a kewl rendition by Mr. Santa
Wednesday, December 17, 2008
Friday, November 21, 2008
innovation... can i hear an a halleaujah!!!
Can you imagine a music video for hearing impaired...
and one more example of D-pan 's music video
"Waiting on the world to change"
and one more example of D-pan 's music video
"Waiting on the world to change"
Sunday, November 16, 2008
stay grounded!!!
A sure-fire way to ruin a good holiday is to top and tail it with a plane ride that dumps huge amounts of CO2 and other greenhouse gases straight into the atmosphere. So stop jetting around and travel in a slower way - but in a better state of mind.
just check out this video-- a kewl one with the beats synchronized with the elements in the scenes
just check out this video-- a kewl one with the beats synchronized with the elements in the scenes
Friday, October 24, 2008
Wednesday, October 8, 2008
Wednesday, June 11, 2008
Monday, May 5, 2008
Dear God, please let us have a hung assembly
a kewl post by Krishna Prasad on INBlive blog.
Dear God,
Long time no see.
Trust you are having fun.
You must be surprised to hear from me again. As you know, I was pretty pissed off when you returned my get-well-soon card after the 2005 tsunami with the inscription "Addressee Not Found". I could be wrong, but I swear it was your handwriting on the envelope.
To err is divine. So here's a chance to set your record in order.
Something quite akin to the tsunami is about to strike Karnataka, and wherever you are, God, please do something about it. I come to you because of the advertisement that hangs above the Vidhana Soudha: "Government Work is God's Work."
So, here goes: please, please, please let us have a hung Assembly.
I know it's not the prayer you have been receiving from the future inhabitants of its chambers who have been going to every known temple, church, godman, mutt and mosque hoping to convince you of why they, and they alone, are worthy of single ownership for the next five years.
I know it's not the advice you have been receiving from media mavens and policy wonks, political analysts and industry experts, who talk of stability of government and consistency of policy, and point to Bangalore's current state to explain what happens neither is around.
But Bangalore ain't Karnataka---and believe me, all of us are better off if you could swing your benign gaze at the electronic voting machines and conspire to confuse them all, once more.
As you would have no doubt decrypted from the airwaves, sitting
wherever you are, there have been three pre-poll surveys so far. One says the Congress will win, one says the BJP will win, and one says it's going to be hung. Those seeking further guidance have been consulting astrologers, numerologists, palmists, tarot card readers, and Feng Shui and vaastu experts. They too have been saying the same thing.
Krishna (the earthly one) says people are sick and tired of coalitions. Yedi says "god's own party" will break "all records".
Kumaraswamy says the JDS will get more than the Congress and BJP. At this rate, if everybody gets a majority, there would need to be 544 seats in the Karnataka Assembly. That, as you know from your skimpy knowledge of Indian civics, would make it the Lok Sabha, which it is not.
So here are six reasons, God, why a hung verdict is the best thing for all of us.
1) None of the parties have done anything to deserve our unreserved approval: In fact, all they have done in the last four years is to ruin your good name sitting in the so-called temple of our democracy, through some of the most grisly words, deeds and actions ever seen east, west, north or south of the Vindhyas. There has been no contrition, no shame, no remorse at squandering the vote. And looking at the seat allocation this time round, and the contempt for the lay voter accompanying it, there is no evidence that they have learnt any lessons either.
2) None of the parties have demonstrated our vote is safe with them: Looking at the way most of the leaders and their parties have been pining for a majority this time, through a shower of largesse and sops, it is as if, somehow, it was all our fault that the mandate was fractured, as if the political class is not to blame, as if this can be corrected with the right gifts. There has been absolutely no soul-searching, no introspection as to why a State which was a pioneer has gone down the tube; no grand vision for the State; no blueprint to set things right.
3) None of the parties have the humility to respect a clear mandate: Whoever is awarded a majority this time will think a similar result is in store in the general elections. If the Congress gets it, it will be seen as a validation of Rahul Gandhi. If the BJP gets it, it will be seen as a validation of the "Gujarat Model". If the JDS gets it, good heavens, your reputation will be in tatters. But, honestly, God, do any of them deserve this honour when neither has worked hard enough to convince us, to win us over? Can elections be won by default, by sympathy, by luck?
4) We are better off if the spoils are shared: Too much is made of Karnataka's decisive verdicts in the past. That was OK in the era of one-party rule at the Centre. But when coalitions are becoming a part of the national political grammar, our parties and politicians need to learn to get along with each other. Enmity and animosity cannot be the bedrock, not for long. If two -dozen parties could come together to form durable governments under the NDA and UPA, what prevents Karnataka's parties from joining hands, if it gives representation to different groups, regions, interests?
5) Stability is a middle-class myth: As the CNN-IBN poll showed, only 11 out of every 100 respondents thought the most important issue facing them in the election was the instability of the government. In other words, 89 out of 100 did not indicate that they were bothered so much about what bothers politicians, analysts and the media. What they want is action and performance. Not just in Bangalore, but across the State. And that should come regardless of the formation in power, not because of it. Whether one party provides it or three.
6) And, finally, opinion pollsters and media will have an escape
route: Polling agencies and media organisations have put their neck on the line by predicting such widely disparate results. Only one of them will be proved right. Only a hung verdict will save the rest from having their reputations chopped off, and surviving to tell the story, somewhere else, some other time.
Of course, you are a free individual, God, and are free to do whatever you please.
But it will be nice if you could remind the world that "Government Work is God's Handiwork". Don't go around cribbing that nobody warned you, if those who enter its portals turn out to be atheists.
Yours truly,
Krishna Prasad
P.S: Is all-seeing-you really backing the Royal Challengers in the IPL?
(Krishna Prasad is editor and publisher, www.churumuri.com)
Dear God,
Long time no see.
Trust you are having fun.
You must be surprised to hear from me again. As you know, I was pretty pissed off when you returned my get-well-soon card after the 2005 tsunami with the inscription "Addressee Not Found". I could be wrong, but I swear it was your handwriting on the envelope.
To err is divine. So here's a chance to set your record in order.
Something quite akin to the tsunami is about to strike Karnataka, and wherever you are, God, please do something about it. I come to you because of the advertisement that hangs above the Vidhana Soudha: "Government Work is God's Work."
So, here goes: please, please, please let us have a hung Assembly.
I know it's not the prayer you have been receiving from the future inhabitants of its chambers who have been going to every known temple, church, godman, mutt and mosque hoping to convince you of why they, and they alone, are worthy of single ownership for the next five years.
I know it's not the advice you have been receiving from media mavens and policy wonks, political analysts and industry experts, who talk of stability of government and consistency of policy, and point to Bangalore's current state to explain what happens neither is around.
But Bangalore ain't Karnataka---and believe me, all of us are better off if you could swing your benign gaze at the electronic voting machines and conspire to confuse them all, once more.
As you would have no doubt decrypted from the airwaves, sitting
wherever you are, there have been three pre-poll surveys so far. One says the Congress will win, one says the BJP will win, and one says it's going to be hung. Those seeking further guidance have been consulting astrologers, numerologists, palmists, tarot card readers, and Feng Shui and vaastu experts. They too have been saying the same thing.
Krishna (the earthly one) says people are sick and tired of coalitions. Yedi says "god's own party" will break "all records".
Kumaraswamy says the JDS will get more than the Congress and BJP. At this rate, if everybody gets a majority, there would need to be 544 seats in the Karnataka Assembly. That, as you know from your skimpy knowledge of Indian civics, would make it the Lok Sabha, which it is not.
So here are six reasons, God, why a hung verdict is the best thing for all of us.
1) None of the parties have done anything to deserve our unreserved approval: In fact, all they have done in the last four years is to ruin your good name sitting in the so-called temple of our democracy, through some of the most grisly words, deeds and actions ever seen east, west, north or south of the Vindhyas. There has been no contrition, no shame, no remorse at squandering the vote. And looking at the seat allocation this time round, and the contempt for the lay voter accompanying it, there is no evidence that they have learnt any lessons either.
2) None of the parties have demonstrated our vote is safe with them: Looking at the way most of the leaders and their parties have been pining for a majority this time, through a shower of largesse and sops, it is as if, somehow, it was all our fault that the mandate was fractured, as if the political class is not to blame, as if this can be corrected with the right gifts. There has been absolutely no soul-searching, no introspection as to why a State which was a pioneer has gone down the tube; no grand vision for the State; no blueprint to set things right.
3) None of the parties have the humility to respect a clear mandate: Whoever is awarded a majority this time will think a similar result is in store in the general elections. If the Congress gets it, it will be seen as a validation of Rahul Gandhi. If the BJP gets it, it will be seen as a validation of the "Gujarat Model". If the JDS gets it, good heavens, your reputation will be in tatters. But, honestly, God, do any of them deserve this honour when neither has worked hard enough to convince us, to win us over? Can elections be won by default, by sympathy, by luck?
4) We are better off if the spoils are shared: Too much is made of Karnataka's decisive verdicts in the past. That was OK in the era of one-party rule at the Centre. But when coalitions are becoming a part of the national political grammar, our parties and politicians need to learn to get along with each other. Enmity and animosity cannot be the bedrock, not for long. If two -dozen parties could come together to form durable governments under the NDA and UPA, what prevents Karnataka's parties from joining hands, if it gives representation to different groups, regions, interests?
5) Stability is a middle-class myth: As the CNN-IBN poll showed, only 11 out of every 100 respondents thought the most important issue facing them in the election was the instability of the government. In other words, 89 out of 100 did not indicate that they were bothered so much about what bothers politicians, analysts and the media. What they want is action and performance. Not just in Bangalore, but across the State. And that should come regardless of the formation in power, not because of it. Whether one party provides it or three.
6) And, finally, opinion pollsters and media will have an escape
route: Polling agencies and media organisations have put their neck on the line by predicting such widely disparate results. Only one of them will be proved right. Only a hung verdict will save the rest from having their reputations chopped off, and surviving to tell the story, somewhere else, some other time.
Of course, you are a free individual, God, and are free to do whatever you please.
But it will be nice if you could remind the world that "Government Work is God's Handiwork". Don't go around cribbing that nobody warned you, if those who enter its portals turn out to be atheists.
Yours truly,
Krishna Prasad
P.S: Is all-seeing-you really backing the Royal Challengers in the IPL?
(Krishna Prasad is editor and publisher, www.churumuri.com)
Wednesday, April 2, 2008
Bangalore: From pathfinder to laggard
The state of Bangalore's civic body, Bruhat Bangalore Mahanagara Palike, provides an object lesson on how not to run a city when the country is going through an unprecedented wave of urbanisation.
This is tragic because the country's IT capital has so much going for itself. It has no dearth of informed and engaged citizens and has the capability to generate as much of resources as it needs to make a showcase of itself.
Instead, it wallows in a civic mess created by politicians who must rank among the worst south of the Vindhyas and self-serving bureaucrats.
The state of the city is reflected in the state of BBMP's finances. Its budget presented last week may have created a record of sorts by missing its revenue target (budget versus revised estimates for 2007-08) by 62.5 per cent! This has not left it nonplussed as such underperformance is a regular feature.
The budget document itself notes, "This (shortfall in receipts) has been the trend in BBMP over the last 10 years. The gap in some years is as high as 40 per cent."
But past experience has not made the new team at Town Hall more cautious. For 2008-09 it has projected a massive revenue growth rate of 49.5 per cent. The key revenue earner, property tax, under-performed by Rs 180 crore (Rs 1.8 billion) in 2007-08 but has been again projected to go up by Rs 175 core (Rs 1.75 billion) in 2008-09.
This is predicated on the state government notifying revised rules for the Sakrama scheme, which will regularise unauthorised constructions on payment of penalties. It has to do this quickly, before the model code comes into play ahead of the polling in May.
Eventually it may not, leaving the politically sensitive issue to be sorted out by the next government. The future of a key revenue stream is so very uncertain.
Property tax revenue should shower on Bangalore, where IT-BPO expansion has created a real estate boom but its growth rate tells a tale. Property rates were revised after decades in the year 2000 and a system of self assessment by rate payers was introduced.
Higher rates and the hassle-free system improved compliance and revenue boomed. But the rate of growth has come down lately. For a consideration, the civic staff have been "advising" rate payers how to assess themselves modestly. Scrutiny of self-assessments has almost ceased.
A key regulatory change has also critically deprived BBMP revenue from new developments. These have mostly taken place in newer areas around the city involving conversion of agricultural land to non-agricultural use.
To put a stop to widespread construction on non-converted land, the state government ordered a couple of years ago that the 'khata' or 'mutation' (recording your right to pay property tax and the de facto claim to ownership) will not be allowed for property built on land not yet regularised.
So a lot of new property owners have not been paying any tax at all! This 'loophole' has now been removed and BBMP has lately been active bringing within its net new "high density" areas.
The change in Bangalore's national status is best illustrated by its play with the Jawaharlal Nehru National Urban Renewal Mission, designed to tackle the urban mess by offering funds against adoption of good practices.
Karnataka, through Bangalore, was a pioneer in some of these like the fund-based system of civic accounting, which were adopted by the JNNURM for the whole country.
Two Bangalore citizens, Infosys Chairman Nandan Nilekani and the NGO Janaagraha's founder Ramesh Ramanathan, played a key role in creating the programme.
So when the JNNURM started, Bangalore got ready funding for having already adopted some of those good practices. But thereafter it fell behind even as some cities in other states forged ahead.
One reason why revenue fell short in 2007-08 was JNNURM funding falling short because of missed reform milestones. The path finder has become the laggard.
The lack of effective political leadership is natural as the city has not had a popular local body for over a year now. When BMP was made BBMP by adding five peripheral municipalities, it was given a year to put its house in some shape before an elected body took over.
Then came delimitation and redefining of urban ward boundaries and thereafter President's rule. Not that just any elected body will change things. If it is business as usual, popular representation will mean the same least capable corporators will elect non-descript mayors every year.
A mayor-in-council system and a heavyweight mayor, both directly elected by the people for five years, is what is needed to put power and responsibility in the same hands by aligning the rights to govern, spend and administer, instead of the current dissonance between the functions of the corporator, municipal commissioner and state government.
It being business as usual, modern ideas of urban renewal, with emphasis on walking, cycling, bus travel and mixed development (stay near to where you work) have barely reached Bangalore.
The civic budget talks of underpass, overpass, elevated highway, and roads on stilts on dirty nullahs, which will apparently have special fences so people can't dump garbage in the nullahs!
A city where some of the business follows global best practices, urban governance follows some of the worst practices. Bangalore, which has put India on the global map, is being ruined by its politicians and bureaucrats.
The politics of Deve Gowda and that of the bureaucrats who badmouthed and helped kill a remarkable public-private initiative like the Bangalore Agenda Task Force have been the city's nemesis.
This is tragic because the country's IT capital has so much going for itself. It has no dearth of informed and engaged citizens and has the capability to generate as much of resources as it needs to make a showcase of itself.
Instead, it wallows in a civic mess created by politicians who must rank among the worst south of the Vindhyas and self-serving bureaucrats.
The state of the city is reflected in the state of BBMP's finances. Its budget presented last week may have created a record of sorts by missing its revenue target (budget versus revised estimates for 2007-08) by 62.5 per cent! This has not left it nonplussed as such underperformance is a regular feature.
The budget document itself notes, "This (shortfall in receipts) has been the trend in BBMP over the last 10 years. The gap in some years is as high as 40 per cent."
But past experience has not made the new team at Town Hall more cautious. For 2008-09 it has projected a massive revenue growth rate of 49.5 per cent. The key revenue earner, property tax, under-performed by Rs 180 crore (Rs 1.8 billion) in 2007-08 but has been again projected to go up by Rs 175 core (Rs 1.75 billion) in 2008-09.
This is predicated on the state government notifying revised rules for the Sakrama scheme, which will regularise unauthorised constructions on payment of penalties. It has to do this quickly, before the model code comes into play ahead of the polling in May.
Eventually it may not, leaving the politically sensitive issue to be sorted out by the next government. The future of a key revenue stream is so very uncertain.
Property tax revenue should shower on Bangalore, where IT-BPO expansion has created a real estate boom but its growth rate tells a tale. Property rates were revised after decades in the year 2000 and a system of self assessment by rate payers was introduced.
Higher rates and the hassle-free system improved compliance and revenue boomed. But the rate of growth has come down lately. For a consideration, the civic staff have been "advising" rate payers how to assess themselves modestly. Scrutiny of self-assessments has almost ceased.
A key regulatory change has also critically deprived BBMP revenue from new developments. These have mostly taken place in newer areas around the city involving conversion of agricultural land to non-agricultural use.
To put a stop to widespread construction on non-converted land, the state government ordered a couple of years ago that the 'khata' or 'mutation' (recording your right to pay property tax and the de facto claim to ownership) will not be allowed for property built on land not yet regularised.
So a lot of new property owners have not been paying any tax at all! This 'loophole' has now been removed and BBMP has lately been active bringing within its net new "high density" areas.
The change in Bangalore's national status is best illustrated by its play with the Jawaharlal Nehru National Urban Renewal Mission, designed to tackle the urban mess by offering funds against adoption of good practices.
Karnataka, through Bangalore, was a pioneer in some of these like the fund-based system of civic accounting, which were adopted by the JNNURM for the whole country.
Two Bangalore citizens, Infosys Chairman Nandan Nilekani and the NGO Janaagraha's founder Ramesh Ramanathan, played a key role in creating the programme.
So when the JNNURM started, Bangalore got ready funding for having already adopted some of those good practices. But thereafter it fell behind even as some cities in other states forged ahead.
One reason why revenue fell short in 2007-08 was JNNURM funding falling short because of missed reform milestones. The path finder has become the laggard.
The lack of effective political leadership is natural as the city has not had a popular local body for over a year now. When BMP was made BBMP by adding five peripheral municipalities, it was given a year to put its house in some shape before an elected body took over.
Then came delimitation and redefining of urban ward boundaries and thereafter President's rule. Not that just any elected body will change things. If it is business as usual, popular representation will mean the same least capable corporators will elect non-descript mayors every year.
A mayor-in-council system and a heavyweight mayor, both directly elected by the people for five years, is what is needed to put power and responsibility in the same hands by aligning the rights to govern, spend and administer, instead of the current dissonance between the functions of the corporator, municipal commissioner and state government.
It being business as usual, modern ideas of urban renewal, with emphasis on walking, cycling, bus travel and mixed development (stay near to where you work) have barely reached Bangalore.
The civic budget talks of underpass, overpass, elevated highway, and roads on stilts on dirty nullahs, which will apparently have special fences so people can't dump garbage in the nullahs!
A city where some of the business follows global best practices, urban governance follows some of the worst practices. Bangalore, which has put India on the global map, is being ruined by its politicians and bureaucrats.
The politics of Deve Gowda and that of the bureaucrats who badmouthed and helped kill a remarkable public-private initiative like the Bangalore Agenda Task Force have been the city's nemesis.
Monday, January 7, 2008
Make my logo bigger- Client
I dont know about you, but i certainly have heard this.. and i too have said it.
For all the people who are in the "ad agencies" i am sure u must have heard ur clients asking the following
1> The logo has to be enhanced
2> Too much of white space (utilize the space coz we are paying for it)
3> Put some star burst- we need some attention grabbing star bursts
4> Add Some colors- this is looking so bland
5> This creative lacks emotion...
It is not only the clients- at times you might even get a hearing from your bosses who want the above 5 points to be put into action..
I would suggest that you go through this video.. the products displayed on this video is really e-y-e o-p-e-n-i-n-g
if u want a first hand view of this products please visit
http://www.makemylogobiggercream.com/
This cream will certainly enhance ur creatives...
enjoy madeee
b
For all the people who are in the "ad agencies" i am sure u must have heard ur clients asking the following
1> The logo has to be enhanced
2> Too much of white space (utilize the space coz we are paying for it)
3> Put some star burst- we need some attention grabbing star bursts
4> Add Some colors- this is looking so bland
5> This creative lacks emotion...
It is not only the clients- at times you might even get a hearing from your bosses who want the above 5 points to be put into action..
I would suggest that you go through this video.. the products displayed on this video is really e-y-e o-p-e-n-i-n-g
if u want a first hand view of this products please visit
http://www.makemylogobiggercream.com/
This cream will certainly enhance ur creatives...
enjoy madeee
b
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About Me
- Benoy Wilson
- more of me on http://benoywilson.sulekha.com/ http://www.linkedin.com/in/benoywilson http://benoywilson.blogspot.com http://benoywilson.spaces.live.com/ http://www.youtube.com/benoywilson & a little bit of ego search http://www.google.co.in/search?hl=en&q=benoywilson
