Food For Thought

If you are an adventurous person, break away from your burger, shakes and fries regimen and take a bite out out of some food that will rock your taste buds.

India is a trip that I would love to take, and a cultural experience I would love to have, but being a college student, let's just say my bank account has seen better days.

I like Indian food because it is packed full of flavor, color and a lot of vegetables. But beware, if you have stomach problems or are wary of a little spiciness, maybe we should just take baby steps.

One of the first Indian restaurants I've ever had the pleasure of visiting was the Kamal Palace Cuisine of India, located just a hop, skip and a jump away from the Cal State University Long Beach at 6374 East Pacific Coast Highway Long Beach, CA 90803-4877

Get Directions

[(562) 493-0255]

Photo by Valerie Graham

The best time to get to the Kamal Palace is around 11:30am for the beginning of the lunch buffet. What I like most about Indian food is that they incorporate a lot of vegetables in their food. (I'm not a big fan of meat....which is what makes Indian food great for me). The lunch buffet is inexpensive and is served with free tandoori naan and garlic naan, which for soem folks is the Indian equivalent to biscuits, breadsticks or rolls.

There is a condiment bar with Indian sauces and fresh fruit, as well as tasty Indian desserts. When you are done with your meal, the restaurant provides a bowl filled with candied fennel seeds to freshen your breath and cleanse your palet. (a small spoonfull is all you need)

See reviews here.

When your ready to take your pallet for Indian food to the next level you can try Natraj Cuisine of India located just over the bridge of the Marina on 2nd Street.

5262 East 2nd Street Long Beach, CA 90803-5330 [ (562) 930-0930 ]

See reviews here.

I think that an even better place to experience the culture and cuisine of India is to visit Little India. Lucky for us residents in SoCal, this gem of an area is tucked right in the city of Artesia (California) located on a stretch of Pioneer Boulevard.

When I want a quick Indian food fix, I have no shame in visiting the frozen food aisles of my local Trader Joe's or grocery store. My favorite frozen dishes have come from Amy's Kitchen, and just about anything from Trader Joe's.

So if your strapped for cash like me and just want to enjoy some fantastic curry chicken or chana masala, take a chance on these great restaurants and meals.

Get Directio

India Becoming Top Spamming Nation

India set to become top spamming nation

Neeraj Saxena | May 11, 2011, 09.27pm IST

NEW DELHI: India is behind only US in spamming. Even though its share in total spamming traffic at 7 per cent is nearly half of that of the United States, it is on the rise whereas US has managed to reduce its share to 13.7 per cent down from 18.83 per cent in the past one quarter.

These are the findings of a report released by IT security firm Sophos, which indicates spamming is on the rise in countries like India, Russia and Brazil.

In fact, while the share of spamming activity from European nations is declining along with US due to measures taken by them, it is growing among Asian countries like India and South Korea.

The latest Sophos report of the top 12 spam relaying countries, covering the first quarter of 2011, claims that despite remaining at the top, the share of the US in the global spam output fell from 18.83 per cent to 13.7 per cent of all spam relayed from compromised computers.

The United Kingdom also saw a drop, with its spam pollution falling from 4.54 per cent to 3.2 per cent of total global spam relayed, the UK moving down from fifth to sixth place in the dirty dozen.

According to the report, the top 12 spam relaying countries for January to March 2011 are USA, India, Russia, Brazil, South Korea, UK, Italy, France, Spain, Germany, Romania, Poland. Other nations contribute to roughly 42 per cent of global spam.

Sophos has recommended that companies should automatically update their corporate virus protection, and run a consolidated solution at their email and web gateways to defend against spam and viruses. Home users have been advised to defend their computers with virus protection, to prevent becoming part of a botnet used for the purposes of distributing spam emails.

Sophos has also warned that the continued growth in popularity of mobile platforms and social networking means that the number of spam attack vectors is increasing and computer security still needs to be at the forefront of people's minds.

"Although the USA and UK contribution to the global spam problem has decreased in percentage terms, it is essential for organizations not to become complacent," said Graham Cluley, Senior Technology Consultant at Sophos.

"Financially-motivated criminals are controlling compromised zombie computers to not just launch spam campaigns, but also to steal identity and bank account information. Users need to be educated about the dangers of clicking on links or attachments in spam mails - and many computers may already be under the control of cyber criminals. Businesses and computer users must take a more proactive approach to spam filtering and IT security in order to avoid adding to this global problem."

Journalism in India

The following text is from freedomhouse.org in regards to how journalism is conducted in India, and how journalists are treated:

The Press Council of India, an independent body composed of journalists, publishers, and politicians, serves as a self-regulatory mechanism for the print media, investigating complaints of misconduct or irresponsible reporting. No similar body exists for the broadcast media, which have become known for undercover sting operations and investigative reports. A broadcasting services regulation bill, which was first introduced in 2006, could give the government greater power over the media, restrict media cross-ownership, and lead to greater content regulation for news channels—all of which have been opposed by broadcasters and journalists’ groups. The bill made no significant progress in Parliament during 2009. In the wake of terrorist attacks in Mumbai in November 2008, the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting (MIB) began exploring possible amendments to the Programme Code and the Cable Television Act, with the aim of increasing government regulation of television coverage during times of crisis. Proposals for the vetting and preapproval of television feeds by the authorities raised censorship fears among some local media watchdogs. In an attempt to forestall official regulation of news coverage, in February 2009 the News Broadcasters’ Association issued a new set of self-regulatory guidelines covering several areas, including crime, violence, and national security. The MIB voiced support for this self-regulatory approach, denied that there was any plan to control the content of news media, and set up a committee to act as a forum for consultations between the government and media groups.

Physical intimidation of journalists by a variety of actors continued to be a problem in 2009, though fewer deaths were reported than in the previous year. A number of journalists were attacked, threatened, abducted, or detained by police, political activists, right-wing groups, insurgents, local officials, or criminals. Media offices were also targeted during the year. Employees and offices of two television channels were violently assaulted by activists from the Shiv Sena, a Hindu nationalist political party, in a series of attacks in Maharashtra state in November. In West Bengal, freelance photographer Jay Mandal was assaulted by political party activists while covering an election rally in Nandigram in May, while police beat a number of media photographers who were covering a siege by Maoist insurgents in Lalgarh in June.

Members of the press are particularly vulnerable in rural areas and insurgency-racked states such as Chhattisgarh, Jammu and Kashmir, Assam, and Manipur. Reporters in these states faced pressure from both the government and insurgents in 2009; those suspected of Maoist or other insurgent sympathies were sometimes threatened with sedition charges or detained by the authorities, while others were pressured to reveal their sources for sensitive stories. In March 2009, editor Anil Majumdar of the Aji newspaper in Assam was shot and killed as he arrived home from work. Police have not yet apprehended the perpetrator, and the motivation behind the killing remains unknown. Conditions for the media improved slightly in the state of Jammu and Kashmir, with fewer violent incidents than in 2008, a year of political tensions and repeated confrontations between protesters and security forces. However, local media continued to face threats from militants regarding coverage of certain issues, and pressure to self-censor has also been reported at smaller media outlets that rely on state government advertising for the majority of their revenue. In June, state authorities temporarily banned the operation of a cable channel and ordered private television channels to restrict their news bulletins.

Most print outlets, particularly in the national and English-language press, are privately owned, provide diverse coverage, and frequently scrutinize the government. The broadcast media are predominantly in private hands, but the state retains a monopoly on AM radio broadcasting, and private FM radio stations are not allowed to air news content. Under a policy announced in 2006, which provided guidelines for the ownership and operation of community radio stations by nongovernmental organizations (NGOs) and other civil society groups, there has been an increase in community radio stations, leading to a greater diversity of voices and topics covered. The MIB reported that as of December 2009, 584 applications had been received and 48 stations were operational. Doordarshan, the state-controlled television station, has been accused of manipulating the news to favor the government, and some private satellite television channels provide slanted coverage that reflects the political affiliation of their owners, according to the U.S. State Department. During 2009, local media outlets brought attention to an ongoing practice of “cash for coverage,” in which payments were made to secure favorable news coverage for candidates and parties, particularly during the spring general elections and several state assembly elections in October. The allegations led to an investigation by India’s election commissioner. Restrictions on the operations of foreign news outlets were reduced further in January, allowing 100 percent foreign-owned periodicals to print local editions with government approval. A 2008 decision had allowed the foreign companies to print country-specific editions in collaboration with a local partner, so long as the foreign ownership of the joint venture did not exceed 26 percent.

Final Thoughts...

Covering India this semester for Global Media has taught me quite a bit about this interesting country. Not only have I gained more knowledge regarding India’s wide array of media outlets, but I have also learned about India’s rich and diverse culture. I have seen photos and videos of India ignite with deep passion and patronage for their country winning the 2011 World Cup Cricket Championship. I was able to experience the craze and influence of Bollywood and celebrity gossip in India, just as Hollywood and TMZ does for Americans.

I was definitely fascinated by all of the products and advertising that are used in India. Their commercials are very similar to what we would see here in the states. Whether an ad was for make- up, medicine, cellular phones or ketchup, India had a way of using western techniques and putting their southeastern spin on it. I thoroughly enjoyed all of the advertising and commercials I got to watch for this final project.

With over a billion people living in this country, India cranks out over 450 newspapers daily or weekly to satisfy the many languages spoken around the different regions. I found it ironic that out of all the printed newspapers that India distributes the country still had a very low literacy rate. People age 15 and over can read and write, bringing the total population of literacy to 61 percent. This low rate ranks India at 180 in the world mainly because females have a 47.8 percent rate as opposed to males have a 73.4 percent rate. I would think with all that reading material circulating the country, the literacy rate would be higher. However, I have to respect the Indian culture and the boundaries that it sets for its people, especially women. These numbers did discourage me, but seeing that the rate of literacy in India is rising little by little every year is something positive for the country to look towards.

Chart showing the rise of literacy in India.

Another interesting aspect of India is television shows and music offered in their language on MTV India. Many women and housewives love indulging in Indian soap operas and the latest Bollywood news. The country values entertainment just as much as Americans!

The country has a bit of censorship from the government, but for the most part, Indians are free to express themselves in media, so long as it does not directly violate National Security, or criticizes the government or religion too much.

I had a lot of fun covering India in this class and might even consider going there to experience it myself.