Cloudy times...

This post is in keeping with recent knowledge of Apple's exodus into the 'search engine' market. Though I hate to admit, post that initial whirlwind of ideas, my thoughts tend to flow along a related tangent.
For investors, speculators, traders, scalpers and all and sundry, Google is a 'no-brainers' pick. Revolutionary as it might be, Apple's move is quite outlandish, even by its own standards. In the browser market, the Big E of Microsoft has been around for eons and happens to service around 65% of the market. Other players like Mozilla's Firefox, Apple's Safari, Opera and a few others have slowly and steadily being clawing out a place for themselves into this until recently monopolistic market. The litigation inducing tactics followed by Microsoft, caused AOL's Netscape to fade away into oblivion. Google in keeping with its ever expanding tool kit.... and desire to be a media moghul (yeah... that's what they are.. but more on that later) has come out with its very own browser, Chrome. Google has been a soothsayer for Cloud Computing. In the words of Motley Fool, what Google intends on doing is making the average user, OS agnostic. With the enormous clout that it commands in the online space, Google is fast turning, itself into a unreachable target for the rest.

The Mountain View giant with Android is looking to find its bearings in the telecommunication market as well. The HTC Dream will be the first to run Google's mobile OS, Android. If initial responses are anything to go by, the Android dream, is here to stay and blossom. In keeping with the Open Source architecture, Google rivals Apple's App Store with its own version called Android Market. Unlike Apple's offerings, Android apps will be available for free. With BreadCrumbz, a navigation tool and TuneWiki, a state of the art music player, Andriod sure packs in a punch. Coupled with its ability to run multiple programs, Google's offering scores a notch above its well established rival, Apple.

Google is enveloping the world with its methodology of cloud computing. It defies the premise that architecture and data services tend to be based on. It relies on Cloud computing, which conservatively put, is an artificial string, that allows oneself to latch on to any overhead cloud.

Consider this for example, we find ourselves in a world, where all the required power, services, data, support, is available in clouds. I mean it, ACTUAL clouds, the kinds that dot our skies. In such times what we do is spin our translucent yarns and fling them towards the clouds, thus forming a connect. In this manner we can avail of the requisite offerings of the cloud. However, we never need to be tied down to one particular cloud. We never need to be grounded or shadow ONE CLOUD. We can snip the string and saunter away to another cloud with similar offerings, or have many strings attached to different clouds. Mobility, convenience, variety and an overlying equanimity. Welcome to the world of Cloud Computing! What it primarily means is empowering users through choice.

Google Docs, Android are positive steps towards making the average user OS agnostic. A trend is visibly in the making and it is a trend that is here to stay and bloom.

A Blue Brigade Win

No scientific purpose behind labelling the post in the manner I have. The idea, was to communicate the chant that was doing the rounds, amongst the thousands gathered in Chicago, to hear the victor's address. And Barack Obama, proved that the wait was worth it. The two year long marketing, PR blitzkrieg, has finally culminated into the blues winning.

In all fairness, the other senior candidate, albeit a republican, had a fair chance, if viewed without prejudice. But the Bush legacy proved to be a cross that McCain found too painfully to bear. Obama might not do things very differently than McCain might have, but the Democrat brings along a clean slate. Thus enabling him to script the tale he wants and a tale that the world needs.

I was going through Obama's website and was pleased to see its similarity with some online shopping portals. The link leads to an election funding portal, that requests people to donate for America's cause. The storefrontish appeal... donate $30 or more and get the limited edition 'Change' t-shirt, and other merchandise was really heartening to see. In this day and age of consumerism, trust the doyens of retailing to make such deals possible even in an arena as shrouded in scrutiny as election funding.

This election has been a revelation. Not only in terms of the candidature, but also in terms of the methodologies employed. Obama, revolutionised the way the Internet is tapped. He reached out to millions, made them believe in his cause and inspired many more to join him in this endeavour of his. For instance the blue brigade, made their presence felt by channelling support through, Linkedin, Twitter, Digg, Faithbase, Blackplanet etc.

Cannot help but draw a parallel with the Indian scheme of things. The next general elections are likely to be held in April - May '09. Coalition governments seem to be the only way out. Be it the Congress or BJP, so long as one of them forms an alliance with other minorities, India can breathe a sigh of relief. The screw up, begins in the event of a fractious Third Front coming into power. Stability is no longer an option after all.

With the elections set early next year, and the turmoil that the world has gone through in the past year.... it does not take a material physicist to suggest that the Congress led UPA is in a spot of worry. There have been comparisons drawn up between Obama and the home grown, Mayawati. The cataclysmic event of Mayawati getting lucky in April, may well have an opposite impact than that of an Obama victory is going to have on the US adn the world.

That apart, can we ever... EVER... raise the bar, on the way elections are conducted in our country? We are a nation that has seemingly bypassed evolution on a number of fronts... be it skipping the industrialisation phase, production optimisation standards, wi max over wi fi etc.
The next elections might not... or rather ARE NOT, going to herald a pivotal change in the way the politburo works... however, our own legacy indicates that when the anecdotal, 'Change can happen', happens... we aught to be in the right frame of mind to accept it.

While at this point we could say Hail - Obama, Hail - the Democrats, Hail - Sarah Palin (for making things that much more easier) or even Hail - the Indian cricket team (for providing some respite in this day and age of despair).....what would really be hitting the nail on its head... would be saying Hail.... to the Change...

Realisation needs to be drawn to the point that, change is not an event... it is a process... continuous belief and unrelenting efforts alone will push "Change..can happen" to "Change.... is happening"

More on the other Blue Brigade.. Coming soon.

Happiness - Joy... either, or?

On a rainy evening, having exhausted everything edible at home, I have this craving to eat some roasted corn... butta, as it is popularly called. Almost nothing equals this 'need' at the moment....however the, prospect of, having to get out of the warm confines of my home, the soporific muted television 'news' show, James Blunt - All Lost Souls playing in the background, getting drenched, having mud splattered over my legs, having a wet umbrella to deal with do make me think twice.... but I move along.

With this single goal in mind I resolutely head outdoors. Politely nodding to the pesky neighbor who raised an interrogative eyebrow, on seeing me headed out during such a downpour. Armed with an umbrella, and few notes in the pocket , I move along. As I climb down the flight of stairs, I come across at every crossing the facade that runs along the face of the complex in which I reside. It has a curious criss-crossed pattern, which I would like to believe was originally designed to help keep the stairway naturally ventilated.

As I moved along the stairwell, I felt the heavy moisture in the air, percolate my senses. The whiff of moist soil took me back to a simpler time. Moving along I reached the point where there no longer existed a roof over my head. Moving towards the misty rain, with every progressive step, I could feel the spray of rain water on me. With ill concealed glee I moved ahead. I had to struggle to get the umbrella open.... but finally managed to do it. As I stepped out, I heard a few squeals of laughter. Glancing by my side, I found half a dozen kids, playfully running around. They stopped to playfully shove each other and then moved on.... their clothes drenched in the rains. Simpler times, i thought again. As I moved ahead I saw a teenager patiently kneeling along his bicycle, coating it with a rust proof (do not recollect what it is called) oily substitute, that made the steel rods gleam golden, using a well worn toothbrush. Memories came rushing back. Memories of guarding my bike, like my life depended on it, the care that it received, the discussions that I had with my friends over the 'technicalities' of our respective bikes etc.

As I moved along I became acutely aware of the thumping sounds of a football being kicked around a makeshift ground near the parking lot. The wet concrete making the ball skid along its surface. I remembered the bruised feet that I used to come home with, post such rainy games. The tiny cuts and welts that I used to be painfully reminded of only when I took a shower after the game. I think those were very important games, 'cause believe me... I still remember the stats.

As I walked out of the gate, a sudden gust of wind rendered my umbrella spineless. I quickly readjusted my stance to brace myself for the repeat outburst, straightening out the umbrella in the process. It was quite a task, balancing the umbrella with one hand as I clamped my other hand over my pocket to prevent the money from getting wet. The flip flops that I wore were certainly not helping my act, as they squelched water, sliding dangerously on the moss laden path. But the wind seemed to be toying with these very plans of mine as it came howling in a differing direction, rendering my umbrella prey to its fury. Very promptly my shade went kaput!

Reminded me of the times when I used to very gregariously offer my raincoat to my friend as we alighted from the school bus.... thus ensuring that I was not deprived of the pleasure of getting drenched on my way home. Simpler times, truly.

By practice I ran to the confines of a nearby store... standing under its extended roof for a few minutes, thus sheltered. Post a few minutes, some unseeing hand, or long lost habit, made me reach out and let the rain drops that dribbled in a steady stream off the roof over my head, onto my hand. As I let the rain run in rivulets over my hand, I decided to abash all hesitations and step out.

Thus having had exposed myself to the wrath of nature, I trotted down the lane, feeling the rain beating down on me. I noticed that I was no longer dodging the puddles, but leaping across them. I was not looking down constantly, but glancing up, letting the rain drops splatter my face.

I walked along the pavement, under the trees, feeling the suddenly cold shower as the wind made the leaves shiver, rendering me subject to their cold residue. Walks with friends, paper boats in the rains, clammy hands on the lamp post... thoughts came cascading back.

Walking in this stupor along the next bend in the lane I realised that the corn dealer, the butta-wala, was not in his designated spot.... a twitched eyebrow is all the change I noticed in myself, as I moved along the few of the accompanying lanes looking at the familiar sights and sounds. The butta walla, suddenly took a backseat, or rather became a non issue as I continued in my endeavour to discover all those places, that for so longed defined what I meant, when I said, "I wanna go home". Thoughts, memories, instances, retrospection, people, places, events - - - smiles.... I continued walking....

As we crawl, walk, trot, sprint or dash towards happiness, we sometimes have chance encounters with joy. Makes us realise that while happiness might be what we wanted, joy was what we needed. Pause, and read again. Look around. The joys, are infact easier to encounter, because they come to us... happiness on the other hand has to be chased.

Happiness is so often defined by what we want.... the corn... that is what I wanted.... the inane pleasures that I encountered as I headed towards this alleged quintessential 'happiness', were the joys that I needed.

Wanna hear a sure shot way to keep these little 'joys' coming? Notice how childhood was so closely related to them. There is a hardly a worry that a smiling child cannot wipe off. Remember those instances, those simpler times, those games.... remember your childhood... 'cause forgetting it, might make you loose the child in you.

Stay Smiling :)

Sleeping Murder - Agatha aunty rocks.

In all its Victorian glory, this is one of Agatha Christie's finest works. Set in a sleepy English hamlet (surprise surprise), Christie spins a tale consisting of some really interesting characters. The novel is a part of the Miss. Marple series. Popular belief is that this is Miss. Marple's last escapade into "sleuthhood" and surely it well might be the case, 'cause the grand old dame does frightfully little throughout the hunt.

The length of her role non withstanding, the depth is pretty obvious. The final nail in the coffin is driven home by the dear old lady, in keeping with tradition. However, the climax where the villainous villain's efforts are thwarted with a water jet (a garden spray actually) is quite
WTF-ish!

However, I have yet to see some work of Christie supersede And then there were none. To all and sundry, that is the novel that inspired Gumnaam. Makes you wonder, who might take on the challege of representing Sleeping Murder in contemporary times in our, evolution jumping film fraternity.

I think, the scene is set for a Bhatt camp loyalist, to take upon the task. Something to do with them comming out with the Raaz series. Complete with a derelict castle in Scotland, townsfolk from Goregaon, costumes from Yalta, trance music, a random crow, raven, bat... creaky hinges in ALL devices that employ them, cloudy weather throughout the day (talk about the blues), heavy upholstery, dark drapes, wooden stairs, a leaky attic, a grand ballroom, a local deity, a dumb-scary-scared-shrill maid, a quiet gardener, omnipresent dew on the flowers, a gigantic fireplace..... why am i doing this!!!

Moving on... I do think a film version could be (but... the question remains...would it be?) tastefully done. It would make for good viewage, provided it is kept short and to the point. The plot, being not too intricate, I think contrary to the Bhatts we would need a RGV, to weave the plot.

I do devour fair share of fiction and would love to see them in the Indian scheme of things... literary or video graphic representation. Maybe I'll write up more on those grounds in the posts that follow... what say?

Until then, tatah!