All in the Fingertips

With the immense quantity of information floating around these days, it would be surprising indeed if you were not exactly aware of what is going on around you unless you purposely shut yourself out, something which is possible but unlikely, or is it impossible but likely???

A case in point is the recent, never-ending string of natural disasters that have happened, the latest being the massive earthquake that crippled Haiti. Now, certain quarters may say that recent events indicate evidence pointing to how we are nearing the apocalypse or something along those lines, anyway, but when you think deeply, are we realising the existence of these natural disasters in alarming numbers because we are more aware and more exposed to up to the minute news? It seems much more likely, I'd say. Besides, the Earth has never exactly been the most stable planet, and probably never will be either.

But I digress...

In the past week or so, the people of the country have been stunned into almost silence by a certain statement made by a previously important person who still seems to get way too much attention from the media despite being retired (anyone heard from Margaret Thatcher lately?), and that too for a statement so far-fetched that upon initially hearing it I felt sick to my stomach. (I'm afraid you have to click the link as I do not want to pollute this page by quoting such a ridiculous statement) In fact, had anyone taken the statement seriously (or if his opinions had still been considered significant), it could have caused a war. What about the people who were victims of the incident? What about the number of kids who lost their parents, or parents who lost their kids, the dead firemen/firewomen and rescue staff?

Naturally, as a person who believes in the right of having the freedom to express thoughts and opinions, we can't ask him to shut up, but seriously, there is a line between fact and fiction and he has clearly lost the line that divides both among all the squiggles. Of course what was going through his mind as he made the statement is anyone's guess... did he want to create a sensational headline? Or did he want to get the attention he thinks he deserves?

I suppose he did get a whole lot of attention, a random Googling of his name, and certain keywords leads to many sites where blogs have quoted him, news articles and other such things. Clearly, information is at our fingertips.