September is here!

August is now a matter of history and we are in the month of September. This is how life is, what ever we do today will become a part of history in the days to come. The month of August was eventful for Dispassionate Observer because a number of articles were published which discussed on a range of issues and happenings. As a blog Dispassionate Observer also achieved a milestone in its second month of publication. It crossed the target mark of 1500 page views. I wish the blog gets much more page views in the near future.

Article contribution for the August issue came generously from a range of writers, each having distinct style of their own. I am indebted to Anuja Bagchi and Srirupa Ganguly who wrote for the blog this time also amidst their tight schedule. I salute the enthusiasm of the students of mass communication and journalism who were eager to express their ideas. Anwesha Guha Thakurta, Priya Panda, Shayani Gupta and Nilika Banerjee were each special in their endeavour. The hunger to write more on their part was one of the high points that kept the blog going. Contributions from abroad also helped the cause. I specially thank MyBlueDish.com, Laura Hartley, Perfectly Imperfect, Jennifer Bell, Eric Johnson and Louise for contributing to Dispassionate Observer.

There was no dearth of news in August as events just unfolded one after another. Lokpal Bill debate hogged the limelight and stood out from the rest by the sheer magnitude of public support. London Riots was a big global news. The passing away of Shammi Kapoor was also a tragedy that hit Bollywood in the month of August. A cricket hungry nation was denied the taste of success as the Indian team performed miserably in England tour. A performance that Mahendra Singh Dhoni will like to forget in a jiffy! The arrival of Messi and the Argentina Football Team to Kolkata for a Fifa International Friendly against Venezuela lighted up the pages of newspapers as the month drew to a close.

Keeping with the promise to deliver articles which offer in-depth analysis of issues, Dispassionate Observer steps into the month of September. Articles on travel, food, film and lifestyle will also follow to give the much-needed space for the mind to read in leisure. Enjoy reading this blog!

I Support Anna Hazare & YOU!!

In new age India where every citizen is busy for their own needs, wealth accumulation and power chase, have you ever pondered what drove this dhoti-clad 74-year-old ex army man to go on a self-inflicted starvation to clean India? The reason for his fight is corruption and the only weapon he has is his voice and the Lokpall Bill. In his crusade against ‘Corruption’, the big word that has almost become a part of our lives, he was joined by a crowd of people including noted reformist Swami Agnivesh, former IPS officer and activist Kiran Bedi and Magsaysay award winner Sandeep Pandey on one side, and the ‘Aam Janta’ consisting of young men and women; students, doctors, medical professionals, corporates, daily wage earners, labourers – every Indian who hopes for a better tomorrow. The follower of this modern-day Satyagraha Movement, as we coin it, is Young India.

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74-year-old Hazare began his hunger strike at Jantar Mantar in New Delhi after paying tributes to Mahatma Gandhi at Rajghat. "I will observe a fast unto death till the government agrees to form a joint committee comprising 50 per cent officials and the remaining citizens and intellectuals to draft the Jan Lokpal Bill," Hazare said at Rajghat. Hazare went ahead with his agitation despite the Prime Minister's Office expressing disagreement over his decision to go on a fast unto death.

As we see Anna in his struggle there are questions in our mind-Can our government blame a non-violent protest march by a common man as a ‘Threat to Country’s Peace’? Can Indian government call this protest unconstitutional? Is it because the movement is against the government itself? Should we, the common man of India be concerned against omnipresent corruption in the society and government machinery or is it time for a second war of Independence?

The day has come when the nation demands answers to the questions hovering in the minds of every Indian, so can a leader only answer them or can we seek solutions from people on the streets? As these unanswered issues give birth to a revolution I think it’s time when we realize that “We the people Of India” those mighty words on our Constitution has far more power than a corrupt political system.

I feel proud to witness this revolution. Anna Hazare is not a name, he is Gandhi incarnated. His movement is timeless and an example to live a life of selflessness. We know that pen is mightier than the sword and a genuine weapon for us who love to write; so why not express a voice against corruption and join a part of this great movement. Pen down your voice India!

About the Author-

Srirupa Ganguly is Editor, WinCentre, Financial Services Hub, Capgemini "India",Hyderabad. Having a distinct style of her own and wide experience in writing for quite a period of time, she is known for her insightful view on events.

Disclaimer: The opinions expressed in this article are those of the author, and they do not reflect in any way those of the Dispassionate Observer.

Online Media As It Stands Today

Academics and professionals have already arrived at a consensus that Internet publication has acquired a journalistic status equal to that of print media, radio and television. Internet publications have also provided a fillip to the communication companies as they consider Internet as a strategic factor for their progress in future.

                                                picture source: Luis Assardo (picasa)
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Online journalism is relatively new in India but in the west it has taken deep roots. Web masters and content writers abound in the field of IT. Some of them make news from newspapers, magazine and websites in typical glossy formats while others operate as full news portals where the reporters write reports from the place of the event which is then edited and placed on the website. Presently in the west Internet journals have already mastered the web and started making their presence felt on the info-sub-highway. Many Internet journalists get support from the print media that put up their web sites on the Net. Some others depend upon print media, wire news services and the Net to gather news and information.

India woke up to the potentiality of cyber world quite late in 1995. To start with, Internet was accessible only in the four metro cities. Computer penetration was very low. However, penetration started to improve as the price of computers came down and private service providers embarked on the scene.

By 2007, India had an estimated base of 42 million Internet users, which was 3.6% of the world users. Although this base was far below the Internet users of USA, China, Japan or Germany, India ranked fifth in the list of top twenty countries using Internet.

Unlike conventional back lit flat panel displays, electronic paper displays reflect light like ordinary paper. Its technological edge is that it can hold static text and images indefinitely without using electric while providing the option to change images later.

In India, many reputed newspapers and magazines have already made foray into Internet. Some prominent examples are www.hindustantimes.com, www.timesofindia.com , www.frontline.com . On line journalism is a marriage of journalism and the Internet technology.

The newspapers did not invest much on the Web sites during the nineties, a decade marked by a steep rise in the number of Web pages. Online journals reformatted content from the newspapers and posted them on their website.

More than a third of active Internet users – 56 million adult – visited newspaper Web sites in May 2006, a 30 percent increase from the same period in 2005, according to Nielsen/Net Rating. These website users are predominantly young, better educated and active Internet users.

For newspaper website users, the printed newspaper is still the primary sources for local advertising but the newspaper websites beat TV, Radio and Yellow Pages as the next best source.

There are some disadvantages of online media. Eyestrain is a major problem followed by backache which breaks the back of the Net surfer. Internet Addition Disorder (IAD) can lead to restlessness, stress and depression. The Net has not reached most parts of the country. Its reach is not still at desired level. Currently the bandwidth of the country's ISP is less vis-à-vis those of foreign ISPs. This act as hindrance to the forward march of online media. However, despite the problems, the future looks bright.

About the Author- 

Priya Panda is student of Journalism and Mass Communication at Muralidhar Girl's College, Kolkata, West Bengal, India.

Disclaimer: The opinions expressed in this article are those of the author, and they do not reflect in any way those of the Dispassionate Observer.

Recapturing the community through team spirit

Over the past few months, messages about new local social groups and clubs have been popping up a lot on social media sites like Twitter and Facebook. It’s part of a trend that has steadily been gaining steam over the past few years – the “meet up” craze, where people with a shared interest get together to socialise and chat, and participate in whatever their chosen hobby is. However, it looks like the craze has got legs, as the popularity of these groups shows no sign of waning. But what is the secret of their appeal?

In my opinion, the blueprint for these groups’ success comes from the original “meet up” group – the sports team. You know the ones, perhaps you have seen the rowing club or running group in their matching personalised hoodies. Obviously, these teams present a great opportunity for you to meet people with the same interest – and of course you often necessarily need at least a few people to play a lot of sports – but these would be unlikely to last if there wasn’t that “x-factor” that makes you choose to spend your spare time at that particular place, with those particular people.

The answer lies, I believe, in the sense of community and “belonging” that the group environment creates. Science tells us that human beings have an innate compulsion to socialise, and to be able to socialise with people who share our common interests (as opposed to say, people you work with, who you may or may not necessarily choose to spend your time with normally), is the happiest realisation of this need. In sports groups, whether it’s a swimming team, local cricket club or even a fantasy football league, you’re working towards a common goal, which fosters a real sense of community and team spirit – you feel part of something. Plus, there is often the opportunity further develop this camaraderie off-pitch, as most sports teams will socialise even once the game is over. You can take your common interest, and build it into a friendship.

Joining a team can be a daunting experience, especially if you’re a beginner. But it’s invariably worth it, as it’s a chance to learn new skills in an encouraging and supportive environment. With the vast amount of choice out there, it’s easy to find a team or group that will suit your skill level, so you can learn together. And aside from the obvious health benefits of doing sports, there is even evidence to suggest that there are additional health benefits of taking exercise with others. Research has found that social contact can help reduce the risk of cancer, improve mental health and even reduce blood pressure.

Taking part in a team or group, whether sports-related or not, allows us to build up those close-knit social bonds that in today’s fragmented world are so much harder to cultivate in the natural course of your day-to-day life. It’s a need we must nurture – so I think the group phenomenon is here to stay.

About the Author- 

This article was written by Louise from HoodieTee, a supplier of personalised hoodies for clubs, schools and sports groups.

Disclaimer: The opinions expressed in this article are those of the author, and they do not reflect in any way those of the Dispassionate Observer.

Anna Stiffens Stand: The Nation Rallies

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Anna Hazare, a representative of 120 crore Indian people, raised his voice against corruption in India so vociferously that even the Government is now shaken to the core. The huge support among masses made him stronger to exert pressure on Government of India to enact the Jan Lokpal Bill, a strong anti corruption act.

Kisan Baburao Hazare, renowned as Anna Hazare, has remarkably contributed to the development of a village in Maharashtra, Ralegan Siddhi. He was awarded Padma Bhushan in 1992 by Government of India for his excellent effort to establish Ralegan Siddhi as a model village. 

 

On 5^th April, 2011 he started ‘fast unto death’ at Jantar Mantar in Delhi for the enactment of Jan Lokpal Bill. The Bill speaks of a law to establish Lokpal with enough power to deal with corruption in public offices. Govt assured him of giving heed to most of the demands & the fast ended after 4 days. This activity got a nationwide support.

In 2011 Anna has become one of the most influential public personalities in India. The 73-year-old Gandhian initiated Satyagraha movement to move public opinion against corruption & to make government aware that we the ordinary people will no longer tolerate the corrupt system. He got support from many famous social activists, including Arvind Kejriwal, Medha Patkar, Kiran Bedi & so on. Thousands of people showed support to the movement on internet via social media like facebook, twitter etc. Online Signature Campaigns like ‘Avaaz’ got 6.5 lakh signatures in just 36 hours. Many celebrities also supported his protest.

On 16^th August Anna Hazare planned a hunger strike in Jay Prakash Narain Park for stronger Lokpal Bill. However, he got arrested in his own residence in the morning when he refused to sign the bond under section 144. Govt did this to avoid media attention that the issue would get if it was done at the place of the agitation. Seven protestors including Kiran Bedi & Arvind Kejriwal were also sent to jail. Orders came for release of Anna after being remanded in 7-day judicial custody. Government had fears that if Anna spend 7 days in jail, public support will go in favor of him. But he refused to come out of Tihar Jail as he made it clear that he would come out only if he is given the permission to fast at J.P. Park, the original planned venue. Hundreds of people gathered outside the Jail in support of Hazare. Anna continued his fast in the jail. Till reports last flew in the fast is taking place in Tihar in place of J.P. Park to keep the movement alive.

A meeting was held by Congress Government in the centre to decide on a compromise formula to steer clear of the present situation. They also deliberated upon whether the Prime Minister makes a statement in Parliament on this issue. The Government arrived at a decision to give Anna the right to carry out his movement for seven to ten days at Ramlila Maidan & there will be no restriction on people who want to join in the fast. This decision, however, failed to make the situation better as Anna refused the compromise formula and wanted a fast for thirty days. He declared that he would not go for any consideration & he did not come out from jail till the time of publication of this article.

In evening his supporters did a candle march in protest of the Government's role at India Gate. Not only in Delhi, allover India people showed support for Anna’s movement through rally or candle march. In midst of all these happenings Anna suddenly fell sick in Tihar jail this evening & a team of doctors rushed for his treatment. 

Sickness has not deterred Anna Hazare from his movement to see a corruption free India. The awareness of ordinary citizens right is fast catching up with the nation. One can hope for better days in future with young people in India eager to follow in his footsteps.

About the Author- 

Shayani Gupta is student of Journalism & Mass Communication at Muralidhar Girls College, Kolkata, West Bengal, India.

Disclaimer: The opinions expressed in this article are those of the author, and they do not reflect in any way those of the Dispassionate Observer.

Taarif Karun Keya Ushki Jisne Tumhe Banaya, The Junglee star : No More

“Shammi ji........ An entire life full of optimism and happy spirit, caring loving to all.......... Now suddenly silent.”- Amitabh Bachchan.

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50 years ago who gave millions of Indians the famous word ‘Yahoo’ is no more. The veteran actor Shammi Kapoor , hailed as ‘Elvis Presley of India’ and whose famous yell ‘Chahe Koi Mujhe Jangli Kahe’ signified the arrival of a rebel star against the reigning trio of his time Raj Kapoor, Dev Anand and Dilip Kumar, passed away here on Sunday morning due to chronic renal failure.

Brother Raj Kapoor brought out the pathos of the masses, Dilip Kumar taught that tragedy is all ,Dev Anand made the believe in romance but it was Shammi Kapoor who hammered home the message that being sexy is fun. His style of dancing was compared to Elvis Presley’s. It was also action packed. He rolled , jumped and did everything, which heroes of his time would have never done or even thought of.

The true blue flower child of the 60s Shammi Kapoor was born as Shamsher Raj Kapoor on October 21, 1931 in Mumbai. His father was the great theatre and film doyen, Prithviraj Kapoor. Shammi Kapoor was the second of the three sons born to Prithviraj (the other two being Raj Kapoor and Shammi Kapoor), both of whom were, like their father, successful Bollywood actors. Though born in Mumbai, he spent a major portion of his childhood in Kolkata as his father was involved with New Theatres. He did his Montessory and Kindergarten in Kolkata. After coming back to Mumbai he first went to St.Joseph’s Convent and then to Don Bosco School and after that he finished his schooling from New Era School at Hughes Road. He went on to study engineering before entering the world of cinema with Jeevan Jyoti in 1953. Shammi Kapoor had a short stint at Ruia College in Matunga Mumbai. After that he joined his father’s theatrical company ‘Prithvi Theatres’.

Shammi ji like his elder brother Raj Kapoor got involved in both theatre and films. In his younger days he was with a pencil moustache and lanky figure and used to look too much like Raj Kapoor. Hence in the initial years he got similar social dramas like Rail Ka Dibba with a very young Madhubala. He entered in cinema world in 1948 as a junior artist at a salary of Rs 150 per month. He stayed with ‘Prithvi Theatres’ for the next four years and collected his last pay check of Rs 300 in 1952.

Much like Amitabh Bachchan later, most of Shammi’s initial films turned out to be huge flops at the box office.Despite acting with the biggest of heroines like Madhubala,Nutan,Suraiya,he just didn’t click with the audience. And then came the makeover. Perhaps taking a cue from the men making waves in the west at that time,James Dean and the Beatles, Shammi shaved off his pencil moustache and shaped his hair in the famous ducktail style. Tunsa Nahin Dekha in 1957 finally worked wonders and the new Shammi , channelizing an easy, infections energy , besides the change in appearance was a hit. His rebellious image was further endorsed by hits like Dil Deke Dekho (1959) and Junglee (1961) which made him the definite challenger to the Dilip-Raj-Dev troika. Films like Dil tera Deewana(1962), Professor(1962), Rajkumar (1964) , Janwar (1965) and Teesri Manzil (1966) further added to his box office charisma. In Brahmachari(1968) he got his Film Fare Award for best actor playing a man who ran an orphanage for abandoned children.

In the 1970s, Kapoor’s weight problem proved an obstacle in his path of success and ended his career as a romantic hero. One of his last hits , in which he played the lead role, was Andaz(1971). With time, he moved to character roles and acted in films like Zameer, Hero and Vidhata. In 1974 he donned the hat of a director and made Makoranian. Two years later he made Bandalbaaz(1976). However, both the films failed to create magic at the box office. His last appearance as a character role was in the film Sandwich in 2006. Recently he decided to act with his great nephew Ranbir Kapoor in Imtiaz Ali’s next movie Rockstar.

Professional success was marred by personal tragedy as he lost the love of his life Geeta Bali to small pox in 1965. They had a son Aditya Raj Kapoor and a daughter Kanchan. After that Kapoor lost heart and reportedly took to alcohol and food for solace. In 1969, he married Neela Devi Gohil from the Royal Family of Bhavnagar in Gujarat.

Always a man of technology Shammi ji took to the Internet in a big way and become the founder and chairman of the Internet User Community of India. It helped to set up many more cyber organisations in India.

Kapoor was admitted to Breach Candy Hospital on 7^th August 2011. He was suffering from chronic renal failure. His condition remained serious for next few days , kept under ventilator support. However, the actor passed away on 14^th August 2011, 05:15 am at the age of 79.

We pray to Almighty to bless his soul.........

“ Ho Sake To Lout Ke Aana” 

About the Author- 

Priya Panda is student of Journalism and Mass Communication at Muralidhar Girl's College, Kolkata, West Bengal, India.

Disclaimer: The opinions expressed in this article are those of the author, and they do not reflect in any way those of the Dispassionate Observer.

The Story Behind the London Riots

Anger Sparked by Tragic London Shooting

On Thursday, August 4th, a Scotland Yard police officer shot and killed a London man named Mark Duggan, 29, while attempting to arrest him. The officer indicated later that he fired under the belief that he and his fellow officers were in mortal danger.

An illegal firearm found at the scene is thought to have been in Duggan's possession and is still undergoing ballistics tests to determine if it was fired, although preliminary results suggest that the weapon was not used against the arresting officers.

The tragedy occurred in a neighborhood called Tottenham, a low income, ethnically diverse area in North London. As news of the shooting spread a sense of unrest and injustice grew among the area's residents, inflamed by the fact that a statement by law enforcement officials regarding the shooting was not immediately given.

Law Enforcement Overwhelmed by Rioters

Two days later on August 6th, an initially peaceful march of more than 200 London protesters angered by Duggan's death became ugly as members of the group turned against police with violence that included throwing missiles and setting cars and buildings around the neighborhood ablaze.

Outright looting began after midnight in the Tottenham Hale Retail Park, and law enforcement officers in the area were quickly overwhelmed by the large number of rioters. The violence spiraled out of control throughout the night, with vandals breaking glass storefronts, pillaging shops and burning empty shelves. Fires smoldering in emptied stores and in cars on the street kept fire crews working throughout the day.

Escalation of Anarchy

Over the next two days the riots escalated further, with looting and general lawlessness peaking in the wee hours of each morning. With London youths spurred on by a sense of anarchy, chaos quickly spread to neighborhoods around Tottenham and even outside of London. By August 9th, violence had been reported in nearly all boroughs of London, and a police station in the British city of Birmingham had been set on fire.

News statistics report more than 1,000 people arrested and five killed in connection with the week of rioting. To deal with the enormous number of detainees, London courts were forced to work through the night for several days in a row. The damage to already impoverished communities left London residents in a state of shock, afraid for their safety and personal property.

Motives of a Mob

The rapid spread of destruction perpetrated mostly by young, lower income London citizens has raised widespread speculation about the motives behind the turmoil. Many theories point to a combination of anger at the British government, a feeling of unimportance in society and pure opportunism as possible reasons that a mob mentality grew so quickly.

Recently enacted austerity measures, including sweeping cuts to public programs such as community youth centers for the poor have left many members of the British lower class feeling abandoned, with a growing fear for their futures in education and employment. This sentiment, coupled with a sense of restlessness at the lack of jobs and the public outcry against the police at the shooting of Mark Duggan could have created the perfect storm of emotion in which the riots began.

While the debate over the motives behind the London riots continues and politicians use the tragedy as a platform for their own agendas, the citizens of Tottenham and its outlying areas will quietly go about rebuilding their lives. Average citizens armed with household cleaning items have begun clearing the rubble from the streets, proving that dignity can prevail in the face of fear and anger.

About the Author-

Eric Johnson is a contributing writer at privatestudentloan.org .


Disclaimer: The opinions expressed in this article are those of the author, and they do not reflect in any way those of the Dispassionate Observer.