Alfie Patten discovers he was not the father of his 15-year-old girl friend Chantelle Stedman.
The 13-year-old baby-faced Briton boy Alfie Patten who took pride and thought to have become father of his girlfriend 15-year-old Chantelle Stedman’s baby, had a shock of his life when the paternity test voted him out!.
According to reports it’s another boy, one 15-year-old Tyler Barker, who lives in the same neighborhood as Chantelle Stedman in the Eastbourne, is the father of baby Maisie Roxxane.
Tyler Barker told that he had lost his virginity to 15-year-old Chantelle on a night during last May after drinking together at her home.
Tyler Barker told Daily Mirror that he hadn’t used any forms of contraception and that Chantelle told she would use an after pill later in the morning. Had the tests proved Alfie’s paternity true, he would have bee father at as young as 13 years of age.
The entire episode of Alfie Patten and Chantelle Stedman whips the educationists in England calling for better sex education in England. England holds the distinction of having highest rate of teen pregnancies in the Western Europe.
Tuesday, May 19, 2009
Monday, May 18, 2009
Aamir Khan and Kate Winslet In an Indian movie
Imagine 2 acting aces like Aamir Khan and Kate Winslet playing leads together?
As an Aamir’s fan I am just thrilled if not more by the combination. Yes! And should everything go well and industry sources to be taken serious, then the maverick director Pan Nalin (remember his Sansara film that received rave reviews while grossing $20 m at the box office?) is full throttle to rope in superstar Aamir Khan and British actress Kate Winslet for his next film. The film name is not decided as yet, but the director Pan Nalin has two names in his mind. The film will be based on Saadat Hasan Manto’s (Pakistani story writer and playwright) short story Toba Tek Singh. It's believed that Aamir Khan loved the script when Pan Nalin narrated but the actor’s spokesperson hasn’t confirmed anything as yet.
Aamir Khan will have Kate Winslet pairing him should dates be not a problem for both. People appreciate Aamir Khan’s on screen chemistry with any of his female protagonists and his fans will be eager to see him pair with the British beautiful actress Kate Winslet
Pan Nalin is currently in Cannes for screening his short story films and oncehe comes back we will get more news on Toba Tek Singh. The film will be shot from August and if Aamir Khan and Kate Winslet doesn’t confirm on dates, the director Pan Nalin is thinking to rope Saif Ali Khan and Rachel Weisz for the same lead pair.
The plot of the film will be run in the backdrop of a satirical comedy and goes like this: Aamir Khan as Bishen Singh plays a lunatic and Kate Winslet as Dr. Sophie plays a doctor in an asylum where lunatics are housed. After independence it’s the exchange of lunatics between the two countries, India and Pakistan that form the story.
Aamir Khan and Kate Winslet fans will be all eyes to see them together for Toba Tek Singh on the bigscreen!
Sunday, May 17, 2009
Farrah's Story- The chronicles of Farrah's cancer treatment
People will now love Farrah Fawcett more than ever. The NBC brought a special named 'Farrah's Story' which is based on Farrah Fawcett abd ger daily chronicles with cancer.
Farrah's Story is a thoroughly transparent show dedicated to all cancer struck people and, needless to say, it's an inspiration to all sufferers.
Its not easy to live with spirit when cancer intrudes into a person's life, but the Charlie's Angels' Star Farrah Fawcett defies all and had shown how a woman can be so strong to endure pains of endless surgeries and treatments. It is her faith coupled with strength and optimism that has taken her to this far. Farrah Fawcett is fortunate to have a bunch of buddies and the love she got from her friends, son, father and Ryan O'Neal, her romantic partner, gave her all the comfort she needed when she was in hell of a pain.
Farrah was diagnosed of anal cancer way back in 2006 and she is undergoing treatment. The woman did not opt for chemotherapy but went ahead with surgeries and radiation. The hope she had in living with cancer, Farrah Fawcett called in camera to picturize her chronicling fight with the cancer. Her romantic partner Ryan O'Neal had been by her side and Alana Stewart her close buddy was behind the camera and produced it in the name of 'Farrah's Story' It was aired by NBC last Friday 9 p.m. EDT.
In case you missed it view some part of it here. You will be surrounded by a special Farrah spirit and that is HOPE! I love you Farrah for the woman you are!
Saturday, May 16, 2009
India gives its verdict- Votes Congress back to power, but here are some surprising losers!
So, the verdict is clear and India gave a clear mandate to the Congress-led UPA. In fact it has been Congress party’s best performances in the recent times. Performance of Left parties had been pretty pathetic especially in West Bengal. Thanks to youthful Rahul Gandhi whose speeches had influence on the youth of the country, and Congress comes back to power!
Still, there are some shockers in the General Elections 2009. There have been results that came as shocks to many. Although, Finance Minister Chidambaram retains his Shivaganga seat, it was a nail biter and he wins it by a small margin. About 6 of the UPA’s ministers lost their Lok Sabha seats. Who they are?
The Panchayati Raj Minister and Congress Spokesperson Mani Shanker Aiyar lost from Tamil Nadu, Heavy Industries Minister Santosh Mohan Deb loses from Assam, the Minority Affairs Minister AR Antulay loses from Maharashtra, Textiles Minister Shanker Singh Vaghela and Minister of State for Railways Naranbhai Rathwa both lost from Gujarat. Renuka Chowdhary, the women minister of State with Independent charge for Women and Child Development lost from Andhra Pradesh. The Railways Minister Lalu Prasad Yadav of Rashtriya Janata Dal also loses one of his two contested seats.
There is another shocker for former minister Ram Vilas Paswan of Lok Janshakti. The Lok Janshakti party chief lost his Hajipur seat in Bihar. If you remember Ram Vilas Paswan has record in his name to have won with highest majority.
Still, there are some shockers in the General Elections 2009. There have been results that came as shocks to many. Although, Finance Minister Chidambaram retains his Shivaganga seat, it was a nail biter and he wins it by a small margin. About 6 of the UPA’s ministers lost their Lok Sabha seats. Who they are?
The Panchayati Raj Minister and Congress Spokesperson Mani Shanker Aiyar lost from Tamil Nadu, Heavy Industries Minister Santosh Mohan Deb loses from Assam, the Minority Affairs Minister AR Antulay loses from Maharashtra, Textiles Minister Shanker Singh Vaghela and Minister of State for Railways Naranbhai Rathwa both lost from Gujarat. Renuka Chowdhary, the women minister of State with Independent charge for Women and Child Development lost from Andhra Pradesh. The Railways Minister Lalu Prasad Yadav of Rashtriya Janata Dal also loses one of his two contested seats.
There is another shocker for former minister Ram Vilas Paswan of Lok Janshakti. The Lok Janshakti party chief lost his Hajipur seat in Bihar. If you remember Ram Vilas Paswan has record in his name to have won with highest majority.
Wednesday, May 13, 2009
Victoria Gotti’s home foreclosed by JP Morgan Chase
Remember Victoria Gotti? The mafia princess and the former reality TV star?
Gotti's now gotta go homeless! Yes! JP Morgan Chase finally, and yes FINALLY foreclosed Victoria Gotti’s house after 2 years of falling behind. The palatial mansion on Long Island that featured in Growing up Gotti Reality television show is now foreclosed by JP Morgan after her longstanding dues mounted to whopping high of $650k.
The money lender JP Morgan Chase remarks that the daughter of John Gotti took the money in September 2006 and fell behind to repay back.
According to court record, the former reality star became the sole owner in 2005, according to court records. The mafia princess owed $25,000 every month to the bank and according to the lender she never paid in full.
While the 46-year-old mafia princess is not readily available for any comments, her mother Victoria blamed the entire thing on Gotti’s former husband, Carmine Agnello whom her daughter divorced in 2003.
Tuesday, May 12, 2009
Splitsville now has Katie Price Jordan and Peter Andre as new additions
Splitsville looks crowded, the latest addition being tabloid darlings Katie Price and Peter Andre.
The couple had to announce a break up barely after they had announced that they are trying for a third child. The couple who were married in 2004 have 2 children; Junior and Princess Tiamii. While Katie Price has another child, 6-year-old Harvey from her previous relationship with footballer Dwight Yorke. As soon as the separation news was made public by her musician husband Peter Andre, Katie Price Jordan fled the country with her two kids to an unknown place leaving behind Harvey with a governess, in a bid to avoid social embarrassment. She remarked that the news devastated her.
According to her, the decision was made all of sudden giving her no chance to mend things.
When Stars come in support? Titanic Stars, Kate Winslet and Leonardo DiCaprio pour in help to the Titanic Ship's last survivor
The stars of the movie Titanic Leonardo DiCaprio and Kate Winslet pledged to financially bail out the last survivor of the sunken ship and ocean liner Titanic.
The stars along with Titanic director, James Cameron contributed about $30,000 to The Millvina Fund which was launched in aide of the ailing Millvina Dean. The fund will subsidize the Millvina Dean (the 97-year-old last survivor of the ship) nursing home fees.
It should be noted that Millvina Dean was just 9 weeks old when on the ill fated night of April 14, 1912 she was survived along with her mother and brother. She lost her father in the tragedy. She has been a resident of Southampton for the past 3 years eversince she broke her hip. The ailing survivor had been struggling to pay her nursing home fees and had to sell away several Titanic souvenirs to meet her daily expenses.
The stars with a big heart then launched The Millvina Fund in Belfast, in support of the woman and said she should be able to rest at ease with some fund taking care of her nursing home bills.
IPL 2009 Vodafone TV Commercials
Vodafone ZooZoos!
Friends! Did you see the new Vodafone TVCs that are coming in between IPL matches? Have you enjoyed the white clothed big-headed toons shown in these commercials? They made us all laugh and wonder and simply enjoy the commercials. But let me tell ya one thing. These are not toons or animations, instead humans! Eek is it? Yes, shocker maybe, but these are humans that are made to look like animations. According to the executive creative director of O&M, Rajiv Rao, who takes credit of making Vodafone commercials, they are called ZooZoos. The agency behind Vodafone TVCs is Bangalore-based Ogilvy & Mather India Ltd but execution of the new IPL 2009 special Vodafone commercials is done by the Nirvana Films and all credits to director Prakash Varma of Nirvana films.
The director roped in some young girls and in skinny white clothese resembling toons. Actually, Prakash tried to impress us with the idea of using living beings that looked like lifeless figurines.
Nirvana Films have made about 29 ads using ZooZoos with one new ad featuring after every 5 days interval of IPL 2009. The expressions on face are created using rubber like material and they are made to resemble like extra-terrestrial beings talking gibberish.
Needless to say Vodafone ZooZoos have become as much endearing as the sweet pug or the little girl! Way to go Prakash Varma!
Tuesday, February 17, 2009
DNA tests to confirm Alfie Patten's paternity
The latest developments in the case of Alfie Patten who hit the headlines last week by becoming father at 13 years age is that two other teenagers claimed that they could be father of Maisie Roxanne, the week-old infant baby Alfie Patten and Chantelle Steadman. However, Chantelle rubbished away the claims of the other boys saying Alfie is the only boyfriend she shared bed with. Chantelle was also reported of saying, "cruel things have been said but I am just trying to look after my baby and ignore them."
Penny Steadman, mother of Chantelle, said that she had never seen her 15yo so upset and dismissed the claims that she is intimate with several boys. Obviously, Pattens’ are disturbed with claims of paternity about Maisie Roxanne, and the only resolve for the issue is DNA test and Nicola Patten agrees for the DNA tests to confirm Alfie’s paternity
Amidst rumors that the two British tabloids The Sun and The People paid huge 5-figure money to the Pattens' The Press Complaints Commission announced that its on a mission to set up a commission which will enquire about the entire issue and check if the two newspapers have violated the industry code. The Press Complaints Commission does allow violation of code for certain issues of public interest.
The issue though has raised so many worrying questions about the modern society, in particular, its repurcussions on growing kids.
Should the DNA tests confirm paternity of Alfie Patten, the boy will become youngest father in Britain, but mankind in its entirety will hang their heads down in shame!
Penny Steadman, mother of Chantelle, said that she had never seen her 15yo so upset and dismissed the claims that she is intimate with several boys. Obviously, Pattens’ are disturbed with claims of paternity about Maisie Roxanne, and the only resolve for the issue is DNA test and Nicola Patten agrees for the DNA tests to confirm Alfie’s paternity
Amidst rumors that the two British tabloids The Sun and The People paid huge 5-figure money to the Pattens' The Press Complaints Commission announced that its on a mission to set up a commission which will enquire about the entire issue and check if the two newspapers have violated the industry code. The Press Complaints Commission does allow violation of code for certain issues of public interest.
The issue though has raised so many worrying questions about the modern society, in particular, its repurcussions on growing kids.
Should the DNA tests confirm paternity of Alfie Patten, the boy will become youngest father in Britain, but mankind in its entirety will hang their heads down in shame!
Sunday, February 15, 2009
Sami Labs Utsav 2009: My V Day dayout!
When the organizers of Sami Labs Ltd Utsav 2009, approached me with a request to be one of the judges for their inter-unit competitions, I had one more reason to smile. Beating recession during turbulent weather like this and celebrating company day is something amazing, and to be a part of such an event will be great I thought. I gladly obliged to be one.
The Sami Labs Utsav 2009 marked with several sports and cultural competitions among their different units. The sports competitions culminated last week though, and I had been part of the one-day cultural fest which they rightly named Sami Labs Utsav 2009. The event fell on the 14th day of February 2009.
Traffic jams at multiple places took the car that picked all 3 of us (all 3 from our DOS Housing colony went as competition and event judges) a little late to the venue and as soon as we occupied the three distinguished seats, the Sami Labs Utsav 2009 began.
Sami Labs Ltd., should take pride in the wonderful and spontaneous MC they had in Mr. Jayaraman (I guess I recall his name right). He started the day’s event with an invocation. He rendered it so well, let me honestly confess, he surely invoked The Almighty, and I could feel presence of The Divine for a while at least inside the auditorium (Its the Bunt’s Sangha on the Vijayanagar Road). After invoking God/s the event kick started with lighting the lamp and Sami Labs Ltd., Board of Directors helped with the proceedings.
The first event we watched had been the Group Song. The participation had been quite enthusiastic with several teams (as I recall Organica, Corporate, Corporate R&D, Edkal, Kunigal, Hyderabad…..so on so forth) group rendering folklores to some spirited patriotic songs. I earnestly waited for the Hyderabad unit’s group singing, but they’d disappointed me. After this event, there had been a small kitkat break (and kitkats were not served but yes we were served some hot coffee and cookies). I looked around the inside of the auditorium, and it’s a huge one jam packed with the staff and is generous enough accommodating about at least 500 members. What impressed me the most is the wonderful acoustics inside.
After the coffee break, it was the solo song and the solo dance events, and there had been a mixture of good and bad performances. What I liked again is that the MCs (and believe me, they are no other than the company's own personnel who looked adept at MCing as well) were so spontaneous and they never allowed monotony to break inside the auditorium, they threw some quiz questions every now and then and the spirit was all the time with the crowd. The solo dance ended with Sami Labs Ltd own MJ performing some cool number. Boy Oh! Boy, he tried to bend every bone( although his costume looked slightly mismatching).
This was followed by a lunch break and we were taken care of very well by the staff there (Did I thank them individually?). Sravanthi, my 5yo told me she’d been having a nice time (she indeed had been trying hard to bias me saying, “Amma! 5 marks for this person and 3 marks to those she felt not all that nice....and of course with her own reasoning).
After lunch, the competitions continued with event being group dance (I liked maza kali choreography, where three people danced or rather mimicked as birds, but god knows why they had to accessorize themselves with flowers around their necks and also they seemed to dance with consciousness) I love to see people dancing to losing…err did you get what I meant?…Losing themselves in the world of dance, enjoying their dance rather than consciously move around.
The group dance was followed by fashion show. I was so apprehensive about this event for obvious reason. I have brought my 5yo kid with me. But it was kind of refreshing and a lovely event that I thoroughly enjoyed having not seen in live ever in my life.
Let me appreciate through this post, the enthusiasm sported by Kunigal team whose theme is simplicity. They all walked the ramp with so much of guts, but other teams were too good for them. Inner light theme did lack clarity, but their costumes and presentation outclassed others. Our obvious choice was the team that represented that theme.
End of the day, my feeling was that Sami Labs personnel are not just research scientists and operators of factory equipment. Nah! These are not mere nerds; they have loads of talent and given an opportunity they might become musicians, and dancers and wonderful event organizers at least Utsav 2009 proves to me so!
Before we left we saw people cheering to the results, and it had been a satisfying and purposeful day out for me and my kid with people of Sami Labs Ltd. I wish and pray that the company grows big generating more and more employment to Indians as well as making a big name for itself in the field of cosmoceuticals and nutraceuticals as well as research. And ah! I ignored to mention that we three judges were sent off with some lovely Sami Labs Ltd Utsav 2009 momentos. We came home with those momentos as well as some good memories!
If you happen to be a Sami Labs Ltd., employee who is reading this post, accept my hi :-)and you people rocked really!
The Sami Labs Utsav 2009 marked with several sports and cultural competitions among their different units. The sports competitions culminated last week though, and I had been part of the one-day cultural fest which they rightly named Sami Labs Utsav 2009. The event fell on the 14th day of February 2009.
Traffic jams at multiple places took the car that picked all 3 of us (all 3 from our DOS Housing colony went as competition and event judges) a little late to the venue and as soon as we occupied the three distinguished seats, the Sami Labs Utsav 2009 began.
Sami Labs Ltd., should take pride in the wonderful and spontaneous MC they had in Mr. Jayaraman (I guess I recall his name right). He started the day’s event with an invocation. He rendered it so well, let me honestly confess, he surely invoked The Almighty, and I could feel presence of The Divine for a while at least inside the auditorium (Its the Bunt’s Sangha on the Vijayanagar Road). After invoking God/s the event kick started with lighting the lamp and Sami Labs Ltd., Board of Directors helped with the proceedings.
The first event we watched had been the Group Song. The participation had been quite enthusiastic with several teams (as I recall Organica, Corporate, Corporate R&D, Edkal, Kunigal, Hyderabad…..so on so forth) group rendering folklores to some spirited patriotic songs. I earnestly waited for the Hyderabad unit’s group singing, but they’d disappointed me. After this event, there had been a small kitkat break (and kitkats were not served but yes we were served some hot coffee and cookies). I looked around the inside of the auditorium, and it’s a huge one jam packed with the staff and is generous enough accommodating about at least 500 members. What impressed me the most is the wonderful acoustics inside.
After the coffee break, it was the solo song and the solo dance events, and there had been a mixture of good and bad performances. What I liked again is that the MCs (and believe me, they are no other than the company's own personnel who looked adept at MCing as well) were so spontaneous and they never allowed monotony to break inside the auditorium, they threw some quiz questions every now and then and the spirit was all the time with the crowd. The solo dance ended with Sami Labs Ltd own MJ performing some cool number. Boy Oh! Boy, he tried to bend every bone( although his costume looked slightly mismatching).
This was followed by a lunch break and we were taken care of very well by the staff there (Did I thank them individually?). Sravanthi, my 5yo told me she’d been having a nice time (she indeed had been trying hard to bias me saying, “Amma! 5 marks for this person and 3 marks to those she felt not all that nice....and of course with her own reasoning).
After lunch, the competitions continued with event being group dance (I liked maza kali choreography, where three people danced or rather mimicked as birds, but god knows why they had to accessorize themselves with flowers around their necks and also they seemed to dance with consciousness) I love to see people dancing to losing…err did you get what I meant?…Losing themselves in the world of dance, enjoying their dance rather than consciously move around.
The group dance was followed by fashion show. I was so apprehensive about this event for obvious reason. I have brought my 5yo kid with me. But it was kind of refreshing and a lovely event that I thoroughly enjoyed having not seen in live ever in my life.
Let me appreciate through this post, the enthusiasm sported by Kunigal team whose theme is simplicity. They all walked the ramp with so much of guts, but other teams were too good for them. Inner light theme did lack clarity, but their costumes and presentation outclassed others. Our obvious choice was the team that represented that theme.
End of the day, my feeling was that Sami Labs personnel are not just research scientists and operators of factory equipment. Nah! These are not mere nerds; they have loads of talent and given an opportunity they might become musicians, and dancers and wonderful event organizers at least Utsav 2009 proves to me so!
Before we left we saw people cheering to the results, and it had been a satisfying and purposeful day out for me and my kid with people of Sami Labs Ltd. I wish and pray that the company grows big generating more and more employment to Indians as well as making a big name for itself in the field of cosmoceuticals and nutraceuticals as well as research. And ah! I ignored to mention that we three judges were sent off with some lovely Sami Labs Ltd Utsav 2009 momentos. We came home with those momentos as well as some good memories!
If you happen to be a Sami Labs Ltd., employee who is reading this post, accept my hi :-)and you people rocked really!
Saturday, February 14, 2009
13-year-old Briton, Alfie Patten becomes father
Alfie Patten and Chantelle Steadman with their newborn
(Looks to me like elder brother feeding his younger brother)
Today morning, I woke up to some disturbing news on Times Of India daily. A 13 year old becomes father, said the news. The news piece that featured a picture of the 13yo boy with his girlfriend who is 15 years of age, sent me to tizzy. I know that kids these days are stepping into maturity way sooner than earlier generations. I’ve long discussions with my friends quite often and we almost believe that it’s due to over exposure by media and sadly by over nutrition and chemicals pumped by cheeseburgers and those fried chicken kind of stuff, that children, these days are losing innocence way sooner and started experiencing basic instincts of life sooner than supposed to be(deep sigh).
It became very hard on my part to believe the story. Because the boy, Alfie Patten, in particular looked darn so cute maybe like a 7-8 year-old, so innocent with not even a single pimple popping out on his lovely cheeks. But, yes this 13-year-old whose name is Alfie Patten reported of saying that he will be a good dad and does care to be one. Acting way too big for his age. His girlfriend, Chantelle Steadman, who is just 15 is in a birth suite struggling to breast-feed her baby, Maisie Roxanne, while her peers are enjoying in school playground. What to wish these two father and mother duo Alfie and Chantelle, who left their childhood and embraced parenthood this early in their lives?
Alfie Patten whose face is still baby like holding his baby, Maisie Roxanne
I think Homo sapiens became a sick species by now and looks like mutating to something horrible (we have seen enough of paedophilics and enough of perverts but this is something indigestible). Isn’t this high time for parents, governments and media to take a pledge so we don’t see happening of such disturbing things in future?
Friday, February 13, 2009
Birthday Wishes For My Dearest Friend!
What do I wish you on your birthday?
Do I wish for realization of
your fondest dreams? or
piling up experiences big and small
that can enrich you all in all?
Maybe I cant contain in words what I wanted to wish you! To sum it up I wish that
Every candle put on your cake
galore you with gifts slake
everything you’ve wanted most in your life
may come to you in rife,
I hope and wish that you derive as much pleasure
from the friendship we share as I derive.
I always wished we were born as sisters,
that would have given me chance to know you from the beginning
never mind I’m now looking forward to cherishing the relationship we share
not just for today but for many more birthdays you are going to celebrate!
I'm ever glad that you were born, because you’ve brightened my life in more ways than you know and your contagious smile fill my life with joy than I ever experienced!
Many million happy returns of the day dear!
PS:
I thank Google for it gave me a chance to express my love this way!
Do I wish for realization of
your fondest dreams? or
piling up experiences big and small
that can enrich you all in all?
Maybe I cant contain in words what I wanted to wish you! To sum it up I wish that
Every candle put on your cake
galore you with gifts slake
everything you’ve wanted most in your life
may come to you in rife,
I hope and wish that you derive as much pleasure
from the friendship we share as I derive.
I always wished we were born as sisters,
that would have given me chance to know you from the beginning
never mind I’m now looking forward to cherishing the relationship we share
not just for today but for many more birthdays you are going to celebrate!
I'm ever glad that you were born, because you’ve brightened my life in more ways than you know and your contagious smile fill my life with joy than I ever experienced!
Many million happy returns of the day dear!
PS:
I thank Google for it gave me a chance to express my love this way!
Billu: Movie Review
Film: Billu (earlier it had been Billu Barber but now changed to Billu)
Genre: Drama
Cast: Irrfan Khan, Lara Dutta, Shah Rukh Khan, Kareena Kapoor, Deepika Padukone, Priyanka Chopra, Ompuri, Asrani, etc
Director: Priyadarshan
Producer: Shahrukh Khan
Writers: Manisha Korde
Mushtaq Sheikh
Sreenivasan
Duration: 2 hours and 20 minutes
Reviewer's rating: 2.5/5
The film, Billu (Barber is no more in the title) is a scene-to-scene rather frame-to-frame copy of (err…remake) of the original, Kadha Parayambol which is a story of Krishna and Sudama in the modern setting. This was remade as Kuselan in Tamil and it had been a disastrous failure. But that didn’t move Priyadarshan. The man who earlier filmed some memorable flicks such as Virasat had courageously attempted to remake the movie in Hindi which doesn't impress audience for sure.
Irrfan Khan played as Billu Barber in the film and it feels like he is apt for the role. It is learnt that Irrfan learnt the art of haircutting from a street barber and not a hairstylist. No wonder he looked more than natural as Billu the Barber in the film, and the more he commits to his roles the more adorable this guy becomes. The storyline of Billu goes like this: Bilas Rao Pardesi (Irrfan Khan) is a village barber and is called by his villagers as Billu Barber. It’s not all that picture perfect life for Billu, who is married and has two kids. He with his wife Bindiya (played by Lara Dutta) and two kids struggle in day to day life to meet daily necessities. His measly income as fulltime village barber seems just not enough, yet he remains a man of self respect.
Things are not the same forever for Billu. Super Star Sahir Khan (Shah Rukh Khan) comes to his village for a film shoot and Billoo realizes that the super star is none other than his childhood buddy Sahir. This fact changes the image of Billu Barber in the village and he attains popularity overnight. The rich of the village, his kids school headmaster and all of Sahir Khan’s fans want to use Billu to catch a glimpse of the super star, some even willing to help Billu the monetary way and entire village threatening to boycott him from the village as well.
The modern Sudama aka Billu doesn’t use his childhood friendship with Sahir Khan to tide away the financial difficulties, and the modern Krishna aka Sahir Khan is no different either, he being modest and generous to his childhood friend. Priyadarshan doesn’t deviate from the folklore, and we all know it anyway. The narration of the story appears flat with no twists. The emotion-loaded climax is the only respite.
By accepting the role of Bindiya, I thought Lara Dutta started evolving into some serious acting. I’ve also read too much about her de-glamorized natural makeup. I seriously thought she would be perfect Billu’s wife, only to my disappointment. She miserably fails to impress as wife of Billu the barber. Irrfan Khan steals away the show. OMG! He charms a lot by acting with such ease! His body language syncs so perfectly with any role he plays, and you are never bored by a stereotype from him. Maybe, he should not be accepting every other offer and take his talents serious. Roles like Billu can make him a laughing stock sadly. SRK adds glamour quotient to the Billu movie with three sexy babes and item numbers. Its Kareena Kapoor, Deepika Padukone and Priyanka Chopra that add the femme fatale quotient and they are seen in just the item numbers. I liked the song Mar Jaani which features SRK and Kareena. Rest of the songs fail to impress and you keep wondering if it is the same Pritam. In fact, I liked the re-recording more than the songs.
Overall, I sum up Billu movie as an average movie, and if you go to the theaters without too much of expectations you can sit for 140 minutes without too many huhs and ouhs!
Thursday, February 12, 2009
Valentine's Day-Celebrate it Lord Krishna Way
This post intends to say one thing to the protestors of Valentine’s Day, members of Sri Rama Sena group. Sari for chaddi will not stop anyone from enjoying a party. There is no harm celebrating love. What is our own vasanthotsav meant for? It’s a celebration of love and didn’t you know about Lord Krishna who advocated only LOVE and its celebration?
Didn’t you see Krishna celebrating love with radha and 16,000 gopikas. Its well depicted in our own temples. Their love is elevated so much so that we’ve been admiring Krishna, the lover.
Krishna’s style of celebrating love is by far the greatest if you know Hinduism in depth, and Hinduism certainly gets a promotion from Lord Krishna’s policy on love. Anyone to discount that? And FYI Krishna and Rama are only incarnations of Lord Vishnu and its only now that Sri Rama Sena group is trying to deface the otherwise peaceful Hinduism per se.
So my dear Sri Rama Sena friends do not over react! This is just not the way to treat pub culture. Learn that if you suppress the desire (going to pubs) it only gets magnified and people will find routes to satiate the same.
Jai Krishna! Just celebrate the Valentines Day and Spread the message of love Lord Krishna style. Have a great time!
Didn’t you see Krishna celebrating love with radha and 16,000 gopikas. Its well depicted in our own temples. Their love is elevated so much so that we’ve been admiring Krishna, the lover.
Krishna’s style of celebrating love is by far the greatest if you know Hinduism in depth, and Hinduism certainly gets a promotion from Lord Krishna’s policy on love. Anyone to discount that? And FYI Krishna and Rama are only incarnations of Lord Vishnu and its only now that Sri Rama Sena group is trying to deface the otherwise peaceful Hinduism per se.
So my dear Sri Rama Sena friends do not over react! This is just not the way to treat pub culture. Learn that if you suppress the desire (going to pubs) it only gets magnified and people will find routes to satiate the same.
Jai Krishna! Just celebrate the Valentines Day and Spread the message of love Lord Krishna style. Have a great time!
AdSense: Optimize and Maximize Your Profits Doing Nothing
AdSense has become a fantastic advertising idea that was conceptualized by Google, the specialist in search engine technology, a few years back. There may be a lot of general advertising ideas inferred later on, but this can be given credit to be something unlikely in nature. The program presents itself with an income opportunity by allowing Google to post text- or image-based advertisement on the websites. It even extends to new website publishers or inexperienced internet marketers the chance to make money.
For Google AdSense publishers, website owners and advertisers, new and old, the click-through-rate or CTR is one of the most important components to make money. The ads are served based on a website’s content that it becomes the advertisers’ effective medium to advertise their products. Your benefit in return is getting paid for each click on the AdSense advertisement; and as this rate increases, the more revenue. It may sound simple, though; but to those who have already screened and sorted out the AdSense “waters,” they will be able to prove that it takes energetic attempt - producing the contents, setting up AdSense, getting the clicks - to be able to bag the dollars into their bank account.
Another important component is optimization, if you really intend to make the best results out of AdSense and to keep visitors coming back to your websites and blogs, make your AdSense link units incorporated perfectly within the overall layout and design of your website. The earnings you gain from the program are entirely contingent on you and your best abilities as AdSense serves targeted ads on the website. So, once it is set up, the flow of revenue is automatic without having to do anything or, perhaps, a little performance analysis and tracking can also raise your profits.
Here are some optimization ideas to properly integrate the AdSense ad blocks more into your website's pages that work wonders:
1. AdSense ad blocks should be strategically located on prominent parts of every page for higher visibility to make them easy for visitors to get to. To make more money, place at least three ad blocks above the fold of the website, some within the web content, or in parts where visitors are used to seeing links.
2. Make the AdSense color palette easier to alter to fit the website’s color outline. It is also important to try on different color combinations and make the links and the text color within the AdSense block the same as the website to make it look as part of the content, and not perceived as a different advertisement.
3. Update your website’s content regularly. AdSense advertisements are mostly likely targeted if the website content is aimed at one specific topic. On top of tweaking the website design, the more interesting the topics are within the AdSense block, the more clicks users would intend to do.
4. Recognize specific keywords and phrases to optimize your website content. Always go for the most sought-after keyword groups.
The rapid rise in popularity of the Internet and the bigger number of visitors received by different websites, online advertising was born. It is the most efficient and economical way of advertising, and AdSense found its perfect hub in the Internet advertising world, and that’s through your websites.
For Google AdSense publishers, website owners and advertisers, new and old, the click-through-rate or CTR is one of the most important components to make money. The ads are served based on a website’s content that it becomes the advertisers’ effective medium to advertise their products. Your benefit in return is getting paid for each click on the AdSense advertisement; and as this rate increases, the more revenue. It may sound simple, though; but to those who have already screened and sorted out the AdSense “waters,” they will be able to prove that it takes energetic attempt - producing the contents, setting up AdSense, getting the clicks - to be able to bag the dollars into their bank account.
Another important component is optimization, if you really intend to make the best results out of AdSense and to keep visitors coming back to your websites and blogs, make your AdSense link units incorporated perfectly within the overall layout and design of your website. The earnings you gain from the program are entirely contingent on you and your best abilities as AdSense serves targeted ads on the website. So, once it is set up, the flow of revenue is automatic without having to do anything or, perhaps, a little performance analysis and tracking can also raise your profits.
Here are some optimization ideas to properly integrate the AdSense ad blocks more into your website's pages that work wonders:
1. AdSense ad blocks should be strategically located on prominent parts of every page for higher visibility to make them easy for visitors to get to. To make more money, place at least three ad blocks above the fold of the website, some within the web content, or in parts where visitors are used to seeing links.
2. Make the AdSense color palette easier to alter to fit the website’s color outline. It is also important to try on different color combinations and make the links and the text color within the AdSense block the same as the website to make it look as part of the content, and not perceived as a different advertisement.
3. Update your website’s content regularly. AdSense advertisements are mostly likely targeted if the website content is aimed at one specific topic. On top of tweaking the website design, the more interesting the topics are within the AdSense block, the more clicks users would intend to do.
4. Recognize specific keywords and phrases to optimize your website content. Always go for the most sought-after keyword groups.
The rapid rise in popularity of the Internet and the bigger number of visitors received by different websites, online advertising was born. It is the most efficient and economical way of advertising, and AdSense found its perfect hub in the Internet advertising world, and that’s through your websites.
Wednesday, February 11, 2009
Tata Nano will roll out in March
Tata Nano has not yet rolled out on the Indian roads, but much before it has found a place in the Guinness Book of World Records as the world’s cheapest car.
According to the company sources, this 1 lakh car is expected to roll out during March 2009, most probably March 03 2009 which is the birth date of Jamshedji Tata, the founder of Tata Group. Initially, Nano car will roll out from the Pantnagar plant. It is also believed that the bookings for the Nano car will start from February end. Pre-booking for Nano car asks you 70% upfront payment. Even with a whopping Rs. 70,000 as upfront the company still expects more than a lakh orders within a weeks’ time. So this is the hype surrounding the small car Nano, in India despite economic slow down, recession, job losses or whatever.
World’s cheapest laptop, the $10 laptop for sure disappointed the netizens, but thankfully Tata Nano lived up to expectations of people. Ask me how Tata Nano will revolutionize India, here are my thoughts:
Tata Nano will soon replace most two wheelers on the roads.
Nano will likely replace even auto rickshaws (as small cab choice).
More and more Nano cars on the road also mean more traffic congestion (meaning we can expect more flyovers and more infrastructure projects…so lot of employment generation and a reason to cheer).
More Nano cars also mean, that even teens will get hands on 4-wheeler driving experience (even if they become patients of attention disorder, co’mon the positivism is that they are able to drive a 4 wheeler despite their education-induced stress...time will say if they run the car on roads or on people).
More Nano cars will also replace public transport buses.
In the long run we will see increasing cases of anxiety sufferers....again our doctors are busy.
Nano cars might also lead to a condition where traffic cops will give up their jobs, but we can see machines controlling traffic. Ah!
All of the Indian cities will find place in Guinness Book of World Records for most road accidents.
Yes, we as Indians, are anyway proud of this metal piece called Tata Nano, the boon (or a bane?) to aam aadmi.
Tuesday, February 10, 2009
Underage Drinking Awareness Week Kicks off in Delhi by Delhi University and CADD
No drunken driving for over a week, and this is the pledge taken by the students of Delhi University for this Valentine Day. Their pledge is a part of another wonderful initiative by the students and an NGO named Underage Drinking Awareness Week, which is being observed currently (February 8th to 14th) throughout Delhi
The combined initiative between Delhi University and CADD (Campaign Against Drunken Driving) assumes so much significance considering the fact early teen kids have embracing the habit of alcohol consumption and there is abundant research saying the earlier a person starts taking it the longer they continue with the habit.
Assuming the importance of V-Day in our Indian calendar, of late, to celebrate the Valentine Day true to its meaning while staying away from alcohol and pledging against the drunken driving by the students of Delhi University is more than a wonderful gesture.
Several thousands of Delhi youth supported the campaign and CADD hopes to see more youth supporting the movement by the weekend. As part of the campaign students are conducting several activities and programs including signature campaign, drunken driving awareness through street skits, distributing campaign stickers and literature to youth. Hopefully, the Underage Drinking Awareness Week does a world of good to awaken the youth and with law enforcement initiative wanting from the government side, campaigns like CADD and Underage Drinking Awareness Week are good and followable by other universities and even schools throughout India. It's then that we can hope to see the young Indian brigade embracing the message of St. Valentine in the truest sense.
The combined initiative between Delhi University and CADD (Campaign Against Drunken Driving) assumes so much significance considering the fact early teen kids have embracing the habit of alcohol consumption and there is abundant research saying the earlier a person starts taking it the longer they continue with the habit.
Assuming the importance of V-Day in our Indian calendar, of late, to celebrate the Valentine Day true to its meaning while staying away from alcohol and pledging against the drunken driving by the students of Delhi University is more than a wonderful gesture.
Several thousands of Delhi youth supported the campaign and CADD hopes to see more youth supporting the movement by the weekend. As part of the campaign students are conducting several activities and programs including signature campaign, drunken driving awareness through street skits, distributing campaign stickers and literature to youth. Hopefully, the Underage Drinking Awareness Week does a world of good to awaken the youth and with law enforcement initiative wanting from the government side, campaigns like CADD and Underage Drinking Awareness Week are good and followable by other universities and even schools throughout India. It's then that we can hope to see the young Indian brigade embracing the message of St. Valentine in the truest sense.
Khadi Saree for every Pink Chaddi-the war between Sri Rama Sena and secularist groups continues..
Last week had been a battering time for Sri Rama Sena group and its chief Pramod Mutalik who bore grunt from all over; the secular groups across India and Karnataka in particular, women groups and even social networking folks online.
Still unperturbed, Sri Rama Sena Chief Mutalik came out public with his plans to disturb the Valentine’s Day 2009 celebrations here. He said his men will spring into action if they find a man and a woman in obscene scenes in public will be forced to marry. He said that his moral cops would carry Mangal Sutras on the big day.
Much to the disappointment, there had been over pour of anger from all sections of the society including senior citizens. And a new campaign called pinkchaddi campaign was launched against moral policing, especially against the Sri Rama Sena who warned people against celebration of Valentine’s Day.
In what is supposedly a hilarious move by the “consortium of pub-going, loose and forward women” a pinkchaddi campaign was launched wherein pink undergarments from all over will be collected and sent as Valentine's Day gift to Pramod Mutalik saab. The consortium remarks that the movement is to show their annoyance for moral policing by Rama Sena and pink under garment will be a symbol of woman’s anger. The movement although kicked off online last Thursday, has now picked up fast on the streets as well.
Obviously, the pinkchaddi campaign irked Pramod Mutalik and his moral hectoring antics continues along the same lines.
In an answer to the pinkchaddi campaign started by a social networking group the Sri Rama Sena Chief said he would return a saree for chaddi as because saree is regarded as symbol of sanskruti and chaddi a symbol of vikruti.
Reiterating on change that is to be brought with the perverted people, Pramod Mutalik says that he is annoyed to see youth being played in the hands of pseudo secularists. As regards to pink chaddi campaign he says that a return of saree for chaddi is perfect to shut the mouths of campaigners. He also said that Sri Rama Sena has no intentions of contesting in the elections and that their motive is to spread word of Hindu culture and its greatness.
Still unperturbed, Sri Rama Sena Chief Mutalik came out public with his plans to disturb the Valentine’s Day 2009 celebrations here. He said his men will spring into action if they find a man and a woman in obscene scenes in public will be forced to marry. He said that his moral cops would carry Mangal Sutras on the big day.
Much to the disappointment, there had been over pour of anger from all sections of the society including senior citizens. And a new campaign called pinkchaddi campaign was launched against moral policing, especially against the Sri Rama Sena who warned people against celebration of Valentine’s Day.
In what is supposedly a hilarious move by the “consortium of pub-going, loose and forward women” a pinkchaddi campaign was launched wherein pink undergarments from all over will be collected and sent as Valentine's Day gift to Pramod Mutalik saab. The consortium remarks that the movement is to show their annoyance for moral policing by Rama Sena and pink under garment will be a symbol of woman’s anger. The movement although kicked off online last Thursday, has now picked up fast on the streets as well.
Obviously, the pinkchaddi campaign irked Pramod Mutalik and his moral hectoring antics continues along the same lines.
In an answer to the pinkchaddi campaign started by a social networking group the Sri Rama Sena Chief said he would return a saree for chaddi as because saree is regarded as symbol of sanskruti and chaddi a symbol of vikruti.
Reiterating on change that is to be brought with the perverted people, Pramod Mutalik says that he is annoyed to see youth being played in the hands of pseudo secularists. As regards to pink chaddi campaign he says that a return of saree for chaddi is perfect to shut the mouths of campaigners. He also said that Sri Rama Sena has no intentions of contesting in the elections and that their motive is to spread word of Hindu culture and its greatness.
Thursday, February 5, 2009
$10 laptop launched
So much of media hype about $10 laptop and people and scientific communities have had lot of expectations. Although, the $10 laptop prototype became a laughing stock when it was inaugurated at the abode of Lord Balaji, Tirupathi.
VIT, IISc, IIT, UGC and MHRD are involved in conception and design of the $10 laptop project. The entire world eagerly waited for what is dubbed as the Nano laptop or nanotop, and at the inauguration MHRD disclosed that the price of the laptop came around 20 clams but reassured that it could be brought down to $10 with mass scale manufacturing. But the laptop-like computing device with a 2GB memory did disappoint the so-called netizens.
The nano laptop measured 10 inches by length and 5 inches by width and comes with a hard disk and relevant eBooks and eJournals. People including media were taken aback when a computing device was unveiled saying it’s the $10 laptop. Other details such as screen, storage and processor are kept still a secret by MHRD. However, I still appreciate the efforts. Did you know that this computing device consumes just about 2 watts of energy? Considering the fact that villages are encountered with frequent power cuts, isn’t this an amazing work?
The $10 laptop or nanotop will be one that would bridge the rural and the urban divide at least after a few more tweaks. What makes me feel bad is we have been under utilizing so many resources. In fact, under the government scheme Sarva Siksha Abhiyan all government schools are equipped with computers as well as Internet connectivity. The misery is that there is no knowledgeable staff to educate the kids and so the computers have become as good as junkies. I didn’t want to spew this in ridicule, but our government does poor management of so many resources. The existent equipments itself is enough should they be utilized by sharing and cooperation to bridge the gap between rural and urban divide.
I know the $10 nano laptop is only the start of a big dream and that we can realize it in the real sense to every student with Internet connectivity.
People who are ridiculing (they must be obviously using the high-street laptops and using it for otherwise purposes like games) this $10 laptop endeavor must remember one thing. The main objective of the project is to bring forth an educative laptop that could be afforded by every Indian student, and the laptop is solely for education and not for entertainment and it doesn’t require an AMD or an Intel processors or even a duo core or multi core technology. The project may not have met the expectations, but is definitely one to go in the right direction (after all laptop didn’t come all of a sudden, it came after so many years of desktop) to erase digital ignorance and illiteracy amongst the rural masses. Media should join hands in commending the efforts not pooling ridicule.
I appreciate and applaude the efforts of students who are involved in the project aimed to bring down digital illiteracy in just Rs. 500.
VIT, IISc, IIT, UGC and MHRD are involved in conception and design of the $10 laptop project. The entire world eagerly waited for what is dubbed as the Nano laptop or nanotop, and at the inauguration MHRD disclosed that the price of the laptop came around 20 clams but reassured that it could be brought down to $10 with mass scale manufacturing. But the laptop-like computing device with a 2GB memory did disappoint the so-called netizens.
The nano laptop measured 10 inches by length and 5 inches by width and comes with a hard disk and relevant eBooks and eJournals. People including media were taken aback when a computing device was unveiled saying it’s the $10 laptop. Other details such as screen, storage and processor are kept still a secret by MHRD. However, I still appreciate the efforts. Did you know that this computing device consumes just about 2 watts of energy? Considering the fact that villages are encountered with frequent power cuts, isn’t this an amazing work?
The $10 laptop or nanotop will be one that would bridge the rural and the urban divide at least after a few more tweaks. What makes me feel bad is we have been under utilizing so many resources. In fact, under the government scheme Sarva Siksha Abhiyan all government schools are equipped with computers as well as Internet connectivity. The misery is that there is no knowledgeable staff to educate the kids and so the computers have become as good as junkies. I didn’t want to spew this in ridicule, but our government does poor management of so many resources. The existent equipments itself is enough should they be utilized by sharing and cooperation to bridge the gap between rural and urban divide.
I know the $10 nano laptop is only the start of a big dream and that we can realize it in the real sense to every student with Internet connectivity.
People who are ridiculing (they must be obviously using the high-street laptops and using it for otherwise purposes like games) this $10 laptop endeavor must remember one thing. The main objective of the project is to bring forth an educative laptop that could be afforded by every Indian student, and the laptop is solely for education and not for entertainment and it doesn’t require an AMD or an Intel processors or even a duo core or multi core technology. The project may not have met the expectations, but is definitely one to go in the right direction (after all laptop didn’t come all of a sudden, it came after so many years of desktop) to erase digital ignorance and illiteracy amongst the rural masses. Media should join hands in commending the efforts not pooling ridicule.
I appreciate and applaude the efforts of students who are involved in the project aimed to bring down digital illiteracy in just Rs. 500.
Wednesday, February 4, 2009
Delinquent kids are not born, they are made by us!
It is sad to know that some schools and teachers still do away with corporal punishment. A news headline in today’s paper says that a boy is beaten to bled by teacher and it is learnt that some teachers and schools are still averse to the idea of giving away with punishment to kids. I am only trying to say that children should be disciplined, but its possible through love and affection and not this kind of treatment.
It came as a shock to me when I heard from a friend of mine that a parent (who also worked as a teacher) disciplines her two kids (one aged 11 years and the other 4) through unimaginable ways. She puts ‘soodu’ (heat a steel ladle and transferring the heat to her child’s skin by touch) and it seems she beats on the tender knuckles of their fingers. And call it coincidence or her fortune; her kids are so disciplined and behave so well. I was answering to some question on a forum recently for a question if it were right to mix girls with boys in a school. How can one think of not mixing girls and boys I wonder?
Do you think delinquent kids are born? They aren’t for sure. They are a result of a malfunctioning home and a society. I see this 12-year-old boy in our colony who is always mistaken for his misbehaving. His parents are in white-collar jobs and he is looked after by himself once he is back from school. The mother locks all rooms but one (god knows for what reasons). He was remarking other day, how it hurts if one’s own mother doesn’t trust one. How true? Why should she lock all of the rooms? She doesn’t get time to educate him on the good and bad, instead spanks when she gets little time.
People in our colony by now came to conclusion that he is a neglected child and I wonder when the parents will realize this. The boy is a kleptomaniac and steals money from people, writes graffiti inside lift, does all crap one can’t imagine a boy of that age could do in fact. He can’t be blamed but only his parents for what he is today. I can only wish that he didn’t become one anti social and threat to society.
Punishment is never a solution to discipline a child.
It came as a shock to me when I heard from a friend of mine that a parent (who also worked as a teacher) disciplines her two kids (one aged 11 years and the other 4) through unimaginable ways. She puts ‘soodu’ (heat a steel ladle and transferring the heat to her child’s skin by touch) and it seems she beats on the tender knuckles of their fingers. And call it coincidence or her fortune; her kids are so disciplined and behave so well. I was answering to some question on a forum recently for a question if it were right to mix girls with boys in a school. How can one think of not mixing girls and boys I wonder?
Do you think delinquent kids are born? They aren’t for sure. They are a result of a malfunctioning home and a society. I see this 12-year-old boy in our colony who is always mistaken for his misbehaving. His parents are in white-collar jobs and he is looked after by himself once he is back from school. The mother locks all rooms but one (god knows for what reasons). He was remarking other day, how it hurts if one’s own mother doesn’t trust one. How true? Why should she lock all of the rooms? She doesn’t get time to educate him on the good and bad, instead spanks when she gets little time.
People in our colony by now came to conclusion that he is a neglected child and I wonder when the parents will realize this. The boy is a kleptomaniac and steals money from people, writes graffiti inside lift, does all crap one can’t imagine a boy of that age could do in fact. He can’t be blamed but only his parents for what he is today. I can only wish that he didn’t become one anti social and threat to society.
Punishment is never a solution to discipline a child.
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