Yahoo has really lost it this time

Apart from my respect, which it lost a long time ago, yahoo now loses about 100% of those who just can't figure outWHY their email interface doesn't look like it used to.

It doesn't because, in its infinite wisdom, yahoo has reduced everyone not on its "now out of beta" site to seeing their folders (in the case of old biddies like my Mum, just one folder, Inbox) in plain old vanilla (NOT! Vanilla has taste) html.

Not that the improved yahoo interface is an improvement. It's NOT! One can't see unread messages only, the way we used to under the old interface. Telling me that "View options will be enhanced shortly" doesn't convince me that the new interface is better, considering that the old interface did allow me to view unread messages when I wanted to. And no, I can't switch back to that old interface because yahoo, in its infinitely dumb wisdom, has removed that interface entirely and replaced it with vanilla (not!) html so that I re-"upgrade" (misnomer, if there ever were one) to "now out of yahoo" beta.

I wonder which marketing genie-ass thought this up.

Deepak

My Short Story in an anthology!

Caferati, a writers' network, is bringing out an anthology of short stories, in which yours truly has a stake, in the form of, what else, a short story!

Here's what the book looks like... umm... on your LEFT!

To gain more details, do visit the Caferati blog at:
http://www.caferati.com/caferati-creative/satct/

Buy the book, do! It's frightfully cheap, old chaps and chappies, which in no way purports to be a reflection on the quality of the content - we Indians just know how to do things more cheaply.

Deepak

My Play inspires Ireland!

Well, not the whole of Ireland (I wish) but "Who Let The Dogs Out?" has inspired a play staged by a teacher in Ireland, in conjunction with the parents of the inmates (I beg your pardon, students) of the school.

You can read more about the school at:
http://www.lettergesh.com/home_page.htm

Mandy, the teacher concerned, has also been kind enough to send me photos of the mayhem that purported to be inspired by my play (no offence intended, Mandy, I'm just being cheeky) and here they are:





<-- That's a partial cast of the play







That's the full cast of the play -->

If you look carefully, you'll see how it differs from the photo of the partial cast of the play



<-- This is probably the scene where all the call girls come on stage. Mandy, however, assures me that the play was sanitised to eliminate the call girls. I guess this is where all the women come on stage, then - make of that what you will.



The joys of adaptation... a pistol becomes an AK-47.

I'm beginning to understand why Shakey's spinning in the grave that's supposed to be not his...




I'm thrilled to bits that "Who Let The Dogs Out?" inspired a play in Ireland, I really am. Don't go by the comments to the pics. That's just me being over-smart.

Thank you, Mandy, for being in touch and sending me the pics.

Deepak

My Play in Dubai!

I suppose that should have read "My Ply in Dubai" to stick to the rhyme scheme but hey, I'm excited!

It was the Dubai Drama Group that gave me the kick I needed to write my own plays. When I came back to India I wote "Business Is War" and staged it in a matter of 30 days - mainly because I had a cast, a venue, a commitment and no play, so I wrote my own.

Since then, BIW has been staged in at least 7 countries. It may have been staged in more - I didn't really protect it in those early years.

Be that as it may, a student of the American University in Dubai read the first scene of BIW and wants to stage it - and he's convinced he'll win an award for it (not really a leap of faith, since the college group in the US and the one in South Africa DID win awards for it)

There's something about that play...

I've asked him to first send me a write-up on the college before I unleash the play on him but... this is exciting!

There's definitely something about that play and I wish I knew what it is!

Personally, I don't like it all that much - it's like an idiot child who's making waves the world over. I'm proud that the idiot is my offspring but I cringe at what he's actually saying. Not much, actually, and very little scope for "production values" (inside Pune jibe) so, well, "Business Is War" might get done in Dubai.

Stay tuned,

Deepak

Blogger's kewl!

I have to say, I'm impressed.

Last night I was far from impressed, I was p'd off!

First, I couldn't get to the Post Pages in my blogs so I could send relevant links to a potential client. You have to admit, there are some posts I wouldn't like potential clients to see (although Google kinda hands them the info) so sending the relevant links is essential.

Then the main blog links themselves failed. I wondered if the potential client would ever get to see what I wanted them (it? him? her? any PC input would be useful) to see.

Then, 24 hours later I try to log into my blogger account and guess what? Blogger offers me a ONE-STEP - that's right, just ONE STEP, way to migrate my existing blogs to its new, label-enabled, hoops and hoopla service.

I clicked the button and here me am, with better tools, and my minuscule customer base intact.

I be impressed.

Deepak