Monday, September 27, 2004

CNet makeover.

CNet one of the most visited sites for tech products is remodeled. Branching out from just reviews on products its diverting to 'how to get the best of' area. The redesign with the addition of Mp3s and photo-sharing is aimed to attract non-techies to the site. Good look!

Thursday, September 23, 2004

Oprah's gift costs $ 7000

The 276 cars given away by Oprah Winfrey is not without cost to the recepient. After all the media coverage the show attracted, the recepients of the brand new Pontiac G-Six will have to pay tax on their winning. Depending on the tax-bracket the tax can be as high as $7000 inspite of GM bearing the sales-tax.

Now this carefully selected group of needy can either pay the tax or forfeit the car. Though the donor is GM Oprah has been in the limelight eversince the show. What best can we expect now from the World's richest entertainer - Oprah.

Monday, September 20, 2004

Degrading Ethics

I quite endorse the views of Suman(Times of India redefines blasphemy) with the degradation of quality in the print media. Most of us were brought up with the habit of reading ‘The Hindu’ but our son or nephew is more imbibed with the television these days. What ethics are they educating?

If the fictional characters in serials are abusive and violent, the politicians who get the hype in such media are no good. Their boorish and ill-mannered use of language is not driving the youth to the shore. With the debate on censorship getting hot over ‘‘adult’’ late night shows and obscenity, how do we censor the behavior of our politicians? If Sushma vowed to shave off her head, Uma Bharathi while on TV makes ‘‘firangi aurat’’ sound like a four-letter word.Yashwant Sinha, calls Manmohan Singh a ‘‘shikhandi’’ in front of the cameras. Are such things getting all the attention because of the increasing news channels?

The Prime Minister’s live, televised press conference, a few weeks ago, should go down as a model code of conduct for politicians when they speak either to the media or know they will be quoted by it. He answered each question, he was polite, dignified and never once committed an impropriety.

The so called family drama always depicts a rift between the brothers, sisters or the combo of Bahu and M.I.L. Words like ‘I hate you’; ‘I will kill you’ have become routine terms. What values are they inculcating if the focus is ever on the family feud than on the healthy side of relationships?

If a newspaper like Times is entering the path of destructive journalism, the television channels have already reached the end. Where, how and when will the repair start?

Thursday, September 16, 2004

Windows Checklist !

This checklist given by Kottke is very useful in the present scenario of spyware and pop-ups.

Monday, September 13, 2004

Robert Langdon of Da Vinci being followed !

Ever since I read Da Vinci code, had be curious about the Church of St Sulpice. Dan Brown has blended the fiction to reality so nicely that you become inquisitive once you get into the book . Such curiosity (of people like me!!) has increased the tourist traffic in Paris’ Church but to the displeasure of church authorities. They regret as the church has many attractions but people are attracted to bronze candlestick where a nun was killed in the great conspiracy novel. Officials annoyed by the distortion of history have put a notice saying “Contrary to the fanciful allegations in a recent best-selling novel, this is not the vestige of a pagan temple”.

Other place being attracted is the Louvre where the novel opens dramatically. This tourist traffic has encouraged operators to launch the Da Vinci mystery tour taking in the book’s prime location - to Gare St Lazare, the Ritz, the US Embassy and the Louvre.

Most of the Da Vinci Code tourists are American, and many believe that the book's popularity is partly responsible for the return of US tourists after the Iraq-related boycott.


Friday, September 10, 2004

Disposable Digital Cameras!

Finally a digital camera trully disposable has hit the market. The surprise is its launched by
CVS - the drugchain. For $20, CVS sells a 25-shot digital camera with a 1.3 megapixel imager, a postage-stamp-sized LCD preview screen, and the ability to delete the most recent picture taken. (A camera without the preview screen is $10.) For novices who want a snapshot to digital photography this may be a good choice...

Mumbai Masala

Bollywood enters the 9/11 scene with Madhoshi. Can it picturise the American feelings if Bipasha calls it a "entertainer that centres on a 9/11 victim"?

Thursday, September 09, 2004

Bonjour !

A long pending idea has finally taken shape. I shall post anything I stumble across - from happenings to striking thoughts. No gaurantees that this will be brilliant but sure will be an intereating journey......