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August 13, 2004

Follow the Bloggers; No more monologues

There have been very few times when Bloggers have been noticed very closely. To be specific it’s only twice. The Salaam Pax was once. The second is during the recent Democratic convention held in Boston where 30 bloggers were acknowledged to blog about the convention. Even as the convention is over, the reports on blogger and their quiet vishwarup are rocking the net all over and this might be the breaking point. Bloggers from now may not be treated as a foster child of the mainstream media but as cutting edge cousins whom the mainstream biggies cannot fore go.

J.D.Lasica’s tech column in Online Journalism Review, lists why increasingly bloggers are preferred than the mainstream journalists, it is pretty clear that bloggers are getting their piece of the cake. Only thing, their share keeps increasing, exponentially. She also writes how this important graph called Inbound links: Who has the ear of the blogosphere? , show that even as more inbound links are towards the big brothers like NY Times and CNN, climbing down a few more, we can see how Boing Boing and Insta Pundit are evolving as believable news sources and how they have more inbound links than even Slate, Fox and others. Check the column for more on bloggers, blogging and other blah blah blah.

As Technorati CEO David Sifry says “The Web is not chiefly about a library or a news stand. You have to start thinking about the Web as this humongous event stream. The Web is a set of ongoing conversations that weave together into this new kind of omnipresent social fabric, . Thats the essential reason why the main stream media cannot make any more lectures, they have to start the dialogue between their readers. No more monologues, please !!.
August 12, 2004

Vasool Raja, a family meet and my weekend laundry list

Apart from the Seemandams, Kai murukku & Therattipaal featuring Nichayatharthams and mega Kalyanams, there aren’t many occasions when we tend to have a family meet. How about a family meet in a movie. Though the family cannot actually talk in length about which athai-payyan got wed locked or which onnu-vitta-chitappa got a golden handshake, the family can actually laugh together. Ok, Ok, I’m trying to agree myself to this with these excuses.

While the beach or a common house maybe the exact location for a family meet, someone has to prepare Pulliyotharai, arrange litres and litres of filter coffee and all this might actual end up in dozens of cribs and complaints. Hence, we planned a family watch of Vasool Raja MBBS. Two common grounds on Vasool Raja. Most Athais and mammis like Kamalhassan. Two, Laughter is something that we long for in this fast fast (!!) food culture. The plan is shaping out. Let’s see.

Who said Chennai isn’t happening? The weekend has more than enough things happening in Chennai.

a) Three movies that I’m interested, Vasool Raja MBBS, Kyun Ho Gaya Na and the Asimov inspired I, Robot are out this week.

b) The Hindu Metro Plus sponsored Life Style show is at the Chennai Trade centre opens today with Shobana featuring on the opening day. Hindu also has a eight page detailed supplement of what’s up on the show and it promises to be much better than the other life style shows in the city.

c) Lalith Kala Academy has a photography exhibition on the architecture of American roadside motels, bars and clubs. A promo on the television yesterday was cool and did interest a lot. These photographs have been taken over the last two decades clearly showing the growth in the ideas and architectural styles.

d) The Landmark quiz, one of the biggest open quiz shows in the country is on the 15th in the Music Academy. If you are someone who hates quiz, here is the program, just for you. And if you are not inspired still, I have no clue.

There goes my laundry list of weekend to-do’s. The target it atleast 70% of them. Movies can be postponed not the shows. Right.
August 11, 2004

Hey Goodbye Nanba!! – A Refreshing Dip

Blame me for the double standards. I’m one among the few millions who are hell bent to have no songs in tamil movies because they interrupt the story telling. But yesterday, after a tiring day at work I reached home when the whole of chennai was watching Metti Oli. Thanks to the stars and satellites, among the ‘n’ to the power 2 channels available, someone played Hey GoodBye Nanba from Aayitha Ezhuthu. It was enchanting to watch Sidharth and Trisha running around the beach amidst the dirty sand on a sunny day.

Starting with a top angle akela crane shot, the camera swirls down to land on Sidharth who is half lying on the boat and then it pans on to trisha who whistles as she wears those goggles. With split second, the shot cuts into the next one where the camera is half-immersed in the water and both of them lie on a canal boat with their life jackets. And as they dive into the water, the camera too goes down into water for a moment and comes back, leaving a feeling that the audience themselves getting dipped in the water. With the A R Rahman‘s music in the background so jiving, Shankar Mahadevan shouting his heart out coupled with Sunitha Sarathy, Lucky Ali and Karthik, Hey Good Bye Nanba is a delight to watch.

It’s throughly a refreshing experience especially for someone who wants to chill-out. Mani Ratnam shares his credit with the entire tech team, for the song’s picturisation was in tune with Vairamuthu‘s and AR Rahman‘s musical efforts. Should I still crib about having ‘good’ songs in Tamil movies ? Thank god, we still have songs in tamil movies, else we would have been bored with just the sub-intellectual indy pop. There are exceptions too in Indy Pop. Anyway, read the first line of the post, again.
August 10, 2004

The Hindu’s Editorial – Blogosphere Journalism

The editorial of today’s Hindu talks about Blogosphere Journalism. Being an avid blogger, I am personally excited about The Hindu writing an editorial on blogging.

Though the first few paragraphs are very formal and define blogging and it’s components. The last paragraph comes as a saviour of the editorial. That’s where they have put in their opinion about blogging. The most important being the probable acceptance of blogging as new journalistic approach. Also it’s been quoted that most international news organisations have started to have a sedate version of blogs in their websites.

With Hindu starting to approve the idea of blogging, we can probably expect a hindu online blog in the coming days. Probably. And thats a guess. Blogger’s get ready.
August 10, 2004

Button’s Mechanics and Schumi rants

Guest Blog – Prabhu Krishnamurthy

The year 2004 has seen Michael Schumacher notch up 11 victories out of 12 races. It is thrilling and wonderful for a schumi fan, but at same time it shows how Ferrari as a team work. In the words of STAR-Sports commentator Dont get bored by this season. You are watching a phenomenon, which you can cherish some years later. That sums it all. I will write separately on Schumi sometime later.

Behind Schumi its all happening. First came the news of Ralf joining Toyota, then Webber joining Williams, Fisichella joining Renault and now the startiling move of Jenson Button to BMW. No clue about what DC and Trulli are upto.

Next years possible line ups –

MS & Rubens– Ferrari
Webber & Button(hopefully no legal action)- BMW Williams
Kimi & Montoya – McLaren
Ralf & Trulli (thats what the rumor mill says)-Toyota
Sato (Thanks to Honda) & DC or Anothony Davidson or even Mika Hakkinen – BAR Honda.
Alonso & Fisichella – Renault.

If Williams and Mclaren up their pace, then next season will be one of the best ones in F1. And new regulations will be in place as well. Though I disagree on that. What F1 needs is more tracks where overtaking is possible.

If you leave Michael apart, the other places are very closely raced. Rubens, Button, Alonso, Trulli have been competing with each other and it is a thrill to watch. FIA should accept that the other drivers are not in the league of Michael before changing the rules. If Michael had retired at the end of 2002, the season we are watching right now would have been the best. Initially only McLaren and Williams were competing with Ferrari. Now it is a pleasant sight to watch Renault and BAR-Honda upping their pace. And by changing the rules, they are playing into the hands of Ferrari and Michael. Now they are saying 1 engine for 2 races. No prizes for guessing which team has the most reliable engine 🙂

Last, I always thought Button as the gentleman of Formula 1. He shows his aggression and competiveness only on racing track. The way he moved to BMW ditching BAR would definitely alienate many fans from him. 2 years back when Renault dumped Button it was Dave Richards and BAR-Honda who lend him a helping hand. If Button is what he is today, it is mainly because of Dave Richards and BAR-Honda. Things could have been done in a better way.

I fail to understand how Button’s mechanics and Button himself would be motivated for the rest of the season!!!

Follow the Bloggers; No more monologues

Vasool Raja, a family meet and my weekend laundry list

Hey Goodbye Nanba!! – A Refreshing Dip

The Hindu’s Editorial – Blogosphere Journalism

Button’s Mechanics and Schumi rants