Crazy 2009 Resolutions

Hello Friends,

Wish you all a happy New Year’s Eve!! New Year’s Eve has always been a time to look back to the past and fix few things right. It’s more importantly time to look forward the coming year. When I was asked to post on a ‘New Year’s Resolutions’, I had lots of questions in my mind. Mainly, why are resolutions made on this day? Why not some other day? Is there any history for this?

When I have so many questions it is difficult for me to post. So with out wasting time, I Google-d for the info. Well, I got to read lots on the topic. You can know read it here.

Hey, New Year’s Eve is a perfect day to echo the changes we want to bring in our lives. Sometimes our resolutions will bring changes in others lives too.

I donno how far people follow through those changes that they have vow to do.

I don’t make formal resolutions and follow them but will surely make changes accordingly. It’s heartrending not to follow something that we have vowed to pursue. Specially when we blog it and all our friends come to know what I am supposed to follow through, it’s difficult to BREAK THE RULE. A rule made by ourselves.

I was chased by one of our Crazy Bloggers to post on this topic. HE hEEE..

What I will do now is.. list the resolutions of our Crazy Bloggers and my friends!!

So that they can’t escape from what they have declared to follow.

Here it goes..

RockSta: It is for the first time that I gave some serious thought on new year resolutions. I really wanted to come with a list of resolutions that somehow reflect what I wanted to do (deep down under), something that was gnawing away sub-consciously. This is what I have managed to come up with:

When I go to sleep wrapped in a warm blanket, I will not forget that there are 78 million Indians without a home.

When I fill up my bike’s petrol tank for Rs. 600, I will not forget that 26% of the Indian population earns less than Rs. 540.

When I look at my bulging tummy and decide not to eat the rest of my food, I will not forget that there are 200 million Indians living in hunger and that 47 per cent of Indian children are malnourished.

When I look at myself in the mirror, I will not forget who I am and who I could have been.

But, as always, there is that fear. When you have set yourself some goals too high and not able to meet them. Deeksh had a kind word on this. He advised me to go for what I really want. So here I am, revising my previous list of resolutions to just one:

Stay healthy, thereby reducing weight and enjoy life!

Wishing you all Happy New Year.

Hari: My new year resolutions are

Should learn car driving

I want to become slim

Encouraging people to help poor who are in need

Guruvardhan: My new year resolutions :

Be good and true to myself and my frens as much as possible…

Buy a vehicle..(a sports cycle and an Electric)

Blog more..

Give back something to society…donno what…but will start on it…

Geetha: My new year resolutions are very casual. I donno if I can call them as resolutions….. Might sound strange but true that I do not want to cry for small things. I should be daring enough to face any problem. I should try my best to keep my family happy, many more that I cant express………

Prashanthi: My new year resolutions are

I wish to continue helping needy people in my day to day life as much as possible

Wish to save enough money for my brother’s dream bike

Wish to be with parents always and give support when required and do all possible things to keep them in comfort zone and happy

Arunava: Here are my new year resolutions –

Discover Karnataka on my Honda Activa with my girl friend on the back

To set up my planned Hotel Chain across parts of Maharashtra, Bengal, Bangalore and Ooty

To be at a higher position at EmPower

To contribute more to Nature and EmPower Eco Drives

To earn more………..

Karthik: My new year resolutions are

To have a decent hair cut

To have a 6 packs like Aamir Khan within March

The Inevitable Aftermath

Jean Charles de Menezes, a 27-year-old Brazilian was gunned down by police men in the aftermath of the July 7 bombings. Jean had tried to run from the police and was unarmed.

Mohammed Mukarram Pasha, a 19-year-old first year B.Com student of Bangalore’s Baldwin Methodist’s College was fatally shot by the Army guards in the aftermath of the Mumbai mayhem. Mukarram had tried to flee from the army camp and was unarmed.

There are a lot of similarities between the two incidents. Armed authorities had taken extreme measures, something they would have normally avoided otherwise. Both incidents have taken place in the aftermath of terrorist attacks. It is a time when authorities prefer to put a bullet, instead of apprehending a suspect.

Mukarram had entered the Flag Staff House by jumping the compound wall, fleeing from the police. He was only guilty of drag racing and trespassing, as claimed by the police. However, when he ignored the army guards’ warnings and tried to flee from the army camp, he was fatally shot at and was declared dead on arrival by the doctors at the St Philomena’s Hospital.

People close to Mukarram are seething with anger, accusing the army guards of being trigger happy. They argue that with six guards, they could have easily apprehended Mukarram instead of shooting at him.

Ironically, this incident has taken place hours after the Home Guards in Bangalore organized a rally to mark ‘National Disaster Reduction Day’ on Sunday, asking citizens to play a role in securing the city.

Do you think that the army guards were well within their rights to shoot or could they have shown some restraint? Should the guard who shot Mukarram be court marshalled?

Increased Illegal Fishing Driving Away Siberian Pelicans From Hebbal Lake, December 2008 – Are Karnataka Forest Officials Sleeping?

Increased Illegal Fishing Driving Away Siberian Pelicans From Hebbal Lake, December 2008 – Are Karnataka Forest Officials Sleeping?

On Thursday, 25/12/08, Praveen J wrote:

From: Praveen J
Subject: [keralabirder] Fwd: Wetland birds vanishing -Kerala
To: keralabirder@yahoogroups.com
Date: Thursday, 25 December, 2008, 11:01 AM

———- Forwarded message ———-
From: jayadevan ek
Date: Sun, 21 Dec 2008 13:46:38 +0530
Subject: Wetland birds vanishing -Kerala
To: Praveen J

Story: http://www.hindu.com/2008/12/21/stories/2008122153860700.html
Title: Wetland birds vanishing * K. S. Sudhi

KOCHI: Wetland birds may vanish from Kerala in the near future considering
their declining population trend. There has been an alarming drop in the
population as revealed during the recent water bird census.

The number of wetland birds in the State has dropped to 94,516 in 2007 from
1, 41,588 of 2004, according to the Asian Water Bird Census data for Kerala.

The situation has further worsened in 2008 in kole wetlands where the bird
population has come down to 30,618 against one lakh in 2004, said P.O.
Nameer, Kerala coordinator of Asian Water Bird Census.

The wetland bird census was held in kole wetlands, Vembanad Lake, Purathur,
Kattampally, Ashtamudi Lake and Kadalundi from 2004. These wetlands account
for the 95 per cent of the total water birds counted from Kerala.

All the wetlands except Purathur and Ashtamudi showed rapid decline in the
bird population.

In Purathur, the bird population increased to 29,837 from 11,272 of 2004. A
marginal increase was also observed at Vembanad where the population was
recorded as 26,801 against 24,744 of 2004, the survey revealed.

An alarming situation prevailed in Kattampally where the bird population
plummeted to 8,440 in 2007 against the 20,087 of 2004.

Of the 31 bird species of Kerala that are considered threatened as per the
International Union for Conservation of Nature standards, eight are
wetland-dependent ones.

These include Spot-billed Pelican, Oriental Darter, Black-headed Ibis and
Black-tailed Godwit, said Dr. Nameer. Dr. B. Sreekumar, coordinator of the
survey in Vembanad Lake, observed that there had been significant reduction
in the number of migratory birds that reach the region. Sandpipers,
Greenshanks and Stints could be hardly spotted during the surveys, he said.

It was also observed that the Cormorant population was on the increase.

Besides the habitat loss, there should be other factors that resulted in the
fall in number of migratory birds reaching the area, said Dr. Sreekumar who
also heads the Kottayam Nature Society.

2009 census in January

The 2009 Asian Water fowl census will be held during the first three weeks
of January.

The Census, to be held under the joint auspices of the Wetland
International, Kerala State Biodiversity Board and the Kerala Forest
Department, would commence at the kole wetland on January 4.

Purathur will be surveyed on January 11 and Vembanad on 18. Bird counting
would also be held at 25 other wetlands across the State.

The survey aims to “obtain, on an annual basis, information on waterbird
populations for most species, at wetlands in the region during the
non-breeding period as a basis for long term evaluation of sites and
monitoring of populations” , according to Wetland International.

During the survey, the status and condition of wetlands would be monitored.
It also attempts to create “greater interest in water birds and wetlands
amongst people, and thereby promote the conservation of wetlands and
waterbirds in the region.”

In response,

Rightly said Praveen. Even Bangalore is facing the same problems.

Earlier Lalbagh lake used to be a home for some of the rarest migrants in the world. But due to increase in anthropogenic activities in the lake, making the lake utterly polluted (uncontrolled pollution due to tourism), and in addition to these, illegal fishing have made the lake unsuitable as a winter home and also an unsuitable breeding place for these birds.

More recently, in the month of November 2008 people was witness to a magnificent sight of cormorants, Siberian cranes and pelicans flocking the Hebbal lake. For information, fishing, boating and anthropogenic activities were banned this year in the lake by the Karnataka Forest Department. However, to the ire of nature lovers, bird watchers, researchers and wildlife photographers, the department is not paying any heed to the continuous reports we have prepared from Migrant Eco Watch of the illegal fishing going on in the area. But all such requests of stopping the illegal fishing have been turned to deaf ears. Initially around 500 pelicans were counted on a single day. Now due to increased illegal fishing (that is also encouraged by local people), the number of these birds have dwindled to a mere 50 – 60.

I am sending you some pictures taken by me during my last visit (last weekend) and also a rare photo of the illegal fishing activity that I managed to capture on my lens. I wish you can publish this news in leading dailies in and around Kerala.

Fig: Only 50 -60 pelicans remain on the central island, Hebbal Lake, Bangalore

Fig: A fishing hut visible on the farthest corner of the Hebbal Lake

Regards,
Arunava Das
Migrant Eco Watch
NCBS, Bangalore; Green Peace, Bangalore

&

Fellow,
WWF-Ooty and The Nilgiris Wildlife and Biodiversity Association

A font for the Eco-conscious!

Here’s a website offering a font that helps save ink. Please follow this link: http://www.ecofont.eu/ecofont_en.html

SPRANQ has come up with this unique, innovative product. This font was developed based on a hunch of Colin Willems of SPRANQ.

The font is known as Ecofont and uses up to 20% less ink when compared to other fonts.

In the picture you can see how the Ecofont is created by omitting parts of the letter. At the shown size, this obviously is not very nice, but at a regular font size it is actually very usable. Naturally, the results vary depending on your software and the quality of your screen. The Ecofonts works best for OpenOffice, AppleWorks and MS Office 2007. Printing with a laser printer will give the best printing results.

The Ecofont is based on the Vera Sans, an Open Source letter, and is available for Windows, Mac OSX and Linux. The Ecofont works best when using font size 9 or 10. The results vary depending on your software. If you work on a Windows platform you could use ClearType.

This font is available for free download. Saving the toner used in ink cartridges is another small way in which we can give something back to the environment. I have marked the editorial team on this.

You can download this font for free at the Ecofont website: http://www.ecofont.eu/ecofont_en.html

Source: Ecofont

Crazy Wish List

Dear Santa,

So far this year I have been good most of the time. I work very hard at my job. I am not wasting water unnecessarily. I am trying my best to reduce the usage of plastic papers. When you select my gifts, please remember my wish list.

Here is what I want most. Please do your best!

Pair of most trendy Watches (one formal and one casual looks)
A Television which telecasts my favorite programs when I need (As I reach home late from office, I miss many of my favorite programs like ‘World’s Amazing Videos’, ‘So You Think You Can Dance’)
A Magic Lamp (whenever I used to watch ‘Aladdin’ during my school days – I always wanted Magic Lamp. May be to do my homework – I don’t know if Genie’s handwriting matches mine.. he hee)

I understand that some of these things may be hard to deliver. A Magic Lamp, for instance, would be difficult to get from Aladdin. Now I am working, so Genie don’t worry you no need to write homework, instead I might ask you something else.

Here are some MORE things I want. Do your best, Santa!

I want no children to work in their schooling age
No children should be hurt, especially due to religion and economic status
Special transport facilities for our senior citizens
No corruption
School academics should have lessons that add moral values to kids’ lives
Fresh air
Increase the white tiger population

Santa, I am not being mean asking all these. I would like to be good, most of the time. So, I would also like to list Crazy Bloggers’ wish list.

Hari’s wish
Everyone should be happy and lead peaceful life
Help blind children and old age beggars
All should reach home safely daily
and last but not the least is that 2008 year should never repeat as under gone so many pains and has lost their jobs.

Sowjanya’s Wish
I wish, whole heartedly that my heartfelt wish come true
I wish, things to be fine, the way they are usually

RockSta’s Wish List:
Discover India on a Bullet
Sony Erickson W902 mobile phone
Drive a Bugati Veyron in Seychelles
Enlist for U.N. Peace Keeping Force for a year
Hope I am not too selfish/greedy 😉

Jeshal’s wish list
Would like to take out more time for myself
Read and Write more
Do more socially useful work (work with kids and elderly)
Make lot of friends
Plant more trees
Buy a bicycle
Do more outdoor activities. (more jogging, more trekking)
Make a photobiography (Topic not decided yet. Readers can suggest something)
Take active participation to make India a clean green nation

Thank you,
Deeksh

Childhood Treasures

A pencil box, a geometry box and my favorite Hero fountain pen. These were my most prized possessions. Apart from these, Natraj pencils (good for drawing), Apsara pencils (good for writing), a green ink rubber, a sharpener, a blade for sharpening pencils (in case the sharpener did not work) and of course the white pencil rubber. I wouldn’t leave home without these.

Back those days, there were two kinds of students. Ones’ who would bring all the above mentioned items (pencils sharpened, pens filled with ink) and the ones’ whose sole purpose would be to borrow all the above said items. Unfortunately, I belonged to the former category. Most of the time, I ended up begging those students to return my stuff back, only to be labeled – stingy.

I used to do my homework religiously, revise and prepare for the lessons everyday. But somehow it did not translate into marks/ranks after the exams. I remained an average student, despite all my hard work. Strangely, I was never a teacher’s pet either.

I was kind of famous though, in my own right. I never used to talk in class. Not even a single word, unless the teacher asked me to read from my book. Snide remarks were passed, when the teacher asked other students to emulate me. I was labeled as a “dumb boy.” I did not bother because I knew they couldn’t be like me.

My record at school was almost clean, except for a couple of incidents. In the first case, I was sitting next to a very talkative student (who was also my namesake) and was punished because he was making enough noise for both of us. Even the teachers’ were shocked on hearing this. In the second case, I was punished for sneaking an extra textbook copy of a textbook to a student who had forgotten to bring his own, without the teacher’s permission.

I was below average in sports. My parents were very obliging (at that time I was their only kid and was pampered a lot, until my brother came along) and got me a doctor’s certificate declaring my inability to participate, the cause would be somehow different ever year. Funny no one noticed it though.

This would pretty much sum up my childhood in a nutshell. On a second thought, the trend pretty much sums up my life till now.

Damn!

What a waste!

I wish that I was a naughty boy who would forget his homework, borrow stuff from other students, play pranks, get punished a lot, talk in class (especially with the girls), excel in sports, bully other’s.

With the knowledge of knowing what I am now, I wish I could go back in time and change who I was.

I could have been someone else.

But, I guess I will never get to find out.

I also promise that I will not write another post that will contain so many repetitions of the alphabet ‘I’ (29 in all).

Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays!

Scarlet Dreams Come True!

A mention of the word “Ferrari” would conjure up unimaginable fantasies in my mind as a 13 year old, sitting glued to the television set, home work lying unfinished. I was an ardent fan of Michael Schumacher and would listen in awe as my seniors at school would describe the legendary scraps Michael had with Aryton Senna. I guess, that was the time when I lost interest in comic superheroes and adopted my first real life superhero as an Idol.

Riding a bicycle to school was no longer a routine. It was a race, and I learnt a lot from watching Formula One. Looking back now, it would seem kiddish. Creeping up on a Bajaj scooter, on my bicycle; imitating the slipstream overtaking maneuver. Locking up my bicycle tires at the street corner’s, inviting angry stares from others around as there was no need for me to brake so hard. Did I forget to mention drag racing?

Being an ardent fan of motorsport, I was elated when I found out that Ferrari President Luca di Montezemolo had announced that the Tata brand would appear on the Formula 1 cars in 2009.

If Vijay Mallya’s foray into Formula 1 was historic, then this is truly groundbreaking. However I did come across certain articles that lamented the state of Formula 1 (especially that of the Ferrari’s) to have a cheap car manufacturer sponsor one of the leading teams. That did really leave a sad aftertaste.

I guess the Indian stereotype is gradually being broken down. There is nothing that we can’t do, just like everyone else. People just need to accept the reality. The reality that is staring right in your face is that we are about to overtake China in terms of population and it will be inevitable that we would eventually be a part of every sphere. You just cant ask a country (with a population of billion plus) to sit tight and do nothing. It is impossible.

Its about time our dreams come true!

Working Model Of Antikythera – Just Amazing

I had an opportunity to watch this amazing video on how the Antikythera works. It is a mysterious clockwork thingy made up of many wheels (cogs) and was discovered more than a century ago in a shipwreck.

No wonder that they call this masterpiece as the world’s first Computer! It was a built in calender, an astronomical reader and what not…

I would suggest you to watch this episode or a prologue on the Antikythera here and then watch the working model.

Lie!

Picture Source: Quizilla.com

Strange!