Campazine

Justice Delayed Is Not Justice Denied

noreply@blogger.com (Campazine Crew) — Mon, 15 May 2017 13:06:00 +0000

BETSY T | 15 MAY 2017

“She wasn't looking for the knight, she was looking for the sword.”

On 16th December 2012 the most brutal and diabolic atrocity was committed by six men in Delhi. Jyoti was gruesomely raped by a gang of six men in a moving bus. Out of the 6 men arrested — one died in custody, one was a juvenile who was sent to a reformatory for three years, and the remaining four convicts were awarded death sentence by trial court. The decision was eventually upheld by the Delhi High Court.

I am talking about Nirbhaya - India's Daughter for whom thousands of people marched with candles from India Gate to Rashtrapati Bhavan to find justice while some criticized the victim for 'being out late', and questioned her her safety saying 'it's her fault that she left her place at night.'

Are we still living in an era which lacks progress for women? Have those who question women's freedom ever considered their own? Have they felt what Jyoti had to go through? And what if Jyoti was an acquaintance, a colleague, a friend, or a relative? Would anyone still have the heart to speak that way?

These questions are better left to one's own thought rather.

Fast forward to present time. The verdict is finally out. It is death sentence for the four culprits -- Akshay Thakur, Pawan Gupta, Vinay Sharma and Mukesh Singh; by the Delhi High Court on 6th May 2017. Even though it took over 1600 days for the law to decide the punishment, justice prevailed. Better late than never.

While the cases of rape are at still at large and haunts women in our society, we look upon the judiciary to take action. However late it took for Nirbhaya's verdict, it has given us hope to rely on justice system.

Jyoti, meaning light, has literally given us the hope that shines through. Even though her death was unfortunate and gruesome, It has united all men and women alike to fight the battle for women's safety.

I am a Girl. I am at Fault.

noreply@blogger.com (Campazine Crew) — Tue, 15 Dec 2015 17:20:00 +0000

And so is every other girl...

BETSY T | 23 DEC 2015, PATNA:

India is known as an incredible tourist destination and words aren't enough to define the diversity of this country. Diverse we are and different as well. We are different when it comes to decision making. Vegetarians decide what meat non-vegetarians should eat, bachelors decide the number of kids women should conceive, people define rules for homosexuals, actors comment on medical ethics while modern day doctors comment on Ayurveda, politicians decide what should be released on Fridays, clerics and pujaris debate on how much science is okay for schools, middle-aged men facing mid-life crisis decide how long a teenage girl's skirt should measure while our authorities are concerned with what AIB (All India Bakchod) are saying and are least bothered about people who are suffering from poverty and unemployment. To top it all, they make the most audacious comments and leave no stone unturned when it comes to offending a girl's morality. Yes, I am talking about Nirbhaya's rape case, one of the most controversial cases of our time.

THE SUMMARY OF NIRBHAYA CASE:

This case has not only given a voice to the victims of rape but also to the rights of a girl. Jyoti Singh (revered by the mass as Nirbhaya), a 23 year old Delhi girl, was brutally raped and beaten while traveling in a private bus with a male friend. There were six others in the bus, including the driver, all of whom raped the woman and beat her friend. She was not only raped but was brutally beaten, an iron rod was insanely penetrated into her vagina and the rapist even took out her entrails. The woman died from her injuries thirteen days later while undergoing emergency treatment in Singapore.

The accused were arrested. One among them, Ram Singh, died in police custody in Tihar Jail. Delhi court gave the verdict “capital punishment” for rest of the accused. BBC came up with a documentary titled “India's Daughter” based on the case. The film maker interviewed one of the rapists in the jail and the news soon spread like a forest fire. As a result, as expected, the Indian government banned its broadcast in India. However, BBC went on to share the transmission in UK. The film was also uploaded on Youtube and soon went viral with various shares on almost all social media. The Indian government did not waste any time in directing YouTube to block the video in India.

Yes, BBC spoke up. The voice was suppressed in India. We know the reason—every girl here is at fault irrespective.

Fault 1: As per our society, it’s way too late for a girl to go out of the house after dark, because it is not a 'BharatiyaNari' thing.

Fault 2: Girl going out with a guy. A girl can be friends with another girl but it is a matter of shame for a girl to be friends with a guy. I would like to ask a favor from the authorities. Please divide our country into three parts, one owned by the girls, one by guys and the third by married couples, ensuring that girls do not lure guys into doing crimes because of the way the decide to dress up.

Fault 3: Girls are for taking care of household work and a girl enjoying her life is a big “NO!” as per Indian society. Of course every Indian girl is born to learn household work and to practice it and not to forget producing babies.The cycle of slavery still continues.

Fault 4: Girl struggling to rescue herself while being raped is of course her fault. It is her fault to instigate the rapist by demonstrating her strength, making him feel less of a man.

Fault 5: Considering herself as a modern and independent individual is of course her fault because a girl is “like a flower and she needs thorns to protect her”. She should not talk to any other guy except her father, brother or grandfather. So please go ahead and blame the girl.

Which century are we living in!? Does our law say that girls should not go out of the house after 8 'o' clock? Is it what India claims to provide safety? I completely agree with sir Javed Akhtar’s words that the BBC documentary shows many Indians have the same thinking as the rapist.

WHO DECIDED THE LIMIT OF A WOMENS DREAM?

PS: The time I started working for this article my family members asked me not to publish it because I could end up getting arrested. I am going ahead and need all of you to speak up as well. We are entitled to right of free speech. If we do not do so, we are allowing the bigots of the society to speak their mind, which should be rightly banned.

The Art of Katagami in the Words of Shravan Kashyap

noreply@blogger.com (Campazine Crew) — Wed, 28 Jan 2015 22:20:00 +0000

KURIAN CYRIAC | 28 JAN 2015, BANGALORE:

You may not be aware of what Katagami is. Neither did I, till I met Shrava Kashyap – a freelance 3D modeler by profession and a Katagami Artist by passion. Katagami is a traditional art technique of Japanese origin. It is a unique process wherein creativity is portrayed by layers of stencils or cut-outs. Shravan has been a participant of Japan Habba that takes place in Bangalore since the past 4 years. He has been felicitated with memento for his works in Katagami from Chutuku Sahitya Parishath.

I caught up with him while one of his works was in progress. I asked him a few questions based on his passion and this is what he had to say.

What is Katagami for you in one word?

Happiness.

How were you introduced to the art?

Japan Habba, it is an exhibition that happens in Bangalore every year. The event exhibits Japanese art and culture. There, I was introduced to Katagami as the traditional art form of Japan. I got inspired from the use of stencils to make art.

How did you start with the completely new form of art?

I was initially inspired by pop paintings and decided on making stencils based on that. Eventually, I took them to the next level of animals, designs and portraits.

Share some of your best works with us.

Recently, I have been focusing on stencil portraits of famous personalities. Few of my best ones have been Charlie Chaplin for his expressions; Amitabh Bachchan because of his bold stature; Deepika Padukone for her beauty; Bruce Lee and Jackie Chan for their Martial Arts.

Do you look up to anyone in this field?

My Father would carve decorations of Indian Gods on dry coconuts for marriage occasions. That initially touched me. Soon, a family friend - VSS Shastry who is Canara Bank Employee and a master in Kirigami and Origami inspired me with his works.

Is there an Indian version of this form of art?

Yes, there is. It is called Sanjhi, it has been there from the times of Mathura. It was mainly used for rangoli and traditional wall paintings.

What plans do you have in the future?

I plan on making Katagami portraits on famous personalities and life size portraits. I also have a concept to make story based stencil arts in sequence. Conducting workshops on Katagami is also a part of my plan in the near future.

An Infographic Tale Of Mark Zuckerberg's Facebook

noreply@blogger.com (Campazine Crew) — Tue, 20 Jan 2015 01:15:00 +0000

KURIAN CYRIAC | 19 JAN 2015, BANGALORE:

Like every invention, the world’s best social network has it’s unique insp story. An inspiring one starring Facebook’s very own, or rather he owns it, Mark Zuckerberg.

Anna Vital from Funders & Founders outlines an infographic tale on how he started Facebook. It is unlike how the movie The Social Network showed it.

Scroll away!

The Meethi Mirchi Life Of RJ Ravi

noreply@blogger.com (Campazine Crew) — Mon, 19 Jan 2015 04:04:00 +0000

PRIETY S. | 18 JAN 2015, LUCKNOW:

RJ Ravi is currently the host of Meethi Mirchi on Radio Mirchi 98.3 FM, Lucknow. Before becoming an RJ, he was a dropout and a vocalist for his own band - Alakh. Here's an exclusive one on one interview where Ravi shares some of his personal experiences.

Before you became an RJ, you were a vocalist for Alakh India. Tell us something about that?

Alakh is an Indi-rock band where we play Sufi and folks. The band had me as the vocalist, Shakti - Guitars, Danish - Base. We are running the band since the past 4 years and won competitions. We performed live shows. We have our own song - ALAKH NIRANJAN. Alakh means countless or infinity. We believed that our the thought process is infinite like galaxy, it never ends but runs miles away.

What made you drop out of college to pursue a career as an RJ? Who was your pillar of support during the transition?

I failed while pursuing graduation. I then realized that I am wasting my time and money for things not meant fr me. I was taunted by people around me. But with time they realized that I can have a career in music. I am not against education. It is important in many ways.
it is useful as well when you cant do something then why would you even talk regarding , related talks sounds foolish

What was your approach toward becoming an RJ?

I never thought I would be an RJ. It was my friends who suggested me to become one. When I was at Radio Mirchi to apply for the post, I saw candidates talking about politics, world war, colony. I was not even aware of the day's date and time, let alone current affairs. I was questioned whether I listened to radio. My response was I would turn it off even if I had turned it on by mistake. Ironically, that got me selected. More than that, I think it is because I could grab people's attention very quickly and listeners liked the way I shared my opinions with confidence. I see life in my own way and I guess that is what made me as RJ.

Tell us about your program on Radio Mirchi?

A show known as mithi mirchi, I am the RJ , its all about fantasy love and cute thoughts .I try not to host as RJ , I try to be very friendly . I pick short stories and dedicate a song with that short story Called "aaj ka vichar". I even try cooking show, but I never cook but make it diaster and funny.

Some of your best moments in life?
Waiting for it

Please share an advice that you would like to give to youngsters aspiring to be an RJ.

Once u decide on something. Never regret it.

Kane & Abel

noreply@blogger.com (Campazine Crew) — Sun, 18 Jan 2015 16:41:00 +0000

DOMINIC C | 18 JAN 2015, BANGALORE:

Kane and Abel - one of the very few books that appeal to both the heart, and the mind.

A book that tells a story of two men, from two different corners of the world, who were born destined to cross paths in their fight for success and recognition. On the one hand, William Kane – a man born to the CEO of one of the biggest banks of the United States, and stands to inherit absolutely everything the world has to offer – money, success, fame, Ivy League schools, good looks, so on and so forth. On the other hand, Wladek – a man born with physical impediments, beside the side of a river to a dying mother, standing to inherit absolutely nothing, not even a piece of cloth, or any family to call his own.

Book cover of Kane and Abel

Jeffrey Archer tells an evoking tale that captures your attention from beginning to end, a book in which so many elements such as rivalry, true friendship, family, sorrow, achievement, and so on are beautifully combined to engage the reader, even after one has finished reading the book. As a fictional story, it does extremely well to motivate one to achieve success, be it success after starting from scratch and having absolutely nothing, or starting with absolutely everything and with everything to lose.

Wladek starts off his career in the United States, after escaping from his war-ridden home country; from being a waiter in a hotel to being the most well renowned hoteliers in the country. William Kane, battling through family troubles, topping Ivy League schools in academics and sports, building through the ranks at his late father’s bank, eventually ends up as CEO of the bank, and becomes part of a revolution which makes the US Dollar the Global Currency, replacing the British Pound during the Second World War.

All in all, Kane and Abel is an absolute must-read for any avid book reader. It does tend to be clichéd at times, but how these two men battle each other in a world hungry for money and success, is a story that is positively amazing and has been rightly considered one of Jeffrey Archer’s best works of all time.

BharataNatyam Is My Life: Yashaswini

noreply@blogger.com (Campazine Crew) — Sun, 18 Jan 2015 15:54:00 +0000

PRIETY S. | 18 JAN 2015, BANGALORE:

Yashaswini had a keen interest in Bharatanatyam since an early age. After years of practicing in the stream, she eventually performed on local, national and international stages. Some of her highlights events are Hampi Utsavam, Shravana Belagola, Mastti Prathistana, Iskcon Festival, and few more. She has also performed internationally in Dubai, Bahrain, Kuwait, Singapore, and Kenya. With a showcase of accolades such as Karnataka State Award, Priya Darshini Award, and Nandi Award; she now conducts her own classes at Geetha Gayatri Natya Kala Academy.

One of her recent highlights was when she performed live in front of PM Narendra Modi, LK Advani and other ministerial delegates in Delhi.

To know more about her, I asked her a few questions and here is what she had to say.

What was the key driver behind your decision to pursue Bhartanatyam?

It was in my own interest that I decided to take up and learn Bharatanataym. During my childhood I would watch dance shows on TV and try do the same. Seeing my interest, my parents had me join Bharatanatyam at age 4. That is how it all began. I guess, in a way, I am my own key driver to pursue Bharatanatyam.

Who has been your mentor in dance and inspiration in life?

Dr.Padhma Subramanya has been my greatest inspiration. My mentor is Vidwan Kolar Ramesh.

How was your experience while performing live in front of PM Narendra Modi?

Performing live in front of Narendra Modi, L K Adwani, and other ministers has been a great experience. Iwas spellbound and the event left me wondering if I really had performed in front the Prime Minister. I also got to stand next to him for a group picture. After the group picture, he blessed me saying "Beta thumara performance bahut acha tha." It was great feeling all together.

Please share any other experiences centered around the dance form close to your heart.

Another dance form which I's very much close to my heart is Kathak. But I haven't performed anything yet because I just started learning it recently. I can say that Kathak is completely different. It is some what like a freestyle genre and is very stylish. At the foremost, the costumes are very simple and elegant. I now eagerly wait to perform Kathak.

What has dance taught you?

As a classical dancer, I can proudly say that dance has thought me everything because, even if everyone leaves me, my dance will stay with me. Even after my death, the art of dance will be passed on to my students and they in turn will teach the form. It mainly thought me to be disciplined and dedicated to work. A lot of concentration is required to learn dance. I feel that this is the best traditional dance based on Indian goddess and gods. I believe that this form of dance won't hurt the feelings of anyone. One more important thing I would like to point out in Bharatanatyam is it's aspects - nirta, nirthya, abhinaya. Abhinaya is the most challenging task for a Bharatanatyam artist. Because their message can be conveyed only through their facial expressions, which is a bit difficult while dancing.

What is BharataNatyam for you in one word?

Bharatanatyam is my life.

Word Web – The Dictionary For Your Screen

noreply@blogger.com (Campazine Crew) — Sat, 17 Jan 2015 21:13:00 +0000

KURIAN CYRIAC | 17 JAN 2015, BANGALORE:

It often happens that when we have to finish a project report and are in dire need of terms, they just escape our mind at the time they are needed the most. Or we could be browsing the web, which we tend to be fixated about, and come across a word that we've never heard of. Not all of us are Spell Bee champions and do run a search on Google for the meaning.

As a book lover and a writer, I always kept a dictionary by my side for reference. When, and if, needed, I would Google for synonyms as well. Sorry to say but Google cannot be our savior when we are offline. To save time and sometimes embarrassment, I looked for offline dictionaries and found WordWeb to be the best among many.

WordWeb is mighty helpful and it is the one-stop source for spell checks, dictionary meanings and synonyms. The light-weight app runs in the background, with a notification icon on the taskbar. It’s very simple to use. While you come across a text and want to know what it means, you will simply have to highlight the text area and hit the customizable WordWeb hotkey (Ctrl + Alt + W on Windows, by default). The app window will open immediately featuring the meaning of the highlighted text, with an array of words with similar meaning and phonetics (Well, I used WordWeb to check if ‘phonetic’ spelt right). You can do the same while you’re typing something and would want to correct the word or replace it with something that sounds better.

I would recommend you to install WordWeb even if you feel you’re not an avid writer or reader. It will surely come of some good use, sooner or later.

Kumar Saurabh: Performing Live Since Age 4!

noreply@blogger.com (Campazine Crew) — Fri, 16 Jan 2015 02:35:00 +0000

BETSY T | 15 JAN 2015

Kumar Saurabh, a 24 year old pursuing MBA in Amity-Patna, is a guitarist passionate about Sufi ghazals. He was born to a family of musicians and has received trained in sound mixing and sound designing. His parents, Mrs. Rupa and Mr. Sitaram Singh, are both ghazal singers. His father is accredited by the Govt. of India to be a top-grade ghazal singer. Like his father, Saurabh too is recognized by the Govt. of India as a guitarist, on a B-Grade level.

Saurabh Kumar with his friends.

This four year old who had performed at Dalton Ganj and also grabbed a lead role in Omi, a documentary film by Sumit and Shaw Edmond, is now a part of the prestigious Indian People's Theatre Association (IPTA) for the past 15 years. He is a guitarist with the Sri. Sri. Ravishankar's Art Of Living and represented his state and has played at concerts in Kolkata and Bodh Gaya. He also got a chance to give his performance at Sangeeth Natak Academy, of which Lata Mangeshkar is a part of. He has played for ghazal albums as well, such as Gulaab Ka Mausam and Dil Toh Badnam Hai. He and his father, who is blind but gifted with a melodious voice, were honored with the chance to play for the inaugural ceremony of Doordarshan Bihar's broadcast launch. Saurabh has not only performed at but also judged musical concerts at youth festivals in Darbhanga. Through his music, he connects to all generations by means of different mediums and platforms--when he was invited by Radio Mirchi 98.3 FM to reprised rock versions of classical retro hits, his performance received an amazing response.

He is currently teaching guitar to young music aspirants and plans on pursuing Ph.D. in English Literature after the completion of his MBA.

Describe your journey into music?

I started my career in singing at an event of IPTA. I was four years old then. It was the first time I gave a live performance in front of thousands of people. I began learning from my father, who is a ghazalsinger. I always had a marked interest in guitar and used to learn 'Sa Re Ga Ma' of guitar from dad who had knowledge about the instrument. After participating in many school and interschool competitions, I was confident enough to go up the stage and sing to the masses. I bought books and watched videos to hone my skill. I then learnedand played guitar on my own. I would go with my dad to various eventsand play guitar there. Subsequently, to improve my skill, I went to my Guru Sri. Madhu Mukharji who is India's best music arranger and learnedto play guitar properly.

How have your parents guided you into the stream?

My father is a ghazalsinger, so I guess music is in my blood. My father was the first to recognize my talent. He eventually taught me and mentored me till I became ‘SangeetPrabhakar’—a graduate title in classical music. He also helped me in learning a bit of western music as well.

Please share who your idol is, when it comes to music and in life.

No doubt, my dad is my idolnot just because he is my father, but alsobecause of the way he struggled and looked out for our family. My father is the eldest son born into a family of farmers. The passion and devotion he has always had for the family and for music is incredible. This ultimately resulted in his success.

Did you face any struggle to get recognized for your skill?

I never had a trainedguitar teacher in the beginning. I had to learn it on my own.

What kind of music do you like to listen to?

Anything that has a melody is of my kind is something I prefer to listen to. I don't prefer hard rock or metal songs. I feel soulfulsongs are soothing and prefer to listen to them. ‘Abhi mujhme kahin’ from the movie Agnipath is one of my favorite songs. I got a very good response from my college mates when I performed this song.

We would like to know about your fondest memories of your performances.

That would be the first stage performance with my father. I was 14 years old and it was a great opportunity to perform with Bihar's top graded ghazal singer. I also learnedthe difference betweenplaying music casually against playing it live professionally.

Will music always be a part of the plan or do you see your priorities changing after MBA?

Music is my life while a MBA degree can source my income.

What would be your word of advice for beginners in the field?
Guitar gods like Joe Satriani and Kirk Hammett started with the basics of music. So I suggest beginners to learn the fundamentals rather than jumping directly into metal or hard rock. Do not go with any particular genre of music, instead try to learn how music works and how to compose it.

LD Sherpa: Cartoonist, VFx Professional & a Mentor!

noreply@blogger.com (Campazine Crew) — Wed, 31 Dec 2014 22:31:00 +0000

KURIAN CYRIAC | 31 DEC 2014, BANGALORE:

LakpaDorjee Sherpa is the Academic Head of MAAC's Jayanagar franchise. His exposure in various genres of digital media has made him a mentor with insights of Animation &VFx industry.

Mr. Sherpa started off his career as a cartoonist while pursuing BSc. His cartoons on current affairs have been featured on various news tabloids and dailies such as Sikkim Weekend Review, NOW and Sunchari News Paper. With an interest in cartooning, he moved to Calcutta to study Animation. After the course, he went on to work at DQ Studios handling projects such as 'Mickey Mouse Club,' 'Tak & the Power of JuJu,' and 'Pinky & Porky,' in addition to game projects such as NFS and Gladiator. He later moved into Chennai as the creative head for Film Magic Studio for a year. After his creative stint in Chennai, he moved to Bangalore and headed the technical department for Ants Animation.
He is currently the Academic Head for MAAC Jayanagar. Apart from strategizing classes and curriculums, he teaches advanced software modules. Students say that his classes are beyond the walls as he gives them insights of how the industry works. He also advises them on a personal level by motivating them and fueling them to become go-getters.

Inspire by his profile, I had a conversation with him to know how he made this transition across these many professions. Here’s what he had to say.

What is art for you?

Art is a beauty! The beauty of course is in the eye of the beholder, in this case, the artist. The observation on how you look at things brings out the art and the artist in you.

Who inspired you to get into the field of art?

R.K.Laxman. I was inspired by him while working as a cartoon illustrator for the press. I also had a
love for comic books. As a kid, I would go to bed reading and admiring them. Disney cartoons on DD channel also brought inspiration in a way. All these small things, collectively, led me into what I do today.

You started off as a cartoonist at such a young age, how did that happen?

I was good at cartooning while at school. A teacher of mine encouraged me to work for a news publication over the weekends. And that is how it all began.

Your career has varied from being 2D artist to VFx professional to a teacher. How did you go about this transition?

The basic fundamentals of all animation and VFx are derived from 2D and hand-drawn animation. When the times changed, the technology did too with the evolution of 3D and VFx industry. I happened to adapt to the change following the fundamentals of art.

Who is your favorite teacher and why?

Harkhang Subba. Beyond just teaching the subject or lessons, he was also concerned about the way students lived. He would give some nice guidelines to live life and also motivated them to follow their passion. Whenever my cartoons would get published, he would take pride and encourage me to do more.

What is your philosophy in life?

Life is very simple, but somehow we complicate it. So stay focused to have a successful life.

How has being a cartoonist, a VFx artist a and a mentor influenced you individually?

As a cartoonist I learnt how to develop a knack for humour. It also taught me a sense of composing a cartoon scenario. As a VFx artist, I learnt the industry standards of a production pipeline and, more importantly, how to work under pressure within deadlines. And now, as a teacher I have an opportunity to share all my experiences and knowledge to a younger generation of aspiring student artists. This is what I love to do.

Is there any other profession that interest you and that you could pursue at some point in time?

I have not decided this yet. I will shift into the stream of film-making. When the time is right, it will surely happen.

What would be your advice to young art aspirants?

Do not waste your valuable time bothering about your future and career. Just concentrate on what must be done today. That is what you are going to get tomorrow. Just get started.

What If Google Was A Guy?

noreply@blogger.com (Campazine Crew) — Sun, 21 Dec 2014 15:42:00 +0000

KURIAN CYRIAC | 21 DEC 2014, BANGALORE:

Google has emerged as a new basic necessity to mankind. From spell checks to checking into a nearest hotel, Google answers all. It has become a virtual bridge between a computer/smart-phone user and wave of information stored online.

A real time Google Search Statistics showed that over 2,402,652,173 searches were already made today, and the numbers increase rapidly. Just imagine the sort of search algorithm they use to respond to so many queries. With that, I wondered what it would be like if Google was a human. Youtube, which is Google’s very own, lead me to the answer. Like always.

Here’s a three part series of ‘If Google Was A Guy’.

5 Mandela Quotes (In Pictures) That Will Touch Your Human Spirit

noreply@blogger.com (Campazine Crew) — Sat, 06 Dec 2014 22:08:00 +0000

KURIAN CYRIAC | 06 DEC 2014, BANGALORE:

Yesterday, December 5th, marks a year of his passing. His humility in embracing those who were racially harsh against him is a cornerstone to mankind. His legacy will remain as an inspiration for generations to come.

He is Mandela.

Here are 5 Mandela quotes (in pictures) that will touch your human spirit.

VirtuaWin – The Multi Workspace For Your Windows

noreply@blogger.com (Campazine Crew) — Mon, 06 Oct 2014 20:41:00 +0000

KURIAN CYRIAC | 06 OCT 2014, BANGALORE:

Are you succumbed to too many windows and applications stacked up on your PC’s task bar? This happens when you’re digging into many of tasks. And eventually, too much gets too bad to handle. On Mac, there’s multi desktop feature to divide workspace. The same feature is built into Ubuntu as well, while Windows is missing it! VirtuaWin is the solution for managing your workspace.

Once installed, the light-weight app will show up on your notifications section of your task bar. What it does is simple – divides your workspace. For instance, I have 4 workspaces setup with VirtuaWin. One for my main work and tasks; one for mails and social media; one is dedicated to my music library; and finally, one more just in case my “work & tasks” section gets overloaded. I easily navigate through the screens via hot-keys (keyboard shortcuts) and focus on tasks accordingly. With dedicated workspaces for my tasks, the overall workflow is made easy.

If you’re a multi-tasker on a windows PC, then I would recommend VirtuaWin to ease your tasks.

Features

Multiple virtual desktops for windows
Supports dual monitor, unicode & 64 bit on Win9x/NT/2000/XP/Vista/7
Portable app version - no installation required
Navigate using mouse, hotkeys, menus or visual pagers
Customizable system tray icons & several visual pagers
Module interface for limitless extensibility
Very active support forum
Over a million downloads

Features & snippets source: SoundForge

Keep An Eye On EyeLeo

noreply@blogger.com (Campazine Crew) — Tue, 23 Sep 2014 20:47:00 +0000

KURIAN CYRIAC | 23 SEPT 2014, BANGALORE:

Are you bound to stare at your computers for a long time? Somewhere between 50% and 90% of people who work at a computer screen have at least some symptoms of eye trouble says one study. The solution would be to take consistent breaks at least on an hourly basis. But when you’re constantly engaged at work time will just pass by,along with the recommended break routine.

The solution – EyeLeo, an app with a title saying “cares about your health”. Well, it actually does once you set it to do so. The app has two take-a-break notifications; one for short breaks and the other for long ones. You can set them up manually by going through it’s settings. EyeLeo will pop up at regular intervals showing a must-do eye exercise. And, for your longer break, the app blocks your screen completely with a black tint and insists on a break. You can always skip it of course.

This app can be a life saver for your eyes and in a way, for your health too. It is important for your eyes and mind to refresh more than your browser does.Let EyeLeo help in taking good care of your vision.

You can download EyeLeo for free, here.

Momentum for Chrome

noreply@blogger.com (Campazine Crew) — Sun, 21 Sep 2014 20:59:00 +0000

KURIAN CYRIAC | 21 SEPT 2014, BANGALORE:

The internet is a powerful platform. It can take you away into a virtual world of it's own. The problem? You might get a little distracted getting lost and losing focus. Well, here's an extension-solution for all you Google Chrome users out there - Momentum.

Each time you open Chrome, or a new tab, Momentum splashes a picturesque imagery with a bold digital clock. There's an interactive question for your day's focus. It also has check-list for your tasks on the bottom right. And, my personal favorite part is the daily quotes. Today had something special - Stay hungry; stay foolish.

Download Momentum from Chrome's Web Store, here.

Six Secrets Smart Students Don't Tell You

noreply@blogger.com (Campazine Crew) — Sun, 21 Sep 2014 20:51:00 +0000

KURIAN CYRIAC | 21 SEPT 2014, BANGALORE:

Chandan Deshmukh, 24, is an Electronics & Communication Engineer by chance, SAP Basis engineer by profession; And now a writer by choice. He recently launched a self-help book for students who are preparing for exams. Kurian Cyriac interviews the young writer and finds out more about his new work.

What inspired you to write your first book?
Our country has a problem; a big one. Though the literacy rate has multiplied 20 times in a century, students are being instructed "TO" study, but never on "HOW" to study. This problem was my inspiration, and Ta-da! I wrote my first book.

How did you balance yourself as an engineer/writer while coming up with this book?
I had to wear both the hats at the same time; and yes, it was challenging. After the day job, I used to burn the midnight oil and write. During official meetings I used to get plot ideas and it was noted down immediately, when I travelled back home I used to stop my bike to note down few thoughts on my "idea book". Indeed, my team mates in L&T were supportive in this initiative, and I owe them a lot.

Do you have a specific writing style?
Target audience is the students and as this is a non-fiction, I used a mix of Persuasive and Narrative writing styles.

How did you come up with the title?
Most of us usually judge a book in 2 seconds, so the title had to be catchy. After a lot of research on internet and feedback from students, I zeroed in this title.

How much of the book is realistic?
Situations described in the book relate to my real life, but the timelines may differ. A few are made-up to add spice to the story. The flow may seem filmy, but that’s thanks to the fairy tales my parents narrated while feeding me in childhood.

What books have most influenced your life most?
3 books stirred my life-
a)"The Element" by Ken Robinno son,
b)"Tuesdays with Morrie" by Mitch Albom
c) "BhagavadGita As It Is" by Swami Prabhupada.

If you had to choose, which writer would you consider a mentor?
Though a different genre, I choose Devdutt Pattanaik- for his research competence, clarity of thought, skill of pouring out ideas, and comprehension of the audience.

Do you recall how your interest in writing originated?
Since childhood, whomever I saw, I imagined a story about them. Be it a stranger who walks on the road, a tired office-goer who is returning home, or my dog; I had a story imagined about them in my mind. This trait was the origin.

Is there anything you find particularly challenging in your writing?
I have a lot of ideas buzzing, and finding time to write is currently my biggest challenge!

Is there a message in your novel that you want readers to grasp?
Its high time we make our study life interesting and easy. This book shows how to. If the readers are able to grasp it, I have done justice.