Vinu’s Online Cloud

This is the state of Indian Malls now. Click on the video and check it out … there is soo much of information overload. So, of noise, visual clutter and of course the crowd. I have no qualms about the crowd as if you are in india you get used to it.

However, I felt that the sound and the visual clutter was just distracting me. I could see the same feeling in the shoppers who were getting confused which was anyway an overload with their children running here and there! Remember - its the children who get distracted easily and with them running around in the crowd … the shoppers are not going spend easily

Looking back it reminded me of the old indian market scene … lots of sound and and people shopping. I guess, the new malls in India are adapting that model. Though they started out emulating the US Malls, where shopping is a great experience. I feel the Indian Mall keepers have missed the point somewhere! 

I was searching something today and managed to find my old TV Tuner card I had bought around 2 years back from the U.S. Its a USB TV tuner card - I plugged it in and had it going. Then I suddenly that I should blog on whats being should in the Indian TV nowadays. I captured some screen shots as I was surfing the channels. The range is is really diverse and dynamic. I just have screen shots of the ones I usually see, but the number of 'popular' Indian channels is three times atleast!! Great Ads, Bollyhood, News, Sports - you name it you can taste it.

I reached Barista around 4:15pm. Looked for some know faces … I had been to a blogger meet in January earlier. Was going to approach the counter asking the folks at Barista about this when at one corner - I saw a face I recognized …

I raised my hand and he acknowledged. I approached him and said … "err does your name start with a 'V'?!" " No, but I am Saketh" he said. Then it sruck me and I said "Oh you write a blog called vulture something right?" … Saketh replied "hmm .. Vulturo (check out his blog, i just did its kewl)". He continued talking about himself. Then I asked him how often do bloggers in bombay meet. He said it used to be often last year - but the people who used to be enthu about it have fizzled about but they all somehow still manage to meet everymonth.

Then Yaz from Yazadjal.com came in and Saketh knew him and then there was a crowd. There were also a bunch of bloggers sitting at the other corner and our main aim was to grab some benches and chairs … and soon we all settled in and more people joined in. We all had a quick introduction and I live video - blogged it using my phone.

Amit from IndiaUncut pointed out I was supposed to ask permission before doing that … well I told them that I am well within my rights and I know it as a photographer! well, as a group they thought Amit was right and I didn't bother arguing and asked for permission before taking pics again. {but I know this … as a law its completely okay to take a picture of what you see through your eyes without straining it i.e use telephoto lens etc!} Here is the video of the round of introductions

Then the focus shift to Nitin Pai from 'The Acorn' while the blog-call was being taken.
The noise at Barista and the lack of space made it difficult to clearly hear and participate in the discussion easily. The blog-call was as follows:

The conversation started out on whether economic development and peace are related or can be dealt independently. Soon transitioned into Indo-Pak relations. Analogies being drawn on how china dealth things in the late 80s. Nitin's basis was tackle the terrorists as india is doing now and Liberalize and once we have enough economic clout the borders will sort out themselves.

A brief video:

Nitin believes what the Pakistan society thinks of India in not important as the state overrules controls the psyche of the society. Amit, Ravikaran and I were against it. I have met lots of Pakistanis and believe me there is lot of mutual respect and friendly outlook.

Anyway, at this juncture in my life I am slightly out of Politics as I feel if people look into their hearts and think even slightly sensibly all the issues can be settled. Violence is a measure for the people who are impatient or are afraid. And 'Vengeance is a lazy form of gried' (comment from a movie - the interpreter?)

There was also lot of 'literary' talk which I couldn't relate to. I did feel slightly out of place as the obvious had their community feeling having interacted for quite sometime online world. i was not really following their blogs.

People then whipped out their cameras and clicked here and there:

I saw Amit had a Rebel XT - the camera I also own. I was slightly disappointed this month on myself when I broke the lens Mistake on my part that I dropped it. The lens is good that its electronics is not functioning properly. Suman dropped in as I left (had some other appointment at 6pm. Asked her where she blogs. She said - I just blog about 'myself'! I replied even I do 40% myself! She replied " just google suman kamath" and unfortunately I can't find it! (in the top 10 links meaning)

Managed to grab a mango milkshake during that time and get to know Ravikaran well. Will definitely be adding them to my blogrolls. Its simply a great feeling when the online clouds (internet) and the grounded coffee (real life) merger. Aroma is just blissful!!

Other people who summarised yesterday's meet: (will add later)

1. ShriRam Karra
2. Amit-Verma

Amit mailed me pointing out that I have to take permission for all the snaps and videos I take and mentioned that if I removed them from the post he will link me. I did come back and remove his photo. I still see he has linked me. Anyway, what are you thoughts folks on this? I feel you are free to blo, take a photo and video of what all you see! …