I picked up a copy of the first issue of Life365 today morning and I liked what I saw. So this quick post about the new Pune daily newspaper. Read more
Media
Please Search That Diplomat
The Indian media has been making a fuss about Indian diplomats being searched by US airport security. I honestly do not understand what the big deal is, if these people were being searched based purely on suspicion & not based on any racist or discriminatory reasons. Read more
Fading Orkut – Rising Facebook
Orkut has easily been the most popular social network in India for the past few years. However things are changing and Facebook seems to now have replaced Orkut as the happening network. Orkut users are seemingly migrating in herds to Facebook. Orkut seems to have become the network for kids and newbies while Facebook has become the place where the supposedly smart, rich, famous and influential are active. From movie stars to politicians, they all refer to Facebook as their social network of choice.
Royal Challengers Is Obvious Surrogate Advertising For Alcohol
It’s good to know that the Health Minister has challenged the name of the Bangalore Indian Premier League (IPL) cricket team, “Royal Challengers”. It’s however sad that it takes the Health Minister of the country to speak up before the authorities looked at such an obvious and blatant form of surrogate advertising for liquor brand “Royal Challenge“.
The Stupidify Spell Has Been Cast. Can Brains Fight Back?
A commonly used spell in the Harry Potter books is “Stupefy”. When a wizard says the incantation, a jet of red light flies out of the tip of the magic wand and if it hits the target, the recipient gets stunned and knocked out of his senses. I am unsure of the date and time when it happened but sometime early in this century, I am sure that not “Stupefy” but a “Stupidify” spell was fired through TV screens across India. The spell dulled the senses of all who were hit and since then all those stupidified have been running on minimal grey cell usage. One of the obvious effects of the Stupidify spell is a complete failure at keeping ones brains switched on while in front of a TV screen. I believe that even I am regularly under the influence of the spell. So in this brief interval when I do not feel all that stupidified, I am writing to let the world know of this sinister spell.
First Java Champion In India!
Pleased to announce that I have been chosen as the first “Java Champion” in India. Java today is a mature technology that is being taught and used throughout the software world. However it is still evolving and venturing into new domains and uses. This is an exciting time to be working on Java and the ‘Java Champion’ selection makes it that much more fun. It is also great motivation for us at Rightrix Solutions to continue our Java work through Rightrix Research, IndicThreads.com and the IndicThreads.com Conference On Java Technology.
Using The Right To Information At The Pune City Corporation Office
For several years I have been planning to use the Right To Information (RTI) to get information and facts on things that bother me in the city. I read up on the subject, talked with friends, blogged about it, but never managed to take the most important step, that of using the right and asking for information. I even explored every possibility in which I could get information without having to visit the Pune Corporation office. Unfortunately that’s not possible. If you want information you have to work hard for it.
So I picked a Saturday when I did not have much else planned. Picked some RTI form samples from the net and filled up three forms asking for information from the PMC. The first form asked information about footpaths / pavements in Pune. The second about parking provisions that commercial buildings need to make as per corporation rules and the third asking for information about the PMC’s e-governance initiatives. I will write details of the information I sought and the response I got, when I do get the information. For the time being I will stick to the submitting the form part. A friend of mine who has been complaining for years about the stray pig menace in Shivteerth Nagar, Kothrud accompanied me hoping to submit his complaint to the relevant department and to finally rid his locality of the pigs.
(Cont…Click here for the entire article). Published as part of my fortnightly column for the Maharashtra Herald
Making Hindi Movies In English
I am no movie buff or expert, but I do like to stay in touch with what’s happening in the movies and the changing mannerisms of moviewalas…
Article touches on movies, regional languages, Hindi and English. Published as part of my column for the Maharashtra Herald that’s published on alternate Saturdays.
I am no movie buff or expert, but I do like to stay in touch with what’s happening in the movies and the changing mannerisms of moviewalas. Only a few years back it seemed like Indian movies would gradually lose out to English movies partly because of the spread of English education but primarily because Indian movies lacked innovation. They were beating the same stories to death. I was certain that Hindi movies were in big trouble once English movies dubbed in Hindi started being screened.
Interview In Oracle Magazine – Peer To Peer Section
I have been featured in the Peer-to-Peer section of the current edition of the Oracle Magazine (May/June 2007). Do have a look.
1) Photo On The Table Of Contents Page
2) My Interview On The Peer To Peer Page
