Weekly Journal | Issue 6 | October 2012

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The agitation by the farmers and other pro-Kannada organisations against release of Cauvery water to Tamil Nadu by the Karnataka Government today intensified with agitators blocking Ban-galore-Mysore Highway and affecting train services with dharna demonstra-tion for the second day today.

More then 200 farmers of Gejjalagere of Maddur taluk in the district have stopped the Mysore-Shiradi Express train by setting on the railway track. Even they brought cattle and tied to the track. The agitation was led by Mrs Sunanda Jayaram, farmers’ leader. Both railway police and police officials rushed to the spot and tried to convince the farmers to clear the track. However, the farmers did not move from the track. Later they were arrested and taken in a bus.

At this juncture, a youth tried to commit suicide by climbing a tree protesting against the arrest of the agitating farmers, but villagers brought him down. In a high drama the villagers stopped the bus which was carrying the arrested farmers and got them released. Following the stopping of the Shridi Express train, all the train services between Mysore-Bangalore were affected. Trains coming to Mysore from Bangalore trains were stranded at Maddur Station. Vehicular movement on Bangalore-Mysore Highway continued to be disrupted with farmers blocking the highway several at places.

The blocking of the ever-busy My-sore-Bangalore highway continued since yesterday morning, preventing vehicular movement. Hundreds of Kannada Rakshana Vedike (Kannada Protection Forum) activists out a bike rally from Nelamangala to Mandya protesting against the release of water.

Meanwhile, Congress MLAs from Mandya District have also threatened to resign if an amicable solution to the problem is not found at the earliest. The Janata Dal (secular) also said all its 26 members in the State Assembly had decided to resign. With train services being affected, roads being blocked and uncertainty prevailing over the buses and private vehicles travelling on Malavalli road towards Bangalore, people might have to burn more petrol or diesel to reach Bangalore as they might be forced to take a longer route via K.R. Nagar, Holenarasipur, Chennarayapatna and reach NH 48 (Bangalore-Mangalore Highway) to reach Bangalore. Scores of people, who had come to Mysore and Kodagu from Bangalore for a weekend, had to toil hard to find their way back today as farmers and other organisations intensified their agitation against the release of Cauvery water to Tamil Nadu by blocking the Mysore-Bangalore

highway and also the train’s hea-ding to Bangalore and beyond.

Protesters in Gejjalagere in Mandya stopped the Shiridi Express, which left for Bangalore early morning from Mysore City Railway Station. According to sources, the train had not reached Bangalore even by 1145 hrs. This apart, Chamundi Express and passenger train headed towards Bangalore were stopped at Mandya while Mayila-raduthurai Express, Tuticorin Express and Rajya Rani Express coming towards Mysore were stopped at Maddur and Shettihalli respectively. Protestors slept on the Railway track overnight at Gejjalagere in Mandya to prevent the movement of trains. Some of the protestors who blocked Bangalore-My-sore highway were seen cooking food on the highway and serving it to protestors.

In Mysore activists of Karnataka Rakshana Vedike (T.A.Narayan Gowda faction) staged a unique protest by climbing atop the office of the Deputy Commissioner in city and shouted slogans demanding immediate stopping of release of water to TN. They also blocked Mysore-Nanjangud road near Ganapati Ashram for sometime, severely affecting vehicular movement. Meanwhile, nearly 200 advocates of city formed a human chain around the bust of Mahatma Gandhi at the entrance of the Law Courts complex in city expressing solidarity with the striking farmers. In chamarajanagara pro Kannada activists staged road block for some time, the ksrtc authorities have also cancelled the bus services to Tamil nadu from the town. Similar protests were also held in Bangalore in which some film personalities also joined the agitation.

October 2, 2012, is the birth day of Mahatma Gandhi the great son of India, an apostle of non violence and the conscience keeper of the world. It is around 63 years now since Mahatma Gandhi passed away but his thoughts and philosophy have withstood the test of time and continues to remain as inspiration to the world community.

When Mahatma Gandhi passed away , Einstein said that the future generation would find it difficult to believe that there was a man like Gandhi who could have lived in this world. Now, the younger generation realize how truthful were the words of Einstein. Youth of today who have not seen Gandhiji are left wondering as to how a person could have been so truthful and honest.

The sad fact is that today’s India has failed to live up to his expectations.

One of the cardinal principles of Mahatma Gandhi ,apart from several other great ideas , was that prohibition should be enforced strictly and people should not take liquor. Apart from dehumanizing the man , the liquor habit uproots the families in the lower income group with the earning member frittering away his resources in the liquor shop and driving the poor families into despair. On the other hand today , several state governments in India are trying to boost the liquor sale to increase the revenue.

Mahatma Gandhi laid great stress on personal honesty and probity not only in public life but also in personal life. Unfortunately, in India political and ad-ministrative and personal corruption is widely prevalent and India is now considered as one of the most corrupt countries in the world. It is hard to believe that a country which has adopted Mahatma Gandhi as the father of the nation could deteriorate to this extent.

Mahatma Gandhi undertook fast seventeen times in his life as a method of self purification, self punishment and as part of his efforts to restore probity , eliminate violence and religious fanaticism. Today, fasting has become a pastime for many people in India with someone fasting in the name of fighting corruption , someone else

fasting demanding wage rise and some one else even fasting for separate state etc. and all such activities are carried out with political and ulterior motives. Fasting has become the most misused terminology in India today, which is a great injustice being done to the Gandhian philosophy.

What is most tragic is that the democratic form of governance in India which is a highly desirable form of governance, has enabled many dishonest people and criminal elements to get into parliament and legislative assemblies and become ministers on some occasions. Thus law breakers who should be in jail have become the laws makers in quite a few cases. The concerned country men who understand the gravity of the situation remains as mere spectators without revolting. In such scenario, the bribe culture appears to be becoming be all and end all of life for an average Indian citizen.

Now, let us visualize as to how Mahatma Gandhi would have reacted to the present conditions in India , if he were alive.

Gandhiji would have sacrificed his personal comforts and fought for the cause of probity relentlessly. Above all, he would have been fully honest even in fighting against the corrupt forces and would have used his tool of satyagraha with great elegance and impact on the society. He would have fought for the battle for the truth in the minds and hearts of citizens and would have done his level best to reform the mindset of the individuals , so that fight against corruption becomes part and parcel of every man’s day today life.

Starbucks is will be entering the Indian market as part of a joint venture with Tata Global Beverages.

Starbucks’ China and Asia-Pacific President John Culver said the U.S. company will open a store in India’s financial hub Mumbai by the end of October.

Culver said the outlet will be “the first Starbucks location to feature espresso sourced and roasted locally from India

through an agreement with Tata Coffee Limited.”

Starbucks and Tata say the initial investment will be roughly $80 million. The 50 – 50 joint venture will be called Tata Starbucks Limited and be run by CEO Avani Saglani Davda.

Seattle-based coffee chain Starbucks has more than 17,000 stores around the world. Tata Global Beverages is the world’s second-largest tea company.

Western-style coffee chains have gained popularity among India’s fast-growing, wealthy middle class. Coffee consumption among Indians has doubled in the last 10 years.

Starbucks will face competition from established domestic chains like Cafe Coffee Day. It is one of several U.S. retailers looking to cash in on India’s growing appetite for Western fast food.

PROTESTS CONTINUE IN CAUVERY BASIN DISTRICTS

REMEMBERING THE MAHATMA

STARBUCKS TO OPEN STORES IN INDIA

- by Allen Augustine

In the wake of protests, the South West-ern Railway cancelled Shatabdi train from Mysore

- by Madhav Drolia

- By Anubhav De

Grammy Winner Rapper Kanye West released his latest compilation album ‘Cruel Summer’ on September 14, 2012. The Album features recording artists of G.O.O.D Music (Record Label) which is owned by Kanye West. It features high profile rappers/Artists like Jay-Z, Big Sean, John Legend, Pusha-T, R.Kelly and Def Jam’s 2chainz.

The album debuted at number two on the US Billboard 200 in its first week, while Pink stands number one with her album “The Truth about love”. It stands number one in US Billboard Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums and US Billboard Top Rap Albums. The album was officially to be released on September 14, 2012. It was initially set to release in October.

Since the album is titled “Cruel Summer” and was released in the beginning of autumn, Kanye West was mocked by critics and fans, alike, who suggested that he should have name the album ‘Cruel almost-Winter’ instead.

However, the album was leaked two days before its official release. “Leak night is always better than the official release day”, #CruelSummer and #KanyeWest started trending on twitter that night whilst half the world slept. The news of the leak spread like wild-fire and beat #MittRomney and even ended up leading the twitter trends for that day.

To everyone’s surprise, the album did not contain samples of any soul music. But there were samples taken from the old school rap crew called ‘Public Enemy’. However, this album is nothing like ‘Graduation’ or ‘My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy’.

The album cover is a highly dramatic and an abstract work of art. It features

a woman holding herself. Whether she is meditating or dead, is unclear since her eyes are closed. No one has been able to grasp the real significance of the cover, just like how people found it difficult to grasp the deep meaning behind the sculptures of Michelangelo. This has given cause for rumors which suggest that Kanye West is a member of the Illuminati.

Cruel Summer has hit singles like ‘Cold’ which was previously named ‘Theraflu’ which is produced by DJ Khaled, ‘New God Flow’ featuring Pusha-T and My three personal favorites ‘Clique’ which performed by Big Sean and features Jay-Z and Kanye West. ‘I don’t like (remix)’ featuring Kanye West, Big Sean, Jadakiss and Chief Keff. And ‘Mercy’ which features Big Sean, Pusha-T and 2chainz. The song stood number one in US Billboard Hot Rap Songs and Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs charts. The album is entertaining in a way that can only by understood by a true fan of Hip-Hop music.

Deepayan Roy, Anubhav De, Shashwathi Krishna, Allen Augustine, Madhav Drolia.

Layout: Tajinder Pal Singh

Edited by: Pranav Kohli

Barfi starring ranbeer kapoor, priyanka chopra andIleana D’Cruz was an exceptional movie directed by anuragh basu filled with absolute sweetness and vibrancy of life. The film captured the hearts of audiences through its unique simplicity blended with positivity which kinder to the human spirits and inspires all to take on life despite how many times it brings you down.

The movie brings out the inner strength of individuals, accepting oneself despite the shortcomings, spreadind love and happiness all the way to the finish line. Anuragh basu has taken up the challenge of taking disabled broken characters come to life and light up our hearts through their journey.

Nestled in the scenic beauty of Darjeeling, “Barfi” an indian romantic comedy film which tells the story of “Barfi”, a mute and deaf boy in Darjeeling, West Bengal and his relation with two girls, one of whom is autistic. Made on a budget of 30 crore (US$5.67 million),[6] the

film was released on 14 September 2012 across 1300 screens in India.

Though the star cast of the movie seem jaw droppingly awesome, it is the structuring of the central character Murphy which is certain to steal the show. Murphy “Barfi” is so cute — you will love him; he is so naughty — you will laugh hard; he is so clever — you will be amazed. The uneven trail of Barfi’s life is an amusing watch. He is never tired of running around or getting caught. Its not like he has a plan, but he always figures out a way. He may not have a voice, but people cannot escape what he has to say as he says it through his actions. He drives the people around him (his father, the police etc) to the edge of their nerves, but he cannot hear them complain. Is his imper-fection a curse or a blessing, you wonder. But in the end, after the fun-filled ride is over, looking back you realize, what a harsh reflection it is of the so-called perfect world we live in.

The story is familiar. It is perhaps

like the many you have seen before and may become a drag here and there. Yet it reaches out to you. The emotions expressed and played, warm the heart. The crux of the movie is to celebrate the idea of simply falling in love rather than calculating to fall in love, which sadly is the trend of the times. Barfi makes us want to believe and assures us that it is okay to have weaknesses and to not be perfect in the sense ‘perfection’ of today’s world. The best part is that we learn while laughing instead of shedding buckets full of tears. It’s a very sensitive story, shown in the goofiest possible manner.

Ranbir Kapoor, though he amazes us, is not much of a surprise as we are aware of his passionate

character from his “Rockstar.” It is Priyanka Chopra who steals the show in her new avatar. From the stunning hotshot model of “Fashion” to the fierce and bold avenger in “Don”, we now see her as an innocent and dependent little girl who needs help to undo her underpants and who needs to hold the pinky finger to fall asleep. Who could have imagined to see the witty and shrewd wife who gets rid of seven husbands in “7 Khoon Maaf” as the most delicate person? She may seem to be an

imperfect and incomplete woman, yet is completely perfect in all spheres of being a woman — from being insecure to loving without boundaries.

The film on the one-hand was praised for showing positive portrayal of the differently abled and on the other hand was harshly criticized for lifting scenes from Hollywood movies like “Charlie Chaplin” and “The Notebook”. Despite of all these melee, “Barfi” is a film which has to be experienced rather than picking pros and cons.

- By Anubhav DeMurphy the “Barfi”

Just might let you meet YE!- By Shashwathi Krishna

Advertisements are often a source of

irritation for the viewers, especially in

visual media like television and internet.

Advertisements in mediums like print

and radio also have the same effect

on the audience. But it is important

to note that advertisements tickle the

audience’s senses and make them fall

for the product.

Without advertisements viewers and

consumers would head towards a realm

of imperfect and insufficient market

information, which in turn would

create confusion during the selection

of a product. A viewer while watching

a stupid ad on television might laugh at

the stupidity of the ad, but may simul-

taneously be struck by the brand which

in turn would influence his choice,

sub-consciously. Hence the purchase of

a product is directly or indirectly linked

to an advertisement; no matter how

silly it may have been!

Advertisements not only assist the

consumers in the selection of a product

but also give them an idea as to the

utility of a particular product. Adver-

tisements can also be considered as a

source of knowledge as they help keep

the consumers up to date.

Now it is important to note that adver-

tisements are always aimed at a certain

section of the audience (also called the

target audience) and are structured

to excite the targeted audience. For

example, a bike advertisement is

usually targeted at the male youth

and middle aged men, and so the ad-

vertisement always features a man in

it; and more often than not, the man

acquires success (often symbolised

via the start of a romantic relationship

with an attractive woman), shortly after

acquiring the said bike.

As a matter of fact the more we look

into this, the more we notice that ad-

vertisements actually create a healthy

competition among manufacturers; a

competition which boosts the quality of

products. Additionally, advertisements

also avoid the creation of a particular

product’s monopoly over the market.

Contrary to popular perception, adver-

tisements don’t result in confusion and

misinformation.

Hence, advertisements do play a vital

role in everyone’s life. And it’s needless

to say that decision making on the part

of the consumer, can go wrong without

the assistance provided by advertise-

ments. Thus advertisements are like a

wave; they give a flow to the pattern

of decision making and help consumers

make the right choice.

HOW INFLUENTIAL CAN ADVERTISEMENTS BE?

- by Deepayan Roy