Understanding the world

"Trying to determine what is going on in the world by reading newspapers is like trying to tell the time by watching the second hand of a clock" - Ben Hecht

Innovative outsourcings

Outsourcing prisoners to another country? Nice idea :P

http://www.businessinsider.com/schwarzenegger-outsource-prisoners-to-mexico-2010-1

Oddest of odd news

1. Two highly advanced operational nuclear submarines, one of the UK and the other French, collide physically in the Atlantic Ocean while on missions.

2. Taliban has called the pro-pakistani militants who are not ready to fight the Pakistan military as their enemies and hence the attackers become the attacked now.

3. Japan's FM to resign after being drunk at G7 meeting.

What is the probability of having such strange news all together...

News

I was quite disturbed today after reading in the newspaper that in Haiti, people eat "mud cakes" - made of clay as their staple diets. People are so poor that they cannot afford any kind of food and have come to the last resort to sustain their lives - eating dirt. Another article spoke of terrorism, another of pakistan's ISI.

So what do today's typical newspapers contain? I will try recollecting the usual topics in the newspapers: * Terrorism * Dirty politics at individual and party level - keeping only their own welfare in mind * Corruption (Directly or Implied) * Scandals * Murder * Usual municipality problems * Abject poverty * Scientific breakthrough (once a month?) * China's another new pearl in the string of pearls theory used by them to defeat India * Pakistan's violations or actions that are detrimental to India * Weapons developed or acquiried or scandals in acquisition for India's defence * Editorials with some good opinions to solve problems by experts (Unfortunately they are read more for group discussions in MBA recruitment than by concerned authorities to actually make the change) * Sports (Does not affect you in any way at all, except emotionallyif you are still emotional about winning or losing a game) * Business news (Does not affect you in any way, unless you have something in this area to gain or lose) * Medical breakthrough (once in six months?) * Celebrity photos and news (Useful only for gossiping) * A rare feat achieved by an Indian * Supplements- how to improve skin, realtioships, home * The IN thing in education and careers.

Considering that the above items cover most of the topics in any day's newspaper and being aware of these, there is hardly any breaking news at all in the newspapers ot television news channels. And most of these articles are quite depressing, disgusting and frustrating to even know. Life could be better if we decide which of the problems we intend to take it up and solve in life and do something about it and then stop reading about these news' and get worried about the future. It should be good to know that we have atleast done something to solve one problem. I am actually thinking to stop reading the regular newspapers and in the process actually save the much needed time to do something more useful.