The Artist Shines at 84th Academy Awards

The envelope finally opens up and names imprinted in the golden letters goes into the book of cinematic history. It came as no surprise to anyone when France's Michel Hazanavicius won the Oscar for best director for silent movie The Artist, at the 84th Academy Awards ceremony, triumphing over veterans including Martin Scorsese and Woody Allen.

Giving France more reasons to celebrate, this black and white homage to the silent film era also bagged the Best Picture of the year, while Jean Dujardin took home the Oscar for the lead actor. The film topped a field that included "The Descendants," "Hugo," "The Help," "Moneyball," "War Horse," "Extremely Loud & Incredibly Close," "Midnight in Paris" and "The Tree of Life".

Hollywood veteran Meryl Streep, won the much awaited and well deserved Oscar for her tour de force portrayal of Margaret Thatcher, her third win third Oscar for lead actress, and her 17th overall nomination.

Christopher Plummer became the oldest acting winner ever at the 84th Academy Awards for his supporting performance in “Beginners,” while veteran bit player Octavia Spencer earned the supporting-actress prize for her breakout role in “The Help”.

Martin Scorsese’s Paris adventure “Hugo” set the ball rolling by winning first two prizes of the night, for cinematography and art direction. It also won for visual effects, sound mixing and sound editing.

Laughter soared inside the Kodak Theaters when TJ Martin one of the co-directors of “Undefeated”, in his excitement, uttered the F-Word after winning the Oscar for best documentary. Another with Oscar “Oops!” moments, we could say. 

-by Parmita Borah

North-East Through My Eyes 2012 , an Online Photo Contest

Eastern Fare Music Foundation in association with the North-East India community page on Facebook is organizing an online photo contest for the photographers of India - North-East Through My Eyes. The theme of the contest is North-East India.

The motive behind this contest is to promote the culture and the flora and fauna of North-East India and the region's photographers. According to the source the contest is open for all and will be from Feb 17, 2012 to Mar 20, 2012.

The judges for the contest are Tom Svensson from Sweden and Vikramjit Kakati from Assam, India.

More info about the contest can be found here.

- EFNI

Grammy Award-winning singer and actress Whitney Houston dies at 48

Grammy Award-winning singer and actress Whitney Houston has died at age 48.

Whitney Houston (1963-2012)

Houston's publicist, Kristen Foster, said Saturday that the singer had died at the Beverly Hilton Hotel, but the cause of her death was unknown. "Unfortunately it is true," the spokesman said. The time of death was called to be 3:55PM pacific standard time.

The singer was troubled by drug use and her majestic voice and regal image were ravaged by erratic behavior and a tumultuous marriage to singer Bobby Brown.

Born on August 9, 1963, and inspired by soul singers in her New Jersey family, Houston became one of the most celebrated female singers of all time, taking multiple Emmy, Grammy and Billboard Music awards.

Her popularity soared in the 1980s and 1990s with consecutive No. 1 hits including the smash single "I Will Always Love You," from the soundtrack of the feature film "The Bodyguard," in which she starred. The soundtrack won the 1994 Grammy for Album of the Year.

Google Working on Home Entertainment Center, WSJ says

Google hasn't given up on creating its own consumer electronics gear.

The Wall Street Journal is reporting that the company is working on a home entertainment device that would "stream music wirelessly throughout the home" and be marketed under Google's name.

A Google spokesman declined to comment.

According to the Journal, this would mark Google's first "full-fledged effort to design and market consumer electronics devices" under its own brand. That may be, but Google has dabbled with creating consumer products before and has met with mixed results.

Google TV was software intended to power smart TVs and other Web-connected devices and that effort has so far flopped. Then there was the Nexus One, the so-called Google Phone. The device was built by HTC and was also a commercial flop, but the Android operating system that powered the phone has been a huge hit for other carriers that offer the software in their handsets.

With the Nexus One and Google TV, the search company partnered with hardware makers. This time Google is doing it all, according to the Journal. It's not like Google doesn't know how to build hardware. Consider the company's innovative in-house server design, for example. The troubles for Google seem to come with consumer goods.

Last May, Google said it plans to put Android at the center of a host of electronically connected devices--everything from home lighting and irrigation systems to game controllers and keyboards.

The company also said at the Google I/O event that the plans include a small Android device called Project Tungsten, which would connect to speakers and home stereo systems to stream music from Google's new cloud-based music system.

It looks like Sonos and Bose, makers of a high-end home audio systems, have a big competitor coming. For years now, we've heard how nothing has replaced home stereo systems in the digital age. If you're younger than 30, you probably don't remember how high-fidelity stereo systems were once as common in people's homes as TV sets.

Once, people used to listen to albums with friends and family, but since the iPod debuted in 2001, we've stuck ear buds into our ears and listening has largely been a solitary experience. The question for this market segment is whether people still want to share music in this way.

(Via Crave)

Asom Sahitya Sabha - Biggest Literary Event of Assam

The 72nd convention of 'Asom Sahitya Sabha' begins at 'Ningrula Sammanay Khetra' in Lido, Tinsukia.

Photo - Jim Ankan Deka

The four days event starts on Feb 1 and ends on Feb 5, 2012. With many small and big events including the inauguration of 'Mamoni Raisom Goswami Tributary Book Fair Entrance', 'Book Release' events and discussions on literature with prominent litterateurs, the Sabha will emphasize on promoting culture and literature of Assam and its neighboring states.

The event will be presided by noted litterateur Rong Bong Terang who is also the present president of 'Asam Sahitya Sabha'. Delegates from all over India, as well as, some of the neighboring countries like Nepal and China will participate in the event.

Some of the prominent guests of the event are - Tarun Gogoi (Chief Minister, Assam), Dr Shurhozelie (Minister for Urban Development, Nagaland), Paban Singh Ghatowar (Union Minister), Sita Mademba (poet, Nepal), Goma Sharma (writer, Assam), Nalini Prava Deka (writer, Assam), Pinaki Thakur (poet, West Bengal), Damodar Mauzo (writer, Goa), Homen Borgohain (writer, Assam), Yese Dorjee Thongsi (writer, Assam), Dr. Rita Chowdhury (writer, Assam) etc.

Spring Fest 2012, a Review

Spring Fest 2012, IIT Kharagpur

Every year, in January, the students of Indian Institute of Technology, Kharagpur, organises a festival - the Spring Fest with 'Brobdingnagian' enthusiasm. The Spring Fest 2012, a four days event, was no different at all. Spectators of Spring Fest 2012 witnessed some of the biggest names of the music and theatre industry in the country.

Started on Jan 20, the festival was managed by the students of IIT Kharagpur and held in the campus of the institute. With delegates and contestants coming from all over the country, Spring Fest is one of the biggest festival ever held in Kharagpur, West Bengal. The festival started with an inaugural ceremony followed by the events Sanskruti and Hasya Kavi Sammelan on Jan 20.

Wildfire, one of the country's biggest college rock competitions, went nationwide with prelims in cities like Bangalore, Delhi and Guwahati. The semi-finals of the competition started on Jan 21. The Mumbai based band Blakc, apart from performing in the fest on Jan 22, also acted as guest judge for the competition.

Jan 21 witnessed another famous music competition and an acoustic western event, Lake Side Dreams. The competition was judged by Bangalore based institute Eastern Fare Music Foundation's directors Jim Ankan Deka and Ankur Deka.

Some of the other events and competitions held on Jan 21 were Aurora, an audio–visual experiment, Israeli Classical by ‘Shye Ben Tzur’, Nukkad and the power house performance by the fusion band Mrigya.

Spring Fest 2012, IIT Kharagpur

Jan 22 started with a Youth Marathon in the morning followed by Wildfire semi finals, Model United Nations and a Bollywood Hiphop Dance Workshop. Later, people roared with laughter and applause while witnessing an energetic performance by famous Bollywood actor Makrand Deshpande in the Hindi play Miss Beautiful. The other famous performers of the play were Nagesh Bhosle and Divya Jagdale. The star performers of the third day event were the members of the Delhi based band Parikrama. With more than 3000 spectators, the Jnan Ghosh Stadium turned into a fireball.

Apart from many small events, Jan 23, the final day of the Spring Fest, started with an eastern music competition Sargam in the Netaji auditorium judged by Jim Ankan Deka and Ankur Deka.

Towards the evening a photography workshop, Picture Perfect, was organised for the new generation photographers.

The Spring Fest 2012 climaxed with a glorious performance by Bollywood music industry's famous duo Vishal - Shekhar.

India Celebrates 63rd Republic Day

Thousands throng at the India Gate in Delhi to celebrate India’s 63rd Republic Day.

Republic Day parade

The customary Republic Parade, held every year, highlights the nation's achievements in various fields along with the military expertise, scintillating display of air power as also an assortment of the country's rich cultural heritage. This year the Agni-IV missile (3000 KMs Range) is the major highlight of the Republic Day Parade.The intermediate range surface-to-surface ballistic missile mounted on a road mobile launcher is being paraded by the Defence Research and Development Organization.

The Air Force contingent comprising 144 men will be led by Flight Lieutenant Sneha Shekhawatthe first woman ever to lead an IAF contingent at the Parade. The Army's Mechanized Columns concludes with a flypast by the Advanced Light Helicopter Dhruv of the Army Aviation Corps.C-130-J Super Hercules tactical aircraft, Indian Airforce’s latest also makes it debut at the parade as well.

The armaments put on display by the Indian Army includes the T-72 tank, Carrier Mortar Tracked, SMERCH Multiple Launch Rocket System, Pinaka Multi Barrel Rocket System, Full Width Mine Plough, NBC Water Purification Systems and Jammer Station VHF/UHF. The marching contingents of Navy comprising 144 men will be led by Lt. Commander Manikandan K.

Synchronized motor cycle stunts by Border Security Force, coordinated gymnastics by children for various parts of the country, Tableaux from 23 states and Central Ministries and Departments symbolizing historical, architectural and cultural heritage of the country are additional delights of the parade.

-by Parmita Borah