sum.na

You shook me all night long, by Axl*

I want to make a few quick comments recent developments in the local (Sri Lankan) blogosphere (kottu & zsri).

Technically, this post should be in SriPost, but I make an effort to keep Sripost neutral. So, um, it’s here.

Sri Lanka’s best blog?

I think Janindra has one of Sri Lanka’s best (if not the best) blog(s). His posts so far, are interesting, relevant to Sri Lanka, and full of original content. So, here’s to you Janindra!

Other cool blogs I follow include:
Moju (www.moju.lk)
Mahangu.org
Yo’s blog (Mahamoor.com)
Charith.NET

No Comments?

Mahangu has turned off comments on his blog. I think this is a pity. By it’s very definition a blog is a place where an author writes posts, and visitors comment and interact. By turning this feature off, both author, and visitors loose.

However, as Mahangu points out, it’s his place, besides, I’m sure he has a good reason.. I’m curious to know what other people make of this “Turning off comments” idea..

In Sri Lanka, the consumer IS a moron

The author of this post appears to take offense at the level of stupidity displayed in Sri Lankan ads.

Well there is a reason that these advertiesments appear to be ‘designed’ for morons.

BECAUSE, IN SRI LANKA,  THE typical CONSUMER IS a MORON.

Ask any executive at a local advertising company why their ads are so stupid, and they will tell you that “that’s the only thing the consumer responds to: simple almost moronic ads which make no sense to intelligent people” The first order of business at our local ad companies is, forget everything you learned at university, and write mindless garbage that no sane person would take seriously.

*Photo unrelated to this post. You knew that.

Link of the moment: Junkyard Turbojet engine

Elections, and the mythical free lunch
Now, back to the election. Even if I knew what it is about or when it is, chances of me voting are highly unlikely. This is because I know nothing about any of the candidates, their platforms, or why I should vote for any of them.

Thing is, local voters are looking for one simple thing: A free lunch. Unfortunantly, there aint no such thing as a free lunch. The politicians know this, but the people don’t - they expect a free lunch, so they are promised that.

Entire campaigns are built around that promise.

So, I already know TANSTAAFL. Therefore, theres nothing any politician can really tell me that would make me vote for them, except perhaps, the truth.

Yeah. Right.

Bob Parsons reports that ABC have rejected GoDaddys latest superbowl advert. (titled Window Washer) - frankly, I don’t get it, theres nothing wrong with that advert, its perfectly harmless.

FYI, Mr. Parsons is the entreprenuer extraordinaire behind GoDaddy. Go visit his blog here

Speaking of advertising, South Asian TV channels have their moments of fame too - witness this impressively orgasmic advert[1] (from Star TV India):

Click here to watch the Fastrack Ad
Fastrack orgasm advert, copyright Fastrack and Star world, used here purely to tittilate illustrate my point.

If the video does not play, please inform me

Oh, does anyone have any interesting TV adverts from Sri Lanka? Mail them to me please, I’d love to showcase them here..

Notes: [1] According to LOWE Lintas Bangalore, (makers of the Fastrack ad) “The idea is that Fastrack is for the Youth. We wanted to make the advertisement fun. We wanted to make it edgy, and get people to take notice of it, without us going overboard with the sex bit,” says Nikhil Vaidya, Marketing Manager, Fastrack. “It is not a take on F.R.I.E.N.D.S. The orgasm element, in the advertisement, is subordinate to the girls having fun at the guy’s expense. Sex is not the core issue of this ad,” he clarifies. [From Deccan Herald]