Now time has come to highlight International Men’s Day if we need men as seafarers. It is celebrated on November 19th of the year.

This year’s theme is “Giving Boys The Best Possible Start In Life”.

In India, men demand “right to life” and “peaceful existence”.

What are their demands ?

Here are the demands as listed in their website “International Men’s Day, Nov 19th”

• Change in the attitude that injustice to men gives justice to women.
• Create a Men’s Welfare Ministry with the mandate to look into the welfare of men and boys.
• Make dowry law (Section 498a) bailable, and non-cognizable, which is overdue since last 8 years.
• Remove all sections of Domestic Violence Act that contradicts civil procedure code and make it gender neutral.
• Introduce stringent laws to punish women who file false cases to harass husbands and their families.
• Introduce legal provisions for protection of men from threats, abuse, blackmail and intimate terror by women.
• Make all Anti-Male laws gender neutral.
• Overhaul all maintenance laws to ensure that maintenance to a woman is based on the tenure of cohabitation and also based on the earning potential of that woman.
• Introduce stringent laws to enforce visitation and custody rights of men.
• Create Separate State Commission for Men (SCM) and helpline to counsel suicidal men.
• Remove the ban on men to contest in panchayat and municipal elections that has been imposed in certain constituencies so as to maintain free and fair elections, one of the basic principles of democracy.
• Amend all relevant laws to remove presumptions and give judiciary the freedom to apply its mind.

The above demands are very genuine considering the fact that Indian Society has changed a lot. 

Here are some interesting messages, as images:

Dynamics of Misandry: as seen by the present Indian Society, Media, and Law Makers.

Men’s Demand in Tamil

Download and read as pdf – Equality for Men: Myth or Reality

Read more from:

• Save Indian Family Foundation (SIFF)
• International Men’s Day, November 19th

The Tata Grande IndiBlogger Meet was held at Regency Ball Room, Hyatt Regency, Chennai on 09 October 2011. WiFi connectivity was freely available to tweet, browse etc.,

This is the third blogger meeting attended by me at Chennai. Previously I attended UniverCell Chennai IndiBlogger Meet on 20 March 2010 and Microsoft IndiBlogger Meet on 08 June 2008.

Tata Motors theme for the meeting was “TATA Grande Dicor – Size Matters”. It was a brilliant idea of the Tata Motors to position, two Grande Dicor vehicles (one in the dining hall and one in the meeting hall) for the IndiBloggers to gain first hand information about this vehicle.

251 bloggers registered to attend this meeting but it seems all could not make it. I guess more than 150 bloggers were present.

The IndiBlogger Meet took off with this agenda:

Here are some photographs:

The registration towards finishing stage.

The IndiBlogger Meet in progress (you can see a Grande Dicor vehicle displayed next to screen).

The 49 Seconds of Fame by IndiBloggers.

IndiBloggers interaction with Tata Grande Dicor.

High Tea.

Interesting IndiBlogger interaction.

IndiBlogger forum discussion on: Chennai’s roads, fuel hikes and other Chennai matters.

IndiBlogger forum discussion on: Blogging – who has the biggest widget and other stuff.

IndiBlogger forum discussion on: Cars and Travel.

As size matters, it needs two banners to get full view of Tata Grande Dicor.

Finally before winding up, IndiBloggers posed for a group photo.

All IndiBloggers received T – Shirts also (front view). As size matters, I preferred to take the largest XXL size T – Shirt

T – Shirts (back view).

Thanks to Tata Motors and IndiBlogger for organising this wonderful event.

For more details on Tata Grande Dicor, log on to Tata Motors.

Though this post is not related to marine topic, I’m compelled to post this so that customers can be aware of AirTel DTH in India. What AirTel DTH says in their website/newspaper advertisements is not practically followed by AirTel DTH. Here is my bad experience with AirTel DTH.

I wanted to upgrade my AirTel DTH from HD (High Definition) to HD Recorder version. Recorder helps to record a specific program and watch it peacefully later as convenient. This is a very useful feature for me as I can record marine related programs from Discovery, National Geographic, other channels and watch later as convenient.

Installing AirTel DTH:

• January 2009: I installed AirTel DTH SD (Standard Definition) by paying INR 2550.00.
• August 2010: Later upgraded to HD DTH by paying INR 2265.00 (there was no HD Recorder DTH available that time).
• June 02, 2011: After seeing an upgrade offer from the website of AirTel DTH, I contacted them through phone and paid INR 3990.00 through IVR (Interactive Voice Response); I was informed that my DTH would be upgraded to HD Recorder within 2 days.

Here is the website offer (zoomed) to upgrade to HD Recorder

Here are website offer (full page) and newspaper advertisement to upgrade to HD Recorder (click to enlarge)

How I was cheated by AirTel DTH:

June 03, 2011: In the morning, I received a SMS from Airtel DTH that my DTH would be upgraded; in the afternoon, I received a call from the installation team that my HD DTH can not be upgraded and upgrade offer is only available for AirTel DTH SD customers.

Here is the e-mail that I sent immediately to Airtel.

June 04, 2011: The reply received by me from AirTel.

June 09, 2011: As there was no further response from AirTel, here is my first reminder to AirTel.

Instead of replying regarding the progress of installation, same day AirTel wanted my alternate telephone number to speak to me. Even after providing my alternate telephone number, they never spoke to me.

June 13, 2011: Here is my second reminder to AirTel.

June 14, 2011: Here is the reply received by me from AirTel (reply simply denies that there is no such offer from AirTel to upgrade; does not talk about INR 3990.00 paid to them for upgrade)

Same day I replied AirTel regarding the upgrade offer provided by them (no reply has come for this from AirTel till now):

June 15, 2011: Meanwhile, the local installation team gave me the following only option to upgrade.

• I install DTH HD Recorder as a second connection against the payment made by me; later I have the option to surrender the DTH SD (first connection) as not required.

I agreed for the same. HD Recorder DTH was installed in the morning on June 15, 2011. I was told by the installation engineer that the activation of the HD Recorder would be done within few hours. In anticipation, I asked the installation engineer to disconnect my SD DTH and he promptly disconnected also.

As the HD Recorder DTH was not activated even by 1900 hours (on June 15), I called up the installation team to find out why there is delay in activating my HD Recorder DTH.

• The installation team informed me that I have to recharge my DTH account with INR 999.00 as activation charges to activate my HD Recorder DTH.
• Around 1930 hours, I rushed to the nearest AirTel dealer, purchased an Activation Kit for INR 999.00; recharged my DTH account.
• Even after making additional payment, the whole night the recorder was not activated.

June 16, 2011:

• Only by 1000 hours, the HD Recorder DTH was activated.
• Same day I informed AirTel DTH Customer Care to deactivate my first connection (SD DTH Recorder); till deactivation, AirTel DTH would be debiting charges for my first connection also on daily basis.

June 20, 2011: My first connection SD DTH was taken by Airtel team.

June 22, 2011: Officially my first connection (SD DTH) was deactivated (money debited from my DTH was stopped for the first connection).

So the customers have to be very careful in dealing with AirTel DTH. Blindly do not believe their advertisements.

UniverCell Chennai IndiBlogger Meet was conducted on March 20 with four hours of interactive session and fun. It was nice to be in this meeting again after June 2008.

Some interesting features of this IndiBlogger meet are:

• Conducted at GRT Convention Center, T.Nagar, Chennai from 1430 hours to 1830 hours.
• Around 200 bloggers participated in this event.
• Every blogger had an opportunity for self introduction (30 seconds of fame) to the audience.
• Fun filled interactive session for more than an hour.
• Discussion on Traditional Media and Blogging.
• Sponsored by UniverCell, Chennai:
  • UniverCell is looking for bloggers to be part of their blog (about mobile phones) to be launched by them.
  • Planning to conduct a contest to indentify the right bloggers through this IndiBlogger meets at Chennai, Hyderabad, Kochi and Bangalore.

The meeting was followed by more interaction with bloggers during tea break and distribution of T-Shirts to all bloggers.

Here are some photographs covering the IndiBlogger Meet.

The registration on arrival to participate in the meeting.

30 seconds of fame by bloggers.

Interactive session.

Discussion on Traditional Media and Blogging.

UniverCell plans to launch their blog.

The T-Shirt given to all bloggers.

Thanks to IndiBlogger and UniverCell for organizing this wonderful meet.

India celebrates 63rd Independence Day on August 15.

Here is a photograph from Press Information Bureau, showing the Prime Minister, Dr. Manmohan Singh saluting the Tricolour flag after unfurling at the ramparts of Red Fort, on the occasion of 63rd Independence Day, in Delhi on August 15, 2009.

The country is waiting for freedom from

• Terrorism, including sea based terrorism.
• Sea piracy.
• Ill-treatment of seafarers by State authorities – Taiwan, South Korea.
• Shipment of fake drugs and other ‘Made in India’ goods from China.
• Smuggling, Corruption 1, Corruption 2.
• Pollution in the Beaches.

Post in MarineBuzz on this day a year before:

Port Gangavaram Starts Commercial Operations

April 22 of the year is Earth Day.

Earth Day is celebrated to renew our commitment to building a safer, healthier and cleaner world for all of us. On this day let us remember that we need not to wait for April 22 to help out the Earth. Earth Day is every day, to protect our environment on a year-round basis.

This year on the occasion of Earth Day,

• NASA plans to telecast a special High Definition (HD) feed from NASA Television on Earth Day, April 22, that will feature views of Earth captured by cameras aboard the International Space Station.
  • The space station and its crew orbit Earth once every 90 minutes from an altitude of approximately 220 miles.
  • It can be seen from Earth with the naked eye.
  • The orbiting outpost travels at a speed of approximately 17,500 miles per hour, and the crew experiences 16 sunrises and sunsets each day.
  • The station has been continuously occupied since the first crew arrived in November 2000.
• The special Earth views HD feed can be seen April 22 from 6 to 9 a.m., noon to 2 p.m. and 4 to 7 p.m. EDT.

For more details on HD Earth Views, read press release from NASA.

For more details on Earth Day, log on to Earth Day Network.

View an interesting video clip: Earth Day Rap !!

Posts in MarineBuzz on this day a year before:

Earth Day Follows Earth Hour

USS Cole and FS Surcouf to Observe Indo-UK Joint Naval Exercise Konkan-2008

Update: April 23

View the colorful history of Earth Day from Time-CNN Photos.

Polling for the General Elections 2009 is going on for the world’s largest democracy, India. Election Commission of India is conducting the polls in five phases. The first phase of polling commenced on April 16.

To know the election schedule for the remaining phases, click the map below:

Post in MarineBuzz on this day a year before:

Water Proof Your iPod with H2O Audio Accessories

This year, Earth Hour is conducting the world’s first global election, between Earth and global warming. You can cast your vote with your light switch.

“Vote Earth” is a global call to action for every individual, every business, and every community. A call to stand up and take control over the future of our planet. Over 2,712 cities, towns and municipalities in 83 countries have already pledged their support to VOTE EARTH during Earth Hour 2009, and this number is growing everyday.

How to participate ?

On Saturday March 28, wherever you live on planet earth, simply switch off lights at 2030 hours local time for 60 minutes and join the world for Earth Hour.

Why to participate in Earth Hour 2009 ?

• Earth Hour 2009 is a truly global initiative to fight against climate change.
• Climate change threatens lives, livelihoods, and lifestyles.
• In fact, cities consume 75 per cent of the world’s energy and produce 80 per cent of its greenhouse gas emissions. That’s why it’s important for cities to work together on this issue.
• It is the global expression of a desire for serious and sustained action on climate change.
• Earth Hour began in Sydney in 2007, when 2.2 million homes and businesses switched off their lights for one hour.
• In 2008 the message had grown into a global sustainability movement, with 50 million people switching off their lights.
• In 2009,
  • Earth Hour is being taken to the next level, with the goal of 1 billion people switching off their lights as part of a global vote.
  • Unlike any election in history, it is not about what country you are from, but instead, what planet you are from.

Here is the map showing the locations that are going to participate in Earth Hour 2009:

View here a video clip on Earth Hour 2009.

For more details, log on to Earth Hour.

Post in MarineBuzz on this day a year before:

Yacht Air Apparent: Lack of Seamanship Results in Mutiny

Great weekend for India. Great day for Indian space programme initiated in 1962.

Chandrayaan-1 spacecraft of Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) successfully placed the Indian flag painted on the sides of Moon Impact Probe (MIP – photo on the right) at 2031 hours IST on November 14, 2008.

The Chandrayaan-1 with a mission life of 2 years, is aimed at high-resolution remote sensing of the moon in visible, near infrared (NIR), low energy X-rays and high-energy X-ray regions.

The Chandrayaan-1 moon mission was launched on October 22 through PSLV-C11. Chandrayaan-1 spacecraft is presently orbiting at an altitude of 100 km from the lunar surface. MIP is one of the 11 payloads of Chandrayaan-1 spacecraft that successfully hit the lunar surface. This is the first Indian built object to reach the surface of the moon. The point of MIP’s impact was near the Moon’s South Polar Region.

The eleven payloads of Chandrayaan-1 moon mission are:

• The indigenously developed payload/ experiments:
  • Terrain Mapping stereo Camera (TMC)
  • Hyper Spectral Imaging camera (HySI)
  • Lunar Laser Ranging Instrument (LLRI)
  • High Energy X-ray spectrometer (HEX)
  • Moon Impact Probe (MIP)
• Announcement of Opportunity payloads:
  • Chandrayaan-1 X-ray Spectrometer (C1XS) through ESA – a collaboration between Rutherford Appleton Laboratory,UK and ISRO Satellite Centre, ISRO.
  • Near Infra Red spectrometer (SIR-2) from Max Plank Institute for Solar System Science, through Max-Planck Society, Germany and ESA.
  • Sub keV Atom Reflecting Analyser (SARA) through ESA, from Swedish Institute of Space Physics, Sweden and Space Physics Laboratory, Vikram Sarabhai Space Centre, ISRO.
  • Radiation Dose Monitor Experiment (RADOM) from Bulgarian Academy of Sciences.
  • Miniature Synthetic Aperture Radar (Mini-SAR) from Applied Physics Laboratory, Johns Hopkins University and Naval Air Warfare Centre, USA through NASA.
  • Moon Mineralogy Mapper (M3) from Brown University and Jet Propulsion Laboratory, USA through NASA.

Here are close up pictures of the moon’s surface taken by Moon Impact Probe (MIP) on November 14, 2008 as it approached it after separating from Chandrayaan-1 spacecraft.

Download more details on Chandrayaan-1 as pdf. Introduction (36 pages), Booklet (72 pages)

Here are interesting three part video clips on Chandrayaan-1. Part 1, Part 2, Part 3.

All the above images are from ISRO and read more about Chandrayaan-1 mission from ISRO.

Posts in MarineBuzz on this day a year before:

Tuticorin Port to Add Up a New Berth at a Cost of Rs 400 Million

Indian Coast Guard Commences Search and Rescue Exercise off Port Blair

The much awaited IndiBlogger meeting was held on June 08 at Hotel Dee Cee Manor, Chennai. As I belong to IndiBlogger community, I could attend this meeting. Being my first meeting with bloggers, I thoroughly enjoyed it with surprises.

Here are some interesting features of the meeting:

• organized by IndiBlogger.
• sponsored by Microsoft.
• the event started at 1600 hours.
• around 100 plus bloggers of different age groups, professions attended.
• after the welcome address by Lemonade, each blogger gave a self introduction.
• after the tea break, lively recreational plays by Rebelz and IndiBlogger team were keeping the audience spellbound.
• further there were presentations on Mobile Blogging and Live Writer.
• feedback about the event was taken from all IndiBloggers.
• IndiBlogger T shirts were distributed to all participants.
• the event finished approximately at 2045 hours.

Here are some photographs. As all photographs have not come out well, only some of them are displayed here.

OldSailor is thankful to IndiBlogger team for organizing an enjoyable evening with Chennai IndiBloggers.

Updates:

More coverage of the events are available at atthealtar, sathyanarain, naveenroy, whimsicalmind, lost in wonder, life goes on, quo vadis, freshly squeezed, Life is filled with fun and humour

Today, April 22 of the year is the Earth Day. The first Earth Day was on April 22, 1970. Earth Day is an event to create an awareness to develop a safer, healthier and cleaner world for all of us. On this day let us not forget that we have to handover this Planet Earth to our younger generations in the same way (if not better), we received from our older generations. Last month global participation was there for Earth Hour.

Here is Google way of celebrating Earth Day

This Earth Day, use Google Checkout to donate to an environmental non-profit organization on behalf of your friends and family and watch your generosity spread.

Interesting video clips on Earth Day are here and here.

March 29: Today at 8 pm local time millions of people in some of the world’s major cities will be turning off the lights for one hour to convey a powerful message about the need for action on global warming.

The following cities will be participating in Earth Hour 2008:

• Australia
  • Adelaide
  • Brisbane
  • Canberra
  • Melbourne
  • Perth
  • Sydney

• Canada
  • Montreal
  • Ottawa
  • Toronto
  • Vancouver
• Denmark
  • Aalborg
  • Aarhus
  • Copenhagen
  • Odense
• Fiji
  • Lautoka
  • Suva
• Ireland
  • Dublin
• Israel
  • Tel Aviv
• New Zealand
  • Christchurch
• Philippines
  • Manila
• Thailand
  • Bangkok
• UAE
  • Dubai
• United States
  • Atlanta
  • Chicago
  • Phoenix
  • San Francisco

Update:

Here Google goes black to follow Earth Hour

Click here or below to view a video clip on Earth Hour