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Thursday, October 06, 2005

Mid-week rants...

If you select some of US TV's worst programs, Judge Hatchett, Judge Judy, People's Court, Maury and like programs would be on the top of my list. All these "Judge whatever" programs have a hypothetical "judge" in full paraphernalia sitting on the bench. And people's cases are presented before them in which they feel free to sneer, insult, jab at people and come to some random conclusion on what should be done. What I can't understand is how people can settle their differences on TV, in front of a person who is nothing like a Judge. Some cases are divorces, "My husband stole my money", "My wife slept with my best friend", "My marriage is on the rocks" etc...I mean, what drives people to get insulted on TV by some person play acting and sitting in judgement???!! Is the need for publicity and notoriety that great? Whatever makes them think that such personal things can even be settled by someone else? And there are catch phrase ads for some of these programs: "Judge Judy- she is kind, compassionate, caring.." What the hell?
Sometimes, when I am waiting to watch some of my favourite programs, I stumble across the end portions of "Maury". I have to tell you I've come to loathe this guy. Toward the end of one of his shows, there's a contest called "Man or Woman?". People are supposed to guess whether a particular human is a guy or a girl. I have to tell you that this is one of the most freakish things I've ever seen on TV. He settles disputes of the sleazy kind: paternity, maternity, adultery et al.. And you can see people copiously crying, throwing tantrums, shouting, making obscene gestures, getting insulted and saying the most outrageous things all for your entertainment! God, I am disgusted.

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Second, while we are on the topic of marriages/breakups, latest is the split of Nick Lachey and Jessica Simpson. I am so fed up of hearing about breakups and heart-breaks. Once in a while, the romantic in me wishes for a fairy tale and the "Happily ever after". Why is it getting so hard to be happy in a relationship? An overdose of "I, me and myself" these days?!? Perhaps, they should introduce a clause in their marriage vows that says, "till irreconcilable differences do us apart".
But I do admire (if this is anything to be admired!) the enthusiasm (?!) of these people in jumping from one partner to another. I, for one, am ready to hear a story about someone who says "I do" and actually keeps it up till "death do them apart"!

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I do have to complain about some traffic incidents. I have been delayed in traffic for 30 mins twice this week in Lexington. That, in itself, is a rare happening because Lexington is a sweet little town with little or no traffic problems. I got stuck on Broadway going into downtown on Wednesday evening around 5 PM. I couldn't make any sense of it because at 5 PM, people are supposed to be heading out of town; not going into town! After crawling for 30 mins across a 1 mile stretch, I was ready to have a fit. The other time this happened was on Monday afternoon on Rose Street. I had to run to UK for something and I made the mistake of taking Rose Street. Man, did I pay for it! I spent 45 minutes on the stretch between Rose/Maxwell and Rose/Washington. Lexingtonians, never ever take Rose in the middle of the day when school is in session.
The Powers that Be really need to fix the Broadway/Virginia Ave intersection left-turn light. Broadway is an artery out of Lexington and after work, this busy intersection is usually packed with traffic. Now, this left-turn light stays green for 8 seconds. Given the response time of people to lights, this means that only two cars can actually go through that intersection. And then we are stuck again for some 3-4 minutes before the next time. I've been stuck at this light for nearly 10 minutes on some days and it drives me crazy!

9 comments:

Krish said...

I don't watch any program on regular channels.

I don't watch Sun TV even though I have it (except for really good programs like Sivamayam).

I don't watch "no" TV at all.

:-)

dinesh said...

I've wondered the same things about those Judge Judy and Judge hatchett shows. But, I was of the impression that these were real judges (attorneys) and not some random people. Atleast I hope these people are real judges. But what irritates me more is that these judges with their stupid and egotistical interjections act like they're god and the defendants didnt even deserve to be born. That I hated !

I've stayed in a light (that refused to turn green) for 25 minutes (The harrodsburg and walton intersection). But all said and done, Lexington is a wonderful place to drive.

Anonymous said...

hmm...getting stuck in the traffic for 20 mins, 30 mins would be a big thing when these things are rarity, but those who have to negotiate this situation day-in-and-day-out its part and parcel of life :(. Being a regular at i-495 (capital beltway) i was a kind of jealous to see calm and serene lexington roads when i visited that place.

Gnana Kirukan said...

thennavan -

"I don't watch "no" TV at all."

Sounds like a good Oxymoron!! :P

Narayanan Venkitu said...

Traffic etc - What you wrote is nothing compared to the ordeals we face. Here is my schedule
Weekdays - 1 hour each way.
Fridays - 1 hour to work, 2-3 hours to go back home.!!

Traffic sucks big time in the bay area.!!
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Celebrity splitup - I laugh at it..and the stories of the ring, the kneeling down etc..only to breakup soon after. But then its their choice..its their life..!
I really pity their offsprings.!!
====================
TV Shows - Thanks to the traffic etc, by the time I go back home its either Lou Dobbs / Larry King live.!! ..also I am a big fan of THE WEATHER CHANNEL...please don't laugh..!! But I've heard some decent remarks about Judy.!
====================

Zeppelin said...

hmmm...interesting post.. my take on the first two - "reality" shows are actually not-so-real.. they are just make-believe-to-sell strategies.... So I dont give any big importance to all these.. its just like watching WWF, knowing it is utter BS.

on traffic incidents -

#1 Usman Road - Burkit Road junction - I was driving my mom home from Mylapore and our maruti van overheated...i was half-clutching all the way from burkit road to home through Madley subway....it took me about 2 hours to reach home... and there is "no" traffic light... :)

#2 Kathipara junction, Guindy - going to college every morning, through this junction is a pain in the... whole body.. especailly when standing the entire 1 hour journey to Tambaram from Ashok Pillar.

#3 Usman Road - Doraiswamy rd. junction - hehehe.. no comments.. :) anybody who has lived in madras for a while would know about this tragedy.

So, coming from a place like that I have no reason to complain about waiting in a signal for 20 minutes...agreed 20 minutes is a loooooooooooooooooonnnnnnnnngggggg time, but the traffic is considerably "orderly" as against the ever enthusiastic cyclists and auto-rickshaw drivers who dive into the scene if only their beautiful minds can see the narrowest of possibilities to navigate through an ocean of traffic.... thereby only adding fuel to the fire.... :)

all I do is play some nice music and just forget about what's goin on outside... if I am pissed its HARD ROCK..if I am just tired and dont have any energy left, its some sweet lilting tamil/hindi movie song... :)

Ram said...

hi.. i jumped on to your blog from kupps' blog. you have a nice blog. enjoyed your posts.

however, you had me in a should-i-laugh-or-cry kind of situation when you said you suffered 30Mins hold up due to traffic, that too twice in a week..

with this description, i can figure out that you live in a kind of utopia.. and you should suffer more for the hedonistic existence of yours..

c'mon, two hold ups, 30 Mins each.. thats practically what i suffer everytime i drive out !!! :((

Shiva said...

Judge Hatchett/Judy etc., are like watching WWE.. they are a setup, they are disgusting, but people like it.. How come you missed the Jerry Springer ?

Arvind Srinivasan said...

Subha,

From what i know, these judges are 'real' judges. Are you sure that they are not ?

Maury/Jerry Springer are the offshoots of TOI kinda media :-)

re: judge's behavior, they are entitled to anything under the roof - coz it is 'their court' :-)

- and it is really true that they are conferred such all-powerful powers ;)