Cheers

[Haridasa Siva]

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All of us rejoice the Cricket World Cup victory. But a good number of people appear to have “spirits”. A news report says 2 lakhs litres of alcohol and 12 tons of meat were sold in Mumbai alone on 2nd April 2011 – the day of Final match. One can imagine how much would have been sold on the following day. Remember this is only the figures for Mumbai. What would it be for the whole nation?

They say cricket is a religion in India. I wonder what religion the celebration is.

Celebration for today’s generation seems to be the alcohol way. For every occasion (the definition of ‘occasion’ being a glimpse of the girl next door!!), the young people resort to alcohol. Unfortunately, alcoholism is no longer an exclusive male domain. The women folks are proving their ‘equality’. The younger generation must give a serious thinking in this direction and abstain from alcohol. We can cheer without raising “cheers”!

I recollect my poem lines

அன்று தமிழ் நாட்டில் மது விலக்கு
இன்று இந்த மது நாட்டில் (TASMAC ) தமிழ் விலக்கு (T .V. language)

 

[sangom]

Kerala sets higher and higher records with each festive season, especially Xmas and New Year. Alcohol is used by both men and women. Perhaps what happens to Kerala society may be a good study for sociologists.

 

[Brahmanyan]

Excessive supply of Drinks and meat during festivities may be true. But I wonder how do the news media get this statistical information ?

Brahmanyan,
Bangalore.

 

[B.Krishnamurthy]

Dear Shri.Brahmanyam,
You have raised a valid point.I want to share my personal experience in this regard.
The year was 1956 or 1957.Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru,Prime Minister was coming in an open car from Airport to the Nagpur city.NAGPUR- WARDA road was full with people on both sides to greet the Prime Minister.The place where I was standing one ill clad rickshaw pedalling man
tried to come forward to see the PM at close quarters.Perhaps he was being harrassed by local police and he was under the mistaken impression that if he can convey his problem to the PM,he may get justice.As soon as he went close to the car there was commotion all round and the PM's vehicle moved very fast.The Police immediately dispersed the crowd.I wanted to know as to what happenned.I went to PTI office,Nagpur where my friend was working.News started being exchanged between MUMBAI(BOMBAY THOSE days)and Nagpur.Directions started from BOMBAY office as to how to start the story.Nagpur PTI was asked to commence the story that one person wielding a big knife was approaching the PM's car and when he was about to attack the PM,one Mr.Rajagopal an IPS officer who was in the car jumped on that person and overpowered him before any harm could be done to Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru and Police have taken that person into custody and detailed investigation has started.Next day all National newspapers carried this news in the front page.
Poor rickshaw man was sentenced while Mr.Rajagopal got President medal for his Bravery
thanks to PTI news,MUMBAI.

When any national calamity or accident takes place,there will be different statistics of people killed and injured in various TV channels.

 

[sangom]

Excessive supply of Drinks and meat during festivities may be true. But I wonder how do the news media get this statistical information ?

Brahmanyan,
Bangalore.

For drinks it is easy; just roughly total supply minus balance stock as reported by outlets. When we are dealing with turnovers reaching several crores of rupees, errors will be minor.

As for meat, perhaps slaughterhouses have to be depended upon in metros for production figures; individual butchers - cum - meat sellers may not count for much in those areas, I think.

 

[Brahmanyan]

Dear Sri Krishnamurthy,

You have let out a well known secret of the news gathering by media. As one who has been associated with a leading Newspaper group for more than two decades I can vouch for your personal experience in Nagpur. But we must understand, news gathering is not an easy job, but a strenuous affair. Many a time the youngsters who run about for gathering news have to rely on the word of mouth of strangers which gets added up from person to person. There may be a lot of blanks in the continuity of the news which are to be filled up by the cub reporters before sending to the sub editors' table. This is again done at the whims of the individual. Statistics are the most unreliable items in the news reporting.

Regards,
Brahmanyan,
Bangalore.