Anger managementAt a playground inauguration in Ghatikia, the biggest action was off the field. Bhubaneswar mayor Sulochana Das found her name missing from the commemorative plaque and was far from amused. “Why invite me if the mayor doesn’t make the cut?” she demanded. The twist? BJP leader Babu Singh discovered his own name featured prominently despite insisting he never wanted it there. After a brief battle of names and bruised egos, ruling party MLAs played peacemakers and the programme finally kicked off.Patience in khakiDuring a recent attempt to restore order at a university campus ahead of student union polls, police got a masterclass in campus confidence. As the police commissioner appealed to outsiders to leave, a student calmly grabbed the microphone and began his own speech. Senior officers were left speechless as the crowd listened to the unexpected new speaker. Police, however, chose patience over power. For a few minutes, the campus had two authorities, but only one held the mic.Ballot beats buffetElection season on campuses usually brings posters, rallies, slogans and enough free food to challenge hostel menus. Yet, this year, the ballot box proved it has a mind of its own. While ABVP and BCJD flexed organisational muscle, independent candidates pulled off surprise victories at Khallikote Unitary University, Shailabala Women’s College and Christ College. Their wins served a timely lesson — voters may enjoy the feast, but they do not always order from the menu.Gen Z for allNo sooner had student union election results been declared than Odisha’s political leaders discovered a remarkable fact — Gen Z apparently voted for all of them. Opposition leader Naveen Patnaik said young voters backed his camp. Chief minister Mohan Charan Majhi claimed the same generation stood firmly with BJP. Deputy CM Pravati Parida also joined in the chorus. If every claim is true, Gen Z has achieved what electoral experts thought impossible: backing everyone at once.Learning baseballSenior IAS officer and Jagannath Temple chief administrator Arabinda Kumar Padhee recently found himself in an unexpected diplomatic mission during a family vacation to the US — decoding baseball. Not exactly a lifelong baseball devotee, Padhee admitted on X that he hadn’t been tracking the sport, its leagues or its players, possibly because cricket had already occupied that department. But thanks to Tez, his son, Padhee got the chance to watch an MLB playoff match between Milwaukee Brewers and San Diego Padres. Padhee described the atmosphere as electrifying, proving that even if you don’t fully understand why everyone is suddenly running in circles, a roaring stadium can still make you cheer like you have been supporting the team since birth.(Contributed by Team TOI)