Of Newspapers

It still makes me feel slightly guilty to admit that I rarely read newspapers anymore. A small part of it has to do with the quality of writing; another small part with my disinterest in what the President and the Prime Minister have been inaugurating. Or in the latest lies of the Bush administration. Or in gory pictures of bodies strewn across the globe. But the major reason is that the news, delivered via a newspaper, is about as fast as a slug on crutches. The TV is quick enough, if it's just breaking news you need. And the Internet even better.

The old objection of "Aah, but there's no analysis ..." loses its strength once you see the quality of the analysis and the 24-hour wait for it, by which time something else has taken centre-stage. However, I still get a couple of weekend newspapers and throw away most pages to focus on some specific parts.

This Sunday I was awarded with a couple of really good pieces that I'd recommend to those who missed them:
1. Anatomy of blasphemy laws - a fairly concise and accurate account of some of the issues by UMass Profesor Emeritus Anwar Syed (whose personal bias is only very slightly discernible and does not detract in any way from the piece).
2.We need to know, General - with all the bite and delight we have come to expect of Ardeshir Cowasjee
3. Monstrosities Inc. is a treat - Thank you, Aamna Haider Isani! The issue raised by the article needs the active support of all Karachiites. The powers that allow such stuff should be forced into setting up an Aesthetics Committee, with members from IVSAA, KSA and others, to approve the designs. Protection of these installations should also be considered a serious responsibility and maintenance money sanctioned for the occasional repair. Programs on the TV and articles in the popular press about the particular pieces and the artists would make them more appreciated and give citizens a greater sense of linkage to them.

The above articles helped, too, by filling in for the missing dose of my favourite weekly, The Friday Times. Oh, it didn't go missing this week --- it's just that I was totally shattered by its prominent featuring of (and wasting 3 whole pages on) Mushahid Husain. Yes. In TFT! So I just put the issue into the trash-can. I never thought I'd live to see him give space there - other than as part of news, or even an interview! And - aaaargh! - it's the first of a whole effing series. So I have asked Jugnu & Najam Sethi to tell me how long this will go on ... and have decided to suspend my reading TFT for the period.

It's going to be painful, I know, but there are principles involved here.