The wired features a very interesting article today: Tweet the new size of thought?.
Twitters success has been a much debated topic in the tech circles. And I am yet to see a convincing argument in favour ot twitter. The way we have kept in touch with our friends and family has seen dramatic changes in the last decade.
From email to chatting to social networks to micro blogging. Yet what is it that twitter has that none of the above can offer?
The thought that a twit could be the new size of thought is at the same time a very scary thought indeed. The pessimists would view this as the beginning of the end of coherent thought. And they would seem right, if you were to look at the seemingly pointless twits that people seem to be sending. However there is an opportunity here.
Historically all our published works have been coherent sets of thoughts that have concluded something based on a lot of serious thinking. However, what about all those incomplete thoughts that do not get published or discussed as they have not been taken to a logical conclusion? Are they lost for ever?
What if these could be taken to completion by someone else? This is what twitter has the potential to do.
The silliest of ideas that would normally not be talked about could become serious discussions on twitter.
However will it go down that path? Will twitter result in the next great invention? I guess only time will tell. But we are ready to capture every thought that occurs to people. Go send that twit out people!!
Tuesday, June 02, 2009
Its time for IT IN India...
For long this country has earned its name for the high quality IT Services delivered FROM its shores. Its time some of these are delivered IN its shores now.
The global recession has expectedly had its impact on the Indian IT Services industry as well. With the IT Budgets being slashed across the US and Europe, the industry is looking to reinvent itself.
The huge IT Talent pool in the country needs to continue to be productive. What better time than now to deploy this talent pool to develop a NATIONAL IT INFRASTRUCTURE.
Its time we think about Centralized Identities to track citizens. i.e linking licenses, PAN Cards, Bank Accounts, Property documents, Insurance etc to a single identity.
The absence of this ability to track has been the root cause for most of the problems our country faces today. The basic premise that one can get away easily, even if one does not follow a rule, even if it is the smallest or most insignificant like parking in a No Parking Zone, has given us a Freedom thats more akin to what animals experience in the wild.
It is not that we lack discipline. Its just that when we defined "Freedom" for ourselves in this country, we seemed to have forgotten the duties to our fellow citizens that this freedom demands. For 60 years now we have experienced "Freedom" in the truest and wildest sense of the word.
This can change if every action has a consequence, even if it is minimal. And this is not rocket science, it has been done elsewhere. Yes, we do have challenges in terms of scale of implementation and we have to keep this in mind when try to solve this problem.
National Identity Cards with chips in it that store everything from one's DNA are probably not the best solutions for us. Is it feasible to deploy such a solution to a billion people?
What we need is a simple, clean solution. For example, Assign a number to every citizen and make sure that number is mandated on every legal document like a license, property, bank account, PAN Number or insurance.
This solution, in whatever form, if scalable, will be an investment whose ROI can be boundless.
The global recession has expectedly had its impact on the Indian IT Services industry as well. With the IT Budgets being slashed across the US and Europe, the industry is looking to reinvent itself.
The huge IT Talent pool in the country needs to continue to be productive. What better time than now to deploy this talent pool to develop a NATIONAL IT INFRASTRUCTURE.
Its time we think about Centralized Identities to track citizens. i.e linking licenses, PAN Cards, Bank Accounts, Property documents, Insurance etc to a single identity.
The absence of this ability to track has been the root cause for most of the problems our country faces today. The basic premise that one can get away easily, even if one does not follow a rule, even if it is the smallest or most insignificant like parking in a No Parking Zone, has given us a Freedom thats more akin to what animals experience in the wild.
It is not that we lack discipline. Its just that when we defined "Freedom" for ourselves in this country, we seemed to have forgotten the duties to our fellow citizens that this freedom demands. For 60 years now we have experienced "Freedom" in the truest and wildest sense of the word.
This can change if every action has a consequence, even if it is minimal. And this is not rocket science, it has been done elsewhere. Yes, we do have challenges in terms of scale of implementation and we have to keep this in mind when try to solve this problem.
National Identity Cards with chips in it that store everything from one's DNA are probably not the best solutions for us. Is it feasible to deploy such a solution to a billion people?
What we need is a simple, clean solution. For example, Assign a number to every citizen and make sure that number is mandated on every legal document like a license, property, bank account, PAN Number or insurance.
This solution, in whatever form, if scalable, will be an investment whose ROI can be boundless.
The Bangalore Buzz...
My association with Bangalore dates back to the early 1980's, a quaint lazy little city, a pensioner's paradise. For the futcha's in Bangalore, you may be wondering if I am talking about our Bangalore.
Indeed the city has exploded in the last 10 years. This unprecedented growth coupled with our city planner's myopic vision and bureaucracy have brought the city down to its knees.
This city is still capable of attracting millions of visitors, immigrants and businessmen, with its delectable mix of great weather, great cultural mix and snazzy new businesses, offering something that meets every taste.
However, this may not be for too long. The effects of this growth are beginning to show. And unless we take this seriously, it will not be too long before the damage becomes irreparable.
Over the last 10 years there has been a lot of clamour from the media, the public, social welfare groups and the government about improving bangalore. Sadly though these voices dont seem to be complementing each other. Worse still, they seem to be detrimental to the overall growth of the city. There needs to be a holistic approach to city planning. Yes, there will be many issues and concerns and all steps taken will not benefit everybody, but so long as we make progress we have to push for these initiatives.
For example, we need infrastructure. There is no doubt about that. Now this will not come without losing some green cover. But at the same time, we need to make sure that we are compensating this loss with adequate planning for green cover going forward.
The challenges are immense on all fronts : education, public health, transportation, infrastructure, public amenities and even basics like water and electricity.
And we do not have a bottomless exchequer either. So this demands proper prioritization and planning so that our money is not wasted. We are not a rich nation like the united states. But we can still afford to leave our street lights on during the day time, while the Americans cannot do it still.
Its time we mend our ways. We, the citizens, the government, the bureaucrats, NGO's need to pull up our socks and back each other up to deliver.
Indeed the city has exploded in the last 10 years. This unprecedented growth coupled with our city planner's myopic vision and bureaucracy have brought the city down to its knees.
This city is still capable of attracting millions of visitors, immigrants and businessmen, with its delectable mix of great weather, great cultural mix and snazzy new businesses, offering something that meets every taste.
However, this may not be for too long. The effects of this growth are beginning to show. And unless we take this seriously, it will not be too long before the damage becomes irreparable.
Over the last 10 years there has been a lot of clamour from the media, the public, social welfare groups and the government about improving bangalore. Sadly though these voices dont seem to be complementing each other. Worse still, they seem to be detrimental to the overall growth of the city. There needs to be a holistic approach to city planning. Yes, there will be many issues and concerns and all steps taken will not benefit everybody, but so long as we make progress we have to push for these initiatives.
For example, we need infrastructure. There is no doubt about that. Now this will not come without losing some green cover. But at the same time, we need to make sure that we are compensating this loss with adequate planning for green cover going forward.
The challenges are immense on all fronts : education, public health, transportation, infrastructure, public amenities and even basics like water and electricity.
And we do not have a bottomless exchequer either. So this demands proper prioritization and planning so that our money is not wasted. We are not a rich nation like the united states. But we can still afford to leave our street lights on during the day time, while the Americans cannot do it still.
Its time we mend our ways. We, the citizens, the government, the bureaucrats, NGO's need to pull up our socks and back each other up to deliver.
Monday, May 04, 2009
Sea World - Orlando
Saturday Morning saw us heading towards Orlando, with tickets to the Sea World. Its a 2 Hour drive from jacksonville to Orlando. Florida can be so lush green that we were left wondering if this wasnt "Gods own Country!!".
Though this was my second trip to the Sea World, I still found it every bit as exciting as the first time. Its amazing to see how the trainers bond with the animals. Its evident that its not just a job for them, its a passion and a love for these animals that goes well beyond the calls of duty. And this is what makes these shows so special. Its simply a must visit place for anyone, kids especially.
We did see quite a few unexpected animals as well, a manatee - closest relative of an elephant apparently, an ant eater, a lemur , a koala, a kangaroo, a camel!!, foxes and cheetah's to name a few.
And ofcourse Shamu, sea lions and the dolphins. A fun day overall.
And do you know why Flamingo's are pink?
he he.. cos they eat shrimps.
Though this was my second trip to the Sea World, I still found it every bit as exciting as the first time. Its amazing to see how the trainers bond with the animals. Its evident that its not just a job for them, its a passion and a love for these animals that goes well beyond the calls of duty. And this is what makes these shows so special. Its simply a must visit place for anyone, kids especially.
We did see quite a few unexpected animals as well, a manatee - closest relative of an elephant apparently, an ant eater, a lemur , a koala, a kangaroo, a camel!!, foxes and cheetah's to name a few.
And ofcourse Shamu, sea lions and the dolphins. A fun day overall.
And do you know why Flamingo's are pink?
he he.. cos they eat shrimps.
Sunday, March 23, 2008
It happens only in India 2
Its a rat race out here. And you are a part of it whether you want to accept it or not.
If you are a small electronics shop owner by the street, with no big brand backing you, you'd probably relate to this incident. But it simply left me speechless.
I walk into a store marked Nokia Priority Dealer, to replace my almost dead phone batteries. The man at the counter certainly knew his business and one look at my phone and he says "Battery badalna padega!!", confirming my suspicion. The Original Nokia battery replacement would come to Rs 750 he said. So then i asked for the cheapest, most basic handset that i could get and apparently i could get handsets for nearly Rs 1200.
Following my line of thought, the man said "Saab yeh handset kaafi accha hai! Aap Battery badal lo". I could get local batteries that would do the job, just for Rs 200, he said. He also went on to point me to the shop next door, where i could get the local batteries.
Thanking him for his help, I proceeded to the shop next door to see if that indeed was an option. A boy sat at the counter, and once i explained my problem to him, he said he'll be right back. A few minutes later, the man from the first store (the Nokia priority dealer, who had redirected me here) walked in. In one swift motion he slid across the counter. Without batting an eyelid, in the most solemn tone asked me "kya Problem hai sir". I was speechless. He did not even pretend that he had seen me a few minutes earlier. In his now familiar solemn voice, he went to explain that i needed a battery replacement!!.
Well!! You have to do what you have to do to survive. But this was the best i have seen. Certainly an "it happens only in india moment!!"
If you are a small electronics shop owner by the street, with no big brand backing you, you'd probably relate to this incident. But it simply left me speechless.
I walk into a store marked Nokia Priority Dealer, to replace my almost dead phone batteries. The man at the counter certainly knew his business and one look at my phone and he says "Battery badalna padega!!", confirming my suspicion. The Original Nokia battery replacement would come to Rs 750 he said. So then i asked for the cheapest, most basic handset that i could get and apparently i could get handsets for nearly Rs 1200.
Following my line of thought, the man said "Saab yeh handset kaafi accha hai! Aap Battery badal lo". I could get local batteries that would do the job, just for Rs 200, he said. He also went on to point me to the shop next door, where i could get the local batteries.
Thanking him for his help, I proceeded to the shop next door to see if that indeed was an option. A boy sat at the counter, and once i explained my problem to him, he said he'll be right back. A few minutes later, the man from the first store (the Nokia priority dealer, who had redirected me here) walked in. In one swift motion he slid across the counter. Without batting an eyelid, in the most solemn tone asked me "kya Problem hai sir". I was speechless. He did not even pretend that he had seen me a few minutes earlier. In his now familiar solemn voice, he went to explain that i needed a battery replacement!!.
Well!! You have to do what you have to do to survive. But this was the best i have seen. Certainly an "it happens only in india moment!!"
Thursday, March 20, 2008
It Happens Only In India
India.. the land of mystics, the land of yoga, the land of meditation..
If this is the india you have read about and find intriguing, all you need to do is step onto one of our roads. In that single act you will have thrown yourself into the depths of indian mysticism, yoga and meditation...
After all after being thrown into the deep end of a pool, you have no choice but to learn how to swim.
Step onto an indian road and you would have learnt your first few lessons in Yoga. Ofcourse if you had bigger plans, it requires knowledge of extreme asanas and flexibility to navigate through the traffic on foot or a two wheeler. It is not surprising then that Yoga is given such importance in our country. Ofcourse the art of meditation and breath control are extremely essential to survive on a long term basis.
During one such session of yoga and meditation, stuck in an autorickshaw at a signal in Bangalore, I witnessed an act of extreme creativity and brilliance.
Ater about ten minutes of meditation at the signal, my auto walla got his turn to cross the road. To my dismay however, the signal did not seem to apply to anyone else on the road and vehicles kept coming in all directions. This is when it all happened. I saw my autorickshaw walla slip his hand into his pocket. A couple of seconds later i heard a shrill whistle, that caused the traffic on all sides to pause for a sec thinking it was a cop. My autorickshaw ofcourse continued and managed to cross the signal. And then i saw my auto walla pocket the whistle very calmly and continue as if nothing had happened. He must have slipped back to his meditation.
But he had me in splits for the rest of my journey. I am sure he had no clue why i was laughing.
Well, I suppose this is why we love this place so much, despite all the problems we have. This happens only in India!!
If this is the india you have read about and find intriguing, all you need to do is step onto one of our roads. In that single act you will have thrown yourself into the depths of indian mysticism, yoga and meditation...
After all after being thrown into the deep end of a pool, you have no choice but to learn how to swim.
Step onto an indian road and you would have learnt your first few lessons in Yoga. Ofcourse if you had bigger plans, it requires knowledge of extreme asanas and flexibility to navigate through the traffic on foot or a two wheeler. It is not surprising then that Yoga is given such importance in our country. Ofcourse the art of meditation and breath control are extremely essential to survive on a long term basis.
During one such session of yoga and meditation, stuck in an autorickshaw at a signal in Bangalore, I witnessed an act of extreme creativity and brilliance.
Ater about ten minutes of meditation at the signal, my auto walla got his turn to cross the road. To my dismay however, the signal did not seem to apply to anyone else on the road and vehicles kept coming in all directions. This is when it all happened. I saw my autorickshaw walla slip his hand into his pocket. A couple of seconds later i heard a shrill whistle, that caused the traffic on all sides to pause for a sec thinking it was a cop. My autorickshaw ofcourse continued and managed to cross the signal. And then i saw my auto walla pocket the whistle very calmly and continue as if nothing had happened. He must have slipped back to his meditation.
But he had me in splits for the rest of my journey. I am sure he had no clue why i was laughing.
Well, I suppose this is why we love this place so much, despite all the problems we have. This happens only in India!!
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