Manoj Kumar Vs Om Shanti Om

Om Shanti Om made a spoof on many senior and new age actors-Rajesh Khanna, Dharmendra, Amitabh Bachchan, Shabana Azmi,Rishi Kapoor,Subhash Ghai, Akshaye Kumar, Abhishek Bachchan, Sooraj Barjatiya, Dev Anand, Rajni kant. All of them took it in the right spirits and understood the humour behind this art of filmmaking, except the thespian Manoj Kumar.Not until yesterday he seemed to be hurt and his reaction to this -'a conspiracy to ridicule me', 'injured my soul', 'i feel insulted' ,'my wellwishers and fans are outraged'.He has left it to his lawyers to decide on the course of action.
Is it easy to take a joke?And if that joke you feel ridicules you or your image? How many of us can really take a joke in a lighter vein without getting hurt?Manoj Kumar is a very senior and serious actor of the 70s who has given us inspiring and patriotic movies.His reaction is a spontaneous reaction to the scene in the movie which brand him as'bumbling buffon' .The scene where the cops beat up his double was too much for him to accept. So naturally the actor voiced his displeasure at this satirical episode.The message was loud and clear from his side-Give me my due respect .Not only in real life but in reel life also.
Part of the film industry felt he was overreacting and advised him to take it as a complement, a tribute and understand the hidden humour behind this.The media sees it as a desperate attempt by Manoj Kumar to hog archlights and seek fame.The Om Shanti Om crew and cast were apologetic and said hurting anybody was the last thing in their minds.Some feel it is a publicity stunt.After all this i think many people who havent seen the movie will actually watch it to see what really happened with the onscreen 'manoj kumar', his young double.
I have noticed in many movies legendary actors like the late ashok kumar,sanjeev kapoor,raj kapoor are easy targets of ridicule.These movies either have duplicates,comedians or the main leads trying to make give a comic twist to movies by making mockery of their style and persona.Why speak of these legendary actors when we have duplicates of shah rukh khan ,salman khan, sanjay dutt and many others who do the same thing.But today the new age actors understand and have learnt to take it in their stride, to take the joke on them when portrayed in films or shows.
All's well that ends well. Farah Khan and Shah Rukh Khan conveyed their sincere apologies and the thespian should forget and forgive and let bygones be bygones and show the white flag.

Being Curvy and Chubby Is Not Bad Afterall

Good News! I am happy are you too?
Two news items on Health and Beauty published in the Times of India made me happy ."Why being chubby is not a bad thing" and 'Curvy women are clever too'.They make really an interesting read for many women and men out there who are happy with the way they are.' Beauty lies in the eyes of the beholder' and this vision of beauty changes every now and then with the new studies and research made by scientists.
"Why being chubby is not a bad thing"
Interesting isnt it.In this new modern age where the 'thin culture' dominates and rules with many teens , women and men. These finds or study of the researchers bring a sigh of relief too many 'chubby' women and men who do not embrace the so called culture or fall in the category of skinny people. We are healthy and we are beautiful.'Overweight people have the lowest mortality rate than skinny people', says the new study.Does it mean that 'heavy people or chubby people will live longer?It is unbelievable as we have always heard contradictory reports relating to this issue.The effects of being overweight are many and this makes us rush to the gyms,try low fat diets,tolerate the stares of the onlookers and their comments and try all possible methods to slim down. So this news comes as a surprise and is an eyeopener.So all chubby people out there you can be happy with yourself like i am.And the skinny ones you can put on a little weight.
'Curvy women are clever too'
This is a must read like the other one.Another study says that curvy women have brains and are smart.The study also adds that women who have an hourglass figure-large hips and small waist are intelligent and clever.Am i reading right ? so what they mean to say is that those fats around the hips are not bad after all.?The study states that these curvy women will have give birth to bright children!So women out there lend me your ears and get your curves right.And those skinny supermodels who give us a complex and threaten our confidence please read these articles and put on some weight if you want a 'smart tag' child.
And to all the scientists out there who come up with such wonderful and interesting research and studies keep up the research going and enlighten us more with your new findings.

Bollywood Smoking Debate

Some bollywood celebrities must be in a utterly confused state of mind whether to smoke or not to smoke in public or in private ( you see their walls have eyes and ears too).Celebrities do not have it easy as their every move are watched, talked,criticised and debated.The common man in this case enjoys an upper hand, a freedom, as nobody notices them or slaps a case on them in that matter.For a second celebs must be wishing to be in the shoes of the common man at least for this reason - smoke leisurely without being seen and talked .
Common man who smoke do not come in the public glare and his actions may not be as big a issue.But when it comes to bollywood actors as shah rukh khan, aksheye khanna, vivek oberoi, saif ali khan.ajay degan their smoking antics offscreen and onscreen have court controversies.They are no ordinary men they are bollywood big shots idolised by many movie lovers.Celebrities in India are adulated,emulated.Every little thing they do offscreen or onscreen are subject to scrutiny.They have a mass following who love to adopt their styles and habits.Their choices influence the behaviour of their fans and common mass.when SRK took a puff during a cricket match his snap was taken and his actions at once hit headlines. It happened with akshey khannna who was seen with a cigerrete in hand while he walked the ramp recently.Vivek Oberio's smoking in movies did not go unnoticed.Saif 's smoking problems is not new.It becomes headlines and is flashed in all news channels and forums are set up to discuss their acts.They become easy targets.Some have left the habit while some struggle with it and some desperately trying to kick the habit and there are those who cannot give up the habit.
Does bollywood boost smoking habit? No we cannot pass the buck just like that. Granted that Celebritites have certain resposibilities towards the society.They are everywhere in ads, movies, functions and not to miss the public awareness campaigns for the interest of the public.The fact that we are also responsible for our own actions also hold true. Smoking is a habit injurious to health .For some it is their favourite past time. Its a habit even my husband also cannot do without like many others. As they say Old habits die hard .Whether its the celebs or the common man I hope this Smoking habit dies away its natural death.

Tall, Fair And Handsome

Yes I was embarressed.I was feeling awafully embaressed of my husband.Why should'nt I be? He bought a men's fairness cream right in front of my nose! I felt all eyes in the store staring back at me.Do i know this man at all? No certainly not. Not after this.The store attendent went on and on about other similar products that have hit the market and my husband was checking all the popular brands out there.And I thought its only a lady's rights to be fair and lovely.As the saying applies for men-tall, dark and handsome and not tall fair and handsome.
It was embarressing to hear my husband asking the attendant about skin types and which brand he should pick up.What on earth are you doing?Please dont buy those creams.I love your dark rugged looks.To put my point across i made all gestures possible- gave him a cold stare, tugged his shirt. pinched him, shoved him lightly, but nothing worked, he turned a blind eye and my pleadings fell on deaf ears.
The other day my parents and family came for lunch and this little secret was discovered."Why does he need to put such creams? These creams are for girls", my father said. And everybody was busy inspecting the cream and giving their own comments."He wants to look fair after all these years, whats brewing dear, is everything allright",my mother added."Nothing mother, he says he is doing it for himself"," Its just a feel good factor and nothing else".From then onwards i make all possible efforts to hide the cream once my husband leaves home.Once he is at home the cream is back in its usual place.But nothing escapes the eye of the cleaning lady " what madam why does saheb keep the cream here and there".What can be more embaressing than this?
Fairness cream specially tailored for men-Eureka! what a breakthrough.They say it will give men a fresh and smooth look.My husband fell for it and i guess many other men also would have joined the bandwagon.Where is the Mills and Boons guy that we women dream of right from the time we reach our teens.Men too want to look beautiful and fair! Whats wrong with them? The rough and tough look which makes women go weak on our knees seems to be fading in the air.The new metrosexual look seems to be ruling the popular charts.When i see these ads promoting the fairness creams for men i fume and fret inside. I blame them for pushing my husband to think otherwise of his looks.Today he has bought a fairness cream, tomorrow he may wax his chest, go for a facial or grow his hair .Shah Rukh Khan endorsing a similar cream makes the matter worse.His presence makes the ads noticiable and give weight to rather silly ads.
Wether a man is fair or not does it matter? Men can get away with their looks or anything else in that matter.I have seen the most unhandsome looking men with the most beautiful looking women by their side.It is the women who have to go through the tags of being fair or dark from time immorial.Be it being noticed in the crowd, accepted by society or attract good marriage proposals-women face genuine problems if they are not 'fair' skinned.Men have been blessed enough.
As for fairness creams be it for men or women- they are here to stay.Do they really work?No iam glad . My husband today still has his rugged looks intact even after using them religiously, two times in a day as prescribed in the cover."Its a feel good thing "and i have nothing to say to that now.

A Pet Dog Named Mowgli

We unanimously halied him as Mowgli, being rather impressed by the small screen depiction of the boy-in Rudyard Kipling famous novel Jungle Book. But if Mowgli was a man child at ease in the world of animals, our Mowgli is a small puppy, an animal at ease amidst the world of men. From the very first moment he responded with alarcrity to the name and it stuck to him as surely as a second skin.
Mowgli belongs to the pampered breed of Dachshunds. Dark as the midnight in his smooth coat.His long tail flailing and his snout delicately sniffing the cold air.He arrived one winter evening to disrupt our peaceful existence and to establish his princely rights in our domain. He just walked through the front door and we gazed with horror at his mole like appearance debating whether it belongs to some mysterious sort of species of the underworld rodent clan or really a puppy.As is in answer to our mental queries he wined and waged his tail, but his looks seemed to drip with contempt,"I am more human than any of you", was the telepathic message that came through to us, and from that very moment we stayed in some awe of him.
But not so the cats and there were plenty of them around. Black cats, tom cats, white cats, she cats, he cats, small cats and big cats,continually pried through windows, mewed loudly from rooftop, shuffled suspiciously under beds, eager to pounce on him tooth and claw and make off with him as a possible dessert.Perhaps they had not recieved the message, we recieved loud and clear.They still think of him as a rat, albeit an overgrown one.
Mowgli behaves as a human being in disguise and this we can well call his comic flaw.There is never a "Beware of the Dog" signboard hung on our gatepost. His territory is open to all tresspassers. His happiness knows no bounds when he hears footsteps at the door. Wearing his doggy heart on his four paws, he wants to be the first one to greet the guests in a traditional manner touching thier feets with his ice-cold nose.
Gone are the days when dogs were supposed to be faithful to their masters.Unlike other dogs who love to trot beside their loved ones, he tears ahead straining at his leash, dragging us to all nooks and corners of his happy hunting grounds. Where
human beings are concerned, his love knows no discrimination, for he gets too friendly with strangers thinking all men are alike and therefore to be trusted . Unlike other dogs, Mowgli loves soap and water. Right from the moment the buckets are filled with warm water, till he is brushed and scrubbed clean, he squeals with delight, a glad doggy song.
He loves being fondled and paying him no attention can be injurious to his health and to our happiness. The only thing he dreads is the loss of love of human beings he calls his own. We dare not turn a deaf ear to his demands.When Mowgli is in pain or ill, it is always to mother he goes for comfort, just like the rest of us. He loves his early morning cuppa with biscuits together with family members, insisting on a second serve by thumping his tail hard on the floor till he gets it. Mowgli's favourite place on earth is the drawing room. He demands a sofa especially reserved for him where he sits and watches the TV like we do.
All said and done Mowgli is not all sugar and spice and all that's nice. His sharp barks in an otherwise peaceful night are like poisons to our ears. Sleep vanishes and blood pressure goes racing up. But he has his way. If he has to spend a sleepless night he makes sure that we too stay up with him.
Walt Whitman has said"I think I could turn and live as the animals, they are so placid and self contained".
We have to take his remark with a pinch of salt. No doubt he did not have to live with a dog like Mowgli. "Dont give your heart to a dog to tear", but those of us who love dogs have long ago tossed this well meant advice to the winds along with the chewed up slippers.

NY Governor Eliot Spitzer Involvement in Prostitution Ring

Eliot Spitzer New York Governor, a first-term Democrat and former state attorney general married with three children has told senior advisers that he had been involved in a prostitution ring. Spitzer officials wouldn't immediately comment on the story.

Read more here

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/23561606

Beatles and Apple $400 Million Deal

UK news outlets are reporting today that Sir Paul McCartney has reached a deal with Apple to offer the Beatles catalog on the iTunes Store. The deal worth $400 million, comes after months and months of speculation and relentless torrents of rumors.This is the real deal, and will lead to the most popular band of all time finally finding its way onto an online marketplace.

Read more at

http://arstechnica.com/journals/apple.ars/2008/03/09/mccartney-reportedly-inks-deal-with-apple

Download and Watch New and Old Classic Hollywood Movies Online Free

Download and Watch New and Old Classic Hollywood Movies Online Free.

http://www.campusist.com/

India Fails to Qualify in Hockey for Beijing Olympics

A heartbroken hockey fraternity today reacted in anger and demanded the ouster of Indian Hockey Federation President KPS Gill following the team's unprecedented failure to make the cut for the Beijing Olympics.India created a dubious history as they lost to England 2-0 to miss the bus for the quadrennial games for the first time in 80 years.

Read more at

http://sports.in.msn.com/stories/article.aspx?cp-documentid=1283346

Rakhi Sawant Wants Mumbai Police To Act As Her Santa Claus

Rakhi Sawant walked out of the Nach Baliye 3 sets when the winner of the dance reality show in Star Plus was announced.She and her boyfriend Abhishek Awasthi just refused to acknowledge their loss to Amir and Sanjida when this couple won hands down .The rakhi-abhishek duo were declared runners-up .Salman Khan the celebrity guest of the grand finale said they should have the sportmanship spirit and congratulate the winners and accept their defeat.But Rakhi being Rakhi Sawant just couldn't bear her defeat.Now we hear that she has called a press conference and voiced her displeasure against the channel and organisers of the show.She has requested the Mumbai Police to don the 'Santa' cap and act promptly to her complaint she filed at the Oshiwara police station.
According to her the Nach Baliye 3 reality dance show was rigged and she has called the voting system a 'software scandal'.She adds that the results were manipulated . In her own words "The voting lines had shut well before the deadline. Even the flyers and hoardings of the channel were in support of Aamir and Sanjeeda. This had alerted us that there was manipulation taking place in the camp," says Rakhi.She is emotionally very hurt, cheated and for her self respect she would like an investigation into the matter and let truth be out in the open.
Yes Rakhi sawant and her partner Abhishek did wow the audience with their breathtaking performances .They were certainly the best of the rest.They were professional dancers.Their hard work and surprise element did wonders in each and every episode-13 new form with 13 new images were evident in the thali dance, the diya dance,their classical and modern dances.Likewise Amir Ali and Sanjeeda Sheik also deserved to be in the finals. They withstood tough competitors like Rakhi and Abhishek and equally matched to their dance steps and forms . Now that this was a reality dance show and everything was not in the judges's hand it all depended on the sms send by the viewers.One cannot predict winners in this case, it can be anybody's game in the end.
Whereever Rakhi Sawant goes controversies seem to follow her like a faithful dog.She won the trophy for being the drama queen of the show.Her antics and drama were also seen in Big Boss, the last reality game show she participated.But Rakhi says her controversial walkout was not a publicity stunt as is viewed by many.She adds, "I also have a heart and emotions, there are some things beyond controversy and that is our self respect".

Busy Human Bodies

The Human Species has turned into Busy Bodies.The Human Race as appropriately termed seem to be racing-whether we race with time or race against it, we are always on the run.The whole world seems to be moving at a break neck speed and men groaning under its pressure.A life bustling with activities has become commendable. Remaining busy or giving the impression that one has no time has become the measure of importance in the society.
I knew of a retired professor who could instill a sense of foreboding in prospective scholars who came to his chamber while he remained 'busy' inside.Politicians generally arrive late for public meetings because they were 'busy' in the affairs of the state.Teachers come late to their classes as they are also 'busy' in other activities, students are 'busy' in learning or exploring the extra- lessons life has in store, parents are 'busy' with home, office and children, who are also'busy' in their imaginary world and the list can go on endlessly.Nevertheless we moderns live a nerve racking life.Unlike Wordworth we are never inclined to think that "the world is too much with us, in giving and taking, we lay waste our powers, little we think of the world that's ours".
We are never wearied of our dear world with all its myriad activities.Life is short we argue and a lot remains to be done.How can we barter it away on inessentials.We never talk of sharing our percious time with our kith and kin, we simply don't have the time for ourselves as we are busy dating destiny, we have forfeited our humanity. We have left ourselves no opportunity to make ourselves pleasant to each other, to gossip over a cup of tea, to watch the flight of birds or to while away the time communing with nature.
Like dehumanised species, like cousins of the machines we operate. We are a lost race in search of a utopia that shall never come to us unless we look into ourselves.Being busy bodies has raised our blood pressure, cholestrol levels, increased sugar content in the blood and caused heart attacks.We rush to meet the deadlines and there seems to be no escape. What does it matter if we gain the world but lose or soul and self in the bargain? We have lost the Self.We have crushed it under the wheels of time.

Mother Lynne Spears and Her Celebrity Daughters Britney and Jamie

Mother Lynne Spears and her daughters Britney Spears and Jamie Lynn Spears seem to be sailing on the same boat these days.The tide of life,its ebb and flow, the rise and fall is being experienced by the mother and her daughters.All spotlights seems to have frozen on the three of them.Cannot blame one for the others downfall. To each his own as they say.They are grownup individuals who are responsible for their own actions.

Britney Spears had it all.She rose to fame in an instant at a very early age and conquered the hearts of many with her grammy winning performance.She ruled the music industry for a long time with her chartbusters.She was a teen idol.What happened to her after that is really shocking.First she married childhood sweetheart Jason Alexander and then she married Kevin Federline. Why? Nobody knows why. Was it simply love or was she bored of her single status and wanted to try or experience something new.She had kids one after another.Why? Was it simply to avert the reports of her messy marriage or she wanted to try motherhood seriously.She divorced after 2 years citing irreconcilable differences, took refuge in drugs and alcohol.She received a heavy blow when she lost the custody battle of her children for her unexplained and bizzare behaviour.She simply fell from the height of fame,she disgraced herself. She did everything possible to rise and grab limelight but all in vain nothing seemed to work her way and she was inbetween the devil and the deep sea.Now we mention and categorsie her as a 'troubled singer' or 'beleaguered' pop star.She seems out of control.It is rumored that Britney Spears is planning to marry again to her "close friend and confidant" Sam Lufti.Why is she doing this?only she can answer that.Didnt she learn anything with her life events?We certainly did.
Move over Britney Spears for her 16 year old little sister Jamie Lynn Spears has arrived .Oh did i say 'little' i take my word back for the little sister is going to be a mother soon. "Always conscientious" as described by her mother Jamie has shocked her family and world with her pregnancy. She has now become hot topic of conversation, discussion and news.She is a television star best known for starring in the Nickelodeon television series 'Zoey 101'.She is now expecting her long time boyfriend 18 year old Casey Aldridge's child .She at first was 'shocked' as she says to this unexpected event in her life but now she seems to be pretty okay.But What follows after this -only God knows.Will marriage,motherhood, career, fame do her good or will it push her into the same fate as it did to britney.Isnt all this too much for her to handle at this age with a 'unwed teen mother' tag.
Where does that leave Mother Lynne Spears?She is the mother of three children with ex husband Jamie Spears.Her much publicised book on parenting skills "Pop culture mom'' has been put on hold indefinitely after her daughter Jamie announced her pregnancy.She has been called as the 'worse' mother by tabloids.She did reconcile with britney after their estrangement.She is a celebrity mother who raised her family in the glare of the media.She will be constanly under scrutiny when her celebrity daughters do anything ridiculous and strange.People and media will be judgemental of her.Her book which was set to release on Mother's day seems to be a far fetched dream for her now.At the present moment its her daughters who need her immediate attention,care and parental guidance. Its time to put her words in her book into real action and give it a meaning.