Why India is acting like Women?

Iran has proved out to be the most weakly dealt external issue by India. India’s unscathed stand on contentious countries proves nefarious stand of our think tanks on the issue. Though Iran is one of the most energetic (having much gas) nations and having a huge support of its history of poets who have always laughed out at the threats Iranians had been facing and refuted grave situations, it has a two dimensional approach to everything.

Iran has since ages been ruled by clerics and now when the democracy has cultivated a republican dimension also. It is hard for modern politicians like Mr. Ahmedajinad to rule the difficult republic clerically without satisfying the other dimension. The voters’ anger and repugnance has proved this. Even the senior leaders like Mr. Rafsanjani and Mr. Moussavi understand the equation.

Iran has always looked towards India as an ally and a key partner. The energy equation in the region is balanced by Iran only. Its gas goes to all Asian countries and its key partner- Russia’s gas goes to the Europe. These two countries have strictures in place. America seems to have bowed to the facts that its forces in Afghanistan cannot get supplies without the security of NATO in the Kazak part which Russia provides. The fact has pressurized America to talk with Iran. But, India seems to have placed Iran low in its friends’ ladder and we see a key change in the key partner’s ladder. America has acquired a new position and moved up. Unlike strong countries, India is still having the NAM in place and refuting indulgence in adherence towards a block. NAM does not mean that we don’t involve, it means we are not attached to a block. It has to be understood that India is ignoring its previous love – Russia and is moving towards a new order whereby America is gaining more priority. America’s weakened position in new world order, both economically and politically, and India’s indulgence with America over the N-deal has recoiled India to an unfavorable position in the world’s new political order.

India seems to be following the women’s ladder theory (Ladder Theory is a scientific explanation to men and women relationships whereby men have a single ladder and women have the friends and the other ladder). China, on the other hand, has very clear ladder positions – Russia being on the top and America afterwards. Though China has 80% of the American bonds in hand, it still demands a new universal currency. It has setup riders in order to influence America if it has to bow to the American conditions. These are economic predominantly and some political. It seems that India has no such masterminded strategies though it has many masterminds. They all seem to be working for Sonia Gandhi rather than India.

On Iran’s issue, India could have supported a pipeline deal, though not commenting on the Iran’s nuclear stand like China does. Or it could have played double with riders which it does not have. This displays the weakness of India’s two-ladder system whereby many Asian tigers have only one. The inability since independence to follow a uni-ladder system has done many damages already. India should learn from China, how it single-handedly turned itself into an empire keeping it’s uni-ladder theory intact and now plays with America on its own terms and supports many viewpoints of Russia. I’m not saying that the other block is Russia maybe it is the China itself. But, right now the country having most energy resources is Russia and most economic might is America. China is still midway but India is unable to discover its own position. India should stop acting like women (as in the Ladder Theory) and be focused to decide its parameters for the one ladder since it beholds the future of more than one billion inside and many more outside. Iran’s issue can change many perceptions about India’s decisiveness on the key world issues.

377 Effect

The gay rights being not illegal and channels spurring hot debates over abolition of Article 377 has captured the attention of community in a prodigious way. The debates are concentrating on three main aspects i.e. the article itself, the effect on society and the religious angle.

The article was derived from British saying that gay practices are against nature and its laws. But the petition filed might have been strong enough to convince the judiciary to change the Constitution. Moreover, many scientific researches have shown that it is natural and depends upon hormonal secretion rather than a personal decision or out of frustration. If so natural why the uproar? Actually, there have been very few cases reported under this act in the last few decades. So whats the big change? They have not been encouraged, they have been censured from going to jail for getting involved in gay practices in bed. Well, who can see that? None.

Though the abolition may mean scrapping of the article as a victory to many. But, can the doing away of the article in Constitution change the perception of society towards the practices? The Indian orthodox still feel that it will ruin the society and it will have bad effects on the society as a whole. It is quite similar to the typical Indian mentality that most of educated adults support the decision of Supreme Court (like they endorse Mahatma Gandhi and APJ Abdul Kalam). But few want their children to be like them or turn out to be like them. Who wants? Well, few precautionary measures might have been listed by the Educated Ladies Association which persists in every locality.

• Do check whether your child goes out with opposite sex or not. If not make him go. Especially the weaker sex as its number is more. This is going to be a treat for straight children.
• Do not let your child go out with friends at night if all are of same sex.
• Watch out whether your son plays with boys only. If yes, consult doctor at the earliest. Ask Baba Ramdev for the treatment as he showed particular sympathy for the affected community.

And many more steps will ensure that the perceived phenomenon of gayism is precluded and nipped at the bud. But alas! It is natural and what can Baba Ramdev do about it who carries the torch of nature himself?

The people who can be found on TV debates opposing the practice openly are representatives of religion who say that it will make society unnatural. Imagine a Sardarji going to office and another Sardarji carrying a baby giving him a good bye kiss. It might be very natural for both of them but surely most of us are not ready to experience the rapid change in this rapid digital age. It is said that Indians are quite adaptive to changes and rather they follow changes very closely. Well, God forbid if this is the next change. I am still not ready. The Act has initiated a change of opinion and we all support the decision because it is unwise to go against nature and science. But I would still like it to be a secret change and not visible enough. The religion has never stopped any such practice rather Pagans are known to have supported it at one point of time. Also, Hindus' sutra has a mention of the homo-acts. So what can RSS or VHP do? Can it beat up two boys going down the lane and talking heartedly? No. Maybe Muslims have to rectify their constitution for mutiple marriages with men/women or both. Whatever it may be, we have to adapt to the change.

What is happening to the advertisements and programmes?

In these early post-recession times, Television is being used by corporates in a useful and amicable way to occupy the mind of consumers early until the consumption reaches the pre-recession levels. There are a couple of good advertisements like Airtel (as always), Center Fresh, Cadbury Shots, etc. These truly create the emotion to attach with the brand. Whereas, there are a couple of bad advertisements and unwanted TV programmes discussed below.

If you switch on TV, on 30% of the news channels you would see some fruitful discussions going on. While the others have lost the purpose of brodcasting a news channels because most of times you would see comedy channels, irrelevant masala, idiotic human faces to unscrupulous news, etc. Prominent channels among the masala types are India TV (complete 'newsance'), Aaj Tak (Well, we have been waiting since ages for a credible news. 'Intzaar karna padega naa jaane kab taak'), etc. When you watch Shireen Bhan talking on CNBC-TV18, you can feel the news and the discussion. Similar is with Zee Business, Times Now, UTV News and NDTV. Though, they need documentaries to fill the irrelevant spaces which they fill with better material than their counterpart so called highest rated News Channels like India TV.

The number of serials is uncountable and the drama unbearable. It looks as if the actresses take bathe in Loreal make-up kits before coming to shoot. The recent uproar is about the Swayamvar of Rakhi. I think it would have been a better idea if we had a swayamvar for APJ than the bitch who knows nothing except dance. And dancing is what her counterparts would do after the marriage. The drama is unbearable and the respect she is getting is disproportionate w.r.t. her status in Film Industry. India has thousands of beautiful ladies to be married and are well qualified than Rakhi. The TV producers could have done something about them like the simplymarry.com guy did.

The advertisements earlier had three parameter to instigate the consumer to buy the product. Firstly, creating an emotive attachment to the brand by using a star or a sign which relates to the brand like Coca Cola, Hutch and Airtel ads. Secondly, a value proposition ad which relays a great value for money like Nokia flashlight phone ad. Thirdly, the exploitation of sexual desire to sell their product which is both unethical and illogical. It is hard to believe that Mankind cannot sell its condoms without display of vulgarism. The desire is being mixed with love. Well, no one needs condoms to display love (Pehli Nazaar mein stuff). The connect is never there. The deo ads are better as the sense of smell has always been connected to the desire but Axe-chocolate has a very subtle way of selling off than many other brands. Close up has forgot to or does not have the money to hire good marketing consultants because no one expected it to use the fresh smell connection to the desire. Its getting bizzarre and more traumatising to see the logic being swept away under cheap publicity of brands. These ads de-grow a brand rather than giving an impetus.
We need ads and programmes which stress on logical connection to human behavior as most of India would not realise what is happening.

Energy Efficiency: A Foul Concept?

Energy Efficiency is an economic concept ans is defined as the energy units (in Kilogram equivalent of oil) required to generate a dollar of GDP. India is among the countries which are moderately energy efficient but having low productivity. The ideal case being high productivity and high energy efficiency, no country on the earth is in the ideal category. Even highly productive countries like America and fall in the energy inefficient category. But countries near to the ideal zone are Hong Kong, Switzerland and Austria. These are moderately energy efficient and highly productive countries.

Given the background India has an energy efficiency of 0.16 as of now as compared to 0.17 in 1991. This does not mean that the energy efficiency has decreased since the energy units required to generate 1 dollar GDP have decreased. Now that looks like an achievement. Wrong. Where's the dollar value w.r.t. inflation? Nowhere. The dollar of GDP has a lesser value today than in 1991. The dollar of 1991 was 2.4 times the value of dollar today taking average rate of inflation as 5%. This means India requires approximately 0.36 units of energy if I make a comparative study w.r.t. the year 1991. This makes India a highly energy inefficient country.

Energy efficiency is not a comparative concept but an absolute one. So if some fool tries to explain that look how India is growing as an energy efficient country, tell him that we are more or less still there only. We need a strong Energy Efficiency Policy and a regulatory framework which uses new technology to induce Demand Side Management (DSM) because the negawatt(Negative watt) achieved after using new technologies in industry and homes is far cheaper than the new watt generated at the power plant.

There is another paradox attached to the energy efficiency. Suppose Pappu buys a bike and since Pappu cares for the environment, he bought one with a good mileage. The bike was usually used for running 2 miles a day but since it is energy efficient, Pappu like to drive more thereby using more energy. The confusion surfaces when you confuse the extra consumption with the demand axed. Actually, if the extra mile driven contributes anything to the economy, it does not matter. Conversely, if Pappu is one among those who is driving after girls, he is neither adding anything to economy nor any value to himself, in that case, the efficient technology is making no contribution to the economy even though the perceived fuel use is less. The people who do not understand the difference call it the rebound effect that the extra consumption used by Pappu has rebounded.

Anyway, micro-level use of energy has a combined effect on the economy. And new DSM measures can make a lot of difference.