Review of "creEper":
A guy and girl and a box. A narrator, a Sutradhar (puppeteer) and a story. Any which way, the one hour performance of creEper at the Rangashankara ( here) is worth a watch. The narrative style is impressive and the message well emphasized, even if it is not new. The play connected with the audience with its familiar theme of loss of soul in an imploding city with what better example for Bangaloreans than that of Bangalore.
The performance by the two protagonists (this is the entire cast, by the way) was intense at moments but overall touching. The play had its moments of 'I know what you mean' and 'let me finish your sentence' with a third of the audience that comprised of a college-going crowd, and therefore involving them. Because, many of the juvenile fears and indulgences of the young (and some of ours) found their way into the script, which was supposed to look like an impromptu one. The 'extemporary' goal well achieved while trying to tell a story all the while agreeing to disagree on how they would tell it.
The first part of this play, which is based on the 'Vikram and Betal' lore, 'generally screws around with the audience' (as also conceded by the Sutradhar at halftime) as the storytellers confuse the audience with their bipolar approach to narration, confide with them their fears and demons and while not convince the audience, set an open platform to put on it whatever they want to achieve in the second half. One of the story tellers is a rationalist while the other is a sentimentalist and very dramatic, just enough to keep the audience interested and sometimes agitated.
The impact of lighting on a low-key (photographically, one that involved less exposure to light) stage performance such as this is lasting. The shadows added the key ingredient of proxy-characters while the two actors played out their moves on the stage.During some moments of musing by the characters in the story-inside-the-story , one could see the third and fourth characters in shadows. The interplay of characters and shadows aided by the lighting kept me interested throughout the play with eyes and ears overwhelmed by the effect. That way, there was a lot to see in the play.
So, at the end of first half, by when the audience know that the story is about memories, loss and separation of two souls (not two people) born in Bangalore, the story unfolds itself into one that gives snapshots of same experience that could have been had by a middle-class couple at different times in Bangalore. First one at the turn of the 80s decade of the last millennium, another that happened at turn of the millennium and the last one 'yesterday', if not 'today'. The experiences are no doubt accompanied by the dreads that lurk around them. With quotidian samples to indicate the timeline, someone who has lived in Bangalore for, say, even 15 years (if attentive, even so much is not required) will relate to the game played out by the two and catch on to the fears that gripped, or still grip, Bangaloreans in their daily life, because 'people are being ripped apart for everything'.
You are reminded in the end that 'where grows a tree, a creEper grows', leading the audience to the moral of the story (Not so sure about the camelback used in the name). The end is supposed to be full of hope, but the audience is left unsure of it, because the 'rational and detached' narrator herself succumbs to the dark forces. At a very basic level this play could be construed as a reality-check, if one agrees that doing so does not take the juice out of it.
By the way: This article was posted using w.blogger (here), a first for me. I am quite pleased with the result, while I am still confused over whether or how I can include labels from my desktop.
2007-11-26
2007-11-21
There is no such thing as guilt in politics
"The thing about democracy, beloveds, is that it is not neat, orderly, or quiet. It requires a certain relish for confusion."-Molly Ivins (here)
"In, out. In, Out." But not quite like how Stanley Kubrik's protagonist in 'A Clockwork Orange' meant it. Still, the desperation shown by the ex-coalition partner of the JDS-led government of Karnataka, BJP, following 'betrayal' from JDS in mid-term is equally vulgar and irritating.
That it did not even pay off - couldn't have expected it to, knowing Gowda Sr.'s long term 'vision' for HDK's political career- was a bigger showdown in the form a un-dream-like seven-day stint of hurried announcements and juvenile excitement following a lifelong pursuit of CM-ship for Yedi; and a regional win for BJP. The BJP high-command concurs that Yedi's was a puerile I-wanna-be-CM display and has publicly accepted that local BJP ownership showed how desperate it had gotten to get the ruling post and in the process lost it all. Isn't it a simple truth that what is easily got is easily lost? After once refusing support, JDS's internal differences (a farce? But a spun-off party by HDK seems to be on the cards. It may be about damage control, it may be genuine. Only time will tell.) led to a sudden rush of support from JDS to BJP, lest public be turned against JDS's untrustworthiness. There is is nothing like guilt in politics, you know? And then came the withdrawal of support when the floor strength was to be tested. But not all hope is lost for BJP. In a wave of sympathy , a mid-term poll is bound to turn tables in BJP's favour.
But for now, the people have been failed. 41 months, 2 broken alliances, 3 turns of governments and lot of development work delayed or (will be) undone. Not the least, is the beating the image of 'IT State' of India has taken.Business relies on political stability and infrastructural growth. Bangalore's NICE and Peripheral Roads, Bangalore-Mangalore train and roads, approach highway to Bangalore's international airport, and a-pothole-for-every-star-in-the-sky waiting seeking attention, the list of things endlessly waiting is endless.
People get the government they deserve. The current jugglery may just be the best lesson for Karnatakans to remember everytime they punch the touch-buttons on voting machines; a lesson they ought not forget, as mid-term polls have been beckoned. The urban population, especially those in IT dominant cities of Mysore, upcoming-Hubli-Dharwad and, definitely, Bangalore have been for long fed up of Sr.Gowda's anti-development antics. It had far exceeded the limits set for devil's advocates who are an essential part of the democratic set-up. Hopefully, all that communication and media penetration in the state would have enabled the semi-urban and rural population into tracking the (un)developments closely and would elicit wise voting choices from them. By now, they ought to know that those who 'betray twice' would be predictable at doing so in future.
A fractured verdict from the state clearly shows that, collectively, everyone thinks that no single party is good enough for the job. JDS, on the dint of its 70 odd assembly seats got the room for arm-twisting its coalition partner BJP. With HDK at the helm and an as-of-then unknown elder son Revanna on the sides, it has been a cannon ball run for the Mannina Magaa, who has been piggybacking on HDK's young-and-progressive-CM image but in the process also frustrated the ex-ex-CM, HDK himself, with his capers.
While it is fair to protect one's progeny's political interests (JDS has been miffed at the criminal charges on HDK made by BJP MLAs when the latter was a sleeping partner and therefore Sr Gowda saw long term risk to Jr's political career in handing power to 'an accusing party'), it is a mockery of public opinion to try and turn a power-sharing arrangement into a puppet show. JDS wants to keep its coalition partner in charge of all but the lucrative ministerial positions for 'all well known reasons' as ex-CM (a circumstantial title accruing from a 'woh sath din' stint at the helm) Yedi has proclaimed to the media. This was a part of the 12 point charter drafted by Gowda Sr. About 20% of Karnataka gave the verdict in BJP's favour in the last election. Is there no regard for that? Why do such charters pop-up 21 months into a ruling term?
The last 45 days in Karnataka have seen drama worthy of an Emmy nomination. Many a dinner has been spent dissecting the convolutions lent out to us by those presiding over Vidhana Soudha. There have been allegations that trunkfuls of money have changed hands and it is known that several resorts have hosted MLAs in forced isolation.Probably, the game goes like- Get them drunk hard. By the time they recover, it would too late or they just wouldn't mind. Horses don't have minds, you see!
Signing off with the hope that people will get the government they deserve! Because, as Aesop quotes, "We hang the petty thieves and appoint the great ones to public office."
"In, out. In, Out." But not quite like how Stanley Kubrik's protagonist in 'A Clockwork Orange' meant it. Still, the desperation shown by the ex-coalition partner of the JDS-led government of Karnataka, BJP, following 'betrayal' from JDS in mid-term is equally vulgar and irritating.
That it did not even pay off - couldn't have expected it to, knowing Gowda Sr.'s long term 'vision' for HDK's political career- was a bigger showdown in the form a un-dream-like seven-day stint of hurried announcements and juvenile excitement following a lifelong pursuit of CM-ship for Yedi; and a regional win for BJP. The BJP high-command concurs that Yedi's was a puerile I-wanna-be-CM display and has publicly accepted that local BJP ownership showed how desperate it had gotten to get the ruling post and in the process lost it all. Isn't it a simple truth that what is easily got is easily lost? After once refusing support, JDS's internal differences (a farce? But a spun-off party by HDK seems to be on the cards. It may be about damage control, it may be genuine. Only time will tell.) led to a sudden rush of support from JDS to BJP, lest public be turned against JDS's untrustworthiness. There is is nothing like guilt in politics, you know? And then came the withdrawal of support when the floor strength was to be tested. But not all hope is lost for BJP. In a wave of sympathy , a mid-term poll is bound to turn tables in BJP's favour.
But for now, the people have been failed. 41 months, 2 broken alliances, 3 turns of governments and lot of development work delayed or (will be) undone. Not the least, is the beating the image of 'IT State' of India has taken.Business relies on political stability and infrastructural growth. Bangalore's NICE and Peripheral Roads, Bangalore-Mangalore train and roads, approach highway to Bangalore's international airport, and a-pothole-for-every-star-in-the-sky waiting seeking attention, the list of things endlessly waiting is endless.
People get the government they deserve. The current jugglery may just be the best lesson for Karnatakans to remember everytime they punch the touch-buttons on voting machines; a lesson they ought not forget, as mid-term polls have been beckoned. The urban population, especially those in IT dominant cities of Mysore, upcoming-Hubli-Dharwad and, definitely, Bangalore have been for long fed up of Sr.Gowda's anti-development antics. It had far exceeded the limits set for devil's advocates who are an essential part of the democratic set-up. Hopefully, all that communication and media penetration in the state would have enabled the semi-urban and rural population into tracking the (un)developments closely and would elicit wise voting choices from them. By now, they ought to know that those who 'betray twice' would be predictable at doing so in future.
A fractured verdict from the state clearly shows that, collectively, everyone thinks that no single party is good enough for the job. JDS, on the dint of its 70 odd assembly seats got the room for arm-twisting its coalition partner BJP. With HDK at the helm and an as-of-then unknown elder son Revanna on the sides, it has been a cannon ball run for the Mannina Magaa, who has been piggybacking on HDK's young-and-progressive-CM image but in the process also frustrated the ex-ex-CM, HDK himself, with his capers.
While it is fair to protect one's progeny's political interests (JDS has been miffed at the criminal charges on HDK made by BJP MLAs when the latter was a sleeping partner and therefore Sr Gowda saw long term risk to Jr's political career in handing power to 'an accusing party'), it is a mockery of public opinion to try and turn a power-sharing arrangement into a puppet show. JDS wants to keep its coalition partner in charge of all but the lucrative ministerial positions for 'all well known reasons' as ex-CM (a circumstantial title accruing from a 'woh sath din' stint at the helm) Yedi has proclaimed to the media. This was a part of the 12 point charter drafted by Gowda Sr. About 20% of Karnataka gave the verdict in BJP's favour in the last election. Is there no regard for that? Why do such charters pop-up 21 months into a ruling term?
The last 45 days in Karnataka have seen drama worthy of an Emmy nomination. Many a dinner has been spent dissecting the convolutions lent out to us by those presiding over Vidhana Soudha. There have been allegations that trunkfuls of money have changed hands and it is known that several resorts have hosted MLAs in forced isolation.Probably, the game goes like- Get them drunk hard. By the time they recover, it would too late or they just wouldn't mind. Horses don't have minds, you see!
Signing off with the hope that people will get the government they deserve! Because, as Aesop quotes, "We hang the petty thieves and appoint the great ones to public office."
2007-11-02
Side-effects of globalisation
In the book 'The World is Flat", read short review here, Thomas Friedman illustrated globalisation via scores of, well, global firms, and one of them was Dell Inc. The supply chain intricacies at Dell lent themselves to the emergence of 'Dell Theory of Conflicts'. Like the book, my experience with Dell, albeit post-purchase, is no less speckled with side-effects of globalisation.
The story begins with the occurrence of a problem that turned my laptop into a lemon, defined here. I have been using a Dell Inspiron 5160 for close to three years now.This should tell you that with the basic warranty long expired and without extended or global warranty I am vulnerable. And until recently, I was oblivious to the existence of #M1004. This is the error code Dell-ians see on the BIOS screen after their laptop is 'preventively shutdown to avoid damage due to overheating'.
I saw this error for the first time few months ago,soon after I upgraded the RAM four times over to 2 GB. I was hoping to get more out of my laptop. I was getting more heat out of it, alright! This paralysed my normal usage of the laptop, since the preventive shutdown happened at 70 degree C, which was reached within 40 minutes of operation. Thus began my research on the problem that had fortunately or unfortunately eluded me since the laptop had arrived at my doorstep. Googling #M1004 gave me more than I had expected. Dell 5150 and 1150 were doomed as far as I could see in online forums.5160, though an evolved version of 5150 with 'fixes to avoid overheating' and at least did not 'melt' or 'explode', still suffered from bad ventilation design. More research told me that the motherboard-heat-sink combo were defective and there were class action suits in Canada and the US. Apparently, even the devout Dell-ians were peeved.
Recently I learnt that, since early 2006, Dell had been replacing the defective hardware for free (one time only). Wow and Oops!"Wow!" because the combo hardware costs close to Rs 25K (half the cost of laptop) and it requires substantial commitment from Dell to replace it for hundreds of thousands of laptops sold out of the Inspiron lot. while I also know that from Dell's point of view a case-by-case replacement would be cheaper than a recall. "Oops!" because I m now living in India and my laptop has a US warranty which has expired.
So, I started tracing the steps followed by many to gain temporary or in some cases permanent relief. BIOS upgrade came first. Version 8 of the BIOS cought to optimise fan operation. But it did not help. Cleaning the vents and heat sink was the next possibility. With more research, I learnt to open a Dell Laptop and was amazed at how neatly so much is packed in 1.5 inch thickness (5160 has older design). I stopped short of opening the heat sink assembly. My gut told me that I should contact Dell India and find out what they can do; give me some the minimum coverage at least.
I was surprised by the support Dell gave me. I placed an online request, to which I got a response within 10 hours. As far as the US ownership was concerned, I was told that I could initiate a transfer to Dell India. That would eventually happen, but meanwhile I could run hardware diagnostic tests (I had told Dell India that I am an advanced computer user, hadn't I?). After sharing the results with Dell India, I not only got a phone call confirming the problem but was also , hold your breath, told that Dell would replace the motherboard and heat sink for free!
That I got such good service ought be a side effect of globalisation. Of course, with significant Indian operations, offering service to Indian customers is but imperative. Having made the original purchase in the US probably gave me some edge for getting prompt service; but I have a feeling I would have got it even otherwise. I am saying this based on the fact that last year Nikon India had replaced a defective power module, post warranty, in my digital camera. (They did charge me a service and shipping fee). Nikon USA had at that time made free replacement for cameras within warranty period. Both the pieces of equipment had been widely acknowledged as being defective; in case of Dell, leading to class action suits in North America. But to benefit from an America lawsuit sitting in India?
The ease with which all transactions happened tells a lot about the CRM commitment global companies ought to provide, irrespective of customers' global location. Global companies have to put more effort in giving one face to their brands. They cannot discriminate, because an Indian customer today can be a customer in the US tomorrow or, the day after, one in Japan. American regulatory system ensure compliance to frameworks for resolving to conflicts between sellers and buyers. Be it in the BRIC or other emerging economy nations, buyers are more aware and more enabled, not just by information, read as Internet, but also by the expectations they have from brands. They have the money to buy top brand items. If you are paying top dollar, literally, you deserve top dollar service. This is evident in other popular examples such as the Dell's global replacement of laptop batteries and more recently Nokia's worldwide replacement of certain cellphone batteries.
Hopefully the new heat sink and motherboard will perform better. Whatever the side effect, I am happy Dell customer now. #M1004 anyone?
The story begins with the occurrence of a problem that turned my laptop into a lemon, defined here. I have been using a Dell Inspiron 5160 for close to three years now.This should tell you that with the basic warranty long expired and without extended or global warranty I am vulnerable. And until recently, I was oblivious to the existence of #M1004. This is the error code Dell-ians see on the BIOS screen after their laptop is 'preventively shutdown to avoid damage due to overheating'.
I saw this error for the first time few months ago,soon after I upgraded the RAM four times over to 2 GB. I was hoping to get more out of my laptop. I was getting more heat out of it, alright! This paralysed my normal usage of the laptop, since the preventive shutdown happened at 70 degree C, which was reached within 40 minutes of operation. Thus began my research on the problem that had fortunately or unfortunately eluded me since the laptop had arrived at my doorstep. Googling #M1004 gave me more than I had expected. Dell 5150 and 1150 were doomed as far as I could see in online forums.5160, though an evolved version of 5150 with 'fixes to avoid overheating' and at least did not 'melt' or 'explode', still suffered from bad ventilation design. More research told me that the motherboard-heat-sink combo were defective and there were class action suits in Canada and the US. Apparently, even the devout Dell-ians were peeved.
Recently I learnt that, since early 2006, Dell had been replacing the defective hardware for free (one time only). Wow and Oops!"Wow!" because the combo hardware costs close to Rs 25K (half the cost of laptop) and it requires substantial commitment from Dell to replace it for hundreds of thousands of laptops sold out of the Inspiron lot. while I also know that from Dell's point of view a case-by-case replacement would be cheaper than a recall. "Oops!" because I m now living in India and my laptop has a US warranty which has expired.
So, I started tracing the steps followed by many to gain temporary or in some cases permanent relief. BIOS upgrade came first. Version 8 of the BIOS cought to optimise fan operation. But it did not help. Cleaning the vents and heat sink was the next possibility. With more research, I learnt to open a Dell Laptop and was amazed at how neatly so much is packed in 1.5 inch thickness (5160 has older design). I stopped short of opening the heat sink assembly. My gut told me that I should contact Dell India and find out what they can do; give me some the minimum coverage at least.
I was surprised by the support Dell gave me. I placed an online request, to which I got a response within 10 hours. As far as the US ownership was concerned, I was told that I could initiate a transfer to Dell India. That would eventually happen, but meanwhile I could run hardware diagnostic tests (I had told Dell India that I am an advanced computer user, hadn't I?). After sharing the results with Dell India, I not only got a phone call confirming the problem but was also , hold your breath, told that Dell would replace the motherboard and heat sink for free!
That I got such good service ought be a side effect of globalisation. Of course, with significant Indian operations, offering service to Indian customers is but imperative. Having made the original purchase in the US probably gave me some edge for getting prompt service; but I have a feeling I would have got it even otherwise. I am saying this based on the fact that last year Nikon India had replaced a defective power module, post warranty, in my digital camera. (They did charge me a service and shipping fee). Nikon USA had at that time made free replacement for cameras within warranty period. Both the pieces of equipment had been widely acknowledged as being defective; in case of Dell, leading to class action suits in North America. But to benefit from an America lawsuit sitting in India?
The ease with which all transactions happened tells a lot about the CRM commitment global companies ought to provide, irrespective of customers' global location. Global companies have to put more effort in giving one face to their brands. They cannot discriminate, because an Indian customer today can be a customer in the US tomorrow or, the day after, one in Japan. American regulatory system ensure compliance to frameworks for resolving to conflicts between sellers and buyers. Be it in the BRIC or other emerging economy nations, buyers are more aware and more enabled, not just by information, read as Internet, but also by the expectations they have from brands. They have the money to buy top brand items. If you are paying top dollar, literally, you deserve top dollar service. This is evident in other popular examples such as the Dell's global replacement of laptop batteries and more recently Nokia's worldwide replacement of certain cellphone batteries.
Hopefully the new heat sink and motherboard will perform better. Whatever the side effect, I am happy Dell customer now. #M1004 anyone?
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