Slogging

Hisssss Act Against Bribe

2011-12-02T11:20:00.000-08:00

The campaigns against corruption --- whether by Hazare, political yatris like Advani, or other outfits --- may well have taken a leaf out of the method adopted by a villager to tackle corruption in Haraiyan tehsil in Basti district, an obscure place in Uttar Pradesh this past week (November last week). The man finally let the lethal weapon he had with him – hissing snakes!

Reportedly angered by the bribe sought by the revenue staff to clear his paper for an additional land, for which he had appealed to President Pratibha Patil, the man, named Hakkul, thought this would be the best way to get his message across.

The employees scurried for safety taking refuge on tabletops and some ran away fearing for lives. This made up a hilarious scene for a movie!

We wake up from slumber to reality only if something hurts us or threatens our position or existence. This many would frankly admit.

What the snake charmer did was right. But we do not know the full story like why he wanted more land for conservation of the reptiles, etc. But his action would definitely have had an impact on the government servants.

This only shows that the lower bureaucracy must be included in any scheme of anti-corruption measure envisaged. If this is true, how is it fair not to include Group C staff of the Central government and the judges themselves.

If the aim of all is to eliminate corruption, it has to be at all levels – right from the peon to the minister.

Press paints Naxals negatively

2011-11-18T12:13:00.000-08:00

“One must know what one is writing about” may not seem to be a far-fetched idea for a journalist. Yet, there are many who do superficial reporting of events and follow them up with analyses that do not present a proper perspective of the issues involved.

This seems to hold true in the case of journalists who write about naxalites and issues that concern them, according to a study of the reports of four newspapers – two in
English, The Hindu and The New Indian Express (TNIE) and two in Telugu (Eenadu and Vaartha). Most of them lacked an in-depth study of the ideology of the movement.

The study covering eight years, from 1999 to 2006, was the basis of a book on “Newspapers and naxalite movement” written by Dr. J. Madhu Babu and published in 2010 by Kanishka Publishers, New Delhi.

The study comes up with some startling disclosures: that the press as a whole has projected a negative image of the naxalite movement by focusing on naxal violence such as blasts, burning of properties, attack on authorities, etc.; that the newspapers ignored tribal welfare questions, the agony of people and their reactions to activities of naxalites and the police.

With the press failing “to focus on the unresolved question of tribal welfare…the tribal uneducated or semi-educated youth are attracted towards the Naxalite movement.”

The press has not analysed the reasons for the failure of welfare programmes to reach the tribal population, it says. This theme received less coverage. The Hindu, for example, did not publish even a single news item on tribal welfare measures during the study period.

The comprehensive study, carried out with tested research methodologies, covered a total of 4,387 news items published, 2,330 photos, 31 edit articles, 74 editorials, 10 editorial cartoons, 55 pocket cartoons and 184 letters to the editor. These were evaluated against a wide range of factors such as category of news, sub categories, and whether they were favourable, unfavourable or neutral.

Eenadu published the highest number of news items (31.8 per cent), followed by Vaartha (31.5 p.c.), The Hindu (19.6) and The New Indian Express (17.1).

The highest number of photos (1,000) was by Eenadu, next Vaartha (892), The Hindu (233) and TNIE (205).

TH and TNIE each published only one cartoon on the issue.
In terms of editorials, Vaartha (74) led, followed by Eenadu (16), TNIE (14) and THE HINDU (8).

During the study period of eight years, there was not a single article on naxalites in The Hindu while TNIE wrote only two; Vaartha led with 20 and Eenadu followed with 9.

The Hindu accounted for the most number of letters to the editor (75) among the dailies.

It also gave more prominence in terms of political parties’ reactions and human rights issues involved. In coverage of peace talks, TNIE put out more stories. All the papers, including Vaartha, gave less coverage to people’s reactions against naxalites and police.

Journalists have become insensitive to the killings of naxalites and police repression. For example, headings of the encounter stories give only the figures. And only the police version is carried.

The Naxlite issue is seen more as a law and order problem and the violence as harmful to society.

In coverage of reactions of political parties to naxal activities, The Hindu gave prominence to the Congress, BJP, Communists and the TDP while The New Indian Express gave priority to the Telangana Rashtra Samiti.

The study rightly points out that the newspapers have the onerous task to represent the case of the poor and the voiceless in society. They also should play a positive role in resolving the conflict between the naxalites and the government.

The book also presents profiles of important naxal leaders and the chronological events in the movement, and the profiles of the newspapers covered, which are of research value.

Students and researchers in the field of journalism can benefit by reading the book, especially about the content analysis methods adopted.

K. Kirubanidhi
Sr. Asst. Editor
The Hindu
Email: journo1958@gmail.com

Digital publishing for Indian news media - Part III & last

2011-11-04T13:22:00.000-07:00

Integrated Newsroom

The major problem is the integration of the print and online staff – the two poles in an organisation . We may have to take lessons from many organisations that have already done it. In India too, integrated and coordinated newsrooms have come about in the Hindi newspaper majors Dainik Bhaskar and Dainik Jagran respectively.

When professionalism was seriously talked about by the media and decisions taken in the 1990s in India, it usually related to the blue-eyed boys and girls, namely the reporters and correspondents. But the western experience of rotation of journalists on the desk and on the field was clearly ignored.

Now the integrated newsroom ought to encourage this in both versions. And only the term journalist would matter more if they are rolled into one and asked to do reporting and editing by turns. This would also the address the problem of lack of special stories and exclusives as all journalists will feel the need for breaking news of all hues.

What will differentiate one paper from another is the publishing of special stories with human interest and exclusive ones across the spectrum. Once this tribe of integrated journalists comes into being, there is nothing that is going to stop them from making their organisations the best ones.

Jakarta Globe

Take the Jakarta Globe online, for instance. The stories that come under the Editors Choice are very interesting and well-written. Recently, there was a story about their Homeless World Cup soccer team members – one of whom walked a long distance to raise funds to enable the team go to France for the cup. He was inspired by his mother’s words to keep promises, something that was ignored by a prominent public personality.

Compare this with some segments of the cricket-obsessed Indian media that chose to downplay the Indian hockey team’s protest over the paltry sum offered to them for their recent victory over Pakistan in the Asian Champions Trophy. All sports need to be encouraged and the media needs to play a larger role in this and derive all advantages that it can get from the youth in this respect.

The Globe also had a story about comics being used by Islamic schools to teach tolerance showed the transparency with which their system works. It received very sharp comments both from a person who opposed fundamentalism and another critical of Christians.

I wonder whether such feedback could be put on any website in India.
The challenge for the Indian media is to be glocal as well as local. Non-news sites are already tapping the citizen journalism front which quenches the thirst for news ignored or not covered by the mainstream media.

The Indian media needs to take all these factors into consideration and launch digital initiatives by playing to their strength and adding new readers through modern methods and devices.

(journo1958@gmail.com)

K.Kirubanidhi
Sr. Asst. Editor
The Hindu
Chennai

Digital publishing for Indian news media - Part II

2011-11-04T13:18:00.000-07:00

Advice for Indian media

With India and China together forming the third largest Facebook audience segment, it is clear that the Indian media industry should tap the social media tool with focus on the youth.

The remark -- at the September 2011 WAN-IFRA meet in Chennai -- by The Washington Post managing editor Raju Narisetti – an Indian who has reached the top in the newspaper after major stints in the Indian media – can be taken as a piece of advice in the interest of the Indian media. He says “the time is in favour of India to catch up and this needs to be done by measuring up things, setting goals and rewarding the right people.”

These examples showed that an integrated newsroom is the future. The Washington Post had achieved the integration in 2009. It was done by using highly developed software systems that streamlined operations and increased productivity. Raju Narisetti, after becoming the Managing Editor of the Post, revamped the systems and remapped workflows.

Among the software systems for editorial operations displayed at the WAN-IFRA Expo were those of the CCI, 4C plus, and Comyan.

A variety of news websites straddle the virtual world, all with their own USPs. Besides there are MSPs as well – if I may call them the Mass Selling Propositions. Some Indian news sites have already started tapping these MSPs to their advantage. They know precisely what the modern world, especially the vast segment of computer and net-savvy youth want.

What cannot be printed by any decent standards is meat for online audience, or so one is led to believe. It was a shocker to view the pornographic snap of Poonam Pandey on a news website on September 4th. Indian cricketers better sit up and watch it in the pavilion instead of bothering to go out and bat and bowl! And more or less similar pictures and videos are part of the daily staple that such sites offer.
You tap a potential no doubt, but what kind of a moral self-regulation are you are adopting in order to cater to this MSP? And mind you talk about corruption of all sorts except moral corruption and you expect these youngsters to fight!

Vinita Nangia may very well blog on this as she has got a good number of followers who are asking serious questions on societal and individual behaviour. Perhaps, what the youth needed was a link to the inspiring site of India Against Corruption.
This represents a slice of the cut-throat competition that has emerged online. Is it different from the days of sensational journalism indulged in by the Indian magazines in the 1980s?

This takes us to the question of quality journalism touched upon by The Washington Post’s Raju Narisetti. His newspaper has gone public now with the standards adopted by it in regard to digital publishing. It is an interesting document worth adoption with local amendments by other online news sites. The Post’s Ombudsman wrote that the stories are read and cleared by two editors except on occasions when the reporter/writer uploads the story straight into the site.

To the Indian print media, struggling to earn and retain online audiences, these may seem faraway but a beginning has to be made in this direction. After all accountability and transparency are the current rage.

There are many other challenges that the media groups face in their quest for dominance and excellence in online publication.

The first of these may be the required qualified staff to run these sites on a 24x7 basis, something on the lines of the non-stop TV nonsense! While it is a costly proposition to recruit highly qualified and experienced hands for these operations, it’s no less exacting task to fit the already available print media staff into the online ventures – what with their traditional outlook, practices and tired hands, eyes and minds. But there is going to be benefit if they are chosen and trained and encouraged with monetary and professional incentives. They know the USPs better.

In fact, some of the newspapers, we were told at the conference, found that the older staff were able to adapt themselves to the new conditions better than the younger ones. The way out could be a mix of youth and veterans whose experience, loyalty and resilience count.

(journo1958@gmail.com)

K. Kirubanidhi
Sr. Asst. Editor
The Hindu
Chennai

Digital publishing for Indian news media- Part I

2011-11-04T13:13:00.000-07:00

Going digital has evolved from just an option to an essential ingredient for news organisations that are trying to integrate their newsrooms and exploit print and online and other media opportunities.

WAN-IFRA meet

Something of a weather forecast was in store for the Indian media companies, especially the print media, at the WAN-IFRA 2011 conference and Expo held from September 6-8 in Chennai. It warned of a storm, already blowing across the West dipping circulation figures even for major newspapers, hitting the Indian segment in the not-too-distant future.

If Indian firms are not venturing into the fast-growing digital and mobile platforms effectively, they will be the losers in the highly competitive environment. The competition is not only among newspapers, but non-news players such as search engines and social media sites who are garnering advertisements – an estimated 65 per cent of the advertising on the web.

Thirty per cent of the world’s population has access to news through the Internet, 40per cent read newspapers, and 60 per cent use mobiles. Countries like Indonesia have already tapped the potential offered by the mobile market. While high Internet and mobile growth in India which had the second highest Internet mobile traffic in the world in 2010 --- a mind-boggling 635 million people owned mobile sets in 2010 and 16 million people used mobile to access the Internet in 2009 -- may not mean high intrusion or penetration, the runway has to be prepared for take-off in these segments.

There are problems such as high cost of access to news on the handsets for lower strata of society and marketing of low-end phones that do not have multi-media capacity. However, the PC growth and declining prices for them are good portends.

Real challenge

The real challenge, however, lies in creating online and mobile content that engages and serves the audiences and retaining their interest so that sustainable models could be worked out. Though the media industry in India itself seems to be having a pessimistic and non-chalant attitude relying on the stable markets that anyhow are growing, the warnings by experts in the field from abroad are clear signals for taking coordinated multi-media initiatives. What they are saying is that please do not commit the mistakes we have made, but benefit from them.

There are examples from overseas as well as India to prove that digital initiatives can supplement the print media revenue. Every company will become a media company, said Larry Kramer, founder, CBS Marketwatch.com, U.S. He put it bluntly: “If you are not creating commodity content (what people want) you are dead.”
The successful models showcased at the summit included Jawa Pos and Jakarta Globe from Indonesia and Ringier AG from Switzerland; Malayala Manorama, Dainik Bhaskar and Dainik Jagran from the home turf.

The digital initiatives need to be based on research and surveys into consumption of different media by consumers, the audience size and behaviour and their specific needs and preferences.

The success of youth-driven Jawa Pos (the group has an astonishing 179 newspapers for different regions and segments and local TV stations), stemmed from not only routine marketing strategies, but also from social media networks, especially Facebook which is a craze in the nation. Small but thoughtful initiatives such as campaigns in colleges and contests with incentives led to a considerable following for the paper on the social media.

The Jakarta Globe, which had just 500 fans on Facebook in May 2009, now has 1,54,646 fans and over 58,000 followers on Twitter. The two social media sites bring between 10 and 15 per cent of web traffic to the newspaper’s site. Though in terms of revenue it did not mean much, its presence on the social networks has been established and this has to be leveraged while making digital and marketing decisions. The newspaper achieved this with dynamic youth ambassadors and a dedicated team of the web edition.

(journo1958@gmail.com)

K. Kirubanidhi
Sr. Asst. Editor
The Hindu, Chennai.

The Future of Newspapers

2011-11-04T12:46:00.000-07:00

Are newspapers declining? Yes, and No. Is there any scope for preventing their further downfall? Yes.

The decline, seen more dangerously in the West, is threatening the newspaper industry in other countries. In view of different patterns of evolution, development, role, socio-cultural-economic-political environments, the same yardsticks cannot hold true for all. However, there are lessons to be learnt, especially in the new digital era which has thrown up challenges that are common to all -- such as the dominating role of the internet and mass communication devices like the mobile phone. How the West copes up with these challenges is interesting to know. And, there lies the key to saving the newspapers. New challenges also present new opportunities.

Andre Schiffrin in his The Business of Words*, a combined edition of The Business of Books and Words & Money, discusses the future of newspapers in the United States and other countries. In a forthright comment, he says the newspapers are declining, citing the examples of the Chicago Tribune, the Los Angeles Times, the Chicago Sun Times and San Francisco Chronicle.

It hurts

“Even relatively healthy papers are cutting enormous numbers of staff,” he says citing LAT which cut 500 of 1,100 employees and SFC from 500 to 200. As a result, there is far less coverage of local state legislatures “an area of government known for its high level of corruption” (perhaps we should take heart that even in the U.S. corruption is so much steeped in the local rungs of governance) where the press played the role of a critic and counterforce.

It is shocking to note that even the New York Times had problems after its price increase in 2009 and subsequently it had to retrench 200 people that helped it as a cost-cutting measure.

The decline in readership and fall in ad revenues are in part attributable to the advent of television and the internet.

News magazines like Time and Newsweek also lost readers, but one of the reasons was lack of content with more ads and fluff stuff filling the pages. The Economist, however, is stable because it has fuller information in its pages.

The ad effect also was visible in the electronic medium with evening news programmes in the US. showing a decline in viewership due to increasing number of commercials. People do not want to be continually interrupted while viewing their favourite programmes.

French scenario

In France, leading newspapers Le Figaro and Le Monde too faced the heat with readership of the younger ones declining, a trend seen in the United States. While a similar pattern was discernible in the United Kingdom, there was less of a decline in Germany.

The Financial Times and The Telegraph are an exception and they made profits; the FT picked up more readers abroad like The Economist. The Evening Standard, a traditional tabloid, adopted a different strategy and it became a free newspaper; this more than doubled its circulation. The FT too faced a 40 p.c. decline in the first half of 2009, but it decided to charge online readers and it clicked with 117,000 subscribers paying $299 a year each.

While the declining trend for various reasons has been visible for long, newspaper owners and managements have not adopted a heads-on approach. Says Schiffrin: “What is astonishing is that this long-term decline should not have alarmed the press much sooner.”

Cost-cutting by reducing staff -- with journalists covering the local news facing the axe first -- and coverage of news – local and foreign -- is seen as a measure that is bound to lead to further fall in readership.

Asian situation

Newspapers in India and China are benefiting from the rise of a middle class and its income. Most of the Asian newspapers, however, are looking stable as of now.

The threat from the Internet is this: it garners more ads than readers of newspapers – 96 per cent of the time Americans devote to newspapers is spent reading their printed form. An American who is editing a paper in Singapore, said at the WAN-IFRA conference in Chennai in September 2011 (see my earlier blogs for more of that) that he was more comfortable reading the paper in the printed form as most do.

Schiffrin says younger readers, however, seem alienated from the traditional media and are more interested in social media such as the Facebook. They form the bulk of readership of the free newspapers that affect the circulation of paid newspapers.
So it all boils down to this: if they are to survive and continue to make profits, newspapers everywhere have to face new challenges with suitable strategies. These include leveraging their strengths; devising ways to retain younger readers by catering to their livelihood issues; revving up ad revenues from news sites; charging online readers for premium content; and resorting to free issues of at least sections of the newspaper in the worst scenario.

(journo1958@gmail.com)

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* The Business of Words, Andre Schiffrin, Navayana Publishing, New Delhi, 2011 edn

Insight into Media 7 - Jakarta Globe experience

2011-10-19T13:12:00.000-07:00

Social media networking – Jakarta Globe experience

Lin Neumann, Chief Editorial Officer of the Jakarta Globe spoke on social networking and the media on September 7, 2011 at the WAN-IFRA conference in Chennai.

The Globe newspaper was launched on November 12, 2008. Neumann, an American, at the outset, said that a foreigner needs to be welcomed in the newspaper industry. He cited the example of Raju Narisetti, an Indian, who has become a managing editor of The Wahsinton Post.

As he found that the web edition lacked interactive features, he started tapping the social media potential, especially Facebook, which he termed “a great leveller.” By May 2009, it had 5000 fans on FB which grew to 10,000 by September. In the next two months, FB fans went up to a staggering 50,000 with 5,000 followers on Twitter;
By January 2010, there were 100,000 fans and 10,000 followers on Twitter; by September 2010, it shot up to 125,000 fans on FB and 24,000 on Twitter. In September 2011, the figures stood at 154,646 fans and 58,721 followers.

FB referrals and Twitter posts brought 10 to 15 per cent of the web traffic for the paper.

This successful presence on the social media, though not revenue generating, was brought about by youth ambassadors --- similar to the strategy adopted with success by Jakarta Pos and Ringier AG. The target was the young audience. There were FB contests with prizes such as copter rides.

Between 10 and 15 stories were posted to FB and almost all stories were given links to the Twitter. This was done by a dedicated team of five persons on the web edition.
The building of the brand, which has been done through these ventures, is likely to have a potential for garnering ads later.

The Globe plans to launch Sunday Globe in October 2011.

He said there was no big change as such in the journalism practised, but “we no longer publish into a black hole.”

Insight into Media 6 -- Leadership in newsroom

2011-10-19T13:06:00.000-07:00

In an interesting talk on leadership in newsroom (at the WAN-IFRA meet on September 6, 2011 in Chennai), Dr. Dietmar Schantin, Executive Director, WAN-IFRA, Germany, detailed how to prepare the newsroom for the impending change.

In such a scenario, there were many who messed up opportunities, each displaying a different trait; ultimately, none of them won. There is the case of those who ignore changes and those who press the panic button. Both of them found nothing had changed by their behaviour.

The challenges came on many fronts:

Ideological, first. Here there were misconceptions about what to do with the old employees and the role of specialist newcomers. It turned out that the older staff were relevant and needed to be protected and that no one was special.

The cognitive challenge was seen in the arrogance displayed in the printing and broadcasting segments. It was realised that it was easier to get older people change – they wanted to beat the boredom over the years -- instead of the younger ones who were scared about it. There were political challenges too as exemplified by an influential person with political links.

The strategic challenge signified that short-term solutions worked only in some cases. The brand and the audience need to be integrated.

Strong leadership is needed to trigger changes. Old and news skills and technology need to be fused. New ways of working in the editorial routine have to be found.

The signs of vital leadership include the following:

Cultural leadership -- (to win) hearts, minds and souls; leading by example is vital here.

Strategic leadership – (in the areas of ) Audience, content and production.

Operational leadership – Roles, workflows, structures.

Performance leadership – Education and motivation of the target audience.

The stages in bringing about change are: Unfreeze, Move and Freeze. It has to begin with a positive perception of change.

When I asked him about the challenges on the Indian front such as cultural and social biases, vested interests blocking leadership chances, he said there was no prescribed solution for these.

Insight into Media 5 -- Integrated Newsroom

2011-10-19T13:03:00.000-07:00

Peter Wolf of Ringier AG, Switzerland, showed (at WAN-IFRA meet on September 6, 2011 in Chennai) how an integrated newsroom was evolved in his news media group. It all boiled down to adjusting workflows for creating digital content and keeping up with the changed user behaviour.

The Blick sent its technical and editorial staff on study tours to learn from successes and failures and adapting them to the home environment. It also involved logistics such as bringing all the newsrooms into one huge building and constructing bridges to get more open space for discussions among the CEO and four Editors-in- Chief.

The project schedule was conducted in five stages and it involved all departmental staff overcoming their biases and strained relationships.

A web traffic study changed the content for different timings with three deadlines and its success showed. Information was scoured on even what to publish on different days.

The Coorg visit

2011-10-18T00:31:00.001-07:00

It was with a sense of longing and big expectations we undertook the trip to Coorg: longing because it was our first break after three years – we are a busy family with three working persons and a serious student of engineering – and big expectations as it was a destination beyond our State, and that too a hill station.

The run-up to the tour was quite hectic and tense. While the preparations were progressing satisfactorily, there was tension till a few hours before the start as Shilpa, the second daughter, had to write the last examination of the fifth semester. Thanks to the providence, everything went on well and we hopped on to the train half hour before its departure from Chennai Central at 9.30 p.m. on December night.

Shilpa’s grouse that we had to travel in night trains both ways was understandable. She couldn’t sleep well as the chill was a bit too much for her despite the warm clothing provided by the railway. Her upper berth position contributed to it. But the overall comfort of journey by AC coach compensated for it. As the weather was cloudy, we could not see the early morning look-outs from the train.

Around 7.30 a.m. the Chennai-Cauvery Express reached Mysore station. The station was small and not to our expectations. Even before we could leave the platform, an autodriver approached us and talked in Tamil. When told of our destination Madikeri, he took us to the bus station. He also guided us to a hotel where we had our breakfast.

Real picture
We were lucky to get a bus around 8 a.m. to Madikeri. The road to Madikeri was good. It took about three and half hours to reach Madikeri after about six stops. Websites would make us believe the journey will take two and half hours. If you go by car or cab that may be a possibility. Contrary to our notion of climbing up a hill by bus, this route had only minimal curves and no hairpin bend. It was a mix of plains and hill route, that too after Kushal Nagar. Once we reached the top, it was slightly colder but not biting. We managed to reach the Hill Town hotel just after 12 noon. Steep ups and towns, decked-up houses on hill slopes, narrow alleys, and small shops dotting the roads --- it all looked like any other hill town. But it is a city and the capital of Coorg or Kodagu district.

Coffee and Cariappa

A historical place, no doubt. Two things come to one’s mind when one thinks about Coorg --- coffee plantations and war-famed General Cariappa. He is deified there with a statue on the main road leading to the heart of the place. There was no problem spotting the Hill Town Hotel which is closer to the main bus terminus. It took just about five minutes to reach there by auto. As only three persons are allowed in an auto we took two autos. It was a decent hotel for family stay. Hot water 24x7 is a main feature. After refreshing, we started out to see the main places of tourist interest in the city.

We had lunch at Krishna Bhavan , a small but busy hotel that attracts vegetarians. We were lucky to find a cab driver who spoke in Tamil. Our first stop was at AbbeyFalls, a scenic beauty just 8 km from the city. It was thronged by students who had escaped their half-yearly examinations and were lucky to have embarked on an enjoyable tour, thanks to their sacrificing parents and thoughtful teachers who designed the programme.Their giggles and excitement matched the roar of the falls on the slopy path to the falls.

Nestling among coffee plantations, the falls are a great treat to the eyes. My wife Amudha was so excited about the plantation that she spoke to the plants asking questions like “How did you come into being and how you are catering to the masses?” I picked a few seeds which were green in colour. After a couple of days, the seeds became blackish brown and dried up. Me and Amudha drank the pure coffee available there. And it tasted a bit sour. The taste lingered for some time.

Raja's Tomb

The next stop was at the tombs of the Raja of Mercara and his wife as well as those of his devoted minister and his wife. The raja’s tomb is also a place of worship and had a lingam atop true to his name Lingaraja. That showed Lord Shiva has been worshipped for centuries in this part of India apart from elsewhere. While the outer part of the monument looks ancient and dilapidated, the interiors were well maintained and retained the historic ambience.

The lack of a guide who would know English and some lanuguages of India was felt—the only guide of some sort being the few lines of history written on a board outside, and definitely one felt this was not the way history could be bottled up. The cab took us to the next halt also on the fringes of the city – the Fort of the rajas. \

The historic building houses the offices of the collector who is called the Deputy Commissioner in this State of Karnataka – coincidentally a seat of power the rajas would have liked that of bureaucracy that looked after the commonweal. This seat of power also has a historic hall that was later converted into a church by the British. It now houses a museum which has artefacts, chiefly arms of the warrior times such as pistols and guns, apart from idols and statuettes of gods and Buddha found in the region. The highlight of the museum is a small place devoted to General Cariappa, the modern warrior who brought fame to the country and the place Coorg. It has mementos and gifts presented to him which he had donated to the museum. Usually, museums are boring to many tourists who just skip it and are too tired and disinterested to know history, but this one, though small, attracts many inquisitive tourists and quickly gives a peep into history.

The memories that arise from the visit are as fresh as the flowers that line up the small garden outside the museum. I was happy my family just enjoyed both. I recollected our visit to Srirangapatna and other historic places in Karnataka about two decades ago when we brought Sindhu as a toddler. Whenever we visit such historical places we do seem to imbibe what our immediate ancestors taught and lived for. However, we do tend to forget historical facts, so it is better to recollect them later whenever one finds time and opportunities. For example, parents should encourage the children to write about their visits and remind them about history and its charm when opportunity arises.

History becoming history?

Unfortunately, we lack TV serials about royals and their lives – if only this topic is broached and worthy serials taken our interest in history will be revived as any amount of teaching may not be that effective. It is pathetic that the subject of history has conveniently been buried by our folk. Not only are there few teachers who could teach the subject with passion, but there appears to be no tours designed for students of history even at the collegiate level, leave alone the dry manner in which it is taught in schools.

Raja's Seat

The next halt was Raja’s Seat, a highpoint atop the mountain from where the rajas, and the British of course, viewed sun going down distant mountains in all its splendour. The beautiful surroundings with a small garden is an ideal place for relaxing in the evening. The Raja’s Seat offers a wonderful kaleidoscopic view of the region with undulating mountains with greenery and curves of roads. We weren’t lucky to get a view of the sundown as it was cloudy though we could see streaks of the Sun’s rays glistening up the holes in the clouds. Abutting the park is a small rail station that hosts a toy train for children. It’s certain to entertain the young and the old too. Groups of schoolchildren thronged it when we went round the park in the train. The chorus of the students rent the air as the train took two rounds.

We preferred to walk down the road – a 2-km stretch – lazily to the hotel even as it got dark. On day two, we got up early and, before we took the cab, went to Krishna Bhavan, a small vegetarian hotel -- one of the few vegetarian hotels in the place where a majority of people eat non-vegetarian food including beef. Though Krishna Bhavan has a basement hall for lunch, in the mornings food is supplied in the small place on the main road. It was an entirely novel sight to watch people just streaming in to get a berth in the popular restaurant. The main person in charge of the preparation and supply was a nice gentleman whose dynamism is unmatched. Even as he would be enquiring what the customer wanted, his hands would be busy preparing tiffin. And he would serve tiffin and sambar pipehot, with such quickness and accuracy that newcomers would be awe-struck. Despite his fast service, he would cater to each individual needs with aplomb. And, his mind calculated the bill even faster. It was an unforgettable experience.

Tala Cauvery

Our itinerary was packed for the day. First we decided to go to Tala Cauvery, from where the river Cauvery originates. The road from Madikeri to Tala Cauvery was good except for bad stretches. The hilly route was lined by coffee and pepper plantations. The ride was most enjoyable as we could see beautiful scenes of curved and slopy roads, huge trees, ornamental shrubs with various hues, and lovely estates. On the way we stopped at the confluence of three rivers – the Cauvery, -- and enjoyed standing in crystal clear waters which are considered sacred.

The Bagandeshwarar temple nearby is an excellent place of worship built in Kerala style. Cleanliness is next only to godliness, we are told and we can experience that here. Lord Ganesha stands opposite the sanctum sanctorum, something we have not seen elsewhere. The next day, at Tala Cauvery, we are made to realise how water is a gift of God that belongs to everyone. Though territorial narrow considerations borne out of politics and greed of people are responsible for water disputes, nature will have its way when God seeks to provide for all.

The unpolluted waters are given a sacred status in Karnataka, something akin to the status given to the Ganga in the North. Poojas are conducted to the river god at its point of origin both to the god and people’s welfare. The hilltop at the place gives a panoramic view of the verdant surroundings with cool breeze blowing from all sides rejuvenating one’s systems. The sceneries are straight out of an artist’s impression of hills and surroundings and sketches by schoolchildren. Bus services from Madikeri to Tala Cauvery are limited.

After returning to Madikeri , we had a small break and continued journey to the other side – that is to K. Nagar, about 20 km. We had lunch there and proceeded to the Tibetan settlement at Bylakuppe where the Buddhist Golden Temple is situated. It’s a wonderful place for prayer and meditation and learning the Buddhist way of worshipping and praying.

Namdroling monastery

The Namdroling monastery looks like a university busy with religious students of an order – it is the monastic institution called Sera. The huge statues of Buddha, the second Buddha Padmasambhava and Sakyamuni ---- are grand and exquisite with gold embellishment and colourful paintings. The massive hall has portraits of followers of the Buddha. The Tibetans could be seen in all areas around the temple and they have mingled with the locals. A shopping complex near the temple sells products associated with Buddhist life as wells as dresses and fancy items.

We had to rush to the last point of our trip – Dubare forest -- a nice picnic spot with boats taking one to the forest-end area on the banks of the Cauvery where elephants are fed during the day before they are sent back to the wild. Unfortunately for us, the time was just up and the boatmen refused to run a trip. We saw rafting by a group of people, who had paid heavily for the venture. From there, we took the route of hills to reach Madikeri. It had just got dark and there was poor lighting on the way – which we were told is sometimes visited by wild animals chiefly the elephants -- leading to anxiety and a bit of tension on our part. On some of the forlorn stretches we even had prayers on our lips. The crackling noise of insects that reverberated through most of the stretches added to the suspense. It was a thriller kind of thing, but the driver was sure of where he was heading and taking us.

We heaved a sigh of relief on reaching the main road that led us to Madikeri. The long and zigzag route was verdant with tea plantations of the Tatas and we were simply astonished at the vast expanse of the estates. The following day we bid adieu to Madikeri and the Coorg region, taking with us tea packets, honey, and not the least memories of good relaxing times. We reached Mysore in time for a short visit to the industrial exhibition before boarding the train to Chennai.

Insight into Media 4 - The changing face of newsrooms

2011-10-17T23:49:00.000-07:00

In the session on “The changing face of newsrooms” at the WAN-IFRA meet on September 6, Larry Kramer, founder of CBS Marketwatch.com, U.S., emphasised the four Cs of the media world.

As detailed in his book C-Scape, which he distributed freely (a copy of which is with me for reference by my close colleagues), the pivots of the changing face of newspaper and media business are: Consumers, Content, Curation and Convergence. Consumers, the kings, cannot be ignored. So, listen to the consumers; how they use the products, what they think of you, and engage them in making you more relevant.

In content creation, the ultimate person is the one who produces content which can be got from anywhere and in whatever medium. “If you are not creating commodity content, i.e. what people want, you are dead,” he said.

As content is king, distribution systems are being usurped by digital platforms. As content will win out, it has to be refined based on changing consumer habits.

Curation is a process of filtering from the mass of information on various subjects according to the wants of the consumers and offering the same quickly. Online news aggregators like Huffington Post, Answers.com, Wikianswers.com, and other alternative news sites such as blogging sites are the curators.

“News is combination of words, audio and video.” In the area of convergence, tablets are currently the preferred way to get information. More people learn about earthquakes from Twitter rather than the regular sources. Consumers converge with producers; companies invite customers to create content for commercials and news, and even products.

Every company will become a media company.

New competition has emerged from businesses like Bestbuyon.com, Starbucks and Fandango.

The newsroom of the future will be built around target audience, NOT a medium; businesses not newspapers; sports, not TV. The key tasks will be controlling delivery of content to all possible outlets; having revenue models; and curating outside sources of valued content.

The Politico is a great example of a curator whose website, newspaper, email and new media sources earned a big influence in the U.S. – its 4.30 a.m. political bulletin was eagerly read in New York. It has an editorial staff of 150. The printed paper was delivered free of cost to select influential people who numbered about 30,000. But it had a digital publishing revenue of $3 million to $4 million with its site recording 5 million hits.

Insight into Media 3 - Trends in publishing

2011-10-17T23:43:00.000-07:00

Talking on “Trends in publishing”, Christoph Riess, CEO, WAN-IFRA, Germany, said at the WAN-IFRA meet on September 6 that evolution of newspapers was different in different regions.

Asia had emerged as the powerful media region even outwitting the United States. Every two of three copies of newspapers sold in the world came from Asia. Though the penetration of newspapers was comparatively low in India, there was a great potential for increasing the circulation. Actually, media consumption increased by 40per cent in the last two years.

An analysis of the Indian media showed television, newspapers and radio were growing faster than other media.

Asia only garnered one-third of revenue from advertising in the world. The average circulation of newspapers in India was 11,000 only while Japan had an average of half-a-million.

While advertising on the Internet was progressing fast, it was not affecting the circulation of newspapers. Indonesia had a high Internet growth as well as high circulation of papers.

Newspaper circulation was down in countries like New Zealand and Pakistan.

New intermediaries are also garnering ads. These are: search engines, free online news sites and social media sites. As much as 65 per cent of the ad revenue on the net are garnered by the search engines like Google and Bing.

The growth of mobiles is phenomenal and the focus needs to be on developing content for mobile systems.

Insight into Media 2 - Strength of print media

2011-10-17T23:38:00.000-07:00

The WAN-IFRA 2011, began on September 6, 2011 at the Chennai Trade Centre with a welcome address by Mr. K. Balaji, Managing Director, Kasturi & Sons Ltd., & Chairman, WAN-IFRA South Asia Committee.

President of WAN-IFRA, India, Jacob Mathew, in his address, said the print advertising revenue was likely to touch $136 billion by 2013. Seventy-five per cent of India’s population is literate and the print media has a 20 per cent of the adult population as audience. The print media is trusted more in India and access to online news is costlier.

The newspaper industry felt that there is scope for increasing the price of products as there is increasing demand for them. Distribution, however, posed a major problem.
“It will be ages before other new media could challenge the print media,” he said. Credibility for media is very important, he said citing the crisis spawned by a scandal in the an ageold newspaper in the United Kingdom.

Insight Into Media - 1 Washington Post

2011-10-15T04:51:00.000-07:00

Hi everyone

I am starting a series of writeups -- kicking off with this one -- on how newspapers and media houses in different parts of the world are facing the challenges posed by new technologies and using them to their advantage

These points and projections emerged at the WAN-IFRA 2011 conference held in Chennai from September 6 to 8.

Of special interest is the way in which the new media are tapped to give the new generation of readers added values that supplement newspaper efforts – and fetch the media revenues.

Your valuable comments and suggestions are welcome so that these could be taken up by the media owners and journalists at meetings or conferences in future.

Kirubanidhi
Senior Asst. Editor
The Hindu
Chennai

Email: journo1958@gmail.com
Cellphone: 0(if calling from outside Chennai) 9281342829

***********************

Insight into media 1

How The Washington Post meets challenges

Washington Post Managing Editor Raju Narisetti, in his September 7 speech at the WAN-IFRA 2011 conference, gave a brief overview of how the newspaper’s 24-hour integrated newsroom is meeting the challenges daily.

The key challenge for him, when he took over the top post, was tackling mismatched skillsets. He revamped editorial systems and streamlined workflows. Some job cuts were inevitable. There was a need to popularise the editorial team with search, social media and web traffic experts.

Information relating to news stories were made available to all journalists on hourly, mid-day and real time alert basis. These included page views of visitors to the news sites and time spent on stories by them. This helped more engagement of audience.

Training and re-training of the journalists happen on a continual basis.

Blogs are used to build off stories. The blog about an Obama impersonator at a party meeting was a huge hit and about 10 million people read them.

The Post realised that it is not enough to publish news but you have to make it more engaging by good packaging. They were happy to note that there was more feedback with one story garnering 3,000 comments.

Personalisation of news is important to engage the audience. The Post embraced Facebook and Twitter and now had 800 million fans on FB. Newsletter emails are sent to 1.5 million readers.

The revamping helped the Post to get back their readers and occupy the number two slot in terms of readership. The time spent on the news site improved and it occupied the number slot now.

The good news for India, Narisetti said, is that time is in its favour to catch up and they need to do this by “measuring things up, setting goals, and rewarding the right people.”

Kirubanidhi
Senior Asst. Editor
The Hindu
Chennai

Email: journo1958@gmail.com
Cellphone: 0(if calling from outside Chennai) 9281342829

Anna Hazare's relevance

2011-10-07T12:24:00.001-07:00

He’s not a Gandhi (by his own admission); he’s not a politician in the usual sense of the term (he has given enough indications of it); he’s not a VVIP with wide connections; he’s not a rich man either. Yet he counts. He has not only reinforced that it’s people’s power is the ultimate in Indian democracy, but the democracy which may be ripe for a revolution.
Mr. Hazare has emerged as a leader in his own right, trying to achieve the dreams of the ordinary Indian --- the foremost being the removal of corruption from top to bottom and across institutions.
His relevance to modern India --- despite his adoption of the traditional satyagraha --- and its people cannot be doubted. His peaceful agitation has ignited the minds young Indians whose conscience had already been tweaked by the former President Abdul Kalam. Dr. Kalam too had tried to band together the youth of the country for developmental purposes. His action plans and vision continue to guide the youth but on a different plane.
What the country needed was a spark for national-level action programmes and that came in the form of Mr. Hazare’s steadfast agitation against corruption – an issue that struck the right chord with all.
The people now realise that they need not feel helpless in challenging the monster of corruption. With able support from similar socially conscious people, Mr. Hazare took the centrestage and was the cynosure of all during the campaign that has reached greater heights.
He has sown the seeds of fearlessness, cooperation, and social dynamism among the people – the participation of lakhs of people in the movement vouches for that.
With the present government caught in a vortex of scandals and seen to be a face of corruption , the political course of the country is set to change drastically. Mr. Hazare and his team have revived the nationalistic fervour of the pre-Independence days.
If political intrigues succeed in stifling the people’s movement, it will be the saddest chapter in modern Indian history. If, on the other hand, people continue to support Anna and help achieve success in the fight against corruption and other ills of society, it will be the golden era for India.

THE MARATHON MAN

2011-06-30T05:51:00.000-07:00

A man of measured words and action
Albert showed us what discipline and courage mean
In his own inimitable style
He struck a middle path
Knowing the glowing and burning ends of sides
His spirited defence of what’s right
Always earned him praise
His track record has been excellent
Both in work and on field
He sprinted, leapt and crossed
Hurdles a many, set records a many
He’s changing tracks and gears now
We’re sure he’ll ever be steady
And light up the path ahead
Alby, the Marathon Man
How can we not clap and pray
For you and your family

K. Kirubanidhi
30 June 2011

Roshini

2011-05-25T09:59:00.000-07:00

I will have named you S. Roshni
Because you are
Sensitive and sensible in work
Soft-spoken in dealing with others
Straightforward in approach and attitude
Smiling even in stressful times
Service-minded in nature
Selflessness being part of it
Supersub in the making
In all
Simply Superb
Lack of your hospitality
Will make us sick!
You have given a peep into your art
For a journalist-artist in the making
I wish you all the best

Call from mother

2011-03-27T12:11:00.000-07:00

As the 18th death anniversary of my mother, K. Gnaneswari, drew closer, I had enough indications that mother is still with us, guiding us and showering her affection in many different ways. A few days before, one of her close friends and colleagues, Mrs. Achamma Jacob, called me, through my sister, and asked me to come for a prayer- cum-meditation at a place of worship and talk to a group of senior citizens about my work.

I was pleased and took it as a call from mother and promptly accepted the offer and went there. I made it a point to mention this at the short talk that I gave. The family friend also gave me a small memento, which I took it as that given by mother.

Then during my work I came across, in the past two days, words and phrases that made me remember her and the job she did – Central Statistics Office, for example. She retired as an Addl. Director of Statistics, Tamil Nadu government. Then on March 27, a day before, she came in my dream as a slightly younger person and I was telling someone, after briefly seeing her in close quarters and following her, that she remains very much with us. And, even as I finished writing this small piece, a colleague of mine gave me and others at work some sweet and chips saying her mother brought it for her. Mothers have a hold on us as long as we live.

Straussed Out

2011-03-03T04:51:00.000-08:00

Come on, I have my own headings or comments for the 2011 World Cup
Cricket matches; it may or may not reflect the ones you find in the
Paper or aired on TV. But believe me its my own.

Here goes the first one: when India and England drew the match on Feb 27
I had in mind this heading which I haven’t seen in popular English
Dailies the next day. “Straussed out India manages a draw.”

WIND FROM THE NORTH

2010-12-22T11:14:00.000-08:00

The wind from the North
Came and swept the southern fort
And that is THRAL
And she did ENTHRAL
By her performance
In her short stint
You ‘ve got the eye for details
And ears of a shrewd girl
True for a journo
Facts are sacred
For this GG-
Aptly named Google Girl
You would say
Sir, I checked it on the Google
And that was it
For the copy to clear
You may be a chatterbox
But you opened the mouths of many
Including mine on
Difficult subjects
You have all the thing
To make a star in this profession
You are from a star constituency
And wind from the North
Keep it up
We’re with you

K.K.
December 22, 2010

A reflection on 9/11

2010-09-12T11:32:00.001-07:00

Anniversaries come and go; they remind us of things past: how we were born and grew up, who influenced or inspired us, what are the dates or events that went with the celebration or observance. But most of us do let go of the spirit behind these anniversaries once the day or perhaps the week is gone.

The run-of the-mill story goes on and on again until the next date comes up.
Are anniversaries only rituals that lose their significance over the years?

Today, the world is observing the anniversary of the collapse of the World Trade Center nine years ago in the United States. The strife is not gone yet though there are traces of a positive fallout this year with plans to open up a religious centre near where the disaster took place.

We need to focus on what needs to be done or not done day in and day out in order to make an event or date worth remembering or add significance to human advances already made. This alone can lead to a conflict-free society.

What happens after a disaster or tragedy? Blame games, inquiries, and revenge-taking. On the other hand, it can also open up new ways to find solutions to the problems that tie up nations in deep knots. A new awakening in the minds and hearts of people directly or indirectly affected can heal wounds, feelings, and renew hopes and lead to positive action.

History is full of such opportunities and it is for all of us to let this deeply take root in the mind and create situations conducive to world peace and brotherhood.

12/09/2010

Give what you can

2010-05-18T11:04:00.000-07:00

"Yaan Petra Inbam Peruga Ivvaiyagam," the popular adage in Tamil means "Let the world get whatever good I got." And that’s what exactly drives the blog and other social ventures on the Internet.

One can get to know the latest in the thinking and behaviour of the world just by scanning the personal blogs and social networking sites such as the Facebook and Twitter.

Also, there is a lot of whistle-blowing going on in the Internet.
Whether the whole world takes note of it or not, just the feeling of having aired one’s views and feelings on different subjects itself give some pleasure and satisfaction, both mental and professional.

Someone sometime will get the benefit out of it seems to be the hope and faith behind the such ventures.

Just give what you have to give and do not expect anything in return is an age-old
philospophical truth.

Of course giving away on the net is also increasingly turning commercial. Anything good turns commercial when one finds the scope and use for it.

The Internet then offers one a wholesome treat.

The "Crossword"

2010-05-05T12:18:00.000-07:00

The word of the Cross – that of the Jesus – is plain and clear: love one another and have faith that the Lord will save you . The only condition is that you should have total faith in Him and it will work wonders for you. And, it's just for anybody.

Just after I read about the Lord on Maundy Thursday listed on the newslist below the particular item was the usual Crossword slug. But that day (in April first week of 2010) to notice it immediately after I finished reading the item about Good Friday was more than a coincidence I thought.

The word then I thought was Crossword – the word of the Cross.

That's what the world needs more than anything else: faith, love, humanity, acceptance and tolerance.

Time and effort

2010-03-11T12:07:00.000-08:00

It will look as though time is flying and we can't keep pace with it. When everything goes well, everything seems well. Once things go awry, one tends to find out why and perhaps may not get the real answer.

On close analysis one will find that the effort one puts in anything worthwhile doesn't go waste after all. In short periods of time so many things happen around us. Keep your eyes and ears open.

Well, one would not have earned praise, favour, recognition, awards and rewards, and other materialistic things despite doing one's best in the face of odds. But, hey, wait and watch.

All these efforts are going to reflect in one form or the other, here now or there later. Someone has seen or monitored your thoughts and actions. And you will be appropriately rewarded or punished.

And that's when you stray into the territory of the unknown. Just who takes note of all your actions, when do these things fructify and who will be the beneficiaries?
You may get the answer now or later in this life or next life.

The possibility of those who knew of your thoughts, actions, ideals and goals getting the answers or enjoying the beneficial effects or otherwise is very much
there.

Heredity and environment

2010-03-08T11:48:00.000-08:00

What we think and do today is not just influenced by thinking and previous experiences in this life. Something extraneous to our thinking and not influenced by present thinking power could be felt by anyone at some point of time. Whether this is a result of our past karma or our genes working taking leaves out of our ancestors' life codes is what is to be explored.

When I listen to old Hindi songs, for example, I do not know how my mind and brain connect to the sounds and lyrics, though I do not understand the language. This could be partly attributed to some films I had seen in my childhood and songs listened to from radio as TV was not there then.

I wonder whether the detailed reading of newspapers evolved from my maternal grandfather's trait. In my childhood I had seen him read the paper line to line with "hmmm...hmmm" sound from his toothless mouth. He was too old at that time. But his analytical outlook could be seen from the comments in his diaries about different writers on various issues in the then Karachi.

Genetic traits apart, is there anything that influences a person's thinking and behaviour?

God particle

2010-02-04T05:59:00.000-08:00

The scientific community, including Stephen Hawkings, has defended the experiment, citing the benefits that will accrue like breakthroughs in the energy area and forming of theories of how the universe was formed and why the world is what it is today. They also defend the expenditure saying the costs involved is much less compared to

what is being spent on the International Space Station. The project director said that clash of protons was already taking place in the upper atmosphere and no black hole had formed there.

Despite all this they cannot be 100 per cent sure of what will happen in case a black hole is formed and the complex machine and experiments go out of control.

They are trying to zoom in on what is called the God particle that matters most and about which scientists admit they know little.

My answer is we should be happy with the way the world is and focus on research that will solve pressing problems such as pollution and global warming. With the likely danger of an atomic mishap -- mind you they are trying to create conditions that existed after the Big Bang -- is it really necessary? Further, all atomic research carries

the great risk of technology passing into the wrong hands for wrong uses like the dropping of the atomic bomb on Japanese cities.

And unlike space exploration we are doing this test right under our feet. And what if God decides that the world shall end the same way it was formed!

Of water in moon

2009-09-26T12:33:00.000-07:00

Did it take such long
For earthlings to
discover water in me!
Mother always
Knows springs of
Affection that wells up
In me quite often
And my love for her
Can never dry up
As much as my tears
Of joy and sadness

(Written three days after it was announced -- in September 2009 --
that Chandrayaan-1, the aborted moon mission,
discovered water on moon.)

For a sane society

2009-09-13T01:11:00.000-07:00

The media, chiefly electronic media, went to town again with the tragic death
of Andhra Pradesh chief minister Y.S. Rajasekhara Reddy (YSR) in a helicopter
crash in the jungles near Kurnool.

If newspaper reports are to be believed, as many as 140 people died unable to bear
the loss of his death. How much of this is true is a moot point. But at least some deaths
could be attributed to the shock and grief graphically conveyed by the media.
Mass hysteria, among the supporters, spurred by the almost non-stop
coverage of his death and its impact was a factor.

The hype that surrounded YSR's death was such that one wondered whether he was a
national leader of such standing who deserved so much coverage. Even a small stone
is a big brick for the TV channels to throw at the public. The one news channel that
tried to maintain some balance was Headlines Today.

After all the dust has settled, the question that remains in focus is the mindless
and sensational coverage of the electronic media on senstive issues. Clearly, some
guidlines are needed and some self-regulation will go a long way in ensuring a sane and
healthy society.

When Moon visited India

2009-07-22T23:39:00.000-07:00

It comes once in a bluemoon
When the daughter
In the sky
Visits celestial mother

Comes calling
Soon after the search
For her beautiful face

Casting her might
Her silken saree
Caressing mother
For longer time
Before vanishing

Back in her spot
She starts smiling
Till mother sees
The bloom
Then hides again

(Written after the total solar eclipse on July 22, 2009)

Which is not adulterated?

2009-06-27T10:15:00.000-07:00

Which is not adulterated?

In this kaliyuga, which is not adulterated -- the food
one eats, the air one breathes,
the petrol one fills in, etc.

The worse of it is inthe form of
even human relationships.

Everything seems to be interdependent: one does
something in return for something. though it is
not explicitly stated. Even this could be understood.

What cannot be is the improper ways in which these
things are done --- dishonesty, bias, cheating, and
suppression and oppression resulting from
caste/communal/racist feelings and attitudes
and jealousy.

The list goes on depending on the social and
political situation.

So, what does one expect at the end of the day!
If one gives a thought to these and acts appropriately,
responsibly and without all the negative emotions
that not only spoils one's personality and standing
but also ruins many bright lives in society, one will have sealed
a key place in society. One whose life inspires others.

Which is not fixed?

2009-06-21T11:50:00.000-07:00

After watching the T20 final between Pakistan and Sri Lanka on June 21, 2009, one would think
what went wrong with the Sri Lankan team that didn't pack a punch in the final. The Sri Lankan cricket tigers are not the ones to submit meekly. But their lacklustre performance in the match, except that of captain Sangakkara, did raise many questions in the minds of fans and watchers.

One was even led to think whether the match was fixed. What are the factors that lie beneath the unexplainable performances of teams, only a few might know. An Australia- England or South Africa final would not have looked like this, one is sure.

While we all know cricket is not beyond match-fixing, what else is not?

One wonders whether everything except birth and death -- may be you can throw in marriage inbetween! -- is fixed!

A related post titled "Barcoding" (Nov. 18, 2007) can be seen in the archive.
(Here is the link: http://nidhikripa.blogspot.com/search?updated-min=2007-01-01T00%3A00%3A00-08%3A00&updated-max=2008-01-01T00%3A00%3A00-08%3A00&max-results=12)

Sex edn on cell

2009-05-04T13:07:00.000-07:00

In an earlier blog on "Dangers to personal life" I had lamented the use of cell
phones for commercialising the fine concept of love and the dangers it poses
to gullible youth.

The latest to emerge from the West is that the instrument is being used to
educate youth on sex in the positive sense of the term. Well, the positive after
all the negative things that go with it! At least they are thinking in those terms of
raising awareness.

It may come here after long long years but much damage would have been done
to the youth and children.

Worship everything

2009-05-03T12:48:00.000-07:00

'Worship the creator, not his creations" ran the church message.
This view is also expressed by some Muslim scholars. One
also gets the same idea embedded in other religions like Hinduism.

Though Hindus broadly agree with it they worship the sun and
the moon, the two astral bodies. The day starts, for the religious
among them, with Surya namaskar. The direct benefits from
it makes them worship it as god himself. In fact, they have as
many gods and goddesses corresponding to the forces of nature.

Who can deny that nature is itself god? Does one not see god in
the designs on the wings of butterfly, in the interior decoration
in fruits, and in the eternal space?

Perhaps the saying meant that one should not worship man
himself. While it could be true that man is the seed of all
evil and is to be despised, he is also divine in nature.

The Self or atman resides in all of us irrespective of one's caste, creed, religion, gender
and status, so say Vedas and Upanishads.

Apart from worshipping god in form or without form one has to
know how to realise the god within which is only a manifestation
of the divine force prevalent everywhere. Then one crosses
all the barriers that divide man.

Being tough

2009-04-15T10:47:00.000-07:00

While speeding through the busy roads on a hectic day
I chanced upon a quote on the rear glass of a car. It said:

Tough times do not last long.
But tough men do.

Stopping at the next signal I opened my helmet shield
and told the driver-owner that it was a very good
quote that gave inspiration. To my surprise, he said
many people have done so!

Tough world! No doubt. You ought to be tough, at least
in mind, to beat the odds I felt.

This is an addition to the more popular saying:
When it gets tough, the tough get going.

Nan and Nano

2009-03-23T03:43:00.001-07:00

Like Nano, Nan is rolling out today (March 23).

She came like a whirlwind, swept us all by her geniality, sincerity, hardwork and pleasing manners – all moulded in a beautiful format like the Nano.

Short tenure but excellent record. Nan will be a hit like Nano whichever road she takes.

One hopes she did not have any trouble as Nano has had. We would have said No-Go, No-Go but Nan O, she is going.

Cheers to her on the new journey she undertakes.

And prayers for her continued happiness and welfare.

Dangers to personal life

2009-03-09T10:15:00.000-07:00

At first look I thought it was one of those routine SMS
mercilessly pumped through the wave frequencies into
your cell -- has it not become another biological cell --
by innumerable operators.

Another look and I was drawn. "Are you in love?" it started.
Who is not or was not, I thought. Then the fizz opened.
It sought to hook, to use the precise term, youngsters by promising
to give tips to be smarter if you are in love, and the tips are
available, separately, for boys and girls who are to SMS
for different numbers. And it comes with a cost of course,
at Rs.1 per SMS.

First, there was apprehension about TV bringing into the house
obsecenity, vulgarity and soft pornography that was the
domain of yellow journals and pavement booklets and
of course the Big Bad Guy -- the movies.

Then came the computer which threw open, through the
worldwide web, an ocean of information on all subjects
on earth, including relationships. E-mail turned into
Evil mail. Everyone is familiar with the Tamil movie
song "O Maria, O Maria" that depicts young love
going online.

Now that the cellphone is the most personal and popular
means of communication, the baddies are at it again, turning
this useful gadget into a love-making instrument.

And the operators themselves are into this business of love.
Who has opened this gateway for all such purposes
that are detrimental to societal norms?

With no government hold on the electronic mass media
and inhouse norms regulation lacking, the people at
large are in grave danger of their privacy being intruded
upon, their children being exposed to irresponsible elements
and stalkers and societal norms being demolished.

Bettering the battering

2009-02-20T05:24:00.000-08:00

In the face of difficulties and testing times when you feel down and out
and when you are helpless, there are ways to surmount them if you just hold on and find other ways than the usual route. Grit, determination are required not
only when you do physically challenging tasks like driving a vehicle
in heavy traffic on narrow roads.

See inwardly and persist in doing the things normally required.
Soon you are out of the morass.

Martin Luther King III, while visiting the Mani Bhavan in Mumbai said
that he will return home more determined after seeing
the difficulties and challenges here. He referred to a white man, who
apologised to him, after four decades, for having beaten him
up in a bus.

A.R. Rahman quoted on February 20.

“I can relate to the film because I take life positively and feel that even after great depression, something good will come out,” said the composer in a telephone interview from Los Angeles. “Almost everything is finished for this guy [film’s hero] but there is still hope and then he... succeeds in the end.”

These are some nuggets that infuse inspiration and confidence in
minds battered by inhuman humans.

God and Universe

2008-11-22T11:34:00.000-08:00

It was my usual look with a bit of hope on Nov. 20, 2008. When I stared at the signboard
for a new message I couldn't believe my eyes -- there it was. A new message after many months of disappointment.

I used to feel strongly about it -- so much that I would want to go to the church authorities and say that I wanted new messages every now and then, and even offer any help in this regard.

The new message read: "The God who holds the Universe is the God who is holding us."

It could not have come at a better time, I felt. When doubts were being raised about the very existence of the Earth in the tiny globe that is the Internet -- I am referring to the doomsayers' videos and blogs about the world coming to an end on December 21, 2012 -- this message came as a great relief and strongly reinforcing the faith in the world and the universe.

It is so easy to rattle the earth and humans these days with rumours, falsehood, half-baked ideas, and unconfirmed news -- thanks to the Internet and gadgets like the cell phone.

But almost everyone who you talk to you -- even in this digital era and make-believe world -- would say that he or she believed in something beyond science -- not necessarily god force for them -- something beyond their control is holding the earth and other planetary objects and making them to behave as disciplined soldiers for centuries together. And the faithful say this is the God whose mercy is needed to live our lives in this home.

Time turning cruel?

2008-08-23T10:43:00.000-07:00

Is there time?

Is there time for anything in this crazy phoney world?
No one has time for anyone seems to be the creed.
With new gadgets like cellphone and iPhone the talkative and entertainment-mad
world gets new opportunities for happiness. At the cost of what?

No doubt life has become complicated and competitive. And to progress one has to
sacrifice so many things. But self-indulgence knows no boundaries in this mod-mad
globe. For all the connectivity and business options
that these offer, the one thing that could really be sadly
missing is the lack of feelings - personal and social --
that stands out.

Why are people indifferent to the feelings of others, even to those who
are around and who have made the world different for them?
Everyone is seen with a tinted glass.

Hatred, jealousy, anger, classism, groupism, and racism shadow the finer
aspects of humanity. These have to be replaced by affinity, love,
magnanimity, tolerance, and cooperation if the world is to be pleasant
and worthy place for all to live in and contribute their mite to society and
world and halt the collapse of values in all aspects of life.

Ego -- Is it worth?

2008-07-07T06:44:00.000-07:00

This cute little space is like a speck in the universe -- insignificant yet part and parcel of it.
Ego, humans think, are massive and fill the earth and universe. Yet they are not even worth
the speck in the universe. On the other hand, the anti-ego (i will find another term for it)
is spiritual in nature and works on a different plane that is totally invisible and inaccessible to egoists.

If only people are devoid of bloated egos, which the float aorund,
the world will be a better place -- it can accommodate more
minds, reveal new insights from people never heard of or
seen, promote a multi spectrum of views, ideas and thoughts.

Bloated egos occupy so much space!
What they don't realise is they will pass off as
dust into the space.

What worries me is that their so-called souls
will pollute even the outer space! Let these not form
part of even the cosmic dust!

Speaking of the cosmic dust, I was wonderstruck when
I saw the Image of the Day at the NASA website
(on Aug. 12) -- that of a nebula. Oh! God! what an image!

When things go dry

2008-07-03T12:37:00.000-07:00

When something goes dry

When petropumps go dry
vehicles are stranded
machines grind to a halt
movement is curtailed
life is hit all around

When watertaps go dry
throats cry water
clothes pile up for wash
bathing chances lessen
streetbattles erupt

When feelings go dry
the heart hardens
humaneness goes
relationships snap
world becomes empty

Thoughts on RD

2008-07-02T12:42:00.000-07:00

Yet another travelling experience I had was not in a bus but in, what they call in Chennai and some other cities, a share auto -- on way to my office for night shift work.

As soon as I picked up and started glancing through a back issue of Reader's Digest, the elderly man sitting across had a sneak preview of an article on the health benefits arising from nuts which I wasn't exactly reading.

He told me he had a good stock of nuts at home but was afraid to eat them thinking it was not good for old people. Citing this, he wanted to read the article, and I gladly gave him the magazine.

After going through the best part of the article, he thankfully gave the issue back to me. I told him the RD is a treasure you can read anytime. He agreed and departed.

RD is also popular with a very old man, a relative of mine, to whom I had given some issues years ago. Though he is old he reads newspapers and some magazines.

I became an addict of RD after getting early exposure to it from my dear mother who used to bring it from her office. She used to enjoy Laughter the best medicine section and read out and share jokes with us.

I used to read mostly articles on self-development and get inspiration to do things.
Even now I buy back issues at cheaper rates on pavement side shops and read them while travelling or when free.

A Conversation

2008-06-29T12:31:00.000-07:00

The first time I heard a mature discussion while travelling in a bus happened this Sunday (June 29, 2008). The conversation between two working men, seated behind me in the bus, engaged me and I sharpened my ears -- something I never do consciously.

The discussion centred around the need for improving one's general knowledge to be seen well educated by colleagues at the workplace. One person said that there is a need to know news in detail and reading a newspaper is the best way to do it. He said he was not allowed by his roommates to watch news on TV as the set is used by his juniors for watching movies and listening to songs for relaxing their minds. This has to be taken as a reality, he said. He jocularly said that the roommates also said that since he would be reading the newspaper there was no need to watch TV news. Good news for newspapers!

The other one said reading The Hindu newspaper's headlines alone would keep oneself abreast of news happenings. The paper also gave news in detail of important topics, he felt.

Then he switched to an article he read somewhere about how to deal with colleagues in the workplace and he listed them -- understanding the situation or issue, communicating with others, getting into grips over the subject,etc. He said he did not bother to wear dirty shirts -- probably he could not afford better clothes -- and he concentrated on the bob in hand. When the company introduced a dress code he gained in confidence.

The 10 or 12 minutes that I listened to them, without them realising it, was a valuable experience in the public transport in which usually one comes across heated arguments over silly matters.

The Green Cross

2008-06-29T10:28:00.000-07:00

The New Post icon on the blogger.com site is itself rewarding. The Green Cross gives you the signal when you are at the crossroads. It's a positive indication that you will meet someone at the crossroads and your blog will be noticed by someone somewhere sometime.

Great India

2008-03-21T06:14:00.000-07:00

What a Great Day it is (March 21, 2008) for India and the world. There is great
celebration, solemnity and remembrance among the followers of the major religions
-- Hinduism, Christianity and Islam.

It is a great coincidence that the Holi, Good Friday and Meelad-un-Nabi
fell on the day. For the Parsis it is 'Navroz' (New Year). The Turks also celebrated
the New Year 'Newroz.'

Down South India, it is an important day in the worship of Lord Murugan, called
the Pankuni Uthiram.

"Festive Friday for Amar, Akbar, and Antony," ran a creative heading on a leading
newspaper, reminding one of the title of a popular Hindi film of yester-year.

Scenes of multitudes offering prayers at churches and mosques and Hindus celebrating
the colourful festival of Holi makes one feel what a Great Nation is India, where
co-existence of major religions is a dominant feature.

Speaking of co-existence, my friend too opines that the crisis that China faces
over Tibet could be overcome if only co-existence is the order of the day.

The strength and vibrancy that India has offered me today, and obviously to multitudes,
is something that sustains one from the onslaught of forces inside and outside;
nourishes the mind; and enriches the soul.

Reading the Sermons from Calvary made me more attuned to the presence of the
Almighty. And thank God for giving me the time to reflect and write.

Racing against time

2008-02-28T10:10:00.000-08:00

It dawns as usual
The clock ticks
Rough and tumble begins

Then the rush
It's maddening
To manoeuvre
cityscape

And the battle starts
Egos clash
Work tumbles

The cruise back
Is bumpy
Fraught with dangers

Home awaits
More work
Telly takes over
Crappy
sounds and
Gloomy stories
Sours the day

Occasional
Good tunes
Seem to soothe mind

Time to sleep
The battle continues
Even amidst sleep

Holding your own

2008-02-26T05:20:00.000-08:00

They hold the court as well the fort
They do not hold a candle to you
They hold forth on a whale of things

They do hold hands

Hold your breath
They don't hold thier horses

They hold sway ever

You've to hold the bag

Hold your
tongue or peace

To hold your own

To hold the line

Hold water

And, hold on to your
God and all He's given

New Year horrors

2008-01-06T06:37:00.000-08:00

New Year thoughts

When I start the diary of a New Year I will be scratching my head for some
useful topic -- often in the first few days into the New Year.
Usually, the focus will be on resolutions and non-resolutions.
This year though, there is some serious thinking. Where India
is heading for?

Ushering in the New Year has been gala time over the years.
I distinctly remember my childhood years when, during the cold nights of Dec. 31, all our
neighbours in the multi-storied building gather and amid enjoyable
banter write HAPPY NEW YEAR followed by the year in
colourful chalks on the quiet road and distribute sweets
as cheers echo at the stroke of 12 midnight. No new clothes were bought.
But it was the spirit that counted.

Now, things are quite different, especially in big cities. The revelry has turned into devilry as
one newspaper analyst put it. People have more money to spend and they celebrate the New Year as a festival like Deepavali. Dresses are bought, in fact, party wears. Drinking parties
are arranged and the mood swings from cheerfulness to romance and behaviour changes
from hip-hop dancing to downright indulgence in baser elements.

2008 broke with horrible happenings for the country: the molestation, by a lewd crowd of more than 50 vultures, of two NRI women in Mumbai and the gang-rape of a minor girl by four youth in Latur district of Maharashtra.

What has provoked public indignation is the casual attitude of the police and its defence of the accused as well as the crime. To say that the molestation of two women
by a big crowd is something normal and happens everywhere
in the country is the meanest of statements made by police. This will only encourage
more such crimes. What puzzles one is the presence of police
near the hotel and their apathetic attitude when
told about the incident.
It did come as a shock -- the equally callous attitude of
the judiciary in giving bail to them on flimsy grounds.

The incident portends bad times for the social life
of the people and dangers to women even in crowded
places.

To defend the women saying it is their right to go to
the beach at 1.45 a.m. and that too drunk is not
good either. They must realise that we are not living
in Vedic times. To provoke the already drunk men
and that too on a day when they are seized by mean behaviour
is just to invite trouble.

Women also ought to think where modernity is
taking them to? What is appropriate behavioiur
and the circumstances of their social
situations? Whether they are safe and protected?

Irrespective of who the perpetrators are the police must take severe action and
save the dignity of women all over the country.

Barcoding

2007-11-18T11:55:00.000-08:00

You're barcoded at launch
Nearly all about you
Are decided

Let into jungle
You mingle
Give all you have

Climb the ladder
On the bar marks
Find value

Milestones are
just footprints
They rubbish
No value addition?

You mark and store
In heart, mind, soul
No one but you know

What of it
Gen next will decipher
And take cue

Another journey begins
Battles continue
Wars surface
All in the watchful eyes of Lord

If it isn't now
Time is marked

Bright shining Mother

2007-09-05T11:57:00.000-07:00

That even the realised soul of Mother Teresa felt spiritually empty and dark for years and seemed to question the presence of God -- the recent revelations through her secret letters that she reportedly wanted to destroy -- comes as a shock for believers.

But, she too was human though a saint, said newspaper articles on the 10th death anniversary of the Mother. But she went about doing what God had ordained her to do -- that of helping the poorest of the poor in Calcutta.

While we pray for her, and scores of her followers who carry on her mission with zeal, there is a feeling why the Godly saint herself should have felt so. She was God enough in the unreal world.
In fact, there is God within each one of us -- only that we do not realise it, mired as we are in the mundane things.

The Godly qualities and attributes have to be brought out just like talent and other personality traits. And the whole world is the play station -- each one can play whatever little role in whatever way possible. You will be able to inspire others and take on the mission which the Mother did so well.

Blog thought

2007-08-01T12:05:00.000-07:00

Observing the blogs from around the world popping up and disappearing
is simply astounding. It corresponds in my view to the
rotation of the earth -- quiet, gravity-driven motion
that sustains all life forms on it.

A blog is also a quiet revolution going on in the Net
unseen and unheard by millions, driven by thought
process that transcends all borders and plays a
unifying role like gravity.

Let the Net go on and on and on till the earth rotates.

Of ghosts and schools

2007-07-17T10:55:00.001-07:00

Two different stories on the same day (July 17) *

---

KOLKATA: A three-day holiday has been declared for the Bujrugdighi High School in West Bengal’s Bardhaman district after several girl students fell ill over the past few days as word spread about the presence of “ghosts” on the school premises.

----

Nearly 200 students learn their lessons in Urdu Primary school inside a graveyard at Kohari village, Bihar.

----
What a pity that the lads should learn rhymes at such a place!

Young ones do not know fear could be the view taken by some.

This will instill fearlessness at a tender age!

The Government and the institution should be taken to task.

----

Do ghosts exist at all!

The grown-ups, especially girls, are panicky about such things as ghosts.

What is happening at the school during night?

It's great stuff for a writer or film maker.

-----

* Why updated this one on Nov. 17 was an interlude about ghosts while at work prompted me to think about it. The desktop theme I had on the day was that of a beautiful woman (the jacket of a book). She looks graceful and beautiful like a moon in a white sari. But as I was thinking about the ghost factor I viewed her as a ghost suddenly! What a terrible thought! Ghosts are in our minds only I felt.

2007-07-17T10:55:00.000-07:00

Nearly 200 students learn their lessons in Urdu Primary school inside a graveyard at Kohari village, Bihar.

What the students will become is a matter of conjecture.

How civil it is?

2007-06-17T06:45:00.000-07:00

What is a civil society group? This coinage by the print media in recent months relates to NGOs and other organisations and associations who work for the public interest. Some of them are just paper tigers working their way to recognition, awards, prizes and further elite interests.

My question how is it that they only are civil? Does that mean there are no other groups or organisations that are civil in outlook and functioning? For me, a small informal group working for a particular cause is as civil, perhaps more so, as one that is well organised by educated elites.

These groups can be simply called societal groups, social organisations or public interest organisations depending upon their status and work. Or could be specific to their nature or function such as farmers' group, environmental body, Gandhian panel and car users' forum.

Of helmets

2007-06-06T12:40:00.000-07:00

With Tamil Nadu undergoing another experiment with the compulsory wearing of helmet, my thoughts go back to a few years ago when the joke was played. I was taking my mother on a two-wheeler on the Chetput bridge when we saw a youth lying dead, apparently from an accident.
The next day we read in the paper that he had gone to pay the fine that day for not wearing helmet. It shook me.

Of course, I had been wearing helmet seriously for long years to the extent that my hair had started falling turning a patch a bald. When I say this to others they say that at least your head is there!
Thank the helmet!

What we have to in the present context is to make it compulsory for the youth. Because it is they who drive fast and crazy without any regard for others and even themselves. On the highways away from the city it should be made compulsory for all drivers.

The Government would do well to provide helmets free of cost for the poor and needy. When they can give a television for entertainment why not a helmet for the head of the family?

Helmet or Meet Hell! -- this is my contribution as a journalist!

Sooner than later

2007-04-19T11:11:00.000-07:00

How soon is soon? When I said that I will hit the blogroad soon, after starting it and successfully posting a couple, in Feb. 07 I didn't realise
I will be able to do so only in April. Sure, I do not want to make all of you April fools.
When Indian officials and politicians say something will be done soon you can well make out that
it will take a long while. When they consider something, or plan it, newspapers catch up with them and announce them proudly. Usually, they don't follow it up.
Like Indian monsoon they play truant.
Often one gets the urge to do something sooner than later. But in daily grindings of life they get washed away. Even thoughts too. One might be tempted to conclude. But thoughts once sown have a peculiar way of sprouting later -- often when one no longer bothers about it or sometimes it could be timely benefiting the person.
It's better that one gets back to hidden thoughts sooner than later. For there is the danger of loss of thoughts or dilution of them.

Violation of mind

2007-04-19T09:45:00.000-07:00

If at all one were to give vent to his spleen it will be uncomfortable to many, on any given day. It depends upon so many things like mood, physical circumstance, attitude, others' attitude and behaviour and the thought process as a whole. Based on these factors one has to analyse what went wrong, why one went wrong or got prompted to do an unusual thing. This relates to the mind processes.

One has to be careful about this in order not to be a botheration to others or society as a whole.
Take the Virginia shootings for example. It is deduced that the killer Cho Seng-Hui had been suppressed and oppressed. And his mind took over nurturing ill will and hatred. And the result was a shock to a decent cultured society.

The next moment is not the same. It is not always decided by you. The wiser ones will reflect on happenings to learn a thing or two. The harmonious functioning of a group or society is the responsibility of all involved.

This is me in 2006

2007-02-24T09:16:00.000-08:00

This is me in the year 2006. Of course, some more hair has fallen now but it has charm of its own. I do not let my hair and mush appear white, dyeing it weekly. I do shave on alternate day. My mom used to tell me to shave often as she liked me if clean shaven. I continue her advice even after her untimely death in Feb. 1993. Speaking of my mother will be a big topic itself. Shall do soon.

Church note

2007-02-13T12:14:00.000-08:00

Not a Christian though, I am inspired by the notes put up on the board on the campus limit of a church on Poonamalle High Road in Chennai. This has been a favourite place for me as I halt at the signal to take a turn on way to office. My eyes automatically notice the board for any new messages. But it is not updated everyday.

The one I saw today (Feb. 13), peering out of the bus window while going for the night shift,
was about the transformation that the Lord will bring to us all.
It read: "God forms us. Sin deforms us. Christ transforms us."

I have saved some other notes in some email account which I shall trace and share with you all.
On June 1, 2007 I noted this one: "This life is God's gift. Gift it to God."

After more than a month and a half I noted the following quote on August 2, 2007.

"God wants us to
Burden him with
What burdens us"

In late August there was a new message:

A man's heart
plans his way
But the Lord
directs his steps

This is a truism to those who can feel how they are directed and helped by unknown
events and people in achieving the goals of their life.

Just another message, viewed in the months of September and October:

"To hear the voice of God, tune down the world's volume."

To continue with the messages, the one I saw in January second week of 2008 was;

"I thank you for my yesterday
I trust you for my tomorrow"

Slogging & Blogging

2007-02-11T09:00:00.000-08:00

Is blogging for sloggers
Who don't find time
It adds another wing
No doubt
Takes you worldover
No doubt
At end of day
One who says
I find time to blog
Is e-blessed
Sloggers have
Their own tales
To tell
That's why
This another slog
Hope to be with
My next blog

Flogger will be back