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#OSAMAISDEAD

#BREAKINGNEWSONTWITTER

THE MOST WANTED MAN in the world, Osama bin Laden, is dead! NEWSFLASH…it looks like the news broke out on Twitter.

This is why I simply love social media so much and can rightly excuse my growing addiction to it. From my perspective, as well as my drained out Iphone, this has been the most eventful weekend of 2011 so far, for social media networks and social media network nerds like myself.

Although it's back to reality tomorrow after the long break, in hindsight many will remember this momentous weekend for it's Disney-esque timeline of events, almost as though it had all been scripted. A wedding and a funeral has been sugar-coated and streamlined live from all over the world via Twitter and Facebook to our very own smart phones. What fascinates me about Twitter is the vast array and diversity of views and opinions from people all over the world, from all walks of life and backgrounds. Although still relevant to the topic at hand, some make sense and some are quite random and off-the-wall. It certainly makes a change from the views of stuffy politicians and authoritative figure heads.

The news of Osama's death was allegedly broken FIRST by an average tweeter in Pakistan, Sohaib Athar, an IT consultant living in Abbottabad. According to The Wall Street Journal, Athar, who tweets @ReallyVirtual, wrote yesterday that he saw a helicopter hovering over the city around 1am, which he said was a "rare event." Then: "A huge window shaking bang here in Abbottabad Cantt. I hope its not the start of something nasty :-S," he tweeted later. When news broke of Bin Laden's death, Athar wrote, "Uh oh, now I'm the guy who liveblogged the Osama raid without knowing it."

Just reading through his twitter timeline, it looks as though he is getting hounded and inundated by thousands of Twitter users and news sources all wanting to speak to the man who broke the news. His latest tweet just reflects how Twitter can allow you to connect to (almost) anyone in the world, almost to the point of being suffocated by tweets! "Bin Laden is dead. I didn't kill him. Please let me sleep now."

As soon as I wake up, admittedly my first move is to always check Twitter on what or who is trending, because the chances are, a newsworthy event/person is always top of the trending list. Unless it's a really slow day for news, in which case something pointless or trivial is trending like #Ileftyoubecause or #youremyexbecause.

Instead of reading up on both of these massive news-worthy events via official news sites, I have actually followed both stories primarily through Twitter. Then confirm the tweets by having a read of the overall story on Sky News or BBC News via the very handy iphone news app's. Gone are the days where you need to wait for the evening newspaper to read up on the news roundup of the day. Now it's all pretty much instant wherever you are, no matter what time of day or night it is.

With the world and his wife on Twitter, it's easy to get instant, prominent updates of any views and opinions, along with the official headlines from official news sources like BBC News and Sky Breaking News, The Guardian or Time magazine.

From the beginning of President Obama's speech to the end, Twitter recorded more than 4000 tweets per second, the social media company reported. There are also claims that Keith Urbahn, chief of staff to former Secretary of Defence Donald Rumsfeld, broke the news first via Twitter an hour before Mr Obama addressed the nation. He tweeted: "So I'm told by a reputable person they have killed Osama bin Laden. Hot damn." I still think the news was broken first by the guy who was more or less on Bin Laden's doorstep.

Then, only two hours after the news broke, a Facebook page titled 'Osama Bin Laden is DEAD' emerged. It had more than 250,000 users 'liking' the page. Seems like we're all logged onto Twitter/Facebook constantly.

Twitter is STILL flooded by constant tweets as the news, views and conspiracies unfold about this moment in history.

One tweet which will go down in history is the tweet from The White House - President Obama:

"I can report to the American people and to the world, that the US has conducted an operation hat killed Osama bin Laden."

Here is a tiny selection of some of the Osama related tweets I've come across so far. They convey anxiety, humour, patriotic attitudes, intelligence, rationality, suspicion and fear. Emotions from people like you and I, not guests on a news bulletin who are told to remain impartial. It is so addictive to read

tweet after tweet from the ordinary to the bizarre.

1. The awkward thingabout #osama is that nobody is telling you that Dora The Explorer was the one who finally found him...
2. It's weird to think that #osama and Hitler died at the same date... Coincidence much?
3. Cant believe how naive people are being to think this is the end cause #Osama has been killed. A can of worms has been opened now he's dead!
4. "If I am to die, I would like to be killed by the bullet," Bin Laden once said. The U.S. obliged him on Sunday
5. I reckon #obl left his GPS settings to 'ON' when he was tweeting, what a bitch!
6. My conspiracy senses are tingling over the #OBL thing. Something just doesn't feel right especially the timing.
7. Its Amazing what the Amercan's can do when the PS3 Network is Down.. #obl
8. REUTERS FLASH: CIA director Panetta says al Qaeda will "almost certainly" attempt to avenge bin Laden death.
9. RT @miilkkk Watch #Osama rise out of the ocean like Megatron in Transformers.
10. #Osama Bin Laden - Hide & Go Seek world champ (2001 - 2011)
11. I think they are not SURE if that was him for REAL so that is why they not showing his picture. #osama
12. Crowds, chaos and some closure: @kaylawebley takes in the scene at Ground Zero
13. An eye for an eye makes the whole world blind. If we are celebrating death, how much better are we than #osama?

& lastly, one from Charlie Sheen…

#"Dead or Alive. WE PREFER DEAD! Well done SEAL team! AMERICA: #WINNING that's how we roll."

So to sum it up, the crazy world of Twitter told the story of an ordinary girl marrying her Prince followed by the killing of the evil baddie followed by thousands of tweets from the relieved and joyous commoners. The End?

BE A CARTOON & SAVE A CHILD!?

NOSTALGIC childhood memories came flooding back over the weekend as Facebook users changed their profile pictures to their favourite cartoon characters.

What seemed like a positive initiative in recognising child abuse now has a question mark hanging over it with the NSPCC denying any involvement.

Let's be honest, most of us googled a cartoon character in excitement as we basked in the thoughts of (indirectly) helping a good cause. From the 4th Dec to the 6th Dec, Facebook rapidly turned into a playground of Bart Simpsons, Angelica's, Thundercats, Bugs Bunny and Spongebob Square Pants. I have to admit, even I was sucked into this self-indulgent trip down memory lane.

The Facebook message prompted it's users to: "Change your FB picture to a cartoon from your childhood. The goal is

not to see a human face on FB until Monday (Dec 6th) Join the fight against child abuse & copy and paste to your status!"

Facebook saw a typically predictable domino impact with users following what their 'sane' friends were morphing into...cartoons. But somehow I think some users found themselves more engrossed with selecting appropriate childhood characters rather than actively donating or reading up about child abuse.

Some people resisted and sarcastically posted status updates such as: "I am now going to support the NSPCC by putting a cartoon on my picture profile. Not donate money to them or do some voluntary work for them - I'm going to help them by PUTTING A CARTOON ON MY FACEBOOK PROFILE."

The NSPCC posted the following statement on its Twitter page: "Although the NSPCC did not originate the childhood cartoon Facebook campaign, we welcome the attention it has brought to the work we do." It could be a very clever PR trick or some simple idea from one person; whoever it was, it's put Facebook and the powerful impact social networking sites have back on the map again…not that they ever left. No-one has stepped forward yet claiming the idea as their own so the mystery is still hanging over this recent cyber revolution.

On a more sinister side, Facebook users rapidly started changing their profile pictures back to their own human faces as rumours about pedophiles starting the 'initiative' circulated. Even though Facebook users have to be above the age of 13, it's easy enough to create a fake date of birth. Out in the vast world wide web, anything is possible; although it's a horrible, horrific thought, it's a possibility that these rumours could be true? In some ways, yes, it's easier to tell the age of a user by the 80's or 90's cartoon character but then again a 25 year old can also be a fan of and have their picture set to a 90's cartoon character Spongebob Squarepants. So in this sense, yes, the campaign has raised awareness and made Facebook users spare a moments thought about the vulnerability of children.

Amongst the 1000's of cartoon profile picture, it has hopefully acted as a wake-up call and created more awareness about child abuse and the dismal truth behind innocent faces. It just goes to show how powerful Facebook is in raising awareness about an issue on a global scale and the domino impact it has with its users, then it becoming a newsworthy topic attracting even more attention to the cause...which in this case can't be a bad thing if we're protecting youngsters. It also proves how sheep-like we are with following trends without really questioning its intentions, where it stemmed from and it's impact.

So which will DIRECTLY feel better? Changing your profile picture or visiting http://www.nspcc.org.uk/ and following the instructions?

Arranged IS NOT Forced!

SEEKING the perfect partner can exist in many forms, whether it's through friends, these snazzy new internet dating sites, Facebook singles groups, or even catching someones eye in a supermarket!

When marriage crops up into the equation, how many of you have been asked, "So are you going to have an arranged marriage then?" I'm slightly baffled when people ask me that question to be honest.

I wonder those asking know what an arranged marriage is. Do they think a partner is chosen by your family in which you have no choice over? NO! That's where the definition of an arranged and forced marriage overlaps and blurs. Of course, every family have their own customs, values and traditions and I respect that, but sometimes it's easy to pigeon hole one culture or tradition into one box and leave it at that.

The Crown Prosecution Service defines a forced marriage as: 'A marriage without the consent of one or both parties and where duress is a factor'. On the flip side, an arranged marriage is defined as: 'An arranged marriage is entered into freely by both people, although their families take a leading role in the choice of partner.' BIG DIFFERENCE...

The media; news and television soaps have often covered arranged/forced marriage stories. From the news to Hollyoaks; it's not always as black and white as a single definition. Forced marriage stories range from young girls being taken abroad, being told they were going on a family holiday to visit family and then being married off to a stranger. It's a sad case and there are charities out there who are raising awareness of such horrific cases against males and females. The Home Office website have a detailed sub-section with information for victims and those associated to them such as friends or school teachers. The brutal truth about forced marriages sometimes see the victim being threatened or emotionally blackmailed. In my opinion, this abuse of human rights can not be justified on any religious or cultural basis. Some cultures and traditions die out as generations move on. This is definitely one that should have died out because it only results in heartache, especially when the victims suffer in silence.

The tradition of an arranged marriage has moved on with the times to adapt to todays singletons. These days, it's just a mere introduction to the guy/girl. No-one's forced into anything or put under immense pressure. These introductions can come from family members or family friends who want to play cupid. If the guys/girl's credentials match up, the family background is decent, the guy/girl is educated and working, then why not? The bonus is that both will have the same aim in mind; marriage. From the parents perspective, it's an option which steers away from their son/daughter jumping from relationship to relationship and being strung along in some cases.

Through the initial introduction, exchange of numbers or e-mail addresses, the guy & girl start talking and meeting up, if they're not compatible with each other, then move onto the next one. Simple. The choice is always down to both individuals of whether they want to pursue something further.

I'll refer to my own example of what could have panned out as an arranged marriage shall I? I was introduced to a boy through a family-friend. He was also single, same age, good job etc. So I thought, "Ok, why not, nothing to lose…& plus it could be quite fun/an experience?" So we exchanged e-mail addresses and spoke for a week. Then we decided to meet at a local bar. Oh my gosh, I wish I had stayed at home watching Coronation Street. He was so arrogant, I wanted to run out of the Fire Exit clutching my bag and coat! He interrupted me when I talked, bragged about how he could "buy houses with cash," slated other girls he'd met through these dates and generally just seemed like a deluded guy. How off-putting. I was so happy to finish my glass of coke and get out!

Arranged marriages are the outcome of these 'introductions or dates.' Whether you have had a handful of bad experiences like myself, one of them will be perfect…eventually. THEN you can start to arrange a marriage after a while of getting to know each other. All marriages are arranged though aren't they? No matter what culture you're from.

There was a time when our parents/grand-parents generations had arranged marriages; in which their marriage was initially based on saying, "Yes," to a photo of their potential partner. These days, my Nan/ family member or friend just tells me the name of the guy and to add him on Facebook and get chatting….!

Everyone nose what happens at festivals...

GLOBAL Gathering 2010 was truly immense. It was my first time at a festival and it really was a fascinating experience…not just because of the music. Essentially, the festival vibe equals 100's of people from all over the UK coming together to share the same passion…their love for music. It doesn't matter what colour, size or shape you are. No-one cares about your background, your religion, appearance or what you look like. Here's my first time festival observations...

Whilst standing in the entrance queue, there were a group of lads who could have been stereotyped as, "loud trouble-maker chavs." I admit, I jumped to this assumption when I watched them in the queue shouting and whistling at girls walking past. At this point I was dreading the whole festival slightly and felt anxious that it was going to be full of loud-mouthed drunken idiots. BUT when one of these loud-mouths opened his mouth, he actually said something which stuck in my mind & summed the whole event up. He started a conversation with a stranger in the queue; eavesdropping as usual I heard him say: "It doesn't matter where you're from or who you are here. Everyone's here for the music." He's right. Taking off the rose tinted glasses, festivals are also a chance for something else too...

I was totally fascinated for the first couple of hours. There were people dressed up in their luminous multi-coloured rave outfits, Topshop styled trendy festival-chic outfits, people in pj's and fancy dress costumes. Fashion could be whatever you wanted it to be. It was a place where you can totally be carefree.

However, some people were a bit too carefree. I saw a few people just casually take cocaine amongst the crowd as the dj blared tune after tune. There were a few people walking through the crowds shouting, "PILLS, PILLS, PILLS," followed by a subtle exchange of money and drugs. It was like an episode of 'Skin's. I'm aware that there is often a drug-taking, carefree, off-your-face label attached to some festivals, but to see festival-culture up close in-front of your eyes is surreal at the time. You probably have a sordid image of the festival by now. From my perspective, I only caught a glimpse of a small minority indulging in their kicks. If you're only there for the music like I was, then you can still immerse yourself in the music without being on anything except fresh air! No-one follows you with a pill...!

As the day progressed, I didn't witness any fights or attitude. People were just dancing in the sun on a field feeling the sense of escapism from their everyday mundane routine. It was such a completely different atmosphere to some nightclubs. That surprised me because when you go to a club, there is nearly always attitude, guys leering at you, approaching you, grabbing something, if you knock someones drink you would get the dirtiest look or maybe even a little verbal abuse, some people would even burn you with their fag whilst carelessly waving it around.

I'm no expert but maybe the carefree attitude was down to the drugs? How did they get them through security and the sniffer dogs? Out of curiosity I googled it…there are so many forums with tips on how to get past security. On one site it even gives you advice on taking drugs, the do's & don't's!

My account could be a little naive because it's from the perspective of a first time festival encounter. I'm not going to judge people who choose to take drugs at these festivals because it's their life and their choice. Maybe, for some people, taking drugs could enhance their experience. It's just a shame that their choice to intoxicate themselves could potentially send them to an early grave…all for a few moments/hours of carefree fun.

Goodbye Asian Network...

Goodbye BBC Asian Network…The battle has been lost and sadly, the station will be tuning out by the end of 2011. It looks like a lot more people couldn’t bare the thought of BBC 6 Music closing.

It will definitely leave a big gap in the British Asian and non-Asian community. It gave a voice to what may have been a voiceless community at times and gave a sense of belonging.

Controversial topics, current affairs and issues were opened up to it’s global listeners; issues such as forced marriages, how Sikhs felt about stop & search initiatives at airports, domestic abuse and the dating scene amongst the 2nd & 3rd generation British Asians. Such issues would normally be brushed under the carpet but the station explored these and presented them in such a way in which all listeners from any background could understand. The station also allowed misunderstood communities to speak out and defend themselves in times of controversy, so it is definitely a useful communication tool. It also paves the way for a new generation of Brit-Asians who carry the best of both identities.

Even though the station is predominantly catering for Asian listeners, it is also very versatile too. I know the station adapted to people with diverse tastes in music, discussions and shows. It’s a vital platform to showcase talent and catapult them into the world of mainstream showbiz industries.

The official ‘Save The BBC Asian Network’ Facebook page attracted 28,352 people who were against its closure. If every person in that group had taken 5 minutes to sign the petition against the closure then maybe the station would have had a fighting chance? BBC 6 music received around 25,000 emails whereas the letters/e-mails sent in to save Asian Network hit the region of around 600 according to a source. It’s good enough having a rant and moan about its closure but actions speak louder than words.

Not everyone sat back and moaned though. Some actions did speak louder than words and will always be engrained in the stations history. Musician Ranvir Singh Verma walked backwards from London to Birmingham and let’s not forget the Bhangra flashmob in which hundreds of supporters descended at the BBC’s HQ’s in protest.

It could turn out to be a blessing in disguise…British Asian talent may now want to push even harder to integrate themselves within mainstream stations such as Radio 1 and could positively shake up the dynamics of the corporations values. In my opinion, talent should be classed as talent, regardless of background. The only thing left for the station now is make sure it’s final year on the airwaves is significant, memorable and leaves a void within the BBC. (Photos courtesy of Ajay Kenth.)

If you haven't got a 2:1...you can do 1...

Thousand of pounds, tuition fees, morning lectures and hazy hangovers….all for what? Nothing.

WALKING into your dream job is about to get harder. Employees are sifting through hundreds of hopeful applicants by turning their backs on grads with 2:2’s or lower. So if you haven’t got a 2:1 your application will probably end up in the bin. As there are more graduates and less jobs, employers are now in the position to be picky.

I don’t think that approach is reasonable. Ok so a 2:1 is impressive but surely the candidate’s personal skills, character, ambitious streak and experience should also be assessed in the selection process.

What if someone got a 2:1 in a ‘mickeymouse’ course but had no related experience in their chosen field or was clueless about working in the ‘realworld.’ What about the candidates who have participated in endless volunteer placements to gain experience but landed a 2:2? I think employers should still consider all qualities. A person shouldn’t be judged or cast aside when they have other traits which could allow them to shine.

There are around 70 grads chasing 1 job, as opposed to around 28 in 2006. The job market is tougher to break into. It's not just grads who are affected; thousands of qualified & experienced professionals have also been made redundant-so they're also floating around in the job market too. With their years of skills behind them, they will always be ideal candidates to also revive the battered economy. It seems the grad-generation are taking what they can just to survive, whether its stacking shelves, pulling pints or answering calls…there’s not a lot of choice out there.

Then when you manage to find employment whilst you still persevere to land your dream job…you always get someone who (innocently) says to you, “How come you’re not working in (enter your dream job here.)?” And so the whole train of stressful thoughts are conjured up again where you start to question yourself, re-asses your ambitions and your own abilities. *Stop asking me that!!!* I thought most people were aware of the shrinking job market? It’s getting smaller and smaller and there’s a desperate scramble to stand out.

Back to square one then, another day, another job search...venturing out abroad seems more and more appealing.

(If there are any editors out there…I would love to get back into the world of media!)

Oink Oink...

THE CIRCUS and its slightly odd contestants are back in town. Yep, it’s Big Brother and as it’s the last in the series, it’s the last time voyeuristic inquisitiveness will be fed.
The show is a catalyst for five minutes of fame for attention seeking contestants who haven’t been to drama school or had a ‘showbiz’ upbringing. So for them, this is their only hope for recognition. It was once a show that analysed human behaviour; it’s now a show where contestants desire to gain fame and will stab each other in the back to achieve it.

A deeper layer to Big Brother is its reflection of animal farm. At the start of the show they are all equal to each other with a fair chance of being crowned the winner. As time passes, the stronger contestants start to outweigh the weaker ones as they become the group leaders. Some become more equal than others from how the public view them; their behaviour starts to change as they realise their popularity. Big Brother is Mr. Jones, owner of the farm/house and the contestants are the animals, trying to rebel. So to sum it up, summer 2010 on our screens will be watching hopeful wannabes behave in animal-like manner by squabbling (over crisps) and turning against each other…until the winner is voted and the magazine deals come rolling in.

This Animal Farm notion is all around us. For instance, there will ALWAYS be someone at work who is more of an equal colleague than you. It’s those types of people who are chummy with management, can take longer lunch breaks, refuse to do some of the tasks & can get away with sitting on their a** doing very little. Oh, & guess what, they have a fatter pay packet than you….

N*E*R*D = Musical genius...my muse.

FUNK rock, mellow beats, sweet soul and perfect lyrics = the genius that is N*E*R*D. From the second their performance came to life, loyal fans at the HMV forum in London didn’t stop to catch a breath as they rocked along with the band.

The three piece band, Pharrell Williams, Chad Hugo and Shae Haley are unstoppable. If you’ve loved their vibe and aura ever since they splashed onto the music scene back in 2002 with their album In Search Of; then their latest album Seeing Sounds will definitely not disappoint. Each track sets free the addictive and overwhelming unique beats, thought provocative contagious lyrics and distinctive instrumental fusions. They refuse to be categorised into one genre. To hear and see their creation, from past to present, was truly overwhelming, out of this world, amazing and quite possibly one of the best moments in my life…(yeah I know I sound like a nerd) especially as I’ve been waiting to see them in the flesh since In Search Of. I’ve fallen in love with the band & what they’re all about all over again!

I am SO HAPPY I finally saw them...it was well worth the wait. To be honest, I'm pretty impressed with the shots I managed to capture, especially as I was squashed near the front in a mosh-pit! You can probably hear me singing too in the background in my videos...I couldn't help it..I got lost in the moment...!

Their beautiful album is a melting pot consisting of songs which keep you clinging onto their every word. Lovebomb is dramatic, epic and the title itself is a symbolism of two very powerful or destructive words, like a nightmare eating up a dream. If you want to read deeper between the lines, the song is an anti-war song, indirectly singing about how we need to pull together, open our eyes and realise that the Government isn’t always right or isn’t always leading us onto the right path.

The album has definitely moved on with the times; it’s aware of the world we’re living in now and I’m sure it’s loyal fans have played and re-played each song over and over again. I know I have. Some of the songs reflect sounds of the 60’s & 70’s pop metal, such as Windows, which is fundamentally about a peeing tom with oldskool handclaps & vocals. Sounds scandalous but the music drowns out its initial meaning. It skips between various themes and issues, in which its listeners can most definitely understand, get lost in or relate to. You have to unravel each song through its layers.

Crashing down can be broken down…life isn’t always going to be sugar coated and full of sunshine. Quite evident as the end of song instrumentally goes passionately wild and crazy with an outbreak of drums and guitars-like the human emotion of screaming releasing all their frustration and anger. One of my favourites from the album in which I listen to loudly on my 7am drive to work every morning.

What I love about N*E*R*D is their adventurous streak, they experiment with different sounds & beats, their ‘gangster’ lyrics are merely mocking those in the hip-hop scene and each lyric can have more than deeper meaning attached to it. They appeal to people who feel like they don’t quite fit in with the rest of the sheep in society. They have so much substance & there is no-one out there who even comes close to them. Their sound is simply irresistible...

Save your local citizen journalist!

JOURNALISM has evolved and developed as a result of the deep, dark recession. The past year has seen redundancies, job-sharing, cut backs in newsroom budgets and news content being compromised as a result of these shrinking newsrooms. Not a pretty sight.

Employed journalists were constantly on edge wondering if they were going to be the next batch to be made redundant. Those who wanted to be employed by a newspaper felt like they had no chance.

However, all is not lost! Cue the phenomenon that is Facebook and Twitter. As newspapers cut their workforce and said goodbye to its printed publications, the web became the best cost-effective and efficient form of gathering and presenting news. In a bid to increase it’s interaction with its readers, on-line newspapers tapped into the regular use of video content and blogs

This rise of online journalism has introduced the trusty, local citizen journalist. However, even though journalism is adapting to how its readers and audiences are choosing to view the news, journalism still needs to be preserved as a skilful profession. Anyone can share information or ‘news’ but lets not forget, only a journalist can piece together a fair and accurate news story.

When you log into Facebook/Twitter, you can obtain various types of ‘news’ about what’s going on in your friends’ lives. Some of this information can be taken as an exclusive scoop.

Last year I wrote a front page story for Cannock’s Chase Post newspaper, based on rumours that Gary Glitter would be moving to the local area. A Facebook user started the group to petition his move- if rumours turned out to be true. For a journalist, it’s easy to obtain quotes and interview the Facebook user when content is open to the public.

To me, locality is absolutely vital with the way social networking sites are incorporated into news gathering. People like to read what’s going on in their local neighbourhood and how it could directly or indirectly affect them, as opposed to issues on the other side of the world.

Newspapers in particular need to let go of its traditional image and adapt to the rapid use of the internet. For example Facebook fan pages for the newspaper can appeal to the younger readers. Long term it’s beneficial.

Accuracy, fairness and objectivity still need to be upheld by a journalist, whether they are behind a news-desk or blogging on the go. This skilful profession needs to be preserved; social networking sites are now just another method of newsgathering, presenting news and drawing in more readers.

Domestic violence against men by Harvy Matharu

MEN are just as likely as women to be victims of domestic violence in the Cannock area. The British Crime Survey figures for the West Midlands show that in 2007/08 - a higher percentage of men, 5.4% were victims of partner abuse than women 4.9%, aged between 16 and 59.
Across the Staffordshire area, there could be a higher number of silent victims too afraid to speak up.

Diane Yates, domestic violence coordinator from Cannock Chase Council, revealed that Cannock has the highest incidents of domestic violence within the Chase Division. She said: “It is a hard for any victim to report domestic abuse; they usually hope things will improve. They often feel they are to blame for the abuse. Male victims sometimes feel they will not be believed on the grounds that men are viewed stronger than women.”

I found a Facebook common interest group which stems from the West Midlands, called ‘Stop domestic violence against men.' A male victim posted a comment within the group of his traumatic experience. He said: “I am a male victim; my ex-girlfriend and her boys were abusing me for nearly twelve years. I ended up self-harming myself, I cut my left arm with knives, pen and hitting myself and broke my jaw, I ended up in hospital after I took tablets, I nearly died of overdose. I hit the wall all the time, because she was treating me badly and her sons as well, she wouldn’t move out from the house four years ago. Now they have moved out and I am very happy. When she came home from pubs, she always hit me for no reason, I couldn’t hit back because she is a woman. To all males, do not suffer in silence and we are not alone.”

If you are the victim of male domestic violence, contact victim support on 0845 30 30 900.

(A feature I researched & wrote for the Cannock Chase newspaper 2009.)

My quickie with Jay Sean

Once upon a time...I worked as a journalist for a British-Asian national newspaper - Eastern Voice. (Click on the image twice to zoom in.)

After taking over the music scene in the U.K and before heading off to America, I interviewed the pop sensation (about 5 times actually, he must of thought "not her again.)

It looks like taking a chance with his music career and quitting med school really paid off. He's evolved into a pop icon whilst breaking stereotypical and musical barriers. Just reflecting on that point, if you don't take the chance, then you will never know what's around the corner...

The Boy With The Topknot

The Boy With The Topknot: A Memoir of Love, Secrets and Lies in Wolverhampton

TORN between two identities, Sathnam Sanghera, a successful London journalist from a Punjabi Sikh family takes a nostalgic yet challenging trip down memory lane, as he uncovers the truth about his family growing up in the 90’s in Wolverhampton.

This is one of my favourite books of all time. Even though it's been out for quite a while, it's still sitting proudly on a Waterstones shelf amongst local talented writers.

The book is written as a family memoir and engages the readers with how his family struggled and overcame taboo issues such as mental illness, illiteracy and domestic violence. Through exploring these personal issues, he has attempted to break these restrictive barriers within the Asian community. I have read this book a few times and each time there are strands of the narrative which can be related to-even if you're not Asian. For any British Asian growing up in Wolves, it allows you to visualise the characters in the book and their local surroundings.

Not forgetting the recurring arranged marriage system, in which Sathnam is sure that many of the readers may be able to relate to. I interviewed Sathnam when the book was first published. He revealed the deeper narrative which unfolds through each chapter.

One of the main strands within the book is the “us” and “them” notion which still exists today. He interweaves his own experiences with the hurdles his family had overcome. The clash of cultures sees Sathnam leave his swanky London flat behind for Wolverhampton, where his inspiration stemmed from for the heart of his story. Chapter by chapter, he reveals his secrets. It turns out that Jagjit Singh Sanghera, his father, is schizophrenic, as is Sathnam's older sister, Puli. The next secret is Sanghera's. "I'm going to type up a letter I've been drafting, in one way or another, for half a lifetime. When I'm done, I'm going to send it to someone in India who, for an almost unethically small fee, will translate it into a language I can speak and understand but cannot read or write ... [then] hand it over to the person I love more than any other and let the contents break her heart." He wants to tell his mother that the arranged marriage she desperately desires for him will never happen, not whilst he is wrapped up in his lies between his two lifestyles. It is a well-rounded story which makes you look at your own family closely whilst capturing the true essence of being a British Asian, growing up in Wolverhampton.

When Gordon Brown met Harvy..he smiled!

Smile Gordon! (omg he actually did)

Back in 2008, equipped with my notebook and pen, I attended the Labour Conference at the International Convention Centre in Birmingham. I was actually star-struck for a moment when he walked into the room! Being the enthusiastic geeky-journalist I was back then ( and still am) I managed to squeeze my way through the crowd to the Prime Minister for a quick snap.

Don't ever say he never smiles!

De-activate Facebook

I did something crazy last night.

I de-activated my Facebook account.

It was something I had wanted to do for quite a while, just to see what life would be like without constantly informing the Facebook world where I was, what I was doing or when something bizarre or random had just happened. I’ll admit it; this became a habit of mine. In just a few minutes, with a few simple clicks I had detached myself. In a bid to tempt it’s users from leaving, before you hit the deactivate button, it shows you a random selection of your friends who will apparently “miss you” if you leave. Ha! Yeah right.

I have never felt so liberated. I’m free!

So...no more constant status updates whilst exploring the lives of others to fill the voids in my day. Now what?

I suppose I better use my time productively now.


Funnily enough, five minutes after I’d escaped from Facebook, I had the urge to update my status about how free I felt from people bragging on Facebook whilst fulfilling their ego.

Hmm... I wonder what everyone’s up to?

OMG it’s been 4 years since graduation!

I STEPPED BACK in time over the weekend in Nottingham, the vibrant and eclectic City where I studied and lived in for three years. As the train drew closer to the platform I could feel my heart beat skip a few beats. I suddenly felt like I was a student again, equipped with my bag of food supplies and my little pink suitcase of freshly washed clothes from my weekend at home. I felt excited and nervous to be back in the City where I learnt how to be independent, made friends for life, partied (a lot) and of course, studied my dream course-broadcast journalism. Walking through the City centre I couldn’t help but glance around, thinking to myself, “Hmm that would make a good news package,” but then I had to snap myself out of the student mentality of where the next assignment was going to come from.

When the sun went down, the drinks came out. It was a re-union night for ex-Nottingham Trent students so luckily there weren’t any little fresher’s invading the night. As we tottered towards the student union, we immediately felt like we had no worries in the world. The bar was the first stop! I’d almost forgotten how cheap and cheerful student nights were!

Going back for the weekend made me realise how much of a different, thorough perspective I now have on life, ambition and the people I meet. We were all once naïve, innocent, excited students living week to week through coursework and partying. I’ve realised that everyone is starting to take their own paths…whether it’s getting hitched and having babies, settling in their careers, moving abroad or just coasting for the time being.

Back to the real world then...

www.icantbelieveivejoinedadatingsite.com

PART 1: *Sigh*

I’ve done it. I can’t believe I’ve joined a dating website! It’s called SikhFaces.com. A handful of my friends have signed up and didn’t really give it a second thought. “Hey, it’s no big deal,” was the impression I was getting.

I explored the site, it’s almost on the same page as Facebook; after going through the initial process of setting up a profile and uploading a respectable photo (no, not one where you’re drunk in a club with a super mini skirt on!) you’re free to message people who you think could tick your boxes.

It’s quite a challenge to describe your ideal soul mate though, what if they just don’t exist?!

I have to admit, it took me a lot of persuasion to join. These kinds of sites were once taboo and people were almost embarrassed to admit they’d registered with one. The uncomfortable, awkward self-consciousness attached to these sites has vanished now. But when you take a step back and think about it, you have nothing to lose really. It’s difficult to meet people on the same wavelength as you in your everyday routine, so if someone is but a mere click away, then why not? What do you have to lose? I’ve recently realised that the journey we all take to take to find your soul mate could be quite an interesting and open-minded one. I’m no expert at the whole dating scene so this could be quite funny….

So who is a click away?

I received messages from guys who thought they were compatible with me. It was the usual, “Hi, you seem interesting do you want to tell me more about yourself.” They seemed ‘normal.’ But let's forget about those run of the mill messages for now. I started to really question what the hell I was doing on a site where people with the name of 'devilish' and 'prince charming' started messaging me, more than once. They can’t be serious…can they? I mean, I know it's good to stand out and be individual, but come on! Do these people really think they would be taken seriously with those names?! It made me squirm; it made me feel anxious about the weirdo’s out there on the other side of their computer screens!

Shortly after I left the site...do you blame me?!

Fancy a curry?

I am an Asian girl, so that must mean that when I go home, I immediately get changed into a Punjabi suit and step into the kitchen to whip up a spicy curry, as I’m apparently a culinary expert at cooking curry. Right? Actually….No.

It’s quite surprising that some people still have these narrow-minded notions. I was faced with explaining my ethnicity at work recently through a string of some ridiculously naive questions by an elderly English woman. (A bit like a Little Britain character.)

“So where are you from? Where are your parents from? When you go home do you wear a suit? Do you visit your family in India?”

Left completely astounded, my response to those questions were, “Well I’m from here, (Wolverhampton actually!) I hardly ever wear Indian attire, well, only at parties, and all my family are in the UK, I have no family in India.” I added, “I’ve been to Spain more times than I’ve been to India.” To which she seemed slightly confused because I am pretty sure that I threw her perceptions off course.
I was overcome with a feeling of amusement and shock. I wasn’t offended but I did feel slightly uncomfortable. These questions weren’t asked maliciously, but innocently which made me wonder how many other people think like this and think its perfectly normal to do so.

From my own observations, there is still an element of stereotypical values in the media. The Asian shopkeeper and the overly-religious family etc. We’re not all the same. I am very proud of my identity and of my British Asian roots; however it does get annoying that people can ask such ignorant and slightly amusing questions.

Right…I’m off for a curry now.

Brit Awards 2010...What a shambles...

An amateur school performance…those are the words which spring to mind for the Brit Awards. What a disappointing show, it lacked talent and class and real musicians. Instead, viewers were treated to a two hour circus show of singers who couldn’t even manage to sing live, Peter Kay, the presenter who looked like he was trying to hold the show together and really didn’t look like he wanted to be there and a string of lame jokes where watching tumbleweed roll across the stage would have been much more entertaining.

Stop me if I’m wrong, but I thought the Brits were all about celebrating the crème de la crème of British music? When I switched over to ITV, I certainly didn’t expect to watch a poorly organised and edited show starring a batch of reject guests…Spice Girls…(well two of them) and Sam Fox. Then to see Jonathon Ross walk on stage in a ghetto-esq outfit was just too much and I actually felt embarrassed for him. What a desperate attempt to entertain. The cherry on the cake was watching Cheryl Cole mime…she couldn’t even manage to do that properly. Why people think she can actually sing and see her as a role model is beyond me. Then Robbie Williams just looked like a drunken uncle at a wedding.

In my opinion, the only worthy singer to actually deserved all three of her awards was Lady Gaga. She sang live and sentimentally dedicated her performance to the late Alexander McQueen. I actually felt insulted for Lady Gaga when Geri and Sam Fox said that they would have preferred for her to sing something which they recognised…how narrow-minded for a “musician” to say. I’m sorry Geri…are all artists supposed to play the same songs over and over again?! As for “Kula Shaker where are you now?!” Well, to that, I say, “Spice Girls where are YOU now?!”

I don’t think the Brits are about real musicians with actual talent anymore. From last night’s debacle, it’s turned into a freak show for deflated egos. What a shambles.

All I know is that I will never get those two hours back.

Artwork by Kaz Matharu

R.I.P Ricardo...

R.I.P Ricardo...sad, sad day

Ricardo...my snowman.

So how many of you know who built the FIRST snowman?

According to the New York Times:

It's a well-documented fact that very first snowman was made in Eau Claire, Wisconsin on January 7, 1809 by a Mr. Vernon N. Paul and his nine-year-old daughter, little Yetty Paul. According to Mr. Paul, he told his daughter that the snowman was intended to frighten away the Boxing Day elves. (Popular legend said Boxing Day Elves reclaimed Christmas presents.) Once the Paul family's neighbors saw the snowman, and little Yetty explained to her friends how easy it was to make (and no doubt, how effective it was at keeping the Boxing Day elves away), children all over the town were making snowmen. Word soon spread and the New York Times dispatched a writer named Hillary Sherpa to check out rumors of a town populated by snow men. Of course, she found that Eau Clairre was not really populated by snow people, but instead, effigies of people, made of snow.”

"Have yow seen this?!"

WOLVERHAMPTON is apparently the 5th worst city out of 9 from around the world, according to Lonely Planet. What a load of rubbish- it’s unrealistic to say the least. Wolverhampton is not that bad! Ok, so I might have had a laugh about it a few times and it does have certain characteristics which add comedy value (the crazy preaching cowboy, the ring road tramp r.i.p, the nearly non-existent nightlife and rubbish Christmas lights) but when it comes down to it, I can think of places around the world which I would hate to be stuck in!

DJ and artist Goldie, 44, grew up in Wolverhampton and was quoted in The Sun newspaper as saying: “There are places in Brazil where the poverty and crime make your hair stand on end. Wolverhampton feels pretty safe for a city where people have faced hard times.”
The thing is, Lonely Planet didn’t even visit the City to review it…so how can their so-called review be accurate?
Anyway…England's first automatic set of traffic lights were unveiled in the City in 1927… so there!
So if ever you’re lost outside Wolverhampton just look for the blue neon lights on top of the Mander House to find your way back home….

Chav!

What a chav-tastic piece of jewellery from Topshop...you can't really be expected to be taken seriously wearing this can you?