Monthly Archives: August 2010

Mad Cow disease

31 Tuesday Aug 2010

Posted by in Hall of shame

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Bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE), commonly known as mad-cow disease, is a fatal, neurodegenerative disease in cattle, that causes a spongy degeneration in the brain and spinal cord. BSE has a long incubation period, about 4 years, usually affecting adult cattle at a peak age onset of four to five years, all breeds being equally susceptible.[1] In the United Kingdom, the country worst affected, more than 179,000 cattle have been infected and 4.4 million slaughtered during the eradication program.

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Duty of Telecom Service Provider in India

31 Tuesday Aug 2010

Posted by in Hall of shame, Law and Justice

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REGULATION 5
(As framed by TRAI)
5.Time limit for redressal of grievance of consumers by Call
Centres.—–(1) Every service provider, falling in clause (a) or clause (b) of
sub-regulation (3) of regulation 1, shall, without prejudice to the time
limits or periods specified in the Regulation on Quality of Service of
Basic and Cellular Mobile Telephone Services, 2005 dated the 1st July,
2005 (11 of 2005) and the Quality of Service of Broadband Service
Regulations 2006 dated the 6th October, 2006 (11 of 2006), address the
request or redress the grievances of its consumers, within the time
limits or periods, and, in respect of matters or parameters, specified in
the Schedule.
(2) In a case—
(a) where no parameter or time limit, relating to fault or disruption of
service or disconnection of service, has been specified in the Schedule, all
complaints relating to
such fault or disruption of service or
disconnection of service shall be redressed within three days from the
date of registration of complaint;
7
(b) where no parameter or time limit has been specified in these
regulations or any other regulations made under the Act for redressal of
any grievance, all such complaints shall be redressed within seven days
from the date of registration of complaint;
(c) where lesser time limit has been specified by any other law for the
time being in force or other regulations made under the Act or by the
licensor or by the service provider for redressal of grievance, the Call
Centres shall redress the grievances of the consumer within such
specified time.
REGULATION 21.
(As framed by TRAI)

21. Providing usage details in respect to Pre-paid mobile connections. – (1) Every service provider, falling in clause (a) or clause(b) of sub-regulation (3) of regulation 1, shall, on request from any consumer, who has been provided pre-paid mobile connection, supply such consumer, at a reasonable cost, the information relating to the itemized usage charges showing actual service usage details in terms of all call data records including value added services, premium rate services and roaming charges, and their monetary value.(2) Every service provider, referred to in sub-regulation (1), shall provide the information referred to in sub-regulation (1) for any period falling in preceding six months immediately preceding the month in which the request has been made by the consumer under the said sub-regulation.(3) For the purposes of sub-regulation (1), the “reasonable cost” means the cost or price not exceeding rupees fifty, or the cost or price payable by the post paid consumers of the same service provider for obtaining the information referred to in sub-regulation (1), or cost or price payable in accordance with the terms and conditions of licence of such service provider, whichever is lowest.

More such measure can be found at: http://www.trai.gov.in/trai/upload/Regulations/64/regulation4may07.pdf

A handbook issued by TRAI for awareness of consumers can be found here: http://www.trai.gov.in/WriteReadData/userfiles/file/measuresto%20protectconsumerinterest/TRAI-Handbook12.pdf

Reliance Communication does not follow any Regulations.

Beware of Reliance Communication.

31 Tuesday Aug 2010

Posted by in Hall of shame

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My misfortune struck me when I was saddled with a Reliance Net Connect Connection.

It is a fraud. It is no high speed connection. It is normal connection. Worst still that it has severe software or hardware issues. Above all it had no signal at all in the CK Daphtary Chamber Block of Supreme Court.

Here is the relevant conversation dated 8th July 2010:

(15:52) ANITHA: Since there is no signal are you facing poor speed as well?

{What a dumb question? If there is no connection how there can be any speed?}

(15:52) Sandeep: no connection whatsoever except for few seconds occasionally.

(15:53) ANITHA: What is the operating system are you using and what about your laptop or computer make or model?

(15:53) Sandeep: Windows 7, XP as well as Linux Ubuntu

(15:54) Sandeep: I have tried on different laptops/computers.

(15:54) ANITHA: What is your computer make and model?

(15:54) Sandeep: These are different makes but the preferred one is Dell XPS 1530.

(15:55) ANITHA: Okay, thank you for the details,

(15:55) ANITHA: pleas wait for a momet while I take the request and give you the request ID.

(15:55) Sandeep: Right now it is working at Rajinder Nagar.

(15:56) Sandeep: speed is .5 to 1.2 KBS

(15:59) ANITHA: Thank you for your patinece.

(15:59) ANITHA: The request ID is 131349107.

(15:59) ANITHA: This request will take 4 days to get resolved.

(16:00) ANITHA: Our Technical team will call from any of these numbers 022-30388303 or 022-30326200,I request you to please attend this call as this will be with regard to the service request which you have registered with us.

{Nobody not even a fly called me up}

I again chatted on 21st July 2010. The relevant extract is:

(16:44) kenny: Yes, I can see your complaint about this, the resolution time is 4 days.

(16:45) Sandeep: That was 8th July and today is 21st July.

(16:49) Sandeep: Not even a bird has contacted me since then.

(16:50) kenny: Sorry for the inconvenience, the case is in solving status. I am also setting this on a priority basis to get this resolved.

(16:50) Sandeep: How long?

(16:51) kenny: This will be resolved before 24th July.

(16:51) Sandeep: What about reversal of my rental for this month?

(16:52) Sandeep: You can check the usage.

(16:52) kenny: Were you not able to use our services.

(16:52) Sandeep: Is that not my complaint?

(16:54) kenny: May I know the time for which you were not able to use our services.

(16:55) Sandeep: Except for few days I could not use it even last month i.e. June. The bill is here right in front of me. Off course none at all in the month of July.

(16:59) kenny: Please be online for a minute while I take your request about this regard.

(17:00) kenny: May I have your alternate number and e-mail address.

(17:00) Sandeep: I have already given It must be on the system.

(17:00) kenny: For a waiver?

(17:01) Sandeep: alternate number and e-mail address

(17:06) Sandeep: What happened?

(17:06) Sandeep: Are you still there.

(17:07) Sandeep: knock knock!!!!

(17:08) kenny: Yes.

(17:08) kenny: May I know what is complaint number for this?

(17:09) Sandeep: The request ID as given was 131349107.

(17:11) kenny: Yes this complaint was for poor speed, do you want me to put a complaint for a waiver.

(17:11) Sandeep: I have saved the chat of 8 the July you want to read it?

{Here I extracted the earlier conversation}

(17:17) kenny: Sir, the complaint was taken for poor speed, let me creat a new case ID for your waiver request.

(17:17) Sandeep: OK

(17:17) kenny: Please be online for a minute and sorry for the delay since by systems were running slow, they are fine now.

(17:18) Sandeep: I am sure your systems must also be running on your netconnect servers.

(17:19) kenny: Please give me the bill cycle dates for which you had issues.

(17:20) Sandeep: Since about second week of June 2010.

(17:20) kenny: Yes you are connected to our servers, but the software that we use here, since many people are using it, this slows down at times.

(17:20) kenny: Can you please specify the dates because I would need to mention them.

(17:21) kenny: In the case that I am creating.

(17:21) Sandeep: I do not maintain a daily log book. You can check for yourself since when I have not been able to connect properly by checking my usage data.

(17:22) kenny: The month was July.

(17:22) Sandeep: June 2010

(17:22) kenny: June and July both.

(17:23) Sandeep: Yes.

(17:23) kenny: alright.

(17:26) kenny: I am extremely aplologetic but I my systems are having a problem, can you please get in touch with us after an hour or call on 180030005555

(17:26) Sandeep: It is already an hour which has been wasted.

(17:27) Sandeep: Can you just disconnect my card and refund me the money I paid for it.

(17:27) Sandeep: Release me from this slavery.

(17:27) kenny: I am creating your complaint even if we are disconnectde.

(17:27) kenny: disconnected.

(17:30) Sandeep: Should I end it here?

(17:30) kenny: I think you can this will take some time, but the complaint will be created , be sure.

(17:30) Sandeep: Thanks a lot.

(17:30) Sandeep: Good bye.

(17:32) kenny: Sorry for the delay.

{All that happened on this complaint that there was a waiver of Rs.200/- given. Nothing else.}

Next chat was on 8th August 2010:

(11:48) Sandeep: I was able to use this connection in the past week but only on UBUNTU.

(11:48) nishad: ok

(11:49) Sandeep: Prior to that I have used this connection only two or three times in the past month.

(11:49) Sandeep: i.e. July?

(11:51) Sandeep: ????

(11:51) nishad: Thank you for the details.

(11:52) nishad: When you have got the call from our technical team have you informed these concerns?

(11:52) Sandeep: Never.

(11:53) nishad: You mean, you have not got any call?

(11:53) Sandeep: None

(11:54) nishad: ok

(11:54) Sandeep: All I get is the bills.

(11:55) Sandeep: And reminder for payments

(11:56) nishad: ok

(11:56) nishad: I am contacting the technical team.

(11:56) nishad: Please give me a few moments.

(11:56) Sandeep: OK

(11:58) nishad: Thank you for your time.

(11:59) Sandeep: well now what?

(11:59) nishad: Sandeep, have you received any email with some trouble shooting steps?

(11:59) Sandeep: None

(11:59) nishad: ok

(12:00) nishad: Now, are you able to use the cinnection in ubuntu ONLY?

(12:00) Sandeep: yes

(12:01) Sandeep: Subject to availability of signal

(12:01) nishad: What’s the average speed you get?

(12:01) Sandeep: I do not know how to check this in ubuntu

(12:02) Sandeep: But it is fair

(12:02) nishad: ok

(12:02) Sandeep: But signal drops frequently.

(12:02) nishad: But, if you use any other browser it won’t deliver good speed, right?

(12:03) Sandeep: I am using Opera, Mozilla, Chromium.

(12:03) Sandeep: Opera is good even on slow connection

(12:03) nishad: ok

(12:03) nishad: Is your connection getting disconnected frequently?

(12:03) Sandeep: yes

(12:04) Sandeep: On several days there is no signal.

(12:04) Sandeep: The address is Lawyers’ Chamber Supreme Court. New Delhi.

(12:04) nishad: ok

(12:04) nishad: Are you using updated anti virus software?

(12:05) Sandeep: I am using a dolphin 3g connection on mobile which I connect to laptop
.

(12:05) Sandeep: Avast is the antivirus. It is updated every day.

(12:05) nishad: ok

(12:06) Sandeep: I regularly clean prefetch and temp folders as well.

(12:06) nishad: Have you deleted the cache and cookies regularely?

(12:06) Sandeep: yes

(12:06) nishad: ok

(12:06) nishad: May I know which Operating System are you using?

(12:07) Sandeep: I have tried it on three different laptops. XP and Win7. all preinstalled.

(12:07) nishad: ok

(12:07) nishad: Have you turned off Automatic update from control panel settings ?

(12:08) Sandeep: Since I have worked around and started using MTNL 3g and in the face of complete apathy from Reliance I immediate concern is unnecessary billing.

(12:09) Sandeep: Automatic update is on.

(12:09) Sandeep: It is on on Win7 and off in xp

(12:09) nishad: ok

(12:09) Sandeep: Your software is faulty and does not connect in window.

(12:11) Sandeep: Can u convert the billing tariff to usage based billing?

(12:11) Sandeep: Without fixed rental.

(12:12) Sandeep: That way I can keep this connection for use with Ubuntu.

(12:13) nishad: Sandeep, let me give one more chance to resolve the issue for ever.

(12:13) nishad: If the things are not happening and we are help less yes we will help you with converting.

(12:13) Sandeep: What about the past billing?

(12:14) nishad: You have got waiver of 200 Rs.

(12:15) Sandeep: Ideally I should disconnect it immediately. But that way I lose the money I paid for the device as well.

(12:15) nishad: It is adjusted on your account already.

(12:15) Sandeep: Waiver was for the month of June 2010.

(12:16) Sandeep: Now we are in August 2010. It is three months.

(12:17) nishad: I am escalating the concern once more to get a proper solution for this.

(12:17) nishad: So, give me few more days time to see what we can do about it.

(12:17) Sandeep: Why should I suffer with more bills in the meanwhile

(12:18) Sandeep: There is also an additional charge of Rs. 50/- every month. I do not know what for.

(12:19) Sandeep: Raising bills without service is a serious matter. Don’t you agree.

(12:19) nishad: It could be a late payment charges.

(12:19) Sandeep: Late payment over bill raised for no service?

(12:20) nishad: When the bill is generated you are liable to pay.

(12:20) nishad: But, as per your complaint the waiver will be passed.

(12:20) Sandeep: Please appreciate that I am a professional. I am an Advocate on the Records of Supreme Court. I do not have time to enter into any debate about legal liability with you.

(12:21) nishad: But, it’s not the scenario that you are unable to use the services at all.

(12:21) Sandeep: But I do not have time to spare.

(12:21) Sandeep: Can uyou convert it into a usage based plan

(12:21) Sandeep: ??

(12:22) nishad: Would you like to give few more days to see that your complaint is resolved permanantly?

(12:23) Sandeep: Than you. I am convinced that the delay is intentional so that more bills can be raised.

(12:24) Sandeep: Thanks. I want to resolve it today. As far as billing is concerned.

(12:24) nishad: I am sorry to make you feel like that way.

(12:24) Sandeep: It is not you personally. It is your orgnisation.

(12:24) Sandeep: Three months?

(12:25) nishad: I am expecting at least 4 days to be provided to get a proper solution for this.

(12:25) Sandeep: That is the limitation for Special Leave to Supreme Court.

(12:25) Sandeep: Please stop the billing.

(12:27) nishad: Sandeep, if you wish I can take your request now for converting it to prepaid.

Another chat on 27th August 2010 and today i.e. 31st August 2010 (coincidently with the same person):

You are now chatting with dhananjay

(14:33) dhananjay: Good Afternoon! This is Dhananjay from Reliance Net Connect..

(14:33) dhananjay: How may I assist you?

(14:33) Sandeep: Sure you can

(14:34) Sandeep: I had a chat with you on friday.

(14:34) dhananjay: Ok

(14:35) Sandeep: data card no. is 9350958986

(14:35) dhananjay: Ok

(14:35) Sandeep: Do you have any record or memory about the conversation?

(14:35) dhananjay: Yes i have the record

(14:36) dhananjay: So did you visit the webworld

(14:36) Sandeep: You had told me that the dues are Rs.723 however the webworld has asked for Rs. 1060/- which have been paid

(14:36) Sandeep: Rs.990/- by cheque and Rs.70 in cash.

(14:37) Sandeep: Alongwith ID Proof and a photograph.

(14:37) dhananjay: ok

(14:37) Sandeep: They have not issued any NOC or anything in writing except the Receipt for Rs.70/-.

(14:37) Sandeep: Why so?

(14:38) Sandeep: Now how long it will take to convert this account to prepaid or to disconnect it.

(14:38) dhananjay: Ok

(14:38) dhananjay: Have you given the request for the same

(14:38) Sandeep: Please take note that henceforth I have no liabillity.

(14:39) Sandeep: Yes to you as well as at the web world but none of you acknowledge

(14:40) dhananjay: I havent received any request from you

(14:40) Sandeep: I will paste the last conversation here

(14:40) Sandeep: You are now chatting with dhananjay
(16:29) dhananjay: Good Evening! This is Dhananjay from Reliance Net Connect..
(16:29) dhananjay: How may I assist you?
(16:30) Sandeep: I will paste hare end part of my last talk
(16:30) Sandeep: (12:29) Sandeep: Last time Kenny assured me that billing of July would also be taken care of. But I am saddled with that amount as well.
(12:29) Sandeep: So please either switch the billing to usage without rental or disconnect it.
(12:31) nishad: Our concerned team will get back to you with in 5 days to complete the process of convertion.
(12:32) Sandeep: Do you mean conversion to usage based plan?
(12:32) nishad: Yes, to Prepaid service.
(12:32) Sandeep: OK.
(12:33) Sandeep: Please take note that If ythis does not happen I shall be approaching Competition Commission as well as Telecom Regulatory Authority with a complaint.
(12:34) Sandeep: You would appreciate that for a few hundred Rupees this not worth it for either of us.
(12:34) Sandeep: Five days end on 26th of August 2010. OK?
(12:35) Sandeep: ??
(12:35) nishad: It is froim time to time.
(12:35) Sandeep: Means what?
(12:35) nishad: 24*5 from now.
(12:36) Sandeep: Please be specific. Give me the date.
(12:36) Sandeep: It is already one hour wasted on this conversation.
(12:37) nishad: With in next 120 hours from now.
(12:37) Sandeep: Thanks.
(12:37) Sandeep: Bye.
(12:38) nishad: You are welcome.
(12:38) nishad:
Thank you for choosing Reliance Net Connect web chat; it was a pleasure to assist you. Have a nice day.
(16:31) Sandeep: The above conversation took place on 21st August, 2010.
(16:32) dhananjay: can i have your data card number
(16:33) Sandeep: sure
(16:33) Sandeep: The data card no. is 9350958986
(16:34) Sandeep: All that happened was that your technical team called me and advised me that I should reformat my both the laptops which I can not do.
(16:35) dhananjay: Ok
(16:36) Sandeep: Another person called up day before yesterday and promised to send some executive to do the needful but nothing has happened so far.
(16:36) dhananjay: Ok
(16:37) dhananjay: As i am checking you have some previous dues
(16:37) dhananjay: For which the data card was not convertesd to pre paid
(16:38) Sandeep: There will always be some dues and it would keep on piling up.
(16:38) Sandeep: perhaps you should read entire conversation.
(16:38) dhananjay: They tried to convert it from their end but due to some due amount accross your account
(16:38) dhananjay: The data card was not migerated
(16:39) Sandeep: He had told me that he would send somebody to pick the cheque and get some form filled but nothing happened.
(16:39) dhananjay: please be online
(16:39) Sandeep: ok
(16:40) dhananjay: While i fetch the information for the same
(16:43) dhananjay: Thank you for being online
(16:43) dhananjay: I would request you to visit the nearest web world
(16:43) dhananjay: And make the payment
(16:43) dhananjay: And at the same
(16:43) dhananjay: Time at the webworld
(16:43) dhananjay: If you give the request
(16:43) dhananjay: Then and there
(16:44) dhananjay: The request will be tkaen
(16:44) Sandeep: Sorry I do not haVE TIME TO VISIT ANYWHERE.
(16:44) dhananjay: And very soon the data acrd will be converted
(16:45) Sandeep: I had sent somebody to inquire last month after making last payment but even though cheque was encashed, they were insisting on more payment.
(16:46) Sandeep: You can convert it with minus balance and I shall have it recharged.
(16:47) dhananjay: Please be online
(16:49) dhananjay: Thank you for being onlinr
(16:49) dhananjay: The extra amount wont be adjusted
(16:49) dhananjay: In the prepaid account
(16:49) Sandeep: What extra amount?
(16:50) dhananjay: The minus amout
(16:50) Sandeep: So convert it and I will send you the cheque after I receive the last bill.
(16:51) Sandeep: Or I can send you the billed amount and or entire outstanding, you send me NOC or full and final receipt.
(16:51) dhananjay: The amount is rs729, if you make the payment the account will be converted
(16:52) dhananjay: because till the payment is not received
(16:52) Sandeep: I will not make payment again. I did that mistake once.
(16:52) dhananjay: We cant convert the data card to preoaid
(16:52) dhananjay: Even if we take the request for the same
(16:53) dhananjay: The card will not be converted to prepaid
(16:53) dhananjay: Because the system will not accept it.
(16:53) Sandeep: so what to do.
(16:54) dhananjay: So i would request you to make the payment of the amount729 rs
(16:54) dhananjay: At the webworld
(16:55) dhananjay: And at the same time, you can give the request for the termination
(16:55) dhananjay: both the things can be done at the same time
(16:55) Sandeep: Nothing happens there.
(16:55) dhananjay: At this time the things will be sougted out fast.
(16:55) dhananjay: It
(16:55) dhananjay: Will
(16:55) dhananjay: this time
(16:56) dhananjay: Because the request has been already taken.
(16:56) Sandeep: you people only send people in circle.
(16:56) dhananjay: So they have to process it
(16:56) Sandeep: Apart from cheque what else would be required there?
(16:56) Sandeep: I can not go personally
(16:57) dhananjay: Your photo id proff and your residential proff and one photo of yours
(16:57) Sandeep: I am at Rajinder Nagar, New Delhi 110060. Tell the nearest webworld and name of contact person with phone no.
(16:58) dhananjay: I am sorry ,we dont have the contact number
(16:58) dhananjay: I can give you the address
(16:59) dhananjay: Nearest to that area
(17:02) dhananjay: Krishna Nagar,Lajpat Nagar,South Extn,New Friends Colony,Vasant Vihar,Pitampura,KamlaNagar,Darya Ganj,Patel Nagar,Jail Road,Pashchim Vihar,Vikas Marg,Green,Park (New),Grand Mall,SCO 24 – Sector 14,Faridabad,Noida,Ghaziabad,NIT Road
(17:02) dhananjay: These are the places available
(17:04) Sandeep: These are localities not the addresses
(17:04) dhananjay: i have the address
(17:04) Sandeep: you do not know the nearest web world and they do not know that this conversation took place.
(17:05) dhananjay: from this is there any area close to your area
(17:06) Sandeep: Shankar Road
(17:08) dhananjay: I am sorry it is mot there in our list
(17:09) Sandeep: But your web world is functioning there
(17:09) Sandeep: I asked only to bring the communication gap on record.
(17:10) Sandeep: You want me to go to a place which accordinmg to you do not exist
(17:10) dhananjay: Thats what i have sais
(17:10) dhananjay: *** said
(17:10) dhananjay: see i have mentioned
(17:11) dhananjay: That the name is not mentioned in our webworld lisit
(17:11) dhananjay: I didnot say that there is no webworld in that area
(17:12) Sandeep: I have understood that this chatting is a farce/sham/void.
(17:12) Sandeep: Thanks for wasting my time.
(17:12) dhananjay: Welcome
(17:12) dhananjay: Is there anything else I may help you with?
(17:12) Sandeep: I am keeping a copy of this conversation for legal purpose.
(17:12) Sandeep: Good bye.
(17:12) dhananjay: Thank you for choosing Reliance NetConnect.
It was a pleasure to assist you
You were chatting with dhananjay
Have a great evening ahead.

(14:44) dhananjay: Can i have your contact number

(14:45) Sandeep: 09811277366

(14:45) Sandeep: I am posting the entire conversation inthe past three months on my blog

(14:46) Sandeep: Let people know what a fraud Reliance Com is.

(14:54) dhananjay: Please note down the request number 134889118

(14:55) dhananjay: Please visit the web world after 3 days and give them the request number

(14:55) dhananjay: The data card will be converted to prepaid

(14:55) Sandeep: OK

(14:55) dhananjay: Is there anything else I may help you with?

(14:56) Sandeep: No Thanks

(14:56) Sandeep: bye

(14:56) dhananjay: Welcome

(14:56) dhananjay: Have a great day.

(14:56) dhananjay: Thank you for choosing Reliance NetConnect.
It was a pleasure to assist you
You were chatting with dhananjay
Have a great evening ahead.

{As you may make out from the above that by keeping me busy on false assurance they had been charging me Rs.300/- per month as rental. Now this amount is so small that I can not even sue them. But by cheating such small amounts from millions of people these corporate thugs show rosy pictures of theeir corporate affairs.}

Bottomline: Stay away from Reliance communication. Though I will stay away from ADA Group itself.


Colossus put together by spit and glue

29 Sunday Aug 2010

Posted by in Finance, Hall of shame

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America needs to spend on infrastructure

Normally blasé New Yorkers seemed stunned at the vulnerability of their railroad, but in that, they should not have felt alone. The combination of antiquated hardware and delayed maintenance is far from uncommon in America’s infrastructure, a Colossus often held together by spit and glue. far from uncommon in America’s infrastructure, a Colossus often held together by spit and glue. Consider the nation’s dams, on average a half- century old. Despite their monumental size, the dams can be weakened by foraging gophers and squirrels, whose holes undermine the foundations. (Source: http://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2010/08/28/weekinreview/20100829nwr-grynbaum.html?hp)

india kerala boat people

(Photo credit: FriskoDude)

It is a shame that in-spite of such need for infrastructural improvements, huge financial help has been extended to dishonest institutions. Had the same amount been spent on improvement of infrastructure, the money would have reached people and there would have been more purchasing power in the hands of people. The economic growth would ave picked up. But now they can only pray to those institutions to help the economy. Will it save the ship with so many holes.

© Sandeep Bhalla

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Non-vegetarian: vegetables, pulses & cereal.

28 Saturday Aug 2010

Posted by in Food, Hall of shame, Health

≈ 1 Comment

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Genetic engineering: The world’s greatest scam?

It is the cross breeding of the genes of living creature and the vegetation/crop which will make vegetarian food into non-vegetarian. For example genes of rats are added to wheat so that rat will not eat it. Will it be safe? This question can not be answered by tests of few years. In the matters of genes effect will show after several generations. What about the freedom of choice? Nobody talks about that in free market. Watch this video:

Does any one remember “Mad-Cow disease“

Please form an opinion and express it.

© Sandeep Bhalla

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Write to Sonia Gandhi « Say NO to GE Food

28 Saturday Aug 2010

Posted by in Hall of shame

≈ 1 Comment

Here are some of the problems with this bill:

The approval of GM crops would be based on a presumption that GM crops are a potential solution to all agricultural problems and that the country’s food security crisis can be resolved by introducing GM crops. On the contrary, many scientists agree to fact that real solutions for today’s agricultural problems are in ecological farming methods.

The approvals also presume that the safety of a GM crop can be best assessed by the company which stands to benefit from the approval.

The bill proposes a centralised, technocratic decision making authority with no scope for democratic intervention. The apex authority is the BRAI with a chairperson and two members, all scientists with either a biotech or a health background.

BRAI gives no role to state governments in the approval of GM crops even though agriculture is a state subject under the Indian constitution.

BRAI sits inside the Ministry of Science and technology creating serious conflict of interest.Dept of Biotechnology – under the Ministry of Science &Technology, has the mandate of promotion of GE crops. DBT funds several GE crop development projects using public funds and is the nodal agency for redirecting funds from foreign governments to GE crop development projects.

Sections of the bill super cede the Right to Information Act and place the decision to disclose information for public interest with the authority instead of the Central Information Commission or the Delhi high court. The BRAI would kill any informed public debate on GE crops in future, one of the aspects that helped in stopping Bt Brinjal.

BRAI kills consumer choice and promotes GE polluters as it has no provision for labeling of GE crops, or liability of the crop developer due to economic losses by contamination.

There is a need re-draft the bill, first with an effort to disclose the draft bill and hold public consultations and take in suggestions and issues that are concerning the all citizens of our country.

With the Government failing us by giving an approval for the BRAI bill, our hope lies with the National Advisory Council under your chairpersonship. The fact that the council pro-actively and effectively intervened in the drafting of two important legislations, the Food Security bill and the Communal Violence bill and is doing so with many others, gives us confidence that you will heed the concerns of us citizens and would stop the bill from being tabled in the Parliament in its present form.

via Write to Sonia Gandhi « Say NO to GE Food.

How to create a torrent?

17 Tuesday Aug 2010

Posted by in Linux/Ubuntu, Sci/Tech

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Instructions for Transmission:

1. From Menu select File > Create new Torrent (or CTRL + N)

2. Select the files and or directories

3. Trackers: This is probably the hard part for most people. But it’s pretty easy, just put in one of the popular public trackers. we can use one or more trackers, but in generally one/two  is/are enough.

Here are some good trackers to use:

http://open.tracker.thepiratebay.se/announce

http://www.torrent-downloads.to:2710/announce

http://denis.stalker.h3q.com:6969/announce

udp://denis.stalker.h3q.com:6969/announce

http://tracker.openbittorrent.com/announce

http://www.torrent-downloads.to:2710/announce

http://tracker.prq.to/announce

http://tpb.tracker.prq.to/announce

http://www.the-underdogs.info:6969/announce

http://tracker.ydy.com:83/announce

http://bt.btbbt.com:7272/announce

http://tracker1.torrentum.pl:6969/announce

http://www.sumotracker.com/announce

Paste one or more of above links in the tracker box. The empty lines in between above links are intentional.

4. Do NOT tick the private torrent box (unless you’re using a private tracker)

5. Save the torrent and send it to friends besides uploading it to one or more sites.

The above entries of Trackers can also be pasted in an existing download via its property box to speed up a download. As for creating public torrent they do not accept upload from public. One has to register with one of the sites and upload the torrent. A registered user can upload torrent anonymously as well.
All the best.

Creating RAID 1 Array backup

17 Tuesday Aug 2010

Posted by in Linux/Ubuntu

≈ 1 Comment

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Creating raid in Ubuntu Precise PangolinSoftware RAID is a good alternative to hardware raid. Disk Utility bundled with Ubuntu has a feature to create software RAID. We need to have an additional disk with similar or larger capacity.

  1. In Ubuntu/Mint type disk and choose ‘Disk Utility.’
  2. Go to File->Create->Raid Array.
  3. Pick hard drives that have free, non-partitioned space.
  4. Choose raid array size and click create.
  5. If we get an error we need to install mdadm. Even otherwise we may prefer to install mdadm to manage the Array. The name is derived from the md (multiple device) device nodes it administers or manages. It replaced a previous utility mdctl. The original name was “Mirror Disk”. It was changed as the functionality increased. It is a free software under GPL.

mdadm can be installed from Ubuntu Software Center or from command line. Open terminal (ctrl+shift+t)  and type:

sudo apt-get install mdadm

enter password. choose yes and it is done.

For additional help on an alternative/manual method check this url: http://www.pwrusr.com/system-administration/add-raid-1-on-your-running-ubuntu-pt2-hands-on

© Sandeep Bhalla

How to install .rpm in Ubuntu / Debian based operating system

16 Monday Aug 2010

Posted by in Linux/Ubuntu

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Installing .rpm package after converting it into .deb package.

There are times when we need to install an application that is only available in .rpm package in Debian GNU/Linux or Ubuntu operating system. One of the main obstacles is that Debian / Ubuntu are using .deb based packaging system which is incompatible with RPM. However we can easily convert RPM package to .deb and install it afterwards, here’s how to do it :
Install alien, it is available in Debian, Ubuntu repository:

     sudo apt-get install alien

Convert rpm package using command

sudo alien -kc some-binary-package.rpm

This will save the file as a deb package in the same directory. We can install it by double clicking it and invoking software manager or by using this command:

sudo dpkg -i some-binary-package.deb

 

Fixing dependencies:

If there is some dependency problem it may give error. Update the system with this command:

sudo apt-get install update
sudo apt-get install upgrade

If there is any dependency problem it may solve it. If not use following command:

sudo apt-get install -f

It should be fine. If there is any further problem, we may try “apt-get install -h” or “dpkg -h” for help.

© Sandeep Bhalla

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