business promotion contained images of a lighted match and a bomb with a fuse, bank spokesman Ernesto Anguilla said. But words explaining the promotion did not transmit.<br /><br />"The fax machine malfunctioned, so a partial image came through that looked somewhat suspicious," Anguilla said.<br /><br />The missing text included the phrases "The countdown begins" and "Small business commitment week June 4-8," according to a copy circulated by police.<br /><br />"It was an internal communication designed only for our employees," Anguilla said. The fax was sent to the bank's branches in parts of New England as well as New York and New Jersey."<br /></i></p><br /><p>Raises a bunch of questions. Would it be seen as a threat, if there was no fear of terrorism in the US? Does waging a war reduce or increase that fear? In a "free country" (and we can get into a rhetorical discussion on what a "free country" means), this would probably be just frowned upon, laughed at and then trashed or pasted on the wall as a joke. </p><br /><p>And if there <i>is</i> a constant undertone of fear, what's the way to mitigate it? A recent film I made on Mumbai bombings for Current TV, I realized that despite an attack a year, there is really no fear in the city (though there is a sense of resignation to destiny). Would love to see an article that dives deeper into the psyche.</p>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3433672356887065781.post-66262567566288365542007-05-26T18:42:00.000+05:302007-05-26T18:45:46.858+05:30Silicon Valley Could Use A Downturn Right About Now<img src="http://www.gepus.com/images/siliconvalley.jpg" width='60%' align='right' />Interesting. via TechCrunch - <a href="http://www.techcrunch.com/2007/05/22/silicon-valley-could-use-a-downturn-right-about-now/">Silicon Valley Could Use A Downturn Right About Now</a><br /><br /><i>"When I look back at the pictures from those early events, I remember good times, and no one was talking about twenty million dollar venture rounds or selling out for a cool $1.65 billion. Companies like Meebo and Sphere literally launched in my living room in front of a couple of hundred genuinely interested people.<br /><br />Somewhere in there the money started rolling in. Our first dime of revenue was December 2005. A few months later a lot of companies were raising $3 million A rounds, then $7 million A rounds after the YouTube acquisition. Companies started to hire marketing managers and PR firms, and spending tens of thousands of dollars on launch parties. Now, a year after the madness started, it’s even worse. Companies have to actively dodge venture capitalists to avoid raising a big round of financing.<br /><br />Times are good, money is flowing, and Silicon Valley sucks.<br /><br />I don’t know what it is, but the same thing happened in the late nineties before the bubble burst. Lots of startups got funded that made no sense but people got excited anyway. A unique, beautiful and well executed idea was not a story worth talking about until that first round of big, eye-popping capital. People become more anxious, and more likely to snap at someone in anger or jealousy. Rumor mongering spikes, and a crucial balance is lost. It’s no longer about beautiful products and genius developers. It’s about the money and the status, and hot PR chicks and marketing departments.<br /><br />The press side of things is equally nuts. I wasn’t writing a blog in the first bubble so I can’t compare now to then. But entrepreneurs are no longer talking to us just to get our opinion and hope for a blog post and a little discussion. These guys need press to stand out from the scores of startups just like them. Saying no to them isn’t really an option. They show up at our front door with a bottle of wine or flowers. They instruct their PR firms to do anything necessary to get a story. More than once I’ve had a CEO break down and cry on the phone when we said we weren’t covering them. And more than once, I folded and wrote about them after those conversations.<br /><br />I left Silicon Valley at the peak of the insanity last time around, and I was pleasantly surprised when I returned in 2005 to see so much goodwill and community surrounding innovation. Now, it’s just like the old days again, and Silicon Valley is no longer any fun. In fact, it’s turned downright nasty. It may be time for some of us to leave for a while and watch the craziness from the outside again. In a few years, things will be beautiful again. The big money will be slumbering away, and the marketing departments will be a distant memory. We can focus, once again, on the technology. And the burgers and beer.</i>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3433672356887065781.post-953280549863366502007-05-26T18:17:00.000+05:302007-05-26T18:19:26.057+05:3022@ Barcelona - Why Europe May Become The Hub<img src="http://www.22barcelona.com/images/stories/22/imgsbk/presentacio/1_3_mapa.jpg" align="right" />Sunny weather, exotic landscape, historical architecture, outstanding tourist attractions, incredible quality of life... we all know about these pluses in the major parts of Europe. However, no one ever looked at that place and said, "This can be the next valley". Well, attempt is made to change that soon. <br /><br />Check out <a href="http://www.22barcelona.com/content/blogcategory/42/144/lang,en/">22@ Barcelona - El districte de la innovacio</a><br /><br /><i>"22@Barcelona Project goal is to transform 22@Barcelona into an international platform of reference in the creation and development of innovative companies that will serve as magnet to young entrepreneurs of all over the world and making of Barcelona an entrepreneur capital.<br /><br />Due to this reason, 22@Barcelona promotes several initiatives to provide the district with infrastructures and mechanisms of high support to entrepreneurs. Thus, specialized working spaces and services are created, with the participation of the different institutions linked to entrepreneurship, such as the Local Development Agency Barcelona Activa, la Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya o El parc d'Innovació de La Salle-URL."</i><br /><br />I keep hearing about a variety of efforts to attract entrepreneurs and the creative thinkers. Also, my opinion of Spanish people is very high in general. So, I am thinking of spending few months checking out the innovation scene in Europe this summer. Let's see.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3433672356887065781.post-3347498950309646732007-05-24T20:18:00.001+05:302007-05-24T20:18:23.047+05:30The Treadmill Desk!<div xmlns='http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml'>via <a href='http://news.zdnet.com/2100-9584_22-6183744.html?part=rss&tag=feed&subj=zdnn'>zdnet</a>.<br></br><br></br><div align='justify'>A while ago, I read a story (Unguided Days) written by my friend, writer Rohit Gupta (aka DJ Fadereu), where the world has evolved (or devolved?) to a point where the employer provides everything possibly needed right at an employees desk to get maximum hours from him. The day's lunch selection is delivered right to the desk through a food pipeline, and a highly evolved e-psychiatrist poses as a personalized e-god for each human. Matrix? Brave New World? <br></br></div><br></br><div align='justify'>Well, while a personalized e-god might seem a bit too in the future, a new technology already has been launched in the market that allows employees to lose weight while working. <br></br></div><br></br><div align='justify'><blockquote><i>"They built what they called a "vertical workstation"--a desk fitted over a standard treadmill. They had 15 obese people to work at this treadmill-desk and measured how many calories they burned.<br></br><br></br>If an overweight office worker used this vertical workstation all day, every day for a year, he or she could lose up to 66 pounds, the researchers report in the British Journal of Sports Medicine.<br></br><br></br>James Levine and Jennifer Miller measured how many calories their 15 volunteers burned using exhaled breath but did not determine if the volunteers actually lost weight.<br></br><br></br>On average, their overweight volunteers burned 100 calories more every hour while walking slowly--at 1 mile per hour--than while sitting in a chair.<br></br><br></br>"If obese individuals were to replace time spent sitting at the computer with walking computer time by two to three hours a day, and if other components of energy balance were constant, a weight loss of (44 pounds to 66 pounds) a year could occur," the researchers wrote.<br></br><br></br>The researchers said their desk costs about $1,600."</i><br></br></blockquote></div> <br></br>Continue reading <a href='http://news.zdnet.com/2100-9584_22-6183744.html?part=rss&tag=feed&subj=zdnn'>here...</a><br></br><br></br><p class='poweredbyperformancing'>Powered by <a href='http://scribefire.com/'>ScribeFire</a>.</p></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3433672356887065781.post-79835405890096822872007-05-23T14:52:00.001+05:302007-05-23T14:52:39.231+05:30Tejaswi Nou Adhitam Astu!<div xmlns='http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml'>Or, Let our study be brilliant!<br /><br />I have been trying to pick up Sanskrit again, from where I left off in high school. How did we lose touch with such an incredible language? Sanskrit is a true phonetic language, unlike English, where each alphabet represents only one pronunciation. Also, every single vowel and pronunciation is structured in a way that it logically uses the throat, lip and tongue muscles. The following is a graphical description of the vowel structure and how they are derived. <br /><br /><img src='http://farm1.static.flickr.com/209/510618392_1fa71049d9_o.png'></img><br /><br /><img src='http://farm1.static.flickr.com/206/510618390_5ad631c3e8.jpg'></img><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><p class='poweredbyperformancing'>Powered by <a href='http://scribefire.com/'>ScribeFire</a>.</p></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3433672356887065781.post-26620201345784067602007-05-16T11:34:00.001+05:302007-05-16T11:34:52.223+05:30Outstanding Italian AD <div xmlns='http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml'>One of the most prized commercials this year... via <a href='http://www.ibelieveinadv.com/'>I believe in adv:</a> and <a href='http://www.blogger.com/profile/05402344675069650418'>Anoop</a><br /><br /><object height='350' width='425'><param value='http://www.youtube.com/v/6psoLNMdNqI' name='movie'></param><param value='transparent' name='wmode'></param><embed height='350' width='425' wmode='transparent' type='application/x-shockwave-flash' src='http://www.youtube.com/v/6psoLNMdNqI'></embed></object><br /><br /><p class='poweredbyperformancing'>Powered by <a href='http://scribefire.com/'>ScribeFire</a>.</p></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3433672356887065781.post-52805847980276146952007-05-14T11:18:00.001+05:302007-05-14T11:18:08.510+05:30GPRS + Bluetooth + Laptop = Internet Anywhere<div xmlns='http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml'>This is, of course, not a new story. The first time I started using GPRS for accessing internet from anywhere was back in 2004. Back then, the costs were higher and there was a data download limit. Also, it normally took a full day to get it properly working.<br></br><br></br>Fast forward to the present day -- we have a Rs. 11/day connection provided by Airtel that gets activated instantly. No download limit, no hidden costs. And last week, I used it to connect to my workplace VPN from a remote town in India, a bungalow in the very outskirts of Bangalore, and now, just before the flight takes off! <br></br><br></br><br></br><p class='poweredbyperformancing'>Powered by <a href='http://scribefire.com/'>ScribeFire</a>.</p></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3433672356887065781.post-43944794195889159792007-05-05T11:06:00.001+05:302007-05-05T11:06:46.620+05:30Truemors - The new platform for spreading rumors<div xmlns='http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml'><img align='left' src='http://guykawasaki.typepad.com/guy.jpg'></img>Guy Kawasaki's newest venture Truemors, is all about capturing rumors that spread across the web. Here's an excerpt from his <a href='http://blog.guykawasaki.com/2007/04/help_wanted.html'>blog</a>:<br></br><br></br><blockquote><i>"I need some help from people who are in the flow of interesting and true rumors. They would be folks who can provide “scoops” that begin with a phrase like, “Did you hear that...?”<br></br><br></br>For example, did you hear that Angelina Jolie just adopted another child? Did you hear that Apple is working on a cell phone? Did you hear that the dean of admissions of MIT resigned? Did you hear that Joe Thornton is getting traded to the San Jose Sharks?"<br></br></i></blockquote>In several scriptures from Hindu mythology, rumors are represented as one of the most important ways of information spread. Rumor is a form of social constructionism and in their book 'The Social Construction of Reality', Berger and Luckmann argue that all knowledge, including the most basic, common sense knowledge of everyday reality is derived and maintained by social interactions. <br></br><br></br>It would be interesting to see how Kawasaki's model shapes up, but my belief that it would be one step ahead of twitter, because a true rumor based system should have a natural folksonomy, categorization and must be topical. If, for the sake of discussion, I start spreading rumor on a possible alien attack, the system should be smart enough to create topics around any metadata that I provide. How else would you retain the sanctity of a gossip?<br></br> <br></br><br></br><p class='poweredbyperformancing'>Powered by <a href='http://scribefire.com/'>ScribeFire</a>.</p></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3433672356887065781.post-30839508932833719512007-05-04T10:56:00.001+05:302007-05-04T10:56:21.637+05:30Honey, I blew up the battery!<div xmlns='http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml'>One fine day, I came to work and was checking my emails on my Macbook Pro, and I found something sticking out from the bottom of the laptop. A few minutes later, check out what I found!<br /><br /><img src='http://farm1.static.flickr.com/226/483499741_3c5a18a789.jpg'></img><br></br><br /><img src='http://farm1.static.flickr.com/188/483499751_f6b1fd26c7.jpg'></img><br></br><br /><img src='http://farm1.static.flickr.com/214/483499725_0514fd2eef.jpg'></img><br></br><br /><br />Apple buffs reading this must already know about the Macbook Pro battery and heat problems. Someone actually fried an egg on their Macbook! <br /><br />However, I must admit, Apple has been extremely cooperative, and they are replacing it without any fuss!<br /><br /><br /><p class='poweredbyperformancing'>Powered by <a href='http://scribefire.com/'>ScribeFire</a>.</p></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3433672356887065781.post-5831060528192044972007-05-02T23:30:00.001+05:302007-05-02T23:38:51.222+05:30Indya.com tries the Apple iTunes Store Model<img src="http://media.marketwire.com/attachments/200705/TN-332050_CineMayaphoto.jpg" align=right />Ridiculous! Check out this latest move by Star owned Indya.com.<br /><br /><a href="http://www.contentsutra.com/">ContentSutra</a> talks about this <a href="http://www.marketwire.com/mw/release_html_b1?release_id=246299">release</a>. For $0.99, you can download and own episodes of "The Great Indian Laughter Challenge", "Koffee With Karan" and some of the popular soap operas.<br /><br />Now, can someone tell me, when I can watch the episodes on TV every single day (yes, almost every Indian in the US have subscriptions to a bunch of Indian channels already), why would I ever want to own it? This is not like "Friends" or "Sienfeld", which you would naturally want to watch even after ten years. If it was a download-and-own of "Ramayana" or "Mahabharata", there was a reasonable chance that the model would have had some success. But with the current line up, they are just wasting time, money and making a fool of themselves. Even my mom, who is a giant fan of the soap operas, would never think of spending a penny on them. Do you know of anyone who would?<br /><br />BTW, don't forget to look at some of the above episodes on <a href="http://youtube.com/watch?v=xg3rg4YCq6g">YouTube</a> when you get time. For free! :)Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3433672356887065781.post-80885445660365079062007-04-30T23:45:00.001+05:302007-04-30T23:45:04.646+05:30Another incredible 'Photograph Of The Week'<div xmlns='http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml'>via <a href='http://photo.net'>photo.net</a><br /><a href='http://photo.net/photodb/photo-of-the-week/'><img src='http://gallery.photo.net/photo/5112817-md.jpg'></img></a><br /><br /><p class='poweredbyperformancing'>Powered by <a href='http://scribefire.com/'>ScribeFire</a>.</p></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3433672356887065781.post-1427857885492813682007-04-29T18:49:00.001+05:302007-04-29T18:52:42.358+05:30The Hip-hop Novel<div xmlns='http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml'><img width='50%' align='right' padding='5px' src='http://www.chowk.com/uploads/images/profile/fadereu.jpg'></img>My conspiring <a href='http://algomantra.blogspot.com'>friend and fellow lunatic</a> recently got covered by <a href='http://www.financialexpress.com/fe_full_story.php?content_id=162596'>Financial Express for his hip-hop style opera</a>. Here's an excerpt from the story:<br></br><blockquote><span style="font-style:italic;">“My friends call me Marwari Mujahid,” he quips, letting out a hearty laugh, which sort of compliments his appearance. Someone who has a knack for changing jobs (four in the first six months), Fadereu is a quintessential storyteller. But his stories are not the kind you would expect your grandmother to tell you. Fadereu’s stories begin from circa 1910, when electricity first arrived in Bombay, and have names like<i> Akkad Bakkad Bombay Boss</i>. <p>It was a few years ago when Fadereu decided to change the format of a book that he was writing to something which would enable him to turn into a book himself. “I converted the novel into verse and adopted a hip-hop style narration,” says Fadereu.<br></br></p><p>The first version included 400 sonnets, put in nine chapters of one hour each. The second version of his text contains 20 songs. Since he is from Rajasthan, he tossed in some elements of the ancient storytelling technique from the desert, known as Babooji ki Phad (Babooji's screen). Fadereu then began to perform in front of small groups of students and corporate executives. The language he uses is pidgin—a mixture of Hindi, English and Rajasthani. But his training as an engineer has really not been left out. Fadereu is currently experimenting with a technique called Camera Obscura. It involves sitting in a dark box, lit up by one lamp. In this way, he won’t be visible to the audience, but they can see his shadow on a screen and hear his voice."</span></p></blockquote><p>His weirdness and knack for absurdity keeps him in media almost on a permanent basis, and <a href='http://algomantra.blogspot.com'>his blog</a> is one of my favorites. If you ask him politely, he might even give you a copy of his novel. Though, remember, the best way to <i>read </i>it, is by inviting Fad for drinks, or to a party! </div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3433672356887065781.post-57040857200072452012007-04-29T11:03:00.001+05:302007-04-29T11:03:26.673+05:30Kryptonite Found!<div xmlns='http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml'>via <a href='http://www.comixconnection.com'>ComixConnection</a>. <br /><br /><img src='http://www.comixconnection.com/uploaded_images/kryptonite-737918.gif'></img><br /><br /><p class='poweredbyperformancing'>Powered by <a href='http://scribefire.com/'>ScribeFire</a>.</p></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3433672356887065781.post-50886742665339548412007-04-28T23:31:00.001+05:302007-04-29T10:12:33.957+05:30Importance of reducing dependence on the US economy<p>In the context of the current housing slump and lackluster GDPgrowth, it is interesting to read the following excerpt from Wikipedia.<br/> </p> <blockquote> <p>"A <strong>recession</strong> is traditionally defined in <a title="Macroeconomics" href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Macroeconomics">macroeconomics</a> as a decline in a country's <a title="Real vs. nominal in economics" href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Real_vs._nominal_in_economics">real</a> <a title="Gross Domestic Product" href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gross_Domestic_Product">Gross Domestic Product</a> (GDP) for two or more successive <a title="Fiscal year" href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fiscal_year">quarters</a> of a year (equivalently, two consecutive quarters of negative real <a title="Economic growth" href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Economic_growth">economic growth</a>). However this definition is not universally accepted. The <a title="National Bureau of Economic Research" href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/National_Bureau_of_Economic_Research">National Bureau of Economic Research</a>defines a recession more ambiguously as "a significant decline ineconomic activity spread across the economy, lasting more than a fewmonths."</p> </blockquote><p>You can almost hear the buzz predicting an oncoming recession (though I continue to hear to the contrary). People are asking -- is it a sign for something bigger and more devastating? Eighty two year old Lee writes in his book '<a href="http://www.depression2.tv/d2/node/261">Where Have All The Leaders Gone?</a>':</p> <blockquote><p>"<i>Had Enough?<span> </span>Am I the only guy in this country who'sfed up with what's happening? Where the hell is our outrage? We should be screaming bloody murder. We've got a gang of clueless bozos steering our ship of state right over a cliff, we've got corporate gangsters stealing us blind, and we can't even clean up after a hurricane much less build a hybrid car. But instead<span> </span>of getting mad, everyone sits around and nods their heads when the politicians say, "Stay the course."<span> </span>Stay he course? You've got to be kidding. This is America, not the damnedTitanic. I'll give you a sound bite: Throw the bums out!<span> </span>You might think I'm getting senile, that I've gone off my rocker, and maybe I have. But someone has to speak up. I hardly recognize this country anymore. The President of the United States is given a free pass to ignore the Constitution, tap our phones, and lead us to war on a pack of lies. Congress responds to record deficits by passing a huge tax cut for the wealthy (thanks, but I don't need it). The most famous business leaders are not the innovators but the guys in handcuffs. While we're fiddling in Iraq, the Middle East is burning and nobody seems to know what to do. And the press is waving pom-poms instead of asking hard questions. That's not the promise of America my parents and yours traveled across the ocean for.</i></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><!--[if !supportEmptyParas]--> </p> <i>I've had enough. How about you?<span> </span>I'll go a step further. You can't call yourself a patriot if you're not outraged. This is a fight I'm ready and willing to have.<span> </span>My friends tell me to calm down. They say, "Lee, you're eighty-two years old. Leave the rage to the young people." I'd love to, as soon as I can pry them away from their iPods for five seconds and get them to pay attention...</i>" (<a href="http://www.depression2.tv/d2/node/261">more here</a>).<br/> </blockquote><p>Where Lee's opinions are objective, or whether its just a sensationalistic approach to writing, is a matter of viewpoint. However, even I have felt that somewhere down the line, the promise of US got lost. The Great American Dream, got corrupted. And, there is no real sign of improvement, or change in strategy. <br/> </p> <p>But that's beside the point. The question that we ask here is -- if the US market <i>does </i>go into a recession, how badly is the rest of the world going to be affected? <i>Really</i>. How many of the large organizations in India (specially in the IT sector) can actually survive with a crumbling US economy? I wonder...</p>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0