US Politics vs Indian Politics

About a few minutes ago, I was watching “live” President Barrack Obama’s address to the Joint Session of U.S. Congress.

Two of his sentences made me think. His praising the opposition party leaders Senator John McCain and former President George W. Bush.

“…..for those Americans who can't get insurance today because they have pre-existing medical conditions, we will immediately offer low-cost coverage that will protect you against financial ruin if you become seriously ill. This was a good idea when Senator John McCain proposed it in the campaign, it's a good idea now, and we should embrace it”.

Senator John McCain of Republican Party contested against Senator Barack Obama and lost the Presidential election.

“…..So I am proposing that we move forward on a range of ideas about how to put patient safety first and let doctor’s focus on practicing medicine. I know that the Bush Administration considered authorizing demonstration projects in individual states to test these issues. It's a good idea, and I am directing my Secretary of Health and Human Services to move forward on this initiative today”.

Bush was President of USA and belongs to Republic Party, now the opposition party.

About 2 hours ago, I was reading an Indian newspaper in the web. The news was: Miss Jayalalitha called Karunanidhi’s government as a minority government (because he rules Tamilnadu with the help of Congress Party). Therefore, Karunanidhi told the press he is going to address her as Mrs. Jayalalitha from now on.

Mr. Shashi Tharoor and his BlackBerry

Just read a news item that Mr. Shashi Tharoor, Minister of State in the Indian External Affairs Ministry, was using his BlackBerry inside the aircraft just before the Mumbai Cochin flight about to take off. The air hostess told him to switch it off. He then switched it off. However, while the plane was ascending, other passengers heard his phone ring many times.

When Mumbai Mirror asked him about this, he gave the following reply:

“That is completely false. I was reading emails on my Blackberry, not speaking to anyone. In fact, the phone function was off. When the air hostess asked me to turn it off I did so promptly, as I always do when the plane doors are closed. The phone never rang. I am astonished at the stories people like to tell just to see themselves in the press!”

Mr. Tharoor, even reading email is a no no. Cell phone must be completely switched off. You should know better.

Mr. Tharoor is not some uneducated thug (criminal) who became a Member of Parliament and then a Minister of State. He is highly educated. He worked at the United Nations for a long time. He was Under Secretary General for the UN. He even contested for the post of UN Secretary General and lost. He was elected as an MP from Thiruvananthapuram. Therefore, he should have known better.

But the association with the Indian politicians apparently changed him. Indian politicians think they are above all rules. Why single out politicians? Even movie actors and actresses and sports personalities can be included in this category. We have heard stories about how commercial planes were kept waiting for late arriving VIPs in India. Being a VIP, they may disregard many rules. But when certain acts endanger the lives of many people, even VIPs should obey them. I bet Mr. Tharoor will not have the guts to use his cell phone in an American commercial flight.

Why they don’t allow use of cell phones while in the air? They interfere with the plane’s communication and navigation system. This could cause confusion for the pilot and may lead to disaster.

Additionally, because the calls are made from a very high elevation, the cell phones may be connecting too many towers simultaneously. Cell phones are designed to automatically detect which is receiving the strongest signal and ignore other towers. If many airborne passengers flying over a city use their phones and each of them connect to dozens of towers, the computers controlling the system would be overwhelmed and nobody will be able to talk.

Again, Mr. Tharoor may be telling the truth. And, the newspaper reports are wrong.

While on the subject of cell phone, I want to give an interesting information. In 1981, a world famous consulting company predicted that in the year 2000 only 500,000 people will be using cell phones in the WORLD. Today, in Mumbai city alone more than 500,000 people are using cell phone.

You want to guess how many cell phones are in use in the world today. I don’t know. But in 2005, there were 2 billion cell phone users. In the year 2008 alone, 950 million cell phones were sold in the world.

Honorary Doctorate Degree

On August 1, Anna University in Chennai, is going to award honorary doctorate degree to Music Director Mr. A. R. Rahman, Chandrayan Project Director, Dr. Mayilsamy Annadurai, and Deputy Chief Minister of Tamilnadu, Mr. M. K. Stalin,

The reason given by the Anna University:

Mr. Rahman – He won 2 Oscar Awards.

Dr. Annadurai – He was responsible for sending Chandrayan to the moon.

Mr. Stalin – He built lot of flyovers in Chennai to tackle the traffic problem.

I can understand for Dr. Mylswamy Annadurai.

Mr. Rahman? You compose very nice music. You won 2 Oscar Awards. Do you deserve an honorary doctorate degree for that? Since you won 2 Oscar Awards, your rate for the next movie should go up. You got paid very very well for working on Slumdog Millionaire. I know you are a nice person who is very simple and unassuming. I have heard much better music from you than Slumdog Millionaire.

After having said all these things, OK I can understand for Mr. Rahman.

Mr. Stalin? If you are elected as a MLA and become a Minister and then Deputy Chief Minister because your father is the Chief Minister, do you deserve an honorary doctorate degree? Is it not your every day job as a Minister to take care of the traffic problems?

Lot of Indian VIPs are getting honorary doctorate degrees. But do they deserve it?

Do these universities get any prestige by honoring these types of people?

Movie stars like Shah Rukh Kahn and Amitabh Bachchan got honorary doctorate degree. Other than acting in commercial movies for huge amount of money, what are their qualifications?

Politicians like Sharad Pawar, Lalu Prasad Yadav, Karunanidhi, and Jayalalitha got honorary doctorate degree. I don’t have to explain their qualifications and achievements. At least, Jayalalitha has double qualification….actress and politician…..so she should get double doctorate degree. Ha ha ha ha.

Sonia Gandhi received her honorary doctorate degree last year. Can someone explain her qualification and achievement?

My question is: Do they all put “Dr.” in front of their names all the time? I know in Tamilnadu, it is a must. You have to address Mr. Karunanidhi as Doctor, Kalaignar (artist), Mudalvar (Chief Minister).. If you address him as Mr. Karunanidhi, you are in big trouble. You have to address Jayalalitha as Doctor, Puratchi Thalaivi (revolutionary leader), Amma (mother). If you address her as Miss. Jayalalitha, you are in big trouble.

I read couple of jokes in a magazine which I want to share:

We have a problem since our leader got an honorary doctorate degree.
What?
Our leader is wearing a stethoscope all the time.

We have a problem since our leader got an honorary doctorate degree.
What?
Our leader wants to operate on patients in the hospital.

Any one who thinks that he/she deserves an Honorary Doctorate Degree or want to have one so that he/she can put “Dr.” in front of his/her name, please apply to Cosmopolitan University in Miami, USA, and you will get one for a nominal fee:

The web address is: http://www.cosmoedu.net/emailformdrhc.html

You don’t have to be a politician or a movie industry person or a cricket player.