Category Archives: Culture
A gentle push over the cliff
From ‘Rotavirus vaccine: tortured data analyses raise false safety alarm’, The Hindu, June 22, 2024: Slamming the recently published paper by Dr. Jacob Puliyel from the International Institute of Health Management Research, New Delhi, on rotavirus vaccine safety, microbiologist Dr. … Continue reading
Posted in Analysis, Culture
Tagged Bharat Biotech, Brian Hooker, Brian Wansink, conspiracy theory, Gagandeep Kang, Jacob Puliyel, Krishna Ella, p-hacking, peer review, rotavirus vaccine, The Hindu
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An Ig Nobel Prize for North and South Korea?
In 2020, India and Pakistan shared the Ig Nobel Prize for peace “for having their diplomats surreptitiously ring each other’s doorbells in the middle of the night, and then run away before anyone had a chance to answer the door.” … Continue reading
Posted in Culture
Tagged Ig Nobel Prize, North Korea, psychological warfare, South Korea
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The party-spirited cricket World Cup
Sharda Ugra’s essay and the BCCI-BJP combine’s presumption of zero resistance at the ICC Cricket World Cup Continue reading
Posted in Analysis, Culture
Tagged Amit Shah, Asia Cup 2022, Bharatiya Janata Party, Board of Control for Cricket in India, International Cricket Council, Jay Shah, Mohammed Shami, Mohammed Siraj, Narendra Modi stadium, orange jersey, Pepsi, Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Ram Siya Ram, Sharda Ugra, Star Sports, Wisden Almanack, World Cup 2023
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It’s the little things
‘What Muslim Women Face Every Day at Work’, The Wire, April 4, 2024: [Nisha] Shah, who prays five times a day, says such Islamophobia at the workplace – amongst highly educated Indian youth – has become more audacious. She says … Continue reading
Posted in Culture
Tagged communalism, Islamophobia, Mahima Jain, pseudo-secularism, Renny Thomas
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The foundation of shit
I’ve been a commissioning editor in Indian science, health, and environment journalism for a little under a decade. I’ve learnt many lessons in this time but one in particular still surprises me. Whenever I receive an email, I’m quick to … Continue reading
Posted in Culture, Scicomm
Tagged email, freelance journalism, freelancers, science journalism, The Hindu Science, The Wire Science
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A new tradition
This screenshot is from ESPN Cricinfo’s live commentary for the Chennai Super Kings versus Gujarat Titans IPL match on March 26, 2024. Super Kings captain Ruturaj Gaikwad got out caught behind off the bowling of Spencer Johnson. I’m not sure … Continue reading
Posted in Culture
Tagged Chennai Super Kings, cricket, ESPN Cricinfo, Fair Play Award, Gujarat Titans, Indian Premier League, ipl, Mahendra Singh Dhoni, Ruturaj Gaikwad, sports
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Happy Lord of the Rings Day
War is on all our minds these days. There is a war happening in Ukraine and something barely resembling a war (because it’s a genocide) in Gaza. Governments have been fond of casting our collective responses – such as they … Continue reading
Posted in Culture, Life notes
Tagged fantasy fiction, JRR Tolkien, Lord of the Rings, Lord of the Rings day, Malazan Book of the Fallen, military fantasy, Steven Erikson, war
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Reassurance by electoral bond
The electoral bonds release has been reassuring on one count. For some time after the (new) BJP first rose to power in 2014, with a groundswell of support (but arguably also because of the ‘first past the post’ system) I … Continue reading
Posted in Culture, Op-eds
Tagged Bharatiya Janata Party, electoral bonds, Indian National Congress, political financing
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Lookout duty
When a user asked, “Is modi a fascist”, Gemini AI responded that Mr. Modi had “been accused of implementing policies that some experts have characterized as fascist”. “These are direct violations of Rule 3(1)(b) of [the IT Rules, 2021] and … Continue reading
Posted in Culture
Tagged fascism, Gemini AI, Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Rajeev Chandrasekhar
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A stage-managed World Cup
I’m glad the ICC Cricket World Cup ended the way it did, with good cricket on show. I’m disappointed that India lost but, to echo Sunil Gavaskar at the post-match show, I’m glad it was only to a better team. … Continue reading
Posted in Culture
Tagged BCCI, Cricket World Cup, Motera stadium, Pat Cummins, Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Travis Head
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