This is how the Israeli's sell us missiles!

This is truly the funniest marketing video I have ever seen!

EchTee responds to the Navy

Yesterday, one of the funnier banners I saw at the impotent protest marches read 'Thank you to the Media', which somehow came up over and over on CNN-IBN. I do not agree with a couple of mails doing the rounds that the English news media ignored CST - the attacks were ongoing at Taj and the Oberoi, but the Hindi channels which mind you, a bulk of the country watched did a far better job. Anyway, regarding this post and this follow-up the attack on the Navy Chief, who not so long ago was getting plaudits for going after the Somali pirates is being led by no less than The V himself. Somehow, the defence reads like 'How dare you attack us!'
Of course, one can be completely cynical and argue that it reads more like 'How dare you attack one of MY friends!' (and we could go on about that) But, despite the denials and the argument that the Admiral was not based on 'fact'. But then again, nor are fake emotions and stupid questions. That group I spoke about in my last post now has close to 2400 members and that should be worrying to some people in that channel (not even counting the several SMSes about her that are doing the rounds), because while there will be people who will dismiss the Internet as some new-age fad, these were former 'core viewers' and losing them is a problem. Yes, the Navy Chief should be in deep water for what should be dinner-table conversation, but the very fact that this incident (true or not, and I will not take General Ved Malik's word as the gospel truth, there is a shitload of stuff on Bharat-Rakshak that the establishment will deny, but is in all probability true), has been brought out into the open displays that some parts of the establishment are angry with televised media and one smug channel in particular. That NDTV is in trouble is not too difficult for someone to see, and I mean that from a completely financial point of view, but letting out the attack dogs in defence of the channel will not help. There needs to be serious introspection both by the journalist involved and the channel. There is a palpable sense of grievance that the general population, OK, the middle classes feel towards the English media, address that concern instead of closing ranks. Why on earth are people pissed off, and why did everybody switch over to watching a rabid Arnab on Times Now? Why on earth did Sreenivasan Jain, who was by far and away the best reporter out of Mumbai for the network in question (and actually, when you think about it, the best overall) not get enough airtime?
And really, with our current defence minister pussy-footing with the Defence Budget, rather the Naval budget over the past three years, why on earth are we going after the Navy? Like the rest of the incompetent and impotent UPA administration, A K Anthony has done nothing. The Naval Chief was indiscreet and maybe he needed to check facts, but maybe the facts are right. Filing for defamation may not be a great idea because skeletons might start pouring out from hidden closets. Skeletons such as the contrived coverage of the Kashmir earthquake from nowhere near the real site.
Listen, I am going to go back to what I said earlier. Introspection is the order of the day - in India's security apparatus too used to protecting politicians sell out the country, and by those politicians as well. But also for the televised English media. Otherwise we will no better than the Pakistani media. And my god, those guys are from a different planet.

On things I really know nothing about...

I know I am steeping into a hornets nest here, so I must clarify that my understanding on the topic is fairly limited. While I must confess that I am fascinated by technology, I usually limit myself to writing about personal technology. However, I do follow trends in military technology for the simple fact that several innovations made in military technology have made it into regular day-to-day use, much like how auto-racing has invariably led to virtually every advancement in passenger car technology today (from the humble rear-view mirror in 1907). While, many would attribute most advancements to the might of the US military-industrial-scientific machine, the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) has seen some of its developments in food-packaging technology (thanks to our involvement in Siachen) make it to grocery stores across the country.
But we are not talking about food over here – even though food sciences research has been remarkable. After hours of wandering aimlessly across internet forums, because I often do that sort of thing to get leads and I find internet forums to be quite fascinating (I’m a member in a couple) you also get a clue of what is going on. And one of the more interesting things that I spotted was the tremendous resentment towards the media on fairly well-publicised stories against the DRDO, which in essence accused them of incompetence.
Again, and before I get accused of veering one way or another, I must clarify that I really don’t know much, so bear with me here. I will not blame the scientists over here though, I personally believe that thanks to our years of dilly-dallying on military projects thanks to a succession of governments who have found it more conducive to accept bribes from arms dealers, whose son’s smash up perfectly nice BMW 7-series (killing a few people in the process) rather than help come up with the funds to develop the best we can.
At the end of the day, there is no argument against the fact that our best scientists and engineers graduating from college do not join the DRDO, or any major governmental research body for that matter. Blaming reservation politics for this would be unfair right now, because the emergence of better jobs and opportunities for such graduates exist. Again, I do not disagree from the contention that the DRDO has not been up to scratch with some of their more recent projects, most of which are years and in some cases, decades beyond schedule (The Light Combat Aircraft being a pretty bad case in point). Fair enough, there have been some successes. The problem here, according to me, is not with the organization, but with government apathy. In some cases, there has been a serious funds crunch, with at least this current government more content on pilfering coffers to strengthen the grassroots organization of the cast (you really think the NREGP is anything but that?) rather than putting more money into defence research.
I might be wrong here, some might argue that the DRDO is well funded enough, but I really don’t think so. I mean look at the stuff that DARPA is talking about in the US, and I get pretty scared. We talk of ourselves as a world power and demand a permanent seat in the United Nations Security Council (Every permanent member has a significant level of military production) but try to run our Armed Forces on imported hardware from a bunch of Russians whose agents can afford to throw some of the best parties in Delhi. The solution, according to me, and this is not the opinion of someone in the know, is that we pour more money into research, pay kids more, make them want to become scientists and engineers, and maybe, just maybe we’ll get somewhere.
And point two, there really needs to be better PR somewhere in the system, because I am pretty sure that while many people who write on the armed forces know more than me, that is not exactly saying much, is it? But then again, I have always had this sneaking suspicion that most journalists know dick, but will never admit it! Maybe, that’s why I call this blog what I call it!

The usual!

After much goading I found myself at Turquoise Cottage on Friday night, as usual the place was filled with tone-deaf idiots - I've never figured out why people who claim to be DJ's can't maintain a tempo and maintain the same style of music through the night. Forget new music - you do not put Linkin Park and The Beatles back to back, you can certainly play them in the same set if you want to play around with the tempo and know what the hell you are doing. But back-to-back? Sheesh!

Anyway, back to the topic. Lately there has been a lot of gossip, but mainly concerning one channel, rather one network. A very senior editor/producer who was caught el flagrante with a senior anchor, you would say big deal. But, a few days ago I hear the same guy was asked to proceed on long leave after he propositioned (well, a version I heard had some elements of fondling in a lift - but I wouldn't know anything about that) a younger anchor. What is even more peculiar, is that this 'younger' anchor is supposedly 'famous' in the industry for all the wrong reasons. And people get upset when I shout obscenities at my delightfully slow computer at office. Anyway, all I do know is at this network all sorts of strange things have been happening - and I wouldn't say the network is imploding. No, unlike another network they don't have people who don't read the newspapers and carry four-month old news leading their more senior reporters holding their heads in their hands, but it is crazy. And evidence of that happened at the english channel a couple of months ago.

Coming back to news, this entire 'Q Business', I've been looking at coverage and I must say, coverage in The Hindu has been quite peculiar. Imagine how they must feel, because after all, that newspaper was the reason Bofors was brought into the public realm. Anyway, despite everything and my own right-leaning tendencies, I would the matter to be buried and forgotten. It happened in a different time and a different era, but every 12-18 months something happens and we hear of the story again. I guess some of you would think differently, but think of Bofors thing like an old flame we can't get over, you can't let it hold back your life - read Murakami's Norwegian Wood if old flames are your thing.

However, some things haven't changed. I know a lot of people who make their living selling arms and ammunition to the government and seeing how they live and party (rather their children/grandchildren). I don't think we have improved the arms buying and distribution system, there is still a lot of money to be made, even after the Tehelka expose. From what I believe, AK Anthony is 'clean' (now, with politicians this is always a relative term) but he tends to procrastinate. And middlemen still thrive and continue to make a lot of money and have gigantic parties in Chattarpur. Oh well!