Personal and Misc
Birth Your Book By Dr. Liz Alexander
The other day I completed 5 years as a blogger and believe me it was real fun, whether it was live blogging events or being a travel blogger. Now one thing I always wanted to do was to write a book, especially after Kiruba shankar’s book launch.
For all the aspiring authors, blogging is a platform to share their ideas and get feedback, same case with me also. But to author a book is not as easy as being a blogger.
So I was going through some tips on how to write a book and finally stumbled upon a book named “ Birth your Book” by Dr. Liz Alexander. Dr. Liz is ‘The Book Doula’ and connect people who have great ideas and wanted to share their ideas with readers by authoring books. Now Birth Your Book is an interesting read, the one I was looking for and for all who always wanted to write a book but some how could not.
This book gives you practical tips on how to overcome Emotional, Mental and various Behavioral obstacles that keep one from Writing. I never knew that these many obstacles existed!
Birth your Book also details on various strategies on,
How to look beyond the first idea that comes to you for your book and find a potentially more innovative and compelling concept, act quickly on the idea, various characteristics one should develop to become a successful writer and above all how to enjoy writing and make it a profession.
Now if you want to write a book, Birth your Book is the book I would suggest.
The Kindle version of Birth Your Book is available on Amazon
Also available on Smashwords. Now here is the best part, if you link via facebook, there is a coupon code CH59E that gives you 30% discount ($2) until end July! So isn’t it a wonderful way to get that book out of your head and into people’s lives?
Baba Ramdev and Tiananmen square massacre
If tiananmen square protest was for political liberalization in China, Baba Ramdev wanted the black money (deposited by politicians and businessmen abroad) to be brought back to India and wanted capital punishment for people convicted for corruption. But both the protests (based on non violence) were met with force by the respective governments. June 5th police action against Baba proves that “History repeats itself”, June 4 was 20th anniversary of tiananmen square massacre!
Osama Bin Laden And Social Media
I have been watching various Social Media Channels since the death of Osama Bin Laden and I see a celebration of the news everywhere. There was this guy named Sohaib Athar, who live tweeted(unknowingly) the “Operation Geronimo”
Then there were pages all over on Facebook,
“Osama Bin Laden is dead”
and “Osama Bin Laden not dead”
Mashable, one of the leading Social Media blog posted a detailed study about reactions of Osama’s death in various Social Media channels
Facebook also had spam based on Osama’s death
On the fun side, how Osama was traced through Facebook
Then there were several bloggers who shared their views on Osama’s death news.
Why They Killed Osama bin Laden Now
Conspiracy theories about Osama’s death
And I am sure Osama is going to rule the social media for some more time.
Inbox 1305 Article on Chettinad Mansion!
Some time back I had written about my trip to down south, Devakottai, to write about Chettinad mansions. Now here is the article, that is being featured in latest Inbox 1305, march issue
The Cover of March issue of Inbox 1305
Pigeons To Post: History Of Indian Postal Services
Is the torrent in spate? He must ford it or swim
Has the rain wrecked the road? He must climb by the cliff
The service admits not a but, nor an if,
While the breath’s in his mouth, he must bear without fail
In the name of the Emperor- the overland mail
Rudyard Kipling
As Kipling rightly said, to the thousands of postmen, who toil, Pigeons to Post; Book on India Post and History of Indian Postal Services is Steve Borgia’s tribute to the unsung heroes of India Post, The Postman.
Indian Postal System, with 1, 55,618 post offices and over 5, 66,000 employees, is considered to be the largest postal network in the World. The History of Postal service goes back to around 2000 B.C, says Steve, who is an Indologist and Creator. Mentor and Developer of INDeco Leisure Hotels, in his book, from smoke men and drummers to Ibn Batuta, Sher Shah Suri and Akbar to Clive and Hasting to Waghorn, Diwan-i- Barids to Post office acts. The evolution never stopped. It evolved with people. People, place and technology.
Steve took almost 15 years to come out with this wonderful Coffee table book on India Post. He had to undertake several travels to London to collect the details of British Raj. The book is quite exhaustive, with full of facts, interesting stories and rare photographs. He mentions about the mail runners carrying mail, who changed at every 8 mile point. How The Postal department played different roles of a travel operator (Palki Dawk), The Hotelier (Dak Bungalow) and met several other community needs. Interesting stories on Penny Black, World’s stamp (1840) and Schinde Dak Stamp, first stamp in India (1852).
book contains a 1 meter centre spread on the wide range of distribution system of Indian Postal Services.
Foot Runners: ‘Dak’ runners/ Harkara. Horse Dawk, started by first Sultan of Delhi, Qutb-ud-din Aybak, thenCamel Dawk introduced by Akbar,Catamaran Mailman- mainly used in the backwater region of Bengal and South India, mainly Kerala,Mail Carriage, considered as a major milestone in the evolution of Postal Services,Bullock cart Mail and Bullock cart train, Rail Mail, Sea Mail and Postman Cycle that continues to be the best ally of Postman till now. Air Mail; How many of you know that World’s first air mail started in India on 11 Feb 1911 by a French pilot named Henri Pequet?
And on 12THFebruary 2011,to mark the centenary of India introducing airmail to the world, Pigeons to Post was released at INDIPEX ,a global postal meet, inaugurated by the President of India, Shrimathi. Pratibha Patil, at New Delhi.
The book also has rare photos of tools used by mail runners and postman. Stories and rare pictures of General Post offices of Kolkata, Mumbai and Chennai. Detailed description on letterboxes. 1 22 page chronology right from 2300 BC when Egyptian Pharaohs’ message were inscribed on clay tablets to 2010 when India post joined Twitter, one of the first Government department to do so to Sachin Pilot, the present Minister for Communication launching environment friendly postal delivery vehicle named’ Soleckshaw’.
Pigeons to Post is not only a book on Indian Postal Services but a well researched book on Indian History. The book is available on all the leading bookstores. Steve’s dream is to make this book available in all the schools in India, for the younger generation to understand and appreciate their rich heritage.
You can read the exclusive blog on the book Pigeons to Post : http://www.pigeonstopost.blogspot.com/
To know more about Steve Borgia and various initiatives by him, visit http://www.indecohotels.com/indeconews.html
A Day In The Life Of India Contest
Found this interesting contest named ” A day in the life of India” in Times Of India Feb 2 issue
The contest is simple, you need to capture A Day in the Life of India in their inimitable style. Shoot a photo or video, draw a cartoon or just tell a joke, on anything you feel makes India, India. details about the contest here
So I have decided to submit my entry under strange sign boards, and here is my entry
India is so fasinating that we have scientific tailors with diploma degree, you can decide whether your cloths need a one day or three day washing. Incredible India Indeed!!!
Here is the link for voting for the post: strange sign boards in India
Anna Centenary Library: Truly World Class
Anna Centenary Library at Kotturpuram is truly a World Class library. Now operation on four floors, the library has great facilities. Here is a Dekho into this wonderful Library
The library is fully air-conditioned, built on 8 acres and Gold certified Green building
Stacking capacity is 12 lakh books, seating capacity for 1250 persons and a parking area that can accomodate 417 cars and 1026 two wheelers
Other facilities include, Braille and talking book section, self use area, cyber cafe, security room, open air amphitheatre, mini conference hall, digital library, residential facilities for research scholars, food court and coffee lounge.
Now am just waiting for the membership process to start, its truly a great place to gain knowledge
MGR:The Legend lives on
Even after 23 years of his death, MGR films running in Chennai
The Great Zodiac Sign Shift
For the last 32 years I was strong,had an attractive personality, was sensitive, gentle and patient but from Jan 1 onwards
I have become serious,independent and strong willed. I am hardworking and responsible now( peopel who work with me, please notice this point) I am unemotional and at times shrewd, practical and no longer a dreamer.
No this is not some New Year resolution or something.
Due to changes in the earth’s rotation,the wobbly orbit has changed the way the planet is aligned to the stars. and this has resulted in how Earth is related to the stars, end result,
My zodiac sign has changed, from aquarius to Capricon.
As a result of this planetory changes, my compatibility has gone for a toss. I no longer compatible to Gemini and Libra,Aries, Leo and Sagittarius. My new compatibility list is Taurus and Virgo,Cancer, Scorpio and Pisces.
Now my likes and dislikes have also changed considerably, have a look
I used to like fighting for Causes, but not now. Dreaming was one of my strong traits but no longer I like to dream, because
now I think its a go nowhere job
Now I am totally confused!!! should I change my behaviour according to the stars or will it change automatically
Or should I go with what William Shakespeare had said, “The fault, dear Brutus, is not in our stars, But in ourselves”
Claiming My Blog
It is again time to claim my blog with my 12 digit blog claim number EFHNTMCGKCC7. Claiming my blog, this time sandeepvarma.com at Technorati is turning out to be a life long affair. Earlier I used to blog at Sandeepnvarma.blogspot.com and I had claimed the blog at Technorati. Once I changed my blog url to sandeepvarma.com I had to repeat the same steps
So I had to login to Technorati and get my 12 digit blog claim number EFHNTMCGKCC7 and post it on my blog
Now I have completed the step, eagerly waiting for the result
