24
Apr 09
What does Zapak got to do with politics? Nothing, would be my answer on any other day but looks like they do help political leaders voice their opinion.
Medianama reports of a microsite for MNS in the Zapak site. The microsite brings in interactivity to their campaign which their site doesn’t offer.
Apart from the “Vote for us“ stuff on the site, it offers a flash game and that flash game is what caught my attention. Why? Because the protagonist of the game wasn’t Shivaji Maharaj, but Tipu Sultan. Hmm Something wrong there isn’t it? Why would a party who thrives on Maharashtrian pride have a game with Tipu Sultan, “Tiger of Mysore” on their page?
I think it is just a ploy to appeal to the Muslims in Maharashtra. the banner on top which showcases all their candidates makes it pretty obvious too.
“The youth and manase join forces for secularism & progress” it says. I have nothing against them being secular, but I do have an issue with desperately trying to be secular. Looks like they have abandoned secularism for the sake of a few votes. Great going. Silently I hope they have abandoned their Maharashtrian chauvinism for good and not just for a few votes!
All that said, the site also shows that our political parties (their web team rather) realise the power and influence interactive games can have on a person. If this game had been developed earlier we could have seen our good ol’ Ad-vani games popping up on zapak and games2win.
That said check out this list of games that can be made around politics, I wrote on my gaming blog.
07
Apr 09
Embarrassed by the inability of journalists to hit a non-moving objects — on multiple occasions now — with a shoe, even from close ranges, International Journalists Assosication have decided to include shoe-throwing as part of the syllabus in all journalism courses. They will instruct all universities to make this change considering the crisis journalists around the world are going through.
Jason Pillai, Secretary of the Association blamed the situation on the lack of exciting stuff for media to report about. “At times journos are forced to pull off such stunts, because the world we live in, is not as exciting as it used to be. There is no Hitler, no more World wars, for god’s sake they even killed Saddam Hussain. The Bin Laden tapes don’t get as many TRPs as it used to –- Pakistan being an exception — and bomb blasts have become as common as price-rise in India. No one gives a damn about those things any longer.”
At this point chupchap was forced to remind him that he was going off the mark and that the actual issue was about this journo who missed the mark at such a short distance. Jason Pillai nodded his head and said that the new subject on Shoe-throwing will be 90% practical and 10% based on written exams. “Journalists will receive training by the respective military – from Taliban and freelance suicide members for journos in NWFP Pakistan. By the need of the course, they should be able to hit the ‘target’ from range of 50 yards.”
In the written exams they will have questions pertaining to the history of such practice and a five page essay of the founder of the trend among others.
He also said that the association will contact Oxford dictionary to change the spelling of shooed away to shoed away considering the relevance of the latter.
PS: Aw crap, looks like someone already thought about the idea before me! Grrr
PPS: Okay yet another person (also working for DNA) wrote on a similar topic! Two DNA employees wrote on the same topic. Hmm… we do some sole-ful journalism you see! =P
i
07
Apr 09
A hypothetical ad which may appear in a classified column in the near future if India continues to be India
A major political party in India is seeking a politicians.
Qualifications:
1. Should be Gandhi (not a Gandhian).
2. If not, should be from a minority community. People from both religious and caste minorities welcome.
3. Should be fit and agile to dodge shoes.
4. Should be flexible enough to change sides if they are offering a seat in the ministry by opposition party.
5. Should know how to bribe voters without being caught on tape.
6. Should be in the age group of 45-50 to apply under youth leader category, to apply under general category should be older than 70.
7. Should have at least 4 criminal cases registered under your name. (bragging rights).
8. Should excel in war-mongering.
9. Should not have studied anything more than a BA and in case you mention PhD or MA or London School of Economics, they better be a lie!
10. Last but the least should be thick-skinned.
Yesteryear film stars may also apply*
*Conditions apply
