"Bring back the good journalism"

News of the World admits defeat, other media personalities lash out and have more to say.

The News of the World, a British tabloid admitted to seize voicemails of prominent people to source stories, putting years of rumours to rest. The paper known to break outrageous and hard hitting stories ended a reign of 168 long and eventful years in a shameful manner on 10^th July 2011 signing off the final edition with a headline of “Thank you and goodbye” enclosed an apology.

“I have tried to write articles in a truthful manner and what better source of getting the truth than to listen to someone’s messages. It might sound frivolous but you have to take out the emotional bit and think about it rationally,” said Paul Mc Mullan, an ex-deputy features editor of News of the World. So how far will a journalist go to breach the privacy of a person to carry on business by offering advertisers space for a price and sell the tabloid passing it off as “investigative journalism”?

The targets of the crime was not constrained to cheating/drug abusing celebrities and corrupt politicians but also murder, bomb blast victims and soldiers’ family.  According to the police, there are around 4000 possible victims of the scandal. There are also allegations the police offered details of the royal family members and their staffs’ personal contact information for a price. Bribing the police in England is considered one of the most illegitimate crimes which bring the country under the scanner for its press regulation and police corruption.

The NoW was published by News Group Newspapers, part of News International, which is a subsidiary of Rupert Murdoch's News Corporation. Rupert Murdoch, an 80-year-old media mogul is being questioned in court about his involvement with crime. During a court session, the aging tycoon was attacked by a protester which a pie of shaving cream as his wife Wendi Deng leapt in his defense.

 According to reports Murdoch, who owns 40% of the total British media “bullied” and trailed politicians with his immense power into taking the road he wanted them to take. James Cameron shared a very cozy relationship with Murdock as he helped him win the elections and stay in power with his broadcasting styles.

What caught the attention of most people was the case of murdered teenager Mily Dower, whose voicemail messages had been deleted by a private investigator hired by the tabloid during the time of her disappearance. These mails included sorrowful and desperate pleads of her family and friends to trace her which filed up her mailbox. Once these mails were deleted, it gave her family false hope that she was still alive and the news corporation more coverage period on the story.

“The core reason for such a practice was that they tabloid industry casually considered themselves above the law because of having support of the police. However, the Milly Dowler revelation changed the face of politics and made both the parties impossible of them to defend themselves”, said Nick Davis, from The Guardian. He further added, the police have now taken a serious step to investigate the matter. Evidence from the junior most reporters to the senior most executive is being collected from their desks and homes.

Hugh Grant, a Hollywood actor whose phone was also tapped a few years ago moved from studio to studio exposing his side of the story to the news media. He admits to bugging a conversation he had with a former editor of NoW, who obliviously revealed all the dirty tricks of the industry to source articles. He published the information in The Statement right after that. “I honestly feel bad for NoW, who have been targeted for this crime because from what I have heard, most news corporations have private investigators working under them along with routine corrupted practices with the police. Daily Mail, who swears by its squeaky clean image also use to practice this, but after the news broke out, have stopped. I have no problem with broadsheets or the news media, but tabloids in particular do not have any watchdogs, and they highly misuse the power.”

NoW broke out stories such as Hugh Grants’ ailment, Prince Williams’ knee surgery, Bekham’s infidelity and many more. Hugh adds that the tabloid media also has access to medical records and bank balances. “Ford pulled out its advertising, which received a lot of support from people and I think others should do the same. Bring back the good journalism”, he insists.

Facebook vs Google+

Social networking has given a whole new meaning to “stay connected”. Facebook, being the king of the market currently, Google’s smooth entry in June this year has given it some healthy competition.

Known to have a strong reputation in its field, Google+ played it smart by enticing people with its “invite only” marketing strategy. Soon the people on World Wide Web were abuzz of the new social networking site and eager to get an invitation. Most of the email users have an account on Gmail which made it easier to access it once you’ve logged in. The website which has taken well over two years to launch racked in over £900,000 from investors promising to make them all millionaires within a short period of time.

However, Facebook which was launched in 2006 has a collection of more than 750 million loyal users and consistent growth which makes it the leader of social networking sites and Google+ having 32 million users falls sixth in the ranking.

Google+ doesn’t seem to be much of a crowd puller. It is not shocking that people who have joined Google+ have not abandoned their Facebook accounts. As the latter is new in the market, most of people’s friends have not joined it yet. So one continues to poke, post, upload on Facebook itself. You cannot help but notice the striking similarity between both the sites. This has its own advantages i.e. making the people feel comfortable during the switch.

Google boasts about segregating people in your account which are known as Circles. They consist of friends, family acquaintances, following etc. You can choose which person has access to which circle. However, the downside to this feature is that most of the users do not like making the discrimination and drag all the people they know in ‘friends’ circle. Another major negative aspect of this feature is that people who you are unfamiliar to, can add you to their circles irrespective if you want to be in theirs or not. Even after blocking the person, you continue to be visible in each other’s profile.

Facebook on the other has segregation within friends you have already added. That’s just an added feature. One can choose their friends by simply accepting or ignoring a friend request. Now there is a new feature that allows you to completely stop receiving friend requests repeatedly from people you do not want to communicate with. It also has a block list which helps you eradicates your existence on Facebook from anyone whom you choose to.

Even though Google’s profit making machine- advertising is more powerful than Facebook (Facebook ads), Google+ still has to work its way up to gain the popularity that latter has. Facebook also gives power to a user to create fan pages for free, which can be for a person, organization, network, product/service etc. It is common for companies, celebrities, media houses etc. to ask its followers to “like” their page on Facebook. Google+ still needs to gain that recognition.

Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, Picasa, Gmail, can all be merged on Google+ which is probably a relief for many active users. This is similar to Facebook, where one can merge Twitter, YouTube and Skype in their account.

Google+ seems to be hassle-free with all the extra white space. Currently, there isn’t much crowding of information such as applications and fan pages. However, the Google+ chat is a bit more confusing (most people do not know it exists) as compared to the Facebook chat but maybe people just need to get accustomed to it.

“I would rather choose Facebook over Google as I have been using it since 2007. All my photos and videos are already stored in my account. Google+ seems to be a copy of Facebook. Besides, only a few of my friends are on Google+”, said an 18-year-old BMM student Vishakha Tyagi. “Facebook is constantly upgrading its features fortnightly. However the pace at which Google+ is growing, neck-to-neck contest is possible”, said 26-year-old IT professional Puneet Singh.

There is still a long way to go for Google+ to gain a threshold in the market and before people start ignoring Facebook like Orkut and get their hands on the most happening website to socialize on.

Cinema Caste-ing - on the movie Aarakshan

While the director of Aarakshan, Prakash Jha defends his movie, we take a look at the much created hype surrounding the movie and if it was worth it.

Long before the release of the movie Aarakshan, it ran into troubled waters. Directed by Prakash Jha, this film is based on the policy of reservation in the Indian education system.  The controversies that surrounded the movie were led by protests from caste groups, ban on its screening in three states and massive publicity. However, the fuss was justified or not remains a question.

The film was banned in the states of Uttar Pradesh, Andhra Pradesh and Punjab before its theatrical release on the basis of possibly the title or the perception of what the film was about. The government also feared that certain scenes and dialogues in the film may inflame the passion of some communities and create law and order hassles in the state. After the makers of the movie moved to the Supreme Court with the issue, the ban on UP was lifted.

The star cast which includes Amitabh Bachchan, Saif Ali Khan, Manoj Bajpayee, Prateik and Deepika Padukone, were provided with security after receiving threats from protester of cast groups.

Saif Ali Khan who plays the role of a Dalit in the movie was highly objected by pro-dalit groups who felt that the actor’s royal background clashed and insulted with his role in the movie. “I portray the character of a teacher who believes quotas provide opportunities to the weaker sections of helping them succeed on their own merits”, said Saif Ali Khan when questioned.

 “While the overall theme of the film is not objectionable, it is loaded with anti-Dalit and anti-reservation dialogues,” said the National Commission for Scheduled Castes (NCSC) chairman P.L. Punia who viewed the movie after getting complaints of its objectionable content. The movie is granted a U/A certification.

Prakash Jha has a different stance on the situation. He says, “Some politicians started rumors that this movie is against Dalits. The fact is that this is a pro-reservation and pro-Dalit movie.” The 59-year-old filmmaker further adds, “It is not easy to make a film on aarakshan [reservation] in India. But we managed to do it. Nowhere in Hindi cinema will you find these kinds of dialogues… This movie brought out the anxieties of the people in the form of a story. This movie is not about solutions. Getting people to talk about this issue in the open is my greatest achievement”.

The movie managed to amass Rs 58.5 crore within its first week of release after facing a “tough battle” and received positive reactions from the audience. “The movie superficially touches upon issues like the commercialization of education and a bit of caste-based reservation however there was nothing overtly controversial or offensive about the film”, said Basant Malavi one of the early viewers. Many seemed to have agreed with him.

According to a 2001 census, about 160 million Indians, or 16 percent of the world's second biggest population, are Dalits. Cast groups that protested and opposed the movie even before the release of the movie was probably ignorant or driven by some vote-hungry politician. On the contrary, the movie deals with empowerment and upliftment of the backward community and the hang-ups of educational system which most people are aware about, but do not voice it.

For a person living in a metropolitan city willing to pay Rs 300 to watch a movie like Aarakshan in a multiplex, it really wouldn’t matter why and how the Dalits are insulted and how the makers of the movie have put the Indian educational system in a harsh light. He would be more concerned with the gripping and entertainment factor which the movie delivered slightly. The movie seemed like a muddle of futile situations. It’s definitely a one-time watch.

Through all the modernization and economic growth, India still remains a soft target for cast discrimination. While filmmakers try to highlight the situation and make income in the process, politicians emotionally exploit the backward cast and turn them against such filmmakers trying to earn possible support during the time of elections.

You gotta have faith..

The Leicester University in England ranks Denmark the happiest country of the world. Their lifestyle consists of minimum use of consumer products, clutter-free houses, reaching home early to spend time with family and taxes on the basis of the amount you earn (up to 50%-60%) which bridges the gap between rich and poor, so everyone is treated equally. What struck me the hardest was that, majority of people do not believe in religion.  So could it be that you could stay happy, satisfied and loved irrespective if you follow religion or not?

The topic of religion is mostly kept under wraps because it is considered sacred and followed strictly by huge masses. For anyone to nudge around with it may prove be dangerous. So it is not discussed a lot.

People devote their entire life in search of God. Does the great almighty exist? Some say yes. During times of difficulties, he shows up now and then in one form or another. There is probably a magical force that gives you hope during tough times, also known as faith.

I read a book called The Secret a couple years back and it changed my entire prospective on God. It states that what is known as God is actually a huge ball of energy which soaks up all our aspirations and hopes (in the form of prayers) and radiates back the vibration in the form of action. Hence you are very capable of achieving anything if you ask or better still visualize and direct it to the universe.

Religion is different from spirituality. Spirituality is becoming self-aware, satisfied and completely in tune with oneself devoid of any worldly pleasures that surround you. Attaining nirvana and escaping the vicious cycle of life and death is the ultimate goal. This can be done through self-tolerance and meditation. Then again, it is yet to be proved. People usually confuse the two. If you take a dip in a holy water body, you will eradicate all you sins, even from your past life. Who came up with that? I guess it is the question of believing in something.

People follow textual dialects that were written ages ago. Some follow it blindly; a few give their own twist while the rest brush it aside terming it as a myth. It is fascinating the amount it effects our vision when we close our eyes in search of God. Many theories are created of how God looks like. Idols with beautiful and intricate designs, human-like figures or just a vague sense of a huge body that we are supposed to worship.

People fast for days, inflict their body with pain and torture and sacrifice humans and animals all the in the name of religion. Major conflicts and separation between people have also taken place because of the division of religious beliefs.

Religion is different from culture. Generations must preserve and pass on their ethics, tradition and ideology but merging them with religious rituals causes confusion. Change is constant and affects everything. Don’t always try and make things go your way. Let nature run its course. Life is all about being happy. Embrace it rather than spread negativity.

Religion gives you a sense of belonging and teaches you discipline. But what’s more important is balance, which shows up eventually. Everything happens for a reason. Even if you pray for a million years for something not to happen, it will if it has to. Instead one should focus on the positives and be a good human being overall.

You cannot be term person a “bad” if he/she does not follow religion. Not to consume more than our capacity, spread positivity through love and joy, be generous to the needy, inspire youngsters, respect elders, give back to the society and preserve Mother Nature and your good to go. Parents enlightening children to live a healthy, happy and helpful life is sufficient. 

Women, Voluptuousness and Wisdom

“Kiss my fat ass!” was the famous response of supermodel Tyra Banks when she was ridiculed of having cellulite by American tabloids after putting on a few pounds. She spoke on behalf of girls in school and women who were put down at work and by their husbands. She almost got teary eyed during her advice for them to have a strong support system of people around you who loved you no matter how fat or thin you looked.

A woman body goes through various stages and changes during her lifetime. It starts when she hits puberty. It is an absolute horror for most of them as they have to deal with breast development, hair growth, increasing size of hips and to top it all, skin problems. With hormones raging when you’ve just entered your teens interaction with the opposite sex also plays a huge role in personality development. No girl manages to ease through this stage and so it is considered the most awkward, confusing and conscious years of growing up.

During this time, a girl transforms into a woman and gradually stars growing comfortable in her skin. Mothers should always be there to guide them through their first stint at a lingerie shop and explain why these changes are occurring at the first place to clear all doubts.

In the early days of color Bollywood, female leads were meant to have some flesh on bones. If you manage to distract yourself from their pointy bosoms, it was a trend for them to have hips that were tightly fitted in bright salwaar-kameez. All I’m trying to say is that women in all sizes and shapes are beautiful, it depends on them and how they can embraces and enhances that form of beauty.

 Men are known to be attracted to huge hips as it is a sign of being capable of produce babies, full breast indicate a motherly nature and luscious hair and pink nails symbolize good health.  So I guess it all boils down to reproducing. But in today’s day and age a woman juggles several roles, that of a working woman and a house-maker. She always tends to put herself last which should not always be the case.

Then there are those who are bulimic, anorexic and over-exercise to get that perfect look. Good looks are not solely depending on your weight on the scale, it is about having an overall personality. It is important to have a sense of confidence and if you feel that your body is lagging you behind to achieve it, work on it girlfriend! The results are rewarding.

Once you have shed those kilos, it is also important for you to maintain it as you tend to put on soon after if you become careless and inactive. It should not be a constant battle but a part of your lifestyle to eat in moderation and exercise regularly.

Over the years, people have watch Oprah Winfrey fluctuating in her body size. However, nothing has stopped the charismatic women to inspire people to follow a healthy regime and made them feel confident of their looks with extreme makeovers.

Menopause is another stage where a lady realizes the beauty or rather prangs of being a female. Jane Fonda, a 73-year-old actress and fitness guru underwent plastic surgery to eradicate wrinkles on her neck and face because she didn’t feel as old as she looked. There is no harm in that as long as you don’t go overboard and look like an aging Barbie doll.

Walk, take the stairs, attend a dance class or better still perform power yoga where regular stretching causes the body to tone. When it comes to diet, avoid fried, oil, flour and sugar. Eating in small portions but regularly keeps you fit and you’re good to go. Lastly, don’t hide in black-colored clothes. Shop, see what suits you and give your wardrobe life with accessories and color.

The media airbrushes, tucks, glows and glorifies celebrities in magazine. Be the smart one to realize that it’s fake and a real body is even more beautiful with all its imperfections. 

Is it justified to disturb Mother Nature in the name of religion?

Be sure to find a Ganpati ‘mandal’ in every corner of the street this season. You won’t be able to miss it with the loud music and aimless burning of fire-crackers around. I sneak into one or two to get my share of ‘modak’. After sweetening my taste buds, it struck me- is the devotion of Ganpati stronger in comparison to that of Mother Nature? So, I found out.

  

Many devotees welcome home, worship and admire the size and beauty of the beautifully adorned idols, along with inviting guests who come from far off places to receive his blessings. Amidst of all the celebrations and socialization, there lies a threat to the environment on a large-scale. Only a few may acknowledge this problem, while other festival enthusiasts brush it aside.

Celebrating with eco-friendly Ganesh idols is a constant effort by many environment cautious people and has gained momentum over the past few years, which I’m glad about. Along the way however, there are some who feel that it dampens the spirit of the festival.

While talking to one of the residents in my locality, Madhur Avekar told me, “We have been welcoming the 20-feet Ganpanti to our locality for several decades now. Eco-friendly or not, it doesn’t matter as long it doesn’t come in the way of our rituals.”

When provoked further he said, “The weight of the idol is lighter and priced cheaper comparatively to clay. Not to mention, easily available.  This is a custom of our family and we will follow it every year religiously, environmental damage can be taken care of later on.”

“Later on”, that is a few weeks into the immersion of hundreds of idols across several water bodies of the country; effects of water pollution will still be visible. Marine life, such as plants and fishes choke on plastic bags and other decorations while some get trapped under the weight of heavy and tough-biodegradable statues. Chemicals from the color and cement of idols mix with water which is consumed by the fishes, who ultimately succumb to the fatal solution. Further, certain toxic materials cover the surface of the water, which prevents oxygen flow that can cause eutrophication, a process which destroys marine life completely.  Clearly, this fellow was not taught Environmental Studies in school.

Humans are not far behind, if fish and water consumed from such water bodies is consumed by us, it can cause food poisoning, breathing problem, skin and blood disease. Many do not understand the gravity of the situation and refuse to take caution because of the ‘holiness’ attached with the festival.

It is not only the marine life which gets polluted, air and sound pollution also sores during the 10 days of the festival. With thousands of people bursting music on loudspeakers and bands playing on drums and trumpets during the welcoming (Ganesh Chaturthi) and immersion (Ganesh Visarjan) of idols, it’s a field day for devotes who dance intoxicated and unhesitant to the tunes along with bursting fire crackers (gives them cheap thrills) which again causes sound and air pollution. This also disturbs sensitive living-beings such as infants, elderly and animals.

However, one cannot argue about the huge amount of employment that it caters to a section of seasonal workers. Artisans who mold Ganesha idols, carriers who provide for transportation such as trucks and vans, sweet-shops who specialize in making ‘modak’, tent-erecters, fire-cracker manufacturers, the bands and DJs, florists, ‘pundits’ who perform ceremonies, the list goes on..

Shreenivasan Reddy, an editor of a news channel is doing his bit to set a good example for others. His team has organized a ‘mandhap’ in Mahalaxmi, where an 18-feet Eco friendly Ganesha resides. The idol is made from 60% clay and 40% grass and bamboo. Reddy has left no stone unturned- they serve ‘prasad’ in hand and not plastic bags, minimum lighting is consumed as they mostly depend of fire lanterns and candles. Instead of a band/DJ, they have invited a ‘bhagan-singing’ crew who are going to sing throughout the procedure of immersion along with others who will carry hoardings and posters for the promotion of eco-friendly Ganesh idols.

Along with telecasting the entire celebration across the state they have also invited school children and enlightened them about the benefits of worshipping an eco-friendly idol. Which I feel, is the easiest solution to combat the issue and spread awareness. These kids will raise questions and demand for a clay molded idol next time from their parents.

Quiz him about the expenditure of the idol and he says that it cost them only Rs 1.5 lakhs which is fairly reasonable as compared to the ones made by toxic PoP materials. He feels that this price is worthy of paying in order to avoid getting our natural habitat into trouble. I couldn’t agree more. Hope that many may learn from this.

Mumbai Local: Slow, Fast and Adventurous

How many times has a taxi-walla refused you and went ahead to cater to another person with a better destination? Been brushed off in a sexual manner in a crowded bus? Marginally escaped an accident while sitting in an aggressive auto or been stepped on by a sandal on perfectly pedicured toes in a train?

I have, several times. If you’re a Mumbaikar who cannot afford to buy a car with the hiking petrol prices or even if you do, dodging pot holes seems like an annoying obstacle course. You’re not alone, we all are with you. 

I don’t mean to come across as a bitch but the black and yellow depilated pieces of junk roaming around town are a bit of an eyesore. Not to mention, once you enter the dingy vehicle your posterior is placed on rugged covers with years of experience when it comes to causing friction.

The drivers of the aging beauty seem to be perpetually agitated and the public hurls abuses at them for refusing further increasing the insanity on roads. But why do they refuse us at the first place? To go to the desired destination, probably where their house or stand is. Visit a mechanic to repair the overworked engines or to simply take a lunch break or a leak.

To be fair, taxis add to the beauty of imperfections in Mumbai. So the next time you get the dying urge to flash them your middle finger, think of all these reasons. Better still; don’t feel guilty of choosing a new taxi over the old ones. The ride is pleasant, drivers are sober, hardly any engine noise or body-dislocating bumps along the way. Everyone is happy. They also charge fairly all thanks to the digital meter. Unlike the one ones who pocket a little extra cash with tampered meters and do not have enough change early morning.

I got into a little chat with Rajesh Dubey, a taxi driver form Walada on my way to college and he told me things have not been the same since Raj Thakeray commented on north Indians. They get a lot of flank from policemen on minor issues and are harassed on their visits to the RTO.

Dubey he is a part of a work force along with thousands of people hailing from the north of India that run the city. Many people fail to understand that, and treat them with much disgrace.  We could try and appreciate their efforts as it is a challenge for them on a daily basis. One could argue that we have our own issues to sort. Correct. However, it is important to be aware.

What gives you your money’s worth especially if you’ve scored yourself a window seat, is a bus. Despite of being the big red bullies of the streets, buses are fairly amicable when it comes to being organized, clean and swift. But make sure that you know how to converse with the conductor in Marathi if you have a 100 rupee note or he will provide you with the change right when you’re about to get off struggling through the crowd.

Speaking of crowd, I’m sure everyone has stories of being partially molested sometime or another. Sticking extremely close to you, eye-raping you, trying to touch your breast oh so by mistake are common incidents. I usually create a scene and embarrass the hell out of them and there is nothing wrong with that. The least we can do is raise our voice which makes all of their sleazy excitement fizzle out.

On seeing a pregnant woman I usually give my seat to her. But lately I found myself drowning in self-pity hanging on to a handle in an over-crowded bus that was stuck in traffic at the same spot for 20 minutes straight. The reason being, she was not pregnant, she just had belly fat. Which I realized later, on seeing her wonderful fat tiers and it was finally confirmed when her friend asked me why I had given her a seat at the first place.

On local trains especially during peak hours, one has to mentally prepare oneself of entering the compartments. Being a woman, getting rubbed, smashed, grabbed on by another woman isn’t that appalling because not all of them are gay. If you get stuck in a mosh pit of sorts between Maharastrian women, you are going to hear some pretty amusing sentences. They love to argue and vent out their frustration, be it for the lack of space or your hair falling on their face due to the gushes of wind.

It’s all about “location, location, location” for illegal hawkers, ‘hijdas’ and beggars who strive on business in these local trains and get off on their station of choice. It’s amazing how fast local trains run, but If you happen to glance outside the window and see kids playing as well as butt naked doing what’s termed as natural, you’ll become desensitized to the vision after repeated such incidents. Travelling in trains is joyful when empty, during a pleasant weather.

Autos are as hazardous as mosquitos, they buzz around through thin spaces in a jiff and escape from getting slapped or crushed between hands or vehicles respectively. They are devious at the same. Most of them charge rupees ten each on a sharing basis. If you are alone, you can save upto a rupee for a minimum distance along with curbing pollution, but if there are two or three of you, you end up paying for more than the actual amount.

However I consider this city progressive in terms of local transportation as compared to those places where hopping on a train or a bus is not even an option. Where you would rather own a scooty and drive it yourself. If someone refuses you a ride in Mumbai, be thankful to have more options lined your way.  

Punjabi boys... How you like them now?

Sardars may not the smartest people around. That’s probably has something to do with their upbringing of a grounded, self-sufficient and honest life. However, they pack a punch if you mess with them. Be sure to get a taste of their warrior streak that has been passed on from generations.

In my recent visits to Punjab, I realized that the cultural ethnicity of Punjab is gradually getting a Western twist. Young men have a major role to play in it. They could be termed as desirable by many women because of their strong personality and gorgeous looks. What about their behavior?

With big ambitions and spoilt-silly by parents’ upbringing, they aspire to settle abroad in countries like United Kingdom, America or Canada. So turbans are being replaced with spiked short hair and a clean shave look. Branded clothes and shoes are a must.

Those who are not grinding in medical and engineering colleges in Chandigarh, roam around in flashy cars bursting with loud music. If you’re a girl returning from college or tuition classes, riding a scooty on chaotic roads, be sure to have at least two cars and three bikes following you wherever you. Most of the times they are harmless but some of them are plain nasty.

You will never find a woman wearing a gold chain or earrings walking on the streets of small cities; the reason being innumerable amount of chain-snatchers in Punjab. They couldn’t care less if the woman is old or young, trips or bleed, they are adamant of robbing your belongings while swifting by on a Bullet. The driving force behind this is their addiction to drugs and alcohol. Opium from Kashmir being on top of their list. Someone has to pay for it, so why not the ‘bibiji’ living across the field?

Punjabi music also greatly influences their behavior. In the past, there used to be a selected few who would sing about their love for fertile land, parents’ devotion and childhood crushes. Nowadays, the industry is going crazy with five new artists on the horizon every day. Rap and techno beats are replacing traditional tunes and rhythms. What’s worse is the content of such songs which consists of situations where boys get into random fights because of a girl, showing off weapons and alcohol.

Trying of ape the Blacks when it comes to rapping lyrics is ironic. They suffered years of oppression and rapping is their outlet to vent out agitation. What are Punjabi boys so agitated about? Having nothing constructive to do?

Girls on the other hand are a fragile lot. They also fancy branded things but remain constrained to their circle of girlfriends. Reputation plays huge factor in their society. If a girl is caught getting cozy with a boy, her entire family is put to shame. So they move with caution and stick to slight flirting online on Facebook where parents have little or no access.

Don’t lose heart women, not all Punjabi boys are spoilt and sleazy. There are some who are chivalrous, sober, and humble. Then again, who am I kidding? It’s in their blood to say things such as, “Singh is King”. Bruaahhhhh!

Being Technologically Tarnished

They say you can connect with people around the world from your lap, but are you aware of the amount of fat that is getting deposited on your buttocks in the process? Communication is getting increasingly technologically driven. While this feeds the soul of many anxious people, I like to remain old-fashioned.

How often do you find yourself aimlessly surfing through Facebook trying to dish some dirt out of people you know or want to know? C’mon we all are guilty of doing that. Who knew Facebook could connect you to people around the world and those who you haven’t seen in ages. It’s freakishly addictive.

If you are one of those who upload your partying pictures the next day, while recovering from a hangover, join a board.

For all those single ladies out there, it’s possibly a ray of light when it comes to socializing with a variety of guys from the comfort of your home. For the guys, they are probably thinking, “Why is every girl making that duck face and throwing peace signs everywhere?”

Facebook is making the guys lazy. Nowadays the maximum they will do is ‘poke’ and ‘like’ one of her highly photo-shopped profile pictures. It’s a whole process you see, there are stages to it. It starts with a poke, and then comes the friend request, followed by an inbox message. That converts into an online chat conversation. And if he is not distracted by five other girls he is trying his luck on simultaneously, there is a possibility for things to graduate to another technology. Yes, cell phones. In pours the messages and possibly calls. Consider yourself absolutely obliged to ever step out to meet him. Chances are you won’t, because most of them don’t have a strong personality to hold an interesting dialogue with you long enough face to face. They would rather hide behind the, “Hey hw yu doin??” and “nm…….jus bored” messages. (How is a girl meant to find you interesting if you are perpetually bored?) Today if you get poked, nudged and pinged through technology, consider yourself attractive.

If you’re a nine-year-old girl competing to increase the number of people on your friend list while flaunting your blackberry during after-school tuition classes, my heart bleeds for you. Take care of a stray kitten or go climb a tree or something!

Another thing that gives this generation a culture shock is when parents join Facebook. Isn’t there an age limit? Well, there should be. My father is proud member of my block list and so are my distant cousins. Don’t worry they give each other company there.

For those who demonstrate their deep love with ‘wall posts’ such as, “Omg baby just four days left for our fifth week anniversary!” Firstly, anniversary is an annual event. You cannot have anniversaries based on weeks and month and secondly, call/text her. Don’t rub your mushiness on my face(book). 

I haven’t dared to step out in the world of Twitter and Blackberry Messenger. Although Twitter is a handy tool when it comes to passing on important information during desperate times such as calamities and attacks and connecting with prominent figures and celebrities, I don’t want to know how much you carve for chocolate ice-cream(it makes my hungry).

My friends practically begged me to get a blackberry cell phone so we could “stay in touch constantly”. I am sorry, I love you all but I like my privacy and I want to respect yours too. Those constant cribbing statuses from people I hardly want to know might just get the best of me someday.

Worst thing about blackberry owners is, when you are talking to them of something really important, all of a sudden they get a dying urge to check their latest BBM message and ignore your existence completely. At that time, I feel like chopping of both of their thumbs that are working so vigorously with such dedication to reply back. However I don’t. I just walk away. If this happens to you the next time, trust me, walk away.

It is high time people understood the value of being mentally and physically present while having a decent chat with you. It’s so much more personal and warm. Will those good old days ever come back? I see low network.

Salivating Shows

Food shows are not only about amateurs preparing a dish with an utmost determination to impress the judges and cracking up under pressure within a time limit. It is also not about teaching the viewers about meticulous tactics of getting a dish perfect to impress yo ur mother-in-law.Sometimes it is nice to take a backseat and just enjoy the food. Perfect or imperfect, as long as it is made with love and dedication, it’s going to get some taste buds satisfied. I give you some of television’s most feel-good, comforting and humorous food shows that are a sure shot to fill you up with joy after a long stressful day.

Man vs. Food (TLC)

Ever seen a boxer in a boxing ring beating the hell out of a chicken leg piece? Well, you will definitely get a warm welcome with this animated visual at the start of the program. It's hilarious!

Enter Adam Richman, the kind of person you would love to feed fat. With no training in food, this self learnt and passionate foodie has taken the world by storm with his rendezvous with junk food.

His adorably cute looks and friendly nature draws you in to a terribly unhealthy diet. Man vs. Food is not a watch for the faint hearted or should I say clogged-hearted. If you are the type of a person on a strict diet plan and exercise regime, trust me this show might make you wanna stray.

Richman travels across America to explore a variety of cultures and junk food, along with taking on a food challenge. Some of them involving extremely spicy foods (such as habanero pepper sauce laden meatballs) and large quantities of food (such as a burger with a girth of a car-tire).

It’s a delight watching Richman stuff his face with mouthwatering, heart-attack-giving ingredients which mostly consists of flour, meat, cheese, sugar and a variety of sauces. You have to give it to the thrill-seeking young man who would have had a waist-line as a size of a buffalo by now but he is still rocking it due to his religious twice a day treadmill routine.

After every food challenge, there is a mock "press conference" where the people who cheered him through the challenge ask him questions as he sits behind the conference table like an accomplished athlete or a sour loser.

Watch out for a pretty woman who is almost always besides him during a challenge, wiping his sweat off and cheering him on. I guess that the secret to Richmen’s battle with America’s most greasy and intimidating food.

Nigella Feasts (TLC)

She almost seduces you with her flawless skin, voluptuous figure, deep dark eyes and her rich British accent. Nigella Lawson provides her viewers with such elegance, warmth and comfort that she makes you leave whatever you are doing and lures you in.

Nigella works from home and does her grocery shopping from the nearby markets and lets the camera follow her. Mostly dressed in cardigans and vintage clothes she eludes charm at the same time giving a homely feel to her easy recipes, tips and fuss-free dishes. In spite of not being a trained chef she gets her inspiration from her royal family background and believes food is meant for celebration and bonding with family and friends.

 Her intimate and amazingly simple approach to cooking sets her apart from other meticulous and rigid chefs and food critics. One can feel the love as she whips up a delight, whether it is the easy-to-make French Toast Donut or The Breakfast Bruschetta. It almost looks as if she is flirting with food during the presentation of recipes; she tries, tastes, and kneads everything she can get her hands on.

At the end of the show, Nigella is seen sneaking in her kitchen, relishing on leftovers from the fridge with such passion it make you want to do the same, giving a message loud and clear to all the waist conscious women around the world that you can be curvy and sexy and the same time.

Highway on My Plate (NDTV Goodtimes)

Two tall, dark, handsome and terribly hungry men with ponytails wandering around on random highways of India struggling to hitchhike a ride to get them to a destination that will fill the empty void in their stomach. That’s HOMP for you!

On the hunt for exotic delicacies, they merge with alien cultures to get a feel of food. Find them at dingy restaurants and ‘dhabas’ and you won’t be surprised. Seeing them don orange "loongis" in Bangalore and ‘pagadis’ in Patiyala was a laughing riot.

Rocky is a hardcore non-vegetarian whereas Mayur is the exact opposite (who mostly sticks to ‘paneer’ as Rocky takes full advantage of tempting him with meaty dishes). They have been to the pockets of India and pulled out some exotic as well as affordable dishes for the viewers to visit in future.

Almost always hungry, it is amusing to watch Rocky and Mayur, two huge men playfully dancing around making no sweat about cracking up on their own mistakes and lame jokes. They tactfully explain about the background every dish even though their mouth is salivating to dig in.

Rocky and Mayur form a great pair and their friendship eludes the humorous story-line of the show. At the end of a relishing session, they rate the place on the basis of taste, ambiance, service and value for money out of ten with the help of a Report Card. However childish this may sound, it makes it easier for us to judge.

In the end, watch out for the “food quote”.  It is ridiculously silly but never low on pun and entertainment.