Servile Mindset Refuse to Die

Today I had a verbal tussle with one of a lecturer of Hindi language. He was talking about the IT paper in the Language study. Soon, he was praising the efforts of the Government of India in promoting the language on the net by providing the different resources. He was quite excited that the some times back Sonia Gandhi had issued some softwares on the languages.

jutted into the discussion and objected to the enthusiasm shown by him. I pointed out that there was not doubt that the government of India had tried to bring some devices on the net as well softwares which could help the people of language to use the computer for their literature but most of the were not user friendly. In order to substantiate my claim I pointed out that through various centuries of the C-DAC the government of India had tried to make the Hindi literature available on net. But the manner that it was displayed on the net, they are not user friendly. They do not run on Window 98. It is a big shortcoming. Secondly they are mostly given in PDF. They are not shown in HTML. But the lecturer countered me by praising the government. He said that there was glimmer of hope.

I objected to his positive approach to the changes which were taking place. I pointed it out that he was not able to see that it was being done in a very unimaginative manner. It was done merely to show that well we were also in computers and IT or in short ICT. But if a common man want to use these resources, he will be forced to learn something of engineering or the IT technology. Whereas, the IT technology has in its power and range, the ability that any one, who may not have any understanding of this technology, can make use of the resources. The government has overlooked this aspect.

I pointed out the case of Munshi Prem Chand stories. The stories had been posted by Raman Kaul on his portal after borrowing it from C-DAC site. The difference between his work and C-DAC is that any novice can read the stories of Dhanpat Rai on the site of Raman Kaul with any of the operating system. Whereas, in case of C-DAC portal you need only specific DOS and specific fonts to read them.

However, the lecturer, did not accepted my version. He was happy with the fact that Hindi is on cyberspace. He was happy that there are some softwares which are freely available from the government offices and he has some friends in bureaucracy from whom he can procure those resources. He does not know that how far this technology has come and how fast it is improving and changing. He does not have the understanding that visiting Internet does not solve your problem. You can not get what you desire only by wishing it on internet. It requires some experience and understanding to exploit the potential of internet for particular purpose. But before that, it is required that the information and data which could be exchanged through Internet should be made available in a manner that it could be used and accessed by all the people without any hindrance of any kind. But no, there is peculiar tendency among the Indians to accept whatsoever is given. There is absence of ability to change or modify or demand a thing in a particular form. There is a peculiar colonial mindset which they are ready to shed. There is peculiar mindset of a slave which is not ready to go away. There is peculiar tendency to praise a thing out of promotion and decry or criticize a thing without understanding the actual dimensions. I may be called of criticizing and not appreciating what is being made available. But, those who can understand, they can support me that the manner it is being made available is rather making the mockery of very idea of using IT to share the information and promote the cause of a language.

Paint Brush of Triambak

Triambak Sharma is son of Sumir Sharma, the blogger. Triambak is now five years old. When Sumir is not sitting at his computer, Triambak will invariably come to his room and ask hesitantly, "Papa may I sit at the computer". If he is permitted, he will open the paint brush and make some drawings. Most of the time, he deletes his paintings before saving. However, I have saved some of his works. Earlier, I was foolish enough to delete some of his work which was incomplete. Now I save them. I am showing some of them below.

Triambak is a name of Lord Shiva. Lord Shiva is propitiated in Mahamritunijiya Mantra as Triamabakam. Triambak means three eyed (Tri means Three and Amba means eye. Amba is also the name of Mother Parvati.).

The first one is the sun.

The second paint brush: His idea of a Greeting Card assisted by his mother Anu. He posted his first letter, a greeting card, to his friend at Goraya in April 2006.





पापा मै कुछ बना रहा हँु" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/3633/875/320/untitled.1.jpg" border="8">
The third paint brush: When I asked, what had he made here, he said in a pensive tone, "पापा मै कुछ बना रहा हँु" I.




The fourth paint brush: Probably an incomplete assignment of school assisted by my sister Sucharu, a good artist herself. (Soon it will be uploaded. Uploading accomplished)

Jitters

I am not a computer expert. The knowledge about Internet Technology is equally scanty. However, I am now hooked to computer and Internet. I am able to make good use of computer and Internet. As a result, I have become dependent upon both the things. Therefore, if any disruption in my computer or in my access to Internet comes, I become jittery. In case of Internet, there are more problems. In case of Internet, the main disruption which is hated by me is any obstruction in accessing the Internet. The second disruption was experienced during the month of July 2006, when the Government of India had banned some of web sites. The incidence is now hovering on the mind as a fear.

On September 14, as I have pointed out in my postings at Blogspots again Banned in India and then at Blog Ban Revisits and then at Blog Ban Revisits , I faced the same problem somewhere around 3.30 p.m. I immediately reacted and made the above mentioned postings. I faced not only one problem. It had exploded like a bombshell to me when I found that I could not open those sites even with the help of proxy servers. The proxy servers did not display the site. One of the proxy site which was developed during July 06, that was indblogs.com did not open at all. The search option of the explorer opened totally a different site. I typed an immediate reaction. It reads,
Earlier, the people were able to access their banned blogs from the proxy server. However, this time it is not that easy. The various proxy servers are not showing the results. Secondly, the pkblogs and inblogs are also not showing the results. The pkblogs returns a null result. The inblogs takes to totally a strange site. This time, the government is showcasing its technical expertise also. However, this time, the typepad blogs have been spared.

However, before I made more comments, and I was thinking and forming in my mind many more responses, I found that the sheets which I have opened for civil war memories was being displayed. It was nearly 4.15 p.m. Soon I tried to open my own site. I found that everything had turned to normal. But before that I have already made the crises posting on my blogs.

It seems that there was a technical problem during that hour. I have not found similar reporting by any other blog or web site. May be there was some problem with my ISP. But some of the web sites were easily accessible. In any case, I have again learned a lesson, that I have yet to learn more about working on Internet. Earlier during the Reservation Issue, I had learned to wait and watch before making any controversial postings. I have matured to some extent. But it was different when I was not able to access the sites and even proxy servers were not responding.
I can think about other possibilities of that blackout of the web sites during that hour. But, now everything this functioning in a normal manner as before, I do not think that I should stretch it further. I am sure that the problem was there. It may be a problem with my ISP or some other technical glitch about which I do not have any understanding. Now, I am more particular in making my postings. Next time, I will make such postings only on Cyber Mole.

Blogspot Blogs Again Banned in India

It is nearly 3.30 pm in India. I am trying to access blogger blogs. I am not able to access them. I am receiving an error message "HTTP 500".

It seems that the incidence of July 14, 2006 is being repeated. If the other bloggers are also encountering the same problem in India, then kindly raise your voice again. It seems that the people who matter, have not learnt the right lessons.

Magic Terms to Increase the Hits to the Blog

It is a wish and dream of every blogger to receive a large number of hits everyday. There are web sites which are ready to increase hits to your site for some consideration. There are bloggers who have developed their blogs exclusively on this theme.

It is definitely a desire worth cherishing. You are on the cyberspace. You know people visit it by visiting various sites. They have made many sites popular. They have made many sites the fortune churning machines and made the owners wealthy. It is the visitors to your site which impart a type of status, recognition, a pride and an identification to you. Many search engines and syndication sites list the top sites. There are sites which list only such sites which are being visited by a large number of people. The directories are developed for this purpose only. There are Wiki sites wherein the site owners are encouraged to display their sites. The frequently visited sites is an asset for the owners. The dream of every site maker is that its product shall become the most popular thing on the cyberspace. It is just like having a shop keeper mentality. You have opened the shop and now you want that the customers should step. You desire that they should at least step in even if they are not interested in buying anything from your shop. It is the same case with the bloggers.

I also cherish this dream. I am not a computer expert. I have read about RSS feeds and many such other technical terms which can increase the visibility of the site. I have learned about putting your site on different directories which are place where knowledgeable people cruise for the right information. But I am not able to understand much about them.

I am however receiving regular visitors. Some of them have my address in their favourite folder and they directly reach my site. Most popular engines would display my site in their result for some specific terms. I am otherwise satisfied with the traffic which I am receiving. No doubt, I want to increase it.

However, I have identified with the help of Site Meter that there are some Magic Terms in my different blogs which bring people to my sites. I remember how I have located those terms. After I have added them in my posts, the traffic to my sites has increased substantially. One can easily check the authenticity of the claim by checking the site meter or by visiting Indian Blog and Blog Top Site icons which I have placed on three of my blogs.

Before, I say anything further, let me give out those three magic terms.

These terms are
Civil Services which forms the part of the address of my blog titled Civil Services Prelims.
The Second Magic Term is Munshi Prem Chand. Well, this term is definitely a magic term. Add something on Munshi Prem Chand on your blog and then see the result. You will yourself learn the results.
The Third Magic Term is Teej, which literally means ‘Three". I have written two articles on Teej on the demand of my sister and later added them with some modification on my blog. I never have dreamt in my wildest dreams that this word would attract so much of traffic to my site. I wonder for what actually people are looking for on the Internet.

The term Civil services was identified by me through the Site Meter. I have already mentioned this event on this very blog that how I turned to writing on Civil Services blog.

The second term was also identified through Site Meter. I think that I had made some remark about Indian social history wherein I had mentioned the name of Danpat Rai alias Nawab ji alias Munshi Prem Chand. I started receiving visitors who came searching for the Munshi Prem Chand. Later, I myself got attracted towards this personality. Through my search, I located Hind Granth Karayalya, a publishing house of Mumbai. There were three versions with the same name. In there, I found the life history of Munshi Prem Chand and list of the works of the illustrious writer. I made a noting first on my Hindi blog at Sumir Hindi Main and later, I added additional posting on this very blog titled Sumir Sharma. I started receiving a larger number of visitors to my site. I had identified some Pakistani Blogs wherein they had discussed the Urdu works of Munshi Prem Chand but foolishly I did not make a note on them. Anyhow, it brought traffic to my site. Later, I located the blog by Raman Kaul who had done a tremendous job by placing all the short stories on Munshi Prem Chand on his blog. I made a noting of that blog on my Sumir-history blog wherein I was, in those days, discussing the democratization of knowledge through sharing on Internet in response one highly technical post by William of Digital History Hack that I was some how able to understand. After that, there was a flood of visitors to my site because people came searching for the original stories by Munshi Prem Chand. The most fascinating thing was that all these stories are available on a government site at C-DAC of Noida before that. They have displayed it in such a manner that I was not able to access. Raman Kaul had just converted the stories in HTML and displayed it on the blog. The second fascinating thing is that those who come searching for Munshi Prem Chand stories on my Sumir-history blog, they definitely use the link to Raman Kaul site. The site meter always shows it on its out click link column. Some of them remain on my site for thirty to forty minutes. It happens because the Raman Kaul site opens on a separate sheet. He has displayed the stories in such user-friendly manner that the visitor definitely read one or two stories. But he forgets to quit my site. My site records the timing of visitors for thirty to forty minutes. I have made many comments on this aspect of display and flayed the activity of the government of India in its efforts to pursue e-governance and e-awareness. I do not know whether the people who matters had taken any note of it but I am definitely benefited from it as it has increased visitors to my blog.

The third term is Teej. As I have already told that Teej means Three. It means the third day of a month, a lunar calendar month of Hindus. Well, this term was my discovery for the blog. I have already mentioned that I had written a write up on a demand from my sister and later I have posted it on my blog. I never knew that so many people wanted to know about Teej. They are mostly interested in Hartalik Teej of Bhadra month. Well for the benefit of the general public especially those who are visiting from America and Canada I give the names of all the twelve Desi Mahinas. I have mugged them up during my civil services examination and I remember them well. They are mostly found written on Desi Calendars and Government of India Calendars which has adopted Saka Samvat as the official Calendar of India. These twelve months are as follows.

Chaitra or Chet (Punjabi)
Vaishaka or Baishakha
Jayaishtha or Jeitha or Jeith
Ashadha or Hadda or Haddi
Sravana or Sawana
Bhadrapada the month of Hartalik Teej and Karvachauth. (Chauth is ‘Four’ and Teej is Three. In Bihar, it is Hartali Teej which is celebrated in place of Karvachauth. This is the most fascinating aspect which I would like to explore further. Kaajri praises Radha Krishna, Hartalika Shiva Parvati, and Shiva Parvati love is propitiated in whole of India whereas in Rig Veda Shiva is only worshiped as Rudra.) or Bhadaon
Ashvina
Karttika or Kattak
Margshirsha or sishar
Pausha
Magha or Maghi
Phalguna or Phaggan

Well, what may it adds up to, the above mentioned terms have definitely increased the visitors to my sumir-history and civil services prelims blog.

xixixixi

Editorial Note:

The relation between Sawan and Teej has been deleted. Similarly the relation between Bhadrapada has been explained by one friend who is from Bihar. I have yet to fully verify it.

Why do people Blog?

Why do people Blog?

Well this is a very wide question. It is wide in the sense because every act is preceded by some initiation of a kind and one never knows why he or she has started doing that act. There are many acts about which we do not know why we do them. Now I consider blogging as an act in that category.

In present days, there are well established scientific methods to find answers to all the wide and obfuscating questions. The marketing people have practiced the science of field research and operational research to a degree of perfection. The companies take decision on production, pricing, placement and selling factors on the basis of such research. Nothing is now left to hunches. They are able to seek answer for every “why”. In such a scenario, I am just trying to give an armchair answer to the above question.

If I have collected the right information, then the blogging started somewhere in 1997. However, it was only from 2000 onwards, that it has become more popular. I am with Blogger. I have been visiting different blogs sites on Wordpress, Typepad etc. I have found that most of the bloggers have started this activity in 2005. I have particular choice for selecting a blog. Most of the time it is an academic blog or a blog relating to issues of history. Therefore, my observation may have only limited truth and validity. Secondly, it is mainly an observation which has not been authenticated by any established research model. Anyhow, I now have this impression that there are more bloggers since 2005. In case of my favourite blogs, I have found that many of them have started blogging only in 2006. It may suggest that blogging is catching up. In case of most popular blogs in my favourite category, they are started in 2006. Well, it is again an opinion on the basis of general observation. There is no concrete methodology adopted to reach that conclusion.

As I understand the blogging is working as a source of catharsis for many people. That is the main motive behind most of the regular bloggers. Such bloggers are in one profession and their interest lies in different field. Somewhere, there is sense of dissatisfaction. They are not able to adjust with this arrangement in their lives. The blogging has given them an outlet to showcase their talent in other field. This gives a soothing effect when they indulge in the blogging.

In some cases, it shows that it has become their alter ego. They are pursuing it as if blogging is the only pursuit for which they are meant. The blogging introduces them to different people from different regions. They showcase their talent. They receive back feedback through comments and references. They again come out with more work on their blog with greater force. They are very particular about the display of their blog. They are very particular to respond to the comments which they receive and make it a point to respond to them.

There are people who are undertaking blogging as a mission to promote some of their views and thinking. They promote one particular language. They promote some particular cause. Some of them are really contributing to the society by such a type of activity. I have learned Hindi blogging through such types of crusaders headed by Debashish.

Another set is just treating it as a general journal or a personal diary. They are very regular. For them also, it is turning out to be a source of catharsis of hidden desires.

Somewhere, I feel, that many bloggers feel that they have a writer hidden in them and they can win Bookers or Nobel Prize. They come out with whatsoever they consider as the best in the literature. Well some of them are really good. Some of them really deserve some prize for the literary work which they have brought on the cyberspace.

There are those people who are related to computer sciences. They are more productive. They are discussing such things which are bringing changes on the internet also. I am not conversant with this field. I am totally illiterate in the field of computer sciences and the Information Technology. I am not in a position to categorize their activity. It seems that they are definitely talking something substantial. One this is sure, they are more fertile and productive.

Those who indulge in political talks are also there. I am not interested in them. There are many of them. They are the people who make more noises and get recognized. I am with history and we history people just call them as our small siblings who are growing into brats. That is other thing that along with money, it is the field of politics which matter more than anything else. It is the case with sex sites also. I do not apologize for having clubbed sex blogs with politics.

However, by now, blogging is not being taken as seriously by the rest of the human community. Sometime, they definitely make waves. But, on the whole, the human community just treats them as a hobby of those who have luxury of time. They are not taken seriously. The rest of community has not given must importance to Internet. The Internet is considered as a good source of information. What kind of information is available on Internet? Is it authentic or not? Who are the people who place the information on Internet? How actively is the information updated? Is the information a knowledge in itself? All such types of questions are not given any importance.
Blogging as such is the next revolution. It is a revolution far greater importance than the printing of books or Gutenberg type printing which brought the Renaissance. I can declare this thing because I am student of history. I consider blogging as more important than nano technology which is the next generation activity. Blogging is here and will soon come up as the biggest and substantial thing in the field of knowledge. It is the thing which will make Internet more meaningful.

However, I still wonder that why the people blog!

Inventing Spiritualism or Identity Crises

In my childhood, I was overawed by talks about a God man. The God man was Sat Sai Baba. Those were the days when Readers Digest, Illustrated Weekly and Blitz were the magazines of the elite. Being a son of a gazetted officer, I had the privilege of reading those magazines. This was the position during the early seventies.

During eighties, I had listened the whispers about the people who called themselves as Radha Swamis. I was not attracted much by them as they were closely held community visiting a place called Beas Dera. I did not have the idea where it was situated. I lived for some time in Amritsar but did not learn much about Beas Dera. In the early nineties, another God man, Bhagwan Rajneesh became popular. By that time, I was able to read English. I tried to read about him. Soon he became a rich God Man Osho. In between, somewhere by that time, electronic Media started dominating the general public opinion. It was through it, one Murari Bapu became popular. He became popular as a Kathakar, or sermon deliverer who based his sermons and songs on Tulsi Dass Ramayana. Gradually, Assa Ram Bapu became more popular when the cable net work and private television channels became a rage among the masses. Along with Assa Ram Bapu, Swami Sudhanshu ji Maharaj also became popular. He was also a sermon chanter who made Bhagvat Gita as the basis of his sermons. After that, I soon learned about rather more popular Sri Sri Ravi. A soft spoken, smiling face, speaking in simple sentences pervaded the print and electronic media with his art of living. Now these days, it is Ram Dev who has become popular along with Yog and controversies of medicine and threat perception. He has become so popular, that I found, Sikh, Muslims and people from different sects referring to his Anulum Pratilom Pranayama, rubbing of nails of both hands against each other and his ‘yoga’ books. The people talk as if it is he who has invented YOG Shastra.

I do not know if the admirers of Ram Deva know about Rishi Patanjali. Or for that matter, do they know about Naya, Vaisheshika, Sankhya, Yoga, Mimansa and Vedanata? Do they know about Akkshapada Gautama or Rishi Gautama, Uluuka Kannada or Rishi Kannada, or Rishi Kapila or Rishi Patanjali, Rishi Jamini and Shankaracharya.

It seems that there is miserable situation of identity crises among the Indians. There is a great crisis of Indian Social identity passing through transition due to changed economic equations and technological advancement pervading all the spheres of life. Somewhere, the Indians come across their real heritage roots which provide answers to their present desperation but unfortunately they do not know that their answers were always with them. It was they who had been ignoring their roots. But, when one mortal clad in scarlet red or violet or milk white robes introduces them to their real self, they make a God man out him. Ram Deva or Sri Sri Ravi may be God to westerners, but for Indians their real teachers were Rishi Patanjali, Rishi Gautam, Rishi Jamini, Rishi Kannada and Shankracharya. Their God is an Advaita for those who have urge to seek him through knowledge and Advitya Advaita for those who just seek through utmost Bhakti because they believe in Him.

Shifting Paradigm

For some days, I had been planning to write a post. I will not reveal the title because I have already developed the idea. Now, I want to add punch to it by substantiating with some data or some type of authentication. However, before, I would have written the post and posted it, an event in Blogging career took place which has given me a slight kick. I believe that it is haughty on my part to claim the credit for that happening but well, I want to claim it.


I had been persuading Prof. Rajneesh Khanna, an author of some major text books and far ahead than me, for writing his blog. I had visited his place and prepared his blog. He liked the idea but somewhere, that shift and zest were not there. He did not take to blogging.



A couple of day back, he posted some of his original writings on the blog and tried to develop a new blog. No doubt, he was not able to create the new blog in the right manner. He rang me up and apprised me of the new postings. I checked the blogs and was elated to read the contents on it. It gave me a great boost to my ego. I felt proud that I had been able to initiate someone quite capable in pursuing an activity which would be useful to many. I do not know whether Rajneesh would give me credit or endorse it. However, after that, I forwarded his articles to some of the forums. He had also sought further guidance for developing his blog. He would visit my place for that. The whole event had just given me a great feeling.


It has also changed my outlook towards my activity on blogging. I did not like the idea of promoting the blog through different technical means. However, it was just by untentional act when I had placed links of my blogs on some of the directories and Wikis. I had not tried to promote my blog with any major game plan. After Rajneesh had joined in, I felt that as if I was definitely pursuing a meaningful activity. Now, I have desire to promote my blog. Earlier, I thought, I should continue to write on my blog and the contents of my blog by itself bring an audience for me. Now, I desire to make use of various devices which the experts in the field of IT are developing every day and putting them on the Internet.


I am in teaching. I have developed some teaching blogs also. However, I am loosing enthusiasm in promoting and developing them. I have started the blogging activity mainly to undertake that goal. I had learnt from other teacher’s blogs and forums that blogging could be used as an additional teaching tool and as an effective tool also. By now, I have become a partisan. I am devoting more time to my blog sumir-history and this very blog. The main reason is that the atmosphere of teaching world is very distressing. You look around yourself and find many such Phds who do not impress. They mainly act as manipulators. They do not attract for their scholarship. They are dominating because they are street smart. I find many of them scum of human depravity and a social peril. They have the position but they will only harm. On the other hand, this new technology has given an escape route to people like us. Yes, right, I call it an escape route. I consider those Phds with official position as more successful than us. I am in history and history tells a lot about such people. That is other thing, there is no value judgement about them. The final verdict is yet to be passed. However, there are enough examples which teach that they are being identified as the social and public peril. Any how, the migration of Rajneesh to this arena has given me a satisfaction and confidence. When I look around in the internet world, I find many of them like me performing their act and leaving their mark. Now I feel encouraged to continue with my activity. Rajneesh is not interested in doing Phd. I am also not interested. We do not want to join the buggers. We know that there are more paths which can be chalked out and treaded to great summits. We are pursuing such paths. We want to be smarter. Now, the only thing which is required is some success in our endeavours.

Amitab Phir In Trouble

(Note: It is a cross posting of post from Cyber Mole.)

A company Telefun, running a FM radio in Pakistan has placed some advertisement billboards in Karachi wishing the coming independence day to the people of Pakistan. The face of Amitabh is shown on the billboards telling that he will be there from August 14. It seems that it is going to trouble Amitabh again in India.
Checking the following postings: Meterblog Karachi.

It is interesting to read the comments of the Pakistan Nationals on that posting. The comments may suggest the type of trouble which Amitabh would face in India.

But it may also sound bad for blogging in India. They may again think of blocking some blogs and in the process again block the whole domain.

The second important posting, which is bit balanced, is at All Things Pakistan.


I am having a hunch, what may happen, it will prove bad for Amitabh Bachchan. I really do not know that how the people in the Indian government would react to it.

It also brings forth the issue that whether the company Telefun has the right to use the picture of Amitabh on their billboards. If it is proved that Amitabh has been paid for allowing his picture to be used there, then it will not be good for him. The fundamentalists in Mumbai would also react sharply.

In every case, it may turn out be another firework on cyber space as well in print and electronic Media.

Hindi Lessons Online Multimedia Source for 5 Years Old

A Hindi Script Tutor developed by Avashy for the School of Oriental and African Studies, University of London is worth visiting for the parents of small children.


There are interactive Hindi Lessons, teaching the script. It has a lesson breakup for the Swaras (Vowels - स्वर) and Vianjans (Consonants - व्यन्जण). It has used flash for demonstrating the writing of the each word. It has other sources based on voice.


I have an old computer with a defunct Sound Card. It is the gift of those vendors who just flaunt their knowledge without having the right expertise. They are hardly tenth or twelfth pass and learn the computer maintenance from the teaching shops. They are then employed by similar type of businessmen who believe in making money by looting the people. One such computer engineer, who visited to remove a virus from my computer, virtually crippled my computer by denying me to use the gadgets and devices bought by me in hard cash. He cleaned the directory and during the process even removed such drives which he could not replace. As a result, I am not able to exploit all the features of the Hindi tutor.


Coming back to the main topic, the Hindi tutor is a good source available online. It draws each alphabet which attracts a small child in the age group of 5 to 6 years. It has option to listen to voices behind every symbol. My child, who is now 5 and learning to read, was quite fascinated by the demonstration. He clicked each alphabet and saw it being drawn by the Flash. It helped him to remember Dantak (दन्तक) words better.


I hope this information may be useful for other parents like me.

Impact of Ban on Blogs

The ban on blogs through a clumsy action of the government of India may augurs good for the bloggers of India and their community. They have acquired a recognition which they already deserve. It was their due. However, it was denied to them for a long period.


A full-page article has appeared in the Chandigarh edition of Hindustan Times of July 23, 2006 on page 12. (Links are not available and secondly the site asks for registration which as a policy I now avoid to register with sites. I have now become choosy.)


It is heartening to read the article as it is titled as "The Big Story" and a whole page is devoted to it. But the exhilaration ends there and leaves you unsatisfied.


Therein a compiler has given an assortment of the contents of some bloggers and did not try to touch the real issue. That is other thing, that in the contents we find reference to the real issue.


The main issue was that the government of India had jumped the guns in the name of national security. It had gone against its own policies and claim of being the world’s biggest democracy. It had actually curtailed the right of freedom of expression which is assured by the constitution of India.


The article has not touched the real issue. It has not given any view on the happening except for calling it a "The Big Story". A blogger has written an article "There’s no Why". Then there are excerpts from Frodo Bloggin and RAMgee. On the right hand side, there is a set of questions which had been discussed again and again by many newspapers and magazines earlier also. A column is devoted to selective Indian celebrities of Blogging activity and also a six year history of blogging and different episodes since 2001. If I am right, this activity started in 1997 and since then, it is in news. Nowhere, it has tried to discuss that why was it a ‘Big Story’. However, this much is enough for Blogging activity and we all should be thankful to it.


It shows that the Print Media has started taking note of their younger brothers.


No No No! Please wait and permit me to say it differently. I am not suggesting that we the blogger are new journalists. But we are definitely a new medium which is bound to influence the opinion making process.


Anyhow, I foresee that it will not end here. One of the leading newspapers has given place to this activity. They have done it because somewhere they feel that it was New York Times and BBC which had given the right importance to the significance and peril of banning the blog which rather they should have done. Now they are on the correction and amending path. But they have given this task to some new editor. The editor has not been able to bring out the soul of the topic. He has remained confined to give an assortment. In other words, he has done what many of blogger do on their blogs. They borrow from the views of other bloggers and then add some of their comments and then post it as their own. This is what I usually do. No doubt, I write some original pieces also. (It is my blog and I can indulge in self-praise. (Blink)) Well, soon, some senior editor will take up this topic and start commenting on it. Let us wait for that day. This has already happened in America. During the last presidential elections in America, blogs were being watched with full attention. Later, many surveys and studies were published on the impact of the writing on blogs on the poll outcome. The verdict was not in the favour of blogging activity but this activity has acquired a place of respectability in communication Media. Now, every day, a new survey comes on the blogging and its different aspects. The same thing is now going to happen in India.


I remember an incidence. There was one senior colleague who had retired long back. Whenever he used to enter the staff room ( I am a lecture in a college.), he always tried to start a discussion on the latest political activity. It was annoying for many of our colleagues. They were involved in some serious problem concerning the day to day working of the college but this person always interrupted such serious talks and forced upon us a discussion on the political issue of the national level. Well, out of courtesy, some of us gave their opinion but the senior colleague always rejected and forced his opinion on us. When he was countered by equally knowledgeable colleagues in our faculty, he used to decide his case by telling that his opinion was even endorsed by the editorial of a local leading news paper. On this, once, one of other colleague commented on his back, that the person came every morning after reading that particular paper and then claimed the opinion expressed by the editor of that newspaper as his own. He did not know that there were other frontiers also and there could be other side of the story also.


Now the idea of narrating the above incidence here is to stress upon the significance of Blogging as it is emerging now as a new frontier of knowledge and opinion makers. In the recent Iraq War, it was the private blogs which came up with more information on the battlefield than the professional newspapers. They have made a mark in the field of dispersion of knowledge and information. No doubt, somewhere, the traditional print media consider them their competitor but it was when the print media started giving place to their piece of information in their editorial, that the activity of blogging acquired the status of respectability. It may be my opinion but I understand that it was how the blogging became important in the world of communication. Now this thing may happen in India also after it has found mention in newspapers after suffering ban on it. The print media did not respond earlier. It was mainly the foreign media which took up this issue in more forceful manner. The Indian Print Media may object to it but there is truth in the version which I am giving.


On whole, the ball has now started rolling in favour of blogging and it will definitely march on.

भाजी सरकार दी अक्ल टकाने आ गई

Ban Is Lifted from Blogs In India
"A week ago, we made a tryst with destiny, and now the time comes when we shall redeem out pledge, not wholly or in full measure, but very substantially."

I am using Reliance Infocom for accessing internet. Now I can open my blogspot sites. I can also access typepad site. It seems that the ISPs have released these sites. I hope the rest of neticians can also open any site which they like on different blog portals.


I also hope that the government of India will review the procedures to implement their decisions in this technically advanced milieu. They have faced the music. They now know that the bloggers may be a "miniscule minority" but they can do great damage to the reputation of the government if the government behaves like an archaic state and conduct itself in a clumsy manner.


I also feel that some good has also come out of it. For me, I have learned about proxy servers. I am not going to remove the logo of Slap the block. I believe that it has bound the bloggers into a community. It may have popularized this activity of blogging.

I also want to thank the foreign media who had actually played a major role in voicing our concern. The Indian media had played its role but dear friends, it was on the milder site. They shout from the top of the roof on some clumsy stink operations or Matuk Das Choudhary (Patna) lover affair with his student Julie. But they did not find the block on blogs as gagging of the freedom of the expression. No, they did not play the role which was expected of them.

Let us hope that there will be no next time.

Now, in future, I will be more abrasive and straightforward.

However, I will not remove those posting which were made on the issue of blocking of blogs in India.

It will keep on reminding us that what can happen in this peace loving, non-violent and free country. It will be reminiscent of the draconian activities of the government.


We have to remember it because now RTI act is under attack.

BECOME INTRUDERS IN YOUR OWN COUNTRY

Pkblogs has gifted to Indians their own INTRUSION site.

It says, “Unable to view pictures on your blog??
check http://www.inblogs.net to access banned blogs "with pictures" from India”

सारे जहान से अच्छा हिन्दुस्तान हमारा

I, a Bhartiya, proudly declare that the above site is MADE IN INDIA

हम बुलबुले हॅ इसकी
यह गुलिस्तान हमारा

Check it.

Funny Message on Blocking from Access

Hey, just see what happened just now.

I tried to “outsource” accessing my blogspot weblog to Pakistan, I received the following message.

“You are Forbidden to access this server.”

Phew

Are they watching? Is there Gestapos in India also? Is the government watching you?

Hari OM, Hari OM, Hari OM Hari

Shri Guru Charan Saroj Nij Mukro Sudhar,

Barno Raghuwar Vimal Dayako Phal Char,

Budhi heen Tanu Janikay,

Sumiru Pavan Kumar,

Bal Budhi vidya Dayhoo

Mohe Harlo Kalesh vikar.

Bhoot Pissach Nikat Nahi Awai,

Mahavira Jab Naam Sunnavain.

The Culprit Weblogs

Now the word is all over and it is reaching critical mass.


According to My Pet Jawa at http://www.mypetjawa.mu.nu/ through the reference of Dr. Shackleford and OpiniPundit (itself a culprit Weblog) at Exposing the Left the following web sites were not palatable to Ministry of Home Affairs who had instructed to Ministry of Telecommunication to block but they, the blocked holes, blocked the net itself. They should better block NIC. That would be more useful. Anyhow, one thing is proved, the Government of India is definitely learning the utility of the e-governance.


• pajamaeditor.blogspot.com


• exposingtheleft.blogspot.com


• princesskimberly.blogspot.com


• commonfolkcommonsense.blogspot


• mypetjava.mu.nu


• thepirateco.us


• hinduhumanrights.com/hindufocus.html


• rahulyadav.com


• dalitstan.com


• macker-old.com


• merrimusings.typepad.com



Watch out for Best Solutions for Bailing out Blogspot.
Hey, one bureaucrat told me that the Secretary, Ministry of Telecommunication, Mr. D. S. Mathur is a meaning person.

HT Ludhiana Figures How Correct

Yesterday, that was July 15, 2006, the B. Ed. Entrance was conducted all over Punjab. I have authenticated information that there were less than 3200 candidates who appeared in entrance test at Ludhiana.


However, in the HT Ludhiana a Heading shouts on page that "Over 5,000 take B.Ed entrance exam.


These people at Ludhiana never take care to get the right information. There were 171 centers all over Punjab. There were nearly arrangements for 34000 students only. The maximum number of candidates have appeared at Chandigarh which was not more than 3300. The next one is 3200 and they appeared at Ludhiana.


The HT Ludhiana people are quite good at such activities. Some days back they had shown the photograph of Gopal Sharma DGP of J&K and below they wrote that SSP of Srinagar is holding the Press Conference. Similarly, a month back, when present Deputy Commissioner Gupta took over at Ludhiana, there was a report calling an SDM as DC of Khanna.


Carry on. I am not going to inform you. And here I am with facts. Counter me I will come up with proofs.
Kindly read this report along with Peril of Being a Whistle Blower or Peril of Being a Whistle Blower (Kindly note that site is blocked so try either of the option).

Cough Problem with Blogspot

I am suffering from cough problem. Something wants to come out but it is stuck up somewhere in the neck. I have taken the medicine but the problem is persisting. It started somewhere on July 13, 2006. On the same day, the web sites, having the term ‘blogspot’ in their addresses stopped appearing. It was not confined to blogspot addresses also. Even the sites with address having type pad as a part of their address also got inflicted with the same problem. The login page of the blogger opens. Even the account page opens. But the web log containing the blogspot term is not opening. On the start up menu site of the blogger, the sites which are being upgraded are appearing. You click them and if there is no term blogspot in it, it will open. You find the icon and logo of Powered by Blogger on them. But the sites which contain that peculiar struck up term, keep on coughing but nothing comes.


I have watched that the login page with the login ID opens and even the account is opening. I am posting it to make a record of this happening. Let us see if it gets posted. Or I may reach the google people through it and they may look into this problem. Not my problem of cough but the one which I have mentioned about blogspot.


Just a few days back, when I had completed an article on the mutiny of 1824, somewhere, a bad thought crept in mind. I wondered and feared that someday it might happen that the whole Internet setup could collapse. I would then loose all my presentations, efforts, dump of links about different useful sites which are good source of information and material, the time spent on developing the each blog. It was really a nightmarish thought. Now, nearly for forty eight hours, my blogs are not opening. It is giving me fear and I cough more.


I had thought of writing a write up on those who migrate from one server to other. I have observed some of very good bloggers, writers and thinkers shifting their activity to different site. There was a site sega which started its own site but it seems that they are just blogging through different site. Then, just a half a dozen months back, Kevin of civil war memory shifted to type pad services. However, even his site is not opening. It means the type pad.com is also suffering from some ailment. Then there was Hindu Dharma site who had shifted to Word Press blogging.


Please do not think, that I am also migrating. Hey, I have just developed a space with ***. But I have not enjoyed it. They are also masters in their field but I am still comfortable with Bloggers. It was they who published my own space and learnt them quickly. It is no emotional thing but a very practical thing to say. It was easy to learn on Blogger. I just pray that it comes back soon. Some one was telling me that there was some problem with server being run on window nt. Well I do not understand much about it. I can only wish if there is some problem, the Bloggers and Googles may rectify it at the earliest. In the meantime, I read some more books as the new session is about start. I will be ready with more material and more search queries to explore the web.


Oh, My books, How Sweet you are. This new technology is suffering from cough problem every now and then.

Sun did It

"As one saith in a brave kind of expression, the sun never sets in the Spanish dominions, but ever shines upon one part or other of them."


The above given comment was made by Bacon for Spain under Habsburg Dynasty. It was made when Britain was not all that big and great empire and reached to level of giant proportion afterwards for which it latter came to be known for. It was latter that the same comment was used for British Empire. Bacon belonged to England.


Gibbon also used the term "The Roman World" in the same tone and tenure to suggest the greatness of the Roman Empire as the biggest empire of the world.


Describing the giant proportion of the British Empire, Webster had said "her morning drumbeat following the sun, and keeping company with the hours, circles the earth daily with one continuous and unbroken strain of its martial airs."


Kaiser William did not like the tone of such quotations. He sought the place in the sun.


Finally, the First World War was fought.


It means Bacon started all this.


Historians used sun to write quotations.
Sun saw history making nations.
A nation saw sun every where.
Other nation sat on sun to see every nation.
In between, the world wept for their sons.

Note: It is re-posting of History Student in a Lighter Mood at Sumir-history.

Impulsive Internet Use-How Far a Problem

There was a report in The Tribune date January 31, 2005, by Neelam Sharma on a thesis by Dr. Sanjay Khanna wherein it was reported that a percentage of the internet users and surfer are compulsive sufferers suffering from mental disorder.


I introduced this topic (Internet related psychiatric disorder) on Education Forum and the leading administrator John Simkin came out with some supportive remarks. He wrote,
"Am I addicted? Maybe. I definitely get withdrawal symptoms when I am denied access to the web. Therefore, on holiday, I need to search out a local Internet Café every few days."


I had posted it on the Education Forum in the month of February 2005, when there was regular disruption of electricity in Punjab. Whenever the supply was restored, my first act had been to start my computer and log on to Internet. Most of the time, it happened that when I had just browsed through some of the sites and planned to start some substantial work related to my job, the supply went off again. It just gave me bouts of anger. I can not share whom I had been cursing and against whom I passed abuses though I live in a democratic country. In between, that was during the phased out period of electric supply, I read books related to my subject and job or watched television on the inverter supply or just killed time. Now these days, rather since long, I do not write on pages. I directly write on my computer. When electricity was not there, that could have not been done. No doubt, it was a great loss.


This year (in 2006), there is more acute shortage of electricity in Punjab. I do not know that how the present government keeps on boosting of her achievement in the newspapers through the government public relation department by inserting a slip in most of the dailies. The same thing had happened this year also. Whenever, electricity supply was discontinued, I sat idle doing nothing and fought the sultry season of Indian summer. When the electricity was restored, I again opened my computer and logged on to Internet. This year the problem is more acute.


By the way, can any one tell me that is it true India is showing 8% growth in her GDP? How is it being achieved when the basic infrastructure is not at all suited for a growing economy? How is it that when there is so miserable situation of electric supply, pothole decorated roads, increased oil prices, zooming prices of day to day basic life essentials and a sense of fear that all this talk of "India Shinning" may be a bluff played on the countrymen even then the investors are so bullish on India? I am unable to understand an economics wherein the economy is growing even when there is less of electricity, disruptive roads and high cost of basic essential items.


Well coming back to the theme, as I was saying that whenever the electric supply was restored, I just booted my computer and logged on to Internet. In between, I have found good primary sources on Internet which I am trying to review and read. However, the task reamins unaccomplished because of the disruption in the electricity supply. I find myself sitting with the family members playing games and cursing being in a country where there is so much of heat and no standard of life. However, whenever the supply is restored I again come on to the Internet. This thing is going on for a month. I have not been able to do any substantial work. Many tasks which I have planned for myself, are lying incomplete. The worst thing is that I have not able to complete the paper of General Studies Prelims and the posting of all the answers is still pending.


When I was not so immured in Internet activity, I used to read some books. But that activity was not proving useful. I used to make notes and papers used to get piled up in rooms. I have transferred a large quantity of my writing on the computer but an equal amount of activity had gone waste because after sometime I had thrown those papers in garbage. Now in case of Internet and especially through blogging I am able to preserve some of my works. But this lack of electricity supply is hindering my efforts.


I believe somewhere it is also reflecting on my overall behaviour with my family members. When I am able to read some good book, I remain in very good and satisfying mood. But if I am not able to work, or read good work, I become irritated. I think somewhere my family members felt that I was becoming more irritating. They have complained that whenever there is electricity, I remain busy on the Internet but when I am free I remain idle and lethargic. No doubt, I have not been able to do other works related to household responsibilities. They somehow concluded that if I remain busy on my computer, I become more cooperative and productive. Well it was the suggestion of the family members, and they proposed that I should think of getting a generator or a good backup inverter. I questioned about the desirability of making such spending. Secondly I revealed that I would not be able to afford such expenditure. Thirdly I am strongly against putting up a generator. It makes lot of noise and create nuisance. Secondly, it becomes a cause of air pollution. Most of the neighbours have installed it. There are laws against making a noise to a particular level. There are concerns at world level to reduce the atmospheric pollution. But who cares? In India, the people who know better than everyone and they know how to get the things done, at least they do not care. The family members felt that I had gone mad. They believe that I am a misfit. However, they came up with a proposal to contribute for buying a backup inverter on which I could run my computer. I asked the rationale and basis of their concern. They came up with the answer that it would help me to undertake my activity on Internet and also to do some of the work which is desired by them from me which could be accomplished through printing the letters on the computer. I bit the deal. Well here I am again on the Internet. Let us see what will happen when the electricity again goes off. I may be on Internet for a while. The system is of 500 watts with 800 Va specification. The vendor has assured that my computer would run for three to four hours if I run only computer and one fan on the device.


I have completed writing this stuff. The electricity supply was consistent. But, after having the system at place, I am again browsing the Internet. While doing that I have just punched in keys to write this stuff. I wonder if it is an impulsive activity with me now.

Acknowledgement:

The Tribune

Education Forum

Internet Pirates and Dupes

There is a news report in The Tribune dated June 17, 2006, Ludhiana Supplement. According to the report titled "Lottery Winner ‘Cheated’, a villager of Kanganwal, received a winning notice of a lottery. He was told to keep his winning information hidden before receiving the prize money. He was made to pay some money also. Now the villager is waiting for the money and feels that he is being cheated.

Is the fear and premonition of the villager true? I believe that it is true and feel sorry for the villager. He is cheated.

How can I say that? Well, just now when I am typing this, there are 364 mails in my Spam bin. Out of those discarded mails, many of them, (nearly 50 % and rest of them about sex tablets.) are about the winning notification.

I am receiving such winning notices since last one and a half year. Let me reproduce the contents of some them verbatim. I am virtually posting the copy of the contents of one of those winning letters.

Here is an example.
It is received just now when I open my Spam bin to collect a letter required.

The contents are as follows:

BILL NOTIFICATION DESK
(Customer Services)
3b, Olympic Way,
Sexton Business Park,
Aintree, Liverpool, L30, 1RD,
United Kingdom.
Batch: 12/25/0340
Ref: BIL/101OXI/02
Attn:Lucky Winner,

We happily announce to you the draw (#989) of the BRITISH INTERNATIONAL LOTTERY, online Sweepstakes International program held on 15th June 2006.Your e-mail address attached to ticket number: 56475600545188 with Serial number 5368/02 drew the lucky numbers: (13)-(43)-(06)-(15)-(02)-(40)bonus # (09).Which subsequently won you the lottery in the 2nd category i.e match 5 plus bonus. You have therefore been approved to claim a total sum of£500,000 (Five hundred thousand pounds sterling) in cash credited to file no KTU/9023118308/03. This is from a total cash prize of £2,000,000.00 shared amongst the first four lucky winners in this category i.e Match 5 plus bonus. All participants for the online version were selected randomly from World Wide Web through computer draw system and extracted from over 100,000 unions, associations, and corporate bodies that are listed online. This promotion takes place bianually. Please note that your lucky winning number falls within our European booklet representative office in Europe as indicated in your play coupon.In view of this, your £500,000 (five hundred thousand pounds sterling) would be released to you by any of our Affiliate courier department.Our agent will immediately commence the process to facilitate the release of your funds as soon as you contact him/her. For security reasons, you are advised to keep your winning information confidential till your claim is processed and your money remitted to you in whatever manner you deem fit to claim your prize. This is part of our precautionary measure to avoid double claiming and unwarranted abuse of this program. Please be warned !!! To file for your claim, please contact our fiduciary agent : MR FRANK DENNIS E MAIL: lotterycompany74@yahoo.co.uk PHONE:+447031942690 PHONE:+447031917488 FAX:+448709127423
Goodluck from me and members of staff of the BRITISH INTERNATIONAL LOTTERY.
Yours faithfully,
ELIZABETH HANKS(Mrs.) Director.International Promotions Unit,

Kindly note the advice in the above letter also. It reads, For security reasons, you are advised to keep your winning information confidential till your claim is processed and your money remitted to you in whatever manner you deem fit to claim your prize. This is part of our precautionary measure to avoid double claiming and unwarranted abuse of this program. Please be warned !!!

Now such letters do not come from only one place. They are from different part of Europe, Middle East and South East Asia.

Here I reproduce an extract of another winning notice from Spain.

It reads, (just check what information they are asking from me)
All participants were selected through a computer ballot system drawn from 25,000 names and E-mail addresses from Asia, Australia, New Zealand, Europe and North America as part of our international lottery program which we conduct twice every year. We hope that with part of your prize, you will part-take next year in our high stakes 1.3billion Euros International Lottery. To begin your claim, please contact our fiduciary agent and Provide him with the information below:
1.Name:
2.Address:
3.Marital
Status:
4.Occupation:
5.Age:
6.Gender:
7.Nationality:
8.CountryofResidence:
9.Telephone
Number:
0.Fax
Number:
11.Draw Number
above:

There are many more such winning notices in the Spam which get deleted after every thirty days.

Now these are not only types of money offering notice. There are different types of notices from Africa, some lesser known European country (East Europe) or from the Pacific region.

I here reproduce an extract of a letter.


It reads;
We discovered an abandoned sum of$12,500,000.00 (Twelve Million Five Hundred Thousand United States Dollars only) in an account that belongs to one of our customers who died along with his entire family a wife and two children in November 1999 in an auto crash.

After, sharing such a secret of the bank, the person will then try to take you in confidence and propose and deal in such manner that it will be aimed to convincing you that you would pull out this whole affair without any problem.

Please "DO NOT FALL FOR SUCH TYPE OF DEALS" even if you are a NATWARLAL'S Grand Father.

Then there are messages from Sheikhs who are dying because of cancer and want to donate or transfer the money to some good soul. He would report that he has found your profile and believe that you are a good person and want you to inherit his money.


I can reproduce a large number of messages which keep on dropping into my mail box every.

I just suggest to the gullible internet user that they should not fall for that. No body is going to give you money for nothing. Do not get greedy.

It is good the Tribune had taken up this issue. One can not sue such type of people. They are located in foreign countries. Their addresses are a fake. Their computer identities are also tempered with. It is not easy to book them. It is not easy for common man to pursue against them. I dare to say that even our law machinery can not even touch them. The only remedy is to create awareness about such frauds. One should maintain his moral integrity then only he can save himself from such people.

I end this note by saying that do not fall for them. Remember "Dandha Hai Par Ganda Hai".

Secondly, it is good that the Tribune has given space to such reports.

Dear Separatists, “Historians are Definitely not Boring”

In the month of May, 2006 I tried to study the events, sequence and documents of secession before the Civil War of America. I read the World History blog by Miland Brown but somehow I did not read his post titled "The Dominion of British West Florida and Tips for Creating an American Separatist Cause". In the month of June, he reproduced the "Tips" to claim a separate country for oneself if one likes. When I read it, I stopped from making further postings on the American History.

I wondered why Miland talked like that. The second thought which came to mind and remained for long was that how far this could be relevant in case of India. In India, the Kashmir, North East states especially Nagaland, Mizoram, Assam, Tripura, then Hyderabad State, Junagadh State, Goa, Sikkim, even Punjab as it was in 1849, and even for that all the states which were annexed during the period of Dalhousie, must try to understand and read them.

While reading the secession declaration of South Carolina and Texas, I was once convinced that they had the reason and legal argument to establish themselves as separate state. Even before that, when I studied American history for the first time, at one stage, I felt that the thirteen colonies had virtually occupied and snatched the country from the Red Indian Tribes. I even once joked that one should enter America and then claim ownership on the land on the basis of their history on the continent. However, a student of history does not sit a judge over the past events. He has to study the past on the basis of the facts as it existed and the cause and effect relation of a period of time and concerning a region or space. He has to identify a fact as it exists and existed. If today, a good lawyer is given chance to plead the case of South Carolina and Texas and all the eleven states which later joined to form the Confederacy of States, he could prove that they had suffered at the hands of the North States and they had valid point to secede.

Well, those who have this a job to read, write, read, ponder and then elaborate, come up with such thoughts and understanding which only the people of their class and ilk can understand. Sometimes, they come out with such amusing thoughts. No doubt, the post in question is of the same genre. I first thought of making this post on sumir-history.blogspot.com but after taking it as a whole, I have brought this on this blog.
The comment of Jennie W of Kent, the blogger of Jennie’s Rumbles, is most pertinent. She says, "This is simply hilarious". Miland knew it at the time of posting it.

He did not boost in vain when he wrote, "I really should start my own separatist cause. With my knowledge of history, the Web, and how to play the separatist game, I could have a lot of fun! Or maybe not...".

The elementaryhistoryteacher really got serious with this post the way I became when I first read it. Jennie W also joined in the comment section and Miland got the chance to take a pinch at them by playing to the gallery. I am sure, while writing the reply to the comment he might have mischievous smile. Now doubt, he remarked, "Hello the CSA lost!"

On the whole, it is really enjoyable to read and share such thoughts because they come to regular readers and scholars now and then. They are not shared only because they are just minor spin off of reasoning faculty.

However, point 4 to 8 are written in lighter vein but they are very pregnant with great possibilities. The present form of Internet may change with change in technology. However, with time, the interconnectivity of internet paradigm will remain and it will be a force. The day, that will become true, the day, many people will join together on world wide web with new devices and formats, the tips of 4 to 8 can work as big bombs. Today, it may be taken in lighter vein, but they can be implemented with deafening results. I do not know why I feel that some separatist is reading those lines again and again.

Miland, get serious. The later part is worth putting in practice. I Will Claim My Share when you succeed.

Peril of Being a Whistle Blower

It is a story concerning my brush with Print Media people.


The story goes somewhat like this.


A report appeared in an additional pull out of a leading national newspaper. In that newspaper, it was reported that a student had cleared the Civil Services Examination. I maintain a civil services blog. This year I have plans to collect the data on the candidates from Punjab who clear the civil services. Therefore, when I read the report, I started looking out for the details of that candidate in the lists published on the government of India web site. I found that the name did not appear in the list. I made some more searches which convinced me that the report was a fake.


First I thought of making a report myself and place it on my blog. It did not appeal to me. I just thought of sending an email to the publication about my search on the authenticity of the report. I did that. Then, as I had saved a phone number of a reporter of the same publication which I had never thought to use, I rang her up and shared my finding. I also told her, that I had already sent an email on the web site of their publication. On her suggestion, I directed that email to an address which she provided. I got interested in this activity. After having emailed the details, I started looking out in the newspaper for report concerning the above mentioned reporting. When it did not appear, I again contacted the above mentioned reporter. She apprised me that as she had inadvertently deleted the folder in which she had received my email and again requested me to resent the emails. She also explained that due to week ends she was not able to check with the authorities whose students had claimed to have cleared the examination. I suggested her to check the upsc site. She showed her failure to locate the result on the site. I told about the link on the upsc site to access the link. Then she also shared the problem of slow down load of the site. On that, I volunteered to send her all the links and reports. I directed her attention that the result was also reproduced by me on my other site at civilservices-prelims.blogspot.com. After that I again started looking out for the news in their newspaper. But in the meantime, I lost the interest in this activity.


When I start working on my computer, I first indulge in frivolous activities. It is at such time, I sometime write about what goes on my mind. Somewhere, this report and incidence remained on my mind and I felt, that one should put up such reporting also one owns blog. On Internet, I talk of democratization of knowledge which is approved by many leading scholars from different countries. They have placed their comments even on the posting where I have talked about such things. Another thing which matters on Internet is the issue of locating the authentic information. Therefore, I always try to discuss and deal in such reporting which are not authentic and genuine. I am not the only person to do it. The serious people keep on discussing such things on the web. I felt that this report comes under that genre. Therefore, I made a small report and placed it on my this very blog. My intentions were clear and pure. I have felt that the newspaper is a respectable organization but in case of this incidence their activity was not leaving any good impression. I had written that report which was determined by such a feeling. It was for the first time, that I was writing a pointed criticism, therefore, I thought it prudent to direct the link in an email to the concerned people also. I had their email address only because they had provided it when they needed some information from me. It became easy for me to send them an email. I opened my send folder, located their email address and sent the link of my posting.


After that I left my place and visited some of my friends in one other state. The incidence was lapsing down in my mind and I was now forgetting it. But, it was not to happen like that.


Just a day back, after returning from my visit, I got engrossed in my reading and writing activities. When I read or write something, I keep my phone away. In the evening I found that there was five missed calls. I checked the phone book. It was from one landline number and one from the reporter whom I had contacted earlier. I first tired the landline number. I learned that it was from the publication of the same reporter. I asked for the reporter as I had guessed that it was she who was calling me.


When the reporter came on the line, she talked about my posting, of which I had sent a link to their office. She told me that they had already reported their follow up to that report. I told about my ignorance about that. She assured me to tell me the date. The talk ended when I told her that I would call back to learn about the date and the edition in which they had reported.


I again called her on her mobile. She told me the date and the page number wherein they had denied the report. Then she also expressed her displeasure and the annoyance of her office on the contents of my posting. I told her that I was expecting a call back from her for which she explained that why she was not able to call back. Then we discussed about removing the post. I told her, even if I would remove it, the cache memory would remain and that bolg is of a long standing and web crawlers cover it also. Secondly, I told that I had written what had happened. The way out was to add some remark about. The talk remained inclusive as her mobile does not remain consistently on the waves. While telling about the annoyance of her group, she expressed some strong feelings also. I never had the idea to hurt anyone. But, I feel concerned if some one feels hurt even if I am right. Therefore, I decided to add some comments to the report.


After that, I received a phone call from a friend. The person is highly educated, highly experienced and well connected. I shared this episode with him. We discussed all the aspects of this episode. I shared with him some of my fears which was induced by talking to that reporter. Being an experienced person, he assured me and advised me to remain calm and unperturbed. He rather suggested different legal means and remedies which I could avail if the newspaper organization became somewhat adventurous. He assured that it was their wrong reporting which started all this activity. They would never be able to defend that reporting.


However, I felt that as a civilized person, I should make some correction to the report. As I had decided earlier, I added some comments.


I made the required changes to the post that irritated the people of the national daily. I thought it in right course of the things to send the link of the edited post to the concerned newspaper organization. I sent the link. After that I thought I should inform them also on telephone. I should maintain my grace even if they had not shown such virtues.


I rang up at their office on their landline number. A person picked the phone. I persuaded her to tell her name. She told that she was Parvinder. I then started telling the motive of my calling them. Before, I could complete, there came a bust of strong contention and threats which were uncalled for. It was an experience to listen to such uncivilized verbal attack. I also reverted back with some strong voice but remaining within civilized limits. But it was an experience to listen that how a big organization behaves and react on their own fault and how far they could go to threat.


I tried to call the earlier reporter who collected data from me. But the phone was disconnected without any response.


This will remain an experience with me. It was an experience of being a whistle blower. Rang De Basti. Page 3. Azad. New Delhi Times. I have just tried to do what the respectable citizens should have done. I tried to maintain a grace of an educated person and expecting a reciprocation from a big organization. What I received back is a lesson for future on how to deal them next time.


The episode revealed above is related to my post at Unconfirmed Story by HT Ludhiana Live which appears in the archive of month May 2006.

Unconfirmed Story by HT Ludhiana Live

Kindly read this post along with the remark give below under the heading Forceful follow up by HT Ludhiana Live also the story in the next post titled Peril of Being a Whistle Blower.

In May 17, 2006 edition of HT Ludhiana Live, a report by HT Live Correspondent Ludhiana, dated May 16, 2006, A “PAU Student” was reported to have cleared the Civil Services Examination 2005. The said candidate was highly praised by a faculty member of Department of Food Science and Technology and also by the Dean, Postgraduate Studies. It is reported that the candidate had stood at 372 rank in the list of the declared selected candidates. (Note: Hindustan Times does not have online editions of its Live editions.)

As per the result declared by UPSC, which is also available at the site www.upsc.gov.in and on the web site of Ministry of Personnel at http://persmin.nic.in/csresult1.html, the name as reported by Hindustan Times Live Ludhiana does not appear in the list. Further, the person who stands at 372 in ranking is MYINTHUNGO TUNGOE Roll no: 033202. In addition to that, the reported name does not appear in the list of the successful candidates who had passed the written CS 2005. It is reported on Ministry of Personnel Affairs that 1174 candidates had cleared the written test and asked to attend the medical examination and the list along with their home addresses as well their roll nos. is available at http://persmin.nic.in/csresult1.html. The name does not appear even in that list.

I have sent an email to the HT through its site and also an email at ludhreportersdesk@hindustantimes.com. As I know one of the HT reporters, I have brought this information to their knowledge also. They had sought the information about the web sites from where I have gathered the information. I had provided all the links. I have also placed a copy of the result collected from the site of UPSC at my blog www.civilservices-prelims.blogspot.com at Final Result of IAS 2005 Declared in May 2006.


Such reports damages the reputation of all such organizations whose names appear in the list. Last year, an imposter had projected himself as a selected IAS in the list of CS 2004. He fooled the administration as well as many other reputed people. He even played with the emotions of a family when he managed to establish a marriage alliance.

However, there is no clarification by the Hindustan Times groups till this day. They should counter check and verify the veracity of the report. If my judgement is wrong, or if my collection of information is faulty, I must also learn. But they should respond.

Edited Remark Placed ON JUNE 2, 2006

On June 1, 2006, I received a phone from HT Ludhiana office.

They felt concerned about the contents of my posting as given above.

They informed me that they had already published a news item titled "PAU Student’s civil services success mere eyewash" on page 2 of HT Ludhiana Live edition dated May 25, 2006. In the report they had already contended against the claim of the said student.

They also showed their annoyance and displeasure at my act of putting up this post.

I am great admirer of this publication. I feel concerned that they have not liked my act. It was me who had pointed out the incongruity and invalidity of the content of the report. I had provided them the details when they asked for it all in good faith. I was expecting a return reply from them about their investigation on this report as I had provided them the data from where they could verify the authenticity of the claim. In my above reporting, I have mentioned all the emails which I have sent to them. The content of the reporting of May 25, 2006 contains verbatim repeat of the argument which I had placed before them in my emails. It was only when I did not receive any answer from their side that I placed the above mentioned remark. I have pure intentions. I am not against the newspaper group. I repeat, I am a great admirer of the reporting skills of this newspaper and a regular subscriber since 2000. I had read that edition in which their investigative reporting appeared. It just happened that I did not read the above report.

I just want to add that the courtesy demands that they should have replied back to me and informed me when they completed their investigation and published it. The tone of the posting would have been different in that case.

Dr. Subhash Srivastva Will Your Sacrifice be of Any Worth???

I have received a sms which reads: " Date 20-05-2006, 6.30 pm: Dr Subhash Srivastav (AIIMS) has died because of hunger strike and media is not covering it."

Is it TRUE!!!

Shivani Bhatnagar was not killed by R. K. Sharma IPS. It is true. But Media covered it so well.

Is Media vulnerable?

The State is mightier than Pen. Is it True?

Ravi Sidhu said that journalism was a lucrative career. Is it True?

I think I must watch Range De Basanti Once Again.

Is it a war of hegemony? Is Antonio Gramsci true?

Was there need of writing Poona Pact 1932?

Why is not Communal Award written in Golden Words?

Why do we not praise the 1909 ACT?

Will there be a Civil War in Bharat in which Slavery be one of the main cause along with reasons rooted in bad history and worst custodians ideology and heritage!!?

Why is not logic considered a right virtue in Indian philosophy?

Why is logic always used to justify the irrational acts?



However, there is other side of the story.

I have talked to a press reporter of a leading national daily. According to her, the report about Dr. Shubhash Srivastva is not true. She further told that this is a stunt of some companies which have some vested interest in encouraging the gullible public to exchange sms on such a sensitive issue.


She emphatically said that if such a tragedy had taken place it would have by flashed throughout the country. She stressed that in such an event both print and electronic media would have splashed it as a breaking news.

We must try to see another side of the story. We must try to listen what the pro-reservation people are saying. Dr. Bruno has something to say on in defense of reservation and strike strike strike .

How is a Hard Work Executed?

There is a report in The Tribune dated May 19, 2006 about the topper in commerce stream in Board Examination (probably in ICSE, the reporter has not specified that in which board the candidate has topped.) titled "Being Regular in Studies is her Success Mantra" by Geetanjali Gayatri.

I have hi-lighted some lines and reproduce them below.

"It was all about being attentive in class, making notes, slogging hard without being a book worm and just keeping your eyes and ears open.

"I concentrated on being thorough with my books and went over my lessons again and again. Then, of course, for quick recall, I made my own memory maps which helped me revise an entire lesson in a single glance,".

"I don't advocate tuitions at all. Besides being regular, devoting time for self-study is very essential. …"

I am more attracted to the phrase that “for quick recall, I made my own memory maps which helped me revise and entire lesson in a single glance.”

These are highly portent lines. They are the keywords telling the material things of a hard work. They have really surprised me. It is really amazing if these lines are spoken by student of +2 level. If these lines are written by Geetanjali, after listening to the topper, even then, they are very important guidelines for all the students to understand, digest and practice.

I myself, have tried to question that what actually does it mean when we say that one should do hard work in studies. I have been shifting from one explanation to other but have never reached a perfect answer.

In the above mentioned lines, the topper has remarked that for quick recall, she made her own memory maps which helped her revise an entire lesson in a single glance. This part of the quoted lines is telling about a functional and in-practice activity which is required to achieve the success. I have learned it at a very latter stage of my academic career.

What actually is this memory map? It is not an easy thing to explain. Every brain and person have his own model and explanation to give. But before that, you have to undergo an exercise to reach that memory map level. In my case, the exercise involves "Reading Writing Reading Writing Remembering Reading Writing and finally writing and writing again writing till you reach a stage wherein you can create a diagram on the contents of the piece which you are reading". The above mentioned exercise requires time and consistency. It is really a grueling regime but the final result is in form of a mental product which only you can recreate or convert into some type of a pen diagram or tag or small snippet type notes. Those notes or pen diagrams are such that they act as a summary to a whole chapter or even a whole book. The total space which such diagrams or snippets take is hardly a small percentage of the total space on pages that a book contains. All this activity takes lot of efforts and exertion which defines the Hard Work. These mental diagrams actually act as a symbol to the whole content of a book or concept on which you can elaborate to any extend. If you are asked to write it in twenty words on a concept, you can then produce amazing combination of such words which give the gist with in the word limits. If on the other hand, you are asked to explain in detail, then also, you come out with a satisfying answer.

There are some more important points which should also be taken care of. You can only develop a good mental map if you read text books. If you read refreshers like MBD, or Evergreen, or JPH or something like that, then only way is to memorize that. You can not make a mental map. The mental map you can make in case of refreshers is only of a question which such books have tried to answer. If question is there, you can answer. If the wording of the question is changed then you may not be able to articulate at all.

The next thing, which the topper is mentioned is that she studied the whole year and did not suffer from last stage anxiety. That is another good feature about which she has talked. The anxiety is such a thing that it kills your interest in studies. I may like to say that it kills the possibility of the success.

In order to develop this ability of making mental maps, one has to devote time and undergo an exercise regularly. It requires years of practice. However, it is not that you have to do it for a decade. The feel of this idea of mental map can be acquired with in month or two but in order to develop an effective product in form of mental map, you have to practice it for a long time.

In my case, I have been shifting from one type of model of mental map to other. I starting with putting some tags on each paragraph on the book itself. On reading a paragraph, I used to write some phrases or title to each paragraph giving the gist of the content of the paragraph. Then I developed the habbit of underlining it. However, it was not useful, because gradually learned that I am slow to comprehend the contents of a paragraph and I underlined a wrong line. There is some other line, which is more useful. Secondly, the underlining practice destroyed the shape of the book and made the book untidy. I also adopted the practice of hi-lighting but it also makes your book messy. The next habbit which I developed was of writing the gist in my own words. It worked well but gradually what I learned that it took too much of time and somewhere I used to just copy the book verbatim. However, with passing of years, I matured and now I write effective summaries of what I have read. Simultaneously, I have developed the ability to close my eyes, and recollect that under which title what actually is written in the book. It helps me to recollect and write about a given topic in an effective manner. In between, I have developed other different models. I keep on shifting between such models and all of them can be called mental maps.

Real Time Communication – An Imaginary Situation or NOT

I imagine a scenario in which a Real Time Communication takes place.

Presently, when we communicate we can see video and text and listen to audio only. However, we are not able to smell, taste and feel. When we will be able to see, listen, smell, taste and feel a communication through all our five senses then the communication will be real and true.

The computer assemblers, research laboratories and computer engineers may kindly consider this idea seriously as it holds promise for a future business possibility.

Imagine that a doctor wants to check his patient online. Through teleconferencing the doctor can talk to his patient, see some of his vital inputs but even then there remains a big gap of vital input that is required by a doctor to diagnose his patient.

Now imagine, that a doctor has a peculiar type of a plate lying on his table along with his mike, camera, monitor and keyboard. On the other side of the computer somewhere on the other side of the continent, his patient is sitting before his computer. The patient has attached some devices on different part of his body. The devices are passing a data about the skin texture of the patient through his computer to the computer of the doctor. That data is transmitted to that peculiar type of plate of the doctor. The doctor places his finger tips on the plate and gets the simulation which tells him about the real texture of the skin. It also gives data on the temperature of the skin, the dryness of the skin and feel of the skin similar to what if he has actually touched the skin of his patient.

Further, the doctor is placing a device similar to a gas mask on his nose. On the side of the patient, there are sensors which are recording the odors around the patient. The gas mask device has cartridges similar to inkjet cartridges in the inkjet printer. The doctor receives the data from the side of the patient and the nose mask device releases controlled fumes in the gas mask giving the doctor the real odours spread around the patient. They are so real to the actual odours as if he is just sitting opposite to his patient.

Now the doctor has a complete picture of his patient. On his monitor, he is looking at his patient. He is able to listen to his voice. He can also smell the atmosphere around his patient. He can place his hand on the peculiar type of plate and get the idea how it is like touching his skin or pulse. He can have another device also which may be placed on his tongue. He wants to taste something and he can ask the patient to place the corresponding device in the required medium which the doctor want to taste.

Or for example, you want to taste the dish. The other person put the corresponding device in the dish and on your side you have place the required gadget on your tongue. That device tries to reproduce the same tingling on your tongue, which help to learn how the dish tastes through processing of the data.

If such types of devices are developed, then one can have real type of communication.

It raises many possibilities of new type of computer products.

There can be REAL COMPUTER CABIN or RCC.

In the Real Computer Cabin, when a user sits and contact to some computer where in the other user is sitting in similar computer cabin, the first user can even smell the atmosphere around the other user. They may help to taste different things through attachment in the cabin. They can also feel the touch through the attachments which are programmed to transmit the specified type of simulations.

Similarly there can be REAL COMPUTER ATTACHMENTS or RCA.

There can be products wherein one can have a device similar to gas mask. On the other side, the person who want to transmit the smell perception, has a device which can transmit such a data which is converted to such simulations that helps the person on the other side to smell things. Similarly, there can be devices which can help to touch and taste things.

Dangers and Crimes:

Such type of a possibility can counter productive also. A user may produce such type of simulation which can harm the recipient. However, threshold level can be devised in such gadgets.

Utility:

As suggested above, a doctor can diagnose his patient while sitting miles away from his patient. They are doing it even now but there are limitations. However, if such devices are developed then they may have better inputs to decide the diagnose.

Just imagine, Mcdowells helping you to get the taste and smell of their burgers. Or a whine manufacturer introducing his product by first giving the smell and taste simulation. Think, how a perfume maker can approach you. Imagine the type of advertisements on your monitors.

Everybody is invited to expand this imaginary situation.

Is there anyone, who is interested in joining this imaginary situation?

Is H. G. Wells envious of me?

Are the programmers getting some ideas?