Chilligavva http://www.chilligavva.com Chilligavva is a blog maintained by Lakshmi Mareddy, a technical communicator from Omaha Nebraska. Mon, 23 Jun 2008 14:11:30 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.3.3 en The new caste system http://www.chilligavva.com/2008/06/22/the-new-caste-system.html http://www.chilligavva.com/2008/06/22/the-new-caste-system.html#comments Sun, 22 Jun 2008 05:16:09 +0000 Lakshmi Mareddy http://www.chilligavva.com/2008/06/22/the-new-caste-system.html Last week, I was excited to send a gazillion amount of invites to my email contacts asking them to join me on twitter.

“Did you develop a new product called twitter” was the question I encounter in a phone conversation in response to my “join me on twitter email”. I was shocked into silence. Especially since the person asking me this Q was a MCA and working in Oracle products in the USA, and not an average dude by any standards.

I immediately switch to Telugu. “Kaadu, adi social networking site.” [no its a …]
I get a “Ardham ayyindi, nuvvu edo chesavemo ani” [I figured it out (that it was a social…), but thought that you developed the site.]
I stop this disgusting conversation with “Antha scene ledamma naaku..” [I dont have that kind of scene.]

Naturally I was hopping mad, as I didnt expect this dumbness to emerge from a facebook generation. But I’m trying to come to grips with dealing with “people who dont get it..” After reading Matt Balara’s article on Stowe Boyd’s site “Why aren’t you talking to me”, I realize I am not alone.

Update as on 22 June 08: I accidentally thought the article on /message was Stowe’s as it was on his site. But i soon realized that it was Matt Balara’s article as a guest blogger. I visited Matt’s site, and liked the site and the articles he has been writing. So am giving him a honor mention here..

The article also made me reflect on a conversation I had with a local Indian at the Indian store. We both realized we were on orkut which is big amongst Indian circles, in the social networking scene. We promptly encountered “What is orkut” from another person at the store. I turned and said “Its a social networking site”.

But deep inside, I was flabbergasted. Why? If my dad asked this Q I would understand, or if a non IT person asked ditto. But a wife of a software(s/w) person and even a s/w person asking this. Too bad!

Out of sheer disgust combined with frustation I quipped to the person “If you are not on linkedin, twitter or on a social network such as facebook you are lower caste! Now you know what to do if you want to be identified as a forward caste”, hoping this would drive the point across.

I saw the face of the other person blanche a little. Believe me I am not this aggressive normally! The caste analogy was crude as well, but most Indians get caste faster than technology!.

But personal opinions aside, I think very soon, we shall face a big social divide. Of people who know technology and trends, and leverage the same, and people who claim to be s/w enggs. because they want technology based high paying jobs. A clear case of a new kind of social haves and have-nots!

And I do agree with Matt’s observation of being able to continue a conversation reference in in the web 2.0-meatspace continuum.

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]]> http://www.chilligavva.com/2008/06/22/the-new-caste-system.html/feed Some interesting references to shells as currency http://www.chilligavva.com/2008/06/21/some-interesting-references-to-shells-as-currency.html http://www.chilligavva.com/2008/06/21/some-interesting-references-to-shells-as-currency.html#comments Sun, 22 Jun 2008 03:15:23 +0000 Lakshmi Mareddy http://www.chilligavva.com/2008/06/21/some-interesting-references-to-shells-as-currency.html Most of my readers know that my site ChilliGavva has a currency reference. if you don’t, read the colophon in the about page!

My good friend Bharath Raganathan is a walking wikipedia on history and trivia on a number of subjects. Lately I have been spending time at another interesting blog TuLu Studies run by Ravi Mundkur from my native Mangalore.

Both of them expressed curiosity on shells as currency, and whether I knew anything about it. Today I spent some time on some internet research, and stumbled upon two references, which I have promptly added to my colophon. The read was very fascinating for me.

Long before our era the cowry shell was known as an instrument of payment and a symbol of wealth and power. This monetary usage continued until the 20th century. If we look a bit closer into these shells it is absolutely not astonishing that varieties as the cypraea moneta or cypraea annulus were beloved means of payments and eventually became in some cases huge competitors of metal currencies. All characteristics of money, i.e. durability, handiness or convenience, recognizability and divisibility are embodied in these small shells. In comparison with foodstuff or feathers which can fall prey to vermin, shells withstand easily frequent handling. They are small and very easy to transport and their alluring form and looks offer them a perfect protection against forgery. Besides, counting was not always absolutely necessary. As the shells almost all had the same shape and size weighing often sufficed to determine the value of a payment.
Courtesy:National Bank of Belgium

Other links on shells as currency:

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]]> http://www.chilligavva.com/2008/06/21/some-interesting-references-to-shells-as-currency.html/feed Sorry for the lack of posts http://www.chilligavva.com/2008/06/11/sorry-for-the-lack-of-posts.html http://www.chilligavva.com/2008/06/11/sorry-for-the-lack-of-posts.html#comments Wed, 11 Jun 2008 10:47:28 +0000 Lakshmi Mareddy http://www.chilligavva.com/2008/06/11/sorry-for-the-lack-of-posts.html Have been very very busy for the last three weeks.  I apologize for the lack of posts and hope to address the same very soon!  Really ! :)

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]]> http://www.chilligavva.com/2008/06/11/sorry-for-the-lack-of-posts.html/feed I-phone and P2P http://www.chilligavva.com/2008/05/16/i-phone-and-p2p.html http://www.chilligavva.com/2008/05/16/i-phone-and-p2p.html#comments Fri, 16 May 2008 21:01:03 +0000 Lakshmi Mareddy http://www.chilligavva.com/2008/05/17/i-phone-and-p2p.html I always believed in the marriage of P2P and web 2.0. Most of the signs were already out there. One obvious use of this combination was of course illegal downloading of movies amongst private web 2.0 networks. But as a system, I believe that if you could pass the rewards, and stimulate participation, one could harness this trend for good as well.
Pundits have been yammering away for years about a “celestial jukebox” that will give everyone the ability to access all content ever created, from anywhere, at any time. This long-discussed concept is finally becoming a reality, at least as far as music goes.
via Celestial Jukebox falls to earth

‘Hey, making applications for the iPhone shouldn’t be that hard’…. [I] thought how useful it would be to have a P2P client (first for me, then for the people) so I started learning and developing it myself.” - Wired

I therefore was pretty excited when I was reading Wired’s article on Eric Castro’s “iSlsk”. Eric is a 19 year old student of Universidad Tecnologica Nacional (UTN) (System’s Engineering career) located in Buenos Aires, Argentina and quite a geek with a life (to quote him) !

I had written earlier about how P2P will redefine Web 2.0/3.0 in my post researchers aim to make internet bandwidth a global currency. As internet traffic gets heavier, quicker and more efficient ways to do things are naturally going to be explored. I think that this is a definite and possible direction social media will take.

Now if Eric can handle the direction the app is going, he is definitely sitting on something very very big.

I was already impressed about my website going from just 10 to 20 visits per day to about +6000 visits overnight. Not to mention that iSlsk has already over 41,000 downloads, again, only in two days. Those numbers may not impress most people, but they do for me, since I never made something that massive.

PS: Since I don not own an unlocked i-phone and unable to get my hands on one, I shall of course have to wait to test out iSlsk.. Sorry Eric…

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]]> http://www.chilligavva.com/2008/05/16/i-phone-and-p2p.html/feed A Speedy Recovery http://www.chilligavva.com/2008/05/08/a-speedy-recovery.html http://www.chilligavva.com/2008/05/08/a-speedy-recovery.html#comments Thu, 08 May 2008 05:04:33 +0000 Lakshmi Mareddy http://www.chilligavva.com/2008/05/08/a-speedy-recovery.html My, this week has been eventful.

Two women known to me were hospitalized in the past 10 days. Shirley is my friend Cynthia’s mom and Phyllis is my friend Mary’s mom. Here is wishing both of them a speedy recovery and good health.

Then of course the cyclone hit Burma. My deepest sympathies to the victims and condolences to the bereaved families.

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]]> http://www.chilligavva.com/2008/05/08/a-speedy-recovery.html/feed Of Kites, kittens and a parade http://www.chilligavva.com/2008/05/07/of-kites-kittens-and-a-parade.html http://www.chilligavva.com/2008/05/07/of-kites-kittens-and-a-parade.html#comments Wed, 07 May 2008 23:35:28 +0000 Lakshmi Mareddy http://www.chilligavva.com/2008/05/07/of-kites-kittens-and-a-parade.html Andre Miti Jessie

Last friday, I got a “Mom Andre’s mom wants to come home, and she will follow your car” when I went to pick up Miti from school. So I waved and proceeded home with Miti. On the way he gently told me that the plan was to go to Andre’s mom’s house on the weekend and be back on Saturday morning.

Andre is Mitis best friend from school, and the boys are entirely inseparable. All through the evening I could see Andre beam ear to ear. He was flushed pink with excitement, and Miti too. Having 3 boys in the house did feel different as we girls got attacked by foam bullets constantly.. We were caught in the crossfire of a nerf gun war, till the boys left!

So when we reached home, I socialized with Andre’s mom and after a little bit of playing and visiting, Miti managed to pack a weekend bag. After guzzling milk, the boys proceeded to the farm which was a 45 minute drive from Omaha. The whole experience felt a little strange to me, but I nevertheless let Miti visit.

In retrospect, I was glad I did allow him to go. When Miti returned, all Saturday afternoon it was Andre this, the farm that, in the parade this and that. After that over the weekend, i received a lot of pictures, and thats when I realized what a good time Miti had.

So I especially thank Ozana, Andre’s mom for giving us this wonderful oppurtunity.. :)

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]]> http://www.chilligavva.com/2008/05/07/of-kites-kittens-and-a-parade.html/feed Random Reflection http://www.chilligavva.com/2008/04/28/random-reflection.html http://www.chilligavva.com/2008/04/28/random-reflection.html#comments Tue, 29 Apr 2008 03:26:21 +0000 Lakshmi Mareddy http://www.chilligavva.com/2008/04/28/random-reflection.html

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]]> http://www.chilligavva.com/2008/04/28/random-reflection.html/feed Interesting Bird outside my window http://www.chilligavva.com/2008/04/25/interesting-bird-outside-my-window.html http://www.chilligavva.com/2008/04/25/interesting-bird-outside-my-window.html#comments Fri, 25 Apr 2008 13:34:42 +0000 Lakshmi Mareddy http://www.chilligavva.com/2008/04/25/interesting-bird-outside-my-window.html Red Bird

Would love to hear from my readers, what this bird is called. I shall of course, try to find out.
Update: My son comes back from school and takes one look at the photo and says “Its a cardinal mom!”

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]]> http://www.chilligavva.com/2008/04/25/interesting-bird-outside-my-window.html/feed Lovely Lovely Voice.. http://www.chilligavva.com/2008/04/24/lovely-lovely-voice.html http://www.chilligavva.com/2008/04/24/lovely-lovely-voice.html#comments Thu, 24 Apr 2008 13:24:03 +0000 Lakshmi Mareddy http://www.chilligavva.com/2008/04/24/lovely-lovely-voice.html

Lovely Lovely Voice of Matthew Santos.. Very unusual. Now there are two guys in this club, Akon and Matthew Santos..

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]]> http://www.chilligavva.com/2008/04/24/lovely-lovely-voice.html/feed Famous Blogger http://www.chilligavva.com/2008/04/16/famous-blogger.html http://www.chilligavva.com/2008/04/16/famous-blogger.html#comments Thu, 17 Apr 2008 00:38:01 +0000 Lakshmi Mareddy http://www.chilligavva.com/2008/04/16/famous-blogger.html cartoon from www.weblogcartoons.com

Cartoon by Dave Walker. Find more cartoons you can freely re-use on your blog at We Blog Cartoons.

WW

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]]> http://www.chilligavva.com/2008/04/16/famous-blogger.html/feed Dark theme http://www.chilligavva.com/2008/04/10/dark-theme.html http://www.chilligavva.com/2008/04/10/dark-theme.html#comments Thu, 10 Apr 2008 15:20:11 +0000 Lakshmi Mareddy http://www.chilligavva.com/2008/04/10/dark-theme.html cgmagazinestyle

As per usual, I have rehauled the look of chilligavva again. This time its all dark, and very magazine style inspired. I had a copy of an old web magazine called “Practical Web Design” [printed in England, issue #160] and the cover dark gray, yellow and white, and it formed the inspiration, color-wise. So do tell me how this one turned out.. :)

Back to default theme

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]]> http://www.chilligavva.com/2008/04/10/dark-theme.html/feed Pop corn coke and movie love http://www.chilligavva.com/2008/04/10/pop-corn-coke-and-movie-love.html http://www.chilligavva.com/2008/04/10/pop-corn-coke-and-movie-love.html#comments Thu, 10 Apr 2008 10:31:50 +0000 Lakshmi Mareddy http://www.chilligavva.com/2008/04/10/pop-corn-coke-and-movie-love.html oldagelove

Sometime during my MA years at Hyderabad, India my classmate Dhanalakshmi and I went to see a telugu movie called “Bava Bava Paneeru”. We landed very early for the movie, and actually got seat numbers 1 & 2, which for me is the rarest of rare events, ever. So we had time to kill and landed at a shop called Iyengar’s bakery opposite the theatre and ordered some baked goodies, wolfed it down and came back.

When we came back, they were letting people into the theatre and we made a mad dash to the balcony. And surprise, we saw two ladies, their kids [both under 2 years] sitting in our seats. I was very keen to experience seat numbers 1&2. So I opened my mouth and out came “I think you are sitting in our seats aunty”.

For the non-british, non-Indian crowd, “Aunty” is how we address any married lady older than you, in India. This is a workaround relationship to ensure that we are not calling her by name, which is VERY RUDE in India.

We got a very angry “LOOK FIRST OF ALL DONT CALL ME AUNTY OKAY! AND CANT YOU SEE WE HAVE SMALL CHILDREN WHO NEED TO GO TO THE TOILETS, AND WE ARE NEAR THE DOOR..”

I had to think quickly on my feet. Even if we insisted, we would be dealing with brats asking us to move, at the instigation of their mums. So we retreated gracefully, and sat next to an older couple who were well into their 70s+ years. I had noticed this couple while we were buying tickets. Anyone from Andhra Pradesh [Movie mad Southern state] know that a movie is enjoyed by all age groups. And a visit to a friday release is a must.

Come interval (Obviously a 3 hour movie had to be split into 2 halves), the theatre lights came on, and the old man next to me asks his wife what she wants, and actually comes back with popcorn, and a soft drink. I was so impressed by the concern and care. Dhana and me were very envious too, and decided then and there that if we could grow old like this with someone, we should consider ourselves very blessed.

Now a few days ago, I saw the picture from my artist scientist friend Pritesh, and my memory floodgates opened up.

Picture courtesy: Pritesh Dagur

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]]> http://www.chilligavva.com/2008/04/10/pop-corn-coke-and-movie-love.html/feed You take my breath away! http://www.chilligavva.com/2008/04/07/you-take-my-breath-away.html http://www.chilligavva.com/2008/04/07/you-take-my-breath-away.html#comments Mon, 07 Apr 2008 16:01:18 +0000 Lakshmi Mareddy http://www.chilligavva.com/2008/04/07/you-take-my-breath-away.html

[My rating for the video.. 8/10.. what do you think?]

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]]> http://www.chilligavva.com/2008/04/07/you-take-my-breath-away.html/feed Sarvadhaari Nama samvatsarapu Subhakaamshalu http://www.chilligavva.com/2008/04/06/sarvadhaari-nama-samvatsarapu-subhakaamshalu.html http://www.chilligavva.com/2008/04/06/sarvadhaari-nama-samvatsarapu-subhakaamshalu.html#comments Sun, 06 Apr 2008 06:26:58 +0000 Lakshmi Mareddy http://www.chilligavva.com/2008/04/06/sarvadhaari-nama-samvatsarapu-subhakaamshalu.html ugaadi2008-public

Wishing all my readers a Happy Telugu New Year.

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]]> http://www.chilligavva.com/2008/04/06/sarvadhaari-nama-samvatsarapu-subhakaamshalu.html/feed When facebook meets Mahabharata http://www.chilligavva.com/2008/03/30/when-facebook-meets-mahabharata.html http://www.chilligavva.com/2008/03/30/when-facebook-meets-mahabharata.html#comments Sun, 30 Mar 2008 21:36:58 +0000 Lakshmi Mareddy http://www.chilligavva.com/2008/03/31/when-facebook-meets-mahabharata.html

Source:Krish Asok’s very interesting blog

Caution! You need to know your indian mythology really well..

What cracked me up absolutely was the entry “Click here to listen to Yudhisthra’s podcast ‘Aswatthama is dead’ “

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]]> http://www.chilligavva.com/2008/03/30/when-facebook-meets-mahabharata.html/feed Very Apt! http://www.chilligavva.com/2008/03/30/very-apt.html http://www.chilligavva.com/2008/03/30/very-apt.html#comments Sun, 30 Mar 2008 21:21:51 +0000 Lakshmi Mareddy http://www.chilligavva.com/2008/03/30/very-apt.html

Pic Courtesy: http://greatandhra.com

How TRUE!

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]]> http://www.chilligavva.com/2008/03/30/very-apt.html/feed really thrillicious http://www.chilligavva.com/2008/03/26/really-thrillicious.html http://www.chilligavva.com/2008/03/26/really-thrillicious.html#comments Wed, 26 Mar 2008 17:00:34 +0000 Lakshmi Mareddy http://www.chilligavva.com/2008/03/26/really-thrillicious.html
Great artwork, lovely song..

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]]> http://www.chilligavva.com/2008/03/26/really-thrillicious.html/feed Power back to products http://www.chilligavva.com/2008/03/26/power-back-to-products.html http://www.chilligavva.com/2008/03/26/power-back-to-products.html#comments Wed, 26 Mar 2008 15:10:31 +0000 Lakshmi Mareddy http://www.chilligavva.com/2008/03/26/power-back-to-products.html The underlying principal of a good business is always based on a sound product. [Otherwise what can you sell?] But when I was reading this article, the extent to which the phone companies have become “Mafia” is pretty apparent. It obviously took another Moghul like Steve Jobs, and a in your face “ha ha” product like the i-phone to put back the power to products.

But as important as the iPhone has been to the fortunes of Apple and
ATT, its real impact is on the structure of the $11 billion-a-year
US mobile phone industry. For decades, wireless carriers have treated
manufacturers like serfs, using access to their networks as leverage to
dictate what phones will get made, how much they will cost, and what
features will be available on them. Handsets were viewed largely as
cheap, disposable lures, massively subsidized to snare subscribers and
lock them into using the carriers’ proprietary services. But the iPhone
upsets that balance of power. Carriers are learning that the right
phone — even a pricey one — can win customers and bring in revenue.
Now, in the pursuit of an Apple-like contract, every manufacturer is
racing to create a phone that consumers will love, instead of one that
the carriers approve of. “The iPhone is already changing the way carriers and manufacturers behave,” says Michael Olson, a securities analyst at Piper Jaffray.
Read more in Wired

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]]> http://www.chilligavva.com/2008/03/26/power-back-to-products.html/feed The New WP is almost ready http://www.chilligavva.com/2008/03/18/the-new-wp-is-almost-ready.html http://www.chilligavva.com/2008/03/18/the-new-wp-is-almost-ready.html#comments Wed, 19 Mar 2008 00:04:54 +0000 Lakshmi Mareddy http://www.chilligavva.com/2008/03/18/the-new-wp-is-almost-ready.html Finally the new almost stable WP 2.5 is ready. After a few days of testing, it shall be out to general public. I have obviously signed up as a tester, and shall keep you readers posted on the development! I’m so excited. Matt has promised the sun moon earth [not the entire solar system though!] in this release. As per the announcement, we can expect better UI, re-organization for better functionality, and a better post organizer.

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]]> http://www.chilligavva.com/2008/03/18/the-new-wp-is-almost-ready.html/feed Website Highlight - mauricio http://www.chilligavva.com/2008/03/18/website-highlight-mauricio.html http://www.chilligavva.com/2008/03/18/website-highlight-mauricio.html#comments Tue, 18 Mar 2008 14:06:23 +0000 Lakshmi Mareddy http://www.chilligavva.com/2008/03/18/website-highlight-mauricio.html maurico_guimaraes

I was blown away by this site, and the lovely lovely design work of Maurico Guimaraes, an artist, digital illustrator, animator and flash developer from Brazil. Do visit his website, and experience the site. Its nice, and his creative work, just blew my mind away.

The site is bilingual, and is available in English and Portuguese.

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]]> http://www.chilligavva.com/2008/03/18/website-highlight-mauricio.html/feed