In human, we trust

I had mentioned in my first blog post about 'following' certain folks in twitter, which is rather my raison d'etre in this sort of 'online diary'. I look at it more as a way to know the opinion of a select few on some topics. It could be Ian Chappell of Australia on cricket or Paul Krugman of US on economics (politics?). Of course, if Chappell or Krugman decide to go 'crazy' from next year onwards, ie tomorrow ;), I can stop following them. Such opinions may also throw light on how people are in other parts of the world or country or even state. It looks like many people are indeed using twitter for the reason I mentioned in my first blog post - I knew it 10 minutes before you.

Twitter: a cult and not a cure seems to reemphasize the same. I think leanings of people are being converted or put it mildly streamlined into one particular disposition or opinion towards another. People without their knowledge may become part of a 'mob'. To quote from the article,

given the right kind of push, ideas or products can suddenly gain traction and pass around from person to person like a virus.

Unlike most advertisement campaigns, twitter is novel in the sense that it is not only 'popular reaching out to the public' but 'public reaching out to the popular'. Popular is NEVER right or put it mildly, may not be always right.

I had also posted regarding my online experience and it seems to be well in line with this 'philosophy'. 'Like-minded', rather equally foolish people join together and celebrate their idiocy. I think the bigger point is the repeat of time cycle. People who once 'group'ed together based on language or religion or region or caste are now 'group'ing together in terms of apparent 'connectivity'. It is interesting that the 'actual' person they are grouping with does not matter. They dont even need a face or voice, just someone responsive to their ideas, however ridiculous it might be. There may be also some 'status' associated with whom you are following in such group activities. To quote,

Faced with any kind of group activity, our first response is: do any of them know how to use Twitter?

and

Social networking sites create only a deafening banality

. Just like schooling became another form of segregation among atleast Indians, these online forums are trying to become another. The article seems to suggest that 'reliance' on online opinions is high and it does look like people are relying on opinions, not of their father or brother, but unseen person sitting miles away hitting the keyboard. Finally it is another human that they trust. Well, who is that human that I trust? Well, I dont care.

Oh, and happy New Year. ;)

Governor middling when AP is burning...

I dont know if K Chandrasekara Rao (KCR) wanted to emulate Potti Sriramulu by going for a fast, but south Indian channels were reporting resultant violent events as there was 'Sudden shutdown in Hyderabad, TV bulletins spread panic'. NDTV like any non-South indian channel was not reporting any of it atleast in the beginning. It looked like KCR was indeed able to do what Potti Sriramulu did by dividing Andhra from erstwhile Madras when Home Minister P Chidambaram made the announcement.

Many of my friends from Andhra (none of them were from Telangana) used to say that this Telangana call is nothing but nuisance. They said that Telangana has nothing but Hyderabad and they wont achieve anything by separating from Andhra. Maybe they were biased or 'streamlined' with the opinion of rest of the community. I now know that at the time of the states reorganization, it was indeed agreed that Telangana should be a separate state from Andhra. Congress with its usual approach of postponing or time-wasting 'promised' that Telangana will be later separated because initial level of division of states on linguistic basis had to get completed first and Telangana separation can be 'looked at' later. Congress had been successful in its stalling tactics whether it is Kashmir or LTTE.

Telugus who dismissed the idea of Telangana were those who didnt want Telangana to be separated. So scene of mass resignations was enacted. People from other regions also started giving calls for new states in their regions. Dig well, big hell or to put in Tamil கிணறு வெட்ட பூதம் கிளம்பிச்சு. I intuitively felt that Telangana should be indeed made a separate state and KCR did reaffirm my opinion in his interview. I also felt that protests in Andhra were orchestrated. If some region wants to sever from the old 'parent', how can anyone protest that it should not be severed unless they have vested interests in that region? Also it is going to be just another state in the same country. I bought a flat in Karnataka. So what? I have felt that Telugus are very good at mathematics or studies for that matter but are EVER stupid when it comes to emotions. They mix up everything and are quite 'scheming' .

Central Govt did backtrack, maybe because lot of MPs/MLAs of not just Congress, but TDP and even the recently born PRP seemed to have lot of stake in Hyderabad. With all parties being divided, it makes all the more reason that Telangana should be separated because no legislator from Telangana from any party is against the separation. All parties joined together to form a Joint Action Committee and today JAC gives ultimatum to Centre on formation of Telangana. To add the truly 'film'y look, Governor ND Tiwari was caught in sex scandal and has now resigned.

India is number one

India rout Sri Lanka, become world number one Test side goes the 'news'. With the current recession, entire world seems to go head over heels to give bananas to Republic of India. AR Rehman was given the Oscar sometime back. Now the 'number one Test side'. Does India deserve it? Of course not.

In the season from Jan 2007 till date, India has played 31 tests and won only 12. South Africa has played 28 tests and won 18, Australia played 29 tests and won 14. The fact is that since Jan 2007 India has played only 16 tests abroad, won 5 lost 5 and drawn 6.

Yes, India is world no 1.