Disturbia

A word that has made the entire world shudder and bow down on its knees - Recession.

Recession is everywhere, prices are rising like the beanstalk in Jack's backyard, there's no job security let alone job satisfaction. People are annnoyed, confused and scared. Anyone who dares to dream about the future finds this poltergeist hiding in the shadows. But is that it? Is everyone a victim or are there people who are making most of this appehensive mood of the masses?

Nowadays, everything can be blamed on recession. Lay-offs in big organizations, bankruptcy petitions, higher prices, fall in stock market have been associated with it for a long time. But there are others. Noida Police attributed the suicide of a young woman to...well...recession. Colleges are hiking their fees due to...greed...no....recession. It is omnipresent. Everyone wants this nightmare to end.

Come to think of it, does everyone actually want it to end? Organizations are making a killing. Before recession, it was 3 employees doing the work of 4 for a good salary. After recession, its 1 person doing the same amount of work for almost no salary. He is happy just because he still has a job. Employees will work overtime without thinking about bonus pay. Do you think the companies will want the situation to change quickly?

In the market, the prices can be adjusted without counting the demand factor. Hoard goods, tell everyone its recession, hike the prices and enjoy the festive season.

Then there's the eternal excuse of having something to blame for your own failure. Humans like to have a scapegoat whenever they make a blooper. Recession's the panacea. Did not score well in exams, its the economy's fault. India lost a cricket match, recession affected the team's morale. Can't present your girlfriend with that romantic teddy. Ahhh, recession. Do you think we can let go of such a beautiful fabrication.

And they say, no good comes from a recessive economy!

When your neighbour loses his job, it is called an economic slowdown. When you lose your job, it is a recession. But when an economist loses his job, it becomes a depression.

Losing my religion

Cricket is the gulli-danda of the elite - Laloo Prasad Yadav

India crashed out of the ICC T20 World Cup yesterday. The newspapers and channels are busy bashing Dhoni and his men for the defeat. But, is Dhoni the real villain?

Cricket, in India, is a religion. People live and breathe cricket. Cricketers like Sachin Tendulkar have temples dedicated to them. In a nation of over 1 billion fans, cricketers are demi-gods. The fans idolize them. And then, there are expectations.

Cricket has become such a competitive sport in the country that the few who do make it to the top are objects of adulation. However, the hopes of an entire nation are riding on their shoulders. So, what happens... India loses one match in a competition...the captain's house is ransacked, effigies of the players are burnt. And these shenanigans are not restricted to any particular city or region. The entire nation suffers from the mood swings.

This time around, the Men in Blue had a lot to live up to. They had won the first edition of the T20 World Cup and the entire country wanted them to retain the title. But, they did not make it. So, what went wrong?

If you have been watching the news lately, you would say, there was a drift in the team. You are absolutely wrong. Cricket has such a huge following in India that cricketers compete with film celebrities in the gossip columns. And gossip, by its very nature, is untrue.

This time the team was prepared well and there was not much on the publicity front. If the team is out of the news for some time, it means that the players are actually focussing on their game. But what the Great Indian Media had everyone believe was that there was infighting among the Men In Blue. As usual, Dhoni had to shift focus from his game to dispel the rumours. But the media latched on to his every word. Literally. His every move under scrutiny just to prove that all was not well within the team.

Now, Dhoni is a flamboyant personality. He likes being in the spotlight, but not for wrong reasons. So, he had to fight with the media when when he should have been concentrating on his team. The media further went on a killing spree and destroyed any chances of a good night's sleep for Captain Cool.

And then, the inevitable happens. The players, who were forced to shut up the media with a show of strength had been distracted from their goal. The media had been successful in destroying the peace and quiet in the Indian camp. They said the players performed below par. If you have ever been told that 1 billion people expected you to win against the top cricketing nations in the world, would you or would you not feel the pressure? The players did not show it, but they were under a lot of pressure. The news channels are having a field day cursing Dhoni for a lacklustre performance.

And they say that a rift between Sehwag and Dhoni cost us the title. Oh please, cut the crap!!