The present scenario in Goa reminds me of the old saying ‘all that glitters is not gold’. That is precisely the truth for India’s tourist capital in the present day. Wearing the halo of a bohemian paradise, the beach city has been in news (please read international) for all the wrong reasons.

Imagine the money that four lakh tourists must be bringing to our economy but that too will not hold for long if the law enforcers as well as protectors do not wake up from their slumber of corruption and laxity.

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Already beleaguered about her ‘presumed’ incapacity as future VP of the world’s biggest economy that might soon be no more because of the economic meltdown and controversial bailout, Palin has now been found guilty of abusing her gubernatorial powers in her native Alaska. The state legislature probe asserts that Palin dismissed a senior state official Mr. Monegan for not firing a state trooper Mike Wooten. This might sound like any ordinary day in the life of Alaska’s governor except that Wooten is the governor’s former brother-in-law who is in a bitter custody battle with the governor’s sister.

If that sounds like a story that is discussed inside one’s kitchen, this development takes the cake: the investigation was a partisan-led inquiry sponsored by supporters of Obama. If personal grudge is behind her abuse of power, the probe’s exorbitant 263-page report is an indication of what being the running mate of Republican standard bearer John McCain has to offer in the dirty world of politics. Surely, the report would have less number of pages if she were just plain governor.
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See the basic problem is our country is that everybody is way too busy telling you how to lead your life; ‘”do this”, “don’t do that” and what not! I mean, isn’t that how ‘unnatural sex’ aka bisexuality or homosexuality is deemed illegal. Well, if that wasn’t enough, the Maharashtrian government has come forth to give the typical Indian ‘why should I mind my own business’ attitude to the concept of live-in relationships.
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As if the Thackerays (young and old) weren’t enough with their very own ’special’ ways, that the state cabinet has decided to put chains to those unmarried men and women living together. Apparently, the ministers approved a proposal that said that a woman involved in a live-in for a “reasonable period” should get the status of a wife. Plus the proposal also requested that the definition of the word ‘wife’ under Section 125 of the Code of Criminal Procedure (CrPc) be changed to ‘a woman, living with man like his wife for a reasonably long period’.

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Like my many friends, I worry a lot about not having a bulky body and being thin. Most young men and adolescent boys strive to achieve the six-pack abs and bulging biceps and workout hard in gyms and fitness centers. I know people who have consumed so much of protein that their kidneys failed and even had to be hospitalized. What has been touted as a disorder found among only women, eating disorders are increasingly wreaking havoc on men and their physical and mental health.

The pressure to grow bigger and more muscular has made guys consume abnormally large quantities of protein, which causes in renal failure. However, the society still has not recognized this is a problem and has been dismissing it as a fad. In my opinion, media plays a major role in shaping our self-image and how we value our bodies, regardless of our age or gender. Eating disorders are prevalent among men and women of all ages equally. In fact, among men it is far more dangerous as the sufferers do not approach doctors nor do their family members realize it is a psychological disorder, which needs medical attention.

However, anorexia nervosa has fueled enough awareness campaigns and hence families do know if a girl has been starving herself. In a guy’s case, he would eat abnormally large quantities and still remain thin and in a quest to grow bigger, he would fall seriously sick. The media, the society and the peer groups in general have wreaked havoc on susceptible minds.

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Via: GordonMoyes

There has been a lot of discussion about men going bald and losing charm. However, if there is a standing example to the fact that hair really doesn’t matter as long as someone is really capable of attracting attention through other ways, it has to be Fran Healy from the Scottish alternative rock band Travis. The man behind singles like ‘Why does it always rain on me’, ‘Sing’, and many others, has publicly stated that he doesn’t worry about getting old or not looking as great as he used to.

Well, I couldn’t agree more with such great music he and the guys make and also his deep blue eyes. I just wish Travis’ new album ‘Ode to J. Smith’ gets released soon and we can listen to what is being called the greatest alternative rock album to be released in 2008. The album has already received critical acclaim and a favorable critical mood.

For now, I would say baldness or any other matter really doesn’t matter as long as a man remains committed to his true mission and talents, be it music or politics or sports. Showbiz unfortunately has concentrated more upon a celebrity’s looks rather than the talent behind what makes him or her a celebrity.

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Via: GodsInTheTVZine

A lot has been said and done about drug users and addicts. However, we fail to realize that behind all the drug abuse and addiction issues lies a story, a human story that is often untold and seldom heard. Most drug users face not only bias and prejudice but also self-hatred and depression. Lack of proper support groups, social stigma and other problems are enough to make sure a drug user goes ahead and finds solace in the very drugs that have consumed his or her life.

In my opinion, labeling someone who abuses drugs as an addict or a drug abuser must be avoided at any cost and it must be made sure that the addict receives proper detoxification and rehab. However, the interest on the part of the user also matters a lot. A drug user usually suffers from various other mental disorders such as borderline personality disorder, psychosis, depression and others. Finding the root cause of these mental ailments and coming up with a plan to detoxify the person is a better idea than just going ahead with the rehab and detoxification process.

In my opinion, the growing problem of drug usage can only be controlled through awareness campaigns, support systems and timely psychological interventions. Moreover, the society has to be open minded and friendly enough to accept slight deviations in a person.

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Via: ADreamForABetterworld

Wow!!! And I thought Rani Mukerji’s character in ‘Laagaa Chunari Mein Daag’ was a bit exaggerated. Well, not anymore. The booming Indian economy may have improved your lifestyle and attracted the international business clan but it has also brought about the existence of the high-profile prostitute aka escort. To top it all, no one is complaining. In fact, most women getting into this ‘career option’ come from middle class families. In fact, they even say modelling is a lot of hard work when the escort business is simpler and brings a lot of dough. Apparently, they charge anything up to 2 lakh rupees for an hour with the international business tycoons and the top brass.
The system is well organised too. Escort agencies work discreetly and organise private meetings. Perhaps that is why the India police have not been able to catch anyone indulging in it under the anti-prostitution laws. What’s even more surprising is the take of the social experts! They call this phenomenon a takeoff from the globalisation of India. The others simply call it an off shoot of consumerism.
My mind is boggled. Please tell me your take on this. Prostitution till now was the option for desperate women trying to make ends meet but now how about selling your body as an actual career option???
Via ibnlive

It’s romance time for the Iraqis who are just enjoying themselves out in the open air for once. The power of love has once again strengthened the cupids of Baghdad. It’s indeed an unusual scene in Iraq that couples would be seen having a romantic time in public places. But this time of the season, the Iraqis have broken all the boundaries of constraints. It dumbfounded me completely when I learnt that the Iraqis too are more often than not caught for involving themselves in carnal knowledge in public places. With these scandalizing activities reporting from Baghdad, one may often mistake Baghdad to be New York or London. But the Iraqis have proven themselves that they are no longer behind the rest of the Western World when it comes to romance.

What strikes me even furthermore is that the Iraqis are enjoying this freedom during the holy month of ‘Ramadan.’ This justifies that no lovers can be grounded by anything, be it the insurgencies of Iraq or the conservative society of the Iraqis. It’s more than interesting, and exciting to see that the Iraqi lovers have successfully managed to come out from their dingy and claustrophobic cocoons. It’s absolutely pleasing to see them exercise their personal rights and to assert them authoritatively and in the most fashionable way with full of romance.

Behind the romantic nerves of the Iraqis, there’s still the fear and respect for the elder brothers and fathers in every Iraqi man. They still cannot propose to a woman of their choice fully on their own without the concerns of their elder brothers and fathers and make the latters take the decision. This perturbs me to know that individuality is not encouraged in the Iraqi society. This should be obliterated once and for all, and instead, personal freedom should be nurtured. The Iraqi lovers should be given all the freedom to exercise their personal rights.

via: TimesOnline

The United Nations report that around 70 per cent of married women in India are victims of domestic violence that includes beating and forced sex. Perhaps that is why the ‘Bell Bajao’ campaign will be welcomed with open arms. An effort to protect the rights of a woman, this campaign has gained a lot of attention. Even the name is a strong metaphor that tries to keep a check on the crimes committed against women. It is like a warning bell for all those who take their women for granted and treat them like second class citizens.
And Bollywood is contributing its two cents too. Actor Boman Irani has been roped in as the brand ambassador of the Bell Bajao campaign. Irani feels that his role is significant because the impact is stronger if a man is told of his wrong doings by another man.
An interesting concept, I hope it brrrrrrings a change!
Via ibnlive

Finally, the sexual crime against men is being talked about in India. And who better than Bollywood to deal with the issue! Haven’t we heard of hundreds of ragging stories in college boy’s hostels where newcomers were asked to strip off completely, and some unfortunate ones even ending up getting raped? Well, no one’s really bothered to bring up issues like these before probably because we live in a male-dominated society. So quite obviously, the ‘superior male’ cannot be raped or abused; even the idea is completely unacceptable for the typical Indian mindset. But we all know how wrong they are. So you can see how the male domination goes against both women and men as well.
Scriptwriter Manish Gupta, a product of the RGV factory, is ready to don the director’s hat with his film ‘Hostel’. And nobody is going to witness a chocolaty college romance here but a grim tale of sexual abuse that male students are subjected to. Manish had been wanting to make a movie on this subject for a long time now. Apparently during his engineering college days, he once came across a male rape victim, who gave an expression as if he just died when asked if the rumours about his rape were true. As a positive step, the censors have cleared the film.
Quite a paradigm shift for India here, I must say. After all talking about a social evil is as good as preventing it.
Via delhitimes