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The power of Red
Enough of blaming the youth - for speed, alcohol, sex, drugs and violence. Enough of cynicism, criticism, censure. Enough! It's time we gave our young brigade credit where it is due. Like for this one. On World AIDS Day (observed on Decmeber 1 all over the world, and dedicated to raising awareness of the AIDS pandemic) we at Lifestyle recognise the efforts of these enterprising souls, find out what they are up to, value the initiative and finally, put forward for your appreciation. Because, raising awareness is all we can do and the youth is only we can turn to. Take Gaurav Gaur, for instance, all of twenty-six and six years into the cause. The faculty member at the Department of Social Work, Panjab University, and also the youth ambassador for the Commonwealth, took the cause head-on, post his encounters with dwellers of slum areas of the tricity. Says Gaurav, "When I visited these areas, I noticed that health was the main concern and conditions deplorable. It was natural for me to take it up." Among other things and apart from a host of activities, the guy went ahead and painted his car with loud and screaming messages to draw attention to the cause.
The technicalities might be different but the spirit remains the same. As Supongsenla Jamir, a student of Social Work feels a special affinity for the cause. She says, "It's a grave problem. Statistics says youngsters are the most infected, so we need to realise the severity of the problem." The girl has been associated with the cause for the past two years. From lighting diyas to distributing red ribbons, she's doing it all. Wherever the youth is involved, there's innovation. So some are quite bold in their ways. Parveen Thakur, another PU student, who associated with cause when his friends' brother was afflicted. Parveen painted his face during the recently held signature campaign at the university campus. He says, "Earlier, I was quite shy but now I don't feel embarrassed at all and am least affected by others' reaction." He adds, "We need to take the cause to slums and sensitive areas even more aggressively." With them, profession and passion need not be similar. Suffanmeet Kaur, a computer engineering student, has been associated with the AIESEC for over six months. The girl has planned a slew of activities for today, including, poster making, declamations and some of the myriad ways of imparting knowledge. As she says, "If we spread awareness about it, we can work it out." She adds, "We need to get more public about the issue. I still come across people who are too arrogant to even talk about it and those are the kinds who are vulnerable." Their problems is summed up by Gaurav in the following words, "It's like any other fatal epidemic. Add to it the problem of social stigma, which multiplies our work ten fold." As Suffanmeet, recalls, "We approached this particular school where we wanted to hold a seminar on HIV/ AIDS. The school authority shied away saying things like this could lead to complications." However, a lot has changed over the past half decade. As Gaurav says, "There's been a remarkable change from the time I began. People have become more open, have started coming forward." No place for complacency though. We still have a long way to go. With these youthful, restless and spirited souls, that have passion combined with expertise, we sure will. Hey…by the way, are you wearing a red ribbon today? manpriya@tribunemail.com |
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The Treeman Show
For, he has a world nestled under them. A world, which is not open to anyone except for 'very' close friends. "I have virtually hand-picked every single seed, and built my little own world, Nishant Prabhakar, who owns a production house Prabhakar Films points towards the 20-feet-tall deodar trees planted at his farmhouse Chandrawal Kunj at Morni, and some in the forest area, which is an achievement in itself. "I belong to the trees here. Honestly, I always wanted to be one." Hills, birds chirping, dark deep forest, tall pine trees, rivulets, whiff of cold breeze, warm winter sun, nature has had a strong influence on Nishant ever since childhood. "It wouldn't be wrong to say that I have grown up in close company of nature, says Nishant. I have always found some kind of spiritual attachment to them. "If, I am allowed to," smiles Nishant, "I would spend the whole day, rather months, sitting under the deodar trees." And, now what Nishant has managed to do is certainly an inspiration for the nature lovers. This 31-year-old planted more than 240 deodar trees at his farmhouse, out of which 140 survived to touch 20 feet height. Provides Nishant, "Deodar need cold and moist climate to grow, whereas the climate of Morni is warm and dry. Despite this, 140 of them survived and shot up to narrate their own survival story." After the facts, we wanted to dig into more into this passion, which has a tinge of obsession. "My parents bought some land at Morni hills at a height of 4,000 ft in 1985. Thereafter, we developed it into a farmhouse in 1991 and that's when and where the seeds of my passion for planting trees germinated." In 1998, Nishant started planting deodar trees (Cedrus Deodara) with an initial plantation of 25 trees. "I got 25 samplings from the nursery of forest department in Kandaghat, Himchal Pradesh. Lots of people, even the forest officials, were skeptical whether 'my' trees would survive at 4,000 ft because deodar trees survive and grow best at an elevation of 6,000-10,000 ft. But, my inner voice guided and told me to take a chance," laughs Nishant, who happily watched the trees grow. There was no stopping this tree man now. "I again resourced 100 deodar trees in 2001 from Kandaghat and planted them but due to failure of rains that year I lost 90 trees. In 2004, I planted 50 trees, 10 in the forest area of the forest department and rest in my farmhouse. Only 35 trees survived and are doing fine. Again in 2007, I got 25 trees from Kullu and Manali. These trees where in the poly-bag and not those usual bare root. Here too, I met a success rate of 80 per cent survival rate." If you wonder what drives Nishant to plant trees, one after the other, then this is what he has to say. "I want to change the climate of the city by planting trees. This would make the area green and also help in water conservation." And, if you thought planting trees was just another gardening hobby, then you have to travel with Nishant, who drives to the forest 3-4 times a week to check how his babies, the trees, are doing. "During summers, my workers keep a vigil on the forest and take initiative to clear the forest areas with the forest department of the dried out pine leaves, which are a ready fodder to produce raging forest fire," says Nishant, who is now experimenting with new varieties of trees like blue pine, Moru or Himlayan oak, Harkad Himalayan Yew to name a few. Anything more, that he wants to do, besides planting trees? "Nothing. They are life to me. I plan to introduce apple figs and walnut trees some day." jasmine@tribunemail.com
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The end of Italian Job
The ending to the movie Italian Job is no longer a mystery, as English actor Michael Caine has revealed how it concluded. The movie had been made in 1969, and as Sir Michael Caine spoke at the 2008 Visit London Awards, he revealed on the eve of the 40th anniversary of the film how producers had filmed the ending.
According to the 75-year-old actor, the movie ended with the gang of criminals escaping and the 4 million-dollar cargo of gold tumbling into the ravine, and later being picked up by the rival Mafia gang. The revelation comes as the Royal Society of Chemistry holds a competition to see who can come up with the most original, and elegant-ending to the film. The competition has already received 750 different answers to the ending. Sir Michael gave a detailed description of the ending of the original script though it was never used in the movie. "In the coach, I crawl up, switch on the engine and stay there for four hours until all the petrol runs out," he was quoted. "The van bounces back up so we can all get out, but then the gold goes over. There are a load of Corsican Mafia at the bottom watching the whole thing with binoculars. They grab the gold, and then the sequel is us chasing it," he added. The real version by the actor, who was at the ceremony at the Royal Albert Hall in London after being voted the capital's favourite Londoner, is unlikely to stop the debate on the subject. A competition currently being run by the Royal Society of Chemistry is expected to announce a winner in January. |
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However, they decided against working together on the project in order to avoid any kind of marital arguments. "Will wanted to do The Human Contract. He loved the male character but it's so outside anything he's ever done and we decided it would be best if he didn't so that we would stay married!" Jada said. "(But) that would be one of my dreams - to direct Will, but I don't know if it would be in a big blockbuster. That's not my style," she added.
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American pop princess Britney Spears made a successful return to the stage at the Bambi Awards recently. Spears, who is determined to get her life back in order, wore a top hat and a black see-through body stocking as she sang and danced to her latest hit Womanizer at the awards in Germany. The Toxic singer looked her best as she performed her quick dance moves that were a far cry from her performance on the 2007 MTV Video Music Awards. Spears was also honoured as the Best International Pop Star by the German media, and fashion designer Karl Lagerfeld presented her with the statue, which resembles a shining gold deer. Her album Circus is slated to be released on December 2.
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Miley Cyrus may dump her acting profession to pursue a career in photography after being inspired by the legendary photographer Annie Leibovitz. The Hannah Montana star's photo shoot with Leibovitz had been at the centre of much controversy after the young actress had posed in just a bed sheet for Vanity Fair magazine earlier this year. However, the 16-year-old insisted that watching the genius snapper at work had fired her interests to follow in the same league. "I do want to come to London to study photography. I hear there are some really great art schools, so I would love to do that," a website quoted her as saying. "I got to work with an amazing photographer. (Leibovitz) was amazing and so talented. And that's what I want to do with my life. I would love to be a photographer. I would love to work with her again," she added. —ANI
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It's not elementary, Dr Watson! Guy Ritchie's latest flick Sherlock Holmes has been dubbed 'cursed' following a series of serious accidents on the film's sets. The Brit director's cast and staff have reportedly had enough of their hands to question if they had a mystery to solve after Robert Downey Jr. was made to see the stars by a 7 ft wrestler. The 43-year-old, who stars as the famous detective, was 'put out' by 25-stone co-star Robert Maillet during a fight scene and had to have six stitches in his mouth before 'drooling blood'. "Robert was accidentally caught on the chin by a thundering hook. He went flying and was out cold," a source said. "He didn't want to go to the hospital and kept trying to get up. He's a trooper. But there have been lots of other problems too," the source added. The knock-off is said to have come after he, co-star Jude Law and Ritchie, had to escape from a petrol tanker that burst into flames halting the shoot to close for two hours.The source added: "The crew have started joking about the curse of Sherlock Holmes."
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Feast from farms
But, we discovered some interesting piece of information, coming from the household names in dairy products and non-vegetarian category -Verka and Venky's. You have tasted and enjoyed Venky's non-vegetarian stuff, and now it's time to taste their dairy products as well. For the first time, you will have them venture in the dairy product sector with Venky's milk and milk products. Offers M.K. Gupta, general manager- North zone, "Venky's will now bring in top of the line milk and milk products. These are already available in Ludhiana and Himachal Pradesh, and will soon be available in Chandigarh as well." The new range of Venky's products are high on quality and they taste like pure, authentic home made stuff, like our nani daadi used to make." Well, with people curious to know how Venky's dairy products will taste like, there is hope for the leaders in Non-vegetarian. And then we have yet another interesting piece of news. The household name Verka is coming up with three new flavours of ice creams- choco crackle, coffee, and plain malai kulfi. Provides Rajinder Deora, manager marketing, Verka, "The new flavours will be out in the market as soon as we finish with the agro fair." So, all you Verka fans, watch out for the three lip smacking flavours. Not only this, Milkfed is making effort to export Gulab Jamun to UAE and processed cheese to Japan. And we thought agro tech fair was all about farming and tractors. Places like these house lots of surprises as well. jasmine@tribunemail.com
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Reality bytes
A topic close to Punjabi heart and cinema- Sons of the soil leaving their heartland and going out in the pursuit of happiness. And well, happiness that eludes them all the way. This is where the movie, Wattanaan Ton Door, touches your heart. The cast and crew of the movie were in town to promote the movie, which highlights the emotional and physical turmoils of Punjabis immigrating out for employment. A tete-e-tete with Aroon Bakshi, Tina Ghai and Vivek Shauq. In Good Company
Vivek Shauq is the man to call for when talking about Punjabi cinema. "It is a story about the journey of three characters who go to Germany in search of job, with dreams of success and hopes of settling down," he says. But haven't we seen NRI based movies in the past? "Sure. But this flick culminates in three different endings. Where one character goes back to his roots, another finds success in Germany and the third ends up where he loses the battle with life on a foreign soil. It is an open-ended movie, where the audiences can decide what ending is suitable," he adds. This is his third successive release after Sat Sri Akal and Chak De Phatte. "What we lack here is a loyal audience. Punjabi cinema doesn't lack in talent or finances but there is a lack of sincere audience as compared to other regional cinema," says Vivek. On projects in pipeline, he adds, "A movie with Gurdaas Maan, Mini Punjab and another with Roshan Prince, Lagda Ishq Ho Gaya." Changing gears
After spending over one and a half-decade in the glamour industry, actor Tinaa Ghaai who reinvented herself as a singer, is now ready with Wattanaan Ton Door. " I play a Punjabi girl based in Germany who is a strong and hard core professional," she says. Singing, acting in films in Bhojpuri, Punjabi, Hindi, Bengali, Kannada, Telugu…, interior designing, isn't it a case of work overload? "I don't like monotony and difficult tasks give me a high. I explore and experiment in my work, and I guess that keeps me mentally young," the lady says smilingly. And while she is not working she loves reading, horse riding, swimming and playing tennis. Some adventurous streak in life. Cut to Cut
Another face of creative Punjabi blood is actor, singer and composer Aroon Bakshi. The man who loves Bulle Shah, Baba Farid and anything that excites his creative instincts. "It is a movie made with pure heart and intentions. I play a taxi driver in the movie. He is tough and rude and at the same time a saviour for the three protagonists," he says. "When I see myself in movies like Black and White or this one, I feel my TRP's will certainly rise high," he signs off. neha@tribunemail.com |
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To celebrate Hyundai's success of fastest 20 lakh cars roll out in India, Hyundai and BIG 92.7 FM organized a caravan activity of four cars decorated with flowers and balloons running on the streets of four cities including Chandigarh, Amritsar, Patiala and Jalandhar. No wonder, the concept attracted a lot of attention on the city roads. One Santro, i10, Accent and one Verna car took rounds of the city roads throughout the day. The carvan started its journey from Sector 17 in the morning and ended it at same place in the evening. Whereas listeners of BIG 92.7 FM could win lots of prizes by answering simple questions related to the cars and carvan throughout the day. Big FM listeners were asked to answer questions related to this caravan like number of cars, colour of the cars etc. Later, in the evening at Sector 17, RJ Meenakshi and RJ Sachin presented I pods, MP 3 players and Nokia mobile phones to the winners. — TNS
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Today's generation does not think even once about the harmful effects of junk food, claims a new survey, which found that a majority of teens are unaware that a junk food-laden diet could potentially shorten their life. The poll conducted by the British Heart Foundation of 1,100 children, found that 73 percent of eight to 15-year-olds were not aware that a junk food-laden diet could potentially shorten their life. On the contrary, 45 percent teens believed that the worst effect of junk food could just be putting on weight, tooth problems, getting spots or becoming unpopular. According to a recent prediction, two thirds of children would be overweight or obese by 2050. But already, almost a third of 10 and 11-year-olds are currently overweight or obese. The trend has raised fears that today's children may be the first generation that would live shorter lives than their parents. However, in the BHF survey it was found that 56 percent of youngsters confidently predicted that they would live to be over 80, and 11 percent believed they would even exceed 100 years. "I know that eating junk food can give you spots and make you put on weight but I'm not really bothered about anything else. The future is too far off to worry about it," said Ryan Bolton.In fact, the charity released an online game, called Yoobot that will help children make healthier food choices. In the game, users create a mini version of themselves - the Yoobot - and then discover how exercise and diet impacts on life expectancy and well being. Mike Knapton, BHF director of prevention and care, said: "Today's junk food generation can't see beyond the burger box. They are missing the fact that eating unhealthily can have dire consequences on their long-term health. "The Yoobot is an innovative way for children to explore the effects of eating a diet of junk food. The clock is ticking on the obesity time bomb and it is now more important than ever for children to be educated enough to take control of their diets."---ANI
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Shake and shed
Indians are getting healthier, or at least they are trying to. The fight against obesity is reaching higher levels with each passing day and the fitness mantra has got everyone hooked. Yoga centers around the city are swelling up both in numbers and patrons. The parks are jam-packed and the gymnasiums, well, their enquiry numbers just don't seem to stop ringing. Leisure valleys are bubbling with people, young and old, humming to music on their cell phones, ipods and jogging away to a healthy life. The gymnasiums, with their swanky machines and hardcore trainers, are the places to get that perfect shape. But then, everyone cannot go to a gym, in fact it's getting all the more difficult to land a membership. So, is this the end of your healthy dream? Nah, as there are other avenues to explore, read dieting and fasting. The age-old formula of dieting still works well for most of us, for those who can't find time to work out due to tight office hours or a battered knee. The doctor, however, may not be too happy and will term it as unhealthy. This is because dieting for most of us means eating less or just not eating at all. Now, this surely gets the weighing scale to show a lower reading but takes a heavy toll on the body. Skipping one of the meals, or in some cases all three, doesn't augur well and has disadvantages including a sharp increase in weight once the individual goes off diet. The girls, by some inherent power bestowed to them by god, can survive on a single piece of fruit all day. This is where the poor guys take a hit. It's just not possible for some of them to control the urge to satiate their tummy. But hang on, help is on the way or as a matter of fact, help is already in the market. There are a variety of products out on sale to help you sail through. Companies have come out with milk shakes, soup mixes, protein bars, protein drink mixes, and lots more, to target that extra flab. During the time when one is on a self-imposed exile from the world of food, the body is deprived of those essential minerals, vitamins and the daily nourishment. This is where these products pitch in with the nutrients while keeping a check on the calorie intake. " They are not medicinal in nature and there are no side effects," says Satwant Kaur, 55, a housewife who has been on these milk shakes for the past 2.5 months. She shed around 5 kilos through diet control coupled with these wonder shakes, as termed by her. Manjot Singh, 25, who works in the marketing division,Tata Motors, is hooked to these shakes. He lost around 2 kilos in one month, after sticking to to shakes for breakfast/dinner coupled with a normal lunch. " The shakes have a good quantity of fiber along with soya protein that help support metabolism and enhance cellular growth repair and production. I feel healthier ever since I started using the shake mix," beams Rabinder Singh Riar, 60, an officer with the Punjab and Sind Bank. There are a wide variety of flavors to choose from. "Dutch Chocolate is my favourite", says Riar, who used to go for walks and felt tired, but now can walk longer. So all those trying to get that perfect figure, get cracking and avail the benefits of these products. But remember, it all starts at the top, start feeling healthy in the mind and the body will follow!
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Clearing the air
Though people are aware of air pollution, not too many know about indoor pollutants. But indoor factors are as important or worse in causing allergies, says Dr Jindal. Causes Mosquito repellents top the list of new-age indoor air pollutants. They can often trigger bouts of wheezing and acute respiratory hyper allergies. Various insect sprays and home cleaning media can also trigger such reactions as can dust in this dry weather. Also to blame are air-conditioners, which have fine particulate matter embedded in the felt linings and on the fan blades. The scary part about home pollutants, he says, is that you are never too old to have that first bout of hyperallergic reaction. An adverse reaction to a pollutant can occur for the first time at any age. There are many allergens in our house that can cause breathlessness, wheezing and asthma. Dust is one of them. Carpets, quilts and furniture besides many other things lying around at home accumulate dust and can cause allergies and asthma. Even television and computer can be lethal as they can generate heat that can ionise the air. Positive ions can irritate the bronchi and lead to an attack. Precautions There are no specific precautions one can take. But you should keep away from dust and in case of an attack, contact the doctor immediately. One should avoid or get rid of the items that could have caused it. One-tenth of the city population and one in every 10 school going children is said to have been suffering from these allergies. Clean and fresh The cleanliness of indoor air is especially important when you consider the amount of time we spend at home or in the office. If you want a healthy ionised and pollutant-free environment for your family and colleagues then use air-purifier. It makes breathing easier and lives healthier by eliminating dust and microbial particles floating in the air, which might cause allergies and respiratory ailments. It filters out the air inside any living space, leaving behind healthy air that is as refreshing as in the Alps. Fresh air is must for every house with children, elderly, smokers or persons with allergies and respiratory tract problems like asthma, says Dr Jindal. He says sunlight is also very important, which most of the people avoid just to maintain the interior of house. — Anuja Jaiswal
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BODY wise
For children, almost any physical activity is sufficient as long as they are moving. Playing actively or participating in athletics or physical activities like running, biking, jumping rope, and dancing, all provide children with the kind of fitness they need. Kids need a total of about 60 minutes of physical activity everyday, but this does not have to be all at one time. Short 10 or even five bouts of activity throughout the day are just as good. You have the power to give your children a lifelong appreciation for activities that strengthen their bodies. You can help your child by: Setting a good example
Share with them the pleasures and benefits of a physically active lifestyle as well as healthy eating habits. If you want an active child, be active yourself. Take the stairs instead of the elevator and park the car farther away from stores. Never make exercise seem a punishment or a chore. Find fun activities that the whole family can do together, such as swimming, nature hikes, cycling, walking the family dog, etc. Discouraging inactive pastimes
Set limits on the amount of time your child spends watching TV and playing video games. Help your child find fun things to do besides watching TV, like acting out favorite books or stories, or doing a family art project. Your child may find that creative play is more interesting than television. Encourage healthy eating habits
Help your child eat a healthier diet. Make a variety of nutritious foods readily available for snacks and at mealtime, including plenty of fruits and vegetables. Buy fewer soft drinks and high fat/high calorie foods like chips, cookies, and candy. Eat breakfast every day as skipping breakfast can leave your child hungry, tired, and looking for less healthy foods later in the day. Plan healthy meals and eat together as a family. Even while visiting a fast food restaurant, try the healthier options. Try not to use food as a reward when encouraging kids to eat. Promising dessert to a child for eating vegetables, for example, sends the message that vegetables are less valuable than dessert. Encourage physical activity
Many non-competitive activities are available for a child who isn't interested in organised athletics. The key is to find things that your child likes to do. If your child is artistically inclined, go on a nature hike to collect leaves and rocks that your child can use to make a collage, if your child likes to read, then walk or bike to the neighborhood library for a book. The following are some benefits of an active child:
It is very important that we help our children to adopt active lifestyles, as physical activity is a must for laying down a child's foundation for a long and healthy life. Active children increase their chance of becoming healthy adults. If they stay active as adults, they will enjoy better health and may live longer than their less active peers.
kalrasachin@hotmail.com |
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Actress Jada Pinkett Smith wants to direct husband Will Smith in a flick. The Matrix Reloaded actress revealed that the couple is looking for the perfect project in order to work together wherein Pinkett Smith can be behind the camera calling the shots. Smith also revealed that Will was keen to enact lead role in The Human Contract, written and directed by Jada in which she acted.
Agro-Tech Fair 2008, organised by CII(North) partnered by Ministry of Agriculture, Govt of India, at Parade Ground-17! We had quite predicted the offings -lots of agriculture-related stalls, lots and lots of farmers queuing up at stalls for queries, few youngsters and absolutely no children. Lastly, absolutely no rush, given the fact that we have the grueling happenings in Mumbai. But, we were certainly in for a pleasant surprise. And, what we saw validates that the spirit and the flame of brotherhood cannot fizz out with such heinous acts of terrorism.
Okay. So, the agro fair was indeed a pleasant place to hang out. Contrary to what we had assumed, the place was flooded with lots of youngsters checking out every enclave and curious to know everything about our agriculture. For once, they were not out to check out 'chicks'. They were 'seriously' checking out tractors, the new products to be launched in the agricultural and technology related sector. 
Engine fumes and sudden change in temperature are not the only things that can trigger an asthma attack. Even the living condition at home can cause dangerous allergies and asthma. Dr S.K. Jindal, head of Pulmonary Medicine Department, PGI, says much ignored indoor pollutants, those harmless and innocuous items in our homes can be the culprits behind these problems.
Until recently, there's been little need to address children's fitness and their inherent active nature was enough to keep them fit. However, today's urban environment has made inactivity an epidemic among children. They spend most of their time in non-physical pursuits such as watching television, playing video games, using computers. Studies indicate how obesity is fast becoming the most dangerous medical problem in kids. Being active from an early age will help children become physically fit, and as adults it is our responsibility to show the kids the right way.