Read RealityCheck on why this election is going to be largely an enumeration of the strength and a concentration of narrow interests.
Next, hear Sh Narendra Modi on IPL’s decision to move outside India. 
Read Rohit’s thoughts on India’s missing think tanks (I need to point Rohit in the direction of IPI)
See if you agree that
The most galling thing about this financial crisis is that so many Wall Street types think they actually deserve not only their huge bonuses and lavish lifestyles but the awesome political power their own mistakes have left them in possession of.
or…as Sanjay says: …

Those of you who have been following the flurry of recent reports, offers  and comments about the possibility of a “nuclear Iran” will not find much to cheer in Prof. Drezner’s conclusion in a recent article on Foreign Policy (emphasis mine):
…the most pragmatic thing for the United States to do is to expect nothing fruitful to come from negotiations with Iran — and to (nonviolently) prepare for the contingency of a nuclear Iran.
I think he is right.
Meanwhile the Israel Defense Forces chief is reported as saying: Israel would not tolerate a …

These two “snapshots” might be a consequence of BJP’s conscious and aggressive online campaign strategy…or indicative of something deeper, i.e. a real pro-BJP wave…
“Snapshot A”
Screenshot from ChangeIndia‘s website:

“Snapshot B”
Screenshot from a poll on my blog

What do readers think?
Related Posts:
On track for 7, Race Course Rd 
Re-assessing Rahul Gandhi

*** UPDATE ***
Pl. see my comment at # 12 and Nanda’s at # 13.
***
This is a very hurried (but almost effortless) post…the kind of post in which words simply flow out (or almost type themselves out).
Many of you (by now) must have read about the “attack” on Charlie Chaplin’s “statue” in Udupi, Karnataka (e.g. BJP activists attack ‘Christian’ Chaplin statue).
Leaving aside the “sensationalisation” of the incident (I could not find a description of any ”attack” in the report above; it mentions BJP activists “blocked” the installation of the statue) – and there is no denying …

Once upon a time (when there was no ”Google”), if you heard something that was hard to believe you had two options: 1] to believe the person from whom you heard it or 2] to go to the library in the hope (that) you can find a source to validate it
These days of course, we have “Google”!*
Unfortunately that also means if something cannot be “googled“, it may as well not exist (or be untrue).  Now read on…
Earlier this week, alert reader Dheeraj sent me a report about Father Menengis’ confession before the Justice Somashekhara Commission …

Dear All: It is my pleasure to publish this very direct and blunt article by Dr Ajai Singh, M.D. and Editor of Mens Sana Monographs… Please do read and think about the points he has raised…Many of them make for uncomfortable reading…but these questions need to be asked and the ideas need to be discussed.
*** ”Straight Talk: The Challenge Before Modern Day Hinduism“  by Ajai Singh *** 
I wish to do some straight talk in this communication. No beating about the bush, no offering illusory solace.
I write this on the Oscar win for the film …

Several weeks ago, I came across a post by BarbarIndian on the unusually large number of accidents that were being reported in the media about babies being burnt alive in hospitals – specifically due to fires caused by short-circuit in the incubators…
Barbar concluded his post (in which he had identified three recent instances where seven babies had died) by saying:
Now that would have to be one heck of a coincidence and an extremely tragic one too. Of course the respective Goverment agencies are running their own investigations. There is no indication that this coincidence …

Start the weekend with this write-up on Hon. Rly Minister Sh. Lalu Prasad Yadav in The American (Hat Tip: Ajay)
…move on to a thought-provoking article on Pubs and Women Empowerment by Anil Chawla
and finally, read General Vijay Oberoi’s thoughts on Death, Valour and Awards (email excerpts below)
Excerpts from all these article are below, as always.

Some of you may remember the scandal that rocked Tony Blair’s government in 2001 when one of his aides appeared to suggest that 9/11 offered a good opportunity to distract attention from “bad” news.
I was reminded of that when I chanced upon Ahmed Ali Shaik’s post on Satyam Scam – Politics, Media and Lies (Hat Tip: Vijay). In the post, Ahmed wrote:
It’s been more than a month since Satyam scam came to light…with elections round the corner, I feel that Satyam will get very little space in both television and print media in …

Below are extracts from an article by Wilson John published in the latest issue of Pragati on “why the threat from Jamaat-ud-Dawa is set to rise“. It makes for some thought-provoking and disturbing reading.
*** Excerpts from “The assembly line of international terrorism” (emphasis mine) ***
…The motive for the Pakistani army to follow a multifaceted policy towards terrorist entities is to retain the option of using terrorist groups as instruments of state policy, particularly in India and Afghanistan. The policy has yielded visible gains for the army on both fronts.
A telling example of …