Blogging has only became popular in the last few years and branched out into numerous categories. Now, it is entirely possible to have a blog and not post entries pertaining to one’s personal life. There are political blogs, photo blogs and video blogs — and these blogs are more about the views, opinions and preferences of the individual blogger rather than any useless detail about what s/he had for lunch and how many people s/he blasted at work.
One of the many different types of blogs which have evolved over the years includes book blogs. Book blogs are often confused with blooks — so it is imperative to clear the concept first. Blooks are basically books written about blogs. The term also refers to those books which are made out of blog entries written over a specific period of time. In contrast, book blogs is where bloggers who are avid readers and book lovers discuss book reviews, bestseller lists, and comment on different books, author profiles and the likes. Basically, a book blog is all about books.
So why a book blog, you may ask. Well, first and foremost, it is always more helpful to read an up close and personal account of a book rather than an impersonal review in the newspaper or the website. With no particular bindings, bloggers can make their entries as interesting as possible, providing links to other reviews on the web, for instance. And if the blog is local, s/he can even suggest places where a certain book will be available.
Secondly, while most people like to read and are in fact voracious readers, they are reluctant to pen their feedback regarding various literary works. There is also an equal chance that their work may never see the light of the day if sent to publication. Book blogs, then provide a suitable platform for these writers and reviewers and they have the freedom to express themselves in an unrestrained way. Plus, they also have the freedom to give their blog URL to whoever they please if they do not want their blog to be public.
At another level, book blogs — especially where bloggers post news from the publishing industry — are also a great way for the readers to keep in touch with the books that are about to hit the market, book launches and feedback on particular books. Agreed that all this would have been possible even with a conventional website of the publisher, but book blogs have an added advantage of interactivity between the writer/reader and writer/publisher. A reader can express views and opinions on whatever is posted — something which is difficult, if not impossible, on a conventional website.
So what exactly are the possibilities if one sets out to create and maintain a book blog? What type of content would do justice to the title of the blog and, most importantly, what should be the theme of the blog?
To begin with, it is absolutely imperative to decide what you want your book blog to do. Do you want to collect news from the publishing industry? Are you more interested in keeping up with the authors? Or do you want something of everything? Once you have decided the aim of your book blog, the writing of the post and updating the blog at your convenience becomes rather easy. If you do not have a clear sense of direction from the very beginning, chances are that your posts will be highly haphazard and in turn confuse your readers as well.
Book blogs have an advantage that they are highly versatile. There is a lot you can do with them provided you yourself are a little creative and have some knowledge of books and authors alike. At the end of the day, a book blog, if maintained properly, is a treat for all those who are involved.
Book blogs can also be introduced in the classroom or summer reading classes as a way to enhance the reading and learning experience of students. Teachers should encourage students to start their own book blog online, and update it regularly. Books blogs will not only be a very effective way for letting the teacher/instructor know how far a student has progressed in terms of his/her reading abilities, but will also give the student a chance to explore new reading websites and book blogs in order to enhance his/her own blog.
There are many themes for book blogs which teachers can specifically suggest to the students to work on. Some of these themes include:
Books which made me think
Similar to Kate’s book blog (http://www.katesbookblog.blogspot.com/), a student can create a blog which revolves around the books that made him/her think — the posts can comprise details about which book inspired some serious thoughts. This will encourage the student to read more and better books.
Favourite authors
The blog can comprise tidbits from the lives of the student’s favourite authors. If the authors are still around, the blog can contain comments on their interviews, or expectations of their new book.
Blog a book
If a student has a particular preference for one book or a series of books (like Enid Blyton’s Famous Five series, for instance), then s/he should be encouraged to blog about those particular books. The posts can be the student’s thoughts about the different characters, the ending, the between-the-lines connotations, etc. Students can use Blogging Anne of Green Gables (http://www.blogginganneofgreengables.blogspot.com/) as an example.
From books to films
This can be a very interesting theme for a book blog — books which were converted into films. The student can blog about what he/she thought of both, talk about the various differences between the two and ponder over whether or not the film director did justice to the book. Differences between the characters in the book and the way they were depicted in the movie can also be assessed. (However, in this case, the teacher may have to place some emphasis on moving beyond the Harry Potter series of books and films)
Group book blogs
Instead of student making an individual book blog, teachers can help form groups of students to work on one blog. This would ensure a diversity of content, plus make it easier for the teacher to assess the blogs as well.
Tête-à-tête
C. Max Magee is a book blogger from the renowned The Millions blog (http://www.themillionsblog.com/). Sci-Tech World got in touch with him to learn more about book blogging in cyberspace.
What is the scope of book blogs?
I think the scope of book blogs can be as expansive or as limited as the individual interests of its contributors. At The Millions, my interests and the interests of my contributors are fairly broad, encompassing a wide range of literary fiction and non-fiction. We also try to embody the person of what we call a ‘trusted fellow reader’ for the audience, that is, a person with a similar love for reading whose book recommendations the audience trusts.
How do book blogs add a new dimension to blogging in general?
I don't know that book blogging is all that different from the sort of ‘enthusiast’ blogging that has sprung up around film, music, and the arts, but what this sort of blogging does is create a space for many geographically remote people who share similar interests to congregate and discuss.
What are the different ways in which students particularly can make use of book blogs?
I think for a student interested in writing and reading, starting a blog is a great idea, especially if s/he intends to pursue writing about books — or just writing in general — as a career. The great thing about blogging is that it gives you an instant audience, even though initially that audience is quite small. You get to practice writing for the public, and then with time, if you do it well, people discover you and you can make a name for yourself and even parlay it into other writing opportunities.
What has been your personal experience blogging about books?
Blogging has been a great experience for me. I've met a lot of interesting people. I continue to be surprised by the blog every day. I think one of the most exciting things for The Millions was becoming a part of the greater community of bloggers and readers that discusses books online. It's been amazing to see the development of an unplanned and vibrant venue for literary discourse. It indicates to me that the world of books and readers is quite healthy. —H.A.
Saturday, August 30, 2008
My Space and Yours
Take a cursory look at your lifestyle in the contemporary world, and it is highly likely that the internet, email, computers, laptops, iPods and the likes will feature very high on your priority list. Stop for a moment, and reflect on how much of yourself you have revealed to the cyber world. Your correspondence, for example, is saved in your email inbox; your profile is up on various social networking websites and your professional information is present on your company’s website. If anyone were to Google you, they would probably be able to compile an entire dossier on you. And just imagine the use s/he could make of the information.
In such a scenario, organisations like Electronic Frontier Foundation (EFF) play an important role and the official website of the EFF is definitely worth a visit and a good read. This organisation was formed to protect your digital rights in cyberspace including the right to privacy and free speech. Privacy, of course, is one concern most of the netizens face, and hence, this website can provide you with the much-needed information on where privacy has been compromised, and what has been done about it.
Depending on your interest, you can skim through the basic information of EFF in the beginning, browsing its history to find out how it came into being, its aims and objectives, and the people behind it. EFF was the organisation that was subtly criticised in Dan Brown’s Digital Fortress, so just for curiosity’s sake, you may want to learn more about it.
The ‘Our work’ section will give you an in-depth insight into the issues that the EFF deals with. Some of these issues include free speech, intellectual property rights, privacy and innovation. Each of these broad categories are further divided so that under the head of privacy comes the sub-issues of anonymity, cell phone tracking, search engine logs and so on.
Within each section, you will find real-life cases where EFF has stepped in to protect individuals. Apart from reading about the details of these cases, you can also find out how you can prevent yourself from getting into a similar kafuffle.
Then, there is the Deeplinks blog, where you can read news stories from around the internet world pertaining to the use and abuse of information as well as the safeguard and breach of digital rights. The EFF press releases are also available in the Press Room section.
And finally, the ‘Take action’ section motivates you in taking action to protect yourself and your information from spying eyes. Some of the information is specific to the laws in the US, but there is no reason why you cannot read about what is going on to keep yourself aware. There is a special section for bloggers, where they can download the EFF guide on safe blogging, and advice on what to do if confronted with a legal notice on something you have written on your blog.
At the end of the day, it would do well to remember that information in cyberspace is never safe. It is always a good idea to limit that information to yourself. Strictly keep your photographs, contact numbers and similar information away from social networking websites. Try to have in-person meetings if you want to exchange sensitive information, rather than use email or instant messaging. Organisations like EFF can only do so much to safeguard privacy — most of the effort in this regard has to be initiated at an individual level.
To discover the various threats to your privacy in cyberspace, log onto http://www.eff.org
In such a scenario, organisations like Electronic Frontier Foundation (EFF) play an important role and the official website of the EFF is definitely worth a visit and a good read. This organisation was formed to protect your digital rights in cyberspace including the right to privacy and free speech. Privacy, of course, is one concern most of the netizens face, and hence, this website can provide you with the much-needed information on where privacy has been compromised, and what has been done about it.
Depending on your interest, you can skim through the basic information of EFF in the beginning, browsing its history to find out how it came into being, its aims and objectives, and the people behind it. EFF was the organisation that was subtly criticised in Dan Brown’s Digital Fortress, so just for curiosity’s sake, you may want to learn more about it.
The ‘Our work’ section will give you an in-depth insight into the issues that the EFF deals with. Some of these issues include free speech, intellectual property rights, privacy and innovation. Each of these broad categories are further divided so that under the head of privacy comes the sub-issues of anonymity, cell phone tracking, search engine logs and so on.
Within each section, you will find real-life cases where EFF has stepped in to protect individuals. Apart from reading about the details of these cases, you can also find out how you can prevent yourself from getting into a similar kafuffle.
Then, there is the Deeplinks blog, where you can read news stories from around the internet world pertaining to the use and abuse of information as well as the safeguard and breach of digital rights. The EFF press releases are also available in the Press Room section.
And finally, the ‘Take action’ section motivates you in taking action to protect yourself and your information from spying eyes. Some of the information is specific to the laws in the US, but there is no reason why you cannot read about what is going on to keep yourself aware. There is a special section for bloggers, where they can download the EFF guide on safe blogging, and advice on what to do if confronted with a legal notice on something you have written on your blog.
At the end of the day, it would do well to remember that information in cyberspace is never safe. It is always a good idea to limit that information to yourself. Strictly keep your photographs, contact numbers and similar information away from social networking websites. Try to have in-person meetings if you want to exchange sensitive information, rather than use email or instant messaging. Organisations like EFF can only do so much to safeguard privacy — most of the effort in this regard has to be initiated at an individual level.
To discover the various threats to your privacy in cyberspace, log onto http://www.eff.org
Saturday, August 23, 2008
Helping Hands
They say, it takes all kinds to make this world. Some people, for example, love to try and figure out things for themselves. They prefer the trial-and-error method rather than allow someone else to tell them how to do a certain activity. But then, there are others who just get stumped if not guided properly. And given the large number of such people — including yours truly — it is not surprising to find numerous websites which cater to information on how to accomplish various tasks.
How to do things is a website that gathers extremely detailed and interesting information which can hold your attention for hours at a stretch. As the name suggests, this website focuses on informing people how to complete various tasks in life. This is not a technical website as such, since it has articles as diverse as ‘how to write wedding or thank you cards’ and ‘how to freeze peaches.’ From the homepage, you can probably navigate to one of the many categories to access how-to articles on particular themes. These themes range from careers, computers, relationships, hobbies and holidays to fashion, finance, food, health and travel. There are a number of categories and, needless to say, it is most likely that you will find what you came looking for.
If you are just looking to browse at random, you might want to check out the popular ‘how-to’ articles listed on the homepage. There is also a list of articles that have been recently added to the website. Moreover, if you are interested in reading all the articles written by a particular contributor, you can access the list of top contributors as well.
Probably the most appealing factor of this website is that the how-to articles are written by ordinary people and not professionals or experts. Which means that even you can write a how-to for the benefit of others – based on your experience, of course. All you need to do is register, and then you are ready to go. Check out the guidelines for writers for more details.
Basically, this is a website built on the idea of people helping people. And most of the how-to articles here are not simply for a casual, one-time read. To make the most out of what has been written and suggested here, it would be better if you print the content which is most relevant to you. In this way, you will not only be able to follow the instructions to the letter, but you will also be able to realise what you can add to it to make the experience unique to yourself.
To find out how to do just about everything, log on to http://www.howtodothings.com/
How to do things is a website that gathers extremely detailed and interesting information which can hold your attention for hours at a stretch. As the name suggests, this website focuses on informing people how to complete various tasks in life. This is not a technical website as such, since it has articles as diverse as ‘how to write wedding or thank you cards’ and ‘how to freeze peaches.’ From the homepage, you can probably navigate to one of the many categories to access how-to articles on particular themes. These themes range from careers, computers, relationships, hobbies and holidays to fashion, finance, food, health and travel. There are a number of categories and, needless to say, it is most likely that you will find what you came looking for.
If you are just looking to browse at random, you might want to check out the popular ‘how-to’ articles listed on the homepage. There is also a list of articles that have been recently added to the website. Moreover, if you are interested in reading all the articles written by a particular contributor, you can access the list of top contributors as well.
Probably the most appealing factor of this website is that the how-to articles are written by ordinary people and not professionals or experts. Which means that even you can write a how-to for the benefit of others – based on your experience, of course. All you need to do is register, and then you are ready to go. Check out the guidelines for writers for more details.
Basically, this is a website built on the idea of people helping people. And most of the how-to articles here are not simply for a casual, one-time read. To make the most out of what has been written and suggested here, it would be better if you print the content which is most relevant to you. In this way, you will not only be able to follow the instructions to the letter, but you will also be able to realise what you can add to it to make the experience unique to yourself.
To find out how to do just about everything, log on to http://www.howtodothings.com/
Saturday, August 16, 2008
Mind your Etiquette
Imagine this scenario. You log onto your instant messaging software and see that your friend is online. Oh good, you think. You had something really, really important to discuss with her. But wait a minute – her status on MSN Messenger is reading as “Away.” You sigh and decide to wait for a while, hoping she will be available for chat soon. You start working on something else. A while later you check again, but her MSN status still shows her as Away. You now decide to go offline and give her a call. Just then, she messages you. It turns out she was online all this time, and apparently had not bothered to change her status on MSN Messenger.
What would be your reaction in a situation like this? You would probably be ready to pull your hair out or at least look for the nearest wall to bang your head against. But the fact of the matter is that more and more people are entirely disregarding online etiquette, whether they are using email or instant messengers. Instant messengers are more notorious in this regard, since it is highly likely that most of the people on the list of contacts are friends and with whom most of the people do not really feel compelled to follow any etiquette as such.
But, is this the right attitude? Most people would tell me to loosen up – after all, what does it matter if the status on your instant messenger shows you as Away or Be right back when you are actually at your desk? Who cares if you have a busy status on when you are not really doing anything which can even remotely be classified as busy? Well, the news flash is, just as one follows some form of etiquette with friends and family members in real life, the same can, and should be applied during online interaction as well. Following etiquettes indicate one’s considerations for others – something which never goes unnoticed.
So what are the basics that one needs to bear in mind while using any form of instant messengers? First of all, if you have some hectic and serious work to do online, then simply stay away from instant messengers in the first place. If you would like to sign in anyway, then do so in the ‘Appear offline’ or ‘Invisible’ mode. Signing in while you have work and then not replying if someone messages you (on the pretext of being busy) can be very annoying to one has messaged you. The best thing would be to finish your hectic/urgent work first and then sign into your instant messaging software.Also, make sure that you do not have your Windows Messenger running in the background. In many computers, Windows Messenger loads automatically when the computer is started and does not show any icon in the task bar to alert to. You may think you have not logged in while your list of contacts sees you as online and sometimes, Away. So ensure that if you want to work on the internet without signing into your instant messenger, simply check for and sign out of Windows Messenger first.
Yet another very annoying habits that internet users have developed is replying late to a message. Replying later than five minutes can happen for any reason – the main consideration here is to let the person on the other end know that you will reply late and give a reason. It could be that you are playing a timed game and hence replying late. Let the other person know that since to keep people waiting is against the norms of etiquette, whether online or offline.
Another important rule is to keep the correct status – and respect it. If you are not away, change your status to Online. If you have to rush off somewhere while you are chatting, quickly set your status to Be right back. If you are busy talking to one person, and do not want to be disturbed, then set your status to Busy. Yes, all this should be second nature to most of us, but it is unfortunate that very few actually choose to follow it.
Respect for other people’s IM status basically means that if a friend has a set a busy status, then you do not message that person unnecessarily. The problem with many people is that they perceive the busy status to be for ‘others’ and not themselves. Or sometimes, people think that their close friend(s) can never be busy for them. Regardless of sentimentality, sometimes people can be and are busy, so if you see status their online status as Busy, respect that.
At the end of the day, remember that these are not hard and fast rules as such – the ones given in the preceding paragraphs are merely something I have noticed from my online interaction. Perhaps, once you start giving this topic some serious thought, you will discover some more breaches of etiquettes and this would give you your own list of rules to abide by – thus avoiding making the same error. Online etiquette is not about being uptight and following rules – it is about having the right attitude which reflects that you are concerned about others and not just yourself.
What would be your reaction in a situation like this? You would probably be ready to pull your hair out or at least look for the nearest wall to bang your head against. But the fact of the matter is that more and more people are entirely disregarding online etiquette, whether they are using email or instant messengers. Instant messengers are more notorious in this regard, since it is highly likely that most of the people on the list of contacts are friends and with whom most of the people do not really feel compelled to follow any etiquette as such.
But, is this the right attitude? Most people would tell me to loosen up – after all, what does it matter if the status on your instant messenger shows you as Away or Be right back when you are actually at your desk? Who cares if you have a busy status on when you are not really doing anything which can even remotely be classified as busy? Well, the news flash is, just as one follows some form of etiquette with friends and family members in real life, the same can, and should be applied during online interaction as well. Following etiquettes indicate one’s considerations for others – something which never goes unnoticed.
So what are the basics that one needs to bear in mind while using any form of instant messengers? First of all, if you have some hectic and serious work to do online, then simply stay away from instant messengers in the first place. If you would like to sign in anyway, then do so in the ‘Appear offline’ or ‘Invisible’ mode. Signing in while you have work and then not replying if someone messages you (on the pretext of being busy) can be very annoying to one has messaged you. The best thing would be to finish your hectic/urgent work first and then sign into your instant messaging software.Also, make sure that you do not have your Windows Messenger running in the background. In many computers, Windows Messenger loads automatically when the computer is started and does not show any icon in the task bar to alert to. You may think you have not logged in while your list of contacts sees you as online and sometimes, Away. So ensure that if you want to work on the internet without signing into your instant messenger, simply check for and sign out of Windows Messenger first.
Yet another very annoying habits that internet users have developed is replying late to a message. Replying later than five minutes can happen for any reason – the main consideration here is to let the person on the other end know that you will reply late and give a reason. It could be that you are playing a timed game and hence replying late. Let the other person know that since to keep people waiting is against the norms of etiquette, whether online or offline.
Another important rule is to keep the correct status – and respect it. If you are not away, change your status to Online. If you have to rush off somewhere while you are chatting, quickly set your status to Be right back. If you are busy talking to one person, and do not want to be disturbed, then set your status to Busy. Yes, all this should be second nature to most of us, but it is unfortunate that very few actually choose to follow it.
Respect for other people’s IM status basically means that if a friend has a set a busy status, then you do not message that person unnecessarily. The problem with many people is that they perceive the busy status to be for ‘others’ and not themselves. Or sometimes, people think that their close friend(s) can never be busy for them. Regardless of sentimentality, sometimes people can be and are busy, so if you see status their online status as Busy, respect that.
At the end of the day, remember that these are not hard and fast rules as such – the ones given in the preceding paragraphs are merely something I have noticed from my online interaction. Perhaps, once you start giving this topic some serious thought, you will discover some more breaches of etiquettes and this would give you your own list of rules to abide by – thus avoiding making the same error. Online etiquette is not about being uptight and following rules – it is about having the right attitude which reflects that you are concerned about others and not just yourself.
Smile and Win
So, you have had to give up on yummy sweet snacks and chocolates to save your teeth. You are not alone. Dental troubles are quite common, and we often see the sad victims of toothache running to the nearest shop to buy toothpastes that promise to free them from the pain. For some, this may bring temporary relief, and to some, not even that. Perhaps a little information and precautionary measures may result in fewer trips to the dentist. For this, log on to Simple steps to better dental health — this website should help you in maintaining healthy gums and teeth effectively.
The online solution towards better dental health does not come with a toothpaste advertisement. However, it does mention that all information present has been taken and apparently validated from the College of Dental Medicine, Columbia University.
This website apparently believes in the age-old axiom that prevention is much better than cure. And so, the very first section in this website is labelled ‘Prevent Problems.’ You can go through the information given to find out what is the best dental care in order to avoid frequent visit to the dentist and the resultant painful treatment. There are a number of tips related to flossing your teeth, using fluoride toothpaste, and going to the dentist to get your teeth checked so that the problems can be detected and treated as early as possible.
The next section lists some of the major symptoms. These are only some of the very many which can go wrong with your teeth, so it is best to be aware of them. Every condition has been explained in detail along with what it exactly is, main symptoms, tips to prevent it and of course, the treatment you should seek. Some of the conditions listed are bad breath, cavities, dry mouth and tooth discoloration.
A separate section deals with the treatment which dentists routinely carry out on your teeth. Every treatment is an experience in itself, so you might want to know what is going on. The major treatments described here in detail include crowns, dentures, fillings, gum surgery and root canal.
Apart from these three basic sections, there is an entire guide available for parents, detailing how they should ensure the dental health of their infants as well as teenagers. The question of what effect baby pacifiers can have on the mouth of the infant, along with which toothpaste is the best to use, has been answered in detail.
At the end of the day, it is all about taking the right precautions at every age and every stage of one’s life to ensure healthy teeth. After all, no one wants to land up early with dentures. But even if dentures are only a distinct possibility, treatment at dentists is painful as it is.
To access help on maintaining your teeth, log onto http://www.simplestepsdental.com
The online solution towards better dental health does not come with a toothpaste advertisement. However, it does mention that all information present has been taken and apparently validated from the College of Dental Medicine, Columbia University.
This website apparently believes in the age-old axiom that prevention is much better than cure. And so, the very first section in this website is labelled ‘Prevent Problems.’ You can go through the information given to find out what is the best dental care in order to avoid frequent visit to the dentist and the resultant painful treatment. There are a number of tips related to flossing your teeth, using fluoride toothpaste, and going to the dentist to get your teeth checked so that the problems can be detected and treated as early as possible.
The next section lists some of the major symptoms. These are only some of the very many which can go wrong with your teeth, so it is best to be aware of them. Every condition has been explained in detail along with what it exactly is, main symptoms, tips to prevent it and of course, the treatment you should seek. Some of the conditions listed are bad breath, cavities, dry mouth and tooth discoloration.
A separate section deals with the treatment which dentists routinely carry out on your teeth. Every treatment is an experience in itself, so you might want to know what is going on. The major treatments described here in detail include crowns, dentures, fillings, gum surgery and root canal.
Apart from these three basic sections, there is an entire guide available for parents, detailing how they should ensure the dental health of their infants as well as teenagers. The question of what effect baby pacifiers can have on the mouth of the infant, along with which toothpaste is the best to use, has been answered in detail.
At the end of the day, it is all about taking the right precautions at every age and every stage of one’s life to ensure healthy teeth. After all, no one wants to land up early with dentures. But even if dentures are only a distinct possibility, treatment at dentists is painful as it is.
To access help on maintaining your teeth, log onto http://www.simplestepsdental.com
Saturday, August 9, 2008
Breaking New Ground
Although they have been around for a very, very long time, the Olympics continue to enthrall audiences world over. Perhaps what adds to the fervour is the fact that this event is held only once every four years, and hence, a great hoopla surrounding everything related to it, right down from the selection of venue, to the extensive preparations, and finally the coverage of the games itself. This coverage extends well beyond the closing ceremonies with every minute being analysed in detail.
Almost all the media is utilised when it comes to digging information on the Olympics Games. And it goes without saying that cyberspace is definitely not left behind in the coverage of an event which itself is a multi-media blitz. Rest assured, there is a huge collection of websites which have emerged in the wake of Olympics 2008.
Interestingly, if you search for websites related to the Olympics, you will discover that there are basically two broad categories. The first comprises those especially designed for the Olympics 2008, for example, the official website. You can include numerous blogs here as well.
The other category of sites include all those renowned news or sports websites on the block which have dedicated an entire section of their regular website to the Olympics 2008 coverage. These sections are quite elaborate and useful if you are looking for the latest happenings in Beijing. So, whether it is an exclusive website you wish to visit, or sections dedicated to Olympics, the cyberdom is at your fingertips. Here are some of the most interesting picks.
The official website for the Olympics (http://en.beijing2008.cn/) is probably the most comprehensive and authentic place, especially when it comes to looking up the results. The website offers its visitors four different languages and carries details of the schedule as well as separate sections for each sport. If you are interested in football, for instance, then you can easily access information like competition rules, format, history of the game, the participating teams, the events and the time/venue of different matches.
The site also features a hall of fame dedicated to players who have earned laurels for their teams. Similar information is available for all other sports, ensuring that you can easily spend hours on this website catching up with your favourite sport.
If, however, you would rather catch the Olympics coverage on your favourite sports or news website, then the good news is that almost every major news website has a section on Olympics. Be it BBC (http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/olympics/default.stm) or Reuters (http://www.reuters.com/news/sports/2008olympics) or New York Times (http://www.nytimes.com/pages/olympics2008/index.html) , everywhere the Olympics are being extensively covered.
Moreover, other websites like ESPN (http://sports.espn.go.com/oly/index) and Sports Illustrated (http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/olympics/ ) have also gone out of their way to become a part of the Olympics 2008.
Most of these websites have more or less the same information; they mainly cover history of the games, views and analysis pertaining to the games, display the schedule and venues, give information on the teams and, of course, there is a multimedia gallery of photos and videos as well.
Apart from this, quite interestingly, some websites designed for children have also dedicated a section to Olympics. This includes Kids Turn Central (http:// www.kidsturncentral.com/links/2008olympics.htm) and Surf Net Kids (http:// www.surfnetkids.com/summer_olympics_2008.htm) .
Various sections in these websites direct children to several different sources of information about Olympics along with numerous interesting Olympics-related activities, which include cyber hunts, puzzles, crafts, trivia and more.
In an age of blogs, it is virtually impossible for bloggers to remain silent. And so, some avid bloggers have actually created special blogs which are dedicated to Olympics while others are routinely making Olympic-related entries on their regular blogs.
Summer Olympic News (http://summerolympicsnews.com/) is one of the more interesting blogs to read. The entries on this blog mainly contain links to news chunks pertaining to Olympics that the blogger has read on the internet. The fun part is that the blogger has further written her own comments on these news, which makes an interesting read. Of course, you can easily comment on the news stories yourself.
Beijing Olympics Blog (http://beijingolympicsblog.wordpress.com/) goes quite a few steps further. The entries on this blog are more detailed and analytical, taking information from various websites, combining it and then analysing it. If you have some extra time and inclination, you can definitely keep yourself updated on the many issues related to the games. This blog is highly interactive with entries dotted with photographs for quite an appealing layout.
At the end of the day, it is all about what you as an internet surfer want for your Olympics experience in cyberspace. Of course, most of you will go for the official website, but some may also be interested in the blogs. But whether you specifically want hard news, or opinion-based analysis, or something light and entertaining for your kids, internet has a wide variety of fare to offer. You just have to know where to look for it.
While on the one hand, it is said that the spirit of the game should not be spoilt by politics, on the other hand, there are people who are genuinely concerned about what they see as human rights issues in China. There is also a lobby which has been calling for a boycott of the games as well. The cyberspace has also been the lobbying ground for people belonging to this school of thought.
Hence, there are some websites which define human rights issues in China to call for more awareness like Olympic Watch (http://www.olympicwatch.org/) , and Reporters Sans Frontiers (http://www.rsf.org/rubrique.php3?id_rubrique=174. )
A few websites take a much stronger stance, like this blog (http://boycott2008games.blogspot.com/) which calls for an open boycott of the games. You can read up on all of these diverse opinions and come up with your own, keeping in mind that your views do not become prejudiced.
Almost all the media is utilised when it comes to digging information on the Olympics Games. And it goes without saying that cyberspace is definitely not left behind in the coverage of an event which itself is a multi-media blitz. Rest assured, there is a huge collection of websites which have emerged in the wake of Olympics 2008.
Interestingly, if you search for websites related to the Olympics, you will discover that there are basically two broad categories. The first comprises those especially designed for the Olympics 2008, for example, the official website. You can include numerous blogs here as well.
The other category of sites include all those renowned news or sports websites on the block which have dedicated an entire section of their regular website to the Olympics 2008 coverage. These sections are quite elaborate and useful if you are looking for the latest happenings in Beijing. So, whether it is an exclusive website you wish to visit, or sections dedicated to Olympics, the cyberdom is at your fingertips. Here are some of the most interesting picks.
The official website for the Olympics (http://en.beijing2008.cn/) is probably the most comprehensive and authentic place, especially when it comes to looking up the results. The website offers its visitors four different languages and carries details of the schedule as well as separate sections for each sport. If you are interested in football, for instance, then you can easily access information like competition rules, format, history of the game, the participating teams, the events and the time/venue of different matches.
The site also features a hall of fame dedicated to players who have earned laurels for their teams. Similar information is available for all other sports, ensuring that you can easily spend hours on this website catching up with your favourite sport.
If, however, you would rather catch the Olympics coverage on your favourite sports or news website, then the good news is that almost every major news website has a section on Olympics. Be it BBC (http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/olympics/default.stm) or Reuters (http://www.reuters.com/news/sports/2008olympics) or New York Times (http://www.nytimes.com/pages/olympics2008/index.html) , everywhere the Olympics are being extensively covered.
Moreover, other websites like ESPN (http://sports.espn.go.com/oly/index) and Sports Illustrated (http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/olympics/ ) have also gone out of their way to become a part of the Olympics 2008.
Most of these websites have more or less the same information; they mainly cover history of the games, views and analysis pertaining to the games, display the schedule and venues, give information on the teams and, of course, there is a multimedia gallery of photos and videos as well.
Apart from this, quite interestingly, some websites designed for children have also dedicated a section to Olympics. This includes Kids Turn Central (http:// www.kidsturncentral.com/links/2008olympics.htm) and Surf Net Kids (http:// www.surfnetkids.com/summer_olympics_2008.htm) .
Various sections in these websites direct children to several different sources of information about Olympics along with numerous interesting Olympics-related activities, which include cyber hunts, puzzles, crafts, trivia and more.
In an age of blogs, it is virtually impossible for bloggers to remain silent. And so, some avid bloggers have actually created special blogs which are dedicated to Olympics while others are routinely making Olympic-related entries on their regular blogs.
Summer Olympic News (http://summerolympicsnews.com/) is one of the more interesting blogs to read. The entries on this blog mainly contain links to news chunks pertaining to Olympics that the blogger has read on the internet. The fun part is that the blogger has further written her own comments on these news, which makes an interesting read. Of course, you can easily comment on the news stories yourself.
Beijing Olympics Blog (http://beijingolympicsblog.wordpress.com/) goes quite a few steps further. The entries on this blog are more detailed and analytical, taking information from various websites, combining it and then analysing it. If you have some extra time and inclination, you can definitely keep yourself updated on the many issues related to the games. This blog is highly interactive with entries dotted with photographs for quite an appealing layout.
At the end of the day, it is all about what you as an internet surfer want for your Olympics experience in cyberspace. Of course, most of you will go for the official website, but some may also be interested in the blogs. But whether you specifically want hard news, or opinion-based analysis, or something light and entertaining for your kids, internet has a wide variety of fare to offer. You just have to know where to look for it.
Olympics Under Fire
While on the one hand, it is said that the spirit of the game should not be spoilt by politics, on the other hand, there are people who are genuinely concerned about what they see as human rights issues in China. There is also a lobby which has been calling for a boycott of the games as well. The cyberspace has also been the lobbying ground for people belonging to this school of thought.
Hence, there are some websites which define human rights issues in China to call for more awareness like Olympic Watch (http://www.olympicwatch.org/) , and Reporters Sans Frontiers (http://www.rsf.org/rubrique.php3?id_rubrique=174. )
A few websites take a much stronger stance, like this blog (http://boycott2008games.blogspot.com/) which calls for an open boycott of the games. You can read up on all of these diverse opinions and come up with your own, keeping in mind that your views do not become prejudiced.
Sunday, August 3, 2008
When the lights go out
A power failure at midnight on the eve of July 29 didn't really cause a furor. After all, it had just started to drizzle. "I thought it to be typical KESC behaviour," said Haris Ashraf, an IT consultant, with a shrug. "I was attending a wedding at the time and the minute it started to rain, the lights in the hall went out. Thankfully, there was a standby generator," he added.
Little did he or anyone else for that matter know that they were in for a long night. It wasn't a routine power shutdown which all Karachiites are used to during the monsoons. News reports revealed that there was a massive breakdown in the transmission system of the KESC, which led to almost 75 per cent of the city reeling without electricity for a long stretch. Almost all areas around Karachi were heavily affected.
At this point, it is important to note that when anyone mentions a power breakdown, especially in the more up-scale areas, the first response is: "So what? They probably had a generator or UPS!"
But a generator needs petrol or gas to work and a UPS is actually is as limited as it can get. A UPS needs a certain amount of time to recharge its battery and when the battery runs out, well, its back to the dark ages in the truest sense of the word. "I live in Askari IV and we were without electricity for about 10 hours," complained Sana Siddiqui, a business student. "We tried calling the KESC but nobody answered the phone. Our UPS ran out after two hours," she added.
"Our electricity went out around four in the morning and the UPS went dead after two hours. The power was restored at 7.30," said Meena Ahmed, a resident of F.B. Area.
Mahwash Ajaz, a psychology teacher at a private university, also expressed her disgust at the state of affairs. "We (in Defence Phase 2) were out of power for a cumulative 24/48 hours. The UPS kept tripping since it never got the chance to charge. And on the night of July 28, it was gone for eight hours. I called all complaint numbers but three of those numbers were busy and no one picked up on the other four," she said.
"I live in Gulshan-e-Iqbal and we were without electricity from one in the night to 8:30 a.m. in the morning. And during this time, both our generator/UPS stopped did not work for five hours," said Hira Jawed, a professional.
The downpour on Tuesday evening last week only made matters worse. While rain was a welcome relief in the suffocating weather which has been plaguing the city for the past week, it also gave the KESC a good reason to shut off electricity for an even longer time.
"We had a five-hour power failure during the rain," said Sana. "It had just started drizzling around 7.30 p.m. when the KESC disconnected the power supply," she added.
"In Gulshan-e-Iqbal we had a power failure of about four to five hours during the rains. We had generator which we had to keep on starting again and again," complained Fizza Hassan, a student
Since power breakdowns are so common in the city, what can one do to deal with everyday crisis?
"Whether this is a result of a rift between KESC's top people and the government's stand to privatise it or a genuine shortage of power, the government needs to realize that we need an effective measure to this solution," said Mahwish Ajaz. "People are suffering as much as they possibly can. Life for an average Pakistani is tougher now than it ever was. With inflation and the bleak economic scenario, we add power shortage to the mix, how in the world can we not expect Pakistanis to shoot each other on-spot, with all the frustration? The heads of the government, power management committee and now the Thar coal reserves committee needs to find effective measures to use the reserves to make life easier for the people," she elaborated.
"I don't think there is any short-term solution," said Hira. "The authorities should focus on reducing transmission losses in the distribution network. This will involve investment but the return should be worth it. Also, I feel that Independent Power Producers (IPP) should be encouraged."
Other solutions include power generation from alternative sources. It is interesting to note that very few people actually consider kunda connections as something which puts a load on the power supply and causes the system to trip routinely.
And that is where the role of the average Karachiite comes in. Yes, the KESC may be inefficient and no one enjoys prolonged breakdowns of electricity but at the end of the day, one must think about who is putting extra load on the distribution systems. It is only when average citizens are conscious of the electricity connections in their own house that they can actually demand quality service.
Saturday, August 2, 2008
Crash Course for a New Start
Unless you have been living on the erstwhile far flung planet, Pluto, you must have at least come across John Gray’s book, Men are from Mars and Women are from Venus. There are some who actually find themselves rolling their eyes and muttering, “How true!” every time they read it. Others, however, are not amused. For them, this book simply reinforces the very gender stereotypes that women have been fighting against for years.
But for good or for bad, this literary work has managed to generate a lot of interest. And as with most books these days, this one also comes with an accompanying website. This is the world where everything will be discussed in terms of Mars and Venus, so if you are into exploring more, MarsVenus is the place to be.
MarsVenus basically explores the differences between men and women especially when it comes to marriage: what is the inherent difference between the way men and women perceive marriage, what each spouse wants out from another and most importantly, how easily misunderstandings occur due to lack of awareness of these differences.
Whether you are here because you are tired of perpetual misunderstandings in your own relationship, or simply to increase your knowledge before you tie the knot, this site offers something to everyone. For starters, you can try some of the relationship quizzes available here. They would give you a relatively accurate insight into your perceptions about certain matters and what mistaken notions you hold about the opposite sex. The results will not just reveal the bare facts, but will also impart some useful advice if you are facing problems.
Another very useful section on this website is a collection of articles on various aspects of a relationship. There are descriptive articles which delve deep into a phenomenon along with how-to articles, which give a step-by-step guideline on dealing with crucial matters. For instance, one article gives useful advice to those wives whose list of ‘to-do things’ is never-ending.
And if the site seems too serious to handle, you can take a break by surfing the section of ‘Gender humour.’ This section features a cartoon and a joke on, what else… relationships theme. And trust me, it is guaranteed to make you laugh. You can also subscribe to the newsletter to keep yourself updated with the activities on the website.
However, not everything on this website is absolutely free. To access the full features of this website, one has to acquire a paid membership. Some of the articles, too, are in the premium section, which is quite a disappointment. But this is no reason why you cannot avail the free services, and read up on whatever you find relevant and useful.
If you have read the book, then some things might feel repetitive. But overall, this website is worth exploring in detail. And if you are into looking at some questions that the coaches here are asked, you can log onto http://www.askmarsvenus.com/ and browse through those which are for general viewing.
To find out more, log onto http://www.marsvenus.com
But for good or for bad, this literary work has managed to generate a lot of interest. And as with most books these days, this one also comes with an accompanying website. This is the world where everything will be discussed in terms of Mars and Venus, so if you are into exploring more, MarsVenus is the place to be.
MarsVenus basically explores the differences between men and women especially when it comes to marriage: what is the inherent difference between the way men and women perceive marriage, what each spouse wants out from another and most importantly, how easily misunderstandings occur due to lack of awareness of these differences.
Whether you are here because you are tired of perpetual misunderstandings in your own relationship, or simply to increase your knowledge before you tie the knot, this site offers something to everyone. For starters, you can try some of the relationship quizzes available here. They would give you a relatively accurate insight into your perceptions about certain matters and what mistaken notions you hold about the opposite sex. The results will not just reveal the bare facts, but will also impart some useful advice if you are facing problems.
Another very useful section on this website is a collection of articles on various aspects of a relationship. There are descriptive articles which delve deep into a phenomenon along with how-to articles, which give a step-by-step guideline on dealing with crucial matters. For instance, one article gives useful advice to those wives whose list of ‘to-do things’ is never-ending.
And if the site seems too serious to handle, you can take a break by surfing the section of ‘Gender humour.’ This section features a cartoon and a joke on, what else… relationships theme. And trust me, it is guaranteed to make you laugh. You can also subscribe to the newsletter to keep yourself updated with the activities on the website.
However, not everything on this website is absolutely free. To access the full features of this website, one has to acquire a paid membership. Some of the articles, too, are in the premium section, which is quite a disappointment. But this is no reason why you cannot avail the free services, and read up on whatever you find relevant and useful.
If you have read the book, then some things might feel repetitive. But overall, this website is worth exploring in detail. And if you are into looking at some questions that the coaches here are asked, you can log onto http://www.askmarsvenus.com/ and browse through those which are for general viewing.
To find out more, log onto http://www.marsvenus.com
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