As I hit refresh on the BBC Dorset news webpage, expecting news of scams or drug raids (Majority of Dorset news stories seem to revolve around these two topics), I was pleasantly surprised to find a story that read "A Dorset writer who published chapters of her latest book online will make it into print as the winner of YouWriteOn website's book of the year awards."
I said to myself, "So we do report good news."
A few moments later, another thought struck me. I was reading an article about a writer who published a few chapters from her book on the internet and winning a book of the year award from a website on the BBC website.
It seemed so natural and perfectly normal.
Only on pondering over the news piece did I notice that we had replaced age old traditions like paper backs or hard binds, publishers and newspapers with just a few clicks.
I am not sure if I want to let go, just yet, of the pleasure in turning each page of a gripping thriller eager to learn what's in store for the heroine. And I still want to read about what's happening in the world while gloriously sitting on my throne.
This, from a student of multi-media journalism. Isn't it ironic?
Friday, February 29, 2008
Thursday, February 28, 2008
'Anti-freeze' marriage
"I, Kate, take you, Lee, for my lawful husband, to have and to hold, from this day forward, for better, for worse, for richer, for poorer, in sickness and health, until death do us part."
Maybe these vows were long forgotten when Kate Knight was busy scheming the death of a husband. Or maybe she was just making sure that death did do them apart and left her a whole lot richer and debt-free.
Kate Knight, 28, was found guilty of the attempted murder of Lee Knight at their home in Stoke-on-Trent, Staffordshire in 2005.
She tried to kill her husband by putting anti-freeze into his curry and wine on their seventh wedding anniversary! Talk about a memorable way to celebrate their togetherness.
The court heard that Knight plotted to poison her husband in order to collect a £130,000 payout from his employer, in order to clear her £17,000 loans and remortgage.
At first glance, we see a sick, desperate, selfish, uncaring, careless and callous woman without morals and a conscience scheming, plotting and devising ‘Operation Debt-riddance’.
But in looking deeper, one has to ask, “How did she get to such a desperate state?”
Was it the credit companies who make credit cards so easy to own and encourage even probably pray for reckless spending? Or was it the betting shops on every street offering instant money, instant fortunes and asking for absolutely no labour? Or was it that shady peddler offering the highest ‘high’ of your lifetime for the hundredth time? Or was it the flashy lifestyle, the ‘diva’ clothing, the brand fixation, the aspiration to live like rich and (in)famous celebrities?
More importantly, how many of us are headed towards this downward spiral?
Maybe these vows were long forgotten when Kate Knight was busy scheming the death of a husband. Or maybe she was just making sure that death did do them apart and left her a whole lot richer and debt-free.
Kate Knight, 28, was found guilty of the attempted murder of Lee Knight at their home in Stoke-on-Trent, Staffordshire in 2005.
She tried to kill her husband by putting anti-freeze into his curry and wine on their seventh wedding anniversary! Talk about a memorable way to celebrate their togetherness.
The court heard that Knight plotted to poison her husband in order to collect a £130,000 payout from his employer, in order to clear her £17,000 loans and remortgage.
At first glance, we see a sick, desperate, selfish, uncaring, careless and callous woman without morals and a conscience scheming, plotting and devising ‘Operation Debt-riddance’.
But in looking deeper, one has to ask, “How did she get to such a desperate state?”
Was it the credit companies who make credit cards so easy to own and encourage even probably pray for reckless spending? Or was it the betting shops on every street offering instant money, instant fortunes and asking for absolutely no labour? Or was it that shady peddler offering the highest ‘high’ of your lifetime for the hundredth time? Or was it the flashy lifestyle, the ‘diva’ clothing, the brand fixation, the aspiration to live like rich and (in)famous celebrities?
More importantly, how many of us are headed towards this downward spiral?
Sick society?
Sometimes, the news in the papers just wrenches your heart out and makes you wonder if the world is going to shambles. But once in a while, you read about something so tragic, so remarkably sad that you can almost feel the pain and for a moment there your heart is engulfed in a wave of sadness.
An inquest at Bournemouth heard the terrible story of a mentally ill man who continued to try and feed his father's decomposing body and was playing music in his dead mother's ears. He believed they were still alive.
Police found the bodies of John and Christine Dumsday in an upstairs flat with the son Paul right by their side. There was a napkin round Mr Dumsday's neck and walkman headphones in Mrs Dumsday's ears.
How did this family get so neglected that months went by before anyone noticed? Why have we become so self-centred, so private that we don’t know who are neighbour is? We don’t know his name, have probably passed him by in a corridor but never stopped to notice, to say hello, to just smile.
How many more Pauls exist around us? I have an inkling this incident is just an indication of the sickness that has spread through our society. We are in urgent need of treatment and rehabilitation.
The disease has already claimed so many lives. And so many more are at stake. This disease goes by the name of apathy.
An inquest at Bournemouth heard the terrible story of a mentally ill man who continued to try and feed his father's decomposing body and was playing music in his dead mother's ears. He believed they were still alive.
Police found the bodies of John and Christine Dumsday in an upstairs flat with the son Paul right by their side. There was a napkin round Mr Dumsday's neck and walkman headphones in Mrs Dumsday's ears.
How did this family get so neglected that months went by before anyone noticed? Why have we become so self-centred, so private that we don’t know who are neighbour is? We don’t know his name, have probably passed him by in a corridor but never stopped to notice, to say hello, to just smile.
How many more Pauls exist around us? I have an inkling this incident is just an indication of the sickness that has spread through our society. We are in urgent need of treatment and rehabilitation.
The disease has already claimed so many lives. And so many more are at stake. This disease goes by the name of apathy.
News values
We live in a world where bad news is good news for the media. As I live and learn in the eternal hope of making a career in the media someday, I have been taught this principle over and over, Conflict, pain, suffering, tragedy, turmoil are all essential ingredients for a good news story.
Is it the media just providing the public what they want, or is it the media determining, cultivating and dictating to their audience what they should see or is it just media's unfounded assumption that only bad news sells?
TRP ratings say otherwise.
Have we become sadistic and voyeuristic, taking pleasure and being entertained by the trauma others have suffered? Or have we always been this way and the media has got our pulse and is just making hay?
I just got thinking about all this when I caught myself thinking terrible things. I was saying to myself, "Why is Bournemouth such quiet, peaceful town? God!! Nothing ever happens in here. I need something drastic for the news stories to be handed in at the university this week"
Its precisely then that I realised; I am part of the system. Or maybe, I have always been.
Is it the media just providing the public what they want, or is it the media determining, cultivating and dictating to their audience what they should see or is it just media's unfounded assumption that only bad news sells?
TRP ratings say otherwise.
Have we become sadistic and voyeuristic, taking pleasure and being entertained by the trauma others have suffered? Or have we always been this way and the media has got our pulse and is just making hay?
I just got thinking about all this when I caught myself thinking terrible things. I was saying to myself, "Why is Bournemouth such quiet, peaceful town? God!! Nothing ever happens in here. I need something drastic for the news stories to be handed in at the university this week"
Its precisely then that I realised; I am part of the system. Or maybe, I have always been.
Monday, February 04, 2008
Adrenalin
When you just get back and take charge. Pick up after the mess with a defiant air. Calculate, strategise and set in motion the action plan in a matter of seconds.
When you resolve to fight and subdue and not take flight or submit.
That heady feeling. That rush. That exhilaration. That immense satisfaction. And the pride in oneself.
It's fantastic
When you resolve to fight and subdue and not take flight or submit.
That heady feeling. That rush. That exhilaration. That immense satisfaction. And the pride in oneself.
It's fantastic
Sunday, February 03, 2008
Being too hard on yourself
What happens when you expect too much? Or you always want things to be just right?
You either learn that its impossible for things to go your way or as per your plans always. Physical limits, personal shortcomings, circumstances, other people, plain rotten luck. Anything or everything could go wrong. In the war that is life, you win some and you lose some. Or you remain an obstinate mule and throw your feet up in the air until you are given what you want. (That maybe adorable when a pretty 2 year old does it but a fully grown adult doing that is, quite frankly, plain revolting)
Its ok to be a perfectionist. To want the best. To be the best. To settle for nothing less. Eventually.
Defeat or failure is fine. And there can be two responses to failure.
You could panic, gasp, shiver, shudder, tremble, suffocate and die like a fish out of water does. Be as helpless and pathetic and pitiable as that. Those who care for you may cry and wish you had achieved your potential.
Or like the lizard you could regrow the rest of your body if you have managed to salvage just your tail.
And live to see another day.
And maybe, conquer it.
So, what's it gonna be?
You either learn that its impossible for things to go your way or as per your plans always. Physical limits, personal shortcomings, circumstances, other people, plain rotten luck. Anything or everything could go wrong. In the war that is life, you win some and you lose some. Or you remain an obstinate mule and throw your feet up in the air until you are given what you want. (That maybe adorable when a pretty 2 year old does it but a fully grown adult doing that is, quite frankly, plain revolting)
Its ok to be a perfectionist. To want the best. To be the best. To settle for nothing less. Eventually.
Defeat or failure is fine. And there can be two responses to failure.
You could panic, gasp, shiver, shudder, tremble, suffocate and die like a fish out of water does. Be as helpless and pathetic and pitiable as that. Those who care for you may cry and wish you had achieved your potential.
Or like the lizard you could regrow the rest of your body if you have managed to salvage just your tail.
And live to see another day.
And maybe, conquer it.
So, what's it gonna be?
Lose lose
I observe.
I think.
I ponder.
I scrutinise.
I evaluate.
I judge.
I decipher.
I conclude.
I react.
Sometimes the above process is completed within seconds and sometimes it takes what seems like centuries and for some things I think the process will not be completed in my lifetime.
But this is how I react to every stranger I meet, to every new situation or scenario I encounter and to every new development in my life.
I am a very opinionated person. Things are either black or white to me. I don't see grey. Consequently, I either love or hate people. Adore or detest them. Embrace or abor them. Indulge or ignore them. It's a 100% in or out situation.
And I usually get a similar response in return.
This is how its been so far.
Sometimes I feel happy that there isn't a fake bone in my body but sometimes I wish I were more tolerant. Or that people would get me.
Neither option is viable.
I think.
I ponder.
I scrutinise.
I evaluate.
I judge.
I decipher.
I conclude.
I react.
Sometimes the above process is completed within seconds and sometimes it takes what seems like centuries and for some things I think the process will not be completed in my lifetime.
But this is how I react to every stranger I meet, to every new situation or scenario I encounter and to every new development in my life.
I am a very opinionated person. Things are either black or white to me. I don't see grey. Consequently, I either love or hate people. Adore or detest them. Embrace or abor them. Indulge or ignore them. It's a 100% in or out situation.
And I usually get a similar response in return.
This is how its been so far.
Sometimes I feel happy that there isn't a fake bone in my body but sometimes I wish I were more tolerant. Or that people would get me.
Neither option is viable.
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