Interesting links on spices
http://lifestyle.in.msn.com/health/article.aspx?cp-documentid=4607137
http://scene-india.blogspot.com/2008_08_01_archive.html
Thursday, November 25, 2010
Wednesday, November 24, 2010
Indian Media : The highs and the lows
The rot started when the story of "paid news" made its rounds during the electiions.
This time, the deafening silence maintained by the mainline media on the tapes that recorded instructions being given by a PR agency to leading editors on the content that they were to publish, has angered many. Santosh Desai, a leading media and advertising professional has in his kept his cool and with calm logic raised this in his column which is carried by one of the largest publications in the country.. The TOI.
http://blogs.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/Citycitybangbang/entry/the-silence-of-the-hacks
It has prompted people to make videos and post them on Youtube. Since the veracity of the tapes has not been questioned, I guess this is bound to happen.
People are wondering if journalists need to be told whether they are human beings and citizens first and journalists second. The instance of this photograph has come up for discussion.
http://bit.ly/eOD47j
The photographer of this picture could not/did not help this child and it died. Though awarded and lauded for the picture, it is rumored that the photographer went down with a nervous breakdown soon after and gave up his career. Probably his conscience was not totally dead.
While it is appreciated that immediate action is not possible, a journalist has to do what is feasible and is powers to help another human being. It is not about simply reporting news.
In Tirunalveli, Tamil Nadu, a police Inspector lay dying on the main rod after an attack on him by assailants with swords, with a journalist shooting his death on video. The chap did not even call the hospital... there was a raging debate on this and many media professionals claimed that saving lives is not a journalists job, it is to report loss of lives!! This is what is worrying!!
It is high time the spotlight was focused on the "hidden persuaders". The 9pm news seems to have become, according to an irate viewer, the hour of "prime-time prostitutes".We have a surfeit of 'usual suspects', i.e., characters willing to say anything for money hogging prime time and making the telecast resemble a "nautanki" in a fish market with frequent pandemonium, shouting, slanging, mud -slinging, jibes and what not. Naturally, genuine news is the last thing that gets featured here! No wonder that people prefer the sober and factual BBC or the 10pm bulletins when the hysteria is over and the main clowns anchoring the show take reprieve.
The issue is simple and apples to everyone, not just the "hacks". Every professional, whether he is a journalist, lawyer,doctor, engineer or whatever, has an obligation to his fellow being first.This transcends the obligations of our "work". By this logic, an engineer should never risk human life at work by endangering workers, or design buildings and objects which risk lives, a doctor has to follow the Hippocrates oath in spirit,the lawyer has to ensure that "justice" is served and if this means pleading guilty and asking for clemency, should advise his client to do so. (I doubt if any lawyer will do that in India. Some of them, the upright one's don't take up the case out of moral issues)
For journalists this is vital and even more important. Once they loose credibility, they loose everything.. it is the case of the boy who cried wolf! It is therefore not surprising that they get beaten up by the public very often these days. Total lack of sensitivity and sole focus on "breaking news" and often manufacturing it!!
There is a lovely Malyalam film called "swantham lekhakan" which has Srinivasan and Dillep. Brilliant take on the media establishment and its loss of its soul. The movie compares them to vultures!!
The international media has taken this up, thankfully...
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/11/22/AR2010112203831.html
This time, the deafening silence maintained by the mainline media on the tapes that recorded instructions being given by a PR agency to leading editors on the content that they were to publish, has angered many. Santosh Desai, a leading media and advertising professional has in his kept his cool and with calm logic raised this in his column which is carried by one of the largest publications in the country.. The TOI.
http://blogs.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/Citycitybangbang/entry/the-silence-of-the-hacks
It has prompted people to make videos and post them on Youtube. Since the veracity of the tapes has not been questioned, I guess this is bound to happen.
People are wondering if journalists need to be told whether they are human beings and citizens first and journalists second. The instance of this photograph has come up for discussion.
http://bit.ly/eOD47j
The photographer of this picture could not/did not help this child and it died. Though awarded and lauded for the picture, it is rumored that the photographer went down with a nervous breakdown soon after and gave up his career. Probably his conscience was not totally dead.
While it is appreciated that immediate action is not possible, a journalist has to do what is feasible and is powers to help another human being. It is not about simply reporting news.
In Tirunalveli, Tamil Nadu, a police Inspector lay dying on the main rod after an attack on him by assailants with swords, with a journalist shooting his death on video. The chap did not even call the hospital... there was a raging debate on this and many media professionals claimed that saving lives is not a journalists job, it is to report loss of lives!! This is what is worrying!!
It is high time the spotlight was focused on the "hidden persuaders". The 9pm news seems to have become, according to an irate viewer, the hour of "prime-time prostitutes".We have a surfeit of 'usual suspects', i.e., characters willing to say anything for money hogging prime time and making the telecast resemble a "nautanki" in a fish market with frequent pandemonium, shouting, slanging, mud -slinging, jibes and what not. Naturally, genuine news is the last thing that gets featured here! No wonder that people prefer the sober and factual BBC or the 10pm bulletins when the hysteria is over and the main clowns anchoring the show take reprieve.
The issue is simple and apples to everyone, not just the "hacks". Every professional, whether he is a journalist, lawyer,doctor, engineer or whatever, has an obligation to his fellow being first.This transcends the obligations of our "work". By this logic, an engineer should never risk human life at work by endangering workers, or design buildings and objects which risk lives, a doctor has to follow the Hippocrates oath in spirit,the lawyer has to ensure that "justice" is served and if this means pleading guilty and asking for clemency, should advise his client to do so. (I doubt if any lawyer will do that in India. Some of them, the upright one's don't take up the case out of moral issues)
For journalists this is vital and even more important. Once they loose credibility, they loose everything.. it is the case of the boy who cried wolf! It is therefore not surprising that they get beaten up by the public very often these days. Total lack of sensitivity and sole focus on "breaking news" and often manufacturing it!!
There is a lovely Malyalam film called "swantham lekhakan" which has Srinivasan and Dillep. Brilliant take on the media establishment and its loss of its soul. The movie compares them to vultures!!
The international media has taken this up, thankfully...
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/11/22/AR2010112203831.html
Tuesday, November 23, 2010
GuruNanak Jayanti - Ek Omkar
I heard this prayer, "Ek Omkar", in this movie Rang De Basanti and never really noticed it. Recently, a friend posted it on facebook and I heard it carefully. It has a soothing quality and it does invite a contemplative, calm mood. It is in Gurmukhi and is part of the Guru Granth Sahib which contains all the relevatory verses of Guru Nanak the founder of the Sikh religion. Guru Nanak is known to have preached the concept of "Oneness of God".Guru Nanak’s teaching is understood to be practiced in three ways:Naam Japna: Chanting the Holy Name and thus remembering God at all times (ceaseless devotion to God).Kirat Karō: Earning/making a living honestly, without exploitation or fraud. Vaṇḍ Chakkō: Sharing with others, helping those with less who are in need.
Guru Nanak Jayanti is celebrated in the month of November on the full moon night. This year it was observed on November the 21st. People who follow his teachings are called Sikhs.
Ik-oNkaar sat naam kartaa purakh nirbha-o nirvair
akaal moorat ajoonee saibhaN gur parsaad.
One Universal Creator God. The Name Is Truth.
Creative Being Personified. No Fear. No Hatred.
Image Of The Undying, Beyond Birth, Self-Existent.
...By Guru's Grace ~
jap.aad sach jugaad sach.
Chant And Meditate:
True In The Primal Beginning. True Throughout The Ages.
hai bhee sach naanak hosee bhee sach.
True Here And Now. O Nanak, Forever And Ever True.
sochai soch na hova-ee jay sochee lakh vaar.
By thinking, He cannot be reduced to thought, even by
thinking hundreds of thousands of times.
chupai chup na hova-ee jay laa-ay rahaa liv taar.
By remaining silent, inner silence is not obtained,
even by remaining lovingly absorbed deep within.
bhukhi-aa bhukh na utree jay bannaa puree-aa bhaar.
The hunger of the hungry is not appeased, even by
piling up loads of worldly goods.
sahas si-aanpaa lakh hohi ta ik na chalai naal.
Hundreds of thousands of clever tricks, but not even
one of them will go along with you in the end.
kiv sachi-aaraa ho-ee-ai kiv koorhai tutai paal.
So how can you become truthful? And how can the veil
of illusion be torn away?
hukam rajaa-ee chalnaa naanak likhi-aa naal.
O Nanak, it is written that you shall obey the Hukam
of His Command, and walk in the Way of His Will.
akaal moorat ajoonee saibhaN gur parsaad.
One Universal Creator God. The Name Is Truth.
Creative Being Personified. No Fear. No Hatred.
Image Of The Undying, Beyond Birth, Self-Existent.
...By Guru's Grace ~
jap.aad sach jugaad sach.
Chant And Meditate:
True In The Primal Beginning. True Throughout The Ages.
hai bhee sach naanak hosee bhee sach.
True Here And Now. O Nanak, Forever And Ever True.
sochai soch na hova-ee jay sochee lakh vaar.
By thinking, He cannot be reduced to thought, even by
thinking hundreds of thousands of times.
chupai chup na hova-ee jay laa-ay rahaa liv taar.
By remaining silent, inner silence is not obtained,
even by remaining lovingly absorbed deep within.
bhukhi-aa bhukh na utree jay bannaa puree-aa bhaar.
The hunger of the hungry is not appeased, even by
piling up loads of worldly goods.
sahas si-aanpaa lakh hohi ta ik na chalai naal.
Hundreds of thousands of clever tricks, but not even
one of them will go along with you in the end.
kiv sachi-aaraa ho-ee-ai kiv koorhai tutai paal.
So how can you become truthful? And how can the veil
of illusion be torn away?
hukam rajaa-ee chalnaa naanak likhi-aa naal.
O Nanak, it is written that you shall obey the Hukam
of His Command, and walk in the Way of His Will.
Sunday, November 21, 2010
Marketing vanishes into Advertising?
Interesting take on how the marketing function is evolving..or is it evaporating?
http://www.afaqs.com/news/story.html?sid=28764_Guest+article:+Ramakanta+Panda:+Why+marketing+is+becoming+synonymous+with+advertising
http://www.afaqs.com/news/story.html?sid=28764_Guest+article:+Ramakanta+Panda:+Why+marketing+is+becoming+synonymous+with+advertising
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)