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ADMIN

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Blog Entries posted by ADMIN

  1. ADMIN
    No one is spared from the wrath of demonetisation and standing in long queues has been the norm this month for most of us, regardless of what bracket of society you belong. The long queues are a sight of constant banter and ranting about the mismanagement of the banks, the sudden repercussions of the demonetisations and so on.

     
    Amidst the common remarks being hurled at each other, one common comment circulating around is the callous comparison of people standing the line to our brave soldiers who stand for hours and sometimes days on the borders. Recently, even Virender Sehwag got trolled for his tweet that stirred controversy after he decided to go with the ‘army’ comparison. In a recent incident, something similar happened with Darshan Dhillon, a brave Army man who served the 
    nation for over 20 years. He was in a queue to withdraw his pension, when a Modi bhakt tried to pass a moral lecture about why he was perturbed standing in the line while Indian Army stands for hours together. The ignorant man had no clue that Dhillon was an army man himself.

    People should be wary of passing insensitive, half baked remarks to others. The hard work and sacrifice of an army man can seldom be compared to that of a civilian.



  2. ADMIN
    Facebook is really desperate to enter the Internet game in India and they are trying to bring back their ‘Free Basics’ program again and it seems like they are not going to give up anytime soon. There was a raging debate the moment Facebook announced their plans for ‘Free Basics’ as net neutrality has always been a complex and blood boiling topic. 
    Facebook’s latest efforts include getting people in rural India to sign up on Facebook and the only way they can achieve that is with ‘Express WiFi’.  It will basically let smartphone users buy data plans from local ISPs where Facebook will offer their software so that local ISPs and businessmen can sell data, which will be accessible via hotspots. 
    However the only difference from ‘Free Basics’ is that Internet access will not be given away for free. Express Wi-Fi is Facebook’s second attempt at reaching out to densely populated areas in India and they plan to do the same in other countries that have fast growing Internet users. 
    Facebook wanted to offer free Internet in rural areas through their ‘Free Basics’ program that would let users have access to only certain websites, i.e. mainly Facebook for free. This, in turn, backfired since the scheme seriously violated net-neutrality norms. 
    Offering free Internet meant that other social media websites like Twitter, Reddit and YouTube would be blocked and they would never get a chance to make their mark in the Indian internet sphere. In fact, the only way people would be able to access it if they paid extra which again is a direct violation of net-neutrality. 
    Since the uproar, the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India banned ‘Free Basics’ in February 2016 due to the public referendum and outrage.
     
    UPDATE
     
    Facebook got in touch with us to give us a better picture as to what they are up to. 
     
    A Facebook spokesperson said- 
     
    ·         Currently we are working with ISP and operator partners to test Express Wi-Fi with public Wi-Fi deployments in multiple pilot sites. This solution empowers ISPs, operators, and local entrepreneur retailers to offer quality internet access to their village, town or region.
    ·         Express Wi-Fi customers can purchase fast, reliable and affordable data packs via digital vouchers to access the Internet on the Express Wi-Fi network.
    ·         We focus on building a sustainable economic model for all stakeholders involved, so that local retailer entrepreneurs, ISPs, operators, and Facebook can continue to invest in and operate lasting connectivity.
    ·         We believe a sustainable economic model is the one which can scale to bring all of India online.


  3. ADMIN
    We all come across kids as young as 4 or 5 years old, begging on the streets or showing some gymnastic skills to earn money but what do we do to help them? Sometimes we give them money, but most of the time we prefer ignoring them and move on with our daily activities. Some people say that “money can’t buy happiness”, we bet even you might have used this sentence at least once or heard people say it quite often. Well, guess what, money does buy happiness and you don’t need to be super rich to make that happen – even a small gesture can make a difference. 

    The joy of making someone happy is priceless and no one can possibly understand this better than the Mumbai based, Amod Sarang. Amod met a little boy named Deepak who lives on the streets of Colaba, and took him to Starbucks. Deepak was initially apprehensive and hesitated in opening up to Sarang but his warmth and love really touched him and within no time he got comfortable with Sarang.
    Deepak was so fascinated by the restaurant’s interiors, especially washroom, that he couldn’t stop splashing water on his face. We can already imagine this cute bundle of joy having the time of his life.  
    “No concert can give you so much joy. No fancy car or dress would make you feel so good about yourself. We all have a gift apart from the things we want to achieve in life, my gift is healing,” Sarang wrote in his post. Good deeds never go in vain and one must take lessons from this guy and try to make a difference and bring joy in at least one kid’s life.



  4. ADMIN
    If you have never spotted a Bentley, or a Rolls Royce, or a Ferrari on Indian roads, you don’t know your country well. We love luxury, and we love showing it off even more. Even as the country struggled to survive under demonetization, there was a Rs 500-crore wedding. The crack on black money was not enough to prevent people from flaunting their wealth. An MLA gifted his teenage son a Mercedes Benz on the kid’s birthday. Dattatray Phuge, who was shot dead a few months ago, was a 44-year-old businessman from Pune. His claim to fame was his eccentric dressing style: he wore a shirt made of gold.
    © BCCL
    It is very clear now, India is not a poor country. Reports suggest there are almost 185,000 millionaires in the country. We have the ultra rich and we have the ultra poor—we house both ends of the spectrum. On one hand, we are the kings of jugaad, reusing everything from plastic bags to old newspapers.  On the other, we have the painfully rich. Plush houses and luxury cars are a marker of wealth and are a necessary status symbol. You are not rich until you have driven your luxury car (even if it means inching it at 5 km/hr through the narrow lanes of your colony) strutted around in designer wear, checked in to high-end places on Facebook, been to a couple of exotic foreign locations, had a destination wedding with probably a Bollywood star in attendance and talked about your ebony table in front of dinner guests invited for the sole purpose of showcasing it. You are not rich until you’ve flaunted your wealth ostentatiously and unapologetically. 
    © BCCL
    Being rich equals being successful. As soon as you begin climbing up the social ladder, it is imperative that you exhibit a corresponding rise in status and lifestyle. Call it the trait of the noveau rich, it is spreading fast. A case in point was Vijay Mallya. The man did everything king-size. Nothing wrong with living it up, but when you are spiralling downwards in debt, you surely have muddled your priorities. 
    © BCCL
    In stark contrast to this exhibitionism, there are also entrepreneurs/successful businessmen who don’t even mind wearing the same type of clothes every day. Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg has identical sets of t-shirts and sweatshirts, all greys and blues, in his wardrobe so that there’s no time wasted in thinking about what to wear every day. Does that mean better business, more success? Back home, Ratan Tata is a man of simple living and high thinking. Our former president Late APJ Kalam was yet another example of a man of simple taste and exceptional brilliance. 
    © Reuters, Facebook
    Plutocrat – the dictionary describes it as someone who exercises power by virtue of his wealth. We are a class- and power-driven society. Money is important not only because it can buy you things, it’s important because it means power. The ‘Tu janta nahi hai main kaun hoon’ syndrome is still deep rooted in the Indian psyche, even if it’s more widespread in North India. A high-power SUV is one sure-shot way of telling the world to make way when you arrive. 
    © BCCL
    In a country where corruption is rampant, showing off power and wealth goes beyond just vanity. It is a way to ensure you get by in life smoothly. Love of luxury is a trait that is common here and in the West too. While it is but natural that in a developing country like ours where the struggle to survive is very real, a self-preservatory attitude comes naturally, it is also a choice to let things go a little, especially when you have millions in the bank account. Would this love of flaunting wealth as a symbol of power take a back seat if corruption were controlled? Would it slow down after the demonetization drive, after black money has been weeded out from the economy? We doubt; old habits die hard! 
    Disclaimer: The intention of this piece is not to shame or malign anyone or their tastes. This is a mere comparison and analysis of a trend.


  5. ADMIN
    Virender Sehwag often brings out the unknown aspects of the Indian dressing room in his commentary stints and that is why he’s one of the best in business in the com-box too. Take, for example, his latest reveal which will shock many of Kohli’s fans. 
    © Twitter
    This is what the opener revealed during lunch on day three of the third test between India and England. 
    “Selectors wanted to play Rohit Sharma instead of Virat Kohli at Perth in 2012,” Virender Sehwag said. “I was vice-captain and MS Dhoni was leading the team, and we decided that we have to back Virat Kohli, and the rest is history.” 
    Rohit Sharma, who was more comfortable and experienced in facing the aussie attack was the alternate choice. But Kohli restored the faith shown in him by performing well in the test match and scored 75 and 44 in the game.
    © Twitter
    But would his career path have been any different if he was dropped for that test match? Maybe not because the kind of hunger he has for the game goes on to show that he would have still come out stronger out of the series and made a better career all for himself!


  6. ADMIN
    Manohar Parrikar is easily one of the best Defence Ministers India has ever had. He is also in the elite company of few men who have taken hard actionable military decisions during their tenure. This, however, doesn’t mean that Parrikar was always so assured of the job he was entrusted with. 
    © BCCL
    In a recent interaction, the Raksha Mantri said he was shivering when he first took office. "When I went to Delhi, I took experience of that city. I became Defence Minister with the blessings of you all. I was not knowing anything," Parrikar said, during the 'Vijay Sankalp' rally at Sanvordem constituency on Sunday. 
    “Let me admit, I was shivering on the first day. I put up a brave face banking on my experience, but in reality I didn't even have knowledge about the rank of military officers," he said. But this was no blindside for the experienced politician. He quickly learnt the ropes and has been one of the most high performing ministers in the Modi cabinet. 
    © BCCL
    Parrikar was the chief minister of Goa and recounted how coming from there, he was relatively unknown to military conflicts. "Goa's brush with the military was during 1961 when Indian Army liberated the state from Portuguese rule. After that we saw 1965 and 1971 wars. During the Kargil war, I have given slogans but in reality I was unaware about what is war and what is the preparedness required for that," he said. 
    Parrikar has been instrumental in giving a free hand to the army to retaliate to Pakistani aggression and this in turn has reaped results, even if for the short term. "You have noticed the impact of this liberty. Whenever there was attack on us, our brave soldiers have retaliated strongly. May be the surgical strike (in PoK) or firing at the line of border, Army has responded strongly, forcing the enemy to plead for peace. During last four days, there is no firing on the border," Parrikar said. 
    © BCCL
    Considering the times that we live in, Manohar Parrikar is and will remain the right hand man for Modi’s action plan in south-east Asia, especially against Pakistan.


  7. ADMIN
    If you have been playing Watchdogs 2 you must have come across a familiar plot, however, this time it is not in a video game as the hacking incident is actually true. The nightmare has finally taken over as the Silicon Valley and San Francisco’s rapid transit system called the ‘Muni Metro’ was hacked last Friday.
     The city’s transportation system was broken in with the hackers leaving a message ‘You Hacked, All Data Encrypted’ across all the transport computer screens around the city.  The message also included email addresses of Muni officials where people can “contact for the encryption key’.
    Due to this hacking incident, all transit fare gates malfunctioned and remained in the ‘open’ position, which resulted in fares that could not be charged. Since the problem has been persisting, the city started offering free rides to customers over the weekend until they could resolve the problem.
    Most of the ticketing machines displayed the message in bright red letters ‘Out of service’ and many of them had hand written notes stating ‘free entry’.
    All @sfmta_muni #Muni train machines are down. Investing the problem. All rides are free for now! pic.twitter.com/G2hfCZoT2T
    — Lisa Amin Gulezian (@LisaAminABC7) November 27, 2016 Muni’s email system was also greatly affected by the hack and employees were not sure whether they would be paid this week due to the hack.  We mostly get to see these kinds of hacking crimes depicted in movies and video games but the fact that it can be done in reality suggests that other public resources such as electricity and water that are controlled by computers can also be hacked.
    Scary world we live in, huh?
     


  8. ADMIN
    ‘Pink’, the movie which touched the hearts of everyone and sparked a sort of societal awakening, is crossing borders and making waves every where. The critically acclaimed movie has been selected for a special screening at the UN headquarters in New York and the film fraternity cannot stop gushing over this achievement. In fact, Big B took to Twitter himself to break the amazing news.
    T 2453 - 'PINK' invited for a special screening of the film at UN Head Quarters, in New York .. by Assitant Secretary General .. honoured ! pic.twitter.com/aWHOYt1RIS
    — Amitabh Bachchan (@SrBachchan) November 25, 2016 Humbled. https://t.co/vBjhDGGW1t
    — Shoojit Sircar (@ShoojitSircar) November 26, 2016 A strong subject…a powerful message that needs to be spread! Congratulations Team @TheFilmPink https://t.co/ZaYmDSg176
    — Ronnie Screwvala (@RonnieScrewvala) November 27, 2016 The movie made a huge impact in the country as it pressed a major point about accepting ‘no’ as an answer from a woman, and respecting the meaning of what ‘consent’ actually meant. B-town needs to churn more movies like these which not only have left an impact, but have also educated the society for our own sanity. The movie starred Taapsee Pannu, Kirti Kulhari and Amitabh Bachchan in the lead roles and was produced by ace filmmaker Shoojit Sircar.



  9. ADMIN
    Sometimes a blessing can turn into a dangerous curse, thanks to some people who tend to take offence at almost anything and everything under the sun. We live in a society where many women are discriminated against and often mistreated, so it’s only natural to make them feel safe and protected; but things turn awry when some women misuse those rights. These days it has become a trend to blame men and even society feels that whenever anything goes wrong, it’s the man’s fault. 
    This is exactly what happened with an Uber cab driver who was wrongly accused of misbehaving with a woman passenger, and the matter could have turned worse had this girl not come forward to support the guy. Himani Jain, a resident of Mumbai took an Uber cab after office. She was sharing the cab with another woman who suddenly started abusing and yelling at the innocent driver for no good reason. 
     
    Himani feels that there was some miscommunication between the two, but the woman’s reaction was totally uncalled for. The driver on the other hand, sat calmly and did not say anything disrespectful to the woman. Himani even went to the police station that night to give her statement in support of the cab driver. These days when most of us try to save ourselves first and prefer to stay away from anything that’s controversial, this girl showed a great deal of courage and thanks to her, that man’s career and life was saved. She even thanked the Mumbai police for understanding the situation. 
    Off late, we have heard stories of women being raped or assaulted at the hands of cab drivers, hence it’s easy for people to believe that it’s always the driver’s fault. While some men do indulge in wrong activities, not every guy is bad and falsely accusing someone is just not done. Please a note ladies, don’t misuse the rights given to you!



  10. ADMIN
    Japan is a crazy yet magnificent place. From eating everything that walks or breathes to cutting edge technology, Japan never ceases to surprise. As Christmas nears, Dominos Japan has done away with the traditional delivery boys and brought in some reindeers. Yes, reindeers who pull Santa’s buggy will now be delivering hot pizzas.
    © Domino's
    The reindeers will of course be trained and will most probably be accompanied by a delivery boy or a tamer. The animal will be GPS fitted too, so that the customers can track their orders in real time. Japan’s expecting harsh winters this year and this move makes sense as the reindeers are the fastest snow walkers. The trials are on and it’ll be fun to follow this news.


  11. ADMIN
    “Ranbir and Ranveer together, can you handle it?” goes Ranveer Singh in the beginning of the episode and that kinda gives you a good idea on what’s to follow. Trust Karan Johar to get the right people on that couch. Ranveer Singh and Ranbir Kapoor were like a house on fire and it would be unfair to not compile this list of best moments from the episode! 
    1.The show started with Karan Johar rehearsing his lines in the studio and Ranbir Kapoor & Ranveer Singh tearing him apart in the green room. Ranveer Singh took a million dollar dig at ‘Ae Dil Hai Mushkil’ and Ranbir followed it up by picking up a shoe and threatening to throw it at Karan Johar.
    © Star World
    2.When the tables turned and the two left Karan Johar speechless by shamelessly hitting on him. “You’re like a Ken doll,” said Ranveer. “Let’s change his clothes”, he added.
    © Star World
    3.While most celebrities prefer giving out politically correct statements about their personal life, it was a refreshing change to hear Ranbir Kapoor admit that being single sucks and that it can get boring and sad.
    © Star World
    4.Ranbir Kapoor went on to say he disapproves of porn because it messes up one’s *** life but ended up revealing he watched it just last night!
    © Star World
    5.The kissing round was a laugh riot. Ranbir and Ranveer kissed, well almost assaulted, Arjun Kapoor in this segment over some very explosive revelations. Just FYI, Ranbir has slept with his friend’s girlfriend, and Ranveer Singh has been a part of a threesome. The funniest part was Arjun Kapoor having to choose which one out of the two was the better kisser.
    © Star World
    6.Of course, Shah Rukh Khan’s comment on Ranveer’s underwear being padded in ‘Befikre’ was mentioned. Let’s just say, Ranveer Singh owned the coffee hamper just with that one answer. 
    © Star World
    7.Ranbir Kapoor and Ranveer Singh kinda lost it while copying Hrithik’s steps from ‘Ek Pal Ka Jeena’. Katrina Kaif’s ‘Chikni Chameli’ was also revisited. But what really stole the show was their dance on Sunny Deol’s ‘Yaara Oh Yaara’.
    © Star World
    8.We’re great fans of double meaning Bollywood songs so it’s a given that Ranveer Singh telling us a new one makes it to the list of best moments from the episode. Here’s the song, in case you’ve never heard it already!
    Ranveer and Ranbir really set the bar too high with this one! 


  12. ADMIN
    We all have taken screenshots of each other’s pictures, private messages and chats. We started from the good old Facebook messenger, right up to when Snapchat entered our lives. Putting up stories, sending private snaps that dissolve in 10 seconds, life was beautiful, right? Until the onus shifted to Instagram which is the perfect amalgam of Facebook and Snapchat.
    © Instagram
    This Thanksgiving week saw Instagram post their latest update and a lot of people are not at all thankful for it. After it upped its cool quotient by allowing you to put stories a la Snapchat and it allowed you to go live just like Facebook, the new update threw a major bomb at its users. Now, every time you take a screenshot of a direct message sent to you, Instagram will notify the sender. YUSS! Seriously! 
    Instagram now notifies if someone takes a screenshot. Be careful @silverbtf pic.twitter.com/n4olOvKg0L
    — Travis (@travlim) November 24, 2016  

    "now instagram sends you a notification when someone screenshots your photos." pic.twitter.com/mZZV2VznNC
    — amber. (@DAMNBlEBERS) November 26, 2016
    The only sign of relief is that you are spared of notifications when you screenshot an Instagram story or a picture from the profile. So now, no more snapping screenshots and sharing it with your friends, huh? Shit happens, but you gotta deal with it. 


  13. ADMIN
    Senior Congress leader P Chidambaram has said if he were the Finance Minister, he would have advised the Prime Minister against demonetisation, and that he would have resigned if his PM had asked him to implement demonetisation.
    Chidambaram's comments had come at the Times LitFest 2016 in New Delhi, where he was art of a panel discussion in the topic 'Debating Modi Sarkar: The Role of the Opposition'. The other panellist was former Indian Foreign Serice officer and JDU MP Pavan Varma. The discussion was moderated by senior journalist Rajdeep Sardesai. "This is not note bandhi (shut down), this is note badli (change)," quipped the former Union Finance Minister. "If you take away the livelihood of 45 crore people, is it not wrong? If your decision (demonetisation) is forcing people to beg and borrow, it is an unethical decision," Chidambaram said.
    © Twitter
    Chidambaram brushed off a question from the moderator on whether there is a trust deficit between the government and the Opposition. "I think you are making it up. There are sharp differences, but they don't shun each other," he said. However, his co-panellist, JDU's Pavan Varma, expressed reservation with the disruption of Parliament proceedings over the demonetisation issue. "Opposition's strategy was confused. When the Prime Minister wanted to speak, Opposition should have let him. Instead, they disrupted the session," he said.
    © Twitter
    "There is not a single day on which Parliament is not adjourned. Parliament must function for Opposition to put its point across," he added. Varma however decried the narrowing of space for the airing of political differences. "Even though we congratulate the government on the surgical strikes, if we ask any questions we are called anti-national. If we ask questions about the implementation of demonetisation, they say we support black marketers," he said. Varma urged the Prime Minister not to underestimate the intelligence of an ordinary man.


  14. ADMIN
    Tina Louise is an Australian/German model whose tattoos will leave you wanting more!
    I really hope you guys like this picture because holding this pose was f*cking uncomfortable.. ?? Always a pleasure working with this talented team @ohrangutang and H&M @cristinapilo ❤️
    A photo posted by Tina Louise (@miss_tina_louise) on Oct 22, 2016 at 8:56am PDT
    I’d like to be her exclusive tattoo artist!
    Wanted to give a big shout out to my tattoo artist and friend @kareemtattoo from @newporttattoo (Majority of the ink I have on my body has been done by him) It's really hard for me to go anywhere else because I'm so picky and he is so understanding and very patient with me. He gets me. He knows what I like. I spent hundreds of hours in his chair being tattooed and discussing my next tattoo with him. We laugh, talk about life.. he's an amazing artist and an amazing friend. Thank you @kareemtattoo ❤️? Please go follow him and check out his work.. ? #tattoo #ink #newporttattoo
    A photo posted by Tina Louise (@miss_tina_louise) on Nov 23, 2016 at 1:54pm PST
    Hooray for No Pants Day! Chillin on the back steps.. ?? Photographer @careyhess
    A photo posted by Tina Louise (@miss_tina_louise) on Nov 5, 2016 at 7:20pm PDT
    And a bigger HURRAY for No Clothes Day as well!
    ..it's #Friday, let's get crazy ?
    A photo posted by Tina Louise (@miss_tina_louise) on Oct 7, 2016 at 10:51am PDT
    Soft Serve, anyone?
    ? ice-cream #sunday
    A photo posted by Tina Louise (@miss_tina_louise) on Sep 25, 2016 at 10:10am PDT
    That’s one way to keep cool in the summer! 
    Cooling off.. @ardiology
    A photo posted by Tina Louise (@miss_tina_louise) on Sep 20, 2016 at 7:32am PDT
     
    Ummm, I volunteer to be the flower pot! I need a gardener.. ?
    A photo posted by Tina Louise (@miss_tina_louise) on Sep 2, 2016 at 8:08am PDT
    You can follow Tina Louise at www.instagram.com/miss_tina_louise/


  15. ADMIN
    If you don’t have a SRK fan living around you, then you are not living in this country, or this earth for that matter. King Khan makes people’s hearts swoon with love and regardless of your gender, you are destined to be charmed by him in some way or the other. Overflowing love, a crazy fandom and immense warmth are some of the perks he enjoys, courtesy his lovers all over the globe. A recent trend that was witnessed in his fandom was people going into a frenzy when he appeared on the big screen, like his ten second appearance in ‘ADHM’ was enough to for a lot of people to let the crazy out.
    Crowd Reaction Video during cameo of @iamsrk in ADHM from Malegaon Nashik,
    Fucking unbelievable. ?? pic.twitter.com/gTextXkWjx
    — रईस भाई (@SRKianz) October 28, 2016
    Yep, people mistook the screening for a Diwali celebration and like ardent ‘baratis’ at a big fat wedding, fans burst crackers, and danced, celebrating SRK, without realising that perhaps by the time they were done celebrating, Shah Rukh’s scene was most probably over. Well, who cares,right? A fan’s gotta do what he wants. So moving on with the trend, his latest silver screen outing ‘Dear Zindagi’ saw a similar reception. At a theatre in Hyderabad, people frolicked in joy and threw money when he makes his onscreen appearance. Not kidding!

    Are you thinking what I am thinking? Yes, demonetisation has not even affected these guys. Love knows no bounds after all. The crazy amount of love (and money) even baffled the King himself.
    Oh wow… if this is actual currency..what can I say…uh..it’s kind of lavish to say the least!Thx for the rich welcome https://t.co/J8WYsfyAsm
    — Shah Rukh Khan (@iamsrk) November 25, 2016
    Wonder what our Modi ji would say about this? Anyways, the movie is receiving some rave reviews and is tearing it up at the box office. 


  16. ADMIN
    Tarana is a young singer, pianist, song writer and music producer based in Delhi. She began learning classical piano, at the age of 13, from the Tom Lee Academy of Music in Canada and at 18 she joined the House of Symphony and The Yellow Brick Project. 
    © Facebook
      She is heavily influenced by electronic artists like UK based duo ‘Zero’, music producer Bonobo, singer-songwriter Imogen Heap. “I like to write music - it's a perk that there are so many ways to do that, whether you're a singer-songwriter or an electronic producer. I'm trying my hand at a lot of fun things. I was lucky enough to be the President of a Delhi University Acapella choir, which taught me so much about choral singing!” – She said in an interview with MTV (http://www.pepsimtvindies.com/buzz/special/new-musician-on-the-block-tarana-marwah-52194900.html )
    © Facebook
    She shot to fame after the release of her unique experimental EP ‘Komerabi’ which was inspired by Japanese animation in 2015. The word ‘Komerabi’ loosely means, ‘sunlight that shines through the leaves’. She released the EP while she was in her final year of college. Tarana said “I’ve been an avid follower of anime since I was a child – my brother and I used to secretly watch [the anime series] Inuyasha in the night. I was fascinated with the soundtrack in every show.” 
     Apart from the ambient Electronica act ‘Komerabi’, the keyboardist is also a part of an all-girl soul/electronic band, RIVER. “RIVER and Komerabi and are different aspects of my personality-my left arm and my right arm” she says. This young powerhouse artist is definitely someone worth checking out.
    © Facebook
     


  17. ADMIN
    Movember (or No Shave November) is a movement that originated in 2004, and is all about growing out one’s facial hair to raise awareness about health issues no one talks about—prostate cancer being one of them! It's essentially about celebrating life (and longevity) and how better to do it than being lazy, growing out your beard and looking good while doing so. Because why not?
    We spoke to 30 men—who seem to have mastered the art of grooming a good mug-rug—on how it's actually done. Read on:
    Name: Vishal Chopra 
    Profession: Producer  
    © Vishal Chopra
    It's November— where are you right now, how are you feeling, what are you eating, drinking and listening to? 
    Currently in Bombay—just back from a documentary shoot in Chambal—feeling festive, listening to Blues, eating orange marmalade on toast and drinking a ton of caffeine.
    Tell us about your beard timeline. How long have you been growing it? Any special beard stories: 
    I’ve (almost) always had a big-boy beard. And, my current beard is about 3 months old. Here's a tragic-ish story: I had a 5-month-old beard, which looked fantastic, but had to be trimmed when I was called to audition, for the role of a 'young biker dude’. Never landed that role and decided to never trim my beard for something as primary as an audition! 
    Do you use products? If so, what are your favorite beard products?
    WATER! As long as you wash your beard/face, about two times a day, you're pretty much sorted. 
    © Vishal Chopra
    How do you maintain your beard? Tell us your daily routine? 
    I don't really do anything daily—apart from religiously washing and combing it. However, I do visit a barber once every fortnight to give it shape—which is if you really feel like doing something to your beard. 
    What are your (beard) dos and don'ts?
    Make sure it’s clean, wash it after every meal—’cause food tends to get easily stuck in the beard bib. 
    Don't be boring—treat it like your canvas—decorate it with flowers, sequins, paint it, etc. I'm planning to color it white for Christmas. Caution: Stunt to be performed only by trained professionals! 
    Are women into beards? (In other words: Will a beard get you laid?) 
    Women are into interesting men, simple! A beard won't magically get you laid, but will definitely help you get the conversation started, and, if you can back it up with charm, she'll most definitely beg you for a few minutes of 'beard play'.
    © Vishal Chopra
    Has growing a full-on beard, changed your sense of style. Do you dress differently when you have a full beard? 
    Style is about confidence. If you're confident enough to carry a beard off—you can pretty much rock anything. But I guess a beard definitely opens your wardrobe up to a wider range of clothes. I think, a bearded guy in a pink shirt will look better than a clean shaven dude (in pink) 
    One advice for boys trying to grow their beards?
    Don't grow it just because it’s trendy—it’ll show and you’ll end up looking like you’re trying too hard. Grow it if you look at your face, in the mirror and can relate better to the person, with a beard on. Also, treat your beard like it’s your BFF—talk to it, stroke it and ask for its opinion. As long as you make sure your beard is amused, it'll be fine. Case in point: My beard hugs my face tight, at night.


  18. ADMIN
    7am: On the way to school, the prodigal son begins telling me all about the Coldplay concert that he attended with his friends, ‘Mom, even Modiji came on a big screen, gave a speech and everyone clapped loudly!’ I ask, ‘Why, what did he say?’ The prodigal son replies, ‘No one really understood. He recited some nursery rhyme and a joke about demonetisation, and everyone began cheering. I was also screaming, “Love you, Modiji.”’
    I quip, ‘Seems like a highly contagious nationwide epidemic.’
    10.15am: Curious, I flip open my laptop and discover that the Prime Minister had not recited a nursery rhyme as the brain-dead prodigal son had stated, but had quoted Bob Dylan’s iconic song, ‘The Times They are A-Changin’.
    Dylan has been in the news lately for winning the Literature Nobel and also for being so unaffected by it that he said he was too busy to attend the award ceremony. Unlike Bono, singer, father and philanthropist who galloped on to stage when he was honoured as ‘Woman of the Year’ by Glamour magazine recently.
    Last I checked his Wikipedia page, Bono had not undergone a *** change and was still a man but since there are a mere 3.52 billion women hanging out on Earth, I can understand Glamour magazine’s plight. Unable to find enough ‘Adult female human beings’ as my outdated dictionary insists on describing a woman, the editor looking for likely candidates at a crowded party must have just yelled out, ‘So let’s give woman of the year to Gwen Stefani, Miuccia Prada, and oh yes! Bono, U2.’
    © Twitter
    1.30pm: My cousin calls, ‘Didi, can I come for lunch? My muscles are deflating, I need some chicken and our butcher has stopped giving udhar.’ My cousin lives with our grandmother and mommy dearest who had, in fact, called me this morning to complain that since she had cut up her credit card two months ago due to overspending; she has now been compelled to send my cousin to the bank to withdraw money. I ask him, ‘But you went to the bank, right?’
    He replies, ‘I stood in line for three hours for those new Rooh Afza-coloured 2,000-rupee notes.’
    I say, ‘So why didn’t you send the cook to the market with that?’
    ‘Didi, as soon as I reached home, Granny took the money and went to get her hair coloured.’I comfort my cousin, ‘A lesson for you right there — don’t count your chickens before they hatch! Come here and I will feed you all the protein in the world.’
    1.50pm: The doorbell rings and my weary cousin is standing on the other side with a big pink stain on his white shirt. Apparently the new notes are meant to be just counterfeit proof and not sweat proof! In a city with an average temperature of around 32 degrees Celsius, Mumbaikars are going to be playing some version of Holi every day of the year.
    © Twitter
    6.30pm: The man of the house enters the bedroom and says, ‘What is that black stuff on your legs?’I reply, ‘It’s leftover coffee grounds. I am combating the effects of demonetisation and becoming a role model to empower women at the same time.’ He replies, ‘I am scared to even ask how.’
    I say, ‘I have no cash and my credit card is almost maxed out, so I asked Google for some home remedies to get rid of cellulite. Apparently caffeine is the primary ingredient in all cellulite creams. This is my recycled, free of cost, new scrub — I saved at least 600 rupees! ‘He asks, ‘And how does all this empower women?’
    I snort, ‘After Bono made it to the ‘Women of the Year’ list, I did some investigations into this empowerment business. I discovered that even beauty pageants like Miss Universe claim to uplift women!
    And guess whom the United Nations appointed as Ambassador for the Empowerment of Women? Wonder Woman! A cartoon figure running around in a swimsuit. So I figured that in order to truly empower women, you may have to fearlessly fight off evil but first you definitely have to fight off cellulite.
    Once I get rid of these unsightly bumps in my path, I can see myself addressing crowds at Rashtrapati Bhavan, empowering women as I flaunt my flawless legs. Achha, can you help me? Put some of the coffee stuff behind my thigh. I can’t get to that bit.’ The man of the house refuses to help, smirking, ‘Can’t even reach the back of her leg and wants to reach Rashtrapati Bhavan!’
    © Twitter
    8pm: After doing ten different kinds of outer-thigh exercises, I wearily shuffle towards the dining table. The man of the house is proudly telling his son, ‘Do you know that over 93% of Indians are happy with the demonetisation policy?’
    I ask him the source of this information and he says, ‘From the Narendra Modi app!’ I reply, ‘Babe, it’s a bit like you giving reviews for your own films on your fan page, no? Unlikely that you will say, “This Friday, coming near you is the most dismal movie I have ever been in.”
    The prodigal son interrupts, asking me to pass the tandoori chicken and I say, ‘Why did the chicken cross the road?’He gamely asks, ‘Why?’I cackle, ‘So that he could run around the empty ATM like the other headless desi chickens.’
    The man of the house immediately pulls out a small wad of the new notes, ‘Promise to stop your stupid jokes all through dinner and I will give you this!’ I grab it from his hand and reply, ‘Deal! But you know one good thing about demonetisation, you can’t launder money anymore.’
    The man of the house triumphantly crows, ‘See I told you, it’s a good initiative!’ And I get to have the last laugh when I add, ‘Yes, if you forget these notes in your pant pocket and throw it in the laundry, then all your Rin ki Safedi will turn bright pink!’
    DISCLAIMER: This blog post is written by Twinkle Khanna for The Times Of India


  19. ADMIN
    Goa is likely to become the first state in India to go cashless from December 31, as people will be able to buy perishables such as fish, meat, vegetables or anything else at the press of a button on their mobile. There will be no need to carry your purse for purchases and the profession of pick pocketing may become extinct soon, as all transactions will be done on mobile phones. "The money on purchases will be debited to the person's bank account," chief secretary R K Srivastava told STOI.
    One has to dial *99# from their mobile phone, not necessarily a smart phone, and follow the instructions to complete the transaction. This system is being introduced to transfer money to small vendors who do not have swipe machines. Swiping of ATM and credit cards at shops and establishments will also continue.
    © Twitter/Representational image
    A drive to create awareness on how to operate the cashless transaction for vendors and small shops and the public will commence on Monday at Mapusa and Panaji, in Goa. While cash transactions are not being banned, the move is to encourage a cashless society. Also, there will be no minimum limit on the cashless transfer of money. Chief minister Laxmikant Parsekar said no fees will be charged for any of these transactions over the mobile. Defence minister Manohar Parrikar on Saturday held a meeting with government officials and all the major nationalized and private banks. During the meeting, Parrikar discussed the modalities to implement the cashless scheme in the state.
    © Twitter
    Parrikar said at the Vijay Sankalp Rally at Sankhali on Friday that PM Narendra Modi had a dream about a cashless society and "they told me that Goa can become the first state to go cashless"."One thing we decided is that whenever India becomes a cashless society, Goa will become the first. We have to support the prime minister's dream," Parrikar added saying that your mobile can become your bank and one can do anything once he/she has registered her/his mobile number with the bank under the central government unified payment interference (UPI). Srivastava said that Goa has an added advantage to be become the first cashless society because it is a small state with about 15 lakh population and 17 lakh mobile phone connections. "We have 22 lakh bank accounts, which means that one person has more than one account," he said. Most of the people in Goa use debit or credit cards while purchasing and hence it will not be a problem to go cashless, he added.
    He also said that from Monday, people will be educated on the cashless transaction and the exact plan would be finalized on Sunday. Explaining how it works, Srivastava said that every vendor who registers with the bank would be given an MMID code.
    © Twitter/Representational image
    Once a person purchases fish, vegetable etc. the customer just needs to dial the designated number (*99#) and punch in details of her/his account and the amount the customer needs to transfer to the vendor and then the customer has to enter the MI code of the vendor to transfer the funds. Within no time, the money would be transferred from the customer's account to the vendor's account."Everybody should have an account, card and the account should have money," Srivastava said.


  20. ADMIN
    Uttar Pradesh now has Asia's first cycle highway. A first-of-its-kind project, the 207-km-long cycle highway runs between Etawah and Agra and was declared open on Saturday. A rally of 90 cyclists from five countries and across India followed the inauguration ceremony at the Lion Safari in Etawah. Constructed by the UP public works department, the cycle highway runs parallel to the main highway and is about 7-feet-wide. A divider in between ensures the safety of cyclists. Along the way from Etawah to Agra, it dots 92 villages.
    © Twitter
    "The track begins from the lion safari in Etawah. On its way to Agra are tourist destinations like Naugava ka Quila, Raja Bhoj ki Haveli, and Bateshwarnath Temple. It ends at the eastern gate of the Taj Mahal in Agra," said Lion Safari director, Sanjay Srivastava. While the cyclists rode about 50 km on Saturday, from Etawah to Jarar, UP chief minister Akhilesh Yadav—who conceived the project following his experiences in cities like Amsterdam, Berlin and Paris, where cycles are used extensively in city commute—will welcome the cyclists in Agra on Sunday.
    The track criss-crosses the natural beauty of the Chambal and Yamuna rivers. Views of ravines along the way will give tourists an opportunity to enjoy the serenity of the region. "Local people can use it for daily commute as the tracks covers a distance of 207 km, dotting 92 villages across the two districts," said Srivastava. Inaugurating the highway, state minister Abhishek Mishra said, "It is a historical moment as a world-class cycling infrastructure is being made operational not only for locals but to the people of the state and the nation."
    © Twitter
    The cycle tracks will not only give a boost to tourism, but also help in sustaining the environment, he added. "Chief minister Akhilesh Yadav wanted to transform the region as an ecologically conscious tourist destination, and the dedicated cycle tracks are a significant step towards promoting green and environment friendly commuting," said Mishra.
    For the past 15 years, Swedish nationals Sanna (30) and Stephen (45) have been using the cycle as their mode of transportation."I am excited to be here. Going by the infrastructure, the cycle track is of international standard. I am a tad nervous as the cycle track in our country is on the right side of the road and here it is on the left side," said Sanna, who was among the cyclists who rode from Etawah on Saturday.
    © Twitter
    Raqeebul Islam from Bangladesh, another participant, said, "I would like to appeal to the people, particularly the elderly, to take up cycling again for a healthy and fit tomorrow." Raqeebul further said that peddaling would enhance road sense among the youth and increase their tolerance level as drivers. He also offered local cyclists a few tips on the cause of the environment.


  21. ADMIN
    Haryana chief minister Manohar Lal Khattar on Saturday pitched for domesticating cows, saying his government has introduced various benefits for people who breed cows for dairy and domestic purposes. He also highlighted that Haryana is the first state to have a cow protection law. The CM was speaking at the inauguration of a cow shelter and health centre named Kamdhenu Aarogya Sansthan in Akbarpur village in Nuh, which will be using cow dung and urine to produce medicines and chemical-free disinfectants.
    "While the state government is doing its best for the welfare of cows in the state, beyond cow shelters, people must keep cows at their home. Haryana has 432 cow shelters in the state and is the first state to have a cow protection force and law," he said.
    © Twitter
    "In an effort to encourage the people in the state, we have also introduced various benefits for people who have cows at home. People must realise the importance of cow and its by-products and not just look at cow as an economic venture," he added. Kamdhenu Aarogya Sansthan has already started working on using bio-mass for generation of electricity and using cow urine to make chemical-free disinfectants for the farmers to be used instead of fertilisers, the chief minister said.
    © Twitter
    He also addressed the problems of the local people. "As far as the matter of merging Tawadu region with Gurgaon is concerned, we will discuss with the parties involved and decide on the matter by January latest," he added.This was after the local MLA from the region, Tejpal Tanwar, said the region is on the border of Gurgaon and Mewat district, and it gets side-lined in the matters of development from both ends.


  22. ADMIN
    Cinema isn’t always about perfect whistle-blowing moments, teary goodbyes and high octane climaxes. Sometimes, it’s just about sitting back and watching life unfurl itself in front of you, life as you know it. Life as we all know it – life that surprises, life that disappoints, life that complicates. Gauri Shinde’s ‘Dear Zindagi’ is just that – a slice of life that digs up questions that haunt most of us, troubles that cloud our very existence and a warm, tight hug all of us need but never ask for. Oh no, it’s not perfect. But it was important for ‘Dear Zindagi’ to be made. Like the much recent ‘Pink’. Because films aren’t always about entertaining. Cinema is as much about social commentaries and relatable portrayals of real life, as it is about mystical tales and larger-than-life love stories.
    © Dharma Productions
    ‘Dear Zindagi’ is a much-needed dialogue on mental health that is spoken of only in hushed words in real life, if at all. The film finally makes it okay to talk about it, to ask for help, to not being fine. Alia Bhatt’s Kaira makes you realize how natural it is to crumble and how it could happen to the best of us and more importantly, how it’s okay, important rather, to seek therapy. It’s a disease and, like most other diseases, can be cured with the right prescription of perspective and understanding. Even at understanding Kaira’s mental imbalance, the film never categorizes it as ‘depression’— a word that’s now used as a blanket term for any and every mental illness. You never feel the need to label Kaira’s condition, you don’t know what it is, all you know is you’ve felt the same at some point in life and you know how crippling it can be. Gauri Shinde leaves it at that and that’s exactly what makes it so much more relatable.
    © Dharma Productions
    It’s incredible how some of the biggest icons of this country are finally breaking barriers and contributing to cinema that helps, cinema that heals. Very recently, we had Amitabh Bachchan spell out the meaning of consent loud and clear with ‘Pink’ and now with ‘Dear Zindagi’, Shah Rukh Khan makes sure mental health becomes a dinner table conversation across the country. Even if it sensitizes one out of 10 people who watch this film, it’s commendable progress for the society. The film also touches upon various other issues like everyday sexism and slut shaming with some pivotal sub plots and Shah Rukh Khan’s mainstream appeal surely does target the right kind of audiences who still find it hard to understand that a girl’s success can be independent of the men in her life and that having been in more than one relationships doesn’t mean she’s ‘easy’ or a ‘slut’.
    © Dharma Productions
    Kaira isn’t your stereotypical protagonist. Of course, she has a strong characterization and the pieces do fall together by the end of the film. But does her back story justify her actions in the film? Probably not. She’s not the most likeable character. She’s not made to be one. But she’s real, so real that I bet you know someone exactly like her. Someone who’s difficult, erratic, even nasty at times. And yet, hers is a story that deserves to be told. Because it’s not always important for us to agree with someone to understand them. It’s beautiful how Shinde manages to make you see through Kaira’s insecurities and fears without once justifying her actions. It was important that Kaira wasn’t another one of those sorry, sympathy-seeking people you see in every other film. You may think people have had it worse than Kaira, much worse. But isn’t it a refreshing change to see a regular girl with real issues that plague most of us too?
    © Dharma Productions
    Each and every character in the film mirrors a real person, be it that regressive, misogynistic uncle who strongly believes Kaira needs to ‘get a job’ to the gay friend who’s trying to embrace himself for who he is. There’s that obviously boring prospective groom in one scene, but even a character as small as his has been written with the correct amount of humour, without once overstepping the line of subtlety. You laugh at the character, without once looking down on him. In that one scene, Shinde proves it is possible to make a subtle comment on a character without reducing it to a mere caricature. Ali Zafar’s part in the story too, is a refreshing change. The conflict between Ali’s character and Alia’s is as real as it gets, and something far, far away from clichés. He’s a guy who’s a little too obsessed with music and it’s as funny as it’s relatable for many!
    ---------SPOILERS AHEAD --------- © Dharma Productions
    There’s one extremely hard-hitting confrontation in the second half of the film, that’s as brilliantly scripted as it is enacted by Alia Bhatt. Shinde’s take on the parent-child relationship is so insightful, nuanced and personal, it feels like a peek into your own life. Blaming their kids for how they’ve turned out to be instead of investing time in understanding what really went wrong while growing up is something most Indian parents do at some point. Through Kaira’s breakdown, Shinde talks on behalf of every child who has ever felt let down by their parents, for getting hate when they needed a hug, for being abandoned when they needed memories. We’ve seen many family dramas in Bollywood recently but none as real and important as ‘Dear Zindagi’. 
    © Dharma Productions
    Watch this film not because it’s perfect but because it’s the cheapest therapy session you’ll ever get. Watch it because Kaira is everyone of us and her problems deserve to be spoken about. Watch it because it’s not very often that a Bollywood film shows you life like it really is. Watch it because it might just make dealing with your own ‘zindagi’ a little better, if nothing else. And watch it for Alia Bhatt, because this girl is at beyond marvelous in the film.
     


  23. ADMIN
    Travel isn’t just about ditching your regular schedule and running away to some secluded location; we all have different ideas about travelling, but even you would agree with us that most of the time our opinions are dominated by the culture, art and historic significance of the place we are thinking about. But there is a difference between liking a city and getting inspired by it and it’s a proud moment for our country because two of our beautiful cities, Mumbai and Jodhpur, have made it to the list of world’s most ‘inspiring’ places. 
    © Wikimedia
    Earlier, people used to love these places, but thanks to this list, we now know that people draw inspiration from them as well. The list has been issued by Travelbird, a celebrated travel agency, which includes 83 cities that inspired people. The judgment was based on parameters like performing arts companies, art schools, art galleries, film industry, music production, startups, romance and museums.
    © Wikimedia
    Miami has topped the list, followed by Bruges, San Fransisco and Bristol at the second, third and fourth position. The top ten positions are occupied mainly by European cities, thanks to their art and cultural significance. Jodhpur and Mumbai stand 76th and 83rd position. So, what if the two cities don’t fall under top 10 or 20, the fact that they have made it to the list is more than enough for us to plan another trip to these two beauties. 


  24. ADMIN
    Mary Shum is an American bikini model who isn’t just super-hot; she’s also a super-hot mom as well!
    Bali life ? it was the 4th month of pregnancy photo by my lovely  @a_mavrin #MAVRIN #MAVRINmodels #MaryShum
    A photo posted by MARY SHUM (@mary_shum_) on Aug 29, 2016 at 4:02am PDT
     
    With a body to die for, Mary is turning pre conceived notions on their head!
    I love this pic by @a_mavrin #MAVRIN #MAVRINmodels #MaryShum
    A photo posted by MARY SHUM (@mary_shum_) on Mar 1, 2016 at 12:35pm PST
     
    I don’t know about you guys, but I’d like to be that tree right now.
    Paradise ✨? Photo @a_MAVRIN SriLanka 15 ❤️❤️❤️ #MAVRIN #MAVRINmodels #MaryShum
    A photo posted by MARY SHUM (@mary_shum_) on Mar 21, 2016 at 4:45am PDT

    Sun, sand and pure sexiness!
    Photo @a_mavrin ❤️❤️❤️ #MAVRIN #MAVRINmodels #MaryShum
    A photo posted by MARY SHUM (@mary_shum_) on Jan 6, 2016 at 3:31am PST
     
    Looking classy AF!
    ? #MaryShum #MAVRIN #MAVRINmodels
    A photo posted by MARY SHUM (@mary_shum_) on Aug 30, 2016 at 1:18pm PDT

    Good god, check out that amazing bod!
    Enjoy )) SriLanka 2015 photo @a_mavrin  #MaryShum #MAVRINmodels #MAVRIN
    A photo posted by MARY SHUM (@mary_shum_) on Oct 2, 2015 at 10:33am PDT

    And finally, here’s a super-hot Mary in an orange stunner.
    My body needs some sun ... And a little bit of oil... And some love )))
    A photo posted by MARY SHUM (@mary_shum_) on Jul 9, 2015 at 10:22am PDT
     
     
    You can follow Mary Shum at Instagram  
     


  25. ADMIN
    A homegrown blues band from Mumbai, Kanchan Daniel & the Beards comprises of Kanchan Daniel on Vocals, Kush Upadhyay as the Lead/Rhythm Guitarist, Mukesh Lobo on Keyboards, Anand Kamath as the Bassist, and Varoon Aiyer on Drums/Percussion. Formed in 2012, the band primarily plays blues music but also have influences from R&B, soul, funk and psychedelic rock to create a unique sound.

     The band started off by performing a lot of gigs around Mumbai at places like Kino 108, Blue Frog and High Street Phoenix and gained a lot of prominence for their renditions of songs like  Nirvana’s “Smells Like Teen Spirit” and Lady Gaga’s “ Born This Way ” and Frank Sinatra's " Fly me to the moon " and " Let’s go get stoned " by Ray Charles.

    They released their debut album in March 2015, and almost every song they make is based on their personal experiences. One of the biggest highlights for the band was opening for English guitarist and composer, John Mclaughlin in Bangalore. They have also played at a number of prestigious festivals and venues, including Times Bandra Festival in 2014.
    © Facebook
    Catch this unique blues-rock band at the Bacardi Nh7 Weekender happening in Pune from 2nd-4th December. 


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