Tuesday 27 August 2019

CYBER-SECURITY – PROTECT YOURSELF FROM SOCIAL MEDIA




Social media can do wonders for you as an individual, as well as if you are running your own online business. It can help you build a loyal following, spread word and awareness about your brand, and reach out to other like-minded people, as well as customers. And the best about it is that it’s incredibly easy to do, since everyone you are looking for is already there. It is estimated that there will about 2.77 billion users on social media in 2019!

However, because the power of social media is so easy to utilize, most people let their guard down when it comes to cyber-security, which can come back to haunt them at some point in the future, in a number of different ways. We use it to keep in touch, plan events, share our photos and comment on current events. It’s replaced email and phone calls for a lot of us. As with anything else online, it’s important to be aware of the risks.

So let us see how you can keep your social media accounts safe and secure.

Look after your logins
One of the great things about social media is staying connected wherever you are. However, it’s important to think about where and how you log in to your accounts. 
Use bookmarks or favourites to access social media sites, or type the URLs into your browser. Don’t access your accounts through links that someone else has sent you, or links on other websites. These could lead you to fake sites, allowing attackers to access your personal details or even install malware on your device.

Make sure your browser or website doesn’t store or remember your login details on shared or public devices, like library computers or shared tablets. If you do, and someone else uses that device, they’ll get access to your social media accounts too. Be cautious of logging in to your social media accounts using a hotspot or free WiFi — if you’re logging on at a cafe, for example. These networks are  not to be trusted. That means it's possible that others could see what you're doing when you use them. If you access your social media accounts through an app on your phone or your tablet, make sure you lock it when you’re not using it.

Use strong passwords on your accounts
Using strong and unique passwords for each of your social media accounts is one of the easiest ways to keep them secure. Here's what you need to do.

Use a different password for each of your social media accounts. Don’t use the same password for your Facebook account as you do for Instagram, for example. That way, if someone gets access to one of your account passwords, they won’t get easy access to your other accounts as well.
Make your account passwords long and strong. And don’t let anybody advice you about the best password because you have to remember it.

Don’t share your passwords with anyone — not even your partner, your parents, or your children.
If you’re worried about remembering all of your passwords, try using a password manager which will store and manage them for you. That way, you’ll only need to remember the login details for the password manager itself.  The following two hyperlinks may help you:

Update your privacy and security settings
Get to know the privacy and security settings for each of your social media accounts — you’ll find them in your account settings. Think about who you want to see your profile, and what kind of information you want them to see. Check your settings regularly too. They’re often updated, so review them from time to time to make sure that nothing’s changed.

Beware of providing too much Personal Information
For starters, don’t leave a trail of breadcrumbs for social media hackers. Whether you are representing yourself or your company, avoid sharing stuff like your date of birth, places where you have attended school, as well as names and pictures of your family members. Those are enough for most identity thieves to break into your accounts or even to apply for credit cards using your personal info.

Turn on two-factor authentication
Turning on two-factor authentication (2FA) is another way to protect your social media accounts. For example, you can use an application on your phone that generates a unique code each time you log in. It means that even if someone gets access to your account passwords, if they don’t have your phone to get the code they can’t complete the log in and get into your accounts. You can usually find the option to turn on 2FA in your profile settings. Use 2FA to protect your accounts

Be smart about making friends
Only accept friend invitations from people that you know in real life. This means someone you know personally, or someone that you know is a real person, like a celebrity or public figure. Even the latter may be risky because it may be a fake account. So my policy is only accept requests from your friends, acquaintances and relatives. 

You can identify the authentic social media profiles of celebrities, public figures and businesses by looking out for verified accounts. Verified accounts usually have a blue tick next to the account name to let you know it is an authentic account. These are often verified because they have a high likelihood of being impersonated.

Remember that if you don't want to be friends with someone, or let them see what you're posting on social media, you can block them.

Watch out for scams
Scammers use social media to try to trick people into giving away their personal details, financial details, or money. When you’re using your social media accounts: 
  • Be on the lookout for social engineering and scams on social media. Social engineering is when an attacker gains a person’s trust and tricks them into giving them access or information they shouldn’t have
  • Be wary of opening links and attachments in social media. Links asking you to visit another website to claim a free offer or a prize are often scams. These can be used by attackers to get hold of your personal details, or even install malware on your device. So, think before you click!
  • Be cautious if a friend on social media asks you strange questions — if they ask for personal details or ask you for money, for example. It could be a scammer who’s asking, not your friend. The scammer may have created an account to impersonate your friend. So, your friend may be staying next door and not stranded in Solomon Island! If it is a scam, you should be able to report the account.

Remember that what goes online, stays online
When posting to social media it’s a good idea to think about who could see the things you post other than your friends and family. For example, potential employers could see what you post online. Social media provides as much of an opportunity to create a positive online reputation as it does a negative one. So don’t share anything that could embarrass you, or someone else you know.

Home Invasions
Careless use of social media can even expose you to actual attacks and home invasions. Sure, you may be excited about your vacation, but you are basically telling strangers the exact time when you are not going to be home, which leaves them with plenty of time to break in and steal anything valuable.

Unused Social Media Accounts
If you leave your social media accounts unattended for too long, you could enable hackers to break into your account, which could damage your reputation and harm your friends. They can commit fraud, post inappropriate messages, and perform all sorts of illegal activities under your name. So if you are not using an account, close it.

Unsecured Mobile Devices

Accessing your social media accounts using your mobile phone can be done with just one tap, which is great, as long as you are the only person using your phone. But what happens if you lose it or if it gets stolen? You should at least make sure to protect your phone with a strong password.

So use social media by all means, but do so responsibly.

Thursday 22 August 2019

A HUGE FAN OF TRUMP COMEDY




I don’t know about you but I somehow like Donald Trump. It has been such a long time since we had a natural comedian as a world leader. At a time when the news in television is all about murders and riots, mass shootings, trade wars and racial tensions, stories about the American President come as a comic relief for one and all! A political story that could be enjoyed without having to be taken too seriously…….friends, that is Donald Trump for you. He comes from the entertainment industry, had no political experience, rebuffs establishment norms, polarises opinion, is not in stable geo-political situations and relies on social media, mistrusting mainstream news .

Right from his campaign days I am a fan of his vocabulary and a few of his originals like ‘Crooked Hillary’ for his opponent and ‘very stable genius’ and ‘like really smart’ for himself go right on top of my list of likable Trump quotes. An analysis of the President's first 30,000 words uttered in office found Mr Trump speaks at a third- to seventh-grade reading level – lower than any other President since 1929. Mr Trump’s vocabulary and grammatical structure is “significantly more simple, and less diverse” than any President since Herbert Hoover, the analysis found.

Let me put forward a few Trump quotes to make my case
  • My whole life is about winning. I don't lose often. I almost never lose.
  • Believe me. You'll never get bored with winning. You'll never get bored!
  • I went to an Ivy League school. I'm highly educated. I know words. I have the best words, I have the best, but there is no better word than stupid. Right?
  • I was a great student at the best college in the country. You know? I want to let people know. I'm a smart guy
  • The Fake news is becoming more and more dishonest!
  • I’m draining the Swamp, and the Swamp is trying to fight back. Don’t worry, we will win!
  • Obamacare we will repeal and replace with something terrific.
  • I built the Grand Hyatt right next to Grand Central Station - beautiful, classy job - but then the city denied my request to have the top 10 floors illuminated with my face at night. Can you believe that?


Donald Trump's bid to buy Greenland has been one of the more bizarre plot-lines of a presidency already full of outlandish moments. The imbroglio started harmlessly enough when The Wall Street Journal published a story last week revealing Trump's interest in buying the ice-covered island. The White House advisers had dismissed Trump's idea as "a fleeting fascination that will never come to fruition". The President himself seemed to be in on the joke when, a few days later, he tweeted a photo-shopped image of Greenland dominated by a gleaming gold skyscraper emblazoned with his name. While the world thought that it was a joke the President was serious, so serious that when the Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen said that it was an absurd idea and Greenland was not for sale, Trump promptly cancelled his state visit to Denmark! Just one slightly critical word - "absurd" - blew the relationship up.

In reality, though, it showed Trump's aversion to being mocked or even mildly criticized - a trait on display from the very beginning of his presidency. Remember when he lashed out at the media for stating that the crowds at his inauguration had been smaller than those of his predecessor Barack Obama? It also showed how he is increasingly acting out of instinct, driven by his own whims and predilections rather than a carefully-planned strategy or the advice of his staff.

In 2019, three performers in the States, Alec Baldwin, Bill Maher and Stephen Colbert had constructed successful comic counter-narratives to the dominant one that Trump and his right-wing media supporters have perpetuated. Baldwin's first Trump sketches went viral and his weekly sketches became essential viewing for those in need of some anti-Trump sanity. Maher typically balances satire and reality: comedy however incisive is not enough and for Maher, even straight political comment seems comical. Colbert intimates Trump, Sanders and Biden and shares many obvious personal characteristics, but to tell you the fact......none of them can beat the original!


For a second time in a fortnight Trump has offered his services to mediate on Kashmir issue. Both Modi and Imran should now be wary, he may be talking about buying Kashmir, who knows? After all he didn’t spend the money on Greenland you see! A shimmering golden Trump tower near Dal Lake or Zalzal lake would be a great real estate and he can keep a close watch on his Chinese friends too! A second term of Presidency or even a Nobel Prize may come his way!!

Don’t tell him that it is an absurd idea for he may not like it and scream “you’re fired”!

Thursday 15 August 2019

THE NAME OF LOVE AROUND THE WORLD



What did your mother call you when you were young? Surely not by your name. She had a whole list of names of endearment ranging from divine to devilish depending on her mood and your deeds. Some of them were sweet like Mishti or precious like Sona or naughty like Dushtu or even fierce like Bagh but some were absolute nonsense like Bubu, Tutu, Laddu, Tultul, which meant nothing except endearing love!
A nickname is a substitute for the given official name of a familiar person, mostly out of affection. It is the foremost example of affection or bond between two individuals, family or a group of friends.
Why would the English choose to call their wife  ‘honey’ of all the things is beyond comprehension.......they expect her to stay sweet despite provocations perhaps! Pumpkin, peanut, bubby, baby, babe, bae, honey, darling, sugar, sweetie, honey bunch… English is packed full of fun, creative, and cute nicknames to call your loved ones. From food, to animals, to just plain gibberish words – lots of us love giving a cute nickname to our significant other, family, friends and children.
Learning cute nicknames is also a fun way to expand your vocabulary, and it develops your cultural understanding. Many of the words used as nicknames reflect social relationships, and are intertwined with the values of a particular culture.
Love brings the best out of us, but it also brings out the weirdest in us, as we call one another the strangest things, saccharine-dripping names which would be very awkward to translate into other languages. Well, you’ll be relieved to find out other languages are just as odd about their terms of endearment, and here are some of the best examples of that.

French: The French have tons of affectionate pet names they call each other! But some of them are a little less cute when translated to English. Nicknames like mon saucisson (“my little sausage”), mon petit chou (“my little cabbage” but used like “sweetie”), mon gros (“my fat one”), and ma puce (“my flea”) are a bit strange in English. For addressing a lady mon chat (“my cat”), ma belle (“my beautiful”), mon trésor (“my treasure”) or mon bijou (“my jewel”) are often used, but please don’t try them when you are in Paris next time.
Italian: Pet names, called nomignoli, are used freely and often for everyone, especially for children. There are tons of cute Italian nicknames for boys and girls. Parents can call their children cucciolo and tesoro, which is “puppy” and “treasure”. There are other fun ones, like bambino (“baby”), mimmo (“child”), or even the very signature Italian term, polpetto – “meatball.” Romantic terms like gioia mia (“my joy”), Biscottino(“little biscuit”), or Pasticcino (“cupcake”), “Luce dei miei occhi!” (“Light of my eyes!”) are only reserved for the precious loved one.
German: One of the most common and popular nicknames for women is Maus or Mauschen, which translates to “mouse” and “little mouse.” Cute nicknames for children like Erdbeerchen (“little strawberry”), Bärchen (“little bear”), and Schatz (“jewel” or “treasure”) are common.  
Spanish: Spanish is a passion infused language and has some creative pet names, such as mi perrito (“my puppy”), mi cielito (“my little heaven”), and amorcito (“little love”).
Russian: moi medvezhonok- my teddybear. Doves are a symbol of peace, so it makes sense that in Russian lovers call each othergolubchik (masculine) or golubushka (femenine).
Irish: mo chuisle (muh khwishle)- my pulse. This phrase was famously used in the movie Million Dollar Baby, and is the shortened form of a chuisle mo chroí or “pulse of my heart”.
Hungarian: házisárkány (hazisharkanh)- house dragon
Polish: brzydalu (bzhidaloo)- ugly one
Indonesian: buah hati ku- fruit of my heart
Brazilian Portuguese: chuchuzinho (choochoozinyo)- little chayote squash
Dutch: mijn poepie (mine poopy)- my fart…..now why is that cute!
Farsi: moosh bokhoradet- may a mouse eat you
Hebrew: kapara- my absolution
Swedish: sötnos (setnus)- sweet nose
Arabic: ya hayati- my life
Greek: matakia mou- my little eyes
Brazil: a gato or gata (cat) is slang for a handsome or pretty person.
Hindi: From cute ones like chaand kaa tukda- piece of the moon, to romantic ones like jaan – life, jaaneman, jane-bahar, to chiming ones like Chunnu, Munnu, to rhyming ones like Pappu, Gappu, the list is endless.
Bengali: Names like Bappa, Lappa, Tulu, Bulu, Shontu, Montu, Mona, Tukai, Babai, Babu, Potai,  mean nothing, Mishti (sweet), Dushtu(naughty), Pakhi(bird), Shona (gold), Puchki(very small) are some names with meanings.


Love needs no name, at least it doesn’t need a sensible name. It is the feeling that matters.

Friday 2 August 2019

TIGERS LIVE TO FIGHT ANOTHER DAY




The latest tiger counting operation — a staggering exercise spread over 3,81,400 sq km and 26,838 camera trap locations in India has shown that the tiger population is up by 30% and 75% of the world tiger population is in India. The National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA) has asserted in its report, ‘Status of Tigers in India 2018’, that 83% of the big cats counted in the census were individually photographed using camera traps, 87% were confirmed through a camera trap-based capture-recapture technique, and other estimation methods were used to establish the total number of 2967 tigers in India. Madhya Pradesh saw the highest number of tigers at 526, closely followed by Karnataka (524) and Uttarakhand (442), but Chhattisgarh and Mizoram saw a decline. 
Tigers are among the most endangered species in this world. However, thanks to something called the Saint Petersburg Declaration, the current global population of tigers has increased from a mere 1411 in 2006, to approximately 3900 according to records taken in 2018. Despite the many measures in place to conserve this iconic and beautiful species, every bit of help makes a difference as there are still numerous threats that could cause this fierce species to disappear from the planet for good.
So what are the dangers faced by tigers and what are the conservation efforts being made across the globe? You will be surprised to know that every person on the planet has a role to play in the conservation of this mighty cat and the first road to that role is information, and that is what I intend to share with you!

What is Global Tiger Day? 
On July 29th, 2010, the Saint Petersburg Tiger Summit was held in Russia with the sole purpose of raising awareness to the drastically declining tiger populations the world over.
An agreement was signed by the countries present at the summit, mandating all signatory governments to work towards the goal of doubling the global population of tigers by 2022, the next year of the Tiger. This agreement was called the Saint Petersburg Declaration and this venture is entitled the Global Tiger Recovery Program. In honor of this common commitment between nations, July 29th was named Annual International Tiger Day.
Global Tiger day (also known as International Tiger Day) has since been observed every year with a major focus on promoting awareness on the need for conservation of tigers and the efforts being made for the same.

Why are Conservation Efforts Needed for Tigers? 
At the beginning of the 20th Century, there were approximately 100,000 tigers on Earth, spread across the various jungles in the world. By 2005, the number had reduced to an estimated 2000 and continued to decline drastically. So over the last century, there has been a whopping 97% decrease in the population of tigers throughout the world. 
So the question then becomes, why do we need tigers? To begin with, tigers are gorgeous and fascinating creatures physically, but even more importantly tigers are umbrella species. Umbrella species are a category of species that are vital to the preservation of other species sharing their (and our) ecosystem - therefore making them vital to our preservation. The role of a tiger as a predator in the jungles keeps the herbivore population at a viable limit and, consequently, the vegetation plentiful. Another reason why we need to save the tiger is that our forests are water catchment areas. If the unchecked numbers of herbivores devour the vegetation there will be vast stretches of deserts and arid land.
Therefore, the presence of tigers in the forest is an indicator of the well being of the ecosystem. The extinction of this top predator is an indication that its ecosystem is not sufficiently protected, and neither would it exist for long thereafter. So when a species goes extinct, it leaves behind a scar, which affects the entire ecosystem.  So it’s not just about saving a beautiful animal. It is about making sure that we live a little longer as the forests are known to provide ecological services like clean air, water, pollination, temperature regulation etc.

What are the Current Threats against Tigers? 
There are 5 major factors that can be attributed to the significant decline in the tiger population.
1. Spread of Disease
This can be a bigger problem than one would assume. Tigers usually live in isolation from others of their kind (with the exception of immediate relatives). However, the space in most habitats of these cats, both in protected forests and the wild, is extremely limited. Diseases like canine distemper, tuberculosis, and Feline Panleucopania can spread rapidly among the species and wipe out a significant portion of the population. 
2. Climate Change
Global warming affects the vegetation and the preys living in any given ecosystem are affected negatively. These changes reduce sources of food for tigers in the surrounding areas. Further, rising sea levels contribute heavily to the destruction of tiger habitats in and around coastal areas like the Sunderbans. Rising sea levels are killing or displacing tigers from their homes.
3. Habitat Loss
Deforestation continues to be rampant, whether for industrial purposes, agricultural purposes, trade purposes or urbanization, among many other reasons. In fact, nearly 93% of natural tiger habitats have been destroyed due to the clearing of forests for agriculture, and for development. Rail and road networks, hydel projects and human dwellings are forcing tigers into small and scattered islands of remaining habitat. Tigers need large territories. And along with habitat, tigers have also suffered a severe loss of natural prey populations – in particular ungulates such as deer and antelopes. Large-scale habitat destruction and decimation of prey populations are the major long-term threats to the existence of the dwindling tiger population in the country.
4. Tiger-Human Interactions
As tigers continue to lose their habitat and prey species, they are increasingly coming into conflict with humans as they attack domestic animals – and sometimes people. In retaliation, tigers are often killed by angry villagers. With villagers entering into the forest to gather resources, and tigers entering human territories in search of space, numerous conflicts can arise leading to a rise in the number of both human and tiger deaths.. 
Another important area of tiger-human interactions includes the rearing of tigers for performance purposes. These animals are born and raised in confined spaces, usually with traveling circuses and carnivals. When the use of these animals in performance art is not well regulated, it can result in disaster and even death for the animals. 
5. Hunting
For over thousand years, tigers have been hunted as status symbol, decorative item such as wall and floor covering, as souvenirs and curios, and for use in traditional Asian medicines. Hunting for sport probably caused the greatest decline in tiger populations until the 1930s. In the early 1990s, trade in tiger bone for traditional Asian medicines threatened to drive tigers to extinction in the wild. This is largely due to the illegal trade in tiger bones, skins, teeth, and other by-products, which continues to be rampant and quite lucrative. 

How Can We Help? 
Though you might not realize but you can do a lot!

1. Be a responsible tourist:

The wilderness is to be experienced and not to be disturbed and polluted. Follow the forest department guidelines when visiting any wilderness area, tiger reserve in particular. As the saying goes ‘Don’t leave anything behind except footsteps, and don’t take anything except memories.

2. Help prevent wildlife trade:

Say ‘NO’ to tiger trade by refusing to buy tiger parts and items prepared from tiger derivatives. If you know of any information on poaching or trade of illegal wildlife, inform the local law enforcement agencies. You can also contact TRAFFIC- an organisation fighting the powerful poachers and pass on the information to them.

3. Reducing pressure on natural resources:

By reducing the use of products derived from forests, such as timber and paper you can prevent deforestation. Try becoming an opinion maker against the use of wood in cremation and for cooking purposes and paper that is not recycled.

4. Pick Your Products Carefully! 
Check for specified certifications to ensure that edible products have been produced in a manner that is least destructive to the habitats of not only tigers but elephants, orangutans and many other species. For example, you can make sure to purchase palm oil certified by RSPO (Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil), Rain-forest Alliance-certified Coffee, and recycled toilet paper with certification from FSC (Forest Stewardship Council). 
5. Keep Yourself Updated!
You can never have too much knowledge. There are several organizations across the globe that are constantly working towards newer and better conservation programs. You can help their efforts by donating to their many tiger conservation projects or by volunteering in awareness programmes. 
6. Speak Up! 

Voice your concerns with the policy makers. Please keep an eye out on online platforms and markets for items that seem to be made from tiger furs or bones. In case of any such instances, you can report the same directly to the nearest local police department, or approach one of the many wildlife protection organizations, like WWF (Worldwide Fund for Nature) or Humane Society International or write polite letters to the decision makers - the Prime Minister, the Minister for Environment and Forests or even your local MP.