The Bourgeois and “Loose” Rise Up: Plus Other Links

- As a hedonist, I am absolutely loving the Indian upper class reaction to “the un-Hindu acts of violence against pub-going women in Mangalore by the Sri Ram Sene.” Now if only we could translate this sort of political consciousness and creativity (i.e sending pink panties to Pramod Muthalik, chief of the Sene) to corruption or providing healthcare.

- The Business Standard, which is quickly surpassing The Hindu as my favorite Indian daily, ran another fun article about V-Day protests in which Kishore Singh encourages his daughter to go out drinking and throw her shoes Iraqi journalist style at any one who tries to stop her. The column is written as an open letter to the Sri Ram Sene. An excerpt below:

As further proof of my shamefulness (or shamelessness, if you prefer), I’ve let her order a dress just for the party this evening. I haven’t seen it yet, but once again — for your sake, of course — I hope it’s sufficiently provocative to draw your ire. But remember, diminutive though she might look, my daughter is fully capable of throwing the boots she intends to also wear tonight, with deadly accuracy. I hope you have trained your army of hooligans to duck, and duck fast — we don’t want the upholders of Indian morality to get injured in the line of duty, do we?

- Thomas Friedman must be all starry eyed about Indians. First they explain to him how fix the financial crisis, and then only a few days later how to save the environment.

- James Surowiecki of the New Yorker describes the behavioral economics behind the tax rebates in the recently passed stimulus and why Obama may have it right.

- Statistics on internet usage by Indians from The Hindu.

- Its what we have all been waiting for. L.K. Advani has finally entered the blogosphere. Honestly though, it is quite engaging.