Manti Te’o hoax: Conflict between real and virtual

Just like much of the world was unaware of a genius named Aaron Swartz until he committed suicide, there is a high probability that people are oblivious to a scandal that has rocked college football in a corner of the United States. The Manti Te’o hoax, as it is being treated now, might end up as a feather in the hat of journalism or investigators. It has all the elements of mystery, viz. a boy, a girl, a love story, a tragic death and a rise-against-all-odds ending. It also has a setting unique to make it a Hollywood potboiler – virtual reality. Above all it is the latest, and perhaps the best, example of the growing importance (not just role) of virtual reality in our lives.

But what is the Manti Te’o hoax anyway? That’s a real question. Well, Manti Te’o is a linebacker at the University of Notre Dame from the city of South Bend, St. Joseph County, Indiana. He is quite famous at the American collegiate football level and, at 21 years, has a promising career at the NFL. However, in spite of all his skills on the field, Manti Te’o would perhaps be best remembered for the hoax that is being described as “one of the strangest stories in decades” by the US media. The Manti Te’o hoax involves the footballer and his “dead girlfriend” Lennay Kekua.

Read the rest here:

http://www.newsyaps.com/manti-teo-hoax-conflict-between-real-and-virtual/5186/

img courtesy: usmagazine.com

Rahul Gandhi hugging mother Sonia symbolized their victory

We love our mothers (those who do not are not humans) and often do we feel the need to show our mothers that we love them. We can do that in many ways but giving our mother a nice warm hug is perhaps the best. We have many reasons to hug our mothers; love, support, care, safety, pride, gratitude are but a few of them. Usually we hold our mother close when we are in the need of emotional support, protection or encouragement.

We often hug our mothers to thank them for all the pain they take to make us better human beings. Hugging our mothers does not require any specific time or age. We can (and surely) do it as kids; as teens; in our youth; in our middle-age and even when we are old. Hugging is an expression of human affection and is one of the most genuine ways to show that we truly love the other person. Thus, when 42-year-old Rahul Gandhi hugged his mother Sonia Gandhi after his first speech as vice-president of the 127-year-old Congress party at the Chintan Shivir, it was indeed an emotional moment.

With that hug Rahul Gandhi proved to all – friends or foes – that deep within he is a human; that he respects and loves his mother; and, that he too needs encouragement like anyone of us.

Read the rest of the article here:

http://www.newsyaps.com/rahul-gandhi-hugging-mother-sonia-symbolized-their-victory/5179/

Do comment even if you do not like the Congress party.

2013 Filmfare nominations show the change in Bollywood

Excerpt:

Anil Kapoor and Tabu in a still from Virasat

Here (India) any actor, who is a fan favourite, is automatically nominated for a Filmfare award and might even win it irrespective of his acting. Although Shah Rukh Khan is undoubtedly a fine performer and deservedly won the best actor honour for Swades (2005) and Chak De India! (2008), at times the Filmfare did seem to have got swayed by his star power than acting. In 1998 SRK won the award for Dil To Pagal Hai, the commercial blockbuster. Of the four other nominees there were two whose performances were without an iota of doubt far better than SRK’s – Anil Kapoor in Virasat and Kamal Hassan in Chachi 420. Anil Kapoor was given the Filmfare Critics Award for best actor which is not considered a merit honour; more like a consolation prize.

Until 1990 actors like Anupam Kher and Naseeruddin Shah could be seen winning the best actor award even though their films were more art than commercial in nature. But from 1990 to the middle of the last decade, the criteria of the awards changed from that of pure merit to that of pure star power.

Click here to read the complete article:

http://www.newsyaps.com/2013-filmfare-nominations-show-the-change-in-bollywood/5094/

If you have an opinion, do comment; don't let it die in you.

img source: ndtv.com

The five actresses for the Oscar and their chances at the Academy Awards

Jennifer Lawrence has got her second Oscar nomination

Daniel Day-Lewis and Denzel Washington stand the best chance in winning the Academy Award for the best actor in a leading role. Predicting that is easy but pardon me for I cannot make such an assertion in the case of Best Actress in a Leading Role simply because each has been fabulous and only better than the other. Nevertheless, I present before you the five nominees for the 2013 Academy honor for Best Actress along with my opinion why they might lose, if they.




http://www.newsyaps.com/the-five-actresses-for-the-oscar-and-their-chances-at-the-academy-awards/5056/


img courtesy: fanpop.com

A look at the Best Actors for 85th Academy Award and their chances

Bradley Cooper has got his maiden nomination for Silver Linings Playbook

The Academy of Motion Pictures Arts and Sciences has released the list of nominees for the 85^th Academy Awards. Lincoln, the biographical film on the 16^th President of the United States of America, has got 12 nominations and is expected to sweep the Oscars. There are eight other films vying for the coveted honor this year in the Best Picture category. Although Lincoln stands heavily favoured to pick the golden statute in topmost category, others too are equally powerful as films. It is a tight race for Lincoln with French-language drama Amour in the running for the same honor. The latter is also in the running for the Best Foreign Language Film. I am pretty sure this beautiful love story of an elderly couple will win either of the two. But there cannot be a good film without great acting; so, let’s concentrate on that.

Let us begin with the actors. There are five actors nominated for the Best Actor in a Leading Role category in the 2013 Academy Awards. Each has performed brilliantly in the films they did last year but only one will take the Oscar statute home. Who will be that guy? Here’s an analysis:


http://www.newsyaps.com/a-look-at-the-best-actors-for-85th-academy-award-and-their-chances/5046/


img courtesy: thechronicleherald.ca

Pakistan dares us because we have political bosses, not leaders

All alone in a billion plus nation

Excerpt:

If Napoleon’s dictionary did not have the word “impossible” then the one with our political bosses does not has the word “action”. The political bosses condemned the 2001 Parliament attack but did not take action against Pakistan. The political bosses condemned the 26/11 Mumbai terror attacks in 2008 but did not take action again. In between there have been countless terror attacks on India and breach of ceasefire on the border perpetrated by Pakistan but our political bosses were too busy in counting notes from scams.

That the 29 Baloch Regiment of Pakistan crossed the border; entered our territory; killed our soldiers Lance Naiks Hemraj and Sudhakar Singh; and then beheaded them is a horrific example of hatred the Pakistanis have in their hearts for us. And yet we talk of peace with them? Shame on us! I know very well that the uproar around this incident will die down soon because of the forgetful nature of the people of this country, thanks again to our political bosses.

But we should call ourselves fools if we expect any of our political bosses to ‘take action’.

http://www.newsyaps.com/pakistan-dares-us-because-we-have-political-bosses-not-leaders/5002/


img courtesy: telegraph.co.uk

Five simple ways to make India a better nation

Enough is enough. It is time for a change but what should be the change. Should we change our laws? Should we change our political bosses? Should we change ourselves? What could be the ideal change to make India a better place for all? Everyone is asking for stronger laws but can anyone explain why a similar law has succeeded elsewhere but not in India? Do we have a solution? Yes, we have. Here are five simple ways to make India a better nation.

Click here to know the ways:

http://www.newsyaps.com/five-simple-ways-to-make-india-a-better-nation/4871/


image courtesy: smartplanet.com

A gallery of 12 newsmakers from 2012

Happy New Year!

Felix Baumgartner just before his historic Leap of Faith

Here is a gallery of images containing one newsmaker from each month of 2012 which, according to us, was historical in a way that it either changed the course of history or signify the shape of things to come in fields ranging from the pure political to pure entertainment. The 12 newsmakers from 2012:

http://www.newsyaps.com/a-gallery-of-12-newsmakers-from-2012/4836/