Same stories different versions

The problem with this world is that we are too obsessed with our ideologies, so much that we don’t even care what costs other people have to pay for them. This becomes more apparent in journalism, especially while covering the Israel-Arab dispute.

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Teaching riots in schools

I just saw on television, and then on this blog that the NCERT has decided to include references to Gujarat riots, the 1984 anti-Sikh riots and the Babri masjid demolition in the class XII curriculum of Political Science. This process needs to be observed closely.

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Windows Live Writer

Here is a nice blogging tool I’ve been using for the past few days. Considering it comes from the shady crevices of Microsoft, I was wary about using it, but once you figure out a few things, it’s fun posting from Windows Live Writer. You can create multiple accounts for various blogs. Since all my blogs are managed using Wordpress I cannot give you an enlightened opinion on its compatibility with other blogging software but I think it’s worth a try. It’s specially great if you run multiple blogs because then to post new posts (I haven’t yet tried editing existing posts, but it shouldn’t be a problem) you can simply select the blog from a drop-down menu and click the publish button. It took me some time to get used to the graphical interface (HTML and all) because I prefer my text sans <p></p> tags but then it’s not THAT bad.

Update: I’m updating this post using Windows Live Writer. If it appears, then you can also edit your existing posts from here.

You can read more about this impressive blogging tool at TechCrunch and GigaOM, and a lengthy review at PaulStamatiou.com.

More work less blogging

My non-professional blogging has been in a (or an?) hiatus for a few weeks. It’s because I’ve been focusing more on my work. For instance, my professional content writing blog has been in a state of inactivity for many months. Another blog on web designing tips has been in total neglect despite me paying monthly for its hosting on a separate server with greater bandwidth. These blogs earn me money. My content writing website has been getting good traffic but generating very few queries and leads.

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A Very Happy Independence Day

Minorities shouldn’t be targeted, but…

It’s very sad that a certain community is reportedly being targeted by the Mumbai police while trying to capture the culprits responsible for the recent Mumbai 7/11 blasts. The criticism is coming from all sections of the society, and particularly from the Muslim community who is allegedly being “victimized”. Although I can fully understand the outrage, I think such things are bound to happen, eventually. They are bound to happen because, whether we like the fact or not, the terrorists, at least the ones who strike here, are constantly originating from this minority community and from across the socio-economic spectrum. It doesn’t matter if a member of this community is a rag-picker, or a doctor, or a professor, or a scientist, or a rickshaw puller or a priest, everybody can turn out to be a terrorist or a sympathizer. So if the targeting is actually happening, as it is being claimed, then ripe ground is being given for that. Think like this: does any suspect captured for the recent terrorist strike bear a non-Muslim name? Is it a coincidence?

So yes, it is awful that a certain minority community is being targeted, but do they leave a choice? Ah! I simply loath the expression I’m using above: “they”. It should be we. So, do we leave a choice? I think these problems will go away, or will no longer be justifiable, if we stop glorifying or tolerating terrorists amidst our society.

The evil Hezbollah

This never gets published in our newspapers

Al-Zarqawi’s mom has a blog

Andrew Sullivan sent an email query to Al-Zarqawi’s mama and this is how she replied :-).