David did win, just like in Biblical times. Only this time, the surname was ‘Cook’.

The former bartender knocked off David Archuleta by 12 million votes to capture the seventh season title on American Idol. Check out the winning announcement and Cook’s subsequent performance of “Time of My Life”. Emotionally charged, I did say.

A few come to realize that they can make the cut… But many who audition do not realize they can’t sing…. A few dreams come true, but many others are shattered… This is what the American Idol embodies. It’s entertainment for the world and an opening for many into the star-studded world of Hollywood…

Check out this Simpsons video on an American Idol audition. I need not say more about the judges record producer Randy Jackson; pop singer and choreographer Paula Abdul; and music executive Simon Cowell…. It’s all here…

I simply love the American Idol concept… It is the height of democracy… Millions of people expressing their opinions on an event they feel strongly about… What’s more, they even go against the opinions of the ‘friendly’ judges, if needed.

Why can’t we run our country this way? Direct democracy is not something new to the world of Politics. Switzerland’s taxes and spending are lower than otherwise, and its labor productivity higher, because the Swiss can vote on fiscal issues. Bavaria’s ruling party, the Christian Social Union, credits direct democracy with giving citizens a way to disagree with the government on single issues without voting for the opposition.

Defenders of direct democracy insist that it improves decision-making. However, not eager to share power, politicians argue that ordinary citizens cannot be trusted with too much. What do YOU think?

If this post has piqued your interest on Direct Democracy, then head on to an article on Direct Democracy in Germany published in the Economist.

For the uninitiated few, Vulcans are a humanoid species in the fictional Star Trek universe who hail from the planet Vulcan, and are noted for their attempt to live by reason and logic with no interference from emotion. On early Star Trek original series (TOS) episodes, they were sometimes referred to as “Vulcanians”. They were the first extraterrestrial species encountered by Humans, and later became one of the founding members of the United Federation of Planets.

Now the question… What can we learn from this purely fictitious race of aliens?

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Emotional Control

Vulcans, as a matter of custom and policy, suppress all emotional influence by living lives of rigid emotional self-control through meditative techniques and training of mental discipline. Vulcans are not depicted as having no emotions. Although they themselves make this claim, Vulcans are a very emotional people. They developed techniques to suppress their emotions precisely because of the damage they can cause if unchecked.

Human equivalent : Ditto

We do not have to go searching for reasons to get upset. They come to us. Aren’t we the lucky ones?

Controlling emotions can go a long way in making a person’s life better. Learning not to throw a tantrum when you did not get that promotion/raise you so deserved may help you come across as more professional. Instead of wreaking your computer and office furniture, a more diplomatic way of disagreeing with the appraisal board will definitely help you in the long run.

Being diplomatic and aware of your surroundings becomes more important at home. Just remember the golden rule “No swearing when children are around” and you will be just fine.

The video below is a pristine example of anger management and emotional control.

Note: I am not talking about bottling your emotions up air tight and in the process, turning yourself into a walking, talking volcano waiting to spew “emotional” ash on your near and dear. Just find a way to vent it in a safe manner (like taking rifling or Krav Maga lessons)

Mind meld

Spock famously performed a mind meld on a number of occasions to communicate with a creature that did not speak the universal language, or to delve more deeply into another’s subconscious so as to retrieve important information not otherwise accessible. This technique involved placing his fingers at key points on the face (or equivalent thereof) of the being in question. After a moment, his consciousness was merged with the consciousness of the being, thus leading to thoughts and emotions being shared by both. This was first depicted in the TOS episode Dagger of the Mind and then referred to as the Vulcan mind fusion.

Human equivalent : Body Language

Although the human race cannot perform mind melds, we can still pick up unsaid messages from people around us. Some researchers put the level of nonverbal communication as high as 80 percent of all communication. More reasonably it could be at around 50-65 percent. That’s exactly what Mehrabian discovered in his communication study. He found that only 7 percent of communication comes from spoken words, 38 percent is from the tone of the voice, and 55 percent comes from body language. However, Mehrabian was only referring to cases of expressing feelings or attitudes, such as when a person says “I do not have a problem with you!” when people commonly focus on the tone of voice, and body language of the person, rather than the actual words said. It is a common misconception that these percentages apply to all communication.

Learning common Body Language can go a long way in improving how you understand other people and understanding what signals you unintentionally send across.

Check out this (hilarious) instructional video on body language. Do let me know if it helps…

The Way of Truth

It was established in “The Enterprise Incident” that, like all Vulcans, Spock never lies. In “The Doomsday Machine” Spock states that “Vulcans never bluff”. It could be argued that this is typical from someone who is bluffing, but this appears credible, since Vulcans never lie. In “The Menagerie”, however, Spock actually does lie. He tells Captain Kirk about a message sent to them from Star Base 11, ordering them to visit the now-disabled Captain Pike who is living in a special hospital there. They received no such order, as Kirk later discovers when they arrive. He later discusses this with Dr. McCoy, who refuses to acknowledge the possibility of Spock having lied. “…It’s impossible, Jim; Spock is a Vulcan. He is utterly incapable of lying,” McCoy says. “Yes,” Kirk replies. “But he is also half-human. That human part of him is capable of lying.”

Human equivalent : Sincerity

The dictionary defines “sincerity” as “freedom from deceit, hypocrisy, or duplicity; honesty in intention or in communicating; earnestness.” At the heart of sincerity is honesty in all your conduct and communications. Seek sincerity in all your communications by becoming a man who keeps confidences, curbs his sarcasm, and avoids dishonesty.

“It is difficult but not impossible to conduct strictly honest business. What is true is that honesty is incompatible with the amassing of a large fortune.”

                                                                           Mahatma Gandhi

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Striving for these “Vulcan” qualities will help you become a better person. I wish you the best.

As any Vulcan would have put it,

Dup dor a’az Mubster… [Live long and prosper...]

I was out the last day with a friend of mine for dinner. We got ourselves a nice table, ordered wine and starters. And then we started talking…

And then, it happened!!! I ‘passed out’ for a sec. (READ: wasn’t listening to what she was saying… was thinking how beautiful she looked in candlelight… Oh!!! how her lips moved…  Oh God!!! She is saying something…)

When I recovered, I found myself with a weird smile fixed on my face, nodding my head. But wait…. she wasn’t talking anymore… And then it came…

She said, “Whatever….”

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God help those posed with this word unawares. These were the scenarios I had seen it used before:

1. Do not disturb me

I was visiting my friend. While he was busy completing his Ph.D. thesis, I popped this question.

Me: Can I take a couple of beers and chips home, dude?

Friend: Whatever

2. I am way out of your league/not interested

This was something I witnessed. John Doe does not translate to Renji John. I was just an innocent by-stander watching this disaster of a pick-up line bring him down.

John Doe: Hi… My name is John “Lover Boy” Doe… What’s your name, pumpkin?

The girl at the bar: Whatever.

3. What you are saying is plain stupid

Another John Doe scenario. A different one, of course.

John Doe2: Did you know fish can fall in love?

The girl at another bar: Whatever.

4. A genuine grammar-textbook bred question

I have never seen this used by the teenagers of this era.

Holmes: Whatever did she mean by that, Dr. Watson?

Watson: Beats me, Sherlock Holmes.

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Now which of these was it? Go with Number 3… Go with Number 3…

She muttered, “Renji, I thought you liked Oasis…”

So… It was an innocent video this time… Phewww….

My Bad!!!

Lessons learnt:

If you just happened to have been thrown the “whatever” flavored dog bone by a girl, then dear dog-head, try to jump at the least damaging conclusion of all.

If the girl was asking you to move on in life and you continue talking to her about a music video, it “MIGHT” (the caps and quote marks on purpose there!!!) help you come across as a persistent, good-humored positive thinker who just doesn’t get it.

A recap of (just the boring part of) our dinner conversation:

Her: This is a nice place for a good conversation. [She smiled...Oh... What a beautiful smile?]

Me: So let’s start one… What did you do today? [Oh God.. how cheesy could that be?]

This is where my mind wandered

Her: Well… I worked out in the morn… Got to office… U know what? It was just another normal day at office… ALTHOUGH… I did get to check out a video of Oasis.

back online…

Her: Whatever

[Awkward silence]

Her: Renji, I thought you liked Oasis…

Me: Yeah yeah… ‘Course I do… [Did I just wag my tail too? Take it easy, boy!!!]

1. You might look stupid

This goes on top of most beginners’ list of worst nightmares. This is a time when enthusiasm levels run high. You are pumped up to be the Brad Pitt in your local Fight Club.

In most cases, this is where things go wrong. You end up doing something stupid. Worse still, you end up doing something stupid in front of very fine specimens of female Homo-Sapiens. Hurting yourselves in the process is just an associated cost, given the way you would feel at that point in time.

Alternative:

Wear appropriate clothing, try not to push yourselves too hard to impress others, know your limits and most importantly, don’t let crazy friends, who want to make a funny video out of you, hang out anywhere near your work-out area.

2. You have a nagging/irritating lover

If your freedom as a human being is being curtailed by the stifling presence of a girl whom you still love dearly, then not exercising is a way to go. Mind you, it might not work at first. For all you know, the nagging might increase. But your pot belly will prevail. If you stay out of shape for a long enough time period, (s)he might actually decide to leave you for a healthier person.

Alternative:

A good conversation seems to work most of the time. You try telling her the way you feel. No, I am not talking about talking about your award-winning rib-tickling ‘throw-up’ act. Think more in the lines of ‘How much I love you..” and “There are some things you should know…” and “I need some ‘alone’ time in our relationship as well”. But be careful with the ‘alone’ thing… It should not sound like you are breaking up… Because if you do and you were not the stud you used to be, you will have to hit the gym again, get back in shape and then, join the pack of hungry wolves on the look-out for vulnerable women who are intelligent and pretty (not always in that particular order…)

If nothing works, then let the ad below be your hope and light.

3. The dreaded feel-good syndrome

Some people are just not happy if they actually are happy. If you really think feeling good about yourselves is not the way to go, then not exercising might do you a ton of good. Apart from low self-esteem that might creep in along the way, the health risks posed is sure to drain away any little joy that has been driving you nuts.

If the lyrics of this James Brown song drives you over the edge, then, my friend, do not even think of getting a pair of joggers.

Alternative:

Therapy.

4. You cannot compromise on sleeping time

Are you one of those countless others who do not get enough sleep? A new study by the Center for Disease Control (CDC) finds that 70% of all adults in America aren’t getting enough sleep. This tendency is not restricted to the US of A.

How, then, will you be able to find time to exercise? Is it not enough that you spend most of your waking time at office trying to get tasks done and the rest of it doing household chores?

Alternative:

Integrate exercise into your daily life. Take stairs instead of the escalators at malls. Walk your dog. If you don’t have a dog, walk your neighbor’s dog. (It has the added benefit of getting into their good books.)

If you can think of more such ideas, do comment them on this blog.

5. An excuse to have more sex

Now, this is not such a bad thing.

According to http://www.healthcentral.com

Most people enjoy sex for its own sake, but a recent study suggests that men who have sex at least three times a week cut their risk of a heart attack in half.

Researchers started out studying the benefits of vigorous exercise, looking at an activity lasting 20 minutes or longer and making the exerciser sweaty or out of breath. Most of the men they questioned thought that sex fit this description just as well as soccer.

There is some bad news though. Promiscuity isn’t likely to have such health benefits. Japanese scientists recently announced that people engaging in adulterous relations were more susceptible to fatal strokes.

No videos here… Sorry, folks!!!  

Work-around:

None. You should be doing this. Go find the love of your life, if you have not already. And in case you need ammo in your “Sex is good for health” arsenal, then head on  here

Now that summer is on, every one is out to get their share of the sun. But not the typical Indian. It has nothing to do with Heliophobia. It has more to do with us being conditioned to stay away from the ‘harsh tropical’ celestial body. This training kicks in whenever we get out into the open. While you will find Europeans crowded out in the sunny outdoors, Indians would feel comfortable staying in the shade.

But what if it is not summer? What other rule of thumb would come to the rescue of the Indian-seekers?

Ladies and gentlemen, let me present to you the Leather Jacket. Any Indian male would consider a good leather jacket a possession worth a passing down a couple of generations. All those biker movies never helped one bit. Me and my friends can swear to seeing many of these on my Indian fellow-men here in Europe. I also confess to owning one.

Disclaimer: What I have stated above is not hard and fast, and should not be held against me in a court of law.

I am a huge fan of creative pursuits…. And really good ads sometimes give me a high…. But when creativity crushes people’s dreams, that is when the apple seems to loose its shine. Pollie Awards, however, admires creativity even at its cruelest best.

The Pollie Awards and Conference is an annual event hosted by the American Association of Political Consultants. The first one was held in 2007. The award is known as the Emmy Awards of Politics. The Pollies recognizes the best in the business in over 100 political campaigns and public affairs categories. The AAPC recognizes work in the newspaper, direct mail, phones, Internet, fund raising, radio, television, and student categories.

A good example of a mud-slinging Pollie winner is the video on John Kerry, the 2004 Presidential nominee of the Democratic Party.

The video somehow forgot to mention that he is a Vietnam Veteran, and was a spokesman for Vietnam Veterans Against the War when he returned home from service.

This is not to say political issues/policies of importance are not given its due importance. Below is a Pollie entry on the Iraq Draft.

I am just not happy with smear campaigns. That is where my sadness is rooted.

But I will still look forward to the Pollies of 2009. Because issues of importance will be discussed nonetheless and efforts at highlighting them rewarded in a small way.

You can check out the pdf version of the brochure of the 2008 Pollie Awards here.

One of my dear friends pointed out something he observed… It has to do with Moms… Just before feeding something to their children, they instinctively taste it themselves…

I can think of quite a few reasons why they ’should’ be doing this, the top ones being whether the food item is edible and whether it is at the right temperature…

All of us have something to thank genetic conditioning for… The little things in life we overlook or never realize the importance of…

Let’s start with a hypnotic suggestion…Imagine a day at work when you are swamped with calls, meetings and in-betweens… You are so drained out you feel God has given up on your near extinct social life…

It is in moments like these that a Red Emergency button akin to the one shown below come as a life-saver…  This is definitely going into my list of home improvements…

Remember to take a break, all you work junkies out there… Peace and Light!!!

Lent is that time of the year when every practicing Christian tries to adhere to a set of self-imposed restrictions to things much liked. This could range from meat to alcohol. The beginning of this austere season never presents a problem. It is the journey itself that does.

But I am not going to discuss how you could make it through temptation and the trails which may come up. Instead, I would like to take up a more subtle point - the time we break the Lent.

I happened to spent the last days of Lent at a friend’s. I had not been able to keep up with my self-imposed restrictions this time around. An untimely party had caught me off-guard. This friend of mine wanted to go the distance and would not touch the whisky I had poured him, until mid-night the last day.  That started me to think along the lines of “Does God adhere to your local time-zone?” for about a second.

This was just an off-hand thought, which was put to rest by my rationale, which shouted out about His omnipresent and omnipotent existence. But something to think about anyway, huh?