DIWALI PRECAUTIONS – WISHING A SAFE DIWALI

 

 

 

 PRECAUTIONS FOR DIWALI 

Make Diwali a festival of lights (and not of fire!) Ask a child to name an Indian festival and pat comes the reply! The response in ninety per cent of cases would be: Diwali – the festival of lights. This festival of fun, frolic and fireworks brings excitement and joy to the hearts of people even before it arrives on the new moon day (Amavasya) of the Kartik month of the Hindu calendar. Diwali is also the festival of Laxmi, the Hindu goddess of wealth and prosperity. It is believed that Goddess Laxmi brings peace and prosperity to all. People decorate their homes, prepare sweets and buy new clothes and jewellery – all this to welcome the Goddess into their homes who comes to bless all. Traditionally people use ‘earthen lamps’ with cotton wicks and oil to light up the dark night. As man progresses, tradition gives way to modernity. Similarly, earthen lamps have replaced candles of various colours and forms. Electric lights of different shapes and sizes illuminate the dark, cold nights of Diwali.   PRECAUTIONS AT HOME Diwali is incomplete without Fireworks. Old and young alike love the splendour and sparkle of fireworks. The earthen lamps that we light on Diwali night are generally placed on balcony and window ledges. So ensure that these are not near any flammable material like wood, cloth or paper. Do not leave lamps and candles burning all through the night long after the festivities are over. This can create a dangerous situation. Hence it is advisable that all lamps and candles are put off when nobody is likely to be around. Usually, decorative lights are used on special occasions only and as such not much care is given to one’s life. All lights, whether old or new ought to be checked thoroughly for loose connections, frayed wires, and cracked sockets by a qualified electrician. Don’t overload a single electric point with more than one string of light. On such occasions people tend to replace the correct rating fuse wire with a fuse wire of higher rating so as to avoid frequent blowing up of fuse. This is a dangerous practice. Fuse is for your protection so let it do its work faithfully and heed to the warning given by it. The electric lights should never be tied to any metal poles as any current leak can energise the pole and give a shock to anyone who touches the pole. All electric lights should also be kept away from water, as electricity and water don’t mix. Remember not to become a statistic on Diwali day. It’s not difficult. All accidents due to fireworks occur as a result of carelessness, negligence and ignorance. But these can certainly be avoided by observing some very simple precautions. All of us enjoy the pleasure of light and sound but when disaster strikes the injured has to bear the cross. If you’re going to set off fireworks at home this year, please take a few minutes to read through the guidelines. Your planning and your reactions could help prevent a serious injury. 1) Store your fireworks safely:In a closed box, somewhere cool and dry, out of reach of children and animals and away from all sources of heat, until the time they’re needed. Locked away is best. Don’t keep the box under the stairs or in a passageway. 2) Pets hate bangs and flashes: Pets get very frightened on fireworks night, so keep all your pets indoors and close all the curtains to make things calmer. Remember it’s not just your own fireworks that cause distress, so you may have to have your pets indoors on several nights when other displays are taking place. 3) Think ahead and be prepared: Before you start, make sure you’ll be giving yourself enough room in a safe place to get to and from your box of fireworks while the display is going on. Have a full bucket of water handy for any emergency, and for putting used sparklers into. If you have the chance to get together with some other families, try to go to the home with the biggest open space and safest surroundings. PRECAUTIONS OUTSIDE HOME Just like precautions at home are important, precautions outside home are equally important. These are the things you definitely don’t do! 1) Never try to re-ignite the fireworks that don’t light in the first instance. Never give ANY firework item to small children. Never throw fireworks at another person. Never carry fireworks in your pocket. Never shoot fireworks from metal or glass containers. Never experiment, modify, or attempt to make your own fireworks. 2) Watch what you wear: Loose clothing can very easily catch fire, and should not be worn near any fire or fireworks. Long dangly scarves can be risky too. If anyone’s clothing does catch fire, follow the rule: Stop – Don’t run.Drop to the ground.Roll to put out the flames. 3) One at a time please: You (or another adult that you choose) must be the only person letting off fireworks. Don’t allow anyone else – especially children – to do so while your display is going on. Let the fireworks off one at a time (not lots at once) and don’t rush. Light the tip of each firework at arm’s length, using fireworks lighter or fuse wick. Stand well back immediately. If one doesn’t go off, don’t go back to it – it could still be live, and could go off unexpectedly in your face. Right at the end of your fireworks night, douse the ‘duds’ with lots of water, keep it soaking in a bucket of water. Never throw left over fireworks onto a bonfire. 4) Different fireworks mean different hazards: Read the instructions on each one carefully (by flashlight, never an open flame) and follow them properly. Rockets, for instance, should be launched from a rocket launcher, not from a bottle. Sparklers need careful handling – light them one at a time at arm’s length; don’t give one to any child under 5 years of age; make sure that anyone holding a sparkler wears gloves; and put each spent one into a bucket of water as soon as it’s gone out. 5) No fooling: Putting fireworks in your pocket is stupid and dangerous. Throwing fireworks at people is stupid and dangerous and illegal; it’s a criminal offence to do so. 6) Fireworks and booze don’t mix: Drinking alcohol presents an added danger when there are fireworks and bonfires around. So don’t drink during your fireworks display. 7) Watch that person: Keep children well away from fireworks, and never let a child handle or light one. Even sparklers can be dangerous if unsupervised! Do not give sparklers to a child under five. Make sure that children are aware of the dangers. Don’t light flying fireworks if there is a heavy wind. Never take unnecessary risks while lighting fireworks, just to show off. Pool your pocket money and have a professional perform pyrotechnics for the benefit of many. Wish you a happy and safe Diwali!

Microsoft launches new Zune to rival Apple iPod

Microsoft Corp launched a slimmer, revamped version of its Zune handheld music and video player on Tuesday as the software giant makes its latest attempt to compete with Apple Inc’s ubiquitous iPod.

The touch-screen Zune HD, which features a radio receiver and wi-fi, is priced just below Apple’s comparable iPod Touch in the hopes of grabbing market share as the US holiday shopping season nears.

The device, which goes on sale on Tuesday, has a claim of technical superiority over Apple’s iPods, with a state-of-the-art organic light emitting diode screen and ability to relay high definition video to a television.

But it will struggle to make an impact on the stylish iPod, which took the digital music player mainstream when launched in 2001 and now controls more than 70 per cent of the market.

The original Zune did not come onto the market until 2006.

Microsoft announced the pricing of the new models last month, pitching its black 16 gigabyte model at $219.99 and platinum 32 gigabyte version at $289.99.

Customized red, green and blue colors are also available. At the time, that was well below $399 Apple charged for the 32 gigabyte iPod Touch, but Apple has since cut prices and is now offering an updated version of the same memory size for $299.

Apple also now offers a 64 gigabyte Touch a video camera on its iPod Nano model.

There are no plans to add a camera to the Zune, marketing manager Brian Seitz said on Monday.

He also said there were no plans to create a Zune phone, which might rival Apple’s popular iPhone, despite recurring talk in the tech industry. He did, however, say that Zune’s capabilities could be added to other platforms, including Windows Mobile, suggesting that a smartphone with a Zune function may yet be realized.

Microsoft’s player is backed by the Zune Marketplace, which rivals Apple’s iTunes store, where users can stream, buy or rent music, videos and films.

The device features only a handful of applications, such as MSN weather and some video games, but it is planning to add applications featuring social networking sites Twitter and Facebook in November.

Unlike Apple, Microsoft does not have an open marketplace for application development, and is not charging for them.

Power bills soaring? Turn off the videogame

Don’t blame the refrigerator for your steep power bills: an Australian consumer agency study has found that videogame consoles and plasma flat-screen TVs are major electricity guzzlers, even when left on stand-by.

 

The recent study by Choice said Sony Corp’s Playstation 3, closely followed by Microsoft’s Xbox 360 and plasma television sets, consumed the most power out of a list of 16 electronic devices tested, including laptops, stereo systems and DVD players.

 

“Our tests found that leaving a Playstation 3 on while not in use would cost almost… five times more than it would take to run a refrigerator for the same yearly period,” said the study which was published on Choice’s website www.choice.com.au.

 

“The plasma TV set was also a power hungry device, consuming over four times more power than a traditional analogue set. The average desktop computer was third on the list.”

 

The report advised consumers to switch off their electronic devices at the source, rather than just from the remote control, which puts them on power-consuming stand-by mode. “This saves on money, not to mention carbon emissions,” it added.

Ghajini has blockbuster written all over it

The wait is finally over! An Aamir Khan film is nothing short of an event. The supremely talented actor acts in one film a year and no two films are ever identical in terms of plotline.Ghajini, the Tamil version, has been a massive hit and so was its dubbed Telugu version. Will the Hindi adaptation live up to the humungous expectations? The hype is unmatched and you expect no less than a present-day masterpiece.

Now the good news: Ghajini demonstrates how strong film-making can enhance and elevate an already solid concept.

Ghajini is a revenge saga, one ingredient that has been the staple diet of Hindi films since time immemorial. It is a powerful film. It has the power to sweep you off your feet from the word ‘go’. It has a riveting story, which has been told with flourish by director A.R. Murugadoss. And, of course, it has a knockout performance by Aamir Khan.

The flaws? Running time [almost 3 hours]? Not at all! There’s so much happening in every scene and the screenplay is so gripping that you don’t feel the need to look at the auditorium ceiling or at your watch at brief intervals. You aren’t restless. As moviegoers, we’ve watched countless good versus evil fares over the years and although Ghajini belongs to the same family, not once does it take the beaten track. The story has been told differently and most importantly, the story offers so many twists-n-turns that you just can’t guess what would unfold next.

Is it violent? It is, at times, but the violence here is justified. In fact, every time the protagonist bashes up the evil-doers, you clap and root for him. The climax is jaw-dropping — dissimilar from the original, but it’s an out of the world experience nonetheless.

To sum up, Ghajini is commercial Hindi cinema at its best. The film has ‘Hit’ written all over it. Let me put it this way: Cancel whatever you’re doing today and go watch Ghajini instead.

Aamir Khan is suffering from acute short-term memory loss set off by the violent murder of his girlfriend Asin. He’s got to work around this handicap, but with methodical and meticulous determination. Aamir etches a path of clues that lead him on his road.

To aid him in his quest, he carries around a sheaf of Polaroids and when he is really sure of a piece of information, he has it tattooed on his body, which stands in for the damaged part of his mind. His indelibly marked torso is the repository of his grief, his rage and his reason to go on living. Any more revelation would do gross injustice to the film and to its viewer.

First things first! Ghajini is not Memento. There’re minor similarities, butGhajini takes a completely different route to tell its story. Director A R Murugadoss tells this one differently. It starts off with what happens in the past, comes to the present-day, goes back in time again and returns to the contemporary again. This is a breathless, exciting story, heart-breaking and exhilarating at the same time.

Hindi movies have often depicted people suffering from amnesia/memory loss, but Ghajini is poles apart because the protagonist recalls events only for 15 minutes. The story is its USP, without a doubt. But what adds sheen and glory to the story is Aamir’s portrayal of a man suffering from short-term memory loss.

Aamir hardly speaks. In fact, the leading lady [Asin] speaks more than Aamir in the film. But Aamir speaks volumes with his eyes, he conveys whatever has to be conveyed through his body language, he says it all with his facial expressions and that only makes Ghajini a memorable, never-seen-before experience.

Director A.R. Murugadoss deserves brownie points for not just coming up with an interesting story, but also presenting it [refreshingly] differently. The storyteller balances the light moments and the ones demanding intensity with expertise. There’s dum in every sequence. Even if the director has to depict violence, he doesn’t resort to blood-n-gore or knives-swords-pistols for effect.

A R Rahman’s music is top notch. At least three numbers have the unmistakable stamp of a genius — ‘Guzarish’, ‘Behka’ and ‘Kaise Mujhe’. Ravi Chandran’s cinematography is stunning. The film bears a stylish look all through. The action sequences are brilliantly executed. The Hindi moviegoers haven’t seen such scenes ever.

Aamir delivers his career-best performance. In the first place, it requires courage and maturity to name the film after the villain. Knowing how egoistic our stars are, something like this is next to impossible in Hindi films.

A lot has been said and written about the Ghajini look — Aamir’s hairstyle and his dream physique. As far as his acting is concerned, he’s natural as the tycoon, but like a wounded, ferocious tiger when he goes on an avenging spree. Without doubt, it’s a concentrated, layered performance. He acts with his entire being. His body movement, the details of his performance, everything rings true. He is both vulnerable and hard. The pain in his face when he can’t remember, is palpable. It’s not only the plot that carries Ghajini. It’s also the mood and the expression on Aamir’s face that makes Ghajini a treat.

Asin is fabulous. To share the screen space with an actor of the stature of Aamir Khan and yet remain in your memory even after the show has ended is no cakewalk. She looks fresh and photogenic and acts her part brilliantly. Pradeep Rawat, the villain, is first-rate.

On the whole, Ghajini is a winner all the way. The film will set new records and has the merits to emerge one of the biggest hits of all times. The weekend business should be historic, the Week 1 business should be unparalleled, the lifetime gross should be amongst the biggest of all times. In short, Ghajini has ‘Blockbuster’ written all over it.

Sanjay Dutt : Thumbs up for laugh riot Dhamaal

Cast: Sanjay Dutt, Ritesh Deshmukh, Arshad Warsi, Javed Jaffrey
Direction: Indra Kumar

We’ve become so accustomed to vulgarity in the name of humour that we’ve forgotten to appreciate clean comedies. Which is why I want to roll out the carpet for this week’s new Bollywood release, Dhamaal, a genuinely funny, plot-driven family comedy directed by – surprise, surprise – the king of melodrama himself, Indra Kumar.

The film stars Ritesh Deshmukh, Arshad Warsi, Javed Jaffrey and Ashish Chaudhary as a bunch of unemployed, down-on-their-luck no-gooders who go in search of a ten-crore rupee treasure they learn about from a dying mob-boss.

As luck would have it, the secret of this hidden treasure also reaches the ears of a crooked cop, played by Sanjay Dutt. So now you’ve got five guys heading in the direction of this stacked-away money, each encountering oddballs along the way, each trying to reach the location before the others so he can claim the full amount himself.

What’s refreshing about Dhamaal is the fact that it doesn’t fall into any of the traps that recent hits in the comic genre – Partner and Heyy Babyy succumbed to – it’s not vulgar, it isn’t full of sexist jokes, the dialogues aren’t stupid, and you don’t feel like the gags are being stretched out endlessly.

Having said that, let’s not get too carried away and put either the director or the writers on a pedestal just yet, because Dhamaal is after all a rather blatant rip-off of the evergreen Hollywood hit, It’s A Mad Mad Mad Mad World.