Monday, 28 November 2005
Wednesday, 23 November 2005
bloggers and the MSM
Meant to link to this ages ago, but kept forgetting. Annie's post last week did what she does so often and so well: put into words something that had been lurking at the tip of our brain for a bit, something that we knew we found odd about the whole Delhi Bloggers and Bombay Times thing.
Blogging is a virtual activity. Blogosphere is VIRTUAL.Precisely.
It is comprised of people who sit in front of computer screens, hitting keys for the pleasure of it, or for a cause, or even for self-promotion of a certain kind. These people will read what other people like themselves are writing. These people will scream, rant, rave, stand up for each other, laugh when they receive legal notices, make fun of those who deserve it....
but these people may choose not to crawl out of the woodwork to say hello.
Five non-Bloggers
Took another look-see at the Wicket to Wicket debate on the state of Indian cricket, and find that Harsha Bhogle, Sambit Bal, Ashok Malik, Devangshu Datta and Mukul Kesavan have, between them, as of this moment, attracted 327 comments. Look to your laurels, oh bloggers!
Monday, 21 November 2005
DD
I think it was Jai who called him an erudite chap with one character flaw: he doesn't blog.
Now, thanks to the folk at Wicket to Wicket, one of Cricinfo's blogs, you, gentle reader, can read my good friend Devangshu Datta on a blog, even if it's just this once, and on cricket. Heeeere's DD, guesting on Wicket to Wicket, on How to win the 2007 World Cup.
[Via Amit]
Now, thanks to the folk at Wicket to Wicket, one of Cricinfo's blogs, you, gentle reader, can read my good friend Devangshu Datta on a blog, even if it's just this once, and on cricket. Heeeere's DD, guesting on Wicket to Wicket, on How to win the 2007 World Cup.
[Via Amit]
Saturday, 19 November 2005
Duckt tape
Our Favourite Duck is our favourite duck because he keeps doing things that we wish we had thought of, and does them so well that even if you ripped it off, it would be a pale shadow of the original.
Deeps and shallowsThis isn't a stream of conscious rhyme, by the way. Paddle over, and scroll down the right column to see it in all its clickable glory.
Who or why or which or what
(Le)high and mighty deep in thought
Nudes and news, candy and cars
Fish in ear,language no bar
Here's some stuff, lovely and random
Bounce around, win worldwide fandom
Spend on books, gain endless pleasure
Would-Bes take note, this one's a treasure
Weird world, views and SF musing
Manic man magnet, most amusing
Green town, tin men, munchkins, elves
Claws all out, she prowls the shelves
Plath and Patil avatar
Mithun-loving superstar
Castle captured, future bright
In the lab in darkest night
Intrepid IWE Ocean sailor
Uncut, cutting super-tailor
London's funniest guy's guy
Let us go then, you and I
Burbling, erudite barbarian
Not Lucien, but dream librarian
The one in which Annie gives it
A writer's life and how she lives it
Up to tricks around the house
Immunodeficient mouse
Genre banners all unfurled
Finest writer in the world
Wisecracking to Shaggy's beat
Venomous yet strangely sweet
Ultra-comic comic lair
Fear this feline if you dare
Shady lines, unbroken back
Brown is clearly the new black
You might meet Marco Polo here
Flowing, cool, refreshing, clear
Intra-city introspection
Demand-supply intersection
Teenager-tantalizing temptress
Ever-changing future empress
Skywalking feet are often wet
On lofty paths great minds are set
Magicians say the strangest things
Half eagle, half beastly king
zigzackly
I do not want the peace which passeth understanding, I want the understanding which bringeth peace.
~ Helen Keller.
~ Helen Keller.
As seen on Technorati
Exhibit 1
Exhibit 2
Here is wisdom. Let him that hath understanding count the number of the beast: for it is the number of a man; and his number is Six hundred three score and six.
It's true! That Varma boy is the...
Er, we just noticed there's a problem with our Flickr album. All the shots of us have this kinda streak slicing across the neck...
Exhibit 2
Here is wisdom. Let him that hath understanding count the number of the beast: for it is the number of a man; and his number is Six hundred three score and six.
It's true! That Varma boy is the...
Er, we just noticed there's a problem with our Flickr album. All the shots of us have this kinda streak slicing across the neck...
Friday, 18 November 2005
[Nag post warning] The BoBs
We told you about this a little while ago, but here's a reminder:
The South-East Asia Earthquake And Tsunami blog has nominations in the categories Best Journalistic Blog - English, and Best Weblog at the 2005 BOBs.
Click here to go vote.
And view current status here.
Voting closes 20th November.
The South-East Asia Earthquake And Tsunami blog has nominations in the categories Best Journalistic Blog - English, and Best Weblog at the 2005 BOBs.
Click here to go vote.
And view current status here.
Voting closes 20th November.
Monday, 7 November 2005
the accidental elephant
That's the name of a new blog, a collaboration between River of Delhi and river's blue elephants, David Israel of Washington and kirwani and David McKelvie of Glasgow and When I am a veteran with only one eye ..., and it will feature poetry and illustration for children.
Go see. It looks marvellous, and we're looking forward to more.
Go see. It looks marvellous, and we're looking forward to more.
Just one more?
They're doing it in Bangalore, Madras, Delhi, Calcutta.
How about a blog for Urbs Primus in Indus?
You know, blogger meets, general news and gossip, that kinda thing.
Gateway of India
How about a blog for Urbs Primus in Indus?
You know, blogger meets, general news and gossip, that kinda thing.
Gateway of India
Saturday, 5 November 2005
Am a man of my word, I am
I will not start any new collablogs.
I will not start any new collablogs.
I will not start any new collablogs.
I will not, will not, will not even join new collablogs.
No, really, I can do it. I won't be weak. I won't get into any more collablogs. Won't, Won't. Won't. So there.
No more collablogs. Promise. really. Cross my heart and hope too lose my password file.
(See, I'm not copy-pasting. Each line typed out. Penance.)
There's way too many showing up in my profile already. What will people say? And that doesn't even include the ones I do anonymously.
No more collablogs. No more.
I will resist. No more collablogs.
No, no, no. No more collablogs.
I won't collablog.
You can't make me collablog.
I am stronger than you think. No more collablogs.
I will not collablog.
This is going too far. No more collablogs.
Have you no life, man? Rein it in. No more collablogs. Resist!
Just this one time, maybe? Won't do it again.
See?
I will not start any new collablogs.
I will not start any new collablogs.
I will not, will not, will not even join new collablogs.
No, really, I can do it. I won't be weak. I won't get into any more collablogs. Won't, Won't. Won't. So there.
No more collablogs. Promise. really. Cross my heart and hope too lose my password file.
(See, I'm not copy-pasting. Each line typed out. Penance.)
There's way too many showing up in my profile already. What will people say? And that doesn't even include the ones I do anonymously.
No more collablogs. No more.
I will resist. No more collablogs.
No, no, no. No more collablogs.
I won't collablog.
You can't make me collablog.
I am stronger than you think. No more collablogs.
I will not collablog.
This is going too far. No more collablogs.
Have you no life, man? Rein it in. No more collablogs. Resist!
Just this one time, maybe? Won't do it again.
See?
Blogs mean business
The Jabberwock's big blog story in Business Standard is out. Nice stuff. Patrix, Uma, Amit, Samit and this blog make an appearance.
Here's some stats from the piece
Here's some stats from the piece
# As of October 2005, Technorati is tracking 19.6 million weblogs internationally
# The total number of weblogs tracked doubles every five months or so, and the blogosphere is now over 30 times as big as it was three years ago
# About 70,000 new weblogs are created every day — that’s about one every second
# Between 700,000 and 1.3 million posts are made each day — or 9.2 posts per second
plus ca change...
The Content Rules look.
Posts area centred, all else in the shadows, unfussy black and white, with standard blue links (and all done - the ignomy! - with a table, because I mucked up the CSS and hadn't the patience to put it together again).
Verdict? (: And that means you lurkers with the RSS readers too, please. :)
Posts area centred, all else in the shadows, unfussy black and white, with standard blue links (and all done - the ignomy! - with a table, because I mucked up the CSS and hadn't the patience to put it together again).
Verdict? (: And that means you lurkers with the RSS readers too, please. :)
Thursday, 3 November 2005
MNCs have their uses
We're going to burn in hell for finding something to smile about in this terrible situation, but this is the best damn use of advertising we've seen in a long while.
Wednesday, 2 November 2005
GoogleOffice?
CNet says "Google believes it can help OpenOffice--perhaps working to pare down the software's memory requirements or its mammoth 80MB download size"
Tuesday, 1 November 2005
How to be creative
From Gaping Void.
The short version:
So you want to be more creative, in art, in business, whatever. Here are some tips that have worked for me over the years:
1. Ignore everybody.
2. The idea doesn't have to be big. It just has to change the world.
3. Put the hours in.
4. If your biz plan depends on you suddenly being "discovered" by some big shot, your plan will probably fail.
5. You are responsible for your own experience.
6. Everyone is born creative; everyone is given a box of crayons in kindergarten.
7. Keep your day job.
8. Companies that squelch creativity can no longer compete with companies that champion creativity.
9. Everybody has their own private Mount Everest they were put on this earth to climb.
10. The more talented somebody is, the less they need the props.
11. Don't try to stand out from the crowd; avoid crowds altogether.
12. If you accept the pain, it cannot hurt you.
13. Never compare your inside with somebody else's outside.
14. Dying young is overrated.
15. The most important thing a creative person can learn professionally is where to draw the red line that separates what you are willing to do, and what you are not.
16. The world is changing.
17. Merit can be bought. Passion can't.
18. Avoid the Watercooler Gang.
19. Sing in your own voice.
20. The choice of media is irrelevant.
21. Selling out is harder than it looks.
22. Nobody cares. Do it for yourself.
23. Worrying about "Commercial vs. Artistic" is a complete waste of time.
24. Don’t worry about finding inspiration. It comes eventually.
25. You have to find your own schtick.
26. Write from the heart.
27. The best way to get approval is not to need it.
28. Power is never given. Power is taken.
29. Whatever choice you make, The Devil gets his due eventually.
30. The hardest part of being creative is getting used to it.
The abbreviated version is here, the full-length version is here, and you can get the free PDF here.
The short version:
So you want to be more creative, in art, in business, whatever. Here are some tips that have worked for me over the years:
1. Ignore everybody.
2. The idea doesn't have to be big. It just has to change the world.
3. Put the hours in.
4. If your biz plan depends on you suddenly being "discovered" by some big shot, your plan will probably fail.
5. You are responsible for your own experience.
6. Everyone is born creative; everyone is given a box of crayons in kindergarten.
7. Keep your day job.
8. Companies that squelch creativity can no longer compete with companies that champion creativity.
9. Everybody has their own private Mount Everest they were put on this earth to climb.
10. The more talented somebody is, the less they need the props.
11. Don't try to stand out from the crowd; avoid crowds altogether.
12. If you accept the pain, it cannot hurt you.
13. Never compare your inside with somebody else's outside.
14. Dying young is overrated.
15. The most important thing a creative person can learn professionally is where to draw the red line that separates what you are willing to do, and what you are not.
16. The world is changing.
17. Merit can be bought. Passion can't.
18. Avoid the Watercooler Gang.
19. Sing in your own voice.
20. The choice of media is irrelevant.
21. Selling out is harder than it looks.
22. Nobody cares. Do it for yourself.
23. Worrying about "Commercial vs. Artistic" is a complete waste of time.
24. Don’t worry about finding inspiration. It comes eventually.
25. You have to find your own schtick.
26. Write from the heart.
27. The best way to get approval is not to need it.
28. Power is never given. Power is taken.
29. Whatever choice you make, The Devil gets his due eventually.
30. The hardest part of being creative is getting used to it.
The abbreviated version is here, the full-length version is here, and you can get the free PDF here.
Hello? Melbourne?
The Herald Sun reports that a "millionaire mobile phone salesman "Crazy" John Ilhan has unveiled his radical design for a $40 million tower in the shape of a phone. The distinctive 120m highrise in City Rd, Southbank, would house his multi-million-dollar communications empire and 166 luxury apartments."Hm. Guess that's one building where you'll get good signal in the lifts.
[Via Textually.]