Irony of Ironies!!!

May 13 the D Day for Maharashtra. Who's the next CM for Maharashtra? Gadchiroli after witnessing a brutal attack by the naxalites line up in their respective polling booths and record a 60 per cent turnout. However in Mumbai, the great cosmopolitan crowd only exhibits less than 45 per cent turn out that too after govt declaring a total closure of comanies and establishments. What an Irony??

What comes faster to us? Police, ambulance or Pizza?? What an Irony

Which is easier to take car or education, when car loan is 8 per cent and education loan at 14 per cent? What an irony!

Rich people will never question the rate at a branded outlet but will be stingy to bargain at the roadside vendor. What an irony!!

Fake encounter or cold blooded murder??

Ishrat Jahan and three others were shot dead by the Gujarat police on June 15, 2004. The Gujarat police prided to have gunned them down in an ‘encounter’ to foil an assassination bid on Chief Minister Narendra Modi. A suo motu notice of the incident was taken by the NHRC within three days and directed the government of Gujarat to comply with the NHRC 2003 Guidelines on Encounter Deaths.

According to Nitya Ramakrishnan, supreme court advocate writing in the Hindu (see The Hindu dated Septembet 12, 2009) "Encounter killings are surely homicide. Whether culpable or justified as self-defence is a matter for the judge". If encounter killings are homicide, then what would be a fake encounter killings? To me it is nothing else than a cold blooded murder.

Fake encounter is surely an attempt to murder cold bloodily. To reduce it anything less than cold blooded murder is to do injustice to the victims of such heinous crimes. Ishrat Jahan's case should set a deterrent to the perpetrators of such 'fake encounter'. If these accused police officers of Gujarat Police who were behind this 'fake encounter' are seen in the same manner as cold blooded criminals, only then will the society have trust in the justice system.

Making a mockery of Journalism in Live Television

In the News hour in Times Now, Arnab Goswami asks the questions “Would you pay more when they strike?” The whole question itself is lopsided. The question has a pre conceived angle. (For that matter any debate conducted in the channel is lopsided). The question clearly puts the blame on the employees without even going to the root of the problem. The whole issue started with the management violating the constitution of India which protects the employees to get unionised. The management stand is completely unjustified in not allowing the employees to get unionised.
Further Arnab puts forth his view that “Can Pilots who earn 1 lac or 3 lac to 7 lac per month be called as workers”. Now what kind of question is this? Remuneration does not decide who a worker is. How does remuneration stop one from being a part of the union?

Then he brings the president of passenger association into his show who says that “Customer is king... and we in India believe that customer is God”. Why do we pass such a blanket statement? Why do we just need to assume that customer is King, which is an explanation given by the companies to strategise their own benefits.

Leading by example!
Arnab then goes to his next question for debate. “Should MPs travel by business class?” He was putting forth an idea that in these recessionary times MPs should show austerity. It seems that Arnab Goswami was making a big fool of himself!!! Arnab doesn’t even confirm the facts before starting a debate. He is holding a government dossier and questioning the MPs travelling on business class. He doesn’t even understand that government order does not imply to the MPs, but the MPs are answerable to the Speaker of the Parliament of India. He does not even understand the difference between government and parliament. Before hosing a show please brush up your basics.

Time and again he was repeating that MPs should lead by example. I think that everybody in their own profession should lead by example in their field of expertise. This also means that Arnab Goswami who claims to be a journalist must also lead by an example by not framing question with a one sided intent (of just increasing TRPs). Empathy with drought? Austerity?? It is not only for MPs but also for the media.

In solidarity with the pilots

What a bizarre situation!!! Naresh Goyal, the CEO of Jet Airways in an interview to the Times of India says "...This airline has set a global standards and done India proud. For me, the country comes first, then the company and then individuals...". Such statements are considered normal and certainly unquestionable. However we tend to forget that in a welfare state(which India claims to be one), the state exists for the welfare of the people and not vice versa.

Instead of invoking the Essential Services Management Act (ESMA), the government needs to intervene for a just cause of pilots for formation of an Union. In the name of "discipline" the company is stopping the employees from exercising its basic right. It is a right of any employee to be a part of an union. Instead, the civil aviation ministry and the labour ministry are throwing the ball at each other. The ministry of labour must intervene and help the pilots to unionise.

Whenever such incidents happen the excuse that the company and the state gives is that it causes inconvenience to customers. However this is an easy way to get the public opinion against the right cause. The media too plays a partner in crime by only reporting the inconvenience caused to the customers, but the history of what led to the inconvenience is completely ignored. This gives a lopsided view of the issue. Finally the ones portrayed as villains are only the protesters, be it the pilots or the doctors or the teachers!!!

Truth: A Commodity

Recently in my class of Media Studies, my students were to discussing on the “reality” television. They discussed and debated on the case of “sach ka samna” a popular reality show which is telecasted on Star Plus. The contestant in the show exposes some “truths” of past life where dark secrets involving lust, sex and immorality are revealed to the public. The students were divided in their opinion about the show with only a few advocating for some kind of control over what is aired openly in television. Most of them were in the opinion that such shows need no regulation since most of us know to differentiate what is right and wrong and no one needs to define other person’s moral limits and moreover those who do not want the show are free not to view it and they should not interfere with others preferences. This is a popular argument which is echoed by the people having the so called liberal mindset.



Now let us examine this argument whether it stands the test. Firstly, any argument as this one needs to be extended and be universal. I asked the “liberal” students of my class whether they would extend their patronage from the reality TV shows as this one (where dirty linen is washed in the public) to pornography videos to be openly aired in the television using the same logic that people have the capacity to distinguish right and wrong and those who do not want to view are free not to view. However at this point the “liberal” students were quite uneasy citing that such a situation is not desirable since that would lead to social evils in the society. So the very people who said that no one should judge on what is right for one to watch are now themselves engaged in judging what limit of liberalism we need to fix!



The other argument is that it is Truth that is being aired and truth is a virtue and a value in itself. The problem with this show is that truth as a virtue is not been promoted and truth per se has no value in this show. Instead truth is equated with a monetary value. Hence Rajeev Khandelwal the host of the show, time and again reminds that as the money increases the questions that reveal the truth will become tougher. So the contestants decide at what amount of money which level of truth can be traded off. As far as the audience is concerned, no one is interested in truth as a value but truth as an entertainment. Everyone is interested in the mucky truths which are being revealed on the television screens.



Finally the truth is said to relieve one’s burden. As in the Bible it says “You shall know the truth and the truth shall set you free” (John 8:32). However the tragic scenes of disappointment seen when one does not win a single penny after losing the game does not in any way convey that such kind of truth has eased the burden let alone freed the person. Instead think of what would be the next step of such a person. Of course each one of us has a dirty past but the difference is when other person knows that past. Is the world outside ready to accept such a person whose dirty past is already known? Will the viewers who enjoy being glued to their television sets watching the show themselves share a positive attitude with such people. The answer is sadly negative in the light of the recent incidents, one in Meerut where a man stabbed his wife to nearly killing her for the “truth” which he could not digest in his personal life but was convenient enough to enjoy in television.



It is a “reality” show not in the sense that the show is real but the consequences of the show are felt in real life. Finally we have a new product in the market called as truth. Who thought that “truth” can be neatly packaged as a commodity and traded off in the market of TRPs to generate “profit”?

Corporate Retail and the post modern city

Corporate Retail and the post modern city:

For the most part, urban India is experiencing what is called the Retail Revolution. And it is not only that the Indian corporates have sensed the opportunity for lucrative business in organised retailing, even foreign multinational corporations have staged a backdoor entry into the sector. There is not a single day that goes without the newspaper dailies mentioning a word regarding the corporate retail as every day, several new retail chains are being established, and others, expanded. Apart from other raison d'être, one explanation which I would like to draw attention is the postmodern christening of the city.

City in the modern times which was historically centred round production is now centred around consumption, rather we are in the business of production of consumption. This is the first step towards a post modern city. This is very much evident in the decline of the heavy manufacturing industries with the increase in retail and service sector and at the same time increase in mass unemployment .

While in the post modern city production and consumption of goods are in a decline mode, there is a corresponding increase in the production and consumption of culture. Mark Jane(2006) , describes the post modern urbanity which is characterised by high technology business clusters, out-of-town mega malls, elite ‘gated’ residential neighbourhoods, ghettos, and ‘edge cities’: master-planned ‘suburban’ developments. Style and aesthetics precede over mass production and standardisation. Goods and services are no longer material objects but reflect signs and lifestyles. On one hand we have individualised consumption of the new middle class and on the other hand we have mass unemployment. Post modern times exist differentially in different places. Consumption is the dominating post modern “culture”. The culture of consumption encompasses in everything including meaning, truth, knowledge and identity. Class, gender, ethnicity are blurred and now difficult to define. Unlike the modern city where a particular food, clothing, musical tastes, ways of speaking and other leisure activities were more easily attributable to a certain social group, there is now much more hybridity and juxtaposition. The division is now more in terms of lifestyle rather social class. Sense of belonging is no longer based on kinship but on consumption.

Because of this consumption culture, the signifiers of economic value is entirely divorced with signified’s use value; hence this gives more importance to the “aesthetics” which is nothing but a hallucination of reality (Baudrillard 1993) . He describes postmodernism as a culture of what he describes as ‘simulacrum’. For Baudrillard, the simulacrum is an identical copy without an original – infact, the very distinction between the original and the copy has been destroyed.

This kind of shopping experience which I call as “Shopping of culture” rather than shopping of goods takes place in the malls and similar archetypes and not in the traditional or conventional outlets. Hence the retail “experience” is now shifted from “provisions” to “shopping”. More than a shop it is an event. The emergence of a “coffee culture”, within the malls where multi-tasking is possible where people just do not come to eat but also are seen working on their laptops. This creates a ‘third’ space outside home and work. Mind you this same pattern of consumption called as consumerism had come into heavy criticism for propelling the cause of the global financial crisis in these recent days.

This heavy production and consumption of the culture cannot be brought by the traditional retailers but requires the big corporate retail.

Swine Flu - Basic tools and Information

India is grappling with a swine flu epidemic. There is heightened panic among people following reports of growing number of HIN1 cases and the recent death of a school child in Pune.

How do people become infected with influenza A (H1N1)?

Outbreaks in humans are now occurring from human-to-human transmission. When infected people cough or sneeze, infected droplets get on their hands, drop onto surfaces, or are dispersed into the air. Another person can breathe in contaminated air, or touch infected hands or surfaces, and be exposed.

What are the signs and symptoms of infection?

Early signs of influenza A (H1N1) are flu-like, including fever, cough, headache, muscle and joint pain, sore throat and runny nose, and sometimes vomiting or diarrhea. Like seasonal flu, swine flu may cause a worsening of underlying chronic medical conditions.
Is there any confirmation of transmission between pigs and humans at this point?

No.

How soon can someone with the flu infect someone else?

Infected people may be able to infect others beginning one day before symptoms develop and up to seven or more days after becoming sick.

What surfaces are most likely to be sources of contamination?

Germs can be spread when a person touches something that is contaminated with germs and then touches his or her eyes, nose, or mouth. Droplets from a cough or sneeze of an infected person move through the air.

How long can viruses live outside the body?

We know that some viruses and bacteria can live two hours or longer on surfaces like cafeteria tables, doorknobs, and desks.Frequent hand washing will help you reduce the chance of getting contamination from these common surfaces.

What can I do to protect myself from getting sick?

Currently available seasonal influenza vaccine does not protect against H1N1 flu. There are everyday actions that can help prevent the spread of germs that cause respiratory illnesses like influenza. Take these everyday steps to protect your health:
Cover your nose and mouth with a tissue when you cough or sneeze. Throw the tissue in the trash after you use it.
Wash your hands often with soap and water, especially after you cough or sneeze. Alcohol based hand cleaners are also effective.
Avoid touching your eyes, nose or mouth. Germs spread this way.
Try to avoid close contact with people having respiratory illness.
If one gets sick with influenza, one must stay at home, away from work or school and limit contact with others to keep from infecting them. However, if one is having any respiratory distress, one should report to a nearby hospital.

What should I do to keep from getting the flu?

First and most important: wash your hands frequently. Try to stay in good general health. Get plenty of sleep, be physically active, manage your stress, drink plenty of fluids, and eat nutritious food. Avoid touching surfaces that may be contaminated with the flu virus. Avoid close contact with people having respiratory illness.

Are there medicines to treat swine flu?

Yes. Oseltamivir is the recommended anti viral drug for the treatment and/or prevention of infection with the influenza A H1N1. If you get sick, antiviral drugs can make your illness milder and make you feel better faster.
They may also prevent serious flu complications. For treatment, antiviral drugs work best if started soon after getting sick (within 2 days of symptoms). The government has adequate stock and the drug is made available to government hospitals at the time of outbreak and would be available to you free of cost. The drug is to be administered under supervision of clinicians.

What should I do if I get sick?

If you live in areas where influenza A H1N1 cases have been identified and become ill with influenza like symptoms e.g. fever, body aches, runny nose, sore throat, nausea, or vomiting or diarrhea, you may contact their health care provider, particularly if you are worried about your symptoms.
Your health care provider will determine whether influenza testing or treatment is needed.
If you are sick, you should stay home and avoid contact with other people as much as possible to keep from spreading your illness to others. If you become ill and experience any of the following warning signs, seek emergency medical care.
In children emergency warning signs that need urgent medical attention include:
Fast breathing or trouble breathing
Bluish skin color
Not drinking enough fluids/eating food
Not waking up or not interacting
Being so irritable that the child does not want to be held
Flu-like symptoms improve but then return with fever and worse cough
Fever with a rash
In adults, emergency warning signs that need urgent medical attention include:
Difficulty breathing or shortness of breath
Pain or pressure in the chest or abdomen
Sudden dizziness
Confusion
Severe or persistent vomiting

Can I get influenza A H1N1 from eating or preparing pork?

No. swine influenza viruses are not spread by food. Eating properly handled and cooked pork products is safe..

Do’s:

* Wash your hands
* Avoid crowded places
* Stay more than an arm's length from persons afflicted with flu
* Get plenty of sleep
* Drink plenty of water and eat nutritious food

DO Not’s:

* Shake hands or hug in greeting
* Spit in public
* Take medicines without consulting a physician
For people who are sick:
* Stay home and limit contacts with others as much as possible
* Rest and take plenty of liquids
* Cover your mouth and nose when you cough or sneeze
* Seek medical advice if needed.
Source: Ministry of Health

Introduction

Hi,
Finally I have entered into the world of blogging. Let me first finish the task of introducing myself. I am Sundeep Paulose. My friends call me Sandy. I am a lecturer of Mass Media in a college in South Mumbai. I have completed my M.A from Tata Institute of Social Sciences and M.Phil from Indian Institute of Technology Bombay.

My interest is in social sciences especially development studies, sociology and Media studies