Loon Time

Public video Surveillance?

Is the solution for terrorist activities much more active Public video Surveillance?

http://www.video-surveillance-guide.com/public-video-surveillance.htm

Arguments for using video surveillance to ensure public safety
* Increased safety -- The presence of video surveillance cameras can have a positive effect on increasing public safety. Active surveillance systems that are monitored routinely on a real-time basis provide the advantage of being able to detect suspicious activity. Early detection can lead to crime prevention.
* Crime deterrent -- The mere presence of video surveillance cameras can act as a powerful crime deterrent. Individuals are less likely to commit a crime if they suspect that they are being monitored. Several conditions do have to be met though in order for a surveillance system to be a successful crime deterrent. Cameras have to be visible to the perpetrator and cameras have to be routinely monitored so that any suspicions activity is immediately dealt with.
* Provides evidence for investigations -- Evidence that has been obtained from video gathered from video surveillance cameras has proved invaluable in some police investigations. The ability to review captured video images has aided many investigations by providing clear details of what actually took place.

Arguments against using video surveillance to ensure public safety
* Invasion of privacy -- The general rule of thumb is that any video monitoring activity that takes place anywhere that the public has access to does not constitute an invasion of privacy. However, it is not always so cut and dry. Some have argued that the use of covert cameras is an invasion of privacy since the cameras cannot be detected. Many worry that there really is no way to prevent the unlawful use of video surveillance because cameras are so easily attainable and technologically advanced.
* Miss-use of images -- Another argument against the use of public surveillance is the potential misuse of captured images. Captured images should never be released to the public. The only time captured images should ever be released is if they are needed to aid in a police investigation. Problems can arise however when private companies for example are hired to monitor and review surveillance video tapes.

Some real advantages can be gained through the proper use of public surveillance. If implemented properly, surveillance can be very effective. Unfortunately, it is virtually impossible to protect against all potential misuses of video surveillance. However, there are measures you can put in place to protect yourself against any potential invasion of privacy claims.

If you are using video surveillance on your premises, make sure you post signs clearly informing the public of the fact there are video cameras present. It is also important to provide contact information so further information can be requested. Another important step is to distribute your security policies and procedures to all of your employees. This will go along way towards protecting you against any potential invasion of privacy claims.

About the Author
Lynn Bryant is a successful freelance writer and contributor to Video-Surveillance-Guide.com.

चार दिन की ज़िन्दगी

chaar din ki zindagi hai, ja rahein hain din
do gaye tere milane se pehle, do gaye tere bin
*sigh*

Absolutely loved the song; A rarity, Yesudas and Bappi Lahiri
I searched high and low for lyrics but couldn't find. Please post if some one has complete

Update: My blogger friend Juneli ( http://juneli.wordpress.com ) Sent me the lyrics :) Well the way she writes all the 'dard' bhare nagme I should have asked her :) :D before posting this request! Thanks Juneli.

chaar din ki zindagi hai, ja rahein hain din
do gaye tere milane se pehle, do gaye tere bin
priye kab milan hoga, priye kab milan hoga

tum kahin kho jaogi jaan main pata agar
ban ke humraahi tera sang hi karta safar
yeh safar pura nahin hoga tumhare bin
do gaye tere milane se pehle, do gaye tere bin
priye kab milan hoga, priye kab milan hoga

yaad ke tute mehal, kab tera mandir bana
deep jalte rahe gaye, chhup gayee murat kahaN
yeh diye vishwas ke, bujh jaye na ek din
do gaye tere milane se pehle, do gaye tere bin
priye kab milan hoga, priye kab milan hoga

Success

I might win, I might lose but as long as I keep trying, I am NOT a failure!
Success might allude you but that does not make you a failure TILL you don't get up to fight ...
Fight on!!!

Shakti aur Kshama (Strength and Mercy)

Poet: Ramdhari Singh "Dinkar"

Kshama, daya, tap, tyaag, manobal
Sabka liya sahara
Par nar vyagh Suyodhan tumse
Kaho kahan kab haara?

Mercy, resolve, tact, tolerance
You've tried everything and some
But o my king of men
When did Suyodhan [ other name for Duryodhan ] succumb?

Kshamasheel ho rrpu-saksham
Tum huye vineet jitna hi
Dusht Kauravon ne tumko
Kaayar samjha utna hi

The more forgiving you were
In your humane compassion
The more these rouge Kauravas
Pegged you as cowardly ashen

Atyachar sahan karne ka
Kufal yahi hota hai
Paurush ka aatank manuj
Komal hokar khota hai

This is the consequence
Of tolerating atrocities
The awe of machismo is lost
When one's gentle n kindly

Kshama shobhti us bhujang ko
Jiske paas garal hai
Uska kya jo dantheen
Vishrahit vineet saral hai

Forgiveness is becoming of
The serpent that's got venom
None cares for the toothless,
Poisonless, kind, gentle one

Teen divas tak panth mangte
Raghupati sindhu kinare
Baithey padhtey rahey chhand
Anunay ke pyaare pyaare

For three days Lord Raam kept
Asking the ocean for a passage
Sitting there he petitioned
Using the sweetest words to engage

Uttar mein jab ek naad bhi
Utha nahi saagar se
Uthi adheer dhadhak paurush ki
Aag raam ke shar se

When in response there was
Not a whisper from the sea
A raging fire of endeavor
Rose from Raam's body

Sindhu deh dhar trahi-trahi
Karta aa gira sharan mein
Charan pooj daasta grrhan ki
Bandha moodh bandhan mein

The ocean took human-form
'N supplicated to Raam
Touched his feet, was subservient
A slave he had become

Sach poochho to shar mein hi
Basti hai deepti vinay ki
Sandhivachan sampoojya usika
Jisme shakti vijay ki

Truth be told, it's in the quiver
That lies the gleam of modesty
Only his peace-talk is reputable
Who is capable of victory

Sahansheelta, kshama, daya ko
Tabhi poojta jag hai
Bal ka darp chamakta uskey
Peechhey jab jagmag hai

Tolerance, forgiveness and clemency
Are respected by the world
Only when the glow of strength
From behind it is unfurled

Just chill !

धीरे धीरे रे मना, धीरे धीरे सब कुछ होए
माली सींचे सौ घढा, ऋतू आये सो फल होए

Just chill chill Just chill !!!

जो बीत गई सो बात गई

Something to remember and remind oneself again and again! :)
जीवन में एक सितारा था,
जीवन में एक सितारा था,
माना वह बेहद प्यारा था
वह डूब गया तो डूब गया
अंबर के आंगन को देखो
कितने इसके तारे टूटे
कितने इसके प्यारे छूटे
जो छूट गए फ़िर कहाँ मिले
पर बोलो टूटे तारों पर
कब अंबर शोक मनाता है
जो बीत गई सो बात गई

जीवन में वह था एक कुसुम
थे उस पर नित्य निछावर तुम
वह सूख गया तो सूख गया
मधुबन की छाती को देखो
सूखी कितनी इसकी कलियाँ
मुरझाईं कितनी वल्लरियाँ
जो मुरझाईं फ़िर कहाँ खिलीं
पर बोलो सूखे फूलों पर
कब मधुबन शोर मचाता है
जो बीत गई सो बात गई

जीवन में मधु का प्याला था
तुमने तन मन दे डाला था
वह टूट गया तो टूट गया
मदिरालय का आंगन देखो
कितने प्याले हिल जाते हैं
गिर मिट्टी में मिल जाते हैं
जो गिरते हैं कब उठते हैं
पर बोलो टूटे प्यालों पर
कब मदिरालय पछताता है
जो बीत गई सो बात गई

मृदु मिट्टी के बने हुए हैं
मधु घट फूटा ही करते हैं
लघु जीवन ले कर आए हैं
प्याले टूटा ही करते हैं
फ़िर भी मदिरालय के अन्दर
मधु के घट हैं,मधु प्याले हैं
जो मादकता के मारे हैं
वे मधु लूटा ही करते हैं
वह कच्चा पीने वाला है
जिसकी ममता घट प्यालों पर
जो सच्चे मधु से जला हुआ
कब रोता है चिल्लाता है
जो बीत गई सो बात गई

- हरिवंशराय बच्चन

Great going, atta girl, Priyanka!

Wronged girl has beau arrested
Priyanka’s boyfriend lands in custody

BANGALORE: Priyanka and her supporters breathed a sigh of relief after her ex-boyfriend Anand, who married another woman on Friday, was arrested by the city police on Saturday evening. Priyanka had lodged a complaint with Nandini Layout police on November 29 and the police had allegedly called Anand and counselled both.
Police said that Anand had then told the police that he and Priyanka were just friends and did not have any other relationship.
However, fearing Priyanka’s intervention in his wedding, Anand had a registered marriage on November 2 with another girl. Priyanka along with his sisters had crashed into the wedding hall with a futile attempt of stopping the wedding, where she was assaulted by the groom’s parents. A case was registered with the Rajajinagar police.
Commissioner Shankar Bidari said that the police had no powers to stop a wedding but legally action would be taken.
Alleging that the police did not come for her rescue and it was due to their ignorance that she was facing the brunt, Priyanka and scores of members from various organisations staged a protest before the Nandini Layout police station on Saturday morning. Later, DCP North Revanna convinced the mob and said that legal action would be taken in the case in 24 hours.
As per the promise on Saturday evening, Anand was arrested and was being interrogated. Meanwhile, the Congress Yuva and Mahila wing also requested the Commissioner to take strict action and get Priyanka justice. However, police said that Anand who had initially refused to have had any intimate relationship with Priyanka has later confessed to have had a four-year-long courtship. Police are interrogating Anand and awaiting medical reports on Priyanka’s of being pregnant.

I feel quite happy that the gusty but wronged girl has got some justice at last. Women have always got short end of the stick in south Asian countries especially India. My anger is targeted not only towards the guy who are so coward that they are unable to raise their voice above their family but that doesn't stop them from not going ahead with any relationships which they cannot support! My protest is also against greedy families and especially Mothers who can only think of dowry as the decision factor for choosing a girl for their sons. Its indeed sickening to know that many a times the mother's love is the poison indeed which make the son a complete coward.
Great step taken by Priyanka of Bangalore. I appreciate her courage and strength of character that she was not scared by typical orthodox society but came forward to right the wrong which has been done to her.

Dates in the calendar are closer than you think!

This is what I keep telling myself every now and then. No its not about some project deadline but impending vacation! yippee :)

It is indeed sort of yearly vacation but this year has been unusually boring and counter-productive in a way that I am hoping it ends soon and brings in the new year with newer cheer and anticipation. The tenth year of the new century. Wonder what it has in store for me? I just hope its peace and quiet. I can make do without the heart-breaks and disappointments. Well, I sound down and out; No I am not! Just a bit wary. In search of excitement I have only found irritating frustrations thus I am making a choice to hope for only peace and quiet in my life. Oh God, do give away the happiness, cheer, fun, laughter to whom so ever be in need of that; not me! Oh but sure please please do not send here sadness, bitterness or frustrations; just normal life in peace and quiet :) :D Peace be with you !

Child labor & torture

Nothing irks me more than common cases of child labor especially in the urban society and more is typical apathy towards taking responsibility. It so common that if one just lists a dozen of your friends, relations or neighbors, you'd come across one instance of child labor.
http://www.mumbaimirror.com/index.aspx?page=article&sectid=15&contentid=200911022009110203333440624e48067
Many people hide behind reasoning that the little work done by the child give the child a chance for better life. I ask, better life at what cost? Cost of child's self respect? It would b

e better if the child was left to the child's predicament instead of getting it into the labor. First of all its extremely rare that a child gets formal school education when employed as a maid/household help; secondly even if it happens, its rare the kind of importance is given to studies as needed. The stunted emotional growth leads to child developing into another 'ramu' or 'Bahadur'! So much so for 'better life' !!!
There is something though which I am just not able to understand. The level of cruelty people can stoop to just because they have a child under their control! How can one's conscience even let one think of harming a little child's fingers or any other part of body! Surely the existence of conscience is questionable!
I remember coming across an instance of child labor in my friend's home. I tried my best to make them understand but sadly they never let go of that child woman nor ever educated her. Their excuse that she was at the least safe in their home and she herself was not interested in studying! I also realized the only reason the family kept her was their apathy to her future and of course heart being really small to not have ability to accommodate a child's welfare from a holistic manner. They wanted the labor to pay for her safety! My heart bleeds to know the price the child paid for her safety, wasn't just labor she did; she paid with her capability and possibilities and was left with a life of misery with no hope in the future. Well, the family claims to have done her good by marrying her to another of their servants! [ Side track: Well, In India anyways it does seem the logical culmination of girls destiny is supposed to be marriage ! ]
I also didn't have courage to report to any NGO since this was in their village/town and not a metropolitan. I regret it today but I have promised myself that the next instance I come across, I will indeed take all the required steps. I encourage all readers of this blog to do the same.

Thodi si zamin Thoda aasmaan

thodeesee jameen, thodaa aasamaan
tinakon kaa bas yek aashiyaan

maangaa hain jo tum se wo jyaadaa to naheen hai
dene ko to jaan de de, waadaa to naheen hai
koee tere waadon pe jeetaa hain kahaa

mere ghar ke aangan me, chhotaa saa zoolaa ho
saundhee saundhee mittee hogee, lepaa huaa choolhaa ho
thodee thodee aag hogee, thodaa saa dhuwaan

raat kat jaayegee to kaise din bitaayenge
baajare ke kheton mein kauae udayenge
baajare ke sitton jaise, bete ho jawaan

thodeesee jameen, thodaa aasamaan
tinakon kaa bas yek aashiyaan

Gulzar in Movie Sitara

Five point someone

Finally, I read the whole book in one sitting yesterday late into the night, in less than four hours. Not that the book was un-put-downable or anything of that sorts but the story was engaging and with impending start of the week, I did not want to put it off for another day.
I like Chetan Bhagat's style of writing. Storyline was indeed much better than his latter novel 'one night at call center' which I found quite boring.
Hhhmm not sure if I want to write a whole review of the book but I'd say I did like the book immensely. I was able to relate to it since I am from Delhi and the context of Uninspiring teaching and numerous assignments is not just IIT but nearly every other college in the country. I related to the book especially for the fact that I also slipped in my first year of college and was never able to get back into the right mode till near end of the college. Luckily for me the 'professional' education started after my college. With my senses in place and directions, I did make a decent career in my life. Learning I'd like to share with the world, yes, it does not matter whether you are at top of your class or at the bottom; find the things which drive your interest and passion, put in your best and leave the rest to this person above in the clouds somewhere! :) :D
Now that I have read this book, I am looking forward to the movie 'Three Idiots' starring Aamir, Madhavan, Sharman and Kareena.

Wake Up Sid

I watched this refreshing movie yesterday. Well, I was pretty impressed with the music and the rushes of the movie and found its having a preview show Thursday night itself in not-too-far-from-home theater. A friend was a willing accomplice and we got the tickets too.
I went to the movie not expecting too much since I read that Ayaan Mukherjee, all of some 26yrs odd, is first time director, instead went in with a dread of clinche' scenes knowing that Konkana's character is supposed to be older than Ranbir's Sid who is supposedly just out of college.
I guess having good music and songs in the movie surely helps giving positivity to the movie audience. The movie did start with quite obvious scenes and scenario nearly till the interval but strangely I warmed up to the characters including Sid and Ayesha the leads. The treatment to the oft-repeated scenes had immense freshness which transported one to one's own college days. The funny characters were not caricatures instead quite believable. No over the top situations, very believable scenarios. In fact, I very much identified to Ayesha's character of young woman new to the city. I must say the opening scene was just way too awesome, I bet, each and every urban person would be able to relate to that scene. Sid is awake studying for his final accounting exam, drinks four cups of coffee, stay up till 3am but has not gone beyond one page of his book!!
I did read some reviews of the movie today and was in a way appalled how the reviews of quite well-known papers and tabaloids actually missed critical facts and made their own assumptions! On reviewer commented on how Ayesha who is new to the city can afford to rent an apartment when she does not even have a job yet. Actually this whole set of scenes were so awesome, Ayesha is scared out of her wits with a rat crawling on her in her room in the hostel, that is when she decides to rent out this studio apartment in a run down building in run down area. The place might have rented for about Rs.10-15k a month. The do-up wouldn't have been more than another Rs.15k. Well, she has come to another city from her home town, surely she must have had some savings and no where she is shown penniless! She ain't rich as Sid but not one who can't afford roof over her head. Also she isn't stupid to land up in a new city penniless! There are some scenes after her moving to apartment showing her getting things from the kabadi stores etc, one is so cute where she is bargaining for some silly chair and Sid offers the store owner her credit card !!! ha ha ha ha...
well well, not that I want to defend the movie but I realise that these film critics really have no clue what they write. There are some more reviews like that which have missed some specifics of the movie, which irked me! Pretty sickening! I am really beginning to see why the film makers hate the critics. Its indeed sacrilegious to run down someone's hard work of months or years with some loose and careless statements in reviews. Critics need to use their brains some more.
Well anyways, back to the movie. The second half is technically brilliant! The screenplay is too good for words. Surprisingly chemistry between Ranbir and Konkana is awesome. Some places I felt Ranbir was a bit over the board but on second thoughts I think that is what the Sid's character was, lazy, uncaring and arrogant. Thus actually a few scenes with his screen parents Anupam and Supriya Pathak are brilliant, Ranbir is so uncomfortably arrogant. Ayaan's direction stands out brilliantly.
A must watch movie, only for its light and fluffy 'coming of age' screenplay.

Rains

Does rain makes everyone happy? I mean just the rain pouring down not the after affects like flooding or road getting water logged etc. Somehow the rain always make

s me happy especially one really pouring down hard. I guess water being the life giver has that psychological affect. Maybe Gods up there want to wash out all your pain and thus pouring down their love for you, maybe :)

Well I found this on internet on this blog called 'Hazaaron Khwahishein Aisi...' Not that I read this blog but I felt the photo was striking, caught the mood perfectly.
http://maximuminsanity.blogspot.com/2007/06/rainy-night-in-bangalore.html

Also [one of ] ma fav movie 'Shor' has a rain song .. Paani re paani... check this out on youtube, quite watchable and as usual unusual cinematography as in 'Shor' songs, whatever the jokes maybe on Manoj Kr but India's real color comes out in his movies.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Natn_w4l7BI
Incidentally I am right now sitting and watching a movie called '13th Floor', Sandhya Mridul and Purab Kohli, interesting movie.

Time

Yesterday I came in touch with someone from way back in my teens; realized the amount of time which has passed with me on this planet! *sigh* Good bad boring fun ... time is ticking away, do I have anything worthwhile to say??????

Ticking away the moments that make up a dull day
You fritter and waste the hours in an offhand way
Kicking around on a piece of ground in your home town
Waiting for someone or something to show you the way

Tired of lying in the sunshine
Staying home to watch the rain
And you are young and life is long
And there is time to kill today
And then one day you find

Ten years have got behind you
No one told you when to run
You missed the starting gun

And you run, and you run to catch up with the sun, but it's sinking
Racing around to come up behind you again
The sun is the same in a relative way, but you're older
Shorter of breath and one day closer to death

Every year is getting shorter
Never seem to find the time
Plans that either come to naught
Or half a page of scribbled lines
Hanging on in quiet desperation is the English way
The time is gone
The song is over
Thought I'd something more to say

Home, home again
I like to be here when I can
When I come home cold and tired
It's good to warm my bones beside the fire
Far away across the field
The tolling of the iron bell
Calls the faithful to their knees
To hear the softly spoken magic spells

PS: Added as an after-thought, nopes, nothing to say!

Jinnah Advani Jaswant Thackeray !

http://www.dnaindia.com/mumbai/report_thackeray-slams-bjp-s-jaswant-for-jinnah-eulogy_1283293
For once I agree with old man Thackeray!
"Advani termed Jinnah secular. If Jinnah was secular, then why did Advani leave Sindh province in Pakistan and come to India? How can a person who demanded a separate state for Muslims be termed secular? Calling Jinnah secular is an insult to all those who shed their blood for India's independence. It is due to this ideological confusion that Hindus became frustrated and directionless and the impact was seen in the Lok Sabha elections," he said.
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/news/india/Thackeray-blasts-BJP-leaders-for-eulogising-Jinnah/articleshow/4905245.cms
Thackeray said he could not understand why BJP leaders, who call themselves staunch nationalists, slip time and again."It seems there is a competition in BJP of showering flowers on Jinnah," he added.

US needs to offer little more warmth: SRK

http://ibnlive.in.com/news/us-needs-to-offer-little-more-warmth-srk/99336-8.html

I agree with Shahrukh Khan. A lot of people have pointed fingers back at Shahrukh and India's VIP culture etc. My simple question to them is that what is the need to question a person for more than an hour over and above the immigration official? Let alone for a well known and VIP like Shahrukh. VIP culture or not, in India too, if a person is take away from immigration area for some kind of questioning, it is only in case there is some kind of legal issue involved. A normal visitor to the country won't be taken away for more than an hour questioning as a "business as usual".

I also refuse to believe the usual questioning and 'no one is above the law' story being circulated. Not that I know Shahrukh Khan personally but over period of time his conduct in public has demonstrated him to be a person of reason. His calm in difficult situations is quite known in media. I do not think his feathers have got ruffled just by routine questioning. There must be more than what is in public domain, what happened in those 66minutes US officials claim, it took to release Khan! What ever information I have about US officials, I won't be surprised if they had indeed grilled Khan on his name or religion.

US is long known for having dual standards, the Guantanamo bay prison stands mute testimony. Whatever truth has trickled out that forsaken place, its like thousand times worse than any Indian lockup or prison. Shame of them! Really!

Why people lie

It was strange that last Friday I came across two instances of lies from people I would not have expected to lie. It was strange because I felt there was not a compelling reason to lie but they still did. That set me thinking. Maybe I also lie. Is there a way out?

http://www.bbc.co.uk/dna/h2g2/A996942
This article summarizes the reasons to be Greed, Fear, Acceptance, Habit.

http://www.realsimple.com/work-life/life-strategies/truth-about-lying-00000000012669/page2.html?xid=rs-yshin-lying3
This is an interesting article which not only desiccates the reason but also gives us alternative to lies. Good one. Check one of them below:
Lying to Be Nice
What it sounds like: “That dress looks fantastic on you.” “This is the best meat loaf I’ve ever tasted.”

Why people do it: In some cases, the little white lie is altruistic, says Smith, but when used excessively, it can make interactions with people less authentic. At its worst, others may feel that a person isn’t being genuine or trustworthy.

How you can avoid it:

* Walk in the other person’s shoes. People often underestimate the information that others can tolerate and even benefit from, particularly when the words are said out of friendship, says Weiner. For example, you would generally want someone to mention it if you had a piece of spinach stuck in your teeth, if your blouse had a stain, or if your pot roast could use a pinch of salt.
* Tone it down. If you feel that a certain amount of truth stretching is a vital social lubricant, the best thing to do is to avoid gushing. “That’s a great color on you” is a lot more plausible than “That’s the most stunning sweater I have ever seen in my entire life.”
* Track it. Keeping a tally of the tales you tell for a day or a week can help you distinguish between the instances where being truthful matters and where it doesn’t. Maybe you didn’t need to tell the supermarket checkout gal that you loved her (hideous) earrings. But it made you feel better to say it, plus you got a pleasant reaction from her. Most experts say there’s no huge harm in that.