Today is the 20th anniversary of UN’s Convention on Rights of the Child and various ceremonies are being held all over the world to mark the event. This Convention on Rights of the Child (CRC) was signed in 1989 and it endorses and guarantees basic right of all children to life, education, play and protection from abuse. This landmark human rights treaty it seems was ratified by record 193 countries with noteworthy intriguing omission of two nations -US and Somalia.

Has this Convention on Rights of the Child made any difference to the state of children around the world? There are record high number of children dying every day due to disease, lack of proper nutrition and conflicts. Overflowing orphanages, abandoned children, school drop-outs and child labor still exist. Gun totting child soldiers in Congo and other parts of the world are a reality. Scores of children are getting killed, maimed and injured due to continuing conflicts and wars all over the world. Many more are getting abused in the comforts of homes and school.

The only difference is modern world acknowledges child rights and there are various organizations which create awareness for its implementation, legalities to protect children are in place too but we are very far from creating a safe world for our children.

Via Guardian

Stem cell research has opened whole new way of treatment for various ailments and the most recent one has been of creating a new skin which could help seriously burnt patients immensely. Researchers from France have claimed that they have invented a way to create new skin from human embryonic stem cells.

According to the report published in Lancet journal stem cells were grafted on to mice and it took only 12 weeks for new human skin to form.  The technique involved was replication of biological process of formation of skin during embryonic growth.

This creation of human skin will bring hope to scores of seriously burnt victims who have to go through painful process of grafting their own skin or artificial nets which involves more time and risk of dehydration, infection and in the end of it all rejection too.

Everyday many people all around the globe become victims of serious burns due to various causes and can never recover completely from the scars.  New human skin from embryonic cells will open up an entire new effective way of treating skin burns.

via BBC

Oprah Winfrey one of the media icons who took her popular talkshow to dizzy heights of success in last more than 20 years has decided to end her show in 2011 and move on to create her own television channel. She has grown along with the medium in past two decades and her decision should not come as a surprise as she is not dumping the television media which made her a household name. She will be back in a big way with many more interesting shows on her OWN (Oprah Winfrey Channel) channel.

Oprah Winfrey show is a long standing show and it would be difficult to point at one reason for its immense success. If one has to pick up one reason for its popularity then it is definitely Oprah herself. Her candid style of conversation with her celebrity and non celebrity guest, the issues she addresses and all laced with wit and emotions has touched a chord among Americans and people all over the globe. She has made glass ceiling non-existent for here is a black woman who has made to the top and is aiming higher.

Critics have much to say about her shows but in today’s media TRP is the last word. Oprah, all the best and you know why audiences love you!

Via Guardian

Most people cherish good memories of childhood and it is best phase in one’s life when mind is full of wonder. But realities are different for some troubled families where the children are ill treated and abused. Childhood is simply denied to these children and they grow up as individuals with deep scars. CAF onlus is a NGO which was founded in Italy way back in 1979 for the children who face ill-treatment and abuse and it works to restore the childhood and all little joys of it for these children. Their print-ad on the eve of 30th anniversary of the organization is extremely poignant and probably depicts the difficult job they do by simply persisting.

The print advertisement shows a girl with a balloon made of stone. The frozen expression on the little girl’s face and the stone balloon depict the burden and pain these abused children carry. An organisation like CAF simply lightens their burdens and brings back the simple. They  heal them and make them connect to the joys and wonders of the childhood thus lightening the weight of that balloon to make it soar.

The campaign by Grey Milan is very thoughtful and creates awareness about grim reality of child abuse and how CAF works positively with children.

Via Inspiration Room Daily

Photography is not merely freezing a moment, it sometimes reveals more. Photographer David Schultz has captured a rare candid moment of group of Emperor Penguins getting curious about camera in Antarctica.

David Schultz considers this as a ‘great photo’ because everything came together at a precise moment but to capture this precise moment also marks him as a great photographer. Emperor penguins here seem to very curious and what is extremely striking is the position of one of them behind the camera, that too peering through the lens and other two seem to be taking a pose before it. This is best candid shot ever. It just rubs in the fact that humans need not take pride in their intellect.

These penguins seem as curious about human beings and their activities as human beings are about them. These penguins were so fascinated by David Schultz presence that they approached him every day and let him take their pictures.

It is a rare picture and much thanks to David Schultz for sharing it with millions of others!

Via Telegraph

Nasa’s Lunar Crater Observation and Sensing Satellite (LCROSS) had made an impact into Cabeus crater near south pole of Moon on 9th October and had kicked up debris as high as one mile. Scientists have analyzed the plume of the debris and concluded that it was frozen water. It seems quite a significant quantity of water was thrown up when LCROSS crashed into the crater. This finding would herald a new era of solar system study and space exploration, after all water is an important resource and it also gives a promise of sustenance of life.

It would be too early to conclude the implications of this finding but nevertheless it does give a lease of life to hopes that there could be life elsewhere and in future human beings could colonize the moon. With water resource readily available researchers can now hope to set up lunar base for future lunar and space exploration. The only hitch could be budget required for such ambitious projects. As of now study of the debris seems to unlocked important mystery about lunar surface which was believed to be devoid of water.

Via Telegraph

Nikon has launched an innovative twitter campaign to promote Nikon D5000 by asking users to upload their videos for Nikon Film Festival contest ‘A day through your lens’ under. The campaign was kick started by Aston Kutcher by simply tweeting and posting link to his short video shot during his recent visit to Africa with wife Demi Moore. A short twitter message that said, “Check out my short film documenting a recent trip to Africa.  Let me know what you think” started the whole campaign.

Nikon is not just using popular microblogging service for promotion it is also restricting content in twitter style – the video has to be less than 140secs in length.  What better ways to promote a cell with camera than making people shoot videos for contest where winner has a chance to win $100,000? Nikon has indeed cashing on the wide reach of Twitter and Twitter too will cash on the extra traffic generated due to this contest. Nikon is enlisting other celebrities to endorse the campaign too and thus reachout their huge Twitter fan following.

Times they are truly changing for the advertising world!

Via Brandweek

History is for remembering, learning lessons and celebrating rare triumphant moments. Fall of Berlin Wall was one such historic happening which people all over the globe remember and celebrate. The 20th anniversary of the fall of the Berlin Wall has inspired many advertising campaigns. Microsoft Windows has hit the nail with its “Break Down the Walls” campaign targeted at its own software sales staff. It concealed a letter of invitation to sales promotion inside concrete which had to be broken with hammer. Sales employees could also win a trip to Berlin by joining sales promotion. The idea was to inspire them to break down walls and build up sales.

DHL’s good old print campaign shows a young East German in 1989 unpacking a hammer and picture shows the glimpse of Berlin Wall still standing through his window. The intelligent tag line said, “Before you even think you need it.”

Becks Beer, Australia is also celebrating the fall of Berlin wall and has come up with great campaign remembering the days of history of Berlin Wall, its fall and contemporary merged Berlin. It has also lined up special anniversary tour of Beck’s Berlin Sessions that will help Australians discover best German DJs and Berlin club culture.

Reports and sources are hinting that Obama will concede to demand of Gen. Stanley Mc Chrystal and send nearly 40,000 more troops to Afghanistan and that too with plans of longer stay. White House has denied the reports about any such decision.

With war situation worsening in Afghanistan and number of casualties going higher every passing day and demand of more troops, a new Afghan strategy seems to be definitely on cards. It is expected that Obama will make announcements after returning from his scheduled China tour. According to sources and reports Obama may send 40,000 troops in phases and increase the total force to 100,000 troops which will stay for 4 years till Afghan army and police force are strengthened by Mc. Chrystal.

But the important pressing questions are, will this war ever end? Can troops win a war? When declaring war against terror on foreign soil by Bush is being seen as a flawed decision, why Obama wants to carry the burden of war for longer time and that too during the times of recession? And recent election fall-out in Afghanistan clearly shows that war torn nation needs to uproot and eliminate corruption as a first step towards nation building.

Via CBSNEWS

Nokia wants to promote its new X6 phone and new music content sharing features and Rihanna is ready to launch her new R rated album. So it is a partnership deal between Nokia, Rihanna and Universal Music Group International. Rihanna music will go across to her fans on the new Nokia X6 phone which has awesome music features. Rihanna exclusive concert will also be streamed live to all the Nokia users.

The new digital communication technology is triggering an interesting paradigm shift in marketing and advertising.  In the past we have seen U2 sign similar deal with a leading mobile company and now Rihanna is set to do the same.  She will be the celebrity face for promoting new Nokia phone and her new album will be the music content for promoting Nokia Comes with Music features of the new phone. Her album being R rated and her concert being private and exclusive this will help her to get wide publicity too. This partnership will dole out incentives to all her fans to win free tickets to her concert and access to her new songs and videos on their Nokia handsets.

It is a win-win situation for both Nokia and Rihanna and only time will tell which got sold out more – Nokia X6 or Rihanna’s new album.

Via Techshout