Black, White and Moron

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NOT FOR SALE OR INGESTION

BLACK, WHITE AND MORON KMC MANGLORE, JULY-AUG-SEPT 2011

VOL. 01 ISSUE 03

Zindagi Na Milegi Dobara!

May 24, 11:30 pm, Lady Goschen Hospital: A lady rushed to the OT for emergency C-section. She develops post partum haemorrhage. Even before she can cuddle up with her baby, her condition is critical. Her Blood group ? AB- . No one in her family is AB negative. In India, only 2 in every 1000 people said have this rare group. The father is ready to spend his entire month’s earnings to save the mother of his newborn. If only money could be converted to blood...

A 16 months old child came to the hospital with severe pallor and dyspnoea. Blood analysis showed Hb level = 3.3 g%. The child had thalassemia. His blood group? O+. 8 units of O+ blood are required now,critical for his survival. O+ is the most common blood group in India, but Wenlock hospital is out of O+ blood. Reason? Everybody assumes that since its the most common blood group, they don’t need to donate it !

If you are a PG/ intern/ Helpline member, these situations must have brought back many memories. If you are not yet one of the above, Warning: you will come across lot of such situations where a thin line will exist between losing a patient and saving a family’s happiness. Such is the importance of Blood Transfusion. It is a boon to mankind except for a tiny glitch- Blood transfusion requires Blood donation. This makes every man/women walking on this earth a potential source of this life saving elixir.

Based on this simple premise, way back in 1984, an idea kindled. A voluntary student organisation named Lifeline began with a dream to be self sufficient in arranging blood and help the patients who were in dire need. One of the founders, our favourite urologist, Dr. Laxman Prabhu reminisces “I can proudly say that it was our PGs, interns and medical students, and sometimes even our teachers who took it upon themselves to motivate people by example. Motivation is the only way to impress upon people. You have to be the change that you want to see in the world. Not on a single occasion a medical student has been on a back foot when there was a need for blood. Blood is meant for circulation. So leave your blood in the bank, not on the road. If you want to shed blood, shed it for a purpose, not to kill, but to save.”

With this as the foundation, and rejuvenated spirit, lifeline evolved to become HELPLINE. With the motto ‘We serve’ , our goal is to help the not so well-to-do patients of KMC affliliated hospitals. A lot of them cannot afford to buy required blood and cannot find donors. Whenever they see a genuine requirement, PGs and interns inform us and we help them by finding them a donor. There is no criteria to become a member of helpline. It just requires an intention to do good. Other than blood donation, over the years we have had intercollegiate quizzes, blood donations camps, Sanjeevini (drug-drives), poor patients funds, awareness programs like street plays etc to create awareness about blood donation. Recently, an interclass Helpline quiz was conducted which was an innovative and competitive way to spread the word about the advantages, procedures, eligibility criteria for blood donation and it turned out to be a close fight between the teams with the winners getting certificates and other prizes. Helpline also organized a blood donation camp in Govt. Wenlock Hospital on 14th August ,2011, for which students turned up to donate in a big number. The DMO spoke about the importance of blood donation after the diya lighting ceremony. Many from the staff also donated blood.

Blood donation is a simple act that costs you only 10 minutes of your life, but gives another in need a new life. If you cannot make a donation, but would still like to make a difference, you can do so by joining our cause.

What makes greatness is starting something that lives after you. Now is the time to make a difference, to save a life. After all- Zindagi Na Milegi Doobara!

—Savan Kumar Nagesh and Prithvishree Ravindra (Helpline)

DONOR CRITERIA: -Age 18 years and above -Haemoglobin 12g% or more -Weight 45kgs and more -Afebrile, generally feeling well -Not currently on antibiotics -Alcohol-free for 72 hours An Inspiration to do something worthwhile (most important!)

DMO

The Organizers

Anand Sir, You Will Be Missed...

In one of the most tragic events to strike the college in recent years, Dr. Anand Menon, Professor and Head of the Department of Forensic Medicine at KMC, Mangalore, reached his premature demise at the age of 46. Dr. Anand Menon was born in Singapore on May 9, 1965 to Mr. Aravindaksha Menon and Mrs. Sreedevi Menon. He completed his MBBS from JNMC, Davengere in 1991 and worked as a Resident Medical officer at Naziya Hospital ,Parappanangadi for 4 years, after which he had his own private practice at Tanur for 2 yrs.

He pursued his M.D. (Forensic Medicine) from KMC, Manipal in 1998 and joined as Assistant Professor in the Department of Forensic Medicine at KMC, Mangalore in 2001. He was promoted to Associate Professor, KMC Mangalore in 2006 and as Professor and Head, Department of Forensic medicine at KMC Mangalore in 2009. He has 25 (International and National) publications to his credit. He was a professor extraordinaire. He always made the students feel completely at ease by creating a friendly atmosphere and taught the most boring topics with unmatched enthusiasm. He will be fondly remembered by all his students as a friend and a role model. In his death, Dr. Anand Menon is survived by his wife, Dr Supriya A. Menon (Assistant Professor, Department of Orthodontics, MCODS, Mangalore) and daughter, Gayathri.

2

A TRIBUTE TO AMY And HER MUSIC —Aaron Charles Lobo (‘08) —Riddhi Joshi (‘08) Reeling from the previous month’s disastrous European tour, troubled singer, Amy Winehouse was found dead in her home in Camden, London on 23rd July,2011. The cause of death is as yet undetermined. The British songwriter-singer, Amy Winehouse, gained popularity with her song “Rehab” and went on to win five Grammy awards for her album “Back to Black”, her the second female artist to do so . She received widespread media attention for her addiction to alcohol and drugs. On June 18, 2011, she started her 12-leg European tour in Belgrade where she was booed off the stage due to her being too drunk to perform. The remaining tour was later cancelled.

In her death, Amy Winehouse joins the ranks of Brian Jones, Jimi Hendrix, Janis Joplin, Jim Morrison, Kurt Cobain and several others in the unfortunate “27 club” or the “Forever 27 Club”. The “27 Club” is a group of musicians who died at the age of 27. It is a semi- urban legend that is in fact supported by statistics- the most likely age for a musician to die from drugs is 27! Supporting the evidence are authors of the book, “27s: The Greatest Myth of Rock and Roll,” Eric Segalstad and Josh Hunter -“More rock stars have died at 27 than any other age.” Neil Young once said “It’s better to burn out than to fade away” a sentence that would later be found in a suicide note written by Kurt Cobain. A few notable members of CLUB 27:

Her soulful spirited song “Rehab” only understated the troubled life of late singer Amy Winehouse. The English song writer Amy Jade WInehouse was known worldwide for her deep contralto voice, churning out music in the R&B , Jazz and Soul genres. Having tremendous vocal range and the gift of melodic rhythm, Amy often called herself a “black girl in a white girl’s body.” The singer may have lived a troubled and controversial life but her music will live on in the hearts of her fans .Her talent as well as her ‘hot as the sun’ voice will forever remain undisputed.

FIVE AMY WINEHOUSE SONGS THAT MUST BE ON YOUR PLAYLIST : 1. Will you still love me tomorrow 2. Rehab 3. Stronger than me 4. Love is a losing game 5. Back to black

Rolling Stones founder and guitarist, Brian Jones drowned in a swimming pool in 1969; the coroner’s report stated “death by misadventure.” Singer, Janis Joplin died of an apparent overdose in 1970. Rock legend, Jimi Hendrix died of asphyxiation in 1970. The Doors lead singer, Jim Morrison died of reported heart failure in 1971. Nirvana lead singer and guitarist, Kurt Cobain committed suicide by shotgun in 1994.

Top fIVE sMartphone gaming Apps You Gotta Have

—Vikhram Sarat Chandran (‘09)

Ever been stuck in a place waiting for something and fiddling with your smartphone, realizing that there is a certain lack of games? Well, you’re in luck because this article will make sure you never get bored.

1. Angry birds (Android, iOS and Symbian) : The objective of this insanely addictive puzzle-game is simple. On one side you have a bunch of flightless birds whose eggs are stolen by the “evil” pigs. On the other side you have the pigs hidden in wooden, metal and glass structures. Your objective is to catapult these birds onto the other side and defeat all the pigs. Simple, innit? To add to the fun, some of the birds also have various unique powers to enhance the strategic game-play. At the end of each puzzle the game awards you with stars and points. The lesser the number of birds you use and the more destruction you cause, the more stars and points you score. This game is updated frequently and the latest version of the game is Angry birds Rio .A new update is expected this October.

2. Fruit ninja (Android, iOS, Symbian and Windows mobile 7) : Hate fruits? Then this game is perfect for you since all you have to do is slice fruits into little pieces by slashing the screen as they pop up. Not only that, you can slice them in a particular way to obtain unique combos. Power-ups also appear in the game causing the fruits to slow down drastically or increase in number to give you more opportunities for strategic slashing. The game has various modes in which high scores can be set and then shared amongst friends and other players to be on the leader-board for being the ultimate fruit ninja. Slice wisely, fellow fruit ninja!

3. Doodle jump (Android, Blackberry, iOS, Symbian and windows mobile 7): Doodle jump has to be one of the most addictive and easiest games ever. Control a cute looking "doodle" by tilting the phone sideways as it jumps over a series of platforms and prevent it from falling down to set a high score. As the score increases, the difficulty and speed of the game increases and there are different platforms where there are enemies that need to be shot down or jumped over. The game also has various themes such as a space, Halloween and even a football world cup theme where the "doodle" shoots out footballs. The main objective is to get high-scores which can be posted on leaderboards or compared with friends making the game very competitive as you try to be the number one "doodler".

4. Infinity blade (iOS) :Infinity Blade is powered by the award winning Unreal engine 3.This game has unique art work, sound and game-play experience which almost gives the effect of playing a console game itself. Infinity blade has you playing as a descendant of a warrior killed by "God-killer”. The descendant then goes on a quest to attain revenge as he moves around the castle defeating enemies to reach the end-boss. The battles mainly consist of intense and epic 1-on-1 clashes as the character slashes, shields, dodges, counters and casts spells through the use of gestures. Timing is a very important factor. The game is difficult and repetitive in nature and if you’re defeated you have to restart with the descendant of the fallen character with a subsequent increase in enemy difficulty. There are various collectibles in the game to customize to your character. New updates also enable additional bosses and online multiplayer combat.

5. Flight control (Android, iOS and Windows mobile 7): Flight Control presents you with runways and helipads whose numbers and locations are shown on the map. Aeroplanes and helicopters fly from all directions and your job is to direct each plane to their respective landing pads (designated by colour) while avoiding mid-air collisions with other planes. Airspeeds vary by aircraft type, adding a time factor to the game. You may choose a longer or shorter path and also change the path depending on the desired timing. The objective is to land as many planes safely as possible before having an accident. The scores can then be uploaded onto the leader-board.

MORE GAMES Plants vs. Zombies Baseball Superstars Back Breaker 2 Zenonia Cut the Rope Traffic Rush Death Rally League of Evil Anomaly Warzone Earth Spirit Contre Jour Jetpack Joyride Supersonic HD Beast Boxing Warp Dash

3

LokpalBill Jaini Gala (‘10) This is how you get a driver’s license in India— Hailing an auto or a taxi, you sit down and tell the driver where to go.

The whole time you hang on to your seat, incredulous that nothing has been done about the roads despite quite possibly the entire population of the city complaining about it. When you finally get there, you have to wait for close to two hours before someone realizes you are there and points you in the right direction. After your test is done, the officer in charge says it will take at least a month before you get your license. But of course slip a little money under the table and miraculously, the license comes in the post the very next day.

This is just the beginning of the problem of corruption in India. And this is what the Jan Lokpal bill is put forth to fight- everything from ration cards and voter’s ids not being made to police not registering complaints to poor quality of roads. It is an anti corruption body that would be independent of the government and would investigate corruption cases against politicians, bureaucrats, etc without prior government permission. It is a compromise bill between the civil group’s version, and the government version (which serves as nothing but a pacifier for the common man ).The bill demands a body called the Lokpal at the central level and Lokayuktas at the state level. It would be a body similar to the Election Commission of India and free of ministerial influence. This would make the Lokpal more than a powerless advisory body. Complaints filed with the Lokpal would have to be investigated within a year if found to be legitimate and the resulting trial would have to be completed in the following year. Thus it would prevent cases from lingering for years.

The existing anti corruption agencies would be merged into the Lokpal. The CBI currently is completely ineffective because it is starved for funds, adequate and trained personnel, and modern equipment, and also restrictions are imposed on its functioning. It is itself infested with corruption. Merging of current anti corruption agencies with the Lokpal would improve their effectiveness by making them independent of the influence of politicians. It even allows for the Prime Minister to be investigated in areas such as external affairs and defense.

Lastly, the appointment of officers would be by judges and citizens not by politicians, in a transparent and participatory process. Complaints against corrupt officers in the Lokpal itself would be investigated within a month and the guilty officer would then be dismissed within two months.

In a country like ours, where corruption is throwing a spanner in the cog works of development, the Jan Lokpal bill is something every Indian citizen should support for an India that was envisioned by our forefathers.

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Two Sides of a Coin Rutajeet Chatterjee (‘10) In a country like ours often laws put forth are strong in intent but lose out on content and I feel the recently proposed Jan Lokpal Bill falls into this category. Drafted by eminent members of civil society like Prashant Bhusan, Kiran Bedi, Lyngdoh and others, the Bill proposes to create an independent body called the Lokpal at the centre and Lokayuktas at state level. The Jan Lokpal Bill was envisioned to root out corruption and discrimination in our country’s governing body. The Jan Lokpal Bill and all its endorsers I feel have been overcome by a sense of euphoria. The Bill proposes an ideal group of individuals who endeavor to remove all unscrupulous elements from our society without themselves being guilty of any form of nepotism or injustice. Unfortunately, such an ideal system seems to be the perfect cure for our plagued democracy but what most of us don’t realize is that we end up equating an imperfect government with a perfect Lokpal. Is this wise?

The Lokpal in its quest to remove corrupt officials proposes to solve each case within a year. As tempting as such a proposition may sound, I cannot help but wonder if in the fear of such a deadline, the judiciary might find itself crippled and hence work in haste. Moreover, cases of corruption are some of the hardest to prove due to the lack of concrete evidence. The only way in which an official can be brought to justice is if he/she is caught in the act, which unfortunately is not always the case. Obstacles are many and the followers of Jan Lokpal may find themselves struggling with a large backlog, the very thing they wish to eradicate in our modern-day courts.

The very foundation of the Bill is highly debatable. What is discrimination in one person’s eyes could be justified in someone else’s eyes. Like the RTI, the Jan Lokpal is a highly potent tool and just like the RTI the Jan Lokpal may also be misused by members of society to meet their own ends. What is to stop an Industrialist looking to open a bauxite mine illegally in namma Karnataka to launch multiple complaints against the poor forest official under grounds of “negligence”, “failure in taking action” or “discrimination”? Unless safeguards are set up against such erroneous allegations, I feel Jan Lokpal might lead to persecution instead of prosecution.

The Indian democratic setup is something which all Indians are proud of. A government elected by the people for the people is a merit for any society.The Jan Lokpal Bill, however, wishes to circumvent the entire setup and assert its independence in order to avoid political and bureaucratic influence on its decisions and working. This unfortunately is a very sad reflection of the existing cynicism and mistrust of the ‘Janta’ towards our current leaders.

The Constitution provides various layers of protection against malpractice and misuse of power by civil servants such as the Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988; it is the implementation of these laws which is lacking. Setting up a new independent body to oversee such matters would consume an immense amount of skilled manpower and capital that our country doesn’t have to spare. The addition of another layer of bureaucracy might in the end lead to a further hampering of governance. None of us would acknowledge the failure of democracy as an institution. Why should we lose trust in its ability to evolve and correct itself?

Send in your entries to blackwhiteandmoron@gmail.com View the online flippable version or get your own copy in PDF format at our Facebook Page: facebook.com/blackwhiteandmoron

The

team Founders Sarah Naushad Jayati Dureja Editors-in-Chief Jayati Dureja Parulle Sarwal

Design | Formatting | Graphics Parulle Sarwal Supraja Subramanian Illustrations Supraja Subramanian Sweekar Shenoy Editorial Board Aaron Charles Lobo Aaron Mascarenhas Riddhi Joshi Yvonne Mak Lakshmi Jayaram Surabhi Uppal Vikhram Sarat Chandran Sweekar Shenoy Surabhi Chattree Rutajeet Chatterjee Arjun Suri Jaini Gala Akshay Sethi Staff Advisor Dr. Ajay Kamath Student Advisor Dr. B. Unnikrishnan

ten free Must-Have Utility Apps for Your smartphone 1. GOOGLE GOGGLES (Android, iOS): This one bags the Best App Award and here’s why. Feeling too lazy to type? Want to brag about but don’t know the name of the exotic Mexican dish you're eating? Enter Google Goggles, stage left. You can click a pic and it'll literally ‘scan’ for relevant results on Google. Works well for barcodes, logos and monuments. Not so good though for people, animals or perhaps even Mexican dishes. Next!

2. SKYPE (Android, iOS, Symbian, Blackberry OS): Most people don't take Skype on the phone seriously, but I actually mostly use Skype on my phone to call family and friends back home, using the hostel wi-fi, for free. So all ya chattyfolk, here you go, dunce. Skype gives you the freedom to IM, share files and of course, make calls to iDevices and phones, apart from PCs and what’s best, you don’t even need no dough!

3. DROPBOX (Android, BlackBerry OS, iOS): Is your stuff up in the ‘cloud’? (read Internet). Now you don’t need no beanstalk to get it. Open your files on the go by connecting your PC to your phone and sharing files. Dropbox fulfills all storage needs for the needy, and more for a premium.

4. SHAZAM (Android, iOS, Symbian, BlackBerry OS): It sucks how some songs always play at the mall long enough to get stuck in your head but you don’t even know their names. Shazam un-sucks this by identifying those songs for you and helping them stay stuck forever.

5. INTERNET RADIO (varies with OS): For those who want to listen to a station on the other side of the world and for others who're stuck in a communist country, *drumroll* Internet Radio to the rescue! Tune in to any language, any genre. Trust me, this one really is life changing.

6. ADVANCED TASK KILLER (Android): Phone came with too much bloatware? Does the exotic snail disappear before you even open your camera app to take a pic? You don't know how to use a phone, doc. Download Advanced Task Killer to shut down background apps that are eating your phone's primary memory. Now go Google ‘bloatware’ and ‘primary memory’.

7. SWYPE (Android, Symbian): A very user-friendly on-screen keyboard. You can drag your finger to enter text. Predication makes it easy and it is pretty accurate too. What’s more, it has a sense of humor for when you want to type in Indian names. Seriously.

8. MUNDU TV (Android, iOS, Symbian): Pardon the name, it's actually a super app, not a cultural reference. Connect to wi-fi and stream in live TV. Times Now is the only channel available in our region for free (that's good enough though, I’d say), but you can subscribe to more.

9. DOLPHIN HD BROWSER (Android, iOS): Most smartphones come with sucky internet browsers but you can out`smart’ them. Download today and experience a richer and more satisfying browsing experience what with tabs and all. Unless you have pudgy fingers, of course.

(Alternatively, OPERA MINI, works with Symbian too.)

10. WHATSAPP (Android, iOS, Symbian, Blackberry OS): This one's at the end of the list for a reason. Everyone is expected to have it by now! Free instant messaging and file sharing for one year, and around a couple of dollars every year thereafter.

Parulle Sarwal (‘09) OTHER USEFUL APPS Quickoffice Medscape JoikuSpot AP Mobile Evernote Google Voice Times of India India Today AppMonster AppSaver Skyfire Flashlight Skifta—turns your Android phone into an official DLNA* device, streaming all of your household media to your phone, and beaming your phone videos to your TV. *DLNA– Digital Living Network Alliance (Sony)

4

Education vs Literacy: An Indian analysis —Sujay Iyer Of all the problems plaguing India, Education is perhaps the least contemplated or debated upon. Issues such as corruption, inflation, population, poverty, unemployment, healthcare, etc take precedence. It's ironical that the one subject which can solve all the above mentioned evils is striving hard to get any kind of importance. What's even more ironical is the fact that education is given top priority in all the western countries and while we follow or get influenced by them on various policies, education is fighting a losing battle for relevance.

Almost everyone who reads this has been educated in a private school and thus probably doesn't take the matter too seriously. We are content with the statistics that illiteracy is dropping and now constitutes roughly only 25 percent of our population. Yes, it's an achievement in a country where the figure of 25 was for the literate population during our independence. But what about the quality of this ‘literacy’? How much has government schooling helped the masses? What is the exact definition of literacy in our country? The answer to all 3 questions is either poor or inefficient.

The quality of education in our government schools is simply put, pathetic. The government in the last 2 decades has done nothing substantial to improve the quality or the quantity of education in its own schools. In fact, the memory goes to a long jog if we try to remember if anything has been done at all. Yes, lunch was provided in the 90s to encourage children to go to school but that wasn't to improve quality but to increase enrolment. Like our government, we haven't questioned this idle school of inaction nor have we made any sort of significant contribution to it. We have all been glad to go to good, if not prestigious schools and none of us nor our parents have thought about the children who go to government schools. This inertia has cost us in every single way it was possible. The backward classes who in a generality can't afford to send their children to private schools resort to government schools where the level of teaching is incomparable with that of private schools. Thus, they don't fare well in competitive exams nor do they get equal opportunities. The word 'reservation' thus easily comes to play. It is these schools which give birth to incompetence. Government schools don't have the manpower or the skill to provide a good thorough education to an individual so that he/she may be ready to face the working environment. It's not a co-incidence that our government offices which employ most of the cadre are annoyingly slow and inefficient.

I was in the 6th standard when I saw a government school from the inside; it was both gladdening as well as sad. I thanked my stars that my parents could afford to send me to a good private institution where I was taught hard work, among many other things. When I ate lunch with those kids though, melancholy descended upon me and soon sadness overpowered joy. I didn’t understand how the kids there could be so happy despite their plight. Their books ,or rather the lack of them, were in shambles, their food was tasteless and their teachers had a sense of carelessness, (probably the most dangerous vice for a person who is impressionable on so many children) and finally, the hygiene levels were disgusting in class, lunch area and the toilets. I wondered about those kids for days and even entertained the notion of attending one of their classes sometimes...like all idealistic notions of mine, there was no action taken on this one as well. When I think of it now, I feel I should have probably coerced my father into donating some money to that school...I could have probably done a lot more, but I didn’t and I still feel guilty about it.

We need to improve these schools, we need to be able to wipe out the fear of sending our kids to one, we need to convert these schools into cathedrals of enlightenment and education. Children from these schools should not only be literate but well educated, ready to face the rigors of a competitive world. Our government needs to incorporate an active strategy to raise the standards of the definition of literacy and not be scared by the statistics that come out as a result of it.

We need to do more...thinking, reading and writing. We need these three to become an essential part of literacy, not just the latter two. They would eventually lead to action which will be triumph.

Imagine an India that is well educated, where nobody is an elitist, where everyone is competent and efficient. Imagine an India awake.

IT’S A MAD MAD WORLD!

—Lakshmi Jayaram (‘08)

Pilot! Doctor! Teacher! These were the words of the children at Prajna Ashram in Mangalore when asked what they wanted to be when they grow up. When I was their age, I had such aspirations too. Now I’m actually fulfilling one. Will they? Sadly, statistics prove otherwise. 72% of Indian children drop out of school before they turn 15. Only 40% of those finishing their 10th standard are employable.

But we weren’t there to tell them that. We were there to make it happen for these kids. We were there to Make A Difference.

MAD was established in 2006 in Kerala by a group of young students who saw that empowering motivated volunteers by pairing them with underprivileged children would dramatically improve the children’s employment opportunities and also encourage them to believe in themselves to actually be somebody like me, you or the girl next door.

Today, a 10th standard child from a government school struggles to read a sentence in English, despite the fact that higher education and future job prospects depend heavily on a basic knowledge of the language. The chances of a student getting a job increase by 400% with Basic English communication skills- yet just 13% of Indian high schools use English as a medium of instruction. Keeping these figures in mind, MAD with its partner Cambridge University U.K, delivers English classes to these underprivileged children, a dedicated five years of weekend-coaching these determined children gets them a Cambridge University certified ‘English Speaker of Other Language’ certificate.

MAD, with this same vision is now spread over 13 major cities all over India, taking care of 3000 children.

The Mangalore City division started two years ago, and presently has 275 children distributed amongst 3 centres- Balika Ashram( Kankanady), Aloysian Boys Home(Ullal) and Prajna Counselling Centre( Marnamikatte) ; and 127 strong willed volunteers keeping it going. President MAD Mangalore- Greeshma Rai, an aspiring law student of SDM College, powered by her dynamic core team keeps the volunteers and children driven to see this change. MAD Mangalore has been very active in the past few months. We’ve conducted various placement activities for the kids such as visits to Infosys, the dairy, a dental camp in AJ Institute, to expose them to the wide opportunities the world offers today.But all of these activities come with a cost. Each Placement Camp should actually amount to Rs.30,000 to give the children a wholesome experience. That kind of funding is being worked towards presently by spreading awareness about MAD and its purpose. Raichand, a MAD volunteer came up with this brilliant idea to ‘ride for education’, and so came about out the plan for our very own cycling expedition TOUR de DIFFERENCE (TdD).

TdD kick started from City Center,Mangalore on 7th of August and will conclude at the same city on September 23rd. Five volunteers (including international support in the form of German cycling expert Sebastian Thele) will be cycling to 12 Indian cities (Mangalore, Mumbai, Pune, Hyderabad, Vijayawada, Chennai, Vellore, Bangalore, Mysore, Coimbatore, Thiruvananthapuram and Cochin) covering 4240 kilometres in total. What is the purpose of TdD? To spread awareness about the cause, and raise funds for the books and placement activities of the children. A three day promotional event was also conducted at City Centre where fundraising was a big success. Brilliant participation from resident Mangaloreans, and visitors alike, made the event a grand success. Variety of competitions for ALL age groups- Treasure Hunt,Karaoke,Dance-a-thon, Fashion Show,spot games all drew in a big crowd.

At the end of the day, you think to yourself- “Is this going to help? God,I really hope it does make a difference to some child,somewhere..”. It does. To these kids, anything will make a difference. Their entire childhood is spent in these shelters. No home to go to, no relatives to meet. No birthday party to celebrate. No trips to go on for a break.

A typical day starts at 6 in the morning with cleaning the common room, washing clothes, getting the younger children ready for school, attend classes, come back, eat snacks, clean up,pray,eat,sleep. 24/7 365 days in the same shelter home. At the age of 15, when the home can no longer support them, they are out on their own. It doesn’t have to be this way. Just one KFC burger,or a coffee day cappuccino,or one movie less a month can help change the future of a child by a tiny bit.

So how far will you go to make a difference?

Want to Make a Difference?

Register at http:// madapp.makeadiff.in/ registration.aspx and you will be informed about our next recruitment drive.

5

-eating bugs to save the day?

Who knew there are other jitters critters in this world that consume caffeine more than we, humans do! We’re talking about a few tiny microbes here, which gulp down espresso like how we devour sugar & salt as a daily staple! Amazing, isn’t it? Boy, these bugs must be hyperactive!

Keeping the jokes aside , let’s get down to business. Recently, a PhD student Ryan Summers from University of Iowa stated - "We have isolated a new caffeinedegrading bacterium, Pseudomonas putida CBB5, which breaks caffeine down into carbon dioxide and ammonia," at the 111th General Meeting of the American Society for Microbiology in New Orleans. He also said that they have found 3 enzymes which are responsible in breaking down the caffeine molecule into its basic constituents namely carbon, nitrogen & oxygen. In specific, these enzymes remove N-methyl groups from the main molecule, using the results for food.

Xanthine is a non-methylated parent compound of caffeine, used as a stimulant in heart conditions & as bronchodilators for asthma...So, due you see where this is heading ? Oh course, at the moment, it is difficult to obtain these xanthine containing drugs from caffeine by using these organisms. But according to Summers, you shouldn’t be surprised if these teeny ‘bugs’ become our saviours one day!

Another researcher, Nick Turner, a biotechnologist at the University of Manchester, UK also stated that this work is very interesting and could have a few practical applications. Apart from benefiting fine chemical & pharmaceutical industries, bio-decaffeination is another potential application of these microbes.

What is bio-decaffeination you ask? “If we could decaffeinate coffee waste, millions of tons of which is produced every year, it might be useful as a fermentation feedstock to make ethanol as a bio-fuel,” Summers says. “The waste could also be turned into animal feed in this way.”

A tiny bug to clean up our daily cuppa waste, may synthesize life-saving drugs & could probably be a source of bio-fuel. Sounds good to me. What do you think?

-Yvonne Mak (‘08)

BWM introduces a series of interesting and rare medical cases from this issue onwards– analysing cases from various dimensions.

AARON MASCARENHAS presents to you The Curious Case of Dr. D. David D., aged 19, medical student, gripped by the devils of civilization (cocaine, PCP, chiefly amphetamines) presented to the emergency room not with “chief complaints” but with what he described as an “overwhelming happiness”, a gift of redolent sensory experiences, that seemed to pervade every moment of his existence.

In a vivid dream one night, he dreamt he was a dog, in a world unimaginably rich in smells. When he woke up, the world around, much to his delight, seemed to him as vibrant as the dream itself! (“As if I had been totally colour-blind before and suddenly found myself in a world full of colour.”) He had enhancement of colour-vision as well (“I could distinguish dozens of hues, there were dozens of greys, yellows, browns. The dreaded heaps of leather bound books on my shelf held a strange appeal.”). There was an intense exaggeration of the visual and olfactory sensory modalities. (“I could never draw before, I couldn’t “see” things in my mind, but now it was like have a camera lucida in my head-I “saw” everything as if projected on the paper, and just drew the outline I “saw”. Suddenly I could do the most accurate anatomical drawings.”) .But it was the liberation of the olfactory experience that really transformed his world: “I had dreamt I was a dog—it was an olfactory dream—and now I awoke to an infinitely redolent world—a world in which all other sensations enhanced as they were, paled before smell.” And with all this there went a sort of trembling, eager emotion, and a strange nostalgia, as of a lost world, half forgotten, half recalled.

Sometimes similar states—strange emotionalism; sometimes nostalgia, ‘reminiscence’ and ‘déjà vu’ associated with intense olfactory hallucinations, are characteristic of ‘uncinate seizures’, a form of temporal lobe epilepsy described first by Hughlings Jackson. The uncus, phylogentically part of the ancient ‘smellbrain’ (or rhinencephalon), is functionally associated with the limbic cortex. Excitation of this produces heightened emotionalism and intensification of the senses.

“I sniffed like a dog,’ he continued. “I could recognize people even before I saw their faces, each had their own olfactory physiognomy, a “smell-face” far more reminiscent, than any other “sight-face”.” He experienced a certain impulse to sniff and touch everything (“It wasn’t real until I felt it and smelt it”) but he buried this urge, when with others; for fear that he may seem inappropriate. “Sexual smells, smell pleasure-smell displeasure”, he said, “It was a world overwhelmingly concrete, of particulars, a world bursting with immediacy.” Somewhat intellectual before, and inclined to reflection and abstraction, he now found thought, abstraction and categorisation, somewhat difficult and unreal, in view of the compelling immediacy of each experience.

But this exaltation came to an end rather abruptly after 3 weeks, this strange metamorphosis into a macrosomatic being ceased. His world seemed to have regained its mundane pallor and sensory faintness. With a sense of mingled loss and relief “I’m glad to be back,” he said, “but it’s a tremendous loss, I now see what we give up in being civilized and human.”

Several years have gone by—and student days, amphetamine days, are long gone. The years that have passed have been fairly uneventful in comparison. The now, “Dr” D., has no regrets, he is occasionally nostalgic: “The smell-world, that world of redolence,” he exclaims, “So vivid, so real! It was like a another world, filled with sensory extravaganza, so rich, so self-sufficient and full” Freud alluded to the sense of smell on several occasions as being repressed in the bargain for “growing up”, being civilized & assuming an upright posture. Pathological enhancement of smell has also been described to occur in paraphilia, fetischism, and allied perversions and regressions, it has also been reported to occur in Addison’s disease, mucoviscidosis, it may also occur normally in some individuals. But the disinhibition in this case seems far more general, and though associated with excitement— probably an amphetamine-induced dopaminergic excitation—was neither specifically sexual nor associated with sexual regression. Similar hyperosmia, sometimes paroxysmal, has been described in hyper-dopaminergic states, as with post-encephalitics on L-Dopa, and in some patients with Tourette’s syndrome.

Head describes, “the need to inhibit this primordial and full feeling of tone is to allow the emergence of the sophisticated, categorizing, affectless and “epicritic”.” Perhaps we need this inhibition, as Head implies, so that we may be men and not dogs.

Dr. D’s experience brings to mind an illustrious poem by William Carlos Williams “Oh strong-ridged and deeply hollowed nose of mine! What will you not be smelling?...

With what deep thirst we quicken our desires to that rank odour of a passing springtime!

Can you not be decent? Can you not reserve your ardours for something less unlovely? What girl will care for us, do you think, if we continue in these ways?

Must you taste everything? Must you know everything?

Must you have a part in everything?”

-Inspired by the writings of Hughlings Jackson, Oliver Sacks.

6

With its third issue, BWM starts a new movie review feature, giving you the best of each genre by avid self-confessed film buffs on its team and in college!

We kick start with horror movies by Sarah Naushad (‘08) In my view the ingredients of a good horror movie are- a gripping storyline, convincing acting and a killer background spooky score.

These were what movies of the yester years relied upon and hence some of them are even spoken about 30 years later, such as The Omen, The exorcist, Friday the 13th, Aliens etc. What has changed over the years, in my opinion, is the acceptance of the amount of blood and gore one can view at a stretch, which has made this genre spin off from a horrifying experience to one that focuses exclusively on blood, gore, scattered human remains. The result: movies like The hills have eyes, House of wax. Its not really my cup of tea. However, some recent movies from this genre have done justice to the advancements in special effects and retained the fear factor similar to the horror movies which had gripped the audience of the 1. Silence of the lambs, Han70’s.

Be warned. This review is not for the faint hearted. Still, I’ll try and start with the basics in case you’re a novice to this genre. nibal , Red dragon FRIDAY THE 13TH was the first of its kind psycho killer from the dead that had gripped the audiences of the 80s. By today’s standards this is not a (Entire genre = Brilliance) very scary movie, but the film needs to be appreciated for its originality, for being the first in its genre of films.

2. Omen (The first two parts Next I would suggest the all time classic THE EXORCIST (original ‘1973’ version) is also a must watch for any horror film fanatic. From the girl walking in particular) on the ceiling to the scary deep throated voice this film was an all rounder in itself. The remakes and prequels were also not a bad watch, but were 3.

Final destination (1,2,5. I never able to achieve the level of fame this movie had claimed. The film is based on a novel and was very aptly interpreted onto the big screen- to suggest you skip parts 3 and the extent that during the 70’s , film theatres had to have ambulances outside just in case one of the audience had a heart attack inside. Now doesn’t that send a chill down your spine?

4, they’re just gory.)

Almost everyone must have heard of the satanic child with 666 carved into his head. I was introduced to this genre when I was quite young so I’m 4. Aliens (A movie quite pretty biased towards this film (OMEN 1976). Who doesn’t remember the scene where a the nanny hangs Herself on little Damien’s birthday in the ahead of its time) most disturbing way possible ? or How a man was freakishly decapitated by a sliding sheet of glass?

5. Scream (A must to under[Do keep in mind: these movies were made in the 70s when the amount of graphical and technical support available was the bare minimum] stand the “scary movie” This was one of the first films that had people scared of a child. Out of the old four of the series, I highly recommend the first two, as after that the series! ) storyline gets a little diluted. As for the new omen, I’d say that that movie has done justice to the series and is definitely worth a watch!

6. The Last House on the ALIENS. Lets go a decade ahead and take a look at another series of films that comes into the category of SCI-FI and HORROR, one of my favourites, as it was ONE OF THE FIRST ALIEN movies created (1979- even before ET). The film is centred around a team of astronauts, who, heading back to Left by Wes Craven Earth after a routine trek on another planet, intercept an SOS signal from a nearby planet. The crew decides to investigate. After a bad landing on 7. Saw the planet, some crew members leave the ship to explore the area. But what they find is unexpected- signs of another life .This story has a total of 8. The Ring four films to the franchise, all of which are brilliantly made. Prometheus, directed by Ridley Scott ( Director of Aliens), is a new addition in the same 9. The Exorcist. (Has Anyone genre and will be released in 2012.

Not Seen It?) ‘Hello Clarice!’ If these words send chills down your spine, then you are no alien to the Hannibal series. Anthony Hopkins has brilliantly portrayed 10.

Friday the 13th role of Dr. Hannibal Lecter (Hannibal the cannibal). The twists and turns in the movie will keep you entertained till the very last second. At moments you even start to understand the genius of Lecter.

“It rubs the lotion on her skin or else she gets the hose again”. The first film in this franchise was released in 1991- SILENCE THE LAMBS, where we have an imprisoned Lecter aiding Clarice , a novice at the FBI ,in his hunt for buffalo bill. This film was so critically acclaimed that it won five major Academy Awards: Best Picture, Best Actress (Foster), Best Actor(Hopkins), Best Director(Demme) and Best Adapted Screenplay (Ted Tally).

FINAL DESTINATION : What I love about this series is the originality of its concept and how they’ve taken horror to a whole new level. Where mortals are made to face death in person , and try their best to survive. For anyone who has religiously followed the franchise , you will notice how each death is quite intricately devised to have your jaw dropped at the method of its seemingly harmless execution.

A bit about the first part so you may get hooked to the series: In 2000, Alex Browning, while on a flight to Paris for his high school trip, has a premonition that the flight will explode on takeoff, killing everyone on board. Scared, he and a few of his friends de-board. When events from his vision begin to repeat themselves in reality, the few left behind behind start counting their blessings, but one by one , all those who survived , get killed in ‘freak accidents’. They meet the CORONER, who tells them that DEATH has a plan for everyone and now he’s coming back to correct his mistake…

THE RING This is by far one of my most favourite horror movies. From the very beginning this film has you dreading how things will turn out. The film revolves around a simple video montage, which doesn’t really make any sense but the moment you watch it, you get a call that says ‘In 7 days you will die.’ How can that not scare you!. The movie stars journalist Rachel (Naomi Watts),investigating her niece’s death, who had supposedly watched this suspicious video tape.

Desperate to know the cause of her death, she tracks down the video and watches it, only to receive a phone call from a little girl that tells her she’ll die in 7 days. Shocked by the new turn of events she seeks help in her friend NOAH (Martin Henderson). She starts to track down the woman in the video and as her 7th day start nearing , she finds a name to the ‘girl’: Samara, and the story of her life.

The film is extremely gripping, with you counting down the days she has left to save herself and her son.

THE RING – 2 also revolves around Rachel and her son, and how they move to a new town to create a new life for themselves.

But what they thought they had left behind , has followed them even here.

I hope I’ve piqued your interest about a few of the films, and if you haven’t watched any of these yet, I suggest you start now !

Disclaimer : These views are completely biased towards my liking, and may or may not make it to your top 10!

MY TOP 10 PICKS FOR HORROR FILMS (Random Order)

Mikael Blomkvist is an eminent financial journalist and co-owner of a successful magazine, Millennium. Convicted of libel against a prominent Swedish businessman Hans-Erik Wennerström, Blomkvist finds himself with a three month sentence to jail, no job and no possibility of working in journalism in the foreseeable future. In these uncertain times he gets an unusual call from an old retired Swedish industrialist, Henrik Vanger. Mr. Henrik Vanger wants him to investigate the sudden disappearance of his favourite niece and probable heir to the Vanger Empire, Harriet Vanger. Even though fifty years had passed since that fateful day , Harriet’s disappearance had become Henrik Vanger’s curse and he longed closure. In return, along with a sizable fee ,Vanger promises to provide what Blomkvist craves most dearly, revenge against Wennerström.

Lisbeth Salander is an unusual 26 year old. She’s 4’11”, flat-chested, has more piercings than places to put them and more tattoos than real skin.

One of those, placed neatly on her left shoulder blade is a dragon. A private investigator by profession she uses her observation, persistence and unmatched computer programming skills to pry out all the secrets of those she is hired to investigate. One such investigation catches her interest more than the others, it is about a journalist, Mikeal Blomkvist or Kalle Blomkvist (Kalle means bear in Swedish) as he was called. She observed his trial, she observed the aftermath, somehow she felt he wasn’t in character, somehow she felt he was framed.

Together Blomkvist and Salander make an unusual team and they are able to unearth the dark past of the Vanger household and solve the mystery behind Harriet’s disappearance.

First book of the millennium trilogy by Swedish author Steig Larson, ‘The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo’ exceeds all expectations and can be rated a top notch thriller. The novel manages to keep you engaged at all times. Larson , through his smooth narrative and immense eye for detail , manages to create complex characters not often seen in fiction of this genre. He manages to give us insight into the inner workings of the mind of Salander, he helps us understand the guilt and disappointment Blomkvist feels after his conviction. The amount of research Larson put in generating the backdrop of this novel makes all the difference and sets it apart from other run of the mill thrillers, the world of Lisbeth Salander almost feels tangible.

Larson doesn’t shy away from being explicit in his novel. He states things as they are, almost in a factual way which causes most themes within the book to become far more effectual. One prominent theme through the novel is abuse of women. Originally called ‘The Man Who Hated Women’ there are various scenes of abuse in the plot, sometimes involving the protagonist Lisbeth Salander which has been described in cold detail. Larson uses his book as a medium to express his disgust towards the prevalence of misogynistic behaviour in modern Swedish society. Larson however, doesn’t come off as a cynic. Instead , I felt that through his characters and their journey, he made it clear that our behaviour is a consequence of our personality and personal histories, not gender. It is only psychopaths who split the world along the lines of gender.

Overall ‘The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo’ was an intense and exciting read. Despite a slightly slow end the bulk of the novel provides the best of both worlds, a convoluted financial plot and a quest for a missing girl on one side and undertones of feminism and self empowerment on the other. It is a book where little is as it seems, but one thing is definitely clear: you do not want to mess with the girl with the dragon tattoo.

— Rutajeet Chatterjee (‘10)

7

Pottermania: The Boy Who Lives On

—Surabhi Uppal (‘09)

Harry Potter. I don’t think I’d be exaggerating too much if I went ahead and said that you’d be hard-pressed to find anyone who has never heard these words. They may not be crazy about the books or the movies or the games (in my opinion that just makes THEM crazy but hey! to each their own...) but they’d undoubtedly have heard about them. On June 30th 1997, when the first book in the series came out there was intrigue, interests were piqued and people all around the globe were fascinated, but before long this glimmer of interest had turned into a world-wide craze which encompassed people of all ages alike.

Remember that day, when we read our first Harry Potter book ? A bond was forged. I know I echo a million others when I say that our generation grew up with Harry Potter. Literally. I was around the same age as Harry when I read the first book and since then, magic has been a rather important part of my life. It’d probably seem juvenile to many now but there were times when I wished I was at Hogwarts, wondered which house the Sorting Hat would put me in, wanted a wand to pick me, use staircases that moved, walk through a wall and end up at Platform nine and a three quarters. I’m probably crazy for admitting it (and the only consolation I have is knowing that I’m not alone) but a part of me still feels that way.

Millions waited outside bookstores early in the morning to get their copy of the latest book first, speculated incessantly about what would happen next, formed conspiracy theories, ruined other’s reading experiences (There were times when I knew dialogues out of the latest book even before I’d laid my eyes on it!).

And then, there were the movies. Whether they did justice to the books or not, everyone lined up at the theatres to see them bring the world of Harry Potter books to life. With the last instalment of the movies already out, it’s only natural to feel a little lost. Is this really the end? Radcliffe said at the premiere of the final movie- “People aren’t ready to let go just as yet.” And it is for such people (Fine! Read : me) that efforts are being made to immortalise the incredible journey , that was Harry Potter.

Recently, Universal Studios (Orlando) added the all-new ‘ The Wizarding World of Harry Potter’ to its Islands of Adventure theme parks, complete with Hogsmeade Village , the Hogwarts castle and three amazing rides- Harry Potter and the Forbidden Journey, Flight of the Hippogriff and Dragon challenge. While the latter two are roller coasters, the first ride is filled with special effects as it takes you on a flight through Harry's life, including encounters with dementors, a dragon, and projections of characters from the film. The queue line is replete with exciting visuals, such as the Mirror of Erised, and talking portrait of the four founders.

There are two main features to the queue line that will get Harry Potter fans really excited. The first is Dumbledore’s Office complete with all his eccentric stuff where a hologram of Dumbledore appears to give a stern but kindly speech. Next we move into a classroom where the hologram effect is repeated, this time with Ron, Hermione and Harry and they give you a build up to the ride. I don’t want to spoil the whole experience and so this is where I shut my trap.

The Hogsmeade Village bustles with signs of magic, and the attention to detail is just amazing. While most of the shops are just fronts, we have a fully functional Ollivander’s (where you are invited to try out a wand or two)and The Three Broomsticks, where you can try a Butterbeer. All in all , it’s a fan’s dream come true. A Mecca of all sorts.

Find out more at: www.universalorlando.com/harrypotter.

Another development that’s got all the fans on the edge of their seats is the new website Pottermore, created by J. K. Rowling in partnership with Sony, which will include an interactive reading experience of the Harry Potter books. The site goes live in October 2011 and is set to feature new and previously unpublished material about the world of Harry Potter. Pottermore will sell e-book versions of the Harry Potter books as well as digital audiobooks. Pottermore will allow its users to navigate their way through the story, with all-new illustrations and interactive "moments". Users start out by choosing a magical username, and as they move through the chapters of the book they will be sorted into houses – Rowling herself has written a plethora of questions to make sure users end up in the correct house - and experience life at Hogwarts. Points will be won for houses by casting spells and mixing potions, and users will be able to comment and add their own drawings and content. It is said that Rowling herself will be featured every now and then.

For now, Pottermore will be restricted to the first book, Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone, but all seven books will be added in due course.

With ventures like these, it would be hard to forget the magical journey that was Harry Potter. And for all those who can’t wait to enter Pottermore, Rowling has three words: “Follow the Owl.” (Figure it out on your own. I’m not telling you EVERYTHING!) It All Ends. Not! (Photographs by the Writer)

TV Review: Coupling “Love is the answer, but while you are waiting for the answer, sex raises some pretty good questions.”

Woody Allen pretty much summarizes this British comedy “Coupling”. This story of six people in their 30s out for sex while waiting for true love, forms a polygon of exes and best friends sleeping with each other (!).

The three women are confident and undaunted, certain of what they want; the men however, are lost and apprehensive, constantly in self-doubt and petrified of succumbing to love.

Steve Taylor (played by Jack Davenport-you know, the handsome Lord Norrington from Pirates of the Carribean?), one of the central characters, represents what most men are when dating. Afraid of commitment but out for sex, he is Susan’s love interest, while trying to ward off his ex, the “evil” Jane. The beautiful, assertive and successful, Susan Walker (Sarah Alexander – never heard of her before) is every guy’s dream and every girl’s envy. But the crazy is brought in by Steve’s “unflushable” ex, Jane Christie (Gina Bellman – Sophie from Leverage) who is self-obsessed and firmly believes herself to be a

—Surahi Singh Raghav (‘09)

‘Man - Magnet’ (although usually ends up scaring them).

The Man and Casanova, Patrick Maitland (Ben Miles – played a minor role of Dascombe in V for Vendetta) is a “Tripod” and was born “very lucky”, making him king of the dating world, a fact enforced by his list (read: videotapes) of one night stands that fill up his ‘Cupboard of Love’. But smitten by Patrick is Sally Harpar (Kate Islitt) best friend to Susan and absolutely vain, she is paranoid about the increasing size of her ‘bottom’ and is even more petrified of ageing (reserving her smile only for single men in order to save her facial-elasticity). Perhaps the most popular character on the show remains, Jeff Murdock (Richard Toyle – Tus (elder brother) in Prince of Persia – The Sands of Time) - Bizarre and eccentric, he is a common friend to Susan and Steve. Described as “a strange and disturbing man” by his “porn - buddy” Steve, Jeff’s excessive thoughts about sex, nudity and lesbians lead to embarrassing situations forming much of the humor on the show. Terrible in approaching women, in his sexual frustration lies the birth of outrageous theories about sex and everything related to it. Their mishaps and

adventures with Coupling form the crux of the tale.

Apart from the obvious reasons that sparked my interest in the show, the writer, Steven Moffat, has often used unconventional approaches of split-screens and disjointed narration (specially seen in the fifth episode that was mostly shot in Hebrew). There is no pointless prolongation of any storyline thus respecting the Hooke’s Law and cleverly avoiding a Ross-Rachel situation or a I-don’tcare-how-he-met-their-mother-just-show-me-who-she-is -already. The show bagged the ‘Best TV Comedy’ award in 2003 and this ‘group-genre’ has often been compared to the likes of Friends and Seinfeld.

8

Gastronomical series-

DESSERTS!

BABA ‘SUN’DEV KA SANDESH

(Foreword – After many a heated discussion with my alter ego guru moon dude, WE have decided that zodiac sign Ophiuchus will permanently be excluded from this column because of the general—Jayati Dureja (‘08) ized displeasure it seems to have caused all those people who live their lives based on whether There’s a bakery boom in Mangalore like never before, and if you feel you’ve been Saturn and mercury have aligned.Alter ego foreword-Firstly a shout out to all my peeps. neglecting your sweet tooth, here’s something you should read up! We all love our Secondly I couldn’t care two hoots about OPHI- Oh what ya might call it – CHUS , because the cakes, pastries, cheesecakes ,tarts and fudge, don’t we? I’m going to divide this ghastly word is too difficult to spell. Even the auto correct option doesn’t know the right spelling.) into 2 sections- first for chocolate lovers, and the second for the variety which doesn’t believe in the former (yes, these species exist) Chocolate lovers can find their paradise in my top pick – Kofa Express in city cenAries (March 21 - April 20): In the near future you may find yourself in a wet predicament. So tre. The warm chocolate cake is a heavy, dark chocolate laden brownie cake slice always ensure you have an umbrella with you. with a crusty base. Take a fellow chocolate lover with you, ‘cause this one’s going Taurus (April 21 - May 21): Dear Taurus , nothing travels faster than the speed of light with to be difficult to finish on your own! If you’re the more adventurous type, there’s the possible exception of bad news. So don’t be surprised if you receive a phone call from a variety of tarts and pies to try out too! Coming in 2nd as far as the classic rich your parents regarding your performance in the recent exams or your poor attendance of morning class. dark chocolate pastry is concerned, would be our old faithful CCD and the new Gemini ( May 22 - June 21): Dear Gemini, being a sign that is known for forever changing its entry in town, Just Bake (a Bangalorean chain, must try – Death By Chocolate ). mind, the coming weeks will be difficult one for you. With blockbusters releasing simultaneJust Bake also has an outlet next to Chaat Zara behind Deepa Comforts, which sells ously, making the right choice had never been as difficult.

CUPCAKES. Yeah, those finally arrived in Mangalore too! The muffins are worth a Cancer(June 22 - July 22): In the likely event you find yourself at a party ( as a KMC student try as well, chocolate and blueberry being the best ones I’ve had here. As far as this is very likely), feel free to randomly start dancing in the middle of the room with utter lack Chocolate Brownies and fudge goes, Cherry square (lighthouse outlet), takes the of inhibition such as of a madman. You might actually get everyone on the dance floor or cherry on top! For those who might be lucky enough to know a couple of my someone will tell you to stop dancing, which is just as good in such situations. batchmates (Yvonne Mak and ‘My Bakery House’ owners ) may get their gustatory Leo(July 23 -August 21): In the coming weeks , you will find yourself in darkness by nightfall. receptors hooked on to the double chocolate fudge brownies, red velvet cupcakes So do turn on your lights by 6 p.m. and as power shortage is very likely , buy a set of spare and Oreo cheesecakes they make. Join the ‘My Bakery House’ group on FB in case candles. you’re interested and watch out for our very own BWM member Yvonne’s bake Virgo - August 22 - September 23 : For all those Virg(o)ins who have just got done with your sales which usually fund some cause or the other. They beat any bakery in town exams and are hoping to get some well deserved rest : you may find yourselves diving straight any day! Back to the bakeries you can actually go to, we have our old favourite back into your books. This year unfortunately is just not your year.

Crumbz on the list as well, however, the new competition makes their products Libra - September 24 - October 23: Though your sun sign stands for liberal thinking, justice sound exactly like their name- crumbly! Go for the chocolate mousse which comes and truth, be on guard as you might find yourself in a tricky spot. Don’t generalize and form in a takeaway cup, it’s still the best I’ve had here. Other chocolate products which opinions for the coming month as your narrow mindedness (sarcasm) shall be criticized and are a must to try are- the chocolate tart, the chocolate doughnut and the chocojudged. late Danish roll – all at SPAR. It’s easy on the pocket and makes up in taste, for Scorpio - October 24 - November 22: Due to the sudden dismissal of Pluto from the solar system, you will probably experience paradoxical paroxysms of perpetual pointlessness in the what it lacks in ambience! Bon Bon bakery is famous for its ice cream cake, somenear future. In short if people catch you with your mouth open, staring into the universe, tell thing you must try before you leave college. Lava cakes are available at Crumbz, them you are deep in thought.

Dominoes, Kofa and KFC, -warm gooey chocolaty centres with a chocolate cake Sagittarius - November 23 - December 22: Dear Sagittarius, the next few weeks will be filled crust on the outside. Sigh. Heaven. with excitement as you’ll find yourself surrounded by new romantic interests. Most of these And now, for those who found the above a sappy love letter, I bear good news for individuals will be returning from distant lands to invade your hearts, and possibly your pockyou too. SPAR offers the best mango cheesecake (seasonal) . They have the old ets! favourites like pineapple pastry and fruit pastries as well. Steer clear of the blueCapricorn - December 23 - January 20: In the coming weeks please answer all phone calls with berry products though, I’ve tried a few, and liked none. Their apple pie is one of the following statement, ’Hello, May I know whose speaking?’ lest you end up talking to some the better ones I’ve had in this city. Just Bake offers these as well and Crumbz random person for five minutes without realizing what an oaf you have been (Baba’s view: comes in a close third, having a loyal fan base for their litchi and strawberry cakes. good advice , comes from bad experiences).

Blueberry muffins at Just Bake , as I already mentioned, simply melt in your mouth Aquarius - January 21 - February 19: In the coming weeks you will find yourselves staring at as the blueberry jam bursts in the centre. The Cupcakes here mostly have a vanilla the mirror at every single of chance you get. Though this is a natural phenomenon and everybase as well. Kofa Express at City Centre seems to have a few scrumptious items body does it , your attempts at doing so will stand out like a sore thumb and people will begin too, but if you would have read above, I simply can’t tear myself away from the to wonder if you are going bald. ‘warm chocolate’ to try these! Do write about what you liked their and spread the Pisces - February 20- March 20: Often called the underdog (fish?) of the Astrological world, good word, on our FB page! this week will see you come out to the rest of the world in true splendor. However, “Life is uncertain. Eat dessert first.” don’t get ahead of yourselves. You’re not ready for dangerous stuff like walking on land or breathing fresh air.