Friday, July 21, 2006

It happened last night

Indian Government Lifts Ban on Blogs

iDope writes "The Department of Telecommunications of the Government of India has lifted the ban on blogs (reported previously on Slashdot) following pressure from the Indian blogger community and the media. Even with the lifting of the ban several bloggers from BloggersCollective are getting ready to file a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) (similar to a Class Action Lawsuit in US) in the Supreme Court of India against the Government censorship of the Internet."

From Slashdot

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Wednesday, July 19, 2006

They never let me down

If I want to spread some sort of propaganda what do I do? I use the Internet and the tools that come with it. The propaganda could be about snooty women who refuse to give me time, it could be about a completely watered down browser that refuses to evolve or it could be about a country that refuses to acts against its aggressors and instead attacks its citizens. No seriously, the Internet is by far the best way to engage people in debate or raise hackles. Newspapers are too slow and the television channels are plain comic. The Internet on the other hand, is viral. (No, the Gujjus may please be seated I'm not attacking (or praising) your community). You drop a word out here and the world picks it up. You drop many and the world starts believeing in it. If you think that's not true then how do you explain the huge number of hoaxes that spread after the advent of the 'popular' Internet? (A 'popular' Internet is one where non South Indians, Bengalis and Maharashtrians could also access and understand information).

So our fancy Department of Telecommunications (or was it I&B?) decided that the people needed protection against attacks from these cyber terrorists, never mind the blasts that make our lives so eventful. Or perhaps, they thought we'd change our way of thinking and sympathise with our attackers, or worse, the truth, contrary to its regular behaviour, may be out in the open and people would know the real reason why we have to deal with these off-season crackers. But trust the Government to goof up even a simple ban. I can blog, you can read my blog, if my Blogspot gets blocked, you can use a proxy from Pakistan (shame, shame) and access it. Yes people, we are still talking about the 'popular' Internet.

What do I conclude from this episode? My government is inefficient. It needs the terrorists to tell it what chemicals they used in the bombs they exploded. It cannot bring about any progressive legislation without watering it down and changing its orientation. It has an awful sense of timing and will use the argument that, the country is the butt of all terrorist jokes, to gain a seat in the UN Security Council and haggle for the General Secretary's post. It can't act like an authoritarian
government even if no one is looking. And best of all they don't know how to use the 'popular' Internet.

(Crossblogged at www.raydeo.wordpress.com. That blog gives a daily update on any interesting technology and science news. The previous line was an audacious plug. If you reside in my country and have accessed this blog without reading the instruction on the Wordpress blog, then I'm happy to know you and flattered that you're here. If you're here via the Wordpress blog and read the article twice, I'm flattered again but I'd suggest you'd rather read the posts that preceed this or go here or here).

Sunday, July 16, 2006

Yoda in da hood

Yoda Rap - Google Video

A nicely done piece for sheer entertainment value only

Monday, July 10, 2006

Mass mail this to the Indian MIddle Class

if i can sell you hope

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Friday, July 07, 2006

Baba I Want A Job


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Monday, July 03, 2006

The real post is 2 paras later

Things don't come easy anymore. Many will be crying over Brazil's loss, the others will be sullen over England's tumble. I'm laughing. The Rogues from Rome are on their way to the semi-finals where they meet a much burdened Deutschland. In the other tie the frivilous French lock horns with the pragmatic Portugal. Any questions about whose flag I will paint on my dog?

Do people read Phantom anymore? I thought Billy Zane, in the purple suit and striped brief, was the most pansy superhero until he had a saviour in a blue spandex and a red cape. Brandon Routh is the 'gayest' that Superman has gotten. Kate Bosworth the most plain looking superhero chick, she beats the redoubtable Kirsten Dunst hands down. Kevin Spacey is hilarious as Lex Luthor. If you want to enjoy a very mediocre adaption of the world's favourite cartoon charcter, then watch Garfield 2 but avoid the latest Superman flick. There are many who will disagree. If you're really passionate about your views mail me. We will pick up a dialogue. That's the Internet way of saying - Meet me outside. (George Michael sang 'Let's go outside', this is different)

Now that I've played the role of town crier I better shift focus to the real idea of this post. I've never written an open letter in my life. Some people say I write very spontaneous personal mails, I hope that spontaineity filters through to this post which masquerades as a letter, or maybe its the other way round.

Vivek Narayan, I never got down, to mailing you about the project we spoke about. (Before all you rainbow warriors go dancing down the streets expecting an addition in your ranks, this is a business mail) I thought it might be better if I put up a post instead of a mail. Now we have a chance to guage people's opinion about the idea. Of course to get people to read this we will need Supriya or one of those much read Bengali Woman Bloggers to link to this post.(Will you Sups, please. I don't know many of them Bengalis).

For those who came in late, Vivek has plans to start a website that hosts a large number of views on Current Affairs, Arts, Culture and the other things that people like talking about. You know stuff like, 'Did Mika actually squeeze Rakhi Sawant while he kissed her?'. The idea per se isn't new, then Google too didn't pioneer search engines, they bettered it. So its the treatment that is important. Does anyone have a contructive idea about how the whole 'new treatment' must happen?

Vivek, don't bust your head up over the USP too much, you won't find it until...well, you've found it (Wow I feel as smart as Mariah Carey). On a rather serious note now(),apart from the whole USP thing and the conviction jazz you also need to structure a consistency model for your project. Hold forth a single voice, much like Rufus Wainwright. You will also need to address the problem of mediocre writers, many who claim to and write for regular newspapers. If you fall into the trap of young college writers you will end up with insipid, under-read writers like me, (as in, I haven't read many writings, not that my blog is under-read, its unread, undiscovered, much like 15th century America) authors who will try and be cocksure about everything and write with no conviction what-so-ever. So your first task will be to sift writers, get the good ones and motivate them to write on a regular basis. Your next big thing will be to have a design that makes people want to dig deep into your site. Don't hanker for long about the peripherals such as ad revenue etc. Once you have a product you can sell it and if you can't, we will play a requim, gab about how it would've been great if you had set up a revenue model before you started, and then plan a trip to Goa when the Swedish women start flying in.

So far so good, don't worry about competitors, you have none. Not because you're too cool and you have a cracker-jacker idea but because you are insignificant as yet. Its like Serbia playing the last league match, and that without Montenegro as a cankerous appendage. Make sure you have fun while doing it. Not 'IT' it but, it, the website.

Its very cool to write a verse at the end of your mails, it depicts the trail of creativity you're leaving behind.

So take your pick from these