Wednesday, May 16, 2012
Wednesday, February 13, 2008
OBAMA OR CLINTON?
“ To know it soon, the third-world waits,
The black-beauty or the one with hair,
Discuss they, focus they, gossip they;
Expect they, for pizza and bread,
A proud woman but says
‘ Who cares if are we to be bombed
By the black-beauty, or
The one with hair.’ ”
The black-beauty or the one with hair,
Discuss they, focus they, gossip they;
Expect they, for pizza and bread,
A proud woman but says
‘ Who cares if are we to be bombed
By the black-beauty, or
The one with hair.’ ”
Thursday, December 27, 2007
THE CRICKET BUSINESS
The cricket business
Cricket is a beautiful game - the ball, the bat, the sixes, the fours, drama, etc. and etc. There is enough in it to keep the viewer interested. Cricket has been a big hit throughout India. Well! Is there another side to all the beauty it posses?
Cricket at its early age was an unlimited day’s game. The inventors might have wanted a nice little excuse to get themselves warmed in the sun the whole day without involved in much action, as football was also an option. But, they surely would have loved the game. The unlimited version, however, was result less. So, naturally, changes followed. Cricket became a 6 day match called ‘test match’ with a rest-day included. Again, with more and more growth, the rest day was rested. Hence the arrival of 5-day test, the classic version, which still survives. But think-tanks wanted a more entertaining version, and one-day version took birth. It went through many changes till it became the current form of game. Still, the think-tanks wanted more entertainment, so they created another version ‘20Twenty’. They seem to believe that 20Twenty can compete with football, a game which hasn’t gone through such confusing changes so far as in the game of cricket. But, is there another aspect in the 20Twenty that we must look closely?
YES!!!!
20Twenty looks like an understanding between the Corporates and the media with a common profit motive mindset. The game of cricket itself suites these profit seeking groups simply because of its format. Cricket is a good media through which products can be marketed. One can experience this while watching a match on the television. The break between overs is best utilized for showing advertisements. We can find all types of Corporates in between the overs. It is such a surprise that cricket is a game apt for the marketing people.
The game of cricket has been hijacked by the Corporates! Just analyze what has been happening all these days. Corporates have been investing heavily on the game business lately. You should yourself have already seen Indian Cricket League’s debut. It just wrapped up a tournament. Of course, some of you might consider it a flop, but it is going to get stronger in the future with the heavy investments. More Corporates are reported to be arriving too. And even BCCI! And why do you think all this money has been put on it? To strengthen cricket? Or to strengthen the business base? Just give it a time to think before switching your television on next time to watch Hyderabad Rubbish Vs Mumbai Cunnings.
Love cricket, not its business!
Cricket is a beautiful game - the ball, the bat, the sixes, the fours, drama, etc. and etc. There is enough in it to keep the viewer interested. Cricket has been a big hit throughout India. Well! Is there another side to all the beauty it posses?
Cricket at its early age was an unlimited day’s game. The inventors might have wanted a nice little excuse to get themselves warmed in the sun the whole day without involved in much action, as football was also an option. But, they surely would have loved the game. The unlimited version, however, was result less. So, naturally, changes followed. Cricket became a 6 day match called ‘test match’ with a rest-day included. Again, with more and more growth, the rest day was rested. Hence the arrival of 5-day test, the classic version, which still survives. But think-tanks wanted a more entertaining version, and one-day version took birth. It went through many changes till it became the current form of game. Still, the think-tanks wanted more entertainment, so they created another version ‘20Twenty’. They seem to believe that 20Twenty can compete with football, a game which hasn’t gone through such confusing changes so far as in the game of cricket. But, is there another aspect in the 20Twenty that we must look closely?
YES!!!!
20Twenty looks like an understanding between the Corporates and the media with a common profit motive mindset. The game of cricket itself suites these profit seeking groups simply because of its format. Cricket is a good media through which products can be marketed. One can experience this while watching a match on the television. The break between overs is best utilized for showing advertisements. We can find all types of Corporates in between the overs. It is such a surprise that cricket is a game apt for the marketing people.
The game of cricket has been hijacked by the Corporates! Just analyze what has been happening all these days. Corporates have been investing heavily on the game business lately. You should yourself have already seen Indian Cricket League’s debut. It just wrapped up a tournament. Of course, some of you might consider it a flop, but it is going to get stronger in the future with the heavy investments. More Corporates are reported to be arriving too. And even BCCI! And why do you think all this money has been put on it? To strengthen cricket? Or to strengthen the business base? Just give it a time to think before switching your television on next time to watch Hyderabad Rubbish Vs Mumbai Cunnings.
Love cricket, not its business!
Wednesday, October 24, 2007
UNITY IN DIVERSITY
“Hey! Go and ask him how much time it would take to reach there!” said the gentleman the umpteenth time, sitting in a chair close to the window, in front of a table full of books and a bottle of some quality beverage. And to whom did he ask and who did hear this but his servant. His servant was not at all a native to the nation of his master. He is an example of millions of people, who like him had left his country in hope of a better life, which gave him enough money at least to spend in a better way. He went out of his country through the ‘ brain drainage system’, but only reached where then he was – to the service of a modern gentleman in the modern world. It is obvious that he did not enjoy his job at all. But, as he was a modern man, he left himself to be in service of another man who once was the ruler of this servant’s great country. So, that was not a new experience for the servant.
The servant heard the same question the umpteenth time and he did went straight into the pilots cabin, whenever this inquiry was made, to satisfy the wish of his master, which was his service. There is no doubt that the gentleman capitalized the servant.
“Go and tell your master we are almost above your country. And the government of the nearest state, without any trouble at all, has allowed us to fly over the country” said the pilot.
The servant was back in front of his master”, and said “we are almost there, sir.”
“Good! Let me see” and he looked through the window, “ the beautiful country, its unity and diversity, if there was anything remaining of the duo.”
“The pilot also said that he had no difficulty in receiving permission from the state we might now be flying over, sir.”
“I had known that – Oh! I cannot see anything of your country even without any clouds. Aren’t we yet above it? I can only see – a – a fog or something like that.”
“A lesser possibility, sir. If what you said is, and of course you speaks only truth, I am sure you haven’t seen any fog, sir.”
“Then what is it? You should know better about your country.”
“An easy mistake to make, sir.”
“Why?”
“I know about the Birmingham City, New York City, the poets and writers of your language, the climate of yours and your friendly countries, may be even better than your knowledge, sir. But I have little knowledge about my own country though I am good enough to guide you, sir.”
“But why?”
“That’s our system, sir. We are open-minded, sir. Think of an open window in a room you are, sir. You will definitely develop a tendency to see what is outside it than what is inside it, sir. But, we would jump out of the window only to stare at what is outside than to possess it, sir.”
“OK. Whatever be the matter, leave it.”
“I would leave it, sir.”
“You said I didn’t see a fog?”
“Yes, sir. I said that.”
“Then what are my eyes looking at? I think you know that.”
“Definitely, sir.”
“Then please tell me what I saw.”
“You are seeing the cloud of anxiety of the millions of people living there, sir. They are always hoping for the best, though they always ends up quite on the other side, sir.”
“So that’s the cloud of anxiety. What are they so anxious about to hope for the best?”
“Misery, sir. The majority of them are unemployed, sir. The majority of the employed are not getting good enough to live, sir. And the majority of those who gets enough to live are thinking about leaving the country, sir.”
“Hhm! That’s interesting! And amusing too.”
“I regret that, sir.”
“Of course you can.”
After almost thirty minutes later the voice of the gentleman was heard again.
“Hey! Look at that! Is that the mountain ranges in the north? How come we reach there so quickly?”
“That isn’t any mountain ranges, sir.”
“Then in the name of Lord, what is it?”
“Those are the investors, sir.”
“What investors?”
“Foreign investors, sir.”
“Why only them?”
“They have colonized here, sir. They love our country, live in our country, and wont leave our country; but if they decide to leave, they wont leave anything, sir, they would even pump out the tears of our people.”
“But, why do they look like mountains?”
“Again you repeat that, sir. Those are not mountains, sir. Of course they look like mountains, sir, but they are not. They look elevated because they are elevated, sir. They are honoured greatly, sir. The government has given them a place, which is even higher than the government itself, sir. They are counted high, sir. Now look closely, sir. You can see plenty of whisker like things close to them, sir.”
“Aah! Yes! I can see them. And what are they? No! No! Let me guess – investors of your country?”
“Exactly, sir.”
“And why are they so small?”
“That’s the system in our country, sir. Our open-mindedness, sir.”
“Amazing! I would certainly love investing here.”
“I know you would, sir. Who wont?”
Another half an hour’s sight seeing, the gentleman was again interested. And he said, “What’s that? Is it – is it – a war?”
“War!”
“Yea! Look down!”
“Aah! I see, sir. And that isn’t any war, sir.”
“No war! How can you see it and then say it.”
“I repeat, sir”
“Why can’t that be a war?”
“Our country loves peace, sir. We don’t war, sir.”
“Then—then”
“Our country would definitely cut itself into pieces for peace, sir. That’s our system, sir.”
“Then tell me what hell is going on?”
“Two different communities are fighting each other, sir.”
“Why? What are they fighting for?”
“Plenty of reasons, sir”
“What reasons?”
“Firstly, they don’t know what else to do, sir. Your country’s children play fighting versus computer on computer, sir. But, here they do it live, sir, and regardless of age too.”
“Can you give me a much likelier reason?”
“ Of course, sir.”
“Then, please.”
“Secondly, they fight only to find out what they are fighting for, sir.”
“Fools!”
“Definitely fools, sir.”
“And aren’t there anyone to stop it?”
“Of course, sir.”
“Then were are they?”
“They are also fighting, sir.”
“Why?”
“They are also part of the community, sir.”
“Hhm! Understandable yet not understandable.”
“Absolutely right, sir.”
“And how long would they fight?”
“As long as they could, sir. May be only a year and may be decades, sir.”
“Fools!”
“Definitely fools, sir.”
Another sequence of time passes.
“I cannot see any traditions part of your culture anywhere.”
“Yes! You wont see that, sir.”
“Why?”
“Again, its our system, sir.”
“Fools!”
“Definitely, sir.”
Another period of time passes.
“Where are the socialists? I cannot see them too!”
“Gone, sir. Or the word ‘converted’ suits better, sir.”
“Where?”
“They have gone to the past, sir.”
“And!”
“And they wont come back, sir.”
“Your country has amused me.”
“I should’ve known that, sir. There are plenty more to come, sir.”
“I wonder what I am going to see next.”
“You would definitely wonder, sir.”
“Your country is certainly diverse.”
“Yes, sir. Certainly, yes!”
“I can see unity too.”
“That puts it, sir.”
“Yea! ‘Unity in diversity’.”
“Yes, sir.”
“I have seen that ‘unity in diversity’, sir.”
“Let me correct you, sir.”
“Try!”
“You have not finished seeing it, sir. You are seeing it, sir.”
“That’s better.”
“Of course, sir.”
“You know one thing?”
“I am sorry, I have no clue, sir.”
“I would have left the country if I were you.”
“Yes, sir. You would have done that, sir. And, sir.”
“Yes!”
“I would have come here to invest if I were you, sir.”
“Definitely! As long as your country is for sale.”
“I know that, sir.”
“And what do you feel about that?”
“Nothing, sir.”
“Nothing?” “Just, I am proud of my country, sir.”
The servant heard the same question the umpteenth time and he did went straight into the pilots cabin, whenever this inquiry was made, to satisfy the wish of his master, which was his service. There is no doubt that the gentleman capitalized the servant.
“Go and tell your master we are almost above your country. And the government of the nearest state, without any trouble at all, has allowed us to fly over the country” said the pilot.
The servant was back in front of his master”, and said “we are almost there, sir.”
“Good! Let me see” and he looked through the window, “ the beautiful country, its unity and diversity, if there was anything remaining of the duo.”
“The pilot also said that he had no difficulty in receiving permission from the state we might now be flying over, sir.”
“I had known that – Oh! I cannot see anything of your country even without any clouds. Aren’t we yet above it? I can only see – a – a fog or something like that.”
“A lesser possibility, sir. If what you said is, and of course you speaks only truth, I am sure you haven’t seen any fog, sir.”
“Then what is it? You should know better about your country.”
“An easy mistake to make, sir.”
“Why?”
“I know about the Birmingham City, New York City, the poets and writers of your language, the climate of yours and your friendly countries, may be even better than your knowledge, sir. But I have little knowledge about my own country though I am good enough to guide you, sir.”
“But why?”
“That’s our system, sir. We are open-minded, sir. Think of an open window in a room you are, sir. You will definitely develop a tendency to see what is outside it than what is inside it, sir. But, we would jump out of the window only to stare at what is outside than to possess it, sir.”
“OK. Whatever be the matter, leave it.”
“I would leave it, sir.”
“You said I didn’t see a fog?”
“Yes, sir. I said that.”
“Then what are my eyes looking at? I think you know that.”
“Definitely, sir.”
“Then please tell me what I saw.”
“You are seeing the cloud of anxiety of the millions of people living there, sir. They are always hoping for the best, though they always ends up quite on the other side, sir.”
“So that’s the cloud of anxiety. What are they so anxious about to hope for the best?”
“Misery, sir. The majority of them are unemployed, sir. The majority of the employed are not getting good enough to live, sir. And the majority of those who gets enough to live are thinking about leaving the country, sir.”
“Hhm! That’s interesting! And amusing too.”
“I regret that, sir.”
“Of course you can.”
After almost thirty minutes later the voice of the gentleman was heard again.
“Hey! Look at that! Is that the mountain ranges in the north? How come we reach there so quickly?”
“That isn’t any mountain ranges, sir.”
“Then in the name of Lord, what is it?”
“Those are the investors, sir.”
“What investors?”
“Foreign investors, sir.”
“Why only them?”
“They have colonized here, sir. They love our country, live in our country, and wont leave our country; but if they decide to leave, they wont leave anything, sir, they would even pump out the tears of our people.”
“But, why do they look like mountains?”
“Again you repeat that, sir. Those are not mountains, sir. Of course they look like mountains, sir, but they are not. They look elevated because they are elevated, sir. They are honoured greatly, sir. The government has given them a place, which is even higher than the government itself, sir. They are counted high, sir. Now look closely, sir. You can see plenty of whisker like things close to them, sir.”
“Aah! Yes! I can see them. And what are they? No! No! Let me guess – investors of your country?”
“Exactly, sir.”
“And why are they so small?”
“That’s the system in our country, sir. Our open-mindedness, sir.”
“Amazing! I would certainly love investing here.”
“I know you would, sir. Who wont?”
Another half an hour’s sight seeing, the gentleman was again interested. And he said, “What’s that? Is it – is it – a war?”
“War!”
“Yea! Look down!”
“Aah! I see, sir. And that isn’t any war, sir.”
“No war! How can you see it and then say it.”
“I repeat, sir”
“Why can’t that be a war?”
“Our country loves peace, sir. We don’t war, sir.”
“Then—then”
“Our country would definitely cut itself into pieces for peace, sir. That’s our system, sir.”
“Then tell me what hell is going on?”
“Two different communities are fighting each other, sir.”
“Why? What are they fighting for?”
“Plenty of reasons, sir”
“What reasons?”
“Firstly, they don’t know what else to do, sir. Your country’s children play fighting versus computer on computer, sir. But, here they do it live, sir, and regardless of age too.”
“Can you give me a much likelier reason?”
“ Of course, sir.”
“Then, please.”
“Secondly, they fight only to find out what they are fighting for, sir.”
“Fools!”
“Definitely fools, sir.”
“And aren’t there anyone to stop it?”
“Of course, sir.”
“Then were are they?”
“They are also fighting, sir.”
“Why?”
“They are also part of the community, sir.”
“Hhm! Understandable yet not understandable.”
“Absolutely right, sir.”
“And how long would they fight?”
“As long as they could, sir. May be only a year and may be decades, sir.”
“Fools!”
“Definitely fools, sir.”
Another sequence of time passes.
“I cannot see any traditions part of your culture anywhere.”
“Yes! You wont see that, sir.”
“Why?”
“Again, its our system, sir.”
“Fools!”
“Definitely, sir.”
Another period of time passes.
“Where are the socialists? I cannot see them too!”
“Gone, sir. Or the word ‘converted’ suits better, sir.”
“Where?”
“They have gone to the past, sir.”
“And!”
“And they wont come back, sir.”
“Your country has amused me.”
“I should’ve known that, sir. There are plenty more to come, sir.”
“I wonder what I am going to see next.”
“You would definitely wonder, sir.”
“Your country is certainly diverse.”
“Yes, sir. Certainly, yes!”
“I can see unity too.”
“That puts it, sir.”
“Yea! ‘Unity in diversity’.”
“Yes, sir.”
“I have seen that ‘unity in diversity’, sir.”
“Let me correct you, sir.”
“Try!”
“You have not finished seeing it, sir. You are seeing it, sir.”
“That’s better.”
“Of course, sir.”
“You know one thing?”
“I am sorry, I have no clue, sir.”
“I would have left the country if I were you.”
“Yes, sir. You would have done that, sir. And, sir.”
“Yes!”
“I would have come here to invest if I were you, sir.”
“Definitely! As long as your country is for sale.”
“I know that, sir.”
“And what do you feel about that?”
“Nothing, sir.”
“Nothing?” “Just, I am proud of my country, sir.”
Thursday, October 18, 2007
BLOODY MEDIA
Bloody media? Bloody? Of course, electronic media haven’t thrown away its camera and bought fresh AK-47s or they haven’t started coming out of your television and kick you. Its just that, thay have mutuated. The terrible part is that the process forced them to take steps against the very truthfulness of the profession. Sadly, its getting worse, worser, bloody!
Our media are keen to bring to its viewers a fantasy world just like J.K. Rowling. Just put on a national news channel and you can see it. They talk about the Ambanis, Tatas, Birlas, Sensex bull or bear, Stars, Celebrities; about their lifestyle, fashion, etc. they talk about how the G.D.P. is keeping up a good rate and so that India is soon going to become a developed state and that India do glitter, while the reality is that only 1.5 % of Indian families invest in stock markets, and that 65% of Indian families does not even have a bank account, of which 70% live in villages. The media does not talk about thousands of farmers who commit suicide in villages, but about the suicide of an actress with great interest. The media tend to support the remarks of the cricket minister(who is also the agriculture minister), who reasoned the downfall of agriculture production as a result of draught or flood rather than investing into the reality.
India is a big country and is said to have a unity in diversity. Obviously, the north is completely different from the south and the same is the case with the east and the west. They speak different languages, and they carry different traditions, etc. and etc. significantly, there are regional media concentrating mainly on regional news, incidents, etc. that is great! Thumps up! Ok! There are also some media who boast themselves as ‘the national channel’, ‘the india channel’, ‘news of india 24 hours, 7 weeks’, ‘news of india’, ‘indian superfast’, etc., etc., and etc. where do they stand? All over India? Confined to north and west? Well! Any sane ones could spot it while coming across these media. If you haven’t done that, just do it the next day, or the very next day, because they still keep on doing it – avoiding the big masses confined to various regions who suffers, who celebrates, who lives the life of a proud Indian; not by just letting go by a racist comment to become a ‘National Hero’ whom the media has love for rather than a proud farmer who tries to resist the invasions of different monopoly corporates who share a common face in front of the national media.
The news and activities from certain states are seen neglected as they are forgotten or categorised as local news, which on 99% of times are not. Any hidden agendas? I don’t know!
How can we hope for the best? We cannot hope for the best as long as the media behave like an indecent parent who favours his boy rather than his/her girl.
DEMPUS PATTERY ( SUDEEP MOOTHAMANA)
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