Nothing "NEW" in News

Today after a long time I got the control of the Remote Control of our TV. Usually it is hogged up by my sister, or my dad or my mom or one of my grandparents. But I guess today the Sun must have risen in the West.

So I sit in front of the TV and try to find something good to watch. But however much I browse, I fail to find anything worth watching.

(Source: Jim Davies' Garfield strip published on 2008-04-19)

There was a time when we had a Black and White TV and only 1 channel - Doordarshan - to watch. And there were so many great programmes to watch.

And then one day we got a COLOUR TV with TWELVE channels. So we could watch TWO channels! Double Entertainment - Double Mazaa!!

Today we have a TV with a 100 channels. And I can find NOTHING worth watching...

And to add insult to injury, I arrive at a News Channel which is broadcasting something which prompted me to write this. The news channel was broadcasting the following (referring to Ajmal Kasab the 26/11 terrorist who was caught alive):
Kya Karta hai Kasab? (What does Kasab Do?)
Kya kehta hai Kasab? (what does Kasab Say)
Kya khata hai Kasab? (What does Kasab eat)
Kaise bitata hai Kasab apna din? (How does Kasab spend his day)

I thought "What the F#@k?"
They might as well have covered "Kaise Hagta hai Kasab" (How does Kasab shit) and "Kaise Moot-ta hai Kasab" (How does Kasab pee).

If the reader is offended by my language I apologize. I never wanted to spoil my blog with objectionable words. But my blood boils and I fail to find proper words to express my frustrations...

Why would a News Channel wish to cover the jail-life of that sick criminal? Which sick person would even be interested in that b@st@#d's schedule in jail?

I moved on to another News channel and they were showing snippets from an old episode of Laughter Challenge.
Ditto on another channel.
A third News Channel was airing a talk show where the host journalist was more inclined towards speaking out his own mind than just presenting the plain unadulterated facts to the people ("Please send in your SMS and let us know what you think!!!").
Another News Channel was airing the story about how Sachin Tendulkar apologised to the neighbours of the new house he is getting built.

The same thing on every News Channel - again and again and again... Everyday.

This makes me speak out MY own mind - that the TV News Media is the most irresponsible media in India. (This is solely MY opinion and I am sure many may disagree with me)

One TV channel will always have the Label "Breaking News" with the same stale news repeating again and again.
Another will air snippets from old Reality shows.
Yet another will be covering how an actress farted or a cricketer burped.
Yet another will criticize or appreciate the latest statement by a politician (giving him free publicity in the process)
And yet another will have a Journalist speaking out her/his own mind - repeating her/himself again and again in a hyper-ventilated, high-pitched, tense voice - instead of presenting the simple truth as it is and letting the people decide for themselves.

One day there would be a terror attack or a natural disaster and all News Channels will be full of the same news:
One would air: BREAKING NEWS: 5 Blasts rock the city. Over 100 people killed
Another would air: LATEST NEWS: 8 Blasts in the City. Nearly 70 dead
Yet another will come up with different figures...
None accurate... and all leading to nothing but PANIC...

It is a FREAK-SHOW they are running out there...

We Indians are so fond of Masala (Spice) that even our news has it in ample quantities.

First we had only one channel - Doordarshan - with only 20 minute News, 3 or 4 times a day and that would suffice.
Now we have entire Channels dedicated to churning up News 24 hours a day - 7 days a week.
But is there enough news available to justify that much TV space?
If yes - then where is it? - one hardly sees any quality worthwhile news presented sanely and plainly.
If No - then is there a need for a dedicated 24 x 7 News channel?

I have no answers and am looking for none.
It just makes me frustrated thinking about it all... And hence I write it down, for that is the only way I find to give vent to my inner emotions...

And in the end - in the classical Indian way I say - "Chalta hai" and move on with Life as usual...

Rainy Day Nostalgia

Rains – Damn I hate monsoon rains!!!

When it rains, there are floods in our city.

If it does not flood, then there are little dirty puddles – speeding cars-drivers and bikers take a sadistic pleasure in spraying you with these puddle-waters.

When it’s not raining, the sky is clouded and the day is dull and depressing. Humidity multiplies the feeling of heat and there is always a stinking smell here and there on the roads.

There is always traffic jam and trains are always running late – even when its not really flooded. You have to wade to office whether you like it or not – with damp clothes and wet shoes – and sit in the AC in the same wet state.

Is the city becoming incapable of handling rains every year? Or is it just me?
Have I lost the ability to enjoy the rainy season anymore?

But it was not always like this. Today was Sunday. I did not have any plans with my (pestering ;) ) friends to roam out. So I had some time to contemplate and stare out at the rains and dig out some of my lost memories about the rainy season from my childhood days.

I still remember the good old days. Rainy season hasn’t been my really favourite season. But I did enjoy it in my own little ways.

I remember when I was a kid, we friends used to play in the little puddles – we used to take small wooden bric-a-bracs or fallen dried branches and make boats out of them. I used to take a small piece of a thick enough branch, break it into half longitudinally, and send it speeding over the water of the puddle with its rounded side downwards. That was fun – even the water wasn’t really as muddy as they come now a days.

It was a time when summer holidays had just ended and schools had just started a fresh new academic year. I remember wading through the rain wearing gumboots and raincoat over my uniform. I hated raincoats – especially when the mud splattered to the raincoat’s hem would keep scratching the lower legs. And there was also the question of where to keep them – wet and all – when you were inside the school.

I remember, while sitting in the class, during an especially boring period, I used to sneak glances out of the classroom window, and look out at the rains outside, wishing I was out there instead of in here. I used to look out at a stray dog getting wet in the rains. Or the little rivulets of rainwater flow over the terrace of the adjacent bungalow.

It was even more fun to spend a lazy afternoon watching the dark sky outside, and listen to the pitter-patter of the rain – punctuated in between by the rolling sounds of thunder and quick flashes of lightning. The best part was to stretch my hand out the window beyond the reach of the parapet and feel the cool drops wet my hand for a long long time. Then bring back the hand and brush it over my face to feel the freshness of rains on my face. It’s been such a long time since I last did that…

There was more fun going around, collecting and playing with little earthworms, or frogs or even snails. I remember how we used to catch a snail for each one of us and race them and see whose snail traveled farthest.

Then there was the time when I used to sneak up to the terrace of our building and climb the ladder to the top of the water-tank – the top-most part of the building, and just lie there feeling the cool wind, looking up at the uniform grey of the clouds and feel the little droplets of drizzle caress my face.

Then as I grew up we guys enjoyed a game of football in the rains. I was never good at sports and had not much interest in them. But I did enjoy getting splashed in the muddy waters collected over the ground.

Once or twice, I remember going to Marine Drive and walk along the ledge near the sea-face – and feel the cool damp wind and enjoy the spray of the waves as they hit the rocks below.

Now I have grown up and things have changed. Rains are no more than a daily nuisance and the rainy days are always so depressing.

Have the things really changed? Or have I lost the ability to enjoy the rains anymore?
May be both? I don’t know. I just know this – there were happier times during the monsoon. Those times are gone. And I can only relive them time and again in my memories.

On the event of World Environment Day (5th June)

It’s the 5th of June – World Environment Day.
And it makes me remember reading a book – “State Of Fear” by Michael Crichton.

Now, Michael Crichton is one of my favourite authors. I like his books, the ideas he expresses in them, his ability to entertain even when explaining complex scientific theory…

Obviously I liked State of Fear. It’s a great book. And it even opened up my closed, idealistic mind towards some of the facts about the politics and bureaucracy of the environmentalist lobbies, environmental terrorism and authenticity of the phenomenon of Global Warming.

I seriously started to doubt all the propaganda about Environment, Global Warming and “Inconvenient truths”.

Then the other day, I happened to go up to the terrace of our Office building. (That does not mean I shirk work. But a little time away from the “Intelligent” Idiot Box – my term for Computer - helps me clear my mind)

This Office building in question is at Interface - Malad – in Mumbai. It is flanked on one side by a concrete jungle of Mumbai, and on the other end is a wide sewage canal, followed by a jungle of mangroves growing over swampy ground as far away as the eyes can reach. It’s like coming to the end of the civilized world.

Anyways, it was afternoon; the Sun was high in a cloudless sky. It was hot, and I was trying to catch any breeze that might stray my way. When I came near the edge, I was met by the glorious sight of the Concrete jungle on one end and the mangrove jungle stretching on the other. There was just one little defect in this beatific picture.

As far as my eyes could see, the landscape was blurred by the misty curtain of urban dust. And I thought - this is what we breathe!!!

I do not care about inconvenient truths or environmental fear-mongers. Neither do I care whether Global Warming is a real phenomenon or not.

Michal Crichton still remains one of my favourite authors, and I still respect his ideas and his writing talent.

But I do feel that mankind is an inherently careless species. We progress, but hardly give much thought to the byproduct and the waste that results from it.

I am sure that much more thought, money and resources are willing spent in coming up with newer and better items of luxury and entertainment as compared to the efforts that are invested in finding environmental-friendly solutions. It is too inconvenient.

I just hope that we start doing something about it, so that our descendants may get better air to breathe, better water to drink and a better Earth to live in than we do now.

My first blog about this year's First Shower

Today it rained. The first monsoon shower of this year.

The Summer this year had been exceptionally hot. Last few days were marked with sweat and heat.

Looking at the build-up of heat this summer, I predicted that the rains will be heavy this year. My grandma predicted the same looking at the full fire-red bloom of the Gul-mohars this summer.

Today, while returning back from the office, I noticed the signs of rain.

First there was just distant bolts of lightning - nothing dramatic - just muted flashes like someone was trying ot take cosmic snapshots from the skies. Then there was the build-up of clouds which blocked the skies and turned them to a muddy brown instead of the usual inky darkness of the summer night.

By the time I reached home, there was a light cool wind blowing around dust and drying up my sweat.And then - a little while ago it rained - not heavy - just a mild drizzle. It lasted for not more than 2-3 minutes.

One might not even have noticed it if not for the unmistakable sweet smell of wet earth... I think this smell along with the soothing coolness that replaces the heat of our tropical Summer - is the best part of the First Rain - And may be that is one of the reasons that makes the first rain so special?

Now, as I sit typing away into the night, it is cool... the stiffling summer heat of yesterday seems to be just a distant memory...

Mother Earth has begun to replenish itself again...