To tweet or not to tweet

Shashi's thoughts as he waited outside the Madam's chamber:

To tweet, or not to tweet: that is the question:
Whether 'tis nobler in the flight to suffer
The cramped confines with the cattle class,
Or to take arms against a herd of holy cows,
And by tweeting end them?

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My innocuous, laconic tweet
Has created a furore so bitter;
Am amazed at vehemence of those opposing it
I now rue of i had ne'er signed on Twitter.

Netas should work for aam aadmi, avoid 5-stars

In the last few days, there has been much brouhaha about two cabinet ministers staying in 5-star hotel suites in the Indian capital. I beg to differ from those preaching morality to the ministers. What is wrong in public display of private wealth? Politicians have every right to pamper themselves on the money earned by them legally and they ought to be judged on the merit of their work.

Is staying in a 5 star suite very different from staying in the palatial bungalows lining the Lutyens' Delhi? Or being part of the herd mitigate the "sin" of flaunting one's luxury in the face of so much misery.

By the same logic, the humungous amount of money being spent on providing security to our VVIPs and VIPs should also be withdrawn. The harangues about showing solidarity with the aam aadmi depict our moral hypocrisy. If we are so much pained by the plight of the common man on Indian streets, then better start living and behaving like a Mohandas Gandhi.

Terrorist Threat

Came across the figures pertaining to Terrorism related fatalities in India from 1994 to 2005. Pretty scary!

Whenever there is a major terrorist attack, there is a lot of talk on combating it with a heavy hand, but then things are conveniently forgotten. Why we still do not have a comprehensive anti-terrorist policy in place? Our Police force, in its present avataar, is too weak and inefficient to face the threat of terrorism.

I am not an expert to suggest what ought to be done to tackle the scourge of terrorism, both internal and external. I wish and pray that our country's policy-makers wake up from their slumber before it is too late.

Next level of Social Networking

Get Glue is a meta social network that helps aggregate the recommendations and comments of other social networks.

This is an early example of how social media will further mould human behavior. Although this is presently focused on media, movie, music, gadgets etc., but it's a matter of time when it's scope will expand to include various services, websites, products.

This application requires a Firefox plugin to be enabled. So all you mozilla fans who are active in social networks can right away start using it to know what your friends are recommending or rejecting.

For marketers this is going to be another tool to sense the pulse of their target audience.

Welcome to the Brave New World of the Social Web?

Twittering a Prayer

The Coming End of YouTube, Twitter and Facebook Socialism

Reminds me of my blog entry of Are "user-generated" video sites sustainable.

Enjoy, while it lasts!

Scaling new heights or sinking to greater depths?

The nation is in the grip of election fever and everywhere I hear passionate debates about whether this candidate is bad or that candidate is worse; whether this party is rotten or that party stinks. Everyone seems to think that her viewpoint is the best and that by not agreeing to it others are committing a sacrilege. My advice to all these well-intentioned guys - ‘is haram mein sab nange hain’, so do not take politicians of this country seriously.

One doesn’t need IQ of an Einstein to decipher how successive governments have taken citizens of this country for a ride. Blinkered vision, shallow agendas and unfathomable depravity of our politicians have eroded the very ethos which our founding fathers dreamt of. We keep deriding the British for their “divide and rule” policy, but have not our politicians been following the same policy and dividing people on basis of caste, language, religion, etc.

Nation building is a daunting task and should be in the hands of the competent and conscientious. Even after 60 years of independence majority of our countrymen do not have assess to the basics of human existence. What a shame! Is it the “foreign hand” to be blamed for this even? Or is it the collective greed without individual accountability of those entrusted with power to govern us? You decide.

The Great Indian Burlesque

Finally the poll dates have been announced for the 15th Lok Sabha elections. Once again the hoi-polloi of this land will be subjected to the inane rhetoric, dramatic promises, malicious propaganda and ludicrous platitudes of players from across the political spectrum. Media pundits will have a field day analysing and predicting various possible scenarios and later contradicting themselves once the results are out. Astrologers will be much sought after to assuage maleficient planetary effects; so will be the local goons, gun-makers, arrack-sellers, nubile nymphets and other fringe actors in this grand tamasha.

As per Centre for Media Studies, Electing the 15th Lok Sabha would cost at least Rs 10,000 crore — more than the recent US presidential polls. BTW, this amount is equivalent to the 2008-09 budgetary allocation for the union Ministry of Civil Aviation. Hope this kind of expenditure will help ensure a smooth take off for the next government.

Whether the destiny of this land will be written by the (in)visible hand under the light of a lantern or the elephant will lift the lotus with its trunk, no one can predict at this juncture. Hence, dear friends :

Watch unfolding of this drama
with a sense of glee or despair -
Each party projects its own 'Obama'
So vote with caution & care!