No status messages with nothing to say
A nonsense rhyme instead, a bit of play
One guaranteed grin (for me) every day
(And you?)
Tuesday 31 March 2009
Monday 30 March 2009
Sunday 29 March 2009
Saturday 28 March 2009
bed to verse retires
Saturday, there won't be many
Joining in the cacophony
But we must (giddyap pony!)
Charge on!
Joining in the cacophony
But we must (giddyap pony!)
Charge on!
Friday 27 March 2009
bed to verse strikes back
But Ugadi is another day
That's Gudi Padwa in Maharastre
If you won't write, I will, yea
The horror!
That's Gudi Padwa in Maharastre
If you won't write, I will, yea
The horror!
bed to verse sinks lower
Yesterday's verse got little traction
the status message poetry faction
was completely out of action
woe is me
the status message poetry faction
was completely out of action
woe is me
Speaking of TED..
..have you seen the cost of registering for the TEDIndia conference?
US$2,400.
That's Rs 120,984.80.*
For four days.
It includes housing (they don't say where), food and an airport pick-up-and-drop. It's happening at the Infosys campus, so we guess that's where attendees will be staying. But even if not, and let's assume that they don't have sponsors (they do), a top-end hotel room in Mysore costs in the neighbourhood of Rs 4000, if memory serves us right. You'd be hard-put to spend more than 2k on khana-peena a day. So, stretch that a bit—a massage, a guided tour—and it's like 8k a day. Add in a couple of grand to get in from Bangalore airport in luxury. That's like 35k. What on god's green earth is the rest of that dosh for?
Sure, they're going to have a rocking line-up of speakers, if their record is anything to go by. And sure, they're financing fellowships and suchlike, and chances are that a TED Fellow is likely to change the world and all that. And sure, there's a great agenda:
But.
Dude.
A lakh twenty one.
Are they effing insane?
There's a recession going on. This is the developing world. The bit they called the Third World before they got all PC, like. You can live off that much money for several months, including house rent, in most cities in India. Heck, you could become a local aristocrat with that much money in some parts of the country.
Who's going to be able to pay to get in? Loaded westerners who will probably go off, pre- or post-TED to do a bit of palace tourism and maybe some Slumdogging in Dharavi for colour. Malodourously plutocratic Indians who will happily pay up to be seen there.
And most of the folks who are actually doing their bit towards making a better future, people who would benefit from the atmosphere, the contacts and the experience; for them, it could just as well have stayed in Monterey.
Yes, we know that a lot of the people who will be invited to present will benefit, and they deserve it. Yes, we'll get to see the presentations on the TED site eventually.
But we have to say that the pedestal we had TED on is looking kinda clayey.
Yes, we're bitter.
* As per today's exchange rate on XE Universal Currency Converter.
US$2,400.
That's Rs 120,984.80.*
For four days.
It includes housing (they don't say where), food and an airport pick-up-and-drop. It's happening at the Infosys campus, so we guess that's where attendees will be staying. But even if not, and let's assume that they don't have sponsors (they do), a top-end hotel room in Mysore costs in the neighbourhood of Rs 4000, if memory serves us right. You'd be hard-put to spend more than 2k on khana-peena a day. So, stretch that a bit—a massage, a guided tour—and it's like 8k a day. Add in a couple of grand to get in from Bangalore airport in luxury. That's like 35k. What on god's green earth is the rest of that dosh for?
Sure, they're going to have a rocking line-up of speakers, if their record is anything to go by. And sure, they're financing fellowships and suchlike, and chances are that a TED Fellow is likely to change the world and all that. And sure, there's a great agenda:
* Which local innovations are destined for global impact?
* Who are the young thinkers and doers capable of shaping the future?
* Can there be economic advancement without environmental destruction?
* Can a pluralistic democracy survive in the face of rising fundamentalism?
* Can we make money and be good? Really?
* What should we learn – or fear? -- from China’s investment in Africa?
* Do we have enough water for everyone?
* How do we keep our youth challenged and our aged healthy?
* How can anti-poverty solutions be brought to scale?
* Is there wisdom to be found in traditional medicine??
* Which other ancient traditions can illuminate modern life?
But.
Dude.
A lakh twenty one.
Are they effing insane?
There's a recession going on. This is the developing world. The bit they called the Third World before they got all PC, like. You can live off that much money for several months, including house rent, in most cities in India. Heck, you could become a local aristocrat with that much money in some parts of the country.
Who's going to be able to pay to get in? Loaded westerners who will probably go off, pre- or post-TED to do a bit of palace tourism and maybe some Slumdogging in Dharavi for colour. Malodourously plutocratic Indians who will happily pay up to be seen there.
And most of the folks who are actually doing their bit towards making a better future, people who would benefit from the atmosphere, the contacts and the experience; for them, it could just as well have stayed in Monterey.
Yes, we know that a lot of the people who will be invited to present will benefit, and they deserve it. Yes, we'll get to see the presentations on the TED site eventually.
But we have to say that the pedestal we had TED on is looking kinda clayey.
Yes, we're bitter.
* As per today's exchange rate on XE Universal Currency Converter.
Thursday 26 March 2009
bed to verse goes to seed
'Tis Thursday, and the pressure mounts
The buzz goes 'round the po'try founts:
"Will he? Gawd, I hope he won't!"
Too late!
The buzz goes 'round the po'try founts:
"Will he? Gawd, I hope he won't!"
Too late!
Wednesday 25 March 2009
what bed to verse did next
It's Wednesday, the pressure builds
Words must flow from the dogg'rel mills
I think I'd better take my pills
for stress
Words must flow from the dogg'rel mills
I think I'd better take my pills
for stress
Tuesday 24 March 2009
son of bed to verse
Tuesday's here, and I'm feeling better
Caffeinated, in fine fetter
Still not quite your bright go-getter
Maybe I should write a letter
to you?
Caffeinated, in fine fetter
Still not quite your bright go-getter
Maybe I should write a letter
to you?
Monday 23 March 2009
bed to verse
It's Monday and the joints are creaking
Strong, hot coffee one is seeking
Until one gets it one is not speaking
To you.
Strong, hot coffee one is seeking
Until one gets it one is not speaking
To you.
Friday 20 March 2009
Sunday 15 March 2009
Defense overtures
Lawdy, lawdy, lawdy.
Competition for "If you come today" at last!
"[Israeli arms maker] Rafael produced a sitar-heavy twist on Rick Astley's love letter to Satan, "Together Forever," complete with a new chorus." (Wired's Danger Room blog.)
Competition for "If you come today" at last!
"[Israeli arms maker] Rafael produced a sitar-heavy twist on Rick Astley's love letter to Satan, "Together Forever," complete with a new chorus." (Wired's Danger Room blog.)
Saturday 14 March 2009
Lily the Pink
Ah, the memories.
How many songs do you know that use the word "efficacious" without missing a beat?
[Via Ratna Rajaiah's Facebook feed]
How many songs do you know that use the word "efficacious" without missing a beat?
[Via Ratna Rajaiah's Facebook feed]
Friday 13 March 2009
Nostradam R us
We are feeling all seerish today.
So we predict that Google will soon have an attempted Twitter-killer out.
It will run with Gtalk. People already use Gtalk status messages to communicate with friends. Makes sense to piggy-back on that, yes? So, you will be able to separately subscribe to my status messages without seeing my online status or being able to chat with me.
They'll call it G-spot.
Well, okay, maybe not.
But for the rest, remember, you read it here first. And anyone from Google who sees this, we'd like some shares, please. Thank you.
So we predict that Google will soon have an attempted Twitter-killer out.
It will run with Gtalk. People already use Gtalk status messages to communicate with friends. Makes sense to piggy-back on that, yes? So, you will be able to separately subscribe to my status messages without seeing my online status or being able to chat with me.
They'll call it G-spot.
Well, okay, maybe not.
But for the rest, remember, you read it here first. And anyone from Google who sees this, we'd like some shares, please. Thank you.
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