Month: May 2014

Categories
Event

Come out and Play, Mumbai!

The Metrognome brings to you the city’s first family games event – and all of Mumbai is invited! Register now.
by The Editors | editor@themetrognome.in

The vacations will be over soon, and all of us will go back to the grind, so how about some good family time before we all slip into our routines?

How about if we come out of our houses and play?

The Metrognome and Ideators Events have conceptualised a unique games event for Mumbai – where entire families are invited to step out of their homes for a day and bond with each other over fun games. The event is slated to happen on Sunday, June 1, 2014, at Mahalaxmi Racecourse, from 9 am to 3 pm. Says Vrushali Lad, editor of The Metrognome, “Children these days are hardly stepping out of their houses to play, since gadgets and the TV at home keep them reasonably occupied. And then there is the question of where to play, if one does step out. There aren’t enough good grounds to play on, and if there are, most of us remain unaware of them.”

Adds Ketan Ranga of Ideators Events, a city-based company, “We thought of bringing children out to play, but more importantly, we thought it would be fun if children stepped out with their parents. Let’s face it, the games we played in our childhood – langdi, chippi, sack race, lagori – how many children play them now, or have heard of them? Parents can introduce their children to these games. Besides, the family that plays together stays together.”

What’s in store

The event will feature at least 10 games that are traditional in nature, and which will be modified to include entire families. For instance, if there’s a sack race event, an entire family will compete against another. “It’s not just about playing a game – anybody can step out and do that. Mumbai is fast losing the space and the will for collective community activities. Imagine the level of fun and laughter you can get out of playing at a sprawling ground, with so many others. Besides, when was the last time our parents played anything?” says Vrushali.

Entry to the event has been kept free, but participants will have to register. “We’ve created dedicated email IDs and social media pages for people to register on. We are tying up with citizens organisations to ensure that word spreads and that more numbers of people can join us to play,” explains Ketan.

The prizes

Mumbai Police Commissioner Rakesh Maria will be the chief guest at the event.

Winning families get passes from the event’s Entertainment Partners Adlabs Imagica and vouchers from Apparel Partner Libas. One lucky family will get a helicopter ride in Mumbai from Sshawn Aviation.

RWITC is the venue partner for the event.

Register for ‘Come out and play’ by sending an email to comeoutandplay2014@gmail.com. You can register by tweeting @Comeoutplay2014 or liking the Facebook page at www.facebook.com/Comeoutandplay. The first 1000 registrations will receive ‘Come out and play’ T-shirts. 

Categories
Beauty

How to care for teenage skin

It rebels without a cause – teenage skin is quite difficult to manage, but not impossible to take care of. We have a few tips.

Being in your teens could put a lot of unwanted pressure on you – there are hormonal changes on the inside, and an unpredictable you on the outside. Everything seems to go haywire, and there are times when your skin starts rebelling too! Amidst all the changes, a sudden breakout on your skin is the last thing you would hope. To ensure you do not feel powerless and live your teen years to the fullest, we guide you on the path of clear, flawless skin. So, bid stubborn acne- Goodbye!

wash the face oftenIt is vital for you to understand your skin type before you opt for any skin care regime, especially when your skin is at its unpredictable best.

3 simple methods to deal with your teenage skin problems:

Normal skin. If you have normal skin, the soft textured one without any blemishes, you could adapt to this skin care regime.

– Wash your face with normal water- thrice a day.

– Make use of a mild cleanser to remove all the dust and dirt.

Dry skin. For those dealing with dry skin – where your skin is rough, scaly and dull in appearance, fear not. There is a solution for you too.

– Use a mild moisturising cleanser.

– On washing your face, apply a non-perfumed moisturiser.

– Don’t take hot water showers.

– Keep away from cheap soaps and cleansers, as they tend to make your skin drier.

Oily skin. For those who tackle the issue of oily skin, here is your breakthrough regime. You can now bid adieu to open pores, pimples and blackheads by following these simple skincare routinetips.

– Get into the habit of washing your face at least thrice a day with a quality soap and water.

– Keep dry tissues in your handy pack to wipe your face as and when you feel the surface of the skin turning oily.

– Washing your hair at least thrice a week will help reduce the oil on your face as well.

Some more tips:

1. Cleansing is the most important step in maintaining a healthy skin type. Washing off all the dirt and impurities helps get rid of dead cells and keeps your skin supple and soft.

2. Moisturising your skin often will give it the required nourishment and keep it well moisturised. Be sure to use a mild lotion rather than something harsh and packed with chemicals.

3. Keep in touch with your dermatology doctor, as any change in soap, lotion or cleanser could lead to a skin reaction, which is something you would not want. Always take professional advice while changing your skin care products to keep acne, allergies and other breakouts at bay.

Keep glowing!

(Pictures courtesy skincare.allwomenstalk.com, www.breastfeedinglink.org, www.beautyskinexpert.com)

Categories
Overdose

An accident and a learning

What happens when somebody jaywalks, rams into your car and then proceeds to play both abuser and victim? Read on.
Jatin Sharmaby Jatin Sharma | @jatiin_sharma on Twitter

It was night. I was driving my car. Ironically, I was listening to the song ‘Zinda hoon yaar kaafi hai’ from Lootera. I was driving at a speed of 60 kmph and it was 12:40 am, much past the signal timing of the city.

In the distance, I noticed a group of guys coming towards the junction that I was going to cross in another 40 seconds. I started applying my brakes. I expected the group of boys to look in the direction of the incoming cars, but they probably believed that ‘Mere baap ka road hai.’

As I got closer to the junction, I started honking and did not much notice my car speed, as I expected them to stop, like any normal person would. They didn’t. And while my car speed was reduced to a 5 kmph, one of the guys bumped into the front bumper as he lost his balance.

By this time, I realised that the boys were drunk and hence not interested in watching out for incoming traffic. The second my car touched that guy, another guy let out a volley of abuse and kicked my car window, smashing the glass and leaving me open to further abuse and even a beating. There were about 10 of them, drunk out of their wits, and I was to know an hour later, related to a known gangster and who had the support of a local politician.

The moment my car window was smashed, I put the car in first gear and swerved to look for a cop. This was Mahim junction, and the police is normally on patrolling duty there. I found them at another 200 meters. I took them to the spot, where people had gathered by now and the 10 boys were still there, too. They came over to me as they realised I was back – and started accusing me of a hit-and-run. To which I responded by getting the cops to take them all into custody.

I reached the police station; the police van took an extra 15 minutes. The number of people taken into custody had reduced from seven to three. Before I could forward my case, the first words came from the accused. “Haan, aap ameer ho aur hum gareeb, aapka hi chalega na“, they said. “Humare jaat walon ki koi nahin suntan,” they added. I was amazed at how these hooligans spoke so convincingly like future politicians.

I insisted on filing an FIR, I didn’t care whether the hooligans were history sheeters or not. But all that I got for my effort was an NC. Of course, this also happened because I was handed over a Marathi document that had something mentioning the word ‘pratham’ in it. And then I realised where most of our troubles with the police stem from – this business of all written communication in Marathi. There is no way that a person not well-versed with the language will follow half of the proceedings in the police station.

That aside, the policemen should have filed an FIR to discourage those hooligans. All I got out of the episode was a little satisfaction when they were beaten up by a policemen dressed in civil clothes, but I also ended by feeling like a fool. Such people are often used to beatings, and their well-built bodies could probably take the punches better than you or I can.

I ended up feeling unsafe and vulnerable, in a city that is supposed to be the frontrunner when it comes to safety and discipline in the country. I confess my city’s future looks a little dark and bleak to me right now.

Jatin Sharma is a media professional who doesn’t want to grow up, because if he grows up he will be like everybody else. ‘Overdose’ is his weekly take on Mumbai’s quirks and quibbles.

(Pictures courtesy

Categories
Tech

Sony launches Xperia Z2 in India at Rs 49,990

Sony’s newest phone comes with a few improved features, is waterproof and dust resistant and comes in three colour options.
by Manik Kakra | @Manik_K on Twitter

Sony launched its much-awaited Android 4.4.2 device – Xperia Z2 – in India last week. The phone is an IP58 certified (waterproof and dust-resistant) device that has a 5.2-inch full HD Triluminos display.

SmartBandUnder the hood, there is a Snapdragon 801 chipset (2.26 GHz quad-core processor, Adreno 330 GPU), coupled with 3 GB of RAM. The Xperia Z2 comes loaded with 16 GB of internal storage, which is expandable up to 128 GB. Packing in a 3,200 mAh battery unit, by enabling the phone’s Stamina mode, which basically puts your phone into an energy-conserving mode, you can extract some juice out of it for several days. Connectivity options include Bluetooth 4.0 (with A2DP), NFC, A-GPS, 3.5 mm headset jack, FM Radio (with RDS), Miracast, microUSB 2.0 (+MHL), and 3G.

On the back, there is an improved 20.7 MP (Exmor RS – CMOS) camera that can shoot 4K videos; while the front has a 2.2 MP camera with HD video capabilities. Having Sony’s own Xperia UI on top, the phone, as many other Sony phones, comes pre-loaded with a lot of Sony apps such as Xperia Link, Sony LIV, Walkman music player, PlayStation app, etc.

The Xperia Z2 is available in purple, white and black colour options, and has been launched at a price of Rs 49,990, which includes Sony’s new SmartBan SWR10 and a case. The Smartband is compatible with any Android 4.4 handset, and can also be purchased separately, available in the same three colours, for Rs 5,990.

Categories
Enough said

Are we headed towards another Partition?

With killings in Assam and disquieting treatment of Kashmiris, are we headed towards another dark chapter in our country’s history?
Humra Quraishiby Humra Quraishi

I was recently reading Simply Khaki – A Policeman Remembers, by the 1965 batch IPS officer from the Assam cadre, EN Rammohan (he retired as DG – BSF, and is said to be a ‘different’ cop, who during his entire service, lived without Government perks.) Till date, his guiding principle has been this line: ‘An officer has no religion once he joins service and puts on his uniform’.

As one reads the book, one becomes increasingly aware of the severity and complexity of the turmoil in Assam and the situation worsening there since 1971. According to Rammohan, these disputes in Assam are not along religious lines, but are centred around land.

These lines from the book are quite illuminating, from the chapter focussing on Shillong: “You have Chief Ministers who, when the Director General of Police brings a list of Sub-Inspectors who have qualified in the selection test, keep sitting with their legs drawn up to their chair, chewing paan and pull out an alternative list which they have prepared and throwing it at the DGP, ask him insolently, ‘Then what is this list?’ It is only natural that such Chief Ministers also have equally shameless Director Generals, who have mortgaged their souls for a chair, a bungalow and a Government telephone.”

Now, of course, there are also politicians who have so completely sold their souls, that they have no shame making speeches that trigger off killings. What else brought about this fresh round of killings in Assam? There was a complete parting of ways and rational thought soon after the demolition of the Babri Masjid. And now, physical assaults and killings are completely commonplace.

What’s more, these killings and assaults, religious or ethnic or otherwise, are happening in front of our eyes, but we are saying nothing. What did we do when the three Kashmiri students faced, in Greater Noida, on the very outskirts of New Delhi, the kind of humiliation nobody should ever have to face? These students were not just beaten, they were even made to chant anti-Pakistan slogans!

For years, I have been sensing a growing anti-Kashmir atmosphere in the country, and this sentiment prevails the most in New Delhi and around it. Over a decade ago, the PUCL conducted a study and brought out a detailed report that revealed a shocking state of affairs. To name just one instance, the report had found that Kashmiri students and traders who travelled out of the Valley for higher studies and work, faced not just suspicion, but also threats and taunts. And these threats came not from their neighbours, but from local cops!

In my last column, I had mentioned that there ought to be a helpline for minority groups. It is yet to be seen what instant relief and rescue comes from the using of such a helpline, and let’s not overlook the fact that those manning those helplines could let their preconceived notions get in the way. What is to be expected, ultimately, when so much hate is being spewed regularly, and when so much brainwashing might change our own realities?

Humra Quraishi is a senior journalist based in Gurgaon. She is the author of Kashmir: The Untold Story and co-author of Simply Khushwant.

 (Pictures courtesy post.jagran.com)

Categories
Trends

Antibiotic resistance burgeoning problem in South East Asia: WHO

A just released WHO report looks at antibiotic resistance globally and finds a very dismal picture for South East Asia.

A new report by the World Health Organisation (WHO) – the first to look at antibiotic resistance globally – reveals that this serious threat is no longer a prediction for the future, it is happeningright now in every region of the world and has the potential to affect anyone, of any age, in any country. Antibiotic resistance – when bacteria change so antibiotics no longer work in people who need them to treat infections – isnow a major threat to public health.

“Without urgent, coordinated action by many stakeholders, the world is headed for a post-antibiotic era, in which common infections and minor injuries which have been treatable for decades can once again kill,” says Dr KeijiFukuda, WHO’s Assistant Director-General for Health Security. “Effective antibiotics have been one of the pillars allowing us to live longer, live healthier, and benefit from modern medicine. Unless we take significant actions to improve efforts to prevent infections and also change how we produce, prescribe and use antibiotics, the world will lose more and more of these global public health goods and the implications will be devastating.”

The report, ‘Antimicrobial resistance: global report on surveillance’, notes that resistance is occurring across many different infectious agents but the report focuses on antibiotic resistance in nine different bacteria responsiblefor common, serious diseases such as bloodstream infections (sepsis), diarrhoea, pneumonia, urinary tract infections and gonorrhoea. The results are cause for high concern, documenting resistance to antibiotics, especially“last resort” antibiotics, in all regions of the world.

antibiotic resistance risingKey findings from the report

– Resistance to the treatment of last resort for life-threatening infections caused by a common intestinal bacteria, Klebsiella pneumonia – carbapenem antibiotics – has spread to all regions of the world. K pneumoniae isa major cause of hospital-acquired infections such as pneumonia, bloodstream infections, infections in newborns and intensive-care unit patients. In some countries, because of resistance, carbapenem antibiotics would notwork in more than half of people treated for K pneumoniae infections.

– Resistance to one of the most widely used antibiotics for the treatment of urinary tract infections caused by E coli – fluoroquinolones – is very widespread. In the 1980s, when these drugs were first introduced,resistance was virtually zero. Today, there are countries in many parts of the world where this treatment is now ineffective in more than half of patients.

– Treatment failure to the last resort of treatment for gonorrhea – third generation cephalosporins – has been confirmed in Austria, Australia, Canada, France, Japan, Norway, South Africa, Slovenia, Sweden and theUnited Kingdom. More than 1 million people are infected with gonorrhoea around the world every day.

– Antibiotic resistance causes people to be sick for longer and increases the risk of death. For example, people with MRSA (methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus) are 64 per cent more likely to die than people with anon-resistant form of the infection. Resistance also increases the cost of health care with lengthier stays in hospital and more intensive care required.

South East Asia findings

The available data reveals that antibiotic resistance is a burgeoning problem in WHO’s South-East Asia Region, which is home to a quarter of the world’s population. The report shows high levels of E coli resistance to third generation cephalosporins and fluoroquinolones – two important and commonly used types of antibiotic – in the Region. Resistance to third generation cephalosporins in K pneumoniae is also high and widespread. In some parts of the region, more than one quarter of S aureus infections are reported to be methicillin-resistant (MRSA), meaning that treatment with standard antibiotics does not work. In 2011, the health ministers of the Region articulated their commitment to combat AMR through the Jaipur Declaration on AMR.

Since then, there has been growing awareness of the need for appropriate tracking of drug resistance, and all countries have agreed to contribute information to a regional database. “Combatting drug resistance is a priority area of work for WHO in the Region,” says Dr Poonam Khetrapal Singh, WHO Regional Director for South-East Asia. “We need to act now to use antibiotics rationally, ensuring their availability for future generations.”

The report reveals that key tools to tackle antibiotic resistance – such as basic systems to track and monitor the problem – show gaps or do not exist in many countries. While some countries have taken important steps inaddressing the problem, every country and individual needs to do more. Other important actions include preventing infections from happening in the first place – through better hygiene, access to clean water, infection control inhealth-care facilities, and vaccination – to reduce the need for antibiotics. WHO is also calling attention to the need to develop new diagnostics, antibiotics and other tools to allow healthcare professionals to stay ahead ofemerging resistance.

This report is kick-starting a global effort led by WHO to address drug resistance. This will involve the development of tools and standards and improved collaboration around the world to track drug resistance, measure its healthand economic impacts, and design targeted solutions.

(Picture courtesy antimicrobial.blogspot.com, www.theguardian.com)

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