The Other Side of Social Networking

A study on the influence of social networking in India showed that about 68.5 per cent of India's web population accessed social networking sites in February last year , visiting sites on an average of 13 times. An average user spent about 2 hours 10 minutes on various sites. One side it is appreciable that people are more enthusiastic to share what is in their mind and to keep their relationships alive through various sites. Through the social websites lot many have got back old friends and lost relatives. Thanks to the masters who innovated the idea of online platform to care and share.

At the same time one can’t just simply avoid the harms of these sites. For example whether it is a professional or fun type or socializing network, one would share all the personal data on the sites and then from the very next day itself one can see unwanted mails pouring into their inbox as it is very easy to take the email ids from social websites.

The problem would not stop here, from the social networks one can find friends’ friends. And then someone can send emails or photo or links which would be sending by indirect friends. Tagging and commenting on face book is a good example. When one gets the notification that his/her friend is tagged on someone’s photo or wall, they would get tempted to know the context. Then it might take one to some other site and it may ask to login to some other applications which is similar to that of the particular social network home page. And even if one won’t login also, mails from the site would find a place in ones inbox.

Another trouble of social networking is making friends unwantedly. The main victims of the issue are teenagers, the more excited group who generally won’t follow the proverb “look before you leap”. They simply keep on adding all the strangers into their friends list as they interested with number of friends in the list than whether they know the particular person or not which end up in some or other problems for them. Most of them keep their photos and contact details in “Public” which are really risky.

Moreover psychologists have found out that these kids may find the real world boring as in the virtual world things happen much faster, with a click of the mouse and so they will look to more extreme types of behavior to get a kick out of life. At the same time making new friends with strangers may develop their quality of social interaction and communication skills which would result both in negative and positive ways on them.

Have a safe and fun filled holidays..!!!

Summer has started and so as the people also stared looking for holiday destinations. They are busy exploring the new destinations as well as the offers on the holiday packages. With the overwhelming joy, thinking on the fun holidays, most of them becomes careless about the safety measures, giving a sad end to the happy journey.

It's important to take the proper measures in planning a safe holiday trip. Checking the vehicle, using hand-free devices, and getting the proper amount of sleep are a few things which have equal importance with the places to visit and the stay.

There are a few things which one has to remember while planning a trip.

• Sleep at least seven to nine hours the night before the trip

• Stop every two hours and walk around

• Be a defensive driver and watch for fatigued or drunk drivers

• Schedule a routine maintenance check on your car before leaving (tire pressure, oil, battery, windshield wipers, etc.)

• Pack emergency equipment including first aid kits, flashlights, water, and blankets.

Shame on you... Kerala

Recently only I saw one of my friend’s comments about Kerala… It is not Gods own country...it is dogs on country. Now I also agree with her on her comment on the particular context which forced us to change our concept about the beautiful place.

It was on February 1^st 2011, Soumya, 23 year old was raped and killed while she was on her way to home in train. The interesting part was she was travelling on the secure compartment for women- ladies compartment. Travelling alone in the ladies compartment of a Shornur - Ernakulam passenger train, Soumya was pushed out of the running train to the tracks by a male goon and then raped her. She died on Sunday after battling for life for five days in hospital.

This time the police was more active and the CRIMINAL was arrested within a few days… One should appreciate them to take so many efforts to track the culprit.

Whatever happened is happened… The poor girl with lots of dreams about her life is now a memory for everyone. Coming to the present, now one can hear lots of howling from here and there about the issue - the security of women in trains. But when would the new measures be implemented is a question for which “Don’t know” as answer attached with.

One other part of the issue is that the government recognizes the seriousness of matters only when some tragedy happens because of it. Most of the novel changes that have benefitted the public are the outcome of some or other tragedies, especially when it comes to women as well as students. Even the educational loan gained its popularity with easy bank rules since a student committed suicide because of economical issues to continue her study.

After the incident also male passengers boarding the ladies compartment is a regular sight. So my dear sisters better get in to the general compartment while travelling in Kerala… It might be crowded, and you may be stared at or nudged. But it’s safer than the ladies compartment at the end of the train with so called security and no connectivity with the rest of the train.

Adieu 2010...Thank you very much..:)

A new year is reaching our door steps…. May be the coming year would give a lot of good experiences. For me the year 2010 is very special. It has taught me a lot of lessons. In other words, my life has gone through a lot of changing phases in 2010. This year’s first months only, I lost my label as a student which I carried with me for long years. Now everyone is looking at me as if I am a mature person, who should be more responsible…yuck!!!!!!!!!!!!

Well…Hi 2010 thanks a lot… You taught me a lot of lessons which is very much important in my life. I started to earn in 2010…Gosh… I started to spend my money, became more responsible daughter and a responsible sister this year… I saw a lot of different “faces” which taught me the tricks of life.

From the day I reached Chennai to join NT, the life also start teaching me nice, sweet and bitter lessons. Earlier I had only one face... I was a innocent, pretty close to friends and playing prank on the people whom I love and care. But here, for many “Shahi” is terrible and violent, and for some I am so silent. I have seen people who speak so smart and sweet in front of me and backbiting me at the same time.

2010 has gifted me new friends also. Athira, a girl in the PG where I stayed for two- three months was really nice. The late night chat with her on the terrace which would go up to 2am, roaming at nights with her in the name of evening walk, having cone ice cream from “jai” and hot samosa chats from the crowded “Thattukada" etc ...(more things are there, but better I wont write it)are unforgettable in my life.

Another friend I got from Chennai is Nandu… sorry Nandu Uncle… On my days in NT, I loved Thursday to Saturday just because of him. He was the one who taught me how to write, though I didn’t develop my writing skills much. He corrected me whenever I make a mistake, not only in writing, but also in whole aspect of life. When I make a mistake in my talk stories, he will just shout my name from his cabin, fully annoyed, but I will go with a smile on my face… On seeing my face he would say… “Don’t smile ok… Coz of your smile only I am not able to shout at you”, hearing that my smile change to laugh.

Oh yea another avatar is there in my room… One of my roomies- Vandhana Krishnan, a girl who had a lot of misunderstanding about me and Arya, from NT, but once she got close to us, she understood that we are really NICE people and so joined with us in room . She looks like a poor soul, but she is exactly like me only… giving me company to do all naughty things…Lol….: P

N yea now I know how difficult is to manage a family within certain budgets, I know how to bargain and get things in cheap rates… I am now aware of things from the per unit charge of electricity to the price of provisions and vegetables. Thank you 2010, you taught me all this lessons, which I can take along with me for my life time

I had been to Chennai a year before for my internship, that time I was so scared about the city… what all roads...What all confusing ways… now at least I am aware of the routes in the city, have got an idea about, which route will take you to what place…

Sorry forget to tell about another friend… Merlyn John, a shy guy in NT, who became my prey in office. We became pretty close just because of the “centre fresh chewing gum” and the long g-talk sitting aside me … plus Sony Erickson.

And talking about our house –“Dora” that is what we call it… The small house is full of fun always… There will be some or other reason to laugh always…now we three weird characters are there... Arya, Vandhana and me (Actually four were there, but one left) All the three are crazy… keep on pulling each others legs for some or other reason and experimenting in kitchen. Sometimes we have nice food n some times horrible!!!!!! No matter how the food taste, “our money, our provisions, our food so don’t waste” is Dora’s policy. With “Slum dogs”, “Australia” and “landlady” as our neighbors, life is full of fun there.

Again 2010, gave me an opportunity to experiment with PR- New office, new colleagues and a new life in all the way.

Roaming in city till late night, bugging and making fights with the sellers in T.nagar is another funny part which I never ever want to miss in my life.

Lot of things I am missing…and some other things I don't want to mention -especially the bitter part of my life in 2010….just coz I only wanted to remember the happy moments in my life. Happiness is what we should share with others not sadness, so left that part… I hope 2011 will give me a lot of wonderful experience to keep in my mind for ever. Though I hate New years as I feel by every year we are getting closer to death, I am looking forward 2011..full of excitement… just waiting to see how it will be…!!!!!!!

Incredible India!!!!!!!!

Three more days left behind for this year to end. If we look back, 2010 have seen a lot of growth as well as a few drawbacks to our country. The year saw India’s industrial output expansion by 17.6 per cent in April. The manufacturing sector that accounts for 80 per cent of the index of industrial production (IIP) grew 19.4 per cent in April 2010, as against 0.4 per cent a year-ago.

Capital goods production grew by 72.8 per cent against a contraction of 5.9 per cent a year ago. Consumer durables output continued to grow at a fast pace of 37 per cent, mirroring higher purchase of goods such as televisions and refrigerators. The development in technology up to 3G is another highlight of the year; the tech savvy generation may be the most benefitted by the innovations.

India is the second largest two wheeler market in the world. Not only a major automobile player in the World, it is the second largest in telecommunication network. One can be a proud Indian on looking through the angles of technological innovations where as on the other side the condition has become worse. One cannot survive with a two wheeler and a mobile phone. To survive, one has to care the appetite properly (What to do, the world is yet to innovate technologies to control the appetite!!!! :)).

Vegetable prices have risen across the country on the heels of the much-decried hike in fuel prices. The price of vegetables keeps soaring, for the last one and half weeks, put up the common man into trouble. The prices of vegetables, especially tomato and onion have gone up drastically around Rs 80 per Kilograms, with a hike of 25 percent, affecting the family budget of commoners, especially those who prefer eating at hotels and restaurants frequently.