3 Idiots

How many things are there in this world that we can completely be sure of? that we can say are absolute? Not many. And in such an unsure, unclear world there is this honest and pure and absolute movie addressing a big problem (student suicides) with a big message (strive for excellence rather than result) and to top that wrap it all up in loads of fun - that's just great. This movie is absolute fun.

Of course, you will find as I have too, some who I like to call "Gyanchands" of the world, who will say, it could have been better, or this was boring or that was boring...or it didn't appeal their intellectual psyche or whatever.....don't bother listening....if you haven't already done so, please watch the movie. Sometimes, it is better to just enjoy the bliss rather than pick on it.

Public Enemies

I hear very frequently some news anchor saying that "This news is coming up right after a short break and you don't want to miss this". First, the break is not short and secondly, how does he/she know that I don't want to miss this?

Remember the days when news was just news and anchors just gave us the news and not their opinion. Today, every news anchor or correspondent is an analyst. And thinks that he/she is a much better analyst than the one on the other news channel. If it had just stopped at this, I wouldnt be concerned and would not write a blog.

My concern is that news channels today don't just give the news or the public opinion, they form the public opinion. A news that should take 2 minutes will be followed by a 10 minute analysis. Sometimes analysis is done by informed people but more often than not its done by someone who just wants lime-light or who is very animated and people will love to see him. These days news channels are 24 hours on and there is not enough news.

And second, and more importantly, we as listeners have stopped to process this information and think. Thats why news channel are able to form public opinions. An example would be --- President's approval rating is above 60% some 5 months back, now its 30%, lowest ever for his term. What is the source of this information? How many people took this survey? Why do we believe that the President was good earlier and now he is not or for that matter why should we believe that 60% approval rating means he was doing great earlier? Even if the news channel is able to provide answers to these questions, isn't the right thing to do would be to filter out the news from "news + analysis" and think and decide for yourself what the President has done and does his work makes sense to you?

Lastly, for a news channel or an anchor or a correspondent, I dont think that news is very important anymore. Its all about those individuals. In an Anderson Cooper 360 show, you would hear Anderson Cooper much more than the "breaking news" he is providing you. A typical news segment will go like this:

News Anchor Jane: This news is brought to you live by our chief correspondent John Doe, who is on the site of the scene himself. Remember, channel ANX brought you the story first. Over to you John Doe.

John Doe: This is John Doe and here in Mobile, Alabama a fire has broken out in a forest and the city of Mobile is just 50 miles away from the cite of accident. Firefighters are trying hard to contain the fire. No life is in danger. The chief of fire department has said that fire would be contained in the next 2 hours and there is no reason to worry.

John Doe doing analysis: The question here is why this fire started? Is this arson? Is this because of climate-change? We have here with us Mr ABC to discuss this fire. -- a 5 minute analysis will follow.

Later John Doe signs off: This was John Doe providing you the first video footage of the fire only on ANX. Back to you Jane.

News Anchor Jane: You just saw the first visuals of this fire in Alabama from John Doe only on ANX. This is Jane at the top of the hour and ahead the great story of a missing cat. You dont want to miss this.

Game Set & Match CBS

I am watching the Federer-Djokovic Semi Finals at US Open 2008. Alongside, in a near-by court the other semi-final between Nadal and Murray has started. CBS is showing the Federer-Djokovic match. Federer wins and the match ends.

Now, instead of showing the LIVE action of the Nadal-Murry match, CBS decides to show it from start. Already 2 sets have finished and the viewers are forced to watch deferred action.

No other channel is covering it. Viewers have no other option but to watch it.

CBS knows that this is the only way they can sell these 2 sets. Who wins?

Zindagi Zindabad

On 3rd August 2008 www.timesofindia.com had these entries, all, on its frontpage.

• Naina Devi stampede toll mounts to 146
• Class 9 student killed hostel mates at Asaram ashram. Madhya Pradesh police said that Rituraj Dixit (14) has admitted to killing two Asaram ashram students in the bathroom of the hostel.
• Bomb explosion kills four in Kolkata
• Bihar: 41 labourers killed in mishap
• Nine climbers feared dead on K-2
• 12 killed in Baghdad bomb blasts
• 18 dead in latest clashes in Lanka
• Amarnath row: 37 hurt during protests in Jammu

And this is just a normal day. Not a day of panic or unrest.

Saurav Ganguly's Will, Sachin Tendulkar's Calm and Simon Taufel's Confession

The second cricket test match between India and England is not yet complete. The test, however, has seen some great things. Sports, I feel, always evokes some true emotions.

Saurav Ganguly was made to feel unwanted a year back. Every newspaper had written him off. The greats of the game suggested him to retire. Friends too, thinking, its not just for a great to be treated like that. In an interview he said, its easy to just leave. Thats the easiest path. Anyone can do that. So he decided to challenge himself, to see if he can force a comeback. Of all odds, he came back. In this test match he played a great innings. He was nearing his 100, but was given out wrongly. His will though, will bring him another one soon. All his career, he was known for one thing, his dogged will. That is what he will be remembered later.

Sachin Tendulkar too was nearing a century but was a victim of another poor decision by Simon Taufel. When he was given out, he was stunned and shocked. But he didnt make noises, he didnt make faces towards the umpire. We get a bad deal, say a road jam, and would make a big fuss about it. He just turned back and went. It is these small things, that give the big insights inside the soul of big champions.

Lastly, umpire Simon Taufel, had a bad day. The best umpire in the game today gave two wrong decisions. We all have our bad days. His greatness was his confession. Its not easy to say "I made a mistake". He could have said something else, or could have refused to speak. But he chose to accept his mistake. And on top of that, he felt bad for the spectators and fans, for it was them who felt the most let down. And Sachin and Saurav? They were fine. One eating an ice-cream and the other cracking jokes with his team-mates.

Professor Courageous

Virginia Tech witnessed USA's worst massacre.

Professor Liviu Librescu faced the bullets and asked the students to flee and jump out of the window. Around 8-9 lives saved. A split second decision to save lives and a split second decision to give away his own life. What courage and what selflessness!!

Immortality surely comes from the deeds. A remarkable life as it is, and a remarkable death. He has definitely made his family, friends and students extremely proud. And he will continue to inspire all those who will come to know of him.

What more can I say?

Few Good Men

Three great champions Andre Agassi, Michael Schumacher and Shane Warne have retired in the year 2006. While I have watched most of the grand-slam semis and finals and most of India-Australia cricket battles, I have not watched F1 at all. However, thanks to my roomie's enthusiasm, I was fortunate to watch Schumi's last race. Lagging behind by one lap to ending the race at 4th position was quite an achievement in a game where a difference of one second is considered pretty big.

Andre Agassi lost in the 3rd round of US Open 2006 and that was his last match. The time when I started to understand and enjoy watching tennis, Stefen Edberg, Ivan Lendl, Boris Becker and Navaratilova were ageing and about to retire. Becker was the favorite owing to his flamboyance. They slowly made way for Agassi, Sampras, Ivanisevic and Graf. I liked Sampras because on his day he was unbeatable and more often than not, it used to be his day. I liked Goran Ivanisevic for what else but his serve. 15-love, 30-love, 40-love, Game Ivanisevic. What else could you say after that? I liked Graf for her finesse. I liked the way she carried herself. I liked Agassi for his unpredictability and his return of serve. You could never say that Agassi has lost the match until the match got completed. How many times he came back to win the match from a position of 2 sets down. I liked the fight between Agassi and Sampras. Their matches were like joy and sorrow together. A point won at the same time was a point lost.

Another stalwart of a different game Shane Warne has retired after the 2006 Ashes. His life, both on and off the field, was full of one thing, turns. He made the art of bowling interesting to watch. He used to expect a wicket every ball. His big turns, his wickets, the joy on his face and the confused look of the batsmen made it all the more interesting. Teams were expected to score more in the overs not bowled by him. It was almost taken for granted that he will take wickets and if not that, he wont concede too many runs.

Now that Agassi and Warne have retired, I feel sad. I grew up watching them play. They were a part of my life for so many years. And now that they are gone, I feel a void, I feel that a part of my childhood and teenage years has died.

One day Sachin will retire too. That surely wont be a happy day of my life.