Statutory Warning

SMOK'in

FäG AlON§

What’s so common between FBI agents, Gangsters, Bankers and lawyers? Or for that case which is the act that arouses people in a much more aggressive way then anger or the urge to sex? Again to be more blunt what is it that people do inspite of knowing that it would take their lives sooner than later ?

One doesn’t need more guesses for that.

Some how as many movies I have seen, I have noted that majority of the characters who make an impact with their acting and convictions take the help of Smoking as an act or a prop. The history of smoking dates back around 2000 years or so, with cannabis and ayurvedic herbal hookahs being the tools. But the use of tobacco and opium among the other chemicals has been prevalent since the last few hundred years. One does relate the Sherlock Holmes adventures where there has been repeated mention of the opium dens in the later 1800’s and early 1900’s. Furthermore if one sees smoking was once regarded since long an act for both the sexes and in some civilizations it was a mark of wise and experienced people. Today although its paradoxically an act that demarcates the wisdom and weakness.(For reference Wiki).

Bless Urself

However hard one tries today to create awareness about the ill effects of smoking, capitalism and the minds of people in fact have popularized it even more. As my brother once told me, “If I tell you to close your eyes and not think about a ghost, the next instant you would be.” So instead of giving out stereotyped teachings and writings I would simply try and popularize it. Please do rate my marketing skills as I give an honest try.

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Reasons why you should smoke:

‰ Students start smoking out of depression, when things don’t go your way, when you feel too lonely, when there is a huge void of idleness in life an precisely when you’re not feeling happy. So I feel it should be available easily to students with some special student concession from the panwalas. (~Follow~)

‰ Some students start smoking to show off their brawns, their lust and coolness, to show they are dudes. I think it’s the best reason I think one should at least give smoking a try! Women find men who smoke much sexier.

‰ Weed, grass, opium, hashish, cannabis, cocaine these all are hot stuff!! Just imagine, I can fly, swim, tranquilize myself or do whatever I fantasize just from a small doze of it. Just imagine! Its much more than a trip to Disneyland can do and that too can save thousands of rupees.

Kurt Cobain?!? or We?

‰ Its true that in the past many doctors would prescribe smoking to the women during as a safer alternative to control blood pressure. So the and julie’s and shaina’s must have a right to have atleast a fag a day.

‰ The Govt. has recently banned smoking in public places. Such treachery! It should on the Health department’s table as a bill- Right to Smoking. For the

Come on! Have it.

business professionals and workers anyway smoke it in large no’s.

‰ Finally smoking causes many diseases such as Lung cancer, stenosis. Heart Attacks and other chronic pulmonary diseases. This will infact help in controlling the population explosion and help the medical industry thrive. (Anyway in today’s time, people are more business oriented and helps increase the per capita income of the countries. Statistics)

Coming to the analytical facts about the smoking, one pack of 10 cigarettes costs something from 30 rs to 100 rs. The major brands of smoking are, Wills, Camels, Marlboro, India Kings, Bristol, Goldflake, 555, etc. Considering one consumes 3-5 a day, one spends on an average 20 rs per day on it. That is around 600 rs a month or 7000 rs a year. One can definitely afford to spend 20 a day on such pleasure. The only hindering factor would be the recent stats that around 500,000 people die due to smoking related diseases every year or 900,000 people in India but that is not even 0.1% of its total population(Link1, Link2). According to the Harvard School of Public Health , “The tobacco industry has carefully manipulated menthol content not only to lure youth but also to lock in lifelong adult customers in India. Menthol cigarette brands have been rising in popularity with adolescents, and the highest use has been among younger, newer smokers. Menthol masks the harshness and irritation of cigarettes, allowing delivery of an effective dose of nicotine, the addictive chemical in cigarettes. ” Whatever one says, it’s a good sign for the smoking market. ~Top 10 posters for Smoking~

Make it a habit.

The World Health Organization (Who?) celebrates every year 31st May as ”World No Tobacco Day”. Such fools!! It should be “World Know Tobacco Day”.

I just imagine the situation like the terminator where like the robots there would be a new dawn of smokers and by 2050 the percentage of smokers and smoking related habits rise as the mercury bar in summer at Ahmedabad. As I put an end to my dream, I hear the song by the Indian band Agni- ‘Sadho Re.. ‘. Go on listen it and Happy Smoking.

As they write in the packets, Smoking is Injurious to Health, don’t be fooled by it because as I said, The greatest way to promote something is to defame it.

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Of All the Colors…

The Brush n Palette

‘How I met your mother‘ fans would definitely remember how barney has a brother, who’s black and he himself white with blonde hair and how he gets mocking replies on being asked how they really are brothers being so different in skin colors. Also in the classic american novel- ‘Godfather’ by Mario Puzo, the negros( the blacks) are repeatedly mentioned as  distinct and filthy race.You would also have read, about a high school in US, recently, where there were two different prom nights, one for whites and the other for blacks. Or for that matter, the fact that few countries like Zimbabwe promote anti white laws and Idi Amin, famous african dictator from Uganda gave an ultimatum of 3 months for Asians to leave the country!

Colors of difference

It seems such a prostrate topic, does RACISM! We all know what has happened in the past, perhaps more or less obscure, we also know what is right and what the greater good in this matter is. Gandhi, Martin Luther King, Mandela have taught us more or less about it. Races which were not white were not considered particularly a breed of patricians.

Even more, the recent attacks on Indians in Australia, since the last 2 months have scratched the topic and we need a further contemplation on what’s right. When we see students attacked in the smallest continent, perhaps largest commonwealth nation and a world G10 nation such as Australia, there has something more to it than just irresponsible and hideous acts. For it, we must know that Australia has probably the highest Indians studying there (90,000 out of 160,000 in all studying abroad),leave apart the residents, most of them doing post grad studying and almost all engaged in a part time or full time jobs.

The Colours

I believe we as humans were always and will always be racists! For that case, What is Racism? ~~ Racism, according to Oxford, “is a belief or ideology that all members of each racial group possess characteristics or abilities specific to that race, especially to distinguish it as being either superior or inferior to another racial group or racial groups in terms of characteristics.” But then, its absolutely true! Throughout the geography of the world, we are different due to our physical differences, due to our thinking and upbringing, due to the simple theory of evolution! (REF: Racism- Wikipedia ). Well we do come across many terms, such as Ethnical cleansing, Reverse Racism, Polygenism, the socialist approach, social engg, etc. But the very fact that we must know that racism is prevalent, Racial discrimination is practised, also the fact that caste based, language based differences and seperate reservations are prevalent in many countries, including ours.

Where the electronic media persists that these attacks are completely an act of Oz residents there based on color, i came across this article in a guj fornightly-’Chitralekha‘ and also recently in ‘abhiyan‘ which also pulls the indian students into the picture. It’s also a fact that many an Indian students there do not respect the people, the place and the laws; its also a fact that Indians because they are probably more hard working and cheaper labour, are snatching away Aussie jobs and services, its also definitely a fact that the residents there are discontent on the flexible immigration laws and many a scholarship programs for Asians.

Coming to India, we sincerely take pride in being called orthodox, obstinate and boastful and think they resonate to the terms- traditionally rich, strong-minded and Happy. If we do broaden the definition and understand it including Caste and language then we are in fact one of the most racists people present. The term reverse racism for this has to be understood well. We give out premium packages for the SC, ST, OBC, some other special tribe. We have shed blood on topics as this; We thrive to take political and financial advantages of the fact of the reservations; We are among the few nations to compromise on the quality of the education at the grassroots level and then produce Doctors and Engineers just because they belong to a specific caste, even though he could barely survive those varsity days.  We are yet a step ahead of the Australians where its illegal to be racist, but here we cut, twist and dress up the laws to suite the quotas. We as a result face big divide, a big blot of grey matter as they say that separates prosperity with underprivileged society.

According to the media in Australia, we are a third world country whose only short comings and misery are reported in the news there, where only rapes and killings of foreign tourists take place and where drug trafficking and terrorism are major issues. In Australia, whereas these acts are sporadic and if at all they can be looked, they do resonate with the situation recently with that of Maharashtra and Bihar.  Australia has a history of mixed culture where there are all sorts of freedoms for the public from drinking to gambling, teenages get access to drinks as soon they come of age and its pretty common. Instead they are one of the least peace loving people. But then its there culture there, being aetheists, agnostics; the clothing; lifestyle,etc.

As for the Indians, we are  one of the smartest races and along with it we also endow the richest culture of this world, which gives us two prerogatives: To believe in ourselves to dominate and show respect to cultures and societies other than us(Humility). But it definitely doesn’t give us previlege to discount or mock other cultures or systems. Its not uncommon for students there gone with sole motive to make money and finally gain citizenship to forget many a courtesies and rights.

The Picture

Sublime white light comprises of all the colors in a balance. Neither violet with the highest frequency, nor red with highest wavelength are better, for they are complimentary. In just the same way, Whites from America-Europe, blacks from Africa and America, Browns from Asia or yellows from south Asia, we all are but weights of what can be an equilibrium or a pandemonium.

Accepting the fact that Racism isn’t false and Racial discrimination is untrue is the best way to thrive according to the nature. In the same way, reservations based on caste or color aren’t solutions but seeds of further mistrust and inequity.

So perhaps what can be a solution would be to stop treating this topic as an epidemic and not overhype it. Perhaps  the students that side, they need to respect the rules and society there, but at the same time not be afraid to justify one’s self esteem and not be cowards just to protect his/her chances to remain in the ‘ land OZ ‘. My grandfather says, “People respect and not necessarily like those who respect themselves and their names. ” Lets understand this for your sake, you sell your ideas and time to others to prosper but when you sell your self respect, your respect for motherland then you do  fall low in others eyes if not yours.

As US President Obama very famously said in Cairo to the muslims – “One speech on the stage can’t change centuries of mistrust“, in the same way one thought, one article can’t be enough to motivate people to be rational in understanding Racism.

(References : Wikipedia, The Hindu, The Times of India, Hindustan times, Chitralekha. )

Voice Phishing

It seems a pretty new term, this ‘Voice phishing’. Perhaps it may even seem as a technical term for some type of spy service or changing voice mechanism. But let me tell you this is in fact turning out to a headache all around the world and a newly found way for FRAUDS.’ (REf: Wikipedia, BBC)

Mehul Patel was pleasantly surprised to receive a SMS recently from TM-Winners, announcing him as the winner of a GBP 250,000 (around Rs 20,000,000) prize from the 2009 (Shell) International Mobile Draw.

The message prompted him to mail to Mr Mike (spdc132@live.com) his claim. However, when his excitement died, she tried hard to recall if she ever used any Shell product or service, as the SMS stated. He searched the net for the International Mobile Draw and to his surprise found millions of people like him who had received such SMS. So why was this SMS sent, especially, when a Shell official confirmed that it had not issued any such award?

Vishing

Welcome to the world of Vishing or voice phishing, wherein hackers are using a combination of Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP), SMSs and the internet to fool and redirect users into dialing a phone number and collect critical information for financial gain.

Vishing is the criminal practice of using social engineering over the telephone system, most often using features facilitated by VoIP, to gain access to private personal and financial information from the public for the purpose of financial reward. The term is a combination of “voice” and phishing. Vishing exploits the public trust in landline telephone services, which have traditionally terminated in physical locations which are known to the telephone company, and associated with a bill-payer.

The victim is often unaware that VoIP makes formerly difficult-to-abuse tools/features of caller ID spoofing, complex automated systems (IVR), low cost, and anonymity for the bill-payer widely available. Vishing is typically used to steal credit card numbers or other information used in identity theft schemes from individuals. Vishing is very hard for legal authorities to monitor or trace.

To protect themselves, consumers are advised to be highly suspicious when receiving messages directing them to call and provide credit card or bank numbers. Rather than provide any information, the consumer is advised to contact their bank or credit card company directly to verify the validity of the message.

Globally, the first Vishing attack was registered in 2006, but there have been reports that these are increasing. Though Vishing is still at a nascent stage, very few operators are providing any security solutions that can control spam on mobile handsets.

So next time you get such SMS then beware and share it with your friends and family as a joke!

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PS: I too get a lot of mails in my email box, regarding lotteries and prizes. DO NOT TRUST THEM. or as they say in comics : “You shall spell out your doom“

Going Clean… Ahmedabad!

We all have read stories in our school regarding cleanliness, we have learnt from our teachers not to litter or throw garbage and we definitely have heard that India, and ofcourse of our cities are the dirtiest places to be seen, and the people spit, litter and pee on the nooks and small corners if not the general roads.

Well on 4th June,2009, the AMC (Ahmedabad municipal corporation )took up a big endeavour by answering to the hues and cries of the uncleanliness and health problems in the city by introducing a mobile court alias a Court on Wheels.

Court on Wheels

It supposedly is the first step to bring up a 100% clean Ahmedabad and induce the feeling of responsibility among the citizens. It covered three major areas of Ahmedabad on thursday, catchin around 115 individuals, some peeing, some spitting, some wayside foodstall owners: responsible for littering and others to learn. The bus operated from 10.00 am to 6.30 pm.  It fined rs 50-500 for the fines and gave them warnings with receipts for the fines. The city majistrate and three constables were on the yellow van, specially modified with a single room.

It results from some hardwork put in by the team of the Mayor (‘Kanaji Thakore‘) and the Chief Metropolitan Magistrate (‘D M Patel’) and the Municipal  commissioner (‘IP Gautam‘).

Ref: Ahmedabad Mirror, 4th june 2009.

Mobile Court

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Well its a great start. We can definitely be in the lines of cities like Chandigarh, Jamshedpur and even Surat (it is clean!! ). We still need many more of these and if possible the courts should also assess cases of smoking in public areas.

But wait on. Ahmedabad is sure trying to become more responsible alongwith becoming a mega city.