Via the Atlantic:

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hat tip boingboing

My column in today’s DNA:

If a tree falls in a forest, and no one is around to have heard it fall, does it make a sound?’ is an old philosophical question on which there has been much heated argument over the centuries. The debate is a consequence of a school of philosophy that believes that events exist from the point of view of the observer. If there is no observer, then there is no event. Others, especially scientists, maintain that events exist irrespective of the presence of the observer.
In an era of 24-hour news channels, this philosophy can be revisited. If an event occurs, let’s say a protest, and there is no media coverage, then as far as public consciousness is concerned, does the issue even exist? Groups and causes that can articulate their view in media-friendly chunks have their issues become part of the public debate. Groups and causes that cannot, do not exist as far as the public space is concerned. Political and civil society groups of all hues and shades are beginning to realise this. They have realised that media coverage works best in the media centres — Mumbai and Delhi. And, protests work best when conducted in the full glare of the media. They realise that if there is no observer for an event, then the protest is as good as being dead in the water. For example, Irom Sharmilla has been fasting to repeal the Armed Forces Special Powers Act for over 10 years, and it is just now that the protest has been noticed. And, that is because Anna Hazare’s 12-day fast brought Irom Sharmilla’s decade long fast into the limelight. Similarly,38-year-old Swami Nigamanand Saraswati died trying to save the Ganga from pollution caused by illegal mining. After 68 days of fasting in Haridwar he passed away. His death was covered by the ‘national media’ because it coincided with Baba Ramdev’s little drama at the Ramlila grounds. But his cause, that of saving the Ganga, is largely ignored.
Media coverage is not about how ‘good’ or ‘bad’, ‘important’ or ‘unimportant’ a cause is. It is about being part of the media’s line of sight and being able to keep catching their attention. Once the media starts paying attention, then the idea is to keep engaging the media on a constant basis, so that the cycle of publicity continues.
Today, packaging of news surrounding the protest is as important as the protest itself. Every successful protest is handled like a product. And, in a modern world, the product attributes are not as important as the packaging and promotional hype surrounding it.
That is the reason for the insistence on Jantar Mantar by Team Anna. Anna could have fasted anywhere else in India. After all, Gandhi fasted wherever he was — his ashram, jails, various cities — location didn’t deter him. But, in a modern India which is wired 24/7, it is important to be where the media is. If Anna Hazare had fasted in Ralegaon Siddhi would the event have been part of pan national consciousness or would it have been like Nigamanand Saraswati’s fast, mentioned in passing by regional news while being largely ignored by the ‘national’ media?
The recent attack by members of the ‘Bhagat Singh Kranti Sena’ on Prashant Bhushan — a core member of Team Anna — in full view of a television news crew is taking this philosophy one step further. The issue raised by the Bhagat Singh Kranti Sena becomes part of national consciousness, overnight, because it was sensational, violent, jingoistic and on tape. We would not even have heard of this fringe organisation if they had hit someone without the TV crew being present. They were mimicking the acts of Sri Ram Sene a few years ago. The Ram Sene protesting against declining ‘moral’ values — decided to go to the nearest pub and beat up a few girls who were drinking alcohol and smoking cigarettes. But, before they went to teach the girls a lesson, they called the camera crews.

As a result, an intolerant, violent, extreme fringe organisation became part of pan-Indian consciousness.

News focus on strife, violence, drama and sensationalism to increase ratings, has led to it becoming the launching pad for many a fringe organisation. These groups thrive on media coverage. Their philosophy is immaterial — their rage is what sells. In its blinkered focus on only ratings, news channels have unleashed a genie that needs to be put back in the bottle.

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Patna : Lalu Yadav is inspired. Or as former president Abdul Kalam would say, ignited.

The former Railways minister has decided to appeal to the Election Commission to allot `apple’ as the symbol for his Rashtriya Janata Dal instead of the `lantern’. Lalu decided to make the change when he learnt that someone called Steve Jobs, who made apple so world famous that everyone started buying it, had died.

“Now that symbol is empty. No title holder,” Lalu enlightened mediapersons at his home in Patna. “So we have decided to appeal to EC to give us the apple. And just like Steve gave jobs to many people, our slogan in Bihar will be to provide jobs for everybody.”

When a scribe tried explaining that Apple is the name of an American company that makes PCs, computer software and consumer electronics and Steve Jobs was its highly successful former CEO, he was shouted down by an irate Lalu.

“Tut tut tut. Chup chup. Tum bhajpa ke agent ho kya? Do not try to teach me. One computer company called some soft, has windows. So does that mean no one can have window or door as election symbol. No communal force in India can stop Lalu from having an apple,” said Lalu.

Admitting Rabri Devi is not in favour of applying for the apple, Lalu dismissed her as ignorant. “She told me she had heard the story of an apple that caused problems between first man and first woman and so does not want me to get apple. I told her yeh some videshi kahaani hai. I will pucca get the apple for the party.”

If and when the EC accepts the symbol change, Lalu says he has his slogans ready. “An apple a day to keep Nitish Kumar away and Apple khao, Nitish ko bhagao,” he guffaws.

 

(Image courtesy : www.chennaitvnews.com)

 

New Delhi : When P Chidambaram walked in to 10 Janpath to meet Sonia Gandhi on Thursday, she did not fail to notice that the Home minister’s veshti was soiled. She resisted the temptation of asking why he was wearing a veshti that was clearly not washed. But the moment Rahul Gandhi walked into the room and saw black spots on PC’s veshti, he popped the question.

RG : Hey buddy, why are you wearing an unwashed lungi?

PC : Mr Gandhi, this is not called a lungi. In the south, we call it a veshti. V-E-S-H-T-I. And coming to your question, I refuse to wash my dirty linen in public, unlike some of my valued colleagues.

RG : Valued, eh? You are speaking Pranab babu’s language. Mom, nice to know, everyone in your cabinet values each other so much.

SG : Rahul, not my cabinet. It is Doctorrrrr Manmohan Singhji’s cabinet.

RG : Okay okay. Same difference. Doesn’t he keep saying what is his, is ours. Except if he wants to give me his Maruti 800, I won’t take it.

PC : M’am, if I may interject, why have you called me now?

SG : Chidambarammmm ji, what’s this? Why are you kicking up such a fuss? Now you are telling Ahmed you want a clean chit from Pranab babu.

PC : Yes, m’am, my ego has been badly bruised. I cannot take it lying down. First he indirectly accused me of chewing gum and now this note. It is very mischievous.

RG : No, no, this note is naughty and typing us up in knots. Haha.

(Digvijay Singh walks in to hear Rahul Gandhi’s last sentence and begins clapping)

Diggy : Kya joke maara hai, Rahul ji. You should crack such jokes in UP. People there are taking us too seriously these days.
RG : Let this meeting get over. Uss ke baad ek round maarenge bike par. Chottu, bike me tanki full kar dijiyo.

SG : (to PC) : I do not know if Pranab Babu will agree to give you a clean chit. Can I get it from Doctorrrrr Manmohan Singh ji. You know, it is easier to convince him.

PC : No. Mr Pranab Mukherjee said he saw that note. Now he must say he did not see the contents of the note.

Diggy : Wah, tumsa nahin dekha, Chidambaram. Like Shakespeare babu said, To see or not to see.

PC : Mr Digvijay Singh, please for heavens sake, do not misquote William Shakespeare. He wrote, `to be, or not to be’.

SG : Why don’t we get a clean chit from Raja? After all, he knows all about 2G and he can say, Chidambarammmm ji did not advise me at all.

PC : No m’am. Mr Mukherjee and no one else. Otherwise, please accept my resignation with immediate effect.

RG : Digvijayji, what are your sources in Nagpur saying? Can’t we blame this all on the RSS?

Diggy : No I am afraid not. Their specialisation is not in 2G spectrum kind of matters.

PC : M’am, I insist, Mr Mukherjee should say the inferences and interpretations in the note do not reflect his views. That should do for me. I will be happy and will treat the matter closed.

RG : (whispering to Digvijay) : If anyone asks me what is my view on 2G, what shall I say?. My blackberry is on 3G.

Diggy : (whispering back) : Don’t worry Rahul ji. You are ahead of your time.

SG : Ok. I will get Kapil to prepare a note and get Pranab to agree to reading it out. Only Kapil can handle all those zeroes. How did Raja even count so many zeroes surprises me. Rahul cannot count beyond three. Digvijay ji, what about you?

Diggy : Mujhe to 100 ke beyond ginti hi nahi aati, Sonia ji.

SG : (fretting) : This 2G has spread like a cancer in our UPA.

PC : Sorry to disturb you while you are still recovering M’am. Please tell Mr Kapil Sibal. He is also a valued colleague. I take your leave.

SG : Ok, Chidambarammmm ji

RG : Take care dude.

Diggy : If you are free this evening, come with us. Uttar Pradesh me triple riding par pratibandh nahi hai. He he he.

(Pic courtesy : www.ndtv.com)

New Delhi : On his 79th birthday, Congress President Sonia Gandhi has conveyed her best wishes to Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh. Along with the bouquet of flowers that reached his hotel in New York, the PM also received a confidential letter from Mrs Gandhi. Tenali Rama was pleasantly surprised when a generous PMO acted double quick in releasing the letter under RTI.

`Tenali Rama Reports’ reproduces the letter in full, in national interest.

Aadaryna Manmohan Singh ji,

Happy birthday to you. Rahul was very eager to call you at 12 o’clock last night but I dissuaded him from doing so, saying you may interpret it as a poor Sardarji joke and in any case, you would be stressed after the meeting with Pranab da.

How did the meeting go? I am really fed up of this 2G. I thought once Raja went to jail and that DMK lost power, all our problems will be over. But now I hear Raja is singing `Raja ki aayegi baraat’ inside Tihar. Wasn’t that Rani’s flop movie, Manmohan ji?

When you return, I want you, Pranab, PC to meet me. Get Salman also. I mean Salman Khursheed, not Salman Khan. I am the Bigg Boss here, you know that, don’t you. I know you saw `Bodyguard’ on the flight to Frankfurt. But Rahul and Priyanka prefer SRK. You know that too, don’t you.

Rahul suggested we get Pranab and PC to tie friendship bands on each other’s wrists. I know it is not one of Baba’s usual gamechanger ideas but why not give it a try. You know how he gets upset when I don’t listen to his small desires and then he goes off in a huff to the countryside with that Digvijay Singh. I so disapprove of his company, I tell you. Can’t you put him as Governor somewhere?

By the way, today is also Dev Anand’s birthday. I wished him and he sent me an SMS saying he is shooting for his film `Solva Saawan in New York’. He told me he is delighted with his role in which he finally gets to play his age, as a 35-year-old bachelor. Since you are not too busy in New York, you must drop in at his sets. Take Gursharan also.

And before I forget, please tell your PMO not to release this letter under RTI. Remember, RTI does not mean `Re-Tweet to India’. 

So have a good birthday. Be a good boy. Don’t talk too much to the media, like you usually do.

Have fun.

Sonia Gandhi

 

 

The Obama administration has launched a new website for people to submit petitions, because, well, the government's broken, so why not see what the internet is up to? And what the internet is up to is, as usual, demanding the legalization of weed. More »

Most epochs are defined by one or another anxiety. More important, though, is the form which that anxiety takes. Millions of Americans are currently worried about two things that are, in their minds, emotionally related. The first of these is the prospect that white people will no longer be the majority in this country, and the second is that the United States will be just one among many world powers. This is by no means purely a “racial” matter. (In my experience, black Americans are quite concerned that “Hispanic” immigration will relegate them, too.) Having an honest and open discussion about all this is not just a high priority. It’s more like a matter of social and political survival.

Christopher Hitchens points to the heart of the matter in this alleged Tea Party uprising. Cut down to the basics, it is the impending loss of control and change that scares these people. Like everything else, hopefully, this too shall pass.

Imagine you’re at the circus. On the ground is a poodle performing a stunt. Above the clown’s head, dangling from a thin wire, is a piano. The piano is teetering, tottering, looking as if at any moment it might slip, crash to earth, and crush the dog. Impossible not to watch, right? And that’s the Palin show, only this time with the party of Lincoln as the little dog, and Sarah Palin as the piano.

Sounds about right and I hope to be around when that happens. As Fox News would say it, it would make for excellent ratings.

RT @shefaly: Read: Kristof asks: Is This America? #politics #religion #Islam

Indian-Americans, the fastest growing Asian group in the United States, make up a little over three million of the country’s population. But only two -- Jindal and Dalip Singh Saund, A Democrat who represented a California district from 1957 to 1963 -- have ever served in Congress. This year, though, there are an unprecedented six Indian-American candidates, all Democrats, are running for the House. And with Jindal and Haley generating national attention, the prominence of Indian-American politicians has never been greater.

And while one might assume that cultural conformity would be more important to Republicans, given the party’s conservative, tradition-minded base, Indian-American Democratic candidates can be just as quick to prove their American assimilation to voters.

Although American Jews in politics never fail to burnish their Israeli connections, Indian-American pols especially in the Republican Party try to run as far from India as possible.

"The Russell report’s conclusions are clear: There was no evidence of scientific malpractice and no reason to doubt the credibility of the scientific claims being made by the East Anglia researchers."

"In a previous conversation, Graham told me: “The problem with the Tea Party, I think it’s just unsustainable because they can never come up with a coherent vision for governing the country. It will die out.” Now he said, in a tone of casual lament: “We don’t have a lot of Reagan-type leaders in our party. Remember Ronald Reagan Democrats? I want a Republican that can attract Democrats.” Chortling, he added, “Ronald Reagan would have a hard time getting elected as a Republican today.”"

Excellent set of infographics on Indian politics and current affairs.

"The factual statements Brooks uses in his argument are wrong. Not arguable, or questionable, or suspicious. Wrong. And since everything else flows from those wrong facts, the rest of the column can't be taken seriously."

ROTFL! Some Repubs are hilariously insane

Confusing? Obtuse? Does Conrad need to stop by Politico's offices with a picture book and some finger puppets? I understand perfectly well how intelligent people who don't follow this debate closely might not catch on to the distinction. But this is what Mike Allen does all day -- and, as I understand it, much of the night and the wee hours of the morning as well. How can anybody still not understand this? I'm at a loss here.

Seven arguments Republicans should not be making against using reconciliation for health-care reform, and the one that they should.

"Not even the most fickle politician has changed affiliations as many times as Amitabh Bachchan. Why does the greatest superstar in Indian cinema history hanker so much for political patronage?"

"“Hate is a commodity that has always sold like hot cakes in certain quarters in India.”"

"At this point in his presidency, George W. Bush had made 10 recess appointments. Over the course of his presidency, he would make almost 200. Bill Clinton made about 150. In describing recess appointments as "a rare but not unprecedented step," Obama made it harder to actually make any"

The FBI is pressing Internet service providers to record which Web sites customers visit and retain those logs for two years, a requirement that law enforcement believes could help it in investigations of child pornography and other serious crimes.

Gallup Daily tracking data reveal that Asian-Americans tend to be more Democratic and much less conservative than the general population in their political views.

Barack Obama, then, is not the agent of change; he's the fulfillment of a change that is already occurring culture-wide, in every place but politics. That's why the Republicans fear him so much; why, while waiting for him to fail, they just come off as the political party for people who want to hit their kids.

It’s really sort of a masterpiece of cultural signaling — if you live anywhere between 59th st and about 105th, you can hear the between-the-lines messages with dog-whistle clarity.

I want to know what Dr. King would make of Twitter, the insistent social-media service that asks its users to describe “What’s happening?” in 140 characters or less.

Meet the 17 polluters and deniers who are derailing efforts to curb global warming

Mr. Tharoor said that he embraced Twitter because it helped Indians understand what he did every day, and it helped him understand what his followers thought.

I think the real and most fundamental problem Jews have with Palin is not her gleeful ignorance, but her willful divisiveness. More than any politician in memory, Palin seems to divide her fellow-Americans into first class and second class citizens, real Americans and not-so-real Americans.

Several of these arguments are based on assumptions that guided the U.S. response to the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks -- and unfortunately, they are as unfounded now as they were then. The biggest whopper of all? The paternalistic assertion that the government can keep us all safe without our help.

It was a year of Hope -- at first in the sense of ``I feel hopeful!'' and later in the sense of ``I hope this year ends soon!''

To see how difference between ressentiment and simple schadenfreude matters, consider Palin one more time. If the goal is just to antagonize liberals, making her the Republican standard-bearer seems tactically bizarre, since ideally you want someone who isn’t so repugnant to independents as to be unelectable. If the animating force is ressentiment, the leader has to be a loser to really deserve the role.

Several studies suggest that making it harder for sex offenders to find a home or a job makes them more likely to reoffend. Gwenda Willis and Randolph Grace of the University of Canterbury in New Zealand, for example, found that the lack of a place to live was “significantly related to sexual recidivism”.

“People such as scientist Stephen Hawking wouldn’t have a chance in the U.K., where the National Health Service would say the life of this brilliant man, because of his physical handicaps, is essentially worthless,” the editorial claims. Of course, that same Stephen Hawking who wouldn’t have a chance in the United Kingdom was in fact born in the United Kingdom, has lived his entire life in the United Kingdom and lives there still today

What a Texas town can teach us about health care.

So what kind of teachers could a school get if it paid them $125,000 a year?

The idea that descendants of African slaves are the only people in the history of our species to be done in by the configuration of architectural blueprints is mistaken.

But it is, above all, the smallness of the national conversation that baffles. The debate never rises above the battle tactics of who is with whom, and who ditched whom, and who said what in reply to what the other one said. The politicians, seemingly incapable of ideas, are wise not to attempt any. But the press, whose task is to challenge them, plays along, writing drivel analyses like the analysis with which I began, treating the thing like a sport, tit-for-tat, tat-for-tit, until it is time to go home.

Dubai was meant to be a Middle-Eastern Shangri-La, a glittering monument to Arab enterprise and western capitalism. But as hard times arrive in the city state that rose from the desert sands, an uglier story is emerging

We may get an inordinate amount of media coverage in this country, but some numbers indicate that there are perhaps only 50,000 active bloggers in this country. So while we can generate a mighty run on the market for pink panties, by ourselves, we are powerless to vote a party to power.

The party of Buckley and Reagan is now bereft and dominated by the politics of Limbaugh. A conservative's lament.

A U.N. resolution seeks to criminalize opinions that differ with the Islamic faith.

What fate will the coming years hold for New York, Charlotte, Detroit, Las Vegas? Will the suburbs be ineffably changed? Which cities and regions can come back strong? And which will never come back at all?

Enact legislation now that will gradually decrease the cap on the mortgage principal for which homeowners can deduct interest payments by $100,000 per year over the next seven years until it hits $300,000.

Fisking George Will's denial of global warming column

Pakistan Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi was on Monday quoted as having linked the Samjhauta train blasts near Panipat in 2007 to the Mumbai terror attacks in November last

Are Americans among the most religious people in the world? The answer depends on which "world" you're talking about. If you're referring to the entire planet, the answer is plainly "no."

Rush polls seven points lower than Rev. Jeremiah “God Damn America” Wright and eight points below former Weather Underground domestic terrorist William Ayers.

He rewrote the matrix of Bihar politics focusing on development and keeping a low profile that has won him many admirers.

The first post on the Obama White House Blog goes up a minute after he is inaugurated.

An arresting series of 50 or so portraits of the incoming Obama administration.

This is what happens when you let the politicians draw boundaries for their constituencies. Utter disregard for geography.

If Ashok Gehlot ever gives up politics he can make his mark as a juggler. Gehlot is the chief minister of Rajasthan. And the finance minister. And the home minister. And the state excise minister. And...

Another major American industry is asking for assistance as the global financial crisis continues. And why not? Everyone needs a lift.

Al Jaffee's fold-ins for Mad magazine, from the 1960s to the present, in interactive form.

CHINA and India are in a struggle for a top rung on the ladder of world power, but their approaches to the state and to power could not be more different.

Sol Sender, who led a design team for the Obama 08 logo, was recently interviewed about the project. Here’s a walk through the various logo options, with some of Sol’s thoughts.

Lines at the ER, a television boom, emptying suburbs. A catastrophic economic downturn would feel nothing like the last one.

Societal trends reshaping the American electorate

Behind the scenes incidents from the campaigns