Youface
When users login into YouFace, they're, well, faced with a nearly exact Facebook clone. However, there's one glaring difference ... a patriotic Uzbek-language quote from that country's president-for-life, Islam Karimov, saying that, “Our children must be stronger, smarter, and happier than we are.”
YouFace, which maintains nebulous ties to Uzbekstan's government, only attracted slightly more than 1,500 registered users in the two months during which it has been online. One place where YouFace differs from Facebook, however, is in the terms of service: YouFace's operators are given express permission to keep user data indefinitely after deletion. Another place is in functionality: Unlike Facebook users, YouFace users can see who's viewed their profile.
Renren
Facebook is a successful operation around the world. But in China, homegrown sites with close government ties dominate social networking. One of the most popular Chinese social networks is Renren, which is based closely on the Facebook template and publicly traded on the New York Stock Exchange.
One important difference at Renren (apart from omnipresent government- and self-censorship) is gamification: Renren users rack up points for nearly every action completed online, from typing messages to logging in
Sina Weibo
Weibo is Chinese for “microblog.” Sina Weibo is also the country's most popular microblogging site and has a UI that feels like an uncanny mixture of Twitter and Facebook.
The site has a user base that any social networking service would be jealous of--aproximately 300 million regular visitors to the site. Just don't try looking for Ai Weiwei on there.
Ecured
Ecured is a Cuban state-operated clone of Wikipedia. While Ecured runs on a crowdsourced model somewhat similar to its American cousin, government authorities keep close tabs on IP addresses that edit articles and strictly monitor content. Users who edit articles must be approved by government censors as well. Ecured, which launched in 2010, has over 17,000 articles including one on “Yankee imperialism.”
Unlike Wikipedia's clamorous riot of left-wing and right-wing editors locking horns in perpetual neutrality, Ecured has a somewhat consistent editorial tone: Cuban dissident Yoani Sanchez is described as a “cybermercenary” and “counterrevolutionary.”
Juggalobook
Juggalos, the Faygo soda-loving fans of rap group Insane Clown Posse, are one of the strangest and greatest youth tribes to ever arise in the United States. They also have a social network of their own: Juggalobook, “A Social Network for the Underground Family.”
Instead of “likes,” Juggalobook users give “whoop whoops!,” and status updates are “what's up, ninjas?” Friends, of course, are “homies.” While clown makeup-smeared horror rap fans might be underrepresented among the coastal elites who dominate venture capital and social media startups, Juggalobook has two things any social network would envy: a loyal user base and a robust open source API.
milSuite
Milsuite is a United States military social network suite that includes services milBook, milWiki, milTube, and milBlog--but access is restricted to active military personnel, civilian Defense Department employees, and military contractors. MilBook, a Defense Department Facebook clone, was designed to give military personnel a secure social network (and to stop servicemembers from accidentally leaking classified information on Facebook and Twitter).
The newest edition to the Milsuite family is Eureka, a proprietary Pentagon Reddit clone.
JewTube
It's not YouTube, it's JewTube. The badly-punned site is the self-proclaimed “leading video sharing site for the Jewish community and premier destination to watch and share Jewish-themed videos.” Popular videos include an Occupy Wall Street Sukkot service, “Bible Raps,” and pro-Israel television commercials. Not too Kosher, however, are the commercials for Dubai escort agencies that spam the site.
Familysearch
Familysearch.org is one of the internet's most popular genealogy sites, with a wealth of information, and an active blogging, forum, and wiki community. The site's extensive historical archives come from the Mormon Church, which owns and operates Familysearch. Church volunteers even operate a wiki phone hotline, for potential wiki volunteers new to the platform.
Little Monsters
Lady Gaga is one of the world's most popular pop stars. While she is an extremely canny businesswoman, she missed the jump on one thing: starting her own social network. California-based firm Backplane, cofounded by Gaga manager Troy Carter, jumped into the void, however, with their new Little Monsterssocial network. Participants get to “share [their] passion and creativity in a community full of art, acceptance, monsters, and Gaga.”
Draugiem
As big as Facebook and Twitter are, they sometimes can't compete with local sites. To this day, Draugiem is Latvia's biggest social network with over 1.2 million of Latvia's 2 million citizens actively using the site. While Draugiem's features are familiar to any user of Facebook, the company has used their local heft to turn into an IT dynamo--The Draugiem Group's holdings now include ecommerce sites, GPS devices, and augmented television products.
TheBearClub
No, it's not what you think it is. The Bear Club is a social networking site for adult teddy bear fans. (See? It's worse.) Members set up accounts for their bears, write blog posts in the voice of their teddy bears, and take photographs of their teddy bears in exotic locals while on vacation. Teddy Bear pawtners (not owners) also use the site to find out about the latest teddy bear conventions and special events.
TrotOn
One of the great things about the internet is that there's a site and a service for everyone.Troton is a social networking service for horse and equestrian fans ... and presumably, the Romneys. Troton's active videos site allows users to trade equestrian videos and an active bulletin board community exists. There's even a horse-themed fashion blog.
Cyworld
Cyworld is a massively popular South Korean social networking site with operations in several other Asian countries. According to Burston Marsteller, Cyworld has 18 million Korean users--but the company has not been able to crack Europe or the United States. Cyworld has faced challenges as Twitter and microblogging have become much more popular in South Korea, thanks to Twitter's country-specific efforts.
( fast company)
The film was made available for censor certificate on the basis of order passed by High Court of Karnataka. Accordingly five members of Regional Censor office headed by K Nagaraj, Swami Nityananda advocates KV Dhananjaya Kumar, Ms Ragasudha plus Madan Patel - director and producer of the film watched the film at a preview theatre in Bangalore instead of the regular place where Regional Censor Office watch the film. This was purposefully to avoid any commotion.
Knowing that the film 'Satyananda' is censored at a place in Ganganagar, Sri Rishikumara Swamy dropped in without invitation. He was promptly sent out as there is no provision for any other person to watch the film. The viewing of this film is also on the court order. It would lead to contempt of court - Regional Censor officer K Nagaraj known for upright thinking not allowed any other person.
The parties of Swami Nityananda sought one week time for filing any objections. Patel plays the politician-film maker, while Chetan plays the role of Satyananda. (IndiaGlitz)
Who is Swamy Nithyananda? 34-year-old self-styled godman Swamy Nithyananda, facing arrest in an assault case, surrendered on Wednesday afternoon at the Ramanagar court near Bangalore in Karnataka. The controversial godman evaded law for three days after an FIR was lodged against him for assaulting a reporter from a TV channel who allegedly asked uncomfortable questions during a press conference. That press meet was called after Arathi Rao, an NRI based in the US, had alleged that Nithyananda had been sexually abusing her for more than five years.
Nithyananda is not new to controversies. There was massive uproar when a video of him frolicking with Kannada actress Ranjitha appeared in 2010. The incident led to a public outrage and Nithyananda had to cool his heels in jail for 53 days before he was granted bail. A CID probe into his alleged sex acts and other misdeeds is still on in Karnataka.
The Madras High Court had also issued notices against him recently after he was anointed the 293rd pontiff of one of the most ancient mutts in south India - the Madurai adeenam. The mutt weilds considerable influence over some of the wealthiest temples in Tamil Nadu. The appointment generated a huge controversy and many groups in and outside Tamil Nadu have been trying to get him removed from the mutt.
Nithyananda was known for his proximity with the RSS and other right-wing Hindu outfits. He was often seen hobnobbing with powerful Karnataka leaders like B S Yeddyurappa, Dharam Singh and Rameshwar Thakur. Bollywood actors Viveik Oberoi and Juhi Chawla were also reported to be his disciples.
When Nithyananda landed in Bangalore ten years ago, he was virtually unknown. The booming city allowed him to prosper. Within three to four years, Nithyananda had become one of this city's many godmen. He claimed to have had a vision of opening an ashram near a banyan tree. That's why, he once said, he zeroed in on Bidadi near Bangalore to open his ashram. He claimed that the original owner of that land also had the same dream, following which he gave the land to Nithyananda.
The ashram called Dhyanapeetham was opened on Jan 1, 2003. Today, there are nearly 150 permanent ashramites at Bidadi. Nithyananda also runs a gurukul at Dhyanapeetham with about 50 kids who are taught vedic chanting and martial arts. Today, he has a considerable following in southern India and his mission has branches in the US, Europe and Malaysia. The US branch is called the Life Bliss Foundation, headquartered in Los Angeles, which runs meditation courses that cost anything from 10 dollars onwards. The period ranges from one-day meditation course to year-long meditation courses.
Nithyananda's original name was Rajasekaran. Born to Arunachalam and Lokanayaki in 1978, he hails from what his followers call the spiritual town of Tiruvannamalai in Tamil Nadu. Nithyananda claims he studied up to Diploma in Mechanical Engineering from the Rajagopal Polytechnic, Gudiyattam. Nithyananda also claims to have studied yoga from the age of three and that he got spiritural enlightenment at 12. It is then that he started calling himself 'Nithyananda', which means 'eternal bliss' in Sanskrit.
Nithyananda once claimed he can levitate, i.e. float in air. He even called a press conference to exhibit this trait. However, while his devotees jumped and danced during that press conference, no one floated in the air or defied anti-gravity. It proved to be what they call a flop show. Later, a video showing him dancing at his father's funeral with his slippers on his father's dead body also appeared towards the end of 2010.
While Nithyananda's clout and power cannot be denied, what many people have not been able to understand is his source of strength. His operations are discreet and even his inner circle does not know much about his activities. However, the godman may find it extremely difficult to ride out of the current storm.
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Via PaidContent: The Department of Justice announced today that it will keep as-is the settlement it imposed on Apple and five publishers in a hotly debated legal standoff involving the pricing of e-books. After a series of investigations, in the spring of this year, the DOJ filed an anti-trust case against Apple and five publishers for uncompetitively setting the price of e-books too high. The motion drew out an extensive backlash from Apple and its publishing partners, with some, like the Authors Guild, arguing that the settlement would further increase Amazon's existing dominance in the e-book selling space. The anti-DOJ sentiments grew to include political voices like New York senator Chuck Schumer, who vented his disapproval in a Wall Street Journal opinion column in mid-June. The DOJ today published a document addressing the 868 public comments it recieved in response to the settlement, saying that it wouldn't budge.
Is Amazon Making A 10-inch Tablet?
Amazon is getting ready to introduce new tablets, Staples' president of U.S. retail, Demos Parneros, told Reuters Monday.
Parneros said the online retailer will introduce five or six new tablet SKUs, or stock-keeping units, including those for a 10-inch tablet model. That's not necessarily the same as five or six new tablets because each version of a device gets its own SKU. The 16GB iPhone 4s, for instance, has a different SKU than the 32GB iPhone 4s.
As Amazon's line of E Ink Kindles has proved, hardware is a good vehicle for selling content. A hit tablet could help Amazon gain market share in electronically delivered music and video in the same way its Kindles have helped establish the company as a leading distributor of ebooks.
That's why moving further into the hardware business makes sense for Amazon. But can Amazon, which released its first Kindle just five years ago, continue to compete with veterans like Apple and Samsung on their turf? So far no company has been able to shake the iPad's dominance over the market, but the hotter race for tablet makers is the No. 2 spot, and as of May the Kindle Fire had snagged more than half of the Android market.
Rumors have predicted Amazon's next hardware release will embody everything from a thinner Kindle Fire 2 to a smartphone that competes with Apple's iPhone. The company may divulge more during a second-quarter earnings call planned for Thursday.
Facebook Invests Record Amount In Lobbyists
Second quarter 2012 lobbying figures have been announced—and there's big news for the tech sector: Facebook announced their highest Washington spending records in history.
According to the National Journal's Josh Smith, Facebook and Google are embracing lobbying to a never-before-seen degree. Facebook spent $960,000 on lobbyists between April and June 2012, while Google spent $3.9 million. This is an all-time high for Facebook, and a large amount for Google--though not as much as they spent fighting SOPA in 2011.
Despite the new CISPA bill weaving its way through Congress that has the internet civil liberty crowd up in arms, Google hasn't lobbied against it much. However, Facebook has been actively investing in lobbying efforts related to their massive customer database and overseas expansion. For context, Fortune's Philip Elmer-DeWitt notes that Google outspent Apple on lobbying nearly 10-1.
iZettle Card Reader Begins Beta Tests Of An Android App
iZettle, a two-year old Swedish company called the "Square of Europe" is launching an Android app in beta to follow its iOS model already out in the wild. iZettle's beta test is in partnership with Samsung, and accessed through an app in Samsung's Apps store. Though it is currently only available for Samsung Galaxy models and the Samsung Note in Sweden, iZettle says they are working on extending the Android compatibility beyond Sweden, and beyond Samsung's phones. Like the Square reader, the iZettle dongle reads credit card information for a smartphone, but, as TheNextWeb explains, the tech inside can read data off the highly secure chip found in most European cards, rather than access the old-fashioned magnetic strip data that Square uses. iZettle has been expanding across northern Europe, with a pilot program launched in the U.K. in May.
Twitter And NBC Universal Partner Up To Cover The Olympics
Twitter is joining forces with NBC Universal to report events from the Olympics. An extensively curated collection of tweets from athletes (and their families), fans, and NBC reporters, will be funnelled onto NBC's Olympics coverage home page, the Wall Street Journal reports, with Twitter being labelled as the "official narrator" for live Olympic events. A member of Twitter's tweet herding squad will also join NBC's social media team. Twitter's coverage will add to the Olympics content NBC is already collecting via its new deal with Facebook and through another deal with social media discovery engine Shazam. For Twitter, the partnership with NBC will help restake its claim to be the top spot for social media chatter around broadcast TV--a position that was being, some argued, threatened by the NBC-Facebook deal. Also, as the Journal points out, the high-profile event could help Twitter establish a broader following and help it make money through the ad partnerships it has in place.
Amazon Opening London Office For Digital Streaming TV
Amazon has bought an 8-floor, 47,000 square-foot office in London in an area dubbed "TechCity" and "Silicon Roundabout" because of its density of high-tech enterprises and startups. The building will be home for the firm's Digital Media Development center, and Amazon notes that Britain has been in the lead for on-demand streaming rental of movies and TV content over the Net. Amazon's current LoveFilm and Pushbutton streaming services will be moved to the building, and then more staff will be hired to push Amazon's efforts onward. Local rival BSkyB last week unveiled its digital download service NowTV and reported increased profits. Meanwhile the BBC's iPlayer, arguably among the boldest international moves to promote streaming TV, achieved one million international downloads last week.
Spanish, Greek woes compound worries over euro
While Spanish bonds weakened for a second day and Catalonia added its name to the list of regions requiring a Spanish government bailout, fears mounted over a possible Greek exit from the euro as international creditors prepared to meet in Athens. Compounding worries were remarks by German Vice Chancellor Philipp Roesler that Greece's prospective departure from the common currency "long ago lost its terror." The growing anxieties helped send the euro to new lows against the dollar.
Bundesbank sees mixed future for German economy
Moderate growth in the latest quarter and a cloudy picture moving forward have led the Bundesbank to temper its forecast for the German economy. "The outlook for further economic development is marked by great uncertainty," the central bank said in its monthly report. Germany's Ifo business-sentiment indicator last month fell to its lowest level in two years.
Eurozone crisis hits British manufacturing hard
The eurozone crisis is taking a heavy toll in British manufacturing, which is forecast to contract 0.3% this year while the overall British economy posts 0.2% growth, according to the manufacturers organization EEF. Looking ahead, the EEF said an exit of even one country from the eurozone would deal a severe blow to future British output.
Japan continues to see modest recovery, though clouds gather abroad
With indications of further trouble in the Chinese and U.S. economies, the danger to the Japanese economy is growing, the government's Cabinet Office says in its latest report. Nonetheless, further reconstruction efforts and strong consumer spending domestically continue to fuel a moderate recovery, the office said.
Market Activities
Euro fears drive U.S. Treasury bonds to record-low yield
Investors rushed to the safety of U.S. Treasury bonds Monday as fears grew over the crisis in the eurozone. The frenzy pushed yields on 30-year U.S. Treasurys to a record-low 2.476%.
INTERNATIONAL MARKETS OVERVIEW
European stocks took a broad hit Monday as worries grew over Spain's borrowing costs and the likelihood of another bailout, as well as the increasing possibility that Greece will leave the euro. The Stoxx Europe 600 index was down 2.49% for the day. The U.S. market joined in the downward trend, with the S&P 500 falling 0.89%. Here is a continuously updated list of global stock indexes.
Economic Trends & Outlook
Revenues for India's leading industries surge in years of global trouble
India's leading industries have doubled their overall revenue in the past five years even as the global economy has struggled. Leading the way over the period were metals, technology, telecom, power, refining, automobiles, banking, pharmaceuticals and finance.
Rise in food prices might prove vexing for Indian economy
India may well be in for higher food prices, with all the attendant negative implications for inflation and the nation's economy. Monsoon rains have been uneven so far, and indications are that South Asia will see extended dryness.
Australia's economy grows 3.2% over latest 12 months
Marking the 21st consecutive year of economic growth, Australia's economy expanded 3.2% in the year ended last month, according to the Deloitte Access Economics Business Outlook. Separately, on the inflation front, Australia's central bank is expected to report a rate Wednesday that's below its target range.
Taiwan reports a decline in industrial output
Citing the problematic global economy, Taiwan's Ministry of Economic Affairs reported that the industrial output index edged back 2.44% to 128.59 last month. The steepest declines were recorded in the machinery equipment, computer, electronics and optical product sectors, noted Lin Lee-jen, director of the ministry's statistics department.
China's property market heats up again
New danger signs are emerging in China's housing market, with 25 cities seeing price gains last month out of the 70 monitored by the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, up from just six in May. Looking ahead, "the top priority is to change the market expectation," the CASS report said, urging better regulatory measures.
South Korean finance minister warns to prepare for the worst
South Korea's finance minister warns that the country should prepare for the worst as the euro crisis drags out but says more-efficient spending and improvements in the tax system should suffice. "To improve our financial soundness, we must make sure not even a penny is wasted while building up enough means to spare in case of a crisis," Bahk Jae-wan told a government committee on fiscal management.
Myanmar, Thailand reach broad development accords
Accelerated development of a special economic zone in Dawei, Myanmar, is part of a series of cooperation agreements reached between Myanmar and Thailand in a meeting between the two countries' leaders. Memorandums on technical cooperation and economic development were also signed that should mean "consumer goods and capital goods will soon be freely transported without tax barriers," observed Somjai Phagaphasvivat, an independent academic on economics and finance.
A youthful Southeast Asia takes spotlight from rest of region
Low wages and, above all, youth are increasingly luring major investment from Asia's leading but aging economies to the Philippines and other developing nations in Southeast Asia, and booms in consumer and property markets in the region are following. "The demographic dividend is over for Japan and Korea, and it will be over for China soon. It's happening now in the ASEAN area, and it will continue for some time," observed Yoshimasa Maruyama, chief economist at Itochu.
Capital Markets & Financial Products
China mutual fund profits rise, QDII funds post loss for 2nd quarter
The second quarter saw a significant improvement for China's mutual fund industry, with profits up 63% across 1,003 funds. However, QDII funds posted losses of 4.1 billion yuan for the period, reversing profits of 5.1 billion yuan in the first quarter.
In record deal for China, Cnooc agrees to acquire Canada's Nexen
In what would be China's biggest foreign acquisition to date, the state-controlled Cnooc oil company has agreed to acquire Nexen, a Canadian energy producer, for $15.1 billion. The deal, if approved, would give Cnooc key abilities in the complex energy field of shale gas and oil sands.
Indonesia taps yuan bonds to diversify its reserves
With an uncertain short-term outlook for the euro and long-term outlook for the U.S. dollar, Indonesia has become the latest country to buy yuan-denominated bonds to diversify and strengthen its foreign-exchange reserves. The move also comes as China seeks new avenues to open up its currency for global trade and development.
Industry & Regulatory Update
Indian government likely to cap FDI in pharmaceuticals
A 49% cap on FDI ownership in the Indian pharmaceutical sector is likely to emerge as a Finance Ministry group meets today to decide on how the government should guide investment moving forward. The government has been concerned over a surge in acquisitions by foreign pharmaceutical companies and seeks to limit their influence to ensure continued access to inexpensive drugs domestically.
Ethics & Standards
JPMorgan casts doubt on suspected CD rate rigging in South Korea
JPMorgan has come to the defense of South Korean banks and brokerages suspected of manipulating interest rates on certificates of deposit. South Korea's Fair Trade Commission launched an inquiry into the allegations last week. JPMorgan says there was little potential benefit or motivation for such rigging as the suspected banks and firms have relied less on CDs for funding.
Kohli, who was initially reluctant to dance, was coaxed by Prabhu Deva to try out some intricate steps for an ad for a shoe brand. The results were so impressive that somewhere down the fun zone the duo established during their two-day shoot, the idea of a movie launch for the star-cricketer came up.
And if a source is to be believed, Kohli is not averse to the idea. Once Prabhu Deva, who according to Ram Gopal Varma is one of the three most successful Bollywood directors today after Rohit Shetty and Sajid Khan, wraps ups his current commitments, he may plan a launch for Kohli.
Prabhu Deva is currently busy with the launch of Kumar Taurani's son Girish. He is working with him for a remake of his 2005 Telugu hit 'Nuvvostanante Nenoddantana'. The original film featured Siddharth and Trisha Krishnan.
(IANS)
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Online applications are invited from Indian nationals for direct recruitment to the post of ASSISTANT CENTRAL INTELLIGENCE OFFICER GRADE-II/EXECUTIVE.
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Grade-Rs.9300-34800/-plus Grade pay Rs. 4200/- plus central government allowances.
NOTE: The number of vacancies are provisional and liable to change and the post is
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applying for the post should be ready to serve anywhere in India.
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The exam will be consist objective and descriptive type questions. The examination for both descriptive and objective will be conducts in a single session.
It is considered discourteous to write in negative tones after any person's demise. Never speak ill of the dead, the saying goes. Journalists and writers, however, must remain faithful to their calling and document the truth about Rajesh Khanna before it is drowned in a crescendo of blandishments from publicity-hungry cronies.
Rajesh Khanna's worst enemies were the sycophants in his lifetime. They created the destructive genie which lurks within but is kept in leash by most of us. Not so with 'Kaka', as the actor was popularly known. He allowed his ego full play and, at a later date, even rued his lifestyle; but, by then, it was too late. He had alienated his well-meaning lady friends, his old schoolmates, his aides, servants and relatives.
In hindsight, the only similar example from the world of cinema I can recall was the famed Howard Hughes, inventor, industrialist, film producer, director and a psychotic. Hughes is also credited with a film which is a media favourite, a veritable study guide for young film directors. For film historians it is the greatest film ever made: Citizen Kane.
Howard Hughes introduced half a dozen girls to Hollywood, but he claimed that his best discovery was Jane Russel. After acting in a couple of films, Russell actually dumped Hughes, causing Hughes to withdraw into a private world of his own with very strict rules for all who had access to it. One former actress, Jean Peters, decided to stay with him until he died, sacrificing a promising career in Hollywood.
The only thing that separates Rajesh Khanna from Hughes is that the former contributed nothing to the industry he served while Hughes founded an entire empire of companies under the Howard Hughes Corporation which included the Trans World Airlines, Texas Equipment Co. and an armament manufacturing company. On top of everything, Hughes made stars out of ordinary men and women.
Kaka had a mean streak. He used his star power to demolish any opposition. Actress Anju Mahendroo could have much to add to my own story which I wish to share.
The time was when Rajesh Khanna was about to get married to Dimple Kapadia after a long-drawn romance with Anju Mahendroo. The latter and her mother had a royal tiff with Khanna before Mahendroo walked out of the home in which she had been a regular. The film industry was with her. What made Kaka furious was the reaction from even his well-wishers. He blamed Mahendroo and her friends for all the negative publicity.
My close friend Basu Bhattacharya had just completed his latest film "Daku" featuring Kabir Bedi and Anju Mahendroo. One working print was sent to Delhi by the producer for private screenings. The film came to me for tax exemption as I was the film expert on board the official committee of the Excise Department in the Delhi Administration.
"Daku" was based on a novelette written by the famed Punjabi writer Amrita Pritam. The writer did not charge any royalty because she had tremendous regard for Basuda as a film director. The film was issued a tax exemption for a period of one month after its first week's commercial run in Delhi. I had found the film worthy of the exemption.
The film, however, was never released.
Rajesh Khanna's fierce battle with Mahendroo led him to order the private confiscation of all films in the country featuring her. He even went so far as to declare that he would pay double the cost incurred to all filmmakers with rights over their films in which Anju Mahendroo had a role. He demanded that even lobby prints, posters, trailers and advertisement films et al featuring Mahendroo be handed to him or his representative. He paid for all the material seized.
The entire record of Mahendroo's film career to date virtually disappeared. Films already released, like "Road to Sikkim", were withdrawn. The advertisement for a well-known brand of talcum powder endorsed by Mahendroo also disappeared and, of course, there remained no trace of the film "Daku" .
Basu Bhattacharya was furious at the turn of events. "Daku" had already got full tax exemption in Punjab and more credit would be forthcoming. Kaka had other ideas. He probably had all the material destroyed. At one time Bhattacharya even contemplated re-shooting "Daku" with a new star cast, but funds were his insurmountable problem.
I think "Road To Sikkim" might still be in some private possession as a 16-mm print in eastern India. If it is still around, I would wish for it to re-surface now and its print be sent to the National Film Archives for preservation. Anju Mahendroo deserves to be resurrected.
Rajesh Khanna came to Delhi for a charity premiere I had organized for the film "Shakti" in which he played the role of a policeman. At the press meet I asked Kaka about the release of the film "Daku". His reply was that he had not heard of any such film. I told him about the Anju Mahendroo story. Khanna simply stared at me transfixed and expressed the desire to meet me separately, but I decided not to oblige him.
From time to time I am asked: Could Rajesh Khanna have been rescued?
I do think that Kaka could have been saved from himself. In 1984, Rajesh Khanna's last big hit film "Maqsad" became successful and he was in good spirits. At this time, one of his physician friends could have prevailed upon Kaka to move out of Bombay for an extended period of detoxification and recovery from his problems.
Khanna nearly succeeded in 1991. He was asked (by the Congress) to stand in a by-election for the Lok Sabha seat from New Delhi against (the Bharatiya Janata Party's) L.K. Advani . He lost by a whisker. He stood again (because Advani vacated the seat, having also won from Gandhinagar in Gujarat) against Shatrughan Sinha (also of the BJP), and won. But he wasted away his gains due to his wayward behaviour.
Rajesh Khanna's worst enemies were his arrogance and self-indulgence. He was a poor listener, always bent upon dominating the lives of his dear and loved ones. He had mood swings and could be very generous to someone at one moment and an utter miser in the next moment. The constant refrain around him touting his superstar image had turned his head and he could no longer lead a proper private life. He became consumed
by an overpowering need to be surrounded by fawning flatterers at all times.
The entire machination could well have been filmdom's clever strategy to create a counter point against the camps of Dev Anand, the aging Dilip Kumar and Raj Kapoor. The phantom created by vested interests for public consumption ultimately consumed him.
Kaka remained a lonely man. He had numerous affairs with women whom he could not marry. Dimple, foreseeing the ultimate fate of her husband, had left him to himself in his big house Ashirwad, refusing to grant him a divorce. The public never knew much about all this.
Rajesh Khanna's last supposed romance was with Devyani Chaubal, a gossip columnist cast in the mould of Hollywood's Hedda Hopper. The Khanna-Chaubal romance ended with her untimely death.
In later life Kaka also became a frequent visitor at hospitals for his many ailments caused by his erratic lifestyle. Something had to give and, in his case, it was his weak and thinning body.
Aware of Kaka's declining health, Kapadia knew that she would inherit some of his wealth as his surviving widow and share it with her daughters. Her return to Kaka in his last days could be an indication of her foresight. Many like me must feel that she rightfully deserves to inherit Rajesh Khanna's wealth after all the physical abuse she suffered from her superstar egoistic husband during the ten years of their married life.
Like Howard Hughes, Kaka did not want his illness to be made public. Both died of the same disease. Even on his deathbed, Kaka reigned over his body, come what may. The dark side of his life could eventually come to light, just as it did in the case of Howard Hughes.
( IANS)
As we know that medical sciences has been one of the toughest profession as to deal with human lives, but not in India anymore as Sweeper ( Class 4 Employees ) have been caught on camera performing the duties of doctors. It shows how cheap human lives in India as government doesn't care about people and talks big on reforms and FDI on the other hand. The flawed, corrupt malpractices in Health Care profession along with the commercialization of medical services have impaired systematic reforms at rural as well as urban areas. There have been a lot of criticism about how government dealing with health care in India as well as corrupt malpractices in Medical and Paramedical education and services, but It might take decade to change the system and make it oriented towards public health.
Few weeks ago, another shocking story regarding resistant bacterial infection ( superbugs ) spread across 40 nations from patients who got treatment in Indian Hospitals, It will dent global image of India as a country with affordable medicare and raise serious question about the healthcare industry.
Below are the three different incidents in three different hospitals of West Bengal, where class IV employees caught treating patients. Ab tak three and still counting
West Bengal, Barasat State General Hospital, a third hospital,where class IV employee treating patient,despite the presence of Doctor.
In yet another case of hospital apathy in West Bengal, a woman with a fractured leg was attended to by a grade IV non-medical staff member in the Barasat State General Hospital, despite the doctor being present at the emergency ward.
Farhana Khatun's leg was plastered by a Class IV non-medical staff member, even though Doctor SP Sardar was present at the time.
Another outsider in the room, Abdul Rafique was caught on camera removing plaster from a child's arm with a sharp knife.
A Class IV non-medical staff member of the Barasat State General hospital was seen plastering the leg of a patient.
Additionally, the patient Farhana Khatun was asked to bring in her own people to help get her plaster done.
Another Government Hospital in Ballia UP, India exposed where sweeper working as a doctor.
Few weeks ago, another shocking story regarding resistant bacterial infection ( superbugs ) spread across 40 nations from patients who got treatment in Indian Hospitals, It will dent global image of India as a country with affordable medicare and raise serious question about the healthcare industry.
Below are the three different incidents in three different hospitals of West Bengal, where class IV employees caught treating patients. Ab tak three and still counting
West Bengal, Barasat State General Hospital, a third hospital,where class IV employee treating patient,despite the presence of Doctor.
In yet another case of hospital apathy in West Bengal, a woman with a fractured leg was attended to by a grade IV non-medical staff member in the Barasat State General Hospital, despite the doctor being present at the emergency ward.
Farhana Khatun's leg was plastered by a Class IV non-medical staff member, even though Doctor SP Sardar was present at the time.
Another outsider in the room, Abdul Rafique was caught on camera removing plaster from a child's arm with a sharp knife.
A Class IV non-medical staff member of the Barasat State General hospital was seen plastering the leg of a patient.
Additionally, the patient Farhana Khatun was asked to bring in her own people to help get her plaster done.
Another Government Hospital in Ballia UP, India exposed where sweeper working as a doctor.
Uttar Pradesh's healthcare system stands exposed. After Bulandshahr, it is now a government hospital in Ballia, where a sweeper was found attending to patients in the emergency ward.
The sweeper, Rajkumar, was found administering stitches to patients in the emergency ward.
That's not all. Even the pharmacist was injecting patients. And there was no sign of a doctor anywhere.
When asked, all the Chief Medical Superintendent would say was that sweepers are not allowed to give injections, and that strict action would taken against those guilty.
"Sweepers are not allowed to treat patients. I condemn it if such practices are taking place in the Ballia Hospital," he said.
The sweeper Rajkumar, meanwhile, admitted that they administer stitches and injections to patients. And that they do it at the doctors' behest.
"I'm a sweeper at the hospital. When there are a lot of patients, I assist the doctor with stitches and injections," he says.
Clearly the cases at Ballia and Bulandhshahr may not be isolated. The fear is that UP's health services are just as bad and crumbling in other districts.
Check out the latest shocking news story from Government Hospital, Uttar Pradesh India
The poor state of healthcare services in a government hospital in Bulandshahr in Uttar Pradesh has been exposed. The hospital has 23 trained doctors but a sweeper was caught giving stitches to a patient. The video also shows a ward boy administering tetanus shots to another patient.
What's more shocking is that all this took place under the watch of the Hospital Chief Medical Officer. District health officials claim that the staff seen in the video are Operation Theatre attendants and not janitors.
Uttar Pradesh Health Minister Ahmed Hasan has now ordered a probe into the incident.
Chief Medical Officer SHS Danu said, "Sometimes there is a situation when there is nobody to attend to the patients, so they sometimes help with the distribution of medicines. I don't know whether sweepers give stitches to patients."
The incident raises certain big questions:
- Why didn't anyone stop the sweeper from treating the patient?
- Why was the Chief Medical Superintendent watching the sweeper play a doctor?
- How was a sweeper allowed to be present during treatment on the operation theatre?
- Where were the doctors when the sweeper was treating the patients?
The sweeper, Rajkumar, was found administering stitches to patients in the emergency ward.
That's not all. Even the pharmacist was injecting patients. And there was no sign of a doctor anywhere.
When asked, all the Chief Medical Superintendent would say was that sweepers are not allowed to give injections, and that strict action would taken against those guilty.
"Sweepers are not allowed to treat patients. I condemn it if such practices are taking place in the Ballia Hospital," he said.
The sweeper Rajkumar, meanwhile, admitted that they administer stitches and injections to patients. And that they do it at the doctors' behest.
"I'm a sweeper at the hospital. When there are a lot of patients, I assist the doctor with stitches and injections," he says.
Clearly the cases at Ballia and Bulandhshahr may not be isolated. The fear is that UP's health services are just as bad and crumbling in other districts.
Check out the latest shocking news story from Government Hospital, Uttar Pradesh India
The poor state of healthcare services in a government hospital in Bulandshahr in Uttar Pradesh has been exposed. The hospital has 23 trained doctors but a sweeper was caught giving stitches to a patient. The video also shows a ward boy administering tetanus shots to another patient.
What's more shocking is that all this took place under the watch of the Hospital Chief Medical Officer. District health officials claim that the staff seen in the video are Operation Theatre attendants and not janitors.
Uttar Pradesh Health Minister Ahmed Hasan has now ordered a probe into the incident.
Chief Medical Officer SHS Danu said, "Sometimes there is a situation when there is nobody to attend to the patients, so they sometimes help with the distribution of medicines. I don't know whether sweepers give stitches to patients."
The incident raises certain big questions:
- Why didn't anyone stop the sweeper from treating the patient?
- Why was the Chief Medical Superintendent watching the sweeper play a doctor?
- How was a sweeper allowed to be present during treatment on the operation theatre?
- Where were the doctors when the sweeper was treating the patients?
Update: The Chief Medical Superintendent of the Bulandshahr government hospital has defended the action saying that no janitor or sweeper administered injections as reported by the media.
The hospital CMS Shishir Kumar said, "The person in the footage is an Operation Theatre assistant and it is a part of his job to help out with this under the doctor's supervision."
He defended the incident saying that it was a case of emergency and the whole manpower had to be brought into action. "The main priority was to save lives as 11 critical patients were brought in one go after an accident," he said.
The hospital CMS Shishir Kumar said, "The person in the footage is an Operation Theatre assistant and it is a part of his job to help out with this under the doctor's supervision."
He defended the incident saying that it was a case of emergency and the whole manpower had to be brought into action. "The main priority was to save lives as 11 critical patients were brought in one go after an accident," he said.
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