On internet memes and blogs I read religiously

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.

This post elaborates on what we, the human race, can learn from the vulcans’ way of life.

What does “whatever” mean?

Five reasons why one should not be working out

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…

The Red button in Action…

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?