Photography with Digital Camera A-Z

Until recent time the Digital world of photography was highly analogue. I still remember my dad’s old camera which used a simple expose and click mechanism for photographs. Times changed since then. My first version of digitized photograph came with the scanning of some old school photos with a friend’s scanner. I posted the pics here. Soon I realized that the world is going to change with the widespread of the Internet Phenomenon. I was an Internet user since 1998 and thus realized that with the increase in internet usage will come the age of Digital media (Photos and videos).

 

As of now, I stand at a time when video calling is being offered as a part of 3g plan. Mobile phones come with a good camera at least 3MP.Alas there was a time when the first camera phone used to come with VGA Camera. After 6 years the camera has boosted up to 12MP or even 16 MP with the phone, able to challenge a good camera of same MP(Not SLR Cameras-they still rule).

 

So I decided to write this mini guide which helps an individual to asses/buy a camera phone and tips on how to enhance the photo. Please note the price and camera phone model is reflecting for the Indian subcontinent thought the tips holds good for everyone.

 

Buying a Camera Phone

 

There are many camera phones available from market. The cheapest standard I say will be Nokia X2(around 5000/-).Comes with a 5MP camera and Flash. Please note that this is not a Smartphone and will only be loved by Camera Phone lovers. It’s not a touch screen and is just another Candy bar Phone with 5MP camera. Now that’s the selling point. Remember since the base camera can cost lesser than the touch screen and screen display matters little less as the photos will be finally viewed and edited in PC, the camera makes an excellent choice(once again to those who fancies a good camera and not much in a phone).

 

Once we move a little up in the tier, Nokia X6 comes with a Carl Zeiss Optics 5MP and Dual LED Flash(around 15000/-).Unfortunately the 8GB Version is over and they have launched the 16 GB owing to the high price. Behold the cheapest Carl Zeiss optics phone.

 

For a little high end choice Nokia N8 is the best option (around 21000/-), with 12MP Carl Zeiss Optics and Xenon Flash this is a monster that will dominate the market for a long time....apparently not. With the Megapixel race, Nokia is coming up with 16MP Carl Zeiss Xenon Flash equipped Nokia N8-01 phone.

 

Why should we go for such a high priced phone and not some other 8000 Rs phone or for that matter the Nokia X2 phone which also has the 5MP Camera?

 

An honest question that might come to your mind. Yes very true that the working mechanism inside each camera phone is the same .The real players are the following things that make a camera.

 

1. CMOS Chip. Though I am not an electronics engineer but needless it doesn’t takes much intelligence to figure out that the high end CMOS chips can produce better image form the lights and shadows. Though the CCD Chips are more suited for SLR Cameras but due to the high cost factor, CMOS has become more popular. 
2. Megapixel. With the MP race, the top notch MP camera is around 16MP.Why do we need so much MP. Frankly speaking since the usage is normally limited to posting in facebook or maybe Picasa account. And since the person viewing the image does so from his normal 15” or say 17“monitor (rarely form a 21” monitor unlike me).The highest viewable resolution is mostly 1366X768 which comes easily with a 3MP camera. So why such a high MP is required. The answer lies in a phenomenon called cropping. Cropping is cutting the pics into desired size and focus. So ideally with lesser resolution the cropped photo might not be very proper. 
3. Lens. So what’s the big deal about it? Well it’s the lens that captures the lights reflecting back from the subject to the camera. Carl Zeiss lens comes into picture in terms of capturing detailed image and dynamic color lens. Who are they? The company who makes lenses for Satellites and has been in the business for whooping 160 years. Yes it does make a real difference. Apart from Nokia Sony Ericson is the only other company who used to pack Carl Zeiss lens until recently dropped. 
4. Flash. The common myth says that flash is only necessary when in Indoor and low light. But the truth is a good flash can sometime lessen the whitish background even on a sunny day. But yes true that the flash is mostly used in nighttime. So unless your camera is intended to shoot only in daytime with sunlight...make sure that the flash is present in the phone. There are two types of flashes.LED Flashes comes with two one flash while the Xenon flash is the more costly and better option for the users. In summary the Xenon flash is more flashy and costly than the LED counterpart because of more light it produces with more intensity.

However please note that a lousy photographer with a 10MP camera can lose to a good photographer with a 3.2 MP camera. No matter how big the camera resolution is ultimately it’s the photographer that is in charge.

 

The next section covers the basics for those who already have a camera phone or has just bought one.

 

The Art of Photography

 

The Photography is a unique art which covers both your imagination and the technicalities. So let’s take a quick look into the mystic art that helps us to capture moments into the frames.

 

Instead of just copying the same material from the website, I choose to give the links for the same.

 

•  http://www.digital-photography-school.com/how-to-use-a-camera-phone 
•  http://www.digital-photography-school.com/rule-of-thirds

Needless to say the website http://www.digital-photography-school.com/ offers various tips on photography which finally can enhance the photos you take.

 

My Small Tips

 

• Never face towards the light or sun while taking picture. Goes opposite for the subject. Always face the subject towards the sunlight or light source. 
• Prefer portrait mode (holding the phone normally upside down) for taking pictures of solo subject or when the scenery is not important. Landscape mode(holding sideways) is the best for taking sceneries or when multiple subjects are there in focus. 
• Take more than one picture. You never know which one turns out to be the best.

The website pretty much covers up the techniques. Now let’s talk about the Imagination part. Although my personal belief was that in India camera is best to be used in Social occasions or vacation. Otherwise there is not much to take a snap. But my recent experiments show that it was my lack of vision not the lack of subject. My experience says start taking snaps and eventually your inner eye will show up to reveal the real image…..that’s the true photography.

 

Etiquette in Photography

 

With the rapid growth of mobile phones with camera…it has somewhat been a very idiotic and stupid habit of people taking pictures of everything and anything they find anywhere. They sometime feel proud of the pictures taken. Sometimes within the No Photograph zone to unsuspecting ladies and perhaps in institutions taking snaps of not so funny moments of faculty and students without their consent.

 

Please remember that with Great power comes great responsibility and so while you have the power to capture a moment, freeze the time in frame, misuse of the power may not result in happy moments after all. While the law is not very strict against photographing a person without his/her consent, but the fact that the public is unaware of this makes the whole situation very difficult. Even though the intentions are good you might end up in a hospital or Jail depending upon the public response.

 

Best way to approach is perhaps to ask the person if he/she is the main focus or if it’s a place of interest...Read the rules before snapping.

 

Summary

 

And always remember that it’s your vision what matters most that the equipment you are using. So open your mind’s eye and start snapping. Surely one day won’t make a difference but with practice and determination you can master the art to a great extent.

 

Just to add the mood.I ve included some pics taken with my Mobile Phone...Enjoy

 

 

Breakups in a Post Apocalyptic world

Our world is like a small S**T Hole and facebook is just the reflection of it..just stumbled upon one of my good friend's X's profile..after a long relationship they had parted..they were a part of my very special memory and it hurts a lot when I see both of them with different people.This post might hurt them who has already been through such a situation, but my intention is to help them who are perhaps going through one or aren't ready to face the heat crisis and needs tips on that..I myself hate to see breakups..tried to stop as many as possible(with some success)..Sorry for the pain just in case but please understand that this one is for those who still has a chance.
Why breakups happen
Interestingly there are lots of theory and reasoning available, but however it really cant be predicted coz for everyone the reasons are different.In some cases it might be suggested that getting bored of relationship or finding some one better has led to breakup but then..it was never really a true love in that case and so move on for a greener pasture(better person i mean).
The most common categorization  can be made on the basis of requirement.When one partner observes that his/her other half is ignorant and he/she is not getting what they expected can really lead to argument, fight and finally a breakup.Love in the essence means to give and not to expect anything in return.But in our modern day life..we sometime do expect something form them in return and when we don't get it, results in the first reason to have a breakup..here a a few things that follow the disappointment phase..

• They stop expecting and promises themself never to open up
  
• They try to find an alternative to that expectation.
  
• They fight over it sometimes winding back to the same phase with a bitter memory or can also successfully avert the situation.

Prevention is always better than cure

Coming to the point of prevention,perhaps the whole thing cant be summarized in just a post but can be boiled down to at least  few points…

• Speak up:When in pain and sadness over some issue always choose to speak up.Don't stay mum fearing another quarrel or bad days but rather open up your mind to the other person.If you cant speak up try writing a email ,letter ..send them an audio/video recording..communicate..
  • Do’s and Don'ts
    • Do Speak,write or record..but don't send an sms or chat.They hardly convey the real meaning and can lead to more confusion
      
    • Don't ask your best friend to do the job.They actually might try from their heart but may mess up more coz they really will say what they feel not what you intended to say.
      
    • Don't create a fuss about it and try to get his attention.I’ve seen people doing all sort of things to draw the attention and end up doing the stupidest thing ever done.
      
    • Don't pick up past issues.They only complicate the matter
• Fight Up: When speaking doesn’t resolve roll up your sleeve and get into the fight.Chances are that you will end up saying and he will end up listening what you were trying to say.Even as psychologists say..releasing the emotion helps in better understanding and after all it is not wrong to fight for something you love.
  
  • Do’s and Don’ts
    • Fighting should be strictly limited to you and not spread over the family and friends.Never know when someone might just take the advantage over it.
      
    • Once again it should be under reasonable grounds.Means since you are fighting..its not wise to hang out with someone else just to make him hurt or jealous..the intention of the fight is to convey your message not hurt your loved ones.Even bitter enemies like India and Pakistan have ROE(Rules Of Engagement) over battlefield and doesn’t fight like animals
      
    • Inflicting self pain..or hurting oneself during the fight is the biggest stupidest thing to do.It only forces the other person to come to a stalemate without true understanding.Nothing really achieved

Fighting Techniques

To lighten up the mood here are a few fighting techniques used during a fight.Due to my knowledge and vast field experience in this matter I present to you the “Technique de la Fighting Manual”.

1. The Silent Treatment, when used forces the other half to go crazy.Makes him/her wonder what went wrong.They end up saying all sorts of thing and in the end get tired and calls for a truce.Name your terms.
   
2. The Violent treatment, can result in biting,slapping,boxing and scratching..which eventually ignites the passion and voila the love is back.Note please don't practically try to hurt the other half badly..its not a boxing match..knockout is not the way of winning.
   
3. The Slang Treatment.I was fortunate enough to listen to a  good conversation where each one was just abusing the other.First it sounded very cheap but at the end I realized they actually have made up.
   
4. The Emotional Atyachar Treatment.Boy o boy this is a big one.If done in limited dose and proper usage can leave the opponent in a dazzled state and once again you have the victory at your feet.

Making up

Making up is a unique thing once again, different for different people.I will list the most common types.Once again my vision is limited to that being a male species so cant really say the same will work for boys from girls…so read on..

• The I Love You Phrase.If used in proper fashion and good timing can lead to cool down.Add I’m dying and cant leave with out you adds perfect 100% to the score.
• Pampering.When used against any other person is normally called buttering or oiling.The motive here is to say nice things to the other half(even if it is not true)
• Guchu Guchu.In face to face fight..guchu technique can also lead to instant cool down.I don't think i need to explain this in details..but for dummies, get more passionate..dumb
• Chocolates and Red Roses are known to be good anti fighting agents but not recommended for budget lovers.
• Stuffed Toys.If budget permits can add to cool down.

Conclusion
While the subject is widely discussed and there is no real guideline to it.The best thing to remember is what really matters.Is it your loved one or is it your ego.Its up to you to save your relationship and you know the best how to do it.My article simply urges you to do it.

CID vs CBI

The Televison Funda
The televison has been a major entertainment source since the dawn of Indian Cinema and its contribution towards the making of Indian mentality has been greatly influenced by the quality of the movie/soaps.Here are a frew glimpses of the famous/not so famous TV serials and movies.This list doesnt speak entirely of the theme but rather is a segment of the full list and obviously of my fav choice. 

The CID and ACP Pradyuman

Everybody knows the CID and ACP Pradyuman played by Shivaji Satyam who is also otherwise popular for the roles of Father of the hero/heroine or as a Police Commissioner. When we say CID a reflection of a highly efficient and good looking people comes to our mind who has devoted their life for fighiting crime. Notable of mentioning is also Sr Inspector Abhijeet and Daya, Inspector Fredricks and Dr Salunkhe. The episode and the direction was the brainchild of B P Singh who had successfully created a cult/mainstream where ACP Pradyuman and his team will be there in our minds continuously after the bad guys. So why was this a success? It is still the longest running TV Serial(Yup even beats the Ku Ki Saas bhi Kabhi Bahu thi and Shanti.


The success mantra could be definitely that the storyline was superb along with the acting. The real catch though is that we wanted something like this in real life where the truth and justice finally triumphs over the bad and evil(By the way the base line is very ancient..dating back to Ramayan).They were successful because we wanted to see a team who will be feared by the criminals and politicians alike.


Ajnabi and Major(Not the Movie)

Well needless to say this was one of my favourite serials.An ex army who has settled in the hill tracks faces various challenges including typical human emotions and with a huge chunk of terrorists thrown in.Casted by Danny Denzongpa, the serial had action flicks and emotional twists(unlike recent Ekta kapoor productions).The soundtrack was something that penetrates the mind and takes us to those hilly areas.Needless to say the location chosen for shooting also had plenty of natural beauties(yeah..Beauties).Anyways those who have watched it needs no description.


The serial was more about the Indian Patriotism and Valor.Of sacrifices the people make for their better understanding of Freedom and Unity..

Prahar and Major Chauhan



Once again this needs no description as both the titles are very familiar.For me prahar signified the beatings in school by my chemistry teacher, Sharmistha madam who punished me with a scale for practicing the sacred art of Astrology and predicting who will mary who and how many babies they will have. Ahem…a bit off track…Anyway the Movie signified the struggle of an army man who adops the idea of cleaning the drain by getting in the drain. Nana perhaps had best suited for the role(Trivia:He undertook the training in Indian Army for the role and thus has been awarded honorary captain rank.He also had joined the Territorial Army (India) in early 90s).


The movie shows us how an army captain is forced to take up justice in his own hands and had to neutralize certain antisocial threats for the benefit of social cause and unfortunately the public makes wrong judgment of it.

Real Life Funda
As against the TV,there are certain real life agencies or govt organizations whose life is equally thrilling and perhaps could fetch high TRP if made a movie/serial out of it.Here is once again a segment of the list and my favs..

National Security Guard (NSG)

The NSG is a Special Response Unit in India that has primarily been utilized for counter-terrorism activities and was created by the Cabinet Secretariat under the National Security Guard Act of the Indian Parliament in 1986. It works completely within the Central Paramilitary Force structure.


Some of the NSG's known operations include:


#30 April 1986 - 12 May 1988 — attack on Khalistani militants hiding in the Golden Temple during Operation Black Thunder II


#25 April 1993 — rescue of hijacked plane Indian Airlines Boeing 737 by Islamic militants during Operation Ashwamedh


#October, 1998 — major combat missions in Jammu and Kashmir


#15 July 1999 — rescue of 12 hostages held by armed terrorists who had stormed an apartment complex in Kashmir and killed 4 people


#25 September 2002 — Operation Vajra Shakti to free hostages held by terrorists who had killed 29 worshippers[4] at the Akshardham temple in Ahmedabad, Gujarat. They suffered their first combat death in this operation. A second commando, who was seriously injured and was in a coma, died after 18 months.


#26 November 2008 Mumbai attacks — Operation Black Tornado and Operation Cyclone to flush out terrorists & rescue hostages after multiple attacks across Mumbai, India. Major Sandeep Unnikrishnan and Havaldar Gajender Singh Bisht of the Special Action Group lost their lives during the operations.






Note: A large number of SRG personnel of the National Security Guards are assigned as bodyguards for various political leaders leaving a significantly lesser number of rangers who may be able to assist when the need arises.


However, after a recent media uproar, many of the NSG commandos were reassigned from their bodyguard positions(also known formerly as Black Cat and has been known to deploy in markets and sabzi mandi to fetch household groceries for VIP, making tea and providing guard to VIP’s sons and daughters ofcource) back to active duty


Research and Analysis Wing

The R&AW or RAW is India's external intelligence agency. It was formed in September 1968 after the poor performance of the Intelligence Bureau (which handled both internal and external intelligence) in the Sino-Indian war of 1962 and the India-Pakistani war of 1965 convinced the then government of India that a specialized, independent agency was required for competent external intelligence gathering.

The raw gained real power during the reign of Indira Gandhi and had been continuously on a growth pattern until the corruption had his hands on the organization. Major General (retired) V K Singh has recently written a book on R&AW where it was alleged that political interference and corruption in the intelligence agency has made it vulnerable to defections. One of the instances of corruption mentioned in the book was the preference given by R&AW departments towards purchasing intelligence from the 'Rohde and Schwarz' company. A reason for such corruption as explained by the author is that "...R&AW was not answerable to any outside agency - the control of the Prime Minister's Office was per functionary, at best - many officers thought that they were not only above the law but a law unto themselves”


Central Bureau of Investigation

The CBI is a government agency of India that serves as a criminal investigation body, national security agency and intelligence agency. It was established on 1 April 1963 and evolved from the Special Police Establishment founded in 1941. Its motto is "Industry, Impartiality, Integrity".


The CBI is controlled by the Department of Personnel and Training in the Ministry of Personnel, Public Grievances and Pension of the Union Government usually headed by a Union Minister who reports directly to the Prime Minister. While analogous in structure to the FBI, the CBI's powers and function are severely limited to specific crimes based on Acts (mainly the Delhi Special Police Establishment Act, 1946). The CBI is the official Interpol unit for India.


Because of its intensely political overtones, it has been exposed by its former bigwigs like Joginder Singh and BR Lall who were Director and Joint Director respectively, to be engaging in nepotism, mal-prosecution and outright corruption. In his book, Who Owns CBI, BR Lall, an honest and upright officer details the modus operandi of manipulating and derailing investigation] This organization has become synonymous with corruption as information obtained under the RTI Act has revealed. Even the Top Bosses are known for stooping to illegal fund diversion.RTI activist Krishnanand Tripathi has alleged harassment from CBI in order to save itself from exposure through RTI CBI has now been exempted from RTI act.

Summary

Well Perhaps India has yet to see all of its Govt agencies into peak function taking example from US Special Forces and FBI/Scotland Yard.Perhaps then we can truelly say that our country is developing and no one can enter our house and shoot us and then leave easily.

Looking at the current prespective,I think it is high time that we start looking into the security loopholes and make india a better and stronger country.

Signing Off

20 Years Ago till Today...a timeline for me.........

On my 27th Birthday I decided to make a timeline for myself.Since its a blog as well you are welcome to read it.....Its not a very romantic or action timeline but its true and my honest line.....

20 years ago I . . .
Can barely remember what exactly I was doing. No date wise memory

(2001)10 years ago I . . .

1. I had attained my first board exam ICSE and awaiting the results. I was especially scared about the physics and mathematics. I knew I was going to fail in biology. My Physics teacher was more scared than me. 
2. Finally completed the Unreal Tournament and beaten Xan. Vomited after playing Doom and decided never to play the series in my life. 
3.  Elder brother got married, and I got the privilege of being the groom’s brother for the first time. Got a very dear Sister In Law(I call her Didi till day)Family Member = 9+1

 (2006)5 years ago I . . .

1.  Got transferred from Kolkata to Bangalore to study Engineering.(Against my will) 
2.  Lost both my Grandparents. Dida(2003) Dadu(2006).Family=10-2 
3.  Sitting back at home with Zero morale and trying to find my way back to the College. 
4.  Appeared for an interview with Wipro BPO, got rejected due to lack of proper communication skills. 
5.  Went to Vishnu solutions for an Interview and came to know that being a 2nd Year Pass Engineer, I was overqualified for the job. Though he did agree to get me a job if I would have paid some 10,000 as a security and my certificates as an assurance. 
6.  Morale boosted up once I had cleared the exams(all except one EC32) 
7.  Realized that really women can be deceptive and they can lie for their benefits. 
8.  Gifted with a nephew(Sangsaptak) who became the youngest member in my Family (taking my title...he he).Family=8+1 

 (2008)3 years ago I . . .

1. Brother visited Bangalore and had a kickass time.Those days were like heaven when your brother is there to take care of your financial needs and to lets you to have...ahem many many good things.He was like a guide,philosopher and friend to me that time...We were the perfect bachelors with some of our fellow bachelors.We sort of had an unofficial bachelor's club with my brother being the unofficial president for the club....we had daily meetings and addas..
2. Finally passed out of the college, even with a job in Keane India (then known as Caritor).Though the buggers didn’t called me immediately. 
3.  Joined Wipro BPO (cleared the rounds with highest in comm. Skills and tech knowledge) to earn my pocket money, which was proudly spent on Computers and fruit juice and girlfriend. 
4. Celebrated my first Love anniversary (November), and realized that when you receive gifts it’s wonderful and when you have to give its costly. 
5. Realized that once you get into job it’s really the end of personal leizures, took up my first call as FLA(Front Line Agents more like Front Line A** HOLE) on 23:59 PM 31st December 2008.The lady on the other side was very courteous and offered me cookies to compensate the pain of taking her call on this occasion. Mrs. Mary Mathews, from Ohio.

 (2010)1 year ago I . . . 

1. Have someone in my life to annoy and bother with my actions...
2.  Proudly was going for a dayshift with Sunday as week off and a promotion. 
3.  Handling a team of around 10-15 people. I didn’t know I could do it. Planning to quit the job as well.”Frustration…ami hote chai sensation (TM)” was my motto. 
4.  Weekend Attendance at Ajanta for a couple of Beer(*Contains fruit juice and no added flavour) and Dry Chili Chicken. 
5.  Luckily had received a call from Keane India and Wipro Technology at the same time 
6.  Left home in the month of September and settled for Bangalore then Noida. 
7.  Joined my 2nd Job as a Software Engineer at Keane India (Noida)-Finally got the call. 
8.  Purchased the Nokia X6 on EMI to enjoy the superior photo quality at 5MP Carl Zeiss Optics. Still paying the EMI. The phone successfully survived one snatching event and multiple drops from hand. 
9.  Gifted with another nephew (Panchajanya) who once again becomes the youngest member of the family. Family=9+1

(2011)So far this year I . . .

1.  Been to office and tried to use the office hours for blogging and other social activities. 
2.  Office blocks facebook, Gmail and blogger. **&&**!@@@*!!. 
3.  Got a salary hike (don’t know why) and had little more money to spend on Pizza. 
4.  Missed half of my second brother’s wedding and landed up in Kolkata on 2nd day. Did expected a lot of brother’s Saalis but sadly that’s another story to be narrated later. Got a cute and really nice person as Sister In Law who calls me Bhai. She even reads my blogs dedicatedly(thanks) .Family =10+1 
5. Quit the habit of drinking in weekends and now can stay without a drink for months 
6.  Presently planning to quit cigarette(that’s a tough call)

 (15th June 2011)Yesterday I . . .

1.  Boozed a little to enjoy the night. Managed to drink the entire stuff without spilling even a drop. Record.
2.  Got wet in the rain to feel the nature. Caught cold and had a little fever. 
3.  Watched the movie Darjeeling Darjeeling by Anjan Dutta and tried to relate the characters to my own life(Nope I am the only piece in this universe..single piece sample) 
4.  No cakes were cut and no payesh was made, not even one sweet. Booooo….. 
5.  Realized that I am 27 now. More Booooooooo…………

 Today I . . . 

1. 1. Completed 27 years of my. 
2. 2. Completed the first chapter for SCJP by Kathy Sierra 
3. 3. Promised to quit smoking 
4. 4. Promised to be good to the special lady and not to annoy her(*Conditions apply)

Tomorrow I will . . . 

1.  Again annoy that woman 
2.  Be back at work (full-day) 
3. Smoke 10-12 cigarettes in office.
4. Cook some good food with the newly learned recepie and post the pics on facebook.

 In the next year I will . . .  

1.  Open a new blog about my personal journey to the wastelands 
2.  Start the Optimized Savings plan (Self Designed) 
3.  Try to change the job by the end of the Year.
4. One of my best friend is going to enter the family phase of life.Planning to be there for the fun...

Thats all for today...signing off..

The Famous Google Search

Searching Names in Google

One of the favourite passtime of many people browsing the Internet is searching for their own names.Seeing ones name in Internet definitely makes the majority happy as very similar to having faces shown in TV.Internet research says a staggering 67% people have searched for themself or some other close friend in google.While the motive is not always good and intentional,but for either way lets take a closer look at the Searching techniques and how they can be used to get the most desired search result.

Searching for Your Name in Google

When we type our names in google search box,the intention could be varied.One it can be just for fun to see how many different people are there by my name and even to an extent when you just want to see if by any chance your name comes in the top of the google search result.This could be termed as an ego-searching.Another reason to search would be to determine how visible is your profile on the internet.Popular search technique is to place the name between quotes which increases the chance of finding the complete name.With the social networks running in most PCs the search engine is likely to display your name on the very first page itself.Alternative ways of searching would be throgh the website pipl.com.The website offers certain advantages over traditional google search.They show pictures with the profile info and social site.Search can also be made with username from chats essions and email address..Another one will be 123people.com.Thought the content is neatly organized but its not india centric.A search for one of my friend in US showed a more prominet record including DOB And Address with Phone.I would suggest getting both the google and pipl for a full coverage.

Searching for other Names in Google

Why do we need to search for other's names.Well that my friend definitely doesnt need any explanaiton.So I am going to skip this question and discuss the methods in a more in depth manner.The primary problem in searching for a person on the internet is that their profile might be visible in front of you but it will be very hard to recognize due to the fact that you may not recognize the person by his/her picture.They might have put a different one or even you may not recognize the pic altogether?

So basically searching by name is like finding a needle in haystack.Well perhaps searching the haystack would have been easier but we exactly are not looking for the needle anyway.

The methods exploited will be more or less same.So Google it out or use pipl.com to get the desired search for ya.Only thing that counts is that how well do you know or knew the person.That my friend is explained in the next section.

Here is a sample search by my name

Going gets Tough

"When the Going Gets Tough, the Tough Get Going".Going by this famous quotes,lets put forward a test case.You want to search a person whom you have never seen so the posibility of searching that person by picture is very less.Next gather as much information as you can about the person and then literally begins the filtering process through lots of social networking accounts.Any information can be helpful.Employer,School,Education,Interest,City....you get the idea.A word of warning,I didnt found orkut results in the search.

The Question Straight from Hell

The obvious question that might come to your mind is that what if that person is not on facebook or any other so called network.As stated earlier you may want to search orkut once again using orkut's search interface.Orkut being one of the oldest social networking site still might hold some tricks up to its sleeve.So once again we say that the person you are trying to find is not on social network.There is however another traditional way of finding a person though is a little trivial and time consuming task,but the success rate increases with each small knowledge of Father's name,Mother's name,Locality...etc....

Kolkata Centric Solution

Ladies and gentlemen behold the Calcutta Telephone Directory which still kicks a punch.Though there is another slight probability that the person no longer uses a BSNL landline but still is worth a try.The results at http://www.calcuttatelephones.com/newdirectory/dqresidential.php are failry hits owing to the fact that you must be knowing some few details as mentioned above.

Last But not the Less

Get a professional detective to do your job or else go for a Feluda style enquiry into the matter.

How to Remove Your Name and Info from Google

With all these research and facts there might remain another fact that you dont want your profile to be visible.Here is what google has to say,

Like all search engines, Google is a reflection of the content and information publicly available on the Internet. Search engines do not have the ability to remove content directly from the Internet, so removing content from Google or another search engine would still leave the original content that exists on the Web. If you want to remove something from the Internet, your best bet is to contact the webmaster of the site and ask him or her to make a change. Once the content has been removed and Google's search engine crawl has visited the page again, the information will no longer appear in Google's search results. If you have an urgent removal request, you can also visit our help page for more information.
                                         Google Privacy Policy

Usually google search gets all the info it can find about you and posts them in chronological order,while it will be difficult to remove oneself entirely from google but it  can be done to a certain degree by making the name appear later in pages.Usually people dont go beyond page 3 in google search unless they are dead crazy about finding somehing real hard.

In case if that's a website or page you want to remove(that you own) check out this link to google webmaster.For other websites(that you dont own) the best option is to request the webmaster to remove it.Drop a mail and see if it helps.

Social Networks

Now as we can see the best way to do it is to go to various social networking sites and deselect/remove the option from settings.It should say something like include me in search or make my public profile visible.Once removed the result will take a few seconds to a few days to update.And voila you are gone from the internet but still present like a shadow of a soul.

Conclusion

Well enough Gyan and Enough Stuffs...the most important thing is to maintain a level of privacy and respect other's privacy over the Internet, though for myself I believe there is nothing called privacy in Internet .Its all a open network where if one knows their way the will even find the Tiger's milk as well.But since everyone has the right to defend their own privacy thus the best path is to follow three basic rules.

1.  Never try to access information that might harm some one else
2. Never do it in the unethical way
3. Keep looking until you find it.

Thats all for now se ya later folks...................

The Global Countdown-Can we slow it down?

As of January 2010, the Doomsday Clock sits at 6 minutes before midnight

My last article was about global warming and its ill effects.One of my friends pointed me out to a documentary The Great Global Warming Swindle.You can view the documentary in youtube.There was another documentary "The age of Stupid" which I had managed to download in the past.What I felt that both of them were as if the sides of the same coin.Here are a few highlights of both the documentarys

The Great Global Warming Swindle

Read out the article and browse the internet to find out more about this documentary.The summary is that global warming is a government and industrialist funded hoax to stop the third world country from using up their oil reserves.
 
While this movie cites the example of a remote african health clinic to show that solar power is not even sufficient to operate the clinic to full potential and moreover about the uncertainity of sunny and windy days.

As the documentary claims that even speaking against the most happening event and to prove it a lie would be like as to pointing our fingers to god almighty and question his authority.

As the matter went up to court.Ruling was given against the channel for misusing of information and misinterpertetion of the interviews.I say read up the wikipdia about it and then watch the movie.

The Age of Stupid

Once again if you can watch it.The summary says that we had made several mistakes and one of them was to rely on Oil or fossil fuel for our development.The idea it proposes is not to stop all together but to bring the consumption to a standard level so that every major continent gets fair share of it with minimal usage.

The documentary narrates 6 stories.Stories of how we made mistakes and never even bothered to look at the consequences of those mistakes.

Six Human Stories

- Alvin DuVernay, is a paleontogolist helping Shell find more oil off the coast of New Orleans. He also rescued more than 100 people after Hurricane Katrina, which, by 2055, is well known as one of the first major climate change events.
- Jeh Wadia in Mumbai aims to start-up a new low-cost airline and gets a million Indians flying.
- Layefa Malemi lives in absolute poverty in a small village in Nigeria from which Shell extracts tens of millions of dollars worth of oil every week. She dreams of becoming a doctor, but must fish in the oil-infested waters for four years to raise the funds.
- Jamila Bayyoud, aged 8, is an Iraqi refugee living on the streets of Jordan after her home was destroyed - and father killed - during the US-led invasion of 2003. She's trying to help her elder brother make it across the border to safety.
- Piers Guy is a windfarm developer from Cornwall fighting the NIMBY's (Not In My Back Yard) of Middle England.
- 82-year-old French mountain guide Fernand Pareau has witnessed his beloved Alpine glaciers melt by 150 metres


Once again read and google out before you watch the documentary.

Well so which one is True?

So the question comes that which of these are true.What is true and what is false is really based on our perception of this world and the reality around us.But one thing is for sure.The Energy that is wasted simply because there is a lot to spend will have a dramatic effect on our future.The problem is the energy takes long time to become usable and then is used in a shorter span of life thus leading to near depletion.Lets take a closer look

1.Oil

Normally we use the petroleum or Gas for the Cars and Aircraft.The American Petroleum Institute estimated in 1999 the world's oil supply would be depleted between 2062 and 2094, assuming total world oil reserves at between 1.4 and 2 trillion barrels and consumption at 80 million barrels per day.

Imagine a life without Cars and Aviation.Not only that.All the major industries are based on a supply/delivery chain which will be hampered.Practically speaking we will go back to the stone age.Surely many have predicted that there will be alternate fuel source but the question is what if it is not discovered in the right time.Even a gap of 10 years can ultimately lead to the downfall of humanity.

2.Electricity

As we can see.Majority of the electricity comes from coal and gas.Both of these commodities are non renewable sources.

With the increase in world population(reach between 7.5 and 10.5 billion) there is going to be more demand for electricity and thus more non renewable sources will be used up.Also the alternatives are clealy visible to us but why they are not produced in a mass scale?

Three factors contribute the answer.

1.Cost of manufacturing alternate source of energy is very high

2.The energy developed doesnt yield much of power compared to a non renewable energy.

Ex:Solar Panel produced Electricity usually costs between Rs 15-18 /KwH (much higher than the Rs 3-6/unit paid normally) which makes it uneconomical except in special cases like off grid applications

3.The energy needs to be stored for distribution which further adds up to the cost.

The future relies however on the fact that over the time period the cost will go down and usage of non renewable energy source will discared or minimized for good.

3.Water

Though not alarming but still consider the fact that almost 1/4th of the world population lives on drinking water what we sophisticated people wouldnt even touch.

Consider the fact  that most of the population in Africa has virtually no access to clean water.Check on Internet for various pictures and videos.But be advised that it may create a severe consequence on your humanity.

Conclusion

Yes I agree that we are going through a very golden age and are happy about our life.True that today we are enjoying the modern marvel of technological advance.But do give it a thought wether our next generation that comes during 2050 will be able to see and enjoy the same or will they pray to god for a glass of water and curse us for being whatever we are today.

Only thing I ask you to think over and stop wasting energy and contribute towards the awareness factor.Go Green

Signing off
Santanu Ghosal

Global Warming

After a long series of thoughts I finally decided to write about this article.It took me a long and deep thinking for I was wondering whether to really trouble the readers with disturbing facts.The biggest question that was coming to mind immediately was "Is this the right decision for this moment".But finally I decided to put my thought to you guys in a different manner.

Our Planet is Dying


Lets take a peek into the few ecological problems we are facing or are about to face in the next decade.Since the content is very huge and requires detailed explanation I will be splitting it into several posts.

Global Warming

Hey we all know it.People all around the earth are facing it.Even on a fine Sunday morning when you ask the shopkeeper why the price of the fish is going up,he may even shoulder the global warming effect for that.

Global warming is the increase in the average temperature of Earth's near-surface air and oceans since the mid-20th century and its projected continuation. According to the 2007 Fourth Assessment Report by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), global surface temperature increased by 0.74 ± 0.18 °C (1.33 ± 0.32 °F) during the 20th century.^[2][A] Most of the observed temperature increase since the middle of the 20th century has been caused by increasing concentrations of greenhouse gases, which result from human activities such as the burning of fossil fuel and deforestation

                                                                                     Wikipedia

Effects of Global Warming are various but the most direct and straightforward is the rise in sea level due to the melting of ice in polar caps.


Here is a glimpse of what could happen in the future. Note that the results are tentative and just calculated based on the temperature increase in a steady level.But if it starts to increase in an exponential level.



As you can see certain parts of West Bengal is hugely affected.What more to say.Buy a boat and stash it on roof.Just in case you know.Oh and be sur e to stack up rations.Lots of Booze and Cigrette(For those who smoke and drink of course).Money may not be a priority but here is some important stuffs. The list has been collected from Post Apocalyptic Movies and Games

1. Apple ipod.As seen in the Movie "The Book Of Eli" the ipod survived the appocalypse and Eli managed to load some cool songs onto it also(god knows from where) 
2. Umm...some way to recycle water..as seen in the Movie "Waterworld".Well to be honest "Whatever liquid comes out are recycled and put back in"...pretty groovy but a practical way otherwise. 
3. Chuck Noriss movie posters and gears.Indians can also settle for a Rajnikant or Sunny Deol or even Mithun Da Gear.The Gear helps in camaflaudge when your opponet will think that the mighty hand of god has just come forth. 
4. Some kind of Power Generator.Be it solar or be it Nuclear doesnt matter.

 

 

Last Minute Suggestion:Start buying land in the Himalayas.As seen in various movies.Himalaya remains dry at most of the cases.While we may not be looking at the immediate effects as shown in the movie 2012,there is no harm in getting prepared.

Changes in CO2 level in the Ocean Water and thus the Effect of Ocean Acidification

The role of the oceans in global warming is a complex one. The oceans serve as a sink for carbon dioxide, taking up much that would otherwise remain in the atmosphere, but increased levels of CO2 have led to ocean acidification.Dissolving CO2 in seawater increases the hydrogen ion (H+) concentration in the ocean, and thus decreases ocean pH. Caldeira and Wickett (2003) placed the rate and magnitude of modern ocean acidification changes in the context of probable historical changes during the last 300 million years.[16] Since the industrial revolution began, it is estimated that surface ocean pH has dropped by slightly more than 0.1 units (on the logarithmic scale of pH; approximately a 30% increase in H+), and it is estimated that it will drop by a further 0.3 to 0.5 units (more than doubling ocean H+ concentrations) by 2100 as the oceans absorb more anthropogenic CO2

 

 A Quick Overview

Here is an excellent link..Click n the below posted picture to go to the national geographic site link and get a good knowledge of how things fare.

How to counter the Global Warming

• Be aware of the Global Warming.
   
• Drive less. Instead take bikes, walk or carpool each time possible.
   
• Prefer investing in a hybrid or electric vehicle so as to avoid further global warming.
   
• Replace the bulbs in and around your home with energy-efficient tubes that require fewer watts for the same amount of light.
   
• Every month, clean or replace filters of your air-conditioners.
   
• Whenever buying new electrical appliances always go for energy-efficient ones.
   
• Decrease your travel by air.
   
• Wash clothes in cold or warm water instead of hot water and prefer line-dry sooner than drier.
   
• Use a low-flow showerhead as it will lessen the hot water used, and will not reduce water pressure in the shower.
   
• Reduce your garbage. Use eco-friendly bags for shopping. Purchase less packaged materials to stop further global warming.
   
• Unplug electronics whenever not in use, as they consume energy in the stand-by mode.  
   
• Recycle your waste to the extent that is possible. Purchase recycled paper and recycled products to prevent further global warming.
   
• When shopping for grocery, take your own reusable canvas bags so that you don’t accumulate more plastic at home.
   
• Plant a tree, whenever possible.
   
• For cleaning, prefer using natural or nontoxic cleaning products.
   
• Prefer fresh food rather than frozen foods. A farmer’s market is the best place to get fresh food.
   
• Get your car serviced and tires pressure checked to save consumption of fuel.
   
• Include less meat and more organic foods in your diet to prevent global warming

A matter to think over.

Signing Off
Santanu Ghosal

Taj Mahal-The Beauty under the veil of Secrets

Recently I was interested in an TOI article that was about drying Yamuna River and the effects on Taj Mahal.


"The MP  R S Katheria (BJP) is now rooting for an independent agency to inspect the boarded and barred basement of Taj Mahal. ''No one has been allowed to enter the 16 underground chambers for more than three decades and we have only ASI's word that all is well"
                                Times of India


The controversy if you can remember started a few years back by the Book "The Taj Mahal A True Story" by Dr P N Oak(ISBN-10: 0961161442 /ISBN-13: 978-0961161446 ).The book itself was published back in 1989 but was banned by Indian Govt fearing a public outcry and keeping its secular nature.


The Strangest thing is that not even a single news paper  or a popular website is hosting any information about the Taj Mahal controversy as if a Taboo is placed on them for not to say anyting.

Here is a sample search screenshot.


I ve also tried with other search terms including

• Taj Mahal A True Story-->No News Sites.Amazon hits with the book(Limited Availability) 
• Taj Mahal Controversy-->Interestingly BBC's 'The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy'  page turns up with an article where the author takes a neutral stance. 

Best of all.There was a case fought by P N OAK for claiming Taj Mahal as Hindu Temple in Supreme Court.The news was only published in The Tribune.


Plea on Taj history dismissed




NEW DELHI: A self-proclaimed historian’s petition seeking to rewrite the history of Mughal monument Taj Mahal, which figures among the seven wonders of the world, has been dismissed by the Supreme Court as "misconceived". Somebody has a bee in his bonnet, hence this petition," was the remark of a Division Bench comprising Mr Justice SP Bharucha and Mr Justice Ruma Pal when the public interest litigation (PIL) came up for hearing on Monday. The self-proclaimed historian, PN Oak, claimed "the monument of world heritage, Tejomahalaya, commonly known as Taj Mahal, was constructed in 1155 A.D. by one Raja Parmar Dev’s Chief Minister, Salakshan." Oak claimed that the court chronicle of Shahjahan said "the mansion known as Raja Mansingh’s Manzil, at present owned by his grandson Jaisingh, was selected for the burial of Mumtaz and she was buried in it" and added he moved the court "to reestablish the truth and cultural heritage of our country". — PTI




Well  I tried searching the archives.The news was on July 14th 2000.TOI has its archives from 2000.ABP  since 2001.HT charges for its archives.Well The Hindu keeps from 2000.Yup Lucky me.....


Plea to rewrite Taj history dismissed

NEW DELHI, JULY 13. A self-proclaimed historian's petition seeking to rewrite the history of the Mughal monument Taj Mahal, which figures among the seven wonders of the world, has been dismissed by the Supreme Court as ``misconceived.''


``Somebody has a bee in his bonnet, hence this petition,'' was the remark of a Division Bench comprising Mr. Justice S.P. Bharucha and Ms. Justice Ruma Pal, when the Public Interest Litigation (PIL) came up for hearing on Monday.


``We repeat this is an abuse of the process of the court,'' Mr. Justice Bharucha reprimanded before counsel for the petitioner, Mr. Bijan Ghosh, withdrew the petition.


The petitioner, Mr. P.N. Oak, claimed that ``the monument of world heritage, Tejomahalaya, commonly known as Taj Mahal, was constructed in 1155 A.D. by one Raja Parmar Dev's Chief Minister, Salakshan.'' He claimed that the court chronicle of Shahjahan said ``the mansion known as Raja Mansingh's Manzil, at present owned by his grandson Jaisingh, was selected for the burial of Mumtaz and she was buried in it'' and added that he had moved the court ``to reestablish the truth and cultural heritage of our country.''


- PTI


Rest was almost blank.


So Why Now Again ?


The Point is.Dont you think this is really a sensational topic  and atleast should be properly discussed and reviewed by a Country.I wont go into the controversy about wether Taj Mahal is Tejo Mahalaya.Its past.A past which cant be changed.So what ever may be the result of the revelation of Taj Mahal,its not going to change anything in our daily life.In fact Taj Mahal is one of the Seven Wonders of the World and average Indians dont care wether it was built by a Hindu or a Muslim but rather prefer to enjoy the beauty of Taj Mahal in a full Moon Night...But We deserve to know the truth.Thats what matters.Instead of reading the wrong history in school text books we better know and project our history and heritage properly.

The Other Controversies

A longstanding myth holds that Shah Jahan planned a mausoleum to be built in black marble across the Yamuna river. The idea originates from fanciful writings of Jean-Baptiste Tavernier, a European traveller who visited Agra in 1665. It was suggested that Shah Jahan was overthrown by his son Aurangzeb before it could be built. Ruins of blackened marble across the river in Moonlight Garden, Mahtab Bagh, seemed to support this legend. However, excavations carried out in the 1990s found that they were discolored white stones that had turned black. A more credible theory for the origins of the black mausoleum was demonstrated in 2006 by archeologists who reconstructed part of the pool in the Moonlight Garden. A dark reflection of the white mausoleum could clearly be seen, befitting Shah Jahan's obsession with symmetry and the positioning of the pool itself.


No evidence exists for claims that describe, often in horrific detail, the deaths, dismemberments and mutilations which Shah Jahan supposedly inflicted on various architects and craftsmen associated with the tomb. Some stories claim that those involved in construction signed contracts committing themselves to have no part in any similar design. Similar claims are made for many famous buildings.

No evidence exists for claims that Lord William Bentinck, governor-general of India in the 1830s, supposedly planned to demolish the Taj Mahal and auction off the marble. Bentinck's biographer John Rosselli says that the story arose from Bentinck's fund-raising sale of discarded marble from Agra Fort.

Another myth suggests that beating the silhouette of the finial will cause water to come forth. To this day, officials find broken bangles surrounding the silhouette.

In 2000, India's Supreme Court dismissed P. N. Oak's petition to declare that a Hindu king built the Taj Mahal.Oak claimed that origins of the Taj, together with other historic structures in the country currently ascribed to Muslim sultans pre-date Muslim rule of India and thus, have a Hindu origin

                                   Information gathered from Wikipedia


Hey Honey I've Got The Taj Mahal For Your Birthday


Sale only for INR 10 Lakh

 Apparently someone came forth with an Idea to sell the Taj Mahal.Natwarlal AKA Mithilesh Kumar Srivastava .He had repeatedly "sold" the Taj Mahal, the Red Fort, and the Rashtrapati Bhavan.Mithilesh Kumar Srivastava, better known as Natwarlal used to pose as a government official and dupe foreign tourists by selling them famous Indian monuments.He is called the Greates Con Man of  India.

What a country where Noble Prize and Taj Mahals can be purhcased.

Boiling Point

Maybe this is another of the secret things Indian Govt has decided to keep secret along with other secret things which is tabooed to be even mentioned by press or author.

Or maybe You need to wake up and start believeing that every history book is not true and every Govt has to hide something from Public.This is once again not a call to start a protest but just to be aware and use our own senses to judge instead of just reading news papers,blogs,email circulations,facebook or that loudmouth neighbour

Signing Off
Santanu Ghosal