PR COMMUNOCATION AGE Vol. XV No. 08 Novmber 2012 ISSN-0972-0650
Editor Ram Gopal Agarwala, B.Com., L.L.B., F.C.A.
Associate Editor Dr. Rakesh Agarwal M.Com. (BIM), L.L.B., F.I.I.I., P.G.J.M.C., M.B.A., A.C.A. Ph.D
Assistant Editor Shyam Agarwal, B.Com.(Hons.), F.I.I.I., P.G.J.M.C.
Advisory Board N.D. Rajpal Umesh Jindal Dr. B. K. Jha
Edotorial
The present world is passing through very difficult phase wherein either respective administration/Govt and/or responsible persons do not think/act in the general interest of people and/or saving the natural resources,. Trade & Commerce has over-ridden all the human needs and well being of other living animals, insects etc. which are necessary to protect the ecology of the earth.
Resident Editor V. K. Agarwal, Agra S. Chattoraj, Pune
Head Office 25, Baranashi Ghosh Street, Kolkata - 700 007, India Phone : 033-2269 6035/ 3294 3723/ 4007 8428 Fax : 91-33-2273 6612 E-mail : insurance@bimabazaar.com Website : www.bimabazaar.com
In order to protect the earth and its users e.g.Human, Animals, Insects, water living animals proper awareness is needed among the people world over. All the above exercise can well be performed through better Public Relations and Communication.
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The increase in corruption in government machinery is sending a wrong message in the general public as well as the other countries world over. The infighting, abusing of politicians on TV, newspaper and other mediums sends a wrong signal to our new generation. What message they are trying to pass on the new generation. Politicians should become more responsible and understand that they have moral responsibility towards the public which have elected them The Editorial Team extends its good wishes for Vijaya Dusmi and Diwali to all the readers, subscribers, authors, advertisers and the associates.
PR COMMUNICATION AGE Novmebr 2012
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Contents&Focus PAGE
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Editorial
Advertising has created an atmosphere of increasing demand and supply of products. It dominates the media, has vast power to shape our lifestyle of living. It is advertising that has made both wireless and news magazines what they are west today. Although advertising developed in the west but its origin we cannot deny, was from Europe and Britain.
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ARTICLES PAGE
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Advertising: A process of communication Debjani Roy
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Dear Parents! Be concerned about the suicidial tendencies of your Children Anabil Bhattacharya
Feature
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PAGE
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Why justice must be seen and heard
PAGE
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Don't save, invest for a secure future
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Power seating
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Leadership means responsibility
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Who needs a guardian?
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Male fertility takes a hit
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Review
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27
Legal
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29
News Round Up
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34
Woman Corner
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35
Information & Technology
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36
Travelling & Tourism News
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38
International
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40
Education
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Snippets
PR COMMUNICATION AGE
November 2012
Most valuable thing we are having in any wellto-do &/or middle class family is our biological or adopted children of our own family. Now when the Indian Judiciary is even considering allowing a bachelor to adopt any child as adopted father as well as allowing a maid as an adopted single mother. We may consider our child as the most valuable asset of our life.
9
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No one quite knew what was in store when the Supreme Court pronounced its judgment in the media guidelines case. What was sparked off by the mysterious leak to the media of a confidential exchange between lawyers in the case, snow balled into an openended debate on media transgressions and the need to rein them in with guidelines.
ADVERTISING: A PROCESS OF COMMUNICATION
Debjani Roy Lecturer MCJ, Gyan Jyoti College
Introduction
Understanding Advertising Communication
Advertising has created an atmosphere of increasing demand and supply of products. It dominates the media, has vast power to shape our lifestyle of living. It is advertising that has made both wireless and news magazines what they are west today.
We want to know what communication advertising does to people. With a certain message content we should be able to predict what effect the content will have on its receivers. There is no such thing as a simple and easily predictable relationship between message content and effect. It is possible to describe the conditions of success in communication by which we mean the conditions that must be fulfilled if the message is to arouse its intended response.
Although advertising developed in the west but its origin we cannot deny, was from Europe and Britain. The largest advertising agencies are from western origin. It is an important international institution today, its tremendous expansion of international marketing in India and abroad. In advertising there is unlimited pool of jobs in accounting, selling to management. It is an exciting and rewarding career. It is a communication process because it involves the whole sequence of transmission and interchange of facts, ideas, feelings, and experiences of a product or service. Communication with reference to advertising is the process of exchange of a message.
The message must be so designed and delivered as to gain the attention of the intended destination. The message must be made available. There will be no communication if we don't talk loud enough to be heard or if our letter is not delivered. And even the message is available it may not be selected. Each of us has available far more communication then we can possibly accept or decode. We choose messages according to our impression of their general characteristics - whether they fit our needs and interests. We choose usually on the
"If everyone is thinking alike, then somebody isn't thinking. PR COMMUNICATION AGE Novmebr 2012
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It tends to reject messages that do not fit its structure or distort them so that they do fit. In designing a message we have to be sure not only that we speak the same language as the receiver and that we don't write over his head but also we don't conflict directly, but for the most part these are the circumstances in which our understandings and attitudes are not yet firm or fixed. They are relatively few and far between. In communicating, the rule is that when a stiff wind is blowing, one doesn't land cross wind unless he has to. basis of an impression we get from one cue in the message, which may sound. If that cue does not appeal to us, we may never open our senses to the message. In different situations we choose differently among these cues. The designing of the message receiver had simply not heard a word. The message must employ signs which refer to experience common to source and destination so as to get the meaning across. The message must arouse personality needs in the destination and suggest some ways to meet those meets. The message must suggest a way to meet those needs which is appropriate to the group situation in which the destination finds himself at the time when he is moved to make the desired response. "Know your audience" is the first rule of practical mass communication. It is important to know the right timing for a message, the kind of language one must use, the attitudes and values one must appeal to in order to be effective, and the group standards in which the desired action will have to take place. This is relatively easy in face-to-face communication, more difficult in mass communication.
What the message implies The message must employ signs, which refer to experience common to both source and destination in order to get the "meaning across". Our experience with environment grows, we tend to classify and catalogue experience in terms of how it relates to other experience and to our needs and interests. As we grow older that catalogue system grows harder and firmer.
The message must arouse personality needs in the destination and suggest some way to meet those needs. We take action because of need and towards goals. The action response is quite automatic. In more complicated situations we usually have more freedom of choice and we choose the action in the given situation will come closest to meeting our needs or goals. The first requisite of an effective message therefore is that it relate itself to one of our personality needs- the needs for security, status, belongingness, understanding, freedom from constraint, love, freedom from anxiety. It must arouse a drive. It must make the individual feel a need or a tension which he can satisfy by action. Then the message can try to control the resulting action by suggesting what action to take. The message must suggest a way to meet those needs which is appropriate to the group situation in which the destination finds himself at the time when he is moved to make the desired response. There are two things we can say with confidence about predicting communication effects. One is that a message is much more likely to succeed if it fits the patterns of understandings, attitudes, values and goals that a receiver has, or if it starts with this pattern and tries to reshape it slightly. Communication research men call this latter process 'canalizing', meaning that the sender provides a channel to direct the already existing motives in the receiver. Advertising men and propagandists say that a communicator must "start where the audience is". Our personalities- our patterns of habits, attitudes,
"I believe that superior creative work always has been, is, and always will be the hub of the wheel in any successful agency. 6
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drives, values grow very slowly but firmly. The situation is not so firmly fixed we are communicating in an area where ideas and values are not yet determined if our drop of communication falls then we may be able to see a change result of our communication. The best thing we can do is to build on what already exists. If we take advantage of the existing pattern of understanding, drives, and attitudes to gain acceptance for our message, then we may hope to divert the pattern slightly in the direction we want to move it. The second thing we can say with confidence about communication effects is that they are the resultants of a number of forces, of which the communicator can really control only one. The sender can shape his message and can decide where and when to introduce it. But the message is only one of least four important elements that determine what response occurs. The other three are the situations in which the communication is received and in which the response must occur, the personality state of the receiver and his group relationship and standards. This is why it is so dangerous to try to predict exactly what will be the effect of any message except the simplest one in the simplest situation. Advertising is not for information but for a purpose. This purpose is to motivate a desired action. The subsidiary functions are to create awareness, change attitudes, and to gain acceptability.
Conclusion In other words, the communication had no effect so long as the situation, the personality and the group norms were not favourable. When the situation deteriorated, the group influence was removed, and the personality
aggression was burned up, then finally the message had an effect. It is dangerous to assume any simple and direct relationship between a message and its effect without knowing all other elements in the process. In the face of tough competition in the market place where similar products vie with one another it is necessary to promote the products of services continuously. Consumer durables and capital goods need a large number of support literature unlike small items. With the modern retailing techniques products have to really sell themselves. This has led to aggressive publicity at the point of purchase or retail outlets. As a public relations person in charge of publicity decision has to be made on promotional activities, including promotional literature, referred to as POP material (point of purchase), because of its ability to influence purchase decisions, this is again an important tool that can be put to use. There have been a lot of innovations in this media. And finally there are the consumers. With mass production the consumers now have a wide variety of choices. With increased income and surplus expendable money, the consumers are choosy about what they need and want. So marketers try their best to woo more and more consumers by offering them what they want. They try to reach the consumers by bombarding highly persuasive advertisements through various media. Mass production resulted in the need to market the products as they rolled out of factories. Advertising was hit upon as a powerful tool to stimulate public demand for standardized factory products. Advertising was welcomed by the growing printing and publishing trades as it subsidized their costs of production, this went a long way. Advertising is providing information, calling attention to, and making known something that you want to sell or promote.
Reference Dwivedi, M.A. Mass Communication and Journalism. New Delhi: Publication Division, 2010 B.N. Ahuja, Public Relations and Advertising. New Delhi: Publication Division, 2011 Hena Naqvi, Journalism and Mass Communication. Agra: Publication Division.
"Society cannot share a common communication system so long as it is split into warring factions. PR COMMUNICATION AGE Novmebr 2012
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Dear Parents! Be concerned about the
SUICIDIAL TENDENCIES of your CHILDREN Anabil Bhattacharya Chief Manager & C.P.I.O. R.T.I. Department, National Insurance Co.ltd, Kolkata.
1. Introduction: Most valuable thing we are having in any well-to-do &/ or middle class family is our biological or adopted children of our own family. Now when the Indian Judiciary is even considering allowing a bachelor to adopt any child as adopted father as well as allowing a maid as an adopted single mother. We may consider our child as the most valuable asset of our life. At least, when I found that my son/daughter is the most loyal and submissive to me I do not think it as any problem. But recently we have seen that when daughters are jumping from the terrace / upper floors of the multistoried buildings we sometimes remained dumbfounded and helpless to declare about our ignorance of the parental duties & responsibilities towards our children. We may being too much involved in our own sphere or may not be aware of our own depressions due our bohemian lifestyle, aggressive demand of our employer/ family members or blurred relationship within our family members - because of so many reasons but very often we
forget to notice the peculiar behavior of our children as a father or mother may he/she be in his/her teens as depression is a problem many teens face first time in their lifecycles. It often disguises itself as normal 'mood swings' due to puberty or teen angst. Therefore, it is often ignored until something more serious happens, like a suicide attempt or serious risk taking behavior gets the teen into trouble. If you think your teen is depressed, do not ignore it. If your teen is depressed, there are things you can do and steps you can take that will help your teenager to overcome their depression. If it turns out he/she is not depressed, you've showed him/her that you cared enough to check it out. Either way, you and your teen wins.
2. Now let us consider the definition & some salient information : Basic Background of Suicide Incidents and Suicidal Behavior Definition of Suicide: Suicide is the act of deliberately
"I have often regretted my speech, never my silence. 8
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taking one's own life. Suicidal behavior is any deliberate action with potentially life-threatening consequences, such as taking a drug overdose or deliberately crashing a car. Causes of Suicide: Suicidal behaviors can accompany many emotional disturbances, including depression, bipolar disorder and schizophrenia. More than 90% of all suicides are related to a mood disorder or other mental illness. Suicidal behaviors often occur in response to a situation that the person views as overwhelming, such as: 1. Ageing; 2.
Death of a loved one;
3.
Dependence on alcohol or other drugs;
4.
Emotional trauma;
5.
Guilty feelings;
6.
Serious physical illness;
7.
Social isolation;
8.
Unemployment or financial problems.
The elderly have the highest rate of suicide, but there has been a steady increase among adolescents. Risk factors for suicide in adolescents include: 1. Access to firearms or influenced by a popular T.V. serial on some adventurous attempts taken by the hero / players, etc.; 2.
Family member who committed suicide (almost always someone who shared a common mood disorder);
3.
History of deliberate self-harm;
4.
History of neglect or the abuse;
5.
Living in communities where there have been recent outbreaks of suicide in young people;
6.
Romantic breakup.
Suicide attempts that do not result in death far outnumber completed suicides. Many unsuccessful suicide attempts are carried out in a manner that makes rescue possible. These attempts often represent a desperate cry for help. The method of suicide can be relatively nonviolent (such as poisoning or overdose) or violent (such as shooting oneself). Males are more likely to choose violent methods, which probably accounts for the fact that
suicide attempts by males are more likely to be completed. Many suicides involve a firearm, especially in elderly men. Relatives of people who seriously attempt or complete suicide often blame themselves or become extremely angry, seeing the attempt or act as selfish. However, when people are suicidal, they often mistakenly believe that they are doing their friends and relatives a favor by taking themselves out of the world. These irrational beliefs often drive their behavior. Symptoms of Suicide: We need to arrest the situation immediately based on the early signs of the person being exhibited arising out of the following: 1. Depression 2.
Impulsiveness
3.
Nervousness
4.
Statements or expressions of guilt feelings
5.
Tension or anxiety
Critical signs include the following events: 1. Direct attempts to commit suicide; 2.
Direct or indirect threats to commit suicide;
3.
Giving away belongings;
4.
Sudden change in behavior, especially calmness after a period of anxiety.
3. What we need to do to save our children from their suicidal attempts? Danger signs in young people in their teens / during their adolescence period in their stressful situations or being in severe depressions may be as identified below: 1. Loss of interest in activities that were previously enjoyable; 2.
Sudden decrease in school performance;
3.
Unusual changes in sleep or eating habits;
4.
Unusual irritability;
5.
Withdrawal from friends.
We need to take the careful notes, if we want to identify whether our teen is depressed, in the following means: 9 Talk with your teen about your concerns. Share with him/her that you have noticed some signs of
"Everything becomes a little different as soon as it is spoken out loud. PR COMMUNICATION AGE Novmebr 2012
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depression and what those signs are. Ask your teen what he/she feels is causing these signs. You may find they have an explanation. The most important part of this talk is for you to let your teen know that you are there and you can help. 9
Make an appointment for your teen to see their doctor. There could be a physical reason for your teenager to be showing some of the symptoms you are seeing.
9
Check your teen's family medical history. You need to know if there is any clinical depression or other mood disorders that may affect your teen.
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Make an appointment for a consultation with a specialist in adolescent psychology. Once you have talked to them, you will feel more comfortable with making an appointment for your teen.
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You need to not talk to anyone else. As much as possible, keep this to yourself. You need to respect your teen's privacy and not share this with everyone in the family.
In a national study conducted by the Centers for Disease Control in U.S.A. recently declared their finding as detailed below 1) 61 percent of 8th to 10th class students are reported feeling sad and hopeless, 2)
36 percent reported nothing to look forward to, and
3)
34 percent expressed serious thoughts of committing suicide.
families do not like to talk about depression or suicide with their children. In fact, many believe that discussing this problem will be considered by their child as unnecessary entering by their parents and the same is not required at all. Very often the parents are even concluding as that will make their children's depressions and their suicide more likely to happen. In reality, talking to teens about their feelings may make them feel less hopeless and sad. If your teen is exhibiting one or more of the warning signs as detailed under item no. 5, you may also want to seek further evaluation of his\her behavior with a professional, such as a psychologist, psychiatrist, or pediatrician.
4. Depression - A leading cause of teen suicides: Depression is a leading cause of teen suicide incidents. Fortunately, depression is treatable. Suicide is preventable. Depression can overwhelm a teen creating feeling of hopelessness and helplessness. Some of the events which can trigger depression are: 9 A failed romance; 9
Poor academic performance;
9
Financial difficulties;
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Substance abuse especially alcohol abuse (it is currently found as the trend for the professional courses - even among would be doctors in Kolkata).
9
Low self-esteem
9
Unreasonable expectations by peers, parents and teachers.
Despite the very real threat during the teen years, many Depression can be treated but only if somebody intervenes and identifies the crisis. You must look for the warning signs and the various aspects of the same can be subtle.
Make Your Children's School Safe In a recent Kolkata's prestigious & reputed school a Std. VIII student's (Mr. R's) suicidal case the Principal and many other teachers of that reputed institution had to face rigorous strong court trials based on his father's allegation. Many students with depression, bipolar disorder and other medical conditions attend private school because their medications allow them to function nominally. These "Already we Viewers, when not viewing, have begun to whisper to one another that the more we elaborate our means of communication, the less we communicate. 10
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children need to know that skilled counselors and medical assistance are available to them whenever required. For a child with bipolar disorder or depression, life can become confused and hopeless very quickly. He needs to know which button to push when he needs help. More importantly the school must provide a safe, supportive haven for these children by having the requisite support mechanisms in place. A proactive approach coupled with a warm, nurturing school community will save lives.
Bottom Line Early intervention is critical in treating depression in young people. Be alert and act when you see the signs. Treating one of the causes of suicide will help prevent suicide.
increased dramatically in recent years. Each year in the U.S. thousands of teenagers commit suicide. Suicide is the third leading cause of death for 15-to-24 year olds, and the sixth leading cause of death for 5-to-14 year olds" - according to the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry.
Recognize the Warning Signs The Warning Signs of Teen Suicide include: 1. Change in eating and sleeping habits. 2.
Drug and alcohol abuse.
3.
Noticeable personality change.
4.
Violent reactions, rebellious behavior, running away.
5.
Persistent boredom, difficulty concentrating, falling grades.
The Issues Involved in Suicides Suicide is the third leading cause of death for 15 to 24 year olds, and the sixth leading cause of death for 5 to 14 year olds. The pressure on juniors and seniors is intense. They feel that they must succeed academically, socially and athletically. They feel that they absolutely have to get into the right college. They push themselves to the limit. All you have to do is add other factors like sexuality and family issues such as divorce or finances and you have a recipe for disaster. 60 per cent of high school students recently surveyed indicated that they had thought about suicide.
Is The Schools Immune to The Treats? They are absolutely not. All the same factors come into play. And more than the other, children in boarding school can really feel cut off from their basic support group which is family and friends back home. The work load can be intensive. The pressure to get accepted at a good school /college is enormous.
5. Suicide is preventable:
How Do You Assess A Teen For Suicide? Youth Depression being the main cause, the majority of suicidal children and adolescents have clinical depression alone or in conjunction with another depressive illness like anxiety disorder, attention deficit disorder, bipolar illness (manic depression), or child-onset schizophrenia the main clue suggests.
Is Your Child's School Prepared? Does that school know how to handle potential suicide cases that are rising very prominently? If you are a private school administrator or teacher, have you reviewed your school's protocols for handling potential suicide? Being the guardian have you ever tested that 1. Does the school have a protocol? 2.
How does the board feel?
3.
What does local police / insurance company/ other guardians say?
Understand the Situation
Do not procrastinate! If you have come up short with answers to any of these tough questions, take action immediately. You need to be prepared in case the unthinkable happens on your watch. Be proactive as it is your own and persistent problem. Be prepared to intervene effectively and strongly.
First of all let us consider the vivid findings in these specified areas in U.S.A. as being authentic. "Suicides among young people nationwide have
The simple truth is that most young people end up killing themselves because they don't know where else to turn. They are in pain which seems unbearable and they want
We can prevent suicide by understanding the issues and implementing measures to reach out to teenagers who are thinking about suicide.
"Communication is a skill that you can learn. It's like riding a bicycle or typing. If you're willing to work at it, you can rapidly improve the quality of very part of your life. PR COMMUNICATION AGE Novmebr 2012
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the former U.S. Surgeon General David Satcher called a "public health crisis." If you are suicidal or you think someone you know is, they always want you to know that help is available and recovery is possible! Start by learning the suicide warning signs, and do whatever you can to get yourself or someone you care about to the help they need so that they can return to living a fully functioning life.
Suicide Warning Signs the pain to stop. They choose death because they didn't know what else to do. Suicide is the second leading cause of death in the 15 to 24 year old age group in U.S.A. Since 1960, there has been a 368% increase there in the suicide rate in this group.
According to the American Association of Suicidology, the warning signs of suicide can include: 1. Having thoughts of committing suicide, threatening to hurt himself, looking for a way to hurt himself, writing about dying, and other types of suicidal ideation; 2.
Increased substance abuse, including abuse of alcohol and drugs;
3.
Feelings of purposelessness or that they have no reason to live;
4.
Anxiety symptoms;
5.
Feeling trapped, like there is no way out of current situations or problems;
6.
Feelings of hopelessness;
7.
A withdrawal from friends and family and usual
Reach Out To Teenagers Thinking About Suicide Make the entire school community aware of the issue. Groundskeeper, headmaster, faculty, and office staff everybody needs to help. Charge them all with the responsibility of being open and accessible when somebody asks for help. You need to do this with seminars, speakers, events - whatever it takes to sensitize the members of your school community to the issue.
activities; Remove the Impersonal, Third Person Approach to Suicide Discussions 8. Feeling uncontrolled anger and rage or wanting Teens thinking about suicide need to hear the stories and experiences of people like themselves who have been in their situation. One of the reasons a child contemplates suicide is because he thinks he is the only person who has ever had those feelings and problems. Use video for this preventative measure. It preserves the confidentiality of the subject, yet at the same time exposes the feelings and experiences of somebody who has thought about suicide.
Global Suicide Prevention Attempts We believe that suicide is preventable and that suicide prevention works. In order to accomplish our mission and goals, some organizations in U.S.A. already started using the public health model along with a media campaign to raise awareness of suicide. They use an educational approach to dispel the myths about suicide, and to let others know about the realities surrounding what in 1999
revenge against someone; 9.
Acting reckless and impulsive ;
10. Having dramatic mood changes. If you think that your teen has any of the warning signs for suicide, don't ignore them. Trust your instincts and either try to get more information or seek additional help.
6. Common misconceptions are dangerous for us - Needs to be specially reviewed as stated: The following are common misconceptions about suicide: "People who talk about suicide won't really do it." Not True. Almost everyone who commits or attempts suicide has given some clue or warning. Do not ignore suicide threats. Statements like "you'll be sorry when I'm dead," "I can't see any way out," -- no matter how
"The problem with communication is the illusion that it has occurred. 12
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casually or jokingly said, may indicate serious suicidal feelings. "Anyone who tries to kill him/herself must be crazy." Not True. Most suicidal people are not psychotic or insane. They may be upset, grief-stricken, depressed or despairing, but extreme distress and emotional pain are always signs of mental illness and are not signs of psychosis.
4.
Relationship conflicts
5.
Poor coping skills
6.
Psychiatric illnesses
7.
Previous attempts
8.
Ready availability of lethal means to commit suicide
9.
recent bereavement
10. chronic physical illness 11. anniversary phenomenon (of past losses or major life events)
"If a person is determined to kill him/herself, nothing is going to stop him/her."
12. early loss experiences
Not True. Even the most severely depressed person has mixed feelings about death, and most waver until the very last moment between wanting to live and wanting to die. Most suicidal people do not want to die; they want the pain to stop. The impulse to end it all, however overpowering, does not last forever.
14. chronic unemployment
"People who commit suicide are people who were unwilling to seek help." Not True. Studies of suicide victims have shown that more then half had sought medical help within six month before their deaths and a majority had seen a medical professional within 1 month of their death. "Talking about suicide may give someone the idea." Not True. You don't give a suicidal person morbid ideas by talking about suicide. The opposite is true -- bringing up the subject of suicide and discussing it openly is one of the most helpful things you can do.
13. school failure 15. perfectionists and over-achievers who have high expectations of themselves
Suicide and Suicide Prevention Suicide is one of the leading causes of death in older children and teens. In fact, in 2005, just over 1,800 teenagers died from suicide, making it the third leading cause of death for teens -- just after unintentional injuries and homicide, in U.S.A. Surprisingly, cancer and heart disease came in at a more distant number four and five, with about 1,000 and 500 deaths each. Even for preteens, children aged 9 to 12 years old; suicide is a leading cause of death, ranking as the sixth leading cause of death in 2005.
Suicide Statistics Unfortunately, in India statistics are not being available
There are common risk factors of youth suicide. Recent research has shown that most youth suicides are the result of an interaction between biological, psychological, socio-cultural and family factors. A suicidal act can be seen as the result of an interaction between these factors. Generally, they only come to light after a significant life event happens in a youth that touches off thoughts of or attempts at suicide. 1. Mood changes or depression 2.
Drug and alcohol abuse
3.
Disruptive and unsupportive family background "If liberty means anything at all, it means the right to tell people what they do not want to hear. PR COMMUNICATION AGE Novmebr 2012
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we need to look at the statistics maintained in U.S.A. that show that suicide rates in teenagers are on the rise. After a trend of decreasing suicide rates from 1996 to 2003, teen suicide rates increased 18% in 2004 and 17% in 2005.Why? Experts aren't sure yet, but theories include: 9 increase access to means / methods / guns 9 increase use of alcohol / drugs / parties 9 the influence of Internet social networks Another leading theory is that the rise in teen suicides may be because fewer teens are being treated with antidepressants when they have depression. This follows the 2003 FDA warning issued in U.S.A.about antidepressants and suicide. However, since untreated depression is itself a risk factor for suicide, fewer teens taking antidepressants could have the unintended effect of leading to more suicides. Worldwide, about 90,000 teens commit suicide each year, with about four million suicide attempts. That means that one teenager dies from suicide about every five minutes.
Suicide Risk Factors In addition to untreated depression, other suicide risk factors include: 1. Mood disorders; 2. Chronic anxiety;
3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10. 11. 12. 13.
Previous suicide attempts; Genetics -- family history of suicide or psychiatric conditions; Conduct disorder; Child abuse; Sexual assault; Stressful events, including relationship breakups, family problems, etc.; Drug and alcohol abuse; Eating disorders; Being bullied ; Dropping out of school; Taking certain medications, including antidepressants, Strattera (atomoxetine), a medication for ADHD, and Accutane (isotretinoin), which is used to treat teens with severe nodulocystic acne, and antiseizure drugs, such as Tegretol (carbamazepine), Depakoke (valproate), and Lamictal (lamotrigine).
Suicide is also more common in bisexual and homosexual teens.
Suicide Prevention In addition to all of the teens who successfully commit suicide, there are many more who attempt suicide. Experts estimate that 20 to 25% of teens admit to thinking about suicide at some time in their lives and for every suicide, there are between 5 to 45 suicide attempts. That makes it even more important for parents, pediatricians, and everyone else that is regularly around teenagers to understand how to try and prevent suicides, such as: 1. Recognizing the risk factors and warning signs for suicide. 2. Making sure that teens know they can ask for help if they ever think about hurting themselves, including calling the Professionals, the working which are working very effectively in various cities / towns - for example one such Group is working under the leadership of Sri S. Sengupta, Ex-Senior Executive of National Insurance Company as incharge of various departments, (and also a close associates of Anadabazar Patrika , a leading Bengali newspaper in Kolkata), calling the doctor or taking various initiatives in tandem with the affected Parents & or Guardians.
"Hastiness and superficiality are the psychic diseases of the twentieth century, and more than anywhere else this disease is reflected in the press. 14
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3.
4.
5.
6.
Creating / forming some infrastructures as provided by the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline in U.S.A. or currently taking the requisite advice from the nearby doctors of repute in this direction but primarily mainly & immediately on talking to your teen who you think may have suicide warning signs. Seeking professional help, such as your pediatrician, a child psychiatrist, a psychiatric hospital, or emergency room if you think your child is going to hurt himself. Making sure that gun, sharp weapons and medications aren't easily available in your home if your teen might be suicidal. Getting teens' professional help if they have depression and/or anxiety- which are often thought to be the biggest risk factors for suicide?
Special Care for Adolescents' Treatment Adolescents may fail to seek help for suicidal thoughts, for all of the following reasons: 1. They believe nothing will help 2. They are reluctant to tell anyone they have problems 3. They think it is a sign of weakness to seek help 4. They do not know where to go for help Emergency measures may be necessary after a person has attempted suicide. First aid, CPR, or mouth-to-mouth resuscitation may be required. Hospitalization is often needed to treat a suicide attempt and to prevent future attempts. Mental health intervention is one of the most important aspects of treatment.
Prognosis in our Outlook Suicide attempts and threats should always be taken seriously. About one-third of people who attempt suicide will repeat the attempt within 1 year, and about 10% of those who threaten or attempt suicide eventually do kill themselves. Mental health care should be sought immediately. Dismissing the person's behavior as attention-seeking can have devastating consequences.
Possible Complications Complications vary depending on the type of suicide attempt.
When to Contact a Medical Professional A person who threatens or attempts suicide MUST be
evaluated immediately by a mental health professional. NEVER IGNORE A SUICIDE THREAT OR ATTEMPT!
Prevention Many people who attempt suicide talk about it before making the attempt. Sometimes, simply talking to a sympathetic, nonjudgmental listener is enough to prevent the person from attempting suicide. For this reason suicide prevention centers have telephone "hotline" services. Again, do not ignore a suicide threat or attempted suicide.
Building Self-Esteem in Teens This parenting sessions may teach parents how to build and maintain a healthy self-esteem in their children, as one attribute a successful young adult has is a healthy self-esteem. This means he values himself as a person, trusts his feeling and abilities, and is able to work toward his goals. This is the type of young adult parents strive for their children to become. But, it doesn't happen overnight and it takes quite a bit of effort from the parent.
7. Conclusion: It is impossible to know for sure if a person who seems sad or who has changed for the worse is at a real risk for suicide. Nobody can ever predict how another person will react to the more troubling or difficult things in life. Different people handle different situations in different ways - this is a fact of life no matter how old you become. But there are some clear warning signs that you or your child or your friend may be in trouble and that suicide may be something they are considering. When dealing with depression, hopelessness, and fear, whether it is for you, or your children or friends / relatives, it is difficult to know where the bad feelings end and real risk begins. If any one of yours exhibits two or more of these warning signs in a close period of time it is best that you try to help. This does not mean you should take the weight of their world upon your shoulders, but it does mean you should alert other people to the possible risk. Go to your other friends, even if you're at-risk friend's family, or a trusted teacher or counselor. Just like your friend does not have to go through a difficult time alone, you do not need to try to save your friend on your own. If you fear your friend may attempt suicide, you should get some outside help and guidance from people who are best able to get your friend the help he/she really needs. PR COMMUNICATION AGE Novmebr 2012
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WHY JUSTICE MUST BE SEEN AND HEARD (Open justice is the foundation for rule of law, and media coverage of the courts is more relevant than ever)
No one quite knew
what was in store when the Supreme Court pronounced its judgment in the media guidelines case. What was sparked off by the mysterious leak to the media of a confidential exchange between lawyers in the case, snow balled into an open-ended debate on media transgressions and the need to rein them in with guidelines. It did not help that in several recent cases, the Court had expressed its displeasure with media sensationalism. Still fresh in the public memory were the controversies surrounding the live telecast of 26/11 and the involvement of journalists in the Radia conversations. Here was an opportunity, it seemed, for the Court to show the media its place once and for all, to craft contours within which it could report the courts. There was reason for concern. The judgment is probably more significant for what it does not say. The Court refrained from carving out any general guidelines, recognizing that no one shoe fits all. That ought to bring relief. What does the judgment say? While recognizing the presumption of open justice and the media's right to report court proceedings, the Supreme Court held that there may arise exceptional cases where reporting may adversely impact the administration of justice. In such cases, reporting maybe deferred for a limited duration by the Supreme Court or the high courts. An order of postponement must pass the tests of necessity and proportionality and be resorted to only where no alternative measures are available.
The Sahara judgment does net deviate from the law laid down in an earlier case. In the Naresh Shridhar Mirajkar And Ors vs State Of Maharashtra An Anr case decided in 1967, the Supreme Court held that open justice is the rule and in-camera proceedings the exception. Borrowing from an old English judgment it said. "Where there is no publicity, there is no justice. Publicity is the very soul of justice. It is‌ the surest of all guards against improbity. It keeps the judge himself while trying, under trial". The court proceeded to hold, however, that open justice is not an absolute rule and the court may, in exercise of its inherent powers, prohibit the publication of reports. The Sahara judgment should not be seen as a dilution of the open justice principle. Such an interpretation would have dangerous implications not only for the media but for the larger public interest. With the ills that plague the justice system in India, we need more openness, not less. What is known as the "sunshine effect" of open justice ensures that the state machinery is not mis-used to unjustly condemn the innocent, that judges and public prosecutors conduct themselves with probity, that proceedings are not needlessly protracted and that justice is delivered fairly and efficiently. The glare of ongoing publicity and the fear of public censure keeps the entire system on its toes. The underlying object of open access to the courts is that justice should be seen to be done and that citizens, as stakeholders in society, be acquainted with the working of the justice delivery system. In the old days in England, for instance, people would visit courts and witness trials just as a pastime. This is no longer the
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norm, which makes the media's task all the more vital, as it is the only means by which the public has access to information about justice delivery. Media reporting on cases has a vital societal function that transcends event the right of an under trial to justice or of the public to information. When a shocking crime occurs, the public experiences a sense of outrage and seeks retribution. It is only when the public is able to see justice being and the guilty brought to book that it experiences a catharsis that quells the outrage. In a famous American judgment Richmond Newspapers v. Virginia, the US Supreme Court held that the crucial prophylactic aspects of the administration of justice cannot function in the dark, no community catharsis can occur it justice is done in a corner or in any convert manner."
courts called upon to restrict reporting would be compelled to consider. The world has never known so much transparency and openness as technology has made possible today. In several jurisdictions, there is live televised reporting of cases. We in India ought to be debating how technology can make the system cleaner and more accountable. The media must report more cases, not less. All jurisdictions recognize exceptions to open justice. But exceptions cannot displace the norm. (Ind. Exp.)
Chinese loner wins Nobel in Literature With a pen name that means 'Don't Speak', it was apt that Guan Moye, aka Mo Yan, had earlier responded to a query about his chances of winning the 2012 Nobel Prize for Literature with, "I have no opinion."
If the guilty were to be let off the book after a trial behind closed doors, they would lose faith in the system. This may lead people to take the law into their own hands. Open justice is intended to ensure public confidence in the justice system. It is on this edifice that rule of law prevails in civilised societies.
But the 57-year-old Chinese author, known outside China for his 1987 novel Hong Gaoliang Jiazu (Red Sorghum) that depicts the turbulence of 20th century China through five interweaving stories that deal with bandit culture, the Japanese occupation and brutal rural life, has beaten the bookies' favourite, Japanese writer Haruki Murakami, to become the latest Nobel Literature laureate.
The inherent power of the court to prohibit or postpone reporting as recognized in the Sahara case must be exercised with extreme caution. In holding that orders of postponement must be subject to the tests of necessity and proportionality, the Court has narrowed, not widened the contours of the inherent power under which reporting could be prohibited under Mirajkar.
Mo Yan's writings are an amalgam of fantasy and realism, and he cites Gabriel Garcia Marquez and major Chinese writer Lu Xun as influences. His works, such as the 2006 Shengsi Pilao (Life and Death Is Wearing Me Out) and the 2009 Wa (Frog) uses black humour to describe everyday life in the young People's Republic and the consequences of China's one-child policy respectively.
These tests would have to be satisfied on the basis of real and practical considerations. While granting an injunction restricting reporting, the court cannot be oblivious to the futility of orders overtaken by technology.
Mo Yan becomes the first Chinese writer since Gao Xingjian, who won the Literature Nobel in 2000 as a French national, to win the award. Some critics have, however, claimed his rise to his closeness to the 'establishment'. A fellow Chinese writer, Yefu, told the state-controlled English newspaper, China Daily, last week that "the Nobel will not go to a writer who sings the praises of authoritarianism".
Once a news item has already entered the public domain by any means, whether through Twitter or You Tube, it is pointless ordering a newspaper not to publish a report. Further, news is a perishable commodity that loses significance with each passing day. Stale news is no news. The damage caused by barring contemporaneous publicity may be difficult to undo once trial conducted behind closed doors, is concluded. These are factors that
Mo Yan is not the usual 'unknown' Nobel winner. He is a household name in China. His 1996 novel, Big Breasts and Wide Hips, was first banned over concerns that the Republican side in the Chinese civil war is shown to "get off too gently". Subsequently, it went on to become a national best-seller.
"If you keep your mind sufficiently open, people will throw a lot of rubbish into it. PR COMMUNICATION AGE Novmebr 2012
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DON'T SAVE, INVEST FOR A SECURE FUTURE knowing how much they need to save every month to guarantee their standard of living at retirement compared to the global average of 33 per cent it says. Almost all Indians (99 percent) say it is important for them to start saving now.
Previous generation had to save for retirement but the current generation will have to invest for a comfortable postretirement life. While it is generally believed that people do not want to plan for their retirement and it is the last thing on their mind, a report by global management consulting firm. Accenture threw some interesting facts about India. The Accenture report says Indians are among the most confident about their current level of savings with 39 per cent believing that they are saving enough for their retirement, compared to the global average of 16 per cent. The report titled "Consumers see the light as retirement shortfall looms", based on a survey on the subject of retirement planning in 15 countries including India, says, "compared to the global average of 82 per cent, who say they are worried abut their retirement, India scores 84 per cent,." About 68 per cent Indians are more confident about
While the Accenture numbers look encouraging, experts in India feel that given the fact that Indians are living longer, 75 and above, coupled with high inflation need for retirement is increasing at a fast pace. The fact that, in India, families are becoming smaller and due to geographical labour mobility, children are increasingly likely to be separated from their parents. Changing social values have made joint family unattractive for the urban younger generation. And if experts are to be believed, this is only going to get worse. This means, those who are now in their 30s and 40s need to take retirement planning as the most important goal and start working towards it before it is too late. Gone are the days when one could completely bank on their children to take care for post-retirement life.
Is it difficult to retire rich? As per the Accenture report, commentators and industry players have long lamented that consumers either don't understand the need to supplement the public or employer pensions which they may expect to receive, or believe they have more than enough time to save. But it seems they are turning back from the brink- across the globe, they recognize they urgently need to take individual responsibility for their retirement, because delegating it to someone else will leave them short of the mark. However, with high inflation the old strategy may
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not work for the current generation. "Previous generation had to save for retirement, current generation will have to invest," says P. V. Subramanyam, author of Retire Rich Invest Rs.40 a day. When people are expected to live till the age of 85-90, growing your investment by 8 per cent will not help especially when inflation itself is around that level,"Subramanyam suggests. There is an important message in "current generation needs to invest". Earlier, public provident fund and fixed deposits along with post office savings was considered the smartest way to save towards retirement. Times have changed now. With increasing consumption demand, the prices are shooting through the roof. This leads to the question. Is it possible to retire rich and if yes how? Many couples, when they meet a financial planners for the first time, get excited when they are told that a Rs.10,000 monthly SIP in an equity fund can grow to Rs. One crore in 20 years time at a 12 per cent annualised return. The excitement soon vanished when they are told that given their current expenses it's only one-fourth of what they would actually require. According to experts, it is not difficult to retire rich, provided one starts early. Taking services from a financial planner can be a wise step as what could seem 'enough' at this stage might be a fraction of what you might actually need 20-30 years from now. Those who find understanding financial products difficult, can start by a
simple strategy. Out of the Rs.100 saved after deducting all expenses, home loan EMIs, contributions made to employees' provident fund, public provident fund, insurance premiums and bank savings, divide what is left in three parts. Invest 50 per cent out of that in a largecap equity fund, 30 per cent in a balanced mutual fund(it invests in a mix of debt and equity) and the balance 20 per cent in a pure debt fund. Though investment planning is a complex process, especially planning for retirement, disciplined investments done for a long time will ensure you are able to sail through comfortably. There are many other options which one can explore alongside investing in mutual funds - like New Pension System, directly in stocks and investing in hybrid products. "Equity has to be a major part of retirement savings to create enough corpus. For retiring rich, equity is the fastest way," suggests Kartik Jhaveri, a Mumbai based financial planner. However, a word of caution : experts suggest not to get caught in the web of high cost "retirement products" that rely on heavy advertisements to sell their products which only benefit the companies selling them and their agents. Keeping it simple is the mantra along with making cosmetic changes from time to time based on change in income and various life stages. You may get yourself in an extremely difficult situation if you depend on your children for your post-retirement life and they neglect you when you need them most.
Shortfall In Funding Retirement Population worldwide is ageing. While the world has slowly come to terms with the damage caused by the sub-prime crisis, many financial analysts are now warning that even greater economic threat is looming - the massive shortfall in funding for workers' retirement. Sample this: in the US, consumers and government organisations would need to add $6.6 trillion to their existing funds to allow pensioners to maintain their standard of living. A report commissioned recently by the European Central Bank states that across 19 of the EU nations, state-funded pension obligations total approximately $37 trillion, about five times more than their combined gross debt. It will be much more difficult for Indians as a large majority is not touched by any kind of pension scheme. (Ind. Exp.)
"Love what you do. Do what you love." PR COMMUNICATION AGE Novmebr 2012
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POWER SEATING Where you seat guests in a business environment says a lot about how highly you regard them In the business world so much energy goes into getting it right at the negotiating table that even the savviest business executive can forget how to play it smart at another equally important table: the dining table. And I'm not talking about silencing your phone during a meal and knowing which fork to use.
not play a role in determining a seat of honour while rank does. n
If multiple languages are to be spoken, include appropriately placed interpreters at the table.
n
Share your seating plan with the maitre d' or let them know that you will be directing seating when you arrive. For large groups you may wish to use place cards.
n
As the host you should arrive early and greet your guests at the entrance. If you and a guest arrive at the same time, walk in together, pause at the captain's station, and allow the captain to lead you to your table. The guest follows the captain while you follow the guest. Once at the table, indicate to your guests where they should sit.
n
If you must go to the table to await your guests, don't order a drink or open your napkin.You want to look as if you just arrived.
One of the most important aspects of any form of business entertainment is the seating chart. Where you place your guests, especially international guests, conveys volumes about the level of esteem you hold them in as well as your own understanding of protocol. If you get it right, everyone feels respected and you look like a pro. A clear win-win.
Here are the finer points of business seating n When your guests arrive, rise to greet them, and remain standing until they are seated. strategies : n
Always choose a restaurant or venue that you are familiar with. Book well in advance to secure the best table, avoiding tables that face a mirror or are near the kitchen or restrooms. If you have an odd number of guests, request a round table so that no one sites next to an empty seat.
n
When creating a seating chart, the position of honour is always to the right of the host. If you have more than one honoured guest then the second highest-ranking guest sits to your left. When there is a third honoured guest they sit to the right of your first honored guest.You'll notice that gender does
n
Leave your napkin on the table until all your guests have been seated. If there are business issues you'd like to address before the meal, leave your napkin on the table until those discussions are concluded. Placing your napkin in your lap will signal to the wait staff that you are ready to order.
Of course not every point will apply to every entertaining setting of event. However, adhering to these basic guidelines as much as the situation allows will demonstrate respect and an understanding of business seating strategies. (BL)
"Keep your thinking right and your business will be right."
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Genuine leadership demands
a sense, not of glamour, but of responsibility. The true leader is concerned not so much with the opinions of others as with the truth, with getting a job done, and with inspiring others to join him in working towards a common goal. This concern implies a willingness to assume the responsibility not merely for success, but also for failure; a willingness to take the risks, instead of waiting for others to take it, thereby absolving oneself of any blame. Most people are happy enough to take the credit for being right, but few are willing to take the blame for being wrong. The genuine leader is equally indifferent to praise and blame. There are times when the leader knows that he must shoulder an undeserved blame - perhaps because others would not be able to bear the weight of it, or simply to see an issue dropped as soon as possible.
No place for personal feelings One learns in the role of leadership that the only way to get a job done is to get people to act and not react, as they tend to do, especially when they are blamed. In this sense, a leader must be like a good athlete. A skier, for example, doesn't have time to think whether he likes a particular rough spot on the slope. His one thought is, "What shall I do about it?" A captain on the battlefield can't afford to waste time thinking, "If only the enemy would stop shooting at us!" He can't change that, so, why lament it? His urgent need is to find ways for his men to avoid getting hit, while attacking with the greatest effectiveness. A businessman trying to win a contract knows that it can be fatal to react too personally to his opponents. No one will be impressed with him if he bases his bid, for example, on a show of resentment of the competition. I remember receiving a letter one evening years ago that threatened disaster for a project I'd been working on for many years. Well-wishers, seeing the shock on my face, urged me consolingly, "Come out with us for a cup of tea. It will make you feel better." "What do you mean?" I replied, "Who cares how I feel about this letter? All that matters is what to do about it!" My hands were unsteady as I drove home that evening. The unsteadiness wasn't due to fear. My concentration was centred in the thought, "There has to be an answer. What is it?" The crisis, was overcome, though with only
LEADERSHIP MEANS ESPONSIBILITY
hours to spare. I doubt that it would have been met successfully if even a small part of my energy had been wasted on how I felt in the matter.
Effective, yet, compassionate leadership doesn't have to be nfeding The best Leadership, indeed, is rooted in compassion, and in deep concern for the welfare of others. But to be most effective it must be liberated from personal likes and dislikes. One's feelings - and even more important, one's intuitions - will actually be clearer and deeper for being impersonal. Equally important is it for a leader's actions to be selfgenerated, and not merely reflective of the actions of others. He cannot afford to be drawn into other people's definitions of the problems he confronts. In this sense, too, creative action is infinitely more important than blind reaction. It implies complete, personal acceptance of the responsibility for getting a job done. The mediocre general may exclaim, "According to all the recognized treatises on warfare, our situation is hopeless. What choice do we have but to surrender?" But the great general will say, "The recognized treatises offer no hope. Let us, therefore, create new guidelines!? Thus was the Battle of Waterloo won and, the Battle of Hastings. And thus, again, the American Revolution which introduced unorthodox tactics borrowed from the American Indians. Remember, then - leadership doesn't mean glamour, it means responsibility. And responsibility means thinking in terms, not of credit or blame, nor of how one might feel in any given situation, it means focusing simply on getting the job done. It means taking responsibility for finding creative answers, even when one has every excuse for finding none. (BL) PR COMMUNICATION AGE Novmebr 2012
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WHO NEEDS A
GUARDIAN?
Certainly not persons with disability, if they can be given support The Rights of Persons with Disabilities Bill 2012, the latest version of which has been made public by the ministry of social justice and empowerment, is another step by the Indian government to bring domestic legislation in line with standards prescribed by the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (UNCRPD). One of the key issues dealt with under the UNCRPD and which the bill tries to tackle is "legal capacity". An issue that sharply divides the disabled community. While some argue that all persons should be given legal capacity, regardless of disability- which is the UNCRPD position others argue that some persons with disabilities should never be allowed to exercise independent legal capacity as they are incapable of understanding the consequences of their actions. "Legal capacity" is one of the fundamentals of law and legal process. All persons above the age of consent are deemed to exercise legal capacity to do many things - vote, get married, enter into contracts, drive, be tried for crimes, have consensual sexual intercourse. Once a person has crossed this age threshold, she is automatically deemed to have "legal capacity" and there's no further proof needed to demonstrate her ability to do any of these or other acts, or face the consequences of the same. Two legislations deal with the issue of appointment of guardians for persons with disabilities - the Mental Health Act, 1987 (for persons with mental illness), and the National Trust Act, 1999 (for the welfare of persons with autism, cerebral palsy, mental retardation and multiple disabilities).
These laws assume that some persons with disabilities cannot exercise legal capacity on a permanent basis and therefore call for guardians in order to facilitate the exercise of legal capacity in relation to contractual obligations. Once a guardian is appointed, he or she can make all relevant decisions on behalf of the person with disability without having any obligation to consult the disabled person. These provisions that permit the appointment of guardians have long been used in practice, including by unscrupulous relatives, to deprive countless persons with disabilities of their rights. The UNCRPD requires that Indian law be modified to recognize the legal capacity of all persons with disabilities and the concept of guardianship is abolished. The UNCRPD also mandates that India must take appropriate measures to provide access for persons with disabilities to the support they may require in exercising their legal capacity. However, neither the Mental Health Act nor the National Trust Act recognizes the concept of full legal capacity nor mandates the provision of support for decision-making. The Rights of Persons with Disabilities Bill seeks to supersede the Mental Health Act and the National Trust Act and mandates two important changes from the existing regime.
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First, the bill recognises the concept of full legal capacity and states that any law or regulation that has the effect of depriving any person with disability of legal capacity shall not be legally enforceable. Secondly, it introduces the concept of "limited guardianship", under which the guardian is required to act in close consultation with the person with disability to arrive at legally binding decisions. In a sense, therefore, the new bill is attempting to carve out a middle path between the present regime and the UNCRPD requirements. The formulation under the bill is confusing and fraught with danger. On one hand, it recognizes full legal capacity while on the other it states that all decisions must be made jointly between the person with disability and limited guardian. It appears that unless the limited guardian also agrees with a decision, no decision can be made by the person with disability. This surely is not recognising full legal capacity. The bill also does not put in place the necessary safeguards to prevent abuse by the person providing support since there is no requirement that the arrangement be subject to regular review by a competent, independent and impartial authority or judicial body, as mandated by the UNCRPD. Perhaps the correct formulation of a solution on the question of "legal capacity" can come by tweaking the relevant provision in the Indian Contract Act, 1872. Under this act, a contract is void if a party to the contract is, at the time when she enters the contract, incapable of understanding it and of forming a national judgment about the effect on her interests. This bar is not in anyway related to persons with disabilities, since it applies even to a same man, who is delirious from fever, or who is very drunk. Yes, some people with disabilities may require some support to make decisions, and provided this support is given, albeit with the proper checks and balances as prescribed by the UNCRPD, is there really a requirement for a guardian, limited or not? (Ind. Exp.)
HUMOUR IN OFFICE IS SERIOUS BUSINESS "He who can laugh, still has energy in reserve." Every time the boss cracks this joke most of the employees smile only faintly. What is funny the first time becomes unnerving at some point. But besides the boss' mediocre jokes- humour in the office can fulfill an important purpose. In the best case it supports creativity, reduces stress and can make tense situations disappear. "Humour works primarily through change of perspectives," says Katrin Hansmeier from the German Institute for Humour. To do things differently, think illogically and surprise the other person - that makes us laugh. If humour works, it can inspire a team. And another benefit of humour is that if you can laugh with someone, you will work in harmony with them. But not every joke is equally well received. Humour in the workplace should be used empathically says Hansmaier. Use Empathically The basic rule is : "Always let the other person appear in a good light." If there is a good rapport between colleagues, a caring send-up of a situation is ok. Some find it funny to exaggerate a colleague's work ethic by calling them the "workplace hero" or "my knight." "If I'm on the same page with the other person it works out lovely." But there is potential danger with dirty jokes and constant boasting - at least, that is,if colleagues do not know each other well. Fellow employees should consider carefully what makes the other laugh. If in doubt it is always better to bite one's tongue, says career advisor Rene Gabriel. Otherwise a bad atmosphere can develop. Employees will quickly cause an embarrassing situation with condescending remarks, agrees humour expert Hansmeier. She recommends using sarcasm, mockery and cynicism sparingly. Insinuating remarks are taboo, warns humour coach Margit Hertlein. One should always be able to feel the basic underlying friendly attitude and humour should never go below the belt, says Werner Schienle of CCC Creative Communication Consult. So far that's the theory: but what to do if a colleague repeatedly makes fun at others' expense? The best thing is to raise the issue with that person, says Schienle. Remaining silent will heighten the danger of a new mockery attack. And if you yourself make a joke that you should not have? It is best to apologise quickly. Generally, it is better in business life to refrain from joking. Funny pictures in an important presentation come across unprofessionally," says Margit Hertlein. Amusing e-mails might be intended well, but they are time consuming during the work process. The same is true, according to Gabriel, of e-mails with links to Web videos. (BL) PR COMMUNICATION AGE Novmebr 2012
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MALE FERTILITY TAKES A HIT Mumbai based couple
could not conceive for many years. Finally, the diagnosis came: the male partner didn't have the tube hat transports sperm from the testis to the urethra. The news was hard for him to digest. "In our culture the entire onus of reproduction is pushed on to the female, so it becomes difficult for the couples and their families to accept a diagnosis of male infertility," says Jaydeep Tank, fertility expert, programme director and board member, Birla IVF Fertility Clinic, Mumbai. "These cases need to be tackled with empathy and both the spouses should be counseled to make them understand that viable medical intervention is an option," he says. The husband in the case mentioned finally came around and medical intervention (Intra-Cytoplasmic Sperm Injection) helped the couple become parents of a daughter. Sonia Malik, an IVF expert and director, Southend Fertiity and IVF Centre, Holy Angels Hospital, New Delhi,says :The most common causes of male infertility include azoospermia (when no sperm cells are produced) and oligospermia (when few sperm cells are produced).Sometimes, sperm cells are malformed or they die before they can reach the egg. And all these sperm situations are on an increase." In a bid understand the reasons for the dip in fertility, she began studying the causes of male infertility and even did a 10-year comparative sperm-data analysis starting in 2000 (without a grant' the study is yet to be published). She studied 400 patients who came to the clinic and
observed that there was a huge decline in high male sperm count and motility and also a drastic change for the worse in the morphology (structure and form) of the sperms in this time span. Apparently the sperm count in males over the years has gone down so drastically globally that for the first time in medical history, the World Health Organization (WHO) in 2919 brought down the standard from 40 million per ml to 20 million per ml, says Archana Dhawan Bajaj, consultant obstetrician, gynaecologist, fertility and IVF expert at The Nurture clinic, New Delhi."This trend of falling sperm count has been seen globally and now up to 50% of cases of infertility, I would say, are due to made causes," agrees Hrishikesh Pal, gynecologist and infertility expert, Lilavati Hospital and Research Centre, Mumbai.
Behind the scenes Increasing levels of pollution are one of the rime causes of the decline in sperm count. "The rapid expansion of the chemicals industry in the country," says Dr. Malik, "has resulted in the release of a plethora of xenobiotics (molecules foreign to biological systems) into the environment. Xenobiotics and other environmental factors such as radiation can lead to male infertility. The nitrogen dioxide and sulphur dioxide (levels of which are increasing because of vehicle emissions, industrial waste, pesticides, etc.)present in the environment affect fertility. These decrease sperm motility and increase the DNA damage of the sperm," adds Dr. Dhawan Bajaj. Pesticides too can cause a fall infertility levels "Crop sprays
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(like HPTE) can stop testosterone production for more than 17 hours after exposure," says Dr. Malik, "I would advise everyone to eat food only after washing and cleaning well. Or better still, switch to organic," adds Dr. Pai. Zinc deficiency has a role to play too. Zinc (a micronutrient abundantly present in eat and seafood) is essential for the functioning of more than 80 enzymes involved in DNA multiplication and protein synthesis. So is deficiency leads to decreased testosterone levels and sperm count,."Zinc levels are generally found to be lower in infertility men with diminished sperm count,"says Dr. Malik. "Often supplementation of zinc (in those who are deficient) helps improve sperm counts and boosts testosterone levels," Dr. Pai adds.
What is the solution? The long-term solutions are an improvement in environment and better lifestyles. "Pollution is definitely not in our control but changing our lifestyle (smoking, less alcohol, more exercise and reining in stress) is the way to go," suggests Dr. Pai. Medical aid can provide relief too. The three most effective interventions, according to the experts, are : 4 IVF (in-vitro fertilization), where the success rate is as high as 40-50%, is a good option in IVF, an egg is surgically removed from a woman's ovaries and fertilized with male sperm in a laboratory. The fertilized egg (now called an embryo) is again returned to the woman's womb to nurture and develop," explains Dr. Pai. The procedure costs approximately Rs.1.5 lakh. 4 But Dr. Tank believes the real break through came around 20 years back, when the first child was born from a treatment called ICSI (intra-Cytoplasmic Sperm Injection), developed by Gianpiero Palermo in 1991 in Brussels,. This treatment enabled embryologists to insert the sperm directly inside the egg. Till then, what had been possible was conventional IVF, which had its limitations as the success rate when sperm count was low was not good. "ICSI revolutionized the treatment available for low sperm count and even men who had no sperm in the semen can use this treatment for it requires collecting the sperm directly from the testis," he says. It costs approximately Rs.1.5 - 2 lakh.
4 Finally there is intra-cytoplasmic Morphologically Selected Sperm Injection, or Imsi, which is recommended for couples who have had repeated ICSI/IVF failures or men whose samples show low counts with abnormal sperms. "In instances when male sperms are either infertility or of poor quality, this technology makes the procedure of identifying quality sperm more precise. In this procedure, sperms are magnified to 7,200 times, which gives us the option to choose the good sperms from the bad ones," explains Dr Dhawan Bajaj. Imsi can cost up to Rs.2 - 2.25 lakh approximately.(Mint)
Gaming addiction, a new mental illness among kids Children addicted to using electronic devices may suffer from "Internet-use disorder", a newly discovered and serious mental illness, according to a new study. Psychologists argue video game and Internet addictions share the characteristics of other addicts, including emotional shutdown, lack of concentration and withdrawal symptoms if the gadgets are removed. The formal inclusion of this new addiction in a worldwide psychiatric manual has been welcomed by Australian psychology professionals in response to a wave of "alwayson" technology engulfing kids, the 'Sydney Morning Herald' reported. "With kids, gaming is an obvious issue. But overall, technology use could be a potential problem", said Mike Kyrios, Professor of Psychology. Other fallout can include devastating impacts for children and families as social interaction and even food are neglected in favour of the virtual worlds the children inhabit. Australian experts contributed to the Australian Psychological Society's submission to the international manual, supporting the inclusion of an addiction focused on Internet gaming. The inclusion acknowledges risks posed by overuse of seemingly benign technologies, classifying internet-use disorder alongside other mental disorders that need further research before becoming a recognised mental illness that can be formally diagnosed. Kyrios said once more research is invested in the disorder, it would allow health professionals to diagnose children with addictive behaviours from technology overuse and treat them appropriately, including strategies to change their obsessive over-reliance on being connected. He said children with underlying obsessive compulsive disorders could be at risk from technology overuse.
"I'm all in favour of keeping dangerous weapons out of the hands of fools. Let's start with typewriters." PR COMMUNICATION AGE Novmebr 2012
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Review Remember, You are also a teacher When the chick of a crow grows, all the crows of the area gather and teach it flying. The process of teaching is the inherent quality bestowed to all living beings. The Lioness teaches hunting to its cubs. But many of the human beings entrust the job of teaching to somebody. To give the milk, some woman is employed. Creches are used to care the baby. A teacher is appointed to teach the child. This process goes for long. But the best teachers are the parents. Right from the birth till the grown up age Good educationists have considered the age unto five years as a very good age for building the memory. Unfortunately the child is left with creche or the servants, who, subsequently, become the prey of TV, internet, drugs and bad habits. You are a teacher. Every one of you is a teacher of your child. Earning wealth enjoying a luxurious life is not the object of life. These are means of livelihood. You have to understand your existence and duties to the brotherhood and mankind. You are the teacher of your youngsters, whether, brother, son or a friend. You cannot teach someone to do good, unless you blend yourself to do. Don't tell others what to do, show them how you do. The young will do as you do, not what you tell them to do. To be honest, truthful, straight forward are the lessons taught in young age. Unless the elders or teachers act as model, the youngsters do not. You will otherwise be termed as hypocrite. My young daughter asked me, "Papa chewing pan is a bad habit, why do you so?" Feeling ashamed hear of heart, I told her, "No, daughter, I chew it to teach a lesson that it is a bad habit." But such cunning replies can be understood by the youngsters. They will also learn to bluff. That is why to save my child I left off this habit, in all sincerity, some 20 years back.
In any profession, you must also teach you're young or the juniors to become capable to succeed you. It is easy for the doctor to make his son a doctor and a lawyer will make his son a lawyer and so on. It is not because of transforming his knowledge, but because of putting him to practice. Have you not heard that a Civil Surgeon from Chennai made his kid to do the surgery of a patient successfully? It is because an intelligent child of the doctor observes the working of his father, More than knowledge observation is important and that is why, it is famous that the son of the doctor becomes a doctor, son of the professional too does like his dad. Remember, an example is better than the precedent. An elder without his truthful successor is a tree without a fruit. There is no use of the lamp that gives no light. Every boss should teach discipline to his subordinates, who will carry forward his message. Therefore in every walk of life you will be known by your successors or disciples, who will carry the lump of your message.
Review You might have read many books on insurance. The above episode is from our new publication. "Memoirs of My Insurance Life" written by our Resident Editor, Mr.Vazir Ahmed Khan, who is a regular contributor to our Journal. It is a book first of its kind, useful for insurance agents and youngsters. We had also published earlier a Drama "All About Insurance" in various installments in our journal and we received lot of good feed-back. We hope new insurance agents and insurance offices would avail of this opportunity of possessing this book. A discount is allowable on bulk orders also. - The Editor
Some Excerpts from our new publication : "My Memoirs of Insurance Life" Price Rs.150, pages : 124, Sashi Publications, Kolkata.
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Legal All children homes told to Register under Juvenile Act All children homes in India will have to be registered under the Juvenile Justice Act, even if they have licences under any other Indian law.
Apex court dismisses plea for winding up of Statesman The Supreme Court has dismissed a plea by for winding up of "The Statesman" newspaper made by a creditor who claimed the daily's management had failed to repay her Rs 5.65 crore dues allegedly taken for continuing its operations. A bench of justices G S Singhvi and Gyan Sudha Misra, while dismissing creditor Chitra Nevatia's petition, however, clarified that dismissal of the appeal will not prejudice the cause of the parties to the pending suit on the issue. "In our view, the impugned judgement does not suffer from any legal infirmity warranting interference under Article 136 of the Constitution. The special leave petitions are accordingly dismissed. "However, it is made clear that dismissal of the special leave petitions shall not prejudice the cause of the parties in the pending suits," the bench said in a recent order.
The women and child development (WCD) ministry has said the Juvenile Justice (JJ) Act will apply even to child care institutions that are not keen on children in need of care and protection. "It is a legal requirement that all institutions housing children should be registered under the Juvenile Justice (Care and Protection of Children) Act," the ministry said in an affidavit filed in the Delhi High Court. The court is hearing a plea filed by civil society group HAQ Centre for Child Rights, seeking the registration of a sister concern of Arya Orphanage under the JJ Act. It had said that as the institution has a licence under the Women and Children's Institutions (Licensing) Act, 1956 it did not require registration under the JJ Act. Overruling the contention and laying a clear policy framework for the entire country, the ministry said registration of institutions under Women and Children Institutions (Licensing) Act has no value as the said Act stood repealed even since the JJ Act came into being in 2006. (HT)
Compensation can't be taxed: Consumer panel The National Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission has held that damages awarded in a case cannot be equated with income and thus, not liable to attract tax deducted at source. The NCDRC passed the order while directing the Airports Authority of India (AAI) to refund the TDS it had subtracted from the compensation of Rs 2.5 lakh it paid to a couple for the death of their daughter. The NCDRC had on August 5, 2004 directed AAI to pay the Dubai-based complainants Geeta and Parmanand Jethani damages of Rs 2.5 lakh after their daughter Jyotsana died while getting off an escalator maintained by the airport authority. The AAI paid the compensation but only after deducting tax and contended that since the TDS had already been deducted, the Jethanis should seek its refund from the income tax authorities. The commission said that AAI should not have deducted the TDS in the first PR COMMUNICATION AGE Novmebr 2012
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place. "The AAI should have merely passed on the information to the I-T department. The damages paid for the death of a person cannot be equated with income as such,'' the bench president Justice J M Malik said. The bench referred to a similar order passed in 2002 wherein it held a consumer not liable to pay TDS on the interest on the amount refunded by the Ghaziabad Development Authority. It held that the interest was paid because of deficiency of services. (Tol)
Sex abuse shield The Supreme Court today directed all regulatory bodies, such as the Bar Council of India and the Medical Council of India, to set up a committee to deal with sexual harassment at the workplace. The court directed the bodies and institutions affiliated to them to implement the guidelines framed in its 1997 Vishaka judgment in two months. The order came on a PIL filed by Medha Kalwal Lele, asking for the ambit of the 1997 verdict to be expanded. In 1997, the court had framed guidelines to handle cases of sexual harassment in the workplace in government departments and PSUs. The guidelines said it was the duty of the employer or other responsible persons in a workplace to prevent or deter sexual harassment. The guidelines said rules prohibiting sexual harassment at the workplace should be notified, published and circulated and should provide for penalties against the offenders. Private employers, too, were asked to include the express prohibition of sexual harassment in their standing orders. The guidelines asked organisations to ensure sexual harassment victims or witnesses are not victimised or discriminated against when they make a complaint (Tol)
SC summons records on women prisoners The Supreme Court on Monday found it strange that the Bombay High Court took more than seven years to decide a woman murder convict's appeal and reject her bail plea and asked all HCs to furnish data on women lodged in jails because of delay in hearing of appeals or pendency of their bail pleas. A Maharashtra trial court on January 29, 2004 convicted Laxmibai Babaram Chikhalkar for murdering her daughterin-law in April 1998 and sentenced her to life imprisonment. She appealed against the conviction, but 28
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the HC pronounced its verdict only in April last year. She appealed against the HC order in the apex court and sought bail on the ground of deteriorating health as she has been in prison since 1998. A bench of Justices K S Radhakrishnan and Dipak Misra feared that there might be many who for even lesser crimes could be languishing in jail for want of hearing on their bail pleas or appeals against conviction. Asking Chikhalkar's counsel and senior advocate Shekhar Naphade to assist the court as amicus curiae, the court issued notices to all high courts seeking their reports on the condition of women prisoners lodged in jails under their jurisdictions. (Tol)
Send helps below 14 to school: SC If you have a domestic help below 14 years,the authorities may soon visit your home. The Supreme Court on Monday ordered the central and state governments to conduct a countrywide drive to identify children below 14 years engaged as domestic helps and send them to school to fulfil the mandate of the Right to Education Act. The court said though the act mandated free and compulsory education to children below 14,many of them were still working as domestic helps in both urban and rural areas. A large number of children are working as domestic helps in urban,town and rural areas with no chance to go to school even though education from standard 1 to 8 is compulsory under the Right of Children to Free and Compulsory Education Act,2009, a bench of justices K S Radhakrishnan and Dipak Misra said. (Tol)
SC: Identify kids working as domestic help The Supreme Court on Monday directed all states to conduct fresh surveys to identify how many minors worked as domestic help even after the enactment of the Right To Education Act. A double bench said the survey, to be done with the help of local panchayats, would be submitted to the NHRC. Issuing further directions, the court ordered fresh surveys to be conducted periodically - once in three years - to ascertain how many children worked as bonded labourers. The survey findings should be made part of a computerised database available on websites. "A large number of children are working as domestic help in urban and rural areas with no chance of going to schools even though the education from Class 1 to 8 is compulsory under the Right of Children to Free and Compulsory Education Act, 2009," the court stated. (HT)
News
Round Up Aadhaar-based cash transfer launched The UPA government rolled out direct cash transfer under the Aadhaar scheme to eliminate fraud and corruption in government schemes, with PM Manmohan Singh saying technology will bring transparency.
1 in 3 to get Aadhaar numbers by 2013 At least one of three Indians will possess a unique identification (UID) number by next year, said Nandan Nilekani, chairman of the Unique Identification Authority of India (UIDAI). The authority will double the number of Indians with a UID number to 400 million by next year, Nilekani said at a press meet on the second anniversary of Aadhaar, the government's key unique identity project. On Saturday, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh will unveil the Aadhaar-enabled payment platform "which shall be the beginning of nationwide services based on Aadhaar", said UIDAI director general R.S. Sharma.
Average life expectancy of Indians rises 4.6 years An average Indian lived 4.6 years longer in 2008 compared with a decade earlier. An average Indian woman lived three years more than her male counterpart in 2008. While the life expectancy (LE) at birth for women was 67.7 years,it stood at 64.6 years for men. This was an increase of 2.5 years and 1.8 years, respectively, when compared to the (LE) in 2002. According to the latest life expectancy data to be released by the Registrar General of India this week after a gap of almost five years the LE of a rural Indian increased by 2.2 years between 2002 and 2008. However, the LE of an
urban Indian was up by just 1.2 years over the same period. Interestingly, an urban female lived 4.9 years longer than a rural female and 7.9 years longer than a rural male. A woman living in rural Kerala had the highest LE at birth across all categories at 77.2 years. In contrast, LE at birth was lowest at below 60 years for a rural male in Madhya Pradesh. Rural males also lived longest in Kerala at 71.2 years,which was 7.7 years longer than the average rural Indian male.
Soon, only generic medicines for you For a populace already reeling under the twin impacts of inflation and the spiralling prices of fuel, here is some good news at last. Your annual medical bills are all set to plummet, since the government plans to make it mandatory for doctors to prescribe low-cost generic medicines. A group of ministers (GoM) has asked Union health minister Ghulam Nabi Azad to fasttrack a law, which will also require pharmaceutical firms to disclose all payments made to doctors in this regard. "The minister told us that the draft bill was ready and would soon be circulated for the cabinet's consideration," a minister who participated in the GoM told Hindustan Times on condition of anonymity. To give a push to low-cost generic drugs over branded ones, the government will also set up a medicine shop in each of its hospitals. Price is the real difference between branded and generic drugs. The latter are low-cost ones and not protected by patents. At present, a 10-tablet strip of Aspirin, a painkiller, costs, Rs.9.50, but the generic version is available for Rs.1.63.
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A drug has at least three names - chemical, generic and a brand name. The chemical name gives the atomic or molecular structure of the drug and is too complex for general use. So, an official body assigns a generic name to a drug. The brand name is chosen by a manufacturer or a distributor. High costs of branded medicines contribute up to 40% of an outpatient's bill, according to Central Government Health Scheme (CGHS) data. The proposed law will make it mandatory for pharmaceutical firms to disclose payments made to doctors for research, consultancy, travel and entertainment. "It (the law) will have a conflict of interest code for doctors," an official said. The ministry has already told state governments to ensure that their doctors prescribe drugs by chemical names and not by brand names as part of its initiative to bear 75% of the cost towards providing free generic drugs to all by year-end. The ministry of chemicals and fertilisers has been asked to open its low-cost generic medicine Jan Aushadhi stores, which sell around 500 drugs, in every government hospital. The group of ministers, on September 27, had proposed price control for 274 more drugs, from the present 74.
Banks aplenty, toilets few Indians have better access to banks than toilets. Badagaon Jagir is a village of 300 households in Gwalior district. Thanks to the ultra-small branch of the Central Bank, opened under Madhya Pradesh's financial inclusion model, the village boasts of complete banking coverage with over 1,200 accounts. When it comes to toilets, however, the picture isn't quite as flowery. About half of Badagaon Jagir's population still goes to the fields when nature calls. This story of this village, however, is not unique. Though the country has made impressive strides in effecting financial inclusion of the poor, basic sanitation is something it is struggling hard to achieve. As much as 59% of Indian households avail banking services, the latest compilation of India in Figures-2012 shows. In comparison, only 47% of the households have a latrine, and as much as half lack drainage facilities.
Census 2011, on the other hand, showed that the number of mobile phone connections surpassing toilets by leaps and bounds - standing at 63% of the population. While the recent comparison of temples and toilets by minister for drinking water and sanitation Jairam Ramesh may have kicked up a storm, policy makers and activists admit that the open defecation issue has received little attention on the planning board. Therefore, it's hardly surprising that more Indians (47%) have television sets than water connections at their homes (43.5%). Noting the average Indian's fascination with television and the cinema, the ministry roped in actress Vidya Balan to play the role of ambassador for a tabooed subject toilets and sanitation. Last week, Ramesh launched a 2000-KM Nirmal Bharat Yatra passing through five states that fare poorly in matters relating to sanitation - Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh and Bihar. There were 28,000 nirmal grams - open defecation-free village panchayats - till 2011-end, compared to over 2.4 lakh panchayats in the country.
Nine-point code set out to safeguard personal information The Justice A. P. Shah panel has recommended an overarching law to protect privacy and personal data in the private and public spheres. The report also suggested setting up privacy commissioners, both at the Central and State levels. It has spelt out nine national privacy principles that could be followed while framing the law. The report comes at a time when there is growing concern over unique identity numbers, DNA profiling, brain-mapping, etc, most of which will be implemented on the ICT platform. The report has listed certain exceptions in the right to privacy such as national security, public order, disclosure in public interest, prevention, detection, investigation and prosecution of criminal offences and protection of the individual or of the rights of freedom of others. In certain cases, historical or scientific research and journalistic purposes can also be considered as exceptions, says the report.
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Networking Sites Referring to social networking sites and search engines, which have their own privacy code, Justice Shah said these will either have to follow the model provided in the proposed Act or have a self-regulatory mechanism approved by the privacy commissioner. The report suggests harmonising the proposed privacy Act with the RTI Act. Responding to privacy infringement concerns, as aired by the Prime Minister recently, Justice Shah said RTI was the only law that gave statutory protection to privacy, which could be over-ridden only in certain cases for individuals, not companies. Minister of State for Planning Ashwani Kumar said a privacy Act was necessary as in a democracy one had to ensure that "no one right is so exercised so as to infringe upon the rights of individuals." The high-level panel submitted its report to the Planning Commission on Thursday. It will now be forwarded to the Department of Personnel and Training, which is already looking into the privacy law.
Subsidy relief for apartments with pool gas Households in high-rise apartments drawing LPG from a common pool can breathe easier. The three public sector oil companies ' IOCL, BPCL and HPCL ' have decided to treat each flat in a housing complex as an individual connection. This means each of these apartments will be billed at the subsidised rate for 42.6kg (14.2 x 3) of LPG drawn from the common reservoir till March 31, when this financial year ends.
cost of a subsidised cylinder. A subsidised cylinder costs Rs 412.42 in the city. The price of a non-subsidised cylinder is Rs 925.17. V.K. Yadav, state level co-ordinator of oil firms in the northern region, said each flat in a housing complex would be treated as an individual connection. Since the gas is metered, they would get LPG at the subsidised rate for the equivalent of three 14.2kg cylinders ' or 42.6kg ' till this financial year ends. Although these flats will be treated as individual connections, they will not be allowed to hold individual connections. Only those flats that are occupied will get LPG at subsidised rates. Yadav said housing societies should furnish to the gas distributor concerned the list of residents living in the complex along with proof of identity, proof of address, and KYC (Know Your Customer) and other standard declarations in the form of an affidavit. Officials of the three oil companies said there was no shortage of domestic subsidised, domestic nonsubsidised and commercial LPG cylinders, adding that there were enough cylinders available in the market to meet demands during the festive season ahead. There are no restrictions on the number of domestic nonsubsidised cylinders that consumers can avail themselves of beyond the subsidised LPG refill cylinders to meet "genuine" demands, the companies said in a statement. Consumers need to have the Domestic Gas Consumer Card (DGCC) booklet with a serial number and consumer number entered by the distributor to get subsidised cooking gas.
According to the new norms that came into force on September 14, individual domestic connections are entitled to three 14.2kg subsidised cylinders till the end of this financial year, and six a year from April 1. There were concerns that households getting LPG through pipes from common reservoirs in apartment complexes would be denied the subsidised quota.
"If any consumer has lost/misplaced the DGCC booklet or does not have the DGCC booklet or has a DGCC booklet without a serial number/consumer number, they must get in touch with their distributor and obtain a new booklet, duly stamped and signed by the distributor, after paying applicable charges," the statement said.
In Calcutta, for instance, over 5,000 families drawing gas from a common pool at housing complexes were being billed at Rs 75 a kilo from October 1, which works out to Rs 1,065 for a 14.2kg domestic cylinder, almost thrice the
Industry officials said the cash memo would indicate the number of subsidised cylinders delivered as well as the serial number of the domestic consumer card booklet issued to each customer. Oil marketing companies
"Action and reaction, ebb and flow, trial and error, change - this is the rhythm of living. Out of our over-confidence, fear; out of our fear, clearer vision, fresh hope. And out of hope, progress." PR COMMUNICATION AGE Novmebr 2012
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(OMCs), they added, were cross-checking KYC data to weed out multiple connections.
Anti-graft Act will cover bribe-givers In a decision that could prove to be a game-changer in the fight against corruption, the government is planning to amend the anti-graft Act to cover bribe-givers, especially private companies, instead of only the bribetaker. Prime Minister Manmohan Singh announced this on Wednesday, saying, "Experience has shown that in a vast majority of cases, it is difficult to tackle consensual bribery and the bribe-giver gets away by taking advantage of the Prevention of Corruption Act." He said bigticket corruption was mostly related to operations by commercial entities. "It is, therefore, also proposed to include corporate failure to prevent bribery as a new offence." Inaugurating a conference of the CBI and state anticorruption bureaus in Delhi, the PM said his regime would provide a clear definition of "corruption", and also amend the Act to "protect honest public servants". In an oblique reference to the anti-corruption crusade by social activist Anna Hazare and later by his estranged associate, India Against Corruption leader Arvind Kejriwal, he said, "The mindless atmosphere of negativity and pessimism that is sought to be created over the issue of corruption can do us no good."
S&P may downgrade india'scredit rating despite the reforms US credit rating agency Standard and Poor's (S&P) warned on Monday that Indiastill faced a "one in three" chance of a downgrade despite the recent spate of moves to open up the insurance, pension and multi-brand retail sectors to foreign investment- the boldest reforms initiated by the UPA since assuming power in 2004. "The negative outlook signals at least a one-in-three likelihood of a downgrade of the sovereign rating on India within the next 24 months," S&P analysts said in a note. The effects of the announcement were immediately visible: the Sensex tumbled by 162 points to close at 18,631.1 and the rupee fell below the 53-mark.
The agency also maintained India's rating at BBB-, which is only a not cha bove"junk". A downgrade would mean India would have to pay higher interest rates on its public borrowings. (HT)
Abuse of elders shocks Pranab President Pranab Mukherje expressed deep shock after reading a Times of India story which revealed how 1 in 3 old people in the country were being abused,mostly by their own family members. Reacting to the story,Mukherjee said,I have to confess my deep alarm and dismay over the findings of the 20 city survey which reveals that one out of three elders have faced abuse.It is even more shocking to learn that those surveyed describe their sons and daughters in law as the primary abusers. Hoping that these findings will serve as a wake-up call and goad each one of us into immediate action,Mukherje said: We must do everything possible to ensure that our elders can live a life of dignity,enjoying the best of medical attention,economic security as well as emotional stability. Pranab strongly batted for allowing elders to work. He said: I turn 77 few months from now. The prime minister has just celebrated his 80th birthday. Lata Mangeshkar celebrated her 83rd birthday a few days back. Justice V.R.Krishna Iyer is going strong at the age of 97.I salute them and am proud to be one of them, an Elder leading a productive and fruitful life. I am confident that elders has much more to do and give before they call it a day. He however rued that across India, the joint family system is withering away and with it,the informal support structures that elders used to enjoy. Mukherjee said that the elderly should be encouraged to get out of a retirement mentality and think about old age as a second inning,an opportunity to complete so many unfinished tasks.
India to see 242,000 millionaires by 2017 India is expected to see a substantial jump in the number of millionaires in the next five years as the total tally for the super rich in the country is likely to touch 242,000 by 2017, a report says.
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According to a Credit Suisse Research Institute's Global Wealth Report, the number of millionaires in the country in 2012 stands at 158,000, which is likely to swell to 242,000 by 2017, registering an increase of 53 per cent. The report also highlighted the stark inequality in the country as almost everyone in India (95 per cent) has wealth below $10,000 (about Rs 5,30,000), while at the other end a very small proportion of the population (just 0.3 per cent) has a net worth over $100,000. "While wealth has been rising strongly in India and the middle class and wealthy have been swelling, not everyone has shared in this growth and there is still a great deal of poverty," the report said. India has 237,000 members of the top 1 per cent of global wealth holders. There are 1,500 UHNW individuals with wealth over $50 million and 700 with more than $100 million. In the period under consideration from 2012 to 2017, the number of millionaires worldwide is expected to increase by about 18 million - reaching 46 million in 2017 from 28 million in 2012. Though the number of millionaires in emerging economies is still well below the level in the USA (16.9 million) and Europe (15.4 million), "it is expected to increase substantially in the next few years", the report said. China could see its number double by 2017, raising the total to almost two million. A substantial increase in the number of millionaires in Brazil is also expected and it could add 270,000 millionaires by 2017, Credit Suisse said. Others in the emerging market economies, which are likely to see a large addition in the number of millionaires include Mexico (a rise of 112,000) and Indonesia (103,000). Singapore is expected to add 93,000 millionaires, while India will see an addition of 84,000 millionaires. Moreover, the number of millionaires in transition economies is predicted to rise substantially over the next five years, reaching more than 200,000 in Russia, 78,000 in Poland and 40,000 in the Czech Republic.
India, Pakistan in talks for allowing mobile roaming Soon mobile users in India and Pakistan may be able to
roam in each others' countries. The two Governments are in talks to remove all hurdles to enable operators to offer roaming services according to senior functionaries in the Ministry of Commerce. The Department of Telecom is backing the proposal but the Home Ministry is yet to give clearance on the Indian side. Roaming services between the two countries have been banned since 2004 after Indian security agencies raised concerns around misuse by anti-social elements. While terrorism was one of the biggest issues, Indian agencies also raised cricket betting as another reason to ban roaming. Monitoring agencies But now technology allows security agencies to better monitor mobile users. "Monitoring agencies will be able to track specific users if the need arises better if the user is on a mobile network," said Rajan Mathews, Director General, Cellular Operators Association of India. Home Ministry has put in place stringent monitoring laws in place wherein all telecom operators are required to give traffic details of specific users on a real time basis. The security agencies are monitoring about 10,000 phones and 1,000 emails at any given point of time. Mathews, however, added that the move will not have any significant revenue implications for operators. "Roaming is anyway used by a small percentage of the total subscriber base and then there are not too many people travelling between India and Pakistan to make a significant addition to the operators' revenues," he said. Subscriber info If roaming is allowed, the two countries will have to put in place a mechanism to share subscriber information for security purposes. For example, Indian security agencies have repeatedly curbed services in Jammu and Kashmir and the North East whenever there is trouble. They can do so because the services in J&K are being controlled by Indian operators. The concern is that if roaming services are permitted, Pakistani elements can sneak mobile connections into Indian territory.
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Decency law The cabinet has approved amendments to the law on the indecent representation of women to cover Internet and satellite-based TV broadcasting, among other areas (see Page 4). The amendments are also aimed making it easy to crack down on messages that are used to harass and oppress women as they now cover multimedia communications beyond the print and audio-visual media, thus addressing a phenomenon that's become disturbingly widespread as an instrument of blackmail. But the nature of the amendments have also got some in the media world, especially in advertising and TV, worried that a law with greater powers could be misused. The subject is more than adequately covered in the Information Technology Act as amended in 2008. This is a natural reaction given recent clumsy attempts to rein in online material that's considered offensive and incendiary. Hopefully, this latest bid will have a better chance of hitting its mark.
Women the biggest emerging market In an effort to remove entrenched attitudes towards women in the workplace and society in India, Bank of America and Vital Voices Global Partnership, an international NGO founded by US Secretary of State, Hillary Clinton, began a 'mentoring' forum here recently. "Women are the biggest emerging market and no country can move forward without investing in them," said Alyse Nelson, CEO & President, Vital Voices, at the meet, attended by six women mentors from across industry, such as Wal-Mart Stores, Bank of America, Quantum Leaps, Oxygen Media and Hewlett-Packard, apart from 50 women business leaders, are attending the forum. It aims at mentoring women to take up leadership roles ad get involved in the decision-making process in their countries, Said Nelson. Vital Voices feels that the most evident challenge for women in corporate India is the "leaking talent pipeline", especially at the junior and midlevels.
Women Corner out of five will be in developing countries, such as India, says a new report by the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) and HelpAge India. The report found that globally the top two concerns of older persons were income security and health. These are the two greatest challenges for Governments such as India, faced with a growing ageing population, says the report, which will be released on October 1 in Tokyo on the occasion of the International Day of Older Persons. Incidentally, Tokyo has the highest proportion of older persons at 30 per cent. The society needs to enlist the meaningful participation of the elderly to gain from their experience,ai 1/2i 1/2 said Frederika Meijier, UNFPA representative for India and Bhutan, at a press briefing here. She said in India, there will be a 60 per cent rise in the population of people aged above 60 by 2050, with women constituting a major portion. At present, India has about 90 million elderly, with the number expected to go up to 315 million by 2050. Of this, 75 per cent live in rural areas, of which over 48 per cent are women and 55 per cent of them are widows. The report calls for mainstreaming ageing in the legal and policy framework of countries, and says the only way to ensure economic security and reduce poverty in old age is by providing pension indexed to the cost of living.
Income insecurity, health biggest concerns of the elderly This is particularly important for countries such as India, By 2050, there will be more older people (60+) than children under 15 in the world, and of these, nearly four
where a large number of the labour force is in the informal sector, with no social protection benefits.
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Information & Technology Eye movements could be next generation PC Indians. This is an increase of about seven percentage points from what a similar study that examined password A computer scientist at Texas State University-San Marco is looking to create a system that can identify people by the way they flicker their eyes while looking at a computer screen. No two people look at the world in the same way literally. When looking at a picture, different people will move their eyes among points of interest in different sequences, researchers have found. Even if two people trace the same paths, the exact way they move their eyes differs. This is what Oleg Komogortsev, a computer scientist at Texas State University-San Marco, is trying to use in his new system. "We are seeing there are enough differences so we can talk about this as a biometric," Komogortsev told TechNewsDaily. A biometric is a measurement of something on the body - fingerprints, for instance - used to identify people. Computer scientists all over the world are studying biometrics for crime solving, for border security, and just as a high-tech way to sign into smartphones, tablets and other devices.
Every third tech start-up in US has Indian DNA At a time when the US has started to see a drop in the number of immigrant-founded technology companies, Indians and Chinese immigrant entrepreneurs have not followed the trend. According to a recent study by Kauffman Foundation, based on a sample survey, about 33.2 per cent of the cofounders of engineering and technology companies incorporated in the US during the last six years were
immigrant-founded companies between 1995 and 2005 found.
The number of technology companies in the US cofounded by the Chinese has also gone up to 8.1 per cent compared to 6.9 in 2005, it says. The study, "America's New Immigrant Entrepreneurs: Then and Now", is based on a survey among a random sample of 1,882 companies of the total 107,819 engineering and technology companies founded in the last six years in the US. Of those, 456 had at least one foreign-born founder. It found the proportion of immigrant-founded companies in the country slipped to 24.3 per cent from 25.3 per cent in 2005. The drop was more pronounced in Silicon Valley, where the percentage of immigrant-founded start-ups declined from 52.4 per cent to 43.9 per cent. "The exceptions to this downward trend were immigrants from India... Indians, in fact, founded more of the engineering and technology firms than immigrants born in the next nine countries combined," the study said. The implications of the findings, conducted by researchers at Duke University, The Berkeley School of Information and Stanford University, have now been encapsulated in a book 'The Immigrant Exodus: Why America Is Losing the Global Race to Capture Entrepreneurial Talent'. The book has been written by Vivek Wadhwa, director of research at the Center for Entrepreneurship and Research Commercialization at the Pratt School of Engineering, Duke University.
"For a successful technology, reality must take precedence over public relations, for Nature cannot be fooled." PR COMMUNICATION AGE Novmebr 2012
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Travelling & Tourism News Rail parcel Rail parcel, except personal baggage, agriculture produce and a few other commodities, has been included under the service tax of 3,708 per cent from October 1, the railways said.
Agartala-Kolkata bus via Dhaka proposed India is taking up talks with Bangladesh for a direct bus service from Agartala to Kolkata via Dhaka, a top bureaucrat said today. "We have proposed at the diplomatic level for a direct Agartala-Kolkata bus service via Dhaka considering the geographical isolation of many North-eastern states including Tripura," Secretary of Ministry of Surface Transport and Highway A K Upadhyay said. The 1,800-km distance between Agartala and Kolkata through Assam and Meghalaya would be reduced to 350 km by bus or road transport and could be covered in a day. At present there were bus services from Agartala to Dhaka and Dhaka to Kolkata and vice versa, but no direct bus service.
Passports to cost more Getting a passport will cost more from October 1, as the government has decided to increase the passport and related services fees from Rs 1,000 to Rs 1,500 under the normal category and from Rs 2,500 to Rs 3,500 under the Tatkal scheme. For Indian citizens living abroad, the revised fee would be US$ 75 (up from US$ 40) and Euro 60 (up from Euro 48) for normal applications. The MEA said the hike was required due to considerable increase in the last ten
years in input costs relating to establishment, capital expenditure, procurement of equipment, reimbursement to police authorities, payment to India Post, printing of passport booklets, personalisation costs, IT expenses and contractual payment to service providers.
New airline regulator to adopt 'hire and fire' policy The proposed Civil Aviation Authority (CAA), which is to replace the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA), is to not only pay market linked salaries to its employees but is also likely to follow a hire and fire policy, senior Government officials said late Saturday. "The CAA will be an autonomous body. It will have a different pay scale from what is followed in the Government. The Government hopes to introduce a Bill for setting up the CAA in the forthcoming Parliament session. At the moment inter-Ministerial consultations are going on for setting up of the CAA," Secretary Civil Aviation K.N. Srivastava said. Officials were, however, tight lipped on whether a professional, or a serving or retired bureaucrat would head the new organisation. The proposed new body will also enjoy administrative and financial freedom to meet its functional requirements for an effective safety and oversight system, something that the existing DGCA lacks. In addition, it will also have the powers of
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economic and environmental regulations and consumer protection. The recruitment for the CAA will also be different from the DGCA and the Union Public Services Commission will not have a role to play in the recruitment process of the new body. Currently the UPSC recruits personnel for DGCA. Former President Pratibha Patil had made a reference to the setting up of the CAA in her speech to Parliament earlier this year.
AC fares to increase by more than 3% from Oct 1 With the exit of Trinamool Congressfrom UPA, finance ministry has decided to levyservice tax on AC rail travel and freight services fares, which are set to increase by 3.7% from October 1. Fares of AC first class, executive class, AC-2 tier, AC-3 tier, AC chair car will go up by 3.7% from October 1 and a notification to this effect will be issued recently, a senior railway ministry official said. The decision for levying service tax on AC classes and freight and auxiliary services was taken on Wednesday at a meeting between railway minister CP Joshi and finance minister P Chidambaram. The service tax will apply to tickets issued in advance for journeys to commence on or after the date of its implementation. In case of tickets already issued excluding service tax, it will be ensured that the same is recovered either by TTEs in the train or by the booking offices before commencement of journey.
Railways to introduce shopping facility in Shatabdi trains Long journeys on premier Shatabdi trains are set to get interesting with the Railways deciding to introduce onboard shopping facility for a range of luxury product. Perfumes, skincare products, handbags, watches and exquisite jewellery among other gift items will be available on sale in Shatabdi trains in Executive Class and Chair Cars, a senior Railway Ministry official said. For chocolate lovers, trolleys showcasing luxury items will have a fabulous range of delicious chocolates, the official said. Besides, there will also be souvenirs associated with railways on offer for Shatabdi passengers. A firm has been engaged to provide onboard facility on a pilot basis in Shatabdi trains for a month, he said, adding, "It will begin shortly with Bhopal Shatabdi. The shopping experience on trolley will also be carried out in other Shatabdi trains to ascertain the response." As per the arrangement, the firm has deposited Rs two
lakh as security money and will also pay 12 per cent of the sale to railways. Based on the response, Railways will decide to expand the trolley service on a long-term basis. "A tendering process will be opted to select the firm for providing on-board shopping facility on regular basis in Shatabdi trains," the official said. There will be two trolleys in each Shatabdi which will cover the entire train during the scheduled journey hour. Aiming at providing more facilities in premier trains, Railways are also planning to introduce on-board entertainment systems in Shatabdi trains where the passengers can view movies and television serials directly via satellite. Besides, there is also an attempt to improve on-board cleaning service in trains. "Our aim is to provide better facilities and amenities to passengers in trains and stations so the journey becomes more enjoyable," he said.
Now, trains can be tracked real time Now, railway passengers can track trains on real-time basis. The railways has launched online application RailRadar, which is an interactive map on Google that can facilitate passengers to track movements of all trains running across the country. The passengers can locate the trains on real-time basis on both internet and their cellphones. RailRadar, developed by a Railway PSU Centre for Railway Information System (CRIS) in collaboration with RailYatri, is a live tracker of all passenger trains traffic in real time. The interactive map will help users to find the exact geographical location of about 6,500 trains on a Google map on real-time basis, an official said. The system enables a colour-coded method as trains highlighted in blue indicate those that are running on time, while the red markers indicate trains that are delayed or running behind schedule. An official said if you click on a particular train, the map will show the exact route of the train including all the stoppages, and the current location of the train. RailRadar can be accessed through the railway website, trainenquiry.com. To know the current status of the train, a passenger can enter a train name or number and the system will inform whether the train is delayed or running on time. The interactive map zooms in and out to get train and station detail. Users can search for a particular station or train to get specific details of trains around the station or running status of a train, location, its route and stoppages PR COMMUNICATION AGE Novmebr 2012
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International News Newsweek ending print edition The US news magazine Newsweek plans to end its print publication after 80 years and will shift to an all-digital format starting in early 2013. Job cuts are expected. Newsweek's last US print edition will be its Dec. 31 issue. Barry Diller, the head of the company that owns Newsweek, announced in July that the publication was examining its future as a weekly print magazine. The announcement of the change was made by Tina Brown, editor-in-chief and founder of The Newsweek Daily Beast Co., on The Daily Beast website on Thursday. Brown said staff cuts are expected, but didn't give a specific figure. Brown said that the online publication will be called Newsweek Global and will be a single, worldwide edition that requires a paid subscription.
residents, said James Bevan, British High Commissioner to India. "We have made special arrangements for Indians coming to the UK under intra-company based in India wishes to send a staff member to work for the company in the UK). We have not set a limit on the number of Indians who can come to the UK by this route. Last year we issued over 15,000 intra-company transfer and work visas," he said while addressing a British Business Group gathering in Chennal recently.
Lahore Roundabout Renamed as Bhagat Singh "We want Indian students to continue to come to the UK Chowk in large numbers. We want Indian business people to Pakistani authorities have renamed a roundabout in the eastern city of Lahore after freedom fighter Bhagat Singh to acknowledge his revolutionary spirit and his role in the movement against the erstwhile British ruler.. The Shadman Chowk of Lahore will now be known as Bhagat Singh Chowk, officials said. Bhagat Singh was hanged in March 1931 in the erstwhile Lahore Jail, which stood at the spot where the roundabout was built later. District administration chief Noorul Amin Mengal recently directed the City District Government of Lahore (CDGL) to make arrangements for renaming the roundabout after Bhagat Singh within a week.
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continue to come and work in the UK," he said. Referring to the debate that the Indian economic miracle is over, Bevan said, "I do not buy the death of the Indian miracle. I think it is happening in front of out eyes and we should celebrate it." Talented young Indians have gone abroad for their education but are now coming home because they see even greater opportunities here. When the talent comes home in this reverse brain drain, you have the strongest of reasons to be confident about India's future, he said. On India being too tough for UK business, Bevan said that this was not true. Despite a tougher environment over the last year or so, many UK businesses are doing well in India right now. "I think the future potential for UK business here is even
greater than it is now. The UK has what India wants and India has what the UK wants," he said. On the myth that the UK is finished, he said that "Britain's best days are ahead of us because it has some big assets which fits us well for the challenges of the 21st century." Bevan said the UK has one of the most business-friendly environments in the world. The UK makes it easy for entrepreneurs and is ranked first in Europe by the World Bank as the easiest place to set up and run a business. "To establish a business in the UK today takes just 13 days," he said.
Americans win Economics Nobel US economists Alvin Roth and Lloyd Shapley won the 2012 Nobel prize for economics for research on how to match different economic agents, such as students for schools or even organ donors with patients.
Boss smiling at you is bad news Does your boss smile back at you when he passes by? It might not always be a friendly gesture!. According to a new study, those who feel powerful tend not to smile back at important people, saving their smiles instead for those below them in the hierarchy. Researchers from the University of California asked 55 young men and women to write about a time when they felt powerful - such as leaving home to go to university - or powerless, the Daily Mail reported. Participants were then hooked up to equipment that measures the activity of key facial muscles, and were asked to watch short video clips of people with jobs with different levels of prestige, who were smiling or frowning at them. As they watched, the equipment measured the activity of the zygomaticus major - 'smiling muscle' that raises the corner of mouth. It also gave readouts for the corrugator supercilii, the 'frowning muscle' that furrows the brow. The results showed that the volunteers were more likely to scowl in response to a frown from a doctor or someone in a position of power. The men and women who felt powerful tended not to smile back at high-flyers. However, they did return the smiles of those who were lower down the pecking order. Those who felt powerless smiled at everyone, regardless of their rank, the study found.
Key to happiness at work: Better pay than colleagues It's official! Happiness at work depends on your earning
a better salary than your colleagues, according to a new study. Researchers found that it is not just your own salary that affects your happiness, but also that of your colleagues ! For you to be happy at your workplace, your earning should not be inferior to those of your peers, that is, of the colleagues you compare yourself to, the study found. The research by professor Eduardo Perez Asenjo of Universidad Carlos III de Madrid - Oficina de Informacion Cientifica, showed that relative earnings affect our happiness and our job performance. In his analysis, he also found that if an individual's earnings are less than those of his peers, he will work more hours. "The most likely explanation lies in social comparisons, although it could also be due to the idea that if those around me earn more than I do, it might indicate that if I work hard I will end up earning as much as they do," explained Asenjo. "Therefore, the effect of others' earnings on my happiness is negative, because I compare myself to them and it makes me unhappy to earn less than them; so I work more hours so that I can earn the same as or more than them," he said.
'90% of men clueless about beauty secrets of women' At least 90% of men have no idea about women's beauty secrets and believe that their partners are 'naturally beautiful', according to a new UK survey. A quarter of women surveyed by a home hair colour brand confessed to having at least one beauty secret, while 23% confided that nobody really knows the extent of their beautifying, the Daily Mail reported . Of the British men polled, 87% said that they don't mind if their partner keeps some of her beauty rituals hidden, a view supported by women, with 70% who keep a beauty secret from their partner believing it to be key to a good relationship. The list of beauty secrets women like to keep confidential was topped by waxing or bleaching their moustache, with 27% admitting that this would be the worst beauty secret their partner could discover. Other list toppers were the fear of partners discovering underarm hair (35%), stubbly legs (23%) and grey roots (12%), the survey by Nice 'n Easy found. For 90% women, waxing bikini line was a secret beauty regime along with whitening teeth. PR COMMUNICATION AGE Novmebr 2012
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Education News Indians No. 2 in online search for edu courses. A recent study by Google has found that Indians are second in the world, behind only Americans, in searching online about educational institutions and courses.
order remitted it back to the forum. The university filed a revision petition against the order of the national commission.
Gyan-Key for rural children Student not a consumer The National Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission on Monday held that an education board is not a service provider and a student writing an exam is not a consumer. The order came after Mohammed Karim, a varsity student, filed a complaint, stating that he submitted his thesis in 2002 but was yet to receive his doctoral degree. The commission, while stating that the complaint was not maintainable, observed that disputes over evaluation cannot be determined under the Consumer Protection Act. Karim was registered for a three-year PhD degree course at the Mathematics Department, Delhi University, since July 6, 1999. In his complaint filed before the district forum in Delhi, Karim said that despite submitting his papers to his research professor he was never informed about collecting his degree. Karim said there was an unexplained delay in the issuance of the degree to him. He further stated that on October 13, 2003, the university cancelled his registration without any just or sufficient cause or even informing him about the fate of his PhD course. Alleging that this was deficiency in service, he lodged a complaint before the district forum and sought a compensation of Rs 10 lakh. However, the forum dismissed the complaint in 2006. Karim then filed an appeal before Delhi State Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission. In 2007, the state commission allowed the appeal and after setting aside the
Seventh standard student Payal Jagtap from the Kamalabai Joshi Kenjal Vidyalaya in Wai, Satara, Maharashtra, is thrilled at being nominated monitor of her school. Payal is no ordinary monitor. She is in-charge of Gyan-Key, the key to knowledge, and heads the library at the school. With just about 350 houses in the small Kenjal village that Payal hails from, the school is a make-shift shed. The library holds pride of place though, with 184 books in Marathi. The books are bought at Rs 6,300, with proceeds from a donor. With easy to read titles such as 'Shyamchi Aai' (Shyam's mother) and 'Napas mulaanchi goshta' (Stories of children who failed), the library has turned out to be a crowd-puller in the true sense of the word. 'Shyamchi Aai' is hailed as one of the greatest tributes to a mother's love in Marathi literature, while 'Napas mulaanchi goshta', details real-life stories about children who have failed, and how they have gone about overcoming academic failure to achieve great success. "More than 50 per cent of school children fail their exams. There is a dire need of a social movement for such students, to help them overcome their despondency since it is not the end of the road. This book, which tells the inspiring stories of school dropouts, has become a major hit,"' says Pradeep Lokhande, founder of Gyan-Key. A self-styled social entrepreneur, Lokhande flagged off the
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initiative to reach out to secondary school children (5th standard and above) in 2008, and has never looked back. Gyan-Key works towards opening a library in a secondary school in key villages. As of now, it is limited to Maharashtra. Founder of Rural Relations, Lokhande helps corporates, donors and even ordinary folks reach out to rural India. The company works across 10 States, including Maharashtra, Gujarat, Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka and Tamil Nadu, among others. Lokhande seeks to change the 'have-nots' in rural areas, with participation from the 'haves' across major metroes. Gyan-Key is just one of his many social ventures. Each library has a minimum of 150 books in the local language covering subjects such as fiction, selfmotivation, autobiographies, comics, music, etc. To instill a sense of ownership, students are encouraged to donate books, for 'their' library on their birthday, which helps in creating a feeling of belonging. Lokhande, who has personally visited over 4,000 villages in India, says, "School children in the most remote part of the country are well-versed with all the latest news. They ask questions about American astronaut Sunita Williams, They talk about the Indian girl who has gone to space. They are keen to know all about things happening across the world." Judging by the success of how children have taken to reading, and at times parents have caught on too, Lokhande plans to cross the 500 mark soon. Gyan-Key is currently on at 480 libraries in small villages which have a population of 2,000. "I realised if children read up on big stalwarts like Sachin Tendulkar, Amitabh Bachchan, Gulzar or even Abraham Lincoln who have combated failures, but have gone on to achieve bigger things in life, these children can take inspiration from the real-life case studies," says the social activist. Not limited by any boundaries, Lokhande says school children have the wierdest queries. "One would think one man talking across the world (US president Obama) would not touch the heart of a small village child. But, it does. I have encouraged these children to write in to a
senior Nationalist Congress party leader, Supriya Sule, daughter of Sharad Pawar, and even to the Union Minister, Sachin Pilot, since they have several questions as to how these politicians are running the country," he says. It is an interaction that is encouraged. "I have told the children to send their queries on a post card, so that they don't incur any cost. They are also encouraged to read more books to widen their knowledge," he adds. Lokhande says donations of Rs 5,000 can instill learning to around 150-200 students around 8-10 villages. Donors can keep in touch with the school monitor, such as Payal Jagtap, to get regular updates and feedback from the students.
Law to tackle lewd phone messages A 26-year-old law against indecent representation of women could soon leap to the digital world. The cabinet today cleared amendments to bring the Internet,satellite communication, MMS and cable TV under the Indecent Representation of Women (Prohibition) Act, 1986, along with longer prison terms and fines. The existing law is limited to print, which includes ads, publications, writing and painting. Under the revised law, those who make, share or forward clips denigrating women face jail terms of at least three years. It can go up to seven for repeat offenders. Fines will be higher, too. The changes were drawn up by the National Commission for Women in 2009 and proposed to the cabinet by the women and child development ministry earlier this year. "Technological revolution has resulted in newer forms of communication such as the Internet and satellite communication. It has become essential to widen the scope of the law to prevent indecent representation of women through any such (digital) form," said a ministry statement after the cabinet cleared the amendments. Figures appear to support the conclusion. According to the National Crime Records Bureau, online obscenity cases went up fivefold between 2007 and 2011, from 99 to 496. The offenders, mostly between 18 and 30, were booked under the IPC and the information technology (IT) act as the current law against indecent representation didn't cover the online world. In contrast, print obscenity cases declined from 1,200 in 2007 to 895 in 2010. The fall is attributed to crackdowns as well as a shift to cyberspace.
"Don't believe your own publicity. You can't; you'll start thinking that you're better than you are." PR COMMUNICATION AGE Novmebr 2012
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Snippets favouring it, the Daily Mail reported. A straight body, with arms and legs by the side, indicates stubbornness and they can wake up stiffer than when they went to sleep, Phipps said.
Bacteria can produce gold Scientists have discovered a bacteria that has the ability to withstand incredible amounts of toxicity and can be the key to creating 24-carat gold. Researchers from the Michigan State University have found that the metal-tolerant bacteria 'Cupriavidus metallidurans' can grow on massive concentrations of gold chloride or liquid gold, a toxic chemical compound found in nature. The researchers fed the bacteria unprecedented amounts of gold chloride, mimicking the process they believe happens in nature. In about a week, the bacteria transformed the toxins and produced a gold nugget.
Sleeping posture holds clue to your personality Your sleeping position can explain a lot of details about your personality, experts claim. Robert Phipps, UK's leading body language expert in a survey has identified four basic sleeping positions and said the fetal is by far the most common. Almost 58% in UK adopt the fetal position and sleep with knees up and head down. The position is favoured by people who worry too much. "The more we curl up, the more comfort we're seeking," Phipps said. The second most common position is the log with 28% Britons 42
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Around 25% prefer the yearner position - arms stretched out in front - either chasing a dream or being chased. Yearners are their own worst critics always expecting great results. They wake up eager to face the challenges of the day, Phipps said. Freefallers - face down, arms outstretched - make up 17% and feel they have little control over their life. Physically this is the least comfortable position. The survey asked people to record their most common sleeping positions, with some naming more than one. "A good night's sleep sets you up for the following day and our sleeping positions can determine how we feel when we wake," he said.
Britain introduces round-the-clock weddings from today Just married at 3 am! With the lifting of the 176-year-old ban on marrying at night, now Las Vegas-style weddings can take place in Britain from tomorrow. The government is reforming the marriage law, which dates from 1836, so that people can marry outside the hours of 8am-6pm. Civil partnerships can also be held at any time of day with the removal of the traditional time restrictions from tomorrow. Blackpool Tower will be one of the first venues to take advantage of the new rules, offering weddings at sunrise, midnight and even at 3am at the top of the tower, the Sunday Times reported. The change, to be brought in by the Home Office after public consultation, is designed to give people more choice. It is also hoped that it will unblock long waits to get to the altar.