Women complain bitterly about media - NGO

In India women groups complain bitterly about themedia and say that it ignores them, 'commodifies' them, and does notmirror their problems, aspirations and achievements, said NGO Population First, Program Director, Dr A L Sharada.

Dr Sharada said this at a three day workshop held at Lonavala on''Gender and Media'' where she spoke about 'The change over the lasthalf century in reporting on women and gender issues by Indian newspapers' and 'Gender Budgeting for Women.

She added, ''Biases are often unconscious. If not exposed andaddressed they become part of a work culture and a way of life. Theyunfairly impinge on a section of society and cloud the correctpicture. To break a bias, one needs to be first conscious of it.''Speaking on 'Reporting crime on women' an activist Lalitha Dhara said,''15 cases of rape and sexual violence were reported in 2000-01 upfrom just one case in the 1970's, when newspapers were shy of evenmentioning the word 'rape' but couched it in phrases like ''outraginga woman's modesty'' or ''assault''.'

'With the entry of women in journalism the crime phraseology has changed.

However many of the reported rape stories are still foundwanting in the manner in which they are written. Only a couple of themwere reported in a sensitive balanced way.'' Speaking on 'Gender Budgeting for Women' Lalitha Dhara said, ''

The annual budget of 2005-06 etched in a structural change that went largely and sadlyunreported.' ' For the first time as many as 18 Union Ministries wereasked to do a gender disaggregated analysis so that they are able toprovide a reliable and studied indicator of how their programmesimpact gender.

Described as welcome by some and a hasty patchwork byothers the fact remains that it marked the arrival of 'gender budgeting' in India.

As the Finance Minister himself acknowledged in his budget speech tha this step for gender budgeting was only the beginning. ''Hon. members will be happy to note I have included in the budget documents a seperate statement highlighting gender sensitivities of the budgetary allocations under 10 demands for grants.

The total amount in budget estimates 2005-06 according to the statement is just above Rs 10,000 crore.''Although this is another first in budget making in India it is only a beginning and in course of time all departments will be required to present gender budgets as well as make benefit-incidence analysis.''

TV ratings to be reviewed

TV ratings in India are to be reviewed as the Ministry says the current system of measuring television programs popularity is not accurate

In a move that could impact the Rs 8,000 crore television advertising revenue and the process of measuring popularity of television programming, the information and broadcasting ministry plans to end the monopoly environment in measuring of television rating points (TRPs).

I&B minister Priya Ranjan Dasmunsi said, "The current scenario of measuring TRPs does not reflect real growth of channels and is not a true representative of what audiences are watching. We want to end the monopoly of one company."

He said existing standards would have to be reviewed, including sample size and a more transparent system of functioning will be put in place. The matter is likely to be taken up in an inter-ministerial meeting next week.

Popularity of television programming is measured in TRPs that is collated through 'peoplemeters' set up in a sample number of television homes. At present, broadcasters, advertisers and media planners subscribe to TRPs generated on weekly basis by TAM Media Research. Another agency, aMap provides ratings on an overnight basis.

A South Indian Student's first day at school in the USA

Somethin for today........

It was the first day of school and a new student named Chandrasekhar Subramaniam entered the fourth grade. The teacher said, "Let's begin by reviewing some American History.

Who said "Give me Liberty, or give me Death"?
She saw a sea of blank faces, except for Chandrasekhar, who had his hand up: "Patrick Henry, 1775" he said.
Very good.....she said

Who said "Government of the People, by the People, for the People, shall not perish from the Earth?"
Again, no response except from Chandrasekhar. "Abraham Lincoln, 1863" said Chandrasekhar.
The teacher snapped at the class, "Class, you should be ashamed. Chandrasekhar, who is new to our country, knows more about its history than you do."

She heard a loud whisper: "F*ck the Indians,"
"Who said that?" she demanded. Candrasekhar put his hand up. "General Custer, 1862."

At that point, a student in the back said, "I'm gonna puke."
The teacher glares around and asks "All right.... Now, who said that?"
Again, Chandrasekhar says, "George Bush to the Japanese Prime Minister,1991."

Now furious, another student yells, "Oh yeah? S*ck this!"
Chandrasekhar jumps out of his chair waving his hand and shouts to the teacher,
"Bill Clinton, to Monica Lewinsky, 1997!"

Now with almost a mob hysteria someone said "You little Sh*t. If you say anything else, I'll kill you."
Chandrashekhar frantically yells at the top of his voice, "Gary Condit to Chandra Levy, 2001."
The teacher fainted...........

And as the class gathered around the teacher on the floor, someone said,
"Oh shit, we're f*cked!" and..........
Chandrasekhar said quietly, "George Bush, Iraq, 2005.......

17 ways to tackle energy zappers

People complain of being tired most of the time.

Most of us chalk it up to having too much to do and not enough time to do it in, especially during extra-busy periods.

But often the true culprits are our everyday habits: what we eat, how we sleep, and how we cope emotionally. Listed below are some basic recharging changes that can help you tackle most, if not all of the energy stealers.

Energize Your Diet

Have breakfast... even if you don't feel hungry. You'll be a lot perkier:

Eat every three to four hours. Having three smallish meals and two snacks throughout the day can keep your blood sugar and energy levels stable all day long. A few meal ideas: a low-fat yogurt parfait with berries and a couple of tablespoons of whole-grain granola; salmon over mixed greens with whole-grain crackers; and beef tenderloin with a baked sweet potato and asparagus. Fill up on more fiber... the daily recommended suggestions: a bowl of raisin bran (5 grams of fiber per cup); black beans and cheese wrapped in a multigrain tortilla (beans have 7.5 grams per 1/2 cup; one tortilla has 5 grams); air-popped popcorn (3.6 grams per 3 cups); an apple with the skin (3.3 grams); and whole-wheat spaghetti (6.3 grams per cup). Fuel your body with omega-3s...found in fatty fish (such as tuna and salmon), walnuts, and canola oil, these essential fatty acids play a role in keeping you mentally alert. Stay hydrated always. You should be going every two to four hours to the loo and your urine should be clear or pale yellow in color. Tip: Besides drinking more, you can also consume foods that naturally contain water, such as yogurt, broccoli, carrots, and juicy fruits, like watermelons, oranges, and grapefruits. Also watch caffeine intake after noon. Typically, consuming a moderate amount of caffeine — 200 to 300 mg, the amount found in two to three cups of coffee — can make you more energetic and alert. But when caffeine is consumed in large quantities — or anytime in the afternoon or evening — the quality of your sleep that night can take a nosedive, leaving you with heavy eyelids the next day.

• Splash some water on your face or take a shower when you're feeling burned-out.
• Suit up in a "power" outfit to beat the blahs.
• Vent your feelings.
• Turn on some tunes.
• Let go of grudges.
• Take belly breaths.
• De-clutter a corner.
• Doing some good would also make you feel good
• Cut back on TV and computer time after 8 p.m
• Hide your alarm clock.
• Give your pet his own separate sleeping space.
• Lower the thermostat
• Skip the nightcap.
• Get your exercise.
• If you can't get to sleep within 15 minutes, get out and do something relaxing
• Write down your worries.

And there are many more….but organize the above and most of your stress factors would decide to take a holiday…. Leavin you much more energized until they decide to return….

WebMD Feature from "Redbook" MagazineBy Nancy Rones

UNESCO offers training module on documentary scripts

UNESCO has released an instructional video that provides basic knowledge and useful advice for those interested in writing for documentaries....[for the Asia and the Pacific regions]

The video, prepared in partnership with the India's Public Service Broadcasting Trust (PSBT), educates users on the stages of documentary scriptwriting. The goal is to support local communication by making the knowledge of documentary production more widely available.

The video is available in DVD format.

For more information,
contact creativecontent@unesco.org or visit http://www.unescobk k.org/index. php?id=5965.

Article Courtesy : [ZESTMedia]

Put the cartoon on front page - Kalam to media

Put the cartoon back on the front page of newspapers and bring a smile to the face of the reader. This was President A P J Abdul Kalam's advice to the Indian media.

"On the first page, when you see a cartoon, it puts a smile on your face. The rest of the news is about things like rape, theft and killing. The man or the child or the woman is happy to see the cartoon. You must bring back the cartoon on the first page," Kalam said during an interaction with journalists. "A man or a woman should smile in the morning. Don't make him or her unhappy," he said.

The President recalled that as a young person, the first thing he would look at when he picked up a newspaper would be the cartoon on the front page. "What I loved on the first page was the cartoon," he said. Kalam said the editors might love political news, but people hate it.

The President also said media persons need to see beyond the capital for news. Delhi is not the only place where things are happening," he said.

As an example, he cited the case of Kali Bein river in Punjab that was cleaned with the people's efforts but has not received adequate publicity. "Yamuna is not the only river that is polluted," Kalam said

Article Source.. [PTI]

Citizen Kane tops in movie poll

LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - "Citizen Kane," Orson Welles' powerful portrait of an unscrupulous media baron, beat back an assault from "The Godfather," on Wednesday to retain its title as the greatest American film.

Film critics, historians and experts voted "Kane" as the top U.S. film for the second time in a decade in a poll conducted by the American Film Institute. The results were revealed in a three-hour CBS special "100 Years, 100 Movies, 10th Anniversary Edition."

"The Godfather," which ranked third in the original poll of 100 great films a decade ago. moved up a notch to second place while "Casablanca" slipped to number three.

Also in the top 10 were a surprising "Raging Bull" at number four, up 20 places from a decade ago. "Singin' in the Rain" was in fifth place, "Gone With The Wind" was sixth followed by "Lawrence of Arabia," "Schindler's List," "Vertigo" and "The Wizard of Oz."

"Vertigo," the Hitchcock film starring James Stewart, rose to 9th place after placing 61st in the original poll.

"American film has always reflected and, in many respects, defined who we are," said AFI president and chief executive Jean Picker Firstenberg.

She credited the spreading popularity of the DVD with spurring interest in silent films and in often neglected masterpieces like John Ford's "The Searchers," which went from 96 on the original list to 12 this year.

For the first time, D.W. Griffith's silent masterpiece "Intolerance" was voted onto the list as was Buster Keaton's "The General" while Charlie Chaplin's poignant "City Lights" rose from 76 to 11 on the list.

But Griffith's racist 1915 film "Birth of a Nation" fell off the list entirely because of its now unpopular ideology, despite its history of technical innovations.

Of the 43 newly eligible films released from 1996 to 2006, only "Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring" (50), "Saving Private Ryan" (71), "Titanic" (83) and "The Sixth Sense" (89) made the cut.

Other new additions to the list include "Cabaret" (63), "Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf?" (67), "The Shawshank Redemption" (72), "All The President's Men" (77), "Spartacus" (81) and "A Night at the Opera" (85).

Among those films that did not make the list were: "Fantasia," "Doctor Zhivago," "Birth of a Nation," "The Jazz Singer," My Fair Lady," "From Here to Eternity" and "An American in Paris."

AFI film historian Pat Hansen said it seemed that musicals took the biggest hit. "Musicals seemed out of favor and were replaced by more popular films like 'Titanic' and 'Saving Private Ryan'," she said.

Article Courtesy :
Reuters
By Arthur Spiegelman Thu Jun 21, 2:09 AM ET

Cuba’s ‘first lady’ dies at 77

By Marc Frank in Havana

Vilma Espin Guillois, the wife of Cuba’s acting president, and one of the country’s few remaining historic revolutionary figures, died in Havana on Monday at the age of 77, reportedly from cancer. She had not been seen in public for several years.

Espin, who had four children with Raúl Castro, is the most important Cuban political figure to pass away since Celia Sanchez, Fidel Castro’s confidant and advisor, died in the early 1980s and perhaps since Che Guevara perished in Bolivia in 1967.

A government statement declared Tuesday a day of mourning. Her cremated remains will be placed for public viewing at the Jose Marti monument in Havana’s Revolution square, before being taken to Santiago de Cuba where she fought.

A memorial service will take place on Tuesday night in Havana, which may be attended by Fidel Castro, not seen in public since undergoing various abdominal surgeries last year.

Espin’s death was sure to serve as a reminder to Cubans at home and abroad that the lives of the handful of remaining leaders of the Cuban revolution, including Fidel Castro, 80 and Raúl Castro, 76, are coming to an end, and with them a unique and controversial epoch in the Caribbean island’s history.

Fidel Castro temporarily ceded power to his brother on July 31 when he underwent the first of several intestinal surgeries. He has yet to return to power or be seen in public though he has become more active in recent months, writing opinion pieces for the government media and holding longer and more frequent meetings with foreign guests.

Espin often represented Cuba abroad. She attended international women’s conferences and summits attended by Fidel Castro, where the wives of participating heads of state also gathered. She had suffered from cancer for a number of years.

The daughter of a wealthy family from eastern Santiago de Cuba, Espin was a chemical engineer who spent a year at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology before becoming a leader of the underground in 1956 during the right-wing dictatorship of Fulgencio Batista.

Ms Espin joined the Castro brothers in the mountains in the late 1950s, becoming Raul Castro’s fiancée and one of the first woman guerilla fighters in the final push that brought Mr Batista down in 1959. She married Raúl Castro a few months later and they had four daughters, all currently living in Cuba.

She was one of few people who have held Fidel Castro’s confidence over the years, providing him with unconditional public support through all the twists and turns of his rule. He named her head of the women’s federation in 1960. She was a member of the Communist party central committee from its founding in 1965 until her death, and served on the Politburo from 1980 -1991.

But it was as the leader of the women’s federation for decades that Espin made her mark, organising women to both support the Castro government and push for equality without breaking “revolutionary unity,” a difficult task in a machista society.

Copyright The Financial Times Limited 2007