Twitter : New Age Communication medium or Merely a Luxury

Often my weekend time pass also include reading celebrity tweets. Today was a similar day too. After logging, I read tweets to feed my gossip hunger. After that I noticed how one celebrity just mentioned that her phone battery is low. Her Battery status was instantly known by all her followers, including me. Call it Power of technology, Public’s obsession with celebs or whatever. But technology has made it possible & feasible to interact & reach the stars. Indian Metro’s middle class is getting more obsessed to celebrity culture. Technology has removed all 4 dimensions from communication. 3 locations dimension & forth time dimension has been totally eliminated. People in Delhi, Dubai, London, and Germany all are as close as person next to me (i.e. just a click away) so space dimension are obsolete. There is no time frame also, it is all in real time (Instantly). As far as I want, I can know easily about star (as much as celebs/others are willing to share).


All this pushed me into a sort of Moral dilemma. I might be getting closer to those geographically away. But I don’t know where most of my school friends are. Why technology is not allowing me to interact with them. I can’t communicate to my childhood school friends because they are not on twitter, they don’t have internet in first place.

I will love the luxury of knowing whereabouts of SRKs. But first I need necessity of communicating with family & not-so-rich friends through economical & feasible technology. Necessity should always be affordable & available to all. Luxury might be expensive. Which is not the case here. I can’t see a point in knowing about SRK when I had not talked to my sister for 5 days.

This brings me to most important question. Is It Twitter’s fault? Definitely not. It is my decision & my fault (if it is at all). Best possible way will be when I can enjoy both with equal ease. When can we see Pro-poor technology for communication? Is internet sole way for better communication? Can we not make something which is for masses? Something which is not only affordable, easily available but also required minimum skills to operate. Internet might be ‘taken for granted’ thing for few metro based peoples, but it is still a rarity at least in India. Forget about internet, more than 1 billion people in world don’t have access to electricity even today. Most of them are in Africa & south Asia obviously. More than One third of India’s population live below poverty line. They are many decades away from internet. We need something which has more reach than web based communication. Telecommunication is field, in which technology has raised the people’s living standard more than any other technology in last two decades. Indian lower middle class is slowly getting access to mobile phones, thanks to competition open market & tight regulation in the sector. I really wish it keep up the pace & let more be benefitted from it & not only the selected few economically strong. Communication is very important tool for empowerment of people. Government can’t construct roads connecting every village in next 10 years; it is financially & logistically very big. But Communication can be improved much easily & faster.

Long live SRKs. Long live twitte. Long Live India. Long live poors. Long live peace.

Indian Media Test & Results. News Channel or Views Channel.

I took a surprise test of Indian Media today. The moment i was back from Office, i switched on TV as usual. But i made my mind & decide that News channel which will not be running Ayesha-shoaib story will be my Favourite channel. Some channels were not eligible in that. I have high regards for some channels. But Surprise is a surprise & commitment is a commitment.To my surprise Times Now was running the same ayesha-shoaib story, being a channel on my good books. I gave them extra time of 2-3 Minutes & convince myself it might be just coincidense that time when i tuned in channel was running thier 1 minute reporting. But when it continued for more than 5 minutes. I quit & honoured my self commitement. Times Now is no more on my good books by default. It have to earn my respect all over again.
Mood changed, so did channel.Next on radar is NDTV 24x7. They were discussing Food Security with good panel of people. I watched for good 5 minutes, partially because i want to know about food security & mainly because i want to know real mentality of channel. Whether they will come back to same story everyone is running. they didn't. Full Marks.
NDTV india was third under scanner. They were discussing how media is slowly starting to pass judgement. Nice issue raised. Full marks again.

NDTV is my Favourite channel. May be Time(s) to change Now. I will watch News channel who reports. Not Views Channel who give judgement. Media Terrorism is going on. No one can Control. only complains.

Sania-Shoaib-Ayesha : Biggest Entertainer from India Media.

I was busy on my Laptop, catching up some pending internet gossips, which i missed during last 2 days away from Internet due to exams. Friend was watching TV, strange music from TV got my attention, this sound was mix of Suspense music & some romantic song playing in background (weird combination). I turned my eyes to TV to find out more about the sound & music. I could see clip, which i guessed was from latest Romantic Comedy suspense thriller from Bollywood. But Wait a Minute! It is not. Infact it is a News Channel & I can recognize this voice even if i hear it now & than, More than reporter it sounds like a C grade dubbing. After all it is India TV (If you don’t know, u better not). This channel has very been the same, whenever i tuned to India TV (Once in 2 months or so) They were always telling same brand new story, how "World will end in 2012" or "Pak will be finished by 2015". They always present them as Movie with anchors playing actors. Welcome to free & Liberal Indian media, News are scriptted here, dialogue are written to suite target groups. TRP is for a news channel what profit is for a company. It all that matters.

I normally prefer watching IPL matches in the evening. But this accidental discovery changed my mood. Once again today is a day when I watch TV for research rather than entertainment & information. I do this once in a while & see what is going around in media, what my fellow indians are being forced to watch. Has there been any improvement, how things are changing.

I must appreciate the director, script & dialogue writer for their good work in news channels. If models can act why cant anchors. News are not judged for unbiased here, they are judged on presentation & selection of news. So Today's plot is time tested formula of love triangle "Sania-shoaib ki shaadi".

What i saw on screen was anchors dressed with black coats claiming to be the lawyer of Sania & Shoaib (or Ayesha & Shoaib?).

6 persons are sitting *acting* as witnesses/audience/judges/supporters. 3 on each side to be fair to both. Screen behind anchors (lawyers) shows Sania on half portion, Shoaib on other half with their defending lawyers (or Liars?) standing on their respective client side. Most of witnesses were pan chewing Imam's of various Masjids of Delhi. Proceeding started with Shoaib lawyer claiming how his client hasn't done anything wrong & asked one of his supports to intervene. Opposition lawyer corrected him in well directed, well written act claiming she too have her supporters & asked one of the Maulana to prove how Nikah nama is Right.
Enough! I do care for society but there is limit to torchor I can bear. Even most professional criminals can’t bear tolerance. Channel changed & I took a breath of fresh air.

Is it Commercialization of TV, Free Media, Lowest standard of news or Masala News feeding its targeted Audience? Whatever name is given it is really in bad taste.

Channel Changed to some "Live India", if i am not mistaken it is same channel which was banned due to fake string operation. This channel targeted another audience group, It claim to show "Sania's story by herself" titled "Sania ki kahani sania ki zubaani". Reporter start speaking "I am sania, I start playing tennis at 4 etc..." what surprise me more was what was shown on screen. It shows hottest picture of sania available on net. Imagine a sexiest picture of sania in some awkward situation running on screen & voice behind says I start playing at 4. (whats the purpose?). Focus is not on telling sania's Biography (channel knew few will be interested in it). Purpose is showing sexiest sania picture to audience to whom internet is not available.

AajTak claim to sabse fake (or is it tez?). It runs a latest video shoot at sania's residence. Although there is nothing clearly visible in 15 sec long video clip, same Video is repeated for 15 minutes with anchor shouting "you can see here sania....." making u believe her more than your own eyes. It’s only you who can’t see anything other than some shadow, rest can see it all.

Research must go on. so Channel is changed again. End up at Zee News; here some KRK is blaming Sania Mirza of being a deshdrohi. She remind the viewers how Pakistani peoples made fun of Indians when Rina Roy married Mohsin Khan. He repeated how Pakistanis used to tease Indians "Indians can’t take care of their daughters". He doesn’t want this to happen again. No Matter how hard I try to see things from other perspective, I couldn't imagine his argument at all. Free Liberal modern society might not need censorship. But after watching it, I agree with our politicians, we better censor media from showing the crap & claiming it to be News.

I think Sania deserves a royalty form all these channels who has gained 2-3 days of TRP due to her. She deserves it.

I want to close it on Vir sanghvi Quote on same issue "A young girl is getting married. That should be an occasion for joy. Instead we are turning it into an excuse to spew hatred". I agree with him it is not a matter of national Intrest. Its matter of people's personal life.

Irony being People who treat this as personal matter (Vir Sanghvi or Myself) are also one who are writing about it. Discussing it. It will become personal matter the moment its TRP will drop & public will be sort of bored of it. Sachin should not retire as long as he is scoring runs. Similarly It Media should not drop the issue as long as it is scoring (i.e. Geeting TRP).

It is simple Business & economics. GOD Bless Sania (more than Sania, God Bless India & its Media).

Going Green: The IPL Way

When IPL-3 Started, Ravi Shashtri & Lalit Modi were proudly annoucing IPL is Going Green. Unaware of fact that Going Green Doesn't mean Making chearleaders wear green cloths or painting the stadium green. IPL is gone Green by reducing pollution through use of Post match Fire works. But when it comes to IPL, everything is fair. No one can complain not even media. It was BCCI who first outgrown ICC, Now its IPL term to outgrow BCCI.
I wonder if IPL will celebrate WORLD EARTH HOUR by Switching off flood lights on World Earth Day between 8:30 - 9:30pm. Come one IPL you are going green, after all. Non sense. IPL Rocks But It is not Green for sure.

IPL 3 : Cricket, Business & Entertainment (Cricetainess) .

It is time for Biggest entertainment event (Oops Sporting too) of india. Lalit Modi is Better Entertainer than Aditya Chopra. Aditya often fail to entertain People. IPL is like a movie whose ending is unknown but has the guarantee to be superhit. Cricket in India is such a passion if make BCCI overgrow its Parent body ICC. Now i fear IPL will outgrow BCCI. This has surely turnes out to be much bigger than most of us anticipated. Event is so long, 60 matches to be played (unlike World cup where india will feature in max 10 matches), still people doesn't seems to get enough of it. Biggest challenge of IPL were not its marketing or creating IPL a brand, but to retain the brand value. We have seen so many Promising event fading away in matter of days. In true sense, no one can afford a fail or even moderate IPL. No much has been put on stake on that. It has got Glamour of Bollywood, Adventure of Sport & funds of Business. Fact that almost all 8 teams are, more or less of same standard it make all the games close, intense & thriller. It is not only better than daily soaps but Reality shows also. When it comes to TRP, no one can withstand with IPL.
Gone are the days when cricket was Young Men's Passion alone. It is for children, Parents, Grandparents, Girls, ladies...Just everyone. I am yet to find a person who is not happy with IPL (except few parents whose child may be having exams). On politics front, i think Lalit Modi has outgrown Sharad Pawar now by many miles. Modi is one cricket administrator to look out for. No wonder in 2008, sports magazine Sports Pro ranked him at number 17 in the Power List of global figures connected with sports.Time Magazines July 2008, lists him no 16 in their listing of Best Sports Executives in the World for 2008. Not to mention Rs 8700 crores deal with Sony for 10 years. 8700 crores................Huh.............i take few seconds for mind even to process the amount. Only Milestone left is IPL surpassing English football league.
Great going India.

ParliaMENt is ParliaWOMENt now! "Women reservation Bill passed in Parliament".

Parliament has passed the "Women reservation Bill". It is point of discussion everywhere, Is it the Best women day gift or step in wrong direction. Somewhere down i have the feeling that only "Too conservatives" & "Too liberals" are opposing it. Moderate, liberals are supporting it. From Lalu mulayam to Top Women CEOs are opposing it. Conservatives opposing bill is expected & Too Liberals also don’t want women to beg for respect. Earning respect is better than demanding it. By giving reservation government itself is making women feel inferior, women will think of themselves as someone who need to be provide reservation to get enough representation. Reservation is synonym for weakness & inability to compete.


Empowering women is not just about giving them representation in parliament. Power should be in real sense not merely symbolic. I am sure this will trigger the Bahu, beti & Biwi politics. Everyone will be filing their wives for MP. I wonder if tag "Wife of xyz" will ever disappear from our future women MPs.

No. of women in top position doesn’t translate into women empowerment in society neither does lack of it translate into woman non-empowerment. Those who argue that might consider this. USA never had women president in history, till yesterday no female director won OSCAR. On the other hand Bangladesh has been ruled by women in last decade. Top leader of both major parties of Bangladesh are women namely sheikh haseena & Khalida Zia. Both are Prime ministers of Bangladesh more than once.

Does above mention facts make woman of Bangladesh more empowered than those of US, certainly NOT. Our Politicians don’t seems to understand that till now.

We need the respect for woman not the reservations. Having said that, if reservation is not provided for women. Will that change the scenario?

I think reservation might not be the best way to achieve that. But without bill can we expect women empowerment in coming decade.

Either way it is not going to work till mindset is changed socially. Bill is of little help for women in long run (Be it Bill Clinton or Bill of women reservation).

Reservation Bill will not put the women on any disadvantage, but it will not be of great help either.

India has become the first country to pass such bill. Let’s see how it turns out to be.

My Name is NOT Khan & I am an Engineer.

It has been too long since i saw "My Name is Khan (MNIK)". It is almost useless now to write about it since Movie has done its business & Now it is out of news. No one will watch/escape it based on my reviews. But then I question Myself honestly "Had i written this long time ago, could i have change anyone's perception". Answer is NO (No one read my blogs unless forced to). So my review about MNIK will have same effect if written now or even if written 5 years later (i.e. No effect).

Let's salute SRK, Karan for their Noble intensions, bold subject & effort to bring tolerance into society. Movie has offer some good lessons to society for sure. It deals with sensetitive issue & tried to bridge gap between communities. Message is simple & clear "Follow your religion but love everyone". Saddest part is that movie fails on Entertainment front (which is very purpose of all movies). Movie has Noble intensions, No doubt about that. but Noble intensions should not be on the cost of entertainment, which seems to be the case with MNIK. Sorry Karan you are yet to master this art. Raju hirani seems to be best in business when it comes to "Conveying message without compromising entertainement front". Hirani's all 3 offering so far has done that beautifully be it Munnabhi MBBS, Lage Raho Munnabhai or 3 idiots.
Hats off to him, Saddest part for movie is when another movie is praised in movie's review.
It is proved that karan johar is not raju Hirani (atleast to me). Had MNIK not starred SRK, Kajol & not directed by KJo, It am sure it would have not been even a HIT on box office. Call it Charm of Stars or Immaturity of Audience. Quality of movie is not the biggest factor in its success afterall. Movie owe its success to SRK, KJo, Kajol & Offcourse Bal Thakery (Not to its script, Direction or screenplay).
I still prefer 3 idiots over 3 intellectuals (SRK, KJo & Kajol).