Author: Jibanjit

BATTLE AGAINST PLASTIC

“It’s just one straw, it’s just one plastic cup, it’s just one plastic bag”

7.8 billion people

Do you ever wonder where “away” is when you throw stuff “away”?

There is no waste that does not degrade in nature. Humans, on the other hand, invented plastic, which, due to its qualities, will always be considered “unnatural” in the ecosystem. Plastic production is low-cost, and the material’s possibilities are limitless. Because of its widespread use, plastic virtually always finds up in the environment, resulting in more plastic pollution. Every day, you come into contact with many sorts of plastic, such as a lunch box or, more commonly, a plastic bag. Plastic pollution has reached every corner of the world. It’s made its way to the depths of our oceans, isolated forest routes, Arctic ice, and island beaches where turtles lay their eggs. And the amount of plastic waste in the oceans is so large that it is referred to as the “7th continent”. By next decade, there will be more plastic in the oceans than fish, if current trends continue. We don’t know how long these plastic will take to degrade (or if it will ever degrade), but we do know that once it’s in our soil, rivers, and oceans, it’s impossible to remove. Away from the seas, plastic waste is a major issue, overflowing landfills, clogging rivers, and polluting the environment through open burning or cremation. Some plastics also contain and absorb harmful substances, putting wildlife and humans at risk.

Now, the first thing which comes to our mind when we think of a solution to this problem is recycling. But truth is only minimal percent of plastic is recycled on a global scale. Even in advanced nations, household plastic recycling rates are frequently less than 50%, with very little of it being transformed back into packaging. The majority of “recycled” packaging waste gets down cycled into lower-value or non-recyclable products, only delaying the plastic’s final trip to the landfill.

What are our options now? Short-term objectives could include reducing needless packaging that is difficult or impossible to recycle and increasing the use of reusable and refillable methods for carrying and storing goods. We’ll need to adjust our consuming habits in the long run.

The most effective strategy to combat this problem is to alter our mindsets and habits with these challenging but really useful methods:

The classroom is an excellent place to begin discussing this problem and possible solutions. Kids may improve their science knowledge and leadership skills while also learning how to make the world a better place. Educators have the power to encourage students to make a difference in the world.

By volunteering or protesting: Citizen Activists are cleaning up riverbanks, parks, and beaches in their communities, and using these events to identify the polluting firms.

There are inventive methods to prevent single-use plastics whether you’re arranging a dinner, a picnic, or even a large-scale community event.

Plastic can pollute the environment if it is not properly managed, yet it also has several benefits, such as resistance. As a result, many plastic things can be reused or adapted to new uses. It is critical to explore how plastic things can be repurposed before discarding them. And support restaurants, food chains, shops that choose to reuse.

The battle against plastic is long and hard but it’s our battle to fight, so that the generations ahead don’t have to bear the consequences of our mistake.

PRISONS AND COVID-19

The world is currently facing a public health emergency in coronavirus (COVID-19), but little has been said about the people in our prisons and juvenile detention centers.

The impact is felt strongly by prisoners in the majority of countries around the world. Even relatively well-resourced criminal justice systems have significant problems in reducing the pandemic’s impact in prisons. The repercussions are particularly severe in prison systems that were already overburdened, whether as a result of systemic neglect, a lack of manpower, or other factors. As a result, insufficient sanitation, hygiene, and health services have resulted in bad prison conditions.

Today’s record-high prison populations are the result of the criminal justice system’s failure to make the necessary changes in response to the pandemic. There is a fear of an unregulated spread of infection and escalating death toll loom with little to no data from jail authorities on current prevalence of testing and total disinterest from judges on prison conditions. Even more concerning is the complete lack of priority given to prisoners nowadays.

In public places to limit the spread of COVID-19 and avoid overburdening our health system, governments and health experts have proposed that we use the most effective technique to help flatten the curve: social distance. In prisons, though, it is nearly impossible. Because of the nature of prisons, individuals are always in close proximity to one another, separating sick people from healthy people to avoid disease transmission is impossible. This makes prisons the ideal breeding environment for COVID-19, which would spread like wildfire across the prison system once one person became infected on the inside. Almost one-third of those who enter prison have a chronic medical condition, such as asthma, cancer, cardiovascular disease, or diabetes, or are disabled. It is quite risky for the inmates.

To avoid a mass outbreak, the government must take immediate steps to limit the number of inmates in prisons, particularly those who are most vulnerable to COVID-19.

  1. Granting leave to those most vulnerable to COVID-19, such as the elderly, individuals with chronic illnesses, people with disabilities, and people with mental illnesses.
  2. Granting early release to persons in prison who are nearing the conclusion of their sentence, as has been done in several places around the United States;
  3. Granting parole or leave to those in prison who have been convicted of low-level offenses and who, if released, would pose a low risk to the community;
  4. Granting children and young people parole or leave so that they can remain with and be supported by their families during this public health crisis; and
  5. Making it easier for children, young people, and adults on remand to obtain bail if they have not been proven guilty of any criminal offense and pose a low risk to the community if freed.

Prisoners, like everyone else, are entitled to basic human rights. And despite requests from human rights organizations and others, nothing has been done to address these challenges effectively. State governments should endeavor to preserve the physical and mental well-being of people who stay in custody, particularly those who are most at danger, rather than relying solely on simple lock downs. If not, the coronavirus in prisons might be disastrous in more ways than one.

Forest Law in India: A Critical Analysis

Forests are a valuable resource for humans. And India is the 7th largest nation in the world occupying almost 3% of the world area. But on the other hand, the forests cover lies in India is only 1.8%. Forests are one of the most important natural resources, as well as a vivid expression of nature. They are also regarded as guardians and protectors of the country’s wildlife. Forests are important not only for their botanical value, but also for their recreational and scenic beauty, which brings glory and attraction to many places in India and other countries. Forests often contribute to the agriculture of the area in which they are located, whether in terms of soil fertility, soil erosion prevention, or promoting perennial stream flow in rain-fed rivers. They provide a sanctuary for wild animals, protect tribal populations, and preserve cultural identities. As a result, forests contribute to the ecological balance.

Forests also provide income, provide raw materials, and serve as a source of fuel and fodder, in addition to these environmental and ecological benefits. Conflicting views are inevitable when it comes to forest management. Ecological stability would be jeopardized if claims of growth were made.

Forests in India are under significant pressure today, and are rapidly decreasing as a result of rapid human and livestock population growth, over-use and exploitation of forest resources, conversion of forest land for non-forestry activities, agricultural development, and other illegal on forest land. Each & every legislation carries the expectations and desires of the social and political forces at work at the time it was enacted.

Historical Background

Initially, it was about the worship of holy groves, elephants in the medieval age, and how society was before colonial rule, as well as people’s attitudes toward forests.

Then there was the change in conservation strategies, with the emphasis moving from community management to more analytical management under the umbrella of the state. And lastly, the evolution of the forest laws Post Independence.

Until the early 18th century, a large number of communities on the Indian Subcontinent relied on hunting and gathering for food. The abundant rainfall and lush vegetation aided livelihoods. These communities traded forest products like herbs and honey for salt, clothes, tools, and sometimes grain with the local agricultural communities. These hunting and gathering cultures thrive on the forest products. The importance of trees, forests, and wildlife is stated in the Vedas, Puranas, and Arthashastra.

The forests were divided into four groups: Forest for wood, Reserve forest, Elephant forest and Forest for hunting.

Forests were held by local chiefs during that period, with access rights given to the peasants.

Only surplus grain production was claimed by the mughals, as well as a tax on animals above a certain weight. Villages were self-sufficient and dealt with the state as a whole. Taxes were collected both as a group and as a household. Horticulture, sheep farming, fishing, and forest holdings were all exempt. Apart from hunting preserves, the state had no clear claims to territory.

When Europeans arrived in India, the Industrial Revolution was in full swing, and a wide variety of items had become commodities. This had a major influence on Indian society.

It shifted the emphasis away. It also resulted in the disintegration of local communities. Now with manufacture and commerce became the dominant practices everything was measured in money.

The main aim of colonial law was to take over the forest land for its expansion, so resolution rights were not granted, and tribal rights were barely documented in areas where they were.

After independence, the proclaimed forests of princely states, zamindars, and private owners were transferred to the forest department, worsening the situation.

Analysis

In year 1856, Lord Dalhousie stressed the importance of a clear forest policy in India. The reason behind this awareness was the increasing difficulty in securing adequate supplies of wood (which was needed for the massive extension of railway lines that was being undertaken at the time). The first Indian Forest Act was passed in 1865. It came into effect on May 1, 1865. The Act granted the government the authority to classify any land covered in trees as government forests and to create rules for their protection. This was the British government’s first attempt at forest legislation in India. In 1878, a revised Forest Act was passed, putting an end to decades of traditional community use of their woods and giving colonial government power over forestry. On the one hand, the provisions of this Act created a virtual State monopoly over the forests in a legal sense, and on the other, they attempted to establish that the villagers’ traditional use of the forests was not a “right,” but a “privilege” that could be revoked at any time.

A new comprehensive Forest Act was passed in 1927 to make forest laws more practical and to strengthen the Forest Act. It replaced all previous laws. The Act is divided into 13 chapters and contains 86 sections. The Act’s key goals were:

1) Consolidate forest-related legislation.

2) Regulation of and the transportation of forest produce.

3) To impose a tax on timber and other materials.

There is no specific definition for forests in this Act. It divided Indian forests into three categories: Reserved forests (completely regulated by the government), Protected forests (partially controlled by the government), and Village forests (controlled by attaching villages).

Drawbacks of The Indian Forest Act, 1927

A thorough examination of the act shows that it was never intended to preserve India’s vegetation cover, but instead was passed to:

1) Ensure that cutting down of trees is governed.

2) Make money by cutting down trees and selling forest products.

Furthermore, it denied nomads and indigenous peoples of their rights and privileges to use the forests and its product. Its primary goal was to supply raw materials to forest-based industries. Forests have long been recognized as an important component of ecological equilibrium and environmental sustainability. It is important to note that the revenue-driven mentality toward the forests prevailed even after independence. As a result, the 1927 act failed miserably to protect the forest from exploitation.

The Indian Forest Policy of 1952 was a straightforward continuation of colonial forest policy. It became conscious, however, of the need to increase forest cover to one-third of total land area. Total annual revenue from forests was a critical national need at the time. Due to the two World Wars, the need for defense, construction projects such as river valley projects, industries such as pulp, paper, and plywood, and communication, forest produce was heavily reliant on national interest, and as a result, large areas of land were cleared to generate revenue for the state.

The Forest Conservation Act of 1980 was passed in order to prevent further deforestation and to protect forests. In essence, the Act simply transfers jurisdiction over forest land use decisions from the state to the central government.

On December 18, 2006, both the Lok Sabha and the Rajya Sabha passed the Scheduled Tribes and Other Traditional Forest Dwellers (Recognition of Forest Rights) Act, 2006. This law aims to give traditional forest dwellers ownership rights to forestland. The law addresses the rights of forest dwellers to land and other resources, which have been denied to them for decades as a result of India’s colonial forest laws. The Act was informed into effect on December 31, 2007, just over a year after it was passed.

The wildlife conservation lobby and the Ministry of Environment and Forests fiercely opposed the Act, describing it as the “ideal formula” for ensuring the destruction of India’s forests and wildlife by “legalizing encroachments.” Some of the criticism stems from those who see the legislation as a land-distribution system that will result in tribes and forest dwellers receiving forest land. Wildlife conservationists, on the other hand, have voiced their opposition to the Act, claiming that it would make it difficult to establish “inviolate spaces,” or areas free of human presence, for the purposes of wildlife conservation. Conservation of tigers, in particular, has been a source of concern. Many conservationists have also expressed support for amending the Act.

The Act’s proponents claim that major construction projects, such as dams, power plants, and mining operations, should be monitored rather than the forced removal of conventional forest-dependent communities in order to save the forests. Several organizations argue that it is not tribes who are introducing commercial activities into forests, but rather external commercial forces that are degrading forest resources and eroding tribal communities’ traditional lifestyles.

Role of Judiciary on Forest Laws

Forest conservation is extremely important. The area covered by forest is steadily shrinking as the Indian population grows. At least 30% of the country’s land should be covered in sufficient forest cover to ensure ecological stability. There was widespread deforestation, and the forest cover was reduced to less than 18%. Originally, forests were put on the State List, allowing states to pass forest laws on their own. Forests were added to the Concurrent List in 1976, allowing Parliament to pass legislation on the subject. Despite the government’s main efforts, deforestation has persisted. The Supreme Court issued broad guidelines in 1996 to oversee the implementation of forest laws throughout the country. In India, the courts have played a pivotal role in environmental and eco-system preservation. The Indian Supreme Court has given numerous directives and instructions to avoid environmental degradation in a number of cases. The framework of the judicial system, as well as the constitutional and legislative provisions, must be considered in order to comprehend the role of the courts in this regard. In India, litigation has enunciated a web of doctrines and interpreted Constitutional law from an environmental standpoint. Non-forest activities and the awarding of leases for non-forest activities were also outlawed by the court.

The article focused on many of the major forest laws; during the British time, several laws were enacted in order to generate revenue. For the continuation of human society as we know it, forests and the goods they provide are universally needed. We generally do not consider it worthy of further inquiry since shifting our society to one that is not dependent on the forest and its associated benefits requires such a massive fundamental change. Given this situation, it is critical that we develop mechanisms to sustainably manage the forest for all of the benefits it can bring. The first step was taken in the form of the Indian Forest Act, 1927, whose main goal was to categorize forests and determine to what degree the government could intervene in private forest matters, as well as how the notification for reserved forest was made. At times, I believe the state intervened in private affairs as well. With the enactment of the Forest (Conservation) Act in 1980, a significant change in post-independence forest management regimes occurred. The Act was enacted to control large-scale forest land diversion for non-forest purposes. It did not, however, include a blanket prohibition on such diversion. As a result, large areas of forest have been diverted for agriculture, mining, and construction purposes, such as dams that cause forest destruction. Furthermore, the legislation was criticized for restricting local communities’ rights. The Government of India launched a new National Forest Policy, which represented a significant departure from the 1952 policy by focusing on environmental stability and forest conservation while meeting the domestic needs for fuel, wood, fodder, and minor forest produce for rural and tribal populations. As discussed above it is clear that we must strictly enforce the forest laws, and that all administrative organs must work together in a normative approach to ensure that the forest laws are properly implemented, since laws are worthless without the aspect of enforcement and remedies.

Right to Privacy (Post-Puttaswamy Judgment)

In this modern age, information is power. And allowing the government to exercise this power over us is not only a grave breach of our privacy but also a betrayal of the idea on which this nation stands on i.e, free and democratic. And this project by the government doesn’t allow us to be free and democratic as it stands as an obstacle for us to enjoy the right to privacy which means having control over your own personal data and the ability to grant or deny access to others. Even though many might argue that, the right of privacy is nowhere specified under the constitution as a fundamental right, but it has been declared by the SC as implied to the Fundamental Right to Life and Personal Liberty. (Govind v. State of MP SC, 1975)

Apart from the threat of mass surveillance through the AADHAR Scheme, one of the major concerns is the issue of confidentiality of the database. And the same was mentioned in the case of K.S. Puttaswamy (Retd) vs Union of India (SC, 2017). In this case, a PIL was filed against the government in the SC. It was contended that the government was storing all the acquired data in a centralized database without any proper safety measures any private entity can use that data. And it was also contended that the govt. was implementing this project without any legislative backing. It was pointed out that the NIAI Bill, 2010 which introduced in the Rajya Sabha was still pending. That since UIDAI was running on only an executive order, it cannot collect biometric data of citizens as it would be a violation of privacy under Article 21 of the Constitution.

The Supreme Court overruled verdicts given in the M.P. Sharma v. Union of India (SC, 1954) case and the Kharak Singh (SC, 1963) case, both of which said that the right to privacy is not protected under the Indian constitution. And held that all citizens enjoy a fundamental right to privacy, a right that is protected under Article 21 of the constitution.

In 2019, the Bombay High Court (High Court) was given the opportunity to rule on the law of phone tapping and surveillance in the post-Puttaswamy era, applying the principles of the right to privacy to section 5(2) of the Information Technology Act. In Vinit Kumar (Writ Petition 2367/2019) case, a businessman accused of paying bribes to bank staff in order to obtain credit, and challenged certain CBI orders directing the interception of his phone calls, claiming that such orders were ultra-vires of section 5(2) of the IT Act. The Court ruled that intercepting the businessman’s communications was unlawful, overturned the orders, and ordered that any information gathered through the surveillance be destroyed. This case is important in ensuring that fundamental rights are protected and that authorities do not abuse the authority of phone surveillance to target individual people for economic crimes or to evade legal procedures. In the time we live in, it appears that the judgment given in Puttaswamy case will be tested again and again.

Right to Information as a tool to Fight against Corruption

Our ruling party has declared the battle against corruption to be a top priority. However, corruption is still widespread in the country, with numerous cases of political and bureaucratic corruption, public funds theft, fraudulent procurement practices, and judicial corruption. It is the abuse of authority and money by governments and individuals for personal gain, such as lobbying or diverting funds intended for public welfare into private sectors.

Corruption is a problem that, like a weed in a crop, threatens government transparency and citizen accountability. However, where there is a problem, there is also a solution: RTI.

Yes, Information is power but not by itself. Information, on the other hand, is an essential first step in the exercise of economic and political power. Changes in who can do what are brought about through opening up information channels.

In India, the government passed the landmark Right to Information Act in 2005 after a statewide movement driven by grassroots and civil society organizations. Since then, social activists, civil society organizations, and ordinary citizens have used the Act to effectively combat corruption and increase government transparency and accountability.

Right to Information laws give citizens the legal right to access information stored by their governments, bringing much-needed transparency to the government’s otherwise opaque operations. More than 80 countries have now passed such legislation, with the number expanding every year. The RTI Act of India is widely regarded as a robust and effective statute. Over the last six years, ordinary Indian residents have used the RTI to demand a wide range of information from their government.

The RTI Act of 2005 was enacted by the Government of India to provide transparency to an environment riddled with intrigue, secrecy, and corruption. This law has been used quite effectively by Indian citizens to bring about both large and little changes. The RTI Act has profoundly altered the power dynamic between the government and the governed, bringing together individuals who wield state authority in any form on the one hand, and millions of people who are impacted by the state’s decisions and operations on the other. No other law in India’s statute book allows citizens so much ability to question any public authority in the country in such a straightforward manner. And every citizen needs to take advantage of this power which is given to them by asking questions to their government by filing RTI requests, rather than assuming that they are answering us because it is their right to inquire.

Privatization of Prison: A Perspective

One of the most formidable challenges which our criminal justice system is facing today is the overcrowding of prisons. This century has witnessed a significant growth in the number of offenders brought before the court. It has became almost impossible to deal with such an oversized population in the prison in result it has placed a colossal burden on prison authorities as well as the government that must finance the confinement of such a large number of prisoners.

Prison privatization basically connects governments in need of more prison capacity with private corporations capable of providing such capacity. Local, state, and central governments accept bids from private companies to run prisons, jails, and detention centers. Private enterprises compete in theory to submit the best bid. In practice, the business is dominated by two major corporations, competition is restricted. The successful bidder then takes complete responsibility for running a prison’s day-to-day operations, including employing personnel, disciplining inmates, stocking supplies, and delivering legally mandated programming, among other things. The government pays the corporation in exchange. Because the paid fee is often less than the cost per inmate in a public prison or detention center, public agencies are encouraged to participate into such contracts in order to save money on correctional expenditures. The firm also bears legal accountability in the event of legal or constitutional challenges by taking over operational tasks. Prison privatization debates usually revolve around three issues: cost, quality, and morality.

After collecting several data from sources like National Crime Records Bureau, Bureau of Justice Statistics, National Informatics Center, Penal Reform and Justice Association, everything indicates that private prisons are seen to provide solid advantages but also with some drawbacks. However, some drawbacks because the risk will grow as the cost reduction become more dominant. Private prisons must meet certain standards in creating the regulatory and accountability mechanisms which will eventually regulate their operations. Private prisons can help improvement of the entire prison system if they’re properly regulated and held accountable to the general public.

Talking about the situation in India even though there will be multiple problems in such a diverse country there is great scope in India for privatization of prisons, with the overcrowded prison system and the increase in number of cases. Therefore, there ought to be a dedicated committee formed by the govt. in order to look into the possibility of the plan for India and the absolute best models that can be constructed to make sure that even when privatized, prisons of India treat prisoners with care and provide them with a mandatory quality of life and fulfill their basic rights.

The Best TV Episodes

We are living in the Golden era of television. Since the year 2000, television has evolved dramatically. The rise of cable networks resulted in a period of more innovation, quality and quantity, which has since been surpassed by the arrival of streaming services. TV has become the primary source of entertainment for the majority of the population since the introduction of streaming services such as Netflix, Hulu, Amazon Prime, HBO Max and Disney Plus. Previously the thought of a network airing a complete season on a single day was unthinkable. Episodes aired week after week, sometimes back to back, and so on – until streaming services showed their willingness to take a different path. With the knowledge that television is undergoing yet another revolution, and that the medium’s limits and definitions may alter yet again, it seems appropriate to reflect on the past.

With that said, let’s directly jump into the very best chapters of television the medium had to offer.

Note: I’ve considered only one episode per a TV show to make the list more diverse.

The Winds of Winter, Game of Thrones (Season 6, Episode 10)

IMDb Rating: 9.9

Written by: David Benioff, D. B. Weiss

Directed by: Miguel Sapochnik

Air date: June 26, 2016

This is an all-timer. This episode is Game of Thrones at its very best. It offers everything a fan wished for, a shocking yet satisfying end to one of the best seasons of the show.

International Assassin, The Leftovers (Season 2, Episode 8)

IMDb Rating: 9.6

Written by: Damon Lindelof, Nick Cuse

Directed by: Craig Zobel

Air date: November 22, 2015

International Assassin is the most polarizing episode of the most polarizing show, a stress test of an episode that pushes the show’s concept and expands its universe in ways that not everyone will appreciate and that makes it so special and unique.

Chicanery, Better Call Saul (Season 3, Episode 5)

IMDb Rating: 9.7

Written by: Gordon Smith

Directed by: Daniel Sackheim

Air date: May 8, 2017

A standout episode of the show as it stages a bittersweet showdown. This episode marks the climax of a seasons-long power play between Chuck and Jimmy. This episode is a relatively simple installment on a plot level. But it’s the character interactions, as well as the show’s willingness to bring out the worst in these characters and pit them against each other, that have us hooked. This is one of the defining TV episodes you’ll come across on television today.

407 Proxy Authentication Required, Mr. Robot (Season 4, Episode 7)

IMDb Rating: 9.9

Written by and Directed by: Sam Esmail

Air date: November 17, 2019

If there was ever an episode that defined a series, then this is the one. The episode that finally revealed the origin of the titular character. A riveting hour of television, you feel like the characters when you complete the episode, but you embrace every second of it because this is how good television should feel: thrilling, horrifying, and a little bit nauseating.

The Suitcase, Mad Men (Season 4, Episode 7)

IMDb Rating: 9.7

Written by: Matthew Weiner

Directed by: Jennifer Getzinger

Air date: September 5, 2010

The Suitcase says so much with so little, without a visual or narrative trick in sight. And in doing so, it defines a show and sets a high bar for the next decade of television, and most likely the next decade after that. The Suitcase is the one of the best episodes because it tells the show’s story in miniature: flawed, difficult, and damaged characters finding salvation in their job, though not enough to save them from themselves.

Start, The Americans (Season 6, Episode 10)

IMDb Rating: 9.8

Written by: Joe Weisberg, Joel Fields

Directed by: Chris Long

Air date: May 30, 2018

Perhaps the most overlooked episode in the list. The series finale of The Americans is a subdued, sublime, and utterly tragic send-off to one of television’s best shows. It delivered a wondrous wallop that crackled with sadness and urgency. The episode is a fascinating flight full of heartbreaking decisions and unexpected swerves.

If-Then-Else, Person of Interest (Season 4, Episode 11)

IMDb Rating: 9.9                             

Written by: Denise Thé

Directed by: Chris Fisher

Air date: January 6, 2015

Person of Interest’s never-ending ability to deliver mind-blowing episodes is what makes it one of the best tv shows. And the episode If-Then-Else does exactly the same. Smart, action-filled chapter with a powerfully sad and meaningful conclusion. As the main plot of the show is about the relationship between humans and machine, this episode in particular dig deeper in to that. This episode is about what it means to be a machine, but it’s also about what it means to be human.

Final Grades, The Wire (Season 4, Episode 13)

IMDb Rating: 9.5

Written by: David Simon, Ed Burns

Directed by: Ernest Dickerson

Air date: December 10, 2006

The Wire’s fourth season came to a close with a mega-episode that alternated between periods of crushing despair and sparks of hope and optimism. Watching this episode was like putting down a fantastic book, one that had provided knowledge, excitement, a view into another world, and consistent brilliance with character development throughout the season.

ronny/lily, Barry (Season 2, Episode 5)

IMDb Rating: 9.8

Written by: Alec Berg, Bill Hader, Taofik Kolade

Directed by: Bill Hader

Air date: April 28, 2019

Perhaps the most recent episode on the list. It was released during the same weekend when Game of Thrones most awaited episode The Long Night and Marvel’s Avengers: Endgame came. But somehow this episode of Barry impressed me the most when it comes to action sequences and storytelling. The episode is an absolute knockout it’s suspenseful, surreal, and darkly hilarious.

Pine Barrens, The Sopranos (Season 3, Episode 11)

IMDb Rating: 9.7

Written by: Tim Van Patten, Terence Winter

Directed by: Steve Buscemi

Air date: May 6, 2001

The oldest episode on the list but the one that defined television forever. A distinctly self-contained short story. The episode is a classic example of the show’s unpredictability and surprisingly humorous tone. It’s basically a cross between an anti-buddy comedy and a nightmare; it’s funny, absurd, and horrifying all at the same time.

The View From Halfway Down, BoJack Horseman (Season 6, Episode 15)

IMDb Rating: 9.9

Written by: Alison Tafel

Directed by: Amy Winfrey

Air date: January 31, 2020

The only animated episode in the list. The episode is a depressing perspective on the inevitability of death. Although this is an adult cartoon, one of the things that make it wonderful is that the writers put a lot of effort into crafting strong writing and a great tale that does credit to all of the characters and the result can be seen in this episode.

Ozymandias, Breaking Bad (Season 5, Episode 14)

IMDb Rating: 10

Written by: Moira Walley-Beckett

Directed by: Rian Johnson

Air date: September 15, 2013

Do you ever watch something where you are so emotionally invested by the characters, setting and story that when it’s over, you can’t help but sit and contemplate what you just watched? Exactly felt the same after watching this episode. Ozymandias is perhaps the most gut-wrenching, twisted, horrific, well-planned episode ever made. This episode is Breaking Bad storytelling at its finest. It’s completely flawless. Not surprising that it is the highest-rated episode in the history of television.

IMPORTANCE AND VALUE OF INTERNSHIPS

With the world changing daily, the people around it needed to be the part of that growth cycle too. Getting a job in today’s market is definitely challenging and that’s where internship makes a difference. An internship is probably the most important thing to get out of your undergraduate education because internships combine classroom knowledge and theory with practical application and skills earned in professional or community settings. This is the most significant aspect of internships. They also provide many advantages to students, both while pursuing a degree and afterward when looking for a job. Students also get numerous essential professional connections through practical learning opportunities such as internships before they even graduate. Internships not only help you gain professional experience, but they also help you build your character. When it comes to hiring, there are many businesses that prefer personal attributes over professional competence. Integrity, devotion, and self-motivation are just a few of the attributes that can be taught through an internship. During an internship, a student may meet a mentor who can assist him in a variety of ways. Even when you will become successful but these lessons you learned will stay with you forever. And employers will want college graduates who have more than just qualification when they leave school; they will want individuals who have the personal traits required to do a good job. An internship’s main value is that it sharpens one’s skills, but it also helps one develop character in the workplace. Internships are a great way to learn new abilities, put them to the test, and grow as a person so you can apply what you’ve learned in the classroom to the real world. Internships are essential for students to prepare for the workforce and most firms nowadays are looking for college graduates who have prior work experience and abilities in a specific industry. While everyone hopes to leave an internship feeling elated and enthusiastic about the opportunity, there is a silver lining if you don’t enjoy the work: you’ll learn what you don’t like. And that is equally important too.

It’s also true that the presence of internships benefits more than only students. Employers will benefit from a variety of distinct advantages when they hire soon-to-be graduates. When it comes to hiring new personnel, hiring is always taking a risk in deciding whether or not an applicant is a good fit. But an internship allows a company to assess how a candidate would perform in the real world. Organizations can utilise internships to teach the up-and-coming generation of industry experts to the distinctive elements, offerings, and needs of their brand, in addition to using them to acquire an in-depth review of soon-to-be graduates. Employers can learn from students’ fresh perspectives too.

It is undeniable that internships and other experiential learning opportunities are only beneficial for boosting someone’s career. But internships aren’t just for your resume if you’re about to graduate. Their advantages aren’t confined to fresh graduates; they can be felt at any point in one’s career.

UNIFICATION OF PRIVATE INTERNATIONAL LAW

Dictionary meaning of unification is “being united or made into a whole.”

Many lawyers believed a century ago that the law of individual nations could and would eventually be unified. In a well know speech made in 1888, Ernst Zitelmann advanced a case for “global law” (Weltrecht). Because the formalities of legal provisions are the same everywhere and policy goals are, or will be, shared by every civilized society, his argument goes, the law of every nation will eventually converge.

Now, it has been said earlier that the need for private international law arises because the internal laws of different countries differ from each other. There will almost certainly be no need for private international law if all countries’ internal laws provide uniform rules. But then, difference is not only in the internal laws of different countries but also in the private international laws of countries, on account of which sometimes conflicting decisions are pronounced by the courts of different countries on the same matter. Thus, the need for the unification of rules of private international law arises.

There are two modes for unification of private international law:

  • Unification of the internal laws of the countries of the world, and
  • Unification of the rules of private international law

The first step in the direction of the unification of internal laws was taken by the Bern Convention of 1886 under which an international union for the protection of rights of authors over their literary and artistic works was formed.

But this method of unification has not been successful in the long run because every nation differs from the other with respect to culture, religion, the upbringing of the people, public policy, etc.

On account of basic ideological differences among the countries of the world, it is not possible to achieve unification of all private laws. Therefore, another method of avoiding the situation where courts in different countries may arrive at different results on the same matter is the unification of the rules of Private International Law. Given the necessity of unifying Private International Law standards, various substantial international attempts have been made in this regard, some of which have been successful. Prior to 1951, the main focus was on unifying the principles of private international law of European Continental countries, as the vast majority of them have civil law systems. On the other hand, nothing could be done towards the unification of rules of private international law of the commonwealth countries and the United States on the account of fundamental differences between the two systems of law. However, following 1951, several significant attempts at unifying the rules of private international law of all countries of the world were attempted, with some success. In 1951, a permanent bureau of Hague Conference was constituted to look after this issue. The purpose of the Hague Conference on Private International Law (HccH) is to work for the broad unification of the rules of private international law. HccH creates and promotes international agreements in the areas of child protection, family and property relations, legal cooperation and litigation, and commercial and financial law.

This is now handled by the International Institute for Unification of Private Law (UNIDROIT). It is an independent intergovernmental organization with its seat in Villa Aldobrandini in Rome. And its purpose is to study the needs and methods for modernizing, harmonizing and coordinating private, and in particular commercial law, as between states and group of states and to formulate uniform law instruments, principles, and rules to achieve those objectives. It was set up in 1926 as an auxiliary organ of the League of Nations. The Institute was re-established in 1940 on the basis of multilateral agreement, the UNIDROIT Statute. As of 2014, UNIDROIT has 63 state members from over 5 continents.

BENEFITS

If the rules of Private International Laws are unified, it’ll reduce the amount of conflicts which arise when a foreign element is involved. Also the proceedings will be less time-consuming. The proceedings will run smoothly and move ahead in an efficient manner as the Courts would know which law to apply and would not have to spend time on that question. Also, in this era of globalization, unification of rules can bring the entire world on the same platform.

DRAWBACKS AND CHALLENGES

Internal laws of every country are different to each other as per their requirement. But now, the trend which can be observed is that even Private International Laws are very different from one another and not uniform in most of the countries. The foremost challenge in the unification of rules is to make different countries agree to the same rules. Secondly, for obvious reasons every nation would want the rules to be as per their needs. So such circumstances, the requirements of some/many countries may be overlooked even if uniform rules are agreed to. Another major challenge will be to enforce these rules in each and every countries of the world.

Since laws differ from one state to another often times, the conclusions for a defined problem are different, for different states. Now, unification of the internal laws of every country is practically impossible because the internal laws of every country are made only as per the requirements for their society. Therefore, internal laws differ from country to country.

But if rules for private international law are unified then it might solve the dilemma of deciding the applicable laws in a matter involving foreign element. As private international law rules are applied as the domestic rules of a country.

With the help of such unification duration of court proceedings could be reduced and uniformity among the countries could be brought. Also with the help of unification all the countries could be bought at same platform.

The fundamental concept of unification is that the final goal of all the courts of all countries of world is similar that is to bring justice. Thus, with the help of unification of rules of private international law justice could be served at a fast rate and conflicting judgments on same matter by different courts of different countries can be avoided.

IDENTITY THEFT IN CYBERSPACE

Cybercrime is one of the most pressing issues the world is facing right now. And it will be one of the greatest risks over the next decade, outpacing the likes of terrorism, political conflict and degradation of environment. Cybercrime includes unauthorized access of information and breach of security like privacy, password, and other personal information of any person with the use of internet. Identity theft is a part of cybercrime that involves committing theft via computers or internet. Identity theft is important in today’s world because of the increasing importance of identity-related knowledge in e-government, the economy, and socialization. Any internet user’s identity can be stolen in seconds, and the user may be unaware of it. There are various tools available in the internet which allows anyone to steal data of any particular user, if he/she is connected to internet. It is not necessary for the hacker to have extensive knowledge of internet technology or how networking functions. For most people who use the internet, identity theft is a big concern.

Cybercrime is defined as “offences committed against individuals or groups of individuals with a criminal motive to deliberately damage the victim’s reputation or cause physical or mental harm, or loss, to the victim directly or indirectly, using modern telecommunication networks such as the Internet (chat rooms, emails, notice boards, and groups) and mobile phones (SMS/MMS).” It is a modern-day crime involving criminal activities in cyberspace, in which any electronic communication device, database, or the internet is used as a weapon, target, or both. Cyberspace is a virtual environment where people interact through a computer network. As a result, it is a space that has no geographical boundaries and is open to everyone, anywhere in the world that has internet access.

Cybercrime is on the rise in modern times, as people become more dependent on computers, the internet, and related technologies, as well as the digitalization of different services, and it is rapidly becoming a threat that must be tackled. The internet has certainly many advantages, but it has also made the committing of such cyber crimes simpler. Identity theft in cyberspace is one such crime. Identity theft is a type of cybercrime in which a person’s identity is stolen in order to obtain illegal monetary benefit or deceive others, and in some instances, it may put the victim’s personal safety at risk. Identity theft that happens over the internet is referred to as online identity theft or identity theft in cyberspace. The name of the crime is a little misleading because when something is stolen, the victim is dispossessed, whereas when a person’s identity is stolen, the victim is not dispossessed. The identity of a person, whether alive or dead, refers to and includes their private info, such as their name, date of birth, e-mail address, bank details, IT returns, medical insurance details, and other accounts. Identity theft is a term used to describe a variety of crimes in which someone illegally obtains and uses another person’s personal information in any way that includes deception or fraud, usually for financial gain. Hacking accounts, phishing, spear phishing, denial of service, distributed denial of service, data theft, spyware installation, cookies, e-mail/SMS spoofing are just a few of the ways this crime is committed, and new ways are emerging every day. In the years 2014, 2015, 2016, and 2017, India reported 9622, 1192, 12317, and 21796 cybercrimes respectively, according to the National Crime Record Bureau. And there were 27248 cybercrimes reported in 2018, with 55.2 percent (15,051 out of 27248) being for the purpose of fraud. And in year 2019 there were 650,523 complaints of identity theft and the numbers increased it was more than 1 million in the year 2020. (Data as per Federal Trade Commission, Consumer Sentinel Network)

This trend shows that a change is imminent and preventive measure must be taken to curb this millennial crime and facilitate India’s growth into a trillion-dollar economy. One way to accomplish this is to educate the general public about the risks involved with using the internet and the importance of using standard protective measures such as using a safe WIFI network, firewall, and not sharing passwords, which are all commonly ignored.

Identity theft has become a major crime all over the world, posing a threat to both individuals and businesses. Thieves, fraudsters, and criminals use identity theft in a way to extract private information from people and make huge amount of money from them. As a result, it is vital to increase people’s awareness of how to protect themselves in online networks through education. In terms of public education costs, it is important to note that governments and other large businesses should view these costs as investments rather than expenses in order to create a safe society.

Banks, financial institutions, and retail stores, for example, are more vulnerable than most small companies or firms because they collect people’s personal information in their databases. As a result, these organisations must have sufficient strategies, policies, and actions in place to defend themselves from mass identity theft. Security awareness, education, technical control, and an effective information management strategy should all be part of a successful defensive system. Identity theft by insiders is a major concern for organisations, according to various reports. Thus, organisations should consider implementing a strict and reliable internal control to prevent identity theft. Organizations should inform workers about the most common type of attack, social engineering, and its consequences. Managers should also be conscious that poor performance and negligence for the effects of future attacks not only results in substantial financial losses, but also harms the company’s reputation. Individuals and organisations must agree that they are vulnerable to identity theft; as a result, implementing the most efficient security system should be linked to developing the understanding of potential threats, since “Awareness is the best defence.”

World of Wong Kar Wai

“He remembers those vanished years. As though looking through a dusty window pane, the past is something he could see, but not touch. And everything he sees is blurred and indistinct.”

In the Mood for Love

If you are familiar with Wong Kar Wai’s work you know by now from the above dialogue what I’m talking about. And the reason I started this article with a dialogue from this movie because it symbolizes something and that is the style of Wong Kar Wai’s cinema whose prominent theme are often about time and inevitability. Often capturing a distinct separation or a missed opportunity.

Being a perfectionist, Wong Kar-wai has only directed a few films in his long career. But it is safe to say that he is one of the few filmmakers who have never made a bad film.

Here is the list of Wong Kar Wai’s movies that you must watch. Let’s start off the list with his magnum opus:

In the Mood for Love (2000)

Set in Hong Kong in 1962, “In the Mood for Love” stars Tony Leung as Chow Mo-Wan and Maggie Cheung as Su Li-Zhen. This is a film about a possible affair between two neighbors who discover their spouses are sleeping together. But it’s also, and perhaps more importantly, a film about the aftereffects of an affair that’s already occurred and is still occurring off-screen. In the Mood for Love is a complete work of art that is both dreamy and grounded in every sense.

Chungking Express (1994)

This 1994 masterpiece, a two-sided view of life in Hong Kong in the 1990s that would become one of the defining works of its era, was Wong Kar Wai’s international breakthrough. Chungking Express is more of a love letter to Hong Kong than a traditional romance which is told in two parts. Takeshi Kaneshiro and Tony Leung play Hong Kong cops looking for love and connection in one of the world’s busiest cities. Even though for some reason people prefer the second part of the movie, but it’s safe to say that neither halves would be so good without the other. Both halves of “Chungking Express” are required to provide a complete vision of a city in which people can be close enough to feel at home but too far away to touch. Chungking Express is one of those films that you can watch again and again, but still can’t get enough of it.

Fallen Angels (1995)

Fallen Angels is sort of a spiritual sequel to his 1994 masterpiece ‘Chungking Express’. Even he suggested the mentioned movies can watched as a double feature and experience will remain the same. In this movie, Wong Kar Wai explores with overlapping storytelling once more, but this film is renowned more for its visuals flair, a frenzied, wide-lensed experience that drew analogies to 1990s music video culture. In the end, “Fallen Angels’” messiness is what makes it most satisfying; the film’s tangled turmoil allows its survivors to discover a sense of hope in one another.

Happy Together (1997)

If some audiences found Wong Kar Wai’s “Fallen Angels” a touch too detached, he followed it up in 1997 with one of his most emotionally powerful films, a romance starring Tony Leung and Leslie Cheung as a couple travelling across Argentina. A relationship between the sensible, calm Lai and the disruptive, non-monogamous Ho, on the other hand, is doomed to fail. Wong Kar Wai brings beauty to a tragic story of a troubled relationship between dissimilar personalities in a way only he can, using a non-linear, disconnected storyline combined with his unique styling. Everything about Happy Together is familiar to fans of Wong’s earlier films, and yet everything is also different.

2046 (2004)

A lonely author writes novels about a train departing for 2046, a destination where people go to relive their lost experiences. Except for the writer, no one has ever returned from the location. “Love is all a matter of timing,” says a film in which time is deceptive, elliptical, and continuously calls back and forth. Nothing is more beautiful than something that has never been fully realized. Every time you see this film, it just makes you feel that you are a part of it, you feel the nostalgia, the pain and the unrequited love.

Enjoy your Wong Kar Wai movie marathon.