Wednesday, May 21, 2008

The advantages of calculated Irrationality

The advantages of calculated Irrationality
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Scenario 1
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Some where half way across the world, some one drew cartoons of a prophet. Rational response: protest peacefully and convey their opposition. 

Govt Response : **verbal hot air** **Zzzzzzzzzzz** 

Irrational/Emotional response : Start rioting. Destroy public property, issue death threats to the cartoonist  

Govt Response : Immediately condemn and cancel the trip of prime minister of that country.  

Scenario 2 
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A terrorist who has killed scores was caught, convicted and sentenced to death. But the death sentence is not implemented.  

Rational response: ==> Allow the Law (Law is an a$$) to take its own time. Listen to all the bleeding hearts liberals / human rights activists/ leftists , terrorist apologists to raise hue and cry. Try to convince them for the next 10,000 years. If they are still not convinced then keep trying for another 10,000 years.  

Govt Response: We are trying to win the hearts and minds of terrorists. Can't you see?? what if a few people are getting killed here and there?? Don't you know that terrorists have more rights than ordinary citizens?? If you do not know, then ask the intellectuals in this country. ZZZZZzzzzzzzzz.  

Irrational Response: Start massive protests in all cities, destroy public property. Create the scare of communal conflagration. Attack TV studios and thrash "intellectuals". All this on a very very large scale. Turn up in large numbers threaten to vote out the govt. Govt Response: Immediate hanging of terrorist.  

Scenario 3 
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A large number of women and children traveling in a train are torched and killed. Rational response: Condemn the attack. Allow the law to take its own course, and wait for justice. 

Govt Response: "WE ADMIRE THE SPIRIT OF GUJARAT PEOPLE. After all this is the birth place of Gandhiji who preached to show the other cheek". 
ZZZZzzzzzzzzzzz. 
Can't you see what intellectuals are telling?? It is the mistake of those who are traveling in the train. They are the ones who provoked peaceful people. you need to understand and sympathize with those who have done this. Terror has no religion. You are a bigot to link it and create communal tension in the country. 

Irrational Response: Start large scale riots, Do indiscriminate killings and be un apologetic about it.  

Result : No more terrorist incidents (atleast for 5 years). ==================== 

Is rationality ch**tiya**n??

Tuesday, May 20, 2008

Can we use technology to check mate terrorism?

Part I
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After the recent bomb blasts in Jaipur, I was wondering if we could use technology to successfully reduce the incidents of mass terror.


In the last 20 years electronic and communication devices progressively became  cheaper and more powerful. A normal PC today is more powerful than a main frame computer in the previous generation. Also in India wireless telecom sector grew in leaps and bounds virtually connecting the entire nation.

Now a days a Laptop which has finger print based scanning system does not cost much. Tera bytes of Hard disks can be purchased at ridiculously cheap prices.


So......


==> There are 604 districts in India. Set up regional servers and national servers to store nation wide database of citizen info.

==> we need cheap mass produced finger print scanning device(say less than Rs.1000) which would be used in multiple ways. Also this device should have the ability to send the finger prints to nearest Govt server.

==>Starting with border districts issue National Ids for every single citizen of India. The NID should contain his National ID, State ID, District ID, Finger prints, Iris (Future use), DNA(Future use), Photograph, Parents info, Spouse info etc.

==> Having National Id is mandatory. To file a tax return or to open a bank/demat/loan account or to avail a ration card or gas connection or voter id or driving license or joining a hospital or traveling in airline etc any where this number is mandatory.

==> The card contains magnetic strip in which his info along with finger print info would be stored. They can be cross verified against his actual finger print to ensure that he is valid person. So the question of impostor using some one else's ID does not arise.

==> All criminal records would be digitized and the computers containing criminal records are linked to a central server which stores these records.

==> Any person visiting a new city, if is checking into a hotel, then it is mandatory to scan his finger print. These machines do not cost much and hotels can claim the expense in their tax returns. This data would be transmitted to the server in that city which automatically verifies the back ground of the individual. If there is a criminal back ground or if he is providing wrong address/ info, it will alert the relevant police department.

==> If any unknown person wants to rent an apartment, then both the owner and the tenant need to approach the nearest police station to get the finger print of prospective tenant scanned to ensure that he is not wanted criminal. Not doing this would entail severe punishment to the owner of the house.

==> All employers starting from a small shop, need to get unknown new employee to scan his finger print. They need not go to any Govt departments. Simply a devise which could transmit the finger print to nearest server is all that is required.

==> This method of finger print scan is called "security clearance"



================


Hey after writing all this stuff I have checked in wiki that such a project is supposed to have begun.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Multipurpose_National_Identity_Card_%28India%29


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But my problem is that there doesn't seem to be provision to store finger prints on the card itself and in the database :-(

======================

 

Feasibility question

================

1) The first question is obviously is it economically feasible?

The answer is definitely yes. And do not forget that most of it is one time expense. Start with border districts (because that is where infiltration starts) and expand to cities (because that is where terror bombings are happening) then slowly expand to towns/ villages

2) Would it not be great hassle? would it not be used by govt employees to harass common man?

Once again if we can use technology then we can cut Govt employee from the loop. What if all new model cell phones contain mini finger print scanner that can transmit finger prints and receive red or green signal? If that is the case then people them selves would be able to authenticate each other rather than going to Govt departments. 

Or how about having public finger print booths along with STD/ISD local call telephone booths(in the same booth)?? They would be accessible easily and cheaply. Each scan/confirmation could cost say 2 rupees? even common man can afford it. Right?


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Dear reader, If you can come up with some more ideas which are feasible and implementable then kindly post them in the comments. Please do not complain about "evil" politicians. We all know about them. Come on techie guys, we are much smarter than terrorist scum bags. Join hands and bounce some ideas (purely technology based solutions).

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Indian right is a mess

The right wing political parties in India are in a mess.
Consider this
1) International media, when ever referring to BJP would always prefixes it with “Hindu-Nationalist party” . It is used in pejorative terms with negative tone. This is despite the fact that Republicans & Democrats in US are more Christian & more nationalistic we do not see any where press prefixing “Christian-Nationalist” Republicans/Democrats
2) Indian English media absolutely loathes them. Every time they take BJP/RSS they always try to convey to the listener that they are talking about someone who is worse than Al Qaida/Taliban/Hezbollah/Hitler.
3) There is an immense opportunity for the right wing parties to grow but they are hell bent on giving up the ideology and becoming B team of Congress party.
4) Despite being a right wing party, the economic policies of BJP sound as if they are lifted out of the red book. They are simply too terrified to implement bold economic reforms.
5) The party which was once called “Party with difference” has become “Party without any difference”

So how to improve the situation?
I will deal with these issues in the next post.

Monday, May 19, 2008

BJP and the Godwin's law


Normally in an argument, if people can not confront opponents' through logic, they resort to personal accusations.

In Indian politics, both media and political parties use a technique against BJP which can be termed as “variation of Godwin’s Law”.


Godwin’s Law says that any meaningful discussion gets derailed the moment someone brings the analogy of Nazis/Hitler and compares them with the opponents words/actions. From that moment onwards the discussion gets derailed.


In Indian politics most of the political parties & English media use this technique against BJP every single day.


Eg: 

1) Terrorists bomb innocent civilians. BJP condemns.

Response: BJP is trying to create communal divide by wrongly accusing “a particular community”

2) BJP expresses concern over rise in terrorism

Response :BJP is trying “scare mongering” and trying to “polarize” communities

3) BJP demands strong action against terrorists

Response: BJP is playing communal politics.


So, no matter what the issue is it is always BJP’s fault.


Why did Ghori / Ghaznvi Invade India and destroyed Somnath Temple??

Ans: Because of Gujarat riots.



Some clarifications

1) Me or My parents or any of our close relatives do not belong to BJP/RSS. In fact 10-15 years ago I used to think them as trouble makers.

2) My slow drift is simply a disillusionment with the so call "secular" parties and "intellectuals".

3) I do not think BJP is the answer for all of India's woes. But amongst all parties they are the only ones who are not anti-hindu (mind you not pro-hindu, just neutral). Most of the "secular" parties are blatantly anti-hindu.

4) Normally middle class are deeply skeptical about politics in India. But *every single* voice counts. Technology is a great equalizer. Thanks to the technology, you and I have the same power as CNN IBN or NDTV. 

5) Chanakya is not my original name. I have selected it because of this man.

We *can* and *should* make a difference.

Test Blog

Hello World,

This is a test blog. I would be writing about issues which concern India.