May 25, 2009: India Votes

[xoxoxoBruce]

They're having an election in India, and with over a billion people that ain't easy.

On May 16th, 2009, the Election Commission of India announced the results of its recent month-long India-wide election for their lower house of Parliament - the largest democratic election in the world. An estimated 714 million voters (from a population of 1.2 billion) were eligible to cast their vote in one of five separate phases at over 800,000 polling stations, starting on April 16th. Logistically difficult, massive in scale, and opposed by various rebel groups, separatists and protestors, the elections still managed to be held with minimal disruption, with an average voter turnout of greater than 56%.

India's population ranges from poor illiterates to ultra high techies, so the electronic voting machines have pictograms along with the candidates names.
Maybe they should have done that in Minnesota.



The voter's finger is marked with indelible ink, like we saw in Iraq.



Like everywhere, the paparazzi follow the famous.

Bollywood star Amitabh Bachchan (center), son Abhishek Bachchan (right), Aishwarya Rai Bachchan (2nd from left) and Jaya Bachchan display their ink-stained fingers after casting votes at a polling center in Mumbai April 30, 2009

link

[ZenGum]

Is that the "Brown Power" salute?


And, minimal disruption, my foot. There was a huge cricket tournament, The Indian Premier League, with 60-odd games, scheduled for an overlapping time.

The security concerns were very serious, and the Indians decided they didn't have the resources to guard the cricket AND the election, so, on very short notice, the entire tournament was moved to South Africa.

Their priorities are very wrong. Schportzen Uber Alles!

[xoxoxoBruce]

Minimal disruption of the elections.

[LasloHlyfeld]

I don't think they could have used them in Minnesota - it doesn't look like there's a pictorgram for Lizard People.

[SPUCK]

Originally Posted by LasloHlyfeld

I don't think they could have used them in Minnesota - it doesn't look like there's a pictorgram for Lizard People.

Oh, and welcome to the Cellar LasloHlyfeld!

[DanaC]

lol I second that welcome. Excellent 1st post.


And in a similar vein, where's the one showing hogs with their noses in the trough? Or, a gravy boat?

[capnhowdy]

India has to be the world capitol for butt ugly people. Srsly.

[Sundae]

I didn't even notice what fingers they had up until I saw Bruce's smiley.
It's just not as common a gesture here. But when I see people sticking two fingers up (usually American or Japanese teens) I do have the same reaction

[richlevy]

Originally Posted by Sundae Girl

I didn't even notice what fingers they had up until I saw Bruce's smiley.
It's just not as common a gesture here. But when I see people sticking two fingers up (usually American or Japanese teens) I do have the same reaction

I had to look that up. According to this source, it all depends if the palm is facing in or out.

BTW, is crooking a finger in Australia really only used to get a hooker? I can see all sorts of funny police encounters with that one. Sort of like foot tapping in a men's room stall.

Gestures

Thumbs up sign – no meaning in Asia. Obscene in many Middle Eastern countries, Nigeria, Australia and Afghanistan. Okay sign obscene in some countries.

Pointing with index finger – rude to Asians and others.

Most of Europe waves goodbye with just the fingers moving. American “good-bye” wave with the entire hand means “come here” to people from Southeast Asia, is an insult in Greece, and means "no" in many other countries.

The two-finger V sign means victory with palm facing out. With the palm facing it, it either means two or "shove it" depending on what country you are in.

Crooking finger to say “come here” is obscene in Japan. In Yugoslavia and Malaysia, it is used to call animals. In Indonesia and Australia, the gesture beckons prostitute. In Vietnam it is used to call animals or an inferior person. Can be threatening or hostile.

Smiling has different meanings – some groups will not smile in photographs because they believe it makes them seem frivolous or shallow. Smiling in some countries indicates sadness or anger.

The fig gesture (fist with thumb between index and middle finger) is an obscene sign of contempt in many European countries, but in some South American countries, it means good luck (many wear pendants or other jewelry with this sign).

[Sundae]

Originally Posted by richlevy

I had to look that up. According to this source, it all depends if the palm is facing in or out.

It does. And really, flicking the v involves the gesture, rather than just the fingers. But it's still amusing to see, in a childish way.

[richlevy]

Originally Posted by Sundae Girl

It does. And really, flicking the v involves the gesture, rather than just the fingers. But it's still amusing to see, in a childish way.

What's funny is that I could go up to someone, say something like "Great job, Mr. Cheney", flash them a V with the back of my hand facing out, and they'd never get the joke.

[Wombat]

Thumbs up sign – no meaning in Asia. Obscene in many Middle Eastern countries, Nigeria, Australia and Afghanistan. Okay sign obscene in some countries.

Bullshit. I'm in Australia and thumbs up is definitely not obscene here.

[ZenGum]

Originally Posted by Wombat

Bullshit. I'm in Australia and thumbs up is definitely not obscene here.

Seconded. Thumbs up means good/yes.

Extended middle finger pointed up with others curled, palm inwards (as shown in the photo above), is definitely obscene, roughly, %#@& YOU.

In fact AusLan, the Australian sign language for deaf-mutes, is somewhat different from the American version, and, according to a rather unreliable TV comedy show I saw recently, has gestures meaning #@%& YOU and &#%@ THE LOT OF YOU based on this hand position.

I've never beckoned a prostitute, but the crooked digit thing sounds like BS to me.

[busterb]

Thumbs up is not a good thing on the island of Sumatra!