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Partners
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A new low Young addicts a cause for consternation As if the rampant problem of drug abuse in Punjab was not bad enough, the startling news that two out of every 10 addicts are under 16 is even more worrisome. According to doctors at a drug de-addiction centre run in the Bathinda Civil Hospital, children aged 9 to 16 are hooked to gateway drugs like tobacco, poppy husk and marijuana. Indeed, substance use at a young age enhances the risk of drug dependence at a later stage manifold.
Advent
of Islamic Caliphate
Phrasal
verbs for smooth-flowing speech
CINEMA:
NEW Releases Poignantly
moving Unconvincing
love story
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A new low As
if the rampant problem of drug abuse in Punjab was not bad enough, the startling news that two out of every 10 addicts are under 16 is even more worrisome. According to doctors at a drug de-addiction centre run in the Bathinda Civil Hospital, children aged 9 to 16 are hooked to gateway drugs like tobacco, poppy husk and marijuana. Indeed, substance use at a young age enhances the risk of drug dependence at a later stage manifold. Vulnerable boys are often trapped in the drug racket. Because of their drug dependence, they are exploited and used as couriers in the drug supply chain. No doubt the government should do all that it takes to check the easy availability of drugs. However, while tightening the noose around drug lords, care has to be taken that life is not snuffed out of young addicts, many of whom are compelled to double up as petty peddlers. The desperation of addicts is also evident in their bizarre choices for attaining a temporary high. Addicts, especially young ones, have to be provided specialised medical treatment followed by rehabilitation. But the sorry state of rehabilitation
centres, especially in the private sector, only proves that the task is easier said than done. The Punjab Chief Minister's resolve to eliminate the drug menace in the state in two years is appreciable. Making right kind of noises is not enough; these have to be matched by measures and the whole exercise shouldn't become a farce. Besides, the endeavour has to be concerted and holistic and must involve all stakeholders. Some degree of onus of responsibility has to rest with peers and the family. To break the vicious cycle of drug abuse parents have to be repeatedly educated about warning signals and tell-tale signs of drug addiction. A country that boasts of its demographic divided can't allow the future of its most precious asset youth to be squandered for lack of timely intervention strategies.
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We have the best government that money can buy.
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Hindus in Canada
THE Times correspondent writing from Toronto (Canada) on the 5th June says that "two or three journals express sympathy with the Hindus and suggest that the Empire cannot exist if there is not free movement for British subjects throughout all British Dominions. But the general argument is that the Dominions must exercise control over immigration and that the Pacific Coast must be protected against any general invasion of Asiatics." This opinion is quite different from that of the total exclusionists who, in their hatred of Indians and Asiatics, misrepresent the real views of Canadians. That the Hindus have a certain sections of the people of Canada to support them is evident from the attitude of "two or three journals" which the Times mentions. India Council Bill and Lord Curzon
IT speaks volumes for the intolerance and antiquated prejudice of Lord Curzon and those who support him that he moved the rejection of the India Council Bill and made a lengthy speech suggesting that India and her voice should be ignored and the Bureaucracy should govern India with an iron rod. Lord Curzon should have been born in the fifteenth century in order that his talent for unbending autocracy might be shown to its best advantage. At the present day he can only succeed because Englishmen with democratic instincts refuse to hear anything sensible about India and treat India as undesirable burden to the Empire. We hope that Lord Curzon will find that he has misjudged his aristocratic countrymen and that he will not succeed in getting the Bill rejected. His opposition to the Bill is based on the "perilous method of appointing Indian members" and on the supposed clipping of the wings of the Indian Civil Services.
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Advent of Islamic Caliphate
While
the political stalemate in Iraq continues, the propaganda coup of the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (Isis) by declaring the chunks of territory in Syria and Iraq it controls as the Islamic Caliphate is not lost upon the principal actors inside and outside the region. The truth is that the three-year-old civil war in Syria and the rapid advances the Isis has made in Iraq by a former al-Qaida associate more fundamentalist and brutal than the traditional extremist forces have resulted in a frightening scenario. For one thing, it represents a failure of American policy, the adventurism of Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki in asserting the newly empowered Shia power at the cost of Sunnis and Kurds and the space these developments have given for a force such as the Isis to flex its muscles. There is no doubt that the Isis has overreached itself and will ultimately lose. But the costs Iraqis, Syrians and regional and outside actors will have to pay are immense. Although the Iraqi army that turned tail and took flight, instead of fighting the Isis, has been bought back to the battlefield with a stiffening of Shia militias, the loss of face of an American-trained and equipped force will be difficult to live down. Even while battles rage and the propaganda war on both sides of the Syrian equation intensifies, the political stalemate is far from resolution. Mr Maliki refuses to step aside while elements inside the Shia community, apart from Sunnis and Kurds and much of the rest of the world would like him to go before a more inclusive government can be formed. Second, a reluctant US President Barack Obama seems to be going down the slippery slope of a military re-engagement in Iraq by adding more American military advisers, apart from seeking half a billion dollars to arm the moderate Syrian opposition, thus far receiving limited clandestine support from Washington. President Obama, after all, was elected and re-elected on his promise to end the unpopular wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. He has followed a cautious policy in Syria, despite the continuing carnage and the flight of millions of Syrians to neighbouring countries. But with the advent of the Isis and the declaration of the Caliphate, the first after the Ottoman Empire bit dust, has changed the geopolitical picture. Thus far, the US has been keeping back military supplies promised to Iraq such as F-16 planes to exert pressure on Mr Maliki to form a more inclusive government, without much success. Iraq has sought to fill in its deficiencies by going to Moscow. Whether the US will succeed in removing Mr Maliki remains to be seen, but the American strategic community is sufficiently concerned over recent developments to reformulate their plans. Iran is an important regional player in Iraq and Syria because it is a supporter of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad as well as of the newly empowered Shias in Iraq, thanks to the 2003 US invasion. Iran and the US are negotiating an agreement on capping Tehran's nuclear programme while seeking to co-ordinate their merging interest in keeping the Isis at bay. Iran is assisting the Maliki regime to fight off the Isis even as it has been supplying military equipment and giving support to President Assad. The question on everyone's mind is the extent of US military involvement in Iraq and Syria because Washington now believes that its core interests are on the line, given the nature of the Isis's advances. Every US official is aware of how American involvement in South Vietnam began with the sending of military "advisers". Much will depend upon how soon the Iraqi political crisis is resolved, with a break-up of the country into Shia, Sunni and Kurd entities staring the domestic actors in the face. Sections of Sunnis and ex-Baathist officers are supporting the Isis in the North-west to get even with Mr Maliki for marginalising them. The Kurds have benefited the most by capturing the oil town of Kirkuk after Baghdad's troops abandoned their posts there. Tellingly, Iraqis have been fleeing the Isis advance to take refuge in the Kurdish-administered areas, In political terms, Mr Maliki has become toxic and is a main hurdle to a resolution of the crisis by digging his heels in. Although the advance of the Isis has been halted short of the capital Baghdad, Baghdad troops have not been very successful in taking back territory it has lost. Is Washington now prepared to use strong measures to seek Mr Maliki's exit? The Sunnis are demanding it in exchange for not supporting the Isis, and Kurds are against the Prime Minister too. The Gulf monarchies, which have been playing a crucial role in the regional crises, are also sufficiently alarmed by the advance of the Isis in trimming their monetary support to the extreme Sunni opponents in Syria. But they remain wary of the political rapprochement between the US and Iran over checkmating the Isis. The new US resolve to support the moderate Syrian opposition by fresh military supplies, once approved by the Congress, will take time to make a difference on the ground. Perhaps the weight of a regrouped Iraqi army and the military support being extended by Iran and US "advisers" will make a difference. In any event, the US administration is sufficiently alarmed by the Isis phenomenon to take a more activist role in Iraq and Syria. Significantly, it did not leave any troops behind when it left Iraq. And President Obama's great aversion to get involved in the Syrian tragedy, despite the catastrophic loss of lives and the misery inflicted on millions of Syrians. Indeed, President Obama has been emphasising his more limited view of American military interventions in the world. Even as the Isis has won its propaganda war and is tempting fate by its hyperbolic rhetoric, the geopolitical scenario has changed. How far the US takes its new military intervention in Iraq and Syria is an open question.
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Phrasal verbs for smooth-flowing speech "... the fact that their use is, for the most part, more colloquial than literary, there still persists a certain prejudice against phrasal verbs ... [but]it is perhaps in colloquialisms of this kind... that we come nearest to the idiomatic heart of the English language." —Logan Pearsall Smith
1. The Manager was upset with the Chef's menu and decided to tell off. "Tell <somebody> off" (for something) is a transitive verb and must occur with an object, which is missing here. Besides, this phrasal verb is strongly idiomatic, not permitting grammatical changes. The user cannot say "tell off" without the object "him"in the sentence, inserted between "tell" and "off" in harmony with the structure. The sentence can be revised as "The Manager ... decided to tell him off (for it)". 2. Zeenat and Zaheer decided to calm down their differences. The phrasal verb we need here is "iron out", not "calm down" because "calm down" does not collocate with "differences", which means it cannot accept "differences" as its neighbour. In the revised version, the two will have to "iron out their differences".
3. Simi passed away the tricky The sentence above is a case of semantic confusion between "passed away" and "pass <something> on (to somebody)". The phrase "pass away" means to "die", the sense certainly not intended here. The reworded sentence is "Simi passed the tricky puzzles on to Mohit". 4. Admissions are open to the graduate programme. Candidates can take up any three subjects. "Take up" within the text conveys the meaning but would be better suited in informal speech. In a formal announcement written in formal language, the phrasal verb "take up" causes a stylistic clash and can be replaced with "select". At times, varieties of English may not agree on the meaning value of certain phrasal verbs. For instance, it is acceptable to say "I passed out from Delhi College of Engineering" in British English but not so in American English, where the sentence will be spoken as "I graduated from Delhi College of Engineering". In the US, "passed out" refers strictly to "fell unconscious". Earlier, lexicographers used to impose norms on normal usage of phrasal verbs but with their increasing frequency, they provide lengthy subentries of these lexical items. Several dictionaries exist, dedicated to learning and practising them. More popular in conversation and fiction as compared to newspapers and academic writing, phrasal verbs facilitate a smooth-flowing speech; natural, friendly and easy to understand.
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CINEMA: NEW Releases Nonika Singh
First the pluses… How often do you see a young (actually not so young, she is 30 we are told) girl that too hailing from a conservative Muslim background obsessed with detective-giri? But here she is Bilquis Ahmed urf Bobby Jasoos (Vidya Balan) who takes pictures of lovers romancing on the sly, sprints like PT Usha when caught and pesters detective agencies to hire her as a jasoos.
Actually her single-minded mission in life is to solve cases as a private detective. Even though the cases she can lay her hands on are petty ones, her gall and gumption as well as her endearing Hyderabadi accent gets you going. And Bobby's jasoosi gets a fillip when a big case comes her way courtesy a rich man (Kiran Kumar). As she sets out to fulfill her assignment of finding out young girls guided by just one clue—the birthmarks on their bodies—the film packs many an interesting moment. Her much talked about disguises not only heighten the mirth factor but also bring out the actor in Vidya in full measure. To say she is the hero of the film would be belittling the fine heroine that she. Yet there is no disputing that she carries the film on her not so frail shoulders. And you can't help but applaud this actor of substance who has made a habit of playing unconventional parts with élan. No wonder you root for the character she plays—the sprightly spunky Bobby who stands up for herself. Refreshingly the men in Bobby's life, father (Rajendra Gupta) and friend (Ali Fazal) are not cardboard cut outs but real credible beings and lend credence to her story. The narrative also sails on humour, dialogues and fine flow. Till the first half, the film is a breeze that engages you as much with its unique Hyderabadi flavour as with it story line with dollops of suspense thrown in for good measure. Post interval, it doesn't sink outright but predictable twists, an unnecessary dream song do throw a spanner. Of course, the biggest spoiler is the clichéd and feel-good climax quite on the expected lines. But even if you disagree with the simplistic turn of events the film is certainly watchable if for nothing else for Vidya Balan's superb act. She is natural, spontaneous and high on energy and in one emotive interface with abbu tugs at your heart strings too. The supporting cast that includes film industry's some of seasoned gifted actors such as Kiran Kumar, Tanvi Azmi, Supriya Pathak and Rajendra Gupta as well as fresh ones like Fazal of course is an added bonus. Final take: Our Bobby Jasoos may not be a female pink panther but as desi as it gets and delightful too.
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Poignantly moving
The main character, whose voice-over narration, drawn
verbatim from Green’s pages, frames the story, is Hazel Grace Lancaster (Shailene
Woodley), a sixteen-year-old cancer patient who doesn’t believe she is
depressed, and is being coerced by her parents to attend a support group,
where she subsequently meets and falls in love with Augustus Waters (Ansel
Elgort), a cancer survivor who accompanies his cancer afflicted friend (Nat
Wolff) to the group meetings.
Hazel and Gus are two extraordinary teenagers who, though under severe pressure from the dreaded disease, fight for survival and acceptance with acerbic wit, disdain for conventions, and a courage that keeps them going through life’s interminable hurdles. They also fall in love with each other, a love that sweeps them — and us — on an unforgettable journey. Their relationship is all the more miraculous, given that they may have no real future together. This film, like in the book, explores the funny, thrilling and tragic business of being afflicted, half-way alive and in love while staring death in the face! Both kids have supportive, loving parents whom we barely get to know — hers are Frannie (Laura Dern) and Michael (Sam Trammell). Both sets of parents are stoic and determined to face head-on the challenges of life after the death of their children, if at all. Of course, they don’t say it in so many words but the feeling is implicit. One of the dramatic high-points come from Hazel and Gus’ shared love for reading, which in turn becomes the inspiration for their trip to Amsterdam to seek out the reclusive writer (Willem Dafoe) of Hazel’s favourite novel, the fictitious An Imperial Affliction. The novel also happens to be about a young woman living with cancer. Director Josh Boone’s adaptation of author John Green’s tear-jerking, young- adult phenomenon, goes to a great extent to spell out the maudlin exigencies of living with a terminal illness. The hope, the courage, the parental pussy-footing, the facing-up to the challenge of everyday life, the defining of a purpose to go on—all find scope and space for existence in a screenplay that is both uplifting as well as poignantly poised. Screenwriters Scott Neustadter and Michael H. Weber stay true to the book and that’s a blessing. The treatment and performances allow for a matter-of-fact engagement. The attempt is to keep the melodrama at bay while making an emotional attempt at drama. The tone is imminently moving while the tenor stays upbeat despite the numerous lump-in-your-throat moments. Shailene Woodley is astonishingly convincing. The background score keeps the orchestrated doses of sentiment to a minimum. Even so you will have a difficult (if not impossible) time staying unmoved. Rest assured this one will well up emotions and send them cascading from your eyes. It’s a tear-jerker like never before! Be prepared to cry buckets. There’s no finer way than this to have a totally immersive experience!
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Unconvincing love story
This film marks the debut of Raj Kapoor's grandson, Armaan Jain, progeny to Reema Kapoor and Manoj Jain, alongside new find Deeksha. Both are earnest and have worked hard no doubt but the smoothness with which they should have embodied the two buddies-turned-lovers-turned-foes, is missing. In fact, both look awkward and unconvincing. Of course, the director himself isn't clear about what he wants to achieve. So, when the two buddies Dino (Armaan) and Karishma (Deeksha), who are not in love with each other, have an impromptu beer session together, to discuss the fallout of Karisma's parents' intentions to get her married off, they escape into a fantasy of seeing themselves married to each other. Both are students in their final year and have no jobs. Dinoo dabbles in music and hopes to make it big one day while his brother is the more dutiful hardworking type that his parents are proud of. So, when Dino springs the surprise of his intention to marry K, his parents are obviously perplexed and take it as a joke. Right from the premise to the exposition and set-up, it's a shaky ride at best. The fractured development also appears deliberately contrived. Neither the actors nor the director manage to get us interested even for a bit. The lack of screen presence in both the debutants is galling. The only claim to fame that boyish, chocolaty Armaan can have is his resemblance to his uncle Rajiv (Chimpu) Kapoor—not much of a recommendation as Rajiv himself is a failed actor best forgotten. Deeksha doesn't make the cut either. Director Arif Ali's attempt to follow in his famous brother's footsteps is also not impressive enough. Add to that, the misery of having Rahman provide the worst music of his career yet! This kind of 'deewanapan' gives a bad name to romance. You can't get more unromantic than that. There's certainly no saving this sinking ship!
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TV movies
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FILMY
ZEE CINEMA
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INDIA TALKIES
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MOVIES OK
SONY PIX
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